Gate of Al-Rayyan for those who fast

Who among us doesn’t aspire to enter Paradise? Paradise is the perfect bliss in the Hereafter that is prepared exclusively for the believers who work hard to inhabit it. As the Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) related that Almighty Allah said: ‘I have prepared for My righteous servants (such excellent things) that no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of, and no human heart can ever think of.’” (Sahih Al-Bukhari).

To get a ticket to Paradise and enjoy the astonishing beauties and bounties there, one must be righteous, and make each day count towards seeking Allah’s Pleasure and observing the obligatory acts of worship as well as the optional ones. In Paradise, there are eight gates. One of the gates of Paradise is called the Gate of Al-Rayyan. This gate is reserved for those pious servants of Allah who fast often.

Our beloved Prophet (PBUH) talks about this gate in a hadith (prophetic tradition) saying, “In Paradise there is a gate called Al-Rayyan, through which those who used to fast will enter on the Day of Resurrection, and only they will enter it. It will be said, ‘Where are those who fasted?’ They will get up, and none will enter it but them. When they have entered, it will be locked, and no one else will enter.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

The virtue of fasting is so great in Islam that no other deed compares to it. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, translated as: “(Allah said), ‘Every good deed of Adam’s son is for him except fasting; it is for Me, and I will reward (the fasting person) for it.’ Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari) Therefore, fasting is not just an act of abstaining from food, drink, and worldly pleasures, rather it is a way to attain opportunity of entering Paradise through the Rayyan Gate. — Courtesy of Kuwaiti Society for Cultural Dialogue