The Essence of Islam – Volume II — Page 433
Heaven and Hell 433 their action is followed by Divine action that they are shown the path of God; those who deviate from the right course, their action is followed by Divine action that their hearts are perverted. . This is further illustrated in the verse: 204 مَنْ كَانَ في هذةٍ أَعْمَى فَهُوَفِي الآخِرَةِ أَعْمَى وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلاً 4. He who is blind in this world shall be blind in the hereafter and even more astray. . This is an indication that the righteous behold God in this very world and thus the foundation of heavenly life is laid in this world and the blindness of the hereafter is generated by the foul and blind life of this world. Again it is said: وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَتِ اَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهرُ 205. Those who believe and act righteously shall inherit the gardens beneath which rivers flow. In this verse God. Almighty has described faith as a garden beneath which rivers flow. . It is here pointed out that the relationship which streams of water have with gardens is the relationship which subsists between faith and actions. As no garden can flourish without water, no faith can be a living faith without righteous action. If there is faith and there are no actions, that faith is vain, and if there are actions but there is no faith, those actions are mere show. The reality of the Islamic paradise is that it is a reflection of the faith and actions in this life. It is not a new thing which will 204 Bani Isrā'il, 17:73 [Publisher] 205. Al-Baqarah, 2:26 [Publisher]