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Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ will be the first to be granted entry into Paradise on the Day of Resurrection, and he will request that the gate be opened for him. According to an authentic hadith, the gatekeeper will inform him that no one is allowed to enter before him, as commanded by Allah.
Arrival at the gate: Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ will approach the gate of Paradise and ask for it to be opened.
Gatekeeper's response: The gatekeeper, an angel, will ask his identity. Upon hearing he is Muhammad, the gatekeeper will state that he was ordered not to open the gate for anyone before Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَt.
Significance: This means the Prophet Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ is the first to enter Paradise, and his arrival is the signal for it to be opened for all the believers.
Entry of others: Following the Prophet Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, other prophets, martyrs, and believers will enter Paradise.
Special gates: There are also special gates in Paradise for specific groups of people, such as the gate of Ar-Rayyan for those who fast, and the gate of Repentance, which will remain open until the Day of Resurrection.
According to several authentic hadiths (sayings and traditions of the Prophet), the sequence of events is as follows:
The First to Enter: Prophet
Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ will arrive at the gate of Paradise (Jannah) and ask for it to be opened. The gatekeeper (named Ridwan in some narrations) will ask who he is, and when the Prophet replies that he is Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, the gatekeeper will state that he was explicitly commanded not to open the gate for anyone before him.
The First Nation: The Muslim community (Ummah) will be the first nation to enter Paradise, following their Prophet, Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. This occurs after the general assembly and reckoning on the Day of Judgment.
General Intercession: On the Day of Resurrection, people will be overwhelmed by the intensity of the day and will seek intercession from each of the greatest prophets (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus) to begin the judgment. Each will humbly decline, until the people come to Prophet Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, who will accept this role and intercede with Allah to begin the final judgment.
Specific Gates: There are eight gates of Paradise, each designated for people who excelled in specific good deeds, such as prayer (Salat), fasting (Sawm), charity (Sadaqah), and Hajj. The gate for those who fast is called Ar-Raiyan, and only those who observe fasts will enter through it.
In essence, Prophet Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ holds a unique and honored position as the first human to be granted entry into Paradise, ensuring that his followers enter before any other nation.
The Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ of Allah be upon him will unlock the Gate of Heaven with his own hands and will lead them into Paradise. Having entered Paradise, the Prophet Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ shall survey the condition of his Ummah. At that time, the Prophet’s Ummah will form one-fourth of the whole population of Paradise. After enquiring about the state of his Ummah, the Prophet shall come to know that still thousands of people of his Ummah are lying in Hell. This thought will make him sad, and since the Prophet is the Benefactor of the two worlds, he, feeling much anxious, will implore the Almighty: ‘“‘O Lord! free the people of my Ummah from Hell.’’
The Holy Prophet Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ will keep his head bowed before the Almighty for seven days and will offer to Him thanksgiving and a variety of prayers. Upon this, it will be ordained by the Lord Almighty, “He who has faith equal to a grain of oat in his heart, bring him out of Hell.” Following his example, the other Prophets will also intercede with the Almighty in favour of their people. By command of the Lord, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in company with the angels and his heavenly people will arrive at the edge of Hell and then the Prophet shall say to the people accompanying him: “Recall your relatives and acquaintances and tell their distinctive marks so that these angels may bring them out of the Hell.” All this will be accomplished as desired.
Besides, the martyrs will be given the privilege of interceding in favour of seventy denizens of Hell, the Hafiz-i-Qur’an shall have the right to recommend ten denizens of Hell for salvation, and the learned shall be given this right according to the degree of their eminence. When the Prophet returns to Paradise along with these people, at that time his Ummah will form one-third of the population of Paradise. Then the Apostle of God (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) will enquire: ‘Now how many of my Ummah still remain in Hell?” He will be informed: “O Thou blessed Prophet, there are still thousands of them lying in Hell.” The Prophet Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ will, in the same manner as before, implore God to do a favour to his people still caught in Hell. Almighty God shall ordain: ‘He who has faith equal to the mustard. seed in his heart, bring him out of Hell.”
So once again in the same manner as before, the Holy Prophet Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ will arrive at the edge of Hell in the company of the learned, the sages and the martyrs and will say to them: ‘“‘Recall and identify your relatives, acquaintances, etc. and get them out of the Hell.” This time, also thousands of people will be released from Hell, and they shall enter Paradise. Now the Ummah of the “Holy ProphetMuhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ will form half of the whole population of Heaven. After having obtained favour for these people, the Holy Prophet Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ will make further enquiries and will again make a petition to God to grant salvation to more people of his Ummah. Almighty Allah shall command: “Release from Hell anyone who has even half a bit of faith in his heart.’?
Hence, as before, a large multitude of people will be released from Hell and admitted into Paradise. This time, the people of the Holy Prophet Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, Ummah will be twice in number of the entire people of Heaven, and none from among the believers in the Oneness of Allah shall remain in Hell. But those monotheists who had no access to the Messenger of God (peace be upon them), in other words, those who had no knowledge of the advent of the Apostle of God, the Muhammad Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, will intercede in favour of all the believers in one God. But the Lord God shall ordain: “You need have no concern in respect of them; I shall grant them salvation on My Own.” In the meantime, there will be contention between the infidels and the believers in One God.
The unbelievers will say in a taunting manner: “You used to dispute with us over the Oneness of God, and you claimed that you were in the right. But we now know that your notions were false. Look! You and I are caught in the same dire distress. Hence at this moment, the Lord God will ordain: “Do they regard belief in One God and infidelity as one and the same thing? We swear by Our Might and Honour that We shall not treat any believer as the equal of an unbeliever.” Hence, the Lord God shall by His Omnipotence release these believers of One God from Hell at the end of a Day whose duration is equal to fifty thousand years. At that time, the bodies of these believers of Allah will be burnt black like coals. Therefore, they will dive into the stream of the waters of life which flows by the gates of Paradise and they shall come out of it in such a condition that their bodies will be sound and fresh and after a period of time they shall enter Paradise; but a dark spot will remain stamped on their necks and among the people of Heaven they shall be known by the epithet ‘‘the hellish persons.”
Hence, after a period of time, they shall represent to the court of the Almighty, ‘“‘O Lord! When you have released us from Hell, remove then this black spot and this epithet from us also.” So by the Grace of God, this black spot and the insignia will also be removed from them. The last man to be released from Hell and admitted into Heaven will undergo the following process: He will be taken out of Hell and made to sit on its edge. After some time, when he has regained his senses, he will say: “Turn my face from this side.” He will be required to promise that he will not demand anything more than this. When the man shall have given firm assurance, his face will be turned from Hell. When he shall turn his gaze towards Paradise, he will behold fresh and green trees.
Therefore, he will raise shouts: ‘Lord, admit me to that place.” He will see fine trees and beautiful houses and, contrary to his given promise, he will approach near the Paradise. When he shall behold the freshness of Paradise and its sparkling scene, he will, in contravention of all previous promises, in great impatience, beseech the Lord to admit him into Heaven. When he shall be granted permission to enter Paradise, he will be seized by the thought, ‘The Heaven is filled to its capacity. Will there be any abode left for me ?” The Righteous Lord shall ordain: “Go, there is no scarcity of room in Paradise.” The man will represent: “‘Lord, dost Thou joke with me, perhaps? Whereas, verily, Thou art the Most Kind God.”’ The Munificent Lord shall command: “Ask what is thou wish! We shall grant you twice what you ask for.” Hence, it shall be so. And such is the treatment of the lowliest person among the people of Heaven.
Sahih Muslim 197 (Book 1, Hadith 392) #7657
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