We all crave for paradise, yet don’t want to work for it, perhaps it’s just a false hope that we have instilled within us that guarantees us paradise free of cost, but frankly and
realistically speaking, has there been anything in our lives that has ever been free of cost? Some items may have been easier to procure than others, but never has it been completely gratis, if not monetarily than we have always have had to pay in some other form, unless and until it has been given to us in the way of Allah.
So don’t you think it is ridiculously idiotic of us to expect the most valuable treasure of all to be given to us scot free. As a matter of fact, even if we were to devote our entire life in worship and religion, we yet wouldn’t be worthy of paradise, yes its true! My dear friends, the most incorrigible mistake that we ever make is not being able to fathom the value of paradise, we have taken it so lightly that even a fancy party is now described as “heavenly”. In fault though our comprehension may be in, we have to get our frontal lobe set our priorities and conception right.
We have to comprehend the value of paradise and we must realize that it is entirely because of Allah’s mercy that we may be able to attain paradise, so we must do we what He has ordered us to do i.e. Asbaab (efforts)
So, in this context, I shall state a hadith which dictates a golden pathway to paradise:
The Messenger (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked, “Who is fasting today?” Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) replied, “Me”.
The Messenger (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked, “Who has followed a funeral procession today?” Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) replied, “Me”.
The Messenger (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked, “Who has fed a poor person today?” Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) replied, “Me”.
The Messenger (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked, “Who has visited a sick person today?” Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) replied, “Me”.
The Messenger (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) then said, “Any person that has done these four things in one day will enter Paradise.”
[Sahih Muslim]
This hadith shows the virtue of performing four types of actions in one single day whereby the prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned that the person who does these four actions in one day will be granted paradise.
These four actions are:
- Fasting
- Visiting a sick person
- Following a funeral procession
- Feeding a poor person
The hadith also shows the virtue of Abu Bakr Al-Sideeq (May Allah be pleased with him) when the prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked who had performed these actions it was he who had performed them. He is the greatest companion of the prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and was always the first in performing good deeds may Allah be pleased with him.
And Allah Knows Best!
All these tasks are indeed noble and can be individually contemplated on and Alhamdulillah, these commissions are no trek to Mount Everest. Rather it is something that we can easily do but of course there shall be the usual complaints of lack of opportunity, but then remember opportunities come by to those who search and seek them.
“We often miss opportunity because it’s dressed in overalls and looks like work”
― Thomas A. Edison