Contemplate, don't just 'Think'

 Prayer is a good deed. However, its righteousness and acceptance are according to the taqwa (fearful awareness of Allah) in the heart. 

If the heart is corrupt, the prayer is considered corrupt even if performed correctly outwardly. If the deeds are flawed but the heart is good, one hopes for Allah’s forgiveness and mercy. 

In addition, Allah Almighty states in the Qur’an; “He intervenes between the person and his heart”(Al-Anfal, 24.) Servants who have a heart which Allah is pleased with, will receive many divine favors and blessings.

As a matter of fact, although the knife was sharp, it did not cut the neck of Prophet Ismail AS. Although the fire burns, it did not burn Prophet Ibrahim  AS and became a cool garden for him. 

Allah grants his servants exceptional favors by His power when he is completely helpless. This is the wisdom and truth of divine support that manifested in the famous Battle of Badr. In short; Deprivations or blessings occur according to the sincerity, intention and quality of the heart. 

The following story beautifully expresses how Allah rewards His servants when they fulfill their duties of servitude with a high awareness of Him: 

Allah revealed to one of his prophets and said: 

“I have decreed that this servant of mine should spend half of his life in poverty and the other half in wealth. I will give him whichever he wants first. Ask him, let him make his choice.”

That prophet called this man and told him about this revelation. The man said that he wanted to consult with his wife, who was a righteous woman. 

Upon this consultation, his wife said; 

“- Prefer wealth to be first!”

Although the man said;

“- Poverty is difficult after wealth. While wealth after poverty is very sweet.” his wife answered by saying: 

“- Follow what I told you about this matter!”

So the man went to that prophet and told him that he preferred wealth first. Allah Almighty opened all the doors of wealth to him, the man attained great abundance and blessings.

That wise lady said to her husband:

“If you want this blessing to continue until the end of your life, be generous to Allah’s servants. When you buy clothes for yourself, definitely buy clothes for a poor person…”

When the first half of the man’s life was spent in such abundance and gratitude, Allah revealed to that prophet:

“I decreed for that servant to spend half of his life in wealth and the other half in poverty. But that servant of mine was grateful for all my blessings. Gratitude necessitates the continuation of the blessings in abundance. Give good news to my righteous servant that I decreed for him to spend the rest of his life with wealth!” 16

There are many similar examples. Happy is the one who can see with the eye of wisdom!...

We should also reflect on this:

It is not physically and logically possible for everyone to be rich and in high positions. Society needs people from all levels. Some need to be chief, some to be officers, some merchants and others farmers. Some will set up a business and some will work there.

These duties are divided according to people’s abilities, opportunities, education and similar conditions in the society. But this is just the outward appearance of the matter. At the same time there is the inward hidden realities and a divine decree full of secrets and wisdom is active in the whole universe.

If we contemplate, we will understand that it is Allah who creates and distributes those skills and abilities.