Vying in A Spiritual Competition
The world we live in is one full of haste and rush and we might sometimes wonder what all this rush is about.
If we do not answer this question and instead continue our negligence, our deeds and behavior moves toward meaninglessness and absurdity.
There is a verse in the Quran that tells us to hasten. It likens the efforts of the good-doers to a spiritual competition whose ultimate goal is achieving divine forgiveness and the everlasting blessing of paradise.
It is Verse 133 of Surah Al Imran: “Hasten to obtain forgiveness from your Lord and to qualify yourselves for Paradise. Paradise, vast as the heavens and the earth, is prepared for the pious.”
Since it is not possible to reach a spiritual position without receiving divine forgiveness and purifying oneself from sins, the objective of this competition is first receiving Maghfira (divine forgiveness) and second reaching paradise, which is as vast as the heavens and earth.
According to the Noor Exegesis of the Quran, some scholars believe that paradise and hell already exist and one of their reason for this belief is phrases in the Quran like “is prepared for the pious” in this verse.
Another point in this verse is that by “Hasten to obtain forgiveness from your Lord”, it means hasten to do good deeds that brings about divine forgiveness.
In interpretation of this verse, Imam Ali (AS) said overtake one another in fulfilling your divine duties.
Messages of Verse 133 of Surah Al Imran
1- Hastening in good deeds increases their value: “Hasten …”
2- Hastening to repent and seek divine forgiveness is necessary. “Hasten to obtain forgiveness from your Lord.”
3- Forgiveness is among divine glories. “… forgiveness from your Lord.”
4- One should receive forgiveness before going to paradise. “Hasten to obtain forgiveness from your Lord and to qualify yourselves for Paradise.”
5- In order for one to reach the paradise of the pious, one must be among the pious.
