Levels of Jannah and al-Firdaus: What the Authentic Hadith Say
Everyone who enters Paradise is saved, but not everyone has the same home there. The Prophet ﷺ told us that Paradise has levels, and he told us which one to ask for. This article brings together what the authentic hadith say about the levels of Jannah: how many there are, what al-Firdaus is, and how a believer can rise.
In this article:
- The hundred levels of Paradise, and the distance between them
- Al-Firdaus, the highest, and the young martyr who reached it
- The lofty mansions, and the Quran reciter told to recite and rise
At a glance
- Hadith: 4 authentic narrations, plus 1 Quran verse
- Collections: Sahih al-Bukhari and Sunan Abi Dawud 1464
- Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari); Hasan Sahih (al-Albani) for Abu Dawud 1464
- Topic: The levels of Paradise and al-Firdaus
- Do one thing today: In your next dua, ask Allah for al-Firdaus by name
1. A hundred levels, and the highest is al-Firdaus
مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ وَصَامَ رَمَضَانَ، كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ جَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، أَوْ جَلَسَ فِي أَرْضِهِ الَّتِي وُلِدَ فِيهَا. فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ نُبَشِّرُ النَّاسَ. قَالَ إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِائَةَ دَرَجَةٍ أَعَدَّهَا اللَّهُ لِلْمُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، مَا بَيْنَ الدَّرَجَتَيْنِ كَمَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ، فَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ فَاسْأَلُوهُ الْفِرْدَوْسَ، فَإِنَّهُ أَوْسَطُ الْجَنَّةِ وَأَعْلَى الْجَنَّةِ، أُرَاهُ فَوْقَهُ عَرْشُ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَمِنْهُ تَفَجَّرُ أَنْهَارُ الْجَنَّةِ
“Whoever believes in Allah and His Apostle, offer prayer perfectly and fasts the month of Ramadan, will rightfully be granted Paradise by Allah, no matter whether he fights in Allah’s Cause or remains in the land where he is born.” The people said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Shall we acquaint the people with the good news?” He said, “Paradise has one-hundred grades which Allah has reserved for the Mujahidin who fight in His Cause, and the distance between each of two grades is like the distance between the Heaven and the Earth. So, when you ask Allah (for something), ask for Al-firdaus which is the best and highest part of Paradise.” (The sub-narrator added, “I think the Prophet also said, ‘Above it (i.e. Al-Firdaus) is the Throne of Beneficent (i.e. Allah), and from it originate the rivers of Paradise.’”)
Sahih al-Bukhari 2790 · Narrated by Abu Hurairah · Translation adapted from Sunnah.com
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this. The hadith begins with the foundation: faith, salah and the fast of Ramadan bring a person into Paradise. Then it speaks of rank. It names those who strive in Allah’s cause as the people of these hundred levels, and the gap between each two is as wide as the distance between the heaven and the earth.
Then comes the instruction for everyone: when you ask, ask for al-Firdaus. It is the middle of Paradise and its highest part, the Throne of the Most Merciful is above it, and the rivers of Paradise flow from it.
Try this: make “O Allah, I ask You for al-Firdaus” part of your duas, as the Prophet ﷺ told us to.
2. Harithah, and the many gardens of Paradise
أُصِيبَ حَارِثَةُ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ وَهْوَ غُلاَمٌ، فَجَاءَتْ أُمُّهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ عَرَفْتَ مَنْزِلَةَ حَارِثَةَ مِنِّي، فَإِنْ يَكُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ أَصْبِرْ وَأَحْتَسِبْ، وَإِنْ تَكُنِ الأُخْرَى تَرَى مَا أَصْنَعُ. فَقَالَ وَيْحَكِ ـ أَوَهَبِلْتِ ـ أَوَجَنَّةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ هِيَ جِنَانٌ كَثِيرَةٌ، وَإِنَّهُ لَفِي جَنَّةِ الْفِرْدَوْسِ
Haritha was martyred on the day (of the battle) of Badr while he was young. His mother came to the Prophet ﷺ saying, “O Allah’s Messenger! You know the relation of Haritha to me (how fond of him I was); so, if he is in Paradise, I will remain patient and wish for Allah’s reward, but if he is not there, then you will see what I will do.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “May Allah be merciful upon you! Have you gone mad? (Do you think) it is one Paradise? There are many Paradises and he is in the (most superior) Paradise of Al-Firdaus.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6550 · Narrated by Anas ibn Malik · Translation adapted from Sunnah.com
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this. A grieving mother asked about her young son, and the Prophet ﷺ answered with more than she hoped for: Paradise is not one garden but many, and her son was in the highest of them.
Try this: when you make dua for those you have lost, ask Allah for al-Firdaus for them too.
3. The lofty mansions, seen like stars
إِنَّ أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ يَتَرَاءَيُونَ أَهْلَ الْغُرَفِ مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ كَمَا يَتَرَاءَيُونَ الْكَوْكَبَ الدُّرِّيَّ الْغَابِرَ فِي الأُفُقِ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ أَوِ الْمَغْرِبِ، لِتَفَاضُلِ مَا بَيْنَهُمْ. قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، تِلْكَ مَنَازِلُ الأَنْبِيَاءِ لاَ يَبْلُغُهَا غَيْرُهُمْ قَالَ بَلَى وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، رِجَالٌ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَصَدَّقُوا الْمُرْسَلِينَ
“The people of Paradise will look at the dwellers of the lofty mansions (i.e. a superior place in Paradise) in the same way as one looks at a brilliant star far away in the East or in the West on the horizon; all that is because of their superiority over one another (in rewards).” On that the people said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Are these lofty mansions for the prophets which nobody else can reach?” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “No! By Allah in whose Hands my life is, these are for the men who believed in Allah and also believed in the Apostles.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3256 · Narrated by Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri · Translation adapted from Sunnah.com
Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this. The difference between ranks is so great that people in Paradise will see the higher mansions the way we see a distant star on the horizon. The Companions assumed such places were for prophets alone. The Prophet ﷺ said no: they are for those who truly believed in Allah and affirmed the messengers.
Try this: do not think the highest ranks are out of reach. Sincere faith and following the messengers is the way to them.
4. Recite and rise
يُقَالُ لِصَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ اقْرَأْ وَارْتَقِ وَرَتِّلْ كَمَا كُنْتَ تُرَتِّلُ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّ مَنْزِلَكَ عِنْدَ آخِرِ آيَةٍ تَقْرَؤُهَا
“One who was devoted to the Qur’an will be told to recite, ascend and recite carefully as he recited carefully when he was in the world, for he will reach his abode when he comes to the last verse he recites.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 1464 · Narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr · Grade: Hasan Sahih (al-Albani) · Translation from Sunnah.com
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this. At-Tirmidhi records it too and calls it hasan sahih (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 2914, Hasan, Darussalam). Scholars differ on who “the companion of the Quran” is: some, including Ibn Hajar, say the one who memorized it; others say the one who recites it regularly and acts on it (SeekersGuidance).
Try this: add a few verses to what you recite or memorize each day. Every verse is a step up.
What it takes to rise
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتُ ٱلْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا
“Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – they will have the Gardens of Paradise as a lodging.”
Surah Al-Kahf 18:107 · Translation: Saheeh International, from Quran.com
The verse names al-Firdaus as the lodging of those who believed and did righteous deeds. These hadith point the same way: faith and salah bring a person in, and striving, sincere belief and the Quran raise him. The deeds that lead to Paradise are gathered in Deeds That Lead to Jannah.
Reflection: the Prophet ﷺ did not tell us to ask for the lowest place we might just about reach. He told us to ask for the highest. Hope in Allah’s generosity means aiming high, and working for it.
Questions people ask
How many levels of Jannah are there?
In Sahih al-Bukhari 2790 the Prophet ﷺ said Paradise has one hundred levels that Allah prepared for those who strive in His cause, and the distance between each two levels is like the distance between the heaven and the earth.
What is the highest level of Jannah?
Al-Firdaus. The Prophet ﷺ said it is the middle and the highest part of Paradise, and told us to ask Allah for it (Sahih al-Bukhari 2790).
How can a believer rise in the levels of Jannah?
The hadith name faith, salah and fasting as the way in, and striving in Allah’s cause, sincere belief in the messengers and reciting the Quran as ways to rise (Bukhari 2790 and 3256, Abu Dawud 1464). For personal guidance, ask a qualified scholar.
Key lessons
- Paradise has a hundred levels, as far apart as the heaven and the earth.
- Al-Firdaus is the middle and the highest; the Prophet ﷺ told us to ask for it.
- Paradise is not one garden but many.
- The lofty mansions are for those who truly believed, not only for prophets.
- The companion of the Quran is told to recite and rise.
Ask for the highest, then live in a way that matches the asking. May Allah grant us and those we love al-Firdaus.
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