In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Helloooooooo! Assalamu alaikum dear people! One Beautiful Deer back again. So sorry that I don't blog much. My access to power supply here is a bit poor. I have been writing a lot in my notebook though. Here is one of my latest reflections that's been governing my life a lot now.
I have observed that many of us fall victim of this (Yes I am also included big time). It's like a poison that eats up our system and corrupts us until our end. When it happens, we do not realize it. We just find ourselves doing it over and over again until it destroys us, or if we are fortunate, until we are awakened and snapped out of it. What am I talking about? I'm talking about "INGRATITUDE".
Yes, too many times we find ourselves asking " O Allah, give me this, give me that...". While I am not saying that asking Allah for our wants and needs is 'bad'...nope certainly it is worship. But many times we take it over the top asking for more that we forget about what we already have - the many things He has already given us. All we want is more and more. When we are deprived of our desire, we moan, whine, fall into depression and even despair. Why? Why does it have to be that way? Even Allah has said:
"....Verily Allah is full of Bounty to mankind, but most of them are ungrateful." [Surah Yunus 10:60]“
... But few of My slaves are grateful!” (Sabâ’ 43:13).
Which category do you honestly belong?
I was actually reflecting over my life and it suddenly occurred to me that if I make do with the little Allah has given me, and I succeed in making excellent use of them, then perhaps I'd prove myself worthy of receiving more from Allah. And that is true. While Allah gives us generously and bountifully without needing anything in return from us (Yes He is Al-Wahhaab), He also expects us to take proper account of all that He has given us, and use them to the fullest to our own advantage in this life and Hereafter. If you had a child or anyone who keeps demanding for this and that all the time, each time requesting for more without making good use of what he was previously given, would you be encouraged to give that child or person more when they ask? Certainly NOT! Your response as someone who truly loves them and want to discipline them to be the best would be, " What have you done with the previous ones I gave you? How do you prove yourself worthy of receiving this more?"
The same applies in our asking and receiving from Allah. When Allah gives us something, it certainly isn't for Pleasure sake only. He wants us to make the best use of it, in a way that pleases Him, until it is exhausted and gone. When you use excellently what you have been given, sending forth goodness for yourself in the Hereafter, He will bless you with more even before you ask. So I ask you,my dear reader, what have you done with the things that Allah has given you? Even if they seem small and insignificant at the moment. You keep asking for more, how do you prove yourself worthy of receiving that more, if you are being ungrateful for the ones you already have.
Allah is not 'dumb' (Subhanallah! - Far is He from every imperfection). He is All-Knowing, All-Wise! He can't just give us because we say "Give me!". He gives us things because He sees that it will benefit us, whether we recognize it or not. He gives according to His infinite knowledge and Wisdom. Not because we say "Give me!". He is not weak as to not be able to turn down our request. He is our Lord, our Cherisher, Sustainer, Guide, Guardian and lots more. He cares about us and He is interested in our discipline, even more than any good parent for their beloved child. This is why He deprives us of certain things that we wish for. The moment Allah gives us every single thing that we say " Give me" to, without checking us with trials, then it becomes more of a sign of punishment rather than bliss.
So always remember, make do with what you already have as much as possible, recognize them and be truly thankful for it all, keep using it with thankfulness in your heart (even if it seems not enough at the moment). Soon you will find that He will give you more because you need it and He entrusts it in you to make the very best use of it... to your benefit and not to your loss. So when you find yourself complaining about something, stop and say 'astaghfirullah!' and ask yourself what you have done to deserve this more. Ask yourself how well you have used the ones you He already gave you, in a way that's pleasing to Him. This is true gratitude.
Now let's look into what Allah Himself has said regarding this:
“...If you give thanks, I will give you more (of My Blessings).” (Q14:7)
"Why should Allah punish you if you have thanked (Him) and have believed in Him. And Allah is Ever AllAppreciative (of good), AllKnowing." (Surah An-Nisa 4:147)
The Salaf (Righteous Predecessors) have also said a lot regarding this:
It is reported that ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib – Allāh be pleased with him – said: "Blessings arrive with gratitude [to Allāh], and gratitude is connected with more [blessings], and the two are tied together: more blessings from Allāh will never stop unless gratitude from the servant stops." Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Al-Shukr article 18.
It is reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basrî – Allâh have mercy on him – said:
"It has reached me that when Allâh the Mighty and Majestic blesses a people and gives them some good he asks them to be grateful. If they are grateful, He is all-able to give them more. But if they are ungrateful, He is all-able to turn His blessings into a punishment." Al-Bayhaqî, Shu’ab Al-Imân article 45
This was gotten from Riyaadus Saaliheen:
Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Allah is pleased with His slave who says: `Al-hamdu lillah (praise be to Allah)’ when he takes a morsel of food and drinks a draught of water.”
[Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith has already been mentioned. “Aklah” means to take a meal at one time, whether in the morning, the evening or at any other time. Similarly “Sharba” means to drink water at any time. What the Hadith means is that to praise Allah on eating and drinking every time is a source of Allah’s Pleasure, no matter whether the quantity one consumes is small or large.
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Can you now see, my dear friends, why it is important to be thankful for everything Allah has given us, and use it in every best way possible. If we do this, He will bless us with more and increase His favours on us. So this is a reminder to myself first and foremost. If I want Allah to answer my request of more, I stop to ask myself "what have you done with the ones He already gave you?". This energises me to be more grateful and make the best use of all I have. It encourages me to see all I have as gifts the potentials of which I truly haven't tapped to discover its deepest benefits. It makes me see a beautiful gift in everything, shuts my mouth from complaining and fills my heart with deep contentment. Thats the miracle of gratitude. You should adopt it too :)
Well, actually it's not always easy. I mean we forget. It's so easy to complain about what we already have and keep asking for more while neglecting the available one. Yes, but we must try to remember that until we appreciate what we already have, and use it beneficially, we will never be deserving of more. So less complaints, and more appreciation for the slightest benefit enjoyed in it. If we wanna get more, then we have to use what we already have to achieve what we want, rather than neglecting it and praying for a magical replacement. So my dear reader who is in despair because there seem to be no good in what you have, be grateful and you will be blessed the more. Yes, that's Allah's Promise. Don't you believe it?
“...If you give thanks, I will give you more (of My Blessings).” (Q14:7)
