Do you know what relation fearing Allah and Jannah have? As Muslims, we always dream of entering Jannah after death. But when we look back at our actions, we are discouraged and continue to do the same. Such thoughts are nothing but the loop shaitaan creates to keep us stuck on the wrong path. Why fear when All-Forgiving is with us? Those who believe and do good deeds are promised Jannah by Allah swt. He mentions the qualities of eternal success people in the Quran throughout its chapters.
Let's go further and learn about two qualities mentioned in Surah Naziaat.
Allah swt states,
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى
فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى
But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination,
Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] abode.""
So, what are those two qualities in the verse?
1. Fearing Allah about the time when we'd stand before him on the Day of Judgement and fearing His mighty status
2. Keep your inclinations towards evil at bay.
On the contrary, what pulls a person towards evil? His Nafs, the soul's tendency toward evil, are his desires. We can think of desires as an external entity that stays with us enticing us, called Hawa (empty/hollow desires).
Hawa is placed on every soul but the test is forbidding it. Be it refraining from certain acts or inclinations declared Haraam.
There is a hadith which states that
حُفَّتِ الْجَنَّةُ بِالْمَكَارِهِ وَحُفَّتِ النَّارُ بِالشَّهَوَاتِ
“Jannah is surrounded by hardships and the Hellfire is surrounded by desires.”
Means getting admitted into Jannah involves hardships; striving in Ibadah and observing patience in times of difficulty and against our desires, these all count.
However, battling against desires and temptations is like fighting within to save oneself from Hellfire. Who knows what hardship can qualify us for Paradise?
As an example, the Nafs would like to listen to music. But here we have to refrain ourselves to assure our reward with Allah. Again, it's challenging, but it's worth it in the end! In sha Allah!
But every desire is not wrong; for example sleeping is also a desire and a human need. However, when sleeping happens at the time of Fajr it becomes an incorrect desire or Hawa and to get up from the cozy bed and sweet sleep is the hardship here! Another example, during conversations ; we never know when lagu sweeps in (gossip/lies/useless speech) and we need to stay cautious in order to avoid it. May Allah give us the ability.
Abundance of Dhikr cleanses the heart so much that desires are eliminated
We can protect ourselves from the desires of the Nafs by remembering the day when we will stand before Him and account for our actions. And when the person remembers the Day and the death it helps him restrain the Nafs. It helps us recognize Allah's status and motivates us towards good deeds. In sha Allah
May Allah bestow upon us the strength to practice the deen exactly as it is mentioned in the Quran. I pray that Allah makes us members of Jannah's companions! Ameen!
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