The Pains of the False World: Conclusion

In relation to unbelievers, what has been explained in this chapter reflects only a small part of their self-defeating outlook on life. The basic logic in these peoples' lives operates by bearing only worldly interests in mind. They never wish to consider the existence of the Hereafter and what they will encounter there. When reminded of death and the After life, they usually make all kinds of excuses not to think about them. They never seek to understand that the world in which they live is only a transitory place of testing, and that their spouses, children, families, houses, cars and everything else a round them are all parts of that test. Accepting the truth of that would mean relegating their desires for the enjoyment of this world. Those who deny the Hereafter in order not to have to accept this fact are described thus in the Qur'an: These people say:

These people will feel an intense and irrevocable sorrow when they find themselves face to face with the truths they denied in this world. This is how Allah reveals that sorrow in the Hereafter of those who rejected this truth: They will say:

In order not to be subjected to the regret described in the verse, every human being must think about these facts before death and shape his or her life in a manner that will be pleasing to Allah. They must grasp the transitory nature of the world we live in and evaluate every moment of their lives accordingly.

The Leaders of the False World Who Call Others to the Fire

Right through the course of history, there have been leaders who have misdirected those around them. They have been taken as role models by wider society and their alleged successes have been the subject of envy. These people, who rebel against Allah and reject His verses, have used their material means to turn others away from the path of Allah. Allah refers to these people as "leaders, summoning to the Fire" (Surat al-Qasas, 41) in the Qur'an.

Pharaoh and Qarun, reported to have lived in the past in the Qur'an, are examples of this. In the verses "They followed Pharaoh's command but Pharaoh's command was not rightly guided. He will go ahead of his people on the Day of Resurrection and lead them down into the Fire. What an evil watering-hole to be led to!" (Surat al-Hud, 97-98), Allah reveals how on the Judgement Day Pharaoh will lead his people to the flames. The common characteristic between Pharaoh—a major deter rent lesson for all the peoples that have come after him—and Qarun is that they possessed great wealth but used it unwisely, treading not on Allah's path but on satan's. As a result, both were punished by Allah. That is because nothing people possess in the life of this world, neither their wealth nor their close friends nor their status in society, can save them from Allah's retribution in this world or the next. For that reason, all the effort people make to deny the truth merely rebounds against their own selves. In the Qur'an, Allah reveals that prominent affluent people who become spoiled in their well-being, such as Pharaoh and Qarun, actually only succeed in establishing an order which works against themselves:

Qarun, who boasted of his wealth and property and grew proud against Allah, also suffered a terrible defeat. All that he owned availed him nothing. Qarun's position is revealed thus in the Qur'an: He [Qarun] said:

Similarly, Pharaoh's dominion also came to naught in the face of Allah's punishment; Allah destroyed Pharaoh, his palace, all his goods and his army:

All these verses show that no matter how powerful a person may be in the life of this world, all human beings are completely helpless in the face of the might of Allah. Since some people are unable to see the true face of the world, they form an inflated impression of prominent members of society. They sometimes seek to adopt the mistaken behavior of people they admire. They often do this simply on account of the said individual's wealth. These people are often taken as role models and obsessed fans will attempt to imitate them. They may regard such peoples' faulty behavior as justified or even support it, even though it contravenes the general norms of that society. This disastrous mentality was the kind of persARE YOU AWARE pective the people around Qarun possessed. It is revealed in the Qur'an that, impressed by Qarun's wealth, these people said the following: He [Qarun] went out among his people in his finery. Those who desired the life of this world said:

As we have seen, leading figures among the unbelievers, who had a negative influence over the societies in which they lived, called on those around them to live by the ungodly system of satan and used all the means at their disposal to lead others to perdition with them. The fact is, however, that Allah has made every individual responsible for living in faith, calling those around him or her to the truth and ensuring that they avoid evil. The opposite will inflict grave responsibilities on that person in the sight of Allah and in the Hereafter. Allah has revealed that people who lead others to denial instead of setting a good example and calling them to the true path may be charged with those peoples' sins in addition to their own in the Hereafter:

Once the Judgment comes, the followers of the callers to the Fire will see in the Hereafter fate of those people they adopted as role models in the life of this world—simply on account of their wealth, standing or superior status in society—and will suffer a terrible regret. They will understand that these people whom they imagined to be powerful and superior are actually helpless and powerless.

They, the followers, will seek the help of the followed in the Hereafter just as they did in the life of this world. Both will wish for salvation from the eternal torment of Hell. But they will be powerless to do anything to save themselves. Allah has revealed this discourse amongst the unbelievers in the Qur'an: When they are squabbling with one another in the Fire, the weak will say to those deemed great:

Those deemed great will say:

All this information provided by Allah in the Qur'an shows how the "leaders summoning to the Fire" assume an enormous responsibility in the life of this world. It explains how they will be punished in the Hereafter. What the individual who becomes aware of these facts needs to do is to employ all the means at his or her disposal in the life of this world in order to attain Allah's approval and mercy. Paradise is Allah's promise. Allah has related the prayers of the believers on this subject: [Believers are] those who say:

Allah has also given glad tidings: Those who set good examples to others will move to the fore front, and people who exhibit such moral qualities and draw close to our Lord will be rewarded in Paradise.