Five Good Deeds to Elevate Rank

Good Deeds

Deeds to Elevate Ranks

Maulana Muhammad Nawaz Attari Madani

Several deeds that enhance your spiritual rank were outlined in the earlier 3 instalments of this series. Here are 5 more hadith about such deeds.

1. Recitation of the Quran

“˹On the Day of Judgment˺, it will be said to the one who was devoted to the Quran: ‘Recite and ascend; recite in such a way that you recited in the world. Your abode will be where you finish reciting.’”^[1] Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْـه states: “He will be elevated by one rank in Paradise for every verse he recites. The more verses he recites, the higher he will be raised.”^[2] Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْـه explained that, “the one who was devoted to the Quran,” refers “to the Muslim who constantly recites the Quran and acts upon what he learns. It does not refer to the person who recites the Qurʾān while the Quran curses him and his recitation becomes a cause of punishment ˹in the Hereafter˺. Some non-Muslims read the Quran and even memorise it to raise objections against it; this is not who the hadith is referring to.”

He adds:

There are lower and higher levels of Paradise; the higher he is raised, the better اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه. On that Day, the recitation of the Quran will be like wings for him, or it means that he will be successful in gaining the closeness of Allah Almighty, i.e., “Continue reciting and come closer to Me.” In Paradise, one will be able to recite the same amount of Quran that he would recite in the world. He will also recite it in a similar manner with regards to speed too, whether it is slowly or quickly...there will be no worship in Paradise except for the recitation of the Quran. However, this recitation will be for pleasure and for the elevation of ranks, like the Tasbih [glorification] of the Angels. Thus, the one who consistently recited the Quran in this world will be a hafiz in the Hereafter, Allah Almighty willing. Otherwise, how would he recite so much of the Quran without looking at it?”^[3]

2. The action that will raise you by 1000 ranks

“O women! When you hear Bilal call the azan and iqama, repeat what he says, for Allah will grant you 100,000 rewards for each word, raise you by 1000 ranks, and remove 1000 of your sins.” The women asked, “This is for us women, so what is the reward for men?” He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ answered: “It is double for men.”^[4]

3. Humility

“Whosoever displays any level of humility for the sake of Allah Almighty, He will raise him by one rank until He places him into the Loftiest Abode (ʿiliyyīn).”^[5]

4. Taking someone as your brother

“Whoever makes someone his brother for the sake of Allah, Allah Almighty will elevate him by one rank in Paradise.”^[6]

5. Good character

“Indeed, a slave can achieve great ranks and reach lofty stations in the Hereafter because of his good character, even though he is weak in worship, and he can reach the depths of Hell due to his bad character.”^[7]

May Allah Almighty allow us to act upon these deeds with good intentions and increase our ranks.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن  صَلَّی اللہ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلہٖ وَسَلَّم