belongs to Allah, for, had He withheld from His servants the knowledge to praise Him for the uninterrupted kindnesses with which He has tried them3 and the manifest favors which He has lavished upon them, they would have moved about in His kindnesses without praising Him, and

spread themselves out in His provision without thanking Him.

Had such been the case, they would have left the bounds of humanity for that of beastliness and become as He has described in the firm text of His Book:

(They are but as the cattle - nay, but they are further astray from the way!).4 O Praise belongs to Allah, for

the true knowledge of Himself He has given to us,

the thanksgiving He has inspired us to offer Him,

the doors to knowing His Lordship He has opened for us,

the sincerity towards Him in professing His Unity to which He has led us, and

the deviation and doubt in His Command from which He has turned us aside;

a praise through which we

may be given long life among those of His creatures who praise Him,

and overtake those who have gone ahead toward His good pleasure and pardon;

a praise through which He

will illuminate for us the shadows of the interworld,5 ease for us the path of the Resurrection, and raise up our stations at the standing places of the Witnesses6 ( on the day when every soul will be repaid for that it has earned - they shall not be wronged; 7 ( the day a master shall avail nothing a client, and they shall not