MEN OF UNDERSTANDING, People Who Take Heed & Those Who Reflect.

 

Where Are The

Men Of Understanding;

People Who Take Heed;

& Those Who Reflect?

“Why don't you ponder on the Quran?”

(al-Quran 4:82)

(M. Javed Naseem)

إِنَّ هَـٰذِهِ تَذْكِرَةٌ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ سَبِيلاً

“Surely this is a Reminder. Let him who will,

then, take a straight path to his Lord.”

(al-Quran 73:19)

Allah, the Almighty, is the Supreme Creator! He created heavens and earth and whatever is between them, in six days. And then placed His throne higher above all and installed there. He is able to do all things.

We humans are Allah's wonderful creation – weak but at the same time capable of doing amazing things. Allah the Almighty demonstrated His miracles through humans (Prophets and Messengers) and showed us the way how to achieve great feats. He promised us His help, mercy and guidance. He bestowed upon us intellect, granted us intelligence, power of thinking, power of analyzing, power of understanding, power of learning and teaching. He put 'brains' in our skull – the most amazing thing humans have, apart from their hearts, eyes, nose, ears and tongue.

Since Allah gave us the intelligence and power of thinking, He wants us to reflect, think and ponder over His Message that He delivered to us in the form of Holy Books. In the Holy Quran, the Almighty has asked us in many different verses: “Why don't you reflect?” or “Why don't you think?” or “Why don't you ponder?” or even “What's wrong with your thinking?” We are invited, challenged, and commanded to reflect, to think, to use our intelligence, and ponder upon the message of the Quran. In Chapter 4 (Surah an-Nissaa), Verse 82, the Almighty asks us a straight-forward question:

“Why do they not study the Quran carefully?”

(al-Quran 4:82)

Pickthal translated this verse as:

“Will they not then ponder on the Quran?”

A believer is the one who believe in Allah's sovereignty and lives by the commands of the Almighty. He cannot even think of disobeying Allah – his Creator. He knows that the Quran is the 'how-to manual' or the 'book of instructions' for the life of this world. The real believers and responsible Muslims have been declared by Allah as the “people who reflect”, “those who ponder”, “men of understanding”, “people who take heed”, and “they are the successful”.

“This is the path of your Lord, a straight path.

We have detailed Our revelations for a people

who take heed.”

(al-Quran 6:126)

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوۤاْ آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُو ٱلأَلْبَابِ

“This is a Book that We have revealed to you,

full of blessings, that they may ponder its

revelations, and that men of

understanding may reflect.”

(al-Quran 38:29)

Allah’s help and guidance is there for us but it comes to those only who ask for it; and strive for it. Allah's guidance is for all mankind but only those benefit from it who seek it and try to follow Allah's commands. Not everyone is capable to benefit from it. Some people are too weak to resist the temptation and say 'No' to the Devil. Only seekers can succeed. A mother does not feed her baby unless the baby cries for milk. Here is a recipe to seek Allah’s help:

يَآأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ ٱسْتَعِينُواْ بِٱلصَّبْرِ

وَٱلصَّلاَةِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّابِرِينَ

“O you who believe! Seek help with patient

perseverance and prayer; for Allah is

with those who patiently persevere!”

(al-Quran 2:153)

Patient perseverance means steadfastness (in Urdu: Istiqamat). It is the basic requisite of Islam. You believe in Allah, obey His commands, His messengers, and keep doing the right things; then ask for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness. He will surely bless you; but He will also test your faith, your honesty, your sincerity, i.e., your steadfastness. If you stay the course, of course with His help, you will be blessed. It is hard but worth trying! Allah's message is direct and clear. Here's what He tells us to do to live a successful and prosperous life in this world:

“O you who believe! Bow down and prostrate

yourselves, and worship your Lord, and do

good, that haply you may prosper. …

So establish worship, pay the poor-due, and

hold fast to Allah. He is your Protecting

Friend; a blessed Patron, and a

blessed Helper.”

(al-Quran 22:77-78)

Allah's commands are very clear and plain. If we follow them, we can be saved from humiliation, misery, and the punishment of the Hellfire. There is no room for ignoring or disobeying God's commands.

Disobedience means wrath of Allah – in other words landing in Hell. We are Allah's creation; Allah's subjects; Allah's slaves. How can we even think of disobeying Allah or ignoring His commands? We cannot escape as we have nowhere to go or hide!

“But those who disobey Allah and His

Messenger and transgress His limits will be

admitted to a Fire, to abide therein. And

they shall have a humiliating punishment.”

(al-Quran 4:14)

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