Article appeared Friday, October 21st, 2016 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (447)

yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

Each day, there are many things we do. Do these activities enable us to taste the unique life
that each has and derive pleasure and/or satisfaction? In other words, intelligent life not only
allows us to work hard and derive satisfaction, it also permits us to ask questions about the
pleasures that we enjoy. What questions could be asked about the satisfaction that we derive
from success?
For example, to ultimately derive satisfaction, we first need opportunities. Now, where would
opportunities come from? Are they random, automatic or do opportunities have to be created
and placed at our disposal? To understand, let us consider the pleasure a baby gets when
he/she finally is able to walk. Does the baby need any opportunities and resources to attempt
walking? For example, does a system of mobility need to exist? Does intelligence need to exist
to know how to move the legs? Do situations/opportunities need to exist so that the baby may
attempt walking? The opportunity to start walking must exist before the baby attempts to walk!
When successful people are asked about the secret of their success, there are some who say, I
was in the right place at the right time. The question is who made the place and time right for
the person? It is only the Creator who has the power to make the time and place right in order to
provide the opportunity for an individual. Not only does the Creator match each opportunity, it is
He who also gives success. Why? Why has/does the Creator go to all this trouble for His
created beings? As an answer, we find the following Verse from the Holy Quran:
And whatever you have of favor it is from Allah. Then when adversity touches you, to
Him you cry for help. [16.53]
So, why is the Verse pointing out the fact that each and every blessing is from the Supreme
Being, Allah? Is it because when we are successful and derive satisfaction, we credit
things/beings other than Allah? For example, do we feel that we are successful because of our
intelligence, or because we were in the right place at the right time or is it pure luck? In case
we are still not sure who Allah is, it is the same Supreme Being that we call upon when in
serious trouble. As an illustration, Allah guides that it is Him we call upon when in trouble in the
middle of the ocean, e.g., when in a sinking ship. At such a point, our intelligence, lady luck,
lucky charms, amulets, prophets, religious sages, tabij, writings pasted/posted on the wall of the
ship for protection none of these are of any use. At this point, given our realization, we
exclusively call upon the Supreme Being, Allah. However, what happens when He saves us
from the disaster/distress? Let us contemplate on the following Verse,
When distress seizes you at sea those that you (normally) call upon besides Himself
leave you in the lurch! But when He brings you back safe to land you turn away (from
Him). Most ungrateful is man! [17.67]
Allah brings home the fact that we intuitively know that it is only He that can get us out of
trouble, but we subsequently choose to be ungrateful thus demonstrating disbelief. The
purpose of the Holy Quran and other Holy Scriptures is to warn us against such an attitude of
ingratitude demonstrating disbelief towards the Supreme Being, our Creator. Our job is to enjoy
the blessings given by Him, intelligently work out who is responsible for giving us satisfaction,
reject other imagined powers/gods and turn to Him alone in gratitude and adoration.
(It is) He Who created Death and Life that He may test which of you is best in deed
and He is the Exalted in Might, the Oft-Forgiving. [67.2]

We will all face death on earth and be with Him in the subsequent life where He will
appropriately reward each one of us, given our performance while living on the present earth.
The purpose of Holy Scriptures is to guide and warn us regarding the problems/sins we face in
our day to day life in the societies/communities that we inhabit.
Therefore,

17.15 Who receives guidance receives it for his/her own benefit: who goes
astray does so to his/her own loss: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of
another: nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent an apostle (to give
warning).
When no one in the community reflects on the Creators blessings and the purpose of the
human sojourn on earth, Allah arranges for Guidance through people who reflect and guide
others using the existing scriptures. However, if the people in the society continue to reject
guidance and refuse to be guided, then,

17.16 When We decide to destroy a population We (first) send a definite order to

those among them who are given the good things of this life and yet transgress;
so that the word is proved true against them: then (it is) We destroy them totally.
The definite order may include dreams of calamities, as well as invitations of those who reflect
and think. Warnings may include calamities of lower degrees. Allah is warning us and as
guidance asks us to consider what happened to our ancestors who were completely destroyed
by calamities.

17.17 How many generations have We destroyed after Noah? And enough is
your Lord to note and see the sins of His servants.
See that they are tested once or twice in every year. Still they turn not in repentance,
neither do they pay heed. [9.126]

17.18 If any do wish for the transitory things (of this life) We readily grant them-such things as We will to such persons as We will: in the end have We provided
Hell for them: they will burn therein disgraced and rejected.
The real life is the Life in the Hereafter. Those who wish to please Allah would seek to be with
Him in the subsequent life and do righteous deeds accordingly.

17.19 Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter and strive therefore
with all due striving and have Faith they are the ones whose striving is acceptable
(to Allah).
We should not be fooled by those who seem to have more than us. Blessings are only given as
gifts to test what we do with what we have.

17.20 Of the bounties of your Lord We bestow freely on all these as well as
those: the bounties of your Lord are not closed (to anyone).
17.21 See how We have bestowed more on some than on others; but verily the
Hereafter is more in rank and gradation and more in excellence.