As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters.
Summary
Today’s selection is from Surah 7, Al-A‘rãf or the Heights, Verses 40-53. These verses discuss the Hereafter, including a dialogue between the residents of Heaven and Hell, and a dialogue between the People of A’râf and the inmates of Hell.
If you enjoy the podcast, HELP SPREAD THE WORD! Tell your friends and family, subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher and write us a review.
Verses
Bis-millahi ar-rahman, ar-raheem.
In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful.Surely, the gates of the Heaven will not be opened for those who deny Our revelations and treat them with arrogance; their admission into paradise will be as impossible as the passing of a camel through the eye of a needle. That is how We shall reward the criminals.[40] Hell shall be their bed and flames shall be their covering. That is how We shall reward the wrongdoers.[41] 7:[40-41]
As for those who believe and do good deeds – We never burden a soul with more than it can bear – they are worthy of Paradise, wherein they will live forever.[42] We shall remove whatever ill-feeling they may have in their hearts against one another. Rivers will be flowing beneath them; and they will say: “Praise be to Allah Who guided us this way, we would have never found the Right Way if Allah had not guided us. The Messengers of our Lord have surely preached us the truth.” At that time they will hear the announcement: “This is paradise, which you have inherited because of your good deeds.”[43] 7:[42-43]
The residents of paradise will call out to the inmates of the hellfire: “We have indeed found out the promises of our Lord to be true. Have you, too, found the promise of your Lord to be true?” “Yes,” they will answer, and a herald will proclaim among them, “the curse of Allah be upon those wrongdoers[44] who hindered other people from the Way of Allah and sought to make it crooked, and who did not believe in the hereafter.”[45] Between the two, there shall be a veil, and on the A‘rãf (heights) there will be people who will recognize them by their features. They will call out to the residents of Paradise: “Peace be upon you!” They will not have yet entered it, though they will have the hope.”[46] When their eyes shall turn towards the inmates of the hellfire they will say: “Our Lord! Do not cast us among these wrongdoers.”[47] 7:[44-47]
The people of the A’rãf (heights) will call to certain men (famous personalities from among the inmates of Hell) whom they will recognize by their features and say: “Have you found out that neither your riches nor your arrogant pride have availed you?[48] Are the residents of paradise not the same people about whom you swore that Allah will never bestow His mercy on them?” Today the same people are being welcomed with the words, “Enter paradise, you have nothing to fear or to regret.”[49] Then the inmates of the fire will cry out to the residents of paradise: “Give us some water or some of the food which Allah has provided you.” They will reply: “Allah has prohibited both of these things to the unbelievers,[50] who took their religion to be mere amusement and play and were deceived by their earthly life.” Allah will say: “Today We will forget them as they forgot the meeting of this Day; and mocked at Our revelations.”[51] For We have certainly brought them a Book which provides clear details based on knowledge and which is a guidance and blessing for the true believers.[52] Now are these people waiting for anything other than the Day of Fulfillment (Day of Judgment)? When the Day of Fulfillment will come, those who have disregarded it, will say: “Indeed the Messengers of our Lord had come with the truth. Are there any intercessors now, who could intercede on our behalf? Or could we be sent back so that we would not do as we have done before.” In fact they would have lost their souls and the things they had invented will leave them in the lurch.[53] 7:[48-53]
Ameen.
This concludes today’s episode of the 17 Verses Podcast. I hope that this selection has helped increase your understanding of the holy Qur’an just a little bit.
Thank you and be well.