Human life witnesses numerous phases throughout the span a man is alive. In Islam, Allah SWT has established a noble concept of hell and Jannah as they transcend the paths of human life and die to begin life in the next world. Jannah has been designated as a reward for those who live their life in accordance with the teachings of Islam and Sunnah and on the basis of some of the qualities that one must have to be rewarded with the blessed place.
There are certain parameters according to which a Muslim qualifies for the blessings and mercy of Allah in the form of a reward as noble as Jannah. The following read comprises the knowledge in regard to what qualifies a person to be in Jannah.
What Is Jannah?
Jannah is the Arabic word for Paradise, literally “the garden”. In Islam it is not a figure of speech for a state of mind but a real and everlasting abode that Allah has prepared for the believers after the Day of Judgment. Its opposite is Jahannam, the Fire.
The Quran describes it in terms a reader can picture: shade that is neither burning sun nor bitter cold, garments of fine silk, vessels of silver, and a drink that neither intoxicates nor brings on a headache (Quran 76:12-22). Jannah is also described as having levels, the highest of which is al-Firdaws.
Consider every blessing as a test
Allah has bestowed mankind with uncountable blessings making us solely responsible for how we use them. For a Muslim, every blessing should be considered a test. Allah SWT says in the Quran, “Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. [Quran, 2:155].” This further intensifies that you will be held accountable for every blessing and the way you have taken it. Be it health, wealth, or luck, Allah SWT has the authority to ask for accountability.
Do not indulge in false hope
People think that their association with a Muslim family and with the ummah of the beloved Prophet SAW will take them to Jannah no matter what they do. Learn the Quran online and you will know about Allah SWT’s teachings on how one should never give himself false hopes. For entering Jannah, one’s belonging does not matter. It is the deeds and obeying the commands of Allah that can lead you to Jannah.
Never consider yourself superior
What Allah has bestowed you with can be different from what others have. It is only Allah SWT who has given people good or bad. If someone has a disability or low income, it is not his fault. It can be a test by Allah SWT and your blessings should not allow you to consider others as inferior beings. The best Quran tutors suggest that this ideology should be taught to Muslims from a young age so that they can adopt a lifestyle based on strong principles.
We, as Muslims, should remember that everything has a cost. One cannot earn success without a sufficient amount of hard work. Similarly, one cannot get the path to Jannah without striving to every extent for the reward. There is no difficult goal to achieve unless you try. Follow the teachings of Islam, and abide by the commands of Allah and the sunnah of the Holy Prophet SAW. Fulfill your responsibilities towards mankind, provide the basic rights to everyone, do good, and wish good so that Allah SWT rewards you with the bounties and rewards in Jannah.
Deeds That Lead to Jannah
When a man asked the Prophet (PBUH) to name a deed that would admit him to Paradise, the answer was direct: “Worship Allah, and worship none along with Him, offer the prescribed prayers perfectly, pay the compulsory Zakat, and fast the month of Ramadan” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1397, narrated by Abu Hurayrah, agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
The Quran ties entry to taqwa, God-consciousness, rather than to lineage or wealth. Truthfulness, guarding the tongue and dealing justly with people run through the same material, which is why the sections above deal with testing, false hope and humility rather than with ritual alone.
Related reading: the six articles of faith in Islam, and the Shahada, the first pillar of Islam. To study the creed with a teacher, see our Islamic teachings course.