102 : al-Takathur

In the chapter al-Takathur, Allah (swt) warns the people about getting lost in the worldly affairs and forgetting the hereafter and that the people will come to know of the truth only once they reach their grave. And then suddenly in the last verse, Allah (swt) says that the people will be questioned about a blessing that Allah (swt) had bestowed upon them. Below are Ahadith from the Imam's (as) informing us of what that blessing is.

ما ذكره محمد بن العباس (رحمه الله) قال حدثنا علي بن أحمد بن حاتم عن حسن بن عبد الواحد عن القاسم بن ضحاك عن أبي حفص الصائغ عن الإمام جعفر بن محمد(ع)أنه قال‌ ثُمَّ لَتُسْئَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ‌ و الله ما هو الطعام و الشراب و لكن ولايتنا أهل البيت‌

Narrated from Imam Jafar bin Mohammad (as) who said:

Regarding the verse, "Then you will surely be asked that Day about the blessing" (102:8), By Allah (swt), the blessing is not food or drinks but it is Our the AhlulBait's (as) Wilayah"

[Source: Taweel al-Aayat, Pg. 810]

اخبرنا احمد بن إدريس عن احمد بن محمد عن سلمة بن عطا عن جميل عن ابي عبدالله (عليه السلام) قال قلت قول الله: لتسئلن يومئذ عن النعيم قال: قال تسئل هذه الامة عما انعم الله عليهم برسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) ثم بأهل بيته المعصومين (عليهم السلام)

Narrated from Abi Abdillah Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) regarding the verse, "Then you will surely be asked that Day about the blessing" (102:8)

Imam (as) said, "This community (Ummah) will be questioned about the blessing that Allah (set) blessed them with in the form of the Prophet (saww) and His AhlulBait (as).

[Source: Tafeer al-Qummi, Vol. 2, Pg. 440]

حدثنا الحاكم أبو علي الحسين بن أحمد البيهقي قال: حدثنا محمد بن يحيى الصولي قال: حدثنا أبو ذكوان القاسم بن إسماعيل بسيراف سنة خمس وثمانين ومأتين قال: حدثنا إبراهيم بن عباس الصولي الكاتب بالاهواز سنة سبع وعشرين ومأتين قال كنا يوما بين يدي علي بن موسى عليهما السلام فقال لي: ليس في الدنيا نعيم حقيقي فقال له بعض الفقهاء ممن يحضره: فيقول الله عز وجل (ثم لتسألن يومئذ عن النعيم) أما هذا النعيم في الدنيا وهو الماء البارد فقال له الرضا عليه السلام وعلا صوته: كذا فسرتموه أنتم وجعلتموه على ضروب فقالت طائفة: هو الماء البارد وقال غيرهم: هو الطعام الطيب وقال آخرون: هو النوم الطيب قال الرضا عليه السلام: ولقد حدثني أبي عن أبيه أبي عبد الله الصادق عليه السلام أن أقوالكم هذه ذكرت عنده في قول الله تعالى: (ثم لتسئلن يومئذ عن النعيم) فغضب عليه السلام وقال: إن الله عزوجل لا يسأل عباده عما تفضل عليهم به ولا يمن بذلك عليهم والامتنان بالانعام مستقبح من المخلوقين فكيف يضاف إلى الخالق عز وجل ما لا يرضي المخلوق به؟! ولكن النعيم حبنا أهل البيت وموالاتنا يسأل الله عباده عنه بعد التوحيد والنبوة لأن العبد إذا وفا بذلك أداه إلى نعيم الجنة الذي لا يزول ولقد حدثني بذلك أبي عن أبيه عن آبائه عن أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام أنه قال: قال رسول الله (ص): يا على إن أول ما يسأل عنه العبد بعد موته شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله (ص) وإنك ولي المؤمنين بما جعله الله وجعلته لك فمن أقر بذلك وكان يعتقده صار إلى النعيم الذي لا زوال له

In the year 285 A.H. (897 A.D.), al-Hakim Abu Ali Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad al-Bayhaqi narrated that Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Sowli quoted on the authority of Abu Thakwan Al-Qasim ibn Isma'il in Seiraf on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Abbas al-Sowli al-Katib in (the city of) Ahwaz in the year 227 A.H. (841 A.D.),

"One day we were in the company of Ali ibn Musa Ridha (as) and He told me, "There is no true blessing in this world."

Some of the jurisprudents (Fuqaha) present there said, "Allah (swt) has said, "Then you will surely be asked that Day about the blessing"(102:8). As for this blessing in the world, its the cold water."

Then Imam Ridha (as) told them in a loud voice, "That is how you interpret it and bring about several forms of interpretation for it."

Some said, 'It is cold water.' Others said, 'It is delicious food.' Still others said, 'It is good sleep.'

Imam Ridha (as) said, "I quote on the authority of my father (as), on the authority of his father Abi Abdullah Imam As-Sadiq (as) that what you said about the Sublime God's words, "Then you will surely be asked that Day about the blessing" (102:8), were told to him.

Then Imam As-Sadiq (as) got angry and said, "Allah (swt) will neither question His servants about what He has nobly bestowed upon them, nor will He mention it to them. This is not even good for the Allah's creations to do, then How could they ascribe to Allah (swt) what His creatures will not be pleased with? However, the true blessing is the love for us - the Members of the Holy Household. This is what God will question the people about after questioning them about the Unity of God and the Prophet-hood. If one has been loyal to this he will be rewarded with Heaven which is the Eternal blessing.

My father had indeed hear this from his father (as) who had heard it from his forefathers (as) all the way back to the Amir al-Momineen (as) who said, "The Prophet (saww) said, "O Ali! Indeed, the first thing that one will be questioned about after death is to testify that, There is no god but God and that, Muhammad (a.s.) is God's Messenger. He will also be questioned about testifying that, You (Ali) are the one with authority over the believers due to the authority which God has established and I have established for you. Whoever believes in these will be sent to the blessing in which there is no end."

[Source: Uyoon al-Akbar al-Redha, Chapter. 35, Hadith. 8]