Salman (Allah be pleased with him) has related: “I asked the Apostle of Allah which are the forty traditions about which you have said, “Whoever memorised them shall enter Paradise”
He replied, ‘They are:
That you believe
(1) in Allah;
(2) in the Last Day;
(3) In the Angels;
(4) in the Books;
(5) in the Prophets;
(6) in being raised after death;
(7) in the absolute decree and predestinations of good and evil by Allah;
and that you
(8) bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad (PBUH) is His Apostle;
(9) ascribe no partners to Allah in any matter;
(10) establish the prayers1 at the prescribed time with perfect ablution2;
(11) pay the poor due;
(12) fast in (the month of) Ramadhan;
(13) perform the Hajj, if you have the means;
(14) offer twelve rakahs3 (Sunnat-i-Mu’akkadah) during the day and night;
(15) never omit the witr prayer after Isha prayer;
(16) do not disobey your parents;
(17) do not eat up the property of any orphan;
(18) do not drink;
(19) do not commit adultery or fornication;
(20) do not falsely swear by Allah;
(21) do not give false testimony;
(22) do not pursue sensual desire;
(23) do not backbite your Muslim brother;
(24) do not slander any chaste man or woman;
(25) do not harbour grudge against your Muslim brother;
(26) do not be occupied in vain pursuits;
(27) do not keep company of amusement seekers;
(28) do not nickname a short person a dwarf;
(29) do not ridicule anyone;
(30) do not be a carrier of tales among Muslims;
(31) do not severe relations with your kindred, on the contrary treat them well;
(33) do not curse any creature of Allah;
(34) do not absent yourself from Friday and Eid prayers;
(35) do not forget to recite the Book of Allah;
and that you
(36) thank Allah (magnified be His glory) for His bounties;
(37) bear calamities and privations with pleasure;
(38) recite ‘Subhan-Allah’ (Bleassed is Allah), ‘la-ilaha-illah’ (There is no god but Allah) and ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’ (Allah is great) often;
(39) be not fearless of Allah’s chastisements; and
(40) believe firmly that any mishap that befell on you was predestined and could not be averted, and that whatever you did not get was not destined to reach you.”
Salman (Allah be pleased with him) then asked the Prophet: “What will be the reward of one who memorises them?”
The Prophet replied, “Allah will raise him in the company of prophets (Peace be upon them) and men of learning.”
[Kanzul – ‘Umai]
Footnotes
[1] By establishing prayer is meant that all the prescribed formalities are duly observed
[2] Perfect ablution means ablution in the performance of which all formalities including Mustahaabat (desirable actions) are observed. It is desirable to make fresh ablution for each prayer, or at least the use of miswak
[3] Two rakahs before the Fajr (morning) prayers, four rakahs before and two after Zohr (mid-day) prayer, two after Maghrib (evening) prayer and two after the Isha (night) prayer.