Surah Kahf Day: The Greatest Losers

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Allah Almighty says,

أَفَحَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَن يَتَّخِذُوا۟ عِبَادِى مِن دُونِىٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۚ إِنَّآ أَعْتَدْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ نُزُلًا ﴿١٠٢﴾ قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِٱلْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَـٰلًا ﴿١٠٣﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا ﴿١٠٤

Say, [O Muhammad], "Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? (103) [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work." (104)

[Qur'an Kahf 18:103-104]

Materialism, or the love of 'adornments of the world,' can make even acts of worship to be done for worldly gains -- recognition, respect, power, prestige, money, etc. Someone who put in a lot of effort in some deeds for some worldly gain, with Allah their efforts is ruined and their deed, wasted.

Al-Qurtubi said that this situation is caused due to two things-- Corruption in belief or hypocrisy. It means that a person whose very belief and faith is not correct - no matter how good he is in his deeds and how painstaking in his effort - will find all this useless and wasted in the Hereafter. Similarly, the deed of anyone who acts for the pleasure of the created by way of hypocrisy, that deed too will remain deprived of reward.

What distinguishes the 'best in deed' is his heart, his intention for the sake of Allah.

The one with a purpose, who has a vision and understands their mission, the outlook in this world changes. This dunya (temporal world) becomes a place of opportunities and a place to accumulate wealth, in the form of good deeds, for the Hereafter. Every trial they come across in this world becomes an opportunity to be patient and content. Every blessing they are given and witness around them becomes a means of being thankful and humble. Every temptation they struggle against they see it for what it is--a mirage to entrap the soul. They strive to keep the dunya in their hands and not their hearts. They have a mission and know the trust they are carrying—for they are living for His sake now.

May Allah Almighty make us of those who say that which they truly do and make us of those who when they are asked to submit, they submit completely and wholeheartedly to Him.

Please don't forge us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam