Dear believing brothers, we started the interpretation of The Quran from “Surat Lukman”, and did not conclude interpreting it yet; we hope Allah, The Almighty, gives us the power to continue comprehending the “Book of Allah” and implementing its orders.
The Noble Qur’an is included in “Surat Al- Fatiha”:
We will interpret Surat Al-Fatiha, by Allah's will, because of its great value. As the Prophet (PBUH) said:
((He who does not recite Fatihat al-Kitab* is not credited with having observed prayer.))
[ Muslim from Abada bin Samet may Allah be pleased with him ]
The Prophet (PBUH) called Al-Fatiha the “foundation of the Quran”, the “Head of the Quran” and the “opening of The Book”; Al-Fatiha has ten names, and the Quran is collected in it. For all these reasons I thought it would be appropriate to interpret Al-Fatiha after the last short Surats which the Quran was concluded with.
First, Allah Almighty, said:
﴾ So when you want to recite the Qur'an, seek refuge with Allah from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast (the cursed one) » (98) ﴿
Scholars have agreed that “I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed” is not an Ayah; however, the Prophet (PBUH) didn’t read Quran unless he recited “I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed”. He was guided by the following ayah:
﴾ So when you want to recite the Qur'an, seek refuge with Allah from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast (the cursed one) » (98) ﴿
Scholars agreed that it is preferred to say “I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed” out of the prayer, and it’s an obligatory to say it during the prayer, provided to be said secretly. We say, “Glory be to You O Allah and praise be to You, blessed be Your Name, exalted be Your Deed, there is no God except You” silently, and then we say “I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed” silently too.
The prophet was always seeking refuge with Allah from the devil especially in the last two Surats:
As for Bismillah, “In the name of Allah”, it is mostly read aloud. Abu-Hanifa, may Allah be pleased with him, deemed that it is possible to read “Bismillah” silently too; and according to his school of thought, one starts reciting prayer by saying: “Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds”; but often the “Bismillah” is read aloud. As for “seeking refuge” the scholars have agreed that it is recited silently during the prayer.
((Two persons abused each other in the presence of Allah's Apostle (PBUH) and one of them fell into a rage and his face became red. Allah's Apostle (PBUH) saw him and said: I know of a wording; if he were to utter that, he would get out (of the fit of anger) (and the wording is): I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed. Thereupon, a person went to him who had heard that from Allah's Apostle (PBUH) and said to him: Do you know what Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said? He (the Holy Prophet) said: I know of a wording; if he were to say that, (the fit) would be no more (and the words are): I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed.))
[ Al-Boukhari from Suleiman bin Surd ]
If The Prophet (PBUH) was on travel and the night came, and he stayed somewhere, he would say:
(( O earth, my Lord and your Lord is God; I seek refuge in God from your evil, the evil of what you contain, the evil of what has been created in you, and the evil of what creeps upon you; I seek refuge in God from lions, from large black snakes, from other snakes, from scorpions, from the evil of jinn [Or it may be human inhabitants.] which inhabit a settlement and from a parent and his offspring. ))
[ Narrated by Abu Dawud from Abdullah bin Omar ]
The Prophet (PBUH) was always seeking refuge with Allah, especially in the last two Surats:
﴾ 1. Say: “I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak, 2. “From the evil of what He has created; 3. “And from the evil of the darkening (night) as it comes with its darkness; (or the moon as it sets or goes away). 4. “And from the evil of the witchcrafts when they blow in the knots, 5. “And from the evil of the envier when he envies.”. ﴿
And:
﴾ Say: “I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind, “The King of mankind, “The Ilah (God) of mankind, “From the evil of the whisperer (devil who whispers evil in the hearts of men) who withdraws (from his whispering in one’s heart after one remembers Allah) , “Who whispers in the breasts of mankind, “Of jinns and men.” ﴿
All “The Beautiful Names of Allah” are combined in the word “Allah”:
Some scholars have said that “seeking refuge” is to ask a strong party for protection from evil, while “resorting” means to have the protection of a strong party in order to get goodness. Seeking refuge is a means to prevent evil, and resorting is asking for welfare; so Allah The Almighty, commands us to seek refuge with Allah from “the accursed devil”.
As for the word “Allah”, this word is the Greatest Name of our Lord in which are combined all the 99 Names of Allah, given "Allah" is the Name that refers to The Divine Entity. The greatest name of Allah is "Allah", which combines the other 99 Name. “I seek refuge with Allah” means that I seek refuge with Allah The Most Gracious, The All Wise, The All Kind, The Most Powerful, The Most Wealthy, The All Just, The Self-Sufficient Master, The Everlasting, The One, The Irresistible Subduer, The Omnipotent and The All Loving; if you say “Allah”, this Name combines all the 99 Names of Him. If someone says, “I seek refuge with The Most Gracious”, but in his case he needs power, then his “seeking refuge” would not be accurate; saying: "I seek refuge with Allah" will help in case one is afraid of something very powerful, because Allah is The Most Powerful. If you need mercy you must say, “I seek refuge with Allah”, because Allah is The Most Merciful and so forth.
The term “I seek refuge with Allah” means that I ask the protection from the Most Perfect Entity (i.e. Allah), which combines all of the 99 Names of Allah.
Allah The Almighty, says:
﴾ And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah , so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do. ﴿
When Allah created us, He made a method for us:
Why was the devil given this name, “Al-Shaytan? He was given this name because he strayed from the right path. When Allah, Almighty, created us, He made a method for us. Allah, Glory be to Him, says:
﴾ We said: “Get down all of you from this place (the Paradise), then whenever there comes to you Guidance from Me, and whoever follows My Guidance, there shall be no fear on them, nor shall they grieve. ﴿
He, Almighty, says:
﴾ (Allah) said:”Get you down (from the Paradise to the earth), both of you, together, some of you are an enemy to some others. Then if there comes to you guidance from Me, then whoever follows My Guidance shall neither go astray, nor fall into distress and misery.123﴿ ﴿
And He says:
﴾ Verily, those who say: “Our Lord is Allah (Alone),” and then they Istaqamu , on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): “Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised! ﴿
If you follow the method of Allah, no fear shall come upon you nor shall you grieve:
As long as you follow the method of Allah, no fear shall come upon you nor shall you grieve.
Allah, The Most Great, says:
﴾ Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to a Straight Way (Islamic Monotheism). ﴿
If you seek pleasing Allah Almighty, He will guide you to the way of peace at home, in your health, in your children, in your trade, in your business, in your past, in your present, in your future, and in the autumn of your life.
﴾ Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to a Straight Way (Islamic Monotheism). ﴿
Satan is the creature who strayed from the right path which Allah has given to His believing creatures:
When a human being applies the method of Allah, he will be safe. Here goes an example to clarify: we have a very valuable machine with very precise instructions from the company’s experts, so if you follow the instructions, this machine will work for a very long time, but if you disobey the instructions the machine will break down and you will lose it and lose its price.
So, who is the devil by definition? The devil is that creature who deviated from the straight path which was created by Allah, Almighty, for His believing worshipers to follow. Therefore Allah, The Most Great, says:
﴾ Verily, this Qur’an guides to that which is most just and right and gives glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger, Muhammad , etc.). who work deeds of righteousness, that they shall have a great reward (Paradise). ﴿
Who does not like to live a happy life that is full of peace, satisfaction, tranquility, and trust in Allah? Who among us does not like to escape fear, anxiety, oppression, and pain?
﴾ Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to a Straight Way (Islamic Monotheism). ﴿
Whoever deviates from the method of Allah is a devil:
So, the devil is the creature that deviated from the method of Allah; moreover, whoever deviates from the way of Allah is a devil. There are devils amongst human beings, and devils amongst “jinn”. Allah, The Most Great, says:
﴾ Verily, Qarun (Korah) was of Musa’s (Moses) people, but he behaved arrogantly towards them. And We gave him of the treasures, that of which the keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men. When his people said to him: “Do not be glad (with ungratefulness to Allah’s Favours). Verily! Allah likes not those who are glad (with ungratefulness to Allah’s Favours). ﴿
This means that he deviated from the righteous way. Allah, Almighty, says:
﴾ “Go, both of you, to Fir’aun (Pharaoh), verily, he has transgressed (all bounds in disbelief and disobedience and behaved as an arrogant and as a tyrant). (43) ﴿
Tyranny is a deviation from the right path, as are adultery, deviance, and lechery. Allah, Glorified be He, says:
﴾ All praises and thanks be to Allah, Who (Alone) created the heavens and the earth, and originated the darkness and the light, yet those who disbelieve hold others as equal with their Lord. (1) ﴿
And says:
﴾ All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad ) the Book (the Qur’an), and has not placed therein any crookedness. (1) ﴿
Allah should be praised twice, once for creating the earth and the heavens, and the other time is for this righteous method He revealed to His Prophets.
As long as you obey Allah, you are under His protection:
In brief, Allah has a method applied on the earth, and He revealed the “Quran”, in which He included His Divine Laws. As long as you are following the orders of Allah, you are safe in your worldly life and in the day after. As long as you follow the righteous path, you will be in heaven forever. On the other hand, if you deviate from this method, you will suffer. As long as you are obeying Allah, you are under His protection and you are safeguarded, but if you turn away from His Path, you will be out of His protection, and you will be on your own in facing the troubles of life.
(( A Bedouin came to The Prophet (PBUH) and said: “I said, "O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about al-Islam which I can ask of no one but you." He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Say I believe in Allah — and then be steadfast.. ))
The issue is clear like the sun: either you follow the instructions, or you prepare yourself for hardship. Say: “O Allah, I seek refuge with You from “Al-Shaytan” (Satan) the accursed”. Al-Shaytan refers to the creature who oppressed, who tyrannized, who deceived, and who was shunned.
Some scholars have said that the word “Shaytan” is derived from the Arabic verb “Shat” which means burned; the devil burned with the fire of farness, and the farness made him wretched. The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
(( …So, now there are two types of men: A man who is righteous, has Taqwa and honorable before Allah, and a wicked man, who is miserable and insignificant to Allah …. ))
[ Al-Termithi, Al- Baihaqi from Bin Omar ]
If there was only one human being on Earth and he was happy despite his farness from Allah, hence this religion would be false; and, if there was only one human being connected with Allah and he was unhappy in spite of his god-fearing and obedience, this religion would be false. Allah, The Most Great, says:
﴾ “But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur’an nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection.” (124) ﴿
And He says:
﴾ Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter). (97) ﴿
Promise of great compensation in the Quran for those who spend for the sake of Allah:
“O Allah, I seek refuge with You from “Al-Shaytan” (Satan) the accursed” . Accursed means the remote, and the word “exiled” is more correct because the devil deviated from the right way. The Arabic word “Shaytan” means deprived, burnt, and exiled.
Allah, Almighty, says: The devil threatens you with poverty; he frightens you, and commands you to commit fornication using his satanic ways. He seduces you with sins, adorns them to you, and promises you with poverty as he sneaks and whispers to you that if you spend your money in charity, you will become poor. However, man should know that there are eight ayahs in the Quran that promise those, who spend their money in charity, with plentiful compensation, Allah, The Most Great, says:
﴾ Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times? And it is Allah that decreases or increases (your provisions), and unto Him you shall return. (245) ﴿
And He says:
﴾ Say: “Truly, my Lord enlarges the provision for whom He wills of His slaves, and (also) restricts (it) for him, and whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allah’s Cause), He will replace it. And He is the Best of providers.” (39) ﴿
﴾ … and you shall not be dealt with unjustly even equal to the Fatila (a scalish thread in the long slit of a date-stone).(77) ﴿
Seeking refuge with Allah from the devil is an obligatory in Prayer:
So,
﴾ So when you want to recite the Qur’an, seek refuge with Allah from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast (the cursed one).(98) ﴿
It is recommended that you seek refuge with Allah out of prayer, but it is obligatory during the prayer. The Prophet (PBUH) used to seek refuge with Allah in all situations, whether entering a house or mounting an animal, as he would say:
(( O Allah, I seek refuge with you. O Allah, I ask You for the goodness within her and the goodness that she is inclined towards, and I seek refuge with you from the evil to which she is inclined. ))
[ Mentioned in Al-Athar ]
Seek refuge with Allah from an animal, from a house, from an act which does not please Allah, The Almighty, from bad companions, and from a picnic that may be has ended badly.
The believing person always seeks refuge with Allah from the accursed devil, in order to prevent the devil from misleading him, alluring him, subverting him, bewitching him, driving him to commit a sin, whispering to him, and estranging him from the right group.
I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed devil.
There are two meanings of “In the Name of Allah the Merciful”:
As for the expression ﴾In the Name of Allah, AL-Rahman (Beneficent) and AL-Rahim (Merciful) ﴿ it requires a lengthy discussion. Allah, The Most Glorious, says in “Surat Al-Naml”:
﴾ “Verily! It is from Sulaiman (Solomon), and verily! It (reads): In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful; (30) ﴿
The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) started all his actions with the words, “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful”, and it is included in His Noble Sunnah. Also, we find “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful” in the introductions of books and in most fields we find “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful”. It has become a tradition. Perhaps a book is about a subject like Darwin's theory, the author still begins with 'In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful,' even though it may contrast with the subject matter.
The motif in﴾ In the Name of Allah, AL-Rahman (Beneficent) and AL-Rahim (Merciful) ﴿is the preposition “in” which gives the meaning “I start with the Name of Allah”, and all the Names of Allah are the most beautiful. The Beneficent and The Merciful - it looks like the sentence lacks something. There is a verb relating to the preposition “in”, namely “I start my work in the Name of Allah”; I eat in the Name of Allah; I write this book in the Name of Allah or I sentence an accused person as a judge in the Name of Allah. So what is the meaning of “In the Name of Allah”? If you want to eat, and you say: ﴾ In the Name of Allah, AL-Rahman (Beneficent) and AL-Rahim (Merciful) ﴿it has two meanings:
1-Meaning1: Everything you eat and drink is but blessings from Allah
The food you eat is a blessing given by Allah, the Most Glorious. So eat this food in the Name of The All Provider, The Most Enriching, The Feeder, The Glorious, The Grantor, and in the Name of The All Kind. "Allah" encompasses all the Most Beautiful Names of Him. If you say, “In the Name of Allah”, it differs according to the intended subject. If you eat and say, “In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful”, then you believe that what you eat is created by Allah. Have you ever given a thought to such things? Have you thought that Allah, Glory to Him, is the All Provider?
﴾ Do they not see that We have created for them of what Our Hands have created, the cattle, so that they are their owners. (71) ﴿
If you drink a glass of water, and said “In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful ”, have you ever thought that the origin of this water is the dispersion of sun rays upon the vast seas, so that their water evaporates, distills, and vaporizes into the air; then clouds merge and are carried by the wind to a thirsty land, then Allah, with His Grace, brings it down as a heavy rain, with which plants and olives grow, and He stores it in mountains in order to make springs flow, and rivers run. Thus, the sun participates in forming the water in this glass, so do the galaxies, inclement weather, the climate, the winds, the heat, the coolness, and the mountains.
So, when you say: ﴾ In the Name of Allah, AL-Rahman (Beneficent) and AL-Rahim (Merciful) ﴿, have you thought about the Name of “The Provider”? The Name of “The Giver”? The name of “The Granter”? Have you thought about the name of “The Most Rich” ?
﴾ In the Name of Allah, AL-Rahman (Beneficent) and AL-Rahim (Merciful) ﴿
This means that I drink this glass of water in the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful.
2- Meanning2: Allah has rules “Sunnah” for His creatures:
Allah has rules, “Sunnah”, for His creatures. In drinking water, if you say: ﴾ In the Name of Allah, AL-Rahman (Beneficent) and AL-Rahim (Merciful) ﴿ then you should not drink the water in a way differs from the rules of the “Sunnah”. You should sip the water instead of gulping it, and drink it while taking three breathing pauses; also you should drink it and praise Allah Almighty, you should keep the glass away from your mouth and should not breathe into the glass. This is the noble “Sunnah” of The Prophet (PBUH). He instructed us not to breathe in the glass. Now it has been proven that there are diseases can be transmitted by exhalation into the glass, which is then mixed with water that is consumed. He said Peace Be Upon Him:
(( "Then remove the cup away from your mouth." ))
[ Narrated by Al-Baihaqi, Samaweh from Abu Saeed Al-Khudri ]
Keep the cup away from your mouth between two sips, to prevent the intermixing between the breath and the water; and The Prophet (PBUH) has said:
(( Drink the water sipping but not quaffing, because quaffing hurts the liver. ))
[ Narrated by Al-Baihaqi, Bin Al-Sunni from Aisha may Allah be pleased with her ]
Liver disease comes from gulping the water. The Prophet (PBUH) also used to praise Allah after drinking water, and all these rules are from His noble “Sunnah”. If you say, ﴾In the Name of Allah, AL-Rahman (Beneficent) and AL-Rahim (Merciful) ﴿it has two meanings: first, have you ever thought about these blessings? The second meaning is: do you apply the “Sunnah” of The Messenger (PBUH) with regards to drinking water? This is the case of drinking.
We should praise and thank Allah for His blessings:
As for food, Allah, The Greatest, says:
﴾ O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes), while praying and going round (the Tawaf of ) the Ka’bah, and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allah) likes not Al-Musrifun (those who waste by extravagance). (31) ﴿
Eat and offer thanks to Him:
(( Praise be to Allah who fed me till He filled me, and gave me drink until He quenched my thirst. ))
[ Abu Yala from Abdullah bin kais ]
(( Allah will be pleased with His slave who praises Him (i.e., says Al-hamdu lillah) when he eats and praises Him when he drinks. ))
[ Narrated by Muslim from Anas may Allah be pleased with him ]
“Allah will be pleased with His worshiper means that if a person has eaten until he is full, he should say, “Praise be to Allah”. And, if you have said, “In the Name of Allah”, this expression means that you have to think about these blessings which are benefits from Allah; so, you have to apply the command of Allah with regards to food. If you enter your house, and say:
﴾ In the Name of Allah, AL-Rahman (Beneficent) and AL-Rahim (Merciful) ﴿ , Allah, Almighty would say:
﴾ O you who believe! Enter not houses other than your own, until you have asked permission and greeted those in them, that is better for you, in order that you may remember. (27) ﴿
So, this is a command from Allah, to greet your family members upon entering your house. When you say, “In the Name of Allah” and open the door of your house, it is better to say: “Praise be to Allah who housed me”, because there are many people living without a home. In many eastern Asian countries, some people sleep on the pavements, or make boats in the rivers as a home for themselves. In some poor countries you see thousands of people with their wives and children sleeping on pavements, and this became a very familiar scene in their countries.
If you were in a house and opened the door and said: ﴾In the Name of Allah, AL-Rahman (Beneficent) and AL-Rahim (Merciful) ﴿ this means: “Praise be to Allah who housed me” remembering by saying so how many people are living without homes.
“In the Name of Allah” gives you insight:
Did you see the blessings of Allah, The Almighty?
If you use the faucet to offer ablution, and you say: “In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful”, are you aware that having water in the house is a great blessing?
Now, if you enter your home and say: “In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful” that means:
﴾ And live with them honourably…(19) ﴿
“Bismallah” means, if you are driving your car and you say, “In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful”, this will make you think about the place you are going to? Are you going to a place that does not please Allah, The Almighty? If you are, then there will be a conflict between the “Bismallah” and the place where you are going, which makes you decide not to complete the way and to return to the righteous path.
Do you thank Allah for the blessing of the vehicle? Do you use it to help others? Do you use it to help the weak? Do you use it to save the sick? The issue is very extensive. The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, said:
(( Every important matter which is not begun by an expression of praise to God is maimed ))
[ Narrated by Bin Dawud, Al-Nisaei, Bin Majah, and Bin Hayan in his book from Abu Horayra ]
Take, for example, writing a book in which you include something false, yet you begin it by writing, 'In the Name of Allah.' This compels you to ask: What is the true purpose of this book? Was it written for the sake of Allah, or for reputation and recognition?
Distinction between the Beneficent and the Merciful:
This “Bismallah” puts before you two things. It reminds you of the blessings of Allah, The Almighty, and that it is a blessing from Allah. And, it reminds you of the command of Allah in this subject, whether in food, in drinking, in entering the home, or in going out for shopping. The Prophet (PBUH) sought refuge with Allah from a losing bargain if he entered the market, and he sought refuge with Allah from a false oath such as when the salesman says: “I swear by Allah that I did not earn any profits” while he is lying. He sells all his religion with one word.
The Prophet (PBUH) sought refuge with Allah from false oaths, and from losing bargains. If a person has earned ill-gotten money, Allah, The Almighty, makes him feel that the purchase is profitable so he buys it; then, this bargain will be the reason behind his bankruptcy. This ill-gotten money, which was collected by that person, was wasted in a losing bargain. Hence, if a person enters the market, he should say “in the Name of Allah”; if he enters his house, he should say “in the Name of Allah”, if he is driving a vehicle, he should say “in the Name of Allah”, if he drinks water, if he has eaten food, if he has slept with his wife, he should say “in the Name of Allah”, in order to have blessed offspring.
“In the Name of Allah”: the preposition “in” here means: I seek refuge with the Name of Allah and resort to Him, I eat in the Name of Allah, I marry in the Name of Allah, and I enter my home in the Name of Allah. This “Bismallah” always reminds you of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah, and reminds you of His optimal orders.
﴾In the Name of Allah, AL-Rahman (Beneficent) and AL-Rahim (Merciful) ﴿ .
In fact, scholars are puzzled in differentiating between “The Beneficent” and “The Merciful”. Some scholars said: “The Beneficent” with all His creatures, and “The Merciful” with believers. Some scholars said: “The Beneficent” in the great blessings, and “The Merciful” in the tiny ones. Some scholars said: “The Beneficent” in the worldly life, and “The Merciful” on doomsday.
While others said: “The Beneficent” in His Entity, and “The Merciful” in His deeds. The last interpretation is the most logical one. For example, if you meet a doctor rushing to save a patient in front of a crowd of people in the intention to acquire a good reputation for saving the patient, accordingly people will say: He is a merciful doctor for saving this person, only the doctor does not have mercy in his heart, rather he did that to obtain a good reputation. So people will say that this doctor is merciful but he didn't do that because he is merciful but for other reasons.
Mercy is something people are happy about:
There is a difference between “The Beneficent” and “The Merciful”. The Beneficent is in His Entity, and The Merciful is in His Actions; His Entity is Merciful, so is His Actions. Mercy is something that gives comfort to the self. Rain is part of the Mercy of Allah: rain falls down, then springs are filled, the plants grow, trees blossom, we eat, and the prices become cheaper thereupon. All of what I have been mentioned is but mercy from Allah.
Children are mercy from Allah. They make the quiet house full of life and activities, and they bring joy to it. Moreover, when the son is older he helps his parents. Thus, children are mercy from Allah. Allah, The Almighty, says:
﴾ And We bestowed upon him Ishaque (Isaac) and Ya’qub (Jacob), (84) ﴿
Mercy is the thing that makes the human being happy. The organized function of body systems is a mercy from Allah. It is out of Allah's Mercy to be able to eat delicious food, to drink fresh water, and to marry a good and trusted wife who obeys you if you make a request, who pleases you if you look at her and who safeguards your honor when you are absent. This wife is a mercy from Allah. To see your child moving in the house like an angel, is a mercy from Allah; having a job that brings you good income is a mercy from Allah.
If you go to a garden and enjoy the beautiful landscapes, it is a mercy from Allah; and if nice breeze is blown, instead of using an AC, it is a mercy from Allah; and if it is warm, on the other hand, it is a mercy from Allah too. So, the mercy is everything that makes the human being happy. Allah, The Almighty, created us to bestow His Mercy upon us:
﴾ Except him on whom your Lord has bestowed His Mercy (the follower of truth – Islamic Monotheism) and for that did He create them. And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled (i.e. His Saying): “Surely, I shall fill Hell with jinns and men all together.” (119) ﴿
Allah created us to bestow His Mercy upon us in the worldly life and in the hereafter. However, if a person says: “Glory be to Allah! He created us to suffer”. This will be devil’s talk. O brother, you were not created for suffering, but you were created to receive mercy so that you would be happy in the worldly life and the afterlife.
Allah created us to have mercy on us:
In worldly life, if you believe in Allah, He will grant you good enjoyment for an appointed term and bestow His abundant grace upon every possessor of virtue. There is happiness even in the worldly life, and it is full of pleasure, but only for those who obey Allah, The Almighty:
﴾ Why should Allah punish you if you have thanked (Him) and have believed in Him. And Allah is Ever All-Appreciative (of good), All-Knowing. (147) ﴿
Allah created us in order to bestow mercy upon us. This is the great Divine purpose, but the torment, which Allah punishes us with, is our handmade, and we deserve it due to our sins, our aberration, our wrong doings, our oppression, our farness and our shortcomings; even the burden, which the human bears, is a reflection of his bad deeds.
(( Upon falling short in deeds, man will be met with distress ))
Some scholars said that “Bismallah” should exist with the person in all the aspects of his life, and activities such like when he performs the ablution, he enters home, he wants to eat and he wants to drink.
You want to eat, so you should say, “In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful”. The Prophet (PBUH) commanded us to offer ablution before eating food, and this ablution is not the complete one we perform before Salah, but it refers to washing hands and mouth only.
(( And the blessing of the food is the ablution before and after it. ))
[ Abu Dawud and Al-Termithi from Salman ]
Scholars agreed that food ablution is different from prayer ablution. Food ablution is to wash the hands and mouth; because when you are outside, dust is everywhere, or you shake hands with someone, or hold your shoes, namely your hands touch many things. Thus, the blessing of the food is manifested in doing the ablution before it. Hence if you want to eat and you say, “In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful”, this means that you should not start eating before washing your hands and mouth. This is the meaning of:
﴾In the Name of Allah, AL-Rahman (Beneficent) and AL-Rahim (Merciful) ﴿ .
Names of Al-Fatiha surah:
Allah, The Greatest, says:
﴾ All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists). (2) ﴿
Now, we start with “Al-Fatiha”. The Prophet (PBUH) gave it the name “Al-Fatiha” when He said:
(( “He who does not recite Fatihat al-Kitab* is not credited with having observed prayer.” ))
[ Accepted upon narration, from Obada bin Al-Samet ]
(( "Allah said: 'I have divided the prayer between Myself and My slave into two halves, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.'When the slave says: 'Al-hamdulillah i rabbil Alameen (All the praise is to Allah, the Lord of all that exists),' Allah says:'My slave has praised Me, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.' And when he says: 'Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim (The Mos Gracious, the Most Merciful),' Allah says: 'My slave has extolled Me, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.' And when he says: 'Maliki yawmiddin [The Only Owner (and he Ruling Judge] if the Day of Recompense],' Allahs says: 'My slave has Glorified Me. This is for Me, and this Verse is between me and My slave in two halves.' And when he says: ' Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nastain [You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help],' He says: 'This is between Me an My slave, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.' And the end of the Surah is for My slave.' And when he says: 'Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqeema, siratal-alldhina an'amta alayhim a lad-dallin [Guide us to the Straight Way, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not(the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray],' He says: 'THis is for My slave, and My slave shall have what he has asked for." ))
Al-Fatiha was named the “Praising Sura” because it begins with: ﴾All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)﴿
Also, Al-Fatiha was named “The opening of The Book” because The Noble Quran opens with Al-Fatiha; and it was named the “Mother of The Book”, and the mother of anything means the origin of that thing. Our Lord, The Almighty, says:
﴾ It is He Who has sent down to you (Muhammad ) the Book (this Qur’an). In it are Verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book [and those are the Verses of Al-Ahkam (commandments, etc.), Al-Fara’id (obligatory duties) and Al-Hudud (legal laws for the punishment of thieves, adulterers, etc.)]; and others not entirely clear. (7) ﴿
All the Ayahs of Al-Fatiha are Muhkamat (precise and exactly defined). The Prophet (PBUH) named Al-Fatiha the “Mother of The Book”, and it was named “The Mother of the Quran”. The Prophet (PBUH) had said:
"Al-Hamdulillah is Umm Al-Qur'an and Umm Al-Kitab and the seven oft-repeated." [ Al-Termithi from Abu Horayra ]
Al-Fatiha was named “The Cure”, because The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, said:
(( “Fātihat al-Kitāb contains healing for every disease.” ))
[ Al-Baihaqi from Abdullah bin Jaber ]
It was named “The foundation”. The foundation of the book is the Quran, the foundation of the Divine Books is the Quran, and the foundation of the Quran is “Al-Fatiha”. Moreover it was named “the sufficient” and “the adequate”, and the Prophet (PBUH) said:
(( The “Mother of the Book” is a substitute for others, but others are not a substitute for it ))
[ Al-Hakem from Obada bin Al-Samet ]
It is mentioned in Al-Qurtobi interpretation that “All the Quran is in Al-Fatiha”.
I remember a Hadith that was narrated by “Al-Hassan Al-Basri”, may Allah have mercy on him:
((Allah collected the secret of the Quran in Al-Fatiha, and collected the secret of Al-Fatiha in these two words ﴾It is You and You alone Whom we worship, it is You and You alone Whom we invoke for guidance and help﴿.))
The Prophet (PBUH) said:
(( "Allah will be pleased with His slave who praises Him (i.e., says Al-hamdu lillah) when he eats and praises Him when he drinks". ))
[ Narrated by Muslim from Anas may bin Malek ]
Praising Allah for the blessing is better than the blessing itself:
I will read to you a prophetic “Hadith” that might bring tranquility to your souls:
(( Praise and thanks for the blessing is protection from losing it ))
[ Al-Daylami, from Omar ]
Any blessing, you praise Allah for, will not disappear, and will not be taken from you. And, to say (("praise be to Allah" for the blessing is but a protection from losing it.)) There is Sahih Hadith related to this idea:
(( The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: 'Allah does not bestow a blessing upon any slave and he says: 'Al-hamdu Lillah (praise is to Allah),' except that what he gives (the praise) is better than what he received (the blessing) ))
How? This means, if Allah has given you the grace of health, and you were active, zealous, and strong as a horse, you should know that the years will pass and death will come and the human dies, so what will remain from this blessing? It is gone. But if you have praised Allah for it, your spirit would ascend through the levels of praise and you would be happy with your praise forever. So, praising Allah for the blessings you have is better than the blessing itself. (('Allah does not bestow a blessing upon any slave and he says: 'Al-hamdu Lillah (praise is to Allah),' except that what he gives (the praise) is better than what he received (the blessing).)) .
For example, if Allah blessed you with a righteous wife, and she helps you in life's troubles, keeps you chaste, and you find repose in her, one day you will leave her, or she leaves you, but either way if you have praised Allah for this blessing, you would be pleased with the reward of that praise forever.
Shuraih, who was a judge, met Ash-Sha'bi. This latter asked him about his life at home. Shuraih said, "I have not had any problem with my wife for twenty years." Ash-Sha'bi said, "How come?" Shuraih replied, "On our wedding night, I looked at her and saw a rare fascinating beauty. I then said to myself, 'I should make Wudu', pray two Rakaa't and praise Allah.'
Prophet Muahmad is the most merciful creature to all creatures:
Our Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) is the most merciful person towards human beings; and if you gather all the mercy of all mothers in this world since Adam until the Day of Resurrection, it will not be in the same level of the mercy of The Prophet (PBUH) towards His nation. Allah, The Greatest, says:
﴾ Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad ) from amongst yourselves (i.e. whom you know well). It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad ) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to Allah, and beg Him to pardon and forgive your sins, in order that you may enter Paradise and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-fire), for the believers (he is) full of pity, kind, and merciful. (128) ﴿
(( The Messenger of Allah said: The most merciful of my Ummah towards my Ummah is Abu Bakr; the one who adheres most sternly to the religion of Allah is 'Umar; the most sincere of them in shyness and modesty is 'Uthman; the best judge is 'Ali bin Abu Talib; the best in reciting the Book of Allah is Ubayy bin Ka'b; the most knowledgeable of what is lawful and unlawful is Mu'adh bin Jabal; and the most knowledgeable of the rules of inheritance (Fara'id) is Zaid bin Thabit. And every nation has a trustworthy guardian, and the trustworthy guardian of this Ummah is Abu 'Ubaidah bin Jarrah." ))
[ Ahmad, Al-Termithi, Al-Nisaei, Bin-Majah, Al-Hakem, and Al-Baihaqi from Anas ]
As for the most merciful person towards human beings, he is The Prophet, peace be upon him. This means that The Prophet (PBUH) is more merciful to you than you to yourself. However, Allah, The Almighty, says:
﴾ And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allah’s) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah, certainly, Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him). (159) ﴿
All the mercy is from Allah and The Prophet was given part of it:
Allah, The Almighty, says:
﴾ And your Lord is Most Forgiving, Owner of Mercy. Were He to call them to account for what they have earned, then surely, He would have hastened their punishment. But they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no escape. (58) ﴿
What is the distinction between “Mercy” the indefinite noun in the Ayah of “Al-‘Imran”, and “the mercy” the definite noun in the Ayah of “Al-Kahf”? It is said that in the second “mercy” the “Al” is not meant as a definite article, but it’s used to refer to this mercy as an exclusive Mercy from Allah alone, and that the Prophet (PBUH) was given part of it. All the praise is to Allah.
I mentioned a story one month ago or maybe more, that “Al-Hajjaj” sentenced ten men to death; the sun then set and it was the time for prayer, nine of them were executed except for one. Al-Hajjaj ordered one of his ministers to take this man to his house and bring him back in the morning. On the way to the minister’s home, the man said: “I swear by Allah that I didn’t disobey the Prince, and I didn’t hurt any Muslim, so will you give me permission to go to my family in order to see my children, and write my will before I die?”.
The minister laughed and said: "Do you think I am crazy enough to let you go?” The man said: “I swear by Allah, if you send me home, I will come back to your home before dawn”. This man convinced the minister to let him go, and when the latter did so, the minister felt unbearably distressed. He said: “I spent the longest night of my life”, for if the man did not show up at dawn, he would die instead of him. As soon as the dawn broke and they called to prayer, there was knocking on the door, and the man, who promised the minister to return, showed on his doorstep; indeed he came to die. When it is midday, the minister took the man to Al-Hajjaj and said to him: “I will tell you what happened yesterday”. After he did, Al-Hajjaj said to him: “Would you like me to leave him to you?” the minister said, "Yes”, and then Al-Hajjaj said: “So, he is all yours”. In another words, he was forgiven by Al Hajjaj due to his honesty. When the minister stepped out, he said to the man: "O man, you are free to go”. The man, who was pardoned from being killed, did not speak, did not look at him, did not thank him, and did not say a word, but he looked to the heaven, and said: “Praise be to Allah”.
That minister, who was the reason behind releasing the man, thought to himself, “If only he thanked me!” Three days later the man came to him and said: "I praise your deed, and the only thing that prevented me from thanking you upon setting me free is that I hated to thank anyone along with thanking Allah.
Praising Allah is the foundation of knowing Him:
Man, sometimes, becomes very close to be afflicted by a calamity, like having a tumor without knowing whether it is a benign tumor or cancerous one. But after analyzing the tumor by a pathologist and finding out that it is normal, the first thing he has to say is, “Praise be to Allah”, and never praise anyone else.
Therefore, “Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds” is the foundation of knowing Allah. There is a very precise “Hadith” related to this, as The Prophet, Peace be Upon Him, said:
(( “Praise be to God” is the beginning of thanksgiving, for the man who does not praise God has not thanked Him. ))
[ Abdulrazzak, Al-Baihaqi, from Bin Amro ]
Some scholars have said: Praising Allah is a psychological state, while gratitude is expressed through behavior. This behavior is rooted in sincere praise of Allah; without it, a person may develop improper conduct and fall into hypocrisy and flattery:
(( “Praise be to God” is the beginning of thanksgiving, for the man who does not praise God has not thanked Him. ))
[ Abdulrazzak, Al-Baihaqi, from Bin Amro ]
Praising Allah comes first and then comes being grateful, Allah says:
﴾ They worked for him what he desired, (making) high rooms, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places). “Work you, O family of Dawud (David), with thanks!” But few of My slaves are grateful. (13) ﴿
Praising Allah, as I have mentioned, is a psychological state.
Sometimes, when someone serves you, you feel genuine gratitude from the bottom of your heart. You may express this gratitude by offering a service in return or simply by saying a kind word such as, 'May Allah reward you for what you have done for me.' In both cases, your gratitude stems from an internal psychological state, and this is the essence of praise.
The blessing of satisfaction is the utmost blessing:
When you offer Salah, you are performing the obligatory prayers (Al-Fard), which total 17 rak'ahs per day, in addition to a similar number of Sunnah rak'ahs. This means you are reciting 'Praise be to Allah' nearly 40 times each day. So, are you truly living up to the meaning of this verse?
In other words, are you truly pleased with Allah Almighty? Are you content with your health, your income, the hardships you face, or the job you do?
Are you satisfied despite limited financial means? Or do you often feel discontent, complaining about your low income, even though you are a college graduate?
A man might sell falafel, for example, yet still praise Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, despite his modest income. He never feels deprived. This person is, indeed, a true believer.
The blessing of being pleased with Allah is the greatest blessing of all.
Earning a hundred million a month means nothing if you are astray and your destiny is the Hellfire.
The believer utters the words "Praise be to Allah" as a sincere expression of contentment with Allah, and wonders:
"O my Lord, are You pleased with me?"
And it is as if Allah responds:
"O My servant, are you pleased with Me so that I may be pleased with you?"
So the key question remains: Are you truly pleased with Allah Almighty?
Do you say "Praise be to Allah" from the bottom of your heart?
Are you pleased even if all your children are daughters, without a single son?
Do you feel Allah's love for you, even if He hasn’t given you male children?
Are you content even if you are unable to have children?
Are you pleased even if your wife has a difficult character?
Do you recognize Allah's wisdom in all of these situations?
Do you perceive His wisdom in your limited income?
Do you still trust His plan, even if you are afflicted with a chronic or intractable illness?
If you do, then you are truly a hero.
It is not the gangster that is a hero
But the hero is the one who fears Allah
Praise be to Allah in prosperity and adversity, in affluence and poverty, in strength and weakness, in good times and bad, in honor and humility, in glory and disgrace. Praise be to Allah in all circumstances; for only Allah is truly worthy of praise, even in events we may perceive as unfavorable, for they are often hidden blessings in disguise.
Allah Almighty ordered us to praise Him alone:
Allah Almighty ordered us to praise Him alone, how? Allah says:
﴾ Those who avoid great sins (see the Qur’an, Verses: 6:152,153) and Al-Fawahish (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) except the small faults, verily, your Lord is of vast forgiveness. He knows you well when He created you from the earth (Adam), and when you were fetuses in your mothers’ wombs. So ascribe not purity to yourselves. He knows best him who fears Allah and keep his duty to Him [i.e. those who are Al-Muttaqun (pious – see V.2:2)]. ﴿
It is only Allah who truly deserves to be praised, for only He has complete knowledge. Human beings, on the other hand, have limited understanding, even of those they think they know well. A person should say, "I know him to a certain extent, but I have no knowledge beyond what I see of him."
Why did Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) choose Umar to be his successor? Did he not say, "I do not know anyone better than him"? And he also said, "This is based on what I know of him. If he changes one day, I have no knowledge of the unseen (Ghaib).
Allah says:
﴾ So ascribe not purity to yourselves. He knows best him who fears Allah ﴿
(( Narrated Um Al-Ala:
That when the Ansar drew lots as to which of the emigrants should dwell with which of the Ansar, the name of `Uthman bin Mazun came out (to be in their lot). Um Al-Ala further said, "Uthman stayed with us, and we nursed him when he got sick, but he died. We shrouded him in his clothes, and Allah's Apostle came to our house and I said, (addressing the dead `Uthman), 'O Abu As-Sa'ib! May Allah be merciful to you. I testify that Allah has blessed you.' The Prophet (PBUH) said to me, "How do you know that Allah has blessed him?" I replied, 'I do not know O Allah's Messenger (PBUH)! May my parents be sacrificed for you.' Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said, 'As regards `Uthman, by Allah he has died and I really wish him every good, yet, by Allah, although I am Allah's Messenger (PBUH), I do not know what will be done to me.' Um Al- Ala added, 'By Allah I shall never attest the piety of anybody after him. And what Allah's Messenger (PBUH)s said made me sad." Um Al-Ala further said, "Once I slept and saw in a dream, a flowing stream for `Uthman. So I went to Allah's Messenger (PBUH) and told him about it, he said, 'That is (the symbol of) his deeds.' ))
We are human beings and no one knows the unseen: ((How do you know that Allah has blessed him?))
There are many types of praising, all of which are included in Al Fatiha.
Thus, praising should be only to Allah, but as for people:
﴾ "So ascribe not purity to yourselves" ﴿
In the past, when someone was asked to give testimony about a person in matters of marriage, he would write: "I reckon him to be pious and good, but Allah knows best"—meaning that only Allah knows what is hidden, for the person might be a hypocrite.
Therefore, man is not appointed to judge others, nor is he qualified to do so, simply because he does not possess the right means or complete knowledge.
The prophet PBUH said:
(( 'When you see those who praise people, throw dust in their faces.'" ))
[ Ibn Ayyash by the authority of Abdullah bin Umar ]
(( "Allah gets angry upon praising the profligate" ))
[ Al Baihaqi by the authority of Anas ]
Therefore, it is not appropriate to describe a wine drinker, for example, as one of the elite, as a gentleman, or as someone with good conduct.
What does it mean to be a "gentleman" if he drinks wine and abandons Salah?
It is a falsehood to describe someone who drinks wine, consumes Riba (usury), or neglects Salah as a gentleman.
(( "Allah gets angry upon praising the profligate" ))
[ Al Baihaqi by the authority of Anas ]
Scholars have said that praise of Allah takes many forms: there is praise for His Divine Entity, praise for the blessings He has bestowed, praise in anticipation of a blessing one asks Him for, and praise out of reverence and fear of Him.
All of these forms of praise are encompassed within Surat Al-Fatiha.
Praise be to the Divine Entity of Allah.
Sometimes, you may praise a person even though his good action was directed toward someone else. You praise him because he took a noble stance or he stood up for someone in front of you, so, even though you were not the direct recipient of his action, you admire and praise him for his character.
In the same way, we praise the Divine Entity of Allah.
We praise Him for His blessings.
We praise The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful because we long for His mercy. And we praise The Only Owner and Supreme Judge of the Day of Recompense out of awe and fear of Him.
Praise be to Allah at first and in the end:
Some scholars said: Allah starts The Noble Quran with: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)", and the last thing people say after entering Paradise is:
﴾ Their way of request therein will be Subhanaka Allahumma (Glory to You, O Allah!) and Salam (peace, safe from each and every evil) will be their greetings therein (Paradise)! and the close of their request will be: Al-Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil-‘Alamin [All the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)]. ﴿
Thus, we are commanded to praise Allah, as in Al-Fatiha, and in the end, that praise becomes a reality, as mentioned in the previously cited verse.
Someone might ask you to thank him while he treats you badly, so what kind of gratitude is he expecting?
On the other hand, our Lord commands us to thank Him after we have established a connection with Him and experienced the happiness of being close to Him. Thus, we thank Allah for all the blessings He has already bestowed upon us.
Thus, praising Allah is something you cultivate in the beginning, and it becomes a lived reality in Paradise in the end.
One more thing, we praise Allah for granting us existence, for breathing the soul into us, for providing us with food, drink, and all that we need, for fashioning us in perfect proportion, and for guiding us to the righteous path.
Hence, we rejoice in four major blessings: existence, sustenance, guidance, and being fashioned in perfect proportion.
Allah Almighty knows our inability to praise Him as He truly deserves, so He taught us how to do so:
There is another point: the essence of praising Allah for His blessings is to attribute the grace to Him, the Almighty.
One should recognize the Source of the blessings he enjoys, be content with what he has been given, and not use Allah’s blessings in disobedience to Him. This is one of the true meanings of praising Allah.
We have addressed the verse in Al-Fatiha, “All praise and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds (mankind, jinn, and all that exists),” as much as we could, but even so, days may pass without fully comprehending its depth.
﴾ All praises and thanks be to Allah, Who (Alone) created the heavens and the earth, and originated the darkness and the light, yet those who disbelieve hold others as equal with their Lord. ﴿
Allah also says:
﴾ All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad ) the Book (the Qur’an), and has not placed therein any crookedness. ﴿
The grace of guidance, as mentioned in the verse from Surat Al-Kahf, is equal to the grace of creation, as mentioned in the verse from Surat Al-An'am.
Praise is only to Allah in Whose Hand is the possession and control of all that in the heavens and in the earth.
Man can be selfish, for if he were in control of matters and creation, he might withhold blessings, like rain, from others. However, Allah Almighty teaches us to praise Him.
﴾ Praise be to Allah, Who owns all that is in the heavens and the earth. ﴿
(All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists). )
Scholars have said: “This verse combines the grace of guidance and the grace of sustenance, but the greatest grace of all is that Allah taught us how to praise Him:
(( Moses said: "O Lord how did the son of Adam thank you?" Allah said: "He was aware that the graces are bestowed by Me and that was his gratefulness."))
We praise Allah as He taught us, because He knows how incapable we are of truly thanking Him—so He taught us how to praise Him.
Being content with what befell us of hateful things is the highest ranks of certainty:
People utter the phrase "praise be to Allah" thousands of times each day.
If someone is asked about his well-being, he will often respond, "praise be to Allah"—even if he might be an atheist. It becomes a phrase that is said unintentionally and out of habit.
However, if a person truly reflects on the meaning of "praise be to Allah," he will be overwhelmed with love for Allah for all that He has given.
Therefore, if you are blessed with deep understanding, you will praise Allah even in times of hardship:
(( "The magnitude of the reward goes along with the magnitude of the affliction. When God who is great and glorious loves people He afflicts them, and those who accept it gladly receive God’s good pleasure, but those who are displeased receive God’s displeasure" ))
[ At Tirmizi and Ibn Majah ]
If you are going through hardship, yet you remain certain of Allah’s mercy, wisdom, kindness, and His desire to guide you and grant you true happiness, you say: “Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds", this hardship is nothing but care from Allah.”
Even a teacher may be strict with a student for the student's own good, to help him become the top of his class. And when the student achieves that, he praises his teacher not for his kindness, but for his firmness.
Likewise, when you truly know Allah, you will praise Him even for the hardships He places in your path.
Our master Ali, May Allah honor his face, said:
"Being content with what befalls us of unpleasant things is the highest level of certainty."
Indeed, the highest level of certainty is to be content when unpleasant matters befall you.
Praise be to Allah" means that you know Allah, and this praise is a sign of that knowledge. However, if you do not know Allah, you will not truly praise Him.
Reviewed
