Gratitude

I intend sharing with you some thoughts on the subject of gratitude or

thankfulness and gratefulness to Allah (SWT). What is gratitude all about? What
is its importance? What are its benefits? How to attain it?

Gratitude is at the core of man's relationship with Allah (SWT). Gratitude

helps us focus our minds on Allah, something that has unfortunately become so
difficult today on account of life’s attractions and distractions. Showing
gratitude to Allah is part and parcel of having faith in Him. This means that a
person who is ungrateful to Allah has no true faith in his or her heart..

Ibn Ul Qayyim un his book uddat tus saabireen

States that “ gratitude is half of ones eman, the other being patience”
Expand: gratitude for blessings patience when afflicted by adversity and loss

Satan’s ultimate goal is to make people disbelievers through ways and

means that will prevent them from being thankful to Allah. In a dialogue with
Allah (SWT), Satan openly declared,
َ َ َ َ َ
َ ْ َ ْ ‫ثم َ ََل ِت َي َّنهم ِمن ب‬
‫ي أي ِد ِيهم َو ِمن خل ِف ِهم َو َعن أي َم ِان ِهم َو َعن ش َم ِائ ِل ِهم َول ت ِجد‬‫َ ن‬ َ ََ ْ َ
‫أ كثهم ش ِاك نرين‬ َ

“Then I will surely come to them from before them and from behind them and
from their right and from their left, and then You will find most of them
ungrateful” (al-A’raf, 7:17).

This statement from the worst of liars has proven to be true, not only among
the disbelievers, but also among the Muslims. Unfortunately, we Muslims have
fallen into the trap of Iblees, and have gotten so caught up in our comings and
goings, that we very rarely take the time to reflect on the Favors of Allah, and
to thank Him with the thanks that is due Him. We are so busy conducting our
daily lives that we forget who is really in-charge, and from where our
sustenance comes.

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 How important it is then to be grateful to Allah (SWT)?
To develop a feeling of gratitude and consciousness of Allah's boundless
favors, the first and foremost task is to acknowledge and appreciate those
favors.
It is a general human weakness that if one is afflicted with a misfortune,
one keeps complaining about it to others.
However, a person hardly speaks about the countless bounties that he or
she enjoys. The Qur’an declares,
َ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ُّ َ َ
‫اّلل لغفور َّر ِحيم‬ ‫اّلل ل تحصوها ِإن‬
ِ ‫وِإن تعدوا ِنعمة‬
“If you tried to count God’s blessings, you would never be able to calculate them.
God is ever forgiving and most merciful” (al-Nahl, 16:18).

The very fact that we got up this morning, that we can offer the salah that we
had breakfast, that we have clothes to wear, water to bathe ourselves, that we
have homes to shelter us from the elements, that we have our health, our
families, etc., are all favors from Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala. We should take
non of it for granted, or become arrogant enough to believe that we attained
any of it because of our own efforts alone.

َ ُ َ ً َ َ َ ٌّ ٌّ َّ ‫و ََه َو َالذى َأن َش َأ َل ُكم‬

‫السم َع َوالب َص َـر َوالف ِئدة ق ِليال َّما تشكرون‬ ِ
It is He Who has created for you hearing, eyes, and hearts (understanding,
intellect). Little thanks you give.)
Brothers is Allah describing us? Are we the ungrateful servants of Allah?

*******Least of the blessings : a single breath, a blink of the eye, ****

Hadith “

In a sahih hadith, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)

said: “No one will attain salvation by virtue of his deeds.” The people asked,
“Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “not even me, unless Allah
covers me with His Mercy and Blessings.”

…the deeds of a man cannot pay for the one of the many blessings of
Allah….the smallest of Allah’s blessings and favours far outweigh the deeds
of man..”
REST ROOM: Example
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 A little reflection on the blessings we enjoy should be enough to make
us realize that our lives would be miserable without them. Let me give you a
very simple example. Do we truly thank Allah on coming out of the rest-room
after relieving ourselves? We often take things for granted. Just imagine the
uneasiness one would feel, not to talk of the pain and agony one would undergo
if one could not relieve oneself properly. That is why we are reminded through
a Prophetic supplication to thank Allah every time we relieve ourselves by
saying,
َ ّْ َ َ َ َ
ْ ‫اْل َذى َو َع َاف‬ َ َ َ ْ
‫ان‬
ِِ ‫ّلل ال ِذي أذهب ع ِن‬
ِ ِ ‫الحمد‬
“All praise and thanks be to Allah who removed the difficulty and gave me
ease.”

There are numerous Prophetic supplications for different times and

occasions that teach us to thank Allah for His blessings. Although thankfulness
is a religious act of great significance, few people truly do it.

Allah says,
ُ َّ َ
‫َوق ِليل ّمن ِع َب ِاد َي الشكور‬
“Few of my servants are truly thankful” (Saba’, 34:13).

If you are thankful I will give you more:

ُ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ
‫ي شكرتم ْل نزيدنكم‬ ِ‫ل‬
“If you are thankful, I will give you more” (Ibrahim, 14:7).
Yet, if we were to be ungrateful, Allah does not say outright that He will
punish us; rather He leaves it open as if to remind us, ‘look, My Punishment is
severe – that is all you need to know; so start becoming thankful for your own
benefit.’
َ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ْ ََ
‫ان لش ِديد‬
ِِ ‫ذ‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ن‬ ‫إ‬ِ ‫م‬ ‫ت‬
‫ر‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ول ِي ك‬
“But if you are ungrateful, then know that My punishment is severe indeed”
(Ibrahim, 14:7).

The words shakartum and kafartum used in this ayah are derived
from shukr, meaning thankfulness and kufr, meaning thanklessness. The
root ka-fa-ra means to cover something up, and that is why linguistically, a

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farmer in the Arabic language is also known as kafir because he covers up the
seeds with the soil. In the religious sense, the kafir is one who is ungrateful
because he covers up or conceals his iman—his inborn faith; the faith that is
embedded in the soul of every human being. Thus, he shows his ingratitude to
Allah (SWT). Shukr and kufr are diametrically opposite to each other.

This relationship between the two opposing concepts is highlighted

elsewhere in the Qur’an where Allah pairs these two words together:
ْ َ ََ ُ َ ُ ُ َ ْ ُ َ
‫ون‬
ِ ‫ر‬‫ف‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ل‬‫و‬ ‫ل‬
ِِ ‫وا‬‫ر‬‫ك‬ ‫ون أذكركم واش‬
ِ ِ ‫فاذكر‬
“So remember Me; I will remember you. Be thankful to Me and do not be
ungrateful” (al-Baqarah, 2:152),

Avoid looking at those above you

Imams Bukhari and Muslim have both recorded in their sahihs,

… Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said,

ْ َ ْ ْ َ ّ َ ُ َ َ َ َ
،‫ِإذا نظ َر أ َحدكم ِإل َمن فض َل َعلي ِه ِ ْ ِف ال َم ِال َوالخل ِق‬
َ َ َ ُ َْ
‫فل َينظر ِإل َمن ه َو أسف َل ِمنه‬
“If anyone of you looked at a person who was made superior to him in
property and (in good) appearance, then he should also look at the one who
is inferior to him. …

In another hadith:

َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ
َِ ‫ول تنظروا ِإل من هو فوقكم فهو أجدر أن ل تزدروا ِنعمة اّلل‬

the Prophet said, “Do not look to those above you, lest you view the favors of
Allah as trivial.”

And this is excellent advice from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The best remedy
for this condition (where you get caught up in wanting what others may have,
and not appreciating what you have been given) is to look at those people who
have less than you. No matter how little you may have, or what condition you
may find yourself in, there are always people who have less than you, or who

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have it harder than you. And this should help to refocus our thinking and our
hearts on the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon us.

Those who fail to do this are always complaining about their problems,
and are never blessed with satisfaction or contentment.

Not recognizing Allah’s blessings can prevent us from gaining His

pleasure.

We know that if Allah were to punish us for our negligence, He would be

justified for it.

We are informed in the Qur’an,

َ ّ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ
‫اس َ ِب َما ك َسبوا َما ت َرك َعل ظه نرها ِمن د َّابة َول ِكن يؤخرهم ِإل‬ َ ‫الن‬ ‫َ َولو يؤ ِاخذ اّلل‬
َ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ً َ
‫اّلل كان ِب ِع َب ِاد ِه َب ِص ًثا‬ ‫أ َجل مسّم ف ِإذا جاء أجلهم ف ِإن‬
“If Allah were to take people to task for they have earned, He would not leave a
single living creature on the surface of the earth; but He grants them respite until
an appointed time; and when their appointed time comes, then they will know
that Allah is indeed observant of all His servants” (Fatir, 35:45).

But Allah provides us a way to escape that punishment by being thankful

to Him. He says,
‫يما‬
َ َ ََ
ً ‫اّلل َشاك ًرا َعل‬ ‫ان‬ ‫ك‬‫و‬ ‫م‬‫ت‬ ‫ن‬‫م‬َ ‫اّلل ب َع َذاب ُكم إن َش َكرتم َوَآ‬
َ
‫ل‬ َ ‫َما َيف‬
‫ع‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
“Why should Allah punish you if you are grateful to Him and believe in Him. Allah
is all- appreciative; all-knowing” (al-Nisa’, 4:147).

May Allah make us among those who sincerely praise Him and thank Him
for all His blessings and favors.

Sheikh Sa`di (Rahimahullah) narrates a story in which he says 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

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fell into prostration, thanking Allah 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 Allah'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 Allah for the many blessings He has
bestowed upon them. Allah does not need our thanks and gratitude. It is in our
benefit to be thankful.

َ َ ‫و ََ َمن َيش ُكر َفإ َّن َما َيش ُكر ل َنفسه َو َمن َك َف َر َفإ َّن‬
ٌّ ْ ِ ‫اّلل َغ‬
‫ن َح ِميد‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
“He who is grateful, is grateful only for the good of his own soul. But if anyone is
ungrateful, then surely Allah is self-sufficient and praiseworthy: (Luqman, 31:12).

Gratitude helps us to slow down and to enjoy what we have rather than
always waiting for the next wish to come true.

Gratitude can help us recognize that we already have enough of what

many people have for long been yearning for.

We must therefore tame our nafs to understand that if we can’t find

happiness in the blessings that we have today, then we won’t be happy with
what we get tomorrow. You see, gratitude is a sense of fulfillment that comes
not from wanting more but rather from a sense of knowing that Allah has
already blessed us with what we need.

Gratitude helps us recognize other people’s favors to us.

َّ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ
َ ‫الن‬
. " ‫اس‬ ‫ل يشكر اّلل من ل يشكر‬
The Prophet (SAW) said, “He who does not thank people, does not thank
Allah.” (Abi Dawud)

Thus, he made it quite clear that expressing our gratitude to Allah by

thanking Him also involves that we thank people who do favors for us.

There is another hadith that says,

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 َ َ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ
ْ ‫َمن ص ِن َع إ َلي ِه َمعروف َف ْليجزئه َفإن َلم َي ِجد َما يجزئه فلي‬
‫ي َعلي ِه ف ِإنه ِإذا أث َْن‬
َ َ َ َ َ َّ َ ‫َ َ َ َ َ ِ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ن َ َ ِ َ َ َ َ َ َ ن َ َ َ ن‬
‫ فكأنما ل ِبس ثو ِن زور‬،‫فقد شكره وِإن كتمه فقد كفره ومن تحل ِبما لم يعط‬
hadith of Jaabir: “Whoever has a favour done for him, let him reciprocate,
and if he cannot reciprocate, then let him praise [the person who did him the
favour], for if he praises him, then he has thanked him, but if he conceals it, then
he has been ungrateful towards him. And whoever pretends to have what he has
not been given is like one who wears two garments of falsehood

This hadith mentions three types of people: one who is grateful for the
blessing and gives praise for it; one who denies it and conceals it; and one who
pretends to be one of those who were given it when that is not the case, so he
pretends to have something that he was not given

How to show gratitude:

‫علَ ْي ُك ْم‬ ِ‫ت ه‬

َ ‫َّللا‬ َ ‫َوا ْذ ُك ُرواْ نِ ْع َم‬
2:231
Gratefulness to Allah may be expressed by the heart, by the tongue, or
through good deeds and gestures

By the heart:
. True gratefulness by the heart is manifested through sincere belief that
all the blessings we have—the known and the unknown—our very existence,
our life, our body, our physical appearance, and all our abilities and
accomplishments are from Allah. The Qur’an says,
َ َ َ ّ ّ ُ َ َ
ِ ‫وما ِبكم من نع َمة ف ِمن‬
‫اّلل‬
“Whatever blessing you have is from Allah” (al-Nahl, 16:53).

By the tongue
As for gratitude of the tongue, it means acknowledging verbally - after
believing in the heart- that the One Who grants blessing is indeed Allah, and
keeping the tongue busy with praise of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted

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It was narrated from ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez (may Allah have mercy on him)
that he said: Remind one another of blessings, for mentioning them is
gratitude.

Dua 1

Muhammad (SAW) always thanked Allah and recommended his followers

to do so. One of his favorite supplications was,
ْ
‫أعن عل ذكرك و شكرك و حسن عبادتك‬
ِ ‫اللهم‬

“O Allah, help me remember You, to be grateful to You, and to worship You in

an excellent manner.” The more we thank Allah, the more He will grant us from
His bounties, for He promises,

Dua 2
** Imam Bukhari has related that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) used to make
the following dua
َ ْ َ َ َّ َ
‫َ اللهم لك الحمد‬
َّ َ َ َ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ
‫غث مك ِ ِف ول مودع‬
َ َّ َ َ ًْ َ َ َ
‫»َل مستغن عنه ربنا‬
“O Allah ! All praise is due to You, without being able to sufficiently thank
You, nor ever wishing to be cut off from You, nor ever feeling rich from
relying on You; our Lord!”

O our Lord! Your favor cannot be compensated, nor can be left, nor can be dispensed with, O
our Lord!"

By the body:
Gratefulness or thankfulness by the body is shown by using one's limbs,
organs, faculties, and abilities for the purposes for which they were created.

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 It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) used to pray at night
until his feet became swollen, and when asked why he was doing this, when
Allah had forgiven all his past and future wrong actions, his reply was, “Should I
not be a grateful slave?”

The Prophet used to offer night prayers till his feet became swollen.
Somebody said, to him,” “Allah has forgiven you, your faults of the past and
those to follow.” On that, he said, “Shouldn’t I be a thankful slave of Allah)?”

ً ‫ال َأ ُكون َعب ًدا َش ُك‬

‫ورا‬
َ ََ
‫أف‬

Sajdah Shukr

Hadith Abu Baqrah

When anything came to the Prophet () which caused pleasure (or, by

which he was made glad), he prostrated himself in gratitude to Allah. Sunan Abi
Dawud 2774

َ ً َ ً َ َّ َ َ ِّ َ َ َ َ َ
‫ّلل‬
ِ ِ ‫اجدا ش ِاكرا‬
ِ ‫ِإذا جاءه أمر ُسور أو بّش ِب ِه خر س‬

Narrated Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf:

“The Prophet (pbuh) came into the masjid, then he faced the Qiblah and
fell in prostration, remaining like that for a long time. Then he raised his
head and said, “Jibreel came to me with good news, he said, ‘Allah says to
you, “Whoever sends blessings on you, I will send blessings on him, and
whoever sends greetings of peace to you, I will send greetings of peace to
him,”’ so I prostrated in thankfulness to Allah.” (Ahmad)

Sadaqah – one of the best ways to show gratitude for what Allah has provided
you with