I was wondering what's the most repeated ayah in the Quran is, so I looked it up.

And found it to be:
"Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?"

It is repeated 31 times in Surah Rahman.

At first, I wondered why Allah swt would repeat the same question so many times.

Then I remembered the promise Shaytan made when he was cast out for refusing Allah's command regarding Adam (AS) and said:

"And You will not find most of them grateful." (7:17)

Think about that.

Among all the sins he could have mentioned, he specifically targeted gratitude.

Not wealth. Not status. Not power.

Gratitude.

As if he knew that once a person stops noticing Allah's blessings, everything else begins to fall apart.

A blessing becomes ordinary. A mercy feels normal. A gift becomes a right.

And slowly, the heart forgets the One who gave it all.

So look at the mercy of Allah swt.

Allah swt told us shaitan's plan and filled His Book with reminders. Again and again, He calls our attention back to His favors, His signs, and His mercy.

Because Shaytan's battle was never only about making people sin. It was about making them forget.

Forget who gave them their sight.
Forget who gave them their sustenance.
Forget who guided them to Islam.

That is why the Quran constantly teaches gratitude. Not because Allah needs it, but because we need gratitude to keep our hearts alive. 

Gratitude doesn't just increase blessings-it opens our eyes to them. The more grateful a person becomes, the more they begin to recognize Allah's signs in their life and in the world around them. Through gratitude, a person comes to know their Lord better: His Mercy, His Wisdom, His Love. 

May Allah swt make us among His grateful servants. Ameen.

SubhanAllah! 
 Very beautifully you described it.💕

‎Eid Mubarak, everyone. 🌙
‎
‎We're three days into Eid-ul-Fitr now, and the festive noise, the family gatherings, the plates of food that just keep coming it's all beautiful. But somewhere between the celebrations, my mind keeps drifting back to a quiet moment in the last ten days of Ramadan. A moment so small, most people wouldn't even think to write about it.
‎But it stayed with me. And I think I know why.
‎It was after Asr that still, golden hour that feels different during Ramadan. Then came the request from home: we need supplies. And please, don't forget the tomatoes.
‎It wasn't exactly a gentle reminder.
‎I understood why. Tomatoes are almost a pillar of Sehri and Iftar in our household in the chutneys, the curries, the simple salads that somehow taste like home. I made my peace with it, got up, and was about to head to the market when my younger brother walked through the door carrying a shopper so full it nearly split at the handles.
‎
‎Tomatoes. A whole load of them.
‎
‎I stopped. Where did you even get these?
‎He just smiled one of those slow, knowing smiles that tells you a story is coming. Guess, he said.
‎I had nothing. The market?
‎No! He almost couldn't contain himself.These are from our old house. I picked them myself. They grew on their own no fertilizers, no sprays, nothing artificial. Just rain. Just the mercy of Allah SWT 
‎I stood there for a moment, genuinely stunned.
‎And before any thought could form, before I could even process what I had just heard Alhamdulillah came out of my mouth. Not rehearsed. Not intentional. Just... out. Straight from somewhere deep.
‎
‎Then the ayah arrived in my heart, the way it always does when the world quietly proves it true فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ
‎"Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?"
‎(Surah Ar-Rahman) Now, sitting on the other side of Ramadan, with Eid still sweet in the air, this memory feels even more meaningful.
‎
‎We fasted for thirty days. We prayed. We gave. We asked. And throughout all of it quietly, without announcement  Allah was providing. Through rain we didn't schedule. Through a harvest we didn't plan. Through a younger brother's smile carrying more barakah than he even realized.
‎
‎This is what Ramadan teaches you, if you pay attention. It's never just about the big, dramatic moments of worship. It's also about the tomatoes. The small, unasked-for provisions that arrive right when you need them, reminding you that you are being looked after.
‎
‎As we celebrate Eid and enjoy the blessings on our tables the food, the family, the laughter maybe pause for just a second and trace it back. Who arranged all of this? Who sent the rain? Who nudged your brother out the door at just the right time?
‎
‎Alhamdulillah, for Ramadan that passed, for Eid that arrived, and for every small mercy we almost missed.
‎
‎Which of His blessings will we deny?
‎
‎Not this one. Not today. Not ever.
‎
‎Eid Mubarak to every soul reading this. May Allah accept our ibadah, forgive our shortcomings, and keep blessing us in ways we don't even think to ask for. 🤍
‎#shukr 

Your love freed me God,
It freed me from the shackles of fear, uncertainty and loss,
It opened my heart to the possibility of hope, trust and renewal,
It rebuilt me into a better version of myself,
It allowed me to reclaim my purpose, 
To serve you,
To love you,
To serve humanity,
And to shine the light of your love to the world.

Thank you God for freeing me, for loving me, for giving me blessing after blessing , and for holding me through every circumstance with your Eternal Grace. 

R. Hamdi​
 JazakAllah! This is a great reflection. I love your reflection.May Allah bless you with great ultimate success. 😊

One day, after work, I just walked to a small nearby park which had some trees and grass and some local residents sitting or walking their dogs.


After just spending about 30 minutes being there (and eating the meal that I packed), I noticed that I felt a little different compared to how I feel other days after work. I felt a little more energized, and I felt happier. And I felt calmer also.


I live in an urban area, so I don't get that much exposure to trees and green spaces. So, being closer to trees and some animals felt good to me.


But, I was still quite surprised that being there for such a short amount of time would make that much of a difference in how I felt ...


So, I got curious to know what was actually going on between my body and the earth. I was thinking to myself, 'What is the science behind it? How are the trees impacting my mood and my body? Is the effect just a psychological thing or is there something more going on?'


Here are some interesting things that I learned, and it's an article which delves into the science of how being closer to a natural environment (even if it's a city park) has quite surprising effects on our gut microbiome:

https://seed.com/cultured/nature-and-the-microbiome/ 


Another very fascinating thing that I learned is that trees and plants release a natural compound called phytoncides (pronounced fight-on-sides), and these produce beneficial physiological effects within us when we breath it in.


The phytoncides strengthen our immune system, lowers our cortisol and blood pressure, calms and balances our nervous system (which makes us feel calmer), improves our respiratory health, and can even reduce inflammation (see the articles below):

https://leannespencer.co.uk/phytoncides/ 

https://revealnature.co.uk/2024/08/01/understanding-phytoncides-natures-elixir/ 

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/22/1195337204/a-guide-to-forest-bathing 


After learning about these things, and after experiencing myself the positive changes in my mind, body, and my mood as well, insha'Allah, I've started making it a habit to spend some time in a park for about 2 times a week, from around 30 to 45 minutes each day.


I've been going to another park (different from the one that I mentioned in the beginning) which has a lot more trees, plants, plenty of grass, and a pond as well, and it's free to all visitors. I do feel that my body and mind are getting a good boost by just immersing myself in a more natural environment.


And, alhamdulillah, I feel that Allah has caused me to gain this kind of knowledge and be able to find such places where I can heal and revitalize myself every now and then. And yet, there are a lot of other ways that the earth and the natural elements around us serve us, and I've been using some of these natural 'biohacks' on myself. And it feels pretty good, alhamdulillah.


It's very simple, too: just breathing the air naturally, getting a moderate amount of sunlight, and even just walking barefoot on the grass can lead to surprising health benefits (which is very interesting and I'll be discussing the science behind that in my next reflection, insha'Allah).


So, insha'Allah, on the theme 'Nature's Medicine,' I'll be sharing more of my knowledge on just some of the myriad of healing and medicinal properties that Allah SWT has endowed upon the earth and how they impact us in ways that we never even knew about before.


And all of it is linked to the verse where Allah says:


‎أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُۥ ظَٰهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَٰدِلُ فِى ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَٰبٍ مُّنِيرٍ


'Have you not seen that Allah has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the Earth and has abundantly showered you with His favors, both seen and unseen? Yet there are some who argue about Allah in ignorance without knowledge, guidance, or an illuminating Scripture.' (31:20)


But, unfortunately, many of us are not even using these favors of Allah enough to benefit ourselves, which are always available and free to use. On the contrary, people are cutting down more trees, corrupting the earth, and insulating themselves indoors.


#NaturesMedicine

Special things are meant to be used.

I used to watch the TV show 'Hoarders' because I was fascinated by how people held on so tightly to the things they perceived as valuable.

I saw this on a smaller scale growing up. My family had fancy dishware, fine china, that was reserved only for special occasions and would otherwise stay in a display cabinet, collecting dust.
They were called the 'good plates.'

Some years ago, I realized I was doing the same thing with pretty notebooks and journals that I deemed too pretty to write in. As if whatever I put inside wouldn’t match the beauty of the exterior.
I told myself I’d use them when I had something worth writing.
I kept putting the good in the future.

For hoarders, they feared regret, thinking that one day they would need what they gave away and not have it.
For my family, they feared loss, thinking that if they used the expensive dishes, one might break and ruin the set.
So they kept them tucked away, waiting for a day special enough that never came.
For me, I feared tainting the beauty, thinking I’d ruin the notebook with messy handwriting or a cracked spine.
So I kept them on the shelf, looking brand new and pretty until I finally decided to stop putting the good in the future.

Because holding on to material things in this way, no matter the reason, is ingratitude.
Special things are meant to be used. 
Experienced. 
Appreciated. 
Because you can only appreciate something by using it for what it was created for.
And when you use these things, you are also saying thank you to the One who gave them to you.
Loving the Giver more than the gift.

Who’s to say that a meal provided by Ar-Razzaq isn’t special enough for the good plates on any given day He gave us?
Who’s to say that the experiences Allah ﷻ gives me aren’t worth recording on premium paper in a beautiful journal?
'So which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?' (55:13)

We subconsciously do this with our hearts.
We hold on to vulnerability and suppress emotions. Especially if we’ve been hurt before, we close off parts of our hearts that were meant to be used.
'And it is He who produced for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful.' (23:78)
'For indeed, it is not the eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the chests.' (22:46)

Your heart is special, and it’s meant to be used.
To feel with. To see with. To think with. To connect with. To purify.
To love for the sake of Allah ﷻ.

If you’re waiting for a particular day to do or use something special, remember that today is special too. Because you’ll never see it again. Alhamdulillah.

When you go on a scavenger hunt, you're given a list of things to find because in order to find something, you have to know what you’re looking for.

And that’s exactly why we struggle with tawakkul when it comes to our rizq. Because with our duas we create a list of things we want to have. A house. A job. A spouse. A number in our bank account. And once we’ve decided what it’s supposed to look like, we begin to look for those specific things.

But the issue with that is we’re expected to seek our provision during the day (78:11) but not in the literal sense.
Our seeking isn’t just physical. It’s through sabr and salah (2:45) and through our efforts and Allah’s provision. (56:63-64)

Allah ﷻ never told us to find it with our eyes. 

Allah ﷻ says:
'There is no moving creature on earth whose provision is not guaranteed by Allah. And He knows where it lives and where it is laid to rest.' (11:6)

Why would Allah ﷻ say it’s His responsibility to provide for us and then say He knows where to find us?
Because we are not meant to chase or hustle or stress about our provision.
It already knows where to find you.

The Prophet ﷺ said:
'If the son of Adam were to run from his rizq like he runs from death, it would surely reach him.'
(Musnad Ahmad, 8491 – Hasan)

Your rizq comes to you.

You just need to be open-handed, open-hearted, and open-minded enough to receive it from places you never thought to look and in ways you never could’ve anticipated. (65:3)

Which is why you can’t be attached to it. You can’t love it. You can’t give it power.
It’s just a means to an end.

You can either be a treasure hunter or an explorer.
(And yes, I may or may not have recently watched the Dora the Explorer movie 🫣 lol)

When you search for something, it creates a tunnel vision that makes it difficult to see outside of, causing you to miss the real treasure that’s right in front of you.

But when you explore something without the intention to find anything other than the pleasure of Allah ﷻ and His signs, you end up finding what you didn’t think to look for because you didn’t know you needed it.

Tawakkul requires you to slow down and pay attention to what’s happening around you.
To look closer. Deeper.
To see the opportunities and possibilities Al-Fattah facilitates.
To feel the presence of Al-Malik in the way He governs.
To notice the effortless attention to detail of Al-Lateef in even the little things that seem meaningless.
To witness the precision of Al-Khaliq in all creation.

Seeing how Allah ﷻ  interacts with His creations, even outside of human beings, instills a sakinah within you, if you allow yourself to see that you are always provided for.
That whether you feel it or not, you are living in abundance.
Because everything in the heavens and everything in the earth belongs to Allah ﷻ  so when you have Allah ﷻ , what don’t you have?

'So which of the favors of your Lord will you [both] deny?' (55:13)
'Or do they possess the treasuries of your Lord, the Almighty, the Bestower?' (38:9)

Beautiful! Need to incorporate Dora in our lives for sure.

I love the way you explained our tunnel vision-it is actually quite limiting now that I think about it. Maybe that's why I get mesmerised when I look at the sky as it is so vast and never ending, and also when standing on top of a hill/mountain, you appreciate the vastness. In the same vein, if we were to zoom out of our lives and daily to do lists, we would be able to appreciate the khair that Allah has surrounded us with. ALHAMDULLILAH !!!!!

May Allah grant us all a clear understanding, honest attachment to Him only, squash our egos and become more grateful.

Ameen.

People have Empathy only for the Sufferings that they can see physically 🤕 that's why most people's sufferings around us go Unnoticed ... 

But atleast those whose sufferings go unnoticed don't have to deal with the physical ones Alhamdulillahi Ala Kulli Haal ❤️ 

Everyone is going through a different test even though  we may not be able to see it or understand. Our incapability doesn't mean it doesn't matters much. Be kind 🫂 

And Allah knows whom to test with what & He knows better ✨Every pain is Rewarded & is a blessing in disguise!

Jazakallah khair for sharing this very heartfelt and a deep and empathetic reflection, masha'Allah.

Aslam o alaikum 
Notice how the scent from a rose never fades away even if you pluck them or keep them in books for years, but human created rose scented perfumes fade away so easily after a day or 2.
That's the difference in Allah's creation and mankind's things that we make from knowledge given by Allah. Allah's creation is perfect and long-lasting just like the scent of a rose, but mankind's creation is inspiration from nature one way or the other such as perfumes or artificial roses, those may look pretty, but they don't carry the softness and uniqueness of a natural rose.
Allah's creation is permanent and much better, try smelling a fallen rose petal it'll smell the same way it smelt on the flower bud. Meanwhile, the things we create are temporary they'll break easily, e.g. a broken perfume bottle is of no use the scent will fade away soon, and you'll have a financial loss as well. 
Subhan Allah that's Allah's creation and humans can never compete or even come near to what Allah made even if we use billions of technology 🌹
If that's the case with just a simple rose petal, how can humans ever think about making something like Quran or even a single verse like والعصر. 
May Allah not make us from the ungrateful and those who commit shirk and cross Allah's boundaries, Ameen

Masha'Allah a profound and a beautiful contrast between Allah's creation and the things that humans create. Jazakallah khair for sharing this. 

Most people may not realise but 'Forgetfulness' is a blessing ❤️ in disguise. We forget things that were once was so dear that even a thought of losing it was enough to destroy every happiness in our life. 

Pain doesn't heal fully but it reduces we are able to manage it as we tend to forget much while dealing with life's new struggles everyday but that is how life is bitter & sweet.

Alhamdulillah Ala Kulli haal✨

May Allah ease all our affairs in this world & the hereafter🤲

Earlier today, I took my mother on a morning drive. It’s been weeks since the last time we went outside as we’ve been busy doing self-quarantine at home. We went sightseeing looking at the woods, mountains, river and skies. The sight is truly mesmerising. As we drove around, we talked about how Mighty Allah is for creating everything so precise and beautiful. The colours, texture, its purpose and those who benefitted from it. Allahuakbar, definitely wondrous. 

Then, the whole discussion reminds me of this verse in Surah al-Ankabut. Allah says 'Travel throughout the land and see how He originated the creation, then Allah will bring it into being one more time. Surely Allah is Most Capable of everything.'. It is an order to go out and see the world, even during this limited movement. There are no boundaries to that. With advanced technology, a little bit of google here and there, we can see the world or outer space. This makes us ponder and question ourselves, 'Then which of your Lord’s favours will you both deny?'. 

Of all things, the ability to see and live the moment are the ones I usually overlook. I had the chance to reassure myself by looking at His creation, but have I truly remember and glorify Him for being so generous, for all the protection and favours? That is something I’ve to work on. Every day is a lesson that should have been learnt. To make us better, not just here but in the Hereafter. May Allah forgive and guide us all, always.