UAE Friday sermon: earning a place in heaven

The sermon will tell worshippers that those who are pious need not fear death

Muslims are taught that those who are pious and spend their lives doing good unto others have no reason to fear death or the Afterlife because their place in heaven is guaranteed.

On Friday, the sermon will tell worshippers to strive to be among those people, described as the ‘allies of Allah’, and take on their qualities.

On the Day of Judgement, angels will be sent to those who have believed in all that the prophets told them, on behalf of God, to assure them of the great rewards that await them in the Afterlife.

"The angels will descend upon them, [saying], 'Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised. We were your allies in the worldly life and in the Hereafter. And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request As accommodation from a [Lord who is] Forgiving and Merciful." (Fussilat: 30-32).

On that Day, God will tell his worshippers not to be distressed to leave the temporal world because what awaits them is much greater.

True believers will be called: "enter Paradise, [O People of the Elevations]. No fear will there be concerning you, nor will you grieve." (Al-Aaraf: 49).

Many rewards await those who enter heaven. These are described in the Quran: "[for them are] gardens of perpetual residence which they will enter. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments therein will be silk. And they will say, 'Praise to Allah, who has removed from us [all] sorrow. Indeed, our Lord is Forgiving and Appreciative - He who has settled us in the home of duration out of His bounty. There touches us not in it any fatigue, and there touches us not in it weariness [of mind]'." (Fatir: 33-35).

The sermon will tell worshippers not to worry about pious Muslims because they will not grieve or be upset, particularly towards the end of their life, because they know they will be rewarded for their good deeds.

There are many things a Muslim can do to earn this status in God’s eyes. The first way is to adhere to His ordains.

The Quran confirms this saying “whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter]." (Taha: 123).

Observing acts of worship, being kind to others and giving money to charity are also ways to earn passage to heaven, as is outlined in verse 274 of Surat Al Baqara: "those who spend their wealth [in Allah's way] by night and by day, secretly and publicly — they will have their reward with their Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve."