Reflection on Surah Al-Layl

 Sūrah al-Layl is the 92nd Sūrah in the Quran. It is a Makkan Sūrah and has twenty one verses. It is focuses on contrasting oaths, and the two paths in life.

Sūrah al-Layl is similar to surah Ash-Shams. It begins with oaths on contrasting opposites, the night and the day, and the male and the female. This is followed by showcasing the two paths in life, the path towards ease i.e. Paradise, and the path towards hardship i.e. Hellfire.
 Sūrah al-Layl ends with an example of someone who chose the path of guidance.

وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ
 
By the night as it envelops: its darkness falling on creation, and the man takes his repose, resting from toil and labor.

وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ

And by the day as it appears in brightness: illuminating creation. In its light, people leave their houses seeking their livelihood.

وَمَا خَلَقَ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَىٰ

And by Him Who created male and female: His creating every species in pairs, male and female. In order for them to propagate, He has led one to be naturally attracted to the other and has made the male and female of each species compatible with the other, 
 

فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّـهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ

“So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators.”(Al-Muminoon:14)

 
Look at these amazing things Allah Almighty created: the darkness of the night and the brightness of the day and the male and female as two opposites, not only in humans but in animals and plants as well. Know that no matter how dark the night, the brightness of the day will follow, and let this inspire you to battle your problems and stress, knowing that after difficulty comes ease.
Reflecting on night and day and female and male qualities in creation should humble you and make you realize two things: there is a creator, and this creator fully deserves to be obeyed.
 
إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ

Certainly, your efforts and deeds are diverse (different in aims and purposes): Sa’aykum comes from sa’ee, which means walking or pacing fast, and when something important is concerning you, you walk fast.
No one lives aimlessly, but we should be careful of the way in which we use our divine talents and powers in order to understand if it is for good or evil. Allah says: “Among you are some who desire this world, and among you are some who desire the Hereafter”. (Al-Imran:152)
What do your deeds show of what is important to you? There are huge differences in the deeds and works of people, the energy spent in them, and their goals; are they for Allah Almighty or for a temporary objective in this world?
Whatever you do for Allah will stay forever. In daily life we sometimes seem to lose track of the purpose of things we do and we forget about making our intention for Allah in both big and small daily deeds and efforts. For example, if you go to work in order to provide for your family and thereby please Allah, cook for your family for the sake of Allah, and even sleep reviving the sunan of sleeping and in order to be stronger to worship, you are transforming all your “wordly” deeds into deeds for His sake!
A good tip to keep renewing your emaan and intention is to repeatedly say during the day: laailaaha illAllah.
 
The Surah Al-layl divided people into two categories:
 
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَاتَّقَىٰ

Then as for him who gives (in charity) and fears (Allah),"
Giving charity for the sake of Allah is one of the greatest deeds. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
 

اتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَبِكَلِمَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ

 

 “Guard yourself from the Hellfire, even with half of a date in charity. If one cannot find it, then with a kind word.”

As for taqwa: It is the state of consciousness to be mindful of Allah at all times and achieve His maximum pleasure at all times.
It was narrated authentically from Ali Ibn AbiTaalib (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "Taqwa is:
• To fear [the punishment of] the Greatest (Allah),
• And to act upon the commandments [of the Quran and Sunnah],
• And to be satisfied with small amounts [of provision],
• And to be prepared for the Day of Travelling [the day you will leave this World, move on to the next world, and stand in front of Allah]."
 
 
وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ
 
"And (in all sincerity) testifies to the Best,": 'the faith in Islam' which is the best religion.
 
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
 
"We will ease him to the state of ease.”
 
of what he has been commanded subsuming acts of worship linked to wealth: zakat, charity, expiation and spending in ways of goodness; and acts of worship linked to the body: prayer, fast etc.; and those acts of worship that combine both: Hajj, Umrah etc. “and is mindful of Allah” by staying away from all that Allah prohibited. “And believes in the Good,” i.e. believes in 'None has the right to be worshipped save Allah' and all its related beliefs and requirements. “We will pave his way to Ease,” we will smooth his affair, and make the performance of good and the avoidance of evil easy for him. This is because he met the requirements for ease so Allah smoothed his way to that ease.

the religion is religion of ease as allah says : Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship (Al-Baqara:185).
Be motivated out of fear of His punishment as well as out of good hope in His reward, and let this balance be reflected in all your efforts.

the path of righteousness in this Sūrah is described as the path of charity, piety and true belief. Allah says that whoever follows that path in life, Allah will make easy for him the path towards ease. Ease in this verse refers to Paradise. It does not mean that we will not face challenges in this world.Ratherthe beauty of Islam helps us cope with the challenges of life, bringing with it ease in the form of Tawakul, Sabr and Contentment. But the path of righteousness ends with eternal ease in Paradise. This is the path we must choose to walk in life.

وَأَمَّا مَن بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَ

"But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient,”

وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ

"And gives the lie to the Best,":  the recompense in the abode of the Hereafter.

فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ

"We will ease him to the path of affliction.”
 
leaving off the obligatory and recommended spending, and not permitting his self to fulfil its obligations to Allah “and deems himself self-sufficient,” in no need of Allah. When people have power and wealth they often think they are not in need of Allah because in their mind wealth represents power. One enormous disease therefore is istaghnaa— thinking we are free of need. In your daily life, keep reminding yourself you need Allah Almighty for everything, and stay humble no matter how much money you earn, how many friends you have, or how beautiful you are.  signifying disbelief in the rewards of the Next World or rejecting the religion and the good ways of the prophets.
They will be involved in hardships in this world and the next.

We shall facilitate for him the hard ways. He will be deprived of the grace to follow the way of good, gates of evil will be opened up for him, means and resources for the same will be provided for him, doing evil will become easy, and doing good will become toilsome and risky for him. This same theme has been expressed at another place in the Quran, thus: “So whomever Allah wills to guide aright, He makes his breast wide open to Islam, and whomever He wills to let go astray, he makes his breast narrow and squeezes it so tightly that (at the very idea of Islam) he begins to feel as though his soul were climbing up towards the sky. (Al-Anaam:125). At another place it has been said: “No doubt, Salat is a hard task but not for the obedient servants”( Al-Baqarah:46). And about the hypocrites it has been said: When they come to offer the Salat, they come reluctantly and they spend in the way of Allah with unwilling hearts. (At-Taubah: 54), and that: There are such among them who regard what they spend in the way of Allah as a penalty. (At-Taubah: 98).

Allah warns that this path leads to the opposite end, the difficulty for all eternity in Hell.

وَمَا يُغْنِي عَنْهُ مَالُهُ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰ

“and his wealth shall be of no avail to him when he perishes.”  In other words it means that he has to die one day and leave behind in the world whatever he had amassed for his ease and enjoyment. If he did not earn and send forward something for the Hereafter, what would this wealth avail him? He will not take his palatial residence, his majestic conveyance, his property and wealth into the grave.

إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَىٰ

“Verily We take upon Ourselves to guide,": Know that guidance comes from Allah only.

Some believers become proud of their good deeds. Know that you cannot get guidance by deeds alone,you always have to keep begging Allah for hidaayah (guidance). That’s why in Surah Al Fatiha we Muslims keep saying: ihdinas siraatalmustaqeem– guide us on the straight path. Say this with your heart each time you pray!

In Quran, Allah Almighty explained that guidance is only with him:
 Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.(Al-Qasas:56).

وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْآخِرَةَ وَالْأُولَىٰ

“And certainly to Us (belongs the End) the Hereafter and (the Beginning) the first (life).”: We alone are Master of both the worlds. If you seek the world, We alone can grant it; and if you seek the well being of the Hereafter, We alone have the power to bestow it too. “Whoever seeks the harvest of the Hereafter, We do increase his harvest; and whoever seeks the harvest of this world, We do give him of it here, but in the Hereafter he will have no share at all.” ( Ash-Shura).

فَأَنذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًا تَلَظَّىٰ

“Therefore, I warn you of a Fire that blazes.":

لَا يَصْلَاهَا إِلَّا الْأَشْقَى

"None shall reach it but the wretched,”

الَّذِي كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ

"Who gives the lie (to truth) and turns away,"

Allah, in His infinite Mercy, has provided full guidance to His creatures. Man, having mental and spiritual faculties and talents, with all the inspired prophets and heavenly Books, and all Divine signs and possibilities of guidance at his disposal, rejects the truth and goes astray. So, such a person is surely the clear example of the reprobate.

And among them will be the wretched and the prosperous.  As for those who were [destined to be] wretched, they will be in the Fire. For them therein is [violent] exhaling and inhaling. (Hud:105-106).

once the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: ‘All of my followers will enter Paradise on the Day of Judgment except for whoever refuses.’ He was asked, ‘Who would refuse, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘Whoever obeys me, he will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me, then he has refused.‘ [Al-Bukhaari] Make an effort to study the sunnah and to stick to it, and ask Allah to protect you from the fire each day.
 
وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى

"And from which shall the most devoted to Allah be kept away.”

لَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّىٰ 

"He who gives away his wealth, purifying himself"
meaning, he spends his wealth in obedience of his Lord in order to purify himself, his wealth and whatever Allah has bestowed upon him of religion and worldly things.

 وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُ مِن نِّعْمَةٍ تُجْزَىٰ 

“And who has (in mind) no favor from anyone to be paid back”: meaning, giving his wealth is not done so that he may gain some favor from someone wherein they return some good to him, and therefore he gives to get something in return. He only spends his wealth

إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلَىٰ 
“to seek the Face of his Lord, the Most High”: meaning, hoping to attain the blessing of seeing Him in the final abode in the Gardens of Paradise. Allah then says,

 وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ

“He, surely, will be pleased”: He will certainly be well-pleased,” with what Allah will grant him of favour and reward.
 Don’t expect a reward from anyone but Allah. Instead of expecting rewards from others, try to focus on your reward with Allah whenever you do something for others so you won’t get disappointed so quickly. Only Allah is Ash-Shakoor, The Most Appreciative of your intentions and deeds!

Many of the scholars of Tafsir have mentioned that these Ayat were revealed about Abu Bakr As-Siddiq. he (Abu Bakr) was the first and foremost of this Ummah to have all of these characteristics and other praiseworthy characteristics as well. For verily, he was truthful, pious, generous, charitable, and he always spent his wealth in obedience of His Master (Allah) and in aiding the Messenger of Allah ﷺ
 "Abu Bakr used to free servants upon their acceptance of Islam in Makkah. He used to free the elderly and the women when they accepted Islam. So his father said to him, 'O my son! I see that you are freeing people who are weak. But if you freed strong men they could stand with you, defend you and protect you.' Abu Bakr replied, 'O my father! I only want – what is with Allah."
 
 

Reflection on Surah Ash-Shams: Purification of soul

 

It is a short powerful Makkan Sūrah focused on the contrasting oaths, and the importance of the soul. The Sūrah teaches us that life is made up of opposites. These opposites include the straight path and the paths of misguidance. In Sūrah ash-Shams, Allah takes an oath on the sun and the moon, the day and the night, and the sky and the earth. These three sets of opposites lay the framework for the message of this Sūrah. Everything in this world has an opposite. The seventh oath is on the soul, which the message of the Sūrah revolves around. Sūrah ash-Shams end with an example of people who chose the path of misguidance.

وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا١وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَاهَا٢وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّاهَا٣وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَاهَا٤وَالسَّمَاءِ وَمَا بَنَاهَا٥وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا طَحَاهَا٦وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا٧فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا٨قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا٩وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دَسَّاهَا

1-By the sun and Duhaha.: Allah swears by the sun and its daytime, because the clear light of the sun is daytime.

The prophet (Pbuh) mentioened the Duha prayer and its virtues. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The prayer of those who are repentant (Awwabeen: persistent in praying Duha prayer habitually.) is observed when your weaned camels feel the heat of the sun.”  And The Prophet ﷺ said: “In the morning, every single joint of yours must pay a sadaqah (charity). Every SubhanAllah is a sadaqah, every Alhamdulillāh is a sadaqah, every La Ilaha Illa Allah is a sadaqah, every Allahu Akbar is a sadaqah, every commanding good is a sadaqah, and every forbidding evil is a sadaqah, and all this is accomplished through two rakʿahs one can pray in Duha [prayer].”

The time of Duha begins after the sun fully rises and it ends approximately 15 minutes before Dhuhr prayer. The most preferred time for Duha prayer is at the hottest part of the day, when the sun has reached its zenith (its highest point), and this is approximately halfway between sunrise and Dhuhr prayer.

 2- By the moon as it Talaha: as it Talaha (follows it)' is referring to the night of the Hilal (the new crescent moon). When the sun goes down, the Hilal is visible.''

3- By the day as it Jallaha: When it illuminates.'

4-By the night as it Yaghshaha: when it covers the sun, which takes place when sun disappears and the horizons become dark.

Night and day are an important creations that Allah Almighty made for people to benefit from. Allah  questioned on Quran:

قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ اللَّيْلَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَٰهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِضِيَاءٍ ۖ أَفَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ٧١قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ النَّهَارَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَٰهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ ۖ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ٧٢وَمِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

Say: "Tell me! If Allah made the night continuous for you till the Day of Resurrection, which god besides Allah could bring you light Will you not then hear'' 72. Say: "Tell me! If Allah made the day continuous for you till the Day of Resurrection, which god besides Allah could bring you night wherein you rest Will you not then see'' 73. It is out of His mercy that He has made for you the night and the day that you may rest therein and that you may seek of His bounty -- and in order that you may be grateful. (Al-Qasas:72-73)

5- By the heaven and Ma Banaha: meaning "By the heaven and its construction.''

 6- By the earth and Ma Tahhaha. : Tahaha means He spread it out

7-By Nafs, and Ma Sawwaha (Who apportioned it): He created it sound and well-proportioned upon the correct nature (Al-Fitrah). This is as Allah says,

﴿فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفاً فِطْرَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِى فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا لاَ تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ﴾

“So set you your face towards the religion, Hanif. Allah's Fitrah with which He has created mankind. No change let there be in the Khalqillah.” (AR-Room:30). The Messenger of Allah said:

كُلُّ مَوْلُودٍ يُولَدُ عَلى الْفِطْرَةِ فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ أَوْ يُنَصِّرَانِهِ أَوْ يُمَجِّسَانِهِ، كَمَا تُولَدُ الْبَهِيمَةُ بَهِيمَةً جَمْعَاءَ، هَلْ تُحِسُّونَ فِيهَا مِنْ جَدْعَاءَ؟

“Every child that is born, is born upon the Fitrah, but his parents make him a Jew, a Christian, or a Zoroastrian. This is just as the animal is born, complete with all of its parts. Do you notice any mutilation in it”. And in hadith Qudsi, Allah says:

يَقُولُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: إِنِّي خَلَقْتُ عِبَادِي حُنَفَاءَ فَجَاءَتْهُمُ الشَّيَاطِينُ فَاجْتَالَتْهُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِم

“Allah the Mighty and Majestic says, "Verily I created My servants Hunafa' (as monotheists), but then the devils came to them and distracted them from their religion.''

Then Allah says:

8- Then He showed it its Fujur and its Taqwa: and inspired it with knowledge of what is wrong for it and what is right for it.

9- Indeed he succeeds who purifies it: This could mean that whoever purifies himself by obedience to Allah, then he will be successful.

10- And indeed he fails who Dassaha: This means that he makes it dull, and he disregards it by neglecting to allow it to receive guidance. He treats it in this manner until he performs acts of disobedience and he abandons obedience of Allah.

Allah swears by His Creation that the Person Who purifies Himself will be Successful and the Person Who corrupts Himself will fail.

"The Messenger of Allah used to stop whenever he recited this Ayah,

وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا - فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا

By Nafs, and Ma Sawwaha (Who apportioned it). Then He showed it its Fujur and its Taqwa.) Then he would say,

اللْهُمَّ آتِ نَفْسِي تَقْوَاهَا، أَنْتَ وَلِيُّهَا وَمَوْلَاهَا، وَخَيْرُ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا

“O Allah! Give my soul its good. You are its Guardian and Master, and the best to purify it.''

 Another Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that Zayd bin Arqam said that the prophet (Pbuh) used to say:

اللْهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْز وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْهَرَمِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ. اللْهُمَّ آتِ نَفْسِي تَقْوَاهَا، وَزَكِّهَا أَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا، أَنْتَ وَلِيُّهَا وَمَوْلَاهَا. اللْهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ قَلْبٍ لَا يَخْشَعُ، وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لَا تَشْبَعُ، وَعِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ، وَدَعْوَةٍ لَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا

“O Allah! Verily, I seek refuge with You from weakness, laziness, senility (of old age), cowardliness, stinginess and the torment of the grave. O Allah! Give my soul its good and purify it, for You are the best to purify it. You are its Guardian and Master. O Allah! Verily, I seek refuge with You from a heart that is not humble, a soul that is not satisfied, knowledge that does not benefit and a supplication that is not answered.”  Zayd then said, "The Messenger of Allah used to teach us these (words) and we now teach them to you.''( Muslim )

The command to purify our hearts and soul from sins was an essential Islamic teaching ever since the early stages of the revelation in Mecca.

And Allah said:

يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ

“A day when there will be no benefit in wealth or children, but only in he who comes to Allah with a pure heart.” (Ash-Shu’ara:88-89).

We learn from these verses that our success in the Hereafter depends upon the purification of our hearts in this life. We must purify our hearts from spiritual sins such as greed, malice, envy, arrogance, and worldliness. In their place, we must adorn the heart with spiritual virtues such as generosity, compassion, benevolence, humility, and asceticism.

Purification of the heart was one of the first commands with which Moses, upon him be peace, was sent to Pharaoh.

Allah said:

اذْهَبْ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَىٰ فَقُلْ هَل لَّكَ إِلَىٰ أَن تَزَكَّىٰ

“Go to Pharaoh, for verily, he is a transgressor. Say to him: Will you purify yourself?” (An-Nazi’at:17-18).

One of the primary methods we can use to purify our hearts is to perform sincere supplications and prayers according to the prophetic way (sunnah).

Allah said:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّىٰ

“He has succeeded who purifies himself, who remembers the name of his Lord and prays.” (Al-A’la:14-15).

When we exalt Allah and ask for our sins to be forgiven, this removes arrogance from our hearts and makes us humble. When we pray for Allah to guide others, this removes malice and hatred from our hearts and makes us love others for the sake of Allah. When we remember the Hereafter and the Day of Resurrection, this makes us less attached to the world and more inclined to help others.

The ritual prayer is meant to prevent us from committing sins and immoral deeds.

Allah said:

إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ

“Verily, the prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater.” (Al-Ankabut:45).

The next method we can use to purify our hearts is to give in charity and perform good deeds for others.

Allah said:

وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّىٰ

“But the righteous one will avoid Hellfire, who gives from his wealth to purify himself.” (Al-Layl:17-18).

And Allah said:

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ

“Take from their wealth a charity by which you cleanse them and purify them, and invoke blessings upon them.” (At-Tawbah:103).

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

كُلُّ مَعْرُوفٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَإِنَّ مِنْ الْمَعْرُوفِ أَنْ تَلْقَى أَخَاكَ بِوَجْهٍ طَلْقٍ وَأَنْ تُفْرِغَ مِنْ دَلْوِكَ فِي إِنَاءِ أَخِيكَ

“Every good deed is charity. Verily, it is a good deed to meet your brother with a smiling face, and to pour what is left from your bucket into the vessel of your brother.”

the salvation of a Muslim depends upon purification of the heart soul from vices and adorning the heart with virtues. Purification is achieved through performing sincere supplications, prayers, and acts of charity toward others. We must remember that we will be judged on the Day of Resurrection according to the purity of our hearts and the righteousness of our deeds.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ

“Verily, Allah does not look at your appearance or wealth, but rather He looks at your hearts and actions.”

Improving our character. The Prophet (SAW) said: “Nothing is heavier on the believer’s Scale on the Day of Judgment than good character” (Tirmidhi). From above saying we can conclude that on The Day of Judgment a person’s good character and pure heart will matter.

The end of the Surah, Allah talked about the people of Thamud and their disobedience and rebellion against their prophet.

كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَا١١إِذِ انْبَعَثَ أَشْقَاهَا١٢فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ نَاقَةَ اللَّهِ وَسُقْيَاهَا١٣فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمْدَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِذَنْبِهِمْ فَسَوَّاهَا١٤وَلَا يَخَافُ عُقْبَاهَا١٥

 11. Thamud denied through their trans- gression. 12. When their most wicked went forth. 13. But the Messenger of Allah said to them: "Be cautious! That is the she-camel of Allah! (Do not harm it) and (bar it not from having) its drink!'' 14. Then they denied him and they killed it. So their Lord destroyed them because of their sin, Fasawwaha (levelling all to the ground) 15. And He feared not the consequences thereof.