The Eight Gates of Paradise and Their Names

The Eight Gates of Paradise and Their Names

Number of the Gates of Paradise

The gates of Paradise are eight in number, as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah in several instances. One such reference is in the verse: (And those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups until, when they arrive there and its gates are opened, and its keepers say to them, “Peace be upon you! You have become pure; enter it to abide eternally therein.”).

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also stated, “When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened.” The specific number of eight gates is narrated in the Hadith, where he said, “In Paradise, there are eight gates, one of which is called Ar-Rayyan, and none shall enter through it except those who fast.”

Names of the Gates of Paradise

Some names of the gates of Paradise have been established in the Hadith, and they are as follows:

• The Gate of Prayer
• The Gate of Jihad
• The Gate of Fasting (Ar-Rayyan)
• The Gate of Charity

These four names of the gates are confirmed in a single Hadith, wherein the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever is among the people of prayer will be called from the Gate of Prayer; whoever is among the people of jihad will be called from the Gate of Jihad; whoever is among the people of charity will be called from the Gate of Charity; and whoever is among the people of fasting will be called from the Gate of Ar-Rayyan.”

As for the other gates, there are various opinions, including:

• The Gate of Hajj

This is mentioned by scholars as it represents one of the pillars of Islam, although there is no specific narration for it.

• The Gate of Parents

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The parent is the middle gate of Paradise.”

• The Right Hand Gate

This gate belongs to the reliant ones who will enter without accounting, as narrated by Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him): “It will be said, ‘O Muhammad, enter Paradise from your community those who will not be held accountable through the right-hand gate of Paradise, and they will be partners of others at the remaining gates.’

• The Gate of Remembrance

Characteristics of the Gates of Paradise

The characteristics of the gates of Paradise are derived from various Hadiths and are described as follows:

• The gates of Paradise are wide

The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, the distance between the two gates of Paradise is like the distance between Mecca and Hajar, or possibly between Mecca and Busra.” Furthermore, it was narrated by Utbah ibn Ghazwan in a speech that “the distance between the two gates of Paradise is a journey of forty years.”

• The gates of Paradise will open on the Day of Judgment for its inhabitants even before they arrive, as an honor to them

Allah the Almighty said: (Paradise of Eternity, which they will enter, its gates will be opened for them).

• No one will enter through a gate except those who practice the specific worship associated with it; each gate is unique to them

The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned: “In Paradise, there is a gate called Ar-Rayyan, through which those who fast will enter on the Day of Resurrection. No one else will enter through it.”

• The gates of Paradise will not be opened for anyone before Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

He stated: “I will come to the gate of Paradise on the Day of Judgment, and I will ask for it to be opened. The gatekeeper will ask, ‘Who are you?’ I will reply, ‘I am Muhammad,’ and he will say, ‘I was commanded not to open for anyone before you.’

• (Indeed, the gates of Paradise are under the shadows of swords) which symbolizes that jihad is a pathway to Paradise.
• The gates of Paradise are opened by command and not by hand; it is said ‘open’ and they will open, and ‘close’ and they will close. It is also said that angels will open them.
• The names of the gates of Paradise are attributed to acts of worship or specific deeds.

When Are the Gates of Paradise Opened?

The gates of Paradise are opened for Muslims in several instances, including:

• During Ramadan

The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “When Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained.”

• Every Monday and Thursday

He said: “The gates of Paradise are opened on Monday and Thursday, and every servant who does not associate anything with Allah is forgiven. It will be said: ‘Look at these two until they reconcile.’

• Upon performing ablution

The Prophet (peace be upon him) remarked: “There is no one among you who performs ablution perfectly and then says: ‘I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger,’ except that the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him to enter from whichever he wishes.”

• Before entering Paradise

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever donates two pairs in the path of Allah will be called from the gates of Paradise: ‘O servant of Allah, this is good.’ Whoever is among the people of prayer will be called from the Gate of Prayer, those who are among the people of jihad will be called from the Gate of Jihad, those who are among the people of charity will be called from the Gate of Charity, and those who are among the people of fasting will be called from the Gate of Ar-Rayyan.” Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, “O Messenger of Allah, is there anyone who is called from all of these gates?” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied: “Yes, and I hope you will be among them.”