and from one Ramadan to the next is an expiation for whatever lies between them, so long as the major sins are avoided. Therefore, let a person hurry toward every means of forgiveness.

The second matter is Allah’s words, “and a Garden whose breadth is that of the heavens and the earth.” This is attained by carrying out the obligations—that is, by racing toward Paradise through the deeds that lead to it. No deed admits a person to Paradise except righteous action; that alone is the cause of entering it, so hasten to it.

Allah then described this Garden by saying that its breadth is as the heavens and the earth, underscoring its vastness and grandeur—its true measure is known to none but Allah. So strive for this Garden by performing the righteous works that will bring you to it. Allah next says, “prepared for the God-fearing,” meaning it has been made ready for them, and the One who prepared it is Allah Himself, as comes in the sacred hadith: “I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and has never crossed the heart of any human being.”

Who, then, are the God-fearing? Allah says, “those who spend in prosperity and adversity, who restrain their anger, and who pardon people—Allah loves the doers of good; and those who, when they commit an indecency or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins—for who can forgive sins except Allah?—and they do not persist in what they have done knowingly. Their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and Gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. How excellent is the reward…"