Deeds That Lead to Paradise

On the authority of Muʻadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I said: “O Messenger of Allah, tell me of a deed that will admit me to Paradise and keep me far from the Fire.” He said: “You have asked about a great matter, yet it is easy for the one whom Allah makes it easy: worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, establish the prayer, give the zakat, fast in Ramadan, and make the pilgrimage to the House.” Then he said: “Shall I not guide you to the gates of goodness? Fasting is a shield, charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire, and the prayer of a man in the depth of the night.” Then he said: “Shall I not tell you of the head of the matter, its pillar, and its highest point?” I said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “The head of the matter is Islam, its pillar is the prayer, and its highest point is jihad.” Then he said: “Shall I not tell you of that which holds all of this together?” I said: “Yes, O Prophet of Allah.” He took hold of his tongue and said: “Restrain this.” I said: “O Prophet of Allah, shall we be held accountable for what we say?” He said: “May your mother be bereaved of you, O Muʻadh! Is there anything that topples people on their faces — or upon their noses — into the Fire other than the harvests of their tongues?”