سورة الحجر

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Indeed, Paradise has eight gates. One gate is for the entry of the Prophets and the truthful ones; from another gate the martyrs and the righteous enter; and five gates are for the entry of our Shia and those who love us. I shall remain standing upon the Sirat, praying and saying: "O Lord, keep safe my Shia, my lovers, my helpers, and everyone who took me as his master in the abode of this world." At that moment, a call comes from the midst of the Throne: "Your supplication has been answered and your intercession for your Shia has been accepted." Also, each one of my Shia, and those who took me as their friend and helped me and fought against my enemies by word or deed, will intercede for seventy thousand of their neighbours and relatives. And the other gate is for the entry of the rest of the Muslims — those who have borne witness that there is no god but Allah and in whose heart there is not an atom's weight of hatred toward us, the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) — Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: When I was taken by night to the heavens (the Mi'raj), Jibra'il said to me: "Paradise and Hell have been commanded to present themselves to you." So I saw Paradise and its blessings, and Hell and its torments. Paradise had eight gates, and upon each of its gates four sentences were written, each sentence being better — for the one who knows it and acts upon it — than the world and all that is in it. And Hell had seven gates, and upon each of its gates three sentences were written, each sentence being better — for the one who knows it and acts upon it — than the world and all that is in it. Jibra'il said to me: "O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! Read what is written upon these gates." So I did. As for the gates of Paradise: upon the first gate of Paradise was written: "لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَلِیٌّ وَلِیُّ اللَّهِ [There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Ali is the Wali of Allah]; everything has a means, and the means of a comfortable life is four qualities: contentment, giving one's due, abandoning rancour, and sitting with the righteous." And upon the second gate was written: "لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَلِیٌّ وَلِیُّ اللَّهِ [There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Ali is the Wali of Allah]; everything has a means, and the means of joy in the Hereafter is four qualities: stroking the heads of orphans, showing compassion to widows, striving to fulfil the needs of the believers, and looking after the poor and the destitute." And upon the third gate was written: "لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَلِیٌّ وَلِیُّ اللَّهِ [There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Ali is the Wali of Allah]; everything has a means, and the means of health in this world is four qualities: speaking little, sleeping little, walking little, and eating little." And upon the fourth gate was written: "لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَلِیٌّ وَلِیُّ اللَّهِ [There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Ali is the Wali of Allah]; whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must honour his guest; whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must honour his neighbour; whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must honour his parents; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must speak what is good or remain silent." And upon the fifth gate was written: "لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَلِیٌّ وَلِیُّ اللَّهِ [There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Ali is the Wali of Allah]; whoever wishes not to be wronged must not wrong others; whoever wishes not to hear abuse must not abuse others; whoever wishes not to be humiliated must not humiliate anyone; and whoever wishes to grasp the firm handhold in this world and the Hereafter must say: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَلِیٌّ وَلِیُّ اللَّهِ [There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Ali is the Wali of Allah]." And upon the sixth gate was written: "لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَلِیٌّ وَلِیُّ اللَّهِ [There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Ali is the Wali of Allah]; whoever wishes his grave to be wide and spacious must build masjids; whoever wishes that worms beneath the earth do not devour [his body] must dwell in the masjids; whoever wishes that his body [in the grave] remain forever fresh and moist and not decay must sweep the masjids; and whoever wishes to see his place in Paradise must cover the masjids with carpets." And upon the seventh gate was written: "لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَلِیٌّ وَلِیُّ اللَّهِ [There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Ali is the Wali of Allah]; the brightness of the heart lies in four qualities: visiting the sick, following funeral processions, buying shrouds, and repaying debts." And upon the eighth gate was written: "لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَلِیٌّ وَلِیُّ اللَّهِ [There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Ali is the Wali of Allah]; whoever wishes to enter through the gates of Paradise must hold fast to four qualities: generosity, good character, giving charity, and refraining from harming the servants of Allah the Exalted."