According to both Arabic and
English dictionaries, a
winner is a victor with a
record of successes that
grants or qualifies
for certain promised
awards. Winner, with its
derivatives, and many other
words that spell
out the meaning of a
winner have been extensively
used in the Quran by God
almighty to promote His own
contest. Such words are
specifically used to
encourage us to participate
and race towards the title
in order to claim the
promised prizes. When
the organizer or the grantor
is God Himself, then,
His promised rewards are
irrevocable and guaranteed.
When we read the following
group of verses, an
immediate impression might
be taken of how easy or
manageable to be titled as a
winner from the moment of
death and in God's
kingdom. These verses
are scattered all over the
Quran and almost repeat the
same exact guidelines and
requirements to win the
race. By first glimpse, the
requirements might sound
repetitive but limited. By
deep analysis, we realize
that they are far to reach
for and their repetition
only indicates how God
insists on reminding us over
and over to reflect on these
verses, pay close attention
to the words, and go beyond
the words to conclude what
it takes to fulfill each of
these seemingly easy
requirements and earn a
winning title in the sight
of God.
The repetitive
words/guidelines that we are
reminded with are
righteousness and the
righteous, believing and
obeying God, and His
messenger, observing God's
rites, striving in His
cause, upholding His laws,
uttering the correct words,
being truthful and
charitable, inviting to
good, and forbidding evil,
repenting for our sins,
belonging to God's party and
being with His allies, being
steadfast, and never waver
or compromise. There are
also many attracting signs
for the contestants such as
God's forgiveness,
mercy, support, and
redemption, earning His
pleasure and approval, the
allegories of all the
eternal rewards as winners,
and how dignified and
peaceful when we sense the
true triumph by not tasting
the second death, and when
we are moved away from Hell
on the Judgment Day. The
necessary elements to
achieve each of the above
are deeply, and fully
detailed in the Quran. We
might need few separate
reminders to do them justice
and cover each one of them.
In this reminder, I only
invite you not to take the
following verses lightly, or
underestimate the wisdom
behind the repetition, and
to dwell on all the details
related to each word in
them:
[61:11] Believe in GOD and
His messenger and strive in
the cause of GOD with your
money and your lives.
This is the best
deal for you,
if you only knew.
[61:12] In
return, He
forgives your sins, and
admits you into gardens with
flowing streams, with
beautiful mansions in the
gardens of Eden.
This is the greatest
triumph.
[61:13]
Additionally,
you get something you truly
love: support
from GOD and guaranteed
victory. Give
good news to the believers.
[3:139] You shall
not waver, nor shall you
grieve,
for you are the ultimate
victors,
if you are believers.
[64:9] The day will come
when He summons you to the
Day of Summoning. That is
the Day of Mutual Blaming.
Anyone who
believes in GOD and leads a
righteous life, He will
remit his sins, and will
admit him into gardens with
flowing streams. They abide
therein forever.
This is the
greatest triumph.
[3:104] Let there
be a community of you
who invite to what is
good, advocate
righteousness, and forbid
evil.
These are the winners.
[28:67] As for
those who repent,
believe, and lead a
righteous life,
they will end up
with the winners.
[28:83] We reserve the
abode of the Hereafter
for those who
do not seek
exaltation on earth, nor
corruption.
The ultimate victory
belongs to the righteous.
[30:38] Therefore,
you shall give the relatives
their rightful share
(of charity), as
well as the poor, and the
traveling alien.
This is better
for those who sincerely seek
GOD's pleasure; they are the
winners.
[85:11] Surely,
those who believed and led a
righteous life, have
deserved gardens with
flowing streams. This is
the greatest triumph.
[5:56] Those who
ally themselves with GOD and
His messenger, and those who
believed, belong in the
party of GOD;
absolutely, they are the
victors.
[33:70] O you who
believe, reverence
GOD and utter only
the correct utterances.
[33:71] He will
then fix your works, and
forgive your sins.
Those who obey
GOD and His messenger have
triumphed a great triumph.
[2:2] This scripture is
infallible; a beacon
for the righteous;
[2:3] who
believe in the unseen,
observe the Contact Prayers
(Salat),* and from our**
provisions to them, they
give to charity.
[2:4] And they believe in
what was revealed to you,
and in what was revealed
before you,* and with regard
to the Hereafter, they are
absolutely certain.
[2:5] These are
guided by their Lord; these
are the winners.
[31:3] A beacon and a mercy
for the
righteous.
[31:4] Who
observe the Contact Prayers
(Salat), give the obligatory
charity (Zakat),
and as regards
the Hereafter, they are
absolutely certain.
[31:5] They are
following the guidance from
their Lord,
and they are the winners.
[3:185] Every person tastes
death, then you receive your
recompense on the Day of
Resurrection.
Whoever misses Hell, barely,
and makes it to Paradise,
has attained a great
triumph. The
life of this world is no
more than an illusion.
[6:16] "Whoever is
spared (the
retribution), on
that day, has attained His
mercy.
And this is the greatest
triumph."
[7:8] The scales will be
set on that day, equitably.
Those whose
weights are heavy will be
the winners.
[4:13] These are
GOD's laws. Those who obey
GOD and His messenger,
He will admit them into
gardens with flowing
streams, wherein they abide
forever. This is
the greatest triumph.
[40:51] Most
assuredly,
we will give
victory to
our messengers and
to those who believe,
both in this world
and on the day the
witnesses are summoned.
[57:12] The day will come
when you see the believing
men and women with their
lights radiating ahead of
them and to their right.
Good news is
yours that, on that day,
you will have gardens with
flowing streams. You will
abide therein forever.
This is the great
triumph.
[9:20] Those who
believe, and emigrate, and
strive in the cause of GOD
with their money and their
lives, are far greater in
rank in the sight of GOD.
These are the
winners.
[9:21] Their
Lord gives them good news:
mercy and approval from Him,
and gardens where they
rejoice in everlasting
bliss.
[9:22] Eternally they abide
therein. GOD possesses a
great recompense.
[9:88] As for the messenger
and those who believed with
him, they eagerly strive
with their money and their
lives. These have deserved
all the good things;
they are the winners.
[9:89] GOD has prepared for
them gardens with flowing
streams, wherein they abide
forever. This is
the greatest triumph.
[23:111] "I have
rewarded them today, in
return for their
steadfastness, by
making them the winners."
[5:119] GOD will proclaim,
"This is a day when the
truthful will be saved by
their truthfulness." They
have deserved gardens with
flowing streams. They abide
therein forever. GOD is
pleased with them, and
they are pleased with Him.
This is the greatest
triumph.
[24:51] The only
utterance of the believers,
whenever invited to GOD and
His messenger to judge in
their affairs, is to say,
"We hear and we obey."
These are the
winners.
[24:52] Those who
obey GOD and His messenger,
and reverence GOD and
observe Him, these are
the triumphant ones.
[58:21] GOD has decreed: "I
and My messengers will most
assuredly win."
GOD is Powerful, Almighty.
[58:22] You will
not find people who believe
in GOD and the Last Day
befriending those who oppose
GOD and His messenger, even
if they were their parents,
or their children, or their
siblings, or their tribe.
For these, He decrees faith
into their hearts, and
supports them with
inspiration from Him, and
admits them into gardens
with flowing streams wherein
they abide forever. GOD is
pleased with them, and they
are pleased with Him.
These are the party
of GOD.
Most assuredly,
GOD's party are
the winners.
[45:30] As for those who
believe and work
righteousness, their Lord
will admit them into His
mercy. This is
the great triumph.
[11:49] This is news from
the past that we reveal to
you. You had no knowledge
about them - neither you,
nor your people - before
this. Therefore, be
patient.
The ultimate victory
belongs to the righteous.
[59:20] Not equal are the
dwellers of the Hellfire and
the dwellers of Paradise;
the dwellers of
Paradise are the winners.
[48:5] He will certainly
admit the believing men and
women into gardens with
flowing streams, wherein
they abide forever.
He will remit their sins.
This is, in the sight of
GOD, a great triumph.
[20:132] You shall enjoin
your family to observe the
contact prayers (Salat), and
steadfastly persevere in
doing so. We do not ask you
for any provisions; we are
the ones who provide for
you. The ultimate
triumph belongs to the
righteous.
[7:128] Moses said to his
people, "Seek
GOD's help, and steadfastly
persevere. The
earth belongs to GOD, and He
grants it to whomever He
chooses from among His
servants. The
ultimate victory belongs to
the righteous."
[9:72] GOD promises the
believing men and the
believing women gardens with
flowing streams, wherein
they abide forever, and
magnificent mansions in the
gardens of Eden. And
GOD's blessings and
approval are even
greater.
This is the greatest
triumph.
[9:111] GOD has bought
from the believers their
lives and their money in
exchange for Paradise. Thus,
they fight in the cause of
GOD, willing to kill and get
killed. Such is His truthful
pledge in the Torah, the
Gospel, and the Quran - and
who fulfills His
pledge better than GOD?
You shall rejoice in
making such an exchange.
This is the greatest triumph.
[10:62] Absolutely,
GOD's allies
have nothing to fear, nor
will they grieve.
[10:63] They are
those who
believe and lead a righteous
life.
[10:64] For them, joy and
happiness in this world, as
well as in the Hereafter.
This is GOD's
unchangeable law. Such is
the greatest triumph.
[39:61] And GOD
will save those
who have
maintained
righteousness; He
will reward them.
No harm will touch them, nor
will they have any grief.
[78:31] The righteous have
deserved a
reward.
[78:32] Orchards and
grapes. [78:33] Magnificent
spouses. [78:34] Delicious
drinks.
[78:35] They will never
hear in it any nonsense or
lies.
[78:36] A reward
from your Lord; a
generous recompense.
Reading all the above, it
is crucial to understand
that the strife to uphold
God's laws and maintain
righteousness is a major
requirement for us to win
the race and achieve the
rewards. As emphasized in
the following verses, we
should be aware of the
conditional or partial
obedience of God's laws.
This is indeed a negative
force that only pulls us
backward on the race track:
[35:32] We
passed the scripture from
generation to generation,
and we allowed whomever we
chose from among our
servants to receive it.
Subsequently, some of
them wronged their souls,
others
upheld it
only part of the
time,
while others were eager
to work righteousness in
accordance with GOD's will;
this is the greatest
triumph.
[2:85] ... Do
you believe in part of the
scripture and disbelieve in
part?
What should be the
retribution for those among
you who do this, except
humiliation in this life,
and a far worse retribution
on the Day of Resurrection?
GOD is never unaware of
anything you do.
Following up in the Quran
with the same
crucial thought, it is clear
that maintaining
righteousness, and
upholding ALL
the laws decreed for us is
challenging. It requires a
constant practice, effort,
and
jihad/struggle throughout
life. The moment we take our
belief for granted, we lose
our focus, egoistically
block our ears and eyesight
only to get distracted by
countless idols, then,
relapse. We start to take
God's plans and promises for
granted, thinking we are
marching forward while in
reality we are pedaling in
the same exact spot. What a
wasted energy!
[70:22] Except for the
worshipers.
[70:23] Who always observe
their contact prayers (Salat).
[70:24] Part of their money
is set aside. [70:25] For
the poor and the needy.
[70:26] They believe in the
Day of Judgment.
[70:27] They
reverence their Lord's
requital.
[70:28] Their
Lord's requital is not taken
for granted.
[70:29] They keep their
chastity. [70:30] only with
their spouses, or what is
legally theirs -
[70:31] anyone who
transgresses these limits is
a sinner.
[7:98] Did the people of
today's communities
guarantee that our
retribution will not come to
them in the daytime while
they play?
[7:99] Have they
taken GOD's plans for
granted? None takes GOD's
plans for granted except the
losers.
[7:100] Does it ever occur
to those who inherit the
earth after previous
generations that, if we
will, we can punish them for
their sins, and seal their
hearts, causing them to turn
deaf?
Examine Yourself
[18:103] Say, "Shall I tell
you who the worst
losers are?
[18:104] "They are
the ones whose works in this
life are totally astray,
but they think that they
are doing good."
The following verses are
to motivate us to focus on
the race in a healthy and
productive manner, heading
towards the right direction,
and using all aids and signs
from God almighty. The
certainty of finding God at
the end of track plays a
dynamic role. It makes us
reverent at all times, and
minimizes any kind of
distractions:
[3:133] You should
eagerly race towards
forgiveness from
your Lord and a Paradise
whose width encompasses the
heavens and the earth; it
awaits the righteous,
[3:134] who
give to charity
during the good times, as
well as the bad times. They
are suppressors
of anger, and
pardoners of the
people. GOD
loves the charitable.
[3:135] If they
fall in sin or wrong their
souls, they remember GOD and
ask forgiveness for their
sins - and who
forgives the sins except GOD
- and they do not
persist in sins, knowingly.
[3:136] Their
recompense is forgiveness
from their Lord, and gardens
with flowing streams; they
abide therein forever.
What a blessed
reward for the workers!
[2:148] Each of you
chooses the direction to
follow;
you shall race towards
righteousness.
Wherever you may be, GOD
will summon you all. GOD is
Omnipotent.
[5:48] .... You
shall compete in
righteousness.
To GOD is your final destiny
- all of you - then He will
inform you of everything you
had disputed.
[23:57] Surely, those
who are
reverently conscious of
their Lord,
[23:58] And who
believe in the
revelations of their Lord,
[23:59] And who
never set up
any idols beside their Lord,
[23:60] As they
give their charities,
their hearts are fully
reverent.
For they recognize that
they will be summoned before
their Lord,
[23:61] They are
eager to do righteous works;
they compete in doing them.
[37:58] "(Do you still
believe) that we
die,
[37:59] "only the
first death, and we never
receive any requital?"
Redemption: The
Greatest Triumph
[37:60] Such is
the greatest triumph.
[37:61] This is
what every worker should
work for.
[83:22] The righteous have
deserved bliss.
[83:23] On luxurious
furnishings they watch.
[83:24] You recognize in
their faces the joy of
bliss.
[83:25] Their drinks will
be spiced with nectar.
[83:26] Its spice is like
musk. This is
what the competitors should
compete for.
At the moment
of departing this earth, it
will be clearly announced
for us if we safely made it
to the winning title or not
(16:32). We will know if we
successfully finished the
race and redeemed our souls
or not. Until this moment,
the track is wide opened
with an equal opportunity of
winning for each and every
soul. Until then, we are
only competitors with the
option of being ultimate
winners. We should never
take our faith for granted.
[40:7] ..."Our Lord, Your
mercy and Your knowledge
encompass all things.
Forgive those who repent and
follow Your path, and spare
them the retribution of
Hell.
[40:8] "Our Lord, and admit
them into the gardens of
Eden that You promised for
them and for the righteous
among their parents,
spouses, and children. You
are the Almighty, Most Wise.
[40:9] "And protect them
from falling in sin.
Whomever You protect from
falling in sin, on that day,
has attained mercy from You.
This is the greatest
triumph."
Peaceful Friday, salaam,
and God bless.
