Do The Best and Ask For The Best

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم: إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِائَةَ دَرَجَةٍ أَعَدَّهَا اللَّهُ لِلْمُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَا بَيْنَ الدَّرَجَتَيْنِ كَمَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ فَاسْأَلُوهُ الْفِرْدَوْسَ فَإِنَّهُ أَوْسَطُ الْجَنَّةِ وَأَعْلَى الْجَنَّة وَفَوْقَهُ عَرْشُ الرَّحْمَنِ وَمِنْهُ تَفَجَّرُ أَنْهَارُ الْجَنَّة 

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah RA that he said: The Messenger of Allah SAW said: "Verily in Heaven there are a hundred levels that Allah has prepared for those who strive in the way of Allah. The distance between one level and another is like the distance between heaven and earth. When you du'a to Allah, ask Him for *Firdaus Paradise*, because Firdaus Paradise is the middle and highest Heaven. On it there is the Throne of Allah, the Most Merciful. It is from the Firdaus Paradise that all the springs of the rivers of Paradise flow"

(HR Bukhari No: 2581)

Status: Sahih Hadith 

Learnings: 

1. Each of us always expect to be the best and most excellent person in life in this world and in the hereafter. 

2. Getting the reward of Heaven in the hereafter is highly hoped for by everyone.  Rasulullah SAW told us to du'a in order to get the best Paradise which is Firdaus Paradise. 

In a hadith from Anas bin Malik RA, the Prophet SAW said about Paradise; 

الْفِرْدَوْسُ رَبْوَةُ الْجَنَّةِ وَأَوْسَطُهَا وَأَفْضَلُهَا 

Meaning: Firdaus is the highest heaven, the best, and the most afdhal.

(HR Tirmizi No 3174)

Status: Sahih Hadith. 

3. To be excellent and the best, it demands us to strive and work hard in order to achieve it.  Saidina Ali RA once said: "Let your ambition be as high as the sky, even if you don't achieve all, achieving some of it is more than your high ambitions but started low from the beginning". 

4. Excellence is not awarded to those who work carelessly but to those who race and earnestly do good. 

5. When we du'a, ask for the best and most pleasing to Allah SWT, including asking to be included in Firdaus Paradise. 

Let's start the new year 2023 Masihi with our best resolutions and du'as.