In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Peace
Being at peace is promised and reserved for the reverent believers who have reached the realization and certainty about God and His absolute authority. The blessing of certainty empowers with the strong will to observe God and uphold His laws, willingly and unconditionally, with no hesitation, fear or compromise. The reverent submitters who strive to achieve and maintain such certainty feel liberated and sense real peace and contentment under all circumstances.
[5:50] Is it the law of the days of ignorance that they seek to uphold? Whose law is better than GOD's for those who have attained certainty?
[32:24] We appointed from among them imams who guided in accordance with our commandments, because they steadfastly persevered and attained certainty about our revelations.
[10:25] GOD invites to the abode of peace, and guides whoever wills (to be guided) in a straight path.
[2:38] We said, "Go down therefrom, all of you. When guidance comes to you from Me, those who follow My guidance will have no fear, nor will they grieve.
Real peace can never be achieved by means other than following the guidance of God and staying connected with Him. Pursuing peace without this divine guidance and connection is a squandered and illusion with no real gain.
[24:55] GOD promises those among you who believe and lead a righteous life, that He will make them sovereigns on earth, as He did for those before them, and will establish for them the religion He has chosen for them, and will substitute peace and security for them in place of fear. All this because they worship Me alone; they never set up any idols beside Me. Those who disbelieve after this are the truly wicked.
[5:15] .... A beacon has come to you from GOD, and a profound scripture.
[5:16] With it, GOD guides those who seek His approval. He guides them to the paths of peace, leads them out of darkness into the light by His leave, and guides them in a straight path.
There is a misconception that with the above explanation of peace, true believers do not and should not sense any fear or grief in their lives. In the light of Quran, that seems unrealistic and doesn't conform with human nature. Verses such as 46:13, 10:62 and 2:62 can be misunderstood if not taken in the context of the entire Quran.
[10:62] Absolutely, GOD's allies have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.
Our Creator is fully aware of our weaknesses and emotional reactions to different situations or losses. The following are just a few examples that only show and validate some of our human feelings:
- Moses' mother was anxious and worried about her son.
[28:10] The mind of Moses' mother was growing so anxious that she almost gave away his identity. But we strengthened her heart, to make her a believer.
[28:13] Thus, we restored him to his mother, in order to please her, remove her worries, and to let her know that GOD's promise is the truth. However, most of them do not know.
- Both Moses and Aaron were afraid to approach Pharaoh and his people with the message, and Moses was intimidated by the great magical skills of Pharaoh's people.
[20:45] They said, "Our Lord, we fear lest he may attack us, or transgress."
[20:46] He said, "Do not be afraid, for I will be with you, listening and watching.
[20:67] Moses harbored some fear.
[20:68] We said, "Have no fear. You will prevail.
- Abraham feared his honorable guests.
[51:28] He harbored fear of them. They said, "Have no fear," and they gave good news of a knowledgeable son.
- Muhammad feared traditions and was intimidated by social pressure.
[33:37] Recall that you said to the one who was blessed by GOD, and blessed by you, "Keep your wife and reverence GOD," and you hid inside yourself what GOD wished to proclaim. Thus, you feared the people, when you were supposed to fear only GOD. When Zeid was completely through with his wife, we had you marry her, in order to establish the precedent that a man may marry the divorced wife of his adopted son. GOD's commands shall be done.
[80:1] He (Muhammad) frowned and turned away.
[80:2] When the blind man came to him.
- We laugh and cry, and God is the One who controls both.
[53:43] He is the One who makes you laugh or cry.
- God's messengers grieve but their grief is never a threat of losing peace or a feeling that is out of anger and despair but rather a human emotional expression. Jacob never stopped imploring God, never lost his hope and never lost his peace while dealing with and grieving over the loss of his son, Joseph.
[12:18] They produced his shirt with fake blood on it. He said, "Indeed, you have conspired with each other to commit a certain scheme. All I can do is resort to a quiet patience. May GOD help me in the face of your conspiracy."
[12:84] He turned away from them, saying, "I am grieving over Joseph." His eyes turned white from grieving so much; he was truly sad.
[12:86] He said, "I simply complain to GOD about my dilemma and grief, for I know from GOD what you do not know.
- God's messengers feel saddened, and take their rejection personally.
[6:33] We know that you may be saddened by what they say. You should know that it is not you that they reject; it is GOD's revelations that the wicked disregard.
[12:110] Just when the messengers despair, and think that they had been rejected, our victory comes to them. We then save whomever we choose, while our retribution for the guilty people is unavoidable.
- God's messengers get scared and shaken up.
[2:214] Do you expect to enter Paradise without being tested like those before you? They were tested with hardship and adversity, and were shaken up, until the messenger and those who believed with him said, "Where is GOD's victory?" GOD's victory is near.
We learn from the above lessons that God is validating our human emotions of fear, anxiety and grief. God also teaches us that if we remember Him and reverse our insecurities during our difficult tests to a total trust in Him alone, we achieve our promised peace. God teaches us that the fear of lightning can turn into hope (30:24). The source of Abraham's fearless and peaceful behavior with the idol worshipers was his certainty about God and his extraordinary trust in His will. He almost sacrificed his son (37:102-111) and walked into the fire, but God saved him and showered him with peace and contentment in both cases (37:106-110, 21:69).. God's tests are inevitable and testing the believers is a crystal clear system in Quran. It is how we maintain our trust in God at all times that brings us peace despite our grief. When God is telling us that believers shall not fear or grieve, He is simply offering us His sympathy, filling our hearts with hope, reassurance and courage and reminding us with His promises for those who steadfastly persevere in upholding His commands & ethics and maintaining their submission while going through their emotional turmoil and tests.
[20:112] As for those who worked righteousness, while believing, they will have no fear of injustice or adversity.
[48:26] While those who disbelieved were enraged, and their hearts were filled with the pride of the days of ignorance, GOD blessed His messenger and the believers with peaceful contentment, and directed them to uphold the word of righteousness. This is what they well deserved. GOD is fully aware of all things.
[48:4] He is the One who places contentment into the hearts of believers to augment more faith, in addition to their faith. To GOD belongs all forces of the heavens and the earth. GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise.
[6:80] His people argued with him. He said, "Do you argue with me about GOD, after He has guided me? I have no fear of the idols you set up. Nothing can happen to me, unless my Lord wills it. My Lord's knowledge encompasses all things. Would you not take heed?
[29:58] Those who believe and lead a righteous life, we will surely settle them in Paradise, with mansions and flowing streams. Eternally they abide therein. What a beautiful reward for the workers.
[29:59] They are the ones who steadfastly persevere, and trust in their Lord.
Peace is a guaranteed eternal state of mind for the believers from the moment their souls leave the earth and move to Heaven.
[16:32] The angels terminate their lives in a state of righteousness, saying, "Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise (now) as a reward for your works."
[89:27] As for you, O content soul.
[89:28] Return to your Lord, pleased and pleasing.
[89:29] Welcome into My servants.
[89:30] Welcome into My Paradise.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.