Which one would you want to avoid more: water or fire?


We all know the answer to that, but let's look at it in the form of a reflection.


Today while I was at work, it was raining heavily, and I can view the rain from all sides because my designated station is at a small outdoor security booth.


After a crew of workers finished their shift, they simply had to come out of the workshop and just take a couple of steps to go into their cars, so that they can go home.


But the problem is, it was raining ... they didn't want to get wet from the rain for a couple of seconds even.


So, some of the employees came out and then they frantically hurried to their cars, running and trying to get as little wet as possible. The others waited inside so that the rain would lessen a little bit and then they would come out. And others opened up their umbrellas before coming out.


They were all trying to avoid the rain, as usual.


So then I thought to myself: if this is the way that people are avoiding and running away from the rain, then how much more desperately will they want to avoid and run away from the fire in Hell?


They can't even handle the rain, and they complain about it, so how will they handle the fire that will constantly burn through their skins over and over again? How can they run away from that when that happens?


People take precautions and prepare themselves to shield themselves from the rain, such as by using umbrellas and raincoats. This is only protecting their bodies and their outer garments, however. But what is more important is to protect our inner selves, and to do that, we have to open up our umbrella of Taqwa, for that is the best provision both for this life and the next: 'And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is taqwa' (2:197).


The rain also represents Allah's mercy, and so this connection evoked another idea in my mind in relation to my observation of people running away from the rain: that so many people are avoiding and running away from Allah's mercy, through their disbelief, arrogance, and evil deeds, just like they are running away from the rain.


Meanwhile, after the rain calmed down a little bit, a couple of small birds swooped down on the side of a pavement where there were some collected rainwater available. They excitedly splashed around and washed themselves in that rain.


And one bird started to take drinks from that water, getting nourished by the rain, and then it flew away again.


So, why should not we ourselves find nourishment in Allah's mercy which is all around us?


#RainyDays

I am truly grateful to Allah for blessing us with someone like you, whose profound reflections are rare and inspiring. Your presence is a tremendous blessing to our community and elevates this reflection to new heights! 

وخص بالذّكر من أحوالهم في جهنّم الزّفير والشّهيق تنفيرًا من أسباب المصير إلى النّار؛ لما في ذكر هاتين الحالتين من التّشويه بهم، وذلك أخوف لهم من الألم. ابن عاشور:12/165.
السؤال: لماذا خصت حالتا الزفير والشهيق؟

الزفير في الحلق، والشهيق في الصدر، أي: تنفسهم زفير، وأخذهم النفس شهيق؛ لما هم فيه من العذاب، عياذًا بالله من ذلك. ابن كثير:2/441.
السؤال: ما المراد من وصف حال أهل جهنم بأن لهم فيها زفيرًا وشهيقًا؟

* يمكنك وضع إجابتك عن الأسئلة في التعليقات حتى تعمّ الفائدة

* للمزيد عن هذه الآية في مصحف تدبر وعمل: https://altadabbur.com/#aya=11_106

#وقفة_تدبرية

I am amazed by the subtly asymmetric dichotomy throughout the Qur'an, between Allah's mercy and His punishment. Both are very real, as they need to be to rectify the soul. But always, the mercy is broader, precedent, stronger, in ways the casual reader may not notice.

قَالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ ۖ وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ ۚ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ - الاعراف ١٥٦
'My punishment—I inflict it upon whomever I will, but My mercy has encompassed everything, so I will inscribe it for those who are mindful(of God) and bring the purifying charity, and those who believe in Our signs'—Al-A'raf 156
---- Here the punishment is subjected to God's will, and only restricted to those whom He wills. While the mercy is promised to encompass everything, with nothing to hold it back. Everything. Even those subject of the first part of verse. The mercy is then especially directed to a select group whom Allah has blessed with righteousness. May Allah make us among them.

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ — ابراهيم ٧
And ˹remember˺ when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more. But if you are ungrateful, surely My punishment is severe.’' Ibrahim:7
---- Thankfulness is guaranteed to be met with more giving from God. While if one is ungrateful, Allah merely reminds him of His punishment, and does not promise it.

نَبِّئْ عِبَادِىٓ أَنِّىٓ أَنَا ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ وَأَنَّ عَذَابِى هُوَ ٱلْعَذَابُ ٱلْأَلِيمُ ۞ الحجر ٤٩-٥٠
Inform My servants ˹O Prophet˺ that I am truly the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful, and that My torment is indeed the most painful. Al-Hijr : 49-50
---- The verse ascribed forgiveness and mercy are as attributes to God. In Arabic eloquence and beyond, one is only described with an attribute if he does the associated action often. As an example the prophet said 'one lies and lies, until he is written with Allah as a liar'. Forgiveness and mercy are essential to Allah. While the punishment, though severe, is not an attribute of God. 

فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ شَقُوا فَفِي النَّارِ لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ وَشَهِيقٌ (106) خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ رَبُّكَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ (107) ۞ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ سُعِدُوا فَفِي الْجَنَّةِ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ رَبُّكَ ۖ عَطَاءً غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍ (108) - هود
As for those bound for misery, they will be in the Fire, where they will be sighing and gasping, staying there forever, as long as the heavens and the earth will endure, except what your Lord wills. Surely your Lord does what He intends. And as for those destined to joy, they will be in Paradise, staying there forever, as long as the heavens and the earth will endure, except what your Lord wills—a ˹generous˺ giving, without end. - Hud:106-108
---- Even describing the punishment in hell and blessings of paradise, the closing of each is very different. For hell, its denizens will stay except what God wills, and the final stress is that His will is supreme, subhanahu wa ta'ala. With no further indication of how His will shall go. Always leaving the door of mercy open, even here. Whereas in paradise, a generous giving, without an end is clearly promised.

Any guidance is from Allah, and any mistakes are from my own mistakes and shaitan. May Allah guide us and increase us in. knowledge of His book.

Ameen. Welcome to QuranReflect Br Omar! JAK for sharing your amazing first reflection. 

Please keep sharing your reflections! :)

