How to increase our investment in Paradise?

gambaq ehsan kalamjauhari seqadar hiasan semata
We have only one concern: the Hereafter. We are all fear for Hell and all love for Paradise and its pleasures and joys -- trees, rivers, maidens and servants, and all that is there.

Al-Khalil ar-Rahman and the Father of the Prophets, Ibrahim (as) asked our Prophet Muhammad (saw) on the Night of the Journey to convey his greetings to his Ummah and to tell them the way in which they could increase their share of the trees of Paradise. The Prophet (saw) said: “I met Ibrahim… and he said, ‘O Muhammad, tell your Ummah that Paradise is a land whose soil is good and its water is sweet. It is an empty plain, which will be planted with SubhanalLah, al-HamdulilLah, and AlLahu Akbar.’”

The trees – shajarah -- and all that is there in Paradise are the fruits – thamarat -- of good actions. The Prophet (saw) said: ‘Paradise has no trees, plant them there.’ He was asked: ‘How to plant trees there?’ He replied: ‘By saying the glory (tasbih) of God, by telling His praises (tahmid), by hallowing His names (tamjid) and by exalting His majesty (takbir).’

That is, if we say, ‘Glory to God’ we plant one tree in Paradise; therefore, the tree in Paradise is the effect and result of our tasbih. As the excellences of glorification appear here in the form of the sound and words of this kalimah, they appear there in the form of trees.

And what is true of tasbih, is true of tahmid and true of others -- tamjid and takbir. Whatever is in Paradise is the fruit of good actions: the blessings of God that take the form of good words and right deeds, the same shall appear in the form of pleasure and joy in the Hereafter.