Reflecting on Surah Naml: 27-44 by Naheed Baluch,Uzma Jawed
What is my reaction upon gaining knowledge and acquiring other blessings from Allah? Do I turn to Allah in gratitude thanking Him for favoring me or am I ungrateful or arrogant? How can I be a grateful servant?
Naheed Baluch
I do thank Allah (S.W.T.) for the blessings that He has bestowed upon me. I try to be grateful upon every ‘little’ thing : like upon finding something I’ve been looking for, upon being able to open a bottle after struggling for a while etc. I however need to be even more grateful : for knowledge, using the microwave, having many facilities that weren’t available years and years ago etc.
People have lately been talking about this movie called 127 hours which is based on a real life incident. I decided to search online to see what it was really about. On 2003, a climber named Aron Ralston went out climbing without telling anyone from his family. While he was hiking a boulder somehow got dislodged causing him to slip and his forearm to be stuck between the rock and canyon wall. He remained there for fve days without food and with barely much water. After five days of struggling to set his hand free, he finally realized that he had no other choice but to amputate his own arm. Eventually that’s what he did.
After reading that I realized how for granted we take life and the blessings which Allah has bestowed upon us like water, food, different parts of our body (hands, legs, eyes etc.), relationships, good moments.
I also happened to watch an interview after a few days of a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner. Hearing his ordeal made me sympathize with him. It made me realize that there are people around the world going through far worse than what I’m going through, yet I remain ungrateful : focusing on the few negatives in life and overlooking the many positive.
Alhamdulillah after reading the article, watching the interview and after lesson 196, I’ve started ‘noticing’ and becoming more grateful for blessings.
I can be a grateful servant by constantly reminding myself that there are people going through much worse than what I am going through and keeping in mind the trials of the Prophets, sahabas and those who came after. Each time I notice a blessing I should tell myself : “This is from the bounty of Allah” and should say: Alhamdulillah. Whether at times of easy or difficulty I should always be grateful to Allah for His countless blessings.
“And if you were to count Allah’s favors, you would not be able to number them; most surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
[Quran- Surah Al-Nahl: 18]
Uzma Jawed
I try to be as grateful as I possibly can, especially when I am constantly in touch with the Quran. However, I am ungrateful every single time I start complaining, and at those times I truly forget all the blessings that I have been given. It only takes one mosquito, one tummy ache, one argument, for me to forget all my blessings!
I need to learn to be more patient and more steadfast in my Deen. A believer never complains! May Allah make me into a true believer. Ameen!
Quran Reflections is a collection of thoughts and experiences of students of the Holy Quran. The blog aims to educate and inspire others to realize the beauty and significance of Allah's Book so that it may also impact the lives of many more around the world.
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This makes we think about the famous saying (gist): ‘the pessimist complains about the wind, the optimist expects the wind to change and the leader adjusts the sails!’ In most situations/difficulties do we end up behaving like the pessimist? the optimist? or the leader? True wisdom is to make the best of every situation!
The saying is very relevant Mariam baji.I was thinking that positivity is from Allah s.wt. and all negativity is from Shaitan.Once we find ourselves complaining we must immediately recognize that it is from Shaitan-0ur greatest enemy who wants us to end up with him in hell-fire.We should also seek refuge in Allah s.w.t from Satan at that time.Also,I often read the masnoon dua’ ‘Allahumma qannini bima razaqtani wa barik li fih …..Oh Allah s.w.t. grant me contentment in whatever you have decreed for me and put blessings in it….