When Allah decides to give someone a life of ‘Ibadah and closeness to Him, they are of those who are chosen by Him.
لِمِثْلِ هَـٰذَا فَلْيَعْمَلِ ٱلْعَـٰمِلُونَ ٦١
“For such honour all should strive.” (37:61)
As believers, we are workers in the path of Allah. We make an effort to shift the way we think everyday, turning the focus of everything we do to Allah. Be it Qur’an, Dhikr, the controlling of our behaviour with others, controlling our tongue and our thoughts, amongst others, for the pleasure of Allah.
And so the first thing on our to-do lists each day must be ‘Ibadah. This shows an active striving for ‘Ibadah in our day.
Is this beautiful Jannah Allah promises us worth working for? Throughout our busy lives, we tend to leave this striving for it up in the air. Now, we must work for it in a different way; to make it a goal and plan of action. To do actions that build towards that Jannah.
Because Allah wants us to understand the value of Jannah, He gives us the opposite of it. He offers us the parallels of Jannah and Jahannam. Without it, we would not have the haste to do good deeds.
أَذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌۭ نُّزُلًا أَمْ شَجَرَةُ ٱلزَّقُّومِ ٦٢
“Is this bliss a better accommodation or the tree of Zaqqum?” (37:62)
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَـٰهَا فِتْنَةًۭ لِّلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ٦٣
“We have surely made it a test for the wrongdoers.” (37:63)
The descriptions of Zaqqum are meant to place fear in us. This is why Allah starts off its description with a question.
This shows Allah’s love for us, not cruelty. He knows that as humans, we are weak. That we struggle to keep on the path of the pious and being steadfast in Deen. By describing the horrors of Jahannam, Allah is saving us from complacency.
We will be given a place to rest forever, and so what is it that we will choose?
فَإِنَّهُمْ لَـَٔاكِلُونَ مِنْهَا فَمَالِـُٔونَ مِنْهَا ٱلْبُطُونَ ٦٦
“The evildoers will certainly be left to eat from it, filling up their bellies with it.” (37:66)
ثُمَّ إِنَّ لَهُمْ عَلَيْهَا لَشَوْبًۭا مِّنْ حَمِيمٍۢ ٦٧
“Then on top of that they will be given a blend of boiling drink.” (37:67)
ثُمَّ إِنَّ مَرْجِعَهُمْ لَإِلَى ٱلْجَحِيمِ ٦٨
“Then they will ultimately return to their place in Hell.” (37:68)
إِنَّهُمْ أَلْفَوْا۟ ءَابَآءَهُمْ ضَآلِّينَ ٦٩
“Indeed, they found their forefathers astray,” (37:69)
فَهُمْ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِمْ يُهْرَعُونَ ٧٠
“so they rushed in their footsteps!” (37:70)
وَلَقَدْ ضَلَّ قَبْلَهُمْ أَكْثَرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ ٧١
“And surely most of the earlier generations had strayed before them,” (37:71)
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا فِيهِم مُّنذِرِينَ ٧٢
“although We had certainly sent warners among them.” (37:72)
The reason the disbelievers are in the positions they are is because they followed in the footsteps of their forefathers. Similarly, we tend to follow cultural traditions without questioning them. These include celebrations that have no place in Deen, such as birthdays, baby and bridal showers, gender reveal parties, and many others of the sort.
Are we ready to break these family traditions that do not align with the rules of Allah? Doing so is not without difficulty or challenge. However, in every facet and element in our lives, we must ensure we are doing what is right in the path of Allah.
In tandem, we must not get caught up in telling others they are doing wrong. Rather, we must be the ones to bring about change, by changing ourselves.
إِلَّا عِبَادَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ ٧٤
“But not the chosen servants of Allah.” (37:74)
وَلَقَدْ نَادَىٰنَا نُوحٌۭ فَلَنِعْمَ ٱلْمُجِيبُونَ ٧٥
“Indeed, Noah cried out to Us, and how excellent are We in responding!” (37:75)
Now, Allah gives us examples of His chosen servants. Allah uses their stories to give and teach us lessons. The story now is not about Nuh (AS), but in the example of how he had stood up against others and rose to the call of Allah despite the many who turned away. Allah saved Nuh (AS) and the handful who followed him.
Many times, we want to break others and force them to accept, but we must be the change that is required. For being the one who stood up against his forefathers, Allah gives us a comfort; He shows us that with this hard decision Nuh (AS) lived by, Allah gave him a replacement: He made it so that Nuh (AS) was saved and his progeny thrived.
When we make a sacrifice for Allah, it is one He always recognises. As believers, all our actions are long-term; they are working towards something worth tremendous value.
“Verily, thus We reward the good-doers” (37:80, 77:44)
Allah is showing us that not only in the Aakhirah are we rewarded, but there are rewards in this world as well. We know neither the great bounties in store nor the results of our actions, but it is for Allah’s sake that we strive for them, to be of the good-doers.
And so one should ponder the following questions:
