The following thought is a conclusion which was written after the completion of the PodTafseer series.
Countless lessons which effects a Muslim’s religious and worldly life can be learned from the Holy Quran. But the first thing to note is that it will only benefit someone who fulfils its three aspects with sincerity. The first aspect is sincerely reciting it correctly and regularly. The second aspect is to understand it. And the final aspect is to sincerely act on its teachings according to the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
One of the main teachings of the Holy Quran is for people to understand and strive to fulfil the purpose of their creation namely, to prepare for their meeting with Allah, the Exalted on Judgment Day.
In respect to a non-Muslim, when one fails to recognize this purpose they will not understand why they were created and placed on this Earth. This will cause them to incorrectly prioritize the things and people in their life. They will give importance to things which are not so important. They will end up dedicating their lives to things, which in respect to the bigger picture, are pointless. Their eating, drinking, happiness and sadness will revolve around these things. Some will reach such a low level that even other non-Muslims will declare that their life is aimless and has no real purpose or meaning. For example, many dedicate their lives and their efforts to drama, entertainment, sports, animals, plants and their careers. Even though dedicating one’s efforts towards a lawful career is a good thing yet it must never become one’s ultimate aim in life. This type of person will not fulfil their purpose and instead lead an aimless and empty life. They will misuse the blessings they have been granted which prevents them from obtaining peace of mind and body. This is one of the main reasons why people who have obtained much worldly success end up depressed and suicidal. The one who believes their life is valuable and has meaning will never contemplate suicide. This contemplation in itself is proof that the lives of these types of people are aimless, even if they obtained much worldly success, as they did not understand nor fulfil the purpose of their creation. Chapter 59 Al Hashr, verse 19:
“And be not like those who forgot Allāh, so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient.”
And chapter 20 Taha, Verse 124:
“But whoever turns away from My Remembrance will certainly have a miserable life…”
In respect, to Muslims who only fulfil the basic obligatory duties of Islam without dedicating any effort towards studying and acting on the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, they will fail to truly understand their purpose of creation and their purpose on this Earth, as this cannot be understood through the basic obligatory duties. As a result they will dedicate less than an hour of a day to preparing for their meeting with Allah, the Exalted, as the obligatory duties do not take long to complete. Even this, in most cases, is based on blind imitation of others such as their family. They will not truly understand why they fulfil these duties because of a lack of knowledge and weakness of faith.
Without the Holy Quran and traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, their focus will be solely on this world and enjoying its blessings, as they see nothing except this world. Then in this respect, there is not much difference between them and non-Muslims as their aspirations, hopes, fears, desires, aims and purpose will be the same. This is obvious when one observes these types of Muslims and their activities in between their obligatory duties. This does not mean they will go to Hell. In fact, as they fulfilled their obligatory duties and avoided the major sins it is hoped they will obtain Paradise. But because of this attitude, meaning, failing to understand and work towards their purpose, they will never find true peace in this world as they will not use their worldly blessings in the correct way, even if they use them in lawful ways, as their whole focus is solely on this world and its enjoyments, as they see nothing except this world. Chapter 20 Taha, Verse 124:
“But whoever turns away from My Remembrance will certainly have a miserable life…”
This remembrance involves using the blessings one has been granted in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted. This is only possible when one understands their own purpose and the purpose of the worldly blessings they have been granted.
Failing to behave in this manner is the main reason why many Muslims who fulfil their obligatory duties often complain about mental problems such as depression, as they have not remembered Allah, the Exalted, in the correct way, which leads to peace in both worlds. Chapter 13 Ar Ra’d, verse 28:
“…Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah do hearts find peace.”
Even if these Muslims end up in Paradise, because of their behaviour they completely missed the point of why they were put on this Earth. Their example is that of students who are set a mock exam by their teacher. Some students work diligently to prepare for it, whereas other students do not take it seriously and barely revise for it. Even if both types of students pass the exam the teacher will only be pleased with those who prepared for it, as they alone have understood the purpose of the mock exam. Its purpose was to put the students in the right frame of mind so that they are ready to tackle their real exams. Those who failed to prepare for their mock exams might have passed but they completely missed the point and purpose of the mock exam. This is the example of the Muslims who fail to understand the purpose of being on this Earth but through blind imitation of others they end up in Paradise. They are like a beautifully decorated vase which is hollow inside. Due to their lowly worldly aspirations they do not achieve the great station and purpose they were granted by Allah, the Exalted. Chapter 95 At Tin, verses 4-6:
“We have certainly created man in the best of stature. Then We return him to the lowest of the low. Except for those who believe and do righteous deeds…”
This prevents them from obtaining peace in this world, as the one who possesses lowly aspirations will stress over petty and unimportant things. They will dedicate most of their efforts to worldly gain, which will not benefit them in either this world or the next. Chapter 18 Al Kahf, verses 103-104:
“Say, “Shall we inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work.””
In respect to those who strive to study and act on the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. They will be granted a special perception in which to look at the world and their existence in it. This perception will allow them to see the purpose of their creation and their purpose on this Earth. Namely, to prepare for their meeting with Allah, the Exalted, on Judgment Day. This perception will make them understand that this world and the blessings in it are only a means to which they can reach the hereafter safely. Meaning, the world and the things in it are not an end in itself. This will encourage them to use every blessing they have been granted in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted, as they understand that peace and success in both worlds lies only in this. Chapter 16 An Nahl, verse 97:
“Whoever does good, whether male or female, and is a believer, We will surely bless them with a good life…”
They will prioritize everything and everyone within their life correctly according to Islamic teachings. They will give value to what is valuable and disregard what should be disregarded. Their example is of a librarian who organizes their great library of books in the correct order so that they can easily find the book they desire without any stress. Whereas, the one who does not prioritize things and people in their life correctly, according to the teachings of Islam, is like the librarian who arranges their large collection of books in a random order. As a result finding a single book becomes a nightmare and source of stress for them, as they misplaced all their books. Similarly, the one who misplaces the worldly blessings, such as wealth and people, they have been granted will find nothing but stress from them. This is the one who does not understand the purpose of their creation and their purpose on this Earth. This is the one who does not perceive the hereafter, even if they fulfil the basic obligatory duties.
As mentioned earlier, the perception the Holy Quran grants a person will make them understand that all the worldly blessings they have been granted are a means to an end and not an end in itself. Therefore, they will never be adversely affected by what they gain, lose or fail to obtain in this world, as all things are only a means. The means are not important, only the end is. Unlike those who fail to adopt the correct perception, through understanding and acting on the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, they will not be bothered with the things they do not obtain in this world as they understand that anything they do not obtain in this world will be granted to them in the hereafter in a perfect and permanent way. This perception will allow them to observe the world as if it is a drop compared to the endless ocean of the hereafter, just like the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, advised in a Hadith found in Sunan Ibn Majah, number 4108. Therefore, they will not care if they lose the drop as they are literally standing at the shore of an ocean, meaning, the hereafter. Chapter 4 An Nisa, verse 77:
“…Say, “The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for he who fears Allāh…””
This does not mean that this type of person abandons the world. Rather, they use the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted, thereby obtaining peace and success in both worlds.
In reality, it is this perception, which is rooted in gaining and acting on Islamic knowledge, that made the Holy Prophets, peace be upon them, and the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, the best of all creation, as they understood why Allah, the Exalted, created them and worked hard to fulfil it. The great Companion Abdullah Bin Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, confirmed that the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were the best because they were more detached from the material world than anyone else and they desired the hereafter more than anyone else. This has been discussed in Imam Abu Na’im Al-Asfahani’s, Hilyat Ul Awliya Wa Tabaqat Al Asfiya, Narration 278. This attitude was due to the perception they were granted.
Through this perception and understanding their lives became complete, purposeful and meaningful. Through their perception their aspirations touched the highest Heavens and as a result they became great as they understood and strived to fulfil the purpose of their creation. Chapter 6 Al An’am, verse 162:
“Say, “Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allāh, Lord of the worlds.””
Whereas, those whose vision was restricted to this lowly world became lowly, even if they obtained it all. Chapter 10 Yunus, verse 24:
“The example of [this] worldly life is but like rain which We have sent down from the sky that the plants of the earth absorb – [those] from which men and livestock eat – until, when the earth has taken on its adornment and is beautified and its people suppose that they have capability over it, there comes to it Our command by night or by day, and We make it as a harvest, as if it had not flourished yesterday. Thus do We explain in detail the signs for a people who give thought.”
It is this perception and understanding the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, grants the one who sincerely strives to understand and act on them. The one who misses out on this has failed to understand the purpose of their creation and the purpose of being on this Earth, even if they obtain Paradise in the Hereafter.
The three types of people discussed above has been summarized in the Holy Quran as well. Chapter 56 Al Waqi’ah, verses 1-11:
“When the Occurrence occurs…And you become [of] three kinds. Then the companions of the right – what are the companions of the right? And the companions of the left – what are companions of the left? And the forerunners, the forerunners. Those are the ones brought near [to Allāh].”
Finally, one should always bear in mind that the teachings of the Holy Quran are summarized in chapter 1 Fatihah. And the summary of chapter 1 Al Fatihah is that each person has been given blessings by Allah, the Exalted. The one who uses these blessings in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted, will obtain peace and success in both worlds. Whereas, the one who misuses them will obtain divine anger and ultimately lose in both worlds. When one adopts the correct perception through the Islamic teachings this lesson becomes clear. Chapter 1 Al Fatihah, verses 6-7:
“Guide us to the straight path. The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have earned [Your] anger or of those who are astray.”
So strive to catchup to the forerunners through adopting this perception and understanding by learning and acting on the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, for time in this world is limited and the call to depart is at hand. Chapter 10 Yunus, verse 45:
“And on the Day when He will gather them, [it will be] as if they had not remained [in the world] but an hour of the day…”
And chapter 3 Alee Imran, verse 185:
“Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.”
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