Man is between two domains. One is the present world, which is before him, and the second is the world of the Hereafter, which is hidden from view. The real test of man is that he should prefer the Hereafter to the present world. But this can be done only by one who has the courage to exercise control over the base desires of the self and not behave arrogantly.1
Characteristics of the people of Hell
First, the special marks of the inmates of Hell are described.
They have two characteristics:
فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَىٰ وَآثَرَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا (then for the one who had rebelled, and preferred the worldly life [ to the Hereafter ]…79:38).
Disloyalty
Instead of remaining loyal to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ and following their commands, they adopt the line of rejection and rebellion.
Materialism
They give preference to the comforts and pleasure of this life to the pleasure of the next life without regard for their afterlife.
Those who are characterised by these two qualities the Blazing Fire, that is Hell, will be their abode, thus: فَإِنَّ الْجَحِيمَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىٰ (the Hell will be the abode… 79:39).2
Characteristics of the people of Paradise
Thereafter, the special marks of the inmates of Paradise are described.
They too have two characteristics:
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ (whereas for the one who feared to stand before his Lord, and restrained his self from the [ evil ] desire, 79:40). In other words, [ 1] the first characteristic of a God-fearing person is that, in this life, he shudders at the thought of appearing before Allah to account for his deeds on the Day of Reckoning; and [ 2] forbids the baser self from its evil desires. Those who are characterised by these two qualities have the good news that the Paradise will be their abode, thus: فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىٰ (the Paradise will be the abode….79:41)
Accountability
They shudder at the thought of appearing before Allah to account for their deeds on the Day of Reckoning
Self-Restraint
They forbid the baser self from its evil desires and guard the inroads of their heart from spiritual corruption
Three Levels of Suppressing [the Base] Self
The first condition is the fear of accountability in the presence of Allah. The second condition is to restrain oneself from the evil desires. As a matter of fact, fear of Allah causes one to restrain oneself from evil desires.
Three levels of suppressing evil desires, from Tafsir Mazhari, as follows:
The first level is that one avoids false beliefs which are in conflict or incompatible with express texts [of the Holy Qur’an and established Sunnah] and consensus of [the righteous] predecessors. In this level, a person deserves to be called ‘Sunni Muslim’.
The second level is the middle one. A person, in this stage, may think of committing sin. Then he may remember that he has to account for his deeds before Allah [on the Day of Reckoning]. As a result, he abandons the thought of committing sin.
And furthermore find themselves leaving that which is doubtful for that which is clear.
The third and the highest level of suppression of the base self is that by abundant dhikrullah [remembrance of Allah] and constant mujahadah [spiritual struggle and endeavour against the evil passions] and riyadah [ascetic discipline], one’s self (nafs) is so much cleansed and purified that the desires that tempts him to evil are totally eliminated. 3
The Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said:
“Sometimes I feel my heart disturbed, and I recite istighfar [ seek Allah’s pardon ] a hundred times a day.”
Surah Al Naziat Ayat 34-46
But, when the Supreme Disaster comes to pass—
the Day every person will remember all ˹their˺ striving,
and the Hellfire will be displayed for all to see—
then as for those who transgressed
and preferred the ˹fleeting˺ life of this world,
the Hellfire will certainly be ˹their˺ home.
And as for those who were in awe of standing before their Lord and restrained themselves from ˹evil˺ desires,
Paradise will certainly be ˹their˺ home.
They ask you ˹O Prophet˺ regarding the Hour, “When will it be?”
But it is not for you to tell its time.
That knowledge rests with your Lord ˹alone˺.
Your duty is only to warn whoever is in awe of it.
On the Day they see it, it will be as if they had stayed ˹in the world˺ no more than one evening or its morning.
فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلطَّآمَّةُ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ ٣٤
يَوْمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مَا سَعَىٰ ٣٥
وَبُرِّزَتِ ٱلْجَحِيمُ لِمَن يَرَىٰ ٣٦
فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَىٰ ٣٧
وَءَاثَرَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا ٣٨
فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَحِيمَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ ٣٩
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ وَنَهَى ٱلنَّفْسَ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ ٤٠
فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَنَّةَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ ٤١
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا ٤٢
فِيمَ أَنتَ مِن ذِكْرَىٰهَآ ٤٣
إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ مُنتَهَىٰهَآ ٤٤
إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُنذِرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰهَا ٤٥
كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَىٰهَا ٤٦