Page 122 - Eternity Has Already Begun

ETERNITY HAS ALREADY BEGUN

The same thing holds true for those unbelievers living in our day.
They confidently assume that the plots they plan against believers

or religion will remain hidden and they will never have to face them
on the Day of Judgment. But the slightest wicked deed, and every
slander they make up against believers are in the memory of Allah.
The fact that these images are withdrawn from their memory should
not deceive them. It may be quite possible that they themselves for-
got a slander they spread about believers a decade ago. However, all
these misdeeds exist in the memory of Allah. By the Will of Allah,
these incidents might, at any time, reappear in their memories. Yet,
unaware of this fact, and "because they are people who do not use
their intellect" (Surat al-Ma'ida: 58), unbelievers cannot compre-
hend the might of Allah. Yet, on the Day of Judgment, they will see
the reality and suffer great shame and regret.
The same truth lies in the response of the Prophet Shu'ayb (pbuh)
informed in the Qur'an to such an attitude on the part of the leaders
of his people draws our attention to the same point — that they are

people without understanding:
They said, "Shu'ayb, We do not understand much of what you say
and we see you are weak among us. Were it not for your immedi-
ate family, we would have stoned you. We do not hold you in high
esteem!" He said, "My people! Do you esteem my family ties more
than you do Allah? You have made Him into something to cast dis-
dainfully behind your backs! But my Lord encompasses every-
thing that you do!" (Surah Hud: 91-92)
When Allah creates the Day of Judgment, He will be very swift
at reckoning the unbelievers. When one fully comprehends the facts
presented throughout the book—that every moment of everything
that is created is preserved for all eternity—it will surely not be dif-
ficult to imagine that all people will be judged very swiftly, in a sin-

gle moment. Moreover, it is essential that one should not consider

120