Volume 10 Surah 12 - 15 - Enjoy Islam

Ibrahīm (Abraham) | GRACE AND GRATITUDE
yourselves [in this life], for you will surely end up in hell.’“ (Verse 30)
The Prophet is further instructed to leave these people alone, not to trouble
himself with them any more. Instead he should address God’s servants who have
accepted the faith. These are the people who will take heed when they are warned
against evil. They accept God’s blessings and appreciate them, and will never
exchange them for disbelief. The Prophet is to address these people and teach them
how to be grateful for God’s blessings. They should express their gratitude through
worship, obedience to God and kindness to His servants: “Tell My servants who have
attained to faith that they should attend regularly to their prayers and spend [in My way],
secretly and openly, out of the sustenance We provide for them, before a day shall come when
there will be no trading and no friendship.” (Verse 31)
God commands His Messenger to say to those who have attained to faith that they
should express their gratitude to God by establishing regular prayer, for prayer is the
most express form of gratitude to God. They should also spend in charity out of the
sustenance God provides for them, and make such spending both in secret and in
public. Secret charity protects the dignity of the taker and enhances the virtue of the
giver. This ensures that charity does not become a source of pride and arrogance.
Charitable spending in public serves to demonstrate obedience to God’s orders, and
provides a good example to others in the community. Both ways are left to the
discretion and sensitivities of every believer.
The believers are told to spend on others now so that their balance which is
preserved for them increases through gains they make by charitable spending. This
they have to do before a day comes when there is no longer any possibility for wealth
to grow, or friendship to bring any benefit. What is of benefit to people is only the
good works they have already done, for their reward is stored: “Tell My servants who
have attained to faith that they should attend regularly to their prayers and spend [in My
way], secretly and openly, out of the sustenance We provide for them, before a day shall come
when there will be no trading and no friendship.” (Verse 31)
God’s Numerous Blessings
At this point, the sūrah opens the book of the universe where every page speaks of
God’s countless blessings. These extend beyond the furthest point our senses can
reach, and go into the skies, the earth, the sun, the moon, the day and night, the
water pouring down from the skies and the fruits of all plants on earth, the oceans
and seas where ships and boats sail, and the rivers flowing with the different means
of producing what sustains life. All these universal images are available for all to see,
but people do not look, reflect or express gratitude. Man is truly unjust, ingrate,
exchanging God’s blessings for unbelief, and setting up deities which he claims to be
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