Article appeared Friday, May 6th, 2016 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (425)

yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

Usually, students are evaluated against the grades they get. Are grades the only evaluation
criteria? How would we evaluate a student who in addition, thanks and praises the teacher for
all the trouble taken to teach him/her? How would we evaluate a student who also recommends
the teacher to others, thus promoting the qualities of the teacher? Similarly, we all use a variety
of products. How many of us praise and recommend the quality of the manufacturer to others?
How would the teacher look upon such a student and how would the manufacturer look upon
such a consumer? Similarly, if we reflect on ourselves, what qualities are we enjoying? Overall,
one might say that there are three types of benefits or qualities we enjoy. The first is our own
abilities our physical bodies, sight, hearing, touch, taste, feelings and intelligence. The second
is the external support systems and objects that we enjoy food, drink, air, sun, moon,
revolution of the earth, seasons, etc. The third is purely individual benefits or qualities
protection, success, recovery from illness, response to prayers, etc. So, in addition to creating
the individual, and providing sustenance, the Creator is our Protector, Provider of success,
Giver of health and He responds to our prayers. Looking for confirmation of the role of the
Creator, we find the following Verses in the Holy Quran. For the first,
It is He Who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when you knew
nothing; and He made for you (the faculties of) hearing, and sight, and intelligence and
affections: that perhaps you may give thanks (to Allah). [16.78]
As an example, for the second,
It is He Who made the sun to be a shining light and the moon to be a (reflecting) light
(of beauty) and measured out stages for it: that you might know the number of years and
the account (for time). Allah has not created this except in truth and righteousness.
(Thus) does He explain his Signs in detail for those who (wish to) understand. [10.5]
So eat of the sustenance which Allah has provided for you lawful and good; and be
grateful for the favors of Allah if it is He whom you serve. [16.114]
And for the third,
And He gives you from all that you ask for. But if you count the favors of Allah never will
you be able to number them: verily man is given up to injustice and ingratitude. [14.34]
What would the qualities and nature of the Being be a Being who can and has done all of this
for us? Why would He go to such lengths to give us an intelligent and independent life to enjoy?
Notice that among all animals, humans are the only ones with an ability to ask questions, do
research and find the answers. We are the only beings that can work out the answers to
questions like who am I? Why am I here? What could the Creator possibly want from me?
Not unlike the grateful student and consumer, how may the Creator look upon someone who is
grateful, praises Him and appraises His Qualities to others? After researching on who the
Creator is, Prophet Abraham (pbuh) had declared,
He said, "Nay your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth He Who created them
(from nothing): and I am a witness to this (truth). [21.56]
Moses, in turn, during his time, declared,
And remember! Your Lord caused to be declared (publicly), "If you are grateful I will add
more (favors) on you; but if you show ingratitude truly My punishment is terrible
indeed." [14.7]

The Creator has sent Revelation documented in Holy Scriptures as a confirmation of the
Creators contribution to our lives and what He expects from His Creation.
To the righteous (when) it is said "What is it that your Lord has revealed?" they say, "All
that is good." To those who do good there is good in this world and the Home of the
Hereafter is even better. And excellent indeed is the Home of the righteous [16.30]
The grateful ones, who praise the Creator and appraise others with His Qualities are the
righteous ones. Such people will have a excellent permanent home after death with Him.

16.31 Gardens of Eternity which they will enter: beneath them flow (pleasant)
rivers: they will have therein all that they wish: thus does Allah reward the
righteous.
Who are these people?

16.32 (Namely) those whose lives the angels take in a state of purity saying (to
them), "Peace be on you; enter the Garden because of the good which you did (in
the world)."
Allah questions those who would be ungrateful, i.e., those who are going to be in trouble,

16.33 Do the (ungodly) wait until the angels come to them or there comes the
Command of the Lord (for their doom)? So did people before them. But Allah
wronged them not; nay, they wronged their own souls.
Ingratitude is evil and harms our own souls ungrateful people often make fun of those who are
grateful,

16.34 So they were struck by the evil consequences of their deeds and were
enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
The job of messengers and Revelation is simply to warn of what will happen to the ungrateful.

16.35 The worshippers of false gods say, "If Allah had so willed we should not
have worshipped anything but Him neither we nor our fathers nor should we have
prescribed prohibitions other than His." So did those say who went before them.
But what is the mission of apostles but to preach the Clear Message?
16.36 For We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle (with the
Command), "Serve Allah and eschew Evil": of the people were some whom Allah
guided and some on whom Error became inevitably (established). So travel
through the earth and see what was the end of those who denied (the Truth).
Generations before us have been completely destroyed.

16.37 (Even) if you are anxious for their guidance (O, Muhammad) yet Allah
guides not such as He leaves to stray and there is none to help them.
Such people doubt the reality of life after death.

16.38 They swear their strongest oaths by Allah that Allah will not raise up those
who die; nay, but it is a promise (binding) on Him in truth: but most among
mankind realize it not.
16.39 (They must be raised up) in order that He may manifest to them the truth of
that wherein they differ and that the rejecters of Truth may realize that they had
indeed (surrendered to) falsehood.
All our doubts will be cleared after death and the truth will be established for all.