Abu Musa narrated:
"The Prophet (SAW) said: "A faithful believer to a faithful believer is like the bricks of a wall, enforcing each other." While (saying that) the Prophet( SAW) clasped his hands, by interlacing his fingers." (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
I...
Hasan Al- Basri (May Allah be please with him) was once traveling with his servant and this guy would only say two words,
"Alhumdulillah"
"Astagfirullah"
When Hasan Al-Basri asked him why, he said, " Man only has two conditions. When I'm in trouble, I say Astagfirullah because only Allah can save me, and when I'm happy, I say Alhumdulillah, because it is only Allah who gives me."
And Hassan Al-Basri thought to himself, "Oh Hassan, this man is smarter than you"
Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Ash-Shikeer said: “Imraan ibn Husain told me, ‘I will relate to you a Hadeeth (narration) today, may Allaah benefit you with it. Know that the best slaves of Allaah, the Blessed the Most High, on the Day of Resurrection are Al-Hammadoon (i.e. those who praise Allaah) [Ahmad]
Imagine being among the best slaves of Allah on the day of resurrection. When everyone around you is in fear, you are calm and happy, because you used to utter this simple word while you were in the dunya.
Alhumdulillah.
We say it all the time.
Alhumdulillah, I'm fine!
But do you mean it? Deep down, do you feel it?
Because the entire essence of gratitude demands to be felt in every fiber of your body.
You can't be forced to feel gratitude. It just happens.
But what is the meaning of being grateful?
I like to divide it in two parts :
1. Gratitude towards Allah
2. Gratitude towards people.
And they are both interrelated as well!
"Whoever is not grateful to the people, is not grateful to Allah." (Tirmidhi)
A grateful heart is a wealth better than gold and silver!
Narrated Thawban
"When (the following) was revealed: And those who hoard up gold and silver... (9:34)" He said: "We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during one of his journeys, so some of his Companions said: (This) has been revealed about gold and silver, if we knew which wealth was better then we would use it. So he (ﷺ) said: 'The most virtuous of it is a remembering tongue, a grateful heart, and a believing wife that helps him with his faith.'"
1. Gratitude towards Allah:
What are you most grateful to Allah for?
The most basic and important thing I can think of, is the blessing of being Muslim.
I mean imagine, Allah chose you and I out of all the people in the entire universe to be born into Muslim families, in such supportive environments.
We take our Deen for granted because there is no sword dangling over our heads and no societal pressure forcing us to abandon our faiths.
And yet, these were the exact same conditions in which our ancestors had found Islam.
Today, we receive the Deen in the comfort of our rooms, at our fingertips, so we take the beauty and blessing of it for granted.
It scares me to even think of where I would end up, had I (God forbid) been born in an environment away from Islam. Would I be smart enough to figure it out on my own?
Allahu A'lam.
And that's why that is the thing we must all be most grateful for.
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It's ridiculous how we're the complete opposite of what this hadith says^
There are so many ways in which we are more fortunate than our fellow human beings.
Cherish that.
I always like to remind myself how somewhere some girl wishes that her problems were as simple as mine.
Acknowledge that.
In the littlest of things.
Because those are the ones that really matter.
Be thankful for the gust of cool breeze on a sultry day, a drop of rain on a dry sunny day, for the sunshine when it's too cold outside, for the cool water that flows down your throat, for the sight of your mother in the kitchen every morning, for the knock of your father at the door every night because these are literally the things millions can not afford.
There are some things you can not explain. I can not write more on this because I really don't know how to.
Somethings you just have to look inside yourself and feel.
2. Gratitude towards people:
Remember I told you the one thing that doing my medical internship has taught me?
It has taught me that everyone around me has a story and that story has plot twists of its own. It has drama and trouble and problems that I do not know of.
Everyone in this world has their own crap to deal with.
The beauty is in getting over that crap and helping someone else out of theirs.
People don't come in blacks and whites. They come in greys and blues and greens and all the hues you've never even thought of.
So when they come out to you from amidst their own rain and storm with their own personal rainbow, you acknowledge it.
You thank them for taking the time out of handling their own troubles to be there for you.
It may seem like a small thing, but it's the little things that require the most effort.
Thank the people in your lives who've crossed the line for you, and forgive the ones who haven't.
Forgive the ones who have crossed the line before, but can not do so now because maybe they're tired.
We have this habit of praising and being thankful when someone helps us, but the moment they mess up, we are quick to dismiss all that they had done for us.
That is not what being truly grateful is about.
To be grateful is to remember what they did for you and forget what they didn't.
And when you truly discover what having shukr is all about, feel it, say it, show it.
The best way to thank Allah is to constantly remember him, even and especially in the rough times.
The more grateful you are, the more eager you are to offer salah and the more excited you are to read the Qur'an.
Nothing we do can ever come close to encompass all the blessings Allah has given us, but we can at least try.
