Surah Al-Mu'minun — Verse 78

Word Meanings:

• Ansha'a (أَنشَأَ): Created and brought into being from nothing, originated and developed.
• Al-Sam'a (السَّمْعَ): The sense of hearing.
• Al-Absār (الْأَبْصَارَ): The sense of sight (eyes).
• Al-Af'idah (الْأَفْئِدَةَ): The hearts/minds, which are the seat of understanding and reasoning.
• Qalīlan mā tashkurūn (قَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ): Very little do you give thanks; your gratitude is extremely scarce.

Tafsir (Explanation):

Allah—glorified and exalted be He—reminds His servants of His boundless mercy and favor upon them. He is the One who brought you into existence and granted you the precious faculties of hearing, sight, and hearts (minds). Through hearing, you perceive sounds and receive guidance; through sight, you observe the wonders of creation; and through hearts, you reflect, understand, and distinguish between truth and falsehood. These are not mere accidents—they are deliberate gifts from your Creator, designed to lead you to His worship and obedience.

Yet, despite these continuous and overwhelming blessings, your gratitude is astonishingly little. You use these gifts for purposes that displease Him, or you neglect to thank Him altogether. Some of you thank Him only rarely, while others never thank Him at all—neither little nor much. This is a gentle yet profound rebuke: how can one who has been given such magnificent tools for guidance remain heedless of the Giver?

Reflect, dear reader: every word you hear, every sight you behold, every thought you conceive is a testament to Allah's generosity. If you were to count His blessings, you could never enumerate them. So let this verse awaken your heart—turn to your Lord with sincere gratitude, use your hearing to listen to the Qur'an, your sight to ponder His signs, and your mind to know Him better. For gratitude is not merely a word on the tongue; it is a life lived in obedience, a heart filled with love, and a soul that recognizes its Creator in every moment. Let today be the day you transform that "little thanks" into abundant praise, for Allah is worthy of all thanks, and His rewards for the grateful are beyond imagination.