In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Illusion of Control

[10:31] Say, "Who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? Who controls all the hearing and the eyesight? Who produces the living from the dead, and the dead from the living? Who is in control of all things?" They would say, "GOD." Say, "Why then do you not observe the commandments?"

God is the Doer of Everything [4:78] Wherever you are, death will catch up with you, even if you live in formidable castles. When something good happens to them, they say, "This is from GOD," and when something bad afflicts them, they blame you. Say, "Everything comes from GOD." Why do these people misunderstand almost everything?

[13:33] Is there any equal to the One who controls every single soul? Yet, they set up idols to rival GOD. Say, "Name them. Are you informing Him of something on earth that He does not know? Or, are you fabricating empty statements?" Indeed, the schemes of those who disbelieve have been adorned in their eyes. They are thus diverted from the right path. Whomever GOD sends astray can never find a guiding teacher.

Examine Yourself [18:103] Say, "Shall I tell you who the worst losers are?
[18:104] "They are the ones whose works in this life are totally astray, but they think that they are doing good."
[18:105] Such are the ones who disbelieved in the revelations of their Lord and in meeting Him. Therefore, their works are in vain; on the Day of Resurrection, they have no weight.

Idol worship is a tragic fault of the human race. God informs us in Quran that most of those who believe in Him commit idol worship (12:106). Once Satan accomplishes his mission of diverting us from the straight path of God, we are drawn by his illusion to many idols. One of these idols is the pseudo power of control presented by our ego. Quran is full of history and reminders that teach the believers how this fake power we sometimes imagine having when we lean towards the devil's path is self destructive. The Most Gracious has set numerous examples for the sincere believers who are constantly hoping to reflect, grow in knowledge, take heed, repent and reform. The following are just a few examples to clearly demonstrate for us the difference between a true submitter who acknowledges and devotes his life absolutely to God alone and a misguided one who often surrenders to his own ego while thinking he is doing good and in full control and power. [11:24] The example of these two groups is like the blind and deaf, compared to the seer and hearer. Are they equal? Would you not take heed?:

[68:17] We have tested them like we tested the owners of the garden who swore that they will harvest it in the morning.
[68:18] They were so absolutely sure.
[68:19] A passing (storm) from your Lord passed by it while they were asleep.
[68:20] By morning, it was barren.
[68:21] They called on each other in the morning.
[68:22] "Let us harvest the crop."
[68:23] On their way, they confided to each other.
[68:24] That from then on, none of them would be poor.
[68:25] They were so absolutely sure of their harvest.
[68:26] But when they saw it, they said, "We were so wrong!
[68:27] "Now, we have nothing!" They Should Have Said: "God Willing." [68:28] The righteous among them said, "If only you had glorified (God)!"
[68:29] They said, "Glory be to our Lord. We have transgressed."
[68:30] They started to blame each other.
[68:31] They said, "Woe to us. We sinned.
[68:32] "May our Lord grant us a better one. We repent to our Lord."
[68:33] Such was the requital. But the retribution of the Hereafter is far worse, if they only knew.

Jonah [21:87] And Zan-Noon (Jonah, "the one with an `N' in his name"), abandoned his mission in protest, thinking that we could not control him. He ended up imploring from the darkness (of the big fish's belly): "There is no god other than You. Be You glorified. I have committed a gross sin."
[21:88] We responded to him, and saved him from the crisis; we thus save the believers.

[18:32] Cite for them the example of two men: we gave one of them two gardens of grapes, surrounded by date palms, and placed other crops between them.
[18:33] Both gardens produced their crops on time, and generously, for we caused a river to run through them.
[18:34] Once, after harvesting, he boastfully told his friend: "I am far more prosperous than you, and I command more respect from the people."
[18:35] When he entered his garden, he wronged his soul by saying, "I do not think that this will ever end.
[18:36] "Moreover, I think this is it; I do not think that the Hour (the Hereafter) will ever come to pass. Even if I am returned to my Lord, I will (be clever enough to) possess an even better one over there."
[18:37] His friend said to him, as he debated with him, "Have you disbelieved in the One who created you from dust, then from a tiny drop, then perfected you into a man?
[18:38] "As for me, GOD is my Lord, and I will never set up any other god besides my Lord.
Important Commandment [18:39] "When you entered your garden, you should have said, `This is what GOD has given me (Maa Shaa Allah). No one possesses power except GOD (La Quwwata Ellaa Bellaah).' You may see that I possess less money and less children than you.
[18:40] "My Lord may grant me better than your garden. He may send a violent storm from the sky that wipes out your garden, leaving it completely barren.
[18:41] "Or, its water may sink deeper, out of your reach."
[18:42] Indeed, his crops were wiped out, and he ended up sorrowful, lamenting what he had spent on it in vain, as his property lay barren. He finally said, "I wish I never set up my property as a god beside my Lord."
[18:43] No force on earth could have helped him against GOD, nor was it possible for him to receive any help.
[18:44] That is because the only true Lord and master is GOD; He provides the best recompense, and with Him is the best destiny.

[10:24] The analogy of this worldly life is like this: we send down water from the sky to produce with it all kinds of plants from the earth, and to provide food for the people and the animals. Then, just as the earth is perfectly adorned, and its people think that they are in control thereof, our judgment comes by night or by day,* leaving it completely barren, as if nothing existed the previous day. We thus explain the revelations for people who reflect.

Qaaroon [28:76] Qaaroon (the slave driver) was one of Moses' people who betrayed them and oppressed them. We gave him so many treasures that the keys thereof were almost too heavy for the strongest band. His people said to him, "Do not be so arrogant; GOD does not love those who are arrogant.
[28:77] "Use the provisions bestowed upon you by GOD to seek the abode of the Hereafter, without neglecting your share in this world. Be charitable, as GOD has been charitable towards you. Do not keep on corrupting the earth. GOD does not love the corruptors."
[28:78] He said, "I attained all this because of my own cleverness." Did he not realize that GOD had annihilated before him generations that were much stronger than he, and greater in number? The (annihilated) transgressors were not asked about their crimes.
[28:79] One day, he came out to his people in full splendor. Those who preferred this worldly life said, "Oh, we wish that we possessed what Qaaroon has attained. Indeed, he is very fortunate."
The Real Wealth [28:80] As for those who were blessed with knowledge, they said, "Woe to you, GOD's recompense is far better for those who believe and lead a righteous life." None attains this except the steadfast.
The Tyrants' Inevitable Fate [28:81] We then caused the earth to swallow him and his mansion. No army could have helped him against GOD; he was not destined to be a winner.
[28:82] Those who were envious of him the day before said, "Now we realize that GOD is the One who provides for whomever He chooses from among His servants, and withholds. If it were not for GOD's grace towards us, He could have caused the earth to swallow us too. We now realize that the disbelievers never succeed."
The Ultimate Winners [28:83] We reserve the abode of the Hereafter for those who do not seek exaltation on earth, nor corruption. The ultimate victory belongs to the righteous.

Most People Make the Wrong Choice [7:96] Had the people of those communities believed and turned righteous, we would have showered them with blessings from the heaven and the earth. Since they decided to disbelieve, we punished them for what they earned.
[7:97] Did the people of the present communities guarantee that our retribution will not come to them in the night as they sleep?
[7:98] Did the people of today's communities guarantee that our retribution will not come to them in the daytime while they play?
[7:99] Have they taken GOD's plans for granted? None takes GOD's plans for granted except the losers.
[7:100] Does it ever occur to those who inherit the earth after previous generations that, if we will, we can punish them for their sins, and seal their hearts, causing them to turn deaf?

Glory be to God, Lord of the universe.

[6:161] Say, "My Lord has guided me in a straight path - the perfect religion of Abraham, monotheism. He never was an idol worshiper."
[6:162] Say, "My Contact Prayers (Salat), my worship practices, my life and my death, are all devoted absolutely to GOD alone, the Lord of the universe.
[6:163] "He has no partner. This is what I am commanded to believe, and I am the first to submit."
[6:164] Say, "Shall I seek other than GOD as a lord, when He is the Lord of all things? No soul benefits except from its own works, and none bears the burden of another. Ultimately, you return to your Lord, then He informs you regarding all your disputes."

Peaceful Friday, salaam, and God bless.