[10:31] Say, "Who
provides for you from the heaven and the
earth? Who controls all the hearing
and the eyesight? Who produces the
living from the dead, and the dead from the living?
Who is in control of all things?"
They would say, "GOD." Say, "Why then do you
not observe the commandments?"
God is the Doer of Everything*
[4:78] Wherever you are, death
will catch up with you, even if you live in formidable
castles. When something good happens to
them, they say, "This is from GOD," and
when something bad afflicts them,
they blame you. Say,
"Everything comes from GOD." Why do these people
misunderstand almost everything?
[13:33] Is there any
equal to the One who controls every single soul?
Yet, they set up idols to rival GOD.
Say, "Name them. Are you informing Him of something on
earth that He does not know? Or, are you fabricating
empty statements?" Indeed, the schemes of those
who disbelieve have been adorned in their eyes. They are
thus diverted from the right path. Whomever GOD sends
astray can never find a guiding teacher.
Idol worship is the tragic fault of the human race.
Most of those who believe in God are idol worshipers
(12:106). Once Satan accomplishes his mission of
diverting us from the straight path of God, we are drawn
to the illusion of many idols. The worst among them
is our egoistic power and control. Quran is full of
history and reminders that deal with the destructive
power we imagine having when we are on the crooked path
of the devil. The Most Gracious has set numerous
examples for the sincere believers who are hoping all
the time to learn, reflect, grow in knowledge and take
heed. The following are just a few examples to clearly
demonstrate for us the difference between a real devoted
submitter and a blinded powerless transgressor who
believes he is in full control. [11:24]
The example of these two groups is
like the blind and deaf, compared to the seer and
hearer. Are they equal? Would you not take heed?
:
[68:17] We have tested them like
we tested the owners of the garden
who swore that they will
harvest it in the morning.
[68:18] They were so
absolutely sure.
[68:19] A passing (storm)
from your Lord passed by it while they were
asleep.
[68:20] By morning, it
was barren.
[68:21] They called on each other
in the morning.
[68:22] "Let us harvest the
crop."
[68:23] On their way,
they confided to each other.
[68:24] That from then
on, none of them would be poor.
[68:25] They were so
absolutely sure of their harvest.
[68:26] But when
they saw it, they said, "We were so wrong!
[68:27] "Now, we have
nothing!"
They Should Have Said: "God Willing."
[68:28] The righteous
among them said, "If only you had glorified (God)!"
[68:29] They said, "Glory
be to our Lord. We have transgressed."
[68:30] They started to
blame each other.
[68:31] They said, "Woe to us.
We sinned.
[68:32] "May our Lord
grant us a better one. We repent to our Lord."
[68:33] Such was the
requital. But the retribution of the Hereafter
is far worse, if they only knew.
Jonah
[21:87] And Zan-Noon (Jonah,
"the one with an `N' in his name"), abandoned
his mission in protest, thinking that we could not
control him. He ended up imploring from the
darkness (of the big fish's belly): "There is
no god other than You. Be You glorified. I have
committed a gross sin."
[21:88] We responded to him,
and saved him from the crisis; we thus save the
believers.
[18:32] Cite for them the
example of two men: we gave one of them
two gardens of grapes, surrounded by date
palms, and placed other crops between them.
[18:33] Both gardens
produced their crops on time, and generously, for we
caused a river to run through them.
[18:34] Once, after harvesting,
he boastfully told his friend: "I
am far more prosperous than you, and I
command more respect from the people."
[18:35] When he entered his
garden, he wronged his soul by saying, "I do not
think that this will ever end.
[18:36] "Moreover, I
think this is it; I do not think that the Hour (the
Hereafter) will ever come to pass. Even if I am returned
to my Lord, I will (be clever enough to) possess an even
better one over there."
[18:37] His friend said to him,
as he debated with him, "Have you disbelieved in
the One who created you from dust, then from a tiny
drop, then perfected you into a man?
[18:38] "As for me, GOD
is my Lord, and I will never set up any other god
besides my Lord.
Important Commandment
[18:39] "When you entered your
garden, you should have said, `This is what GOD
has given me (Maa Shaa Allah). No one
possesses power except GOD (La Quwwata
Ellaa Bellaah).' You may see that I possess
less money and less children than you.
[18:40] "My Lord may grant me
better than your garden. He may send a violent
storm from the sky that wipes out your garden, leaving
it completely barren.
[18:41] "Or, its water
may sink deeper, out of your reach."
[18:42] Indeed, his crops
were wiped out, and he ended up
sorrowful, lamenting what he had spent on it in vain, as
his property lay barren. He finally said, "I wish I
never set up my property as a god beside my Lord."
[18:43] No force on earth
could have helped him against GOD, nor was it possible
for him to receive any help.
[18:44] That is because
the only true Lord and master is GOD; He provides the
best recompense, and with Him is the best destiny.
[10:24] The analogy
of this worldly life is like this: we send down water
from the sky to produce with it all kinds of plants from
the earth, and to provide food for the people and the
animals. Then, just as the earth is perfectly
adorned, and its people think that they are in control
thereof, our judgment comes by night or by day,* leaving
it completely barren, as if nothing existed the previous
day. We thus explain the revelations
for people who reflect.
Qaaroon
[28:76] Qaaroon (the slave
driver) was one of Moses' people who betrayed them and
oppressed them. We gave him so many treasures
that the keys thereof were almost too heavy for the
strongest band. His people said to him, "Do not
be so arrogant; GOD does not love those who are
arrogant.
[28:77] "Use the
provisions bestowed upon you by GOD to seek the abode of
the Hereafter, without neglecting your share in this
world. Be charitable, as GOD has been charitable towards
you. Do not keep on corrupting the earth. GOD does not
love the corruptors."
[28:78] He said, "I
attained all this because of my own cleverness."
Did he not realize that GOD had annihilated
before him generations that were much stronger than he,
and greater in number? The (annihilated)
transgressors were not asked about their crimes.
[28:79] One day, he came
out to his people in full splendor. Those who
preferred this worldly life said, "Oh, we wish
that we possessed what Qaaroon has attained. Indeed, he
is very fortunate."
The Real Wealth
[28:80] As for those who
were blessed with knowledge, they said, "Woe to you,
GOD's recompense is far better for those who believe and
lead a righteous life." None attains this except the
steadfast.
The Tyrants' Inevitable
Fate
[28:81] We then caused
the earth to swallow him and his mansion. No army could
have helped him against GOD; he was not destined to be a
winner.
[28:82] Those who were envious of
him the day before said, "Now we realize that
GOD is the One who provides for whomever He chooses from
among His servants, and withholds. If it were not for
GOD's grace towards us, He could have caused the earth
to swallow us too. We now realize that the disbelievers
never succeed."
The Ultimate Winners
[28:83] We reserve the
abode of the Hereafter for those who do not seek
exaltation on earth, nor corruption. The ultimate
victory belongs to the righteous.
Most People Make the Wrong Choice
[7:96] Had the people of those
communities believed and turned righteous, we would have
showered them with blessings from the heaven and the
earth. Since they decided to disbelieve, we
punished them for what they earned.
[7:97] Did the people of
the present communities guarantee that our retribution
will not come to them in the night as they sleep?
[7:98] Did the people of
today's communities guarantee that our retribution will
not come to them in the daytime while they play?
[7:99] Have they taken
GOD's plans for granted? None takes
GOD's plans for granted except the losers.
[7:100] Does it ever
occur to those who inherit the earth after previous
generations that, if we will, we can punish them for
their sins, and seal their hearts, causing them to turn
deaf?
Glory be to God, Lord of the universe.
[10:3] Your only Lord is GOD; the
One who created the heavens and the earth in six days,
then assumed all authority. He controls all matters.
There is no intercessor, except in accordance with His
will. Such is GOD your Lord. You shall worship Him.
Would you not take heed?
Blessed Ramadan, peaceful Friday and salaam.
