اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
اَعُوْذُبِااللّٰہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِيْم
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
*_Today’s Thought for the day is from Surah An-Nahl Ayah 114_*
*فَكُلُوۡا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللّٰهُ حَلٰلًا طَيِّبًاۖ وَّاشۡكُرُوۡا نِعۡمَتَ اللّٰهِ اِنۡ كُنۡـتُمۡ اِيَّاهُ تَعۡبُدُوۡنَ.(114)*
*_So eat of that which Allah has provided for you, lawful and good, and be grateful for the blessings of Allah, if it is Him you worship.(114)_*
پس خدا نے جو تم کو حلال طیّب رزق دیا ہے اسے کھاؤ۔ اور الله کی نعمتوں کا شکر کرو۔ اگر اسی کی عبادت کرتے ہو.(114)
Allahﷻ is addressing the Makkan unbelievers, who were at that time passing through a phase of hunger and fear, that they could instead believe in HIM and HIS Messenger and “eat of what HEﷻ has provided them lawful and good”.‼️ *Here the observation of the lawful and the unlawful has been made the test of worship of Allahﷻ.* Those who claim to be the servants of Allahﷻ will eat what is lawful and pure and show gratitude to HIM and will scrupulously refrain from what is forbidden and impure. The polytheists used to claim to be Allah’sﷻ worshippers in spite of their idolatry, therefore, they were told that if they were really worshippers of a Single God, it was necessary for them that they should eat only the food provided by HIM which is clean and declared lawful by HIM, and should not indulge in declaring such food as forbidden under the influence of polytheistic superstitions. It is also the demand of Allah’sﷻ worship that for the favours and blessing bestowed by HIM, HE SWT should be thanked, and sacrificing animals in other than Allah’sﷻ name, offering gifts as a token of devotion to others (than Allahﷻ) be given up, as they are equivalent to worshipping other than Allahﷻ and are contradictory to worshipping the One and Only God.
*_Act of the Day is:_* to understand and keep reminding ourselves that all the sustenance is from Allahﷻ as HE SWT is the one who provides food (رَزَقَكُمُ اللَهُ).‼️ *Allahﷻ tells us to eat halal food because halal and good food has a great influence on the soul; it makes the soul calm.* _Good food will give us health, so that our life is more meaningful. When we are healthy and energetic we can perform more acts of worship._
–Food spread on the face of the earth from animals and plants is a great blessing from Allahﷻ. Humans should be grateful for it by saying *”Alhamdulillah”* and utilising it according to the guidance of Allahﷻ and HIS Messenger, such as eating it or trading it. *What is more important for us to know is how to be grateful?* Is it just by saying Alhamdulillah? *That is not enough because the true act of gratitude is to obey the commands of Allah ﷻ and abandon HIS prohibitions. Only then is it being truly grateful.*
— _Included in the meaning of gratitude is maintaining and developing food sources so that they do not become extinct from the surface of the earth and to meet the nutritional needs of mankind. In maintaining and developing animals or plants, Muslims should submit to the applicable laws of Allahﷻ, for example regarding the provisions of zakat and its social function._
*_May Allah Subhanahu wa taa’la increase our provision and grant us the ability to remain always grateful to HIM through our Obedience and staying away from HIS prohibitions. Aa’meen Ya’Rabbul Aa’lameen._*
JazaK Allâhu khair!