bestowed on a people until they change what is in their (own) souls"
{Soorah al-Anfal (8):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 thecase 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 theservant 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 prayupon 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 thankAllaah 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 thingwhen 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 theFajr
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
rainedbecause of a particular star hadno belief in Me but believes in
that star." {Saheeh al-Bukhari (1:807)}
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