A few days back I was with some of my friends in a condolence ceremony in our vicinity and as it is a routine that mostly people gather for the condolence in a spacious hall which generally is the biggest in the whole house.
To my ‘good luck’ we were seated in the upper story which was intricately decorated on the modern lines but the traditional cultural architectural features were also taken care of. As the people in the room were silent for most of the time, and most probably offering prayers for the departed soul which somehow stimulated me to gather my ideas once the Arabic Phrase caught my attention.
On seeing ‘HADHA MIN FADLI RABBI’ engraved in the central and biggest piece of the glass of the lobby, a question struck my mind as why people (Muslims) put it somewhere in a house, generally at a point which is visible the people who pass by. And these days this has become a trend followed by people without caring to know at least its meaning, not to talk about its etymology, history or its contextual explanations.
The origin of the phrase is in the Quran in Surah Naml (The Ant) when Prophet Solomon asked his men to bring the palace of Queen Sheba to his court. One of them, a spirit, informed the prophet that he would bring the palace within a blink of an eye. Thence Prophet Solomon uttered “HADHA MIN FADLI RABBI” which means
“This is by the grace of my Lord”’ in the context that it is not the innate power of the spirit to bring the palace in the blink of an eye rather it is the power and authority of the All Powerful who has bestowed such an ability to one of His creatures. Since then, throughout ages, the phrase is in usage not only in the Muslim World but also in the non Muslim Arab world. But unfortunately, with the passage of the time, people use the phrase either out of the context or only in one context only.
Traditionally in this part of the globe, we use the phrase when we construct something or buy some property. As a form of gratitude, verbally or written form, we use the phrase primarily to thank the Lord and secondarily to subside the effects of an evil eye which has a lot of currency generally in the Muslim World. Given this entire backdrop, it prompted me to put forth some of my thoughts.
Firstly, “Hadha Min Fadli Rabbi” has its origin in the sacred book of the Muslims, the Holy Quran which was originally uttered by the Prophet Solomon in his court on seeing the unimaginable power of the spirit who brought the palace of the Queen Sheba in the blink of an eye. Solomon uttered this phrase in order to give the message to his people that they should not be confused with the power of the spirit because the human has an innate tendency to err on seeing an extra ordinary thing or super natural power of a creature.
The prophet was dutiful to his Lord and very conscious about the Absoluteness of the powers of the Lord. He conveyed the message that whatever happens, it happens only after the approval of the Lord, the Most High and the Most Powerful.
Secondly, Hadha Min Fadli Rabbi should not be used in one context only rather its applications are very diverse in nature. We have to understand its vast meaning and the perspectives the phrase best fits in. How can we forget its other perspectives which are more important and sacred before the Lord as we must see the things, processes and phenomena from other perspectives as well which would do justice to some extent to such types of phrases and idioms.
Thirdly, the material perspective should be at last on the number line because our own being composes of the body and the soul, the later being the essential and fundamental part of our being. Similarly, when we are aware about the purpose of this life, we will hardly give any preference to the material perspectives because the spiritual salvation or the station is only reached when we sacrifice the material things at its altar.
We all know that at the end of the day, we have to leave this world today or tomorrow and we have to be fully prepared for the next world. Hence, knowing all the dimensions and perspectives, we would hardly care for the material things and with the result we will aspire and strive for the spiritual enlightenment and emancipation.
Last but not the least, by confining and limiting the meaning, context, perspective and dominion of Hadha Min Fadli Rabbi, we are but doing injustice to the idea it holds and its application.
So, before inscription, hanging or engraving of the phrase, let’s pledge to know what Hadha Min Fadli Rabbi actually means and what are its primary fields and perspectives where it can be used.