On the day of judgment, mankind will be divided into three groups, worshippers will be told.
The first group will be given the book of their deeds in their right hands and these will be the majority of the people of Paradise. A second group will be given the book of their deeds in their left hands. A third group, called the foremost, will be those closest to Allah.
Muslims are encouraged to work to be among the foremost who are promised gardens of bliss in the hereafter.
These are the people who supercede others in piety and excel in their faith. Among these will be the noblest of the companions of the prophet Mohammed and people follow their example.
The forerunners strive to do good and perform all their duties. Allah praises the Prophet Zakarriya (peace and blessings be upon him) and his family in this regards by saying: Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate us in hope and fear, and they were to Us humbly submissive. [Qur’an: 21:90]
The Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) said: As for those who were foremost through their good, they are those who will enter Paradise without being taken to account. [The Musnad of Imam Ahmad]
The companions of Prophet Mohammed presented the best examples to mankind.
Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us one day to give charity, this happened to coincide with some money that I possessed.
So I said [to myself]: today, I will supercede Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) in that I have preceded him this day, so I came with half of my wealth [to donate], and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked me: “What did you leave for your family?” I responded by saying: “the like of it”.
Then Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came with everything he possessed and when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: “What did you leave for your family?”, he responded by saying: “ I left for them - Allah and His Messenger”.
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) then said to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) : “I will never supercede you in anything ever.” [As narrated in Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi].
The foremost in this world are those who are the best in their obligatory prayers and worship. Similarly the foremost people are those who have a special relationship with the Quran as they recite it, contemplate upon it, learn it's meaning and also teach it.
