Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 491
17 May 1908 491 First and foremost is to be grateful to Allah who gave us life, health, vigour, peace, and provided the means for the propaga- tion of the Faith. And, in reality, the truth is verily that if one were to try and enumerate these bounties of God Almighty, it would be absolutely impossible for us to count the favours and blessings of Allah. 1 His blessings encompass both the physical and the spiritual realms. His title is َ ْن ی ِ الْعٰلَم ُّ رَب َ ْن ی ِ الْعٰلَم ُّ رَب [ Rabbul-alamin —Lord of all the worlds], as is mentioned in S u rah al- F a ti h ah , which is the first chapter of the Holy Quran. The entire Quran is, in fact, an exposition and explanation of this S u rah. Also, this S u rah is recited repeatedly in the five daily Prayers. His name is Rabbul-alamin. The meaning of this title is that in every con- dition and in every place, it is only through His Rububiyyat [Providence] that man attains life and progress. A closer look reveals that, in reality, the existence, well-being, comfort, pleas- ure, and peace of human life is linked to this Divine attribute. If Allah the Exalted were to withhold His attribute of ت ي ن رامح� [ Rahmaniyyat —Graciousness], and remove the shade of His Rahmaniyyat from the world, it would perish. Next in this chapter, Allah the Exalted has identified Himself as ْ رَحْمٰن [ Rahman —Gracious] and رَحِیْم رَحِیْم [ Rahim — Merciful]. I wish to explain the difference between the attrib- utes of Rahman and Rahim. 1. From Badr: َو ْنِا اْوُّدُعَت َتَمْعِن ِهّٰللا اَل اَهْوُصْحُت َو ْنِا اْوُّدُعَت َتَمْعِن ِهّٰللا اَل اَهْوُصْحُت [and if you try to count the favours of Allah, you will not be able to number them ( S u rah Ibr a h i m, 14:35)] ( Badr, vol. 7, no. 25, p. 3, dated 25 June 1908).