بسم الله والحمد لله
والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد
In this materialistic world, whenever the word “Barakah” (Blessing)
or “Ni`mah” (Favor) is mentioned, many people only compare it with monetary
gains or possessions. For them, if a person has lots of wealth, then he is
blessed. Moreover, when it is said that the Barakah or Ni`mah is not taken away
except due to sins and is not returned except through repentance, the first
thing that comes to their mind is financial losses. Indeed financial losses is
one of the aspects, but Barakah is not limited to wealth only, nor is having
more of the wealth means there is Barakah in it.
There are three ways in which Barakah is taken away from a
person and this we will study with the example of rainwater.
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Definition:
Al-Barakah (blessing) means: progress, growth, development, abundant
good, beneficial.
The Blessing from Allaah, whatever it is in (example:
wealth, knowledge, children) – even if that thing is little in quantity – will
make it sufficient and beneficial. Similarly, the opposite is also true –
example: if a thing is deprived of the blessing then even the large amount of that
thing will be of little use.
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How blessing is taken away using the example of rainwater:
The reasons why rain is being used as an example is because
in the Qur’aan, Allaah تعالى
referred to rain as “al-Ghaith”:
﴿وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُنَزِّلُ
الْغَيْثَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا وَيَنشُرُ رَحْمَتَهُ ۚ وَهُوَ الْوَلِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ﴾
{And He it is Who sends down
the Ghaith (rain) after they have despaired, and spreads His Mercy. And He is
the Wali (Helper, Supporter, Protector, etc.), Worthy of all Praise.}
📚 [Surah al-Shooraa
(42): 28]
The “al-Ghaith” is a derivative of the word “al-Ghauth”
which means aid, relief etc. It is referred to the help during the times of adversity
which removes the burden or reduces it.
In the Qur’aan Allaah تعالى mentioned numerous times how He تعالى gives live to the
earth through rain after it had died (dried). But this same rain can
be deprived of its blessings so that people cannot benefit from it. There are
three ways in which this blessing is withheld:
1. It stops raining completely so that it leads to drought
and famine.
2. It rains but the earth does not produce any vegetation.
3. It rains a lot which causes flooding, and destroys lives and
properties.
1) When a thing is not given in the
first place, or is taken away or is withheld completely or partially:
When it does not rain for a few years, that area is affected
by drought, famine, and diseases, as Allaah تعالى says:
﴿وَلَقَدْ
أَخَذْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ بِالسِّنِينَ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ﴾
{And indeed We punished the
people of Fir`aun with years of drought and shortness of fruits (crops, etc.),
that they might remember (take heed).}
📚 [Surah al-A`raaf (7):
130]
In his Sunan Ibn Majaah collected from Abu Umaamah al-Baahilee
رضي الله عنه
that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم
said in a long hadith:
“…and before the Dajjaal
arrives, there will be three years of hardship during which people will suffer
extreme hunger. Allaah will command the sky in the first year to withhold
one-third of its rain, and he will command the earth to withhold one third of
its vegetation. Then he will command the sky in the second year and it will
withhold two-thirds of its rain, and he will command the earth and it will
withhold two-thirds of its vegetation. Allaah will then command the sky and it
will withhold all of its rain so that not a single drop will fall. And he will
command the earth and it will withhold all of its vegetation and not a single
green plant will grow. Any hoofed animal remaining at that time will die,
except for what Allaah wills otherwise.”
It was asked: “What will the people live on at that time?”
He صلى الله عليه وسلم
answered:
“al-Tahleel, al-Takbeer, al-Tasbeeḥ
and al-Taḥmeed. That will take place of food for them.”
📚 [Sunan Ibn Majah (4077)
and graded as “Dha`eef” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]
As for the meanings of al-Tahleel, al-Takbeer, al-Tasbeeh and
al-Tahmeed:
al-Tahleel: The saying of “La illaaha illa-llaah”
(Nothing has the right to be worshiped except Allaah)
al-Takber: The
saying of “Allaahu Akbar” (Allaah is the greatest)
al-Tasbeeh: The saying of “Sub-haan Allaah” (Glory be
to Allaah)
al-Tahmeed: The saying of “al-hamdulillaah” (All
praise and thanks are for Allaah).
And in another narration in Saheeh Muslim it is reported
that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم
mentioned that after Allaah تعالى
eradicates Yajooj and Majooj:
❝Then Allaah will send down rain which will spare no house
in the city or in the countryside. It would wash away the earth until it
appears like a mirror. Then the earth
will be told to bring forth its fruit and restore its blessings; and as
a result of this, there will grow such a big pomegranate that a group of people
will eat from it and seek shelter under its skin. Milk will be so blessed that
the milk of one she-camel will suffice for a large company and the cow will
give so much milk, that it will suffice for a whole tribe. The sheep will give
so much milk that the whole family will be able to drink out of that, and at
that time Allaah will send a pleasant wind which will soothe people even under
their armpits, and will take the life of every Muslim and true believer, and
only the wicked will survive. They will commit adultery in public like asses
and the Resurrection Day will be held.❞
📚 [Saheeh Muslim (7015),
Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2240), and Sunan Ibn Maajah (4075)]
Some people are tested with drought or loss in wealth or
health or children in order to test their Imaan (Faith), as Allaah تعالى says:
﴿أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن
يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ * وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ
مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ
فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ﴾
{Do people think that they
will be left alone because they say: “We believe”, and will not be tested? And
We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allaah will certainly make
(it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it)
known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allaah knows all that
before putting them to test).}
📚 [Surah al-`Ankaboot
(29): 2-3]
While others are affected through them so that they should
return to Allaah in obedience, repentance and humility, as Allaah تعالى says:
﴿وَلَقَدْ
أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِالْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ
لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ﴾
{Verily, We sent (Messengers)
to many nations before you (O Muhammad); and We seized them with extreme
poverty (or loss in wealth) and loss in health with calamities so that they
might believe with humility.}
📚 [Surah al-An`aam (6):
42]
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2) The thing is given yet it is deprived
of blessings:
Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه reported Allaah’s
Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
❝The famine would not break out because of drought, but
there would be famine despite heavy rainfall as nothing would grow from the earth.❞
📚 [Saheeh Muslim (6937)]
So it may rain, yet there will be no blessing and no
vegetation will grow as such.
Another example is regarding Time, people will have time but it will be
deprived of any blessing so that they will not be able to benefit from it as much,
as has been mentioned in the Hadeeth:
Anas bin Maalik رضي الله عنه narrated that the
Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
❝The hour shall not be established until time is constricted,
and the year is like a month, a month is like the week, and the week is like
the day, and the day is like the hour, and the hour is like the flare of the
fire.❞
[Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2332) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]
So merely having something doesn’t mean that it a blessing,
and this is why the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم
supplicate in Du`aa al-Qunoot al-Witr saying:
وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ
❝…and
bless me in (all) what you have bestowed (upon me).❞
📚 [Sunan Abu Dawood
(1425), Sunan al-Tirmidhee (464), Sunan al-Nasaa’ee (1745), Sunan Ibn Maajah
(1178) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh
al-Albaanee]
And in Saheehain it is mentioned that the Prophet
supplicated for Anas رضي الله عنه
saying:
اللَّهُمَّ أَكْثِرْ مَالَهُ، وَوَلَدَهُ، وَبَارِكْ لَهُ فِيمَا
أَعْطَيْتَهُ
❝O
Allaah! Increase his wealth and children, and bestow Your Blessing on whatever
You give him.❞
📚 [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (6334,
6344, 6378, 6380) and Saheeh Muslim (6059)]
It is clear from these two Ahaadeeth that merely having
wealth, children, etc. is one thing and they being blessed is another thing.
Same goes with Food, which might get deprived of blessings if the person
does not say Bismillaah before he starts to eat:
Umm al-Mu’mineen `Aaishah رضي الله عنها said: The Messenger
of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم
was eating food with six of his Companions when a Bedouin came and ate it all
in two bites. The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
❝If he had said: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ Bismillaah,
it would have sufficed you (all). When any one of you eats food, let him say بِسْمِ اللَّهِ Bismillaah, and if he forgets to say Bismillaah at the
beginning, let him say: بسم الله في اوله وآخره Bismillaahi fee awwalihee wa aakhirih (In the Name of Allaah at
the beginning and at the end).❞
📚 [Sunan Ibn Maajah
(3264) and the wordings are his, Sunan Abu Dawood (3767), Sunan al-Tirmidhee
(1858) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh
al-Albaanee]
`Abdullaah Ibn Busr رضي الله عنهما reported:
Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم came to my father and we brought to him a meal and a
preparation from dates, cheese and butter. He ate out of that. He was then
given dates which he ate, putting the stones between his fingers and holding
his forefinger and middle finger together. Then a drink was brought for him and
he drank it, and then gave it to one who was on his right side. He (the
narrator) said: My father took hold of the rein of his riding animal and
requested him to supplicate for us. Thereupon he صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
اللهم بارك لهم في ما رزقتهم واغفر لهم وارحمهم
❝O Allaah, bless for them in that which You have provided
for them, forgive them and have mercy on them.❞
📚 [Saheeh Muslim (2042)]
In regards to Wealth, the clear example is of what took place last year
(2016) in India, when the government overnight planned to demonetize of its
currency. People had wealth, but they could not use it to pay even for their
basic needs. The suffering went on for months where the people of India had to
stand in line to deposit their old currency in the banks and get the new
denominations in exchange.
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3) It will rain a lot, but it will be a punishment in the form
of flooding etc.:
﴿فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ
عَارِضًا مُّسْتَقْبِلَ أَوْدِيَتِهِمْ قَالُوا هَـٰذَا عَارِضٌ مُّمْطِرُنَا ۚ بَلْ هُوَ مَا اسْتَعْجَلْتُم بِهِ ۖ رِيحٌ فِيهَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴾
{Then, when they (people of
`Aad) saw it as a dense cloud coming towards their valleys, they said:
"This is a cloud bringing us rain!" Nay, but it is that (torment)
which you were asking to be hastened! A wind wherein is a painful torment!}
📚 [Surah al-Ahqaaf (46):
24]
﴿فَأَعْرَضُوا فَأَرْسَلْنَا
عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ الْعَرِمِ وَبَدَّلْنَاهُم بِجَنَّتَيْهِمْ جَنَّتَيْنِ ذَوَاتَيْ
أُكُلٍ خَمْطٍ وَأَثْلٍ وَشَيْءٍ مِّن سِدْرٍ قَلِيلٍ﴾
{But they turned away (from
the obedience of Allaah), so We sent against them Sail Al-`Arim (flood released
from the dam), and We converted their two gardens into gardens producing bitter
bad fruit, and tamarisks, and some few lote trees.}
📚 [Surah al-Saba’ (34):
16]
When it rains a lot, there are fears of flooding, damage to
lives, properties and cattle. So the rain instead of being a blessing becomes a
source of punishment.
Similarly, when a people are upon sin and they do not
repent, and yet they receive the pleasant things which they desired from the
wealth, children and provision, then this is not a blessing but a deception, and
a sign of their approaching punishment and their imminent end.
﴿فَلَوْلَا إِذْ جَاءَهُم بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُوا
وَلَـٰكِن قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
* فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَ﴾
{Then why, when Our
punishment came to them, did they not humble themselves? But their hearts
became hardened, and Shaitaan made attractive to them that which they were
doing. So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We
opened to them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their
enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them to
punishment, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and
sorrows.}
📚 [Surah al-An`aam (6): 43-44]
Similarly, having a long and healthy life, with ample of
time, yet with nothing productive, nor any preparation for the Hereafter, can
become a source of regret and sorrow.
Narrated Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
❝There are two blessings which many people lose: (they
are) Health and Free Time for doing good.❞
📚 [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (421)]
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