....And We have appointed some of you a test for others: Will ye be steadfast? And thy Lord is ever Seer. (20)
This never ending trial is crucial, and success or failure determines our position in the hereafter. The surah implies that true believers who serve God and worship Him well are the ones who will pass the test of this life and achieve Paradise in the hereafter. The final passage in the surah presents a potrait of true believers, identifying ten of their special qualities. These qualities are as follows:
1. " The (faithful) slaves of the Beneficent are they who walk upon the earth modestly, and when the foolish ones address them answer: Peace; "(63). This modesty should not be mistaken for weakness or inadequacy. It is a sign of moderation and lack of ostentation. Believers refuse to be diverted or intimidated by the ignorant and the mischievous.
2. " And who spend the night before their Lord, prostrate and standing," (64). This does not mean that the whole of the night, but part of it, because the human body needs to rest to resume its duties on the following day. In the Muslim daily routine it is important that one does not retire before performing the night [ 'isha' ] prayer or wake up too late the following morning for the dawn [ fajr ] prayer. The reward for performing these two prayers in congregation [ jamaah ] or in the mosque is equivalent to praying all through the night.
3. " And who say: Our Lord! Avert from us the doom of hell; lo! the doom thereof is anguish; "(65). This is a fate that every Muslim must try to avoid and can only do so by diligence and freedom from greed and materialistic indulgence.
4. " And those who, when they spend, are neither prodigal nor grudging; and there is ever a firm station between the two; "(67). Both these extremes are abhorrent and harmful.
5. "And those who cry not unto any other god along with Allah,..." [68]
6. "... nor take the life which Allah hath forbidden save in (course of) justice,.."(68)
7. " nor commit adultery - and whoso doeth this shall pay the penalty;" (68)
These are three of the most vile crimes perpetrated in human societies, " And those who cry not unto any other god along with Allah, nor take the life which Allah hath forbidden save in (course of) justice, nor commit adultery - and whoso doeth this shall pay the penalty; (68) The doom will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein disdained for ever; "(69).
Nevertheless, the door for correction and reform in this life is always open. Once a wrong-doer decides to change and mend his ways, he will receive God's help and support.
8. "And those who will not witness vanity, but when they pass near senseless play, pass by with dignity " (72).
9. " And those who, when they are reminded of the revelations of their Lord, fall not deaf and blind thereat " (73). This reinforces the idea that the study of the Qur'an should be accorded full attention and respect; otherwise one will not reap the full benefit from it.
10. " And who say: Our Lord! Vouchsafe us comfort of our wives and of our offspring, and make us patterns for (all) those who ward off (evil) " (74). This is a plea from the believers to God to nourish their sense of family feeling and to strengthen the ties of love, emotional stability, and solidarity among their family unit.
These true believers: " They will be awarded the high place forasmuch as they were steadfast, and they will meet therein with welcome and the ward of peace, Abiding there for ever. Happy is it as abode and station! "(75-76).
" Thematic Commentary On The Qur'an "
Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali
Recitation, ayat 61 -ayat 77, Shaykh Idris Abkar:
Mufti Ismail Menk of Zimbabwe on Qualities Of A True Worshiper :
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