وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي 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.’ (Surah Ibrahim: 7)
Allah has blessed us with so many things in our lives. Life alone is a blessing! If you are living in safety and security and you have food for the day, you are truly blessed!
But how many of us consciously remember all the favours of Allah? How many of us think about them, mention them and are truly grateful for them?
Shukr (being grateful) increases the blessings of a person as Allah says in the above ayah. How does this happen?
When a person is grateful for his blessings, Allah gives him the Tawfeeq to obey Him and He opens the doors for that person to do many more good deeds.
The reward of the good deed multiplies.
The blessing for which a person is grateful for itself also increases. Allah preserves and multiplies it!
So if you want your wealth to increase for example, be grateful for what you have now. Acknowledge it in your heart and be thankful, remember it and say Alhamdulillah with your tongue and use the wealth in a manner that is Pleasing to Allah. This is true Shukr!
However Shukr is not to be done only upon receiving blessings. Rather, Shukr should be done during times of hardships as well. Because every decision of Allah has some good in it. There is some wisdom behind everything that happens, which is why we say Alhamdulillah in every situation. Whether we have something or we don’t.
Hadith: When a person is sick Allāh sends two angels to him to watch what he says. When the angels return Allāh asks them what was my servant saying to those who came to see him. They say he praised you and was grateful. Allāh says, If I cure my servant, I shall replace his blood with better blood and his flesh with better flesh and also forgive him. [Ref: Muwatta of Imam Malik]
So if you’re going through a tough time, or some sickness, or distress, just keep saying Alhamdulillah. Be grateful to Allah and He will soon alleviate the situation and make things better.
However the one who is ungrateful, then ingratitude deprives the person of that blessing. If for example a person has a healthy life, but is always complaining about his height, his weight, the way he looks…perhaps a time will come when he falls sick because of this constant complaining!
And if he is always angry over what he doesn’t have, this in and of itself is a punishment!
So ask yourself:
Do I want my blessings to be preserved and to increase? Am I truly grateful for them through my heart, tongue and limbs?
List seven of the greatest blessings you have today and read and make the following du’as constantly:
رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
“My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants.” [Surah al-Naml: 19]
اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّيْ عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ
O Allah! Assist me in remembering You, in being grateful to You, and in worshiping You in the best of manners.
