Why do not you invest Allah's favors for which they have been created?

The Favors of Allah are countless and by which He answers people's frequent questions: "And He gave you of all that you asked from Him, and if you count the Blessings of Allâh, never will you be able to count them. Verily, man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, a disbeliever (an extreme ingrate, who denies Allâh's Blessings by disbelief, and by worshipping others besides Allâh, and by disobeying Allâh and His Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him)." [Surat Ibrahim: 34].

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And if you would count the favors of Allâh, never could you be able to count them. Truly! Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Surat An-Nahl: 18].

With providing these favors visible and invisible: "And has completed and perfected His Graces upon you, (both) apparent (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism, and the lawful pleasures of this world, including health, good looks, etc.) and hidden [i.e. One's Faith in Allâh (of Islâmic Monotheism) knowledge, wisdom, guidance for doing righteous deeds, and also the pleasures and delights of the Hereafter in Paradise]." [Surat Luqman: 20], there are several instances indicate that some people do not invest these favors which Allah (may He be Exalted) created for them according to the way of Allah, His Laws, and His Natural Disposition which He gave to the people: "So set you (O Muhammad peace be upon him) your face towards the religion (of pure Islâmic Monotheism) Hanîf (worship none but Allâh Alone). Allâh's Fitrah (i.e. Allâh's Islâmic Monotheism) with which He has created mankind. No change let there be in Khalq-illâh (i.e. the religion of Allâh - Islâmic Monotheism): that is the straight religion, but most of men know not." [Surat Ar-Rum: 30].

Hearing, sight, heart, food and drink, and good health. "Say: It is He Who has created you, and endowed you with hearing (ears) and seeing (eyes), and hearts. Little thanks you give." [Surat Al Mulk: 23] are natural and necessary outlets which man uses to gain knowledge and morals, speak and communicate, reflect and think, understand and meditate, and to know Allah (may He be Exalted) to worship Him properly: "And Allâh has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you know nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts that you might give thanks (to Allâh)." [Surat An-Nahl: 78].

Allah, the Giver, perfected it and made it well: "Verily, We created man in the best stature (mould)." [Surat At-Tin: 4].

Hearing should be used to hear and listen to the words of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, not to listen to falsehood. They should be used for hearing good words, not the bad, the evil, and gossips.

Likewise the sight, which we should use to see the great signs of Allah (may He be Exalted) in the horizons and souls to reflect, take admonition, thank, and praise Him: "Then He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him the soul (created by Allâh for that person); and He gave you hearing (ears), sight (eyes) and hearts. Little is the thanks you give!" [Surat As-Sajdah: 9]. "It is He Who has created for you (the sense of) hearing (ears), eyes (sight), and hearts (understanding). Little thanks you give." [Surat Al Mu'minun: 78].

We should not use sight for looking at the forbidden scenes, pursuit of people's mistakes or faults, or enjoying amusement and corruption.

As for the heart, it is one of the greatest blessings which means: "The internal feeling and the divine connection with the heart and the feeling which represent the reality of the competent person."

The hearts are the compass and the place of the sound creed and faith in Allah, as they are also the place of submitting to the will of Allah, loving Him, and yearning to Him; it is the place of meditation and sound insight.

Indeed, Allah (Glory be to Him) gave man those blessings and senses to see His Major Signs to find out the oneness of Allah (Glory be to Him): "And among them are some who listen to you, but can you make the deaf to hear - even though they apprehend not?" [Surat Yunus: 42].

Allah gave man these senses for obtaining knowledge and fulfilling his basic needs because hearing and sight are the most important senses which help man grow his mental development through which man learns. You may wonder that you learn by hearing more than sight! Indeed, advancing hearing to sight indicates priority and not preference although sight is the gate of knowledge and occupies a higher degree than hearing. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "That We may show you (some) of Our Greater Signs." [Surat Taha: 23]. "Then take admonition, O you with eyes (to see)." [Surat Al Hashr: 2].

Certainty has some degrees, the first of which is hearing. Allah (may He be Exalted) commands people to investigate all they hear and see and forbid imitation, thinking without certainty, and not to observe verification. It is a true scientific method that guides to oneness, authentication, worship, and devotion to Allah (may He be Exalted) who bestows favors. Some people used these favors and senses in backbiting, talebearing and so on which is against the purpose for which these favors and senses created. These senses will complain to Allah (Glory be to Him) of what the people watch and do with them; verily senses that are not used in obeying Allah and to reach the truth will be a terrible loss in the world and in the Hereafter.

Security, marital, social, and family stability are favors, so why some people search for the evil and illegal relationships? Children are a great favor from Allah; Allah says: "And verily, I fear my relatives after me, and my wife is barren. So give me from Yourself an heir. * Who shall inherit me, and inherit (also) the posterity of Ya'qûb (Jacob) (inheritance of the religious knowledge and Prophethood, not of wealth). And make him, my Lord, one with whom You are Well-Pleased!" [Surat Maryam: 5 - 6], and not a cause for sedition: "Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allâh! With Him is a great reward (Paradise). * So keep your duty to Allâh and fear Him as much as you can; listen and obey; and spend in charity; that is better for yourselves. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, then they are the successful." [Surat At-Taghabun: 15 - 16].

Or for boasting: "And he had property (or fruit) and he said to his companion, in the course of mutual talk: I am more than you in wealth and stronger in respect of men." [Surat Al Kahf: 34].

Money is a praised favor if it is used for what Allah (may He be Exalted) legislated: by using and spending it without extravagance and performing the right of Allah, the right of the people, and invest it in constructing the earth. On the other hand, it will be a curse against its owner, such as the curse of Korah when he thought that the money which he was given was his sole right.  "Verily, Qârûn (Korah) was of Mûsâ's (Moses) people, but he behaved arrogantly towards them. And We gave him of the treasures, that of which the keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men. Remember when his people said to him: "Do not exult (with riches, being ungrateful to Allâh). Verily, Allâh likes not those who exult (with riches, being ungrateful to Allah ). * But seek, with that (wealth) which Allâh has bestowed on you, the home of the Hereafter, and forget not your portion of lawful enjoyment in this world; and do good as Allâh has been good to you, and seek not mischief in the land. Verily, Allâh likes not the Mufsidûn (those who commit great crimes and sins, oppressors, tyrants, mischief-makers, corrupters). * He said: "This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess." Did he not know that Allâh had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected? But the Mujrimûn (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) will not be questioned of their sins (because Allâh knows them well, so they will be punished without being called to account)." [Surat Al Qasas: 76 - 78].

Knowledge, its technology and achievements: (cars, planes, ships, computers, communications, mobiles, plants, ...etc.) are the fruit of the mind which Allah created, so why some people use these favors away from their permissible objectives?

Verily, the free will is the core of charging "Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful." [Surat Al Insan: 3].

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "He says (boastfully): "I have wasted wealth in abundance!" * Does he think that none sees him? * Have We not made for him two eyes, * And a tongue and two lips? * And shown him the two ways (good and evil)?" [Surat Al Balad: 6 - 10].

However, it is a responsible freedom and under question: "And follow not (O man i.e., say not, or do not or witness not) that of which you have no knowledge. Verily, the hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those one will be questioned (by Allâh)." [Surat Al Isra': 36]. So, why some people use these favors and graces according to their whims, ignoring that responsibility and using these rights improperly.

At the end, I would like to say: The favors of Allah which He gave to His People are abundant and countless. Allah created these favors not to forget about the Lord, but they are a provision on the way to Allah. The favors of creation, health, mind, money, family, and children are an aid to the people to fulfill the objective for which they were created: "And I (Allâh) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone)." [Surat Az-Zariyat: 56].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "He it is Who has made you successors generations after generations in the earth." [Surat Fatir: 39].

The best saying is: It is not enough to admit that Allah (may He be Exalted) is the Lord of everything, the Creator, and the Giver of bounties, but you should use these favors for the purpose for which they created. The best investment for them is achieved by recalling Allah's Companionship, mentioning Him frequently, abiding by His Way in life, and full response to Him and to His Messenger because this is the true life: "O you who believe! Answer Allâh (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he (peace be upon him) calls you to that which will give you life, and know that Allâh comes in between a person and his heart (i.e. He prevents an evil person to decide anything). And verily, to Him you shall (all) be gathered." [Surat Al Anfal: 24].

So, let us thank Allah (may He be Exalted) truly by fulfilling obligations and avoiding forbidden matters. Moreover, we should know that observing patience on obeying Allah is better than anything else.