From the spiritual point of view...

From the spiritual point of view, their hearts are full of fear of Allah mixed with His greatness. From the point of speech, their tongues are busy reciting the verses of Allah. From the point of the spiritual and bodily action, they establish prayer and worship Him. And, finally, from the point of aim, the horizon of their thought is so high that they have left the fleeting material world aside and look for only the Divine beneficial merchandise which will neither be dull nor does it vanish.

This point is also noteworthy that the Arabic word /tabu-r/, mentioned in this noble verse, means destruction. Thus, ‘the merchandise free of destruction’ is a trade which has neither slackness nor degeneration. An interesting tradition indicates that once a man came to the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) and said: “Why do I not like death?” The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Do you have any property?” He answered: “Yes”.

He (p.b.u.h.) told him: “Send it before you.” The man answered: “I cannot.” The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Verily the heart of a person is with his property.

If he sends it before himself, he likes to join it; and if he keeps it (for later), he likes to be with it.” [^1] This tradition, in fact, has illustrated the whole content of the above mentioned verse, because it implies that they establish prayer and spend in charity in the path of Allah (s.w.t.) and are willingly hopeful of the next world, because they have sent some goodness before themselves and they are willing to reach it.

The next holy verse states the aim of the true believers as follows. They do these righteous deeds: “That He will pay them their rewards fully and increase of His grace unto them; verily He is Forgiving, Thankful (of their good deeds).” This sentence, indeed, points to their ultimate sincerity that, in their actions, they look for nothing but the Divine reward.

Whatever they desire they ask it from Him, and they do nothing for hypocrisy, showing, admiration, and glorification of this one or that one, because the most important thing in righteous deeds is the sincere intention.

The application of the Arabic term /’uju-r/ (the plural form of /’ajr/) in the sense of ‘wage’ is, in fact, a grace from the side of Allah, as if He sees the servants as His creditors because of their righteous deeds, while whatever the servants have belongs to Him; even the strength for performing the righteous deeds has also been given from His side. [^1] Majma'-ul-Baya-n, Vol. 8, P.