Introduction

SOUL → LIFE → BARZAKH → DAY OF JUDGEMENT → AKHIRA

Our worldly life accounts for but a tiniest fraction of the journey of our soul. If lucky, some people could live for 70, 80, or 90 years plus. Many others will not be as fortunate. Allah SWT alone knows the time of our death.

The world is not our priority. All of our worldly gains are left behind when we die. We must use the limited time we have in this realm to benefit our eternal future. Our goal is to improve and optimise our connection with Allah SWT and to seek His pleasure. This is the path to Jannah.

Know that this worldly life is no more than play, amusement, luxury, mutual boasting and competition in wealth and children. This is like rain that causes plants to grow, to the delight of the planters. But later the plants dry up and you see them wither, then they are reduced to chaff. And in the Hereafter there will be either severe punishment or forgiveness and pleasure of Allah, whereas the life of this world is no more than the delusion of enjoyment [57:20]

The Worship of Allah SWT

All of creation worship Allah SWT: the angels, the animals, the plants, the mountains and the celestial bodies [22:18]. The angels are one of the earliest creations of Allah SWT. Created from light and without free will, they execute the commandments of Allah SWT and worship Him constantly. They have no need for rest or provision.

There are angels that have been prostrating to Allah SWT since they were created, eons ago. On the Day of Judgement, they will say, “We have not worshipped You as You deserved to be worshiped.” Every day there is a new legion of 70,000 angels praising Allah SWT, circumambulating the heavenly House of God.

Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth {constantly} glorifies Allah. The kingdom is His and all praise is for Him. For He is Most Capable of everything [64:1]

During his Night Journey, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described to his companions the sounds of vibrations within the heavens. Indeed, NASA have recorded many sounds within outer space which sound like “a billion men simultaneously chanting praises.”

The heaven makes a noise like groaning, and it has the right to, for there is no space in it the width of four fingers, but there is an angel there, standing or bowing or placing his forehead in prostration to Allah [Tirmidhi]

Yet, mankind was given a status higher than the angels who were told to prostrate before Adam AS [2:34]. We were created with free will, intellect and reasoning. We have the ability to use our intellectual faculties, make our own choices and choose our own path in this life. Thus whoever chooses to believe and do good, out of their own free will, is better in the sight of Allah SWT than all other creation.

The purpose of our life, the sole purpose for our creation, is to worship Allah SWT exclusively. He is not in need of our worship, rather we are in constant need for Him. We worship Him simply because He deserves to be worshipped. His very Qualities and Attributes require that we worship Him.

I did not create jinn and humans except to worship me. I seek no provision from them to feed Me. Indeed Allah alone is the Supreme Provider – Lord of all Power, Ever Mighty [51:56-58]

Connecting With Allah SWT

In order to worship Allah SWT with sincerity and passion, we need to nurture our connection with Him. We should know Who He is and what forms of ibadah (worship) are prescribed to connect with and remember Him. There are several characteristics we should develop to increase our connection with our Lord.

Being Thankful

All that we have is from Allah SWT. Our health, wealth, abilities, job, family, possessions and so on. When we look around us we can see His signs and His beauty in this world which was created as an abode for us. Our very existence and sustenance is dependent upon Him and we should therefore be ever thankful to Him.

We must recognise that we can never praise Allah SWT as He deserves to be praised. Even the angels, who have been worshipping Him uninterrupted for eons will say, “Glory be to You. We did not worshipped You as You deserve to be worshipped” [Tarbarani].

Allah SWT is not in need of our gratitude. Rather, praising Him increases our iman as we recognise His Grace and His Blessings conferred upon us.

If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more. But if you are ungrateful, surely my punishment is severe [14:7]

Sincerity in Worship

Our worship of Allah SWT must be sincere and dedicated to Him alone. We cannot divide our worship between Him and the allurements of this world. We will take nothing with us when we die, so why dedicate our lives to the pursuit of worldly pleasures and treasures? Actions are judged only by intentions and everyone shall have what he intended [Bukhari].

Surely my prayer, my worship, my life and my death are for Allah – Lord of all the worlds [6:162]

O believers! Enter into Islam wholeheartedly [2:208]. There are three levels of worship of a believer:

• A Muslim is one who performs the minimum required of his religion, the five pillars. Such a person will enter Jannah.
• A mu’min has a higher level of iman and performs the obligatory deeds plus the Sunnah deeds (actions performed regularly by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) and occasional nafl deeds (additional deeds, performed occasionally by the Prophet ﷺ). They reach a higher level through their quantity of good deeds and by refraining from sins.
• A muhsin is the believer who has attained a level of ihsan, or excellence. In contrast to the mu’min who separates their secular life from their religious duties, returning to one after fulfilling the duties of the other, a muhsin is constantly worshipping Allah SWT. Their internal spirituality, the level of consciousness of Allah SWT (taqwa), is what elevates them. The muhsin is aware that Allah SWT sees them at all times, in all their actions, thus every action is performed to attain Allah SWT’s pleasure.

Ihsan is that you worship and serve Allah as though you are seeing Him. For even though you do not see Him, He surely sees you [Muslim]

Love and Trust in Allah SWT

When we love someone, we do not hesitate to do anything for them. We are willing to make sacrifices for them. They do not become burdensome to us. Our iman should penetrate our hearts and generate love for Allah SWT and His Messenger ﷺ.

Our desire is to get close to the ones we love. Salah is the mechanism by which we can achieve this closeness to Allah SWT. It is a way of communicating directly to Him, knowing that He is listening and will answer you.

Those who have iman love Allah more than anything else [2:165]

Love is closely linked to trust. Having iman is to have complete trust (tawakkul) in Allah SWT, that He will do what is best for you. One of the best examples of having tawakkul is that of Prophet Ibrahim AS. He endured many tests from Allah SWT but had absolute conviction in His commandments.

Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best Disposer of Affairs [3:173]

Striving for Allah SWT

To strive in the cause of Allah SWT is to undertake jihad, which literally means a struggle. We strive with our lives to act in accordance with the guidance revealed in the Quran and the Sunnah. We strive to uphold our religious belief and practices. We strive with our wealth to support the poor and needy and to further the cause of Islam by building masjids, for example.

Promoting the Word of Allah SWT and establishing His Path, both for ourselves and to others, requires us to strive to attain knowledge about Islam. It requires strong iman, patience and steadfastness and the performance of good deeds. Iman and deeds are frequently linked together in the Quran: Al lazina amanu wa amilus salihati (those who believe and do good deeds).

The {true} believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger – never doubting – and strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah. They are the ones true in faith [49:15]

The Path to Jannah

Through our worship of Allah SWT and our connection with Him, we aim to achieve His pleasure and to attain His reward of Jannah. We are each responsible for our actions, or inactions, in this world which will determine our Akhira.

Mindset

The very first step on the path to Jannah is to make the resolve to focus completely on this goal.

Resolve

Remember the milestones of your souls journey. The Angel of Death will take your soul at the appointed time. There will be no chance to postpone this. Imagine what awaits in the Barzakh. Picture yourself standing before Allah SWT, accounting for your deeds in this world, fearing His punishment of Jahannam. Finally, allow the blessings and delights of Jannah promised to the true believers to be your driving force and keep you motivated.

Once we have truly internalised these milestones, the desire to enter Jannah becomes central and constant in our minds. Our purpose in this world becomes clear: to gain the pleasure of our Rabb (Lord) and to avoid His displeasure. Two principal prerequisites to gaining His pleasure are taqwa and complete submission to Him.

Taqwa

The first step is to develop taqwa, referring to God consciousness. Taqwa encompasses an awareness and sense of awe of Allah SWT. Having taqwa is an essential prerequisite for doing good deeds. It inspires and motivates us. Always knowing Allah SWT is with us leads to responsibility, dedication and accountability on our part to fulfil His commandments.

In order to attain taqwa, we should study the Quran and the Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ is our role model to help us achieve excellence, righteousness and piety. We need to know Who Allah SWT is, what are His commandments and His limits. Fasting in particular is one of the ways that Allah SWT increases our taqwa. To refrain from food and drink purely for the sake of our Lord is a great act of submission and reverence.

Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed genuine prayer should deter from indecency and wickedness. The remembrance of Allah is {an} even greater {deterrent}. And Allah fully knows what you all do [29:45]

Submission

Islam is to submit to the Will of Allah SWT and to obey Him and His Messenger ﷺ unconditionally. There may be times that we do not fully understand the reasons for a particular commandment or prohibition. Aside from seeking knowledge to help us understand the reasons, we should always recognise that Allah SWT knows what is best for His creation.

He is our Al Khāliq our Creator, Ar Razzāq our Provider and Al Qayyūm our Sustainer. Submitting to Him is the natural order of affairs.

And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger will be in the company of those blessed by Allah: the prophets, the people of truth, the martyrs and the righteous – what honourable company! [4:69]

Actions

Having taqwa and submitting to the Will of Allah SWT will inherently cause us to perform good deeds, in order to obtain His pleasure. In so doing, it leads to self improvement, contentment and increased love for Him. Thus we can see that taqwa and striving in His cause further increases our taqwa. This positive reinforcement is a true blessing which brings us closer to our Lord. In turn, we become more beloved to Allah SWT, Who raises our status in Jannah.

Good deeds loved by Allah SWT include salah, fasting, recitation of Quran, seeking knowledge, learning about the Sunnah and hadith, charity, and zikr. Developing a routine in our lives and setting aside regular time to devote to these deeds will help us along the path to Jannah.

My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him. And My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks [Bukhari]

Trials

We are being tested in our religion on a daily basis. Are we willing to forsake our sleep to pray Fajr salah? Do we eat only the foods deemed halal? Are we reluctant to spend in the cause of Allah SWT?

Do people think once they say, “We believe,” that they will be left without being put to the test [29:2]

There will be times in this life that we will be tested more severely. It is only through trials that one knows the conviction of ones religion. Allah SWT is the source of all our abilities, all our blessings and all our trials and tribulations.

Sometimes affliction befalls us as expiation for our sins, so that they are accounted for in this world rather than in the Akhira. This is in fact one of the best blessings we could hope for. No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even though it were the prick he receives from a thorn [Bukhari].

Misfortune may fall upon us so that we may turn back to Allah SWT and ask for His guidance and mercy. This can bring a person back on to the right path and closer to our Lord.

Do you think you will enter Paradise without Allah proving which of you truly struggled {for His cause} and patiently endured? [3:142]

Some tests are written for us so that we may exhibit patience and steadfastness and have trust in Allah SWT that His relief will come. Such trials improve ourselves and increase our blessings by raising our status in His eyes. If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials [Bukhari].

Whenever we are being tested we should remember that the trials are for our benefit. If we succeed we will be rewarded in this life, the Akhira or both. Draw strength from the fact that we all have the ability to pass our tests. Allah SWT does not burden a soul with more than it can bear [7:42] and after hardship Allah SWT will bring ease [65:7].

We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure – who when faced with a disaster say, “Surely to Allah We belong and to Him we will all return.” They are the ones who will receive Allah’s blessings and Mercy. And it is they who are rightly guided [2:155-157]

Impediments

A pure heart is required for Jannah. Diseases of the heart will impede us and if unchecked will bring us closer to Jahannam. Such impediments include:

• Pride and arrogance. This is to scorn the truth and to belittle and despise others. All our achievements are through the grace of Allah SWT. We should always have humility in our efforts. Pride and arrogance will destroy any good that we have achieved. And do not turn your nose up to people, nor walk pridefully on the earth. Surely Allah does not like whoever is arrogant, boastful [31:18]. No one will enter Paradise in whose heart is an atoms’ weight of arrogance [Tirmidhi].
• Hypocrisy. Pretending to have higher standards or noble beliefs when one does not. The hypocrite has three characteristics: lies, breaks promises, betrays trust [Bukhari].
• Showing off. Whoever prays, fasts or gives charity to show off, makes a god beside Allah [Ahmad].
• Pessimism. One who despairs and loses hope is disbelieving in the promise of Allah SWT, which is always true and will come. Who would despair of the mercy of their Lord except the misguided [15:56].
• Uncontrollable anger. Anger comes from pride and the inner desires of the soul. When striving in the cause of Allah SWT, anger is counterproductive.
• Verbal abuse. Misuse of the tongue is the fastest way to Jahannam. Lying, slandering, backbiting and obscenity should be avoided.

Patience and Perseverance

Realise that this path will be a lifelong journey. There will be ups and downs, times when you feel you are not making any progress, or even slipping. The key is to make a genuine effort and have the sustained will power to continue to improve yourself.

Patience is one of the greatest blessings we can attain. We should exhibit patience in the face of misfortune or when faced with a calamity. The real patience is at the first stroke of a calamity [Bukhari]. We require patience to restrain ourselves from sin, to control rather than satisfy our urges. Persistence in worship is the highest category of patience, being able to persevere in our daily acts of ibadah such as salah. Fasting is a great test and nurturer of patience.

O believers! Seek comfort in patience and prayer. Allah is truly with those who are patient [2:153].

The best form of patience that we should strive for is sabrun jamil, beautiful patience [12:83]. This is such that no one but Allah SWT knows the difficulties you face, your inner emotions of frustration or anger are not apparent to others. The greater our patience, the greater our iman.

Allah SWT is As Sabūr, The Most Patient. He is even patient with those who disbelieve and reject Him, still providing for them. We should make dua to As Sabūr, asking for patience. Whoever attempts to be patient will be granted patience by Allah [Bukhari].

The one who is patient will be guaranteed forgiveness and rewarded in abundance. The angels will proclaim to the believer upon entering Jannah, “Peace be upon you for your perseverance. How excellent is the final abode!” [13:23-24].

By {the passage of} time! Surely humanity is in {grave} loss, except those who have faith, do good, urge each other to the truth and urge each other to patience [103:1-3]

Conclusion

The purpose of our life is to worship the One God who created us. Success in the Akhira depends upon our deeds in this world. The believer who strives in the cause of Allah SWT and follows His Straight Path (seerat al mustakeem), will be rewarded on the Day of Judgement with Jannah.

This is achieved through knowing who Allah SWT is, remembering Him, worshiping Him and following His rules and His guidance. Increase your taqwa and have complete trust in Allah SWT. He will guide those who seek His help and wish to attain His pleasure.

He is Al Wārith, The Inheritor and it is to Him we will all return.

Surely those who believe and do good, their Lord will guide them to Paradise through their faith. Rivers will flow under their feet in the Gardens of Bliss [10:9]