Quran Garden

Session 341

Chapter 3

Verse 15

a continuation

Say: “Shall I announce to you far better alternatives? For the God-conscious, with their Lord, theirs shall be Gardens underneath which rivers flow, where they shall live forever, and purified spouses and pleasure from God.  God is ever-watchful over His servants.

(Chapter 3: Verse 15)

Many people ask why the verse starts with a question: ‘Shall I announce to you far better alternatives?’  Why didn’t Allah tell us directly instead of asking us a question? We answer that this type of introductory question adds beauty and anticipation.  It shows God’s compassion for us.  Allah did not wait for us to wonder about the pleasures of the Hereafter.  He rushed to tell us.  And just in case some people were not paying attention, Allah started with a question.  It is a very effective method to grab attention, because as soon as someone offers to tell you about something better than what you have, your mind starts anticipating a superb deal.  Do you want me to tell you how you can earn a lot more money than your current job? This type of question gets your attention every single time. 

But in order to qualify for far better rewards in paradise, youhave to be ‘God-conscious.’  Why, you may ask? You can find the answer in verse 14 of Al Imran.  All the worldly pleasures mentioned in the verse –from women to sons, wealth, and land- are very easy to abuse if you are not God-conscience.  Piety in needed in all these areas.  Some believers think that the solution is to shun life’s pleasures and live an ascetic life.  In other words, they want to limit their activities to worship and leave everything else behind. We say to such people: No, your work in life helps you become more pious.  Allah put all these blessings at your disposal not for you to shun, but to enjoy properly within God’s limits and to use them for the benefit of others.  This is how we show true appreciation to God, and God, in turn, will gift you the enormous pleasures of Paradise. 

Keep in mind that all the pleasures of paradise from food to drink and amazing gardens are not required for the sustenance of life.  In paradise, you enjoy eternal youth that does not require any nourishment.  The only longing is to be in God’s pleasure and company.  Listen to the following verses.  God says:

On that Day there will be radiant faces, gazing at their Lord. (75:22-23)

Those who were preoccupied with the Lord in life attain a superior level of paradise called ‘illiyoun.’   It is a place where there is only the one overconsuming pleasure: being in God’s company.

So there are multiple levels in heaven for you to attain. Thus, Allah ends the verse with ‘God is ever-watchful over His servants’ because He will give each person according to his or her deeds.  Those who followed God’s teachings to earn the luxuries of Paradise will attain them, and those who obeyed God because He is worthy of worshipwill be granted the pleasure of seeing Him.Rabia al-‘Adawiyyah said:“God, if you know that I am worshiping you out of greed for paradise then deprive me of it, and if you know that I am worshiping you out of fear of hellfire then admit me into it, for I am only worshiping you because you deserve to be worshipped."

So the phrase ‘God is ever-watchful over His servants,’ means that Allah will give every believer according to his effort and intention.  One of the highest degrees of devotion to Allah is to put the love of God and His Messenger over all things in life.ProphetMuhammad, peace be upon him, said:"Whoever has the following three qualities will experience the true sweetness  of faith in his or her heart:The one to whom God and His Messenger become dearer than anything else; the one who loves a person only for God's sake; and the one who hates to fall back into disbelief after God had saved him as much as he hates to be thrown into fire."

             Allah praises His servants in front of the angels and says: ‘They worship me for my sake,’ The angels reply: ‘Our Lord, they worship you for the sake of your blessings.’  Allah says: ‘Then, I will withhold my blessings from them, they will still love me.  Amongst My servants are those whose supplication is very dear to me.  I afflict them with adversities so that they invoke me and supplicate: ‘O our Lord, O our Lord’.

Now you understand why some of the most afflicted people with trials are the prophets, then the most righteous of the believers.  Their patience and acceptance is evidence of the purity of their love for Allah.  We likethe people who are good to us; but we do not accept any hardship except from the ones we truly love.  Listen to the following verse:

Say, ‘I am only a human being, like you, to whom it has been revealed that your God is One. So let him who hopes to meet his Lord act rightly and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.’ (18:110)

Take note that Allah says: “So let him who hopes to meet his Lord act rightly,’ and did not say ‘let him who hopes to enter paradise.’  Because Allah does not want anything to distract you form your Creator, even the great blessing of paradise.