Article appeared Friday, November 13, 2015 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (401)

yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

Some of us get a job in a large company. When we join we find that there are many people we
have to work with. Some are juniors, some at the same level and some seniors. The joining
person gets a desk and other resources to do his work. Imagine that a particular person also
gets his/her own room. In the room there is a picture frame and a bust statue. On the desk, the
person finds a book. On it the words, To be read, are written.
Inside the book are guidelines on how to work with and treat coworkers, how to look after the
office resources and other trouble shooting guidelines. In the book it says, as a special favor,
the person can connect directly to the owner of the company five times a day at appointed
times.
Would it be wise for the person to connect to the owner as instructed? Why? Should the person
realize that the opportunity to work in the company has been given by the owner? And that
everything belongs to the owner? What attitude should the person take when connecting?
Should he/she be grateful?
Should the person feel that the colleagues in the company have equal authority over his/her
being in the company? For example, if the person has a problem, should he/she panic and run
to the colleagues as well as the owner? Should he/she also approach the painting and the
statue just in case his/her problem is solved by any one whatever might work? What should
the attitude towards solving the problem be? If the person understands that everything in the
company is owned by him, i.e., all decisions are ultimately taken by the owner, what should
he/she do? Should the employee trust the owner to do the best thing?
Could the world that, we find ourselves in, be similar to a company? And do we have an Owner?
In this connection, does the following Verse in the Quran help to answer this question?
Unquestionably, to Allah belongs whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the
earth. What do they follow who worship as His "partners" other than Allah? They follow
nothing but fancy (false imagination) and they do nothing but lie. [10.66]
In the case of the company, the employee as a person does not belong to the Owner.
However, as Allah has created each of us from nothing, would He own us? He creates the
opportunity for each moment for us to enjoy. How should He react if we do not acknowledge His
role in our life?
As they have attributed equals with Allah and misled (people) from His Way, say, "Enjoy
(your brief power), for indeed your destination is the Fire!" [14.30]
On the contrary, if we believe that the Creator is our Owner, what should be our attitude towards
Him?

14.31 Encourage My servants, those who have believed, to establish regular

prayers and spend (in charity) out of the sustenance We have given them,
secretly and publicly, before a Day comes in which there will be neither mutual
bargaining nor befriending.
If we do not demonstrate personal understanding and belief that the Creator is our Maker and
thus our Owner, how should He react on the Day of Judgment when all will be standing before
Him accounting for the life that we have freely enjoyed? No one other than Allah can come to
our help. All power belongs to Him. To help us understand, Allah explains His role and
ownership in the next Verse.

14.32 It is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth and sends down rain
from the sky and with it brings out fruits to feed yourselves; it is He Who has
made the ships subject to you that they may sail through the sea by His
command; and the rivers (also) He has made subject to you.
Allah has conceptualized and created every blessing for us. For example, He has created the
Water Cycle {1} and makes plants and fruits grow for our consumption. Have you ever
wondered how the sail winds happen to be in the right direction for ship travel? The rivers also
allow transport with the help of currents, water for drinking, fish from the river to eat.
And among His Signs are the ships smooth-running through the ocean (tall) as
mountains. [42.32]
Not alike are the two bodies of flowing water (the river and the sea), one palatable
sweet and pleasant to drink and, the other salty and bitter. Yet from each (kind of water)
do you eat flesh fresh and tender (fish) and you extract ornaments to wear; and you see
the ships plowing the waves so that you may seek the Bounty of Allah so that you may
be grateful. [35.12]

14.33 And He has made subject to you the sun and the moon both diligently
pursuing their courses and, the Night and the Day He has also made subject to
you.
The movement of the moon, rotation of the earth to produce night and day, the light from the
sun and the recently discovered {2} movement of the sun are all blessings for our life.
It is He Who made the sun to be a shining light and the moon to be a reflecting light (of
beauty) and measured out stages (phases) for it so that you might know the number of
years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness.
(Thus) does He explain His Signs in detail for those who (wish to) understand. [10.5]

14.34 And He gives you from all that you ask for. But if you count the favors of
Allah never will you be able to number them; verily man is given up to injustice
and ingratitude.
As each human has an individual personality and personal blessings, what should the personal
attitude be towards the Creator? Given our countless blessings, each of us need to work out
where the blessings are coming from and turn to Him in adoration and gratitude, just like
Prophet Abraham, the father of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim religions, did.
Abraham was indeed a model devoutly obedient to Allah (and) true in faith and he
joined not gods with Allah. He showed his gratitude for the favors of Allah Who chose
him and guided him to a straight way. [16.120 16.121]
Having worked out who the Creator was, he prayed that He protect him from thinking that other
things had power as well as Him. We should read how Abraham worked out who the Creator
was and follow his footsteps to personally find Him.

14.35 Remember Abraham said, "O my Lord, make this city one of peace and
security: and preserve me and my sons from worshipping idols.
14.36 "O my Lord, they have indeed led many astray among mankind. So,
whoever follows my ways is of me and, he who disobeys me indeed You are OftForgiving Most Merciful.
---------{Notes}:
{1} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_cycle
{2} http://www.universetoday.com/60174/does-the-sun-move/