Quranic Reflections - Islamic School of Stanford

Do not try to change Allah’s blessings
The ayahs continue to corroborate the same core idea, which is the blessing of belief
and the affliction of disbelief. Allah unequivocally says what can be translated as,
“Have you not regarded the ones who the favor of Allah with substituted
disbelief and caused their people to inhabit the Residence of futility” (TMQ,
14:28). What will their retribution be Allah says what can be translated as, “Hell,
wherein they are roasted; and miserable is the residence!” (TMQ, 14:29).
Oh Muslim brethren, do not ever let go of or repudiate the blessing of belief, which
Allah (SWT) has bestowed upon you. Do not be one of those about whom Allah says
what can be translated as, “And they made up compeers to Allah, that they
(might) lead (people) into error away from His way…” (TMQ, 14:30).
How can we thank Allah the Mighty for this great blessing of belief Allah says what
can be translated as, “Say to My bondmen who have believed (that) they keep up
the prayer and expend of what we have provided them, secretly and in public…”
(TMQ, 14:31); and He adds, “…And in case you number the favor(s) of Allah,
you (cannot) enumerate them” (TMQ, 14:34).
The surah goes on enumerating other blessings that Allah (SWT ) has endowed upon
us. Allah says what can be translated as, “Allah is He Who created the heavens and
the earth and sent down from the heaven water…”; “…And He subjected to you
ships to run in the sea at His Command”; and He says, “…And He subjected to
you the rivers”; “And He subjected to you the sun and the moon, both in a
steadfast manner, and He subjected to you the night and the daytime” (TMQ,
14:32-33).
Why has Allah (SWT ) subjected all those blessings for us So that we may feel
Allah's power, feel His blessings, and follow His path.
Allah states in ayah 34 what can be translated as, “…And in case you number the
favor(s) of Allah, you (cannot) enumerate them” (TMQ, 14: 34). Allah (SWT)
does not imply that we have already started counting. Instead, He states that if we
only made an attempt to count the particulars of one blessing (e.g., the sun), we would
not be able to do so; Let alone the greatest blessing of all, which is the blessing of
belief and following Allah’s (SWT) path.
Ibrahim as a role model
The surah concludes with a comparison between two models. The first one is of a
man, Prophet Ibrahim (AS), who lived on Allah's blessings and internalized the
blessing of belief. The other one is of people living away from Allah's path, being
unjust to themselves and to their communities. Prophet Ibrahim’s (AS) thankfulness
for the blessings received is always evident, “Praise be to Allah, Who has bestowed
upon me, though being great with (years), (i.e., though I am old) Shuaayb and
Ishaq; (Ishmael and Isaac, respectively) surely my Lord is indeed Ever-Hearing
of invocation” (TMQ, 14:39).