BLESSINGS OF ALLAH - 1

There are innumerable blessings of Allah upon His creatures as stated in the Holy Qur’an Sura al-Ibrahim verse 34 “Had you wanted to count the bounties of Allah, you would not have been able to do it”.  In His creations human beings are on the top of the list. If we look around, every part of this universe is filled with His blessings. Although, it is impossible to count Allah’s blessings but this should not deprive us from identifying them as much as possible. Some times, we take things for granted and do not bother to watch closely about His blessings and bounties to us.

Let us start with the outer world. If we only concentrate upon our solar system; earth and other stars are revolving around the sun for thousands of years. Allah had embodied every astronomical body with two forces which are equal and opposite. They are Centripetal Force and Centrifugal Force. Centripetal Force attracts the heavenly bodies towards the sun and Centrifugal Force pulls them away from the sun. If for a split of a second any one of these opposing forces stop, the consequences would be a colossal catastrophe. By the way who is responsible for maintaining the balance?

Allah had created a blanket of air around the earth, about 150 miles. It is called atmosphere. It is a natural protecting buffer which prevents the deadly ultra-violet rays coming from the sun and also protects the earth from falling debris of outer space. Air is a mixture of many gases but major gases are Nitrogen 78% and Oxygen 21%. Oxygen inhaled by the humans is used up in the lungs and Carbon Dioxide is exhaled. Allah in His Paramount Mercy and Wisdom towards mankind had made Carbon Dioxide as essential for plants and hence they inhale it and exhale Oxygen which is so important for human life.

Allah made giant mountains to stabilize the earth as mentioned in Holy Qur’an Sura al-Nahl verse15 “Allah has fixed the mountains on earth lest you should be hurled away when it quakes. Therein He has also made rivers and roads so that you will find your way”

Air, Solar energy, and Water are the basic necessities of life and Allah has provided them free and in abundance. The usage of water is countless; from irrigation of farms to human consumption. From sea water, we get different kinds of food, collect pearls and have navigation and transportation of merchandise from place to place to name a few.Drilling is done under sea for petrochemical products to supply the needed fuel. Water evaporates from the oceans making clouds which bring rain to the thirsty lands across the globe as mentioned in Holy Qur’an Sura al-Qaf verse 9 “We have sent blessed water down from the sky to grow gardens, harvestable crops”

Sun is the center of life on earth. Sun’s rays are essential for plants, flowers, evaporation from ocean, and human health. In summer, when sun is comparatively nearer to earth, the ultra-violet rays become dangerous. It is partly filtered by the atmosphere but if human bodies are exposed to it for a longer time it may be fatal.

Allah made the earth neither too soft so that our feet are stuck in it nor too hard to prevent agriculture or construction or make difficult to bury the dead. Allah had tilted the earth at the Poles so that seasons are formed. Earth’s rotation on its axis causes day and night.

By Solar light, we are able to work during the day. Night is made by Allah to relax our bodies and regain strength for the next day. The distance between the earth and the sun is reasonable so that our bodies are not burnt by its heat.

For the physical health and well-being, Allah has spread around the world different types of fruits, vegetables and plants. At the dawn of human civilization, when men used to live nearer to nature, they enjoyed sound health and longer life. It is reported that Prophet Nooh (a.s.) lived for 900 years. At the time of creation of man, Allah bestowed a latent prophet in our hearts, known as conscience. Every human being is warned by his conscience when he commits smallest sin or wrong. For the spiritual health and happiness, Allah sent 124,000 prophets in the world. Our Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was the last one. He was provided by the last Divine Book; the Holy Qur’an. Before Holy Qur’an, Allah had sent Taurait, Injeel, and Zuboor. For the intervening period from the last Prophet to the Day of Judgment, there was a need for Divine Guidance. Hence, Allah sent Infallible Imams. First Imam was Imam Ali (a.s.) and the last one is Imam Mehdi (a.t.f.).

After the Eleventh Imam, the caliph wanted to kill the twelfth Imam, hence Allah, in His profound Mercy and Guidance, sent the Imam in Occultation. So the earth is not devoid of Divine Guidance. The Imam is guiding the followers like the sun obscured behind the clouds still showers light on the earth.

Hence, Allah’s messengers and Imams are His Blessings on the mankind.

Similarly, the Holy Qur’an is also Allah’s Blessing not only for Muslims but for all human beings.

Connected with this is the fact that it is a blessing of Allah that we are not only Muslim but also a Mumin.

If we are following the commandments of Allah and following the golden path of Muhammad (s.a.w.s) and his Progeny resulting in sound physical and spiritual health then that too is a great blessing of Allah.

In the physical world, gravity is a blessing of Allah. Someone might say “O it was discovered by Newton” There is a difference between “Invention” and “Discovery”.

Gravity was there for thousands of years when Allah created the heaven and the earth.

Newton only discovered it by correctly using his intellect. He was sitting under an apple tree and saw an apple fell on the ground. He started thinking why it did not go any where.

The major industrial development occurred during the last couple of centuries. Scientists did not create any basic material. They used the existing materials after experimenting with them and manufactured useful products. So that is “Invention”. What ever scientific advancements we witness today is the proper use of different materials in an intelligent way. Man cannot make even a leaf of a flower!

Holy Qur’an have been challenging the mankind to think about our surroundings.

Sura al-Yousuf verse 105 “There is much evidence in the heavens and the earth which they see, but ignore” . Sura al-Rad verse 3 “It is Allah who spread out the earth and fixed mountains and placed rivers therein. He made a pair of every fruit and made the night cover the day. All this is evidence for the people who think”

Sura al-Nahl verse 19 “With this water, He causes corn, olives, palm-tree, vines and all kinds of fruits to grow. In this there is evidence for people of understanding”

Sura al-Nahl verse 69 “(bees) then eat of every fruit and follow the path of your Lord submissively. From out of their bellies comes a drink of different color in which there is a cure for the human being. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the people of understanding”

Sura al-Rum verse 21 “His creating spouses for you out of yourselves so that you might take comfort in them; and His creating love and mercy among you. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the people who (carefully) think.”

Sura al-Zumar verse 42 “Allah preserves the souls when they die as well those which did not die during people’s sleep. He withholds those souls which He has decreed to die and releases the others for an appointed time. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the thoughtful people.”

Allah is just and equitable. Whoever struggles for any objective irrespective of his affiliations, Allah will reward them.