To Everyone His Own Merit

                      “Ask your Lord to forgive you (your sins), and

                      then turn towards Him in repentance (so that)

                      He will grant you a goodly enjoyment of life (in

                      this base world) until a term set (by Him is

                      fulfilled); and (in the life to come) He will

                      bestow UPON EVERYONE POSSESSED OF MERIT

                      (a full reward for) HIS MERIT; but if you turn

                      away, then, verily, I dread for you the

                      chastisement of an awful Day” (Qur’an,11:3).

Everyone in this life does his/her own deeds, which differ in fact and quality, as people’s capacities. Each person deserves praise or blame, reward or penalty accordingly. In this (base) life, however, often justice is not served. This fact is observed perfectly by God, the Just, Who postpones the equity for the Day of Judgment, where He will grant everyone worthy, the full reward for his/her merit.

It is the duty of everybody to beware that their behavior or action, does not transgress God’s bound or other people’s dignity. More than that, it is recommended for everyone not to retaliate for each bad action from others, because everyone is at risk of doing unjust deeds intentionally or unintentionally.

God says: “And the requital of an evil deed is an evil deed like it; but whoever pardons and reconciles, his reward will be with God; truly, He does not like wrongdoers” (42:40). And because God observes everyone’s behavior and actions, it is necessary for believers to ask God for forgiveness, and to return to Him in repentance.

God reminds all of us of a great event, which tends to be forgotten during our everyday life: that everyone is bound to death. “Every human being is bound to death; and you will be REQUITED on whatever you have done IN FULL only on the Day of Resurrection, whereupon he that shall be drawn away from the Fire and brought into Paradise will indeed have gained a triumph: for the life of the (base) world is nothing but an enjoyment of self-delusion” (3:185).

On the Day of Resurrection, God says: “On that Day will people come forward, cut off from one another, to be shown their (past) deeds. So whoever does an atom’s weight of good shall see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil shall see it” (99:6-8). But many people today, even among the so-called believers, do not heed all these warnings, that is why we find many of them supporting tyrants who kill millions of people, torture thousands and expel millions out of their homes, while God says: “And do not incline towards, or rely upon, those who are bent on evildoing lest the fire (of the Hereafter) touch you: for (then) you would have none to protect you from God, nor would you ever be succored (by Him)” (11:113).

Therefore, when we realize that everyone might commit a sin or shortening towards God, or towards people, we should from time to time make a reassessment, return to God in repentance, ask forgiveness from Him, and from whomever we may have wronged.

To conclude, let us follow God’s advice:

“Indulge (people) with forgiveness, and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant” (7:199).