HE GRANDEUR OF MAN IN QURÄN (VERSE NO. 31 - 34)

      The above group of verses discuss the programme of the righteous servants of Allah, and God's infinite bounties and favours to all.

      At first; performing the prayer is enjoined, and then alms giving and charity is mentioned to be observed in this present life of us, and before the Day of Resurrection in which all the VALUES are changed, and all the bargains and transactions are abolished.

      And here, one may ask; why only the prayer and alms have been named from among the so many Islamic commandments? This is because through the prayer man can improve and strengthen his relation with his Lord; and through charity and alms giving one may keep his connection firmly with the society. Thus the two precepts played a vital role in the first stage of Islam and among the primeval Muslims in Mecca:ِ When the prophet started his sacred mission in Mecca, before his emigration to Medina; intolerant persecution was the order of the day!! Muslims could not even see each other in a corner to discuss and learn the principles of their religion; or without a heavy risk, pay a visit to their religious leader Mohammad (AS). Their life, property, and even personality was every now and then attacked by the pagan idolaters who could not believe in the Only one God, introduced by the prophet?

      In such that hard and critical condition, they found tranquility of mind and consolation of heart, only through the prayer and their private and sincere supplication with their Merciful Lord; and by giving the alms, they could help each other and keep up with their union, and hold their brotherhood.

O, MAN! ALL THE CREATURES BOW DOWN THEIR HEADS BEFORE YOU.

      Once again reference is made to the subservience of all the creatures to mankind. The sun, the moon, the night and the day, the sea and the ships, the sky and the rain, the earth and whatever is in it; all, have been subdued to the vicegerent of God (MAN) with the leave of Allah! As a matter of fact, all the powers of nature are the gifts of God that are subjected to man's power and knowledge by God's Grace and Mercy. To open this a little wider; Allah has created all the celestial bodies and whatever is in them, and also the various power of nature by fixed definite LAWS, of which man can take advantage by God's permission. We cannot compass anything of God's knowledge except as He Will. So to say; even the largest of the animals like the camel, cow, elephant, have been subdued to the vicegerent of Allah upon the earth and bow down to Man. The ships which are as big as the mountains sail on the oceans for the benefit of mankind by God's order and laws which man discovered and discovers by the guidance, and with the permission, of Allah.

      Man uses the sun's energy, and the sky's rain to produce sustenance, and also the planets movements for his day work, and night sleep and repose. Even the gravity of the moon through the high tide and the low tide, is served in the man's irrigation and waterings. Man cannot even count and number the infinite bounties of Allah and yet through sincere and pure prayers he may have more, and whatever he asks for. (NO.34)

THE EARTH, INDEED, IS THE CENTER OF UNIVERSE!

PTOLEMY, the famous geographer and astronomer who flourished at Alexandria about A.D.130, taught that the earth was fixed and poised in the center of our solar system. His theory was accepted as absolute truth in medieval times and dominated man's thinking until the days of Copernicus in the sixteenth century, when he maintained that the earth is not the center of our solar system, and that, all the planets revolve around the sun which is the center of the solar system.

      I am of opinion that once again we must return back to PTOLEMY'S era, and this time accept that not only the earth is the center of our solar system, but that it is really the center and the capital of the whole universe for being the home and the station of MAN, and the CAPITAL CITY of GOD'S VICEGERENT.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE)

WILL ALLAH GIVE US WHATEVER WE ASK HIM?

      In the verse (NO.34) Allah has said:ِ

      ``And Allah, also, gives you OF all that you ask Him....''

      Here the preposition, OF indicates some sort of a deprevation or separation, which implies that God will answer our prayers but not all of them. This is because many a time it happens that man prays to Allah to give him something which is not to his benefit, or may spoil or injure man's life or property or else; while he does not know, and Allah knows well the danger and loss! In such cases Allah will not give His servant his harmful and injurious plea that unknowingly he prays for. In such cases, Allah through His Grace and Mercy may grant His servant a favour or bounty other than what he prays for, in exchange of man's troublesome plea and earnest prayer.

IN THE DAY OF DOOM THE VALUES ARE CHANGED.

      In the Ressurection Day all values will be changed. There, the rank and wealth and physical strengths will give its place to other values, such as the worship of God with pure heart and having done good deeds. Combines, bargains, partiality, and friendship; even blood relations, are not useful there.

      The wealth can only be useful in the Hereafter when the wealthy has used it in this present life, in a proper way; as alms giving, and helping the needy, and other good causes.