A Believer's Rest Is Only In Jannah. So Strive Until End

 A believer's rest is only in Jannah. So strive until end

From the moment we opened our eyes to this world, life has never stopped demanding effort from us.

When we were just three years old (some even younger), our parents dressed us up and sent us off to school. We spent long hours away from home, returned tired in the evening, and for many of us, still went to madrasa afterwards and only came back at night.

But that struggle never really ends.

We grow up, go through primary, secondary, and tertiary education. We stay up late to study, stress over exams, and pray for graduation thinking that life will finally become easy.

But no. It only changes shape.

If you go further to pursue a Master’s or PhD, you face new waves of deadlines — proposals, ethics approvals, conferences, grant applications, publications, and teaching with little or no reward.

If you decide to stop at your first degree and work, you are still met with deadlines upon deadlines, targets to meet, and bills to pay.

If you are a trader, you wake up early every morning, open your shop, chase customers, deal with suppliers, face fluctuating prices, and return home exhausted only to repeat the same routine the next day.

If you are a housewife, your day begins before dawn — preparing breakfast, getting the kids ready, cleaning, cooking, caring for your husband, washing, attending to visitors, and before you know it, the day is gone. Tomorrow brings the same cycle.

This is life — a constant motion. A cycle of effort that only ends with death.

That is why Allah reminds us in the Qur’an:

“Competition in worldly increase diverts you,

until you visit the graves.

No! You are going to know.

Then no! You are going to know.

No! If you only knew with certain knowledge,

you would surely see the Hellfire.

Then you will surely be asked that Day about all the pleasures (you enjoyed).”

(Surah At-Takāthur, 102:1–cool

The scholars explain that “certain knowledge” (ʿIlm al-Yaqīn) here means the truth that finally becomes clear at the moment of death when the veil is lifted and there is no more denial.

So, my brethren, life will never stop being demanding. The only true rest is after death. may Allah make it a rest in His mercy, not in regret.

With all the daily stress and responsibilities, we must not postpone righteousness.

Don’t say:

“I’ll start praying properly after retirement".

Don’t say “I’ll give more charity when I’m rich".

Don’t say “I’ll seek forgiveness when I’m older".

Because the deadlines of this world will never end but the deadline of life surely will.

While we live, let’s balance our hustle with worship.

Let’s make Qur’an part of our mornings, dhikr part of our breaks, and Salah part of our schedule not something we squeeze into it.

May Allah ease our burdens, bless our efforts, grant us steadfastness in worship, and make our final rest one of peace and forgiveness.