The basic theme of any Divine religion hinges on the faith in the One True God, we Muslims call Allah, the Creator of the Universe. In Islam, faith in Allah is a comprehensive belief that encompasses acknowledging His existence, oneness, attributes, and divine decree. It requires Muslims to worship Allah alone, live according to His guidance, and maintain trust in His wisdom and justice. This faith forms the foundation of a Muslim’s life, guiding their actions, decisions, and worldview.
Faith is Allah also makes us to understand that none other than Allah can provide us means of sustenance and it is He Who decides who to give and who not to give. He gives even to the most ungrateful and disbelievers and He even withholds even to His best of servants. And He is pleased to see His servants passing the test and is displeased of disbelievers for not thanking Him and still defying His existence.
With this premise in the background, today we share the second verse of Surah 35. Fatir, in which Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala (سبحانه و تعالى) says:
مَّا يَفۡتَحِ ٱللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحۡمَةٍ فَلَا مُمۡسِكَ لَهَا ۖ وَمَا يُمۡسِكۡ فَلَا مُرۡسِلَ لَهُۥ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ
"Whatever Allah grants to people of mercy - none can withhold it; and whatever He withholds - none can release it thereafter. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
This verse highlights the absolute power and control of Allah over all things, particularly His mercy and blessings. This is also meant to remove the misunderstanding of the polytheists, who believed that from among the servants of Allah, someone gave them the provision, someone the children and someone health to their patients. All these superstitions of shirk are baseless, and the pure truth is just that whatever of mercy reaches the people, reaches to them only through Allah Almighty’s bounty and grace. No one else has the power either to bestow it or to withhold it. This theme has been expressed at many places in the Quran and the Ahadith in different ways so that man may avoid the humiliation of begging at every door and at every shrine and may realize that making or marring of his destiny is in the power of One Allah alone and of none else.
“He is the All-Mighty”: He is dominant and the owner of Sovereignty: none can stop His judgments from being enforced. Also “He is All-Wise”: every act of His is based on wisdom. When He gives somebody something He gives because it is demanded by wisdom, and when He withholds something from somebody, He withholds it because it would be against wisdom to give it.
Let's break down the verse for a deeper understanding:
1. Allah’s Absolute Sovereignty:
- "Whatever Allah grants to people of mercy - none can withhold it;" This part of the verse emphasizes that when Allah decides to bestow His mercy, blessings, or favors upon someone or a group of people, no one can prevent it. This includes any form of good, whether it is wealth, health, guidance, knowledge, or any other form of divine favor. Allah’s will is supreme, and no power in the universe can oppose or alter His decision when He decrees to grant mercy.
- Qur'anic Parallel:
- This theme is echoed in other parts of the Qur'an as well. For instance, in Surah Al-An’am (6:17), Allah says: "And if Allah touches you with harm, there is none who can remove it but Him, and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can repel His bounty."
- The verse emphasizes that Allah’s decisions are final and absolute, reinforcing the idea that His mercy is beyond human control.
2. The Unchallenged Withholding by Allah:
- "And whatever He withholds - none can release it thereafter;" This segment of the verse stresses that if Allah decides to withhold something, whether it’s His mercy, provision, or any other favor, no one can release or bestow it. This includes both the tangible and intangible aspects of life—like sustenance, success, or even spiritual guidance. Once Allah withholds something, human efforts, no matter how great, cannot override His decision.
- Qur'anic Parallel:
- The 286th verse of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:286) reads: "Allāh does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned...."
- This highlights the wisdom and mercy of Allah’s decisions, whether in granting or withholding, as He does so with complete knowledge of what is best for His creation.
3. The Attributes of Allah: "And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
- This final part of the verse underscores two of Allah’s attributes: Al-Aziz (The Exalted in Might) and Al-Hakim (The Wise).
- Al-Aziz signifies that Allah is all-powerful and has complete control over all affairs. His might is unmatched, meaning His decrees cannot be challenged or overturned.
- Al-Hakim highlights that Allah’s decisions are based on perfect wisdom. Whatever He grants or withholds is done with complete knowledge of what is best, even if it is not immediately apparent to us.
These attributes remind us that Allah’s actions, whether in giving or withholding, are not arbitrary but are guided by His infinite wisdom and might. Every decision He makes is ultimately for the best, even if humans cannot fully comprehend the reasons behind it.
4. Implications for Believers:
- Trust in Allah’s Decisions: This verse teaches believers to trust in Allah’s wisdom and power. Whether they receive blessings or face challenges, they should understand that both come from Allah and are part of His divine plan.
- Humility and Submission: The verse encourages humility, as it reminds us that human control is limited. We are dependent on Allah’s mercy and provision, and therefore, should submit to His will with patience and gratitude.
- Encouragement to Seek Allah’s Mercy: Since no one can withhold what Allah grants, believers are encouraged to turn to Allah in prayer, seeking His mercy and favors, knowing that He alone has the power to grant or withhold.
This verse from Surah Fatir beautifully encapsulates the essence of Tawhid (the Oneness of Allah) in His actions. It reminds believers that Allah is the sole source of mercy and blessings, and that His decisions are final, guided by His unmatched power and wisdom. Therefore, believers are urged to place their trust fully in Allah, seek His mercy, and accept His will with complete submission and faith.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may like to read more posts from our exclusive page: Compiled verses from Qur'an on specific subjects: Faith in Allah
Please refer to our Selected verses from Sūrahs of Qur'an to highlight important topics with detailed explanation and Reference Page on Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
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1 comments:
Alhamdulillah.Syukran. Aamiin.
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