1b] How can a Muslim thank his Lord for His many blessings?

1b]
even if they are few -- is ameans of attaining the pleasure of Allaah, may Hebe exalted, which is the noblest situation of the people of Paradise. When the people of Paradise say, “You have given to uswhat You have not given to anyone among Your creation,” Allaah will say to them: “ Shall I not give you something better than that?” They will say, “What is it? Have You not brightened our faces, and admitted us to Paradise and saved us from Hell?” He will say, “ I bestow My pleasure upon you, and I will never be angry with you after that.”
Gratitude is a means of attaining that great honour because it implies acknowledgement of the Bestower of blessings andacknowledging Him aloneas the Creator of that blessing and the One Whocaused it to reach the recipient of the blessing, as an honour and favour from the Bestower, and that the recipient of the blessing is poor and is in need of that blessing, and cannot do without it. So this is an acknowledgement of the rights and bounty of Allaah, and the duty and need of the slave. So Allaah has caused the reward for that acknowledgement to be this great honour.
Al-Mufhim lima ashkala min Talkhees Kitaab Muslim (7/60, 61).
Hence some of the salaf said: Whoever conceals a blessing has denied it, butwhoever manifests it and spreads it has given thanks for it.
Ibn al-Qayyim said, commenting on that:
This is based on the words: “When Allaah bestows a blessing upon aperson, He loves the effectof His blessing to be seen on His slave.”
Madaarij al-Saalikeen (2/246).
It was narrated from ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez (may Allaah have mercy on him) that he said: Remind one another of blessings, for mentioning them is gratitude.
3.
Gratitude of the physical faculties means using one's physical faculties in obedience of Allaah and keeping them from committing sins and acts of disobedience that Allaah has forbidden.
Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
“ ‘Work you, O family of Dawood (David), with thanks!””
[Saba’ 34:13]
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: When the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) prayed, he would stand for so long that his feet became swollen. ‘Aa’ishahsaid: O Messenger of Allaah, are you doing this when Allaah has forgiven your past and future sins?He said: “O ‘Aa’ishah, should I not be a thankful slave?”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (4557) and Muslim (2820).
Ibn Battaal (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Al-Tabari said: the correct view concerning that is that the person’s gratitude is affirming thatthis is from Allaah and no one else, and affirmation of this fact is action, and itis confirmed by action. As for the affirmation which is contradicted by action, the one who does that does not deserve to be called grateful at all. But itmay be called gratitude ofthe tongue. The evidence that this is true is the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “ ‘Work you, O family of Dawood (David),with thanks!’”[Saba’ 34:13]. It is well known that He did not order them, when He said that to them, to affirm His blessings, because they did not deny that this wasa favour from Him to them. Rather He commanded them to givethanks for His blessings byobeying Him in their actions. Similarly, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him), when his feet swelled up as he was praying at night, said: “Should I not be a thankful slave?”
Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhaari (10/183, 184).
Abu Haroon said: I entered upon Abu Haazim, and said to him: May Allaah have mercy onyou, what is the gratitudeof the eyes? He said: If you see something good with them, you mention it, and if you see something bad with them, you conceal it. I said: What is the gratitude of the ears? He said: If you hear something good with them, you remember it, and if you hear somethingbad with them, you forgetit.
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Gratitude is of two degrees, one of which is obligatory, which is doingobligatory actions and avoiding haraam things. This is essential and is sufficient as gratitude for these blessings.
Hence one of the salaf said:
Gratitude means giving up sin.
And one of them said: Gratitude means not using any blessing to helpone to disobey Him.
Abu Haazim al-Zaahid mentioned gratitude of allthe physical faculties: (It means) refraining from sin, and using them to help one to do acts of obedience. Then he said: As for the one who gives thanks with his tongue but does not give thanks with all of his physical faculties, his likeness is that of a man who has a cloak and takes hold of the edge of it, but does not put it on, so it is of no benefit to him against cold or heat or snow or rain. :->/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en