4.41. INTERCESSION BY THE PROPHET

God says

… Who is there that could intercede with Him unless it be by His leave?... Q.2:255

… and Thou Sustainer may well raise thee [O Muhammad] to a glorious station
[in the life to come]. -- Q.17:79


Prophet said

 “For every prophet there was an acceptable invocation, and every prophet hastened to make it. I have kept mine reserved for the Resurrection Day to be used as an intercession for my people. If God wills, it will be accepted for every follower who died without setting up anything with God.” – H: Muslim. N: Abu Hurairah.

In a fairly lengthy Tradition quoted by Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Anas it is mentioned that when the believers will be detained on the Resurrection Day they will become restive and in order to have peace of mind during detention they will approach  Adam to intercede.  He will send them to Noah, he to Abraham, he to Moses and he to Jesus. Then Jesus will direct them to the Prophet who will intercede.
Anas narrated that the Prophet then recited the verse 17:79 and said: “This is the glorious station promised to your Prophet.”

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All the 4 books come to close for the Friday Post.
Let us pray to God the Most Gracious:

“O God! help us with Knowledge,
and adorn us with forbearance,
and honour us with God-conscious nature,
and beautify us with peace and serenity”  
                                                     (Ameen)

4.40. THE ENEVITABLE LAST DAY

God says

When the sky is split asunder, obeying its Sustainer, as in truth it must; and when the earth is leveled, and casts forth whatever is in it, and becomes utterly void, obeying its Sustainer, as in truth it must --: [then,] O man – thou [that] hast, verily, been toiling towards thy Sustainer in painful toil* -- then shalt thou meet Him! –
Q. 84:1-6
    *An allusion to the fact that in man’s earthly life – irrespective of whether one is consciously aware of it or not – sorrow, pain, drudgery and worry by far outweigh the rare moments of true happiness and satisfaction. Thus, the human condition is described as “painful toiling towards the Sustainer” – i.e., towards the moment when one meets Him on resurrection.  

And as for him whose record shall be placed in his right hand, he will in time be called to account with an easy accounting, and will [be able to] turn joyfully to those of his own kind.* But as for him whose record shall be given to him behind his back, he will in time pray for utter destruction: but he will enter the blazing fire. Behold, [in his earthly life] he lived joyfully among people of his own kind** -- for, behold, he never thought that he would have to return [to God].  -- Q.84:7-14       
  *Lit., “his people” – i.e., those who, like him, were righteous in life.
  **Lit., “his people” – i.e., people of the same sinful inclination.

For, distant from it [the raging fire,] shall remain he who is truly conscious of God: he that spends his possessions [on others] so that he might grow in purity – not as payment for favours received, but only out of a longing for the countenance of his Lord, the All-Highest: and such, indeed, in time will be well-pleased.  -- Q.92:17-21     

 

Prophet said

“Whoever is desirous to visualize the Resurrection Day, let him read Chapters: Q.81- “When the sun is shrouded in darkness…..” and Q.82-  “When the sky is cleft asunder…..”, and Q.84 - “When the sky is split asunder…..” --- H: Ahmed and Tirmizi. N: Ibn Omar.
The Chapters recommended in the above Tradition are in fact quite brief, and powerful reminders of the Last Day.

“Actions are (judged) only according to the conscious intentions (which prompted them); and unto everyone will be accounted what he consciously intended”* – H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Omar bin Khattab.
*I.e., while doing whatever he did.  This basic, extremely well authenticated Tradition is quoted by Bukhari in seven places, as well as by Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Da’ud, Nasa’I, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hanbal, and several other compilations.  In this connection it is to be noted that in the ethics of the Qur’an, the term “action”(‘amal) comprises also a deliberate “omission” of actions, whether good or bad, as well as a deliberate voicing of beliefs, both righteous and sinful: in short, everything that man consciously aims at and expresses by word or deed.  (Asad)

4.40. THE ENEVITABLE LAST DAY (To be continued)

 

God says

there are people who say: We believe in God and the last day when (in fact) they do not…. Q.2:8

Q.7: 181  - Now, among those whom We have created there are people who guide [others] in the way of the truth and act justly in its light.*
  *It includes the righteous of all communities – that is, all those who are receptive to God’s messages and live up to them by virtue of their conviction that God is the Ultimate Reality.

And [know, O man] that the last hour is bound to come beyond doubt, and that God will [indeed] resurrect all who are in their graves. -- Q.22:7

Woe unto those, who give short measure: those who, when they are to receive their due from [other] people, demand that it be given in full, but when they have to measure or weigh whatever owe to others, give less than what is due!* Do they not know that they are bound to be raised from the dead [and called to account] on an awesome Day – the Day when all when all men shall stand before the Sustainer of all the worlds   -- Q.83:1-6
  *This passage (verses 1-3) does not, of course, refer only to commercial dealings but touches upon every aspect of social relations, both practical and moral, applying to even individual’s rights and obligations no less than to his physical possessions.

Prophet said

“God ordered (the appointed angels over you) that the good and bad deeds be written, and then He showed (the way) how (to write): If someone is desirious to do a good deed and he does not do it, then God will write for him a full good deed; and if he intended (to do a good deed) and actually did it, then God will write for him (its reward equal to) from ten to seven hundred times to many more times; and if somebody intended to do a bad deed and he did not do it, God will write a full good deed for him, and if he intended to do it and actually did it, then God will write (for him) one bad deed” – Hadees Qudsi, Bukhari. N: Ibn Abbas.