Parables of two men: the slave with the freedman; the useless and dumb with one who is guided and command justice....

وَٱللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمۡ ثُمَّ يَتَوَفَّٮٰكُمۡ‌ۚ وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰٓ أَرۡذَلِ ٱلۡعُمُرِ

لِكَىۡ لَا يَعۡلَمَ بَعۡدَ عِلۡمٍ۬ شَيۡـًٔا‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬

وَٱللَّهُ فَضَّلَ بَعۡضَكُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ۬ فِى ٱلرِّزۡقِ‌ۚ

فَمَا ٱلَّذِينَ فُضِّلُواْ بِرَآدِّى رِزۡقِهِمۡ عَلَىٰ مَا مَلَڪَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُہُمۡ

فَهُمۡ فِيهِ سَوَآءٌ‌ۚ أَفَبِنِعۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِ يَجۡحَدُونَ

وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٲجً۬ا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ

أَزۡوَٲجِڪُم بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةً۬ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ‌ۚ

أَفَبِٱلۡبَـٰطِلِ يُؤۡمِنُونَ وَبِنِعۡمَتِ ٱللَّهِ هُمۡ يَكۡفُرُونَ

وَيَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمۡلِكُ لَهُمۡ رِزۡقً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ

وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ

فَلَا تَضۡرِبُواْ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَمۡثَالَ‌ۚ

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ

ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلاً عَبۡدً۬ا مَّمۡلُوكً۬ا لَّا يَقۡدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىۡءٍ۬

وَمَن رَّزَقۡنَـٰهُ مِنَّا رِزۡقًا حَسَنً۬ا فَهُوَ يُنفِقُ مِنۡهُ سِرًّ۬ا وَجَهۡرًا‌ۖ

هَلۡ يَسۡتَوُ ۥنَ‌ۚ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ‌ۚ بَلۡ أَڪۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلاً۬ رَّجُلَيۡنِ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَبۡڪَمُ لَا يَقۡدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىۡءٍ۬

وَهُوَ ڪَلٌّ عَلَىٰ مَوۡلَٮٰهُ أَيۡنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لَا يَأۡتِ بِخَيۡرٍ‌ۖ

هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِى هُوَ وَمَن يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ‌ۙ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬

وَلِلَّهِ غَيۡبُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۚ وَمَآ أَمۡرُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ إِلَّا

كَلَمۡحِ ٱلۡبَصَرِ أَوۡ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬

It is Allah who creates you and takes your souls at death; and of you there are some who are sent back to a feeble age, so that they know nothing after having known (much): for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Powerful.

Allah has bestowed His gifts of sustenance more freely on some of you than on others; those more favoured are not going to throw back their gifts to those whom their right hands possess, so as to be equal in that respect. Will they then deny the favours of Allah?

And Allah has made for you mates (and companions) of your own nature. And made for you out of them, sons and daughters and grandchildren, and provided for you sustenance of the best: will they then believe in vain things, and be ungrateful for Allah's favours?―

And worship others than Allah such as have no power of providing them, for sustenance, with anything in heavens or earth, and cannot possibly have such power?

Invent not similitudes for Allah: for Allah knoweth, and ye know not.

Allah sets forth the Parable (of two men: one) a slave under the dominion of another; he has no power of any sort; and (the other) a man on whom We have bestowed goodly favours from ourselves, and he spends thereof, (freely), privately and publicly: are the two equal? (By no means); praise be to Allah. But most of them understand not.

Allah sets forth (another) Parable of two men: one of them dumb, with no power of any sort; a wearisome burden is he to his master; whichever way he directs him, he brings no good: is such a man equal with one who commands justice, and is on a straight way?

To Allah belongeth the Mystery of the heavens and the earth. And the matter of the Hour (of Judgment) is as the twinkling of an eye, or even quicker: for Allah hath power over all things.

(Qur'an: An-Nahl: 16:70-77)

REFLECTION

SubHaanAllaah! In this reflection, the first verse strikes to the core of the issue regarding our life, our very existence which we take for granted thinking presumptuously that it is exclusively ours and that we are not dependent on any one for it.

We easily forget that ‘life’ is conferred upon us and we become heedless of this reality. It is ‘life’ that is sustaining us, not that we are sustaining this life. But because Allah s.w.t. confers it without our asking for it, we take it for granted. We allow ourselves to ignore this generosity, drifting into a state of being ungrateful – whereas Allah s.w.t. our Creator and Sustainer has been most kind and merciful for keeping us alive; ensuring all our bodily functions, atmosphere and surrounding, sustenance and many other things needed for our survival - for to Him belongs all power. We forget the obvious that we are alive not because we deserve it, but rather only because of Allah’s generosity. And because Allah is the bestower of our life, our soul, and it is He Who can cause us to die in accordance to His own determination (decree):

وَٱللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمۡ ثُمَّ يَتَوَفَّٮٰكُمۡ‌ۚ وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰٓ أَرۡذَلِ ٱلۡعُمُرِ لِكَىۡ لَا يَعۡلَمَ بَعۡدَ عِلۡمٍ۬ شَيۡـًٔا‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬

"It is Allah who creates you and takes your souls at death; and of you there are some who are sent back to a feeble age, so that they know nothing after having known (much): for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Powerful."

MaasyaAllah! Those amongst us who has been favoured with long life should be forewarned that in extending our life, it is also a sign from Allah to teach us of our utter weakness and helplessness. As we aged, we are drained of our strength which we used to possess, becoming feeble and loosing much of what we use to know – all this is to inculcate in us that all power (strength) and all knowledge only belongs to Allah s.w.t. So, shed all those egotistical pride, all those boasting and arrogance; and submit in humility before Allah s.w.t., the One to Whom belongs all the Glory and worthy of all Praises.

IMPERATIVE TO BE GRATEFUL!

It is most obvious that some people in this life have been given more in sustenance than others. Often this has been used by some people to question the ‘justice’ of God, whereas we are forgetful of His Wisdom. The ‘justice’ we demand from Allah, is in fact emanates from our arrogance (and ignorance), trying to impose our ‘standards’ upon Allah just because we do not understand. Rather, we should humbly reflect that, because there is disparity in His gift of Sustenance to people, that we can learn and appreciate the value of things. When gifts are given equally to all, like the air we breathe, inadvertently we tend to take them for granted, and our appreciation for it’s value tend to diminish. Whereas, when the gifts are rare, it enhances in our perception of its value. Regarding things perceived as valuable, instinctively man is prone to being selfish inclining to possessiveness:

وَٱللَّهُ فَضَّلَ بَعۡضَكُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ۬ فِى ٱلرِّزۡقِ‌ۚ فَمَا ٱلَّذِينَ فُضِّلُواْ بِرَآدِّى رِزۡقِهِمۡ عَلَىٰ مَا مَلَڪَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُہُمۡ فَهُمۡ فِيهِ سَوَآءٌ‌ۚ أَفَبِنِعۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِ يَجۡحَدُونَ

"Allah has bestowed His gifts of sustenance more freely on some of you than on others; those more favoured are not going to throw back their gifts to those whom their right hands possess, so as to be equal in that respect. Will they then deny the favours of Allah?"

وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٲجً۬ا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَزۡوَٲجِڪُم بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةً۬ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ‌ۚ أَفَبِٱلۡبَـٰطِلِ يُؤۡمِنُونَ وَبِنِعۡمَتِ ٱللَّهِ هُمۡ يَكۡفُرُونَ

"And Allah has made for you mates (and companions) of your own nature. And made for you out of them, sons and daughters and grandchildren, and provided for you sustenance of the best: will they then believe in vain things, and be ungrateful for Allah's favours?―"

Yet, our noble human disposition acknowledges that to reciprocate for the things which we have received through acts of charity and assistance towards other with these bestowals is appropriate and good, despite our inclination to being possessive. To do this, as enjoined by the bestower i.e. Allah s.w.t., can be regarded as acts of gratefulness. This tension, between selfish concern and altruism, will determine ones standing in this test of life.

Consider these gifts and bestowals.

Reflect upon the value of what you have been given, then. It is when we know value of things given that we can display appreciation and gratefulness (shakur). Only by being appreciative and grateful that one can be cajoled into reciprocating ones state of good-fortune with acts of kindness towards others, as this is expected of us from Allah s.w.t. Who has favoured us, so as to test who amongst us are true and who are false in being faithful to Him. Alas, act of kindness towards others may be motivated by other primary factor other than as reciprocation towards the true Bestower (i.e. Allah s.w.t.). Therefore, acknowledging Allah s.w.t. Who Alone is God – “there is no other god except Allah” – is absolutely vital. Allah sarcastically rebukes the mushrikeen (polytheist & unbelievers):

وَيَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمۡلِكُ لَهُمۡ رِزۡقً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ

And worship others than Allah such as have no power of providing them, for sustenance, with anything in heavens or earth, and cannot possibly have such power?

‘SHIRK’ : IS THE GREATEST SIN & EXTREME FORM OF UNGRATEFULNESS

Thus it is that Tauhiid –acknowledging and attesting to the Oneness of God i.e. that there is no other god deserving of worship except Allah, the Absolute One God, admitting no partner nor associate to His Lordship (Rubuubiyyah), Divinity (Uluuhiyyah) and to Him alone we direct our worship and servitude (‘Ubudiyyah). Our knowledge of Allah’s names (Asma) and attributes (wa-Sifat) must be based upon revelations from Allah Himself; glorifying Him in accordance with His exaltedness which we do not admit to be capable of encompassing, whereas it is Allah alone Who encompasses all:

فَلَا تَضۡرِبُواْ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَمۡثَالَ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ

"Invent not similitude for Allah: for Allah knoweth, and ye know not."

PARABLES

When men regard others to have similar attributes or likeness to Allah s.w.t., imagining things in creation as sharing in Allah’s Lordship and Divinity, then they would be guilty of the gravest sin of Shirk (association). Such a notion is preposterous that Allah sets forth a parable:

ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلاً عَبۡدً۬ا مَّمۡلُوكً۬ا لَّا يَقۡدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَمَن رَّزَقۡنَـٰهُ مِنَّا رِزۡقًا حَسَنً۬ا فَهُوَ يُنفِقُ مِنۡهُ سِرًّ۬ا وَجَهۡرًا‌ۖ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوُ ۥنَ‌ۚ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ‌ۚ بَلۡ أَڪۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

"Allah sets forth the Parable (of two men: one) a slave under the dominion of another; he has no power of any sort; and (the other) a man on whom We have bestowed goodly favours from ourselves, and he spends thereof, (freely), privately and publicly: are the two equal? (By no means); praise be to Allah. But most of them understand not."

In human terms, can a slave who is subjugated under the power of other and powerless, be compared to another man, who is independent, wealthy and generous? Can they be equal? Surely, not! If this is still not clear, then Allah gives another example:

وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلاً۬ رَّجُلَيۡنِ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَبۡڪَمُ لَا يَقۡدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَهُوَ ڪَلٌّ عَلَىٰ مَوۡلَٮٰهُ أَيۡنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لَا يَأۡتِ بِخَيۡرٍ‌ۖ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِى هُوَ وَمَن يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ‌ۙ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬

"Allah sets forth (another) Parable of two men: one of them dumb, with no power of any sort; a wearisome burden is he to his master; whichever way he directs him, he brings no good: is such a man equal with one who commands justice, and is on a straight way?"

Such is the similitude when people take others in this creation to be regarded as the Creator or sharing in the exclusive attributes of God, things that have no power of its own but is itself dependent upon the Lord and Sustainer, Allah s.w.t. How can it guides, when it itself stand in need of the guidance? Only your Lord, Allah Who commands justice, and is on a straight way, that can be relied upon for Justice and Guidance. So, remove all forms of association (shirk) and hold firm to Tauhid and put your trust in Allah (Tawakkul) – the best to rely upon:

وَلِلَّهِ غَيۡبُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۚ وَمَآ أَمۡرُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ إِلَّا كَلَمۡحِ ٱلۡبَصَرِ أَوۡ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬

"To Allah belongeth the Mystery of the heavens and the earth. And the matter of the Hour (of Judgment) is as the twinkling of an eye, or even quicker: for Allah hath power over all things."

SubHaanAllah! No one knows nor can claim ownership of every mystery of the heavens and the earth except Allah. Remember all things will be made to return to Allah, for mankind we are to be prepared for judgement day. It may be a folly, a terrible foolishness to think Day of judgement is still far away. It is sooner than we may think – remember it is Allah Who decides when the time for us to ‘cross over’. Thus we must repent, adhere to sincere faith in the Absolute Oneness of Allah, submit and seek His Mercy and Acceptance!

LAA-HAWLA-WA-LAA QUW-WATA IL-LA BIL-LA-HIL ‘ALIY-YIL ‘AZEEM!

WaAllaahu a'lam