Out of Love
Summary:
A question bewildered me for some time concerning the unforgivable sin of denying God. For God says in the Holy Quran:
﴿قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالا، الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا، أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَائِهِ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَلا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا، ذَلِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ بِمَا كَفَرُوا وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَرُسُلِي هُزُوًا﴾ (الكهف، آية 103-106).
“Say (O Muhammad ): "Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds! They are those who deny the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord and the Meeting with Him (in the Hereafter). So their works are in vain, and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall not give them any weight. That shall be their recompense, Hell; because they disbelieved and took My Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and My Messengers by way of jest and mockery.” (18:103-106)
I used to ask myself: If Allah is the Most Merciful, and if we are nothing compared to His Grandiosity, why doesn't He forgive those who deny Him? I used to think that as long as they are honest, devoted, help the devastated and are kind to others, then why should God overlook there good deeds just because they refute His oneness?
Then one day I was walking with my son, who was four then, in one of the main malls of Cairo. Suddenly, I lost him in the crowd, I felt very nervous and worried, I looked around me everywhere, searching for him, I was totally aware of the afflicted future that would be waiting for him if he was lost forever. Fortunately, a few minutes later, I found him. While holding him in tears, I told him firmly that he is not allowed to leave me again and go astray, he has to follow my path, otherwise, I will punish him severely.
Upon uttering these words I found the answer to my big question!
God warns of punishment not to revenge for Himself, but He warns who hurts others and himself as well. This is shown in the verse:
﴿..وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَكِن كَانُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ ﴾ (البقرة، آية 57).
“… And they wronged Us not – but they were (only) wronging themselves.” (2:57)
Life without God is humiliating, for he who denies God’s existence, seeks others’ help to fulfill his needs. Life without God is depressing and fearful, because everything that seems to bring safety, like health and wealth, is temporary and in demise. Life without God is empty and void as all earthly goals are momentary. Life without God is desperate, because ultimately all beautiful things end to dust. Life without God is ignorance as it will be impossible to know the wisdom of our life journey. Life without God is misguided as one would fail to realize his role in life. Finally, life without God is a choice!
Certainly, the purpose of our life journey is to know God, and if we fail to do so, then our Journey becomes meaningless. It is similar to someone heading to the US, and yet books his plane ticket to Somalia! And because God is the most Merciful, He warns us of the maximum calamity and loss.