Praise
be to Allah
Allah, may He be
glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Whoever
does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will
surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their
reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do”
[an-Nahl 16:97].
Al-Haafiz Ibn
Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This is a
promise from Allah, may He be exalted, to the one who does righteous deeds,
which refers to deeds that are in accordance with the Book of Allah, may He
be exalted, and the Sunnah of His Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him), whether that person is male or female, from among the descendants
of Adam, and believes in Allah and His Messenger in his heart, that Allah
will cause him to live a good life in this world, and will reward him in the
hereafter according to the best of his deeds. The good life includes a life
of comfort and ease in many ways. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas and a
number of others that they interpreted it as referring to good and lawful
provision. It was narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allah be pleased
with him) that he interpreted it as referring to contentment. Something
similar was stated by Ibn ‘Abbaas, ‘Ikrimah and Wahb ibn Munabbih. ‘Ali ibn
Abi Talhah narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that it refers to happiness. Ad-Dahhaak
said: It is lawful provision and worship in this world. Ad-Dahhaak also
said: It is doing acts of obedience and finding comfort therein. The correct
view is that the good life includes all of that.
End quote from
Tafseer Ibn Katheer (4/516)
Allah, may He be
glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And
your Lord says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” Indeed, those who
disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible”
[Ghaafir 40:60]
“But
whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a
believer – it is those whose effort is ever appreciated [by Allah ]”
[al-Israa’
17:19]
“But
he who does of righteous deeds while he is a believer – he will neither fear
injustice nor deprivation”
[Taa-Haa 20:112].
These verses
indicate that if a person believes in Allah, may He be exalted, and strives
sincerely for his Lord’s sake, and does not associate anyone else in his
worship, and adheres to the laws of Allah, and does not stray from that,
then he will attain happiness in both realms, and will attain success in
this world and the hereafter. One of the greatest blessings of this world
that he can attain is to be blessed with peace of mind, a feeling of comfort
and a life of ease, focusing on his duties towards Allah, having strong
faith and certainty, without anything to distract him from that; rather
Allah will bless him with a heart that is pure and clean, and will enable
him to speak in a manner that is proper and good, and to do righteous deeds,
and He will save him from temptation, confusion and fitnah, whether
apparent or hidden.
If he dies like
that, then Allah will save him from the trial of the grave, and when He
resurrects him, He will make the reckoning easy for him and grant him a
multiple reward, and turn his bad deeds into good deeds, then He will admit
him to Paradise by His mercy. There he will be happy and never be sad, he
will live and never die, and he will find in it that which no eye has seen,
no ear has heard, nor has it ever crossed the mind of man.
Allah, may He be
exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Indeed, those
who have said, ‘Our Lord is Allah’ and then remained on a right course – the
angels will descend upon them, [saying], ‘Do not fear and do not grieve but
receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.
‘We [angels]
were your allies in worldly life and [are so] in the Hereafter. And you will
have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever
you request [or wish].
As accommodation
from a [Lord who is] Forgiving and Merciful’”
[Fussilat
41:30-32].
And Allah knows
best.