Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
In this worldly life, one of man’s primary concerns is to acquire wealth. The reason is that man recognizes wealth to be the currency of this life, and he realizes the immense benefits he will be able to gain through its acquisition.
Man knows that if he possesses abundant wealth, he will be able to purchase a palatial home and a luxurious motorcar.
If he possesses abundant wealth, he will be able to eat the most delicious of foods and embark on holidays to the most exotic destinations.
If he possesses abundant wealth, he will be regarded as a rich and successful person in the eyes of society.
Hence, man spends his days and nights striving and toiling tirelessly to acquire the wealth of the world.
Just as man recognises wealth to be the currency of this worldly life and the basis for his worldly success and progress, similarly in the Hereafter, there is also a type of ‘currency’ which is the basis for a person’s success and salvation. This currency is the currency of Islam.
On the Day of Qiyaamah, if a person brings this currency – the ‘currency’ of Islam, he will be regarded as a wealthy and successful person and will gain entry into Jannah.
On the contrary, if he does not bring the currency of Islam, he will be regarded as a completely bankrupt and unsuccessful person, and he will be doomed to the fire of Jahannum to dwell therein for eternity.
Accordingly, among the believers, there are rank differences in regard to this currency of Islam.
Those who possess Islam to a higher level will be considered among the ‘wealthy class’ on the Day of Qiyaamah, and such people will be blessed with the high ranks of Jannah in the Hereafter.
As for those who bring a lower level of Islam, then they will be granted a rank according to the level of Islam they possess.
Islam Interceding Before Allah Ta’ala
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “The various good deeds of a person will come on the Day of Qiyaamah (before Allah Ta’ala, to intercede on behalf of the person who used to uphold them in his life).
“Salaah will come and say, ‘O Rabb! I am the salaah of the person!’ Allah Ta’ala will respond by saying, ‘You are upon goodness (i.e. the one who upheld salaah will be rewarded, however salaah will not be the main criterion for his salvation and to determine his position).’
“Sadaqah (zakaat) will come and say, ‘O Rabb! I am the sadaqah (zakaat) of the person!’ Allah Ta’ala will respond by saying, ‘You are upon goodness.’
“Then, the fast (of Ramadhaan) will come and say, ‘O Rabb! I am the fast of the person!’ Allah Ta’ala will respond by saying, ‘You are upon goodness.’
“Thereafter, the remaining good deeds will come in the same manner (that salaah, zakaat and the fast of Ramadhaan had come i.e. jihaad, hajj, acquiring the knowledge of deen and other similar good deeds will come and address Allah Ta’ala in the same manner, and will be given the same response by Allah Ta’ala).
“Thereafter, Islam will come, and it will say, ‘O Rabb! You are Salaam (i.e. one of Your names and beautiful attributes is Salaam – the Originator of peace), and I am Islam (Your religion of peace, hence I intercede for those who firmly held onto me that they be admitted into Your abode of peace i.e. Daarus Salaam – Jannah)!’
“Allah Ta’ala will reply, ‘You are upon goodness! Today, you will be the basis and criterion by which I will take people to task (and dispatch them to Jahannum), and today, you will be the basis and criterion by which I will reward people (and admit them into Jannah)!’”
Thereafter, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) recited the following verse of the Qur’aan Majeed, indicating that the only source of salvation in the Hereafter is accepting the religion of Islam:
وَ مَنۡ یَّبۡتَغِ غَیۡرَ الۡاِسۡلَامِ دِیۡنًا فَلَنۡ یُّقۡبَلَ مِنۡہُ ۚ وَ ہُوَ فِی الۡاٰخِرَۃِ مِنَ الۡخٰسِرِیۡنَ ﴿۸۵﴾
Whoever seeks (a religion) besides Islam as his deen, then it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter, he will be from the losers.
