Living in Accordance with the Qur'an: Seeking Only God’s Approval and Contentment in Every Respect Throughout the Day Without Expecting Anything in Return
The metaphor of those who spend their wealth, desiring the pleasure of God and firmness for themselves, is that of a garden on a hillside. When heavy rain falls on it, it doubles its produce; and if heavy rain does not fall, there is dew. God sees what you do.
You are not responsible for their guidance, but God guides whoever He wills. Whatever good you give away is to your own benefit, when you give desiring only the Face of God. Whatever good you give away will be repaid to you in full. You will not be wronged.
Restrain yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, desiring His face. Do not turn your eyes from them, desiring the attractions of this world. And do not obey someone whose heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance and who follows his own whims and desires and whose life has transgressed all bounds.
What you give with usurious intent, aiming to get back a greater amount from people’s wealth, does not become greater with God. But anything you give as alms, seeking the Face of God–all who do that will get back twice as much.
Who is better: someone who founds his building on fear of God and His good pleasure, or someone who founds his building on the brink of a crumbling precipice so that it collapses with him into the Fire of Hell? God does not love wrongdoers.
There is no good in much of their secret talk, except in the case of those who enjoin charity, or what is right, or putting things right between people. If anyone does that, seeking the pleasure of God, We will give him an immense reward.
By it, God guides those who follow what pleases Him to the ways of Peace. He will bring them from the darkness to the light by His permission, and guide them to a straight path.
What you give with usurious intent, aiming to get back a greater amount from people’s wealth, does not become greater with God. But anything you give as alms, seeking the Face of God–all who do that will get back twice as much.
They (the believers) give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans and captives. (Believers say,) ‘We feed you only out of desire for the Face of God. We do not want any repayment from you or any thanks.’ “We only fear a Day of distressful Wrath from the side of our Lord.” So God has safeguarded them from the evil of that Day and has made them meet with radiance and pure joy.
God has promised the men and women of the believers Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever, and fine dwellings in the Gardens of Eden. And God’s good pleasure is even greater. That is the great victory.
The forerunners–the first of the Migrants (Muhajirun) and the Supporters (Ansar)–and those who have followed them in doing good:
God is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. He has prepared Gardens for them with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. That is the great victory.
(People of intelligence are) those who are steadfast in seeking the face of their Lord, and perform prayer and give from the provision We have given them, secretly and openly, and stave off evil with good, it is they who will have the Ultimate Abode.
He (Sulayman) smiled, laughing at its words, and said,
‘My Lord, keep me thankful for the blessing You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and keep me acting rightly, pleasing You, and admit me, by Your mercy, among Your servants who are righteous.’
Gardens of Eden with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. God is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. That is for those who fear their Lord.
God will say, ‘This is the Day when the sincerity of the sincere will benefit them. They will have Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. God is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. That is the Great Victory.
Mention Isma‘il in the Book. He was true to his promise and was a Messenger and a Prophet. He used to command his people to perform prayer and give the alms and he was pleasing to his Lord.
If you are ungrateful, God is rich beyond need of any of you and He is not pleased with ingratitude in His servants. But if you are grateful, He is pleased with you for that. No burden-bearer can bear another’s burden. Then you will return to your Lord and He will inform you of what you did. He knows what the heart contains. We have instructed man to be good to his parents. His mother bore him with difficulty and with difficulty gave birth to him; and his bearing and weaning take thirty months. Then when he achieves his full strength and reaches forty, he says, ‘My Lord, keep me thankful for the blessing You bestowed on me and on my parents, and keep me acting rightly, pleasing You. And make my descendants righteous. I have repented to You and I am truly one of the Muslims. (Surat al-Ahqaf, 15)
That is because they followed what angers God and hated what is pleasing to Him. So He made their actions come to nothing.
God was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts, and sent down serenity to them and has rewarded them with an imminent victory.
You will not find people who believe in God and the Last Day having love for anyone who opposes God and His Messenger, though they be their fathers, their sons, their brothers or their clan. God has inscribed faith upon such people’s hearts and will reinforce them with a Spirit from Him and admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever. God is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. Such people are the party of God. Truly it is the party of God who are successful.
