Why do we deserve Allah’s rewarding us with eternal life?

Allah makes us and our spirits eternal by putting us into Paradise or Hell. Why do we deserve His rewarding us with eternal life?

Dear Brother / Sister,

There is a nice statement: “If Allah had not wanted to give us, He would not have given us the feeling of asking (wanting).” For example, if He had not wanted to give us sustenance, He would not have given us hunger and thirst. He would not have given us the desire to eat and drink.   

Since Allah gave every human being the desire to live eternally and to exist, He will definitely give the return of that desire eternally in an eternal realm.

Eternal Paradise is a sign of Allah’s infinite compassion, mercy, grace and grant. Those infinite attributes will definitely become manifest.

Eternal Hell is a manifestation of His justice; in addition, it is also another sign of Allah’s infinite compassion, mercy, grace and grant that the penalty of those who deserve capital punishment due to their denial and rebellion are transformed into life imprisonment in Hell in the hereafter just like those who deserve capital punishment in this world are rewarded with the transformation of their penalty into life imprisonment.  

Several reasons why Allah will make us live in Paradise eternally in blessings can be mentioned:

a) Allah’s infinite mercy, grace and generosity necessitate it. Is it at all possible that infinite generosity and liberality, inexhaustible riches, unending treasures, peerless and eternal beauty, flawless and everlasting perfection, should not require the existence of grateful supplicants, yearning spectators and astounded onlookers, all destined to stay an eternity in an abode of bliss, a place of repose?” (Nursi, Sözler, 67)

b) That man, who was created as the most respectable being, is made eternal by divine everlastingness so that he will not fall into horrible nonexistence is a manifestation of the perfect and flawless names and attributes of the creator.  

Yes, “this infinite generosity and wealth demand an eternal realm of feasting and the permanent existence of those who are in need. An infinite generosity requires an infinite bestowal of favor that, in turn, demands the perpetual existence of those who will be favored and return it by giving thanks.” (Mesnevi-i Nuriye, 41)

c) It is a necessity of Allah’s infinite mercy, justice, wisdom and compassion not to offend his respectable friends such as human beings.  

Also, these precious gifts and bounties and this extraordinary outlay and bestowal, in this temporary hostel and transitory guest-house, for this brief time and fleeting life, indicate through the hands of the trees and plants, indeed, testify, that in order not to make all creatures say, contrary to the necessary result of all His expense and bestowal which is to make Himself loved and known: “You gave us a taste, but then executed us without permitting us to eat;” and not to nullify the sovereignty of His Godhead, and not deny His infinite mercy and make it denied, and in order not to turn all his yearning friends into enemies through depriving them thus, the munificent All-Compassionate One has of a certainty prepared for His servants whom He will send to an everlasting realm, an eternal world, fruit-bearing trees, and flowering plants appropriate to Paradise out of the treasuries of His mercy, in His eternal Paradises. Those here are merely samples to show the customers.” (Asa-yı Musa, p. 205)

d) Allah’s everlasting beauty and perfection and His eternal friendship will not show consent to ephemeral mirrors. “Since beauty, perfection, and mercy are everlasting and eternal, it is surely necessary and inevitable that man, who is the desirous mirror to enduring beauty, the enraptured herald of everlasting perfection, and thankful and needy for eternal mercy, will go to an everlasting realm to remain there permanently, that he will go to eternity to accompany those eternal qualities, and will accompany that eternal Beauty, everlasting Perfection, and ever-enduring Mercy for all eternity. For an eternal beauty cannot be content with an impermanent admirer, a mortal lover. Since beauty loves itself, it desires love in return for its love. Transience and impermanence transform such love into enmity.” (Lem'alar, p. 355)

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