Ar-Ra'd (The Thunder)

18. “For those (people) who accepted their Lord, it is the best (reward). But those who did not accept Him, even if they were to have all that is on the earth and the like of it, they would certainly offer it as ransom. It is they for whom the reckoning will be terrible and their abode will be Hell and what an awful place it is!”

One can infer from the Holy Qur’an that there are several accounts kept for people on the Day of Judgment.

Some have an easy account.

“…by an easy reckoning”1

Some have their account inspected audited and settled in a hard and an exact way.

“…a severe account…”2

Some go to hell and there is no need for any settlement by court or trials.

“…and on the Day of Resurrection We assign no weight for them.”3

Some go to the Paradise without having to settle any accounts.

“…only the patient will be paid back their reward in full without measure.”4

According to the Islamic quotations and traditions, those who are forgiving and merciful towards people and treat them with favor, will have an easy time as far as their account is concerned; and those who are hard on others, their account will be hard to settle.

The unbelievers will go to Hell with no account, and those believers who are patient will go to Paradise without any worries for their settlement of account.

As the Qur’an confirms, acceptance is mutual. That is, if the people expect Allah to accept their call, they must also accept Allah’s call.

“…Answer Allah and the Messenger when he invites you to that which gives you life…”5

A Discussion About the Call

The issue of the invitation can be dealt with from different dimensions:

Those Who Invite to the Truth

A: Prophets:

“Say: ‘… I call to Allah…”6

Allah commands the Prophet (S) to tell the people that his way of life and that of his followers is this which leads and directs people towards Allah with insight.

“Remember when you were climbing (the hillside) and you paid no heed to any one, while the Messenger was calling you from your rear…”7 “And as one inviting to Allah by His leave, and as a light-giving torch.”8

Meaning that you call on people directing them towards Allah with His permission, thus becoming the burning torch of the world.

B: The Believers:

“And there should be a party among you who invite (others) to good…”9

This means that from among you Muslims, those who are more knowledgeable and more virtuous must lead the people towards the good and righteousness.

C: Jinn:

“O’ our people accept the caller of Allah (just as we did)…”10

The Callers to Falsehood

Pioneers of paganism:

“And We made them the pioneers (who) call to the Fire…”11

The Satan:

“…the Satan calls them to the chastisement…”12

That is: would they still follow the Satan’s lead to hell regardless of the fact that he has called their fathers to Hell?

and:

“I did not have any authority over you, except that I called you and you responded me…”13

The Unbelievers:

“…those invite to the Fire…”14

That is the pagans call you to hell fire by way of ignorance and darkness.

The Subject of Invitation

Life:

“…he invites you to that which gives you life…”15

This verse means that Allah and your prophet call you to accept the faith so as to enable you to reach an eternal life.

The Straight path:

“And certainly you invite them to a straight path.”16

Forgiveness:

“…Allah invites to Paradise and forgiveness…”17

The Paradise:

“And Allah does call mankind to the Abode of Peace…”18

Salvation:

“I call you to the salvation…”19

Confronting the Dissidents

Accusations

Sorcerer:

“…Verily this indeed is a knowing sorcerer.”20

A poet:

“…nay! he is a poet…”21

Soothsayer:

“…for by the grace of your Lord, you are not a soothsayer…”22

In this verse the Prophet (S) is commanded to mention unto people that he speaks while he is blessed by revelation and prophecy from his Lord and there is no question of lunacy existing in him.

Crazy:

“…And they say: “Verily he is crazy.”23

Liar:

“…verily we do think you to be of the liars.”24

We guess you are from among the liars.

Oppressor:

“…who desires that he may have superiority over you…”25

This verse is about the people of Noah who, answering him, said to others that this person wants to achieve supremacy over you.

Threat:

“…we would certainly stone you…”26

Slaying:

“…And (remember) when those who disbelieved plotted against you to take you captive, or to kill you…”27

Humiliation:

“…Is this he who speaks of your gods?…”28

Skepticism:

Leaders and chieftains of the people of Salih, ridiculing the poor who became believers, said:

“Do you believe that Salih is sent by his Lord?…”29

Conspiracy and war:

“And (remember) when those who disbelieved plotted against you to take you captive, or to kill you, or to expel you…”30

The Motives and Factors for Lack of Acceptance

Imitation

Fanaticism

Arrogance

Sensual desire:

“But if they do not answer you, then know that they only follow their low desires…”31

The Reward for Acceptance

Reward:

“Then, as for those who believe and do righteous deeds, He will pay them their rewards fully and will bestow them out of His Grace…”32

Life:

“O’ you who have Faith! Answer Allah and the Messenger when he invites you to that which gives you life…”33

Happiness:

“For those who respond to their Lord is the best (reward)…”34

Any way, after depicting the profile of the ‘truth’ and the ‘untruth’ through an expressive example mentioned in the previous verse, here the Qur’an alludes to the fate of those who have accepted Allah’s call and at the same time, it refers to the destiny of the ones who rejected the truth and turned to vices.

At first, it says:

“For those people who accepted their Lord, it is the best (reward)…”

Then the Qur’an further adds that as for those who do not accept this call of Allah (s.w.t.), their destiny is so wicked and relentless that even if they were in full possession of all of what is found on the earth or the like of it, they would be ready to dispense with them all so as to attain salvation.

However, all this would not be accepted from them.

The verse says:

“…But those who did not accept Him, even if they were to have all that is on the earth and the like of it, they would certainly offer it as ransom…”

To portray the grievousness of their punishment, there would be no interpretation more explicit than the one which assumes that supposedly one owns all of what is on the earth, rather doubling that amount, and dispenses all just to be relieved and receive salvation, yet it is of no vail.

This sentence refers, in fact, to one’s ultimate desire that he wants to be the proprietor of all that exists on the earth. However, the intensity of the punishment of the oppressors and dissidents of the Allah’s call is so much so that they are ready to sacrifice this ultimate worldly desire, and beyond it, and become relieved.

Following this catastrophe, abstention from accepting all that is on the earth for one’s salvation, is an allusion made to their other misfortune which implies that they have got a hard and an awful account to settle, and ultimately, they will be located in the fire of the inferno.

The verse says:

“…It is they for whom the reckoning will be terrible and their abode will be Hell and what an awful place it is!”