سورة النازعات

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Dawud ibn Kathir al-Raqqi narrated from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) regarding this verse: وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ [And for the one who fears standing before his Lord, there are two gardens] (al-Rahman/46): "Whoever knows that Allah sees him and hears what he says and is aware of his good and evil deeds, and this matter restrains him from performing wicked deeds, this is the one who has feared standing in the presence of his Lord and has restrained the soul from low desires."

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): The meaning of وَ أَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ* وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى* فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى [And as for him who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord and forbids the soul from low desires, indeed Paradise is the abode] is the servant who, when he is able to commit a sin and the opportunity to commit a sin arises for him, refrains from committing that sin out of fear of Allah and forbids his soul from it — his reward will be Paradise.

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj said: Abu al-Hasan (peace be upon him) said to me: "Beware of an easy and smooth ascent when its descent and fall is difficult and distressing."

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): Abu Hamza al-Thumali narrated from Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): Among the Bani Isra'il there was a man who was a shroud-thief. He had a neighbor who one day fell ill and saw his death drawing near. The man called for his shroud-thief neighbor and said to him: 'What kind of neighbor have I been to you?' The shroud-thief said: 'The best of neighbors.' He said: 'I have a request.' The shroud-thief said: 'Your request will certainly be granted.' The neighbor placed two shrouds before the shroud-thief and said: 'I would like you to take the better of these, and when I die, do not dig up my grave and do not steal my shroud.' The shroud-thief, out of consideration for their acquaintance and neighborliness, refused to take the shroud. But when the neighbor insisted, he finally took the better shroud. As it happened, on one of those very nights that person died. After he had been buried, the shroud-thief thought to himself and said: 'This person has died and been buried. How can he now know whether I have taken his shroud or left it?' So, according to his usual habit, he came at night to the grave. But as soon as he opened up the grave, he suddenly heard a voice which said to him: 'Do not do this!' The shroud-thief was greatly terrified and completely abandoned this shameful deed. Later, when the time came for him to make his will, he said to his children: 'What kind of father have I been to you?' They said: 'You were a good father.' He said: 'I have a request of you.' They said: 'Say whatever you wish, for we will certainly carry it out, in sha Allah!' He said: 'I would like that when I die, you burn my body with fire, and when I have become ashes, cast the ashes of my body to the wind and scatter half of it in the sea and the other half in the wilderness.' After the shroud-thief died, one of his children acted according to his will, and when he scattered his ashes, Allah the Exalted commanded the sea and the wilderness to gather the particles of the man's body. Suddenly the shroud-thief came back to life and stood up. Allah the Exalted addressed him and said: 'For what reason did you make such a will?' He said: 'By Your might and greatness! There was no motive other than fear and dread of the punishment.' The Merciful Allah said: 'As a reward for this deed, I too shall make all your adversaries content with you, and I shall change your fear and dread into safety and security, and I have made you included in My forgiveness and mercy.'

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ أَمَّا مَنْ خافَ مَقامَ رَبِّهِ [And as for him who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord] is Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), who had fear and refrained from disobedience and sin and held his soul back from vain desires.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ أَمَّا مَنْ خافَ مَقامَ رَبِّهِ [And as for him who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord]; he is Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), who feared standing before his Lord and His reckoning and His judgment among the servants, and therefore refrained from sins and held his soul back from vain desires — meaning from the forbidden things which the soul inclines toward.

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Allah the Exalted has declared: "By My might, majesty, greatness, light, loftiness, and the elevation of My place! No servant prefers his own desire over My command except that, as a punishment for this act, I scatter his affairs, make the life of this world difficult for him, and occupy his heart with the world. And I will not give him of the wealth of the world except the amount I have decreed for him. And by My might, majesty, grandeur, light, loftiness, and the elevation of My place, I swear! Any servant who prefers My will over his own will, I make My angels his protectors and guardians, and I make the heavens and the earth responsible for his sustenance, and I Myself pursue the dealings and trade of the merchants for his benefit, and the world comes to him in utter humiliation and submission."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Beware of your desires and inclinations, just as you beware of your enemies! Nothing is more of an enemy to people than following the desires of the self and the utterances of a person."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: The most frightening things I fear you will be afflicted with are two: first, following the desire of the self; second, endless hopes. As for following the desire of the self, it turns a person away from the path of truth; and endless hopes make one forget the Hereafter.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) that one day he said to one of his students: "What have you learned from me?" He replied: "Master, I have learned eight matters from you." The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "State them so that I may know them." He said: "... The third: I saw the people occupied with amusement and play, and I heard the saying of Allah the Exalted: وَ أَمَّا مَنْ خافَ مَقامَ رَبِّهِ وَ نَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوى * فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِیَ الْمَأْوى [And as for him who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord and forbids the soul from low desires, indeed Paradise is the abode]. So I strove to keep desire away from myself until I became steadfast upon the obedience of Allah." He said: "Well done, by Allah!"

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj said: Abu al-Hasan (peace be upon him) said to me: "Beware of an ascent that is smooth and easy, when its descent is rough and distressing." And Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) used to say: Never keep your soul in the company of its whims and desires, for the whims of the soul cast the very same soul into degradation and destruction; and letting the soul loose with its pleasures and desires (to do whatever it wishes) will bring hardship and pain upon it; and restraining the soul from what it craves is the cure for its illness and disease.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Paradise is surrounded by hardships and patience. So whoever endures the trials and hardships of the world will enter Paradise. And Hell is surrounded and encompassed by pleasures and delights. Therefore, whoever indulges in the pleasures and lusts of the soul will enter the Fire.