Concerns of a med student:

Ahmed: I’ve been trying so hard to make it into that post med program.

Friend: Hey, what about meeting with Dr.Muneeb. Just go ask him what you need to get in, he is THE BEST doctor.

Ahmed: You think I havent already? I am practically following ALL his footsteps to the best to my ability … just sometimes I get concerned if I’m still going to make it or not … hope I can achieve all the marks I need before its too late. So I am just doing all the bonus projects as well …

Concerns of a Muslim:

Mu’adh bin Jabal: O Messenger of Allah, inform me of an act which will place me into Paradise and will keep me away from the fire.

He said: You have asked me about a great matter, yet it is, indeed, an easy matter for him to whom Allah Almighty makes it easy. (It is) that you worship Allah without associating anything with Him, that you perform the prayers, that you pay the zakat, that you fast during Ramadan, and that you make the pilgrimage to the House.

Then he said: Shall I not guide you to the gates of goodness? Fasting is a shield; charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire; and a man’s prayer in the middle of the night.

Then he recited: Who forsake their beds to cry unto their Lord in fear and hope, and spend of that We have bestowed on them. No soul knoweth what is kept hid for them of joy, as a reward for what they used to do. [Surah al-Sajdah (32): Ayah 16-17]

Then he said: Shall I not also tell you of the peak of the matter, its pillar, and its topmost part?

Muadh said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah.

He said: The peak of the matter is Islam (submission to Allah), the pillar is prayer; and its topmost part is jihad.

Then he said: And shall I not tell you of the controlling of all that?

Muadh said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah.

So he took hold of his tongue and said: Restrain this.

Muadh said: O Prophet of Allah, will we be held accountable for what we say?

He said: May your mother lose you! Is there anything that topples people on their faces into the Hell-fire other than the jests of their tongues?

[Related by Al-Tirmidhi, who said it was a hassan hadith]

  • As displayed by the above hadith, companions were anxious to know the key to their goal. They concerned themselves with pleasing Allah, being saved from the Hellfire and getting into paradise! What concerns do most of us have? How much do we try to learn and implement to enter Jannah?
  • The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) mentions Muadh’s (رضي الله عنه) concern as a great one, and it is only easy by the help of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). How often do we ask Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) for this help and guidance? May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) give us tawfeeq of seeking His help for all good matters, especially in this -ultimate- great one! (Ameen)

The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) tells us:

  • The key to entering paradise: by fullfilling the five pillars.
  • The key to gain great rewards, beyond paradise: by sunnah acts such as voluntary fasts, charity, prayer during late night.
  • The main aspect of being saved from Hellfire and entering Paradise: by submission to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). The foundation of submitting to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى): salaah. The peak: jihad.

Beyond that, he (صلي الله عليه وسلم) also warns us of the greatest reason for people to enter Hellfire and how to avoid it: by controlling the tongue.

So, in conclusion, we all know we desire Jannah. We all know we don’t want to end up in Hell. We all know of greater rewards existing in Jannah. We all know exactly what to strive for … and most importantly, we all know how to get there! Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) already spoon-fed us the actions that lead to our goals by His help–just look through the Qur’an and Sunnah. Are we concerned in implementing them? Are we striving for the greatest matter? Are we spending most of our life doing acts that please Allah (سبحانه وتعالى)? Or are we wasting time in gaining the best levels of this duniya while letting our time run out? What concerns us?

Let us strive for the best level in Jannah, al-Firdaus. Let us ask Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) to guide us and help us in each of our prayers. For we are ever in need of our Creator, our Sustainer and Reckoner. May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) make it easy for us to follow the haq and guide us to actions that will lead us to Jannah! (Ameen wajma’een)