a good outcome—a blessing. They are also a blessing for others, through the lessons, guidance, and faith that others gain from them. Hence, among the finest supplications is:

“O Allah, do not make me a cautionary example for others, and do not let anyone benefit more than I do from what You have taught me.”

Among the supplications in the Quran are:

“Our Lord, do not make us a trial for the wrongdoing people.”

“Do not make us a trial for those who disbelieve.”

Likewise, it says:

“And make us leaders for the righteous.”

That is: make us leaders for those who follow our example and take us as their guides, and do not make us a trial for those who go astray through us and suffer misery.

The Arabic word ālā’ means blessings, and it also encompasses power. Ibn Qutaybah said:

“When Allah enumerated His blessings in this surah—Surah al-Rahmān—reminded His servants of His favors, and drew their attention to His power, He placed each such utterance as a refrain between two blessings, to make those blessings understood and bring people to acknowledge them.”

Al-Hākim, in his Sahīh, and al-Tirmidhī narrated from Jābir a report from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recited Surah al-Rahmān to us until he completed it. Then he said: ‘Why do I see you remaining silent? The jinn responded better than you did. Not once did I recite to them this verse—“Then which of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?”—without their saying: “None of Your blessings, our Lord, do we deny. To You belongs all praise.”’”