You find yourself in the middle of an unfamiliar journey. Everything you had is gone—your money, your clothes, even the bag that carried your meager belongings. There is no way forward, and no way back. Exhausted, you sit down, sinking into despair. Hunger gnaws at you, thirst parches your throat, and weariness presses heavily on your entire being. The darkness around you isn’t just physical—it feels like it’s seeping into your soul. There is no help in sight, and for the first time, you wonder if you’ve been abandoned completely.
Just then, a light appears. A figure walks toward you, holding a lantern that pushes the shadows back. They call your name, a sound so unexpected in this void that it takes a moment to register.
“Is this you?” the figure asks.
“Yes,” you answer cautiously.
“Come with me,” they say, their tone calm and assuring. “Someone sent me to find you.”
What choice do you have but to follow? You rise, your legs weak but willing, and follow them through the darkness. The figure leads you into a city you did not know was there. Before you know it, you are standing before a grand hotel, its lights glowing warmly, its doors opening for you like they were expecting your arrival.
Inside, you are taken to a lounge so vast and beautiful that you can scarcely believe it’s meant for you. The air carries the faint scent of fresh flowers, and the plush seating invites you to sink into comfort. Yet this is only the beginning. You’re guided further, shown to a bathroom that feels like a private paradise—marble, mirrors, and every convenience you could imagine.
“Freshen up,” you’re told, and you do so almost mechanically, washing away the grime and exhaustion of the journey. By the time you step out, fresh clothes have arrived, perfectly tailored to your size, their fabric soft and fragrant.
When you’re ready, you’re led to a dining hall. What awaits you there is overwhelming—a banquet laid out as though for royalty. Dishes from every corner of the world, flavors and textures you could never have dreamed of, all arranged with care and precision. You eat until your hunger is replaced by amazement.
“Now rest,” they tell you, leading you to a room that feels like a haven. A bed with the softest sheets, a table adorned with small luxuries—a flask of warm tea, bottles of cool water, bowls of nuts and dried fruits. “If you need anything, I’ll be right outside,” the figure assures you. “There are two cars waiting for you—one large, one small. They’re at your disposal, anytime, anywhere.”
You’re told that you will stay here for a week. After that, your journey will continue, but every detail has already been arranged. A job awaits you at your next destination, and the transport to take you there is ready. An envelope of money is placed in your hands: “Use this for anything you need.”
And as you take it all in—the food, the comfort, the security—one thought lingers in your mind: Who has done this for me? You don’t know this benefactor. You’ve never met them, yet they seem to know you intimately. They anticipated your every need, providing for you with such care and generosity that it leaves you awestruck.
That benefactor, my friend, is Allah.
The One who created you with care and precision. The Qur’an describes this creation as Ahsani Taqweem—the most beautiful and harmonious form. The word Ahsan, a superlative of beauty, signifies unparalleled excellence. Your body, your symmetry, your very existence is a masterpiece.
Consider your upright posture, your ability to stand tall with your head held high. This dignity is unique to humans. Animals crawl, slither, or move with their bodies close to the ground. But humanity walks with grace, reflecting the honor Allah has bestowed upon us.
Think of the infant, fragile and completely dependent. It knows nothing of survival—it cannot hunt, gather, or even feed itself. Yet Allah ensures that sustenance is ready before the child even opens its eyes. A mother’s milk flows, perfectly tailored to nourish the newborn, both in body and in immunity. Is this mere coincidence? To dismiss it as random chance or blind evolution ignores the profound wisdom behind this provision.
And it doesn’t stop there. Allah honored humanity not only with physical form but also with intellect. He gave us the ability to think, create, and innovate. He made the vastness of the earth and sea accessible to us, entrusting us with the treasures of the natural world. The Qur’an reminds us: “We have honored the children of Adam, carried them on land and sea, provided them with good things, and favored them greatly over many of Our creations.”
Reflect on the endless variety of food provided for us. Fruits of every shape, size, and flavor—apples, bananas, oranges, lychees, grapes, and jackfruit, each unique in color and taste. Even within a single fruit, like the mango, there are hundreds of varieties, each offering a different experience. Who designed this? Who painted their colors, infused their flavors, and ensured their abundance?
And it’s not just fruits. Vegetables, grains, fish, and flowers—the diversity is boundless. The earth’s beauty, its rivers, mountains, and oceans, were all prepared for humanity’s enjoyment.
Before you were even born, the world was set in place, waiting for you, like a banquet prepared for an honored guest. Every detail was arranged with precision—the air you breathe, the water that quenches your thirst, the beauty that surrounds you. Allah is the most gracious host, and this world is His gift to you. He provided for every need, seen and unseen, tangible and intangible, with a care and generosity beyond measure.
As you sit in the comfort provided, surrounded by abundance, a question quietly rises within you: Who has done all this for me? Who planned so meticulously for my needs, cared for me even before I realized I needed care? This question echoes across time and space, a reminder embedded in creation itself.
The Qur’an asks, again and again: “So which of your Lord’s favors will you deny?” (Surah Rahman). Can you deny the care that brought you here? The sustenance prepared long before you arrived? The delicate balance of the world around you, every detail crafted to support your existence? The air you breathe, the water that quenches your thirst, the beauty that surrounds you—all of it is a gift, not by chance, but by design.
You see it in the food you eat, in the comfort you find, in the very breath you take. It is not a care that demands repayment but one that invites reflection, gratitude, and recognition. How then can you deny the One who gives without measure, whose generosity knows no bounds? How can you overlook the Host who has prepared everything for you, not only in this life but beyond?
Can you think of a host more generous, a benefactor more thoughtful? So now, do you not want to know the One who has done all of this for you? The One who planned for your every need, who cared for you even before you knew how to care for yourself? This is Allah, the Creator, the Sustainer, the One who has always been with you, guiding you, providing for you, and waiting for you to recognize His infinite care and grace.
