Which Group Do You Want To Be In?

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

A young lady wrote to me and asked me for resources about the Day of Resurrection. That is a good sign about the future of our youths because they are interested in the Hereafter (Akhirah). Allah insistently repeats and reminds us of the Akhirah on almost every page of the Qur’an. So does His beloved Messenger Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wassallam, with every word he speaks and everything he does. They tell us that the Akhirah is more real than the ground under our feet. Real success or failure is success or failure in the Akhirah for which Allah will be the sole Judge. Nothing in this world has any value if it does not benefit you on the Day of Judgment. No sensible Muslim can remain forgetful of it lest he become a loser on that Momentous Day.

Still, it is very easy to lose sight of the Akhirah, even for us believers, or to fail to be fully conscious of this most important reality. It is easy to forget that we will harvest in the Akhirah what we sow in this world, and that – for good or for bad – we are all engaged in sowing, each moment of our present life. There are various reasons for this loss of sight and forgetfulness.

First, we do not see the Akhirah before our eyes as we do other things. Then we have no experience of it. And thirdly, of course, we have our many distractions. The vivid and variety-filled world that we see before our eyes absorbs our attention, time and energy. This world seems solid and permanent, while death seems remote and the Akhirah merely an abstract proposition of no immediate relevance.

In fact it was not meant to be easy for us to keep the Akhirah in mind. It is on the question of the Akhirah that our iman (Faith) is sorely tested. Our attitude to the Akhirah depends solely on the strength and vitality of our iman. To keep our iman healthy and strong and ensure its continuous growth we have to nourish and nurture it. This can only be done through our passionate engagement with Allah’s Book, the Qur'an, and the Sunnah of His Noble Messenger Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wassallam.

So, I suggested to the person to first learn Surah al-Waqi'ah and read it every night. It will remind us of the Akhirah before we go to sleep and inshaa Allah if we don't die in our sleep, it will remain fresh in our minds when we wake up in the morning as to the reality of this life and that might spur us to rush to do good deeds and stay away from disobedience. One of the benefits of reading this surah is protection against poverty.

We should memorize this Surah and not miss reading it every night. Also, teach your children this Surah and encourage them to memorize and read it before they go to sleep.

The Surah tells us that in the Day of Judgment we all will be sorted into three groups. All human beings who have been born since the first day of creation and will be born till the Day of Resurrection will ultimately he divided into three classes.

Group 1: The People on the Right and how fortunate will be the People on the Right!

فَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ مَآ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ ﴿٨

Some will be on the right of Allah's Throne, and they are those who were brought forth from `Adam's right side. This category will be given their Books of Records in their right hand and will be taken to the right side.

The word maimanah in ashab-al-maimanah, in the original, may have been derived from yamin, which means the right hand, and also from yumn, which means good omen. If it is taken to be derived from yamin, then ashab-almaimanah would mean: Those of the right hand. This, however, does not imply its lexical meaning, but it signifies the people of exalted rank and position. The Arabs regarded the right hand as a symbol of strength and eminence and honor, and therefore would seat a person whom they wished to do honor, on the right hand, in the assemblies. And if it is taken as derived from yumn, ashabal- maimanah would mean fortunate and blessed people.

They are the residents of Paradise. May Allah grant us their actions.

Group 2: The People on the Left and how miserable will be the People on the Left!

وَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ مَآ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ ﴿٩

Another category is those who will be placed to the left of Allah's Throne, and they are those who were brought forth from `Adam's left side. This category will be given their Books of Records in their left hands and will be taken to the left side. They are the residents of the Fire, may Allah save us from their actions.

The word mashamah in ashab-al-mashamah, in the original, is from shum which means misfortune, ill-luck and bad omen. In Arabic the left hand also is called shuma. The Arabs regarded shimal (the left hand) and shum (bad omen) as synonyms, the left hand being a symbol of weakness and indignity. If a bird flew left on the commencement of a journey, they would take it as a bad omen; if they made a person sit on their left, it meant they regarded him as a weak man. Therefore, ashab-almashamah implies ill-omened people, or those who would suffer disgrace and ignominy, and would be made to stand on the left side in the court of Allah.

Group 3: The Foremost, they will be the foremost!

وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ﴿١٠﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلْمُقَرَّ‌بُونَ ﴿١١

A third category is comprised of those who are the foremost and nearest to Allah. They are in a better grade and status and nearer to Allah than those on the right side. They are the chiefs of those on the right side, because they include the Messengers, Prophets, true believers and martyrs. They are fewer than those on the right side. (Tafsir ibn Kathir)

Sabiqoon (the foremost) implies the people who excelled others in virtue and love of the truth and in good works and responded to the call of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) before others. They were also in the forefront in their response to the call for jihad, for spending their wealth for the sake of the needy and for public services, or for inviting others to virtue and truth. In short, they are ever ready for spreading the good and wiping out evil and making sacrifices and exerting themselves whenever there was need for it. On this very basis, in the Hereafter too, they will be placed in the forefront. May Allah make us among them.

Thus, mankind, so to say, will be arranged in Allah’s court like this: On the right hand, there will be the righteous, on the left the wicked, and in the forefront (nearest in Divine presence) the Sabiqoon (the foremost in faith and good deeds). According to a Hadith reported by 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam asked the people: Do you know who, on the Day of Resurrection, will he the first to be accommodated under the Divine Shade? The people said Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam know best. Thereupon the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam replied: Those who were such that when the truth was presented before them, they accepted it forthwith; when a right was asked of them, they discharged it gracefully; and their decision in respect of others was the same as in respect of their own selves. (Musnad Ahmad).

Which group do you want to be in?

The vivid description of this Day in this Surah should not leave you so soon. You should be conscious of your time to do only good. You will not waste any time with things that won't benefit in the Akhirah. Before you go to sleep you will set your alarm so you can wake up to do the tahajjud prayers. You will not miss the fajr prayer and you will not go back to sleep after fajr prayer but read a portion of the Qur'an before going about attending to your family, your livelihood, your studies and your community. You will guard your prayers. You will guard against shamelessness. You will turn away from ill speech. You will be kind to your parents. You will be merciful to people and all Allah's living creatures. You will not neglect the rights of others and you will fulfill the trusts given to you. You will be honest and truthful in your dealings. In short, you will strive to be the slave as described in Surah Al-Mu'minun.

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ فِى صَلَاتِهِمْ خَـٰشِعُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ ٱللَّغْوِ مُعْرِ‌ضُونَ ﴿٣﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَو‌ٰةِ فَـٰعِلُونَ ﴿٤﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُ‌وجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ ﴿٥﴾ إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَ‌ٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ‌ مَلُومِينَ ﴿٦﴾ فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَ‌آءَ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ ﴿٧﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَ‌ٰ‌عُونَ ﴿٨﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَ‌ٰتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ ﴿٩﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْوَ‌ٰرِ‌ثُونَ ﴿١٠﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يَرِ‌ثُونَ ٱلْفِرْ‌دَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ﴿١١

Certainly will the believers have succeeded: (1) They who are during their prayer humbly submissive (2) And they who turn away from ill speech (3) And they who are observant of zakah (4) And they who guard their private parts (5) Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed - (6) But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors - (7) And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive (8) And they who carefully maintain their prayers - (9) Those are the inheritors (10) Who will inherit al-Firdaus. They will abide therein eternally. (11) [Qur'an, Al-Mu'minun 23:1-11]

Such is a life of a slave of Allah, working our way to draw near to Allah, until the angel of death comes to take our soul away to meet our Lord. This is the point of reading Surah al-Waqi'ah every night and knowing the Day of Resurrection.

May we be given our Books of Records from our right hands, and may Allah resurrect us with the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam and enter us into the highest Paradise with him without reckoning. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.
Wassalaam