Page 10 - Sincerity Described in the Qur'an

INTRODUCTION

ake the example of two people. Assume they have
both been granted with sufficient opportunity here
T on earth to earn the pleasure of Allah, and that they
had been informed about what is good and what is evil; that
they fulfilled their religious duties and obligations until the
time of death, and spent their lives seeming as devout
Muslims; and that they succeeded in all areas, that is, had
good jobs and families and became respected members of the
society. If people were to be asked who was the most
successful of the two, in response, you might receive answers
such as,"the one who was more hardworking or tenatious or
who strove most strenuously." However, if we were to
consider these responses carefully, we would then recognize
that these defininitions of "success" are based not according
to the Qur’an, but according to worldly criteria.
According to the Qur’an, neither working hard, nor
growing weary, nor achieving respect or love from others is
regarded as criteria of superiority. Rather, it is their belief in
Islam, their good deeds done in order to gain Allah’s consent,
and their goodwill, nurtured in the depths of their hearts,