Jabir relates that a villager came to the Holy Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, what are the two things which make Heaven or Hell necessary? He replied: “One who dies associating nobody with Allah will enter Paradise, and one who dies associating anybody with Allah will enter the Hell.”
(Sahih Muslim)
This hadith brings into light the significance of monotheism in the life of a believer. A believer’s ultimate success lies in his getting a blissful seat in the Paradise and his safety from the fire of Hell. It is this ultimate goal around which move the day and night of the believer.
There are only two distinct paths given to man to tread as he wishes. But there are also two ultimate ends. Those who follow the Straight Path associating none to Allah have been promised blissful seats in the Paradise. And, those who choose to follow their wishes and associate others with Allah, in His Rights and Divinity, shall earn the fire of Hell.
It is this basic concept of Islam that has been presented here in this hadith in a very precise manner. If the believer follows this one single hadith, he will earn the Pleasure of Allah and Ultimate Success in the Heaven. And, those who instead of following this teaching enjoined by the Holy Messenger ﷺgo on following the path of their own rather than that prescribed by the Lord Creator, shall be thrown into Hell.