The closest connection between good deeds and belief in the here4ater has been prescribed. God says:

“Whoever desires to meet his Lord let him good deeds not associating anyone in the worship of his Lord”

The belief in the hereafter causes two things, the first is good deeds and the second is sincere worship.

The point to note is that the Day of Judgment had been declared as the day of the Beatific Vision. As we know that the spiritual vision and the inner proof is the highest point of human elevation and its remembrance becomes the cause of total sincerity and good deeds.

The other point to note is that instead of the belief in resurrection God mentions hope and this tells us that hope about resurrection has the same signs. (1) The word “Yarju” denotes eternity and continuity. Then is the order for sincerity and good deeds and what all this means is that that hope and these deeds will remain side by side eternally.

The subtle point to note here is that the Qura’n describes the people as the travelers who after some time will meet their beloved and they should take some gift on this journey and do something that will earn this great vision so that they are not shamed.

In some commentaries have described the verse’s background that one person came to the Last Messenger and said, “I like to do Jihad in the way of God. And I want to know my position in the battle for Jihad. It was then that this verse was revealed asking for sincerity.

There is another history of the revelation of this verse that says that some person came to the Last Messenger and said, “O Messenger of God! I give charity and am kind with my relatives and this I do for the pleasure of God but I feel happy when people talk about my deeds and praise them.” The Messenger remained silent and then this verse was revealed. (2)

What we learn from both these traditions is that worship should be based on sincerity, a sincerity totally bereft of hypocrisy, self aggrandizement and polytheism.

The 2nd verse speak about the incident when the household of the Messenger ( Ali, Fatima and their children) fasted on three days as they had vowed but gave their “Iftar” food to the needy, the orphan and the captive . What we learn here is the belief in resurrection was the cause or the fountainhead of such an unparallel sacrifice. God says:

““And they give away food out of love for Him to the poor the orphan and the captive (saying) We feed you for the sake of God alone; no reward do we desire from your nor thanks; We only fear the day of frowning and distress from our Lord.” (3)

Yes he who fear God and the Day of Reckoning gives away not only the surplus things that he has but also things that he needs most in the way of the beloved with total sincerity. He does not seek rewards or thanks. This tells us how great an impetus the belief in the hereafter gives us to do good deeds sincerely.

We said in the previous verse that the hope for betterment in the Judgment Day instigates good deeds and here the fear of that day is described as the source of sincere deeds. We can say that hope and fear both give impetus to good deeds.

The 3rd verse repeats the words of a believer who defended two of Jesus’ emissaries in Antakia and invited the people there to follow these men. He invites them and says:

“Why should I not serve Him who created me and to whom you shall all return?”

Actually he has given two proofs or arguments of obeying God. The first is that He is our creator and all our knowledge comes from Him. The second is that there is another world ahead of us and everyone will reach there and return to His court.

The important issue is that God attributes the creativity and the sustenance to Himself; He attributes their return on the Day of Judgment in the first instance as being sincerely grateful for the sustenance and in the second stage threatens the rebels of dire consequences.

1. Tafsir Al-Mizan vol.13 page 406

2. Tafsir Qartabi vol. 6 page 4109

3. The word “Abuusan” means sulking and “Qamtareer” means very severe or hard. The Day of Judgment has been so described to denote that the faces of men will be distorted or marred. This is a very subtle explanation that denotes the terror and fear of that day. Some commentators feel that “Qamtareer” originates from “Qamtar” and say it is “Qatr” but the first is very famous. Verses 8 and 9 of Surah Insaan.