Barkat is a widely used term in Islam. Its literal meaning is welfare, blessings, success, stability and growth. Barakat means receiving special favor from Allah. That is, getting special favors in some matter, be it small or large, which brings blessings to all in this life and the hereafter.

(Mukhtarus Sihah, Page: 49)

(Surah Furqan, verse 1)

Elsewhere it is stated, "Blessed is He Who created the constellations in the heavens and placed therein lamps and the shining moon." (Surah Furqan, verse 67)

It has also been said, "Blessed is the One in Whose Hand is the All-Powerful, the omniscent." (Surah Mulk, verse 1)

Blessed Places: Many revered objects and places have been described as blessed. These are:

One— Makkah City: Makkah city is mentioned as blessed place

It is said, "Surely the first house built for mankind is in Baqqa, blessed and guidance for the people of the world." (Surah Al-Imran, verse 96)

Three— Area of Sham: In the Qur'an, the area of Sham is called a blessed place. It has been said, "I made those who were considered weak (Bani Israel) inherit the east and the west (i.e. Syria and Egypt), where I renedered blessings...." (Surah A'raf, verse 137)

Four— Baitul Moqaddas : The area of Baitul Moqaddas is a blessed area. It has been said, 'And I controlled the wind for Sulaiman, that it flowed at his command in the region which I blessed, I am well aware of everything.

(Surah Ambiya, verse 81)

Five— Surroundings of Masjid al-Aqsa: The surrounding of the holy Masjid al-Aqsa is a blessed area. It is said, "Holy is He Who made His servant travel in one night from Masjid al-Haram to Masjid al-Aqsa, around which We have rendered blessings, that I may show him My signs..." (Surah Bani Israel, verse 1)

Six— The Sinai region of Egypt: The Sinai region of Egypt is called blessed in the Qur'an. It has been reported, "When Musa (AWS.) reached the fire, he was called from the south side of the valley of the blessed region and said, 'O Musa, I am Allah, the Lord of the worlds.'" (Surah Qasas, verse: 30)

The Holy Qur'an mentions rainwater and olive trees as blessed objects. In addition, Lailatul Qadr is called the blessed night.

​ One— Qur'an: The Holy Qur'an is said to be blessed. It is said, "This Book We have sent down is blessed, so follow it and be careful, that you may be favored." (Surah An'am, verse 155)

Two— Rainwater: Rainwater is called blessed in the Holy Quran. It is said, 'I send down from the sky blessed rain and with it grow gardens and ripe crops.' (Surah Kahf, verse 9)

Three— Olive Tree: The olive tree is a blessed tree. It has been said, 'Allah is like the light of the heavens and the earth, and the likeness of his light is a lampstand, in which is a lamp, the lamp is placed in a glass case, the glass case is like a bright star, it is kindled with the oil of the blessed olive tree, which is in the east. And it is not of the opposite, but the fire does not touch it, but its oil gives a bright light...' (Surah Noor, verse: 35)

Four— Night of Qadr: Lailatul Qadr or Night of Qadr is a blessed night. The Holy Quran was revealed on this night. It is said, 'We sent it (the Qur'an) down on the night of Qadr.' (Surah Qadr, verse 1)

Some actions to gain blessings in life: Some actions to gain blessings are described in Quran and Hadith. A few are mentioned below-

One—Trust and faith in Allah: All blessings in life can be obtained through trust and faith in Allah. It is mentioned in the Qur'an, "If the inhabitants of those towns had believed and practiced piety, I would have opened for them many blessings in the heavens and the earth, but they rejected it, so I punished them for what they did." (Surah A'raf, verse 96)

Two— Qur'an Tilawat: The Qur'an is a blessed book. So if you read it, you can get blessings. It has been said, I have sent down this blessed Book, a confirmation of the previous Book, and you will warn the people of Makkah and the surrounding areas with it....' (Surah An'am, Verse: 92)

So in the hadith, reciting or not reciting the Qur'an is compared to life and death. On the authority of Abu Musa Ash'ari (RA), the Prophet (PBUH) said, "The example of the house in which Allah is mentioned and the house in which Allah is not mentioned is like the living and the dead." (Bukhari, Hadith: 6407)

Three— Increasing social relations: One of these is to maintain good relations with relatives. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever wants his livelihood to increase and his life to increase, he should keep the ties of kinship intact." (Bukhari, Hadith: 5986)

Four— Adopting simplicity in sales: Apart from that, adopting simplicity in sales is also one of the ways to gain blessings. Rasulullah (SAW) said, 'The buyer and the seller have jurisdiction over the goods (to take and not to take) until they are separated from each other. If they tell the truth and clarify the product's defects, their sales are blessed. And if they lie and conceal their faults, the blessing of their trade is taken away.' (Bukhari, Hadith: 2110)

Five— Making good use of time: If you make good use of time, it will be blessed. For a healthy life one should rest at night and work from dawn. Because at this time, people's body and mind are fresh and work speed comes. So the Prophet (PBUH) prayed for blessings for the morning work. Rasool (pbuh) said, 'O Allah, bless my Ummah with the dawn.'

Six— Praying for blessings: The great way to get blessings in life is to pray, because everyone including the Prophet Rasul prayed for blessings. Nuh (AWS) after boarding the ark prayed to land in a blessed place. It is said, 'And say, O my Lord, send me down to a blessed place, and You are the best of descenders.' (Surat al-Mu'minun, verse 29).

​(The write up was published on The Daily Kaler Kantho on July 6 and rewritten in English for The Bangladesh Pratidin by Lutful Hoque)