Interpretation of Fortress 90 (The Universe)
Having clarified the good and righteous deeds, in the previous Verses, which lead human to happiness and felicity, however the true believers strive a little in this life, in return for that God will repay them with great rewards…..but those who desire the lowly life depriving themselves of the graces and blessings of true belief in God and of rendering good actions those are the people of wretchedness and meanness, therefore the Almighty God says:
Verse no. 19
19. “But those that deny Our signs are the people of wretchedness.”
This means that those who turn away from their Provider to the point that they become blind-hearted and commit evil actions in their life shall see the outcomes of their wrongdoings in the other abode. They will see an evil omen in their evil deeds for the misery, the torment and the unhappiness they will draw upon themselves.
For example, when a hard-working student knows the results of their examinations, they feel optimistic and glad, because the efforts they exerted throughout the year have led them to success and excellence.
Meanwhile, the student who is slack and lazy is pessimistic on the day of their results, as they know that their lack of effort will bring only failure down upon them.
The former is pleased and optimistic about what they will gain from their efforts, while the latter is annoyed and pessimistic about their future prospects.
That is what we understand from these two Verses.
The Almighty demonstrated to us the torture which the unbelievers will suffer in the hereafter. He says:
Verse no. 20
20. “The Fire will close over them.”
Here, the “closed” fire is a fire which will consume the unbelievers and surround them on all sides. It will close over them and leave them with no way to escape it, making them abide therein forever.
To give some examples of the reasons for the unbelievers to dwell in Fire, we say that the people of this world can be divided into four groups:
1- There is one group who began to examine the universal signs in their childhood, and continued until they were guided to their Creator. They have been entering into their Provider’s Presence since their early years, and never cease witnessing Him for even a twinkle of an eye throughout their lives.
Due to their continuous nearness to their Creator, their spirits remain pure. They are not blemished with the germ of wicked desires because they are protected from falling into any wrongdoing. This is the state of the Prophets. They started their lives in belief and grew up in states of nearness to God, never turning away from Him. Therefore the Godly Light has always been coming to their hearts and keeping their spirits pure, both before and after they were commissioned with their message; this is why they were impeccable.
The Almighty ascribed impeccability to His Envoys, saying: “...Rather they are but servants raised to honor. They do not speak till He has spoken and they act by His Command.”
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 21, Al-Anbiya’ (The Prophets), Verse 26-27
Addressing His Envoy Mohammad, He also says: “Truly We have opened up an explained opening for you in order that Allah will forgive your past and future sins,”: this Verse is telling Messenger Mohammad: by your lofty entrance into your Provider’s Presence since your early years, He manifested His Light upon you, which revealed the facts of everything to you. In this way, Allah forgave you – that is, He protected [16] you – so that you did not commit any wrongdoing, either before or after your commission; you are always absolutely pure and infallible.
The Holy Qur’an,
Fortress 48, Al-Fateh (Explained Opening), Verse 1-2
For this reason, the immaculate spirits of Prophets and Envoys do not need to be cured. They are always free from any torture, both in this life and in the life to come.
All of the troubles they encounter in this world, and any harm or opposition that their nations do are mere causes leading to the revelation of the honor of their spirits, their perfect tenderness and mercy, their noble qualities, and their humanity.
2- The second group is also made up of people who believe in their Provider and achieved nearness to Him and a link with Him. However, they do not reach the same level as the first group. Their entry into His Presence and their link with Him are not continuous, but are present only from time to time rather than being ceaseless, as in the case of the former group.
These people are restrained from committing any breach and from falling victim to wicked desires so long as they remain near to Allah. However, when they turn from Him they may stumble and fall in error. In this case Allah will chastise them for their deeds, driving calamity and trouble to them in correlation with their actions. The intention is to provide a motive for them to return to their Creator, directing them faithfully to Him.
Through this direction, their spirits will become cleansed of what had been attached to them. They will recover from their faults so that when they die, they will be without sin.
Thus, the affliction that comes upon them in this life is nothing but the Favor and Compassion of God.
Their bodily diseases are only a reason for their spirits to be cured of their incorporeal ailments and deathly germs, thus qualifying them to enter Paradise and enjoy the grace and the boons which their Provider has prepared for them.
3- The third group again includes people who believe and attain a link with their Provider and direct themselves towards Him, but in this case, the link is feeble. The occasions of their separation from God are more frequent than the times that they are near to Him. Hence, the germs of their evil yearning will not disappear from their spirits, meaning that they are not completely purified. When they die, the dirt of their offenses will remain attached to their spirits, as they have not truly repented to Allah.
Because of this, these people will not be able to enter Paradise unless they get rid of their imperfections. Their spirits must become clear of all mean desires. For this reason, the Fire is necessary for them, as it will be the best cure and medicine for them.
They will throw themselves into it and will suffer its severe burning, and will then seek protection from their Creator. At this point, their belief and the link which they previously acquired in their lifetime will be a way for them to approach God.
This approach will allow their spirit to be cured and purified, and they will be cleansed of the malice which led to their torment and burning. Thereafter they will be sent to Paradise.
The noble saying denotes: “That whose heart has involved a little bit of belief will come out of Fire.” [17]
4- The people of the fourth group are unbelievers who turned wholly away from their Provider during their lifetime.
If the people in this group fail to achieve a link with their Provider during their life, after death they will emerge from their tombs suffering from great spiritual torture. They will appeal to their Provider for help, but He will give orders for them to be driven into Fire. There they will surrender to its burning, hoping to forget the unbearable spiritual pain they feel. In this way, the torment of burning will help them to forget their stern spiritual torment.
However, since these people did not believe while they were alive, they do not know how to approach God. Their appeal will not be properly directed to God and, therefore, will not help in cleaning their spirits of their mean contents. For this reason, they will remain in Fire, and abide therein forever.
Now we must explain the meaning of the entrance into Al’lah’s Presence, which cures the spirit of its defects and diseases. We say:
Entering into Al’lah’s Presence requires having some knowledge of God’s Compassion; that is to say, one must achieve spiritual witnessing or tasting of the Godly Mercy, Sympathy and Tenderness.
The faithful person who has attained knowledge of God in their life – that is to say, who has witnessed or tasted part of that Godly Mercy – will not feel ashamed of any wrongdoing or breach in the life to come. The Godly Compassion will grow greater before their eyes on that day, to the point that It makes them see that all of their sins are insignificant and negligible, however gross they may be. By witnessing this limitless Compassion, the assurance of the Kindness and Affection of Allah will overpower any other of this believer’s feelings, and so they will enter the Presence of God.
This entrance clears the muddy spirit so that it becomes pure.
For the unbeliever who has not attained any spiritual taste or any knowledge from witnessing the Mercy of the Provider, everything that they experience in the other world merely acquaints them with the truth. The factual reality in which they live and suffer and the drive to be treated in the Fire will acquaint them with the Compassion of their Provider.
However, this acquaintance – which is not associated with spiritual witnessing or tasting – cannot release the shame of the spirit of its sins so that it can approach its Provider. Since the unbeliever has not rendered any favor in their previous life, on which they can rely as a means to help their spirit draw nearer to its Creator, you will find that they are shackled by their shame and absorbed by their pain.
They will be unable to enter into their Provider’s Presence in order that their spirit can recover from its disease, and therefore they will abide in that torment forever.
Thus true direction towards Allah (or, you could say, the correct communication which the believer performs in life) gives the spirit a taste or knowledge – that is to say, a witnessing – of Al’lah’s Mercy and His supreme Attribute. That is why this is the means for the spirit to recover from its imperfection.
The more perfect communication a person achieves, the more illuminated they become, and the more virtuous and sinless they will be.
Anyone who is able to attain this knowledge or tasting of the Compassion of the Provider and His Perfection during life has the ability to do good, and they have truly succeeded.
As for anyone who helps you draw nearer to God and who acquaints you with Him, you owe them your gratitude throughout your life, and you will never be able to repay them with charity equal to theirs. You should therefore ask God to bless them, for He is the Best One, Who rewards and repays charity with charity.
Praise is to God, the Provider of all worlds.
Self-Activity:
Memorize Fortress Al-Balad very well with your teacher in your school, keep reciting it in your prayers, and appeal to God to bestow right good deeds upon you and rescue you from the torment of the fire.
Questions and Exercises:
1- Why are the noble prophets and envoys, peace and blessing upon them, protected from the torment in both this life and in the life to come?
2- Write a constructive text explaining through it the reasons which lead the disobedient into the fire in the Day of Restriction.