Quran Garden

Session 530

Chapter 3

Verses 198 & 199

But those who were mindful of their Lord will have Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever: hospitality from Allah.  What is with Allah is better for those who are truly good.  (Chapter 3: Verse 198)

In our world, the hospitality industry is focused on welcoming and pampering guests during their stay.  There are different hotel star ratings depending on the experience and budget of the hotel's owners.  On one of my journeys, we stayed at a luxurious five-star hotel in San Francisco; my colleagues told me, "This wonderful establishment is a mark of human greatness." I replied: "Look at what humans have prepared for other humans; how great must be what God has prepared for the believers?"

In the verse under study, God paints a picture in sharp contrast to the previous two verses, which describe how the disbelievers who have the power to move freely about the earth will end up in Hellfire as their eternal resting place.  The believers will enjoy bliss for eternity, while the disbelievers can lose their worldly power and life at any moment.  Thus, they will never feel secure from God's retribution.  He says,

Say: "What do you think?  If God's punishment were to come upon you suddenly by night or openly by day, would any but the wrongdoing people be destroyed?" (6:47)

And in another verse,

Say: "What do you think?  If God took away your hearing and your sight and sealed up your hearts, what God is there, other than Allah, who could give them back to you?' Look how We vary the Signs, yet still they still turn away!" (6:46)

The disbelievers who enjoy power and influence are often consumed by arrogance.  As they spread corruption, they are completely oblivious to the fact that God's punishment may seize them at any moment.  God's retribution usually comes suddenly without any warning signs, while at times, it comes loudly, striking fear and panic in the people's hearts before it reaches them.  Listen to the following example from the Quran,

And when you said, "Moses, we will not believe in you until we see Allah with our own eyes." So the thunderbolt struck you dead while you were looking.  (2:55)

When death comes suddenly, the wrongdoers would not feel its horror until the moment it strikes.  But when death slowly approaches as they are looking, they will experience it in sheer fear and terror.

Now, we move to the next aya in Al-Imran.

Some of the People of the Book believe in God, in what has been sent down to you and in what was sent down to them: humbling themselves before God, they would never sell God's revelation for a small price.  Such people will have their rewards with their Lord: God is swift in reckoning.  (Chapter 3: verse 199)

Here, we should take a moment to appreciate the heavenly fairness.  In this aya, the Almighty documents people's faith accurately.  Despite the hate, hostility, and rejection the People of the Book showed towards Prophet Muhammad, the Quran did not hold a grudge or paint them with a single brush.  Instead, Allah points out a group and says, "Some of the People of the Book believe in God, in what has been sent down to you and in what was sent down to them." Such beliefs were undeclared and kept as a personal secret because the society where they lived promoted hatred towards Islam.  Why mention them in the Quran?  Because those of the People of the Book who were preoccupied with their inner belief in the Messenger will hear it and think, "This is a matter is deep within me.  Who informed Muhammad about it?" It presents them with further evidence that he, peace be upon him, does not speak on whims but receives from the Almighty, who knows what is hidden in our souls.  Had this verse been revealed after they had already declared Islam, it would not have had the same impact.

This aya was undoubtedly a glad tiding to many of the People of the Book who were considering believing in God's Messenger and were on the verge of faith.  It was good news for the Muslims who felt surrounded by hostility and reassuring everyone that God knows and appreciates what is hidden within the hearts.