By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Sunday Guardian | April 19, 2020

A village boy came to the city. As he was walking along the road, he passed by a school. It was anniversary day, and hundreds of schoolboys had formed a line outside one of the windows where sweets were being distributed. The village boy also joined the line, and waited for his turn, thinking that just as all the other boys were being given a packet of sweets each, so he would also be presented with one.

Finally, he reached the window and stretched out his hand eagerly. A voice came from behind the window: "Where is your identity card?" The village boy was unable to show a card, and he was turned away empty handed. He realised that the sweets were not for anyone who turned up at the window; they were for those who had studied the whole year in the school.

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It will be much the same on the Last Day. The Last Day is the day when God's judgement will come to pass. All mankind will be gathered before their Lord. People will find their rewards with Him. But the rewards of that day will only be for those who have qualified for them; they will only be for those who are able to show an "identity card" proving their eligibility for the favors that are being bestowed.

The time is fast approaching when all one will want to see, feel and adore is the Lord of the World. Everyone will be vying to be amongst those brought close to Him. The most honorable position that one will be able to occupy will be to be counted among His humble servants. But this privilege will only be for those, who, before the coming of that day, have shown their selves deserving of divine approval. Those who neglected God in this world will be neglected by Him on that day. That will be the day when all secrets are divulged; but even then, they will find themselves left out in the cold, and not allowed to share in the wonders that will unfold.