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Ramadan 2009 – Cape Town – Day 22 Gratitude
Date:
Channel: Mufti Menk
Series: Mufti Menk - Ramadan 2009
File Size: 12.88MB
Episode Notes
Episode Transcript ©
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Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa salatu salam ala rasulillah. Allah Allah He was happy he woman instead of Buddha who obeyed. All praise is indeed due to Allah subhanho wa Taala complete blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam We ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah to bless him and to bless every single one of us. And we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah to grant us the ability to utilize these powerful nights of the month of Ramadan. The last 10 nights of the month of Ramadan are very different from the first 20 nights of the month of Ramadan. They have within them one night which is more valuable than 1000 months. That is 84 odd years We ask Allah subhanho wa
Taala to make us from those who can at least add a few extra acts of worship for the sake of Allah subhanho wa Taala on a daily basis, I mean,
gratitude is something that is extremely important and that is the subject we have to discuss tonight in sha Allah. If someone does something to you, if you do not think them they may be upset. And sometimes as human beings when we do something for someone, human nature at times, makes us at least feel that we want them to say thank you very much or Jessa qumola who Kira May Allah reward you and recompense you. In the Hadith Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam speaks of gratitude. And he says the one who is not thankful to people, how is he going to be thankful to Allah subhanho wa Taala. When a person does something for you, which is material, which you can see, you can notice
they've helped you they've given you something they've benefited you in one way or another. And if you cannot be grateful for that, which is in front of you clear apparent, then how are you going to be grateful of the Creator who has given you many hidden gifts which sometimes require lots of deep thinking in order to understand. So this is why a sign of gratitude to Allah subhanho wa Taala is when you start off by thanking those who do things for you directly here in your life, we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to benefit every single one of us inshallah, and we asked him to make us from those who are gratitude from those who are grateful, full of gratitude. And at the same time, we ask
Allah subhanho wa Taala to protect us from ingratitude. The reality is gratefulness and gratitude is not only lip service, it is not only something that is meant to be by tongue and then it stops there. If that is what we think gratitude is, then let's learn something tonight in sha Allah. Let's go through the verses of what Allah subhanho wa Taala says many many different places in the Quran where Allah subhanho wa Taala speaks of his great of gratitude and the gifts He's given us and how grateful we are meant to be. Now Allah subhanho wa Taala make us from amongst those who can take heed.
Also we need to realize that whenever Allah has praised himself or he has asked us to praise him, it is part and parcel of gratitude, to praise by the tongue Praise be to Allah Glory be to Allah thanks be to Allah, Allah is the Greatest. All these words are part and parcel of gratitude to Allah subhanho wa Taala This is why the opening verses of the Quran that we repeat in Salah every single Raka we say Alhamdulillah hyrum beenleigh me All praise belongs to Allah subhanho wa Taala all gratitude belongs to Allah subhanho wa Taala Allah Who is the Lord of the worlds Allah subhanho wa Taala declares that the praise actually belongs to him he is the owner of praise, may Allah subhanho
wa Taala make us understand that and the opening verses are such one of the reasons for that is because we need to realize the gifts of Allah subhanho wa Taala upon us, the biggest gift is the gift of belief and the man. If we are if we can believe in our own creator without associating partners with him, that is the biggest gift inshallah and we will come to notice that in tonight's verses. The first thing I'd like to go through is the command where Allah instructs us in some of the verses saying be thankful. Don't be ungrateful. Be thankful. Listen to the verses of Surah Al Baqarah. Allah subhanho wa Taala says,
Yeah, I you
know, kulu me Oh kolomela Paiva de Moussa poena washko de la
Yehuda Budo en O you who believe, eat from the good that we have granted you in terms of sustenance and be thankful to Allah if you worship Him alone, which means a sign that you worship Allah alone is that you are grateful to him. Subhana Allah you realize
lies that even if an individual has given you something, it is a lack of acceptance and allows permission through which that person has actually helped you and assisted you. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us understanding nothing that happens to you or me is mere coincidence. It is the plan of Allah as a test for myself and yourselves. May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us from those who can pass our tests in Sharma
so Allah subhanho wa Taala thereafter instructs us again in another visit of Surah Baqarah for the guru ne cuckoo Mahesh guru Li wala Taku Expo don't remember me and I will remember you. Allah says if you bear me in mind, I will remember you, I will ease your difficulties and Allah says, and be thankful and do not be ungrateful. That's an instruction, a command and the prohibition in one, the command and instruction to be thankful for all of us and the prohibition to be ungrateful to Allah subhanho wa Taala. We should never ever be from amongst those who are ungrateful and who show in gratitude. May Allah subhanahu Allah grant us understanding he tells us, I have created men. The
fact that you are living is a gift, you need to be grateful for that the fact that you have life is a gift. It gives you an opportunity to earn rewards to get to heaven, or to earn the mercy of Allah subhanho wa Taala to earn forgiveness, the fact that you are alive Allah subhanho wa Taala says Be grateful for that. Look what he says in Surah. He says we have creative people. And there are two types they fall into two categories when it comes to gratitude. There are those who are grateful and those who are ungrateful. There are those who accept and those who deny in Medina sebelah
Shakira.
People fall into two categories. Allah says we have guided them the path, they are either grateful, or they're either ungrateful, Cafu. Notice the term in gratitude is very close to the term disbelief. If you say Guevara, it would mean a person who has this believed or to this belief, and it would also mean to be ungrateful because a disbeliever is in fact very ungrateful. May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us from ingratitude. And this is why Allah subhanho wa Taala says part of gratitude is to believe because the opposite of gopher is a man. The opposite of this belief is a man and the opposite of ingratitude is definitely sugar and part of sugar is to believe in Allah
Subhana Allah to Allah, it is all intertwined. Then Allah continues in Surah, two dar and he says in,
in caffeine as Allah, Allah, Allah Allah.
For those who are ungrateful, for those who disbelieve for those who reject for those who are who show in gratitude, we have prepared chains and we have prepared the painful torment of punishment and they will be cast there in May Allah subhanho wa Taala not punish us.
Remember these little do ours that we are making on a daily basis whilst we are speaking are actually not little. They are so powerful that if Allah subhanho wa Taala accepts even one of them will lie we have succeeded May Allah grant us success. And this is why it is important that whilst we are speaking if we mentioned Heaven, we should ask Allah to grant it to us. If we mentioned how we should ask Allah to protect us from it. If we mentioned any good point we should ask Allah to make us from those who are good. If we mentioned any bad point or point of evil, we should ask Allah to protect us. That is the Sunnah of the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasallam so much so that when he
used to read verses of the Quran, he used to stop where the punishment was mentioned and say Allah protect us from it, where goodness was mentioned he used to say Allah grant us from it with certain things of belief were mentioned he used to say Allah make us from the true believers. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us the adoption of the sooner Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. So Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us that I have given men so much, but men definitely is very oppressive and very ungrateful. Listen to what he says in Surat Ibrahim, he says, What
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de la la la Lumo. gov.
If you try to count the gifts of Allah upon you or men, you will not be able to do that. Because there are so many gifts that you take for granted. So many things you don't even realize they come from your Creator. And Allah subhanho wa Taala says, nay we have given men so much, but men is oppressive and highly ungrateful. May Allah subhanho wa Taala not make us from those who are oppressive, nor should he make us from those who are ungrateful. And Allah Subhana what Allah says in Surah Al Baqarah
And in many other places in the Quran, but we will quote the verse of Surah Al Baqarah. Allah says, in Allah Allah Subhan Allah,
Allah,
Allah.
Allah gives men from his virtue, from the gifts of Allah from his virtue. Allah subhanho wa Taala says He bestows a lot upon men, but men does not think most men are not thankful at all. Law School. The term here that is used is not thankful at all. Allah says most men do not think Allah subhanho wa Taala May we not be from amongst those? Then Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us
that there are so many gifts, this is the month of Ramadan. Do you know that we have gifts in the month of Ramadan? Yes, some might look at the past as a burden. But voila, he the benefits that the fast have are so great. They not only create a barrier between ourselves and the punishment of jahannam, but they help our bodies and they detox our bodies. It is extremely healthy to fast and to abstain from food. Subhana Allah when the doctor tells you to diet, then everybody listens when Allah tells you not to eat, people start feeling lazy. May Allah Subhana Allah never make us from those. I think all of us who are here in sha Allah, we fast for the sake of Allah happily, with full
belief and conviction. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant that to us. And the first is not difficult. Many non Muslims think we fast for one whole month. If that was the case, we would be dying. We fast on a daily basis from dawn to dusk. That is what we fast for. And yes, then every day we will add to the next day until the month is over. But it doesn't mean we abstain from food and drink for the whole month. I think three days down the line most of us would be collapsed. May Allah subhanahu wa taala protect us.
So that is a misunderstanding. Somehow Allah says he has been really granting us a favor by making it easy for us when to eat when not to eat over and above that. He says if you are on a journey, or if you are sick, you don't have to fast you can fast later you can make it up later. Allah says no, you have the option if you are sick. If you cannot manage a woman who is breastfeeding, for example, a woman who is pregnant for example, she has the option, the option of fasting or not fasting depending on her capacity and capability if someone is sick or traveling depending on the level of the sickness or the journey of the travel and how difficult it is. They have the option not too fast
they will not be sinful on condition that they make it up outside the month of Ramadan. And Allah subhanho wa Taala says after that, he gives you a day of Eden a day of happiness after your fast in order to declare the greatness of Allah subhanho wa Taala listen to what he says in Surah Al Baqarah
Well, he took me on a journey to kabiru La Jolla kumala lancom tennsco you see the word sugar coming into play. Allah says he wants you to complete the prescribed time and he wants you to declare the greatness of Allah on the day of read when you are over with the fasting in order that you may be thankful that Allah has granted you a whole month of benefit May Allah subhanho wa Taala benefit us from the month of Ramadan. May He make us from those who are thankful that he has made easy for us. Imagine for a moment if the sick person had too fast what would happen? Allahu Akbar imagine if you were on journey and you had too fast, a breastfeeding female had to fast Imagine if that was the
case. What would have happened Allah says so be thankful to me I made things easy for you, Allahu Akbar. Then Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us about how easy he has made even when it comes to Voodoo. A person who is unable to make will do because they cannot use water for some reason for some health reason or a person who does not have water at all. Allah subhanho wa Taala says and obviously there are conditions regarding this. Allah subhanho wa Taala says I've made it easy for you. You don't have to you don't have to do it that way. I will show you another way. It is called a time moon you can use dust or sand and you can actually arrive at the same level of cleansing and
the same level of cleanliness as the one who has made will do May Allah subhanho wa Taala and under understanding
and after that Allah subhanho wa Taala says in those verses of Silverton Merida he says Marie do love La Jolla Allah Allah comin how Raja ki re Dooley opa hirakud while eating many mattawa la
la la comme tasco Allah says he does not intend to make things difficult for you. Here he has shown you ease of how to do to your mom if you don't have water to do or even to do the hustle to hit to take a bath if you don't have the water there.
There is another way of arriving at that level of purity in the eyes of Allah subhanho wa Taala he says, I have done this so that you can be thankful that Allah has shown us a way out Subhana Allah. Imagine if a person was regarded as unclean and impure when they didn't have water and there was no way out what would happen to us, Allahu Akbar. Allah subhanho wa Taala help us to realize the gift of his when it comes to Salah, Salah there is no excuse when it comes to Salah Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us
through the Mubarak lips of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that if you cannot reach standing, you read sitting if you cannot be sitting you read lying down so Han Allah, look at that. Look at the gift of Allah Subhana Allah to Allah, and this is the ease let's thank Allah subhanho wa Taala for having made this Deen so easy for us. And then Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us regarding the creation of men in Surah, two la he says,
All academic
comfy
comfy hum Ayesha Paulina,
we have actually given you a place on this earth, we have given you authority on the earth, and we have actually given for you sustenance, we have provided for you on this earth but very few are thankful Allah says, Allah says we put you into this earth, we gave you authority, we gave you a position we gave you provisions we gave you wealth and sustenance. But Allah says very few are thankful. May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us from amongst those who are thankfully sha Allah
and another surah in Surah to natural Allah Subhana which Allah says Allah who have Raja min boo Tony Omaha de la Ala Moana Shea wotja Allah Allah como sama well avasarala edit Allah Allah, Quran, Allah says I was the one who removed you from the wombs of your mothers and you didn't know anything at all. When you were removed from the wombs of your mothers. Allah says you knew nothing. We are the ones who gave you the IRS we gave you the site we gave you the heart we gave you all these organs, in order that you may be thankful Subhana Allah let us be grateful to Allah subhanho wa Taala we have all these organs that Allah subhanho wa Taala has given us Let's not become oblivious
of the fact that they are actually a gift from Allah subhanho wa Taala look at what he says in Surah two such that regarding the hearing and the sight, Allah says
wah wah wah hoffy mo a It is Allah who has made men and then blown the room or the soul into men. What jalila Kumasi our abbasov al f ada kanila Tesco we gave you your site we gave you your hearing we gave you your hearts but very few are thankful that Allah subhanho wa Taala not make us from those who are ungrateful.
So Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us to consider the organs He's given us and to thank Allah for that imagine the fingers we have. If you remove one thumb you will suffer so badly May Allah protect us all you it will be so difficult to lift anything up you need the five fingers that Allah subhanho wa Taala has provided and the thumb as small as it is one of the most important things that we have imagined without the thumb what would How would you lift a cap Allahu Akbar May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us understanding we cannot do without any one of these fingers. Yes, if one of them is gone, we make dua that Allah subhanho wa Taala recompense such a person and grant them all forms of
submarine shala which will be our topic for tomorrow inshallah. But at the same time today we are speaking of the gratitude to Allah subhanho wa Taala what he has given you be thankful if you have one, I thank Allah for that because others don't even have one. If you have one leg, thank Allah for that because others don't even have one. Law Kabbalah we need to be very, very conscious of what Allah has given us because we will see a little bit later what happens to those who are ungrateful to Allah subhanho wa Taala and this is why Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us in Surah minion in many places he reminds us of our organs. He says,
What who will love me, Misha Allah como sama
ADA, it is a law, who has given you your eyesight, your hearing your hearts, your body organs in order that you may be thankful. Let us be thankful to Allah subhanho wa Taala and Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us thereafter regarding the gift of the day and the night, and the fact that Allah has created it, we need to thank Allah subhanho wa Taala that He has given us day and night. As we are speaking here. There are certain Muslims in Europe who are fasting for a very long, prolonged period surely for about 14 to 18 hours of the day, because the sun there rises very early and sets very late at this moment of the year SubhanAllah. Shouldn't we be
thankful to Allah subhanho wa Taala in this part of the world, that amazingly our days and nights are more or less equal, throughout the years of Han Allah, we have an hour two hours difference Subhana Allah We ask Allah Subhana Allah to help us to be grateful to him. I am not saying those in Europe should not be grateful, at least they have a day and the night. There are positives and negatives for everything. When your days long, sometimes you can achieve much more. And when your nights are long Also, sometimes you can achieve much more in terms of the ibadah and closeness to Allah Subhana Allah to Allah. So Allah Subhana Allah, Allah says in Surah Furqan remember everything
I mentioned in here, it is connected to gratitude and thankfulness to Allah and within the same verse or before it or after it. Allah speaks of gratefulness, gratitude, praise of Allah subhanho wa Taala and the gifts he has bestowed upon us. He says in Surah Furqan wahoo Elijah Allah Allah one fieldfare fecha Lehman arada
Adi Shankara. If anyone wants to remind to be reminded anyone wants to be from amongst those who remembers Allah subhanho wa Taala. He says, It is he who has created the night and the day following one another, they follow and rotate. Imagine if the day came then suddenly the night was on strike and the day had to come again. Allahu Akbar, or there was a gap one wonders how that gap would be. The Allah Subhana which Allah protects us just as well. None of the other creatures of Allah subhanho wa Taala go on strike, because had they been on strike one wonders how what would have happened and how we would have actually managed May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us. The post
office goes on strike we suffer
Subhanallah other people go on strike we suffer we go on strike we suffer but we don't realize that it's a large gift upon us. That insha Allah we have been given so many gifts of Allah subhanho wa Taala they just continued ticking and clicking. They never asked for increase in salary. They never asked for anything from Han Allah, the day and the night. All Allah wants from us is gratitude. Allahu Akbar. May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us from those who are grateful for granting us the day and the night for granting us the day and the night that moves one after the other. Allah says For those who want to be thankful that is assigned to them Allahu Akbar, then Allah subhanho wa
Taala tells us insurance causes Mati he from the mercy of Allah He says it is from the mercy of Allah Jalla como la la
Lita, skoon ofii Juanita bata Bhoomi fortney Allah Allah Ko, it is the mercy of Allah and it is in order that you may be thankful that he has created the night in which you can sleep and the day in which you can go out and work that is the gift of Allah subhanho wa Taala. And this is why in Islam, we need to realize it is the duty of a Muslim, to sleep at night and to work during the day as best as they can. Also we use a portion of the night to engage in acts of worship that will be pleasing the Creator. But if we are doing nothing meaningful after Salah Tunisia, we should find ourselves in bed because the night has been created to rest those who want to stay awake at night without doing
anything meaningful. That is the time the devil comes out. Let me inform you very openly that 99% of the sins are committed at night so if you would like to achieve any form of goodness, find yourself indoors immediately after Salah Tunisia and inshallah you will be protected from the nightclubs. I don't know of any club that is called a day club Allahu Akbar. Because at night is when the sins happened, the adultery happens, the depth the drugs happen, and all forms of different crimes happen at night May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us.
So that is why it is a gift of Allah realize that it is there in order to rest as much as we can. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant does increase. A person who goes Early to bed definitely quenches their thirst of sleep than a person who goes Late to bed. So to go Early to bed and to get up early is a son of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam It is his practice and he asks us to follow that path. Because that is the person who will definitely get up and breathe the morning oxygen that is so beneficial for you. Amazingly, we don't understand and realize that Allah wants us to get up very early before everybody else to pray so that we can benefit from the oxygen that is there
uncontaminated through the night, especially kept for the Muslim in May Allah subhanho wa Taala canon does benefit.
Then Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us about the cattle in Surah. Yasin. Allah says do you know the cattle we take it for granted but that cow that we see Allah subhanho wa Taala says there is so much benefit in it for you. You will benefit from its skin from its meat from the milk therefrom you will benefit in so many different ways. Do you know that the cow is so so much
Full of wealth for the one who owns it, the person will earn from the Ophuls he will earn from the trotters he will earn from the horns he will earn from the from everything from the meat, and the most money that he will ever get is from the skin. If only he knows what to do with it, Allahu Akbar, we take it for granted. But ask those who know what wet blue is they will tell you Subhanallah we would like to see this skin and we want you when you cut it, cut it nicely. Don't make a hole in the center because it needs to be taken to Italy and back so that people can say it's Italian leather, yet it was from South Africa. All we did is we took it by ship there as it docked.
It came back with newpapers Allahu Akbar. Now Allah Subhana which Allah protect us. We don't want to fall into the deception of the world, though we might know what is going on.
So Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us in Surah Yaseen Allah Hamza manaphy Omar Sharif, is Allah taskclone Are you not going to be thankful? We've given you so much benefit in the kettle and so much to drink from it? Subhana Allah, this milk? Have you ever thought for a moment that almost everyone on the globe drinks milk? Where does it come from? Subhana Allah Allah, imagine how many cows Allah has in order to create milk for every single human being. And yet we sit and we think, okay, I went and I bought the milk from the shop, go and see how much milk is being consumed in your own locality. You will get a shock we will probably fill hundreds of 1000s of litres a day Allahu
Akbar. And where are all those cows Allah says are you not thankful? Do you forget that this drink is so pure, it is milk, it is white, it is pure, it is uncontaminated. It is so beneficial from it you have your ice creams that I am adding some heinola from it you have your chocolate from it, you have your milkshakes and from it you have so many different things. Allah says Be grateful Come on a fella touch Quran Allah is Quran, Allah says are they not going to be grateful for what we've given them and still you find men disobeying the commands of Allah subhanho wa Taala
that is only the capital that we spoke about. It is such a gift. If you were to think about it, it would consume one entire year of yours. So panela if you had to do a study that Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us. Then Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us in Surah Yaseen again, regarding the fruits, and regarding the springs that Gosforth Allah gives us so many different types of fruit. Allah says what do you do your hands don't make the fruit you only plant the seed. And if you're fortunate living in a country like this in South Africa, or Zimbabwe, or one of these countries where the soil is so fertile, even if you threw the seed by mistake, a low will provide you with great love. Even
if you threw the seed by mistake, you will have Mashallah tomatoes and so on. So hanabi Allah Allah, Allah says, Leah kuno
de la Mila ad him,
co they will eat from all the fruit of this world, Allah makes mention of the date, why the dates because the date is as sweet as one can imagine. And yet it grows when there is no rain in the desert Subhana Allah in the heat, how that date grows is amazing only Allah knows. And do you know if a date grows in any other place besides the place that has extreme heat, it will not be as sweet. When you put a date of Medina in your mouth automatically. It has a different sweetness to it than the mid jewel date of wherever it is to panela
the number of Medina and the 35 or 36 different types of date of dates that we might have Subhan Allah every one of them has a different taste Allah subhanho wa Taala speaks about the date. Because there are so many types of dates the big one, the small one, the black one, the brown one and you know the very sweet one, the one which is not extremely sweet, the bitter one and so on. Amazing. It's a creation on its own. Allahu Akbar, Allah says that you're not going to be thankful. And then Allah subhanho wa Taala speaks about the grapes and the reasons and all that we have from the grape. And amazingly Allah subhanho wa Taala says and what for Java nafi hermina? Oh, we have let water
gush forth in the form of springs for you to benefit from Allah says are they not going to be grateful? No gratitude, am I getting any gratefulness from them? Amazing. May Allah subhanho wa Taala never ever make us from those who transgress May he really forgive us for the ingratitude we've been showing for years on end and sometimes even through our deeds. We are showing in gratitude to Allah subhanho wa Taala. Listen to what he says thereafter. He speaks about water. He speaks about water and he says water is a gift from Allah subhanho wa Taala. He is the one who sends it down. He is the one who fills the oceans and the seas. He is the one who permits the ships to
move. Allah says that itself.
Are you going to be thankful for it amazing the shifts that are moving on the sea, that is the power of Allah if Allah subhanho wa Taala did not have the sea where they're going to be any shifts, and we need the ships no matter where they are now we have air transport and all other forms of transport you and I know that those containers and the oil and what have you, the best way of transporting it is through the oceans Allahu Akbar. That is the gift of Allah subhanho wa Taala we cannot do without it. So Allah says, are they not going to be thankful when we have given them water? If we wanted, we could have made that water so salty that they would not be able to drink it.
So are they not going to be thankful for the fact that they have drinkable water? Do you know that it is said that the next war on this globe is going to be for water and for food? If you think about it carefully, it seems and sounds extremely accurate and true. Because people are now fighting for access to water across the globe. And people are fighting for drinkable water. Allah Subhana Allah Allah says in Surah, two la
Luna
falola
if we wanted we could have made this water very salty, are they not going to thank us? Are they not going to thank us so that we can provide them with more water insha Allah May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us from those who are grateful. Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us in total and Caboose regarding sustenance, he says he is the one who provide sustenance, don't ever seek sustenance from anyone besides Allah subhanho wa Taala he says in Medina de una de la la yamla. Kuhn Allah, Qumran those whom you are asking for sustenance besides Allah they don't own your sustenance. Baba
de la
escuela la todo Joan, seek sustenance only from Allah and worship Him alone. don't associate partners with him. Be thankful Allah says amazing. Be thankful for the sustenance we've provided you and the guidance we've given you in order to seek that particular sustenance. May Allah subhanahu wa Allah grant us every form of benefit.
Allah subhanho wa Taala him tells us to be grateful that He has given us the parents we have and to be grateful to our parents, especially our mothers for having given birth to us and looked after us when we were young, amazing. Allah subhanho wa Taala did not forget that the biggest gratitude you need to show is to your mother, the biggest gratitude you need to show to your parents amazing after Allah subhanho wa Taala listen to what Allah subhanho wa Taala says in Surah lokman what was seen in Santa bydd Allah has instructed you to do good to your parents, hammer Allah.
Allah Wa, his mother or the mother of the human being has held this human with great difficulty after difficulty, hardship after hardship, the days went by, and they were greater and greater hardships. And Allah says and she gave birth in the greatest of hardship for him. No, in fact, Allah subhanho wa Taala says,
Well, if you saw Oh, who am I ammini anishka Lee, when he was led the weaning in two years in order to thank me, Allah says, and to thank both your parents may we be from amongst those who show gratitude to our parents, obviously, wherever they have instructed us to do that, which is unreasonable and unacceptable. That is where we draw the line but we will still respect them and honor them and obey them in everything else in Sharla. And we ask Allah Subhana Allah to have mercy on them, and to make us also parents who will be role models to our own children. May Allah subhanho wa Taala benefit us all. Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us that when he has granted you knowledge and
wisdom, you need to be thankful to him. It is through gratitude that you will receive more knowledge and more wisdom. Listen to what he says in Surah lokman. Allah subhanho wa Taala says right at the beginning, he says, while aka attain Allah, common analytic Mehta, anishka Lila indeed we have given Luqman alayhis salam o Luqman the wise, we have given him wisdom so that he can be thankful to Allah subhanho wa Taala your knowledge and your wisdom should lead you to be thankful and you should be thankful in order to receive knowledge and wisdom May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us from those who have both sides of that particular coin, amin
and Allah subhanho wa Taala. Immediately after that expresses his independence. Do you know what he says? He says, One Shankara in koroni, Neff seen whoever is going to be thankful will only be benefiting himself. Allah does not need your gratitude. You need to be grateful
To him, if you are grateful to Allah, you are doing yourself a favor. praise belongs to Allah, whether you praise him or not, it still belongs to him Allahu Akbar. Allah says you must be grateful to Allah because if you are not grateful, he is independent. wama Guevara for in Allah honey Yun Hemi. If you are going to be ungrateful, Allah is independent and he is praised anyway. Listen to what Allah says in Surah Surah Allah says Youssef be hola who sama to Sabah
be hovingham de la, co natus be home, the seven heavens as well as the earth, the skies and everything in between. and all the creatures of Allah they declare the praise of Allah they are grateful to Allah they praise and thank Allah and declare his greatness but you don't understand it. The trees and the stones, the water everything praises Allah subhanho wa Taala the clouds, the skies, all the creatures the animals what have you, they declare praise but you do not comprehend the praise of Allah subhanho wa Taala by these creatures when it comes to men man is the one who finds himself ungrateful, not even being able to utter the words Subhana Allah and hamdulillah All
praise is due to Allah, all gratitude is due to Allah subhanho wa Taala Allah is the Greatest these are the type of words we should be finding our tongues constantly wet with Allah subhanho wa Taala Grant has the ability to declare his greatness at all times. So Allah subhanho wa Taala warns us in this regard, and Allah subhanho wa Taala says there after
that, do you know that even the fish is a very, very big gift from Allah subhanho wa Taala and the fish is only there because the water came first. If there was no water, the fish would also die. You and I know that where there is a drought and the riverbeds have dried you will find dead fish. So Allah subhanho wa Taala punishes through the drought, not only by not giving one water, but at the same time by killing all the marine life that exists May Allah Subhana Allah never punish us in that way. May He assist all those who are suffering drought and may He not test us with it. Believe me the gifts of Allah subhanho wa Taala are connected one after the other. If one is not there, there
is a Skittle effect where many others will be affected. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us the gratitude.
Then Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us thereafter.
What is the reward of gratitude that is important. When you are grateful? What is the reward and you when you are ungrateful what happens? Listen to what Allah subhanho wa Taala says in Surah Ibrahim, what is that then our book, la
Chicago Toma as Eden aku wala cafaro tune in
Mila Shadi, Allah has declared openly your Rob has declared openly that if you are going to be grateful, he will give you increase. And if you are going to be ungrateful, he will overtake you with severe punishment, taking away even what he has given you. When Allah has given you a Hey, that grows in a specific way. Be thankful to Allah for that hair because if you are ungrateful, he might even take that away.
And if Allah subhanho wa Taala has taken your hair away. In the case of those who are bald, for example, be thankful to Allah subhanho wa Taala that he hasn't taken you here de la Cava really some people their whole mind will be gone. They will be suffering insanity completely Allahu Akbar, when Allah subhanho wa Taala has tested you with something, look at those who are tested with something even more that is Allah's plan. And that is why we are taught on guru Illa men who are do not come when it comes to this material world only look at those who are below you never stretch your eyes to look above you know, when you don't have money. Look at the one who doesn't even have a house.
When you don't have a car, look at the one who doesn't even have a bicycle. When you don't have shoes. Look at the one who doesn't even have feet. When you have one problem in your marriage. Look at those who have 50 law cover when you have 50 problems in your marriage, which is more like it nowadays people are complaining of every single thing. If you buy the yogurt, it's a problem. If you don't buy it, it's still a problem. So those are two problems with the same thing. Allah subhanho wa Taala is instructing us to say Do you know what you should be doing? You should definitely be from amongst the one who is looking at those who have a greater difficulty. The problem with marriage now
that I mentioned it, let me go a little bit deeper in it. People compare their marriages with others who cosmetically appear to
be happier yet they are comparing themselves to you when you cosmetically appear to be happier Allahu Akbar. So the world is comparing itself with one another, each one saying, Look at how they live in the holding hands in public. Well, like those who hold hands in public are the very ones who don't get on in private, lockable. So they've got to put up the show for everybody else. Those who really adore each other, they don't have to show the whole world. But those who don't get on, they've got to say hold my hand otherwise, and I'm sure you know the story of Allah subhanho wa Taala protect the soul really. So it is the sign of gratitude to Allah subhanho wa Taala when you
think very carefully, and when you are grateful to Allah for what you have, make the most of your spouse, if Allah has given you a spouse, thank Allah for that spouse, and stop comparing. Because if you start comparing, it will end right at your grave, it will not stop and you will die a painful death full of in gratitude and full of ungratefulness when you are ungrateful, you will miss another million things that your spouse has that are so positive and that others don't have because you are concentrating on five points that are bad, not realizing that they are another 500 that my eyes have been blinded because Allah has punished me because of my ingratitude. May Allah subhanahu wa Allah
make us with peep make us from amongst those really, who can look at the positive elements and sides of our spouses and make amends inshallah We ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to help us resolve our problems. So Allah subhanho wa Taala tells that to us, that if you are to be grateful, I will grant you increase and if you are to be ungrateful, I will snatch away even what I've given you. So if you want to increase in anything, you need to be grateful to Allah subhanho wa Taala and Allah subhanho wa Taala thereafter tells us that gratitude is not only paying lip service, paying lip service to see ally Thank you, I thank you, I thank you, then you drinking when you're going to the casinos,
then you involved in adultery, then you're not reading your Salah, you're not giving your soccer. That's not gratitude. Allah says gratitude is the one who can obey the instruction of Allah subhanho wa Taala together with the verbal gratitude, Allahu Akbar.
And this is why in the Quran, he says, Those who do not associate partners with Allah, they are the ones who are grateful to Allah, those who do not engage in shift. They are the ones who are grateful to Allah for having given them the life that they have. And Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us regarding Ibrahim alayhi salatu was Salam in Surah tunnel. in Kibera, he met Ghana
or Nita, Lima honey,
Miyako minalima shinki. machining, Shakira only and only Allah says Ibrahim himself was an Ummah, he was a nation in one person. He was such a powerful leader that he is called a nation in one individual, Allah says, and indeed, he was always from amongst those who did not engage in any form of shift. He was standing firm on the straight path without associating partners with Allah. And that was the gratitude that he had for the gifts Allah had bestowed upon him. How many of us are going to be grateful to Allah in the same way that Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us from associating partners with him because those who do associate partners with Allah subhanho wa Taala
it is a clear sign of ingratitude to the Creator Himself. And Allah subhanho wa Taala then tells us that there are certain people who promised Allah that oh, I will be very thankful if you give me this and I will be very thankful if you do this. And when Allah subhanho wa Taala gives them they suddenly forget that they had promised Allah subhanho wa Taala that they will be thankful Allah says for them is a severe punishment for them. They should really take heed what has happened to the others. May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us. That verse Allah subhanho wa Taala mentioned in Surah
titanal solly Helena coonan Amina Shakira in Param masani Jalla Allah who Shaka FEMA de Houma, Fatah, Allahu
Allah says the people who make dua This is regarding pregnancy to say, Oh Allah, we will be very grateful if you give us a good child, a blessed child, a pious child, a decent child and so on. And when the child comes exactly how they wanted, they suddenly begin to associate partners with Allah. Look at how partnership is mentioned as opposition to thankfulness.
Allah says they promised to be grateful. Then they associated partners which means they will not grateful. Allah says amazingly Allah Subhana Allah Allah says Allah does not need them, nor does he need those whom they have associated as partners with Allah Subhana Allah to Allah. And this is why whenever we promise Allah anything, it's our duty to fulfill it in sha Allah. Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us thereafter
to prostrate to find yourself in such depth to fulfill your Salah is part and parcel of gratitude to Allah subhanho wa Taala look at what Allah subhanho wa Taala says in Surah telligen for sub byham Dr. Big accom minister, God declared the greatness of Allah praise Him and at the same time, find yourself always from amongst those who are prostrating, make sure that you are fulfilling your Salah that Salah is one of the biggest ways of showing your gratitude to creator for what he has given you. And Allah subhanho wa Taala thereafter tells us
the example of a powerful example of a person who is thankful and who has a man listen to what he says in Surah you know the examples of the Quran, they are understood by Allah, it's important that we take lessons from them. Listen to what Allah subhanho wa Taala says, well, Bella, dude, boy, yo, yo, Jonah back to be even near a big one loving Caboose, ally of Flo Jo Illa Nikita,
teeny Tommy ESCO indeed, that land that has that land that is good. Listen very carefully to the example it will require a lot of attention, the land that is good, will produce crop by the will of Allah. But if the land itself is bad, nothing will come out of it except with great difficulty. That is the example for those who are thankful Allah says what this means the land is being compared to our bodies, ourselves, and the plants are compared to the increase from the seed. When the seed goes into good land. That thankfulness and gratitude makes it grow so much. But when the seed goes into bad land, the in gratitude makes it stop there and you will not receive much goodness Allah says so
when you are grateful, then the seed of gratitude will result in increase in the produce that you were grateful for Allahu Akbar. And this is why when a person is grateful for the fruit they eat, they protect the seed and plant it Allah says we won't waste that
we will make sure it grows for you inshallah, for as long as you are doing it inshallah with the right intentions for the sake of Allah, may he make us from those who can have produce that is edible inshallah. And may He protect us from produce that is harmful for us. Really, we need to ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to give us an insight into this example, where he says that the example of a person who is thankful is likely example of land that is good. When the seed goes in it, it grows, the seed is the thankfulness the gratitude, so gratitude gives you increase, whereas when you when your heart is filthy and dirty, and you don't think it is similar to land that is bad. You can put
10 seeds in it or 100 seeds in it, it will grow nothing for you. Allahu Akbar, Allah says when we give people it's like a seed. If they want, they can either increase it by being thankful by Allah will or it can be a waste of time they will just spoil it and have have wasted it in this world. May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us from those who can understand this powerful example in Surah Allah
then Allah subhanho wa Taala tells us, he won't punish you. If you are thankful he will not punish you. Look, look at the words he uses amazing words Allah subhanho wa Taala uses in Surah Nisa, he says,
shocked
to what is going to achieve by punishing you. If you believe and you are thankful he won't punish you. He's achieving nothing Subhan Allah, Allah subhanho wa Taala says he won't punish you. If you believe and you are thankful. Notice how belief is connected to thankfulness because lack of belief is also connected to in gratitude. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us understanding. Then Allah subhanho wa Taala speaks about Suleiman alayhi salam, and the lesson is for all of us. Everything I've been given is a test from Allah. He wants to test me whether I am thankful or not listen to what Suleiman Alayhi Salam is reported to have said in Surah animal in fact, we know he said this.
He says, Carla has
never be Lia, Bologna, I school.
This all this kingdom that Allah has given me and this power and mic that Allah has given me is in order to test me it is from the virtue of Allah to test me am I from those who are grateful? Or am I from those who showed no gratitude at all? If we are from those who show no gratitude, Allah says I don't need you. I don't need your gratitude. Everything else is praising me as it is whether you are praising or not. Still, the rest are praising Allah subhanho wa Taala God does listen from that. And this is why Allah subhanho wa Taala addresses all of us
As the children of
the children of new alayhis salam, why is that the case? The reason is we are the children of Adam That is correct. But at the same time at the time of Noah and Noah May peace be upon him, everyone was destroyed, besides the few who were in the ark with him, and Allah says in the Quran, wa jal Nagar Rita who whom Albertine, we gave, we gave the progeny of new Hala his Salatu was Salam. That extension nobody else had it, which means
we increase in the oma was through knew himself and not from anyone else who was with him. Yet Allah Subhana Allah Allah says in Surah Surah re Yattaman Hamel
O people of the progeny of whom we saved in the ark of Noah, that's what Allah blesses us as
Allah says, in
shakoora, we'd like to remind you that he was a very, very grateful servant of ours, which means your forefathers showed gratitude. Why don't you show gratitude as well. When he showed gratitude he was saved when the whole globe was destroyed. If you show gratitude, you will also be saved when the calamity comes May Allah subhanho wa Taala save us and grant us increase inshallah. And this is why it is important.
Allah subhanho wa Taala makes mentioned in the Quran and it is important for us to constantly think of the gifts of Allah, He says was curonian mata La La come many places in the Quran, he says, Remember the gift of Allah upon you remember the gift of Allah upon you when this happened? In another place? He says, Remember the gift of Allah when that happened? There was a gift upon you have children of Israel or children of Jacob May peace be upon him. Remember the gift of Allah upon you. He says that in the Quran amazing. And this is to teach us that we do need to look at the gifts of Allah upon us. Sometimes we were about to die in a close shave car accident and we will survive.
armed robbery and Alhamdulillah we survive. Allah is watching us. It's a test from Allah. Are you going to be grateful that we gave you that survival? Allahu Akbar, Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us a lesson really. Sometimes we are so sick people have written us off and yet we are still alive. Allahu Akbar is a test Allah gives us and it takes away from us. All of that is a test of Allah subhanho wa Taala. And this is why it is important that we make dua constantly, that Allah grant us the acceptance, Allah subhanho wa Taala gives us the ability to thank him. Allah subhanho wa Taala makes mention of this. We read it into nice verses in taraweeh. And it is also mentioned of Sulaiman
Alayhi. Salatu was Salam in Surah to naml where he made the dua and we should all be making the same do or B or C and D and ash Quran, meta keleti and amta Allah Yahweh Allah wa Lydia, Allah, grant me the acceptance and ability to be able to thank you for the gifts you have bestowed upon me and my parents
were an assignee.
And part of that gratitude Yala, grant me the ability also to do good deeds that you will be pleased with because you have made me pleased Allahu Akbar, Allahu anhu Mara one who Allah subhanho wa Taala speaks about categories of people. Allah is pleased with them, they are pleased with Allah subhanho wa Taala May we also be from amongst those inshallah.
And I'd like to end with something regarding paradise. Even in Paradise, the people in paradise will be full of gratitude for Allah Subhana Allah to Allah. Allah says in Surah two are off regarding the people of Jana wacol hamdulillah he led me
Oh, mama,
Lena, Daddy, Allahu la.
La. We are so grateful to Allah. We are declaring or Praise to Allah that He has guided us in such a way that we've arrived at this meaning in Jannah had he not guided us surely we would never have got to where we are May Allah subhanho wa Taala give us every form of guidance. And this is why Allah subhanho wa Taala mentions the call of the people in general in Surah Yunus and Allah subhanho wa Taala says, the call of the people of gentlemen is as follows that word whom fee ha their call in Jana shall be super Hannah Kala whom our dahiya to whom he has
Anil hamdulillah you have been allomi in the coal they will be declaring the price
Allah when we call in the dunya we are asking for things. When the call calls even the callers calling Jenna they will be declaring the praise of Allah greeting everybody with peace and one of their main statements will be All praise is due to Allah subhanho wa Taala Lord of the worlds with that we end the seeing was Allahu Allah wa barik ala nabina Muhammad Subhana Allah Allah Subhana Allah Hammadi Hamdi, the shadow Allah Allah Allah antennas tofu kimono to Hoylake