Gratefulness to Allāh Almighty
Ibn Saleh
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious,
the Most Merciful;
All the praise and Thanks is due to Allāh,
the Lord of al-‘ālameen. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except
Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam is His Messenger.
Gratitude is a character of the righteousness servant of Allah and Allāh loves those who are greatful. It holds a high ranks among the people , and īman is comprised of two halves; one half is
gratitude and the other is perseverance.
Allāh, the
Exalted, says:
- “And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allāh, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and perform As-Solah (Iqamat-as-Solah) and give Zakat, and that is the right religion.” (Al-Bayyinah, 98:5)
- “It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allāh, but it is piety from you that reaches Him.” (Al-Hajj 22:37)
- “Say (O Muhammad ): Whether you hide what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allāh knows it”. (Ali-`Imran, 3:29)
Gratitude
is to acknowledge Allāh for His Blessings being bestowed upon us; it is also to
praise the One who has done us many favors. It also entails displaying the
effect of the favors of Allāh upon a person by believing with one's heart,
uttering praise and glorifications of Allāh by ones tongue, and to use one's
limbs in the worship and obedience of Allāh. If only a few favors are worthy of
a great deal of gratitude, how would the case be when favors are abundant? People
are either grateful or ungrateful.
Allāh, the
Exalted, says:
- “…And the last of their call will be, `Praise to Allāh, Lord of the worlds!” [Yunus, 10: 10];
- "…Praise to Allāh, Who has fulfilled for us His promise." [Az-Zumar, 39: 74];
- “…Praise to Allāh, Who has removed from us [all] sorrow.” [Al-Fatir, 35: 34]
1 -
Gratitude Is the Core of Man’s Relationship with Allāh.
The
Gratitude to Allāh is expressed by the heart or tongue, or through deeds,
words, and gestures. As to the gratitude flowing from the heart, it is the
proper response for innumerable divine favors. Allāh says: “Labor, O David's people, in gratitude towards Me”.
(Sabā’ 34: 13)
A
grateful person is always mindful of being indebted for Allāh's bounties, big
and small, and articulates his or her feelings at every step to express
gratitude. This feeling of constant gratitude has a very significant bearing on
everyone's deeds. This is because a grateful servant finds great happiness in
doing the deeds that are pleasing to his or her Benefactor, Almighty Allāh.
Almighty
Allāh Says:
- “Therefore, remember Me (by praying, glorifying). I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favours on you) and never be ungrateful to Me.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:152);
- “And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: “If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allāh), I will give you more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless (i.e. disbelievers), verily! My Punishment is indeed severe.” (Surah Ibrahim, 14: 7) ;
- “And say: ‘All the praises and thanks be to Allāh’.” (Al-Isrā’, 17:111);
- “So eat from what Allāh has provided for you, lawful and good, and be thankful for the blessing of Allāh if it is Him you worship”. (Surah an-Nahl, 16: 114).
- “And the close of their request will be: `Al-hamdu lillahi Rabbil-‘ālamin (All the praise is due to Allāh, the Rabb of ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)]’.” (Yunus, 10:10)
Almighty
Allāh is able to do all things. He grants honor to whomever He wills and
degrades whomever He wills. So, if we enjoy a privileged, respectable position
in life, we should be grateful to Him for His grace and mercy. We should
constantly praise Him and remember His favors. Conversely, if an affliction
befalls us or a favor is taken away from us, we have to show patience and
submit to Allāh's will.
Conversely,
he or she is averse to anything that amounts to ingratitude toward a divine
bounty. One who truly appreciates Allāh's bounties and favors can never
reconcile oneself to abusing them by acting against Allāh's will. If someone
gives us a weapon that can help us to defend ourselves, only a wicked person
would abuse that weapon to hurt the one who gave it to him. One who truly
appreciates divine bounties is never ready to abuse them in the cause of Satan.
1. 1 -
Gratitude is an Act of Worship
The
showing of gratitude to the Allāh Almighty is part and parcel of having faith
in Him. It means that a person who is ungrateful to Allāh has no true faith in
his or her heart. On the other hand, a servant who thanks Allāh for His
blessings will receive even more of them. This is related in the Qur'an as
follows:
“And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: “If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allāh), I will give you more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless (i.e. disbelievers), verily! My Punishment is indeed severe.” (Surah Ibrahim, 14: 7)
“And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: “If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allāh), I will give you more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless (i.e. disbelievers), verily! My Punishment is indeed severe.” (Surah Ibrahim, 14: 7)
Furthermore,
that Satan vowed to lead most of humankind to be ungrateful to their Lord
clearly indicates how important gratitude to Allāh is. He, the accursed,
measures his success in achieving his malicious goal by making us thankless to
our Lord. What he said is related in the Qur'an thus:
“Then I will certainly come to them from before them and from behind them, and from their right-hand side and from their left-hand side; and You will not find most of them thankful.” (Al-A’raf, 7:17)
“Then I will certainly come to them from before them and from behind them, and from their right-hand side and from their left-hand side; and You will not find most of them thankful.” (Al-A’raf, 7:17)
Having
realized this, we should exert our best efforts to be among the grateful
servants of Allāh with whom He is well pleased.
2 - How to
Attain It?
We
cannot repay Allāh for His countless favors. Mercifully, Allāh allows us to
enjoy His blessings, though He can deprive us of all favors whenever He
wills.
2.1 -
Constantly Acknowledge and Appreciate Allāh’s Favors.
It
is the onus upon us to sincerely develop a constant feeling of gratitude
and a sound consciousness of Allāh's boundless favors, the first and foremost
task is to constantly acknowledge and appreciate those favors He ceaselessly
bestows upon us. It is a general human weakness that if someone is afflicted
with a misfortune, he or she keeps complaining about it to others. However, a
person refrains from speaking about the numerous bounties that he or she
enjoys. He or she closes his eyes to these blessings as if they do not exist.
Such people are not likely to appreciate the favors granted to them by their
Benefactor.
“In the Name of Allāh, the Compassionate, the Merciful:
Praise be to Allāh; Lord of all Worlds.” (Al-Fātihah, 1:1 - 2).
To
overcome this weakness, we should devote a little time every day to reflect on
the bounties we enjoy and to study divine signs scattered around us. We should
also reflect on the fact that we would be in an extremely deplorable state, if
our Lord did not bestow upon us the countless favors we are currently enjoying.
If we had not been endowed with eyes, ears, limbs, and brain, we would not have
been able to accomplish anything. We would have led a truly miserable life.
Another
equally important point to remember is that Almighty Allāh has granted us
innumerable favors even though we do not deserve them. By definition, Allāh is
not obliged to bestow these favors, and we can never repay Him in any measure
for His bounties.
In the Qur'an, Almighty Allāh tells us: “And if you would count Allāh's favors, you will not be able to number them; most surely Allāh is Forgiving, Merciful.” (An-Nahl 16:18)
In the Qur'an, Almighty Allāh tells us: “And if you would count Allāh's favors, you will not be able to number them; most surely Allāh is Forgiving, Merciful.” (An-Nahl 16:18)
Indeed,
we cannot repay Him for His countless favors. Mercifully, Allāh allows us to
enjoy His blessings, though He can deprive us of all favors whenever He wills.
There is no one to stop Him from doing so. Therefore, we should be thankful for
the granting of a blessing and for being able to enjoy it for a long time,
without losing it. A king may be reduced to a pauper, so he should not dismiss
a lowly person. A strong and healthy person may lose his or her strength in a
moment; so, he or she should not misuse his or her strength in oppressing
others. Likewise, a wealthy person who leads a luxurious life may, by Allāh's
will, be a destitute person who is helped by and dependent on others.
Almighty
Allāh is able to do all things. He grants honor to whomever He wills and
degrades whomever He wills. So, if we enjoy a privileged, respectable position
in life, we should be grateful to Him for His grace and mercy. We should
constantly praise Him and remember His favors. Conversely, if an affliction
befalls us or a favor is taken away from us, we have to show patience and
submit to Allāh's will.
Thankfulness
is not only limited to saying Al-Hamdullilāh
(Praise To Allāh). However, thankfulness can be offered through actions.
Allāh says: “Labor, O David's people, in gratitude
towards Me”. (Sabā’ 34: 13) Thankfulness through actions requires that
everyone should ask himself the following: What am I going to do with this
blessing? Am I going to use it in a good way? Am I going to contribute with it
to good causes? Or am I going to waste it, which is a form of denying the
blessing?
Therefore,
if you do not thank Allāh for His blessings with sayings and actions, you will
risk losing them. But if you thank Allāh, you are tying His blessings to you
firmly.
2.2 -
Gratitude Draws Men Nearer To Allāh
The
giving due thanks to Allāh earns for a person Allāh's love and good pleasure,
drawing one nearer to Him. It is because a person does not attribute his
ability to worldly causes, he knows deep inside that he owes everything to Allāh
alone and thus avoids ascribing any associates to Him. This way, he attains
spiritual benefits which are far better than any material gain, and praises Allāh
for every blessing.
Maybe
it is just a practice among most Muslims to thank Allāh for His blessings and
bounties, but it is a good habit expected from a true Muslim, a believer who
never complains about what he suffers in front of others. He makes it a habit
to thank Allāh whether he is wealthy or not, whether he has a good position in
life or not, whether he is rich or poor, healthy or ill. He makes sure that he
is thankful to Allāh, Who will certainly grant provision and increase it more
and more.
Allāh
promised: “And (remember) when your Lord
proclaimed: “If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allāh),
I will give you more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless (i.e.
disbelievers), verily! My Punishment is indeed severe.” (Surah Ibrahim,
14: 7)
2.3 - Saying:
“Al-hamdulillāh”
Allāh
urges believers to remember Him and thank Him for His bounties:
- “So remember Me, I will remember you; and be thankful to Me, and be not ungrateful towards Me.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 152);
- “And say: ‘All the praises and thanks be to Allāh’.”' (Al-Isrā’, 17:111);
- “Their way of request therein will be Subhānaka Allāhumma (Glory to You, O Allāh!) And Salam (Peace, safe from each and every evil) will be their greetings therein (Paradise)! And the close of their request will be: Al-Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil ‘ālameen [All the praises and thanks are to Allāh, the Lord of ‘ālameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)].” (Yunus, 10:10)
Abu
Hurairah (radiyallāhu`anhu) reported: On the Night
of Al-Isra’ (the Night of Ascension) the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam)
was presented with two drinking vessels: one full of wine and the other one
full of milk. He looked at them. Then he took the vessel which was full of
milk. Thereupon Jibril (Gabriel) said: “Al-hamdu lillah (Praise be to Allāh)
Who has guided you to that, which is in accord with Fitrah (i.e., Islamic
Monotheism; pure nature of Islam). Had you selected wine, your people would
have gone astray.”' (Recorded by Muslim)
This
Hadith highlights Islam is a religion which matches with the pure nature. Every
sensible person accepts it instinctively. One who is endowed with the capacity
and aptitude to do good should praise Allāh.
It
is always whenever you ask a Muslim: how are you? The person automatically
replies with: “Al-hamdulillāh” meaning “Praise be to Allāh”.Abu
Hurairah (radiyallāhu`anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu
`alayhi wa sallam) said, “Any matter of importance
which is not begun with “Al-hamdu lillah” (praise be to Allāh) remains
defective.” (Recorded by Abu Dawud)
Anas ibn Mālik (radiyallāhu`anhu) narrated that Allāh’s Apostle
(Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) said: “Allāh is
pleased with His servant who says: Al-hamdulillāh while taking a morsel of food
and while drinking.” [Muslim]
Another
Hadith to the effect that every important work which is not started with the
invocation “Bismillah”' is devoid of Allāh's Grace.
2.4 -
Prophet Hood (‘alaihissalam) Constantly Advised His People To Thank Allāh For
His Blessings
The
Qur’an sheds light on the story of Prophet Hood (‘alaihissalam) who constantly
advised his people to thank Allāh for His blessings:
- “Do you build on every height a monument for vain delight? And you make fine buildings as if you will last forever! And when you strike, you strike mercilessly! Rather fear Allāh and obey me. Fear Him Who has provided you with what you know. He provided you with livestock and children. And gardens and springs. Truly I fear for you the retribution of a Great Day.” (Al-Shu‘ara, 26: 128-35)
- “Is it too astonishing that Allāh guides you through a man from your people who came to warn you of the bad end that will befall you as a result of your infidelity? Don’t you remember that Allāh made you the inheritors of the earth after the people of Noah who were destroyed by their bad deeds, and that He granted you strength in your bodies and in your power? These blessings should make you believe in Allāh and thank Him, not to make you infidels.” (Al-A'raf, 7: 69)
2.5 -
Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) Observe Tahajjud at Night
Prophet
Muhammad (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) used to observe long prayers at night,
as Aishah (radiyallāhu`nha) reported: “The Prophet
(Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) used to offer prayer at night (for such a long
time) that his feet used to crack. I said, “O Allāh's Apostle! Why do you do it
since Allāh has forgiven you your faults of the past and those to follow?” He
said: “Shouldn't I love to be a thankful slave (of Allāh)?” (Recorded by
Al-Bukhari)
2.6 -
Appreciate those who assisted you by Thanking Them
The
Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) draws our attention to an important
issue. Rasulullah advised us to appreciate others by thanking them. Those who failed to appreciates others Rasūlullāh
(Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) cautioned them and said: “Anyone who
doesn’t thank people has not grateful to Allāh.” (Recorded by Abu-Dawud
and Tirmidzi)
2.7 -
Sujud Al-Syukur
The
Prostration of Thankfulness is another way to thank Allāh for His bounties. When a
Muslim receives a bounty, hears good news or is rescued from a trial, he gets
down on his knees, puts his forehead on the ground thanking Allāh for His favor.
Abu
Bakrah (radiyallāhu`anhu)
narrated: “When anything came to the Prophet
(Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) which caused pleasure (or, by which he was
made glad), Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) prostrated himself in gratitude to Allāh." [Abu Dawud.]
“Sujud
Al-Syukur (Prostration of Thankfulness) is done in response to a calamity that
is averted or a blessing which come to a person. It is like Sujud al-Tilāwah outside solah. Some of the scholars said that Wudhu’ and
Takbīr
is required, and some said that only the First Takbīr is required. Then he should
fall down in prostration, and make du’a after saying, ‘Subhāna Rabbiy al-A’lā’ (Glory be to my Lord, the Most
High)” (Fatāwa
Islamiyyah, 1/205)
Or
saying one of other Tasbihah said by Rasulullah (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) such as:
- Rasulūllāh (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) would also say: “Subhāna Rabbiy al a’lā wa bihamdih” (How Perfect is my Lord, the Most High, and Praised be He), three times. [Sahih, transmitted by Abu Dawud, Daraqutni, Ahmad, Tabarani and Bayhaqi]
- “Subhānaka Allāhuma Rabbana wabihamdika, lāilāhailla anta” (You are indeed the Most Perfection, O Allāh! Our Lord, All the Praised is You. O Allāh! Forgive me)” [Muslim, Abu ‘Awānah, Nasā'ie and Ibn Nasr.]
- Aishah (radiyallāhu`anha) reported: The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) used to recite frequently in his ruku’ and sujud: “Subbuhun Quddūs Rabbul malāikati warrūh” (Perfect, Blessed, Lord of the Angels and the Spirit). [Muslim and Abu ‘Awānah.]
- “Allāhumma laka sajadtu, wabika amantu, walaka aslamtu [waantarabbi], Sajada wajhiyalillazi khalaqahu wasawarahu, [fa ahsanasuwarahu], wasyaqqan sam’ahu wabasarahu [fa] tabakallāh huahsulkhaliqīn” (O Allāh! For you I have prostrated; in You I have believed; to You I have submitted; [You are my Lord;] my face has prostrated for the One Who created it and shaped it, [shaped it excellently,] then brought forth its hearing and vision: [so] blessed be Allāh, the Best to Create!)[Muslim, Abu ‘Awanah, Tahawi and Daraqutni.]
Ibn Qudamah (rahimahullāh) said: “The description, rulings and conditions of Sujud Al-Syukur are the same as those for Sujud Al-Tilāwah (prostration required when reciting certain verses of Qur’an)”. (Al-Mughni, 2/372) “He should say in this prostration what he says in the prostration during solah” (Al-Mughni, 2/362)
3 - All
Favors by Allāh Are To Put Man To The Test.
All
the favors that Allāh granted to us in this world are indeed a means by which Allāh
puts man to the test. In the Qur'an, Allāh reveals this important fact in the
words of Prophet Solomon (‘alaihissalam):“He who possessed knowledge of the Book said, ‘I will bring it
to you before your glance returns to you.' And when he saw it standing firmly
in his presence, he said, ‘This is part of my Lord's favor to test me to see if
I will give thanks or show ingratitude. Whoever gives thanks only does so to
his own gain. Whoever is ungrateful, my Lord is Rich Beyond Need, Generous’.” (Surah an-Naml, 27: 40)
Prophet
Solomon (‘alaihissalam) thanked Allāh for favor granted by Him, for one cannot
thank Allāh unless He wills; and gratitude is inspired by Him. The prayer
related to gratitude of Prophet Solomon (‘alaihissalam):“ He [Solomon] smiled, laughing at its words, and said, ‘My
Lord, keep me thankful for the blessing You have bestowed on me and on my
parents, and keep me acting rightly, pleasing You, and admit me, by Your mercy,
among Your servants who are righteous.” (Surah an-Naml, 27: 19)
Through
tests, Allāh is elevating you and purifying your heart. When you are afflicted
with tests, you will draw closer to Allāh and He will forgive your sins. Allāh
says: “And, indeed, We tested them [the hypocrites]
through suffering, but they did not abase themselves before their Sustainer;
and they will never humble themselves”. (Al-Mu’minun 23: 67)
When Allāh puts you to tests, you have to humble yourself, and pray to Allāh. Allāh also says about the hypocrites: “Are they, then, not aware that they are being tested year-in, year-out? And yet, they do not repent and do not bethink themselves [of Allāh]”. (At-Tawbah 9: 126)
When Allāh puts you to tests, you have to humble yourself, and pray to Allāh. Allāh also says about the hypocrites: “Are they, then, not aware that they are being tested year-in, year-out? And yet, they do not repent and do not bethink themselves [of Allāh]”. (At-Tawbah 9: 126)
Allāh
does not want to punish you by testing you. But He wants to draw you closer to
Him and to make you count His blessings which He bestowed on you. He wants you
to thank Him by your tongue and actions.
When
Allāh puts you to a test by losing some blessings, He is testing you by a
‘touch of chastisement’, as the other verse says. Every one of us has billions
of uncountable blessings. When Allāh puts one of us to a test by losing one,
two or even five blessings, he feels that he is faced with a severe crisis.
While in reality he has billions of blessings which Allāh is bestowing on him
every moment.
In
every cell in your body, there are countless blessings. In every second you
live, there are countless blessings. In every breath you breathe, there are countless
blessings. In every glance you make, there are countless blessings. Allāh is
the One who is worthy of thankfulness. When Allāh tests you by losing one or
two blessings, He is ‘pulling you towards Him’. By losing a blessing, Allāh
wants you to return and repent to Him. He also wants you to remember His
blessings and reflect on them.
And
if you sincerely repent to Allāh, the test is over. Allāh says: “And, behold, with every hardship comes ease: verily,
with every hardship comes ease!” (Ash-Sharh 94: 5-6) We notice that
Allāh repeated the verse twice.
In another verse we read: “Allāh will grant, after hardship, ease”. (At-Talaq 65: 7) Sometimes matters get worse, but Allāh makes a way-out and with difficulty comes ease. When you are faced with a problem or afflicted with a calamity, Allāh brings ease in the middle of the crisis and also after the crisis. And in any case, if this state of hardship draws you closer to Allāh, this is in itself a blessing from Allāh.
In another verse we read: “Allāh will grant, after hardship, ease”. (At-Talaq 65: 7) Sometimes matters get worse, but Allāh makes a way-out and with difficulty comes ease. When you are faced with a problem or afflicted with a calamity, Allāh brings ease in the middle of the crisis and also after the crisis. And in any case, if this state of hardship draws you closer to Allāh, this is in itself a blessing from Allāh.
If
one would like to avoid trials at all, one should always advance towards Allāh
and never fall into any mistake. In reality, though, this will never happen
because we are humans! We cannot maintain thanking Allāh all the time and a
clear record.
The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: "Every son of Adam makes mistakes, but the best of those who make mistakes are those who repent". (At-Tirmidzi) Therefore, Allāh is helping us in our journey by putting us to tests in order to give us a chance to repent.
The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: "Every son of Adam makes mistakes, but the best of those who make mistakes are those who repent". (At-Tirmidzi) Therefore, Allāh is helping us in our journey by putting us to tests in order to give us a chance to repent.
4 - All
the Blessings Would Not be Attained Unless by Allāh Wills
A
person of conscience recognizes that all the blessings by which he is
surrounded would not exist and that he could never attain them unless Allāh
willed. His body, intelligence, wisdom, feeling, health, strength—in fact, all
the favors he thinks he possesses on his own are actually blessings granted by
Him.
Giving
thanks to Allāh is not merely saying, “Al-hamdulillah” at certain times, as
when one has completed a task, eats a fine supper, or survives an ordeal unhurt.
Gratitude is a state one experiences deep in his heart because he can never
account for all the favors he enjoys, even the obvious ones: “If you tried to number Allāh's blessings, you could
never count them. Allāh is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surah
an-Nahl, 16: 18)
5 - The
Excellence of Gratitude and Patience
In
order to attain gratitude, we should not look at those who have been blessed
more than us, but those who have been blessed less, and they are so many. Those
who fail to do this are always complaining about their difficulties and
problems, and are never blessed with satisfaction or contentment. Even when
their lot improves, they do not experience true contentment. This is because it
is impossible for one to be in a state that is in all respects better than that
of everyone else.
If
we always remember that we are the servants of Almighty Allāh, some of His
servants are not granted as much as we have and others are favored with more
than us, we will be grateful and content. These noble attributes — gratitude
and patience — are dealt with in a hadith narrated by Suhaib (radiyallāhu`anhu)
that Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is reported to have said: “How amazing is the affair of the believer. Everything is good for him and that is for
no one but the believer: If good times come his way, he is thankful and that is good for him, and
if hardship comes his way, he is
patient and that is good for him." (Recorded by Muslim) Thus, it is
evident that a believer should possess these two traits.
Abu
Musa Al-Ash‘ari (radiyallāhu`anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allāh
(Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “When a
slave's child dies, Allāh the Most High asks His angels, `Have you taken out
the life of the child of My slave?” They reply in the affirmative. Allāh
then asks, ‘Have you taken the fruit of his heart?’ They reply in the
affirmative. Thereupon Allāh asks, ‘What has My slave said?’ They say: `He has
praised You and said: ‘Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rāji`un (We belong to Allāh
and to Him we shall be returned)’. Allāh says: ‘Build a house for My slave in
Jannah and name it as Bait-ul-Hamd (the House of Praise)’.”[At-Tirmidzi]
This
Hadith points out the eminence of patience and the merit of praising Allāh in
the event of a calamity, especially on the death of one's own child. Rather
than weeping and wailing, one should submit himself to the Will of Allāh and
show perseverance. Such attitude of patience and resignation is highly
meritorious and has great reward.
Anas
bin Malik (radiyallāhu`anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu
`alayhi wa sallam) said, “Allāh is pleased with His
slave who says: ‘Al-hamdu lillah (praise be to Allāh)' when he takes a morsel
of food and drinks a draught of water.'' [Recorded by Muslim]
What
the Hadith means is that to praise Allāh on eating and drinking every time is a
source of Allāh's Pleasure, no matter whether the quantity one consumes is
small or large.
In
the following verse Almighty Allāh mentions both of the criteria: “Most surely there are signs in this for every patient,
grateful one.” (Ibrahim 14:5)
Moreover,
the wisdom in that approach is well illustrated by an anecdote related by
Sheikh Sa’adi. He said that while he was traveling he reached Damascus in a
miserable condition; he did not have any money to buy new shoes to replace his
old ones. It pained him that he was unable to buy a new pair of shoes. With
these thoughts he entered the mosque where he observed a lame person, without
feet. On seeing this, he immediately fell into prostration, thanking Allāh
profusely for having provided him with feet, if not with new shoes. This
incident identifies the perspective in which we should look at things. Those
with a feeling of gratitude observe numerous manifestations of Allāh's favors,
which then fill them with greater gratitude. However, there are others who are
always complaining of what they do not have and are, therefore, unable to thank
Allāh for the many blessings He has bestowed upon them.
6 -
Ingratitude Is A Trap Devised By Satan.
Heedless
ingratitude is a serious trap devised by Satan. Indeed, it is a main ambition
of his to hinder man from giving thanks. Allāh relates the plot of Satan: “He said, ‘By Your misguidance of me, I will lie in ambush for
them on your straight path. Then I will come at them, from in front of them and
behind them, from their right and from their left. You will not find most of
them thankful’.”
(Surah al-A’raf, 7:16-17)
Satan
promised, in a dialogue with Allāh, to do his best to prevent people from being
thankful to Allāh.
As
the Qur'an makes clear, the efforts of Satan concentrate around this goal:
keeping man from giving thanks to Allāh. And his plan has indeed proven
successful on many: “... Allāh shows favor to mankind but most of them are not
thankful”.
(Surah Yunus, 10: 60)
That
Satan expresses his explicit will to approach man from this angle reveals the
importance of gratitude to Allāh as an aspect of worship. No doubt, abandoning
it is sinful in the Sight of Allāh: “And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: “If you give
thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allāh), I will give you
more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless (i.e. disbelievers), verily!
My Punishment is indeed severe.” (Surah Ibrahim, 14: 7)
To
conclude, one of the most interesting attributes of Allāh is Ash-Shakur meaning
that Allāh is the most appreciative. So we should be grateful to the one who
endows us with health, family, wealth, peace and security, a nurturing
environment etc. By recognizing Allāh’s bounties by the heart or tongue, or
through deeds, words, and gestures, our hearts will find contentment and peace.
And
Allāh Almighty Knows best.
(This article is based adapted from the
book ‘Self-Development in the Context of Man's Relationship with Allāh ‘by Amin
Ahsan Islahi published by the Islamic Foundation Via On Islam Sunday, 23 August
2009; and an article entitled “Expressing Gratitude: The Muslim Norm” by
Fouziah Hakkou, Via On Islam 26 December 2010.)
