“Which is it, of the Favours of your Lord, that ye deny?” is actually a verse from Surah ar-Rahman, the 55th Surah of the Quran. It is one of the most notable verses of the Quran.
It is repeated 31 times throughout Surah ar-Rahman. In this post, we shall reflect on the nature and attributes of Surah ar-Rahman and the particular special verse: “Which is it, of the Favours of your Lord, that ye deny?”
Surah ar-Rahman: “Which is it, of the Favours of your Lord, that ye deny?”
Introduction
The name of Surah ar-Rahman is especially relevant because it relates to the subject matter and theme of the Surah. This Surah discusses one of the many Attributes of Allah — His Grace and Mercy.
The oft-repeated verse, “Which is it, of the Favours of your Lord, that ye deny?”, serves to remind us of our lack of gratitude towards Allah. He has showered upon us an abundance of Blessings. Allah is Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful. He has given us this life, our loved ones, as well as many other comforts.
However, we often tend to take many of His Blessings for granted. As such, we rarely offer thanks to our Lord. It is as if we are in denial of the obvious truth that without Allah’s Mercy, life cannot exist. As such, in Surah ar-Rahman, Allah repeatedly asks us: “Which is it, of the Favours of your Lord, that ye deny?”
The Attributes of Surah ar-Rahman
At the very starting, Allah informs us of His Favours and His Mercy for His creation. He revealed the Quran and made it easy for memorizing and understanding, and this itself is the biggest Favour.
The sun, the moon, the sky, air, water, and land are all among Allah’s Signs. He is the Lord of all the Worlds, and all that is within them. Allah is the One Who created two seas, sweet and bitter, flowing side by side but with an invisible barrier between them. He caused the earth to bear fruit and plantation, such that life can thrive on this planet. All creation will one day cease to exist, because Only Allah is the Ever Living, Free of all Needs.
On the Day of Resurrection, we will be judged according to our deeds. There will be no escape that Day. The righteous among us will be awarded for their good deeds, whereas the evil doers will be doomed to Hell.
Conclusion
We often hear people say “life is tough”, but that does not entitle us to belittle the wonderful gift of life that Allah has given us.
The repetition of the verse “Which is it, of the Favours of your Lord, that ye deny?” in Surah ar-Rahman serves a very specific purpose. It reminds us to be continuously aware (and grateful) of all that has been provided to us. Faith, money, food, wealth, health, environment, sea, air, and everything else — these are Favours of our Lord that we should always be mindful of.
All praise is due to You, O Almighty! Nay, our Lord! None of Your Favours do we deny.