“It is He who bestows blessings upon you, as do His angels, so that He may bring you out of darkness into light” 1—from the darkness of ignorance and misguidance into the light of guidance and certainty. Then He Most High says, “And He is ever merciful to the believers”—that is, in this world and the Hereafter. In this world, He has guided them to the truth of which others remain ignorant and shown them the path from which others—those who call to disbelief, religious innovation, or falsehood—have strayed and turned away. As for His mercy toward them in the Hereafter, He will grant them safety from the greatest terror and command His angels to welcome them with glad tidings of attaining Paradise and deliverance from the Fire. This is only because of His love and compassion for them. May Allah make us and you among them.

In another verse, Allah Most High declares the virtue of the men and women who remember Allah abundantly, extolling their standing, raising their renown, and making clear the immensity of their reward and recompense:

“Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the devoutly obedient men and devoutly obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their chastity and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah abundantly and the women who do so—for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a magnificent reward.” 2.

That is, He has prepared pardon and forgiveness for their sins, and for their righteous deeds a magnificent reward and lofty ranks in the Gardens—things no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever conceived.

Indeed, the men and women who remember Allah abundantly are the devoted ones who outstrip others in good deeds and are blessed with the loftiest ranks and highest stations. Muslim related in