Translation
Everyone will suffer death. God will reward appropriately everyone on Resurrection Day. Anyone who can keep far away from the hellfire and get to enter Paradise on that day will indeed achieve triumph [in life]. The life of this world is nothing but pursuit of vanities [unless grounded in faith and good works].225
You will be tried with regard to your person and possessions. You will also hear [and suffer] much abuse from those who were given books before and those who are polytheists, unless you exercise patience and focus on your responsibility to God and to people. Such focus and commitment is a matter of great resolution!226
Interpretation
225. Our lives are transient on this planet, and each one of us will succumb to death, no matter how much we might try to avoid it or hide behind other powers or remedies. Life is only meaningful if it is purposeful, leads to God through personal commitment to goodness and faith, strives to create a world of peace here on earth, and demonstrates worthiness to earn Paradise as the destiny after death.
226. This life as we see it and as we experience it is full of trials and tribulations. The Qur’an also made the prediction that People of Faith will suffer from previous people of books (Jews and Christians) and polytheists. As it happened during the life of the Prophet and his immediate followers, so, too, we have seen over the last several centuries, these predictions have proven out—campaigns of terror by crusaders, the Spanish Inquisition, colonization in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, communist onslaughts against faith in Europe and Asia, ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, and so on are a few of the examples. But instead of blaming others, we need to analyze the root causes of these failures and accept the responsibility to amend and correct our ways of life—to get back to true faith, exercise patience and persevere, and stay true to our commitment to God and to people. When we fail to keep our part of the bargain with God (and with people by implication), all bets are off until we become conscientious again to our core values—faithful submission to God and establishing justice for all people.
REFLECTION
To remind ourselves of the true and the transient nature of our existence on this planet and to remain steadfast to the guidance of God (no matter what faith group you belong to) are essential for our success on this planet and certainly in the life to come after death.
ACTION
Procrastination is baked into our psyche, and the challenge today is to overcome such a habit, take concrete steps based on the reflections above, and create practical ways to stay the course to serve God and humanity.