Section Al-Furqan – Part 43

We are continuing with our study of Section Al-Furqan from where we last left off. We discussed the verse mentioning to prostrate at night in worship and stand steadfastly to our Lord. I must remember Him, reflect on His work which is how things are created in the universe. After witnessing His work, I must glorify Him accordingly. 

Let’s study the next verse:

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا ٱصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا

25:65 [They are] those who say, “Our Lord! Keep the punishment of Hell away from us, for its punishment is indeed unrelenting.

The Qur’an is advising its readers to say this prayer, I must ask my Lord to keep the punishment away from me. The punishment is unrelenting, there is no way to escape it.

The Qur’an uses severe language about the punishment using words that are carefully chosen. Some verses mention that even if a wind from hellfire touches you, you will not be able to bear it (Qur’an, 21: 46). Is God threatening us by using such language? The Qur’an is guiding me to the gravity, severity of the situation that I should not be putting myself in. I should take the message seriously. Some literal readers may say that God is expressing his anger in such verses. However, when we examine the case coming from the Merciful Creator, God is begging human beings out of His compassion: “do not deprive yourself of My Mercy. If you do, it will be impossible to bear it. Don’t cut off your relationship with Me.”

For example, I am unable to produce electricity that I need and there is one power plant that is the only source for my electricity. If I cut off my relationship with that power plant, I deprive myself of electricity that I need. In the same way if I cut off my relationship with my source of existence, Source of Mercy, by not acknowledging Him, I deprive myself of His Mercy and Compassion. There is no other source to support me, no one to support all my needs and desires which extend to eternity. That is my acknowledgment of “la ila ha, Illa Allah”. Only my Lord can provide, satisfy my needs.

We must read these verses as the begging, screaming of God out of His mercy: “Don’t deprive yourself out of My mercy by cutting yourself off from Me, your relationship with Me”. It is important to remind ourselves of God’s mercy so that we are not disappointed thinking that God is accusing people. If I don’t acknowledge the Creator of the universe, I would suffer because I cannot find any creator within the universe. The result would be unrelenting disappointment. God reminds me: “I did not create you to be in such a position of suffering.” 

How should we pray to God to save us from the punishment of Hell, should It be verbally only or by action as well? The verse uses the phrase “يَقُولُونَ” which is to verbally say. In order to say something, I must have gone through a process out of which comes the statement. This means that I must pray to God to protect me from Hell action wise as well as verbally state it. Action wise needs to be accompanied by verbal prayer. I must be careful in my actions in order not to go to Hell where this desire must also be expressed verbally. When I practice my  conclusion in my daily life through my actions, I express myself saying that “I don’t want to go to Hell which means to experience the lack of my Lord’s Mercy. I don’t want to end my life at that destination”. I must strive to have a respectful relationship with my Lord by seeing that whatever is created is created out of His Mercy, by His Will. I must never cut off my relationship with my Creator. I must express my desire to Him verbally. 

The expression of “رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ” in the Qur’an expresses the Lord of everything which means that in order for a single being to come into existence, one must be able to give existence to the whole universe. For example, in order to be able to create a cell of a tree, one has to be able to establish the whole universe for the cell with certain qualities to be placed where it needs to be in relation with the rest of the universe. We must pay attention to this interconnectedness of every being with the rest of the beings that exist in the universe. We must have this understanding rather than the general understanding of believing in God by saying that this universe must have a Creator. That is not enough at all.

In order to say this prayer of asking God to keep me away from the punishment of Hell, I must go through the stage of reflection first by reasoning and then use my tongue to express the conclusion of what I reasoned. After reading this verse, I must respond back to my Creator. In the example of the companions of the Prophet who received this verse, they would put their hands open up to pray to God with their feelings to keep them away from the punishment of Hell. I must respond back to God that I have accepted His message with the confidence of my conclusion.

The Qur’an reminds human beings to remember God in every event. The One who created me has created me with the ability to speak. I must thus use that speaking ability to remember Him. When I am breathing, I am expected to remember God to thank the Creator of air. We studied the verse while standing, sitting, lying down, i.e. on any occasion they remember God. 

When I remember God, do I need to remember punishment as well? Remembering His Mercy automatically reminds me of the opposite, the lack of Mercy which is described in the Qur’an as Hell Fire. The famous phrase oft repeated by many is: “الحمد لله على نعمة الإيمان”, which is “thank God for the blessing of belief” I am very grateful for the blessing of belief. If I did not acknowledge the Creator of what I am interacting with, I would think that I was lucky. When I don’t acknowledge the source of it, I deprive myself from the mercy of God, and find myself in a completely unbearable situation. I would get the punishment for my own choice by cutting off my relationship with Him. My Lord is always with me even when I deny Him, I am always getting things out of His mercy. In a way He is calling me: “look, I am still treating you with My mercy. Appreciate it until you are given life.” If I don’t pay attention to His calling, I would put myself as a candidate for eternal Hell. Although He gives me the feeling of not wanting punishment of Hell, I may put myself in that horrible situation of meaninglessness, purposelessness, emptiness, i.e. everything is “less” where Hell is the place where one gets nothing, complete deprivation. That is why I need this reminder of the Qur’an to not put myself in this  situation deserving punishment. My Creator keeps calling me not to harm myself just like a mother does to warn her child. Parents are made in a wonderful way where they do not want to see any harm come to their child. That is how God’s mercy operates. Everyone is given equal opportunity which is God’s justice. Physical creation continues for all to benefit from, but the spiritual situation of a person varies according to them.

Why are we expected to pray to God verbally? Is there any benefit in praying to God verbally? I need to express verbally as we do it in our living. For example, by vocalizing words, I can remember them. When we say something verbally, it becomes a kind of prayer to remember. The voice records in our memory. If I receive a favor from someone, I automatically express my thanks verbally and via bodily expression. That is what the Qur’an recommends praying in a begging tone, with awe of my Lord. My expression must be sincere according to my reality as a needy created being. I need everything to be provided. While I am using my free will, I choose it, I cannot create it. There is no fragment of a second where I am not needy, I am in need at every moment. I must communicate with the Provider of my needs according to my position. He is the Provider, Creator of my needs and I am the one who is an absolutely needy impotent person who cannot create anything that I need. 

It is appropriate for my position to acknowledge my impotence, poverty, neediness. I must acknowledge this and present it to my Lord accordingly. For example, If I am desperately in need of something, how would I ask for help? I cannot be arrogant, which would result in no one helping me. My neediness and poverty are ingrained in my being, and I am made to express myself verbally. When the fans of a team witness their team winning, they scream to express their joy verbally. That is how I am made to express verbally to my Lord. My relationship with my Creator must be based on my understanding of my reality, confirming it with feelings, i.e. I must establish the relationship according to the way that I am created. My verbal expression, praying physically, going down bodily, putting my head on the ground is ingrained in my existence. I should not contradict the way that I am made.

إِنَّهَا سَآءَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّۭا وَمُقَامًۭا

25:66 [Hell] is certainly an evil place to settle and reside.

We should keep reminding ourselves what is most important, is it the life of this transient world or the permanent result of life? Paradise or Hell? Let’s think of a farmer who works all throughout the year, for what? He does it to get a good harvest. While working on the farm, the farmer’s mind would be thinking of what the yield of all this work would be. The mind of the farmer is always connected to the result. 

Another example is that of a student who studies for limited years, in order to get a degree that would give them a profession they would probably practice for the rest of their lives. Their mind while in school is to learn, get a degree and start working for a much longer period in this world.

Let’s take another example. While driving we should be careful, for what? To arrive at the destination safely. I must educate myself on where I am going, what my end is. The Qur’an keeps discussing the result of Paradise and Hell because that is the destination. The Qur’an reminds me while I am living in this world to keep in mind my destination which is either Paradise or Hell. What am I doing in my life, why am I doing it, for what? Where am I going? Rather than the temporary life here in this world, it is the result of our eternal life which is the only thing that matters. 

How could I concentrate on the result and not the present life? How do I practice keeping this balance? 

While the farmer is doing the farming activities, his mind is focused on the yield. He is not expected to neglect what he is doing but must be careful in how he does his farming. He is careful in his farming to produce the harvest that he is looking for. That is how I need to connect my actions in this world to think about the result in the Hereafter. That is why I need this prayer to remind me that I should keep myself away from deserving the punishment of Hell which is certainly an evil place to settle and reside permanently. 

Those who do not worry about their destination focus only on their daily life. For them, death is going into nothingness. If I understand that the creation is purposeful and meaningful then I must focus on the capacity of my human qualities which are looking for a destination where they can be satisfied. Why am I here in this world? What is the deeper meaning behind my profession, my daily routines—even something as mundane as driving? What end am I ultimately moving toward? I need to remain mindful of that destination, recognizing that everything along the journey is part of a larger framework—tools and opportunities that shape my path. A truly meaningful and fulfilling life must be lived with a clear sense of direction, guided by purpose rather than aimlessness.