Which of the Blessings of Allah will You Deny?
To understand the reality of the blessings of Allah, first one must believe that Allah is the Creator and Master of the universe. He created the universe for His manifestation and recognition. For this purpose, He chose human and hence, gave him supremacy over other creations. Allah instilled in humans the ability to recognise Him. He subdued this universe for humans and adorned it with innumerable blessings for human beings so that they may benefit from them and spend life at ease.
However, human has become so absorbed in the vivid hues of this world that he has forgotten Allah. Then how can he remember His blessings? And in failure to remember, gratitude shall elude him as well. It is for this reason that Allah, in sura ar-Rahman, not only enumerates His blessings but also reiterated a verse 31 times to admonish humankind. He says:
فَبِأَیِّ اٰلَآئِ رَبِّکُمَا تُکَذِّبٰنِ
Meaning: So which of the blessings of your Lord will you deny? (ar-Rehman)
Repetition of blessings of Allah in Quran
One should realise that Allah has frequently repeated the above verse, indicating that one should acknowledge and benefit from Allah Almighty’s blessings. It also implies that one must not breed the love of blessings in the inward and yet should not reject them outwardly. That is why this verse mentions two things: blessings of Allah and denying the blessings of Allah. It is impossible to count the blessings of Allah. The way a significant idea cannot be expressed by a few words; likewise, the blessings of Allah cannot be measured in numbers. Allah Himself says in the Quran:
وَ اِنْ تَعُدُّوْا نِعْمَۃَ اللّٰہِ لَا تُحْصُوْھَاط اِنَّ اللّٰہَ لَغَفُوْرٌ رَّحِیْمٌ
Meaning: And if you want to count the favours of Allah, you will not be able to number them all. Indeed, Allah is Most Forgiving, Ever-Merciful. (an-Nahl 16:18)
Blessings of Allah for man
What are the blessings of Allah? When Allah sent Prophet Adam to earth, He sent Haawa (Eve) as a companion. Till eternity, pious men are blessed with righteous women and pious children. These are all His blessings. Allah created animals and grew fields so man could eat them and make clothes to wear them. He made the sun, moon, stars, earth and sky. Water and air were granted for our survival. Allah gave us the ability to see and hear. He gave us intellect, health, wealth and relatives. He has provided us with the cognition and ability to acknowledge that the blessings of Allah surround us. Allah mentions these in the Quran:
هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً لَّكُم مِّنْهُ شَرَابٌ وَمِنْهُوَالنَّخِيلَ وَالْأَعْنَابَ وَمِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ۔ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالْنَّهَارَ وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالْنُّجُومُ مُسَخَّرَاتٌ بِأَمْرِهِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ ۔ وَمَا ذَرَأَ لَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانُهُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُونَ ۔ وَهُوَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ الْبَحْرَ لِتَأْكُلُواْ مِنْهُ لَحْمًا طَرِيًّا وَتَسْتَخْرِجُواْ مِنْهُ حِلْيَةً تَلْبَسُونَهَا وَتَرَى الْفُلْكَ مَوَاخِرَ فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ۔
Meaning: He is the One Who has sent down water from the sky for you. (Some) of it is to drink, and (some) of it is for plantation. (You rinse with it plants, vegetation and pastures) wherein you take (your cattle) to graze. He grows for you crops and olives and date-palms and grapes and all kinds of fruit with the same water. Indeed, there are signs in it for those who reflect and meditate. And He (is the One Who) has subjected to your service the night and the day and the sun and the moon, and all the stars have also been made subservient to (the system according to) His strategy. Indeed, there are signs in it for those who possess reason. And (of the animal world, vegetable world and minerals) whatever He has created for you in the earth, have distinct colours (genders, species, classes, characteristics and benefits, etc.) all have been subdued to your service). Verily, there is a sign in it for those who take advice. And He is the One Who has subjected the sea (rivers and oceans) as well (in addition to air and land) so that you may eat fresh (and favourite) seafood from there and may take out from them gems (etc.) that you wear as ornaments. And, (O man,) you see the vessels (and ships) that pierce through the water (of the rivers and oceans), and (all this has been managed) so that you may look for His bounty (i.e., sustenance, far and wide) and also that you may become thankful. (an-Nahl:10 to 14)
Quranic reminders of blessings of Allah
There are many Quranic verses on the blessings of Allah. Allah says in sura al Baqarah:
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
Meaning: He is the One Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then He turned towards the higher regions (of the universe) and perfected them into seven heavenly firmaments. And He has full knowledge of everything. (al-Baqarah :29)
Blessings of Allah bestowed all life
When a child is born, blessings of Allah shower upon him in the form of one’s parents. They raise their child with intense care and fulfil all his needs. As he grows up to his youth and till his old age, he is blessed with relations, income, children, friends and many other things. The blessings of Allah are showered upon him in many different ways till his death. Allah says:
وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ وَإِن تَعُدُّواْ نِعْمَتَ اللّهِ لاَ تُحْصُوهَا إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ
Meaning: And He has given you everything that you asked Him for, and if you seek to number the favours of Allah, you will not be able to count them all. Indeed, man is highly unjust and highly ungrateful. (al Ibrahim:34)
In fact, the Holiness of Allah is such that He bestows even without asking at times when we do not even know it. The discussed blessings of Allah have a physical form. However, many of the blessings of Allah are not tangible, yet they facilitate one to make use of other blessings of Allah such as intellect, cognition, knowledge, expression and guidance. Allah says in the Quran:
عَلَّمَ الْاِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ یَعْلَمْ
Meaning: Who (besides that) taught man (all that) which he did not know. Or Who imparted to (the most eminent of) mankind (the chosen Prophet Mohammad [blessings and peace be upon him] without using any pen) the whole knowledge that he was not aware of before. (al-Alaq 96:5)
Hence, it is due to this knowledge and intellect given by Allah, man conquered and took benefit from the blessings of Allah. Allah blessed man with the ability to differentiate between humans and animals. As a result, man built a cultured society to spend a peaceful life. Allah blessed man with the power of expression, due to which Prophet Adam and Haawa (Eve) were able to seek forgiveness from Allah. Due to this blessing of Allah, the scholars of the world have been successful in spreading the word of Allah.
If one actually considers it, then even forgetting is one of the blessings of Allah. Had Allah not blessed one with this, one would have spent all life moaning the death of loved ones or whining over lost possessions. One does not realise, but even the saliva produced in the mouth is such a blessing. Saliva helps digest food and pronounce some words. Without it, one’s mouth would dry out and require water after every sentence.
Moreover, body pores help excrete the poisonous lipids produced within our bodies.
Blessings of Allah are uncountable
Allah has bestowed us with uncountable blessings due to which He repeats in sura ar-Rahman that which of the blessings of Allah would you deny. One does not reflect, but if one starts to ponder then all day and all night, one gets numerous blessings to benefit from. What can be a more incredible blessing than breathing? Slight difficulty in breathing becomes a cause of concern for everyone. Hence, one is oblivious to the mercy and blessings of Allah and is not grateful enough.
Allah says sura al Ibrahim:
وَ اِنْ تَعُدُّوْا نِعْمَتَ اللّٰہِ لَا تُحْصُوْھَاط اِنَّ الْاِنْسَانَ لَظَلُوْمٌ کَفَّارٌ
Meaning: And He has given you everything that you asked Him for, and if you seek to number the favours of Allah, you will not be able to count them all. Indeed, man is highly unjust and highly ungrateful. (al Ibrahim:34)
Denial of the blessings of Allah
Let’s now move on to the 2nd part of the verse, i.e. denial. Denial means to defy or refute something. Here, denying the blessings of Allah means not accepting them. There are two types of rejection:
- Verbal/oral denial;
- Physical denial.
Verbal denial of the blessings of Allah
This denial means not accepting the fact that these blessings are from Allah. It means relating them to be given by some other deity or person. This is the complete refusal of Tauheed or Oneness of Allah and falls under polytheism. It is the rule of Tauheed that everything belongs to Allah and comes from Him alone.
Allah says:
اللّهِ الَّذِي لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَوَيْلٌ لِّلْكَافِرِينَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ
Meaning: Allah, to Whom belongs (all) that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And there is destruction for the disbelievers on account of severe punishment. (al Ibrahim :02)
Hadith regarding verbal denial of blessings of Allah
This is usually a trait of the west, but sometimes Muslims also fall into this trap when they start to associate or give credit for success, income or other blessings of Allah to a person. Khalid ibn al Walid relates a tradition:
At the station of Hudaybiyyah, after it rained all night, Prophet Mohammad made us pray the morning Fajr prayer with him. He addressed people after completing his prayer and asked, “Do you know what Allah said?” The sacred Companions replied that Allah and His Messenger know better. He answered, “Allah says that from My men some met the morning in a state of faith and others in the state of disbelief. Those who said that it rained from the mercy and favour of Allah are believers whereas those who said that the stars have caused rain are disbelievers who believe in stars.”
Allah, to Whom belongs (all) that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And there is destruction for the disbelievers on account of severe punishment.
(al Ibrahim, 02)
Physical denial of blessings of Allah
Physical denial of the blessings of Allah means that a person only verbally accepts the blessings of Allah but refuses to fulfil its due right. For instance, one acknowledges that the Quran is one of the greatest blessings of Allah. However, one does not fulfil its due right by not gaining guidance through its reading or recitation. Instead of spending in the way of Allah, using money on unnecessary items is a denial of Allah’s blessings. Even not sharing the knowledge that Allah has given comes under this category. Allah says in sura an Nahl about such people:
يَعْرِفُونَ نِعْمَتَ اللّهِ ثُمَّ يُنكِرُونَهَا وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ
Meaning: They recognise Allah’s favour, then deny it, and most of them are disbelievers. (An Nahl :83)
Being ungrateful to Allah
Being ungrateful is also a denial of the blessings of Allah. This means that a person uses the blessings of Allah but does not feel gratitude towards Him. An ungrateful person faces the wrath of Allah as said in the Quran:
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ
Meaning: And (recall) when your Lord proclaimed: ‘If you are thankful, I shall certainly increase (My blessings on) you, and if you are ungrateful, then My torment is surely severe.’ (al Ibrahim 14:07)
Ways of denial of blessings of Allah
This verse clearly shows that if a person is ungrateful towards the blessings of Allah, then Allah converts the same blessings into a curse. Hence, it is not wrong to state that gratitude protects blessings and increases Divine favour. Moreover, gratitude leads to an increase in guidance. Let’s briefly discuss how one denies the blessings of Allah:
- It is denial to accept sustenance from the Sustainer when someone says that had the other person not given me food, I would have died of starvation.
- Refuse to accept the ease and help given by Allah when a person says that had the other person not helped me, I would not have gotten out of difficulty.
- It is denial to accept the healing given by Allah when a person says that had the doctor not been good, there would have been no chance of recovery.
- When the disbelievers say that whatever we have is due to our gods is a denial of Allah’s blessings. Or to associate all blessings to oneself, such as saying that I got everything on my own or that my success is due to my effort. This is perhaps the most significant denial.
- Considering physical causes instead of the Causer is polytheism and denial of all the blessings of Allah.
The greatest blessing of Allah
The greatest bestowal and blessing of Allah upon us is ‘guidance’. The guidance refers to guardianship, guiding and showing the right path and teaching the right thing. If a person receives guidance and walks on the straight path (sirat-e-mustaqeem), then there is no more incredible blessing. This is because it is the blessing based on which our afterlife can be eternally victorious. There are countless blessings of Allah which facilitate us in this world. However, guidance is that blessing which not only helps us in this world, but if followed wholeheartedly, it leads to the vision and closeness to Allah in the hereafter.
Prophet Mohammad and Quran
The origin and medium of guidance is the sacred existence of Prophet Mohammad and the holy Quran. Before the Holy Prophet, Allah sent Prophets and Messengers for guidance. The successful were the ones who followed them. On the other hand, for those who denied them, Allah removed His guidance from them, and they were lost. Hence, all their luxuries became a trial for them. Had they been grateful to Allah, not only would Allah had increased their blessings, but He would also have bestowed them with guidance.
Prophet Mohammad is the origin of guidance, but he is also the mercy for all the worlds.
Prophet Mohammad is a mercy and blessing of Allah
Allah says in the Quran:
وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِي هَـذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَـا إِلَيْكَ قَالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَـاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
Meaning: And ordain for us good in (the life of) this world and in the Hereafter (as well). Indeed, we have turned and totally inclined towards You.’ (Allah) said: ‘I inflict My punishment on whom I will, and My mercy encompasses everything. So, I shall soon prescribe this (mercy) for those who adopt Godwariness and pay Zakat (the Alms-due) regularly, and it is they who have faith in Our Revelations. (al Araf :156)
Hence, Prophet Mohammad is the mercy of Allah in the form of the greatest blessing. He is the one who did not leave his umma till he left this world and kept asking Allah’s grace for his umma. The ending of Prophethood does not mean that the system of guidance has ended. Nor did Allah end His mercy after the Holy Prophet. The guidance system continues through Allah’s Saints, who are Perfect Fakirs till the Day of Judgment.
Faqr-e-Mohammadi - the greatest blessing of Allah
The speciality of Prophethood that Prophet Mohammad gifted to the chosen people of his umma and on which he showed pride is Faqr-e-Mohammadi. This is one thing for which other Prophets kept requesting Allah that they belong to the umma of the last Prophet. Hence, Faqr-e-Mohammadi is the best form of the guidance of Prophet Mohammad. There is no blessing more remarkable than this.
This blessing of Faqr was transferred from Prophet Mohammad to Ali ibn Abi Talib. Then it kept transferring to Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani to Sultan Bahoo and my beloved Murshid Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman. He is openly granting this blessing to all the seekers of Allah to allow them to walk the straight path, which leads to the vision and closeness of Allah. Through his spiritual glance, he is granting mystic knowledge and purifying the inwards of his disciples. In this time of materialism, receiving spiritual guidance is the greatest blessing. This blessing cannot be denied, and one can never thank Allah enough for it.
Remembering the blessings of Allah
Allah says:
أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَاءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنكُمْ لِيُنذِرَكُمْ وَاذكُرُواْ إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ مِن بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَزَادَكُمْ فِي الْخَلْقِ بَسْطَةً فَاذْكُرُواْ آلاَءَ اللّهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
Meaning: Do you wonder that direction and guidance from your Lord have come (on the tongue) of a man from amongst yourselves so that he may warn you (of the chastisement of Allah)? And call to mind when He made you the successors (in the land) after the people of Nuh (Noah) and in raising you amply augmented your power (might and stature). So remember the favours of Allah so that you may prosper.’ (al Araf:69)
Mentioning even some blessings of Allah results in the gratitude, invocation of Oneness of Allah and success in the hereafter.
Blessings of Allah can turn into punishment if not valued
Prophet Mohammad said, “When you witness that Allah is bestowing a person despite his disobedience, then it is actually punishment and a gradual destruction.” He recited the following verse:
فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَا أُوتُواْ أَخَذْنَاهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَ
Meaning: But when they forgot that Reminder which was urged upon them, We opened up for them the gates (to abundance) of everything (to take them to their end) until when they luxuriated (in the ecstasy of sensual delights and sensuous gratification) with all that was provided for them, We seized them all of a sudden (with torment) and they were struck with despair. (al Anam :44) (Hadith Rawa Ahmad)
Every soul shall be questioned about the blessings of Allah bestowed upon it. Therefore, it is our primary obligation to be mindful of every blessing and be grateful to Allah for it. What if our blessing becomes a trial or destruction for us? According to a Hadith:
The Holy Prophet said that on the Day of Judgement, man would be first questioned about the blessings of Allah. Did We not give an able body and sated you with cool water? (Tirmidhi)
Acceptance of blessings of Allah in every way
Acceptance of the blessings of Allah through the inward, words and action is necessary. Not doing this can lead to the wrath of Allah. This is why as soon as the verse:
فَبِأَیِّ اٰلَآئِرَبِّکُمَا تُکَذِّبٰنِ
Was revealed, the Holy Prophet said (Hadith on blessings of Allah):
لَا بِشَیْئٍ مِنْ نِعْمَکَ رَبَّنَا نُکَذَّبُ فَلَکَ الْحَمْدُ
Meaning: We do not deny any of Your blessings. Verily, all praises are for You.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon us that we thank Allah for the His blessings, especially the special blessing of Faqr-e-Mohammadi. This is because Allah is Gracious enough that apart from other blessings, He gave us the blessing of His gnosis (marifat), closeness (qurb) and union (visal). In addition, through Prophet Mohammad, He opened the way to His vision (laqa) for the Mohammadan umma. Hence, not only should we be grateful to Allah, but we also should refrain from committing the sin of denying them.
Prayer of gratitude for the blessings of Allah
I sincerely pray that we thank Allah with all our heart for all the blessings and also use them according to His will. May He make us one of those who show gratitude to Him. May Allah purge our innerself and bless us with Faqr through His chosen guide and Shaikh of Sarwari Qadri order, Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman. Ameen.
Blessings of Allah quotes
Sultan ul Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib ur Rehman says:
Allah bestows limitlessly, then why keep an account with Him! One who does not count what he spent in the way of Allah, Allah blesses him countlessly. While the one who calculates it is blessed in a calculated manner as well.
When Allah accepts someone in His court, He bestows three blessings upon that person; ardent Divine love, generosity and humility.
No one searches the Divine Essence until Allah Himself blesses one with that urge. If you have been blessed with the desire to seek Him, then understand that He is seeking you too.
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