M6:3257 — در قیامت بنده را گوید خدا / هین چه کردی آنچ دادم من ترا

Translation: On the Day of Judgment, God will say to the servant: / "Lo, what did you do with what I gave you?" Meaning:* This verse recounts a prophetic tradition rooted in the Quran, where God on the Day of Resurrection questions His servants about how they utilized the blessings bestowed upon them.

This verse, in essence, is a direct allusion to a prophetic tradition and a Quranic teaching that Mawlana articulates through this fundamental question: "On the Day of Judgment, God will say to the servant: / 'Lo, what did you do with what I gave you?'" This divine inquiry reflects the holy verse from Surah Al-Takathur which declares: "You will surely be questioned that Day about the joy you indulged in (walatus'alunna yawma'idhin 'anin na'eem)." The emphatic 'nun mushaddadah' in 'walatus'alunna' underscores the certainty of this questioning and accountability. It is not a mere possibility, but an absolute certainty that will hold each of us to account.

I have repeatedly stated and emphasized that 'blessings' (ni'mat) in the Quranic and Mawlana's view are not confined solely to material wealth. These eyes, these ears, these hands, these feet, this tongue, this brain, even the teeth with which you chew your food—each is an invaluable and precious blessing. All are divine gifts, and humanity is entrusted with their stewardship in this world. Hence, the questioning of blessings is an inquiry into the manner of their use and application; how they were spent, how they were utilized, and whether gratitude for these blessings was truly rendered.

'Gratitude for blessings' (shukr-i ni'mat) also carries a meaning far beyond a simple verbal expression. While verbal gratitude is good and necessary in its place, the true and complete gratitude for a blessing means its optimal and righteous use. How did you employ your eyes? Did you merely let them wander over what should not be seen? How did you use your ears? Did you allow every idle whisper and mental debris to fill your mind, or did you use them to hear truth, divine speech, and awakening melodies? What did you dedicate your intellect and mind to? Did you cast it into the pit of error and ignorance, or did you make it a ladder for ascent? If you throw your money into a stream or buy useless goods only to discard them, this is ingratitude, even if you utter 'thanks' a thousand times. Gratitude is action; it is intelligent and purposeful consumption.

Mawlana continues by presenting the servant's reply to God: "He says, 'O Lord, I gave You thanks with all my soul, / Since You were the source of that sustenance and bread.'" But God replies: "'No, you did not give Me thanks.'" Why? Because the servant did not give thanks to "that one whose art is generosity (ān ikrām-fan)." 'Ikrām-fan' refers to the one whose skill and expertise was benevolence, meaning the intermediary who conveyed the blessing to you. Sometimes, divine blessings reach us through another servant, and neglecting to thank that intermediary is tantamount to neglecting to thank the ultimate source of all blessings, which is God. For this reason, gratitude to creation is considered a condition for gratitude to God. Oppression of the generous (zulm bar karīm) means injustice to the one who showed you kindness, neglecting that benevolent hand, and this itself is a form of ingratitude.

This situation is comparable to the phenomenon of the diminishing meaning of words in the contemporary world. In secular societies, words like 'khodahafez' (God protect you), whose root was 'God be with you,' have transformed into 'take care'; or 'God-bye' has changed to 'goodbye' and then God has been removed from it. Even 'My God' metamorphoses into 'My Gosh' to avoid using the word 'God.' This distancing from the word leads to a distancing from the meaning. Whatever is removed from the soul is also removed from the language, and vice versa. Through this verse, Mawlana invites us to re-examine the profound meaning of our words and actions; not merely to parrot phrases that may have become devoid of their spirit.

Key takeaways

• Divine accountability for the utilization of blessings on Judgment Day is certain and inevitable.
• The concept of 'blessings' (ni'mat) extends beyond material wealth to encompass faculties, senses, intellectual powers, and all existential gifts.
• True gratitude (shukr) for a blessing is its optimal and righteous use, not merely a verbal expression.
• Ingratitude towards the intermediaries of divine grace and benevolence is tantamount to ingratitude towards God Himself.
• The erosion of meaning in sacred language within society reflects a spiritual distancing from profound and original concepts.