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Thanks (ÔõßÑ) and Praise (ÍãÏ) for the Ne’mat
The remembrance (dhikr) of Allah's bounties and its acknowledgement is the first step towards expression of thanks (shokr) and praise for His bounties to us. Ameer Al-Mu’mineen (AS) starts Sermon 114 of Nahjul Balagha with these most profound words which sheds light on the correlation of praise with bounty, “Praise be to Him Who makes praise followed by bounty and bounty with gratefulness. We praise Him on His bounties as on His trials.”
From his eloquent words of wisdom, we come to recognize that Allah (SWT) the Almighty Creator created 'praise' and taught us its knowledge so that we can appreciate His bounties. It follows that more praise leads to more divine grace and vice versa. Not only that, but our praise to Him should not be limited or restricted to His bounties on us. As servants, we should also express thanks and gratitude for the times of trial and calamities we experience.
From the strange phenomenon which is of human nature that doesn't change with time or place is that man tends to forget, disregard, or overlook Allah's bounties and blessings to him, whether they are apparent or hidden. It is the tendency of humans, with the exception of few, that when man receives a blessing on a continuous and consistent basis he takes that bounty for granted and forgets to thank the Giver and Provider for that ÚØÇÁ / grant. He distances himself from the Provider and becomes ÛÇÝá/ heedless and oblivious to it. Allah (SWT) describes man to be ungrateful,
 æÞáíáõ ãöä ÚÈÇÏíó ÇáÔßæÑ  .
Only very few of My servants are grateful. [34:13]
It is only when that bounty is seized from him at a moment of trial that man begins to wake up from his slumber and remember that the bounty was indeed a gift and that gift was bestowed by the Creator/Gifter. When a calamity or misfortune takes place, the person is then reminded to return to his Creator in a state of despair seeking refuge and help from Him. However, that state of return is short-lived and dies down when the bounty is restored and he returns back to his normal life of ghaflat / heedlessness and detachment from His Lord. This state is described in the Holy Quran as Allah (SWT) says in Surat Al-Israa:
ÃÚÑÖ æäÃì ÈÌÇäÈå æÅÐÇ ãÓå ÇáÔÑ ÝÐæ ÏÚÇÁ ÚÑíÖ" "æÅÐÇ ÃäÚãäÇ Úáì ÇáÅäÓÇä
When We bestow favours on man he turns away, and gets himself remote on his side (instead of coming to Us); and when evil seizes him (he comes) full of prolonged prayer! [17:83]
It is important for us to note that trials or Neqmat can also act as a Ne’mat which we may not realize or recognize that it is. In fact, authentic narrations say that the right of Allah (SWT) during the time of trial is satisfaction and patience, while His right during the time of ease is praise and gratitude. So, if we exercise patience, submission, reliance, and gratitude to Allah (SWT) at our times of trial and difficulty, then this experience will surely strengthen our relationship with our Creator and will bring us closer to Him which is the ultimate salvation and the greatest bounty from Him.
Likewise, a Ne’mat (bounty) may also stand as a test and trial for us if we fail to appreciate it, recognize its benefactor, and give due thanks to Allah (SWT) to the best of our ability. In other words, if our reaction to His bounty is that of arrogance, neglect, and thanklessness to the Giver, then we have surely done injustice to ourselves as well as our Lord, and that is in essence the trial which we have failed!
Furthermore, man does not count or tally the number of bounties and blessings he enjoys from Allah (SWT), but his memory tends to be strong and he is quick to remember to how many negative events or misfortunes he encounters even if it is in the past. From the injustices that we commit against our Lord is our failure to fully recognize and appreciate every bounty that we receive and we only consider the materialistic bounties while ignoring many other blessings which may have more value and importance. Allah (SWT) has given us many Ne'am which cannot not be calculated or counted
æÅä ÊÚÏæÇ äÚãÉ Çááå áÇ ÊÍæåÇ .
And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them. [16:81]
As cited in the exegesis of Mizan, Burhan, as well as Safi, whenever Imam Ali ibn Al Husain (AS) recited the above verse, he would reflect and say, “Glory be to Him who did not grant the knowledge of His Ne’mat/bounty without having awareness of Taqseer/neglect of its knowledge, just like He did not grant anyone the knowledge of its Edraak/recognition more than the knowledge that the servant cannot fully recognize Him. So he (servant) thanks the Lord for the knowledge of the gnostics regarding the deficiency of his knowledge of how to properly thank Him. So Allah (SWT) made the knowledge of their deficiency in itself an expression of Shokr/thanks.”
So, human's awareness of his lack of knowledge or Taqseer/neglect and his inability to fully appreciate the bounties he receives from His Creator and his failure to properly express Hamd, is in itself a Ne’mat/bounty which deserves endless thanks and praise by the servant. As beautifully expressed by Imam Zainul Abideen (AS) in his supplication of thanks, “The most thankful of Thy servants has not the capacity to thank Thee.” These words of the Infallible Imam (AS) are in line with verse [16:81] in addressing the capacity of a servant to thank the Creator.
Moreover, every time a person expresses Hamd/praise or Shokr/thanks to Allah, our 4th Imam (AS) teaches us that our act of praise in itself deserves another thanks. In fact, there are three things which we should thank Allah (SWT) for whenever we utter or express gratitude to Him. First, we owe it to Allah (SWT) who taught us how to express thanks to Him and we should thank him for giving us that knowledge. Second, we should thank Him for giving us the ability to express thanks to Him by our tongue and providing the means and method of communication with Him. Last but not least, Allah (SWT) is most-deserving of our utmost thanks for inspiring and giving us the opportunity to remember and appreciate His bounties.
This beautiful phrase from the 'Munajaat (Whispered prayers) of Thanks' by Imam Sajjad (AS) as available in Saheefa Al Kamela nicely describes the state of wonder where a servant expresses his failed attempt to recognize and give due thanks to the Giver and Sustainer. Here, the servant who carries high level of knowledge and ma'refat/recognition of His Lord realizes that every word of praise by him deserves more thanks:
æäÚãÇÄß ßËíÑÉ ÞÑ Ýåãí Úä ÅÏÑÇßåÇ ÝÖáÇð Úä ÅÓÊÞÇÆåÇ ÝßíÝ áí ÈÊÍíá ÇáÔßÑ æÔßÑí ÅíÇß íÝÊÞÑ Åáì ÔßÑò ¡ ÝßáãÇ ÞáÊ áß ÇáÍãÏ æóÌÈó Úáíøó áÐÇáß Ãä ÃÞæá áß ÇáÍãÏ .
Thy favours are many - my understanding falls short of grasping them, not to speak of exhausting them! So how can I achieve thanksgiving? For my thanking Thee requires thanksgiving. Whenever I say, 'To Thee belongs praise!', it becomes thereby incumbent upon me to say, 'To Thee belongs praise'!
Since we've reached the conclusion based on the analysis so far that the most important and valuable bounty given to us by Allah (SWT) is the divine guidance impersonated by His chosen Infallible Prophets and Imams, it follows logically that this gift of Wilayah deserves most thanks and praise to Him compared to any other bounty.
Moreover, it is the supplication of the prophets and righteous servants to Allah (SWT) that He gives them the ability to express thanks and gratitude for His blessings, and this supplication is cited in the Quran in their own words,
ÑÈí ÃæÒÚäí Ãä ÃÔßÑ äÚãÊß ÇáÊí ÃäÚãÊ Úáíøó æÚáì æÇáÏíøó æÃä ÃÚãá ÇáÍÇð ÊÑÖÇå æÇáÍ Ýí ÐÑíÊí .
My Lord, direct me to appreciate the blessings You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do the righteous works that please You. Let my children be righteous as well. [46:15]
According to Tafseer Bayan Sa'ada, this verse is specifically the words of Husain ibn Ali (AS) who prayed that he successfully expresses thanks for the bounty on him and his parents, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) and Fatima daughter of Muhammad (SA). Interestingly enough, this exegesis points out that the prayer of æÃä ÃÚãá ÇáÍÇð ÊÑÖÇå (and to do the righteous works that please You) is in reference to the great sacrifice which Husain (AS) presented on the day of Ashura in Karbala in the year 61 A.H.
The clue in this verse which proves that Imam Husain (AS) is the one reciting this supplication is his prayer that Allah (SWT) grants him a righteous progeny. Sure enough, after being slaughtered and sacrificing everything he had for the sake of Allah (SWT) on the plains of Karbala, Allah (SWT) rewarded him with a pure progeny who are the nine Infallible Imams from his descendants, and ending with Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance).
As a sign of gratitude, It is imperative for a servant who is blessed with God's bounty to show the effect of these divine blessings and convey them to others without bragging or boasting as Allah (SWT) states in Surat Adh-Duha:
æÃãÇ ÈäÚãÉ ÑÈß ÝÍÏË
And proclaim the Grace of your Lord. [93:11]
This Surah speaks about the blessings which Allah (SWT) granted His Prophet (SA) such as giving him refuge as an orphan, guiding him, and making him self-sufficient with contentment. Interestingly, Allah (SWT) instructs the Prophet (SA) to speak about and convey His specific bounty. Tafseer Burhaan explains that what Allah (SWT) blessed His Prophet (SA) with is prayer, Zakat, fasting, Hajj, and the Wilayah which he is to proclaim to the people. So, the Prophet (SA) is to speak about the importance of Wilayah and the virtues of the Wali himself (Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib) even if the people disliking hearing that discourse.
He is to focus the spotlight on his purified progeny even if they call him crazy or insane or claim that he is possessed with his cousin which is what actually happened! So Allah (SWT) hastened to his defense in Surat Al Qalam and swore that the Prophet (SA) is not crazy regarding the Ne'ma of his Lord who is none other than Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS). Nor is he fanatical about his cousin and son-in-law, as some of the companions were envious of the special and very close relationship which the Prophet (SA) cherished with Imam Ali (AS).
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“Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write. You are not, By the bounty of your Lord, mad (possessed). [68:2]
Although commentators of Quran do not explicitly convey this meaning, if we closely analyze this Surah we'll notice that this chapter starts and ends with the mention of Ìäæä / insanity. Interestingly enough, Allah (SWT) mentions twice in this short chapter that the nonbelievers are claiming that the Prophet (SA) is insane and in both occasions Allah (SWT) is vindicating His Prophet from that false claim.
æóãóÇ åõæó ÅöáøóÇ ÐößúÑñ áøöáúÚóÇáóãöíäó æóÅöä íóßóÇÏõ ÇáøóÐöíäó ßóÝóÑõæÇ áóíõÒúáöÞõæäóßó ÈöÃóÈúóÇÑöåöãú áóãøóÇ ÓóãöÚõæÇ ÇáÐøößúÑó æóíóÞõæáõæäó Åöäøóåõ áóãóÌúäõæäñ
And those who disbelieve would almost smite you with their eyes when they hear the Message (the Command) and they say “Surely he is mad (possessed). And It is not but a message to the worlds. [68:51-52]
In the commentary of these verses, Tafseer Al Safi cites that according to Al Kafi, one day Imam Al Sadiq (AS) passed by the Masjid Ghadeer and turned his head to one side and pointed out the exact position where the Prophet (SA) stood and pronounced the successorship of Imam Ali (AS). Then he turned his face to the other side and pointed out the location of the tent (on that day) of such-and-such person including Salem (the freed-slave of Hudhaifah ibn Al Yaman) and Abi Ubaidah ibn Al Jarrah.
When these individuals saw the Prophet (SA) raising the hand of Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), some of them turned to the other and whispered among themselves about the Prophet (SA), 'Look at his eyes how they move around as if they are the eyes of a mad person!' At that moment, Archangel Jibrael descended with this verse áóãøóÇ ÓóãöÚõæÇ ÇáÐøößúÑ when the Prophet (SA) spoke to the audience about the virtues of Imam Ali (AS).
So Ameer Al-Mu’mineen Ali (AS) is described by Allah (SWT) to be ÐößúÑñ áøöáúÚóÇáóãöíäó (the dhikr/remembrance/message to the whole world) which is in essence Wilayah Mutlaqa / absolute guardianship. Now if we correlate verses 51-52 with verse 2 of this Surah, we will realize that the subject of “madness” is the same and that is - the Wilayah of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS)!
So, when the Prophet (SA) speaks publicly in Ghadeer about the virtues of Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), he is fulfilling the instructions of verse 93:11 to speak about the bounty of Allah (SWT) represented in his successor.
Actually, the act of Tahadoth / proclaiming the grace of Allah (SWT) is in itself a sign of Shokr (thanks). This is supported by a prophetic hadeeth which states that,
ãä áã íÔßÑ ÇáäÇÓ áã íÔßÑ Çááå æãä áã íÔßÑ ÇáÞáíá áã íÔßÑ ÇáßËíÑ æÇáÊÍÏË ÈäÚãÉ Çááå ÔßÑ æÊÑßå ßõÝÑ .
Whoever is not grateful to the people is not grateful to Allah (SWT), and whoever does not thank for the little bounty will not thank for the many bounties. Asserting the favours of Allah (SWT) is considered to be gratitude while avoiding to do so is Kufr (disbelief).
This leads us to the next important subtopic in our discussion which is Kufran Al Ne’mat.
Denial (ßõÝÑÇä ) of the Ne’mat
In order to understand what exactly is Shokr Al Ne’mat (thankfulness of bounty), it important for us to understand what is it's opposite; that is, Kufran Al Ne’mat (denial of bounties) which is one of the topics addressed in the Holy Quran. By understanding what exactly Kufran Al Ne’mat entails, we can avoid falling into that sin and refrain from being among those who exhibit that negative behavior. By definition, the word “Kufran” which is derived from the Arabic root word “Kufr” means disbelief, infidelity, or blasphemy. In simple words, to practice Kufr is to deny or reject and the common example used is when we refer to the disbelievers and rejecters of a religion as “Kufaar” (nonbelievers).
So what exactly does it mean to say “”Kufran Al Ne’mat”? In the words of a prominent and unique scholar of his time, Allamah Rasheed Turabi, “rejecting the divine favors or bounties, not recognizing Allah's favors as favors, changing the basic idea of a Ne’mat, wasting a bounty, and diverting the sense and the meaning of a blessing, all fall under “Kufran Al Ne’mat”.
He further explains that a bounty is a favor in which the concept of a right is absent, so if a recipient claims that he had the right to a particular blessing and if he considers that favor as his due, he instantly alters the nature of that Ne’mat and exchanges the bounty with thanklessness by denying it. Allah (SWT) opens our eyes to this category of individuals
Ãáã ÊÑì Åáì ÇáÐíä ÈÏøáæÇ äÚãÉ Çááå ßÝÑÇð æÃÍáæÇ Þæãåã ÏÇÑ ÇáÈæÇÑ. Ìåäã íáæäåÇ æÈöÆÓ ÇáÞÑÇÑ .
Have you not seen those who gave away the blessings of Allah in exchange for thanklessness and led their people down to the Abode of Loss (Even to) Hell? They are exposed thereto. A hapless end! [14:28]
The key word in this verse is ÊÈÏíá / Tabdeel which means to replace, alter, or change one thing with another. In the context of this verse, Allah (SWT) is telling us that there are individuals who will replace the bounty of Allah (SWT) - a particular bounty and not just any bounty - with disbelief, rejection, and neglect. Not only that, but a consequence of their action is leading the people astray.
Now, what type of blessing is this which if denied or replaced will lead to misguidance? What type of bounty is that which will lead to eternal damnation in Hell-Fire? Could it be the bounty of eating, drinking, or possession of wealth? Of course not! Logic and common sense tells us that it could not be a materialistic bounty and that Allah (SWT) must be referring to a bounty that is much greater in His eyes such that He (SWT) is mentioning it in the singular form!
If we research authentic traditions, we will find that it is narrated by Ali ibn Ibrahim in his commentary of Quran that Imam Al Sadiq (AS) said in reference to this verse, “By Allah, we are Ne’matullah / the bounty of Allah which He (SWT) gave this blessing to His servants. Through us, the victorious gain their victory.” These words of the 6th Imam is also narrated by the tongue of the 1st Imam as relayed by one of his close companions Asbagh ibn Nubata which is cited in both Tafseer Mizan and Ayaashi. So if we come to realize that the purified progeny of the Holy Prophet (SA) are essentially the bounty which has been replaced, it leads us to question how and why they were replaced.
Sure enough, if we reminisce the verses we discussed earlier in our discourse, we will remember the event of Ghadeer Khum in which the Prophet (SA) appointed his cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor and Wali /guardian and took the pledge of allegiance from all the Muslims present. However, history confirms to us that many turned back on their oath allegiance to Imam Ali (SA), disbelieved in it, and replaced him with another Caliph who was chosen by a group of them. Even though many companions knew the right of Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) for the Caliphate which the Prophet (SA) publicly announced on the day of Ghadeer as the divine will and selection, they denied him his right after the Prophet's demise. So Allah (SWT) says about them,
íÚÑÝæä äÚãÉ Çááå Ëã íõäßÑæäåÇ æÃßËÑåã ÇáßÇÝÑæä .
They fully recognize GOD's blessings, then deny them; the majority of them are disbelievers. [16:83]
It may be understandable if a person makes a change or replacement from something that is bad to something better, or something good to something that is best. However, this situation begs the mind to question why this change and replacement from what is definitely good by divine approval to what is less good, if not worse! Hence, Allah (SWT) expresses this wonder when He (SWT) exclaims [16:71] "ÃÝÈäÚãÉ Çááå íÌÍÏæä" Will they still deny the favour of ALLAH and in the following verse He (SWT) questions out of astonishment and wonder
ÃÝÈÇáÈÇØá íõÄãäæä æÈãäÚãÉ Çááå íßÝÑæä .
Should they believe in falsehood, and deny GOD's blessings! [16:72]
As indicated in this verse, one of the signs of Kufran Al Ne’mat (denial of favors) is to believe in batil (falsehood) and support it. Since we've concluded that Imam Ali (AS) is the one meant by Ne’matullah (the bounty of Allah), we can fairly conclude based on this verse that those who deny Ali (AS) his rights and disbelieve in him are categorized as “those who believe in batil/falsehood”.
Now if we search and review our authentic history, we can easily pinpoint those individuals who represent “batil/falsehood” and had supporters who followed them and preferred them over the bounty of Allah, who is Imam Ali (AS).
If we reminisce for a moment on the meaning of Shokr Al Ne’mat (thankfulness of a bounty) and correlate it with the concept of Kufran Al Ne’mat (denial of a bounty), we will realize based on the verses just analyzed that Kufran Al Ne’mat does not only mean lack of gratitude or neglect to a bounty. In fact, one of the most severe types of Kufran Al Ne’mat is to change that bounty altogether and replace it with one that does not deserve that position. Now what could be the reason or motive for this state of Kufran which results in replacement of the original bounty? Allah (SWT) sheds some light to us in the Quran:
Ãã íÍÓÏæä ÇáäÇÓ Úáì ãÇ ÃÊÇåã ãä ÝÖáå .
Are they jealous of the people because of that which Allah has bestowed on them of His Bounty? [4:54]
One of the undesirable evil attributes is jealousy and envy which is detrimental to both the physical and mental health to the extent that Ameer Al-Mu’mineen (AS) said: “One who does not suppress jealousy makes his body his own grave.” Jealousy is when a man desires that a blessing be removed from another person though he knows that this blessing is well-deserved by the recipient, while envy means to desire the blessing possessed by others and make effort to equal others.
Jealousy is a calamity for religion and Imam Sadiq (AS) has stated: “Indeed envy and jealousy burns down Faith just as fire burns down timber.” History shows us classical examples that teach us a lesson of how jealousy leads to destruction and the wrath of God. We have an example in Iblees/devil who was the first to practice jealousy and introduce this vice to humanity. After him, Qabeel son of Adam and the brothers of Prophet Yusuf (AS) displayed and acted upon their jealousy.
Allah (SWT) intentionally mentions these stories in the Quran to lift our attentions that we must not harbor feelings of envy towards another creature that has been bestowed with blessings or bounties by God; otherwise it will lead to Kufr. He (SWT) gives us these examples to warn us not to repeat the same mistake with the most important bounty given to us which is our faith, religion, and the divine guides represented by the Prophets and Infallible Imams.
It is narrated by Allamah Majlisi in Volume 1 of Hayat Al Quloob that Allah (SWT) revealed to Prophet Adam (AS): “Oh Adam! Raise your head and look at My empyrean.” Adam raised his head and beheld some names on it. Adam asked, 'Who are they?' Allah (SWT) answered, “They are from your offspring and are much better than others. I have not created the heavens, the earth, and the hell, but only out of love for these five Honorable beings. I have created you and all creatures for them. Do not be jealous of them otherwise you will be deprived of My bounties!”
According to reliable chain of narrators as cited in the same above-mentioned source, a companion by the name of Sulayman ibn Khalid said to Imam Al-Sadiq (AS), “May I be sacrificed for you. What was the reason that Qabeel killed Habeel?”
Imam (AS) replied, “Because Adam had appointed Habeel as his successor. Allah revealed to Adam to hand over the successorship and the Grand Name to Habeel while Qabeel was the elder. When he knew this, he was angry and said that he was the rightful heir to successorship and bounties. Under divine instructions, Adam asked both of them to present a sacrifice to Allah. Allah accepted Habeel's sacrifice and rejected Qabeel's. So he envied Habeel and killed him.”
From day one of creation, Allah (SWT) makes it clear to us and engraves in our minds that jealousy and envy against His chosen guides is the key to His wrath and eternal doom and leads to Neqmat - deprivation of His bounties.
Furthermore, Allah (SWT) tells us straightforwardly that the consequences of Kufr/disbelief is severe punishment,
æÅÐ ÊÃÐøóä ÑÈõßã áÆä ÔßÑÊã áÃÒíÏäßã æáÆä ßÝÑÊã Åäøó ÚÐÇÈí áÔÏíÏ .
And when your Lord declared: `If you are grateful, I will surely bestow more favours on you; but if you are ungrateful, then know that MY punishment is severe indeed.' [14:7]
More specifically, if we are thankful for the bounty of Wilayah, He (SWT) will increase us in guidance. So serious and swift is the punishment of Allah (SWT) for those who disbelieve in the Wilayah that it is narrated when the Prophet (SA) ordered everyone to give their pledge of allegiance to his cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) as his legatee, a man complained and questioned the Prophet (SA) whether that order was originating from him or from Allah (SWT).
That man's feeling of jealousy and animosity caused him to doubt Ali's right for the seat of Caliphate. So he challenged the Prophet (SA) to receive swift punishment if his (Prophet's) words in this matter were truly a revelation from God. Sure enough, Allah (SWT) responded to the man's challenge and he perished immediately in front of the audience watching this historical moment, and this story is revealed in the Quran for all of mankind to bear witness and take lesson from. The first few verses in Surat Al Ma'arij describe this event:
ÓÆá ÓÇÆáñ ÈÚÐÇÈò æÇÞÚ (1) ááßÇÝÑíä áíÓ áå ÏÇÝÚ (2) ãä Çááå Ðí ÇáãÚÇÑÌ (3)
A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall (1) Upon the disbelievers, which none can avert, (2) From Allah, the Lord of the ascending steps. [70:1-3]
The take home message here is that as soon as someone dared to openly disbelieve and question the prophet's truthfulness regarding this very important matter of successorship, Allah (SWT) intervened and brought immediate punishment to the questioner (upon his request) which stands as a strong proof till the end of time to support the divine appointment and Wilayah of Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS).
Now, if this is the punishment of Kufran Al Ne’mat in the life of this world, then one can only imagine what type of severe punishment await the nonbelievers and deniers of the bounty on the Day of Judgment!
Conclusion
After briefly analyzing the word “Ne’mat” and its derivatives in the Holy Quran and after studying some traditions and exegesis of different scholars, we can fairly conclude with confidence and without any reasonable doubt that the Ne’mat / bounty / favor/ blessing that is mentioned in the Quran refers to none other than the Wilayah / guardianship of Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) who is the guardian, successor, and Wasi of the Holy Prophet (SA).
It was on the day of Ghadeer when Allah (SWT) announced that Çáíæã “today” He (SWT) has completed our religion and His blessings to us have reached their culmination. On that day all the favors were bestowed at the zenith of their perfection. In the words of Allamah Turabi, “Deen is the culmination of blessings and vice versa. And the Bestower of total favors is One Who gave us our religion. He is the One who took the blessings to their culmination.”
So great is this bounty in Allah's eyes that He (SWT) refers to the Wilayah (according to Tafseer Safi and Bayan) as
ÅäåÇ áÅÍÏì ÇáßõÈóÑ
Indeed this is one of the greatest. [74:35]
Furthermore, He (SWT) glorifies this Ne’mat in Surat Al Takathor (102:8) and swears that He (SWT) will question us about this Na'eem "Ëã áÊõÓÆáä íæãÆÐò Úä ÇáäÚíã." Then, on that Day, you shall be asked about the bounties. Surely, it is not from the attributes of the Generous God to question His creation about the materialistic bounties that we enjoy such as food, drink, or shelter.
Then what could be that great bounty that He (SWT) is referring to which deserves questioning and accounting by the Great Lord? Most definitely, it is the Wilayah of the household of the Prophet (SA) which Allah (SWT) will ask each one of us about! It is the “proofs of God on earth” which He (SWT) appointed as the vicegerents and trustees of the final message to mankind! We will be questioned how we treated the family of the Prophet (SA) after his demise and whether or not we fulfilled the covenants and adhered to our pledge of allegiance to the holy progeny. We will be asked whether we displayed love and devotion (Mawada) to the Prophet's household which is clearly stated in verse [42:23] as the Ajr / reward of the message.
We will be reckoned how we treated the Thaqalayn (the Two Precious things) which the Prophet (SA) asserted in the well-known authenticated tradition: “Verily, I am leaving behind two precious things (thaqalayn) among you: the Book of God and my kindred ('Etrah), my household (Ahlul Bayt), for indeed, the two will never separate until they come back to me by the Pond (of Al Kawthar on the Judgement Day) so consider how you act regarding them after my departure.”
It suffices to know that in the own words of our Master Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) in his discourse known as Hadeeth Al Mofakhara with his son Husain (AS), he says about himself:
ÃäÇ ÚãÇ íÊÓÇÆáæä Úä æáÇíÊí íæã ÇáÞíÇãÉ Þæáå ÊÚÇáì áÊÓÆáä íæãÆÐò Úä ÇáäÚíã ¡ ÃäÇ äÚãÉ Çááå ÊÚÇáì ÇáÊí ÃäÚã Çááå ÈåÇ Úáì ÎáÞå .
“I am whom they are disputing about my Wilayah on the day of Resurrection as He revealed, 'Then, on that Day, you shall be asked about the bounties', I am the Ne’mat of Allah which He (SWT) blessed His creation with.” Interestingly enough, Ameer Al-Mu’mineen (AS) reveals to us that he is the one referred to in the first few verses of Surat Al Naba:
ÚãøóÇ íÊÓÇÆáæä (1) Úä ÇáäÈà ÇáÚÙíã (2) ÇáÐí åõã Ýíå ãõÎÊáöÝæä (3) ßáÇøó ÓíÚáãæä (4) Ëã ßáÇøó ÓíÚáãæä (5)
What are they disputing about? Concerning the Great News. About which they are in disagreement. Indeed they will find out. Most assuredly, they will find out.' [78:1-5]
Here, Allah (SWT) publicizes His wonder about the dispute and disagreement which the people have over the Wilayah and successorship of Imam Ali (AS). If we analyze the history of Islam after the Prophet's demise, we will not find a more disputable case than the issue of caliphate and successorship. He (SWT) asserts that those who disbelieve in the Wilayah will eventually come to recognize the truth, if not in this life then in the Hereafter. It is important to note that Allah (SWT) did not say ßáÇøó ÓíÚÑÝæä; rather He (SWT) said ßáÇøó ÓíÚáãæä. That is because they already possess the knowledge that Ali (AS) has been divinely appointed for the successorship; however, they do not recognize his value nor the importance of Wilayah which is they cornerstone of the religion without which it is not completed or perfected.
So, if we gain the recognition (ma'refat) that the best and most precious bounty which Allah (SWT) bestowed us by His absolute generosity and mercy is the divine guidance and revelation that is impersonated by the holy luminaries - the Prophet (SA) and Infallible Imams (AS) after him, this urges us to ponder more on our inability to thank Him for this greatest bounty - the gift of WILAYAH. After all, how can we ever thank Him for this extraordinary blessing which is the key to our salvation and path towards His proximity? It is narrated that Imam Al Sadiq (AS) said:
"ÔõßÑ ÇáäÚãÉ ÅÌÊäÇÈ ÇáãÍÇÑã ¡ æÊãÇã ÇáÔßÑ Þæá ÇáÑÌá ÇáÍãÏ ááå ÑÈ ÇáÚÇáãíä." Expression of thanks for a bounty is to avoid committing the forbidden acts, while perfection of gratitude is to say ”Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.”
From this narration we learn that the best way of expressing gratitude is by submission and obedience to the One Lord at all times. It suffices to know that even when a servant praises his Lord, Allah (SWT) thanks him for his expression of gratitude even though He (SWT) is the one who has the upper hand and deserves praise.
æÓíÌÒí Çááå ÇáÔÇßÑíä
GOD rewards those who are appreciative.[ 3:144]
If Allah's policy is to reward His creation whenever they thank Him, we can only imagine that the more significant that bounty which is being thanked for, the greater His reward to that grateful servant and the more He (SWT) will increase in their most significant bounty!
It would take more than a lifetime and tons of books to merely scratch the surface of understanding the importance of Wilayah in our lives and the significance of this most exceptional bounty from Allah (SWT). However, it suffices to conclude this discourse by quoting the concise words of Al-Janabedhi in his exegesis of Tafseer Bayan Sa'ada regarding the key relation of Ne’mat and Neqmat with the Wilayah. In this excerpt, he beautifully explains the true essence and origin of Ne’mat, where it begins and where it leads to.
ÅÓÊÊÈÚ ÇáæáÇíÉ ÇáäÈæÉ æÇáÑÓÇáÉ æÓÇÆÑ ÇáäÚã ÈåÇ ÊíÑ äÚãÉ ¡ æßáãÇ ÅÊá ÈÇáæáÇíÉ ÓæÇÁ ßÇä ÈÓÈÈ ÇáÈíÚÉ ÇáæáæíÉ Ãæ ÈØáÈ Êáß ÇáÈíÚÉ ¡ ßÇä äÚãÉ æãÇ áã íÊá ÓæÇÁ ßÇä Ýí ÇáäÚã ÇáæÑíÉ ÇáÏíäæíÉ Ãæ ãä ÇáäÚã ÇáÏÑíÉ ÇáÃõÎÑæíÉ æãä ÇáÃÐæÇÞ æÇáæÌÏÇäÇÊ æãöä ÇáÚáæã æÇáãÔÇåÏÇÊ æÇáãÚÇíäÇÊ ÇáæÑíÉ ¡ ßÇä äÞãÉ ÅáÇ ÅÐÇ ÅÊáÊ ÈÇáæáÇíÉ ÝÇáäÞáÈÊ äÚãÉ .
“The Wilayah has followed the prophethood and revelation, and it is only by the Wilayah that the rest of the bounties become considered a bounty. Every time a bounty becomes associated with the Wilayah whether due to giving the pledge of allegiance to Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) or by seeking to achieve that allegiance, it becomes blessing. Likewise, whatever is not associated with the Wilayah whether it is bounties of the life of this world or that of the Hereafter, and from the tastes and sentiments and from the sciences, observations, and examinations; it becomes a Neqmat (calamity or misfortune) except if it becomes associated with the Wilayah and so it changes into a Ne’mat (bounty).”
If we comprehend the meaning of this profound statement with true recognition and faith, it will bring everything into perspective and we can better and more appropriately identify, appreciate, and thank Allah (SWT) for each and every bounty that He (SWT) bestows us with. We can then understand the meaning of the attributes which we address Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (SWT) in the Ziyarah Al Mutlaqa Lil Ameer when we greet him in these most insightful words, "ÇáÓáÇã Úáì ÍõÌÉ Çááå ÇáÈÇáÛÉ æäöÚãÊå ÇáÓÇÈÛÉ æäöÞãÊå ÇáÏÇãÛÉ" Peace be upon the Proof of Allah and His perfect Grace and His overwhelming indignation! Indeed, Imam Ali (AS) represents the perfection of bounties and at the same time, he is also a source of Neqmat for those who refuse to believe in his Wilayah and divine right for vicegerency!
It is our aim in this brief paper to lift our attention to the real meaning of “the Ne’mat” as mentioned in the Holy Quran. It is our hope that every time we think or come across the word “Ne’mat” whether in Quran, Dua, or Hadeeth, that we immediately remember and thank Allah (SWT) in any and all ways we can on a daily basis for the most significant bounty and grace to mankind which signifies the perfection of faith and culmination of religion - the Imamate and the Wilayah of the Prophet's divinely appointed luminary guides!
References
1- The Holy Quran
2- Majma' Al Bayan fi Tafseer Al Quran by Sheikh Al Tabarsi
3- Tafseer Al Quran by Ali ibn Ibrahim Al Qummi
4- Al Tebyaan Al Jame' fi Li 'Uloom Al Quran by Sheikh Al Toosi
5- Al Mizan fi Tafseer Al Quran by Seyyid Mohammed Tabatabai
6- Al Safi fi Tafseer Kalam Allah Al Waafi by Al Fayd Al Kashani
7- Tafseer Bayan Al Sa'ada fi Maqamaat Al 'Ibadah by Al Janabedhi
8- Al Burhaan fi Tafseer Al Quran by Seyyid Hashem Al Husaini Al Bahrani
9- Nahjul Balagha (Sermons of Imam Ali) compiled by Seyyid Radi
10- Lectures on Kufran Al Ne’mat by Allamah Rasheed Turabi
11- Hayat Al Qulub - Volume 1 by Allamah Mohammad Baqir Al Majlisi
12- Kitab Al Kafi by Muhammad Ya'qoob Al Kulayni
13- Mafateeh Al Jinan by Sheikh Abbas Al Qummi
14- Al Saheefa Al Kamela Al Sajjadiyah (Psalms of Islam) by Imam Ali ibn Al Husain (AS)
15- Commentary on Kumail Supplication by Allamah Husain Ansariyan
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