Deeds are judged by their endings.
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A sane person must take a lesson from the past regarding what lies ahead. The year that has just passed is gone as if it were a moment of the day, as if it were one of the fleeting instants. Likewise, the coming year will be like its predecessor; it will pass quickly. So we must resolve ourselves with earnestness and effort to do what benefits us in our religion and our worldly affairs, by doing righteous deeds and avoiding what is forbidden, so that we may make up for what we have missed. The remaining life of a believer has no value, and deeds are judged by their endings.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the truthful and veracious, informed us: (That a man will do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is nothing between him and it but an arm's length, when the decree overtakes him, and he will do the deeds of the people of the Fire and enter it) until nothing remains of his life and his term comes to an end,And the meaning is not: until there is nothing between him and it but an arm's length in terms of his deeds,Meaning: that his deeds will bring him close to Paradise,The meaning: until there is nothing between him and it but an arm's length in terms of his lifespan. Then the decree overtakes him and he does the deeds of the people of the Fire. But if he truly does the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is nothing between him and it but an arm's length in terms of his deeds, then Allah the Exalted will not disappoint his effort. (Whoever draws near to Us by a handspan, We draw near to him by an arm's length, and whoever draws near to Us by an arm's length, We draw near to him by a cubit).
It is impossible in the wisdom and mercy of Allah that He should abandon a person who has spent his life in obedience to Allah until there is nothing left but an arm's length. But this is the intent of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): that there is nothing between him and it but an arm's length,Meaning: in terms of his lifespan, but he does the deeds of the people of Paradise in the eyes of people—I seek refuge in Allah—while he is actually from the people of the Fire. We ask Allah for safety.
And this is attested by the authentic hadith in al-Bukhari and others: (That a man was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a battle, and he was a brave and courageous man whom the Companions envied and looked at with reverence. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said one day: This man is from the people of the Fire. This was a great shock to the Companions—why? Because he was a brave and courageous man who did not leave any weakness of the enemy unaddressed, but dealt with it. So if this man is from the people of the Fire while he is of this stature in jihad, what about those below him?So one of them said: By Allah! I will keep him close—Meaning: I will be his companion until I see what happens to the man?
What will be his state?—He says: He was hit by an arrow and panicked—and it seems, and Allah knows best, that he panicked because he was a courageous and brave man, and a brave man does not accept defeat. He panicked, drew his sword, placed it on his chest, and leaned on it until it came out of his back—seeking refuge in Allah—and he killed himself—and one who kills himself is in the Fire. The man returned to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah,He said: And by what?He said: that the man you said was from the people of the Fire did such and such,Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: that a man does the deeds of the people of Paradise in the eyes of people, while he is from the people of the Fire).
May Allah rectify our inner and outer states for you and for us. The deed is based on the inner state, the state of the heart. Purify the heart; purify the limbs! And the heart is what is tested on the Day of Resurrection, as Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Adiyat: 9-10],And Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Tariq: 8-9] So you, my Muslim brother, must purify your heart and cleanse it from doubt and shirk (associating partners with Allah), and from hypocrisy and hatred toward the Muslims, and from enmity and hostility, so that your outward and inward states are purified.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the truthful and veracious, informed us: (That a man will do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is nothing between him and it but an arm's length, when the decree overtakes him, and he will do the deeds of the people of the Fire and enter it) until nothing remains of his life and his term comes to an end,And the meaning is not: until there is nothing between him and it but an arm's length in terms of his deeds,Meaning: that his deeds will bring him close to Paradise,The meaning: until there is nothing between him and it but an arm's length in terms of his lifespan. Then the decree overtakes him and he does the deeds of the people of the Fire. But if he truly does the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is nothing between him and it but an arm's length in terms of his deeds, then Allah the Exalted will not disappoint his effort. (Whoever draws near to Us by a handspan, We draw near to him by an arm's length, and whoever draws near to Us by an arm's length, We draw near to him by a cubit).
It is impossible in the wisdom and mercy of Allah that He should abandon a person who has spent his life in obedience to Allah until there is nothing left but an arm's length. But this is the intent of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): that there is nothing between him and it but an arm's length,Meaning: in terms of his lifespan, but he does the deeds of the people of Paradise in the eyes of people—I seek refuge in Allah—while he is actually from the people of the Fire. We ask Allah for safety.
And this is attested by the authentic hadith in al-Bukhari and others: (That a man was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a battle, and he was a brave and courageous man whom the Companions envied and looked at with reverence. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said one day: This man is from the people of the Fire. This was a great shock to the Companions—why? Because he was a brave and courageous man who did not leave any weakness of the enemy unaddressed, but dealt with it. So if this man is from the people of the Fire while he is of this stature in jihad, what about those below him?So one of them said: By Allah! I will keep him close—Meaning: I will be his companion until I see what happens to the man?
What will be his state?—He says: He was hit by an arrow and panicked—and it seems, and Allah knows best, that he panicked because he was a courageous and brave man, and a brave man does not accept defeat. He panicked, drew his sword, placed it on his chest, and leaned on it until it came out of his back—seeking refuge in Allah—and he killed himself—and one who kills himself is in the Fire. The man returned to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah,He said: And by what?He said: that the man you said was from the people of the Fire did such and such,Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: that a man does the deeds of the people of Paradise in the eyes of people, while he is from the people of the Fire).
May Allah rectify our inner and outer states for you and for us. The deed is based on the inner state, the state of the heart. Purify the heart; purify the limbs! And the heart is what is tested on the Day of Resurrection, as Allah the Exalted said: