Eyes on the Prize

Bismillah
As salamu alaikum wa rehmatullahi wa barakaatuhu.

Throughout our lives, most of what we do is driven by the thought of consequence. More specifically, the benefits that doing something might bring about for us or the troubles it might repel from us.

We do whatever we do,
seeking some form of goodness in it.

And yet, no matter how much good one has in this world, it cannot come close to the rewards of the Hereafter.

What is of this Dunya is, after all, of this Dunya and will deteriorate and wither away. But what is with Allah will always stay.

While reading Surah Ya'sin, I would often pause upon the verse:

هُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُمْ فِي ظِلَالٍ عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ مُتَّكِئُونَ
They and their spouses - in shade, reclining on adorned couches. (36:56)

And I would read, and re-read it to myself thinking what a beautiful reward it was. The eternal bliss of paradise, the company of one's beloved wife, all without the fear of death, sorrow or despair.

That's something most of the world would sell their souls to get, I would think. It was the promise of lasting comfort, tranquility, happiness and love, all expressed beautifully in a single verse. What more could one possibly want? It was only last night, as I was reading the Surah again, that the answer dawned upon me.

The very next Ayah stated:

لَهُمْ فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَلَهُم مَّا يَدَّعُونَ
They will have therein fruits (of all kinds) and all that they ask for. (36:57)

Subhan'Allah. While most of us would be perfectly content with the first reward, it implied that there could still be those who wanted something even more. And to them, Allah had promised that they would find in Jannah all that they pleased, provided they led righteous lives.

Surely there could be no reward greater than this, I thought. There couldn't possibly be anything more that someone could want, could there?

Then, as I read on, I came across something that shook me. The next verse read:

سَلَامٌ قَوْلًا مِّن رَّبٍّ رَّحِيمٍ
(It will be said to them): Salamun (peace be on you), a Word from the Lord (Allah), Most Merciful. (36:58)

All this while, I had been excited about the prospect of an everlasting paradise, companionship that would last forever and the fulfillment of my every wish. But I had ignored the fact that beyond the 'material' rewards Allah mentioned earlier, lay a higher degree of reward for those who sought it. The reward of getting to meet Allah knowing He was pleased with you, seeing Him and having the honor of Him saying 'Salam' to you.

Imagine that. The Lord of the heavens and the Earth, extending His greetings to you and personally congratulating you for your success. How could there ever be a more beautiful reward?

The recompense described earlier in the Surah seems so 'little' once this reward comes into sight. It started off with a generous reward for the believers, went to the next degree promising them anything they wanted and finally Allah put something on the table that few would see, but was most valuable of them all.

Yet, most of the time, we worship Him and perform good deeds it is because we don't want to be left behind, because we want to enter Jannah with those who enter it. Similarly, we abstain from many things because we are afraid we will end up in Jahannam, and honestly speaking, there's nothing wrong with that.

But perhaps it would do us better to realign our intentions and aim for something even higher, to set our eyes on the Salam from our Rab, the meeting with Him and not just the rewards.

إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ ۖ وَإِن تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
If You should punish them - indeed they are Your servants; but if You forgive them - indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (5:118)

To Him belongs Paradise and His is the Hellfire; He punishes whom He wills and He rewards whom He wills. Even if He decided to forbid us from Paradise and cast us into hellfire, it would be our duty to worship Him and Him alone, and to serve only Him.

Allah, being the Lord, Creator and Sustainer of all that exists, it is His right to be worshipped and it is His right that we, being His servants, strive to please Him in the life that He has ordained for us.

And perhaps, the most interesting part is that when your purpose becomes to please Allah, when you long for His Love and the meeting with Him, you automatically qualify for all the other rewards.

It all comes down to 'why' you're doing what you're doing.
Paradise or pleasing the One who has it all.

Just some food for thought.

May Allah make us among those whose eyes thirst to see Him,
Whose hearts long to meet Him and whose only purpose is to please Him.

A'meen.

Peace, love and respect,
Shahraiz.