Look Up To The Skies

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

It is Allah who is Tabarak -- the source of blessings. He is exalted in His essence and all blessings and good come from Him. Why? Because all the dominion and control belongs to Him and He is capable of all things. He is the One who created life and death to test us who amongst us is doing the best of deeds.

In Surah Al Mulk, Allah challenges us to look up to the skies as far the eyes could see. And you will not see any flaw. Look again and look again and look again and your eyes will come back tired but you will not find any imperfections. It is Allah who created this magnificent creation. Surely a Creator that is as powerful as Allah and as Mighty as Allah deserves to be worshipped. That is the Creator who is tabarak. How do you not worship Him?

تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١﴾ الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ ﴿٢﴾ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا ۖ مَّا تَرَىٰ فِي خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ مِن تَفَاوُتٍ ۖ فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَىٰ مِن فُطُورٍ ﴿٣﴾ ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ ﴿٤

Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent - (1) [He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving - (2) [And] who created seven heavens in layers. You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return [your] vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks? (3) Then return [your] vision twice again. [Your] vision will return to you humbled while it is fatigued. (4) [Quran, Al Mulk 67:1-4]

We should recite Surah Al Mulk, memorize it, understand it and act upon it. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam told us that the one who recites the Surah will be saved from punishment of the grave and the Surah will intercede in front of Allah until the sins of the one who recite it will be forgiven.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:

"There is a surah in the Qur'an, with thirty verses, which will intercede for its companion (the one who recites it) until he is forgiven: Tabarakal-ladhi bi yadihil mulk (Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the Dominion)."

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

"One of the companions of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam pitched a tent on a grave without knowing that it was a grave. Suddenly he heard a person from the grave reciting Surah al-Mulk till he completed it. So he went to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and said: 'Oh Messenger of Allah, I pitched my tent on a grave without realizing that is was a grave. Then suddenly I heard a person from the grave reciting Surah al-Mulk till he completed it.' The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: 'It is the defender, it is the deliverer - it delivers from the punishment of the grave.'"

May Allah make the Quran our close companion in this life and the next. May Allah save us from the punishment of the grave and the Hellfire. Aameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam