As Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Auzo Billahe minash Shaitanir-Rajim. Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim

The Worldly Life

Surah Al-Kahf 18: 45-46

45. And mention the parable of the worldly life: it is like the water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is able to do everything.

46. Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for reward and better for hope.

The Parable of the Worldly Life

Allah says:

And mention O Muhammad, to the people,

the parable of the worldly life, its transient nature and how it will eventually cease and come to an end.

it is like the water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, It mingles with the seeds that are in the earth, so they grow and become good, producing bright, fresh flowers, then after that,

it becomes dry and broken pieces, withered up,

which the winds scatter tossing them about right and left.

And Allah is able to do everything He has the power to do this and that. In the Qur'an Allah often gives parables like this of the life of this world, as He says in Surah Yunus,

(The parable of the worldly life is but that of water which We send down from the sky so by it arises the intermingled produce of the earth of which men and cattle eat. ..) [10:24] and in Surat Az-Zumar:

(see you not that Allah sends down water from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, then out from it comes crops of different colors.) [39:21] and in Surah Al-Hadid:

(Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. (It is) like the parable of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller...) [57:20] and in the Sahih Hadith:

(This world is sweet and green.) (Muslim)

Between Wealth and Good Deeds

Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. This is like the Ayah:

(Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, vaulted hoards of gold...) [3:14]. Allah says:

(Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allah! With Him is a great reward (Paradise).) [64:15] turning towards Allah and worshipping Him is better for you than keeping busy with them, and accumulating wealth for them and going to extremes in feeling pity and compassion for them. Allah says:

But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for reward and better for hope. Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr and others among the Salaf said that the good righteous deeds that last are the five daily prayers. `Ata' bin Abi Rabah and Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn `Abbas, "The good righteous deeds that last are `Subhan Allah (glory be to Allah)', `Al-Hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah)', `La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah)', and `Allahu Akbar (Allah is Most Great).'" The Commander of the faithful, `Uthman bin `Affan was questioned, "Which are the good righteous deeds that last'' He replied, "They are: `La ilaha illallah, Subhan Allah, Al-Hamdu Lillah, Allahu Akbar and La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah hil-`Aliyil-`Azim (there is no strength and no power except with Allah the Exalted, the Almighty).''' This was recorded by Imam Ahmad. Imam Ahmad also recorded from a freed slave of the Messenger of Allah that he said:

(Well done! Well done for five things! (How heavy they will weigh in the balance! "La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, Subhan Allah, and Al-Hamdu Lillah,'' and a righteous son who dies and his parents seek the reward of Allah.) And he said: (Well done! Well done for five things! Whoever meets Allah believing in them, he will enter Paradise; if he believes in Allah, the Last Day, Paradise and Hell, resurrection after death, and the Reckoning).

the good righteous deeds that last, `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "This is the celebration of the remembrance of Allah, saying `La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, Subhan Allah, Al-Hamdu Lillah, Tabarak Allah, La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, Astaghfirallah, Sallallahu `ala Rasul-Allah', and fasting, prayer, Hajj, Sadaqah (charity), freeing slaves, Jihad, maintaining ties of kinship, and all other good deeds. These are the righteous good deeds that last, which will remain in Paradise for those who do them for as long as heaven and earth remain.'' Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas: "They are good words.'' `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "They are all righteous deeds.'' This was also the view chosen by Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him.

Reference: Tafsir ibn Kathir (abridged) English version.

Wa Alaikum Salam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

As-Salamu-Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Auzo Billahe minash Shaitanir-Rajim. Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim

Rain and Storm

Surah Yunus 10:24

24. Verily, the parable of the life of the world is as the water which We send down from the sky; so by it arises the intermingled produce of the earth of which men and cattle eat: until when the earth is clad in its adornments and is beautified, and its people think that they have all the powers of disposal over it, Our command reaches it by night or by day and We make it like a clean-mown harvest, as if it had not flourished yesterday! Thus do We explain the Ayat in detail for the people who reflect.

25. Allah calls to the Abode of Peace (Paradise) and guides whom He wills to the straight path.

The Parable of this Life

Allah the Almighty has set an example of the similitude of the life of this world, its glitter and the swiftness of its passage, likening it to the plant and vegetation that Allah brings out from the earth. This plant grows from the water that comes down from the sky. These plants are food for people, such as fruits and other different types and kinds of foods. Some other kinds are food for cattle such as clover plants (i.e. green fodder for the cattle) and herbage etc.

until when the earth is clad in its adornments and is beautified,  meaning, it became good by what grows on its hills such as blooming flowers of different shapes and colors.

and its people think� those who planted it and put it in the ground,

that they have all the powers of disposal over it to cultivate it and harvest it. But while they were in that frame of mind, a thunderbolt or a severe, cold storm came to it. It dried its leaves and spoiled its fruits. Allah said:

Our command reaches it by night or by day and We make it like a clean-mown harvest, it became dry after it was green and flourishing.

as if it had not flourished yesterday! as if nothing existed there before. Qatadah said: "As if it had not flourished; as if it was never blessed.'' Such are things after they perish, they are as if they had never existed. Similarly, the Hadith,

(A person who led the most prosperous life in this world will be brought up and dipped once in the Fire. He will then be asked: `Have you ever found any good or comfort' He will reply: `No.' And a person who had experienced extreme adversity in this world will be brought up and dipped once in the bliss (of Paradise). Then he will be asked: 'Did you ever face any hardship or misery' He will reply: `No.') Allah said about those who were destroyed:

(So they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes; as if they had never lived there.)[11:67-68] Allah then said:

Thus do We explain the Ayat. ..We do explain the proofs, and evidences, in detail

for the people who reflect, so they may take a lesson from this example in the swift vanishing of this world from its people while they are deceived by it. They would trust this world and its promises, and then it unexpectedly turns away from them. This world, in its nature, runs away from those who seek it but seeks those who run away from it. Allah mentioned the parable of this world and the plants of the earth in several Ayat in His Noble Book. He said in Surat Al-Kahf:

(And put forward to them the example of the life of this world: it is like the water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is able to do everything.) (18:45) He also gave similar examples in both Surah Az-Zumar [39:21] and Surah Al-Hadid [57:20].

Invitation to the Everlasting Gifts that do not vanish

Allah said:

And Allah calls to the Abode of Peace When Allah mentioned the swiftness of this world and its termination, He invited people to Paradise and encouraged them to seek it. He called it the Abode of Peace. It is the Abode of Peace because it is free from defects and miseries. So Allah said:

Allah calls to the Home of Peace and guides whom He wills to the straight path. It was narrated that Jabir bin `Abdullah said: "Allah's Messenger came out one day and said to us:

(I have seen in my sleep that it was as if Jibril was at my head and Mika'il at my leg. They were saying to each other: `Give an example for him.' He said: `Listen, your ear may listen. And fathom, your heart may fathom. The parable of you and your Ummah is that of a king who has built a house on his land. He arranged a banquet in it. Then he sent a messenger to invite the people to his food. Some accepted the invitation and others did not. Allah is the King and the land is Islam, the house is Paradise and you Muhammad are the Messenger. Whosoever responds to your call enters Islam. And whosoever enters Islam enters Paradise. And whosoever enters Paradise eats from it.) Ibn Jarir recorded this Hadith. It was also reported that Abu Ad-Darda' said that Allah's Messenger said:

(Two angels descend every day in which the sun rises and say that which all Allah's creatures would hear except Jinn and humans: `O people! Come to your Lord! Anything little and sufficient is better than a lot but distractive.' And He sent this down in the Qur'an when He said:

"Allah calls to the Abode of Peace'' Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir recorded this.

Reference: Tafsir ibn Kathir (abridged) English version.

Wa Alaikum Salam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Alhamdulillah with this post I have now completed all the Parables from the Qur'an

As-Salamu-Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Auzo Billahe minash Shaitanir-Rajim. Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim

Garden promised to the Righteous

Surah Muhammad 47:15

15. The description of Paradise which is promised to those who have Taqwa, (is that) in it are rivers of water that are not Asin, rivers of milk the taste of which never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink it, and rivers of refined honey; and therein for them are all kinds of fruits, and forgiveness from their Lord. Can this be likened to those who abide eternally in the Fire and are given to drink boiling water that severs their intestines.

Description of Paradise and Its Rivers

Allah then says:

The description of Paradise which is promised for those who have Taqwa... `Ikrimah said,

The description of Paradise "This means its description.''

In it are rivers of water that are not Asin. Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Al-Hasan, and Qatadah all said, "It does not change.'' Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, and `Ata' Al-Khurasani all said, "It is not foul-smelling.'' The Arabs say Asin if its (water) scent changes.

rivers of milk, the taste of which never changes, which means that the milk is of utmost whiteness, sweetness, and richness. It has been mentioned in a Hadith attributed to the Prophet "Their milk did not come out of the udders of cattle.''

rivers of wine delightful to those who drink it  which means that the wine does not have a bad taste or foul smell like that of the worldly life. Rather, it is good in its appearance, taste, smell, and effect, as Allah says,

(it (the wine) has no bad effects, nor does it cause intoxication.) (37:47) and,

(From which (the wine) they will have no headache, nor will they be intoxicated.) (56:19)

(white, delicious to the drinkers.)(37:46) It has been mentioned in a Hadith attributed to the Prophet , "Their wine was not pressed under men's feet.''

and rivers of refined honey; which means that the honey is of utmost purity and pleasant color, taste, and smell. It has been mentioned in a Hadith attributed to the Prophet, "Their honey did not come out of the bellies of bees.'' Imam Ahmad recorded from Hakim bin Mu`awiyah who narrated from his father that Allah's Messenger said,

(Verily, there is in Paradise a lake of milk, a lake of water, a lake of honey, and a lake of wine. The rivers then gush out of them.) At-Tirmidhi reported this narration in his section of the Description of Paradise, and he said, "Hasan Sahih. In the Sahih, it is recorded that Allah's Messenger said,

(When you ask Allah, ask Him for Al-Firdaws, because it is the central and highest part of the Paradise, and from it gush the rivers of the Paradise and above it is the Throne of the Most Merciful.)Allah says,

...and therein for them are all kinds of fruits, ...) This similar to His saying,

(They will call in it for every kind of fruit in peace and security.) (44:55) And His saying,

(In them will be every kind of fruits in pairs.) (55:52) Allah says

. ..and forgiveness from their Lord, meaning, in addition to all of the above. Allah says,

Can this be likened to those who abide eternally in the Fire) meaning, `can those that We have described their position in the Paradise be like those who will abide eternally in the Fire' They are not equal, and nor are those who will be in the high ranks (in the Paradise) and those who will be in the lowest depths (Hell).

and are given to drink boiling water meaning, extremely hot; so hot that it is unbearable.

that severs their intestines meaning, that will cut their insides -- both bowels and intestines. We seek refuge in Allah from that.

Reference: Tafsir ibn Kathir (abridged) English version.

Wa Alaikum Salam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu