إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ زَيَّنَّا لَهُمْ | Ilm4all
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ زَيَّنَّا لَهُمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَهُمْ يَعْمَهُونَ * أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ الْعَذَابِ وَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ هُمُ الْأَخْسَرُونَ
{Verily, those who believe not in the Hereafter, We have made their (evil) deeds fair-seeming to them, so they wander about blindly. They are those for whom there will be an evil torment (in this world). And in the Hereafter, they will be the greatest losers.}
[Surah al-Naml (27): 4-5]
Meaning: The reality is twisted for them so that they are made to see the falsehood as righteousness and righteousness as falsehood.
Imaam Al-Awzaaee رحمه الله said: ❝When Allaah تعالى intents evil for a people, He تعالى opens for them the door of argument (and quarrel), and distracts them from (doing righteous) deeds.❞
[Taareekh Damishq of Ibn Asaakir, Siyar Alaam al-Nubalaa' of al-Dhahabee]
Asalah (عسله): being honeyed or sweetened. It is a term used when honey is added to a thing. When honey is poured over food, it sweetens it. Similarly, when a person does righteous deeds, Allaah is pleased with him and He تعالى makes the people be pleased with him. Like how the honeybee only consumes from the good, and what comes out of its belly, the honey, is good and pure. Similarly, a Muslim is obliged to do good, so that only purity and piety remains in him, and the impurities and sins are removed from him by Allaah’s Will.
When Allaah تعالى intends good for a slave, He تعالى not only shows him the right from the wrong, but He تعالى also helps and makes it easy for him to do good deeds before his death. A person may do good deeds and his soul is captured while he is in that state or in other cases his soul is taken after he has completed the act. The acts can be Salaah (prayers), Siyaam (Fasting), Sadaqah (charity), or any other good deed.
If a person had fallen into acts of sin and disobedience, Allaah تعالى guides him towards repentance, as Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said: ❝If Allaah wants good for His slave, He تعالى opens for him the doors of repentance, remorse, abasement, humility, dependence (upon Allaah for the needs), seeking help from Him; the doors of perpetual humility, supplication, and seeking nearness to Him by means of whatever good works he can manage—so that his wrong may become a means to Allaah’s mercy.❞
[al-Waabil al-Sayyib (1/6)]
In the Hadeeth reported by Imaam Muslim in his Saheeh, the Prophet ﷺ said: ❝Every slave would be raised (in the same very state) in which he dies.❞
[Saheeh Muslim (2878)]
And from the Hadeeth of Sahl Ibn Sad رضي الله عنه that the Prophet said ﷺ said: ❝A person may do deeds that seem to the people as the deeds of the people of Paradise while in fact, he is from the dwellers of the (Hell) Fire: and similarly a person may do deeds that seem to the people as the deeds of the people of the (Hell) Fire while in fact, he is from the dwellers of Paradise. Verily, the (reward of) the deeds done, are decided by the last actions (deeds).❞
[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (6493, 6607)]
All these Ahaadeeth are an inspiration and encouragement to not only live upon Islaam but also to die upon it. One should not rely on his past deeds. One should keep performing righteous deeds till his death. As this is also mentioned in the Qur’aan as well. As Allaah تعالى said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ
{O you who have believed, fear Allaah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]}
[Surah aal-Imraan (3): 102]
And Allaah تعالى also:
وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ
{And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty (i.e., death).}
[Surah al-Hijr (15): 99]
The saying of the Prophet ﷺ: ❝He uses him❞. One has to know O slaves of Allaah, if he is working for Allaah or working for other than Allaah. The people are divided into two categories: A group which Allaah uses for righteous deeds, and a group which Allaah replaces.
