Divine Punishments & Rewards

  

The System of Divine Punishments & Rewards

 عَسٰی رَبُّکُمۡ اَنۡ یَّرۡحَمَکُمۡ ۚ وَاِنۡ عُدۡتُّمۡ عُدۡنَا ۘ وَجَعَلۡنَا جَہَنَّمَ لِلۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ حَصِیۡرًا ﴿۹

 

“It may be that your Lord will have mercy on you, but if you repeat (your crime) We shall repeat (the punishment), and remember that We have made hell a prison for the disbelievers.” (Bani Isra’il 17: 9).

 

There is disgrace, humiliation for those who cause trouble in this temporal life and in the Hereafter; this humiliation as well as the punishment that Allah will give to these types of people will be much more humiliating and painful than all the earthly punishments that you can ever think of.

 

The Message of the Holy Quran is addressed to all of you. Those who have faith and demonstrate this faith in their intentions and actions, they will surely get their spiritual reward which is a reward that is beyond any earthly reward that a person can ever conceive.

An 'Imam' guided by Allah

 

The Divinely-Elected Imam & True Guidance (Part 2)

“One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams; those who are given their record in their right hand will read it (with pleasure), and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.” (Al-Isra 17: 72) 

 

Alhamdulillah Summa Alhamdulillah, I continue today the second part of my subject on the explanation of the verse which I have just recited before you.

 

Allah says: “those who are given their record in their right hand will read it (with pleasure)” – This is the Quranic metaphor for passing the test of faith and for undergoing all trials successfully. The right hand is a symbol of blessing while the left is that of punishment. Also in the human body the right side enjoys superiority over the left since the tissues of the right side are generally stronger than those of the left.

Patience and Prayer

 

The Holy Qur’an is a depository of perennial wisdom; through its prescient guidance, the holy Book seeks to raise the human soul from the depths of darkness into light. Through explicit verses of clear commands as well as subtle hints of allusive wisdom, the Book of God defines what is right and what is prudent in exigent circumstances of everyday life. Indeed, the Qur’an is an appeal to the human heart and higher consciousness: to realize and recognize the station of the Divine in our human settings; to be grateful for His favours and blessings; to seek His guidance, protection and help under all circumstances; to plead forgiveness and repentance for all our sins in the quest for salvation, and the gardens of Divine pleasure in the life to come. Those who critically examine their own public conduct as well as private counsel; those who are true to their own inner voices; they will find much merit in the Qur’anic commands and exhortations.

Consider the Qur’anic advice on the effectiveness of patience and prayer. In numerous verses, the Holy Book defines and describes in detail fine qualities of the true believers, the truly good in the eyes of God. The distinguishing characteristics; the profound attributes of a true servant of God invariably point to his or her pure beliefs, righteous deeds and patience and steadfastness under difficult circumstances. The Book of God states:    

‘Goodness does not consist in turning your face towards East or West. The truly good are those who believe in God and the Last Day, in the angels, the Scripture, and the prophets; who give away some of their wealth, however much they cherish it, to their relatives, to orphans, the needy, travellers and beggars, and to liberate those in bondage; those who keep up the prayer and pay the prescribed alms; who keep pledges whenever they make them; who are steadfast in misfortune, adversity, and times of danger. These are the ones who are true, and it is they who are aware of God.’ (2:178)

Poem: 'The Humbled Questioner'

 

Of what avail is my life, if You [Allah] in there I don’t find?

The mysteries of Your Love have driven me to Your door,

I hold many universes in my Whole,

Some say, it is mere pretence,

Some say these are but the Imprint of Your Name the High

Which sizzles my very existence with Your Glorious Presence!