"Allah is He Who created you in (a state of) weakness, then gave
youstrength after weakness, then after strength gave (you) weakness
and gray hair. He creates what He wills. And He is the All-Knowing,
the All-Powerful." (30:54)
This parable indicates the near demise of this life andthe imminent
end of it, while in contrast, the Hereafter is surely coming. Those
who hear this parable should, therefore, be aware of the significance
of the Hereafter and feel eagerness in the goodness that it contains,
"But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment, and (there is)
forgiveness from Allah and (His) pleasure. And the life of this world
is only a deceiving enjoyment."
Meaning, surely, the Hereafter that will certainlycome contains two
things either severe punishment or forgiveness from Allah and His good
pleasure.
Allah the Exalted said,
"And the life of this worldis only a deceiving enjoyment."
Meaning, this life is only a form of enjoyment that deceives those who
incline to it. Surely, those who recline to this life will admire it
and feel that it is dear to them, so much so, that they might think
that this is the only life, no life or dwelling after it. Yet, in
reality, this life is insignificant as compared to the Hereafter.
Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah said that theMessenger of Allah,
sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said,
" Paradise is nearer to any of you than the strap of hisshoe, and so
is the (Hell) Fire." [Ahmad 1:387]
Al-Bukhari collected this Hadith through the narration of Ath-Thawri
[Fath al-Bari 11:328]. This Hadith indicates the close proximity of
both good and evil in relation to mankind. If this is the case, then
this is the reason Allah the Exalted encouraged mankind to rush to
perform acts of righteousness and obedience and to avoid
theprohibitions. By doing so, their sins and errors will beforgiven
and they will acquire rewards and an exalted status. Allah the Exalted
said,
"Race with one another in hastening towards forgiveness from your
Lord, and Paradise the width whereof is as the width of the heaven and
the earth."
Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,
"And march forth in the way (to) forgiveness fromyour Lord, and for
Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who
have Taqwa." (3:133)
Allah said here,
"prepared for those who believe in Allah and His Messengers. That is
the grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He is pleased with. And
Allah isthe Owner of the great bounty."
Meaning, "This, that Allah has qualified them for, is alla part of His
favor, bounty and compassion." We mentioned a Hadith collected in the
Sahih in which the poor emigrants said to the Messenger, sallallahu
`alayhi wa sallam, "O Allah's Messenger! The wealthy people will get
higher grades and permanent enjoyment." He asked,"Why is that?" They
said,"They pray like us and fast as we do. However, they give in
charity, whereas wecannot do that, and they free servants, whereas we
cannot afford it." The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said,
"Shall I tell you of a good deed that, if you acted upon, you would
catch up with those who have surpassed you? None would overtake you
and bebetter than you, except those who might do the same. Say,
"Glorious is Allah," Allah is Most Great", and "Praise be to Allah",
thirty three times each after every prayer."
They later came back and said, "Our wealthy brethrenheard what we did
and they started doing the same." Allah's Messenger, sallallahu
`alayhi wa sallam, said,
"This is the favor that He gives to whom He wills." [Muslim 1:416]
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