Quran Garden

Session 9

Chapter 1

Verse 1

A continuation

As we discussed in the previous session, God Almighty, the Creator of the universe, can allow its laws to work and can also cease their function.  He is able to go beyond these laws at any time.  Take, for example, the story of Prophet Zachariah, peace be upon him, who was responsible for providing for the Virgin Mary.  He used to bring her all that she needed daily as she was secluded for worship.  One day, when he walked into her room, he was surprised to find food he did not bring, nor did he see the likes of before.

Naturally, as mentioned in the following verse, he questioned Mary, the sainted worshiper, who had never departed from her chamber:

"Where has this come from, o Mary?" (3:37)

Prophet Zachariah's question gives us two important lessons.  The first is that God can overrule the laws of cause and effect and provide from nothing.  This will become more apparent in Virgin Mary's answer to his question.  The second is that we should always be watchful and proactive when we see signs of possible corruption in our surroundings.  The lack of vigilance in inquiring about suspicious matters, especially those regarding sudden and unexplained wealth, leads to corruption.  We can usually recognize possessions that are not in line with the capabilities of the person who attained them.  Let's take the example of a wife who sees her husband spending more than his salary or her daughter wearing something that exceeds her income.  The mother who takes time to question her family about how they obtained these goods leaves little room for corruption.  Indeed, if everyone acts like this mother, then there will be no corruption in society.  Corruption spreads when we shut our eyes to illegal acts and unlawful wealth.  While having no doubt about Mary's piety and character, Prophet Zachariah still exercised vigilance and asked her, "Where did you get this from?"  Her reply came in the following verse:

And she said, "They are from God: God provides limitlessly for whomever He will." (3:37)

Mary pointed out that it was God Who provided for her, highlighting the fact that the laws of cause and effect do not govern God's freedom and authority.  She drew Zachariah's attention to the limitlessness of God's power.  At that moment, Zachariah supplicated His Lord regarding an issue where only this freedom from all physical laws could intercede: he longed for a child while he was an aged man and so was his wife, aged and barren.  We know that reproduction is effective only at a relatively young age of fertile couples.  When both the man and the woman reach old age, they can no longer reproduce.  And let's not forget the fact that Prophet Zachariah's wife was infertile and could not bear children even when she was young.  This matter is against the laws that govern humans, even by today's modern medical standards.  God alone is capable of going beyond any set laws.  When Prophet Zachariah supplicated, with certainty in his heart that all things are possible, God granted him a son named John.

So, everything in this world begins and concludes with the name of God.  Yes, the universe is managed by a set of laws, but God's will is above them all.

               When you begin all your affairs with God's name, you choose Him to be on your side, supporting you.  Any action you take requires many qualities from you.  For example, when you start a physical activity such as running, you require eyesight to see the road, physical health to move your legs, and strength to keep going.  Similarly, when you supplicate God, you need to specify the help that you require.  For instance, you would say "in the name of the All-Powerful," "in the name of the All-Seeing," "in the name of the Respondent to prayers," and so on.  But God taught us a name that is inclusive of all His attributes of perfection: Allah.  Now we can begin all our actions with "in the name of Allah."  The name "Allah" satisfies all the attributes of the Almighty.  

Sadly, those who do not begin their actions with the name of God seek only materialistic worldly compensations.  On the other hand, a true believer has higher aspirations and thus begins all his or her actions with God in mind.   Allah is the Sustainer of everyone regardless of their faith, so He provides each of us based on our knowledge and effort.  But this life is not the true lasting life for man; rather, the hereafter is.  The person who has the world in his mind limits his or her reward to it, while the one who keeps God in mind gets the reward of this world and a far greater and everlasting return in the hereafter.  God the Almighty says:

Praise be to God, to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and earth, and praise be to Him in the life to come. He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware. (34:1)

The believer praises God for His bounties in this world, and then praises Him in the hereafter when God saves him or her from Hellfire and admits him or her into Paradise.  

The Prophet, peace be upon him, was quoted saying:

"Any important work that does not begin with the name of God is flawed."

When you start an action without God in mind, you are under the false impression that it is you who subjected your surroundings to serve and respond to your will.  More importantly, it is as though you have decided to forgo your reward in the hereafter and settle for a much lower compensation limited to this world.  So, if you desire the bounty of this world and the reward of the hereafter for everything you do, then approach each and every task with God's name.  Before you begin eating, start with the name of God because He created the food you are about to eat and provided it for you.  When you enter the examination hall, say, "In the name of Allah," and He will help you succeed.  When you marry, say, "In the name of Allah," because He has created your spouse and made him or her lawful to you. 

Perhaps most importantly, beginning every action with God's name will prevent you from doing any deed that displeases Him.  How?  We answer that it is very difficult to start a task that will cause God's displeasure by mentioning His name first!  If you intend to commit theft or drink alcohol, and then you begin with God's name, you will surely abstain from it.  You will feel ashamed of beginning a deed that angers God in His name.  By saying, "In the name of God," all your actions will be according to what God has made lawful.

When you begin reciting the Quran with God's name, you make a pledge to follow what He has ordered, abstain from what He has prohibited, and respect all that you read in His Book.  It is Him Who gives life and death and to Him belongs the authority in this world and in the hereafter.  It is Him before Whom you will stand on the Day of Resurrection when He will call you to account for your good deeds and transgressions.

You may question, how then can you begin reciting with the name of God, while you have at one time or another disobeyed and sinned?  The answer is simple:  God is the One Who taught us how to approach the recitation of the Quran with His name and, more importantly, to start with "the Most Merciful, the Most Benevolent."  God does not desert the disobedient; rather, He opens before him or her the doors of repentance and forgives all his or her sins because He is the Most Merciful.  God is continually calling every disobedient person to return to the fold of faith.  So, begin reading the Quran with the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Benevolent, because His mercy forgives all sins, big and small, near and far.