Surah An-Nahl 16:32

What the Pious say about the Revelation, their Reward and their Condition during and after Death

Here we are told about the blessed, as opposed to the doomed, who, when they are asked,

(What is it that your Lord has revealed) they will reluctantly answer, "He did not reveal anything, these are just the fables of old." But the blessed, on the other hand, will say, "That which is good," meaning - He revealed something good, meaning mercy and blessings for those who followed it and believed in it. Then we are told about Allah's promise to His servants which He revealed to His Messengers. He says:

(For those who do good in this world, there is good) This is like the Ayah,

(Whoever works righteousness - whether male or female - while being a true believer verily, to him We will give a good life, and We shall certainly reward them in proportion to the best of what they used to do.) (16:97), which means that whoever does good in this world, Allah will reward him for his good deeds in this world and in the next. Then we are told that the home of the Hereafter will be better, i.e., better than the life of this world, and that the reward in the Hereafter will be more complete than the reward in this life, as Allah says,

(But those who were given (religious) knowledge said: "Woe to you! The reward of Allah (in the Hereafter) is better) 28:80 and,

(and what is with Allah for the righteous is better.) 3:198 and;

(Although the Hereafter is better and enduring) (87:17). Allah said to His Messenger :

(And indeed the Hereafter is better for you than the present) (93:4). Then Allah describes the abode of the Hereafter, saying,

(And excellent indeed will be the home (i.e. Paradise) of those who have Taqwa.)

(`Adn (Eden) Paradise (Gardens of Eternity)) refers to the home of the Muttaqun, i.e., in the Hereafter they will have Gardens of Eternity in which they will dwell forever.

(under which rivers flow) meaning, between its trees and palaces.

(in it they will have all that they wish) this is like the Ayah:

(in it (there will be) all that souls could desire, and all that eyes could delight in, and in it you will live forever.) 43:71

(Thus Allah rewards those who have Taqwa.) meaning, this is how Allah rewards everyone who believes in Him, fears Him, and does good deeds. Then Allah tells us about their condition when death approaches them in a good state, i.e., free from Shirk, impurity and all evil. The angels greet them and give them the good news of Paradise, as Allah says:

(Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is Allah (alone)," and then behave righteously, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): "Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the good news of Paradise as you have been promised! We have been your friends in the life of this world and are (so) in the Hereafter. In it you shall have (all) that your souls desire, and in it you shall have (all) that you ask for. An entertainment from (Allah), the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.")(41:30:32) We have already referred to the Hadiths that have been reported on the taking of the soul of the believer and the soul of the disbeliever, when we discussed the Ayah,

(Allah will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm in this world (i.e. they will keep on worshipping Allah Alone and none else), and in the Hereafter. And Allah will cause the wrongdoers to stray, and Allah does as He wills.) (14:27)

Allah swt melukiskan bahwa orang-orang yang bertakwa, yang senantiasa menaati segala perintah Allah dan menjauhi segala larangan-Nya, ketika malaikat maut datang untuk mencabut nyawanya, mereka mati dalam keadaan husnul khatimah dan mendapat salam sejahtera dari malaikat. Hal itu dikarenakan kebersihan mereka dari noda-noda kemusyrikan dan kemaksiatan, dan jiwanya tetap di bawah bimbingan wahyu Allah swt. Segenap perjalanan mereka dihiasi dengan akhlak yang mulia dan terhindar dari sifat-sifat tercela. Orang yang seperti ini menghadap Tuhannya dengan hati lapang dan berserah diri, karena ia merasa akan meninggalkan dunia yang fana, dan pergi untuk menerima ketentuan yang telah ditetapkan oleh Tuhannya. Ketika itu, ia menghadapi maut dengan tenang dan bahagia. Allah swt berfirman:

Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang berkata, "Tuhan kami adalah Allah" kemudian mereka meneguhkan pendirian mereka, maka malaikat-malaikat akan turun kepada mereka (dengan berkata), "Janganlah kamu merasa takut dan janganlah kamu bersedih hati; dan bergembiralah kamu dengan (memperoleh) surga yang telah dijanjikan kepadamu." (Fussilat/41: 30)

Kemudian Allah swt menjelaskan bahwa para malaikat itu memberikan kabar gembira bahwa mereka akan memasuki surga yang disediakan bagi mereka, sesuai dengan amal perbuatan yang telah mereka lakukan. Berita gembira yang disampaikan oleh malaikat kepada mereka merupakan janji Allah yang akan mereka alami nanti sesudah hari kebangkitan.

Diriwayatkan dari Muhammad bin Ka'ab Al-Quradhi ia berkata, "Apabila seorang hamba yang mukmin telah tiba saat kematiannya datanglah malaikat seraya berkata, "Salam sejahtera untukmu hai wali Allah, Allah mengirimkan salam untukmu dan memberikan berita gembira bahwa engkau akan masuk surga." (Riwayat Ibnu Jarir ath-thabari dan al-Baihaqi)