Ten steps to Paradise:

Imam ibn Hajar summarises the ten protocols towards the straight path to Jannah
(Paradise). [Saheeh Bukhari]

1. Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism)

There are seven types of Tawheed that must be known about Allah and that is to be
certain of Him and discover His ninety-nine Attributes (and uphold the Islamic core
values and beliefs), be submissive to Him (compliance of the Shari’ah- laws of
Allah), complete dependence on Him (love, hope, fear of Allah), accepting the Will of
Allah (Divine Decree) and to accept His religion (the Deen Ul-Islam) whole heartily.
Tawheed is the core requirement of Paradise even if one prays and sacrifices it will
be meaningless if one does not understand the Glory and Might of Allah and
associates partners with Him SWT (Glorified is He and He is Exalted).

2. Love the Messenger of Allah S.A.W.

Paradise calls for self-effacing slaves that are not attached to this world and its
materialism and who follow the example of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W (peace and
mercy of Allah be upon him).
Narrated 'Abd Allah bin Hisham: 'We were with the Prophet S.A.W and he was
holding the hand of 'Umar ibnu Al-Khattab R.D.U.H (may Allah be pleased with him).
'Umar said to him, "O Allah's Messenger (S.A.W) you are dearer to me than
everything except my ownself." Allah's Messenger (S.A.W) said: "No, by Him in
Whose Hand my soul is, (you will not have complete faith) until I am dearer to you
than your ownself." Then 'Umar (R.D.U.H) said: "However, now, by Allah, you are
dearer to me than my ownself." He (S.A.W) then said: "Now, O 'Umar, (now you are
a believer)."

3. Al-Arkan (the five pillars of Islam)

The five pillars of Islam are in fact the interior of a perfect design in which without it,
is dull and lifeless. The greatest joy to the believer, the things that raises one in
elevation (in Paradise) and honours one in the sight of Allah is consistency in
performing the obligations and performing the pillars of Islam. This is part of the
laws of Islam thus a prerequisite for Paradise while everything else is second to it. It
had been mentioned that a man asked the Prophet S.A.W: “if I was to love you
more than anything, perform prayers and give zakat (Islamic tax) and I fasted in the
month of Ramadan and I performed the Hajj. Will I enter Jannah? The Prophet S.A.W
said to him simply: “if your intentions are righteous and the person who promises to
[Bukhari]
do this and does this will enter Jannah.”
For the woman who does not wear a hijab (veil) it does not mean she should neglect
her compulsory prayers, zakat, fasting, hajj etc as many may have this idea but it is
incorrect; verily the worshipping of Allah increases one’s obedience to Him S.W.T so
inshallah (Allah Willing) she will appreciate the obligations of veiling as she
increases in knowledge and in faith. And in fact the main obligations (of prayer), in
this case, is greater as a requirement of Paradise because she is only at the
beginning stages of her imaan (faith) and so she will be saved according to the level
of imaan that she reaches.

4. The du’a (supplications to Allah)

To ask Allah is the essence of ibadah as it reinforces the forgiveness and mercy of
Allah which is the most important requirement to enter Paradise. Abu Hurairah
narrated the Prophet (S.A.W) saying: “anyone who does not invoke Allah will cause
[Ahmad]
Allah to be angry with him.”
And in a Hadith Qudsi narrated by Abu Dharr, Allah revealed through the Prophet
(S.A.W), “O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you
and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request from Me, and were I
to give everyone what they requested, that would not decrease what I have
anymore than a needle decreases the sea if put into it”[Muslim] This shows the degree
of Allah’s generosity and His ever-lasting bounty.

5. Qur’an Al-Kareem
The Qur’an brings a person closer to the remembrance and gratitude of Allah. The
one who memorises the Qur’an will be asked to recite and rise in elevation (in
Paradise) as the Prophet S.A.W had said: “on the Day of Rising he will be told:
'recite and ascend.' He will recite a verse of the Qur’an and rise a degree until he
finishes what he knows of the Qur'an.” [Tirmidhi]

6. As-Sadaqah (charity)
Charity is a form of purification of the soul as it extinguishes sins like water
extinguishes fire. Charity can be many things, such as a kind word, a smile, a kind
greeting or an intention of love in brotherhood it is not necessarily monetary.
7. Silat-ur-rahim and keeping family ties
The foundations of Islam are based on the family bond and keeping good relations
which is why relationships are valued in Islam. The Prophet S.A.W said: “whoever
dies and is free from three: arrogance, grudges and debt will enter Jannah
[Paradise],”[Tirmidhi] therefore those who are proud, arrogant, conceited or they have a
grudge or debt it will prevent them from entering Paradise

8. Honesty
Honesty is part of righteousness and there is a definite place in Paradise for the
truthful believers so be truthful to oneself and others and one will attain Paradise
near the Prophets and Messengers who are the truthful believers of Allah. The
Prophet S.A.W said: “whoever can guarantee (the chastity of) what is between his
two jaw-bones and what is between his two legs (i.e. his tongue and his private
parts), I guarantee Jannah for him.”[Bukhari]

9. At-Taubah (repentance)
Allah granted to the nation of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W something in which He had
not given a nation before him and that is the ability to succeed (enter Paradise)
through direct repentance to Allah Alone at any time and any place which prevents
shirk (associating partners with Allah such as monks, priests, rabbis, sheiks,
statutes etc) an unforgiveable offence to Allah.

10. To pardon others

To pardon others is to forgive those who oppress the one in a position of superiority.
This includes holding grudges and constantly finding faults in others. The Prophet
S.A.W said that none will enter Paradise until he/she forgives others whereupon
Allah will forgive them.

Paradise readily welcomes the righteous ones and so those who do desire an
incredibly blessed end in Paradise they will do well to adhere to the above
requirements of entering Paradise and to constantly purify themselves from their
transgressions and sins to avoid a bad end in Hell-Fire. Abu Umammah R.D.U.H
narrated the Messenger of Allah S.A.W said: “I guarantee a home in Paradise for a
person who gives up arguments and disputes even if he is on the truth and I
guarantee a home in the middle of Paradise for a person who gives up lying even
while joking and I also guarantee a home in the highest part of Paradise for a
person who has a high standard of character.”[Abu Dawood]

And those foremost (In Tawheed and obedience to Allah and His Messenger in this
life) will be foremost (in Paradise). They will be those nearest to Allah in the
Gardens of Delight. A multitude of those (the foremost) will be from the first
generation (who embraced Islam) and a few of those (the foremost) will be from the
later (generations). They will be reclining, face to face, on thrones woven with gold
and precious stones. They will be served by immortal boys, with cups and jugs, and
a glass from the flowing wine, from which they will have neither any headache, nor
any intoxication. They will have fruit from which they may choose, and the flesh of
fowls that they desire. There will be Hur (fair females) with wide, lovely eyes (as
wives for the muttaqeen), like preserved pearls, are ward for deeds that they used
to do. They will hear no vain or sinful speech (like backbiting, etc.) but only the
saying of: ‘Salam, Salam’ (greetings of peace).And those on the Right Hand. Who
will be those on the Right Hand? They will be among thorn-less lote-trees among
Talh (banana trees) with fruits piled one above another, in long-extended shade, by
constantly flowing water, and fruit in plenty, whose season is not limited, and their
supply will not be cut off. They will be on couches or thrones raised high. Verily, We
have created for them (maidens) of equal age, loving (their husbands only) for
those on the RightHand."Qur’an 56: 10-38

The description of Paradise is that it is what pair of eyes hasn’t seen, what ears
haven’t heard and what has not crossed the heart of a human. Its ground and its
soil are musk and saffron and its roof is with-thrown with the Most Merciful, its rocks
are pearls and jewels, its buildings are made with bricks of gold and silver, it doesn’t
contain a single tree except that its trunk is of gold and silver, its fruits are softer
then butter and sweeter then honey, its leaves are softer then the softest cloth, the
rivers are milk whose taste doesn’t change, and wine that is delicious for the one
who drinks it, rivers of honey that is pure and rivers of water that is fresh, its fruits
are from wherever one will chose and meat of whatever bird you desire, the
drinking cups are crystal clear, made from gold and silver laid out on the highest of
its levels, the faces of its inhabitants are like of the moon and they are young [33
years old] in the image of Adam, the father of humanity. There are rivers of water
the taste and smell of which are not changed, rivers of milk of which the taste never
changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of clarified honey
[clear and pure] therein for them is every kind of fruit, and forgiveness from their
Lord. [Are these] like those who shall dwell forever in the Fire and be given to drink
boiling water so that it cuts up their bowels.”Qur’an 47: 15