Surah Muhammad, Ayah 15

The Worshipper of the Truth and the Worshipper of Lust are not Equal

Allah says:

أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ

(Can then he, who stands on clear evidence from his Lord...) This means a person who is upon clear vision and certainty concerning Allah's commands and His religion, because of the guidance and knowledge that Allah has revealed in His Book, and because of the pure nature upon which Allah has created him.

كَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَاتَّبَعُواْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ

((Can he) be likened to those for whom their evil deeds are beautified for them, while they follow their own lusts) which means that they cannot be equal. This is similar to Allah's saying,

Commentary

Essential Characteristics of Paradise

Verse sixteen mentions four kinds of favours and blessings in the next world, that is, rivers of pure water, rivers of milk of which the taste does not change, rivers of wine which gives delight and rivers of purified honey which will be given to the righteous in plenty.

Worldly waters become polluted by getting mixed with earth, vegetation and other adulterating substances which make them stink. But in Paradise, there will be rivers having un-pollutable water. The river of pure, clean water that will not go bad in taste, smell or colour, (and will flow uninterruptedly without layers of dregs, scum or any other unpleasant- looking substances).

Abiding by rational argument (bayyinah) means building one’s life on realistic facts, while following one’s own desires (ahwa’) means deviating from the truth. This is wanting to build one’s own world in God’s world against God’s will. In this present world of trial, both the realists and the self-indulgent apparently have equal opportunities. But in the real world of the Hereafter, only the first group will have a share in the eternal bounties of God, while the second group will be an utter failure and will be forever in disgrace.