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BEING
THANKFUL TO ALLAH
The
other day while watching a network news program, I saw a
Muslim man in Kosovo with her sixmonth-old infant, who was
covered in sores and suffered from a malady of illnesses, all
because it had not had a bath since its birth.
The
mother explained that because of the heavy fighting, she and
her family had been on the move constantly, and that luxuries
such as decent food and clean water were not available to
them. As the mother of a six month-old infant myself, this
struck to the very heart of me. Bath time for my son and I, is
a very special time, filled with play and laughter. It's a
ritual we share everyday, and the fact that I would have clean
water with which to bathe him, was something, until then, that
I took totally for granted. Since then, every time I bathe my
son, I try to remember to thank Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala,
for His Mercy to me. It also reminds me to be thankful for all
the other "little things," that I take for granted
everyday.
From
the very beginning of Man's creation, the issue of
gratefulness and thankfulness to Allah has been debated. After
refusing to bow to Adam, Satan said, "Then I will
certainly come to them from before them and from behind them,
and from the right-hand side and from the left-hand side, and
Thou (Allah) shall not find most of them thankful."
[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 Satan, and have gotten
so caught up in our comings and goings, that we very rarely
take the time to reflect on the favours 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 incharge, and
from where our sustenance comes. This is not the way, for
Allah says, "Therefore remember Me, I will remember you,
and be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me."
[2:152]
The
problem that most of us face is what I call the, "if I
only ..." syndrome. If I only had a better wife, I would
be grateful. If I only had sons instead of daughters, I would
be grateful. If I only had a bigger house, a better car, more
money, a better job, and the list goes on and on. We are
constantly focused on the things we don't have, instead of
being grateful to Allah for the things we do have.
This
is a very serious illness, for which the Prophet, sallallahu
alayhi wasallam, has given the cure. He, sallallah alayhe
wasallam, admonished us, in terms of worldly things to always
look to those beneath us, to those less fortunate than us, for
this will keep us thankful. Allah says about the Prophet,
sallallahu alayhe wasallam, that in him we have the best of
examples. In terms of showing us how to be thankful to Allah,
subhanahu wata'ala, he is as Allah says. It is narrated by al-Mughira
that the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, used to stand
(in the salah) or performs salah until both his feet or legs
swelled. He was asked why (he offered such an unbearable Salah)
he said, "Should I not be a thankful slave."
(Bukhari)
As
the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, advised us, the best
way to stay thankful to Allah is to count His favours in our
lives everyday For Allah says, "And He gives you all that
you ask for. But if you count the favours of Allah, never will
you be able to number them. Verily, man is given up to
injustice and ingratitude." [14:34] This statement of
Allah is so true, yet we put so little value on it, and do not
take heed.
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., etc., etc., are all favour from Allah, subhanahu
wata'ala. We should take none of it for granted, or become
arrogant enough to believe that we attained any of it because
of our own efforts alone.
Thankfulness
frees the heart from greed, jealousy and envy. When we are
thankful to Allah, we remain mindful of Him and His continues
Mercy toward us, and this in return humbles us and improves
our characters. The very fact that Allah has guided us to
Islam and the sunnah of His Prophet, sallallahu alayhe
wasallam, in itself should be a source of continual praise.
Allah says, "Surely We have shown him the way: he may be
thankful or unthankful." [76:3]
Allah
also says that only few of His servants thank Him. Let us then
strive to be among these few by keeping our tongues wet with
His remembrance and hearts soft with His praise.
Sumayyah
bint Joan
Al-Jummu'ah Vol.10 issue12
Last modified:
July 19, 2007
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