Have You Thanked Allah?
by Imâm Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Salmân al-Fârsî radhiyAllahu anhu said:
“There was a man who was given many of the luxuries of this world, and then they were taken away from him. But he continued to praise and thank Allâh until everything had been taken from him, even his bed. And then he still praised and thanked Allâh. Another man, who had also been given many of the luxuries of this world asked him, ‘What are you praising and thanking Allâh for?’ The man said, ‘I am praising and thanking Him for blessings which, if others asked me to give them to them in return for all that they have, I would never give them up.’ ‘What can they be?’ asked the second man. ‘Can’t you see?’ asked the first man. ‘I have my eyesight, my tongue, my hands, my feet...’”
Layth ibn Abî Burdah said:
‘When Allâh gathers people on the Day of Judgement, He will remind them of His blessings. One of His slaves will say: “Remind me of something,” and Allâh will say: “Remember when you faced such-and-such adversity, and you prayed to Me, so I relieved you of it. Remember when you were travelling in such and-such a place, and you asked Me to give you a travelling companion, and I did so... Remember when you asked for the hand of so-and-so the daughter of so-and-so, and others also asked for her hand, so I gave her to you to marry; and kept the others away.” His slave will be standing before his Lord, Who will remind him of His many blessings.’” Then the narrator of this story (Layth) wept and said, "I hope that no one will stand before his Lord in this way, because the one who does so will be punished." (i.e. if Allâh has to point out that which should be obvious, this is a sign of a person’s ingratitude, and he will be punished.)
A man of knowledge said:
“The blessing of Allâh to us in keeping the luxuries of this world away from us is greater than the blessing of that which he has given us, because Allah did not like His Prophet to have the luxuries of this world. So I prefer to live in the manner which Allâh preferred for His Prophet than to live a life which He disliked for him.”
Ibn Abi’d-Dunyâ said:
“It was narrated to me that some scholars said: ‘The scholar should praise Allâh for having deprived him of the luxuries of this life, in the same way that he should praise Him for what He has bestowed upon him. How can you compare the blessings and luxuries for which he will be accountable to the deprivation of luxuries which is a relief from being tested, and which keeps his mind free to worship and remember Allâh? So he should give thanks to Allâh for all of that.’”
A man said to Abû Hâzim:
“What is the gratitude of the eyes?” He said, “If you see good things, you speak about them, and if you see bad things, you keep quiet about it.” He asked, “What is the gratitude of the ears?” He said, “If you hear something good, you accept it, and if you hear something bad, you reject it.” Then he asked, “What is the gratitude of the hands?” He said, “Do not take what which does not belong to you, and do not hold back from paying the dues of Allâh (zakât).” Then he asked, “What is the gratitude of the head?” He said: “To have knowledge in it.” Then he asked, “What is the gratitude of one’s private parts?”
He quoted:
“‘Who guard their private parts, except from those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess – for (in their case) they are free from blame, but those whose desires exceed those limits are transgressors’” (al-Mu’minûn 23:5-7).
Ibn Abi’d-Dunyâ mentioned that Dâwûd (peace be upon Him) asked Allâh: “What is the least of Your blessings?” Allâh revealed to him: “O Dâwûd, take a breath.” Dâwûd did so, and Allâh told him: “This is the least of My blessings on you.”
Taken from “Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat ash-Shâkireen
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. By the time! Verily mankind is at loss – except for those who believe and perform righteous deeds, and advise one another towards the truth and advise one another towards patience.’
I remember reading in the same book by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah.
Having Sabr(patience) and Shukr even in the time of distress is the sign of a true believer.
Do we think we ain't gonna get tested after we say we believe in our Rabb? SubhanAllah.
Some people have strong patience when it comes to doing what is good for em, but their patience is weak with regard to restraint from harmful actions.
So we may find that a person has enough patience to perfom duties towards Allah swt like salah, fasting, giving zakah, and Hajj but has no patience in controlling himself and refrainin from following his whims and desires...this way he that person might commit haraam deeds...things which islam doesn't allow.
Some people have stronng patience in abstaninin from forbidden deeds, but their patience in obeyin Allah swt and performing ibadah is too weak.
Some ppl have no patience in either case.
In other words, the best ppl among em are those who possess both types of patience.
In general, a brother can pray all night long standing in the prayer no matter how hot or cold it is in the room, but when he might have no patience when it comes to lowerin gaze and refrainin from looking at women.
Most of us will be lacking in patience in one case and for some ppl its in all cases.
Allah hu alaam.
May Allah swt guide us to the right path, and make us among As-sabireen and Ash-Shakireen. Ameen.
Wasalmaualaikum Warhamtullah.
Niqaabi1210
My Muslim Brothers and Sisters Who Are Suffering At The Hands Of The Kuffar...Please Forgive Me...For Every Tear That Falls Down From Your Cheek...For Every Drop Of Blood That Fell From Your Wound...For The Pain You Felt...For Everytime I Wasn't There! www.fearAllah.blogspot.com
I thank Allah that he has given me Islam as my faith. I don't know were I would be if He, subhanhu wa ta'ala, didn't bestow this blessing. Noone could have bestowed it upon me if He hadn't.
All praises and thanks are for Allah for our birth, life, sustenance, good guidance and ultimate death. I don't understand why is this thread here? What to teach or learn?
O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him you worship. (Al-Baqara, 172)
Your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): "If you are grateful, I will add more (favors) unto you; But if you show ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed." (Abraham, 7)
"If you would count up the favors of Allah, never would you be able to number them: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Al- Nahl, 18)
But it has already been revealed to you,- as it was to those before you,- "If you were to join (gods with Allah), truly fruitless will be your work (in life), and you will surely be in the ranks of those who lose (all spiritual good)". Nay, but worship Allah, and be of those who give thanks. (Az-Zumar, 65-66)
The following statement of The Evil emphasizes the importance of giving thanks to Allah :
He said: "Because you have thrown me out of the way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on your straight way: Then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left: Nor will you find, in most of them, gratitude (for your mercies)." (Al- Araf, 17)
As stated in the verse above, Satan devoted his life to mislead people due to his envy. His ultimate aim is to make people be ungrateful to their Creator. When this ultimate purpose of Satan is considered, it becomes more comprehensible how a man goes astray when he does not render thanks to Allah.
Gratefulness is a part of the test by Allah. Man is surely endowed with favor from Him and is informed about how he should benefit from all this favor. In return, he is expected to assume a submissive attitude towards his Creator. However, it is again only man himself who chooses to be grateful or ungrateful to Allah!
"Whoever lives amongst you will see much differing, so adhere to my Sunnah" Muhammad (صلّى الله عليه و سلم)
salam,
alhamdolillah for my ability to read.. and for directing me to this incredible thread, also.. being surrounded by great bro and sis in islam. mashaAllah!!
I live far from home, but I do not feel too homesick, because when I hear a child it sounds just like my sister playing in the garden. And after Subuh prayers, I hear someone moving outside, and it sounds just like my father gone out to perform his prayers. After a good meal, the noise outside is just like my parents watching television. When I wake up the sun shines through my window, this morning it snowed so beautiful, so beautiful I wanted to cry. Many times it rains, I see a rainbow so beautiful outside my room window, outside the train window that day, and as I walked in the park, and so many more times. God has been so kind to me.. ... writing this makes me at a loss for words.thank You. <thinking>
Have You Thanked Allah? - by Imâm Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Taken from “Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat ash-Shâkireen” by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
This article contains advice from the Salaf on remembering and being grateful for the blesseings that Allah is constantly showering us wit.
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