Introduction of prayer:
One of the most important blessings of Allah Kareem, mentioned in this verse, is earth. Allah Kareem bestowed the man full ownership and control over it. This earth contains all that is needed by him. All this great management for mankind demands that he should be grateful for this to his Lord, all the times and under every condition. But, man is heedless by nature. He does not take much time to forget the favours of his Creator and the Bestower. Most of the people are ungrateful to their Lord.
Explanation & virtues of prayer:
1- وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّـٰكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ (We have indeed established you on earth):
مَكَّنَّ is derived from م ک ن which means: firmly established, unshakable, influential, distinguished, to give power, to make strong or firm, consolidate, strengthen.
Allah Kareem described this topic very beautifully in Surah Al-Ghafir, 64;
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ قَرَارًۭا وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءًۭ وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ فَتَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ٦٤
It is Allah Who made the earth a place of settlement for you and the sky a canopy. He shaped you ˹in the womb˺, perfecting your form. And He has provided you with what is good and lawful. That is Allah—your Lord. So Blessed is Allah, Lord of all worlds.
2- وَجَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ فِيهَا مَعَـٰيِشَ ۗ(and provided you with a means of livelihood):
Allah Kareem created the world and all necessities of life of human being before his creation. Allah Kareem reminds His favours He bestowed upon man by making the earth suitable, comfortable and beneficial from many aspects. On earth He has created for them stability and means of livelihood and sustenance. Allah Kareem says in Surah Luqman, verse: 20;
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُۥ ظَـٰهِرَةًۭ وَبَاطِنَةًۭ ۗ
Have you not seen that Allah has subjected for you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and has lavished His favours upon you, both seen and unseen?
خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍۢ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ وَأَلْقَىٰ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ رَوَٰسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍۢ ۚ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۭ فَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍۢ كَرِيمٍ ١٠
He created the heavens without pillars—as you can see—and placed firm mountains upon the earth so it does not shake with you, and scattered throughout it all types of creatures. And We send down rain from the sky, causing every type of fine plant to grow on earth.
Man takes benefit of all these blessings. Allah made the clouds work for them (bringing rain) so that they may produce their sustenance from them. He also created the ways and means of earnings, commercial activities and other professions. Man cultivates different crops, vegetables and fruits. He mines the mountains and brings out countless metals, minerals and precious gems. Man uses all these blessings which ultimately requires to be grateful to the Creator.
3- قَلِيلًۭا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ (you seldom give any thanks):
Allah Kareem after describing His favours, complains the behaviour of man that he is ungrateful. He is the biggest beneficiary of the blessings on earth but he seldom give any thanks. Allah said in an other ayah;
وَءَاتَىٰكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَظَلُومٌۭ كَفَّارٌۭ ٣٤
And He has granted you all that you asked Him for. If you tried to count Allah’s blessings, you would never be able to number them. Indeed humankind is truly unfair, ˹totally˺ ungrateful. (Surah Ibrahim: 34)
It means that he should face hardship with patience, keep his words and feelings free from any complaint thinking that the fate he faces has come from a wise Master. But, common human habit works differently from this norm. A little discomfort or pain would make them lose patience and go about broadcasting their problem. And if they find some blessing or a little wealth, they would get intoxicated with it and forget all about Allah, their Benefactor.
Indeed man can not count the favours of his Lord and surely he is unable to pay thanks for them. It was reported that Prophet Dawud, peace be upon him, used to say in his supplication, “O Lord! How can I ever duly thank You, when my thanking You is also a favor from You to me” Allah the Exalted answered him, “Now, you have thanked Me sufficiently, O Dawud,” meaning, `when you admitted that you will never be able to duly thank Me. (M’ariful Quran)
There are a lot of virtues being grateful to Allah Kareem. The prophet (pbuh) has taught many prayers to thank Allah.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ حَدَّثَهُمْ “ أَنَّ عَبْدًا مِنْ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ كَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِجَلاَلِ وَجْهِكَ وَلِعَظِيمِ سُلْطَانِكَ فَعَضَّلَتْ بِالْمَلَكَيْنِ فَلَمْ يَدْرِيَا كَيْفَ يَكْتُبَانِهَا فَصَعِدَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَقَالاَ يَا رَبَّنَا إِنَّ عَبْدَكَ قَدْ قَالَ مَقَالَةً لاَ نَدْرِي كَيْفَ نَكْتُبُهَا . قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا قَالَ عَبْدُهُ مَاذَا قَالَ عَبْدِي قَالاَ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّهُ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ كَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِجَلاَلِ وَجْهِكَ وَعَظِيمِ سُلْطَانِكَ . فَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُمَا اكْتُبَاهَا كَمَا قَالَ عَبْدِي حَتَّى يَلْقَانِي فَأَجْزِيَهُ بِهَا ” .
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar that :
the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told them: “One of the slaves of Allah said: ‘Ya Rabb! Lakal-hamdu kama yanbagi li-jalali Wajhika wa li ‘azima sultanika (O Lord, to You is praise as befits the Glory of Your Face and the greatness of Your Might.)’ The angels were uncertain and did not know how to write this down, so they ascended to heaven and said: ‘O our Lord, Your slave has said a word that we do not know how to write down.’ Allah said – and He knows best what His slave said – ‘What did My slave say?’ They said: ‘O Lord, he said “Ya Rabb! Lakal-hamdu kama yanbagi li-jalali Wajhika wa li’azima sultanika (O Lord, to You is praise as befits the Glory of Your Face and the greatness of your Might).'” Allah said to them: ‘Write it down as My slave said it, until he meets Me and I shall reward him for it.’ (Ibn Majah: 3801)
All those who want to buy their own home, they should recite this prayer abundantly, specially after every Salah. This Du’a is also helpful in getting satisfactory job and livelihood.
