To abide therein… (al-Nisaa 4: 13-14)

Asalaam alaikum warahmatulah wabarakatuh.

Allah ta’ala says in Surat al-Nisaa 4: 13-14, in two seemingly balanced ayaat:

وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَا رُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَذَ*ٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

Those who obey Allah and His Messenger will be admitted to Gardens with rivers flowing beneath, to abide therein (for ever) and that will be the supreme achievement.

وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ نَارًا خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَلَهُ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ

But those who disobey Allah and His Messenger and transgress His limits will be admitted to a Fire, to abide therein: And they shall have a humiliating punishment. (al Nisaa 4:13-14)

Do you notice anything different from ayah 13 and ayah 14?

When Allah ta’ala describes the one who obeys Allah ta’ala and His messenger (alayhi salaatu wa salaam): he will be admitted into Gardens with rivers flowing beneath, خَالِدِينَ , ones abiding eternally therein.

When Allah ta’ala describes the one who disobeys Allah ta’ala and His messenger alayhi salaatu wa salaam, and transgresses His limits: he will be entered into the fire, خَالِدًا,one abiding eternally therein.

Although the ayah is in the singular (he obeys/he disobeys), not plural, Allah ta’ala uses the plural (khaalideena) for the companion of Jannah, while keeping the singular (khaalidan) for companion of the fire. 

The translation does not capture this intricate detail. The one who reaches Jannah will have passed the grave, the day of Judgment, the Siraat, the Qantarah all by themselves (with the Mercy of Allah), but when they reach Jannah, they will be with their families, their spouses, their children, their friends in the dunya, the righteous of the past and after them, with the angels greeting them from all doors–together, celebrating the praises of Allah and enjoying the delights of Jannah, خَالِدِينَ .

The one who enters the hell-fire will have gone through the trials of the aakhirah [next life] alone, and they will be left to themselves in punishment, with their regrets and despair.

 We read many times in the Qur’an that the people of hell fire will have no one to help (naseer) nor any close friend (wali) to their aid, nor anyone to hear their cries and calls. They will be alone in their punishment, خَالِدًا.

Even in this dunya, we see the psychological effects of solitude. What is the worst punishment one can receive in prison? Solitary confinement. Indeed, one is the loneliest number.

May Allah ta’ala envelop us in His mercy, and make us among those who will be rejoicing in the company of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and with our families and friends in Jannatul Firdaws, Ameen.

“Whosoever intercedes for a good cause will have a ‘naseeb’ thereof, and whosoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a ‘kifl’ of it. And Allah is Ever All-Able to do everything.” [al-Nisaa: 85]

Asalaam alaikum Warahmatulah Wabarakatuh.



Allaah `azza wa jall, says in Soorah al-Nisaa:

مَّن يَشْفَعْ شَفَاعَةً حَسَنَةً يَكُن لَّهُ نَصِيبٌ مِّنْهَا ۖ وَمَن يَشْفَعْ شَفَاعَةً سَيِّئَةً يَكُن لَّهُ كِفْلٌ مِّنْهَا ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُّقِيتًا

 “Whosoever intercedes for a good cause will have a ‘naseeb’ thereof, and whosoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a ‘kifl’ of it. And Allah is Ever All-Able to do everything.”  [al-Nisaa: 85]

Let’s have a look at these 2 separate words (in bold):

 نصيبٌ

كِفْلٌ

They both mean the same thing – they both mean ‘ portion’ or ‘a part of something’.

Allaah (`azza wa jall) is informing us that the one who intercedes for a good or a bad cause will receive a portion of that deed written down for him.



But why the 2 different words if they both mean the same thing? Well, do they mean exactly the same thing? Let’s take a look.





Kifl:

The word ‘kifl’ is very ‘muhaddad’ – restricted and bounded. In language it means: a portion that is equal in all spheres, as they say النصيب المساوي – an equal portion, no shortcoming therein nor any ‘ziyaada’ – increase.

Allaah `azza wa jall used this word here to inform us that the one who does intercede for an evil cause will only receive an equal portion thereof – there is no injustice. As He says in Soorah al-Ghaafir:

مَنْ عَمِلَ سَيِّئَةً فَلَا يُجْزَىٰ إِلَّا مِثْلَهَا ۖ  وَمَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَٰئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ يُرْزَقُونَ فِيهَا بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

“Whosoever does an evil deed, will not be requited except the like thereof…”  [al-Ghaafir: 40]

Naseeb:

As for the word ‘naseeb’ then again it also means ‘ portion’ but amazingly it has an added meaning of ‘ziyaada’ (increase) and that the portion can be multiplied. It is for this reason that when speaking of the reward/portion of the one who intercedes for a good cause, Allaah subhaanahu wa ta’aala uses the word ‘naseeb’. As is known, out the mercy, favour and generosity of Allaah, the reward for good deeds are multiplied by ten times and more (up to 700 times) whereas the evil deed is only written down once and this is highlighted ever so subtly and yet so profoundly in the simple ayah above:

“Whosoever intercedes for a good cause will have a ‘naseeb’ thereof, and whosoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a ‘kifl’ of it. And Allah is Ever All-Able to do everything.” [al-Nisaa: 85]

It is for this reason that the above ayah in Soorah al-Ghaafir ends with…
“Whosoever does an evil deed, will not be requited except the like thereof, and whosoever does a righteous deed, whether male or female and is a true believer, such will enter Paradise, where they will be provided therein without limit.” [al-Ghaafir: 40]