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Gratitude and the promise of more

The Quran links gratitude to increase, and the Prophet ﷺ linked thanking Allah to thanking people. What shukr asks of us day to day.

2 min read

Gratitude in Arabic is shukr. In the Quran, it comes with a promise:

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌ

And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.'"
Ibrahim 14:7

The verse is simple and direct. Be grateful, and Allah will give you more. Deny His favors, and there is a warning.

Too many to count#

Part of gratitude is noticing how much there is to be grateful for. The Quran says we could not list it all even if we tried:

وَإِن تَعُدُّوا۟ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

And if you should count the favors of Allāh, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
An-Nahl 16:18

Health, family, food, safety, the ability to read these words. Most blessings are so ordinary that we only notice them when they are gone.

Who gratitude benefits#

وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا لُقْمَـٰنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ أَنِ ٱشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ

And We had certainly given Luqmān wisdom [and said], "Be grateful to Allāh." And whoever is grateful is grateful for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever denies [His favor] - then indeed, Allāh is Free of need and Praiseworthy.
Luqman 31:12

Allah does not need our thanks. The verse says that whoever is grateful is grateful for his own good. Gratitude changes the person who practices it.

The Quran is also honest about how rare it is:

يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُۥ مَا يَشَآءُ مِن مَّحَـٰرِيبَ وَتَمَـٰثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَٱلْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَّاسِيَـٰتٍ ۚ ٱعْمَلُوٓا۟ ءَالَ دَاوُۥدَ شُكْرًا ۚ وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِىَ ٱلشَّكُورُ

They made for him what he willed of elevated chambers, statues, bowls like reservoirs, and stationary kettles. [We said], "Work, O family of David, in gratitude." And few of My servants are grateful.
Saba 34:13

The family of Dawud were told to work in gratitude, so gratitude is something you do as well as something you say. And the verse ends: few of My servants are grateful.

Thanks for small things#

Gratitude does not have to wait for big moments. The Prophet ﷺ tied it to something as simple as a meal:

Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

Allah is pleased with His servant who says "al-hamdu lillah" when he takes a morsel of food and when he takes a drink.

Sahih Muslim 2734Sahih

Thanking people too#

Gratitude to Allah also shows in how we treat the people around us:

Narrated Abu Hurayrah:

Whoever does not thank people does not thank Allah.

Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1954Hasan Sahihgraded by at-Tirmidhi

A parent, a teacher, a friend, a stranger who held a door open. Thanking them is part of thanking Allah.

A simple habit#

Say al-hamdu lillah after you eat and drink. Thank the people who help you, by name if you can. Once a day, stop and name one blessing you usually overlook. Small habits like these are how gratitude grows.

Sources

  1. 01Quran 14:7
  2. 02Quran 16:18
  3. 03Quran 31:12
  4. 04Quran 34:13
  5. 05Sahih Muslim 2734Sahih
  6. 06Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1954Hasan Sahihgraded by at-Tirmidhi

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