After being away for almost a week, my one year old son was super excited to see me. He wanted to be picked up and held, and no matter what other offers were proposed to him to allow me to take my coat off, he would not for a second compromise. SubhanAllah. Alhamdulillah.

With this pleasant feeling and image in mind, I reflected on the verses which I was reading earlier, describing the desperation of the wicked on the day of judgement, and especially the scene which vividly depicts that 'The wicked will wish to ransom themselves from the punishment of that Day by their children,  their spouses, their siblings, their clan that sheltered them, (11-13).  Not only will they be willing to ransom themselves from the punishment of that day by their children, spouse and siblings and their clan that sheltered them, but they will be prepared to ransom themselves with everyone on earth just to save themselves! Imam Al -Alusi further adds the interpretation that this includes all and every part of creation including mankind, jinn and all creatures! Anyone and everything!' مِنَ الثَّقَلَيْنِ الإنْسِ والجِنِّ أوِ الخَلائِقِ الشّامِلَةِ لَهم ولِغَيْرِهِمْ'

Can you imagine the torment which the oppressor and the criminal will face on that day? The desperation will be such that at once they will be wiling to exchange their once sweetheart partner, darling children and the entirety of humanity just to be saved! Ya Allah, I pleaded. Please do not make us of them!

Meanwhile by contrast, we find words of assurance in (43:67-70), where Allah informs us, 'Close friends will be enemies to one another on that Day, except the righteous, ˹who will be told,˺ 'O My servants! There is no fear for you Today, nor will you grieve— ˹those˺ who believed in Our signs and ˹fully˺ submitted ˹to Us˺. Enter Paradise, you and your spouses, rejoicing.' Ya Allah, I pleaded. Please make us of them!

to reflect, reflect to remember!