DAY 568: Muhammad 12-19

•  Surely Allah will admit those who believe and do good into Gardens under which rivers flow. As for the disbelievers, they enjoy themselves and feed like cattle. But the Fire will be their home. How many a town, stronger in might than your town that has expelled you, have We destroyed! Then, there was none to help them. Can those ˹believers˺ who stand on clear proof from their Lord be like those whose evil deeds are made appealing to them and ˹only˺ follow their desires? The description of the Paradise promised to the righteous is that in it are rivers of fresh water, rivers of milk that never changes in taste, rivers of wine delicious to drink, and rivers of pure honey. There they will ˹also˺ have all kinds of fruit, and forgiveness from their Lord. ˹Can they be˺ like those who will stay in the Fire forever, left to drink boiling water that will tear apart their insides? There are some of them who listen to you , but when they depart from you, they say ˹mockingly˺ to those ˹believers˺ gifted with knowledge, “What did he just say?” These are the ones whose hearts Allah has sealed and who ˹only˺ follow their desires. As for those who are ˹rightly˺ guided, He increases them in guidance and blesses them with righteousness. Are they only waiting for the Hour to take them by surprise? Yet ˹some of˺ its signs have already come. Once it actually befalls them, will it not be too late to be mindful? So, be assured that there is no god but Allah, and seek forgiveness for your fault, and for (the faults of) the believing men and believing women. And Allah knows your moving from place to place and your permanent abode.
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  1. The Contrast of Final Abodes (Verse 12)
  God will admit believers who do good into gardens beneath which rivers flow; meanwhile, the disbelievers enjoy themselves and eat like cattle, and their ultimate dwelling is the Fire.
  2. The Power of Divine Support and the Weakness of the Disbelievers (Verse 13)
  Many a city, stronger than the one that expelled the Prophet, has been destroyed by God with none to help them.
  3. The Unequal Comparison: Clarity vs. Blindness (Verse 14)
  Is one who stands on clear proof from his Lord like one whose evil deeds are made attractive to him and who follows his own desires?
  4. The Parable of the Believers’ Paradise (Verse 15)
  The promised Paradise contains rivers of unaltered water, milk whose taste never changes, wine delicious to drinkers, and purified honey, along with all kinds of fruit and forgiveness from their Lord.
  5. The Fate of the One Who Stays in the Fire (Verse 15, continued)
  In contrast, the one who abides in the Fire will be given boiling water to drink, which will tear apart their intestines.
  6. The Hypocrites Who Listen to Mock (Verse 16)
  Among them are those who listen to the Prophet, but when they leave, they mockingly ask the knowledgeable believers, "What has he just said?" God has sealed their hearts because they follow their own desires.
  7. The Increase in Guidance for the Sincere (Verse 17)
  As for those who are guided, God increases them in guidance and grants them their piety (taqwa).
  8. The Suddenness of the Hour (Verse 18)
  Are they waiting for the Hour to come upon them unexpectedly? Its signs have already come; what good is their reminder when it actually arrives?
  9. The Foundation of the Faith: Know, Seek Forgiveness, and Repent (Verse 19)
  So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allah, and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and women. God knows your movements and your resting place.  
  The stark contrast between the eternal delights prepared for the sincere believer and the agonizing punishment awaiting the arrogant disbeliever rests entirely on whether one clings to clear truth or is deceived by hollow desires, with the Hour approaching swiftly and leaving no room for delayed repentance.
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