Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
Contemplation (tafakkur) upon the creation is an act of worship that draws the heart closer to the Creator. When we pause and reflect on the sheer magnitude and intricacy of the blessings Allah (SWT) has bestowed upon us, we are left in awe of His Power, His Wisdom, and His Infinite Mercy. Indeed, Allah Himself reminds us of the impossibility of enumerating His favours:
"And if you should count the blessings of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."
This single ayah suffices to humble us. Yet, reflection upon even a fraction of these blessings serves to strengthen our iman (faith) and cultivate profound shukr (gratitude). Let us embark on a brief journey, pondering some of these manifest signs.
Look no further than the vessel that carries your soul – the human body. Allah (SWT) fashioned us in the most perfect form. Consider the complexity: the billions of cells working in harmony, the intricate network of nerves transmitting signals faster than thought, the heart pumping life-sustaining blood tirelessly, the lungs drawing breath, the eyes perceiving colours and shapes, the ears discerning sounds, the tongue tasting flavours, the brain processing information, learning, remembering, and feeling. Each organ, each system, is a universe of wonders operating seamlessly, often without our conscious effort. Allah (SWT) says:
"We have certainly created man in the best of stature."
And consider the very process of our creation from humble beginnings:
"And certainly did We create man from an extract of clay. Then We placed him as a sperm-drop in a firm lodging. Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators."
SubhanAllah! Is this intricate design, this precise development, not a staggering blessing, a constant testament to the Creator's mastery?
Do you really want to try to count the blessings of our Creator?
Here is a sample list to count just His blessings in our body. Click here to see it.
Allah (SWT) did not just create us; He prepared a perfect abode for us. The Earth itself is a profound blessing. Suspended in the vastness of space, it is uniquely equipped for life. Consider the atmosphere, a protective shield filtering harmful radiation from the sun, providing the very air we breathe, and regulating temperature. Consider the perfect distance from the sun – not too close to burn, not too far to freeze. Consider the water cycle, a magnificent system of evaporation, cloud formation, and precipitation that distributes life-giving water across the lands. Allah reminds us:
"[He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you..."
He stabilized the Earth with mountains, which act like pegs:
"Have We not made the earth a resting place? And the mountains as stakes?"
The alternation of night and day, allowing for rest and activity, is another mercy:
"And a sign for them is the night. We withdraw therefrom the day, and behold, they are in darkness."
This planet, teeming with resources and perfectly balanced ecosystems, is a trust and a blessing, prepared for us by the Most Wise.
From this Earth, Allah provides our sustenance (rizq). He sends down rain, brings forth diverse vegetation, grains, fruits, and vegetables, each with its unique taste, colour, and nutritional value. He created livestock, providing us with meat, milk, wool, and means of transport. Reflect on the food you eat:
"Then let mankind look at his food. How We poured down water in torrents, Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts], And caused to grow within it grain, And grapes and herbage, And olive and palm trees, And gardens of dense shrubbery, And fruit and grass - [As] enjoyment [i.e., provision] for you and your grazing livestock."
The very process of agriculture, the ability to cultivate the land and reap its benefits, is facilitated by the natural laws Allah has established. The water we drink, essential for all life, is another blessing we often take for granted.
Beyond mere sustenance, Allah has filled the world with beauty and wonder. Consider the vast array of animals – birds soaring in the sky, fish swimming in the depths of the oceans, creatures roaming the land, insects pollinating flowers. Each species has its role, its unique characteristics, contributing to the intricate web of life.
"And there is no creature on earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you..."
Consider the flowers with their vibrant colours and fragrant scents, the majestic mountains, the vast oceans, the rustling forests. These are not just functional parts of the ecosystem; they are signs (ayat) for those who reflect, sources of aesthetic pleasure and reminders of the Creator's artistry.
"And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided, And landmarks. And by the stars they are [also] guided."
Perhaps one of the greatest distinctions Allah (SWT) granted humankind is the gift of intellect ('aql). This ability to reason, to learn, to understand complex concepts, to distinguish right from wrong, and ultimately, to recognise our Creator, is a profound blessing. It is through intellect that we can study the universe, appreciate its laws, and derive benefit from its resources. The Quran repeatedly urges us to use this faculty:
"Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and the earth - [in all this] are signs for a people who use reason."
Our ability to think, solve problems, communicate complex ideas, and pass knowledge through generations stems from this divine gift.
Flowing directly from the blessing of intellect is the ability Allah has given us to harness the resources He created. He taught Adam ('alayhis salam) the names of all things, signifying the foundational gift of knowledge. With this intellect and the resources made subservient to us, humanity has developed tools, built shelters, cultivated land, created intricate machines, and devised means of transport that traverse land and sea. Allah explicitly mentions the blessing of ships:
"It is Allah who created the heavens and the earth and sent down rain from the sky and produced thereby some fruits as provision for you and subjected for you the ships to sail through the sea by His command and subjected for you the rivers."
"Do you not see that Allah has subjected to you whatever is on the earth and the ships which run through the sea by His command?..."
From simple hand tools to complex computers, from animal-drawn carts to airplanes and massive ships, these advancements, while products of human effort, are only possible because Allah (SWT) granted us the intellectual capacity and provided the raw materials. This ability itself is a blessing requiring gratitude.
My brothers and sisters, this reflection barely scratches the surface. Every breath, every heartbeat, every moment of health, every relationship, every morsel of food, every drop of water, the guidance of Islam itself – all are immeasurable blessings from Allah (SWT). Recognising these blessings should fill our hearts with overwhelming gratitude (shukr) and love for our Creator. This gratitude is not merely uttering "Alhamdulillah," though that is essential, but it is also realised through obedience to His commands, utilising His blessings in ways that please Him, and sharing them with others.
Let us constantly be mindful of these favours, for gratitude increases blessings, while ingratitude invites deprivation. Allah (SWT) warns us:
"And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.'"