The First Word

All the silky-soft roots and veins of plants, trees, and grasses say BismillāhIn the Name of Allah., enabling them to pierce hard rock and earth. Because they act in the name of Allah the Most Merciful, everything is placed in their service.

Indeed, the fact that roots spread through hard rock and earth with such ease and bear fruits beneath the ground, just as branches spread through the air and bear fruit, and that delicate leaves remain green and moist despite months of exposure to scorching heat, strikes a powerful blow against the naturalists. It thrusts a finger into their blinded eye and says:

“Even hardness and heat, which you trust most as independent forces of nature, act under a command. For those silky-soft veins obey the command:

فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبْ بِعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ“Then We said, ‘Strike the rock with your staff.’” – The Quran 2:60

just as the staff of Mūsā (as) did, and split the rocks apart. And those delicate leaves, as thin as paper, recite the meaning of the verse:

يَا نَارُ كُونٖى بَرْدًا وَ سَلَامًا“We said, ‘O fire, be coolness and peace …’” – The Quran 21:69

just as the limbs of Ibrāhīm (as) did in the face of blazing fire.”

Since everything says BismillāhIn the Name of Allah. and brings us the blessings of Allah in His Name, we too should say BismillāhIn the Name of Allah., give in the name of Allah, and receive in the name of Allah. We should not accept from heedless people who do not give in the name of Allah.

The Question: “We pay a price to those who serve us the blessings of Allah. What, then, does Allah ask of us in return, He Who is the True Owner of all blessings?"

The Answer: “The price that Munim-i HaqīqīAllah, the true Bestower of all kinds of blessings and favors. asks in return for those precious blessings and gifts consists of three things: dhikrThe remembrance of Allah through the repeated recitation of a word or short phrase as an act of worship., shukrGratitude and thankfulness toward Allah., and fikrContemplation and reflection, especially on the signs, blessings, and creation of Allah.. Saying BismillāhIn the Name of Allah. at the beginning is dhikrThe remembrance of Allah through the repeated recitation of a word or short phrase as an act of worship.. Saying AlhamdulillāhAll praise belongs to Allah. at the end is shukrGratitude and thankfulness toward Allah.. And reflecting between dhikrThe remembrance of Allah through the repeated recitation of a word or short phrase as an act of worship. and shukrGratitude and thankfulness toward Allah. upon the fact that these precious, wondrous, and artistic gifts are miracles of Ahad-i SamadAllah, Who is One and is in need of nothing and no one, while everyone and everything is in need of Him. and blessings from His mercy is fikrContemplation and reflection, especially on the signs, blessings, and creation of Allah..

You surely realise how foolish it would be to kiss the feet of a simple man who brings you a valuable gift from a sultan, while showing no appreciation to the true giver of that gift. In exactly the same way, it is a thousand times more foolish to praise and love those who merely appear to bestow blessings, while forgetting the True Bestower of all blessings.

O my nafsThe aspect of the soul associated with lower desires and negative traits.! If you do not wish to be so foolish, then give in the name of Allah, receive in the name of Allah, begin in the name of Allah, and act in the name of Allah.

Wa’s-salāmPeace be upon you all..