In the name of Allah, the Beneficent the Merciful.Say: Do you think, if Allah were to take away your hearing, your sight and seal up you hearts, which god other than Allah could restore them to you' (Quran 6:46)IN some portions of the glorious Qur'an, Allah constantly calls on humankind to ponder its physiology; to reflect on how He has created him in the right proportions: the ears is placed where they should be, the eyes in the most fitting part of the body for them, the nose at the most appropriate position on the head.Al-Ghazalli, in his explication of the attributes of Allah in the book al-Maqsad al-Asna fi AsmaiLLAH al-Husna, reasons that were any of these organs to be removed and placed in other parts of the body other than where Allah has put them, ugliness and imbalance in the human physiology would occur. Glory be to Allah, therefore, the Fashioner, the Designer, the Sustainer and the Cherisher of the world.But it is not only in the creation of these organs of the human body that usually occasions wonderment for men and women of intellect. Rather, their protection and preservation, when properly understood, is equally a duty, which only Allah undertakes. In other words, whereas humans often make effort to protect these organs, for example, from being afflicted and injured, we often hear the acknowledgement from our elders that, for example, the eye has certain protection and honour which often functions in shielding it from the most heinous and orgish of calamities.Sometimes when an accident occurs, medical doctors would wonder how the eye could have escaped unscathed even as injuries may have occurred to the human head. While we, as humans, have been endowed with the ability to protect or shield our eyes against injuries, at least, during our wakeful moments, much thought is usually not given to that organ of the human body, which is perpetually exposed even as humans lack ability to exercise any form of control over it.Here, reference is being made to the human ear. I therefore would want us to ponder these two organs today and see how they can contribute to our search for security and succour, particularly in a country where the number one security man has declared his utter incapability at securing the nation against the evils, which its corruptible leaders have foisted on it.In the glorious Qur'an, Allah (SWT) mentions humans' sense of 'hearing' before that of seeing except in one verse which discusses the day of resurrection: 'If only you could see when the guilty ones will bend low their heads before their Lord! 'Our Lord, we have seen and we have heard; now return us, that we may do righteousness, for we do have sure faith.'' (32: 12). In this verse, Allah mentions the act of 'seeing' before that of 'hearing' in reference to the calamitous occurrence of the Day of Judgment.In other words, our ability to hear appears to enjoy primordial priority over and above that of our capability to see. Medical practice and human experience even attest to this: that in the embryonic stage, the organ of hearing usually develops first before that of seeing; that, at birth, the organ of hearing usually begins functioning first before that of seeing. In other words, if a disturbing sound is produced near the newly born baby, she feels terrified and cries. But if a hand is placed near his eyes he is unable to push the former away nor sense any sort of danger.Now when eventually the eye begins to function, its ability to see is contingent on the availability of light; the eye needs light to see. Rays of light have to be reflected on things in the phenomena, before the latter is reflected or refracted to the eye before the latter can contemplate them. While the eyes become useless under darkness, the organ of the ear, though resident inside the human head, functions day and night. It does not go on break!In other words, dear Brethren, if the above is not instructive enough you need to ponder the fact that unlike the human eyes, the ear does not stop functioning each time we go to sleep. The cessation of the functioning of the human ear is usually a testimony to the occurrence of death. This is what happened to the men of the cave whose story Allah relates to us in Chapter 18 of the Qur'an. Allah says: 'Then We smote their ears many years in the Cave.' (18:11)By smoting their sense of hearing, themen of the cave were able to sleep hundreds of years without any disturbance. Noisy daylight movements, contrary to night quietness, usually prevent humans from sleeping deeply. Yet the ears never sleep or lose attention. The ear is always under constant watch.Put differently, we all know that our sense of sight can be willingly controlled by us; we usually decide what to see or not to see. But while this is true, while we can close our eyes against entities we do not want to see, it is however true that the same cannot be said of our sense of hearing.For example, when someone is in a room where 10 people are talking, their voices will reach his ear whether he is willing or not. Again, whereas it is true that people see different things differently, sometimes due, partly, to a different variation of sight, it is often the case that we partake in hearing the same sound particularly when we are assembled in one place.Thus, the sense of sight is multiple; that of hearing is often unitary. This is evidenced in the Qur'an where Allah mentions the sense of seeing in the plural while He refers to the sense of hearing in the singular. It is for a divine purpose and wisdom! Your hearing is meant to listen to the call of Allah only. Your refusal to listen to Him would lead to insecurity; it would lead to calamity. The people of 'Ad did not listen to Allah, then they became insecure. Allah says: As for Thamud, they were destroyed by the Thunderbolt (Q 69:3-4).Thus, dear Brethren, while we strive to listen to Allah during the day, let us be aware that each time we lock our doors at night, each time we close the windows to our homes at dusk, each time we switch off the light, each time we turn on or off the security alarm, there is a constant security watching over that which we cannot by and of ourselves secure.It is Allah, the omnipresent, the omniscient; He is the 'Real Security.' It is He who protects our ears, while its 'gate' is constantly ajar from being invaded by 'hoodlums' we can neither see nor confront; it is Allah who never sleeps but grants us opportunity to sleep and rest at night who can only guard and protect that which we assume, of and by ourselves, we can protect.Endeavour to perform ablution each time you retire to bed; recite ayah al-Qursiyy (Q2V255) and seek blessings on the Prophet. May Allah's protection become a garment and a canopy that will constantly accompany us all (Aaaaamin).(guardianfridayworship@gmail.com)
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