Which of you is best in action?

Which of you is best in action?

Ramadaan Special – 1428 – #1

This world is a place of trials and tests… Why does Allaah mention this fact to us, then follow it by the names “al-Azeez” and “al-Ghafoor”…?

Below is an excerpt from “Practical Lessons from the Month of Fasting” ⁽¹⁾

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Allaah made life in this world as a place of trial and testing as to which of His servants are best in deeds. He said

الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً

which means, Who has created death and life, that He may test which of you is best in action. [Soorah al-Mulk (67):2]

and then said

وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ

which means, And He is the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving. [Soorah al-Mulk (67):2]

This clarifies that these tested individuals include ones who excel in their deeds and will be rewarded due to what is entailed by Allaah’s name al-Ghafoor (the Oft-Forgiving). Similarly included are those who act wrongly and will deserve punishment due to what is entailed by His name al-Azeez (the Almighty). That is like His saying

نَبِّئْ عِبَادِي أَنِّي أَنَا الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ وَأَنَّ عَذَابِي هُوَ الْعَذَابُ الأَلِيمُ

which means, Declare to My servants, that I am truly the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. And that My Torment is indeed the most painful torment. [Soorah al-Hijr (15):49,50]

_______________________________ (1) Taken from a translation based on a lecture delivered Shawwaal 16, 1390 A.H. by Ash-Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin ibn Hamad al-Abbaad. The original lecture was published in the Journal of the Islaamic University of Madeenah, Issue #10. The complete translation will be posted on Thikraa soon, in shaa’ Allaah.