Quran Garden

Session 492

Chapter 3

Verses 162 & 163

Can the person who pursues God's good pleasure be like the one who has brought God's wrath upon himself and whose refuge is Hell?  How evil a destination to arrive at!

(Chapter 3: Verse 162)

God, the All-Knowing, does not ask questions to gain information.  Instead, these questions are meant to prompt a specific response from the listener.  In this verse, God poses the question, "Can the person who pursues God's good pleasure be like the one who has brought God's wrath upon himself and whose refuge is Hell?" When you respond with, "No, my Lord, they are not the same; not even close," your words reveal the truth and guide you to the straight path, but may later be used against you if you sin.  Had God simply stated to us that the one who pursues His pleasure and the one who pursues His anger are not equal, it would not be as impactful as allowing us to acknowledge this fact for ourselves and say it out loud. 

Any intelligent person who hears this question would say, "Indeed, pursuing God's pleasure raises a person in honor and status and earns the ultimate prize of Paradise, while no one can bear to face God's anger."  When spoken by the listener, such a conclusion acts as a guide for action and a proof that he or she knows the truth.  God wants you to express your thoughts so you cannot hide behind the excuse of ignorance when committing sins. 

The question in this verse also ties to the previous verses: Is the one who follows the pleasure of God and fights for His cause alone the same as the one who chases worldly gain and hides the spoils of war during battle?  Are people who honor the trust of others the same as those who cheat and betray?  Absolutely not.  The first group earns God's pleasure, while the second is destined for Hellfire. 

"God's wrath" refers to publicly reproaching someone and humiliating them.  However, scolding may not affect a person who is egotistical or emotionally insensitive.  I am sure you know a few people who do not care if they are cursed or singled out before their peers.  Thus, God also highlights the physical punishment they will suffer as their "refuge is Hell.  How evil a destination."   

Let's move to the next aya in Al-Imran.  God says,

They are in different ranks with God, and God sees all that they do.  (Chapter 3: Verse 163)

"They are in different ranks" means that in the Hereafter, each person will earn a place according to his or her deeds.  In our daily lives, you earn higher degrees –and possibly income- as you study more.  Similarly, your rank in the Hereafter will be based on the actions you took during your life, which will be reviewed and graded by the Almighty.  In the Quran, we note that God employs the word "darajat" for the ascending levels of Paradise and "darakat" for the depths of the pits of Hell.  You use a 'darajah' to ascend, while you step down on a 'daraka' to descend.

Allah, the All-Wise, All-Just, sees all creations as His own, and He has no enmity towards any of them.  He will judge each person according to his or her actions, whether these actions are good or evil.  Thus, Allah issues a comforting statement and a warning, all wrapped in the same words.  He says, "God sees all that they do." So, if you are doing good, rest assured that your Lord is aware and will fully compensate you for your work; if your actions are otherwise, then be very careful, for you cannot escape the eyes of your creator. 

When you hear the phrase "God sees all that they do," you understand that your actions are the most important.  That is because doing what is right entails that every part of the body performs the task assigned to it.  For example, the work of the heart is to believe and set the right intention, while the job of the ear is to listen to what is good, and so on.  So, the functions performed by different body parts are called an action.  This applies to all your body parts except one: the tongue.  Your tongue produces speech, which is the opposite of action.  Why?  We answer that humans speak a lot but put very few words into action.  Listen to the following verses as Allah warns the believers,

O you who believe!  Why should you say what you do not do?  God detests the inconsistency between your words and your actions. (61:2-3)

It is never enough to say, "I am a Muslim," while being lazy or acting contrary to these words.