Expect The Best From God!
Dr. Mouhamed N. Tarazi
The Prophet instructed us to make things easy and not to make them difficult, to cheer the people up by conveying glad tidings to them and not to repulse them.
He promised that he who dies associating nobody with Allah, will enter Paradise.
He conveyed to us, yet, a stronger hope. He promised that he who testifies sincerely that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, Allah would prohibit the fire of Hell for him.
In what follows, I will put before you more glad tidings to cheer you up. I will include two narrations. One is a conversation between Aisha (r.a.a) and the Prophet (s.a.a.w) and the other is about a ruling by Allah (s.w.t) on the Day of Judgment, in a case involving an aggressor and his victim.
Aish’s Demand
Aisha (r.a.a) is sitting facing her beloved husband, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w). She notices that he is cheerful and in a very good mood. She seizes this golden moment and demands a favor from him.
This is a smart move on the part of Aisha. Men, in general, are easier to deal with and more receptive to demands (particularly from the wives and children) when they are cheerful and happy.
“Make dua’ for me! Oh Messenger of Allah.” Aisha asks the Prophet just to pray for her.
Is that all that you want Aisha?
The prophet then supplicates:
“O Allah! Forgive Aisha’s sins, past and future.”
Wow! What an amazing response! Aisha feels so happy and starts to chuckle to the point where her head drops onto his lap.
“Did you like my dua’ for you, Oh Aisha? He asks.
“Of course, what a wonderful dua’, oh Messenger of Allah,” she replies.
Then he looks at her and says:
“By Allah, I repeat this dua’ for my umma (nation) in every salah (prayer).
Allahuakbar! He (s.a.a.w), in every prayer he performed (tens of thousands of times), asked Allah to forgive our sins, past and future. He, as Allah says, was forgiven his sins past and future, and he wanted this to apply to his followers as well.
The Mother of All Intercessions
When Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w) read what Abraham (a.s) supplicated:
“He who follows me is one of mine and he who disobeys me (is going astray) - But You are indeed oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”.
And what Jesus (a.s) prayed: “If you punish them, they are your servants, and if you forgive them, verily You, only You, are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise”
He, Muhammad, understood that the two great messengers, Abraham and Jesus, were asking forgiveness even for those who chose not to follow them. He then raised his hands, cried and pleaded,
“My nation, My nation!”
Then Allah sent Angel Gabriel to comfort him and assure him that he would be pleased in regards to his ummah and would not be sorrowful. Let’s not forget that every prophet was given a special wish and every prophet used up his wish except Muhammad. He saved his wish as a shafa’a (intercession) for his ummah on the Day of Judgment. It will be honored for everyone who dies without associating anything with Allah.
That day, his intercession will help those from his ummah, whose good deeds are equal to their bad deeds, to enter Paradise. People ordered to go to Hell will be pardoned, by his intercession, before even entering Hell. Those who end up in Hell will be released to go to Paradise, as a result of his continued intercession.
In fact, that day the door of intercession will be open. All prophets, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and the rest and the angels, the righteous people, and martyrs will be called to intercede. Children will intercede for their parents and will refuse to enter Paradise without then. Parents will intercede for their children. Spouses will intercede for each other. Believers will intercede for their friends. Then the mother of all intersessions comes: Allah’s mercy, when He orders to take out of Hell all those who have faith in their hearts, equal to the weight of a barley grain!
A High Court Ruling
On the Day of Judgment, two men sit side by side before Allah (s.w.t), in a court of law. The wrongdoer and his victim.
“Oh Allah! He had wronged me in the worldly life and I want justice,” the victim starts, pointing at the other man.
The wrongdoer may have stolen money from the victim, or may have slandered him, or may have beat him. And now is the time for restitution.
“Pay him back!” Allah orders the wrongdoer.
“I don’t have any more good deeds to give him.” The wrongdoer sadly replies. With no more good deeds he is doomed and headed to Hell he thinks.
Then Allah asks the victim what he would like to do since the wrongdoer is completely out of good deeds to give him.
“Okay! Let him bear some of my bad deeds!” the victim insists.
In the Hereafter this will be the way restitutions will take place. The wrongdoer will give his victims from his own good deeds and when he is out of them he, the wrongdoer, will receive from his victims bad deeds until justice is served.
Suddenly the victim raises his head and glances around and says, “Oh my Lord! I see golden cities and golden portraits engulfed with pearls. To which prophet, truthful person, or martyr do they belong?”
“To he who could buy it and pay for it,” Allah responds.
“Oh my Lord! Who can afford the price?” The victim wonders.
“You can pay for it,” Allah adds.
“How come?” The victim now very surprised.
Allah says, “It’s yours if you forgive your brother (The wrongdoer)”
“Oh Allah! I forgave him,” the victim quickly says.
Then Allah announces the formidable verdict, addressing the victim:
“Hold your brother’s hand and take him with you to Paradise”
The Most Cheerful Verse
One short verse in the Quran contains three thrilling glad tidings. Each one of the three, alone, should cheer you up.
“Say, Oh My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah.”
Subhanaallah! Do not despair of the mercy of Allah! This is the first glad tiding. Then Allah mentions the second glad tiding:
“Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.”
Allah forgives all sins! What a great news. Lastly Allah seals the verse with the third glad tiding:
“Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
So look forward to your rendezvous with God in Paradise, Ishaallah. And remember to always expect the best from God until you meet Him.
