Want to book a ticket to Paradise?

Each one of us pines after an entrance to Jannat-ul-Firdause, the ultimate sanctuary reserved for the believers in the hereafter. Granted, we all want rite of passage to that beautiful abode of eternal bliss, but one must pause and think, are we sincerely striving to attain our place in it? Or do we sometimes get too ‘attached’ to this transitory world and forget the higher purpose?
Every Muslim should do everything in their power to attain the pleasure of Allah (SWT) and to work towards attaining the highest ranks in Jannah. But only the righteous deeds in this world can pave the way for an eternal life in Paradise.
 

This article highlights ten easy ways through which every Muslim can attain the pleasure of Allah (SWT) and in turn, book their ticket to Jannah, God willing.

   

1-Believe and Do Righteous Deeds



This verse is one of the many verses in the Quran where Allah (SWT) stresses greatly on the essential role of ‘faith’ and ‘good deeds’ in our entrance to Jannah. The shahadah, belief in the oneness of Allah (SWT), and being a good person, carrying out righteous deeds in this world along with being a decent human being, lies at the core of Islam. Faith, on its own, renders as insufficient; our belief needs to be backed up by our actions as well. Only firm belief in Allah (SWT) and His Powers will allow an individual to believe in an Afterlife and the idea of an eternal Heaven and Hell. This faith, in turn, allows one to be more self-aware and more conscious of carrying righteous deeds in this World in order to attain Allah’s (SWT) pleasure and a place in Heaven in the next world.

 

2-Repent Constantly
No human is perfect, and consequently, no one is sinless. Some sins are committed on purpose and some unconsciously. Therefore, repentance is our saving grace. If we atone for our sins and Allah (SWT) accepts it, our sins are wiped away and we are granted a clean slate. Even our Holy Prophet (PBUH), the best of mankind and Allah’s creations, used to repent constantly and beg for Allah’s (SWT) mercy and forgiveness.
  

"Turn you people in repentance to Allah and beg pardon of Him. I turn to Him in repentance a hundred times a day". (Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 14)

3-Never Stop Being Grateful
Make it a habit to be grateful. Be thankful to Allah (SWT) for all that He has given you and for what He deprives you of, for He knows best for His servants. We should look towards the favors and blessings that he bestows on us every single day and the calamities that He protects us from. Even a whole lifetime spent in constant gratitude and worship of Allah (SWT), can never surmount to the blessings, and Kindness He bestows on us. As He says in the Quran:
 

"Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, And be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me." (Qur'an 2:152)

4-Offer Tahajjud

Allah (SWT) loves those who sacrifice their sleep just to seek the pleasure of Allah (SWT) and worship Him. According to our Holy Prophet (PBUH):
 

“The best Salat (prayer) next after the prescribed Salat is Salat at night (Tahajjud prayers)” (Sahih Muslim, 1246, book 9).

Allah (SWT) gives all His believers the opportunity to turn to Him during the night and offer Tahajjud prayers so He may forgive them and send His eternal Blessings on them. Praying Tahajjud grants us a higher status in Jannah. Hence, we should overcome our desire to sleep and take out time to stand in front of our Lord (SWT) and pour our heart out. The time of Tahajjud is also one of the most opportune times for Allah (SWT) to listen to His believers, so if we pray with our heart, our prayers will surely be heard and accepted.

  

5-Be Kind To Your Parents

Kindness and obedience towards one’s parents is one of the most emphasized matters in Islam. Allah (SWT) enjoins us to treat our parents with nothing but love and respect and to take care of them without so much as a ‘huff’ of complaint, for they are most precious. Every parent knows sacrifice and hardships for the sake of their children, and hence, it is the duty of their children to love and cherish them. The Quran says:

6-In the Face of Hardships, be Patient

Trials and hardships are all part of our ultimate test in this world and what matters most is how we react to them. Whatever trials and tribulations we go through in this world, we will be compensated for them in the next world, but that is only if we choose to adopt a patient approach and endure the difficulties with a steady heart and unwavering trust in Allah (SWT) and His Will. God loves those who bear calamities with patience and resilience, rather than hopelessness and despondence. We need to have faith in the fact that everything happens for a good reason and have faith in Him, for He only ever wants good for His servant. The Prophet (PBUH) said:
  

"Remember Him in prosperity and He will remember you in adversity. Be sure that which you miss, was not to hit you; and what hits you, was never to miss you. Remember that the Help of Allah is obtained with patience, and relief emerges after distress, prosperity follows adversity, and hardship is followed by ease" (Sahih Tirmidhi, book 1, hadith 62)

The hardships and trials in this world only pave the way for a surer passage of rewards and Paradise in the next world. Whenever you feel like hope and strength is slipping away, turn to Allah (SWT). Surrender yourself and your afflictions to Him and He will never let you down. Have faith in Him and He will never leave you alone.

  

7-Be Kind and Just to the People Around You

Allah (SWT) loves those who are good to His creation. We are instructed to integrate kindness in our everyday dealings with the people around us and to act justly towards them. Kindness comes in all shapes and forms, be it helping out your neighbor, doing a favor for a friend, supporting a person in need etc.
 

“Verily Allah is kind and He loves kindness and confers upon kindness which he does not confer upon severity and does not confer upon anything else besides it (kindness)” (Sahih Muslim, 2593)

 Allah (SWT) also instructs us to treat people fairly and justly, and granting them their full rights. A core element of being a decent and good human being means being a source of comfort and ease to the people around you. And it is kindness and justness, that Allah (SWT) favors in His believers.

 

8-Recite Ayatul-Qursi After Every Prayer
Every Muslim is well aware of the importance of offering the daily salah and its rewards. However, one simple task that can increase your blessings and reserve a place for you in Jannah,. On top of your daily prayers recite the Ayat-ul-Kursi after each salah. It barely takes half a minute to recite but the rewards and blessings it incites as a consequence can last forever.

 

9-Forgive

“And march forth in the way (which leads) to forgiveness from your Lord and Paradise as wide as are the Heavens and the Earth, prepared for the pious. Those who spend (in Allah’s cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves the good- doers.” (Quran, 133-134)

Allah (SWT) implores us to forgive, just as we would want Him to forgive us for our mistakes. Anger, spite, revenge and hate cause nothing but more pain and damage, to not only ourselves but to the people around us. Nothing good ever comes out of holding grudges against people who have wronged us. Instead of harboring anger and ill feelings towards a person, forgive them and have faith in the fact that everyone has to answer to Allah (SWT) and they will be dealt with accordingly. Forgiveness not only cleanses the soul but incurs blessings from Allah (SWT) as well.

  

10-Trust in Allah (SWT)- Tawakkul

“Allah loves those who put their trust in Him.” (Quran, 3:159)

To put your complete trust in Allah (SWT) is to surpass all words and to rely on Him with all your heart and soul. Reliance on Allah (SWT) means you do everything that is within your locus of control to pursue your life aims and at the same time, have blind faith in the fact that whatever the future holds, it is in our best interest and whatever the outcome is, it is the Divine Will of the Almighty and it is what He has ordained.
 

"If you all depend on Allah with due reliance, He would certainly give you provision as He gives it to birds who go forth hungry in the morning and return with full belly at dusk" (Sahih Tirmidhi, book 1, hadith 79).

Having Tawakkul and complete trust in Allah (SWT) saves one from anxiety, depression and the feeling of helplessness, because having faith in Him means leaving everything up to Him with the expectation that He will not forsake you. Allah (SWT) adores His servants who rely on nothing but Him, and Him alone.
 

In short, we must constantly strive towards carrying out righteous deeds that please Allah (SWT) to grow closer to Him. We have a limited time in this world to do as much good as we possibly can to secure a place for ourselves in the eternal bliss of Paradise.