and the purest of all soils. With these conditions in place, imagine—if you can—the splendor of its trees, the pleasant shade, and the abundance of its fruit. Its owner lives in continual bliss and ease, free of any fear that such bounty might cease or perish. Now picture that this garden belongs to an elderly man, too weak to work, with a household of frail dependents who can neither assist him nor fend for themselves. He rejoices in the garden, for it supplies all that he and his family need—until a calamity, a whirlwind, suddenly strikes, burning it to the ground and destroying every last thing. How intense would be the regret of this deluded man! How grave his misfortune!

Such is the fate of the one who, after doing good, nullifies his deeds through whatever makes them void—whether polytheism, hypocrisy, or sins that consume. Alas for him! His garden, once flourishing, is now ruined beyond hope, and he remains in anguish together with his family.

This is among the finest and most fitting of parables. Allah describes the garden of the one whom He has kept firm upon faith and righteous action, and the garden of the one whose deeds He has rendered null because they contradict that faith. From this it follows that whoever is granted neither faith nor righteous action in the first place possesses no garden at all.

The reason deeds are likened to gardens is that gardens are sustained by water, fertile soil, and a favorable location; likewise, deeds are nourished by revelation, which brings life to hearts that are wholesome. When the doer combines all the conditions for an accepted deed—striving, sincerity, and conformity to the prophetic way—his work yields every delightful pair of fruits.

Allah has also likened the deeds of the unbeliever to a mirage that a thirsty man mistakes for water. Driven by burning thirst and exhaustion, he reaches it only to find that it is nothing but an illusion.

And He has likened them to ashes from something burned, scattered by the wind so that not a trace remains. This aptly reflects the unbeliever’s state and the futility of his works: his disbelief and sins are like a devouring fire, while his deeds are like ashes and a mirage with no substance. He imagines them beneficial, but when he meets them and finds nothing, his soul is rent with grief.