September 20th

Dunya vs. the Hereafter
Halaqah & iftar at sr. Komila's house.

We made a quick comparison between this temporal world and eternal world in jannah or the hellfire. We also spoke about the people of al-Aaraf. Here's an explanation of the verses:

Surah # 7: Al-Aaraf. Verses 46-48 (taken from tafsir of ibn Kathir)
46. And between them will be a (barrier) screen and on Al-A`raf will be men, who would recognize all, by their marks. And they will call out to the dwellers of Paradise, "Peace be on you'' and at that time they will not yet have entered it (Paradise), but they will hope to enter (it).

--(And between them will be a screen) "It is the wall, it is Al-A`raf.'' Mujahid said, "Al-A`raf is a barrier between Paradise and the Fire, a wall that has a gate.'' Ibn Jarir said, "Al-A`raf is plural for `Urf, where every elevated piece of land is known as `Urf to the Arabs.'' As-Suddi said, "Al-A`raf is so named because its residents recognize (Ya`rifun) the people. Al-A`raf's residents are those whose good and bad deeds are equal, as Hudhayfah, Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud and several of the Salaf and later generations said.'' Ibn Jarir recorded that Hudhayfah was asked about the people of Al-A`raf and he said, "A people whose good and bad deeds are equal. Their evil deeds prevented them from qualifying to enter Paradise, and their good deeds qualified them to avoid the Fire. Therefore, they are stopped there on the wall until Allah judges them.''

47. And when their eyes will be turned towards the dwellers of the Fire, they will say: "Our Lord! Place us not with the people who are wrongdoers.''

--Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "When the people of Al-A`raf look at the people of the Fire and recognize them, they will supplicate, `O Lord! Do not place us with the people who are wrongdoers.''

48. And the men on Al-A`raf will call unto the men whom they would recognize by their marks, saying: "Of what benefit to you was your gathering, and your arrogance'') (49. "Are they those, of whom you swore that Allah would never show them mercy (Behold! It has been said to them): `Enter Paradise, no fear shall be on you, nor shall you grieve.'

--Allah states that the people of Al-A`raf will admonish some of the chiefs of the idolators whom they recognize by their marks in the Fire, saying, ("Of what benefit to you was your gathering...'') meaning, your great numbers.

--(Are they those, of whom you swore that Allah would never show them mercy) refers to the people of Al-A`raf who will be told when Allah decrees: "Behold! It has been said to them): "Enter Paradise, no fear shall be on you, nor shall you grieve.''


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The people of al-Aaraf will be eventually entered into Jannah out of Allah's mercy.