The Greatest Loss is to Forget Allah!
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْتَنظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
“O you who believe, fear Allah, and let every soul consider what it has sent forth for tomorrow. And fear Allah, for indeed Allah is well aware of all that you do.
وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنسَاهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
And do not be like those who forgot Allah, so He caused them to forget themselves.”
(Quran 58:18-19)
The greatest loss is to forget Allah — and in turn, forget and neglect what is best and most important for yourself! As-Sa’di says in his Tafsir:
وهذه الآية الكريمة أصل في محاسبة العبد نفسه، وأنه ينبغي له أن يتفقدها، فإن رأى زللا تداركه بالإقلاع عنه، والتوبة النصوح، والإعراض عن الأسباب الموصلة إليه، وإن رأى نفسه مقصرا في أمر من أوامر الله، بذل جهده واستعان بربه في تكميله وتتميمه، وإتقانه،
“This noble ayah is a foundation (for the command) of holding oneself accountable, and the need for keeping oneself in check. If he realizes any sins (that he’s committing), he stops, repents a sincere repentance, and stays away from anything that may lead back to it.
If he sees himself being neglectful of one of Allah’s commands, he puts all his effort (to fulfill it) — seeking the help of his Lord in completing and perfecting it.
والحرمان كل الحرمان، أن يغفل العبد عن هذا الأمر، ويشابه قوما نسوا الله وغفلوا عن ذكره والقيام بحقه، وأقبلوا على حظوظ أنفسهم وشهواتها، فلم ينجحوا، ولم يحصلوا على طائل
بل أنساهم الله مصالح أنفسهم، وأغفلهم عن منافعها وفوائدها، فصار أمرهم فرطا، فرجعوا بخسارة الدارين
The greatest deprivation is for the servant to neglect this issue and to act like those who forgot Allah and neglected remembering Him and fulfilling their duties towards Him. (Instead) they focused on their whims and desires, and therefore they did not prosper or attain anything beneficial.
(Due to that) Allah caused them to forget what was in their best interest and what was good and beneficial for them, so their affairs were scattered and they lost out on both worlds (i.e. this life and the Hereafter).”