Quran Garden

Session 461

Chapter 3

Verses 131, 132 & 133

Guard yourselves against the Fire prepared for the disbelievers.  (Chapter 3: Verse 131)

Allah ended verse 130 with "Be mindful of God so that you may be successful," but that is only half the picture.  In life, you always have two critical issues: the removal of harm on the one hand and the gain of benefit on the other.  This combination is the golden ticket.  God says in Aya 185 of Chapter 3:

Whoever is kept away from the Fire and admitted into Paradise will have triumphed.

If you are removed away from Hell, you have been granted an immense gift, even if nothing else happens after that.  But when you are admitted into Paradise, you earn the ultimate victory. 

On the Day of Judgement, you must walk across the straight path that transverses over Hellfire, known as Sirat, to reach Paradise.  Why?  To see and understand how faith saved you from the Fire.  So, what is the best way to be delivered away from Hell and admitted into Paradise?  Allah gives you the answer in the next verse of Al-Imran.  He says:

Obey Allah and the Messenger, so you may be shown mercy.  (Chapter 3: Verse 132)

We discussed the issue of obedience in detail in Aya 32 of Al-Imran, but it is worth a quick review. 

Obedience is mentioned in the Quran in one of three forms.  The first is to "Obey God and the Messenger," the second is to "Obey God and obey the Messenger," and the third is "Obey the Messenger." Each has a distinct meaning.  Let's take them one by one.  In the 132^nd verse of Al-Imran, God says, "Obey God and the Messenger." Allah did not repeat the verb "obey" in this verse.  So we ask, who are we supposed to obey here?  The answer is that we are asked to obey God and follow the example of the Messenger.  Our beloved Muhammad informs us of God's commands, and then we follow his example in implementing these commands.  When the verb "obey" is not repeated, there is no separation between God and His Messenger.  Prophet Muhammad delivers a command from God, and we are supposed to implement it just as the Prophet did.  The second way obedience is mentioned in the Quran is as follows.  God says:

Say, "Obey God and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed upon him, and you are responsible for the duty placed upon you.  (from 24:54)

Take note that in this verse the command "obey" is repeated twice, once in regards to God and once to the Prophet.  So we ask again, who are we supposed to obey here?  We answer that there are times when a command from God is general and vague.  Then, Prophet Muhammad gives us the details and asks us to follow him.  No one amongst us could have known the number of prayers in a day or the number of rak'ahs in each prayer.  But our beloved Muhammad explained the details.  Hence, the believer obeys God in general and the Prophet in the details.  The third way obedience is mentioned in the Quran is in the 7^th verse of Chapter 59.  God says:

Whatever the Messenger gives you, you should accept, and whatever he forbids you, you should forgo.

Allah gave our beloved Muhammad full and independent authority to legislate as he saw fit, and we are obliged to obey, even in matters where God did not rule.  This was a great honor exclusive to our beloved Muhammad, that none of the previous messengers had.  For example, the Athan call to prayer was fully legislated by Prophet Muhammad, and the Quran later confirmed the Prophet's Sunnah. 

This brings us back to the verse.  God says:

Obey Allah and the Messenger, so you may be shown mercy.  (Chapter 3: Verse 132)

What is mercy, you may ask?  Mercy is to be spared suffering and pain.  In other words, it is to be free from troubles.  God says:

We send down the Quran as healing and mercy to those who believe; as for those who disbelieve, it only increases their loss.  (17:82)

Take note that healing means to be cured of a disease you are afflicted with.  Mercy, on the other hand, means that you are spared the affliction entirely.  Allah knows that none of His servants is free from sin.  If every nitty gritty mistake has to be repaid, we will all suffer.  Thus, I advise you to recite the following prayer: "Dear Lord, treat us with Your bounty, not Your justice; treat us according to Your mercy, not according to our deeds; and treat us with Your leniency, not according to what we deserve." Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, "None of you shall earn Paradise because of your deeds." They said, "Not even you, o Messenger of God?" He said, "Not even me shall enter Paradise unless God showers me with His mercy."

Now, we move to the next verse of Al-Imran. God says:

Hurry towards your Lord's forgiveness and a Garden as wide as the heavens and earth prepared for the righteous.  (Chapter 3: Verse 133)

This verse is both a command and a warning.  Allah advises you to seek forgiveness and Paradise as quickly as possible because you do not know how long you will live.  Do not postpone a good deed or insist on sin because you may not be around tomorrow to set things right.  A well-known proverb says, "Work for this life as if you will live forever and work for your hereafter as if you will die tomorrow." Most people understand the first part to mean that you should collect as much as possible in this world to last for a hundred years or more.  We say that such an understanding is flawed.  The correct meaning is that whatever you miss in this world today is not important; consider that you will live long enough to gain it in the future.  So there is no reason to worry or be greedy.  God says:

So you need not grieve for what you miss or gloat over what you gain: God does not love anyone proud and boastful.  (57:23)

As for matters related to your faith, they should not be delayed for one second.  God says, "Hurry towards your Lord's forgiveness." The verbs "to hurry" and "to haste" are not the same.  They both increase speed and reduce time, but there is a critical difference between them.  To highlight the difference, we should consider the opposite of each verb.  The opposite of "hurry" is to "slow down," while the opposite of "haste" is "caution and deliberation." We say, for example, "The student did his homework in haste, so it is full of mistakes." A famous Arabic adage says, "In caution there is safety, and in haste there lies regret." Speed is generally praiseworthy as long as it is not reckless.  You want to be fast and cautious, which is where the command "hurry" falls.   

Let's take a few moments to study the phrase "a Garden as wide as the heavens and earth." We know that places consist of length and width.  When length and width are equal, you have a square; otherwise, it is a rectangle.  Allah describes the dimensions of Paradise by saying, "a Garden as wide as the heavens and earth." Note that only the width is mentioned, which is the lesser of the two dimensions.  God likened the lesser dimension of Paradise to the absolute largest measurement we know, which is the entire universe.  So, if the width of Paradise is wider than the universe, what about its length?  It is an extent we cannot comprehend.  God gave us clues about His creation's unimaginable vastness and majesty.  Abu Thar –one of the Prophet's close companions–  asked Prophet Muhammad about God's words in Ayatu Al-Kursi: "His seat encompasses the heavens and the earth." He, peace be upon him, answered, "O Abu Thar, the seven heavens measured against the seat of God are like a ring in a desert.  And the seat of God measured against the throne of God is like a ring in a desert."   

God further describes Paradise as "prepared for the righteous." This is significant because it informs us that the reward is ready!  It is made, finished, and awaiting you.  Our beloved Muhammad said, "Paradise was shown to me.  Had I wanted to, I could have brought you a piece of its fruit." Why is this important?  Because you do not have to worry about an event that may prevent the construction of Paradise.  There is no shortage of material or time.  Allah created Paradise in its entirety with the word "Be," and so it is.  The only part that is missing is you!  God says:

Hurry towards your Lord's forgiveness and a Garden as wide as the heavens and earth prepared for the righteous.  (Chapter 3: Verse 133)