Surah Az-Zumar, Ayah 9

Is one who is obedient to Allah, spending the time at night in prostration to his Lord and standing for Him, fearing the punishment of the Afterlife and hoping in the mercy of his Lord better or that disbeliever who worships Allah in hardship but disbelieves in Him in ease and ascribes parters with Him? O Messenger, say: “Are those who know what Allah has made obligatory upon them due to their understanding of Allah and those who do not know any of this equal?” Only people of sound intelligence recognise the difference between the two.

Is one who is obedient to Allah, Ana'a Al-Layl prostrating and standing fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord? Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" It is only men of understanding who will remember (9)

The Obedient and the Sinner are not equal

Allah says, 'is the one who is like this equal to one who associates others in worship with Allah and sets up rivals to Him?' They are not equal before Allah, as He says:

لَيْسُوا سَوَاءً ۗ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أُمَّةٌ قَائِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ

(Not all of them are alike; a party of the People of the Scripture stand for the right, they recite the Ayat of Allah Ana'a Al-Layl, prostrating themselves (in prayer).)(3:113). And Allah says here:

أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَائِمًا

(Is one who is obedient to Allah, Ana'a Al-Layl prostrating and standing) meaning, one who is humble and fears Allah when he prostrates and stands (in prayer). It was reported that Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "The obedient one is one who obeys Allah and His Messenger ﷺ." Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Al-Hasan, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said, Ana'a Al-Layl means in the depths of the night.

يَحْذَرُ الْآخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُو رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ

(fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord.) means, in his worship he feels both fear and hope. Both are essential in worship, and fear should be stronger during one's lifetime. Allah says:

يَحْذَرُ الاٌّخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُواْ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ

(fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord.) At the time of death, hope is uppermost, as Imam 'Abd bin Humayd recorded in his Musnad from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon a man who was dying, and said to him,

كَيْفَ تَجِدُكَ؟

(How do you feel?) He said, 'I am both afraid and hopeful.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

لَا يَجْتَمِعَانِ فِي قَلْبِ عَبْدٍ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا الْمَوْطِنِ إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الَّذِي يَرْجُو، وَأَمَّنَهُ الَّذِي يَخَافُهُ

(These do not co-exist in a person's heart at times such as this, but Allah will give him what he hopes for and protect him from that which he fears.)"

This was recorded by At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i in Al-Yawm wal-Laylah, and Ibn Majah from the Hadith of Yasar bin Hatim from Ja'far bin Sulayman. At-Tirmidhi said, "Gharib."

Imam Ahmad recorded that Tamim Ad-Dari, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَنْ قَرَأَ بِمِائَةِ آيَةٍ فِي لَيْلَةٍ كُتِبَ لَهُ قُنُوتُ لَيْلَةٍ

(Whoever recites one hundred Ayat in one night, it will be recorded as if he prayed all night.) This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i in Al-Yawm wal-Laylah.

قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۗ

(Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?") means, is this one equal with the one who sets up rivals to Allah to mislead (men) from His path?

إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

(It is only men of understanding who will remember.) means, the only one who will understand the difference between them is the one who has understanding. And Allah knows best.