Article appeared Friday, January 24th, 2014 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation !12"

yousu# $ah%u%ul &sla$, 'h(

Are gi#ts $ore i$portant than the giver) &n our daily lives, we o#ten get gi#ts* As children, our parents lavish us with gi#ts o# love* &n return, do we love our parents $ore and $ore, or do we ta+e the gi#ts and overloo+ to love our parents in return) ,ow should one #eel a%out children who do not love their parents in return) -r how should one #eel a%out children who si$ply as+ #or $ore and $ore) Analy.ing the /uestion, are gifts more important than the giver, could one hurt the giver %y %eing ungrate#ul) 0hich is $ore i$portant, the love with which the gi#ts are given or the gi#ts the$selves) 0hat would happen i# the giver stops the #low o# gi#ts or stops giving love) The #ollowing /uotes serve as a guide1 Love the giver more than the gift. Brigha$ 2oung" {1} ,e who loves with purity considers not the gi#t o# the lover, %ut the love o# the giver* Joyce 3eyer" {2} -n the su%4ect o# gi#ts, how should one react to gi#ts given %y the 5reator) The #ollowing /uotes provide #ood #or thought* 6very day is a gi#t #ro$ 7od* 8earn to #ocus on the 7iver and en4oy the gi#t9 Tho$as a :e$pis" {3} 7od gave you a gi#t o# ;<,000 seconds today* ,ave you used one to say =than+ you)> 0illia$ A 0ard" {4} &n each o# the ;<,000 seconds, what does the 5reator need to do to allow each to en4oy and %ene#it #ro$ each $o$ent) As everything has %een created #ro$ nothing, the 5reator has to sustain each $o$ent* ,e has given each o# us an individual personality* ,e tailors events to suit each and every individual on earth* &$agine the a$ount o# (evine 8ove that $ust go into doing this* 0hy does the 5reator ta+e the trou%le to do this each $o$ent) 0hat could ,e possi%ly want) ,e creates each $o$ent 4ust to see who see+s ,i$ out and loves ,i$ in return9 -n the contrary, i# #ro$ the gi#t o# ;<,000 seconds given each day, we are una%le to ta+e ti$e out to than+ ,i$ and love ,i$ in return, how should the 5reator #eel) Also, should we continue to e?pect continuous %lessings #ro$ ,i$) ,oly scriptures #urnish the answer to such /uestions* Turning to the $ost recent Revelation, the @urAan, we #ind the #ollowing /uestions #or thought posed %y the 5reator1 As+, =,ave you considered) &# Allah were to $a+e the night continuous until the (ay o# Judg$ent what god other than Allah could %ring you light) 0ill you not then pay attention) B2;*C1D -r, As+, =,ave you considered) &# Allah were to $a+e the day continuous until the (ay o# Judg$ent what god other than Allah could %ring you a night in which you $ay rest) 0ill you not then give thought) B2;*C2D &n the su%se/uent Eerse, Allah e?plains why ,e has created the night and the day1 &t is out o# ,is 3ercy that ,e has $ade #or you the night and the day that you $ay rest therein and that you $ay see+ o# ,is 7race during the day" in order that you $ay understand and" %e grate#ul* B2;*C!D

Allah has divided the ;<,000 seconds on earth into night and day F this is one o# ,is Blessings and Gigns* &n another place in the @urAan, Allah su$s up the situation, Eerily in the alternation o# the Night and the (ay and in all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth are Gigns #or those who #ear ,i$* -n the contrary" those who do not rest their hope on their $eeting with Hs on the (ay o# Judg$ent" %ut are pleased and satis#ied with the li#e o# the present are those who consider not -ur Gigns, their a%ode will %e the Fire %ecause o# the evil" they earned* Those who %elieve and wor+ righteousness, their 8ord will guide the$ %ecause o# their #aith1 %eneath the$ will #low rivers in the 7ardens o# Bliss* B10*< F 10*ID Not giving the 5reator priority is ingratitude and there#ore evil J as ,e is the source o# all %lessings* -ur o%4ective should %e to please the 5reator in all situations* 8oving and serving the 5reator is $ore i$portant in all situations including those that involve con#lict and war %etween %elievers and dis%elievers* This is the principal that all prophets and co$panions were to physically de$onstrate during their so4ourn on earth* To guide 'rophet 3uha$$ad p%uh", the #ollowing Eerse was Revealed during the Battle o# Badr*

8.67 It is not fitting for an apostle that he should have prisoners of war until he has thoroughl su!dued the land. "ou loo# for the te$poral goods of this world% !ut &llah loo#s to the 'ereafter% and &llah is ()alted in $ight *ise.
(uring the ti$e o# war or con#lict, one should not yearn #or spoils o# war or #or ta+ing prisoners o# war* &t is only a#ter co$plete victory that thoughts o# distri%ution o# spoils or ta+ing o# captives should %e entertained*

8.68 'ad it not !een for a previous ordain$ent fro$ &llah a severe penalt would have rea+hed ou for what ou too#.
(uring the ti$e o# the 'rophet %oth wrong and right %ehavior were allowed %y the 5reator to de$onstrate %oth types o# %ehavior as part o# a learning e?ercise* There#ore, at the ti$e, no penalty was i$posed %y the 5reator on those de$onstrating wrong %ehavior*

8.6, -ut .now/ en0o what ou too# in war lawful and good1 !ut fear &llah1 for &llah is 2ft34orgiving 5ost 5er+iful.
Go whatever one does, the intention should %e to please the 5reator, i*e* the 7iver o# victory and the 7iver o# su%se/uent %lessings* This principal e?tends to captives o# war as well* The captives also have a right to +now a%out the 5reator and learn to %e grate#ul F as this is the purpose o# each hu$an %eings so4ourn on earth*

8.76 2 apostle7 8a to those who are +aptives in our hands1 9If &llah finds an good in our hearts 'e will give ou so$ething !etter than what has !een ta#en fro$ ou and 'e will forgive ou1 for &llah is 2ft34orgiving 5ost 5er+iful.9
Go, i# the captives accept the Gigns o# the 5reator and are grate#ul #or having %een given li#e, the 3ost 3erci#ul will replace their loss in the war %y %etter things* The conduct o# the con/uerors should there#ore %e dictated %y what would please Allah a#ter the war* Behavior su%se/uent to victories {:} during the 'rophets li#e de$onstrated %ehavior that pleased the 5reator and won huge converts to the cause o# the 5reator* JJJJJ {;otes}1 {1} http1KKwww*%rainy/uote*co$K/uotesK/uotesK%K%righa$you14<C!1*ht$l {2} http1KKwww*%rainy/uote*co$K/uotesK/uotesK4K4oyce$eyerL<L1II*ht$l {3} http1KKwww*%rainy/uote*co$K/uotesK/uotesKtKtho$asa+e$!;LC<I*ht$l {4} http1KKwww*/uotegarden*co$Kgi#ts*ht$l {:} http1KKwww*alisla$*orgKli%raryK%oo+sK$uha$$adMsealMo#MtheMprophetsKchapterM1!*ht$l