"And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness)." (7)

Delayed fruits of piety:

1- Expiation of sins which is a reason for salvation from Fire, and greatness of reward which is a reason for winning Paradise. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will expiate from him his sins, and will enlarge his reward." [Surat At-Talaq: 5].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "And if only the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) had believed (in Muhammad peace be upon him) and warded off evil (sin, ascribing partners to Allâh) and had become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious), We would indeed have expiated from them their sins and admitted them to Gardens of pleasure (in Paradise)." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 65].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "There is not one of you but will pass over it (Hell) * Then We shall save those who use to fear Allah and were dutiful to Him. And We shall leave the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers, etc.) therein (humbled) to their knees (in Hell)." [Surat Maryam: 71 - 72].

2- Inheriting Paradise for they are the most entitled with it and its dwellers, moreover Allah prepared Paradise only for those people. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Such is the Paradise which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our slaves who have been Al-Muttaqûn (the pious)." [Surat Maryam: 63].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "And for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqûn (the pious)." [Surat Al `Imran: 133].

3- They do not enter Paradise on foot, but they shall enter it riding although Allah would draw Paradise nearer to them as an honor and to push away hardships. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And Paradise will be brought near to the Muttaqûn (the pious), not far off." [Surat Qaf: 31].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "The Day We shall gather the Muttaqun (pious) unto the Most Beneficent (Allah), like a delegate (presented before a king for honor)." [Surat Maryam: 85].

4- They shall not enter its lowest degree of Paradise but shall win the highest ranks and the best kind of bliss; we ask Allah to grant us from His Great Bounty. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Verily, for the Muttaqûn, there will be a success (Paradise)." [Surat An-Naba': 31].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "Verily, the Muttaqûn (the pious), will be in the midst of Gardens and Rivers (Paradise). * In a seat of truth (i.e. Paradise), near the Omnipotent King (Allâh, the One, the All-Blessed, the Most High, the Owner of Majesty and Honor)." [Surat Al Qamar: 54 - 55].

Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) described their abode. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: "And the home of the Hereafter will be better. And excellent indeed will be the home (i.e. Paradise) of the Muttaqun (pious)." [Surat An-Nahl: 30].

5- It assembles those who love one another when every friend abandon his friend and beloved ones and evey friendship shall turn into enmity. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Friends on that Day will be foes one to another except Al-Muttaqûn (the pious)." [Surat Az-Zukhruf: 67].

So, pious people are those whose love and friendship lasts forever as the saying goes: Whatever was done for the sake of Allah shall become continuous and whatever was done for other than Allah shall be cut and interrupted.

6- They enjoy companionship and love while they are taken to Paradise in groups. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And those who kept their duty to their Lord (Al-Muttaqûn) will be led to Paradise in groups, till, when they reach it, and its gates will be opened (before their arrival for their reception) and its keepers will say: Salâmun 'Alaikum (peace be upon you)! You have done well, so enter here to abide therein." [Surat Az-Zumar: 73].

Conclusion:

We enjoyed the companionship of piety, its people, and fruits, so can you achieve happiness to you in one moment? It is a moment of truth in which a person sits with himself without deceiving it, thinking about his past life and remembers the saying: However our past life is long, its pleasures have gone and its accountability remains. Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) says: "Tell Me, if We do let them enjoy for years. * And afterwards comes to them that (punishment) which they had been promised! * All that with which they used to enjoy shall not avail them." [Surat Ash-Shu`ara': 205 - 207].

One of the Righteous Predecessors recited this Ayah, wept, and said: When death comes, pleasure and bliss cannot compensate a person the misery he had left.

The world is a transit not an abode and temporary not staying. The happy is the one who take a lesson from others and seizes the chance to take provision to the Hereafter.

Al Hasan said: Good abode is for a believer because he works a little and takes provision to Paradise. How bad is the world for a disbeliever and hypocrite because he had wasted its nights and took therefrom provision to Hell.

Every breath is a precious gem and by which you can buy an endless treasure.

O servant of Allah, if you have the chance to remember your past faults and sins, try to fix the present and the future with good determination a sincerity, and truthful intention to obey Allah.

Ibn Al Qayyim (may Allah be merciful with him) said: Hasten to Allah and dwell by His Side without fatigue and suffering, but from the nearest point. You vary between two times, the past and the future, so when you have to repent to Allah of the past and prepare yourself to the future.

We ask Allah to make us die happily, grant us Paradise and extra, and to make us from His Pious Servants who enjoy the world by performing righteous deeds and the love of the Lord of the world. We ask Him to admit us to Paradise and look at Allah's Honorable Face.

References:

"At-Taqwa, the lost gem and the sought end" book of Sheikh Ahmad Farid.

"At-Taqway" book, Sheikh `Umar Sulayman Al Ashqar.