Value What We Work For

Quran Talk

Which friend would you value more?

Friend #1

• If you go out to eat they cover the bill
• If you are going to watch Netflix or go to a movie they let you pick what to watch
• They let you pick the music when you are driving
• They take care of you when you are sick
• They even cook and clean for you
• In short, they expect very little in return just some appreciation

Friend #2

• They always want to pick what to watch
• If you go out to eat they expect you to cover the bill
• If they don’t get their way they yell at you and get angry
• They expect you to do things for them - to cook for them and clean up after them
• In short, expect everything from you and provide very little in return

Why do we have more favor towards our children rather than our parents?

It doesn’t make sense our parents raised us,

• they took care of us,
• they fed us,
• provided us with shelter and protection,
• they poured tons of money and made huge sacrifices to raise us…

yet our children do the opposite

• They complain,
• they are mean to us,
• they demand things,
• they expect us to do things for them and to take care of them.

Not all of us are parents but all of us were children

Cake Mix

https://www.bonappetit.com/entertaining-style/pop-culture/article/cake-mix-history

When they first introduced cake mix in the 1930s it wasn’t a success until the 1950’s

The reason was that prior to 1950’s all one needed to do was just add water,

There was no sense of ownership or accomplishment - can’t take credit

In the 1950s they changed it where you would need to add eggs / sometimes butter and all of a sudden it was a big success?

You would think adding steps would be worse, but it made people’s love of the product more

Ikea Effect – Dan Ariely

The more effort we put into something the more we like it

Paper Origami experiment

Split up into two groups: Builder and Buyers

The builders would make the origami and the buyers would value the work

Builders value their work as more valuable then buyers

But builders also thought that other people would love their work more than they actually did

When they re-did the experiment and gave more difficult instructions regarding how to make the origami (so they took out some of the detail) the builders liked their work even more and the buyers valued it even less

This only holds true if the builder has something to show for in their endeavor - if they are left with a disappointed crumpled paper then this does not hold true.

Or if you cook dinner you think it taste better than others

Or if you make art

The effort we put into it is a big portion of how much we value it

Example of Adam and Eve - they were in Paradise they had everything it was just given to them, yet they gave it all up because they didn’t value what they had.

Abraham

[37:95] He said, "How can you worship what you carve? [37:96] "When GOD has created you, and everything you make!”

[26:69] Narrate to them Abraham's history. [26:70] He said to his father and his people, "What is this you are worshiping?" [26:71] They said, "We worship statues; we are totally devoted to them." [26:72] He said, "Can they hear you when you implore? [26:73] "Can they benefit you, or harm you?" [26:74] They said, "No; but we found our parents doing this."

[26:75] He said, "Do you see these idols that you worship. [26:76] "You and your ancestors. [26:77] "I am against them, for I am devoted only to the Lord of the universe. [26:78] "The One who created me, and guided me. [26:79] "The One who feeds me and waters me. [26:80] "And when I get sick, He heals me. [26:81] "The One who puts me to death, then brings me back to life. [26:82] "The One who hopefully will forgive my sins on the Day of Judgment.

[9:24] Proclaim: "If your parents, your children, your siblings, your spouses, your family, the money you have earned, a business you worry about, and the homes you cherish are more beloved to you than GOD and His messenger, and the striving in His cause, then just wait until GOD brings His judgment." GOD does not guide the wicked people.

[30:7] They care only about things of this world that are visible to them, while being totally oblivious to the Hereafter.

So we are here to learn appreciation for God and all that He has given us

[90:4] We created the human being to work hard (to redeem himself).*

This is the reason I believe God has set up rules and commandments for us to follow so we can earn our appreciation

• Getting up for Salat and performing it 5 times a day
• Giving Zakat
• Giving to charity
• Fasting during Ramadan
• War, fight battles, or persecution and oppression

We are working hard to foster the love with God that He deserves

The reason we are unappreciative is because we don’t value what we have not earned.

• • Go to a restaurant and get a food that is slightly off and we complain

• • Make a meal ourselves that at best could be considered so-so and we think it is the most delicious meal - and we contemplate opening a restaurant.

• • Go give someone a $1000 and see how much they value that money versus the person who earned $1000

I would say that it is even worse than just being unappreciative. We think that we are entitled to this and even more:

[18:36] “Moreover, I think this is it; I do not think that the Hour (the Hereafter) will ever come to pass. Even if I am returned to my Lord, I will (be clever enough to) possess an even better one over there.”

[41:49] The human being never tires of imploring for good things. And when adversity befalls him, he turns despondent, desperate. [41:50] And when we bless him after suffering some adversity, he says, "This belongs to me. I do not believe that the Hour will ever come to pass. Even if I am returned to my Lord, I will find at Him better things." Most certainly, we will inform the disbelievers of all their works, and will commit them to severe retribution. [41:51] When we bless the human being, he turns away, and drifts farther and farther away, and when he suffers any affliction, he implores loudly.

Importance of give from the things you earn…

[2:267] O you who believe, you shall give to charity from the good things you earn, and from what we have produced for you from the earth. Do not pick out the bad therein to give away, when you yourselves do not accept it unless your eyes are closed. You should know that GOD is Rich, Praiseworthy.

[3:92] You cannot attain righteousness until you give to charity from the possessions you love. Whatever you give to charity, GOD is fully aware thereof.

Supply and demand

• The more the supply the less the value proportional to demand
• But how does this work for God whose provisions are inexhaustible
• Who has infinite amounts of mercy and grace

[17:20] For each one of them we provide; we provide those and these from your Lord's bounties. Your Lord's bounties are inexhaustible.

[15:21] There is nothing that we do not own infinite amounts thereof. But we send it down in precise measure.

[6:147] If they disbelieve you, then say, "Your Lord possesses infinite mercy, but His retribution is unavoidable for the guilty people.”

[8:29] O you who believe, if you reverence GOD, He will enlighten you, remit your sins, and forgive you. GOD possesses infinite grace.

God intentionally made Himself scarce here on Earth to only be found by those who seek Him - Artificial Scarcity

[2:115] To GOD belongs the east and the west; wherever you go there will be the presence of GOD. GOD is Omnipresent, Omniscient.

[2:186] When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they pray to Me. The people shall respond to Me and believe in Me, in order to be guided.

The reality is that if God gave us everything we would transgress?

[42:27] If GOD increased the provision for His servants, they would transgress on earth. This is why He sends it precisely measured to whomever He wills. He is fully Cognizant and Seer of His servants.

[43:33] If it were not that all the people might become one (disbelieving) congregation, we would have granted everyone who disbelieves in the Most Gracious mansions with silver roofs, and stairs upon which they could climb.

The reason we are here is because we are profoundly unappreciative

God is Most Rich - Free of Need

[6:14] Say, "Shall I accept other than GOD as a Lord and Master, when He is the Initiator of the heavens and the earth, and He feeds but is not fed?" Say, "I am commanded to be the most devoted submitter, and, 'Do not be an idol worshiper.' “

[39:7] If you disbelieve, GOD does not need anyone. But He dislikes to see His servants make the wrong decision. If you decide to be appreciative, He is pleased for you. No soul bears the sins of any other soul. Ultimately, to your Lord is your return, then He will inform you of everything you had done. He is fully aware of the innermost thoughts.

God puts us in situations where we need Him and this is for our own good

[39:8] When the human being is afflicted, he implores his Lord, sincerely devoted to Him. But as soon as He blesses him, he forgets his previous imploring, sets up idols to rank with GOD and to divert others from His path. Say, "Enjoy your disbelief temporarily; you have incurred the hellfire."

[39:9] Is it not better to be one of those who meditate in the night, prostrating and staying up, being aware of the Hereafter, and seeking the mercy of their Lord?

[6:41] The fact is: only Him you implore, and He answers your prayer, if He so wills, and you forget your idols. [6:42] We have sent (messengers) to communities before you, and we put them to the test through adversity and hardship, that they may implore. [6:43] If only they implored when our test afflicted them! Instead, their hearts were hardened, and the devil adorned their works in their eyes.

[30:33] When adversity afflicts the people, they turn to their Lord, totally devoting themselves to Him. But then, as soon as He showers them with mercy, some of them revert to idol worship.* [30:34] Let them be unappreciative of what we have given them. Enjoy temporarily; you will surely find out.

*30:33 A common example is the classified advertisements we note in the newspapers, placed by people thanking St. Jude for healing them. Before undergoing surgery, they sincerely implore God to heal them. But as soon as the surgery succeeds, they thank St. Jude!!!

God utilizes another form of psychology: It hurts more to lose something than it feels good to gain

For example the pain of losing a dollar is always more than the joy one gets from losing a dollar

God gave us so much upfront and if we turn unappreciative He will take it away

- hearing, eyesight, bodies, families, friends, home, security etc.

At the same time if we haven’t earned something we value it less so I think this is why God deprives us of some things that we may become appreciative

Example of the people of Sheba

Marib Dam

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marib_Dam

[34:15] Sheba's homeland used to be a marvel, with two gardens on the right and the left. Eat from your Lord's provisions, and be appreciative of Him—good land, and a forgiving Lord. [34:16] They turned away and, consequently, we poured upon them a disastrous flood, and we substituted their two gardens into two gardens of bad tasting fruits, thorny plants, and a skimpy harvest. [34:17] We thus requited them for their disbelief. Do we not requite only the disbelievers? [34:18] We placed between them and the communities that we blessed other oases, and we secured the journey between them: "Travel therein days and nights in complete security." [34:19] But they (turned unappreciative and) challenged: "Our Lord, we do not care if You increase the distance of our journeys (without any stations)." They thus wronged their own souls. Consequently, we made them history, and scattered them into small communities throughout the land. This should provide lessons for those who are steadfast, appreciative.

A mighty flood caused the dam of Marib to burst. This dam was located some 60 miles east of San’aa. The dam was about 5 miles long and 120ft high. The Sabean owed all their prosperity to it. Heavy flood and rain caused the dam to burst and undate the whole area causing widespread ruin. A land full of beautiful gardens, streams and great works of art were turned into vast waste. It was destroyed around the first century AD.

VIDEO: ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS : Ancient Persia and Arabian Peninsula @ 30min 25 seconds

https://youtu.be/0kenrpQS7qA?t=30m25s

I had surgery for hernia - couldn’t laugh / couldn’t go to the bathroom

VIDEO: Boy Receives Enchroma Glasses From Father || ViralHog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jHDyhJdDb8

Podcast Story

• Person is 75 years old then starts having stomach problems
• Goes to the doctor and the doctor tells him that he has stomach cancer and will need to operate immediately
• When the operation finishes the doctor says that it was a complete success and presents the old man with the bill
• The old man starts crying
• The doctor feels sorry and says if the bill is too high we can make adjustments to help
• The man replies that it is not the cost that is making him cry but the fact that God allowed him to eat for 75 years and never sent him a bill.

[14:7] Your Lord has decreed: "The more you thank Me, the more I give you." But if you turn unappreciative, then My retribution is severe.

[22:73] O people, here is a parable that you must ponder carefully: the idols you set up beside GOD can never create a fly, even if they banded together to do so. Furthermore, if the fly steals anything from them, they cannot recover it; weak is the pursuer and the pursued. [22:74] They do not value GOD as He should be valued. GOD is the Most Powerful, the Almighty.

What we want to earn the most is God’s approval

[9:72] GOD promises the believing men and the believing women gardens with flowing streams, wherein they abide forever, and magnificent mansions in the gardens of Eden. And GOD's blessings and approval are even greater. This is the greatest triumph.

[25:77] Say, "You attain value at my Lord only through your worship. But if you disbelieve, you incur the inevitable consequences."

[3:174] They have deserved GOD's blessings and grace. No harm ever touches them, for they have attained GOD's approval. GOD possesses infinite grace.