The Keys To Paradise
Shamsuddeen Muhammad bin Abee Bakr Ibn Qayyim (Rahimahullaah) said: Bukhari mentions in his ‘Saheeh’ [from Wahab bin Munnabih ] that it was said to him:- ‘Is not ‘La ilaha ‘illa Allah’ the key to Paradise?’ He said:- ‘Of course, however, there is no key except that it has Teeth, so if a key is brought which has teeth then it will be opened, otherwise it will not open.’
Ibn Qayyim (R) continues:- ‘Allah Subhanahu has placed keys for everything that is necessary, and they open the way, so Allah made purification the key to prayer, PROPHET [ SallAllaahu Alayhi wa Sallam] said:- ‘The key to prayer is Purification.’ [Source:-Saheeh al-Jamia as-Sagheer No.5885]
- Likewise, Ihram is the key to Hajj,
- Truthfulness is the key to Righteousness,
- Tawheed is the key to Paradise,
- Asking good questions and being attentive is the key to knowledge,
- Patience is the key to Victory and Triumph,
- Gratitude is the key to increasing provision,
- Remembrance of Allah is the key to having loyalty to Allah and His love,
- Taqwa (piety) is the key to success,
- Fervent desire and dread of Allaah is the key to being successful,
- Dua’ (Supplicating) is the key to being responded to,
- Zuhd (Abstaining from the luxuries of the world) is the key to desiring the Hereafter,
- Reflecting on that which Allah calls His slaves to is the key to Eemaan (having faith),
- Making the heart accept Islaam and making it secure for Allah and having sincerity for Him by having love and hate and fulfilling His commands and leaving the prohibitions is the key to going in front of Allah,
- Pondering upon the Qur’an, imploring Allah before dawn, and not sinning are the keys to giving the heart life,
- Being kind to the worshippers of the Creator and striving to benefit His worshippers is the key to obtaining mercy,
- Striving to seek forgiveness from Allah and Taqwa (piety) is the key to Rizq (provisions),
- Obedience to Allah and His Messenger is the key to honor,
- Longing for the Hereafter is the key to being prepared for the Hereafter,
- Fervent desire for Allah and the Hereafter is the key to all goodness,
- Love for the world, continuously longing for it, and turning away from the Hereafter is the key to all evil.
This is a great matter from the most beneficial chapters of knowledge, namely knowing the keys to goodness and evil.’ [Source: ‘Haadi al-Arwaaha ila Bilaad al-Afraaha’ by Ibn Qayyim vol 1 P # 139]
Say (O Muhammad ): “O Allah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honor whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You can do all things.
You make the night enter into the day, and You make the day enter into the night (i.e. increase and decrease in the hours of the night and the day during winter and summer), You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give wealth and sustenance to whom You will, without limit. (Source:-Quran Surat Al-Imran 3: 26-27 )