Article appeared Friday, July 4th, 2014 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation !!4" yousu# $ah%u%ul &sla$, 'h(

)hen we see a %eauti#ul painting, what co$es to our $inds* (o we thin+ $ore a%out the
contents o# the painting or do we thin+ $ore a%out the unseen artist %ehind the wor+,o#,art* &s it
the s+ill o# the artist that %uyers pay #or or is it #or the contents o# the painting* 'eople interested
in paintings have %een +nown to use the phrase, -&t.s a 'icasso/0 1 $eaning that it is a painting
%y the 2panish painter, sculptor, poet and playwright 'a%lo 'icasso 1331 1 145!" {1}6 2uch
people are also $ost interested in the painter.s personal li#e, e.g. why he drew what he drew,
what $otivated hi$, how he developed his style, etc. 'icasso.s style is uni7ue, and when
so$eone says, -&t.s a 'icasso/0 it is indeed a recognition with high praise #or the painter6 For the
artist, people do various things, such as write %oo+s on his wor+, design courses to help
students appreciate his wor+ and hold discussion sessions6
Just as a painting cannot co$e into %eing without a painter, can a hu$an %eing co$e into
e8istence without the 9reator* 2o, i# we say we %elieve, should we %e si$ilarly interested in the
9reator* For e8a$ple, why did :e 9reate intelligent and uni7ue hu$an %eings* )hat was;is
:is <otivation* )hat are :is =ualities* Also, should we write %oo+s, design courses to help
students appreciate :is )or+ and hold discussion sessions*
Just as paintings are a%out the painter, should li#e on earth %e a%out the 9reator* )hen we
e8a$ine any li#e #or$, should we praise the 9reator #or :is 2+ill at $a+ing the particular li#e
#or$* )hat should we do when we loo+ at ourselves or thin+ a%out our own a%ilities* )e #ind
an answer to so$e o# these 7uestions in the =ur.an,
&t is :e )ho %rought you #orth #ro$ the wo$%s o# your $others when you +new
nothing> and :e gave you hearing, sight, intelligence and a##ections? so that you may be
grateful (to your Creator). @1A653B
To %e a%le to %e grate#ul, i.e., to %e a%le to give than+s, hu$an %eings need an analytical a%ility
to evaluate the things that the 9reator has %estowed, Cust as we are a%le to assign value to the
wor+ o# a painter and %eco$e #ull o# praise6 &n addition to the analytical a%ility, what else has the
9reator done #or hu$an %eings* As illustrated in the =ur.an,
&t is Allah who $ade your ha%itations ho$es o# rest and 7uiet #or you> and $ade #or you
out o# the s+ins o# ani$als tents #or" dwellings which you #ind so light and handy" when
you travel and when you stop in your travels"> and out o# their wool and their so#t #i%ers
%etween wool and hair" and their hair rich stu## and articles o# convenience to serve
you" #or a ti$e6 @1A630B
&t is Allah who $ade out o# the things :e created so$e things to give you shade> o# the
hills :e $ade so$e #or your shelter> :e $ade you gar$ents to protect you #ro$ the heat
and coats o# $ail to protect you #ro$ your $utual" violence6 Thus does :e co$plete his
#avors on you that you $ay %ow to :is )ill6 @1A631B
:ow can one %ow to the )ill o# the 9reator* &t is si$ply #ul#illing the purpose o# recogniDing :is
=ualities using our intelligence, giving value, apportioning appropriate praise and %eing grate#ul/
Eet, Allah, our 9reator, says in the su%se7uent Ferse,
They recogniDe the #avors o# Allah> then they deny the$> and most of them are
ungrateful. @1A63!B
2o, what should %e the attitude o# a hu$an %eing towards the 9reator who has done so $uch to
ena%le an individual e8istence* Also, i# thus, so #ar, we have ignored the 9reator and :is
9ontri%ution to our e8istence and lives, what recourse do we have*
But verily, your Gord, to those who do wrong in ignorance, %ut therea#ter repent and
$a+e a$ends, your Gord, a#ter all this, is H#t,Forgiving, <ost <erci#ul6 @1A6114B
9.112 Those that turn (to Allah) in repentance: that serve Him and praise Him
that !ander in devotion to the "ause o# Allah that $o! do!n and prostrate
themselves in pra%er that en&oin 'ood and #or$id evil and o$serve the limits set
$% Allah (such ma% re&oice). So proclaim the glad tidings to the Believers.
Ferse 46112 outlines the 7ualities o# %elievers who would #ul#ill the purpose #or which they have
%een created6 )hat a%out those who re#use to ac+nowledge the %lessings o# the 9reator*
Eour Gord 9reator" is Hne Allah? as to those who %elieve not in the :erea#ter their
hearts re#use to +now as they are arrogant6 @1A622B
A%out such people, the 9reator says,
Hr do you thin+ that $ost o# the$ listen or understand* They are only li+e cattle> nay
they are worse astray in 'ath6 @2I644B
Those who do not use their intelligence appropriately are co$pared with cattle %y the 9reator
and hence,
9.11( )t is not #ittin' #or the prophet and those !ho $elieve that the% should pra%
#or #or'iveness #or pa'ans even thou'h the% $e o# *in a#ter it is clear to them that
the% are companions o# the +ire.
2o %elievers are not even allowed to pray #or those who are arrogant/ Allah $entions an
e8ception6
9.11, And A$raham pra%ed #or his #ather-s #or'iveness onl% $ecause o# a
promise that he had made. .ut !hen it $ecame clear to him that he !as an enem%
to Allah he dissociated himsel# #rom him: #or A$raham !as most tender/hearted
and #or$earin'.
Jverything we have and enCoy is #ro$ the 9reator6 &t is :e who sustains us every $o$ent6
There#ore, as reco$$ended,
Khold #ast altogether %y the rope which Allah stretches out #or you" and %e not divided
a$ong yourselves> and re$e$%er with gratitude AllahLs #avor on you>K @!610!B
)e should share our understanding o# the in#inite #avors o# our 9reator and #ind ways to %e
grate#ul %oth individually and collectively6
9.110 And Allah !ill not mislead a people a#ter He has 1uided them in order that
He ma% ma*e clear to them !hat to #ear (and avoid) #or Allah has *no!led'e o# all
thin's.
Hther than the 9reator, there is no power, as everything else is a part o# the created real$6 All
power is vested in the 9reator and :e is the Hwner o# everything and every soul6 2hould we not
use our intelligence to understand this #act*
9.112 To Allah $elon' the dominion o# the heavens and the earth. He 'ives li#e
and He ta*es it. 34cept #or Him %ou have no protector or helper.
,,,,,,,
{5otes}?
{1} http?;;en6wi+ipedia6org;wi+i;'a%loM'icasso