The Gateway to the Quran

  The Best And The Most Beautiful:It is always man's desire to get the best and the most beautiful (`Al-Khair’ and `Al-Ahsan’). He would like to get it with all possible ease and comfort; whether he strives for it or not. This is in his nature. But surely, he knows limitations, his own and also those imposed by the very nature of surroundings, he is living in.
  There are innumerable variables involved in every affair of mundane life. Most of them, and in fact in ultimate analysis all of them, are out of the limited capacity of man to handle, all by himself. It is not only spiritual in nature to seek support of the Ever All-Powerful for getting the best of all, but now science is also making it clear that, man is dependent on forces of nature. However, science, at the same time, gives the good news - good for all, that all these forces are at work for man. It reaffirms the Quranic statements that they have been harmonized to the service of man and reiterates its (Quran's) glad tidings for those who harness them. Therefore the best way for him is to make a submission (both in word and deed) to the All-Powerful and Benevolent Wisdom of Allah, Who is All-Able over all things, to ordain the best for him. When one submits with this faith, only for the sake of Allah, in all his affairs, he makes his utmost effort to benefit from everything harmonized in nature for him. He not only expects, but history of human development shows, that he gets the best and the most from the Providence.
  Consider any one example from nature. It is not just the right selection of inputs (e.g. seed, water, etc) for sowing, but all agents of ecology and environment at work have to be harmonious, in the same time frame and sequence, right from sowing to harvesting. If the sub-soil micro-biology does not work, the sun does not shining `radiate' [`Wahhaajan’, source of radiating heat, "And We (Allah) have made (the sun) the source of (radiation) heat and light"- 78-13] and oxidation in the root zone does not take place, photo-effect does not work in the leaf, right temperature is not developed, etc., etc., resultantly germination, sprouting, growth, over all yield etc., will all be affected. Then it is only wise to do one's best and seek support and blessings of the Ever All-Controller of all these phenomena.

  "Do you see what you sow?
  Is it you who grow it , or
  are We (Allah) the Grower?
  If We so pleased ,
  We could reduce it all to broken pieces,
  then you keep lamenting:
  `we are ruined! ,
  nay, we are deprived of everything.'
  Do you see the water which you drink?
  Is it you who send it down from the clouds, or
  We are the Sender?
  If We so pleased,
  We could make it bitter.
  Why, then, you are not grateful?
  Do you see the fire , which you kindle,
  Is it you who produce the tree for it, or
  are We the Producer?
  We have made it a reminder and a benefit
  for the wayfarers.
  So glorify The Name of your Lord-Master-Sustainer
  The Ever All-Great." 56- 63 to 74

  It has been reminded in the Quran that if Allah turns water bitter or lets it disappear in the earth (18-41), nobody can bring it back e.g. (67-30). Consider following news item:
  Washington, Sept 22: Scientists in the United States and Canada said that the `Ward Hunt Ice Shelf’, on the North coast of Ellesmere Island in Canada’s Nunavut territory, (the largest ice shelf in the Arctic, a solid feature for 3,000 years), broke up into two main parts, themselves cut through with fissures. A freshwater lake drained into the sea.

(“Largest ice shelf breaks up”, The Dawn, 23.9.2003)

  The freshwater deposit, handiwork of nature, over thousands of years is drained into the bitter sea! Who can bring it back? This store of nature is lost to the mankind! As a result of the catastrophic earth quake in Gujrat, India, water table in the desert (Thar area of Sindh, Pakistan), went hundreds of feet down! How to bring it back?
  It is important to clarify one important aspect of man’s attitude in this regard, here. Some people don't do their part, although they are also important components of the physical factory of the universe, which is subject to certain laws at work for all . They would rather like that their part is also played by some divine force and not by the physical force at their command in their own physical world . They would also wish that the physical laws or laws of nature are broken for them whenever it suits them. If this happens for everyone, as almost everyone would like to have this favour done to him, then there will be lawlessness, every thing in disorder, and all chaos. So let the order prevail to the advantage of all. The wisdom of man's creation with command over all forces of nature lies in his doing the best and at the same time seeking guidance, support and succour from Allah for the best and the most, with His blessings, benediction and benevolence, as envisaged in verse 1-7.
  All the heavens and the earth have been created where man can try the best of his mettle with all the resources therein at his command. This shows that even sky is not the limit! An extremely vast but harmonized operating arena has been made available! It is open to competition by individuals, groups, societies and nations:

  " assembly of jinn and men!
  If you have power to pass
  beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth,
  then pass beyond!
  But you will never be able to pass them,
  except with power-force." 55-33

  Those who believe in the working of the system as a reality and a scientific truth and work with the governing laws, are sure to succeed. Deng Xiaoping assumed Chinese leadership, after the death of Mao-Ze Dong. He proclaimed the contours of his policy with the main salient point as: “Seek truth from facts.”

(“54 years of Chinese Revolution”, Prof. Khwaja Masud, The News 29.9.03)

  Those who don't believe (in Truth, Law), consequently they don’t reflect in the physical fact and factual foundation of all matter and all affairs. So they don’t understand. For them even a simple scientific fact haunts them, harassing as monster or magic.

  "And He is (Allah) Who has Himself created
  the heavens and the earth in Six Days,
  and His Throne was on the water,
  that He may try you,
  who amongst you is the best in deeds.
  But if you were to say to them:
  `you shall indeed be raised up after death,'
  those who disbelieve, would be sure to say:
  `This is nothing but obvious magic.' "11-7
  Oneness and Unity of Attributes of Allah: When invocation is made with intentions and purposes, as discussed above, this basically would confirm faith in the Oneness of Allah, All His Most Beautiful Best Attributes and His Providence. This is achieved in following manner:
  i. It is a kind of worship: This invocation is basically a prayer to Allah.
  ii. One purifies his own intent and purpose for the sake of Allah and for submission to Him, which is again worship of   Allah.
  iii. One confirms and reaffirms that in all matters of supplication and invocation he refers to Allah Alone.
  iv. Man's needs and wants are very diverse, different and countless. Only The Ever All-Powerful, Ever All-Mighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Ever All-Able, Ever All-Hearer can do all these various and varieties of functions. Making an invocation, all the time and for all things to One Allah Alone signifies faith in His Oneness as Allah - He receives this as worship and helps out because He is Allah, and also sustains and supports because He Himself Alone is The Only One Providence-Director-Dispenser-Cherisher-Nurturer of all and everyone in all matters
  v. Invocation and initiation with `Basmallaah', in every small as well as big affair, shows complete faith, besides recognition, that in every matter, however, small it may be, he is completely dependent on Allah, Who is his Rabb also.