Patient to Seek God’s Countenance and Guidance

13.Surah ArRa'd

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَالَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ ابْتِغَاء وَجْهِ رَبِّهِمْ...

13: 22.  Those who patiently persevere, seeking the countenance their Lord;

...وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَأَنفَقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلاَنِيَةً...

establish regular prayers;

spend, out of (the gifts) We have bestowed for their sustenance, secretly and openly;

...وَيَدْرَؤُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ...

and turn off Evil with good:

...أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمْ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ ﴿٢٢﴾

for such there is the final attainment of the (Eternal) Home --

C1836. Their journey in this life was at best a sojourn. The Heaven is their eternal Home, which is further prefigured in the two following verses.

جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا وَمَنْ صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ...

13: 23.  Gardens of perpetual bliss:

they shall enter there, as well as the righteous among their fathers, their spouses, and their offspring:

C1837. The relationships of this life are temporal, but love in righteousness is eternal.

In the eternal Gardens of Bliss the righteous will be reunited with all those near and dear ones whom they loved, provided only that they were righteous also; for in eternity nothing else counts.

Blood-relationships and marriage relationships create certain physical bonds in this life, which may lead to much good, and possibly also to evil. All that is physical or evil will go. But the good will come forth with a new meaning in the final Reckoning. Thus ancestors and descendants, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, (for dhurriyat includes them), whose love was pure and sanctified, will find new bliss in the perfecting of their love and will see a new and mystic meaning in the old and ephemeral bonds.

Can we wonder at Jacob's reunion with Joseph, or that of Moses with Aaron, or Muhammad Al Mustafa with the Lady Khadija?

In fact all the Righteous will be reunited in the Hereafter (12:101).

...وَالمَلاَئِكَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِم مِّن كُلِّ بَابٍ ﴿٢٣﴾

and angels shall enter unto them from every gate (with the salutation):

سَلاَمٌ عَلَيْكُم بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ ﴿٢٤﴾   

13: 24.  "Peace unto you for that ye persevered in patience!

Now how excellent is the final Home!"

Other versions:

13: 22

Pickthall Such as persevere in seeking their Lord's countenance and are regular in prayer and spend of that which We bestow upon them secretly and openly, and overcome evil with good. Theirs will be the sequel of the (heavenly) Home.

Yuksel Those who are patient seeking their Lord's direction; and they hold the contact prayer, and they spend from what We bestowed upon them secretly and openly, and they counter sin with good; these will have an excellent abode.

Transliteration Wallazina sabaru-btiga_'a wajhi rabbihim wa aqa_mus sala_ta wa anfaqu_ mimma_ razaqna_hum sirraw wa 'ala_niyataw wa yadra'u_na bil hasana_tis sayyi'ata ula_'ika lahum 'uqbad da_r(i),

[ Asad note 44: ………But the great majority of the classical commentators hold that the meaning is “they repay evil with good” : thus Al-hasan al-Basri (as quoted by Baghawi, Zamakhshari and Razi): “When they are deprived [of anything], they give; and when they are wronged, they forgive.” Tabari’s explanation is very similar: “They repel the evil done to them by doing good to those who did it”; and “they do not repay evil with evil, but repel it by [doing ] good”. See also 41:34-36. ]

13: 23

Pickthall Gardens of Eden which they enter, along with all who do right of their fathers and their helpmeets and their seed. The angels enter unto them from every gate.

Transliteration Janna_tu 'adniy yadkhulu_naha_ wa man salaha mina a_ba_'ihim wa azwa_jihim wa zurriyya_tihim wal mala_'ikatu yadkhulu_na 'alaihim min kulli ba_b(in).

13: 24

Pickthall (Saying): Peace be unto you because ye persevered. Ah, passing sweet will be the sequel of the (heavenly) Home.

Transliteration Sala_mun 'alaikum bima_ sabartum fa ni'ma 'uqbad da_r(i).