I was explaining chromosomal and autosomal disorders to my students last week. And there was just one thing playing in my mind while I was discussing with them every single clinical case ,
"And if you count the blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them." (The Quran 14:34.)
Since I had read this ayah long ago,...I used to think, that okay...Allah's blessings are numerous. So many , but if you try hard to enlist them, perhaps, you'd make a list. I mean, lets just be a little truthful to ourselves. Atleast I have had this thought, that if we just give ourselves a little more time to ponder upon everything we've been blessed with, since childhood to this age, we might be able to make a good list that'll cover most (MOST ) of the things probably. Like , our Deen Islam, Quran, Being from ummah of Rasulallah saw, our parents,siblings,friends, home,food,education, wealth,spouse,children,neighbours,scholars, materialistic property, a healthy body, sound senses, ability to walk,talk, move around,things that we asked Allah ,our answered duas, unanswered duas too that ended up in something much better , the hikmah,guidance, ILm, everything ! We can count almost all the things we've been given , couldn't we ?
So why Allah says that we are not able to count the blessings given to us by Him ?
And like a lightning striking the ground, this ayah struck my mind amidst a lecture I was giving. Here is what I wanna share with y'all ,
There's a syndrome called 21 Trisomy, where if you get one extra chromosome No. 21 apart from a pair which is normal in the 23 pairs, you'll be a person with Down's syndrome. There's one more genetic alteration where if your chromosome No. 11 gets an alteration in the HBB gene, all your haemoglobin will be useless. It'll loose its ability to transfer oxygen, and the person will be thalassemiac. Even one chromosome in our genetic material, if gets deleted or added excessively, our bodies will show horrible features, I need not explain the X Monosomy or the Klinefelter's syndrome. A little mutation, that too sometimes without any stimulus will lend a person mental retardness or abnormal physical characteristics or a short life filled with blood transfusions and never ending medicines. If a single gene if comes with a recessive nature and not dominant one, then your blood won't ever clot. Which means, even a minor cut can result in excessive blood loss. There are so many disorders not just genetical, but immunological and microbial as well ! Autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency, ...bacterial, fungal, viral, protozoal infection, ...mutations, carcinogens, tumours,....so many things that we haven't seen or discovered yet ! The microscopic beings, your gene, a 100th part of cromosome that too a chromosome can be seen in microscope in the metaphase only . I mean that small change !
SubhanAllah!
And Alhamdulillah, we have been saved from all these hardships. In no way this post is shaming for those who got any of these disorders,it can be their test. But what I want to point out here is,if we try to count things we've been given,perhaps its possible. But what about things we've been saved from. A whole new pandora box ! Allahu Aalam how many threats and disasters have been removed from our way. Allahu Aalam how many microbes are eliminated from our barrier system everyday. We are living continuously amidst pathogens , its our immune system granted by Allah that's protecting us from catching various infections every other day. Alhamdulillah. Our body has macrophages,neutrophils and dendritic cells that kill our own carcinogenic cells everyday. When I tried to count things I've been saved from, I was dumbfounded. I just couldn't do it. There are a lot of things that we don't even know exist. That if touch us, we won't survive. A little manipulation in the 46 chromosomes, and the whole life of that person changes. A little weakness in the immune system, and the body is incapable to fight various pathogens,
So which of the favours of our Rabb we can deny ? He, the Lord of seen and the unseen had blessed us beyond our imagination, we can never ever count His favours that He already has bestowed and is continuously bestowing upon us. This is the Rahmah of our Lord. When He said, that we won't be able to count the blessings, it was indeed true. We can count what is apparent, but what about that which cannot be seen ? What about those blessings and protection that are shielding us without our knowledge ? The regulation of more than 25000 protein coding genes, the regulation and systemic arrangements of all the nucleotide bases ! SubhanAllah. Indeed our Rabb is so Generous and Kind ❤❤❤ The blessings are not only in what He gives, but also in what He saves us from.
May Allah save us from every ailment and cure everyone who is suffering from any kind of diseases. May it be a means of purification for them and may Allah grant them complete shifa that leaves no traces of the ailment behind. Aameen.
