CONCLUSION

As we have said from the beginning, self-sacrifice is a responsibility for every believer. This understanding requires that believers spend all of their material and spiritual assets to win Allah's approval and that they use their intelligence, conscience, and will to deal with whatever situation comes their way. Throughout their life, they will contend for goodness, be leaders in the Qur'an's morality and piety, be undaunted by any adversity, and call people to goodness and urge them to avoid evil.

Allah has made the believers responsible not only for refining their own moral character, but also for other people as well. To fulfill this responsibility in the best possible way, all believers who fear and respect Allah must work hard to develop a sincere, self-sacrificial moral character. To this end, they must support each other and cooperate among themselves in the face of every kind of hardship: "Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks like well-built walls" (Surat as-Saff: 4). If they do not obey this command, there will be great disorder in the world: "Those who do not believe are the friends and protectors of each other. If you do not act in this way, there will be turmoil in the land and great corruption" (Surat al-Anfal: 73). This kind of help involves relieving the misery of those who are oppressed and treated with cruelty, as well as of destitute women, abandoned children, and anyone who needs help. Establishing the Qur'an's morality among all people will create universal peace and contentment, and will be the source of a great reward in Allah's Sight for those believers who were instrumental in achieving this worthy goal.

In the Qur'an, Allah tells us: "Race each other to forgiveness from your Lord and to a Garden, whose breadth is like that of heaven and Earth combined" (Surat al-Hadid: 21). Those who may hope for His mercy and for Paradise are those who have engaged in sincere self-sacrifice throughout their lives, sincerely sought Allah's approval, and have done their best in this endeavor. They know the Qur'an's moral teachings and what their conscience demands of them. Furthermore, they are aware that anyone who disregards these truths will endure inconsolable sorrow in the Hereafter.

One day, those who waste their lives pursuing selfish passions will enter the Hereafter. At that moment, they will want to return to this world and undertake acts of self-sacrifice for Allah's sake. They thought that avoiding self-sacrifice was to their advantage; but at that time, they will want to pawn everything that they had amassed to escape the pains of Hell:

As for those who do not believe, if they had everything on Earth and the same again with it to ransom themselves from the punishment of the Day of Resurrection, it would not be accepted from them. They will have a painful punishment. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 36)

An evildoer will wish he could ransom himself from the punishment of that Day, by means of his sons, his wife, his brother, or his family who sheltered him or everyone else on Earth, if that only meant that he could save himself. But no! It is a Raging Blaze. (Surat al-Ma`arij: 11-15)

These people will describe their sorrow as follows:

And that Day Hell is produced, that Day humanity will remember; but how will the remembrance help him? He will say: "Oh! If only I had prepared in advance for this life of mine!" (Surat al-Fajr: 23-24)

But as for those who are given their book in the left hand, they will say: "If only I had not been given my Book and had not known about my Reckoning! If only death had really been the end! My wealth has been of no use to me. My power has vanished." (Surat al-Haqqa: 25-29)

If only you could see when they are standing before the Fire and saying: "Oh! If only we could be sent back again, we would not deny the signs of our Lord and would be among the believers." (Surat al-An'am: 27)

In the span of time allotted for their life in this world, every person should think about these truths and avoid any moral weakness that might endanger his/her eternal life. Those who do not live the morality of Paradise in this world should fear that their next life will be filled with the eternal pain of Hell. However, it is very easy to escape this end and attain the blessings of Paradise, for: "... Allah does not want to make things difficult for you; rather, He wants to purify you and perfect His blessing upon you so that, hopefully, you will be thankful" (Surat al-Ma'ida: 6). Those believers who spend every moment trying to win Allah's approval have a good life in this world and the Hereafter, as well as His love, friendship, and help. In the Qur'an, He tells us that all good things are for the believers and that they will live forever in Paradise of incomparable beauty:

But the messenger and those who believe along with him have striven with their wealth and their selves. They are the people who will have the good things. They are the ones who are successful. Allah has prepared Gardens for them with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever. That is the great victory. (Surat at-Tawba: 88-89)