In Surah Mulk verse 12, and it’s got some really good news for believers. It basically says that after Allah forgives them, they’re going to get this huge reward from Him! This reward is even called “Wa Ajarun Kabir” in the verse 12.
But it makes you wonder, What exactly is this “great reward” that Allah is talking about? Like, what’s this “Ultimate Prize of Allah Almighty” really all about? We learn from Surah Yasin that the greatest reward given by Allah (SWT) to those who enter Jannah is his salaam, when he lifts his veil and reveals himself for the first time.
The Ultimate Prize of Allah Almighty
“Great Reward”! You know, the Quran actually gives us a little glimpse of it, which is just mind-blowing. It’s in Surah Ya-Seen, verse 58, and it says, “Salaam un Qaulan Mir Rabbir Rahim” which means, “They will be greeted with the word peace, from the Lord of Mercy [Allah].” Just think about that for a second. “Peace” from Allah himself!
Can you imagine how unbelievably amazing that moment would be? It’s talking about “the day of increase,” which some people say is when we get to see Allah—when He “lifts his veil.” And it’s so interesting how this reward, this “Ajar,” is connected to these ideas of “Ghaib”.
Think about it: in this world, in the “duniya,” Allah is “Al-Ghaib,” the Unseen. And the reason He’s veiled Himself from us is actually because of His love and mercy! It’s like, He’s protecting us!
Because if He were to just reveal Himself to us in all His glory now, it would be too much. Remember the story of Prophet Musa (Moses)? He asked Allah to reveal Himself, and you know what happened. The mountains were just shattered by Allah’s light, and even Musa (peace be upon him) was almost like wiped out! It’s that powerful.
But in Jannah, it’s different! There, Allah promises, out of His incredible love for the people who deserve it, that this will be the best reward ever! And it makes me think of this really famous story, this hadith. It’s about when the Jibreel came to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) disguised as a man. And he asked the Prophet to explain Islam, Eemaan, and Ihsaan.
Now, here’s the thing that’s really interesting: we all kind of know what Islam and Eemaan are, right? Islam is about the five pillars, and Eemaan is about believing in the articles of faith—like believing in Allah, the angels, and the prophets.
But then Jibreel asks about “Ihsaan.” And it makes you wonder, why is he putting Ihsaan right up there with Islam and Eemaan? What is this “Ihsaan,” and why is it so important? Well, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave this beautiful description of Ihsaan. He said it’s: “To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, He sees you.”
For a believer, just doing the basics of Islam is kind of like the starting point, the basic level. Because those are things we do outwardly, because we’re told to do them. Eemaan, believing in the unseen, that’s already on a higher level, because it’s about what’s in your heart, believing in things you haven’t even seen. But Ihsaan? Ihsaan is like the highest level—it’s a soul level! Because it’s asking us to really visualize Allah in everything we do. It’s about feeling His presence all the time. And this level, Ihsaan, actually ties together all the main teachings of our Deen! Things like:
- Tawheed (Oneness of God).
- Taqwa (God-consciousness).
- Tawakkul (Trust in Allah).
- Ikhlas (Sincerity).
- Haya (Modesty/Shyness before God).
- Shukr (Gratitude).
- Sabr (Patience).
So, think about it: all the good things we do for other people – helping them out, being kind, all of that stuff – it should all be based on those fundamental teachings we just talked about, right? Those things like Tawheed, Taqwa, Ihlas, and all those beautiful qualities. It’s like, everything good we do should reflect those principles.
And that Hadith we mentioned earlier about Ihsaan? It’s actually telling us something super important: Ihsaan is like a must-have part of our “Deen” – you know, our whole way of life as Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) laid it out for us. It’s like, our Deen just isn’t complete without it!
So, when you think about that, imagine the ultimate rewards that Allah could give us! I mean, it’s beyond our wildest dreams, right? Even though in this world – in the “duniya” – Allah has chosen to keep Himself hidden from our eyes, we can still try our best to feel like we’re always in His presence, like we’re always worshipping Him in everything we do, every single action. It’s like trying to visualize Him, even though we can’t see Him.
And when we actually reach that really high level of Ihsaan. It’s said that it can even allow us to “die before dying.” That sounds kind of mysterious, but it’s talking about experiencing this amazing state called “Fana’ Fillah”. It’s like, you become so completely absorbed in thinking about Allah, so lost in love for Him, that your own ego, your own self, kind of dissolves. It’s like you become nothing, and He becomes everything.
This is described as the final, ultimate stage on that journey of “Return to Allah.” It’s where the lover is completely lost and absorbed into the being of the Beloved. And that, they say, is the ultimate prize! Because then, even while we’re still living in this “duniya,” we can actually “see” Allah – not with our physical eyes, of course, but with our hearts, through that highest level of Ihsaan.
So, how do we actually do that? How do we bring this essence of Ihsaan into our everyday lives? Well, one way to start is to just try to imagine how much Allah Almighty truly loves us. Think about it: He loves us so much even when we just have faith in Him as the Unseen!
There’s even this really touching Hadith where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that Allah loves those believers who believe in him after his death even more than some of his own companions who were with him all the time and were super devoted!
And the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that’s because you and I – we haven’t actually seen Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with our own eyes. But we still hear about him, we still believe in him, and we still try to obey his teachings. That kind of unseen faith, that kind of commitment Allah loves that so much.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it really makes you want to try for this “ultimate prize”. Let’s really put in the effort, let’s really strive for it, while we’re still alive, while we still have the chance! And you know what? Let’s not just sit around waiting and hoping to hear Allah’s “salaam” – His greeting of peace – someday, in the Hereafter. Let’s try our absolute best to receive that peace right here, right now, in this life!