Quranic Indications

From Islam's Holy Scripture

{If not for the favor of my Lord, I would have been of those brought in (to Hell/ to doom). What, do we then not die except for our first death, and are we not chastised? Indeed, this is the great attainment/ supreme success/ the greatest triumph. For the like of this, then, let the workers work/ let all strive, who wish to strive.}
37-57--61

It is reported that when `Abdallah b. al-Mubaarak died, he opened his eyes, laughed and said, {For the like of this, then, let the workers work} (Surah 37:61).

It is also reported that when the people came in to Makhuul as-Saamii, a man who was mostly sad, in his terminal illness, he laughed. When he was spoken to about it, he said: "Why shouldn't I laugh when the parting from what I was wary of and the speedy stepping up to the one I was waiting and hoping for is near?"
Al-Qushayri, Risala 46,3

Felicity

Just as the sun enlightens the material world, the Quran has been sent to enlighten the spiritual world.

Allah says in the Quran:

{ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ }

{O ye who believe! Be mindful of your duty to Allah, and seek means of nearness to Him and strive hard in His way that you may be successful (happy).}
5-35

And the main means of nearness is (the prayer on) the Prophet ﷺ (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him!) and following him in everything as much as possible.

True felicity* is granted when sincerely and constantly following the divine guidance, which has been presented to us by God - Allah, who alone is the source of all-encompassing mercy.
Living a righteous life, while seeking the pleasure of Allah (may His Majesty be exalted ), and preparing one-self for the meeting on the Day of Reckoning, is the soundest way to be ’happy’ or blessed (sâlih ).

*If we can but come to understand that tranquility (iṭamainnah ) and contentment (riḍwān ) are far more expansive than “happiness”, we can lead much fuller lives. @imam_marc

Modern people often claim that quranic teachings (like all religious teachings) only rest on 'man-made' ideas, and therefore don't have any relevance for human life. They ignore the Supernatural and a wisdom which lies beyond materialistic preoccupations.

Allah (may His Majesty be exalted) says explicitly that this Quran is
{the revelation of the book (scripture) from Allah, the Exalted in Power, Full of Wisdom. } (Quran 46-2) and if some people would want to reproduce its like they wouldn't be able to do it, {even though they exerted all and their strength in aiding one another.} (Quran 17-88)

As a matter of fact {'the life of this world' has deceived you} (Quran 45-35), meaning people deliberately allow themselves to be deceived by the vanities of this world. So it's high time to wake up, and stand up for what is right, and it's high time to prepare for the heavens of infinite mercy towards which we are travelling.

Also realise that the one who brought us into this life - Allah (may His Majesty be exalted) - has rights, His rights over us feeble human beings who are in constant need (of His support, without which there is no other support.):

{ O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous/ so that ye may ward off (evil).} (Quran 2-21}

The Quran is pure wisdom, as it is of divine, supernatural origin,
revealed to the best of mankind, prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

In what follows a few quranic verses will be explained - from various sources, if Allah wills.

Change What Is Within Your Soul

How can someone change anything?

How can someone change what is within his soul for what is better? He needs the help of a greater power than himself:
Allah سبحانه و تعالى

{ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ }

{ Lo! ALLAH does not change the condition of folk until they (first) change that which is in their hearts.}
Sura ar-Ra`d 13-11

About the Heart

You need to know the (deviations, weaknesses and tricks of the) soul, and this is a duty ( fard `ayn ) on every Muslim

Imam al-Ghazali (rahimahu-LLah ) said:

“Knowing the definition of these diseases, their causes and their cures, and remedies how to fix them, is personally obligatory (fard 'ayn) on every Muslim.“

Now probably the greatest action in our lives (after worship, the 5 pillars of Islam), is purifying our souls - worshipping Allah - realising the teaching of Angel Gibril (aleihi salám) on ihsán - spiritual excellence:

أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ

To worship Allah as though you see Him, and though you do not see Him, know that He sees you.”

What Is Within Themselves, okn

A World of Order and Beauty

Beauty and Order Can Be Discerned by 99% of People.

But those, in whose hearts there is a certain disease, they are blind to beauty and don't care about form. For them the ugly is just fine and the beautiful has no value. Order and hierarchy - they detest.

But the world is created {in good ordering (islâh)} (47-56), and Allah سبحانه و تعالى says about Himself:

It is {He Who created all things in the best way and He began the creation of man from clay.} (32-7)

And also {it is Allah Who has made for you the earth as a resting place, and the sky as a canopy, and has given you shape and made your shapes beautiful and has provided for you sustenance.} (40-64)

So man* is created in the best and most beautiful of shapes: {We have created man/ the human being in the best form.} (95-4)

*Man is employed as meaning all of humanity, men and women.

So humanity has been given an exalted status, indicating something that has become what it truly ought to be by achieving harmony and balance.

Also ones proof that human kind is a distinct, noble species - different from the animal and not descending from the ape: the human being stands upright, while every other creature has its {face stooped down}. (67-22)

More than referring to the human physical form, it is about the ’inner comportment’ (or character), as human beings ’are the best of Allah’s creation both outwardly and inwardly,’ so eloquently expressed in the famous hadith: ”Truly Allah created Adam in His image.”

Human beings were created with attributes of life, knowledge, power, will, speech, hearing and sight, which are actually Divine Attributes that God - Allah has caused to be reflected in human beings.

May human beings reflect on their exalted status and live in accordance with it, that aspect of their nature that is receptive to revelation.
TSQ1533

Hadith on Beauty

'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Prophet ﷺ said, "He who has in his heart an ant's weight of arrogance will not enter Jannah (Paradise)." Someone said: "A man likes to wear beautiful clothes and shoes?" Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, "Allah is Beautiful, He loves beauty. Arrogance means ridiculing and rejecting the Truth and despising people." (Muslim)

وعن عبد الله بن مسعود رضي الله عنه عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ “لا يدخل الجنة من كان في قلبه مثقال ذرة من كبر” فقال رجل” إن الرجل يحب أن يكون ثوبه حسناً ونعله حسناً‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ “إن الله جميل يحب الجمال الكبر بطر الحق وغمط الناس” ‏‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏.‏

Riyad as-Salihin 612, Hadith 611
https://sunnah.com/riyadussalihin/introduction/611

Knowledge of Allah

Regarding the Knowledge of Allah and All His Rights Over His Creatures

This verse indicates that

1. the way to knowledge of Allah Most High and cognizance of His absolute Oneness and of the fact He indeed deserves to be worshipped is through investigation of His handiwork and inference from His acts.
( الطَّرِيق الی مَعْرِفةِ الله تعالی والنَّظَرُ فِي صُنْعِهِ وَالاِسْتِدْلاَلُ بِاَفْعالِهِ )

2. and the slave does not become entitled, by worshipping Him, to any reward from Him; for since such (worship) became incumbent on him out of gratitude for all the past favors he enumerated for him, he is like a hired hand who took his wages before doing his job.
( فهو كأَجِيرِِ أَخَذَ الأَجْرَ قَبْلَ العَمَلِ )

BAY404, Al-Baydawi's comment on quranverse 2-21

About Allah

Obligation to Worship Allah

Why Human Beings Are All on the Obligation to Worship Allah

{ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ }

{ Now O humankind! Worship your Lord Who has created you as well as those before you, then you may attain reverent piety toward Him and His protection }
2-21

You should know that the content of the two verses (2-21/ 22) is the command to worship Allah Most High and the prohibition from associating (anything) with Him, as well as an allusion to the cause* and exigency thereof.
(الاَمرُ بعِبَادَةِ الله ـ سبحانه و تعالی ـ والنَّهْيُ عنِ الاِشْرَاكِ به تعالَی )

*A cause alluded to in His saying, {your Nurturer Who created you } 2-21 which alludes to the reason behind the command to worship, as (His creation of you) is of the immense bounties which are causes for the obligatoriness of all types of worship.

To elaborate: He made the command to worship follow in sequence after the descriptive of ownership as an intimidation that the latter was the cause for the obligatoriness of the former. Then he expounded his nurtureship in that He is the Creator and the Creator of their origins and all that they need for their livelihood: the earth that carries, the sky that shades, foodstuffs and garments. Then after these matters - which none but He is capable of controlling - witnessed to the Oneness of the Most High, He made the prohibition of associating anything with Him follow them in sequence.

BAY416, Al-Baydawi's comment on quranverse 2-22

The Lights of Revelation & the Secrets of Interpretation, al-Baydawi

Related:
Quranic References