الحمد الله

Hamd is an appreciation that someone deserves for certain merit. But it must be a merit that he has acquired on his own. He must not be dependent on anyone to acquire it. There is no one who has such a merit. Allah Ta'ala has created such a system whereby each creature, depends directly or indirectly, on the other to survive. And everything depends on Allah Ta'ala. There is no doubt that when a person has acquired a merit, he could not have acquired it on his own without depending on someone. Thus, nobody deserves Hamd. It is reserved only for Allah Ta'ala because He is independent. He does not depend on anything in His grandeur and His glory. All grandeur and glory belongs solely to Allah Ta'ala.

Allah Ta'ala has always existed. Nobody has granted Him existence. He created every atom of the universe and He did not require any help from anyone in the least to create whatever He created. Thus, Allah Ta'ala alone deserves Hamd because He does not depend on anything in His grandeur and glory.

After understanding and grasping the meaning of Hamd, a person who is truly intelligent cannot be proud and boastful. This is because it is only a stupid person who tends to boast something that does not belong to him. If one ponders carefully, whatever one possesses in general and all merits in particular are the favours of Allah Ta'ala. The true owner is no one besides Allah Ta'ala. It is Allah Ta'ala who has put at one's disposal all that which one has to cope with it temporarily. A person who boasts because of a merit that he possesses is ridiculing and making fun of himself.

A materialist will always celebrate his success by ascending the shoulder of his friend in triumph. But after that, nothing is expected besides falling. On the other hand, a true Deendaar falls in Sajdah to thank the One who granted him this favour. After that, Allah Ta'ala elevates him in such a way that no one can degrade him. Who can extinguish a lamp that is lit by Allah Ta'ala Himself?

If only a person had understood what does الحمد الله (Alhamdulillah) mean, then this little would have been more than enough to cure him of the great diseases termed as pride, boasting and arrogance. And at the same time, it would have led him not to underestimate the next person. It would have prevented him from self-admiration.

This disease is infecting the society at various levels. All this can be remedied merely by understanding and acting according to the formula of الحمد الله.

[English version of "الحمد الله" – Al Jamiat – Vol. 5 No.13]