SHUKR (APPRECIATION) TO ALLAH

SHUKR (APPRECIATION) TO ALLAH

ASSEMBLED BY MALLAM ABBA ABANA, KUBWA, ABUJA, NIGERIA

http://variousislamicdawadocuments.blogspot.com

emails:gonidamgamiri@yahoo.com; abba.abana@gmail.com

SATURDAY, 13th RABIUL AKHIR 1440 AH and 22nd DECEMBER 2018 CE

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Shukr (Thankfulness) to Allah

1. We can never count Allaah’s Blessings: Be ever grateful to Allaah for everything that you possess including your wealth, health, status, intellectual abilities and life.

Allaah says:

“Is, then, He Who creates comparable to any that cannot create? Will you not, then, take heed? For should you try to count Allaah's blessings, you could never compute them…” (Holy Quran chapter An-Nahl 16:17-19).

2. Shaytan’s primary mission is to make human beings ungrateful: From the very beginning of the human being's creation, the issue of gratefulness and thankfulness to Allaah has been debated. After refusing to bow to Adam, Satan said:

“Then I will certainly come to them from before them and from behind them, and from the right-hand side and from the left-hand side, and You (Allaah) shall not find most of them thankful” (Holy Quran chapter Al-Araf 7:17).

3. The opposite of Shukr (gratitude) is Kufr (disbelief): In many places in the Quran, Allaah compares the terms Shukr and Kufr. “Then remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject Me” (Holy Quran chapter Al-Baqarah, [002]:152).

Imaan (belief) implies Shukr or gratefulness as opposed to Kufr or ungratefulness. A kafir or disbeliever is ungrateful to the Being Who has given him everything, whereas a Believer is one who is ever thankful for all that Allaah has given him.

4. We thank Allaah for our own benefit: If you are ungrateful, Allaah is unaffected. If you become grateful, then you have taken the first step towards becoming a true Believer. It is for this reason that the Prophet exhorted us to “Love Allaah as we benefit from His grace” (Tirmidhi).

Allaah reminds us: “And whoever is grateful, he is only grateful for the benefit of his own self” (Holy Quran chapter Luqmaan, [031]: 012). “For surely if it was not for the grace of God on you and His mercy, you would have been among the losers (Holy Quran chapter Al-Baqarah 2:64).

5. True worship means sincere thankfulness to Allaah: Allaah explained in the Quran that the only people who truly worship Him are those who give gratitude to Him, so those who are not among the people of gratitude are not among the people of 'Ibaadah (worship and obedience). “... and be grateful to Allaah, if it is Him you worship” (Holy Quran chapter Al-Baqarah, [002]:172).

6. Shukr leads to Allaah’s pleasure: Allaah has told us that His pleasure may be attained through gratitude. “…If you are grateful, He is pleased with you...” (Holy Quran chapter Az-Zumar, [039]: 007).

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Allaah is pleased with His servant if, when he eats something, he thanks Allaah for it, and when he drinks something, he thanks Allaah for it” (Muslim).

7. Gratitude is a purpose of our creation: “It is He Who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when you knew nothing; and He gave you hearing and sight and intelligence and affection: that you may give thanks (to Allaah)” (Holy Quran chapter An-Nahl, [016]: 78).

8. Shukr is a quality of success in this life and in the Hereafter: Ibn 'Abbaas [r] narrated that the Prophet [p] said: “There are four qualities, whoever is given them has truly been given the best in this world and the next. They are: a grateful heart (that is thankful to Allaah), a remembering tongue (that mentions Allaah often), an enduring body (to persevere through the trials), and a faithful wife.”

9. Being grateful and patient in times of difficulty: Everything that happens to us - even events that we may consider to be personal afflictions or natural disasters-are from Allaah. Therefore, in times of calamity and distress, there will be some good for us, provided we respond appropriately.

The Prophet said: "How wonderful is the case of a Believer! There is good for him in whatever happens to him -and none, apart from him, enjoys this blessing. If he receives some bounty, he is grateful to Allaah and this bounty brings good to him. And if some adversity befalls him, he is patient, and this affliction, too, brings good to him." (Saheeh Muslim)

10. Allaah’s Mercy is for all, but most people will remain ungrateful: He shows and gives mercy to all, even those who continue to be ungrateful and rebellious towards Him: “Indeed God is the possessor of bounty for all people but most people do not give thanks.” (Holy Quran chapter Al-Baqarah, [002]: 243).

11. Most people subconsciously thank God: Reflect upon your own life and you will find innumerable occasions when Allaah's `hand' has been holding you and helping you. So often, believers and even atheists subconsciously use the expression ‘Thank God’, without realising the full implications of our words.

12. Shukr leads to abundance in Allaah’s favors: If you appreciate Allaah’s favors, He has promised increased Rahmah or Mercy for you. Allaah’s reward for your gratitude is unlimited and unconditional. “If you are grateful, I will surely give you more and more.” (Holy Quran chapter Ibraaheem, [014]: 007)

13. Three ways to express Shukr: The classical Muslim scholars have indicated Shukr can be shown in three ways:

1)    Shukr of the heart (Qalb), which is achieved by harboring and intending good for all of Allaah's creation.

2)    Shukr of the tongue (Lisaan), which involves celebrating the praises of Allaah, such as utterance of “Alhamdulillah”, and expressing gratefulness to Allaah with our tongue.

3)    Shukr of the limbs (Jawaarih), which is fulfilled by using our external senses to do good. Every time Allaah gives us a blessing, we must use it in a way that benefits humanity and that pleases Allaah.