Ihsan Center – Islam From The Heart

Continuing in the signs of Sura Ya Sin. What of those that are obedient in this life? What do they have to look forward to?

36:55إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ الْيَوْمَ فِي شُغُلٍ فَاكِهُونَ

Inna as-haba aljannati alyawma fee shughulin fakihoona

Surely, on that Day, the companions of the garden will be busy with their joy;

A Garden, but not just any ordinary garden, this one is special and eternal. Those that go there enjoy the highest of pleasures and are treated with such refined goodness. As is described in the next ayah.

36:56هُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُمْ فِي ظِلالٍ عَلَى الأرَائِكِ مُتَّكِئُونَ

Hum waazwa-juhum fee thilalin ‘ala al-ara-iki muttaki-oona

they and their spouses will be in shady groves reclining on soft couches.

And not alone but accompanied by friends and spouses. And here shade can be thought of as a metaphor for happiness and relaxing on soft couches brings to mind a state of peace and inner harmony – the very essence of the meaning of the root salama.

36:57لَهُمْ فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَلَهُمْ مَا يَدَّعُونَ

Lahum feeha fakihatun walahum ma yadda’oona

They will have all kinds of fruit and they will get whatever they call for;

So just in the physical real, remember cool shade and fruit and being treated in a dignified way, who would not want that. We all can appreciate the blessing of the shade in the searing heat of the dessert, and the abundance of food. And the personal blessing of a dignified existence, sitting on a throne, no longer subject to the whims and vagaries of the world and all it can do to drag one down. And what else?

36:58سَلامٌ قَوْلا مِنْ رَبٍّ رَحِيمٍ

Salamun qawlan min rabbin raheemin

“they will be greeted with the word “Salaam (Peace)” from the Lord of Mercy (Allah).

And the ultimate blessing, a greeting (salams) from the lord himself.

36:59وَامْتَازُوا الْيَوْمَ أَيُّهَا الْمُجْرِمُونَ

Wa-imtazoo alyawma ayyuha almujrimoona

And to the sinners He will say: “Get aside today, you criminals!

أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ أَنْ لا تَعْبُدُوا

36:60 الشَّيْطَانَ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ

alam a’had ilaykum ya banee adama an la ta’budoo ash-shaytana innahu lakum ‘aduwwun mubeenun

Did I not enjoin you, O children of Adam, not to worship Shaitan, who is your open enemy,

So those that did not act truly and with faith and good actions are separated not only from their loved ones and from their friends but also from Allah (SWT).

Part 2

These signs are of extreme value to us. On one level we must take them literally as a description of what will happen to us on that last day. Those who have been obedient, who have had Taqwa and have been true to their faith and their rabb will enjoy the benefits. Those who have had faith and have done righteous deeds. They will dwell with their spouses and their families and close friends in a beautiful place where they will be cared for in every way. In addition they will have the blessing of Allah (SWT) greeting them with salaams. And those that do not will be separated from then and from their lord because of their disobedience.

But on another level we must look at this as a message about our condition in this life as well. Remember that rassul Allah (SAW) said that each of us takes into the afterlife, that which we gained here so why not start now to become the best we can?

The dwellers of the garden are better than those who are not.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا

الصَّالِحَاتِ وَأَخْبَتُوا إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ

11:23 أُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

Inna allatheena amanoo wa’amiloo as-salihati waakhbatoo ila rabbihim ola-ika as-sahabu aljannati hum feeha khalidoona

Truly, only those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds and humble themselves before their sustainer – only they are destined for paradise, and there they shall abide.

مَثَلُ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ كَالأعْمَى

وَالأصَمِّ وَالْبَصِيرِ

وَالسَّمِيعِ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ

11:24 مَثَلا أَفَلا تَذَكَّرُونَ

Mathalu alfareeqayni kaal-a’ma waal-asammi waalbaseeri waalssamee’i hal yastawiyani mathalan afala tathakkaroona

These two kinds of man may be likened to the blind and the deaf and the seeing and the hearing, Can these two be deemed alike in their nature? Will you not then keep this in mind?

What does the judgement day look like? We see perhaps a glimpse of it in Sura Ya Sin when Allah (SWT) talks about those people who have doubted the messengers and begins (remember that they asked for proof of this last day and asked when will it come)

36:49 مَا يَنْظُرُونَ إِلا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً تَأْخُذُهُمْ وَهُمْ يَخِصِّمُونَ

M[a] yan{th}uroona ill[a] [s]ay[h]atan w[ah]idatan ta/khu[th]uhum wahum yakhi[ss]imoon(a)

In fact what they are waiting for is a single blast, which will seize them while they are yet disputing among themselves in their worldly affairs.

It is only a moment, only a split second of time, but in that split second that single blast, all things come to a stop. Time exists no more and what can we do about it?

36:50 فَلا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ تَوْصِيَةً وَلا إِلَى أَهْلِهِمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

Fal[a] yasta[t]eeAAoona taw[s]iyatan wal[a] il[a] ahlihim yarjiAAoon(a)

Then neither they will be able to make a will, nor be able to return to their families.

There is no going back, we have no chance at that time to return for any reason. Our balance sheets are closed and our debts are due to Allah (SWT) no returning for any reason.

36:51 وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَإِذَا هُمْ مِنَ الأجْدَاثِ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَنْسِلُونَ

Wanufikha fee a(l)[ss]oori fa-i[tha] hum mina al-ajd[a]thi il[a] rabbihim yansiloon(a)

The trumpet shall be sounded, when behold! from the graves (people) will rush forth to their Lord!

This is as it is described by Allah (SWT)

قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا مَنْ بَعَثَنَا مِنْ مَرْقَدِنَا هَذَا مَا

وَعَدَ الرَّحْمَنُ وَصَدَقَ الْمُرْسَلُونَ36:52

Q[a]loo y[a] waylan[a] man baAAathan[a] min marqadin[a] h[atha] m[a] waAAada a(l)rra[h]m[a]nu wa[s]adaqa almursaloon(a)

They will say: “Ah! Woe unto us! Who hath raised us up from our beds of repose?”… (A voice will say:) “This is what (Allah) Most Gracious had promised. And true was the word of the messengers!”

So while they were arguing about what was true and what wasn’t, the day came and then they are surprised!? And they wonder, confusedly, what is going on – then they are told and how can they not believe it now, but it is too late for them.

36:53 إِنْ كَانَتْ إِلا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ جَمِيعٌ لَدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ

In k[a]nat ill[a] [s]ay[h]atan w[ah]idatan fa-i[tha] hum jameeAAun ladayn[a] mu[hd]aroon(a)

It will be no more than a single blast, and then they will all be gathered before Us.

36:54 فَالْيَوْمَ لا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئًا وَلا تُجْزَوْنَ إِلا مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

Fa(a)lyawma l[a] tu{th}lamu nafsun shay-an wal[a] tujzawna ill[a] m[a] kuntum taAAmaloon(a)

On that Day no soul will suffer the least injustice and you shall be rewarded according to your deeds.

But remember that Allah’s mercy outweighs his anger and his judgement is not like that of men. He knows every thing about our lives The judgement will be on the highest standard of justice and grace. Not the least merit will go unrewarded. No penalty will be exacted but that which the doer himself by his past deeds brought on him or herself.

Part 2.

Brothers and sisters, the deeds you do today are the deeds that Allah (SWT) is talking about in these ayah! Are you building up the merits that will reward you? Or are you bringing the penalty down upon you?

We are given some choices in our life here on earth. Some call it a probationary life. If we use it for good and for the worship of Allah (SWT) then we are guaranteed eternal life in the most pleasant of surroundings. But if we do not then we are given the punishment that we deserve.

The good news is that we have some control over this! Do we want to be rewarded or punished?

Think about your lives even now in this period of probation. Do you feel better when you do good or when you do evil? If you view your life with the eye of your heart what does it tell you? Are you happy with the way you behave? Are you happy with your commitment to your deen? Do you practice every day to increase your ‘ilm and your ‘abd? Or are you wasting this time? Brothers and sisters the choice is yours in this case. You cannot control when that blast will come, when that split second arrives and the books of your life are closed. But you can control in what condition you greet that time. This is jihad al akbar – struggle with yourself to attain the highest knowledge and to put away the false ego, the nafs which is subject to the influence of shaitan. Today’s readings from Sura Ya Sin may be a hard message to hear, no one wants to think about them, but we, as Muslims must think on this and ponder the meanings and take it personally!

Let us go from here pledging ourselves to that cause in our lives.

Wa allahu alim.