Fifth Ramadan Lecture Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi, 1443 A. H.
Taqwa and Its Broad Scope (5)
Into the World of Eternity
I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.
O Allah, confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.
Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
O Allah, guide us and grant us acceptance, for You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing; accept our repentance, for You are the Relenting and the Merciful.
In the context of having a firm belief in the Hereafter and how muttaqin believe in Allah's promise of reward and punishment, as well as how that can greatly help a person keep to Taqwa in his/her actions, behivour, and discipline with regard to guarding against what Allah has forbidden and taking care of what Allah (Glory be to Him) has commanded, we spoke yesterday on death as the point of departure to Allah (Glory be to Him) and the end of this life, which serves as the sole chance for to do good deeds that grant him/her success, secure his/her eternal future, and save him/her from the torment of Allah (Glory be to Him).
We also spoke yesterday about the closeness of the Hour and about the fact that we are the last nations and that people of this era are in the last era in human history—the Hour has drawn near! In addition, death itself is just a short break: One will think, when raised on the Day of Resurrection, that it was only a short period that cannot be more than ten nights according to those who went farthest in their estimates, one night to some, and part of the day to others, as if it were a very short period!
What can help a person imagine this matter is sleep: Allah (Glory be to Him) says in the Holy Quran, {‘Allah takes up the selves at the time of their death, and those that have not died during their sleep. Then He retains those for which He has decreed death and releases the others to a stated term’}. When a person sleeps and then wakes up, s/he feels that period as a brief, short period. So when you are raised on the Day of Resurrection, it will be as if you had slept and then woken up the next day, so it is the same experience we get in the march of our life when we sleep and wake up. As a result, you will think of that period as if it were one night or some hours. This is how people will feel when raised on the Day of Resurrection; it is like if they just died before being raised again! It is the same case the Prophet (PBUH&F) described in his hadith: ‘You shall die as you sleep, and you shall be resurrected as you awaken.’ So it is very close, and people should not think of the Hereafter as if it were something that is still too far. It is very close!
However, there is still an exceptional case to death: the martyrs. Allah (Glory be to Him) made this clear to us in the Holy Quran and assured us when He (Glory be to Him) said, {‘Never think of those killed in the cause of Allah as dead. In fact, they are alive with their Lord, well provided for’}. Their condition is different from the rest of those who die, as they enjoy this special privilege and this special care from Allah (Glory be to Him), for they enjoy the hospitality of Allah (Glory be to Him) and continue to live that way until the Day of Resurrection. They are happy, being provided for and living a true life. This shows the high status of martyrs and the greatness of Jihad in the cause of Allah (Glory be to Him), as well as the great value of sacrificing in the cause of Allah (Glory be to Him).
In the context of the Day of Resurrection, Allah (Glory be to Him) addresses us all—it is really important for one not to forget that what Allah says is addressed to him/her—by saying, {‘Guard yourselves against the Day when you will be returned to Allah, then every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, and none will be wronged’}. So be mindful of that Day! How can we protect ourselves on that Day? What can we do to protect ourselves from that Day and its consequences, from the Judgment, from the Reckoning, from the serious results, and from the great and terrifying horrors?
All people in the Gathering Ground!
Allah has guided us in the Holy Quran . That Day is the day when people return to Allah for the Reckoning and the Judgment, which no one, as we mentioned yesterday, can escape: {‘It will be no more than a single Cry, and in no time they will all be arraigned before Us’}. Glory be to Allah! Indeed, He is capable of everything! He is the Greatest, the Sovereign, and the Irresistible! It only takes a single blast for all creatures from Adam (Peace be upon him) to the last born of human society to be raised by Allah and gathered into the Gathering Place in a fast and tremendous way that is beyond imagination and that serves as a manifestation and a proof of Allah's power (Glory be to Him).
The Resurrection will take place on this earth, which will be turned into a levelled plain so that it can be enough of a place for the Reckoning of all people, all human society in all its generations and nations throughout history and to the end of human existence. So Allah will transform it to accommodate all people and will blow up all mountains, seas, and oceans: He says, {‘You will not see therein a depression or an elevation’}, and He also says, {‘And We will certainly reduce whatever is on it to barren ground’}. There will be no plants, trees, forests, mountains, rivers, high places, and low areas. It will be perfectly flat: {‘You will not see therein a depression or an elevation.’}
Into that one levelled plain, Allah will gather all human society for the Reckoning, all nations and generations since the very beginning of history: {‘That is a Day for which the people will be collected, and that is a Day witnessed’}. How great and tremendous that gathering will be! That must be a significant and big event, a great event for a great day and a serious matter.
Although that gathering is huge, human society with all its generations and different nations gathered in that levelled plain stand in total humbleness, total submission, and obedience. No one will act arrogantly or haughtily, for all people will be in a state of servitude before Allah, Who says, {‘And voices will fall before the Merciful. You will only hear a whisper’}. Even if they wanted to talk, they talk in a low voice and in a perfectly polite, humble way. They will be in a state of great fear and panic, total humbleness, and total submission. There is no one who might show resistance, as everyone will be in a state of submission even during the arrangements and perpetrations made by angels before the Reckoning: Allah (Glory be to Him) says,{‘That Day, they will follow the Caller no deviation therefrom’}. They obey all the instructions and act according to them in total submission and obedience without hesitation, although it is a huge gathering!
It is very terrifying! It is state of humbleness and submission. {‘On the day when the Spirit and the angels line up in ranks, not speaking—except whomever the Merciful has permitted and who has said what is right’}: Even angels will go into a state of humbleness, obedience, and submission to Allah's commands. No one of them will speak without permission from Allah (Glory be to Him): {‘except whomever the Merciful has permitted and who has said what is right’}. Although huge are the numbers of people, there are great numbers of the divine angles. Every person will be accompanied by angels: {‘And every soul came forward, accompanied by a driver and a witness’}—every soul will be accompanied by a driver and a witness. Therefore, everything is under total control, and angels will be extensively deployed. In addition, there will be a strong and strict management of the affairs of people, as well as the affairs and procedures of the Reckoning.
The Day of Reckoning and the manifestations of divine justice
What is important here is the Reckoning. After the Resurrection comes the Reckoning, for it is the first primary goal of the Resurrection, where divine justice becomes clear, and all humans become aware of the bad results of their bad deeds and the good results of their good deeds. For the successful (those who were righteous, upright, and mindful of and responsive to Allah), they will see clearly how great, fruitful, and positive their deeds have been. They will obtain a great success, and they will be pleased with Allah and with themselves and deeds.
As for the criminals, the negligent, the disobedient, the obstinate, and the careless, the enormity of their deeds and loss will become clear to them, and they will then realize how serious their loss has been. The bad effects of their deeds will become clear to them, as well as their consequences and results. Therefore, they will come to understand that they were wrong when they ignored the guidance of Allah and His calls and warnings that they did hear but did not respond to, pay attention to, understand, or accept. Rather, they fell into a state of rejection, and as a result, very serious consequences are what await them.
In the Reckoning, every accountable person will receive his/her book (record) of deeds: {‘Recite your record; today your own self is sufficient as a reckoner’}. Even at the begging of the distribution of records, there will be signs that tell what kind of destiny awaits the person, even though these sings start to emerge as early as immediately after the Resurrection.
For example, for the believers and muttaqin, after they are resurrected and after they wake up and recognize that they are in the Place of Gathering and see with their own eyes the events of the Gathering of all people take place and that they are in the Resurrection ground for the Reckoning, they receive reassurance: {‘Angels will receive them’}. This is what Allah says in the Holy Quran about that moment when angels receive them. {‘The Supreme Horror will not disturb them’}, and in that situation {‘Angels will receive them , “This is your day, which you have been promised”’}. Angels receive them with reassurance and good news and tell them that this is their day, their winning day, the day on which they head to their great abode, to Allah's pleasure, and His Jannah. So they will receive reassurance, and angels will tell them (as mentioned in another verse), {‘The angels descend upon them, “Do not fear, nor grieve. Rather, rejoice in the good news of Jannah, which you have been promised”’}. During the process of the Reckoning and as they move to the stage of reading the records of deeds, as well as what comes after that, good news continue . Allah says in the Holy Quran that angels talk to them and Allah calls on them, {‘Today you have good news of Gardens, under which rivers flow’}. So, good news, signs, and reassurances keep coming in all of the stages of the Reckoning until the end.
As for others, they experience the horrible state, the Supreme Horror, dreadful fear, awful panic, anxiety, psychiatric disorder, and great regret. They realize that danger is drawing nearer and nearer and that the break that separates them from Jahannam is about to end: the stage of the Reckoning. Hence, they live a horrible state of fear, psychiatric disorder, great regret, great anguish, and feeling of shame, as well as other states that represent great mental torment. They get to a state that would have died if it was not for the fact that death has gone forever: If there were any death, they would have died in the Place of Gathering due to the dreadfulness of mental torment, dreadful anguish, extreme distress, profound hardship, extreme psychiatric disorder, great anguish, and horrible sadness. This situation is too horrible: Great fear, horrible sadness, horrible regret, and horrible anguish combine together. It is so horrible that it is beyond imagination. They stay alive just because there is no death.
The way of distributing records of deeds reveals the destiny
of every person!
The process of distributing the records , as Allah mentions in the Holy Quran, contains clear indicators and signs about what these records contain and about the destiny of their owners. Believers, muttaqun, and winners receive their books face to face from the front, so they take them with their right hands; they will be given their books in their right hands.
As for others, the perished ones, the losers, and the regretful, they will receive their records from behind their backs with their left hands. They take their books with their left hands from behind their backs. It is a perfectly performed process. Indeed, the process of distributing records (books) is a perfectly performed process: No mistakes could occur, so you might mistakenly receive a book that is not yours or a record that is not yours. If you are of those who receive their books with their left hands from behind their backs, you cannot resist. You are no longer in control of yourself, so you will do that against your will. You are no longer in control of yourself; rather, you are under control, and so is your ability to speak: {‘On this Day We seal their mouths, and their hands speak to Us’}. At a specific stage of the stages of the Reckoning, after you read your record of deeds, you see yourself by yourself, and you see what you have done: You, yourself, see what positions you have taken and what things you have committed—it is when you end up as a loser (We seek refuge in Allah). If you resort to denial and resistance or try to ignore what is clearly documented and pictured, a clear testimony comes from your limbs and organs.
About this situation, Allah says, {‘As for those who are given their record in their right hand, they will have an easy reckoning’}. They will enjoy facilitation even in the Reckoning. Having an easy reckoning is one of the most important things that will be granted for the believers, muttaqin, and triumphant ones. There will be no annoyance, no harsh treatment, and no rebuke: an easy matter and uncomplicated procedures. Therefore, they will go through such procedures easily. This itself becomes a source of happiness for them because when they read their records of deeds, they will see the good deeds they have done in this life, the kind of deeds that please Allah (Glory be to Him), such as fighting in the cause of Allah, sacrificing in the cause of Allah, and other good deeds that please Allah. They will see the fruit of these deeds and realize how great, positive, and valuable these deeds are and what their reward will be; therefore, they will feel comfortable, happy, and delighted and realize that none of their efforts has gone to waste. Instead, they have become a source of great reward and bounty, and they all were well documented with all their details.
Some deeds that a person might think of as unimportant deeds, although good deeds, could be added to his/her record of deeds as rewardable deeds, making him/her comfortable and happy: S/he will, as mentioned in the Holy Quran, say, {‘Here, take my record and read it.’} This will be a state of great happiness, great comfort, and success. It makes one in a position of pride for what Allah has granted him/her, so s/he will feel proud of what is contained in his/her record of deeds. Indeed, s/he will get a feeling of happiness, loftiness, dignity, pride, and success. That is why s/he will say, {‘Here, take my record.’} S/he makes an offer for people: ‘Have a look at my record, Thanks to Allah great, good deeds.’ S/he might look at his/her companions of the believers as s/he is happy and delighted.
{‘And as for those given their record in their left hand, they will say , “I wish I had not been given my record, nor known anything of my reckoning! I wish it were the end’}. {‘And as for those who are given their record from behind their backs, they will cry for destruction, and will burn in the blazing Fire’}. (We seek refuge in Allah.) It is too horrible a state. When a person is given his/her record in his/her left hand from behind his/her back, s/he will realize what awaits him/her. Even so, s/he has expected that from the beginning: Allah says, {‘Rather, a person is a witness against himself, even if he presented his excuses’}. However, that is Allah's evidence against people, with which His justice is revealed.
The records of deeds contain precise, comprehensive records
Those records and books of deeds contain precise, comprehensive records and precise accounting for a person's deeds, practices, and sayings, as well as all that is among his/her duties and all that is of good deeds or bad deeds. (It contains precise and comprehensive records.) This is among the things that frighten them, those who are disobedient and negligent. One of the things that frighten them is the precise accounting that misses not even an atom's weight of evil or negligence—that is too horrible. They will say, {‘What is with this record that does not leave anything, small or big, unlisted’}—why does it include every in and out, as some say? {‘That does not leave anything, small or big, unlisted’}—this is horrible. {‘So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it. And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it’}. Indeed, this is too horrible! {‘Allah has kept account of it all, while they have forgotten it. For Allah is a Witness over all things’}. Many are the things that a person takes easily, but the problem of some (one of the most dangerous problem) is that they make their personal preferences and estimations the criterion they use for judging their deeds: They decide whether this or that deed, act of negligence, or shortcoming can be taken slightly according to their own criteria and whims. They take easy important deeds and serious acts of negligence, even very serious ones. That way, they take this or that thing slightly and fill themselves with wishes that keep misleading and deceiving them. This issue is very serious, very serious!
So, on the Day of Judgment, when a person goes through his/her record of deeds and see how precise it is and the amount of the deeds s/he has considered as trivial as well as the amount of negligence s/he has underestimated, s/he will be in an extremely grave and serious situation and will become very upset. S/he will be called to account and then judged according to all his/her deeds and his/her negligence, whose consequences have been disastrous. Usually, the consequences of the deeds (if you know what they are!) are more severe and worse than the deeds themselves; the danger and impact of the deeds lie in their consequences and results. It is a serious issue: {‘Verily We shall give life to the dead, and We record that which they send before and that which they leave behind’}. The consequences of some acts of negligence may continue for generations and will be taken into account against the person. This is a very serious issue. Therefore, this is extremely important, and it is also among the things that bother them most: {‘Allah has its full account, while they have forgotten it’}. Though they have forgotten lots of their deeds, they will remember them and see how they have been recorded against them. This is very serious.
The time of no salvation or chance for the people of negligence
On that Day, the sinners and those who neglected and turned away will feel bitter and deep regret and intense anguish when they see those deeds and their consequences. They will be thinking, ‘Is there any escape, a way, or a means that could save us the punishment?’ They will regret and wish they could have a means (ransom) to be relieved from the torment, for they realize what will come after the Reckoning: punishment. Therefore, they experience dreadful fear and deep regret to the degree that if anyone of them owned an earth, even twice as much, with everything in it (assets, palaces, money, and wealth) or if the earth, double-sized, had been a bulk of gold, s/he would pay it as a ransom for his/her salvation from the torment. However, even if that did happen, it would not be accepted. In this life, even if you are poor, Allah accepts the little you offer and gives in return much because every righteous deed has its significance, value, and reward. Rather, what is offered in difficult circumstances receives great reward and is greatly valuable.
This kind of person—as it is the case with so many people who end up losers because of the whims, ambitions, and material desires they keep pursuing—if s/he had this earth full of gold and twice as much, s/he would offer to ransom him/herself with it from the great torment on the Day of Resurrection. How would be the case when losing and deserving torment in return for little and trivial things?! Lots of people are poor and helpless, and the things they gain as a price for their disobedience and support for falsehood are worthless. Even if a person received things of material value, s/he gained nothing compared to the catastrophic consequences that would lead any person to introduce all what on the earth to set him/herself free: {‘Were the wrong-doers to own all that is on earth, and even twice as much, they would surely seek to ransom themselves with it against the evil punishment on the Day of Judgment. There will appear to them from Allah what they have never imagined’}.
More than that, the person will be ready to sacrifice his/her relatives and friends: {‘The criminal wishes he could be redeemed from the punishment of that day by sacrificing his children, his female companion, his brother, his kinsfolk who shelter him, and everyone on earth, just to save himself. But no! It is a raging fire’}. So, in life, do not turn away. You, instead, must pay attention, return to Allah, and accept His invitation: He is inviting you to Jannah, forgiveness, and mercy. So why do you keep turning your back and sticking to your rigid attitudes? {‘Inviting who turn their backs and turn away their faces. And collect and hide it !’}— those who direct all their focus only to this life and forget Allah, Who has all good in this life and the Hereafter. This is a very serious issue.
You cannot redeem yourself with anyone or anything such as money or intercession: {‘The evildoers will have neither intimate nor intercessor to be obeyed’}. There will be neither intercession nor any possibility to lessen the wrong-doer's penalty. No one will bear your sins and burdens in order to alleviate your torment: {‘And if a sin-burdened soul cries for help with its burden, none of it will be carried—even by a close relative’}. If any person, burdened with transgressions, sins, negligence, or delinquency, appeals to one of his/her relatives (son, father, brother, or a close or distant relative) to help him/her with his/her burden, they will not help him/her: {‘None of it will be carried—even by a close relative’}; {‘a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father’}. Only the believing families that had good deeds will enjoy an atmosphere of peace and happiness.
It will be a state of great regret for negligence: {‘Oh, how sorry I am, for having neglected my duty to Allah’}. This great regret is sufficient to tear the person and ripe his/her heart out if there were still a possibility for that. It will be a state of great regret because s/he will realize that s/he had an opportunity from Allah, yet s/he lost it:{‘Oh,how sorry I am, for having neglected my duty to Allah’}; {‘Oh, if I return to life, so I care about the deeds that please Allah and I will be in the rank of the good doers’}—’had l been able to go back in time to life, I would have taken care of all the deeds that please Allah and make me of the doers of good.’ So be one of the good doers now. Why does Allah give us all these details in the Holy Quran? Why does He remind us and even tell us the words, regrets, and conditions of the Jahannam dwellers? He does that in order for us to avoid it here in this life, to seize this opportunity, and to become mindful of the value of this unique and irreplaceable opportunity.
The terrifying situation: Jahannam is brought forth!
A very horrifying situation will take place in the Reckoning Ground: In the Reckoning and while records of deeds are shown, Jahannam comes and approaches (Allah be our refuge). Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {‘And Jahannam is brought forth on that Day’}, and He also says {‘And the Hellfire will be displayed to the deviant’}. It is Jahannam people used to hear about in the revelations of Allah (Glory be to Him) that presented them a lot of detail about Jahannam, but on the Day of Resurrection, they will see it firsthand: {‘But you will surely see the Hellfire’}. There is a very great difference between seeing and hearing. We, in this life, hear and read about Jahannam and could get an approximate picture. For example, we see volcanic eruptions and raging fires in the forests, which provide us with an example and an approximate picture even too small . The scenes of volcanoes are one of the most important scenes that can remind people of Jahannam and provide an approximate picture, since some of them contain horrific scenes, even though they come nowhere near making one fully understand what Jahannam is. Therefore, a person should focus on getting benefits from those scenes and absorb that approximate picture so that it provides him/her with what can reflect well on him/her and prompt him/her to guard against Jahannam and helps him/her become aware of the importance and seriousness of this issue.
On the conditions of those gathered in the Gathering Place, especially the losers, the regretful, and the perished ones, when Jahannam is brought forth—{‘And on that day, Jahannam is made to come forward’}; {‘And the Hellfire will be displayed to the deviant’}—it will be a very horrible event because of the loud and frightening sounds of Jahannam and how terrifying it is. How is the fear of those negligent, disobedient, and sinners who will be destined to Jahannam? (We seek refuge in Allah!) (We seek refuge in Allah!) On the other hand, with regards to those muttaqin: {‘And Jannah will be brought near to the righteous, not far off’}. Jannah will be brought near so that they go into it.
The transition and forever separation process begins
When the Reckoning is finished, the transition process from the Reckoning Ground (the Gathering Place) will begin. The forever separation between all people of human society begins, even including those who lived in this worldly life in one city, in one village, in one family, or in one home. Indeed, they will separate forever. Some of them will go to Jannah , and the others will go to the Fire: Allah says, {‘On that Day, the people will be split’}, and He also says in another verse, {‘On that Day, the people will be divided’}. That will be an eternal separation: Every group will go to a different home and a different world, in which it will be separated from the other forever. Even if they are from the same family, they separate forever, as the situation of being transferred to Jahannam (We seek refuge in Allah). These scenes that we hear about will come one day soon, as we have mentioned.
As for muttaqin, they will be transferred to Jannah in a respectful way, and they will be extremely happy: {‘with their light shining ahead of them and on their right’}. They will be so happy beyond imagination. It will be a time of great rejoicing for them, and they will feel triumphed. So they will be transferred in an honourable way, as Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {‘on the Day We will gather the righteous to the Merciful as a delegation’}. They will be like guests in a high-ranking delegation, and they will be transferred in a respectful way, in a great way, and with elegant means.
The painful destiny awaiting the disobedient and the sinful
On the other hand, the transfer of the others (the perished ones, disobedient, and negligent) will be : {‘And We will drive the criminals to Jahannam as to the watering hole’}.They are driven fiercely and violently, for they do not want to go to Jahannam. They will be substantially scared and terrified and will experience their worst case of regret, anxiety, instability, worry, and very deep anguish. That is a very terrible state. Yet, they will be thrust, forced, and pushed until they reach the outskirts of Jahannam and its seven gates (We seek refuge in Allah). This is too terrible.
On the transfer of those who are of the people of the Fire to the seven gates of Jahannam, Allah says, {‘It has seven doors; and each door has its determined part’}. That is because Jahannam has different depths according to the degrees of torment; even the lowest degree of is very terrible. The lowest degree of torment in Jahannam is way too horrible: All the torment of this worldly life and its suffering, pain, sorrow, and worries cannot be like it even if joined together. That means, if everything that has ever happened to all humans since the first one created to the last (the grief, worry, anguish, regret, agony, pain, and suffering in this life) were joined and put on one person in this life, this would be easier and less difficult than having the lowest degree of torment in Jahannam, whose torment is too horrible.
The lowest depth in will be for the munafiqin: Allah (Glory be to Him) says in the Holy Quran, {‘The munafiqin will certainly be in the lowest depths of the Fire, and you will never find a helper for them’}. They themselves were declaring the Two Testimonies of Faith, and they used to call themselves as Muslims. It is certainly a terrible thing at the gates of Jahannam, and it is a terrible situation when they arrive at Jahannam.
Even angels scold them at the gates and force them to entre. They even throw them into it . They do not go into it of their own free will. So they will be forced to enter and even thrown into it against their will and in a degrading way: pulling them on their heads and pushing them into Jahannam (We seek refuge in Allah). {‘When they are tossed into it, they will hear its roaring as it boils over; it almost bursts in fury’}. This is very terrifying! It is the greatest state of burning: {‘It almost bursts in fury every time a group is cast into it’}—because they come in huge numbers. {‘Did a warner not come to you?’}: angels scold them, ‘How did you not pay attention? How did you get yourselves into this very big trouble?’ This is too terrible: {‘On that Day, We will ask Jahannam, “Are you full ?” And it will respond, “Are there any more?”’}. That is too horrible and too dreadful.
The muttaqun enjoy the hospitality of Allah, the Generous!
However, Allah's Auliya, who have attained Taqwa, faith, and righteousness and stuck to Istiqama and repentance, move in an honorable delegation to Jannah. When they arrive, angels receive them and welcome them with greetings. Their arrival at Jannah's doors creates the greatest feeling of happiness and delight. Finally, they have reached Jannah and enjoyed Allah's pleasure: the great goal in which they believed although it had been unseen. They put their trust in Allah's promise, so they responded to Him. In the end, they look at Allah's promise; they see it more elegant, higher, and far greater than what they have imagined; they see it is beyond all imagination, the utmost pleasure, and the greatest level of comfort, harmony, and feeling of victory.
Finally, they arrive, and the angels welcome them, saying, {‘Peace be upon you.’} So they welcome them with greeting and respect, not scolding. {‘You have become pure, So enter it’}: You are welcome so come in. This moment is priceless and beyond imagination: the moment of entering into the world of Jannah. {‘So enter it to abide eternally therein’}: Enter Jannah, where you will live a happy, eternal life that knows no death, stress, illness, exhaustion, delusion, trouble, hardship, poverty, tribulation, worry, or any discomfort. {‘Enter it in peace. This is the Day of eternal life’}. The people of Jannah reach to Jannah: their happy, eternal life, their palaces, their wonderful farms and gardens, and the life of happiness, where they neighbour the prophets and Auliya of Allah.
You can now, and only now, avoid this destiny!
On the other hand, the people of Jahannam arrive at Jahannam. When they arrive, {‘It will be said , “Enter the gates of Jahannam to abide eternally therein”’} (We seek refuge in Allah). Instead of being greeted, they will be told, {‘Enter the gates of Jahannam to abide eternally therein.’} Then it closes forever. Indeed, when they get into Jahannam, its gates will be closed and never open again! They will be closed forever: {‘They will be in Jahannam forever’}; {‘The Fire will be sealed over them’}. {‘It will be sealed over them, with long braces’}. {‘And they have’}—the keepers and the angels guarding Jahannam—{‘maces of iron; whenever they intend to come out of it due to their anguish, they will be forced back to it’}: They are forced back by being hit with iron maces. (We seek refuge in Allah!)
It's so horrible, and it is important that we pay attention to that while we still have the opportunity that Allah has given us. In this holy month, one of the most important things that a person must take care of and focus on is praying for his/her salvation from the Fire and asking Allah to grant him/her success.
We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us success in seeking what pleases Him. O Allah (Glory be to You), have mercy on our martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. O Allah, accept our fasting, night prayers, and good deeds. You are All-Hearing!
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.