Page 34 - Unawareness: A Sly Threat

32 UNAWARENESS: A SLY THREAT

through the middle of them. (Surat al-Kahf: 32-33)
He entered his garden and wronged himself by saying:
“I do not think that this will ever end. I do not think the
Hour will ever come. But if I should be sent back to my
Lord, I will definitely get something better in return.”
(Surat al-Kahf: 35-36)

His companion, with whom he was debating, asked: “Do
you then not believe in Him Who created you from dust,
then from a drop of sperm, and then formed you as a
man? He is, however, Allah, my Lord, and I will not asso-
ciate anyone with my Lord.” (His companion replied:)
“Why, when you entered your garden, did you not say: ‘It
is as Allah wills, there is no strength but in Him’? Though
you see me with less wealth and children than you pos-
sess, it may well be that my Lord will give me something
better than your garden and send down upon it a fireball
from the sky so that the morning finds it a shifting heap
of dust or finds its water drained into the ground so that
you cannot get at it. (Surat al-Kahf: 37-41)

The fruits of his labor were completely destroyed, and
he woke up wringing his hands in grief, for everything
that he had spent on it was now a ruin, a ruin with all of
its trellises fallen in. He exclaimed: “Oh, if only I had not
associated anyone with my Lord!” There was no group
to come to his aid, besides Allah, and he was not given
any help. In that situation, the only protection is from
Allah, the Real. He gives the best reward and the best
outcome. (Surat al-Kahf: 42-44)
The vineyard owner was deceived into thinking that he