Direct me to a deed that will make me enter Paradise if I do it. He said: "Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, establish the prescribed prayer, pay the obligatory Zakah, and fast Ramadān

Explanation

A Bedouin came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to guide him to a deed that would make him enter Paradise. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered him saying that being admitted to Paradise and saved from Hellfire are contingent on observing the pillars of Islam, which include worshipping Allah alone without associating partners with Him, establishing the five prayers that Allah has made obligatory upon His slaves every day and night, paying Zakah due on your wealth that Allah has made obligatory upon you and giving it to those entitled to have it, and maintaining the fast during the month of Ramadān in its due time. The man said: By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, I shall not add any act of obedience to these obligatory acts, which I heard from you, or deduct anything therefrom. When the man left, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever is pleased to look at a man from the dwellers of Paradise, let him look at this Bedouin.

Benefits

• Singling Allah Almighty out with worship is the first thing to start with in calling people to Allah.
• It is sufficient to teach the new converts to Islam what is obligatory.
• Gradualism is necessary in calling others to Allah Almighty.
• The man's keenness on learning his religion.
• If a Muslim only performs what is obligatory, he will attain success. However, this does not mean taking the voluntary acts of worship lightly, for such voluntary acts make up for the shortcomings of obligatory acts.
• Mentioning some specific acts of worship is a clear proof of their importance and a way of encouraging their observance; nevertheless, this does not mean that nothing else is obligatory.

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