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Allaah further goes on to Say:
"We have been your friends in the life of this world and are (so) in the hereafter"
Meaning; Thw Angels are protectors and helpers(as Allaah instructed them to) of those who say; Their Lord is Allaah and then they stand firm. The angels help them in this world and make them firm. And they give them glad tidings during a time of pain and hardship.

Allaah next says:
"There in you shall have(all) that your Inner selves desire"
This means: In the next life(I.e akhira), whatever you wish for, will be presented to you. This is because in Paradise are all the things that satisfy the heart and are pleasant for the eyes.
Allaah says in suratu Qaaf vs 35 that "There, they will have that they desire and we have more(I.e for them a glance at Allaah, the All Mighty).

Then Allaah says at the end of this verse:
"An entertainment from the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful"
So Allaah azza wa jal bestows upon His slaves; a great blessing, which is forgiveness for faults and a high station that they will be raised to.
These Noble verses shows the greatness of Istiqaamah(Steadfastness Upon ones Religion(Islam))!

It was reported that Sufyaan Ibn AbduLlaah(RadiyaLlaahu a'nhu) asked RasuluLlaah(salla Llaahu alayhi was salam):
"O Messenger of Allaah, Tell me something of Islam which I will not ask anyone else about it" The prophet said "Say, 'I believe in Allaah' and then Stand STEADFAST"
What the Prophet intended here by his statement to Sufyaan was not merely words(I.e statement of the tongue) because how many people say they believe in Allaah and the next life and don't believe. Rather what the Prophet(salla Llaahu alayhi was salam) intended was " Belief in the Heart and to testify with your tongue".
The meaning of "Say I believe in Allaah" as mentioned in the hadeeth of sufyaan is; "To have Belief in the oneness of Allaah(I.e to believe there is none worthy of Adoration and worship except Allaah), to believe in His names and attributes, to practice Ikhlaas(sincerity), to be firm upon following the Prophet, and praying the solat, and paying the Zakat and performing hajj and the likes."
Then the prophet said "...Then stand steadfast".. This shows that there will be no steadfastness till one believes and has faith In Allaah, because a condition for righteous deed to be accepted is that faith has to be built upon a firm foundation.

Regarding Allaah's statement that: 'Verily, those who say: Our Lord is Allaah(alone) and they stand firm"
Hafidh Ibn Rajab(RahimahuLlaah) says, this means: They do good deeds sincerely for the sake of Allaah and they Obey Allaah, doing what Allaah has prescribed for them"
Ibn Rajab also says about Suratu Fussilat Vs 6 where Allaah says "Therefore stand firm(Take the straight path to Him(Allaah) and seek forgiveness of Him"
'Here, Allaah orders the slave to stand firm(and to be steadfast) but, even if the slave can be or become steadfast, he must fall short at some time, So Allaah Orders him(the slave) to ask for forgiveness for his shortcomings.

The Prophet (salla Llaahu alayhi was salam) also said : " Fear Allaah wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed; and it will wipe it out.


Regarding the surat Fussilat vs 30-32 where it Says "we have been you friends in the life of this world and are (so) in the Hereafter", Ibn Kathir say this means: The Angels will say to the believers when death Approaches: "we have been your friends I.e your close companions, in this world, protecting you and helping you by the command of Allaah, and we'll be with you in the Hereafter, keeping you from feeling lonely in your graves and when the trumpet is blown; we will reassure you on the day of Resurrection and will take you across the Siraat(The bridge) and bring you to the Gardens of delight.
The last ayah which says " An entertaiment from(Allaah), the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" means A welcoming gift, and a blessing from the one who has forgiven your sins and The One who is Most Merciful and Kind towards you, The One who has forgiven you, concealed your faults and been Kind and Merciful to you".


Ibn Qayyim(RahimahuLlaah) mentions statements from the salaf about the Meaning of Istiqaama(steadfastness):
ABU BAKR(radiyaLlaahu anhu) said Istiqaama is that "you should not associate partners with Allaah.
UMAR BIN KHATTAB said " It is that you should be steadfast on the matters that are obliged, and to abandon the prohibitions"
UTHMAN BIN AFFAAN said it is "To have Ikhlaas to Allaah only; in doing ations"
ALI and IBN ABBAAS both said "It means to fulfill your duties to Allaah"
RadiyaLlaahu a'nhuma!

Ibn Taymiyyah(rahimahuLlaah) said "It is to live Allaah and worshipping Him in the strictest form"
Al-Mujahid(rahimahuLlaah) said "It means standing firm upon the shahadatayn(the bearing of witness to the fact that Allaah is the only true God worthy of worship and the bearing witness that the peophey Muhammad is the last and final messenger until one meets Allaah)"
Hasan Ul' Basri(rahimahuLlaah) said "Istiqaama is that the slave is firm upon what Allaah has ordered the slave to and avoid what Allaah has prohibited the slave.

This treatise was prepared by Taalib Ibn Tyso Al'Britaanee as taken from a khutba he did at Brixton masjeed in 2002.

I Pray Allaah, the Most Generous to Protect you and I and the General Muslim in this world and the hereafter and to bless us wherever we are and to make us from those who are greatful when they are given, patient when they are tested and those who seek forgiveness when they Sin. For verily those are the three signs of happiness.
I also pray Allaah grant us all Istiqaama.
Subhanaka Llaahuma wa bi hamdik, ash'adu a la Illaha Ila Llaah, astaghfirka wa tuboo ilayhi.
Asalamu alaykum wa RahmatuLlaahi wa Barakatuh!

op, jzk. problem is when someone is now steadfast, and promises made by Allah are made easy like Angel assisting the person. It looks strange to many Muslims in our time.

They will condemn it. Some even go as far as saying he's consulting spirit.

So much to learn from Qur'an. It's about working hard. Practical approach to Qur'an. Not just reading. That's where the read deal is. Indeed, it's istiqamah.