23. “IF YOU SHOULD COUNT THE FAVOUR OF ALLAH, YOU COULD NOT ENUMERATE THEM.”
There was a time when my desires self enticed me to do something that is disliked in religion. It started luring me through providing interpretations and justifications to show me that there is nothing dislikeable in what it wants to do. All the interpretations and justifications furnished were invalid however, and it is evident that the matter is disliked. I consequently turned to Allah, Most High, asking Him to let my heart disincline to that matter. I started to recite the Qur’an, and commenced to recite from the last place I ended; it was the beginning of Surah Yusuf, all the while what my desirous ‘self wanted was distracting my heart to the point I became unfocused while reading. As soon as I reached the verse,
“He said, ‘[I seek] the refuge of Allah. Indeed, he is my master, who has made good my residence.’” [Yusuf (12):23]
I became astute as if this verse intended to address me, which made me wake up from the intoxication of the desirous thought I had. At that point, I addressed my desirous self by saying, “O self! Have you understood?
Yusuf (‘alayhi as-salam) was sold as a slave unjustly but still he fulfilled the right of the ‘Aziz who showed kindness to him and referred to him as his master though he is not really his master!
So, how about you when you know that you are a real slave for a Master whose kindness has been engulfing you from the moment you came into being, the number of times He covered your mistakes and shortcoming is countless?! Don’t you remember how He raised you, taught you, sustained you, protected you, brought goodness to you, guided you to the best path, saved you from all the harm, furnished you with a good appearance and good intellect. He facilitated for you acquiring all types of knowledge until you acquired in a short time what no other person could acquire from knowledge in a long time, adorned your tongue with eloquence when speaking about the different branches of knowledge after He concealed your shortcomings from His creation; thus they accepted what you say while assuming the good in you, and let abundant provision come to you without any effort from your end!
By Allah, I do not know which blessing and grace Allah has conferred on you should I explain; the good image you have or the health of your senses and limbs? The good mood and moderate structure you have been granted or your nature that is free of any lowly quality? The guidance you have been blessed with since early age or the protection you have that made you avoid sins and vile acts? (Last but not least) the blessing of loving the path of adhering to the Prophet and following his steps without (being restricted to) rigidly following any other person who is looked up to by people and without being involved in innovations?
“Indeed, if you should count the favour of Allah, you could not enumerate them.” [Ibrahim (14): 34]
How many cunning individuals have attempted to set you up but Allah protected you?
How many enemies have tried to degrade you but He elevated your rank?
How many are out there who thirst to have any of their wishes be fulfilled, while He extinguishes your thirst for you?
How many are those who died without achieving their purpose but He kept you alive?
You wake up and sleep everyday while your body is healthy and your religion is safeguarded; acquiring more knowledge and achieving what you hope for. And when you are prevented from any one of your wishes, you are granted patience over it after it has become evident to you the wisdom for not having your wish fulfilled; hence you need to submit till you become certain that not proceeding with what you want is better for you.
If I continue to count the blessings and favours of Allah on you, books will be filled and ink will run out dry while I still have not finished. You know whatever I have not mentioned from the favours of Allah on you is ever more. All what I have indicated above are not even explained in detail! So how could you do something that your Creator dislikes?!
“…indeed, he is my master, who has made good my residence. Indeed, wrongdoers will not succeed.” [Yusuf (12):23]
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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