Reflect

Allâh says,

And We did not send before you any but men to whom We sent revelation– so ask the followers of the Reminder if you do not know– With clear arguments and scriptures; and We have revealed to you the Reminder that you may make clear to men what has been revealed to them, and that haply they may reflect. (16:43-44)

Let’s try an experiment. Look at your hand. Now reflect. Five fingers, one an opposable thumb. Remove that thumb, you can’t properly grasp, your dexterity is gone. Let, go a bit deeper, how many muscles, nerves, tendons etc. does it take to make this hand function? Deeper: How many veins provide blood to this hand? Deeper: How are the bones, and joints configured? This is but one small piece of the whole puzzle, a chunk of the human mechanism. We try to create some sort of robot to mimic the role of the hand, but we fall so short. Every detail, down to the amount of pressure exerted on the object being picked-up has to be programmed. Yet, we automatically know how much pressure we need when we pick something up with our hand. Let’s reflect on the wonder of such a small gift which we never consider, never think about, never even pay attention to, unless it is hurt.

Let’s reflect again: Let’s think about a breath. We inhale and exhale without thinking about it. We breathe in oxygen, it circulates through our body being pushed and transformed by bodily processes and we exhale carbon dioxide which is taken by the plants that surround us, goes through various processes and returns to us as oxygen which we breathe in… This is a simple breath. Now reflect:

Ibin Âbid -Dunya mentioned that Dawûd asked Allâh , “What is the least of your blessings?” Allâh revealed to him to take a breath. Dawud did so, and Allâh told him, ” This is the least of my blessings on you.” (Patience and Gratitude by Ibin Qayim Al Jawziyyah, p. 70).

This simple breath, that is anything but simple, is Allâh ‘s smallest blessing confired upon us. Reflect. Think about this.

Allâh says:

The likeness of the life of the present is as the rain which We send down from the skies: by its mingling arises the produce of the earth- which provides food for men and animals: (It grows) till the earth is clad with its golden ornaments and is decked out (in beauty): the people to whom it belongs think they have all powers of disposal over it: There reaches it Our command by night or by day, and We make it like a harvest clean-mown, as if it had not flourished only the day before! thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who reflect. (10:24)

When we open a science book, and we see the explanation of all the natural forces that unite in order to simply make one plant grow, including the necessity of that one breath, when we sink our hands into the earth, placing a seed inside, in hopes of making it grow and thrive, do we not reflect?

Allâh says,

It is He who sends down rain from the sky: from it ye drink, and out of it (grows) the vegetation on which ye feed your cattle. He causes to grow for you thereby herbage, and the olives, and the palm trees, and the grapes, and of all the fruits; most surely there is a sign in this for a people who reflect. (16:10-11)

And:

And He it is Who spread the earth and made in it firm mountains and rivers, and of all fruits He has made in it two kinds; He makes the night cover the day; most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect. (13:3)

Allâh gave us all a mind. He gave us all the ability to reason, to think, to reflect. Yet, it never ceases to amaze me that someone can look to this great earth from the largest items, a mountain, to the smallest, a breath, and deny the existence of Allâh , to deny the hand of Allâh in creating such an extraordinary world. I know that even when all the evidences are laid before man, if Allâh does not confer him with guidance as well, he will remain blind, deaf and dumb. Reflect on this. Allâh places a seal on people’s hearts, keeping them from recognizing the truth but for us, he has opened our eyes. We see all of this. We have accepted Allâh . We recognize Him. So, why do we not reflect? Why do we deny the blessings, not by saying we do not accept them or believe in them, but by refusing to obey Allâh , by refusing to submit to Allâh ?

Allâh says,

Or, Who answers the distressed one when he calls upon Him and removes the evil, and He will make you successors in the earth. Is there a god with Allâh ? Little is it that you reflect! (27:62)

Every day, we go along with our insignificant lives and play out our days, not reflecting. We fail to be what Allâh asked us to be:

Those who remember Allâh standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! Thou hast not created this in vain! Glory be to Thee; save us then from the chastisement of the fire (3:191)

Why?

Why do we continue to immerse ourselves in the pleasures of this world without regard to our duty as Muslims, our duties as the slaves of Allâh , our duty to be grateful to Allâh ? Rasûl Allâh was forgiven all his sins, yet he would spend his nights in prayer. When questioned about this, he said, “Should I not be a grateful slave?”

Rasûl Allâh warned us that Allâh had filled the path to Jannah with trials and the path to Hell was filled with pleasure. But do we reflect?

Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

“ The Paradise is surrounded by hardships and the Hell-Fire is surrounded by temptations. Sahih Muslim:Book 39, Number 6778.

Do we not reflect on this as we consume the pleasures of the world and reject our duties to Allâh because they are too hard? Do we feel the power of Allâh? Do we recognize His Greatness in the world around us? Do we truly accept Him as our Lord? Or do we continue to muddle along, ignoring the warnings, ignoring the signs, ignoring the miracles that surround us?

Allâh commanded us to look around us and reflect. It is in this reflection that we can see the truth and follow the way of Allâh . When we see the effects of gravity, holding us on this earth, preventing us from floating away…when we see the moon’s weightlessness and how people do float away… when we see this, do we recognize the power of Allâh and bow down to Him in gratitude? Or do we ignore it ? Do we ignore the signs and their blessings?

Allâh says:

Have you not considered how Allâh sets forth a parable of a good word (being) like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches are in heaven, Yielding its fruit in every season by the permission of its Lord? And Allâh sets forth parables for men that they may reflect. (14:24-25)

Allâh has given us so much to think about, so much to reflect upon. He has provided us with so much. He wants us simply to reflect and be grateful. He wants us to accept His Majesty and worship Him, alone, without partners. He wants us to give Him His Due, and not deny His favours upon us:

Allâh says:

The Beneficent Allâh , it is He Who has taught the Qur’an. He has created man: He has taught him speech (and intelligence. The sun and the moon follow courses (exactly) computed; And the herbs and the trees – both (alike) prostrate in adoration. And the heaven, He raised it high, and He made the balance In order that ye may not transgress (due) balance So establish weight with justice and fall not short in the balance. It is He Who has spread out the earth for (His) creatures: Therein is fruit and date-palms, producing spathes (enclosing dates); Also corn, with (its) leaves and stalk for fodder, and sweet-smelling plants. Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?

So look to your hands, keying the letters on the keyboard, and reflect upon the magnificence of His great creation, take a breath and tell me, which of His favours, can we deny?

Ya Allâh guide us. Ya Allâh , open our eyes, our minds and our hearts. Ya Allâh give us Jannah. Amîn.

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