Gratitude Holy Qur'an 27/40   Dear viewers, may the ALMIGHTY GOD shower HIS Blessings and Bounties and Rewards on all of us! We pray for peace, serenity and tranquility for the well being of all humans inhabiting this globe. In traditional Arabic words, it is Asalamoalekum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatohu.   All praises are due only for the ALMIGHTY GOD Who is the LORD of the entire Universe. HE is the Lone SUSTAINER and CHERISHER of all that exists. HE is the ORIGINATOR of every natural process; HE is the source of all natural cycles. HE is the sole Designer of all seen and unseen. HE is the Alfa and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. HE is the Apparent and the Inherent. HE revealed HIS Books on his Messengers for the guidance of the mankind. The Holy Qur’an, the final Book in the series of Divine Revelation will remain the Guidance Book for all human beings till the end of this world. This is the Book complete in itself, with no alteration, confusion, contradiction, puzzle or perplexity. It contains self-explanatory statements, as clear as crystal.   We need to go through this Book every day with a receptive state of mind, apply our intellect and common sense over its verses, which are compact with meanings and messages. It has the Divine power to purify our heart and soul, bring a vital change in this life and ensure a remarkable success in the next world. We start this process with the recitation of verse 40 of chapter 27.         We have no reservation in admitting that it is humanly impossible to render the words of the ALMIGHTY GOD revealed from the HIS Mighty Throne in any language of this World. We can only make an attempt to get closer to the sense and spirit of the original text, with a prayer to our LORD to help us in this endeavor.   “….. And when Prophet and King Solomon saw the throne before him, he exclaimed: "This is special bounty of my SUSTAINER on me, to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful! However. One, who is grateful to his CREATOR, is but grateful for his own good. And one, who is ungrateful, should know that, verily, my SUSTAINER is most self - sufficient, most generous in giving, not need any thanks!”   The ALMIGHTY GOD has made elaborate and perfect arrangement of all our vital needs, even before we came to this world. HE created all kinds of provisions our nature may ever demand to sustain our life on this earth, and placed them in our service. We cannot calculate the Blessings of our LORD, Who is the CREATOR and MASTER of all mankind. HE gives us everything. HE made all the things in the heaven and on the earth subservient to us. The bright moon, the glittering sun, the revolving earth, the motionless mountains, the dark clouds with rain pouring through it, the green fields and gardens, the natural system of vegetation - all these forces are contributing to our needs. HE not only created man in the best structure, but made full arrangement for his protection. The divine forces commissioned by the CREATOR guard and protect him.   Man as such is not an insignificant creature. ALMIGHTY GOD has raised him to a dignity above other creation. Now just imagine, if there remains just one pair of human species on this earth, the whole natural system will be in his service. With all these generous gifts to man, our SUSTAINER merely wants that we surrender ourselves to his Supremacy with all our will, heart and soul. If a person counts on all the Blessings of his LORD, he is bound to realize the limitless generosity of his CREATOR. He will have a sense of gratitude and become polite, courteous, modest and humble.   But it is strange that when a man possesses these valuable gifts of his LORD, he remains careless or indifferent to its proper utilization. He regards it as the outcome of his ability and skills. He also remains insensitive to the presence of the Gracious GOD. But when GOD snatches away the bounties owing to his ungratefulness, he then realizes the importance all that he has lost. In solitude, away from the hustle and bustle of every day life, just try to count the Blessings of our LORD. Can we measure the unlimited favors of our LORD? No, we can never count them as Our LORD declares in verse 34 of Chapter 14.     “And ALMIGHTY CREATOR provided you all that your nature could ever ask for! And if you try to count ALLAH's blessings, you could never compute them. Man is indeed most persistent in wrongdoing, stubbornly ingrate!”   Every human being whatever his status and gender may be is a unique creature unto his LORD. In the scheme of GOD ALMIGHTY every man receives special favors. For instance, the features of his face will never be granted to any other. His fingerprints will remain unique till the end of this world. The modern science has now discovered that the thickness of the hair, the size and color of eyes and retina of a man and even shapes and size of every internal organ are unmatched in the world. The CREATOR of man has also provided security to every man as HE discloses in HIS Final Book, verse 4 of Chapter 86:     “There is no human being, but on him is security.”   We know that security is provided only to VIPs, although we have different sets of standards for different persons. In our assessment and estimation, wealth and power of a person come first. But to our CREATOR every child of Adam is important. For, he is the masterpiece of GOD’s creation. HE loves all HIS creatures and showers HIS special Blessings incessantly on all human beings. We owe every moment of our life to HIS Mercy and HIS generous provisions.   ALMIGHTY GOD, in comparison to other creatures, has given man intellect, knowledge and wisdom. These are most valuable and precious gifts to human which distinguishes him from the rest of the creatures. These are the faculties which make Man superior to other creation. Before grumbling, have we really taken into account the innumerable blessings of our LORD?   Has our LORD not given us the eyes and visions? Are we ready to sell them for any price? Has HE not given us two hands and legs? Has HE not given us the power to hear and to feel? Even after getting so many gifts, what is our common response, is described by our own LORD in 78/23:     “And it is GOD ALMIGHTY who has created for you, the faculties of hearing, sight and vision, and intellect and mind. Yet how seldom are you grateful!”   If we remember these benefits of GOD ALMIGHTY, it will make us grateful. The feeling of dejection will vanish. It will bring a pleasant change in our life. Our thinking will get a positive direction. And our trust on our own LORD and SUSTAINER will increase in us.   The verse recited in the beginning refers to the attitude of the great king and Prophet Solomon. His great kingdom in the Middle East is the history. But after getting so many favors from ALMIGHTY LORD, what was his reaction is the lesson for us to follow. Did he take all its credit for himself or declare it as the favor of his LORD? After receiving the unique gifts of GOD he in the very first instance declared: ‘haza min fazle rabbi’. “It is all by the grace of my LORD;” “le yablu vani a’ashkur am akfur,” “by these bounties, HE tests me whether I remain grateful or ungrateful.”   The bounties, the wealth, the power, the health, the name, the fame and all the worldly favors are only for the test of the person. It does not mean that The LORD is well-pleased, and the person is free to use such bounties as and when he wishes. If we take it as granted, or feel it that it was our due share and we deserve power and wealth, and we are not answerable for it, there will start its misuse. And this misuse can be at the cost of numerous other human beings, other creatures and environment also. And definitely we have to pay the price of its misuse at a time, when we will be accounted in front of our LORD on that awesome Day of Judgment.   The bounties, the wealth, the power, the health, the name, the fame and all the worldly favors are only for the test of the person. It does not mean that The LORD is well-pleased, and the person is free to use such bounties as and when he wishes. If we take it as granted, or feel it that it was our due share and we deserve power and wealth, and we are not answerable for it, there will start its misuse. And this misuse can be at the cost of numerous other human beings, other creatures and environment also. And definitely we have to pay the price of its misuse at a time, when we will be accounted in front of our LORD on that awesome Day of Judgment.     “……. (After observing all the favors of ALLAH on him), King Solomon said: "O my SUSTAINER! Inspire me that I may forever be grateful for those blessings of YOURS with which YOU have graced me and my parents, and that I may do righteous deeds which are pleasant to YOU; and O my LORD, include me, by YOUR grace, among YOUR righteous reforming servants!”   We can draw a lesson from the behavior of the Prophet Solomon. In spite of getting such an amazing kingdom, he did not have even an iota of arrogance, ego, vanity and pride. And think of our own self! Do we express our gratitude for whatever we have or keep complaining for what we have not? While living in luxury, do we feel grateful and humble or make show off? Do we not have an air of importance about ourselves? Are we not guided by pride and vanity? Don’t we take the blessings and bounties of GOD for granted?   Do we care for those around us who are deprived of such provisions, those who have limited resources? Do we feel an urge to pay the right of other people in the society? Do we take care of our old parents, our neighbors, orphans and widows of the society, poor and the destitute of our land? Are we loyal to our family, society and nation? Are we beneficial for the rest of the world?   While enjoying the facilities and provisions in abundance, are we equally cautious to discharge our duties towards others? Do we share our resources with others? Do we contribute for charitable works in the society? Do we feel the pangs of a hungry belly when our stomach is full? Do we have any anxiety for the have-nots? Do we remain fully devoted to our own welfare, and gratification?   Who else, but we, ourselves can examine our inner self. And only we can reform it.   When ALMIGHTY GOD showers HIS Mercy, we become satisfied only by displaying a sticker inscribing ‘haza min fazle Rabbi’ on our sprawling bungalows, glittering cars, big shops and factories. It is, of course the favors of our LORD, but the matter does not end here. Let us quote Solomon in full. He further said:     “…..O my LORD, by all Your favors, You are testing me whether I remain grateful, or become ungrateful! However, he who remains grateful to The LORD, is but grateful for his own good. and he who remains ungrateful, he should know that), verily, my SUSTAINER is self- sufficient, Supreme Honorable !”   It should be now obvious that whosoever has a sense of gratitude, actually his gratitude will be for his own good. And whosoever remains ungrateful, it will react on him only for his own peril. Our CREATOR is Most Self Sufficient, and glorified. Man’s gratitude to ALLAH does not in any way benefit GOD ALMIGHTY, but it benefits a man’s own soul. If we and all the creatures of the universe become ungrateful, it will not in any way lower the Glory and Dignity of ALMIGHTY GOD.   Only by uttering few praiseworthy words for our LORD, does our gratitude is over? We have to abide by the conditions laid down by our LORD in HIS Book.   We should not forget that our beneficial works to humanity or our contribution to have-nots, is the need of the LORD ALMIGHTY. HE very easily can favor HIS other creatures by providing them directly the bounties we have. But HE wants to provide them through us. Our ingratitude and selfishness will only increase the displeasure of our LORD. It is our moral duty to thank HIM by doing charitable works pleasing to HIM.   If we live a wishful life in disobedience to our LORD’s Commandments, how we will get will, then we deserve no sympathy and favor of The LORD! It is not HE, but we ourselves who invoke GOD’s fury as the verse 147 of Chapter 4 tells us:     “Why would ALLAH cause you to suffer, if you are grateful and remain faithful to HIM! And ALLAH is always responsive to gratitude, and knows every thing, every event, HE is all aware.”   Should we not then be grateful to our CREATOR for HIS immeasurable Blessings and Bounties? Should we not remain faithful to HIM in remembrance of HIS unlimited favors? HE is continuously providing us everything that we need for our survival. And most of all, we must express our sincere gratitude for the Book that HE revealed on HIS Prophet for the guidance of mankind. It spells out the method and formula for the success of the Hereafter. It is indeed the greatest of GOD’s gifts to mankind as the ALMIGHTY LORD states in verse 10/58:     “Proclaim O Mohammed (s.a.w.s): This Divine Writ is a bounty of ALLAH and from HIS grace. So the mankind should exult with this. It is far better than all (the worldly wealth) the mankind may amass!”   Shall we not then surrender to our LORD with a sense of gratitude? It is for our own benefit that we should have a strong bond with this Book, and imbibe the Divine Wisdom of this Book in our every day life, as it was in practice of Prophet Mohammed (s.a.w.s). We are the proclaimed trustees of this Book revealed for the guidance of mankind. So it is our duty to convey it without any addition or deletion to all the mankind at every corner of the world, so that all human beings may recognize their CREATOR.   It is never too late. We must make an introspection of our past actions and amend the mistakes. True repentance washes out the sins of the past. Seek forgiveness of our LORD with a heart conscious of all misdoings and full of repentance. HE is Most Merciful. HE is Oft Forgiving. HE will forgive us.   O Our LORD! We turn to you with a heart full of regret, and seek YOUR pardon with a sense of guilt in our heart. Shower YOUR Mercy on all of us. We seek YOUR refuge from all our evil instincts, from our arrogance, from our ego, from our obduracy and our mischief. We believe that the one who finds refuge with YOU, no power on this earth can do any harm to him. And the one who invokes YOUR wrath, will find no security anywhere. We came to know through YOUR Divine Book that the life in this world is nothing but probation, and we pray to YOU, O our LORD to lead us through this transitory world successfully. O our LORD, make our life in this world comfortable, and our life in the hereafter more gratifying and reward us beyond all measures. Aameen.   Thank you very much, GOD Bless you all.   Some golden sayings of the Prophet, Peace & Blessings be upon Him.     It is narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira that Prophet of ALLAH said: My LORD has commanded me to do these nine acts:   “Fear ALLAH, whether in open or hidden.” “Speak what is just, whether in a state of anger or delighted.” “Be moderate, whether in poverty or prosperity.” “Get closer to those who avoid meeting me.” “Reward generously to those who keep me deprived.” “Forgive those who do wrong to me.” “Keep silence to ponder.” “Speak only to please ALLAH.” “Look only to draw lesson, order for the noble deeds and prevent others from the evil things.”