SURAH (92) AL-LAIL (AYA 1 to 21)

Sura (92) AL-LAIL (The Night) Aya 1 to 21 verses in 1 Section

Revealed at Makka

SECTION 1

None has done any favour to ALLAH (SWT)

The righteous and the wicked described---None has done any favour to bring ALLAH (SWT) under any obligation---Men only ask for His favour and whosoever does this, is granted.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ 

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ {92:1}

[Q92:1] Wallaili izaa yaghshaa 
[Q92:1] By the night as it envelops;

THERE ARE CONTRASTS IN NATURE. An appropriate example of such a [1] clear contrast is visible between the darkness of the night and the light of the day. See commentary of Shams 91:1 to 10. Another such [2] contrast is found in the creation of male and female. These contrasts have been brought into evidence and the conclusion is stated in verse 4 THAT MAN'S AIMS IN LIFE ARE DIVERSE. These aims may be broadly divided into two classes, GOOD AND EVIL.

·          He who runs after the pleasures of the temporary life of this world, unmindful of the eternal happiness of the hereafter, is striking a bad bargain. He will be a certain loser on the day of reckoning.

·          On the other hand he who does not transgress the bounds lay down by ALLAH (SWT) and does not lay his hands on unlawful gains and possessions but bears hardships patiently and willingly shall attain salvation in the hereafter.

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(92:1) By the night when it enshrouds,

وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ {92:2}

[Q92:2] Wannahaari izaa tajallaa 
[Q92:2] And by the day as it appears in brightness;

 (see commentary for verse 1)

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(92:2) and by the day when it breaks in its glory,

وَمَا خَلَقَ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنْثَىٰ {92:3}

[Q92:3] Wa maa khalaqaz zakara wal unthaa 
[Q92:3] And by Him Who created male and female;

 (see commentary for verse 1)

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(92:3) and by Him Who created the male and the female:

إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ {92:4}

[Q92:4] Inna sa'yakum lashattaa 
[Q92:4] Certainly, your efforts and deeds are diverse (different in aims and purposes);

PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT OR DIVERSE AIMS OF THEIR LIFE---One might be taking pleasures of the life while the other maybe mindful only of the life hereafter. The one who loves this world sacrifices his prosperity and the happiness in the hereafter AND the other who aims at the hereafter sacrifices the luxuries and the ease of this life AND BEARS THE MISERIES AND TRIALS PATIENTLY AND WILLINGLY.

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(92:4) surely your strivings are divergent. *1

*1 This is that for which an oath has been sworn by the night and the day, and the creation of the male and the female. It means to say: Just as the night and the day, and the male and the female, are different from each other, and their effects and results are mutually contradictory, so are the aims and objects for which men are endeavouring and struggling; different in their nature and contradictory with regard to their results. In the following verses, it has been told that all these divided endeavours are divided into two main kinds.

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَاتَّقَىٰ {92:5}

[Q92:5] Fa ammaa man a'taa wattaqaa 
[Q92:5] As for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to Allah and fears Him,

[1] Large hearted sacrifices in the cause of ALLAH (SWT) and His servants, [2] awareness of the laws of ALLAH (SWT) to safeguard against evil AND [3] sincere belief in ALLAH (SWT) and His religion and His book ARE THE DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF A RIGHTEOUS SERVANT OF ALLAH (SWT). ALLAH (SWT) will make his path smoother and smoother so that he may reach his salvation in the easiest manner and style.

HE WHO CHOOSES EVIL, GREED AND NIGGARDLINESS will also have a smooth sailing unto hell, no matter how much resources he may have.

v  Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq said: "Good deeds along with sincere belief in ALLAH (SwT) and His religion shall obtain salvation and eternal happiness in the hereafter."

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(92:5) As for him who gave out his wealth (for Allah’s sake) and abstained (from disobeying Him),

وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ {92:6}

[Q92:6] Wa saddaqa bil husnaa 
[Q92:6] And believes in Al-Husna.

HE WHO HAS FAITH IN ALLAH (SWT) WITH CONVICTION OF HIS HEART, DOES GOOD TO THE WORLD.

NOTE---Islam, wherever it has demanded faith in ALLAH (SWT), has also made it conditional, it’s being accompanied with good deeds, i.e., goodness to the others. Mere verbal expression or the observance of any rituals do not prove the faith UNLESS THE FAITH MANIFESTS IN THE SINCERE ACTS OF GOODNESS TO THE OTHERS IN THE WORLD.

ì  HE WHO LOVES ALLAH (SWT) WILL NATURALLY LOVE ALL THAT ALLAH (SWT) LOVES and HATE ALL THAT DISPLEASES HIM.

THE LOVE OF THE GOOD AND HARTED AGAINST EVIL, IS THE ONLY AND GREAT PROOF OF THE GENUINENESS OF THE CLAIM TO THE FAITH.

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(92:6) and affirmed the Truth of goodness: *2

*2 This is the first kind of endeavours, which includes three things, and a little consideration shows that they comprehend all virtues:
(1) That man should refrain from wealth-worship, but should spend whatever Allah has given him generously in rendering Allah's and His servants' rights, for good works and for helping others;
(2) that he should fear God and refrain from things which cause His displeasure in his moral, social, economic and other dealings with the people;
(3) that he should believe in goodness. GOODNESS IS A COMPREHENSIVE WORD, which includes goodness of belief, morals and acts. Goodness of belief means that one should give up polytheism; atheism, and disbelief, and affirm faith in Tauhid, the Hereafter and Prophethood. Affirming belief in goodness of morals and acts is that one should not be doing good and right merely unconsciously, outside a definite system, but one should acknowledge as right and sound the system of goodness which God has sent, which combines every kind of goodness in all its forms and aspects into a system comprehensively called the Divine Shari'ah.

فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ {92:7}

[Q92:7] Fasanu yassiruhoo lilyusraa 
[Q92:7] We will make smooth for him the path of ease (goodness).

The first Holy Imam Ali ibne Abi Talib says that once the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) attending the funeral of a man, with a stick in his hands and striking it on the ground, said:

‘For everyone there is a space in the heaven and also in the Hell. A man asked “O’ Apostle of ALLAH (SWT), Then, shall we not act?” The Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) replied “You go on discharging your duties. Everyone has been created with an allotment of some work”. Saying these he recited this verse, i.e., ALLAH (SWT) has provided with the facilities for every kind of work man chooses for himself. **If he chooses good deeds he is help and he creates a place for himself in the Heaven and **if he chooses any evil, there are the facilities for that also; and having done the evil, he creates a place for himself in Hell.’

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(92:7) We shall facilitate for him the Way to Bliss. *3

*3 This is the result of the first kind of endeavouring and struggling. The easy way implies the way which is in accordance with human nature, which is in accordance with the will of the Creator, Who has created man and the whole universe. It is a way in which man has not to fight his conscience, in which he dces not have to force his faculties of mind and energies of body into doing works for which they are not given but to do things for which they have actually been given him. It is a way in which man has not to experience war, resistance and conflict on every side, which he has to experience in a life full of sin, but a human society in which at every step he experiences peace and concord, appreciation and honour. Obviously, the person who spends his wealth for public welfare, treats every other person kindly and well, whose life is free from crime, sin and immorality, who is righteous and fair in his dealings, who neither cheats others nor proves false in his promises, from whom no one apprehends dishonesty, injustice and excess, and with whose character no one finds any fault, will in any case be honoured and respected in any society, however, corrupt and depraved it may be. Hearts will be attracted towards him in esteem and regard; his own heart and consience will be satisfied, and he will attain to dignity in society which no immoral person can ever attain. This same thing has been expressed in Surah AnNahl, thus: "Whoever does righteous deeds whether male or female, provided that he is a believer, We will surely grant him to live a pure life in this world (v. 97)", and in Surah Maryam, thus "The Merciful will fill with love the hearts of those who believe and do righteous deeds (v. 86). This then is the way in which there is nothing but joy and tranquillity for man, for the world till the Hereafter. Its resultsare not transient and temporary but eternal and everlasting.
Concerning this Allah says "We shall facilitate for him the easy way." It means to say "When after affirming goodness he decides that this way alone suits him, and the evil way does not suit him, and when by making sacrifices and adopting the life of -tagva practically he proves that he is true in his affirmation, Allah will make easy for him to walk this way. Then, to commit evil will become difficult for him, and to do good easily. When unlawful wealth comes before him, he will not regard it as a good bargain, but consider it a hot piece of burning coal, which he cannot hold in his hand. When opportunities for sin appear before him, he will not rush to seize them as opportunities for pleasure and enjoyment, but will look upon them as gates to Hell and will flee them. The Prayer will not be hard for him, and hem will have no internal peace until he has performed it at its appointed time. He will not feel hurt when paying the zakat, but will regard his wealth as impure until he has paid out the Zakat from it. In short, at every step, Allah will favour him with His grace and help him to follow this way; conditions will be made favourable for hisn and he will be helped out of every difficulty. Now, the question arises that in Surah Al-Baled ahove this very way has been called an uphill road, and hire it has been described as an easy way How can the two things be reconciled? The answer is that before a man has adopted this way, it appears to be a steep, uphill road, for ascending which he has to fight his desires, his materialistic members of the family, his relatives, his friends and those with whom he has social and other dealings, and above all Satan, for each one of them obstructs his way, and makes it seem dreadful. But after tnan has affirmed goodness and resolved to follow this way, and giving away his wealth in the cause of God and adopting the way of taqwa, has practically strengthened his resolve, ascending the steep road becomes easy and slipping into the abyss of moral depravities becomes difficult for him. 

وَأَمَّا مَنْ بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَىٰ {92:8}

[Q92:8] Wa ammaa mam bakhila wastaghnaa 
[Q92:8] But he who is greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient.

HE WHO PRACTISED NIGGARDNESS AND BECAME CAREFREE OF THE LIFE HEREAFTER and did not think of providing for himself for that life by being righteous, doing charity in this world.

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(92:8) As for him who was a miser and behaved with aversion (to Allah),

وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ {92:9}

[Q92:9] Wa kazzaba bil husnaa 
[Q92:9] And gives the lie to Al-Husna (see Verse No: 6 footnote);

HE WHO DISBELIEVED and did not accept the truth willingly, with a sincere heart.

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(92:9) and denied the Truth of goodness: *4

*4 This is the second kind of human endeavouring, which in every part of it is different from the corresponding part of the first kind. Niggardliness (bukhl) is not merely the niggardliness because of which people generally regard a person as niggardly if he hoards money: neither spends it on himself nor on his children, but bukhl here implies to refrain from spending in the cause of Allah and public welfare. According to this, niggardly is every person who spends generously, rather squanders money, on his self, for his own ease and comfort, interests and enjoyments, but, as for a good cause, spends nothing, or, if at all he spends anything, ii is for display, or to win a reputation and name, or to have access to officers, or to obtain some benefit and gain. Independence of God implies that one should make worldly, material benefits only the object of all one's endeavourings and strivings and being independent of God should least care to see what pleases Him and what displeases Him. As for belying goodness, it is in sharp contrast to believing in goodness in every detail, therefore, it need not be explained here as it has already been explained above. 

فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ {92:10}

[Q92:10] Fasanu yassiruhoo lil‘usraa 
[Q92:10] We will make smooth for him the path for evil;

Those described in the above two verses, will not be entitled to any merciful relief from the evil consequences of his own evil, i.e., the miseries and the tortures he will get in the life hereafter and on the day of the Final Judgment.

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(92:10) We shall facilitate for him the way to Hardship, *5

*5 This way has been called the hard way, for although the one who follows it, does so for the sake of material benefits, worldly anjoyments and superficial successes, yet while following it he is always at war with his nature his conscience, the laws made by the Creator of the universe and the society in Which he lives. When he transgresses aII moral limits of truth, honesty, nobility, purity and chastity and endeavours to satisfy his interests and desires in every way, when the people feel harmed by him rather than benefiting from him, and when he encroaches upon the rights of others and violates people's honour, he feels disgraced in his own eyes and has to clash at every step with the society in which he lives. If he is weak, he has to suffer every kind of punishment on account of his conduct, and if he is wealthy, strong and influential, the world may lie low before him, but no one cherishes any good wishes, any feeling of honour and love for him; so much so that even his associates and companions regard him as a wicked man. And this thing is not only restricted to individuals, even when a strong and powerful nation transgresses the bounds of morality and adopts an immoral conduct, in arrogance of pride and wealth, it earns on the one hand, the enmity of the outside world: on the other, its own society falls a victim to all sorts of crime, prevalence of suicide, intoxication, venereal diseases, destruction of family life, waywardness of the new generation, class conflict and ever-increasing injustice and tyranny. So much so that when it falls from its position of prestige, it leaves nothing behind except curses and condemnation for itself in the history of the world.
As for saying that "We shall facilitate for him the hard ways", IT MEANS: He will be deprived of the grace to follow the way of good, gates of evil will be opened up for him, means and resources for the same will be provided for him, doing evil will become easy, and doing good will become toilsome and risky for him. This same theme has been expressed at another place in the Qur'an, thus: "So whomever Allah wills to guide aright, He makes his breast wide open to Islam, and whomever He wills to let go astray, he makes his breast narrow and squeezes it so tightly that (at the very idea of Islam) he begins to feel as though his soul were climbing up towards the sky." (Al-An`am:125) . At another place it has been said: "No doubt, salat is a hard task but not for the obedient servants." (AlBaqarah: 46). And about the hypocrites it has been said: "When they come to offer the salat, they come reluctantly and they expend in the way of Allah with unwilling hearts." (At-Taubah: 54), and that: "There are such among them, who regard what they expend in the.way of Allah as a penalty." (At-Taubah: 98).

وَمَا يُغْنِي عَنْهُ مَالُهُ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰ {92:11}

[Q92:11] Wa maa yughnee 'anhu maaluhooo izaa taraddaa 
[Q92:11] And what will his wealth benefit him when he goes down (in destruction).

The occasion for the revelation of this Sura is said to be as follows:

Wahidi, in Asbab al Nuzul, narrates on the authority of Ibn Abbas that: there was a poor man with a large family whose children used to collect and eat the dates fell from a branch of palm tree, belonging to another man but leaning in his house. More often the owner would at once rush to his house and snatch the fallen dates from the hands of the children and sometimes even from their mouths. The poor man went to the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) and asked for his advice. The Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) asked the owner if he would give him the tree in exchange for a tree in paradise. The owner did not accept the offer. Abu Huddah said: "O messenger of ALLAH (SWT), if you promise me the same I will buy the tree and give it to you." The Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) agreed. Abu Huddah purchased that tree and presented it to the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) who gave it to the poor man. This Sura was revealed in praise of Abu Huddah, condemning the niggardly man.

THOUGH THE IMMEDIATE APPLICATION of the matter of the Sura was for Abu Huddah and the niggard BUT it has for the common application of it. He who acts in any of the positions, will have the return attached to the goodness and the evil respectively.

NO AMOUNT OF WEALTH AMASSED IN THIS LIFE, WILL BE OF ANY AVAIL AT ALL ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT WHEN ONLY THE PURITY OF FAITH AND GOODNESS IN DEEDS, WILL BE COUNTED.

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(92:11) and his wealth shall be of no avail to him when he perishes. *6

*6 In other words it means that he has to die one day and leave behind in the world whatever he had amassed for his ease and enjoyment. If he did not earn and send forward something for the Hereafter, what would this wealth avail him? He will not take his palatial residence, his majestic conveyance, his property and wealth into the grave. 

إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَىٰ {92:12}

[Q92:12] Inna 'alainaa lal hudaa 
[Q92:12] Truly! Ours it is (to give) guidance,

ALLAH (SWT) IN HIS INFINITE MERCY HAS PROVIDED GUIDANCE TO HIS CREATURES THROUGH [1] His book and religion, [2] Messengers and guides (Imams of the Ahlul Bayt). BY THE HELP OF THE FACULTIES ALLAH (SWT) HAS GIVEN MAN, HE MUST USE HIS FREEDOM OF CHOICE AND FOLLOW THE RIGHT GUIDANCE.

If he chooses to go astray and live an evil life, belying ALLAH (SWT)'s messengers, guides, laws and commands, a fire blazing fiercely will be his eternal abode.

v  No one is more wretched and ‘shaqi’ (unfortunate) than him. ‘Ashqa’ is the superlative degree of ‘shaqi’.

ON THE OTHER HAND there are those believers most devoted to ALLAH (SWT) who have safeguarded themselves against evil and spent their wealth in the way of ALLAH (SWT) to purify themselves. Such believers [a] give charity and [b] do good deeds to seek pleasure of ALLAH (SWT) only, NOT WITH the motive [1] that they are returning someone else's favour and [2] compensating someone for some service done to them, or [3] expecting some reward in return for their good deeds. ALLAH (SWT) IS THE SOURCE OF THEIR GOODNESS, AS ITS GOAL OR PURPOSE.

©  ‘Atqa’ is the superlative degree of ‘taqi’. Refer to the commentary of Anam 6:163 and Hujurat 49:13.

©  The eternal abode of the ‘atqa’ (the most pious) OR those who have ‘nafs mutma-inna’ mentioned in Yusuf 10:53; Qiyamah 75:2 and Fajr 89:27 to 30 (see commentaries) is ALLAH (SWT)'s own heaven (His pleasure) mentioned in Fajr 89:30.

THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF ‘TAQWA’ IS FOUND ONLY IN THE THOROUGHLY PURIFIED HOLY PROPHET (PBUH & HF) AND HIS AHLUL BAYT (AHZAB 33:33).

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(92:12) Surely it is for Us to show the Right Way, *7

*7 That is, Allah as the Creator of man has on the basis of His wisdom, His justice and His mercy, taken of Himself the responsibility not to leave him uninformed in the world, but to tell him what is the right way and what are the wrong ways, what is good and what is evil , what is lawful and what is unlawful, what attitude and conduct will make him an obedient servant and what attitude and conduct will make him a disobedient servant. This same thing has been expressed in Surah An-Nahl; thus: "Allah has taken upon Himself to show the Right Way, when there are also crooked ways." (v.9) (For explanation, See E.N. 9 of AnNahl).

وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْآخِرَةَ وَالْأُولَىٰ {92:13}

[Q92:13] Wa inna lanaa lal Aakhirata wal oolaa 
[Q92:13] And truly, unto Us (belong) the last (Hereafter) and the first (this world).

 (see commentary for verse 12)

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(92:13) and to Us belong the Next Life and the present. *8

*8 This statement has several meanings and all are correct: (1)'"That from the world till the Hereafter, you are nowhere beyond Our grasp, for Ours are both this and the next world;" (2) "that both this world and the Hereafter are in any case under Our sovereignty, whether you follow the way shown by Us or not. If you adopt error, you will not harm Us but only yourselves; and if you adopt the right way, you will not do any good to Us, but will do good only to yourselves. Your disobedience cannot cause any decrease in Our sovereignty and your obedience cannot cause any increase in it;" (3) "that We alone are Master of both the worlds. If you seek the world, We alone can grant it; and if you seek the well being of the Hereafter, We alone have the power to bestow it too," This very theme has been expressed in Al-`Imran: 145: "Whoso makes effort with the intention of the reward of this world, We will reward him in this world, and whoso makes effort with the intention of the reward of the Hereafter, We shall grant him thereof", and the same has been expressed in Ash-Shu`ara: 20, thus: "Whoever seeks the harvest of the Hereafter, We do increase his harvest; and whoever seeks the harvest of this world, We do give him of it here, but in the Hereafter he will have no share at all." (For explanation, see E.N. 105 of Al`Imran, E.N. 37 of Ash-Shura).

فَأَنْذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًا تَلَظَّىٰ {92:14}

[Q92:14] Fa anzartukum naaran talazzaa 
[Q92:14] Therefore I have warned you of a Fire blazing fiercely (Hell);

 (see commentary for verse 12)

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(92:14) I have now warned you of a Blazing Fire,

لَا يَصْلَاهَا إِلَّا الْأَشْقَى {92:15}

[Q92:15] Laa yaslaahaaa illal ashqaa 
[Q92:15] None shall enter it save the most wretched,

‘Ashqaa’ is the superlative degree ‘Shaqi’, i.e., the unfortunate one, THUS the punishment mentioned in verse 14 above, will be for the most unfortunate one, i.e., the one who has not availed of the life-long respite given to seek the pardon of the All-Merciful Lord and went on persistently and deliberately sinning for his whole life.

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(92:15) where none shall burn except the most wicked,

الَّذِي كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ {92:16}

[Q92:16] Allazee kazzaba wa tawallaa 
[Q92:16] Who denies and turns away.

 (see commentary for verse 12)

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(92:16) who rejected the Truth, calling it falsehood and turned his back on it.

وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى {92:17}

[Q92:17] Wa sa yujannnabuhal atqaa 
[Q92:17] And away from it shall be kept the one who guards most (against evil),

‘Aqta’ the most guarded one against evil. This is the superlative of ‘Taqa’ in contrast to ‘Ashqa’ in verse 15 above.

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(92:17) But the God-fearing shall be kept away from it,

الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّىٰ {92:18}

[Q92:18] Allazee yu’tee maalahoo yatazakkaa 
[Q92:18] He who spends his wealth for increase in self-purification,

‘Yatazakka’, i.e., seeking purity, i.e., nothing but the pleasure of ALLAH (SWT) and not for any show or fame.

Note the highest degree of the excellence in the motive of charity which Islam demands.

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(92:18) the Godfearing who spends his wealth to purify himself; *9

*9 This does not mean that no one will enter the fire except the most wretched one, and no one will be saved from it except the most pious one but the object is to describe the extremely contradictory fate of the two extremely contradictory' characters. One of them is the person who belies the teachings of Allah and His Messenger and turns away from obedience; the other one is the person, who not only believes but also spends his wealth in the cause of Allah sincerely, without any desire for display and reputation, only in order to be regarded as a pure man in His eyes. Both these types of character were present in the Makkah society of that day. Therefore., without mentioning any name, the people have been told that the man of the first type of character only will burn in the fire of Hell and not the man of the second type of character; the man of the second type of character only will be kept away from it and not the man of the first type of character. 

وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ تُجْزَىٰ {92:19}

[Q92:19] Wa maa li ahadin 'indahoo min ni'matin tujzaaa 
[Q92:19] And have in his mind no favour from anyone for which a reward is expected in return,

THE ONE WHO SINCERELY GIVES ANYTHING IN CHARITY OR SPENDS IN THE WAY OF THE LORD, [1] not in return for any good already done to him OR [2] even in the expectation of any return for it, from the one whom he does the good.

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(92:19) not as payment for any favours that he received,

إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلَىٰ {92:20}

[Q92:20] illab tighaaa'a wajhi rabbihil a'laa 
[Q92:20] Except only the desire to seek the Countenance of his Lord, the Most High;

THE ACT OF CHARITY OR GOODNESS IS DONE MERELY TO EARN THE COUNTENANCE, i.e., the pleasure of the Lord, the Most High.

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(92:20) but only to seek the good pleasure of his Lord Most High. *10

*10 This is further explanation of the sincerity of the pious man. He was not indebted in any way to the people on whom he spends his wealth so that he may be doing so in order to repay for favours received, or may be giving gifts and holding banguets to them in order to further benefit from them, but he is helping such people only in order to seek the goodwill of his Lord, the Supreme. He was neither indebted to them before, nor he expects any favours from them in the future.

Its best illustration is the act of Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah blesshim), He would purchase and set free the poor slaves and slaves-girls who accepted Islam in Makkah and were cruelly treated by their masters on that account. Ibn Jarir and Ibn 'Asakir have related, on the authority of Hadrat 'Amir bin 'Abdullah bin Zubair, that when Hadrat Abu Bakr's father saw him spending money to purchase the freedom of the poor slaves and slave-girls, he said to him: "Son, I see that you are getting the weak people free; had you spent this money on the freedom of strong, young men, they would have become your helpers and supporters." Hadrat Abu Bakr replied: "Dear father, I only seek the reward that is with Allah."

وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ {92:21}

[Q92:21] Wa lasawfa yardaa 
[Q92:21] He surely will be pleased (when he will enter Paradise).

SUCH A WHOLE HEARTEDLY DEVOTEE OF ALLAH (SWT) SHALL FIND ALLAH (SWT)’S PLEASURE AS HE EXPECTS.

Ø  ‘Aqta’, i.e., the most pious ones are those whose, one and the only aim of their life, is explained in verse 6:163.

Ø  And the most honourable with ALLAH (SWT), are also only those who guard themselves the most, against evil--- see verse 49:13.

WITH THE VARIANCE IN THE DEGREE OF PIETY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, WILL ALSO NATURALLY BE THE DEGREE OF THE HEAVENLY BLISS THAT WILL BE METED OUT.

µ  HENCE the Heaven or Paradise of the ‘Atqa’ or those ‘Nafse-Mutmainna’ the perfectly satisfied soul, mentioned in verse 89:27, will be ALLAH (SWT)’s own heaven as He Himself names it in verse 89:30 which is His absolute pleasure.

IN ISLAM, THIS DEGREE OF PIETY COULD BE FOUND IN THE HOLY PROPHET (PBUH & HF) AND HIS AHLUL-BAIT WHO HAVE BEEN GRANTED BY ALLAH (SWT) HIMSELF THE EXCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE OF PERFECT PURITY---HAVING BEEN PURIFIED BY ALLAH (SWT)’S HIMSELF. (SEE VERSE 33:33).

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(92:21) He will surely be well-pleased (with him). *11

*11 This verse can have two meanings and both are correct: (1) "That Allah certainly will be well pleased with him;" and (2) "that Allah soon will bless this man with so much that he will be happy."

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