Scarcity & Excess
...
تَبٰرَكَ الَّذِىۡ بِيَدِهِ الۡمُلۡكُ وَهُوَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيۡرُۙ ١
...
اَمَّنۡ هٰذَا الَّذِىۡ هُوَ جُنۡدٌ لَّكُمۡ يَنۡصُرُكُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ الرَّحۡمٰنِؕ اِنِ الۡكٰفِرُوۡنَ اِلَّا فِىۡ غُرُوۡرٍۚ ٢٠ اَمَّنۡ هٰذَا الَّذِىۡ يَرۡزُقُكُمۡ اِنۡ اَمۡسَكَ رِزۡقَهٗ ۚ بَلۡ لَّجُّوۡا فِىۡ عُتُوٍّ وَّنُفُوۡرٍ ٢١ اَفَمَنۡ يَّمۡشِىۡ مُكِبًّا عَلٰى وَجۡهِهٖۤ اَهۡدٰٓى اَمَّنۡ يَّمۡشِىۡ سَوِيًّا عَلٰى صِرَاطٍ مُّسۡتَقِيۡمٍ ٢٢
قُلۡ هُوَ الَّذِىۡۤ اَنۡشَاَكُمۡ وَجَعَلَ لَـكُمُ السَّمۡعَ وَالۡاَبۡصَارَ وَ الۡاَفۡـــِٕدَةَ ؕ قَلِيۡلًا مَّا تَشۡكُرُوۡنَ ٢٣
قُلۡ هُوَ الَّذِىۡ ذَرَاَكُمۡ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ وَاِلَيۡهِ تُحۡشَرُوۡنَ ٢٤
...
قُلۡ اَرَءَيۡتُمۡ اِنۡ اَهۡلَـكَنِىَ اللّٰهُ وَمَنۡ مَّعِىَ اَوۡ رَحِمَنَا ۙ فَمَنۡ يُّجِيۡرُ الۡكٰفِرِيۡنَ مِنۡ عَذَابٍ اَلِيۡمٍ ٢٨ قُلۡ هُوَ الرَّحۡمٰنُ اٰمَنَّا بِهٖ وَعَلَيۡهِ تَوَكَّلۡنَاۚ فَسَتَعۡلَمُوۡنَ مَنۡ هُوَ فِىۡ ضَلٰلٍ مُّبِيۡنٍ ٢٩ قُلۡ اَرَءَيۡتُمۡ اِنۡ اَصۡبَحَ مَآؤُكُمۡ غَوۡرًا فَمَنۡ يَّاۡتِيۡكُمۡ بِمَآءٍ مَّعِيۡنٍ٣٠
The Quran, Surah alMulk, last ayat questions that if some morning your water sinks, who will be able to make it well up?
Water is essential for life. Our bodies need water welling up in our cells for them to function. We need water to drink, and we need it to be retained in appropriate amounts, and drained in appropriate amounts, in our bodies. There are so many more functions and processes that require water. We need water to irrigate our crops. We need water to sail upon. We need water on land and we need water bodies (springs, streams, lakes, rivers, seas, oceans, glaciers, snow, ice, hot springs, etc.).
Water scarcity and water excess both are troublesome.
Historically, there have been periods of drought and famine, and times when floods have ravaged the land and those upon it. Various regions face similar situations even today.
The first ayat of Surah alMulk declares the flourishing power of Allah in whose hand is the Kingdom, and that He is Able over all things. That means that to Him belong all the decisions of destiny.
The next ayat states that He has created death and life to test you which of you is the best in deeds, and He is the All-Mighty, All-Forgiving.
Death is the state when water does not well up in our cells. Death implies disintegration into dust.
Life implies functioning cells which have sufficient amount of water to function.
Excess of water also leads to health problems.
To flourish, we need balance within the body.
Ayat 23: قَلِيۡلًا مَّا تَشۡكُرُوۡنَ ...
Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes in the human body.
Ayat 23 draws attention to the fact that He has brought us forth from the Earth, and has appointed the ability to hear, envision, and feel, and then the phrase: little (is) what you give thanks (قَلِيۡلًا مَّا تَشۡكُرُوۡنَ).
The Earth could have been waterless and barren, or the Earth could have been submerged in water, both of which are not ideal conditions for human life as we experience it.
The very fact that Allah has produced us from the Earth, appointed hearing, vision, and feelings, and provided so many flourishing stimuli for us to enjoy and give gratitude for, during the life time we are given upon the Earth, before we die, is in itself something to be grateful for, and respond accordingly.
Allah likes gratitude in His servants.
Allah does not like ingratitude.
To flourish forever, in gardens beneath which rivers flow, we need to pass the test of this life.
The key is gratitude.
Even in this world, the scriptures present examples of water scarcity, and the Messengers of Allah asking people to seek forgiveness, so that they are given water.
We also read about the Flood, and about the Dam that broke and flooded Sheba (Saba), because of their ingratitude.
There is the prophecy about the rising of the seas, and of the seas boiling.
Seeking forgiveness and showing gratitude is the key to flourishing.
May Allah make us flourish, in this life, and in the hereafter.
Related Posts
Water (links' page)
