The many gifts of God
Are you aware that the human brain has unlimited capacity? Were it to have been limited, the consequences of its exhaustion years or decades before an individual’s demise can better be imagined. God, in His infinite mercy, subjects all creatures and all forces of nature to man’s control and use. Man’s ability to control animals […]
Are you aware that the human brain has unlimited capacity? Were it to have been limited, the consequences of its exhaustion years or decades before an individual’s demise can better be imagined. God, in His infinite mercy, subjects all creatures and all forces of nature to man’s control and use. Man’s ability to control animals that are stronger and bigger than himself, is a part of the gifts showered upon him by God. Man, as mentioned in Qur’an 2:30, is made a vicegerent on earth; for whom God commanded the highest creatures to bow down. By Allah’s command, man can use grain to produce food; make ships to sail on seas; use rivers as highways, and cut canals for irrigation. Take a close at the physical environment and you will be overwhelmed by the comfort and satisfaction man finds in it. The sun gives out heat, which is the source of all life and energy on this planet. It also produces the seasons of the year from which man can supply his needs. The sun and the moon produce the tides, and are responsible for atmospheric changes which are of high importance in the life of man. For the fact that Allah (SWT) has fixed definite laws in nature, which man can understand and calculate; he thus uses the light from the sun and the moon for his own services as affirmed by Qur’an 14:32-33.
Let us consider it as part of Allah’s gifts upon us when He (SWT) grants us power and authority. It is not because you are wiser or better that Allah (SWT) decides to make you a president, governor, chairman, emir or chief, principal or headmaster. It is not because you are more intelligent that Allah (SWT) made you a vice-chancellor, an executive or managing director, a comptroller-general, a permanent secretary or leader over others. In truth, such a favor is even more of a trial than a thing of pride. This was the context in which Prophet Suleiman (or Solomon as in biblical traditions) saw the gift of power and authority granted to him by Allah (SWT) over all creatures including jinn and animals. When a powerful ifrit from among the jinn brought the throne of Bilqis, (Queen of Sheba) before Solomon’s eyes within the twinkling of an eye (a task that appeared incredible), all he said as related in Qur’an 27:40 was “…This is by the grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful…!” Solomon (AS) never claimed it was his wisdom, might, strength or prominence that influenced the ifrit to bring Bilqis’ throne and transform it beyond recognition. If some present-day Nigerian politicians were to have a stint of the power and authority bestowed upon Solomon (AS) by God, the middle (if it still exists) and the lower classes of citizens in this country would have been wiped out. One would be surprised if they do not go to live in the moon, mars or other planets, if they had possessed Solomon’s kind of authority.
Well, if politicians claim they paid “people” to get into political offices (through fraudulent elections, selections or appointments); how much did they give God to grant them good health or bless them with children? Through which Central Bank did they pay God to bring them into this world? If people fail to appreciate the wealth in health, let them take a visit to any hospital nearest to them. If the life Allah (SWT) has given you is not worth anything, visit the cemetery in your neighborhood. Similarly, if material wealth were to derive from bodily strength, the former world heavyweight boxing champion, Bash Ali, would not have been found homeless near the police force headquarters in Abuja. Whatever we enjoy of successes or achievements in life should be seen as parts of Allah’s benevolence to us. What is most important is the extent to which we use such favors to serve God, Almighty.
Are we really using the knowledge, power, strengths and abilities at our disposal in the true worship of Allah (SWT) and to the benefit of humanity? The answer to this question tells whether we are grateful to God or not. Gratitude to God finds expression in our being steadfast in daily obligatory prayers, prompt at paying poor rate (zakat), in our being humble, modest, chaste, kind, contented, courteous, honest and sincere. Man’s gratitude to God is not a thing that benefits God in the least, for God is high above all needs. Rather, it benefits a man’s own soul and gives him higher rank in the spiritual world. May Allah (SWT) protect us from being misled by the devil away from the path of those who appreciate Allah’s gifts to man and remain grateful to Him (SWT) in words and in actions, amin.