Thankfulness Towards Allah The Almighty

That is because Allah will never change the grace which He hath bestowed on a people until they change what is in their (own) souls" {Soorah al-Anfal (:53}


This is one of the ways in which Allah deals with His servants, for He made the condition of people directly related to their belief. If they change their belief, Allaah will change their condition. Allah will replace their security with fear, and their sustenance. And security and sustenance are two Allah's greatest graces. Allah says in the Quraan: "So let them worship Allah the Lord of this House (the Kaaba) Who provides them with food against hunger and with security against fear (of danger)" {Soorah Quraish (106:3-4)}
Suhaib ibn Sinan narrated that the Prophet said: "How remarkable is the case of the believer! There is good for him in everything, but this is not the case for anyone except for the believer. When the believer receives any good, he is thankful to Allah, and gets a reward. And when some misfortune befalls him, he endures it patiently, for which he is (also) rewarded." {Fiqh as-Sunnah, vol.4, p.1.}


What is Thankfulness?
In Islamic terminology, Thankfulness is the acknowledgment of the fact that Allah is the only Grantor of graces, and full submission to Allah in a way that assures that acknowledgment. The graces (favors) of Allah are endless and countless. Allah says in His Book: "And if you were to count the blessings of Allah, you will never be able to count them." {Soorah Ibrahim (14): 34}
He, the All Mighty also says: "And whatever blessings and good you have, it is from Allaah .." {Soorah an-Nahl, (16): 53}


How can a servant (Abd) thank Allaah? {The word 'slaves' represents mankind, for all of mankind are expected to totally submit to the will of Allah}The servant can thank Allaah in many ways. These include:

1. Prostrating to Allah, when the servant receives a blessing from Allaah or when Allah saves him from a disaster. The Messenger of Allaah (salallahu alaihi wasallam) used to prostrate to Allah whenever he received a pleasant thing or was told good news. This prostration is conducted for the sole purpose of giving thanks to Allaah, the Granter of the grace and benefit that the servant received. [see Fiqh as-Sunnah by Sayyid Sabiq (English trans.) vol.2, p.45]
Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Auf relates that the Messenger of Allah (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) went out once and he followed him until he entered a grove of palm trees and prostrated. His prostration was so long that 'Abdur-Rahman feared that Allah had taken his soul. 'Abdur-Rahman came to look at him and he raised his head and said: "What is wrong, Abdur-Rahman' ?" Abdur rahman mentioned what had happened, and he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "Gibra'el came to me and said: 'Shall I not give you glad tidings'? Allah says to you, Whoever prays upon you, I pray upon him. Whoever salutes you, I salute him.' Therefore, I prostrated to Allah in thanks." {This is related by Ahmad and by Al-Haakim who says: "It is sahih according to the criterion of al-Bukhari and Muslim}


2. Thanking Allah in words: The majority of the scholars agreed that if the servant does not thank Allaah for the grace he has, then that grace will go away and may never come back. Allah's Messenger (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: "It is a fine thing when a believer praises and thanks Allah if good comes to him, and praises Allah and shows endurance if smitten by affliction. The believer is rewarded for everything, even for the morsel he raises to his wife's mouth." {Bayhaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-Iman. Sunan at-Tirmidhi no.1733 See also Saheeh Muslim (7138)}


3. Talking about the benefits Allah has granted him. This is because concealing the benefits of Allah is ungrateful. Allaah says in the Quraan: "Do they believe in the false deities and deny the favor of Allaah." {Soorah an-Nahl (16):72}
Ibn Katheer commented that denying the favors of Allah means hiding his grants and/or relating them to others than Allah.
Narrated by Zaid bin Khalid Al Juhani : The Prophet led us in the Fajr prayer at Hudaibiya after a rainy night. On completion of the prayer, he faced the people and said, "Do you know what your Lord has said (revealed)?" The people replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "Allah has said, 'In this morning some of my slaves remained as true believers and some became non-believers; whoever said that the rain was due to the Blessings and the Mercy of Allah had belief in Me and he disbelieves in the stars, and whoever said that it rained because of a particular star had no belief in Me but believes in that star." {Saheeh al-Bukhari (1:807)}


4. Helping people in need. It was mentioned in a Hadeeth of Prophet Muhammad (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) that: "As the grants from Allah to a servant increase, so will the people's needs of that blessed servant's services. If the servant ignores their needs, it will cause those grants to be removed" (lbn Hibban)
The Prophet (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "If anyone strokes an orphan's head, doing so only for Allah's sake, he will have blessings for every hair over which his hand passes; and if anyone treats well an orphan girl or boy under his care, he and I shall be like these two in Paradise," putting two of his fingers together." {Sunan at-Tirmidhi no.4974}


Why does the servant not thank Allah?
The servant may not thank Allaah for several reasons:


1. The servant may be unaware of the general grants that were bestowed by Allah on the creatures. Many people wrongly think that money is the only thing to be considered and ignore the other general grants such as hearing, vision, sanity and health. The Prophet (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "There are two blessings which many people lose: (They are) health and free time for doing good." {Saheeh al-Bukhari vol 8: 421}
Aaishah, the Prophet's wife said: "Whenever a servant drinks a drop of water which gets into his body and leaves it with no harm, then a thanks is due."
A man came to a good Muslim and complained that Allah made him very poor. The good man said: "Would you like to have ten thousand dinars and be insane?" The Complainer answered: "No." The good man said: "Would you like to have ten thousand dinars but have your legs chopped off" The complainer answered: "No." The good man then said: "Aren't you ashamed of yourself complaining about your Lord while all of these grants which are His; have been bestowed on you?"


2. The servant may not give thanks to his Lord because he is unaware of the people who have less bounties than him. This is mentioned in a Hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim, that:
Allaah's Messenger (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "Look at those people who have less than you and never look at those who have more grants than you, this will ensure that you will not depreciate Allah's grants." {Saheeh Muslim no.1530}
At times of hardship, one should turn his eyes towards a person who owns less worldly things than him. He will then be calmed and his ungratefulness will disappear. One will then thank his Lord and say: "Thanks to Allah who has guarded me against the harm which He has afflicted others, and who has chosen not to afflict me" {Sunan at-Tirmidhi}


3. The servant may not give thanks to his Lord because he is unaware of Allah's names, attributes and laws. The real ignorant person is the one who gets deceived by the amount of money he has or by his position or his power. He forgets the fact that as Allah has granted, He may also take the blessings away. Allaah says in His Book, "Say, O Allah! Lord of Power (and Rule) You give Power to whom You will and You take away power from whom You will, and you endue with honor whom you will, and humiliate who you will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things." {Soorah al-Imran (3):26}


When does Allaah take His grants away from His servants?
1. When one commits sins: The Messenger of Allaah (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "The servant will be deprived a provision because he committed a sin" (Musnad Ahmed)
On the other hand, fearing Allaah causes His provisions to come forth, Allah says in the Quraan: "And whoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, Allaah will make way for him out of every difficulty, And He will provide for him from sources he never imagined" {Soorah at-Talaq (65):2-3}


2. When the servant relates the grants to himself and does not acknowledge that Allah is their Grantor as Qaroon (a tyrannical king mentioned in the Qur'aan al-Qasas (28): 78 ) said: "This has been given to me only because of knowledge I possess."
Consequently. his punishment was, "So We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling place. Then he had no group or party to help him against Allaah." {Soorah al-Qasas (28): 81}


3. When the servant does not give Zakaat. The Messenger of Allaah (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "Indeed Allaah the Most High said, 'We have sent down the wealth for the prayer to be established and that Zakaat be given; and if the son of Aadam had a valley, he would love to have a second; if he had two valleys, he would love to have a third, and nothing will fill the belly of the son of Aadam except dust …" {Musnad Ahmed & at-Tabaraanee. Saheeh al-Jaami, no.1777} So the money is actually Allaah's money, and we have been entrusted with it. And he (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "Do not shut your money bag; otherwise Allah too will withhold His blessings from you. Spend (in Allah's cause) as much as you can afford. " {Saheeh al-Bukhari 2/515}


The Prophet of Allaah (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) also said, "Do not withhold your money by counting it (i.e. hoarding it), (for if you did so), Allah would also withhold His blessings from you." {Saheeh al-Bukhari vol.2: 514}


4. When the servant of Allaah becomes arrogant due to the large amount of money he has. If the person feels superior to other people, and his wealth becomes his only business, if he talks about it and only about it wherever he goes, and forgets to remember Allaah and praise Him; if he starts evaluating people based on their wealth, then Allaah will remove his grants. Allaah says in the Quraan: "Woe to every slanderer and back biter. Who has gathered wealth and counted it. He thinks that his wealth will make last forever. Nay! Verily, he will be thrown into the crushing fire." {Soorah al-Humazah (104):1-4}


And finally there is no better example for us than the Messenger of Allaah (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) who 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)?" {Saheeh al-Bukhari vol.6: 360}

source www.islamicsites.com

Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, is the creator of mankind and therefore knows his nature more intricately than mankind himself. Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, has therefore chosen for us a religion best suited to the nature of mankind, a religion that goes neither to the extremes of hardship nor of laxity, but instead provides a middle path; in other words, a religion of ease. Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, said; "Allah intends for you ease, and does not want to make things difficult for you" [2:185]; and "Allah does not want to place you in difficulty" [5:6].
Such easiness is well explained in the hadeeth reported by Abu Hurairah,
radiya Allahu 'anhu, that the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said, "Religion is easy..." [Bukhari], he also said; "The best of your religion, is the easiest." [Ahmad]
The easiness of this religion was put into practise by the best of humanity, the one who came to deliver the message, as Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, said;
"Verily there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves, it grieves him that you should suffer any difficulty, he is anxious for you, for the believers he is full of pity and merciful" [10:128]
This understanding is clarified in a hadeeth in which the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said; "... Allah did not send me to be harsh, or cause harm, but He sent me to teach and make things easy" [Muslim]. This understanding is further implemented by the mercy sent to mankind,
Muhammed, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, in the hadeeth reported by his noble and pure wife, 'Aishah, radiya Allahu 'anhu, who said; "Whenever the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, has a choice between two matters, he would choose the easiest, unless it is sinful (act)" [Bukhari].
Many hadeeths have been reported on the matter of easiness: "Allah likes for this nation ease and hates for it hardship and adversity." [Tabaraani].
"We have been given a privilege over other nations... .we have been given verses that no one else has been given, the last two verses of Surah Baqarah(chapter 2)"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error. Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear" After each statement, Allah responded by saying, "I did, I did, I
did"" [Muslim].
To further emphasise this understanding to his companions, when once a Bedouin stood up and started urinating in the mosque, the people caught him; but he, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, ordered them to leave him and to pour a bucket or a tumbler of water over the place where he had urinated. The Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, then said, "You
have been sent to make things easy and not to make them difficult" [Bukhari].
An example that illustrates this point is Salah, an act so important and vital to Islam that the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said; "Between a person and disbelief is discarding prayer" [Muslim]. He also warned against leaving salah, even at the time of his death, in his very last breaths before departing from this world.
Yet in this worship Allah has also prescribed easiness. At first, the number of prayers was fifty in number, but they were reduced several times until they were five. Then it was proclaimed 'O Muhammad, the order is not changed. These five are (equal in reward) to fifty' [Tirmidhi].
Causes of hardship
If Islam is a religion of ease, why do we find many Muslims not practising it? Why do we find them doing very little of what they ought to be doing, and why do even those who practise their religion sometimes find it difficult?
There are reasons why the practice of Islam can becomes hard:
1) Lack of piety
When we speak about Islam being easy we are, in reality, speaking about
the easiness of its acts of worship and morals. Religion by definition
means commitment and an obligation to a master. Therefore, being a
religious person means to be always aware that we are slaves to a master, Allah, subhanahu wata'aala. From here we see the mistake of those who want 'ease' to mean 'doing
nothing', just saying "I am a Muslim", committing themselves to nothing. It is obvious that they want it to be easy, but what exactly do they want?
They want an easy life, a life without any religious practices. The idle belief of 'existing only to live' has long ago been negated by Allah, subhanahu wata'aala. He said: "Do you think you have been created for nothing and that you will not be resurrected and brought back to Allah again!" [23:115]. He also said: "Thinks man that he is left aimless?" [75:86].
Islam is easy to practice; but those who do not understand the reasons behind their existence, who do not understand the concepts of religion, but meanwhile are striving to secure themselves in this life; then surely they will find its practices difficult. The easiness of Islam is felt in all of its commandments. Some people find this or that commandment hard to follow but this does not mean that the command is in itself hard; often it is the person who is the cause.
For example Salah, it is an easy act of worship, as Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, has made clear:
"And seek help in patience and prayer and truly it is (prayer) extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khashi'un (i.e. true submitting)" [2;45].
Prayer is an easy act of worship except, of course, for those who do not truly submit to their Lord; they will find it toilsome.
Why do they find it so? The answer is that it is not the prayer that is difficult, but it is the hearts of these people which have changed from good to bad, as Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, mentioned:
"Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up to pray, they stand with laziness ..."
[4;142]; in another verse He subhanahu wata'aala, said; "And that they came not to prayer except in a lazy state ..." [9;54].
2) Ignorance
The rules of Islam did not come as mere do's and don'ts. Each obligation has wisdom and motivation behind it. It should make no difference to us if the wisdom for that particular practice is known or not, because if it is not known to us today, then if Allah wills, He will reveal it to future generations. What is primarily expected from us is to fully submit and
implement every command.
For example, the giving of charity, which apparently decreases the wealth of the giver. Islam did not say "Pay charity, pay charity", as this would not motivate people and therefore make it difficult to act upon. Instead
Allah says; "Would you not like to give a loan to your Lord, and this loan will be paid back to you multiplied and you will be rewarded for it." [2:245]
The Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said; "Verily, wealth does not decrease because of charity." [Muslim]
It seems Muslims often ask why this act or matter is Halaal or Haraam. With such an attitude they will never achieve their goal, because behind each injunction there is an aspect of wisdom. Without understanding this, practising Islam becomes a heavy burden. With strong belief, we do not even have to ask whether this or that is halaal or Haraam, but rather if it pleases Allah. Therefore we should take the rules seeking the pleasure of Allah subhanahu wata'aala,. If pleasing Allah subhanahu wata'aala, is, always, our aim, then undoubtedly the practice of religion becomes easy, no matter what apparent hardships we may encounter.
3) Inappropriate environment
It is true that sometimes we find it difficult to practise the religion, even those who are committed to it! The reason behind this is that we are practising our religion in an
non-religious environment. Islam is not meant to be practised while being immersed in a Kufr (disbelieving) society. Its practice will indeed be difficult in such an environment. Therefore, the difficulty cannot be blamed upon Islam as a religion, but rather on the circumstances of the society.
Returning to our example of prayer, we see that prayer by itself is easy, but if you have to stand alone to pray amongst non-Muslims, all of them watching you, it will suddenly become difficult. The obvious conclusion is that the prayer in itself is not difficult, but the environment has made it difficult. Another example is that of a woman who wears hijaab and is happy to cover herself. If this were an Islamic society, it would have been difficult for
her not to be covered, or for a man not to respond to the call to prayer and pray in a mosque. Thus difficulty is not the nature of our religion, but we are trying to be pure in a decadent and immoral environment. These realities are not unknown to Islam, because the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, already warned his companions some fourteen centuries ago, and by that has also warned us by saying, as reported by Abu Tha'laba, radiya Allahu 'anhu, "... Ahead of you are days which will require endurance (in the practice of religion), in which he who shows endurance will be like him who grasps live coals. The one who acts rightly during that period will have the reward of fifty men who act as he does."
The hearers said, "The reward of fifty of them, Messenger of Allah!" He replied, "The reward of fifty of you." A companion said about this difference in reward, "Now you find people helping you to do good deeds, but then they will not find things to help them but they will find things to resist and oppose them." [Tirmidhi].
So Islam is the religion of ease. If we accept it as a religion to start with, then we should take it with its concepts, and practise it in a pure environment (as opposed to a corrupted and decadent one); it will then become an easier religion to practise. As it is not possible to have a 100% pure society, we have to strive to achieve this by being surrounded by good Muslims. In doing this, the religion will loosen the burdens around it.
The easiness of Islam has even been testified by the enemies of Islam. This was apparent in the statement of the Jews at the time of the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, when a man and a woman from amongst them committed fornication. Some of them said to the others: "Let us go to this Prophet, for he has been sent with an easy law ...". [Abu Dawood].
So may Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, make us amongst those who "Listen to the word and follow the best thereof, whom Allah has guided and those are men of derstanding." [39;18].