Living The Quran
From Issue: 957 [Read full issue]
Wasted Life
Al-Hashr (The Gathering) Sura 59: Verse 18 (partial)
"Let every soul
see what it sends on before it for the Day of Account."
The saints have always understood that they have come into this world to carry on a spiritual traffic, the resulting gain or loss of which is heaven [Paradise] or hell. At the resurrection, a man will find all the hours of his life arranged like a long series of treasure chests. The door of one will be opened, and it will be seen to be full of light: it represents an hour which he spent in doing good. His heart will be filled with such joy that even a fraction of it would make the inhabitants of hell forget the fire. The door of a second will be opened; it is pitch-dark within, and from it issues such an evil odour as will cause everyone to hold his nose: it represents an hour which he spent in ill doing, and he will suffer such terror that a fraction of it would embitter Paradise for the blessed. The door of a third treasure-chest will be opened; it will be seen to be empty and neither light nor dark within: this represents the hour in which he did neither good nor evil. Then he will feel remorse and confusion like that of a man who has been the possessor of a great treasure and wasted it or let it slip from his grasp. Thus, the whole series of the hours of his life will be displayed, one by one, to his gaze.
Therefore, one should say to his soul every morning, "God has given you twenty-four treasures; take heed lest you lose anyone of them, for you will not be able to endure the regret that will follow such loss." The saints have said, "Even suppose God should forgive you, after a wasted life, you will not attain to the ranks of the righteous and must deplore your loss; therefore, keep a strict watch over your tongue, your eyes, and each of your seven members, for each of these is, as it were, a possible gate to hell."
Compiled From:
"The Alchemy of Happiness" - Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali