Two Palaces in Paradise How Simple Deeds Bring Rewards

Pious Deeds That Earn Two Palaces in Paradise

Every Muslim has a heartfelt desire to improve their worldly life and their Hereafter through righteous deeds, to attain salvation from the hardships of the grave and the Hereafter, to achieve high ranks in Jannat al-Firdaws, and, above all, to be granted two palaces in Paradise. This is certainly the aspiration of every righteous servant.

Let us reflect on some blessed sayings of our beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم about attaining two palaces in Paradise, strive to act upon them, and improve our lives in light of these blessed sayings.

The Blessing of Voluntary Iʿtikāf Between Maghrib and ꜤIshāˈ

1. Sayyidunā Thawbān رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ relates that the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: "Whoever remains in the masjid between the Maghrib and ꜤIshāˈ prayers, performs the prayer with the congregation, and does not speak except for prayer and Quran recitation, then Allah will build two palaces for him in Paradise. The distance between these palaces will be equivalent to a journey of 100 years, and Allah will plant trees between them such that if the people of the world were to circle them, they would suffice for all of them."[1]

This reward is subject to a few conditions:

1. The Maghrib prayer must be performed in congregation; praying alone does not qualify for this reward.

2. The congregational prayer must be performed in the local masjid. Therefore, praying in congregation at home, or in a small masjid near one’s house that is not the local masjid does not qualify.

3. After the obligatory prayer, the person should complete the glorification (tasbīḥ) and remain seated in the same place; they should not get up except for a necessity, or the reward will be lost.[2]

The Blessing of Performing Voluntary Prayers (Nawāfil) After Maghrib

2. The mother of the believers, Sayyidah ꜤĀˈishah al-Ṣiddīqah رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا reports that the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: "The most virtuous prayer to Allah is the Maghrib prayer. It is not reduced for the traveller or the resident. Through it, the prayer of the night begins, and the prayer of the day is concluded. So, whoever performs the Maghrib prayer and performs two units of prayer after it, Allah will build two palaces for him in Paradise. The narrator adds, “I do not know if these palaces will be of gold or silver. Whoever performs four units, Allah will forgive twenty or forty years of his sins."[3]

3. In another narration, the compassionate Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: "No prayer is more beloved to Allah than Maghrib. Through it, the servant begins the night and concludes the day. Allah has neither exempted the traveller nor the resident from it. Whoever performs two units after the Maghrib prayer and refrains from speaking, he is recorded in ꜤIlliyyīn (the high rank), or his rank is elevated in ꜤIlliyyīn. If he performs this prayer then performs four units after it and does not speak to anyone, Allah builds two palaces for him, adorned with pearls and rubies, with gardens between them known only to Allah Almighty. If he performs this prayer and performs six units after it and does not speak to anyone, forty years of his sins are forgiven."[4]

O devotees of the Prophet! Alongside the obligatory prayers, we must also pay attention to voluntary prayers and perform them abundantly to please Allah Almighty.

The Blessing of Reciting Surah al-Ikhlāṣ

4. Allah’s Final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: "Whoever recites قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدٌۚ(۱) (the entire Sūrah) ten times, Allah will prepare one palace for him in Paradise. Whoever recites it twenty times, Allah will, by its blessing, build two palaces for him in Paradise. Whoever recites it thirty times, through its blessing, Allah will prepare three palaces for him in Paradise." Sayyidunā ꜤUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ said: "O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! By Allah, we shall certainly build many palaces for ourselves!" The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied: "Allah is even more Bountiful!"[5]

Sayyidunā Shaykh ꜤAbd al-Ḥaqq Muḥaddith al-Diḥlawī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه writes regarding this Ḥadīth: "This noble Hadith is unrestricted. Whether one recites this Surah once in a lifetime or daily, Allah’s grace and generosity are immense in both cases."[6]

The Reward of Two Nawāfil After ꜤIshāˈ is Two Palaces in Paradise

5. It is narrated from Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullāh b. ꜤAbbās رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا "Whoever performs two units after the ꜤIshāˈ prayer and recites قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدٌۚ(۱) (the entire Surah) fifteen times after Surah al-Fātiḥah in each unit, Allah Almighty will build two palaces for him in Paradise, which the people of Paradise will behold."[7]

Dear Islamic brothers! By acting upon these narrations, we can improve not only our worldly life but also achieve success in the Hereafter. May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to perform abundant righteous deeds and earn palaces in Paradise.

اٰمِیْنْ بِجَاہِ خاتَمِ النَّبِیّٖن صلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہ ِوَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ