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wa-ʾatākum min kulli mā saʾaltumūhu wa-ʾin taʿuddū niʿmata llāhi lā tuḥṣūhā ʾinna l-ʾinsāna la-ẓalūmun kaffārun
and He gave you all that you had asked Him. If you enumerate Allah’s blessings, you will not be able to count them. Indeed man is most unfair and ungrateful!
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah ‘Ibrahim – Verse 34
34. “And He has given you whatever you have asked Him; and if you count Allah’s blessings, you are unable to number them. Verily, man is very unjust, very ungrateful.”
We read in verse 18 from Surah An-Nahl
“And if you count Allah’s blessings, you are unable to number them. Verily Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
In the previous verses, we read that the corrupt leaders direct and lead people towards persons or objects other than Allah:
“And they set up (idols as) equals to Allah…” 2
This verse proclaims: despite the fact that the ones other than Allah are unable to do anything, and whatever one possesses belongs to Allah alone, but man is usually heedless in these respects and is ungrateful in these connections. In the meantime, the Arabic term /‘add/ signifies counting, and the term /’ihs a’/ means ‘to count accurately in such a way that nothing is left over in the process’. Anyway, if one decides to count Allah’s blessings, he can never do that, for the material and spiritual blessings provided by Allah are so widespread throughout our lives, and our environment which can never be counted.
The verse says:
“And He has given you whatever you have asked Him; and if you count Allah’s blessings, you are unable to number them. Verily, man is very unjust, very ungrateful.”
Nonetheless, despite all those favours and Divine grace, mankind is still oppressive and ungrateful for Allah’s blessings. The blessings which if utilized properly can turn the entire world into a paradise-like garden. In fact the Qur’an implies: O’ man! Everything is at your disposal in sufficient quantities but on condition that you are not ungrateful and oppressive, while you should try to remain content with your lot and with your own rights and do not violate the rights of other people.
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