APPROXIMATELY translated, the fourth ayat of Surah Al-Fatihah, “maaliki yaumid deen”, means “Master of the Day of Judgment”.

Two problems with interpreting “maaliki” as master or king. First, that imagery does not reinforce the gentleness and femininity of ar-rahman and ar-raheem as implied by their root word meaning “womb”. King or master is always male and brutal. Second, servants have no choice – obey or else. With Islam, as per Surah Baqarah (2:256), there is no compulsion. To the Sudan-born American scholar Abdullah An Naim, a faith coerced is no faith.

Another interpretation of “maaliki” shortens the “maa” to “ma”, meaning owner, a difference without meaning as kings were “owners” of their subjects in those days.

As for “yaumid deen” (Day of Judgment), “ad-deen” means faith, Islam, together with the associated rituals, prayers and observances. Extracting from the use of the word elsewhere in the Quran, a much broader meaning to “ad deen” can be deduced, as with norms, established order or staying within the boundaries laid by Allah in all His scriptures.

Your Day of Judgment will come when you breach Allah’s boundaries. You do not have to wait for some faraway universal moment when you and all mortals before and after you will be awakened from your graves and gathered in front of Him to answer for your worldly deeds and misdeeds, a la the mass assemblies of our school days, with God as the powerful headmaster ready to cane in public errant humans. That will also attribute human qualities to Allah – shirk – the most grievous sin in Islam.

More useful is to view the Day of Judgment as a concept. That is, we will be held accountable for our actions. As a student, if you are diligent, your Day of Judgment could come as soon as at the end of the year, as reflected in your excellent test scores and with that, a coveted scholarship. Now, that would be heavenly to any student. Not to trivialise Paradise, but it was to me decades ago.

Conversely, if you are promiscuous or engage in risky behaviours like abusing drugs, then your Day of Judgment could come much sooner, too. Likewise, if you are corrupt, as Najib Razak and his fellow Umno crooks are now enduring.

As for one’s fate on the Day of Judgment, scriptural-wise, Allah in His Beneficence will tip His hand and give some worldly hints or preview. As per the 14th century Sufi scholar Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari in his Hikam al-Attaiya (The Book of Wisdom), “If you want to know your standing with Him, look at the state He has put you in now.” (Aphorism No: 73.)

Two centuries later, John Calvin echoed Ata Allah, and with that he (Calvin) reformed Christianity giving rise to its fame Protestant work ethics. Western Europe was transformed into a modern capitalistic society that elevated by a quantum leap its citizens’ well-being. Like Muslims, Calvin believed in predestination – your fate is “written in the book” – but he developed that concept further. That is, God in His wisdom will give signs upon those whom He will favour in the Hereafter. With that, everyone worked hard to be successful and thus be seen as His “elect”, the chosen ones.

Same scripture, read differently. I wish Muslims today would heed Ata Allah’s wisdom, to wit, our conditions today will hint of our fate in the Hereafter. It is a perversity defying rational explanation that Muslims will dismiss worldly success; “real” success to these misguided souls will be in the Hereafter. Meanwhile, they endure their own hell right here on earth.

The Australian Imam Tawhidi said it best. If those suicide bombers think that the “other place” will be so much more sublime and that they will be guaranteed a slot, why do their instructors not blow themselves up first? Allah’s most precious gift to us is our life. Belittling that will not be showing syukur (the al hamdu) to Him. The best expression of our gratitude is to lead a life that will please Him, that is, be of service to our community and fellow mankind, Allah’s insan solehan.

Former prime minister Najib does not have to wait for his qiamat (Day of Judgment). He is enduring hell right now with the public shame and humiliation, as well as knowing that he may spend the rest of his life in the slammer. His bravado cannot conceal his shame and inner turmoil. His days of hell are far from over. Najib has breached Allah’s womb; he is now an aborted fetus.

The Day of Reckoning is real and may be sooner than we expect. That itself should be incentive enough to keep one on the straight path. – April 11, 2022.

* M. Bakri Musa reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.