Many a non Muslims often comment on the Divine wrath and object that "Allah of Islam" breeds violence and is heartless to the good and the kind. But if they ever try to read Qur'an they should be surprised that Allah is full of mercy and ever forgiver of the sins of all those who return to Him repenting and begging Him for His mercy and forgiveness. And Allah on umpteen number of times promises that He would forgive their sins provided they repent in absolute sincerity. But those stubborn and ungrateful who do not repent their sins due to their sheer arrogance, shall surely see the Divine wrath and will be thrown into the Hell.
The 32nd verse is in fact continuation for the verse 31 which says:
وَاُزۡلِفَتِ الۡجَـنَّةُ لِلۡمُتَّقِيۡنَ غَيۡرَ بَعِيۡدٍ
And when Paradise shall be brought close to the God-fearing, and will no longer be far away,
That is, as soon as the judgment will be passed about a person from the court of Allah that he is righteous and worthy of Paradise, he will immediately find Paradise in front of him. He will not have to travel a distance on foot or by a conveyance to reach to it. There will be no interval between the pronouncement of the judgment and his entry into the Paradise. From this it can be judged how different the concept of space and time is between this world and the Hereafter. The concept of space and time that we are familiar in this world will become meaningless there.
And then the mention is made of the two types of believers for whom this promise is being made:
هٰذَا مَا تُوۡعَدُوۡنَ لِكُلِّ اَوَّابٍ حَفِيۡظٍۚ
(50:32) it will be said: “This is what you were promised, a promise made to everyone who turned much (to Allah) and was keeper [of His covenant],
The word Awwāb أَوَّاب is very extensive in meaning. It implies the person who might have adopted the way of obedience and Allah's goodwill instead of the way of disobedience and the flesh, who gives up everything that is disapproved by Allah and adopts everything that is approved by him, who gets alarmed as soon as he swerves a little from the path of worship and obedience and repents and returns to the path of worship and obedience, who remembers Allah much and turns to Him in all matters of life.
The word Hafeez حَفِيۡظٍۚ means the "one who guards. " This implies the person who takes care of the bounds and duties enjoined by Allah, who guards the trusts imposed by Allah and avoids the things forbidden by him, who keeps watch over his time, energies and activities to see that none of these is being misemployed or misused, who offers repentance, remains steadfast and keeps it. strong and intact, who examines himself over and over again to see that he is not disobeying his Lord anywhere in word or deed. [1]
Honour is shown with every word and move. Paradise is brought near so that they do not trouble themselves about going to it. The bliss of being accepted by God is extended to them there: "This is what you have been promised; this is for everyone who used to turn to God and to keep Him in mind, who used to stand in awe of the Lord of Grace although He is beyond the reach of human perception, and who comes before Him with a heart full of devotion." It is those who are on high that state their qualities. Thus they realize that this is how they appear in God's records. Then they are admitted to heaven, in peace, a place from which they will not be turned out: "Enter paradise in peace; this is the day when everlasting life begins." An announcement is made on high, noting their position and making it clear that their share with God is unlimited: "There they shall have all that they desire, and We have even more for them." Whatever they may wish for will remain less than what is prepared for them. Since more' is given by their Lord, it must be limitless. [2]
This verse emphasizes the importance of two key qualities that lead to the reward of Paradise:
- Repentance and devotion (Awwab): Those who continuously seek Allah’s forgiveness, recognizing their mistakes and returning to Him again again.
- Guarding Allah’s commands (Hafeez): Those who preserve their faith, guard themselves from sins, and maintain their religious obligations with sincerity.
Reference to Hadith:
The concept of repentance and keeping one’s duties to Allah is supported by numerous Hadiths that highlight the virtues of both.
- Hadith on Repentance (Awwab): The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
"All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent." (Tirmidhi)
This hadith complements the concept of being an Awwab — someone who repeatedly returns to Allah through repentance. It shows that no matter how often a believer sins, the act of returning to Allah through sincere repentance is highly valued in Islam.
- Hadith on Guarding Obligations (Hafeez): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Guard the commandments of Allah, and He will guard you. Safeguard His rights, and you will find Him with you." (Tirmidhi)
This hadith reflects the concept of being a Hafeez, where a believer is conscious of their duties toward Allah, safeguarding the obligations such as prayer, fasting, and other commandments.
Deeper Insights:
"This is what you were promised" refers to the promise of Paradise, which Allah guarantees to those who meet the criteria of being an Awwab and a Hafeez. These qualities of repentance and safeguarding one's duties show that Islam places a great emphasis on continuous effort and sincerity, rather than perfection. It's about constantly turning back to Allah and striving to guard one's faith.
Surah Qaf, verse 32, thus, emphasizes the qualities of repentance and protecting one’s religious obligations as key factors in attaining Paradise. The supporting Hadiths reinforce the idea that while all humans make mistakes, what truly matters is the continual return to Allah and commitment to safeguarding His commands. Those who embody these characteristics are promised the ultimate reward of Paradise.
If we start acting on all such promises made by Allah at various places in Qur'an, we can cleanse ourselves of all sins and ensure adherence to covenant made to Allah and be rest assured of promise of Allah of bringing Paradise close to us, In sha Allah.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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