Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Don't Be Deluded

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Don't be too confident that your works are going to be on the Scale of good deeds in the hereafter. What distinguishes the 'best in deed' is your heart, your intention for the sake of Allah. Sincere intention is indispensable prerequisite for the acceptance of a good deed.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said, “Deeds are according to their intentions and every person will receive according to what he/she intended…” (Bukhari)

A sincere person (mukhlis) sets himself at the disposal of Allah, seeking only His pleasure, and in doing so, he attains honor and nobility.

Anyone who strives in the way of Allah will be guided by Allah toward His path.

وَٱلَّذِينَ جَـٰهَدُوا۟ فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ لَمَعَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿٦٩

And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good. (69)

[Qur'an, Al-Ankabut 26:69]

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.

Allah Almighty says in verse 103 and 104 of Surah Kahf,

قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِالْأَخْسَرِ‌ينَ أَعْمَالًا ﴿١٠٣﴾ الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا 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, Al-Kahf 18:103-104]

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.

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.

Make your deeds purely for His sake alone and He will extend His mercy to you. Follow His religion, and He will extend His bounty to you. Follow the Sunnah of His beloved Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and He will extend His love to you.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا ﴿١٠٧﴾ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلًا ﴿١٠٨

Verily! those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous deeds, shall have the Gardens of Al-Firdaus (the Paradise) for their entertainment. (107) "Wherein they shall dwell (forever). No desire will they have for removal therefrom." (108)

[Qur'an Al-Kahf 18:107-108]

Look forward to your meeting with Allah. It is very soon, sooner than you think. Start making preparations for this meeting.

Get rid of the love of this world from your heart; free it from everything other than the Lord of Truth. Don't buy this paltry world and pay with the Hereafter as a price. Don't sell your Hereafter to acquire this perishing world. And rush to good deeds.

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۖ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا ﴿١١٠

Say, "I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God. So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone." (110)

[Qur'an Al-Kahf 18:110]

May Allah protect us from being losers, grant us true sincerity, accept our deeds and make our meeting with Him the best of meetings. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.

Wassalaam


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