Al-Ahqaf (The Dunes)

16. They are those from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and overlook their evil deeds. [They shall be] among the dwellers of Paradise - [this Paradise is] a promise of truth, which they have been promised.

The value of deeds lies in their being accepted;

(“They are those from whom We shall accept …”).

For instance, being dutiful and doing good to one’s parents and being grateful to God leads to the acceptance of one’s good deeds and being dutiful to and doing good to one’s parents and gratitude toward God results in Divine Forgiving.

“They”

in this Verse refers to the people some of whose qualities are enumerated in the preceding Verse. The Verse in question makes mention of their good deeds and intentions accepted by God better than what they have done. God forgives their sins and has promised them to enter Paradise. His Promise is true and shall be fulfilled.

The Verse indicates that such Grace and Mercy are the rewards of three good deeds of theirs:

1. Being dutiful and doing good to one’s parents

2. Their invocation and supplication to the Absolute Self-Sufficient for the bounties granted to them and their parents

3. Their repentance and turning away from opposition to embracing the Islamic faith in case of committing any sin or fault, since invocation and supplication at the Threshold of the Omnipotent God as well as repentance from committing sins and faults serve as two gates of Divine Mercy and Grace.

Mention will be made of a number of traditions concerning showing respect for parents:

The Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as) said:

“The most significant Divine obligation is to do good to one’s parents.”1

The Messenger of Allah (S) Said:

“Any good doing child who looks at his parents out of kindness is granted the Divine Reward of pilgrimage to Ka’ba for each and every look. He was asked concerning a child who looks kindly at his parents one hundred times a day and he replied: “God is the Greatest and the Most Pure”2 .

The Messenger of Allah (S) Said:

“A servant who is obedient to his parents and God shall dwell on the highest place in Paradise”3 .

The Messenger of Allah (S) Said:

“One who obtains the satisfaction of his parents, has gained the satisfaction of God and one who angers his parents, angers God”4 .

The Messenger of Allah (S) Said:

“One who wishes to have his life prolonged and his daily sustenance increased should do good to his parents and provide for his blood relatives”5 .