Answered by Shaykh Abdullah Anik Misra
Question
I have been asking Allah Almighty to bless other Muslims and me with the highest garden of paradise without any judgment and punishment. But I was told that supplication without work means nothing, and I was hoping you could provide something from Quran and tradition that can help me achieve that stage.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
This is a very noble supplication and aspiration. The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said when asked as part of a longer hadith about those 70,000 believers who will enter Paradise without reckoning, that,
“… They are those who do not seek treatment of themselves through incantations [ie. ruqya], nor do they believe in superstitious omens, nor do they get themselves cauterized [a type of medical therapy], but they put their trust only in their Lord.” [Bukhari, Sahih]
In general, keep up performing your obligations and extra good deeds, avoid the unlawful, especially superstition and relying on other than Allah, and keep up your supplications, including this noble one that you have mentioned. May Allah Most High accept your prayers on behalf of yourself and the believers.
Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Abdullah Anik Misra
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Shaykh Abdullah Misra was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1983. His family hails from India, and he was raised in the Hindu tradition. He embraced Islam in 2001 while at the University of Toronto, from where he completed a Bachelor of Business Administration. He then traveled overseas in 2005 to study the Arabic language and Islamic sciences in Tarim, Yemen, for some time, as well as Darul Uloom in Trinidad, West Indies. He spent 12 years in Amman, Jordan, where he focused on Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith Sciences, Prophetic Biography, and Islamic Spirituality while also working at the Qasid Arabic Institute as Director of Programs. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies (Alimiyya, Darul Uloom) and authorization in the six authentic books of Hadith and is currently pursuing specialized training in issuing Islamic legal verdicts (ifta’). He holds a certificate in Counselling and often works with new Muslims and those struggling with religious OCD. He is an instructor and researcher in Sacred Law and Theology with the SeekersGuidance The Global Islamic Seminary. Currently, He resides in the Greater Toronto Area with his wife and children. His personal interests include Indian history, comparative religion, English singing, and poetry.