The poor will enter jannah first?

It is said that the poor will enter Jannah first in a hadith. Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The poor Muslims will enter Paradise before the rich by half of a day, the length of which is like five hundred years.” [Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2354, Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani]

Below we will discuss this matter in more detail, so, let’s get started.

Do poor people enter Jannah first?

Yes, based on the hadith of the prophet the poor people will enter Jannah before the rich. Because the rich people have a lot of wealth to be questioned about and how they spend their wealth.

Is it true that the poor will enter Jannah earlier than the rich?

Yes, the poor will enter Jannah first as our beloved prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said in a hadith: “The poor will enter Jannah five hundred years before the rich.”

Why will poor enter Paradise before rich people?

The poor will enter paradise before the rich because rich people will be asked about their wealth and how they spent it, which will cause the delay.

Al-Mubaarakfoori may Allah have mercy upon him wrote, “The entrance of the poor (into Paradise) before the rich does not contradict the merits of the rich believers, their refined status, and the great number of their good deeds, as the reason that the poor will enter first is the ease and swiftness of their reckoning, which will not take long.” [Mir‘aat Al-Mafaateeh]

The poor will enter Jannah first hadith.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The poor will enter Paradise five hundred years before the rich.” [Ibn Maajah and At-Tirmith – At-Tirmidhi said: it is hasan saheeh (good or sound) – Al-Albaani graded it sahih (sound)]

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar may Allah be pleased with him narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “You shall gather on the Day of Judgment, and it will be asked, ‘Where are the poor and destitute of this nation?’ They shall stand up, and they will be asked, ‘What did you do in the worldly life?’ They shall reply, ‘Our Lord, You tested us (with poverty) and we bore it patiently when others were given wealth and power.’ Allah will say, ‘You have spoken the truth.’ So they shall enter Paradise before others, and those who were endowed with wealth and power will receive a severe reckoning.” [Ibn Hibbaan – Al-Albaani graded it hasan]

Usaamah ibn Zayd may Allah be pleased with him reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “I stood at the gate of Paradise and saw that the majority of the people who had entered it were poor people, while the rich were kept outside (waiting for their reckoning), but the people of Hellfire had been ordered to be driven to Hellfire. And I stood at the gate of Hellfire and found that the majority of those entering it were women.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Al-Haafith Ibn Hajar may Allah have mercy upon him wrote, “His words, ‘the rich were kept outside’, mean that they will be prevented from entering Paradise along with the poor because they will be held accountable for their wealth first. It seems that this shall take place at the Al-Qantarah between Hellfire and Paradise (a small bridge after the Siraat [a bridge that will be set up over Hell] that the believers will have to cross before entering Paradise), where people will retaliate against each other for the injustices done amongst them in this worldly life after crossing over the Siraat.” [Fat-h Al-Baari]

Who will enter the Jannah first?

The first person to enter Jannah will be our beloved prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

The poor in the Quran.

Here are some Quranic verses about the poor in the Quran:

٨٣ وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَقُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ

“ And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them], “Do not worship except Allah; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words] and establish prayer and give zakah.” Then you turned away, except a few of you, and you were refusing.” [(2:83)]

لَيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَنْ تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا ۖ وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ

“177 Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.” [(2:177)]

أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ ۚ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ ۖ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ ۚ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

“184 [Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] – then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] – a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess – it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.” [(2:184)]

٢١٤ أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُمْ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ ۖ مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ

214 Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is the help of Allah?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near. (2:214)

يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُونَ ۖ قُلْ مَا أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ

215 They ask you, [O Muhammad], what they should spend. Say, “Whatever you spend of good is [to be] for parents and relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveler. And whatever you do of good – indeed, Allah is Knowing of it.

(2:215)

Conclusion.

We understand from the hadiths that the poor will enter Jannah first because they don’t have a lot of wealth to be questioned about, unlike the rich people. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The poor will enter Paradise five hundred years before the rich.” [Ibn Maajah and At-Tirmith – At-Tirmidhi said: it is hasan saheeh (good or sound) – Al-Albaani graded it sahih (sound)]

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