This should be our goal in life, "I want to go
to Jannah (Paradise)." It should be written in bold letters on our foreheads so that
it serves a constant reminder for us. The Prophet 
has left with us a very small key to Jannah, which we muslims today have
become oblivious of. Just like you need a key to open your car's door, or hous door, or
office door; similarly you need a key to open Jannah to you. What is this key?
Prophet said,"Whoever goes down a path/road searching for knowledge, Allah will
make it easy for him the road to Paradise." [Saheeh Muslim, Vol.3 Hadith No. 99]
Travelling on the path to knowledge
refers both to walking or driving along an actual road/pathway, such as going
to Conferences, etc..or going to your local Masajids whenever there is either an
international scholar/speaker or a local scholar/speaker speaking. Searching also entails,
a metaphysical road, such as stydying and memorising Quran and Hadeeth. Not merely
memorising like a parrot, but understanding it first and then memorising it.
The above hadeeth of the Prophet means that Allah makes learning the useful
knowledge that is sought after easier for the seeker, clearing the way for him, and
smoothing his journey to Paradise. This is why some of our pious predecessors used to
say,"Is there anyone seeking knowledge, so that we can assist him in finding
it?"
So brothers and sisters, be LOVERS of Knowledge, be
seekers of Knowledge. "Yes, where is my Quran, where is my Hadeeth Bukhari."
Getting up every morning with a purpose: to seek Jannah by seeking Knowledge! Knowledge is
also the shortest path to Allah. Whoever travels the road of knowledge reaches Allah and
Paradise by the shortest route. Knowledge also clears the way out of darkness, ignorance,
doubt and scepticism. It is why Allah called His Book, Quran, "Light."
Knowledge is the ROAD to Paradise, and Islam is the
vehicle that takes you to this destination of Paradise. Just like you get in a car to go
from one destination to another, but how? By finding out the directions to get there,
either by seeing a map or asking someone. Similarly, our Quran and Hadeeth are our maps,
and our scholars are the people who give the directions from this map to get to our
ultimate destination, Paradise.
Ask yourself, "Is Paradise easy?" Have you
ever seen, how easy it is for our Hafizul-Quran brothers and sisters, who memorize the
whole Quran by heart? Have you ever seen how easy it is for some of us to study Quran and
hadeeth for hours and hours, whilst others cannot even open the Quran or Hadeeth at least
once a year or month? Why?
Narrated Ali ibn Taalib(raa), While the Prophet was in a funeral procession he picked up
something and started scraping the ground with it, and said," There is none among you
but has his place written for him either in Hell-Fire or Paradise." They said,"O
Messenger of Allah! Shall we not depend upon what has been written for us and give up
deeds?" He said,"Carry on
doing (good) deeds, for everybody will find easy to do such deeds as will lead him to his
destined place for which he has been created. So he, who is destined to be among the happy
(in the Hereafter) will find it easy to do the deeds characteristic of such people, whle
he who is destined to be among the miserable ones, will find it easy to do the deeds
characteristic of such people." Then the Prophet recited the following verses:
[Surah Al-Layl(92), Verses 5-10] "As for him
who gives and keeps his duty to Allah and fears Him,"
"And believes in Husna (the best)."
"We will make smooth for him the path of Ease (goodness, ie. Paradise)"
"But he who is greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient,"
"And gives the lie to Husna."
"We will make smooth for him the path for Evil (ie. Hell-fire)."
[Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Vol.6, Hadith No.474]
Numerous examples of this above hadeeth and verses
of Allah are prevalent in our societies today, yet we don't learn any lessons from them.
For example, how easy it is for some to fast the fast of Dawud, meaning fasting every
other day, or doing voluntary fasts of Shawwal, Muharram, Rajab, etc. Whereas for some it
is even hard to fast in Ramadhan, Why? ever notice how easy it is for some to get up in
the middle of the night and talk to their Lord in private in Salat-ul-Tahajjud, while for
others it is hard to even make the Obligatory (Fardh) prayers? Why?
Do You Really Want Paradise?