Bismillah Ir-Rahmaan Ir-Raheem

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Living the Quran
Al-Shura (Mutual Consultation)
Chapter 42: Verse 20

Harvesting for the Hereafter

"To any that desires the tilth of the Hereafter, We give increase in his tilth; and to any that desires the tilth of this world, We grant somewhat thereof, but he has no share or lot in the Hereafter. ."

Both the seeker of the Hereafter and the seeker of the world have been likened to the farmer in this verse, who labours hard persistently right from the time he prepares the soil till the time his crop is ready for harvesting. He puts in all his labour so that he may reap and gather the crop of the seeds he sowed. But because of the difference of the intention and objective and also the difference of the attitude and conduct, to a large extent, a vast difference takes place between the farmer who sows for the Hereafter and the farmer who sows for this world. Therefore, Allah has ordained different results and consequences of the labours of each, although the place of activity of both is this very earth.

As to the farmer who is sowing for the Hereafter, Allah has not said that he will get no share from the world. The world, in a more or less measure, he will get in any case. For he also has a share in the common provisions being bestowed by Allah, and every person, good or bad, is getting his sustenance here. But Allah has not given him the good news of the harvest of this world. He has given him the good news that his harvest of the Hereafter will be increased, for he is a seeker of the hereafter, and is concerned about his end there. There are several ways in which this harvest can be increased; for example, as he goes on doing righteous deeds with sincere mentions, he is blessed with the grace to do more and more righteous deeds and his breast opens out for more and more good deeds. Above all, his good works, however small and insignificant, will at least be increased ten times over in the Hereafter, and there is no limit to this increase. Allah will increase it hundreds of thousands of times for whomever He may please.

As for the one who is only sowing for this world, and is not at all concerned about the Hereafter, Allah has plainly told him of two of the results of his labours: (1) That, however hard he may struggle and strive. he will not get the whole of what he is trying for, but only a fraction of it, which Allah has ordained for him; and (2) that whatever he gets, he will get only in this world: there is no share for him in the good things of the Hereafter.

Source:
"The Meaning of the Quran" - Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi