Praise to the God of majesty and glory Obedience to him is a cause of approach and gratitude in increase of benefits. Every inhalation of the breath prolongs life and every expiration of it gladdens our nature; wherefore every breath confers two benefits and for every benefit gratitude is due. Whose hand and tongue is capable To fulfill the obligations of thanks to Him? Words of the Most High: "Work ye, sons of David, with thanks But few of My servants are grateful " It is best to a worshipper for his transgressions To offer apologies at the throne of God, Although what is worthy of his...

This is the longest Surah of the Quran. The name of the Surah is from the Parable of the Heifer in Ayah 67-71, which illustrates the insufficiency of carping obedience. When faith is lost, people put off obedience with various excuses; even when at last they obey in the letter, they fail in the spirit, which means that they get fossilized, and their self-sufficiency prevents them from seeing that spiritually they are not alive but dead. For life is movement, activity, striving, fighting against baser things. And this is the burden of the Surah. The Surah begins (1-29) by classifying men into...