The Scene of Paradise and Worldly Distinction in Sūrat al-Zumar

Occasion: Transcription of a Fajr khatira delivered on 17 October 2026 Source: A transcription of a video khatira by Dr. Ahmed Abouseif — Watch the original video on YouTube

Dr. Ahmed opened his khatira with a comprehensive supplication: that Allah set right for us our religion, our worldly life and our Hereafter; that He preserve for us what He has placed in hearts of faith and in minds of wisdom; and that He keep our bodies standing upright until we meet Him as worshippers, not neglectful.

Then he said: Speaking about Sūrat al-Zumar is a conversation with many branches, and it is a surah full of abundant good things, glory be to the All-Creating, the All-Knowing. And when the Lord of the worlds tells us about the scene of the Hereafter, it is as if He is saying to each one of us: If you wish to keep your dignity, then store it up for the Day of Resurrection.

The scene of the two groups

Then he mentioned the saying of the Exalted: ﴿وَسِيقَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ زُمَرًا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءُوهَا فُتِحَتْ﴾ ("And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups until, when they come to it, it is opened")^[1] and he asked Allah to keep us and the Muslims safe, and he paused at the opening of the gates and the dread of the scene, reflecting with great calm.

And Allah, glory be to Him, describes the scene to us as though He wants to place you in it, not temporarily, but in a lasting state in which you feel your nearness to the Lord of the worlds, out of your constant longing to be there one day. And the matter is utterly simple: you want to live in Paradise.

Praise be to Allah, who has fulfilled His promise to us

﴿وَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي صَدَقَنَا وَعْدَهُ وَأَوْرَثَنَا الْأَرْضَ﴾ ("And they will say: Praise be to Allah, who has fulfilled His promise to us and made us inherit the land")^[2] and he asks: Were the believers doubting the truthfulness of Allah, blessed and exalted? Far be it from them, and far be it from Allah, glory be to Him. Rather, they are matching what they used to hope for within themselves, while Satan strives against them to tear this feeling away from them.

And in the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ, the one with the least share in Paradise will have the like of the kingdom of a king of this world, and the servant will say: My Lord, are You mocking me? Glory be to Allah. And it will be said to him that he has that, and that, and that, and that, and the Prophet ﷺ counts five.^[3] So what keeps people from more obedience?

Temporary distinction

That is the time for pride, and no other time, for the distinction that arises between people in this world is temporary, and its taste will soon be gone. There is nothing we attain in life that we long for at first without its becoming ordinary afterwards. Have you ever dreamed of a new car, and watched it drive past you on the road, full of longing, and each time it passed you said: Where are you going, beauty? Then Allah gives you wellbeing and money, and you buy it and are dazzled and feel you have achieved the greatest of achievements? And after two weeks you leave it to get dirty, even wiping it with your clothes. And after a month, and two months, and a year: When shall we change this car? It has become boring, though before that it was the utmost object of your longing.

The supplication

He concluded with a supplication: O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for whatever brings us closer to it of deed or word; that You make our souls content with what You have decreed for us; that You spread out for us a provision of faith and security with which we may be happy in our worldly life and our Hereafter; and that You accept from us and not reject our deeds. O Allah, we seek refuge in You from lying about You or lying about any of Your creation, and inspire us from Yourself with truthfulness, sincerity, trustworthiness and Your good pleasure, and write us among the people of Paradise.

--- ^[1]: Editor's documentation: From Sūrat al-Zumar, verse 71. The body text is limited to what the speaker uttered. ^[2]: Editor's documentation: From Sūrat al-Zumar, verse 74. ^[3]: Editor's documentation: The speaker relayed it by meaning, and something to the same effect is narrated in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (including the hadith of al-Mughīra ibn Shuʿba, may Allah be pleased with him, about Mūsā's, peace be upon him, question concerning the lowest of the people of Paradise in rank); the speaker did not mention its wording or its narrator, so it should be checked before publication.