40. THE RESURRECTION

God says

[His promise will be fulfilled] on the Day when earth shall be changed into another earth, as shall be the heavens, * and [all men and women] shall appear before God, the One who holds absolute sway over all that exists. For on that Day thou wilt see all who were lost in sin linked together in fetters, clothed in garments of black pitch, with fire veiling their faces. [And all shall be judged on that Day], so that God may requite every human being for all that he has earned [in life]: verily, God is swift in reckoning!This is a message unto all mankind. Hence, let them be warned thereby, and let them know that He is the One and Only God; and let those who are endowed with insight take this to heart! -- Q.14: 48-52

*In the eschatology of the Qur’an the end of the world does not mean an annihilation -- i.e., reduction to nothingness-- of the physical universe but, rather, its fundamental, cataclysmic transformation into something that cannot now be visualized. This is brought out in many allegorical allusions to the Last Day.

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

Prophet said

1. “The sun and the moon will be overthrown on the Resurrection Day ” * – H: Bukhari. N: Abu Hurairah.

*For the details of the Day, the Prophet recommended that one should see Chapters: Q.81, 82, & 84 (which are very short ones.)

2. “Those whose account will be strictly taken will perish” – H: Bukhari. N: Bibi Ayesha.

Note: This topic will be concluded next Friday (it will then also conclude this Section No.!)

39. THE WORLD AND THE NEXT (to continue)

God says

As for anyone – be it man or woman – who does righteous deeds, and is a believer withal – him (or her) shall We most certainly cause to live a good life;* and most certainly shall We grant unto such as these their reward in accordance with the best that they ever did. -Q.16: 97

*This relate either to life in this world – or to the happiness which awaits him in the hereafter, or to both.

… whoever is blind [of heart] in this world will be blind in the life to come [as well], and still farther astray from the path [of truth].* -- Q.17: 72

*This passage shows that man’s life in the hereafter is not merely conditioned by the manner of his life on earth, but is also an organic extension of the latter, manifested in a natural development and intensification of previously existing tendencies.

Behold, We have willed that all beauty on earth be a means by which We put men to a test,* [showing] which of them are best in conduct;* and, verily, [in time] We shall reduce all that is on it to barren dust! -- Q.18:7,8

* Real motive underlying men’s refusal to believe in God’s spiritual message (see preceding verse) is almost always their excessive, blind attachment to the good of this world, combined with a false pride in what they regard as their own achievements.

Say [O Muhammad “Shall we tell you who are the greatest losers in whatever they do? (It is) they whose labour has gone astray in (the pursuit of no more than) this world’s life, and who none the less think that they are doing good works: it is they who have chosen* to deny their Sustainer’s messages and the truth that they are destined to meet Him. Their deeds come to naught, and no weight shall We assign to them on Resurrection Day. Q.18: 103 105

and [on that Day] undone shall be he who bears [a burden of] evildoing -- Q.20: 111

Prophet said

1.. “By One in whose hand is my life, if you had known what I know, you would have certainly wept much and laughed little.”– H: Bukhari. N: Ummul ‘Ala al Ansariyah.

2.. “Whoever makes the anxieties a single anxiety -- the anxiety of his next world -- God will remove his anxiety of this world; and whoever has (0nly) a variety of anxieties of this world, God will not care in whichever of its valleys he perishes.” – H: Ibn Majah. N: Abduullah-b-Masud.

39. THE WORLD AND THE NEXT (to continue)

God says

….And whatever [wrong] any human being commits rests upon himself alone; and no bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another’s burden….. Q.6: 164

*This basic ethical law -- which is also found in 17:15, 35:18, 39:7 and 53:38 – constitutes a categorical rejection of the Christian doctrines of “original sin” with which every human being is allegedly burdened from birth and “vicarious atonement” for mankind’s sinfulness by Jesus.

O you who believe! If you remain conscious to God*, He will endow you a standard by which to discern** the true from the false, and will remove your bad deeds, and will forgive you your sins: for God is limitless in His great bounty. -- Q.8: 29

*“remain conscious to God”, i.e., remain aware of His all-presence, with a desire to mould your existence in the light of this awareness. (Adapted from Asad’s translation of ‘muttaqi’ in Q.2: 2, which is positive and comprehensive.)

** I.e., the faculty of moral valuation.

Surely, God will not deal unjustly with man in anything. It is man that wrongs his soul-- Q.10:44

Oh, verily, they who are close to God – no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve: they who have attained to faith and have always been conscious of Him. For them there is the glad tiding [of happiness born of spiritual fulfillment] in the life of this world and in the life to come; [and since] nothing could ever alter [the outcome of] God’s promises, this, this is the triumph supreme.-- Q.10: 62-64

As for those who care for [no more than] the life of this world and its bounties – We shall repay them in full for all that they did in this [life], and they shall not be deprived of their just due therein: [yet] it is they who, in the life to come, shall have nothing but the fire – for in vain shall be all that they wrought in this [world], and worthless all that ever did!* -- Q.11:15,16 *

I.e., although their good deeds will be taken fully into account on Judgement Day, they will be outweighed by their refusal to believe in resurrection and the life to come.

Prophet said

1. “Be self-denying in this world, God will love you; and be aloof from what people have, they will love you” – H: Tirmizi and Ibn Majah. N: Sahl-b-S’aad.

2. “By God, the value of this world,* compared to that with the next, is like one of you puts his finger in the sea and then looks at what it returns with” – H: Muslim. N: Mustaorid.* I.e.,

The value of this world is like a few drops of water compared to the sea

3. “God does not destroy the virtues of a believer. He is given (reward) for it in this world and in the hereafter”-- H: Muslim. N: Anas.

39. THE WORLD AND THE NEXT

God says

“O our Sustainer! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come, and keep us safe from suffering through the Fire” ( RABBANAAA AATINA FIDDUNYA HASANATAUN WA FIL AAKHIRATI HASANATAUN WAQINA ‘AZAABANNAR )* -- Q.2: 201

* A supplication of the Prophet. As seen in Hadith, the method to supplicate (for any good cause) is to first praise God, then recite Durood and then supplicate.

The parable of those who spend their possessions for the sake of God is that of a grain out of which grow seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains: for God grants manifold increase unto whom He wills; and God is infinite, all-knowing. -- Q.2:261

And be conscious of the day on which you shall be brought back unto God, whereupon every human being shall be repaid in full for what he has earned, and none shall be wronged. * -- Q.2: 281

*According to the uncontested evidence of Ibn ‘Abbas, the above verse was the last revelation for the Prophet who passed away shortly afterwards (Bukhari).

Alluring unto man is the enjoyment of worldly desires through women, and children, and heaped-up treasures of gold and silver, and horses of high mark, and cattle, and lands. All this may be enjoyed in the life of this world -- but the beauteous of all goals [to aim for] is with God. -- Q.3: 14

Prophet said

1. “Love of this world is the root of all his sins” -- H: Razi and Baihaqi. N: Huzaifa.

For instance, God instructs man: “give unto women their marriage portions.” (Q.4: 4). This is woman’s right and her possession. It is formally agreed before wedding: either very large sum (generally, with no intention to pay), or Bibi Fatima’s dower which is of very nominal value (not even two rupees of India’s currency.) On the contrary, in some Muslim societies, barring a few exceptions, the bridegroom wants large sum of cash and other worldly things. If the demand is beyond the resources of girl’s family to arrange, she and the family are made to suffer on the threshold of greed. The practice is against the message of God. According to a Hadith Qudsi, quoted by Muslim on the authority of Abu Zarr, on the Resurrection Day God will not speak to one who treats others harshly, nor look at him, nor purify him and for him there will be a great chastisement. The Apostle also said: “Fear God with regard to women. Indeed, you have married them with the trust of God.” -- Bukhari and Muslim. N: Jabir-b-Abdullah.

38. ISLAMIC MISSION

God says

And thus We have willed you to be a community of the middle way,* so that [with your lives] you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind, and that the Apostle might bear witness to it before you.** -- Q.2: 143 * I.e., a community that keeps an equitable balance between extremes and is realistic in its appreciation of man’s nature and possibilities, rejecting both licentiousness and exaggerated asceticism.** I.e., “that your way of life be an example (and attraction) to all mankind , just as the Apostle is an example to you.

There shall be no coercion* in matters of faith. …. Q2: 256 *On the strength of the above categorical prohibition of coercion (ikrah) in anything that pertains to faith or religion, all Islamic jurists (fuqaha’), without any exception, hold that forcible conversion is under all circumstances null and void, and that any attempt at coercing a non-believer to accept the faith of Islam is a grievous sin: a verdict which disposes of the widespread fallacy that Islam places before the unbelievers the alternative of “conversion or the sword”.

Behold, the only [true] religion in the sight of God is [man’s] self-surrender unto Him;…Q.3: 19

You are indeed the best community that has ever been brought forth for [the good of] mankind:* you enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and you believe in God. -- Q.3: 110 *Being members of the world society our major obligation toward the fellow human beings is to enlighten them about the path shown by the Qur’an and followed by the Prophet. Our fall today from the elevated position, mentioned in the verse, is because we gave up doing good to the mankind. We need to re-examine and revive our faith in God!

He has willed to spread His light in all its fullness. -- Q9: 32

Those who believe and work righteousness, -- their Lord will guide them because of their Faith:… Q.10: 9

Prophet said

1. “Whoever calls towards guidance will get (similar reward as) of the one who follows it”– H: Muslim. N: Abu Hurairah

2. “Circulate from me though it be a sentence” – H: Bukhari .N: Abdullah-b-Amr

37. PREACHING AND ADMONITION (Concluded)

God said

And [so, O Prophet,] if they belie thee, say: “To me [shall be accounted] my doings, and to you your doings: You are not accountable for what I am doing, and I am not accountable for what you do.” -- Q.10: 42

Call thou [all mankind] unto thy Sustainer’s path with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the most kindly manner. Hence if you have to respond to an attack (in argument) respond only to the extent of attack leveled to you, but to bear yourself in patience is indeed far better * -- Q16:125,126
*The stress on kindness and tact and, hence, on the use of reason alone in all religious discussions with adherents of other creeds is fully in tune with the basic, categorical injunction mentioned in verse 2: 256 (last Friday) The believers are admonished to observe self-restraint while arguing with people of another persuasion, and never to offend against decency and intellectual integrity.

Endure, then, with patience [all that they who deny the truth may say] – always remembering that it is none but God who gives the strength to endure adversity* -- and do not grieve over them, and neither be distressed by the false arguments which they devise ** - Q.16: 127
* I.e., it must never be allowed to become a source of spiritual arrogance and false self-righteousness.
**Lit., “all that they are scheming”, i.e., by inventing false and irrelevant arguments against God’s messages.

And do not argue with the followers of earlier revelation otherwise than in a most kindly manner – unless it be such of them as are bent on evildoing …. Q.29: 46

O you who have attained to faith! Why do you say one thing and do another? Most loathsome is it in the sight of God that you say what you do not do! - Q.61:2,3.


Prophet said

1. “I saw during the Night of Accession some men whose lips were cut with the scissors of hell-fire. I inquired: Who are these O Gabriel? He replied: These are the preachers of your people who used to enjoin good to (other) men but forget for themselves”– H: Sharh-i-Sunnah N: Anas/ Baihaqi in Shu`bil Iman.

2. Ibn Masud narrated: The prophet used to take care of us in preaching by selecting a suitable time, so that we might not get bored. – H: Bukhari.

3. “Whoever amongst you sees anything objectionable let him change it with his hands; if he is not able to do so, then with his speech; and even if this he is unable to do, then condemn it at heart: this is the weakest form of faith.”-- H: Muslim. N: Abu Saeed al-Khodri.

37. PREACHING AND ADMONITION

God said

Whoever rallies to a good cause shall have a share in its blessings; and whoever rallies to an evil cause shall be answerable for his part in it: …. Q.4: 85

And whenever some people among them asked [those who tried to restrain the Sabbath-breakers], “Why do you preach to people whom God is about to destroy or [at least] to chastise with suffering severe?” – the pious ones would answer, “In order to be free from blame before your Sustainer, and that these [transgressors, too,] might become conscious of Him.” And thereupon, when those [sinners] had forgotten all that they had been told to take to heart, We saved those who had tried to prevent the doing of evil, and overwhelmed those who had been bent on evildoing with dreadful suffering for all their iniquity; -- Q.7: 164,165

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. *-- Q.7: 181
* It includes the righteous of all times and 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.

Make due allowance for man’s nature,* and enjoin the doing of what is right; and leave alone all those who choose to remain ignorant. -- Q. 7:199
* Lit., “accept what is easily forthcoming [from man’s nature]”. According to Zamakhshari, khudh al-‘afw means: “Accept what comes easily to thee [or “what is willingly accorded to thee”] of the doings and the nature of men, and make things easy [for them], without causing them undue hardship (kulfah): and do not demand of them efforts that may be too difficult for them.

And the believers, both men and women – they are close unto one another: they [all] enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, …. Q.9: 71
This is an exemplary moral education system in Islam, which is neglected today. It is often observed that if asked to wipe the spot on the face we do it with thanks. But if asked to cleanup the conduct we don’t like it. So much concern for the body that will be left here to rot and decay. Yet, no concern for the spots in our conduct for which we will have to heavily pay in the Hereafter! There is great need to rectify our this lopsided attitude, which has been a barrier to the sin-checking system stressed by God.
Next time, if luckily, someone, man or woman corrects our conduct let us say “thank you”.


Prophet said

1. “By Him in whose hand is my life, you must enjoin good and forbid evil*, otherwise it is near that God will send chastisement upon you from Himself. You will then call Him but you will not be responded to!” – H: Tirmizi. N: Huzaifa.

2. “…Let the fear of men never prevent any of you to speak the truth when he knows it….” – H: Tirmizi. N: Abu Sayeed-al-Khodri.

3. “Facilitate things to people (concerning religious matters), and do not make it hard for them and give them good tidings, and do not make them run away (from Islam).” – H: Bukhari. N: Anas-b-Malik.