How illustrious indeed is each and every facet of Allah^-SWT’s Impotence! Just ponder over the phenomenon how He^-SWT lifts the water to heights and pours it down to both high as well as low lying lands. Amazingly, the water is colourless and tasteless but the fruits grown vary in colour and taste. Take a look at the mountains; they stand gracefully on the land with a combination of different hues of soil, interspersed white red and real black cliffs. The same diversity is reflected in the human beings, animals and insects. Some are fair. Others are dark in complexion, all having different facial features. Some are tall while others are short, and each is blessed with a different level of understanding and wisdom. He^-SWT has gifted everyone with unique faculties and features, a marvel of His^-SWT Creativity. All these testify to His^-SWT Glorious Magnificence, but only if one can perceive. It is only appreciated and held in awe by the Erudites.

 

Who Is An Erudite?

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According to the Quran nobody can be termed as a scholar on the basis of being literate or well read. The essence of knowledge is the realisation of one’s own worth vis-à-vis the appreciation of Allah^-SWT’s Magnificence. The level of this appreciation will determine the level of Allah^-SWT’s awe one is blessed with. And the level of awe in a person will, in turn, determine the level of his knowledge. This awe is an act of the Qalb, and is validated by ones conduct. The Commentators have discussed this point at length with the same outcome as mentioned above. Allah^-SWT Prevails over everyone and if He^-SWT chooses He^-SWT may not allow anyone the respite even to breathe. But He^-SWT is Forgiving and it is by His^-SWT Clemency that He^-SWT overlooks. And how is the Divine awe displayed? It is through the recitation of Quran.

 

The Recitation Of The Quran – A Great Act Of Piety

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Quran is a complete Code of Life. While it is important to understand it, practising it is the very aim of life. However, even if one does not know the meanings, the recitation itself is an act of great merit. It generates awe of Allah^-SWT in the heart which once developed facilitates (1) acquisition of knowledge outside the pale of books, (2) diligence towards worships and (3) spending in His^-SWT Cause from the bounties given by Him^-SWT , both overtly and covertly.

 

Overt And Covert Nobel Acts

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According to the scholars it is preferable to perform Obligatory, Essential (Waajib) and Sunnah Salaat publicly, and the Superogatory (Nafl) Salaat covertly. Similarly the obligatory charity, like Zakaat should be paid publicly while the voluntary charity is best aid covertly. Such are the people hopeful of His^-SWT Munificence, as their acts of piety are like a trade with no possibility of loss.

 

Noble Acts Do Not Guarantee Salvation, Without His^-SWT Mercy

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It is best not to feel proud of one’s noble acts, as mere piety is not sufficient for the salvation. It is so because the capacity to act piously is also bestowed by Him^-SWT . However, it is His^-SWT Mercy that leads to it, which is strongly hoped for, because He^-SWT is so Gracious that He^-SWT will multiply the rewards manifold. While Forgiveness is His^-SWT Attribute, He^-SWT is also extremely Appreciating. A person can only act according to his worth, yet Allah^-SWT endows commensurate to His^-SWT Grace.

 

Endorsement Of The Facts Revealed In The Preceding Books

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Is it not a great Divine Favour that the Holy Prophet^-SW has been blessed with a glorious Book which is beyond the slightest doubt and is the whole Truth. It endorses the facts revealed in the preceding Books. Indeed it is an extraordinary testimony to the credibility of the preceding Divine Scriptures and His^-SWT Prophets^-AS that a Book revealed thousands of years later corroborates the same facts. The teachings of the Prophets^-AS had long been erased from the memories of the people. When the Holy Prophet^-SW was raised, he^-SW expounded the same precepts about Allah^-SWT , the angels, the Aakhirah etc. as had been preached by the earlier Prophets^-SW, without making the slightest error or dispute. Allah^-SWT being Omnipotent is certainly well Aware of the state of His^-SWT servants and their needs.

 

Allah^-SWT ’s Chosen And Preferred Persons

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And then through you O’ Prophet^-SW! We^-SWT made our chosen and preferred persons heirs to this Book. In other words, only those selected by Him^-SWT for this task can believe in this Book while as a creation and then as human beings His^-SWT favours were already innumerable, His^-SWT granting the capacity to believe exceeded all limits of generosity. According to the Commentators a Muslim, no matter how great a sinner, will certainly achieve salvation if he does not divest himself of faith and die as an apostate. No matter how much turmoil he undergoes in the process of purification, he will be saved eventually being Allah^-SWT’s preferred person.

 

Despite so many favours, there are many amongst the Muslims who wrong themselves by disobeying Allah^-SWT . While there are some who adopt the middle course, err – and – apologise, they do make mistakes as well as act piously. At the same time there are some who excel in piety in demonstration of His^-SWT Mercy. The acts of piety are outwardly toilsome, yet by virtue of outcome area testimony to His^-SWT Pleasure. These indeed are the believers who shall abide in Jannah where they will wear armlets of gold and jewels, and will be clad in robes of silk woven in Jannah. In short, they will live a luxurious life forever, free of all worries. They will neither experience weariness nor sickness, nor any form of anxiety. They will express their gratitude to Allah^-SWT and acknowledge His^-SWT immense generosity.

 

It is typical of the human nature to get weary of the same food, clothing and even the climate. But the pleasures of Jannah will be constantly on the increase, divorcing the possibility of any form of weariness. According to the Commentators the sinners amongst Muslims will be blessed with salvation after being put through a cleansing process of varying hardships, whereas those on the middle course will be spared after simple questioning. The near ones will be teemed with rewards. All of them shall express their gratitude in the same words and reach Jannah, InshaAllah.

 

All those who opt for infidelity will undoubtedly end up in Hell, but shall never experience death again. There will be no reduction in the intensity of punishment to which they will be forever subjected. They will plead and beg, scream and yell to be spared the agony and given another chance to return to the world in order to rightfully obey Him^-SWT , but neither their request will be unheeded being too late.

 

Age A Pre-Requisition For Being A Sentient

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Coming of age is pre-requisite to become obliged to practice Shari’ah. This Aayat refers to the time beyond maturity, when wisdom and intellect are fully developed and one is able to discern what is good and what is not. So Allah^-SWT declares that besides giving mankind time, maturity and understanding He^-SWT had also sent His^-SWT Messengers^-AS who forewarned them against his horrifying sequel to denial. Those who listened and reformed themselves did the right thing and those who denied must bear the consequences. This is how Allah^-SWT requite the transgressors and no one can help them in anyway.