Most of us strive in life to find efficient ways to achieve our goals. Finding the proper efficient way to accomplish any task is often praised and encouraged. It seems to be part of our human nature to seek short-cuts to take us to our destinations.
Many of us may apply the same approach towards religion, too. We seek simple good deeds that would ultimately take us to paradise.
What is necessary to realize is that seeking efficiency is not the same as seeking ways to cheat. Seeking an efficient way to study for an exam is not equivalent to seeking ways to cheat on that exam. When we have an important exam or test coming up, we look for the best location, best time and best way to study. Some people prefer and can study in a library, yet for others driving to the library is not a possibility and they can only study at home. We are all different and we have different means at our possession, which we need to utilize efficiently to attain our goals.
Religiously, love of God and reaching paradise are and should be our ultimate goals. To achieve these goals, we must pass tests and exams and ascend upwards step by step, stage after stage. However, what is the most efficient way to attain such goals? Which simple actions could take us to paradise? What is an easy first step to take, which will guide us to paradise?
In this post, I present a Good tradition, in which our beloved prophet, peace be upon him, presents four options or four habits, each one of which will allow an individual to enter paradise.
It is important to notice the present flexibility in our teachings. Islam is not a rigid religion. Islam provides multiple routes and options to reach paradise for people with various means and abilities. Do not expect others to follow you in your deeds, and do not lose hope if you cannot perform what may seem like a grand deed to you. For each one of us, there is a suitable route and a suitable step to take.
What is essential is that once we find a suitable step for ourselves, we must take that step, and once we take that first step, we must follow through.
When you read the following tradition, contemplate upon it. If you haven’t taken any of the following steps towards paradise, pick one and follow through. Repeat your selected action frequently and make it a habit for yourself.
The simplest option amongst the four, according to the following tradition, seems to be keeping silence and speaking only when one has something good to say. Perhaps this would be a very good starting step for most of us. Perhaps we could all take this step and make this a habit for ourselves, and speak only when we have something good to say.
Lastly, take notice of the word “خَصْلَةٌ” or “habit/quality.” It is important to keep in mind that repeating a good deed leads to that deed becoming a habit. Thus, it is crucial to understand that adopting one of the four options as a habit is what will leads us to paradise.
Arabic Text:
محمد بن يحيى [تعليق] عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى [ضمير] عن الهيثم بن أبي مسروق عن هشام بن سالم عن أبي عبد الله ع قال قال رسول الله ص لِرَجُلٍ أَتَاهُ أَ لَا أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَمْرٍ يُدْخِلُكَ اللَّهُ بِهِ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ أَنِلْ مِمَّا أَنَالَكَ اللَّهُ قَالَ فَإِنْ كُنْتُ أَحْوَجَ مِمَّنْ أُنِيلُهُ قَالَ فَانْصُرِ الْمَظْلُومَ قَالَ وَ إِنْ كُنْتُ أَضْعَفَ مِمَّنْ أَنْصُرُهُ قَالَ فَاصْنَعْ لِلْأَخْرَقِ يَعْنِي أَشِرْ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ فَإِنْ كُنْتُ أَخْرَقَ مِمَّنْ أَصْنَعُ لَهُ قَالَ فَأَصْمِتْ لِسَانَكَ إِلَّا مِنْ خَيْرٍ أَ مَا يَسُرُّكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ فِيكَ خَصْلَةٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْخِصَالِ تَجُرُّكَ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ
Farsi Translation:
رسول خدا (ص) به مردى كه نزدش آمده بود فرمود:
تو را به چيزى رهنمائى نكنم كه به بهشت برد خدا براى آن؟
فرمود: چرا يا رسول اللَّه. فرمود: از آنچه خدا به تو داده بده، گفت:
اگر خود نيازمندتر باشم از آنكه میخواهم به او بدهم؟ فرمود:
ستم ديده اى را يارى كن، گفت: اگر ناتوانتر از آن ستمديده باشم؟
فرمود: كارى براى بدبخت بیخرد كن يعنى او را رهنمائى كن، گفت: اگر خود بدبخت و بیخردم بيش از آنكه بخواهم براى او كار كنم؟ فرمود: زبانت را جز از خوبى گفتن نگهدار، آيا شاد نيستى كه يكى از اين خصلتها در تو باشد و تو را به بهشت كشد.
English Translation:
… narrated from Al Haytham ibn Abi Masroq from Hisham ibn Salem from Abi Abdillah (peace be upon him) who has said:
"The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said to a man who came to him:
Do you want me to guide you to do something for which Allah allows you to enter paradise?
The man said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah.
Prophet Muhammd (peace be upon him) said: Give the poor people from what Allah gave you.
The man said: But what if I need it more than the one who would take it?
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: then support the oppressed ones.
The man said: But what if I was weaker than those to be supported?
The prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Then advise the senseless.
The man said: But what if I was more senseless than the one I advise?
The prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Then hold your tongue except to say good things.
Don't you like to have one of these habits to lead you to the Paradise?"
Source:
Al-Kafi, Volume 2, Page 113, Tradition #5
