Gratitude
Gratitude
Gratitude means to be thankful or grateful.
For Example, when we receive a gift or if someone does us a favour, we say “JazakAllah” which means, “May Allah reward you”.
Likewise Allah has given us countless (many) gifts and blessings, and we should be grateful to Allah for them.
To be grateful is a very good deed.
Some gifts that Allah has given us
Allah created the world and everything in it, for example, the sea, the mountain, the trees, the people and the animals. Everything belongs to Allah.
Allah gives us…
1. The food that we eat.
2. Good health so that we can play, do work and read our Salaah.
3. The gift of our 5 sense -that help us to touch, taste, smell, see and hear.
4. A mind to think, study and do good.
We call all these gifts blessings from Allah. The best gift that Allah has given us is that he has made us Muslims.
Therefore, we must be grateful to Allah at all times.
In Sarah Baqarah, Sarah 2, verse 152 Allah tells us 2 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
“Then do remember me, I will remember you and be grateful to me. And do not be ungrateful to me.”
Sometimes, we think of Allah only when we have a problem at home, at school, or at work. Once the problem is resolved (sorted out), we thank Allah for his favour and there after we forget him.
How should we show gratitude to Allah
We must thank Allah everyday of our lives for the wonderful blessing that he has given us. We can do this by:
1. Reading Salah daily,
2. Reading the Quran daily
3. Making Dikhr by reciting tasbeeb such as ‘SubhanAllah’ etc.
4. Trying to do good at all times and thus pleasing Allah.
How Our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) showed gratitude
Whenever Our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) heard any good news, he thanked Allah by making Sajda of Gratitude. We must also show gratitude to Allah by doing the same or by saying ‘Allhamduillah’.
Gratitude to parents
After Allah we have to show gratitude to our parents. Our parents are a gift from Allah. They care for us, look after us, and help us as we grow up. They are kind to us. They love us and care so much for our comfort and happiness. 3 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
So, we Must care for our parents. We must always be kind to them. We must listen to what they say. Our parents say and do things for our benefit only.
Allah tells us in the holy Quran in surah Luqman, Surah 31 Verse 14, to be grateful to our parents.
“Show gratitude to me and your parents”.
Story of how Sharfuddin Yahyaa showed gratitude to his mother.
There was once a great man, named SharfuddinYahya. He cared a lot for his parents when he was a boy. He was Obedient and kind to them.
One night his mother was thirsty and asked SharfuddinYahya for a glass of water. When Sharfuddin Yahya came to his mother with the glass of water, he found her asleep. So, he kept standing there with the glass of water in his hand until she awoke. When his mother opened her eyes after a few hours and found Sharfuddin Yahya standing beside her with the glass of water.
She asked him, “My dear son, have you been standing all this time?”
Sharfuddin Yahya “Yes mother I have been waiting for you to wake up, to give you the glass of water.”
Sharfuddin Yahya’s mother was very pleased with him. She blessed him and prayed to Allah to make him a great man. When he grew up Sharfuddin was a really good man of his time.
Children! We must always care for our parents. Never say a harsh word to them. Always obey them. Do your best at school and madrasah. 4 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
If our parents are happy with us, Allah too, will be happy with us. After all, Allah commands us to be good to our parents.
A good Muslim is always kind to his parents. He cares for them with love.
Remember! Duaas of parents help us very much so always try and do things that will earn their duaas.
Gratitude to others
1. Our teachers
2. Brothers/sisters
3. Ones neighbours
4. Our doctors
5. Our workers
6. Other people that help us in many ways to make life easy for us.
E.g. The petrol attendant, the Packer at the supermarket and the caretakers at school.
All these people help us in different ways. If we do not show gratitude to them, then it means we are ungrateful to them as well as to Allah.
Our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has said: “He does not thank the people is indeed grateful to Allah.”