Gratitude to Allah’s blessings

We can never count all of Allah SWT’s blessings.

There are those which we are acutely aware of in life such as our wealth, health, status and intellectual abilities in life. We are able to recognize these quite often.

Then we have those blessings in our life which we occasionally remember such as a time when our loved ones do something for us, i.e. our children, parents etc.

There is the ultimate recognized blessing of being muslim. Being part of the truth. Being submissive to Allah SWT, following in the footsteps of the best of creation, Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him, and belonging to the religion of Islam.

In fact this blessing is mentioned in Sura Al-Maidah, Ayat 3 when Allah SWT says:

This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.

But what we are all unaware of are the blessings that we cannot even measure or recognize. These are beyond measure and they are specifically referred to in An-Nahl, ayat 17 to 19 when Allah says:

Is, then, He who creates comparable to any that cannot create? Will you not then take heed? For you should try to count Allah’s blessings, you could never count them”

From the very beginning it is the role of Shaytaan to make us ungrateful. Indeed to be ungrateful is a sign of disbelief as the Quran demonstrates this by comparing the word for ‘gratitude’ to ‘disbelief’. An example of this is in Sura Al-Baqarah, ayat 152:

Then remember me; I will remember you. Be grateful to me and do not reject me.

It is clear that the key to success for us is to demonstrate gratitude to Allah SWT but often it is not taught how this can be done.

The classical scholars of Islam have outlined three ways in which we can show Shukr or thanks to Allah SWT for all the blessings we receive from him.

Firstly, it is through the Shukr of the heart. This means that one should aim to have the intention to do good for the sake of Allah SWT. This assists in purifying the heart as it is lent towards doing things that will please Allah SWT.

It is not the concern of the believer as to whether the intention materializes into action or not as that is down to Allah SWT, but you must have the intention there as without it there can never be any action to do good.

Secondly it is through the Shukr of the tongue. This is performed through rememberance of Allah SWT. A simple act of saying Alhamdullilah, MashAllah, SubhanAllah. Bring these words into your vocabulary more so as to perform shukr in this manner.

Thirdly it is through the Shukr of the limbs. Simply put, this is the most direct form of shukr and it is through our physical actions. Whether it be the performing of optional prayers or the smallest acts of charity such as picking up an obstacle from a path – this is yet another way to demonstrate your gratitude to Allah SWT.

May Allah SWT make us recognize all the blessings he bestowes upon each of us. May Allah SWT make us of those who are grateful to Him. And may Allah increase and accept our demonstration of gratitude towards Him.

Ameen wal hamdullilahi rabilalameen.