WHEN JUST LOOKING AT THE THINGS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH BUT ACTUALLY HOW ONE WILL PONDER UPON THEM, WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE- SURAH AL-MURSALAT-77 (PART-III)

 

       

Those who would have exercised God-consciousness by performing the obligations and abandoning the forbidden things in this world will dwell in Jannah. This will be a fitting recompense for their deeds.  “(AS AGAINST this) behold, the God-conscious shall dwell amidst (cooling) shades and springs” (Quran 77:41), “and (partake of) whatever fruit they may desire” (Quran 77: 42); and they will be told "Eat and drink in good cheer in return for what you did (in life)!" (Quran 77: 43).  The paradise will offer the most joyous bodily and emotional sensations, a feeling of fulfillment with perfect peace and harmony. An entirely different experience from anything imaginable in this life.  “Thus, behold, do We reward the doers of good” (Quran; 77:44).

     Then the Quran gives a threat to those who deny the Day of Judgment. They may enjoy this short life and put the hereafter aside for a while but ultimately they will have to face the Judgment day and then will have to bow down to the ultimate reality. “(but) woe on that Day unto those who give the lie to the truth!” (Quran 77:45). “EAT (your fill) and enjoy your life for a little while, O you who are lost in sin!” (Quran 77:46).  “(But) woe on that Day unto those who give the lie to the truth” (Quran 77: 47), “and when they are told, "Bow down (before God)", do not bow down” (Quran 77: 48): “woe on that Day unto those who give the to the truth!” (Quran 77: 49). “In what other tiding, then, will they, after this, believe?” (Quran 77: 50). This last book Qur’an itself explains its message and wisdom with so much conviction. Yet some may keep on in their disbelief. And for them there won’t be any guidance. If one cannot believe in it then one cannot believe in anything else.

     The Qur'an was revealed in stages over a period of 23 years. Though the ultimate reason for this lies with Allah but it seems that the huge magnitude of spiritual, moral, intellectual, and even physical regeneration needed a gradual and steady pace so as to be established firmly.

      To steer and navigate through the waters, a ship remains in need of markers and lights, so does a man needs markers and light to navigate through life. The words of Allah become that lamp and light for our path. It’s the hidden wisdom in His words whose essence makes everything so obvious and apparent that it clears things beautifully without any doubt. Since it agrees with mind, wisdom and logic, its direction and guidance helps one live their entire life in harmony with Him, with own self and with others (Abdullah, 2019).

      It’s Him who imparts the light of life into each one of us human beings at the moment of conception. It is His sophisticated, divine workmanship within the womb that makes one realize His Creative omnipotence. And just as He alone has the power to begin a life in a mother’s womb from a humble fluid with the ever-recurring miracle of birth, so has He the power to re-create life. It points to the fact that the continuity of our lives will remain, the form will be different. Meaning this soul of ours doesn’t intend to end up here on earth, the earth will keep our physical form for an intended time, just like our origin as a humble fluid kept in the wombs for an appointed time. In this course of nature our soul is on a journey and is bound to go there, no matter how much we deny this truth. These all are the visible signs of Allah’s power. If we just look at our origin and imagine where we are heading; from eternity to eternity, then we better, ask Allah to bestow upon us a guidance so that we remain on the right path (Omer, 2018). 

    Our day to day life gives us many glimpses of the dead coming to life. Our own sleep and awakening makes us well comprehend the issue of dying and coming back to life. Then a simple glance at the nature around us, where the trees sprout in spring and die in autumn; are all His manifestations. How come one can still doubt the resurrection after witnessing the clear proofs of Allah’s doing all year around? Moreover, If there is no Resurrection, Allah's Justice will be in question. If Allah is Just then there must be an accountability of one’s all deeds of this temporary world and in this way there comes the necessity of resurrection and the Day of judgement (Khan, 2019).

    If we just happen to imagine that Allah’s command is great and it cannot be rejected as is being told in this surah how the universe itself will submit to His command in erecting the day of resurrection in order to produce everyone in the Divine Court. So this makes us more inclined to submit ourselves to Him.  All the continuous, gradual and countless stages of life from birth, growth, decline, death and finally resurrection are taking us to the reckoning. How unfortunate it would be to labor hard on this earth while going through these phases, and get nothing at the end just because we didn’t labor in the right direction at the right time. Wish we realize well in time that we don’t waste our efforts and energies in striving for this world only and God forbid be facing hopelessness on that big day. The end is certain and we will be completely helpless, with no support from anyone except Allah who is and will be the absolute sovereign on that Day (Siddiqi, 2004).

    The one who fears to stand in front of Allah and holds back his inner self from base desires, somewhat remains within the area of obedience.  It’s that act of worship which always gets rewarded by Allah as it demonstrates one’s love and faith. This obedience makes one do actions that consistently reflect His decrees. Man then tries not to indulge in sins and if he slips and commits a sin, in a moment of weakness, his fear of Allah takes him to repent and pray for forgiveness. That’s how he obeys His laws while walking the path of this life and that’s how he gets destined with paradise (Yahya, 2017).

   May the narration of Hell in this surah awaken us to purify our hearts and fill it with His love. Otherwise the never ending worldly desires one after another, will never take us out of the feeling of being in hell here in the world and this resentment will ultimately drag us to hell in hereafter as well. Physically imagining the gates of the hell to be shut but spiritually there be an endless despair of neither living nor dying with no hope of escape. It’s but a fact that no one can escape the shadows of death, resurrection and ultimate Allah’s judgement. So we got to visualize and start looking into ourselves, where our souls be standing on that day of resurrection (Elaskary and  Yun, 2017).

    The surah is somewhat making us aware of the fact that just looking at the things may not be enough but actually how we look at them will make a difference and this strong demand of Allah to ponder upon is being put to us. This wisdom has to be searched for, as it will always be like a mine that somewhat lies beneath the soil.