Gratitude A Way of Life
By Nouman Ali Khan | 2026-01-09T12:30:18.294195+00:00 | Topic: Iman
Gratitude: A Way of Life
Ustad Nouman Ali Khan - RISTalks
Opening and Greeting
As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.
Alhamdulillahi rabbil alameen wa salatu wa salamu ala ashrafi al anbiya wal mursaleen wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma'een thumma amma ba'ad fa a'udhu billahi minash shaytanir rajim
Quranic Recitation - Surah Ibrahim
Wa laqad arsalna moosa bi ayatina an akhrij qawmaka minal zulumati ilal noor wa dhakkirhum bi ayyami Allah inna fi thalika la ayatin li kulli sabbarin shakoor wa idh qala moosa li qawmihi dhkuru ni'mata Allahi alaykum idh anja'akum min ali fir'aun yasumunakum suu'al azab wa yuthabbihuna abna'akum wa yastahyuna nisa'akum wa fi thalikum bala'un min rabbikum azim wa idh ta'adhana rabbukum la in shakartum la azidannakum wa la in kafartum inna azabi la shadeed
Rabbish rahli sadri wa yassirli amri wahlul uqdatan min lisani yafqahu qawli falhamdulillahi rabbil alameen wa salatu wassalam ala ashrafil anbiya'i wal mursaleen wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma'een (Quran 20:25-28)
Introduction to the Topic
I typically try to organize my thoughts around ayat of the Quran because I feel the most benefit comes from us taking every opportunity we can to remember the word of Allah azza wa jal. So in this relatively longer session I'd like to talk to you about a concept mentioned in the Quran inspired by some ayat of Surah Ibrahim, the 14th surah of the Quran. I'll try to focus my conversation and zoom in on some of the lessons that are central to this particular surah.
Historical Context: The Meccan Period
Just a couple of introductory comments: this surah belongs with a group of surahs in the Quran that deal with a similar subject. This similar subject deals with the later Meccan era of the Prophet's life (صلى الله عليه وسلم). When the Prophet (عليه الصلاة والسلام) first delivered his message, one of the earliest reactions to it was shock, which later was coupled with ridicule and people being dismissive of his message. But eventually it transformed into something of an oppressive reaction.
In other words, people who heard his message were not willing to even listen and they were not only insulting and condescending - things started getting physical. Muslims started getting tortured and in some instances even our messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was not spared. So the situation of Muslims was getting progressively difficult.
Modern Parallels: Challenges of New Muslims
In this difficult time you have to understand - somebody just accepts Islam nowadays, they go through a lot of challenges. Their family is completely freaked out that they've become a Muslim, or their friends are in shock that this girl we knew is now covering her head and they wonder what's happening to her, or that guy that we used to go hang out with and go to the bar with doesn't come with us anymore.
Back in Texas I met a brother who became Muslim and he's married - his wife doesn't even know yet. He's scared to tell her he's become Muslim. He hangs out with the brothers after Isha at the halal restaurant, keeping up appearances because if he comes home too early, she might get the wrong idea.
But you have to understand that the situation our companions - the companions of the Prophet (رضي الله عنهم أجمعين) - were in is far more complex. Becoming Muslim means not only does your family think you're insane and that you've joined a cult (which is what they portrayed Islam as early on), but also you become socially, economically, and even politically an outcast. It's okay to offend you not just verbally but even physically. So you become an open target.
Allah's Support Through Revelation
Your life just turns around just because you accept Islam. It's not an easy thing to do for these companions. In this very difficult time, Allah revealed a set of surahs that were there to help the Muslims cope with this difficult time. The fundamental premise of these surahs is to help the Muslims cope. This is Allah giving them encouraging words, telling them: "Look, this is why you're going through this - it's gonna pass."
When we have a hard time we need somebody to talk to, to give us encouragement. This is Allah giving encouragement in hard times.
The Mission: From Darkness to Light
From the very beginning of this surah, the first thing mentioned is an address to the Prophet:
"A magnificent book that we've sent down to you so you can extract, pull people out from darknesses into light." Darknesses is a manifestation of misguidance. It's also a place of discomfort - when you're in a dark place you want to come out to the light.
In Arabic literature and poetry, darkness is associated with difficulty and light is associated with ease, just like our religion. Allah's teachings are associated with ease, not difficulty. Allah Himself says:
"Allah wants to lighten your burden."
"Allah didn't put any difficulty in the deen for you."
The Story of Musa: A Case Study
But the sahaba weren't feeling that way. The companions felt like their life just became so much harder just because they became Muslim. So Allah tells them it's not just about ease - it's about pulling people out of darknesses into light, from misguidance to guidance. All of humanity - you're on a mission. Somebody has to pay the price, somebody has to go through difficulty so all of humanity can benefit from the guidance.
The suffering that they went through is one of the reasons you and I get to say:
La ilaha illa Allah
One of the reasons we get to say:
Muhammadur rasoolul lahi salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam
In this context, Allah (عز وجل) brings up the story of Musa (عليه السلام). When you study the Quran, understand something: the Quran relies heavily on history to teach its lessons. If there's one subject that the Quran makes a big deal out of and really communicates a good majority of its teachings through, it's through history and through these case studies of these prophets (عليهم السلام).
Musa (عليه السلام) is probably the stellar figure in that case study. What I want to highlight is that they're not just mentioned as history lessons - they're mentioned in the context of an existing conversation. Allah was talking to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and the companions about how they have to hold on in difficult times, and then He started talking about Musa (عليه السلام). Why? So they understand that when we learn about Musa (عليه السلام) we're not just learning about Musa - we're learning about ourselves.
The Parallel Mission
Look, the surah began with one of the Prophet's missions - pulling them out of darknesses into light. The ayah I began with, further down in the same surah, the fifth ayah:
"We gave Musa our miraculous signs and gave him the instruction: pull people out of darknesses into light."
It's the exact same instruction, isn't it? What Allah told His messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم). So he's being told: "Look, there are a lot of parallels between you and Musa (عليه السلام)."
The Horror of Firaun's Oppression
Allah (عز وجل) then talks about Musa (عليه السلام) and how he delivered a message to his people and what Firaun (Pharaoh) was doing to the believers of the time - how he was slaughtering their babies:
It's so easy for us to recite these ayahs. Sometimes it's kind of awkward - you go in Ramadan and these kids memorize Quran and they're reciting Taraweeh really quickly, and they're like:
Yudhabbihuna abna'ahum wa yastahyoona nisa'ahum
And I'm like: "No, dude, you can't just say 'they were slaughtering children' - that's pretty intense!"
We just pass through these ayahs without thinking about what's being said. One child being killed, one baby being killed - it's an unthinkable crime. This is a policy of killing babies on a regular basis under Pharaoh. It's beyond imagination what that scene looks like.
As a parent, when I go to the grocery store and see missing children's posters, I just start moving faster because it's too disturbing. If I'm watching the news and some news comes about a missing child or some abduction or murder, I can't take it. I have to change the channel because it's too close to home.
But this is the situation these people were in. Why am I setting this stage? Because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was going through a hard time, and then Allah tells the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم): "There were a group of people before you that went through a lot harder time."
Allah's Acknowledgment of the Trial
Before Allah even mentions the khutbah - the sermon of Musa (عليه السلام) - He says:
If Allah Himself is saying that test, that trial to the Israelites, was enormous - it wasn't something small. Allah acknowledges to the Israelites that that was a huge trial. Allah Himself acknowledges that we can't make light of that.
After that, Allah reminds the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم): "Here's how Musa encouraged his people in the middle of all of that." Can you imagine families in the audience of Musa (عليه السلام) who have lost their children? This is the reality of this passage. As Musa (عليه السلام) is giving his sermon to his people, there are people in the audience whose babies have been killed. Their hearts are wounded and they're sitting there listening to this khutbah being given by Musa (عليه السلام)
The Divine Declaration of Gratitude
And what does it say?
"And when your master declared" - when he let it be known. Usually an ayah doesn't begin like that - Allah made a grand declaration for the people to hear because the people's hearts were broken. They needed to hear something.
If you're in that situation, you would think - and at least I would think - that the khutbah and the revelation Allah will give at that time is going to be: "Be patient." The sermon from Allah will be about
patience. Why? Because the situation is one of difficulty, and when Muslims go through difficulty, what are they supposed to think about? Patience. What's the Arabic word for patience? Sabr.
Listen to the words. Allah doesn't say:
Wa idh ta'adhdana rabbukum la in sabartum
He didn't say: "When your master declared: if you're patient." No, he said:
La in shakartum
"If you were to be in the least bit grateful" - grateful, not patient. Can you think about that for a second? These people have lost children and Allah is declaring to them: "If you would just be..." what? Patient or grateful? Which one? Grateful!
That is the last thing on a person's mind if they have lost a child. But Allah is shifting perspective. Allah didn't even bring up patience because you can't have patience until you have what first? You can't have sabr until shukr is there first - until gratitude is there first.
The Reality of Human Struggle
Yes, they lost a child or many children. Yes, that's true. But what do they still have? No matter what you and I lose in life, what do we have?
I want to stop here and not talk about the ayat for a moment because I really want to talk about this one ayah in this talk. I want to tell you why I chose this passage.
Every one of you sitting in the audience and me standing up on the stage are no different in some respects. All of us have problems. All of us - there are no exceptions. Congratulations! That's the life of this world. It's not jannah.
All of us have problems: family problems, financial problems, academic problems, health problems, depression, anger management issues, sleeping problems. We all suffer through difficulty. That is a fact of life. Being Muslim doesn't change that. Being Muslim doesn't excuse us from our problems or remove them from us.
However, what being Muslim does do is equip us to deal with them. Humanity will never be free from problems. You and I will never be free from problems.
The Cycle of Problems and Good Times
Sometimes husband and wife are always fighting. He comes home and says "I'm home" and she says "Oh thank God, finally! Now we can fight!" And then there's the exception - one day they don't fight and they're nice to each other. They sit and have dinner together, even have a conversation, and go to sleep at the same time without being agitated.
Then you sit together and say: "Don't you wish every day was like this? Can't we just have every day like this? Why is it so complicated all the time?" You ever have those days? Because we all do. And the moment you say that, here's what comes in your mind: "Nah, we're going to be fighting in about two hours. We're going to go back to normal."
Good things happen to you, good times come, and you immediately start anticipating: "Well, chances are this is the off season, but the next major event is around the corner." If trouble doesn't come to you from the marriage, it comes from the children. If not from the children, then from the parents.
If your parents are desi, they're never happy with you. Congratulations - a significant population of the world will never be able to please their parents ever. And what's funny about parents never being happy - the only time I see desi parents speak nicely about their children is when they go away. When they're gone: "Oh my God, my boy is so good!" When he comes for a week: "Oh my God, he's the worst creation under the sky!" Then he goes away and he's great again.
Subhanallah - appreciate the things you have around you.
The Human Tendency to Focus on Problems
We all have problems, and there's a human tendency - I'm not immune from it and you're not immune from it. What is that tendency? I can't stop thinking about my problems. When I'm driving, I'm thinking about the bills, the kids, the argument I just had, the work problem, the project that's not finished, the assignment that hasn't been done yet, the grades at school, the immigration paperwork - whatever.
You're constantly thinking about your problems, and when you're constantly thinking about your problems that are mostly unresolved, you're constantly in a bad mood. You're just not happy. And our moods and sentiments are contagious. When you're in a bad mood, people around you are in a bad mood. When you're upset, the whole family is upset.
You don't just get to say "I'm upset - that's my business." No! You are ruining the entire family's atmosphere. You're ruining the entire company's atmosphere.
Now they're spending millions of dollars just to discover at MBA executive human resource seminars that if you smile at your employees and have a positive attitude, productivity will increase. That is not an MBA discovery! Allah says:
Wa qoolu lin nasi husna (Quran 2:83)
"Speak to people in a beautiful way."
Allah's Message to the Israelites
You're constantly thinking about what didn't go right. I'm constantly thinking about what didn't go right - oh man, I missed the flight, or they're upset, or I didn't finish this, or I don't have enough money.
All these problems! Allah offers these people - these Israelites that are in a far worse situation than any of you sitting here - and they're stuck in it and they cannot see a way out of it. They are in a slave situation as a people controlled by a military state. Their children are routinely slaughtered. They have been in that state for quite some time and they don't see any way out. They are entirely hopeless.
To these people, what does Allah have to say? And if Allah is saying that to them, why isn't He saying that to you? Because He is - you're not listening.
La in shakartum
"Even if you were to be grateful"
The Grammar of Gratitude
Let me go into the Arabic a little bit because you can't taste this really. This is كلام شرطي - they say in the Arabic language it's جملة شرطية. There's a conditional statement. In math class you learn "if and then" statements - you remember those?
So the "if" portion is mentioned in the past tense:
La in shakartum
"If you were to be grateful" - not "if you are grateful," because the Arabic present tense in classical language alludes to continuity - يدل على الاستمرار. Allah is not even asking for continuous gratitude. He's just saying: "Show me one instance of gratitude. Just show me one instance of gratitude."
La in shakartum
"If you were to be grateful once," and if you were to be able to do that, what would happen?
La azeedannakum
This is جواب الشرط and it's the strongest and most emphatic form of language accessible in the Arabic language. There is no more emphasis possible in Arabic:
La azeedannakum
Which roughly translates to: "I swear to it, without a doubt, I will ensure, I promise, I will increase you, I will give you more, I will make you more, I will increase you, I promise, I swear to it!"
This is what Allah says if you were to do what? Just show an instance of gratitude.
The Personal Nature of Allah's Promise
By the way, normally in the Quran Allah speaks in the نحن - Allah speaks in the plural for His Majesty. In unusual cases in the Quran He speaks in the أنا - He speaks in the singular form, the first person. This is unusual in the Quran:
La azeedannakum
"I will absolutely increase you."
And what's even more incredible about this ayah is the verb زيادة - increase. The verb "increase" is ambiguous. Like if I say to you "Ya Allah, increase me," if I say to Allah "Ya Allah, increase me," that doesn't mean much yet. We say:
Rabbi zidni
But what? The dua is not:
Rabbi zidni
What is it?
Rabbi zidni ilma (Quran 20:114)
"Allah, increase me in terms of what? Knowledge." You have to add a specification - some تمييز has to be there. "Increase me in knowledge, increase me in wisdom."
Wa zidnahum huda (Quran 18:13)
"We increased them in guidance."
Zadathum eemana (Quran 8:2)
"The ayat increased them in terms of faith."
There's always some qualifier: increase in faith, increase in knowledge, increase in guidance, increase in patience, increase in gratitude, increase in something.
But Allah says to you and me in this ayah: "If you were to show one instance of gratitude, I swear to it, I will absolutely increase you" - but He doesn't say in what! Because He didn't want to limit it. He didn't limit it.
Can you imagine? Subhanallah! He doesn't say:
La azeedannakum sabra
"I'll increase you in patience."
La azeedannakum shukra
"I'll increase you in gratitude."
No, no, no! He doesn't reduce it - لم يقلل. He didn't reduce it. He expanded it.
What Does Gratitude Mean Practically?
So you ask - you just be grateful. That's all Allah is asking of you. Now let's talk a little bit about this gratitude before we finish the ayah, because the ayah is not done yet.
If I am grateful, what does that mean? What does that practically mean? You and I are supposed to be grateful for what? As Allah describes Ibrahim عليه السلام
Gratitude
Shakiran li an'umihi (Quran 16:121) "He was grateful to Allah's favors, His countless favors."
In other words, you and I are supposed to look around for things that we should be grateful for. We are supposed to look around and look for things that we are to be grateful for.
So if I can't find anything, I look at my clothes and I am grateful to Allah for having clothes. If I am speaking right now, I am grateful to Allah for having a tongue that works, eyes that can see, five fingers on each hand. And if you don't have five, thank Him for the three you have, because we don't own these. I didn't pay anything for these. I didn't pay Allah anything for them.
The True Value of Allah's Gifts
A gift's value can be determined - usually we think of value in the monetary sense, isn't that true? How expensive is a gift? What's the price tag?
Well, how much are you willing to sell me your leg for? What's the price tag on your leg? How about just one eyeball? Just one - I'm not even asking for both. Or an ear maybe? Are you willing to part with one of your ears? A nostril maybe?
How priceless are these gifts for you? Somebody offers you the world and you are not willing to part with them. And these are gifts Allah gave to you and me.
So long as we are breathing, so long as we are alive, there are things for us to be grateful for. In other words, no matter what is taken no matter what - if it's a child, if it's my health, if it's my career, if it's my ability to speak, if it's the thing I love (some of you guys it's your car - you really need to get married if that's your problem though) - if it's taken away and you are not able to look around and see anything you are grateful for, then you are a victim. There is no increase for you.
But if you can find and I can find things to be grateful for, Allah's guarantee is: "He will replenish you in anything you lost anyway. I'll increase you. I'll take care of the rest. You just maintain a positive attitude. You just maintain being grateful to Allah."
The Practice of Gratitude
We say "Alhamdulillah" but we don't mean it sometimes. You are going through problems. Somebody comes to you and says "How is it going?" You say "Alhamdulillah." Say "Alhamdulillah" and mean it!
"I'm grateful, I'm appreciative. Yes, I just lost my job, but there is plenty more that could have gone wrong and Allah did not do that. Allah has kept me safe from so many other problems. And how do I even know this job was going to be a source of problems for me and that the new thing Allah has around the corner for me is so much better for me?"
You don't know. You and I just don't know.
This mentality is built - constantly looking for things to be grateful for. This positive attitude is built. They have these positivity seminars now - self-help seminars. It's a multi-billion dollar industry. People come in and say "Feel good about yourself! You can accomplish anything! Wake up early in the morning!" - and then pay them $3000.
The entire self-help program is already embedded in the Quran. Just be grateful - you'll be positive. You'll just be positive.
La in shakartum la azeedannakum
The Other Side of the Equation
But then the other side of the equation that really scares me - subhanAllah - and there's a mercy in that too:
"And if you were to be ungrateful."
Now if this is an "if," what's left? If you say an "if," what are you expecting? A "then." If you're ungrateful, then what will happen?
What's the incredible mercy of Allah in this ayah is that He doesn't mention a "then." He left it like - if this was in a comic book it would be dot, dot, dot. "And if you're ungrateful..." dot, dot, dot.
He says:
Inna adhabee la shadeed (Quran 14:7)
But He didn't say:
Fa inna adhabee la shadeed
If He said:
Fa inna adhabee la shadeed
Then that would mean "if you're ungrateful, then no doubt my punishment is really intense." Then the two things would have been connected, which means you would have been guaranteed Allah's punishment if the letter ف was there. I would have been guaranteed punishment if we showed one instance of ingratitude.
But Allah says:
Wa la in kafartum inna adhabee la shadeed
"If you are ungrateful at all, just know that my punishment is super intense, even though I'm not willing to make a direct correlation for you out of my mercy."
Be grateful for that at least! If you've got nothing else to be grateful for, be grateful for this ayah! Be grateful for the lack of إف Subhanallah!
The Context of This Message
You have to understand the context - this sermon about being grateful is being given to a nation that's going through horrific trials.
One of the side lessons before I go to the last ayah I want to share with you: Allah (عز وجل) in this particular passage spoke in the plural. He spoke in the plural:
La azeedannakum shakartum
Everything is plural, which means our state of affairs can truly experience dramatic change if we can influence public attitudes.
Our religion - I keep saying this to my students all the time - is 90% attitude. That's all it is. You just have to have the right attitude. I call it in this case the "attitude of gratitude."
If we as a people have that attitude, Allah will increase us in opportunity, in unity, in progress, in development, in finding solutions to our problems. All of that will happen if as a people we develop a grateful, positive attitude.
Attitudes are powerful things. Allah says the help from the unseen comes when the believer has the attitude. You haven't even done anything yet. Shukr is in the heart - it's not an action. Shukr is in the heart. And if you've just done that, then you're set.
A Profound Insight About Gratitude
I can't move on before I share one last gem with you about gratitude that's in this ayah:
La in shakartum la azeedannakum
"If you're grateful to Him, He will increase you." No, no, no, no, no! "If you're grateful" - what does that mean?
He didn't say "if you're grateful to Him." He just said "if you're grateful," which means it's not limited to being appreciative of Allah. If you're grateful to your parents, if you're grateful to your teachers, if you're grateful to your friends, if you're grateful for all the other people and all the other sources of help and blessings around you, if you're grateful to your children for bringing a smile on your face, if you're grateful for your husband and your wife - "I will increase you."
You have to become a person of appreciation for your life to get better. And if you're going through problems, maybe you and I are just - we're not appreciative enough. Maybe that's the problem. That's the suggestion in this ayah. Our mindset has to change.
Musa's Final Message
Now let's move quickly. What does Musa (عليه السلام) say?
Musa (عليه السلام) looks at the crowd and the crowd is unchanged. They don't look like they're very grateful. They're still in a pretty bad mood. He says: "If you remain ungrateful" - it doesn't just mean disbelieve; it comes as the opposite of shukr here, so it means if you were to be ungrateful - "you and everybody on the earth, all together, if all of you decided all together to never be grateful to Allah again and you decided that you're not going to be grateful, all of you, then what would Allah's reaction be? What would Allah do?"
Now the previous ayah - Allah said He'll punish. His punishment is intense. What would the next statement be?
Allah says: "So what? So what?"
He says then you should know something - there's no doubt about it:
Innal laha la ghaniyyun hameed (Quran 14:8)
"Allah is independent. He doesn't need your praise. He doesn't need your gratitude. He doesn't need your right mentality. He doesn't need any of that. And He doesn't need you to say 'Alhamdulillah.' He's Hameed already. He's already self-praised. He's already in and of Himself. He doesn't depend on your praise."
He doesn't even call Himself Mahmood because that would imply dependence on something. Hameed doesn't imply anything - constantly free of need for praise or praise in and of Himself (سبحانه وتعالى).
The Attitude of the Believer
This is the attitude that has to be instilled into a believer. The attitude that if we don't do our job, that's not like Allah's deen needs us. Allah's deen doesn't need me. Allah's deen doesn't need you. You and I are gonna be gone and this deen will move on. Allah will give this deen victory with us or without us. The da'wah of Islam will spread with us or without us. We are all dispensable. None of us are indispensable. None of us are special.
So much so that if we don't appreciate Allah and we're not grateful to Allah, the train won't move forward without us.
You know what happens to a lot of us - the ones that are involved in Islamic work? "Man, if I don't do it, who's gonna do it? Oh my God, thank Allah for me being around, because if I didn't teach this, or if I didn't give these lectures, or if I didn't put this conference together, if I wasn't president of the MSA, and if I wasn't treasurer of this masjid, the beams would have collapsed! I don't even know how they would have survived!"
Brother, you and I are gonna be in a janazah pretty soon - our own! We're gonna be attending a janazah and we are mandatory attendants at that janazah. And the masjid will be around, the MSA will be around.
Some say the graveyard is full of indispensable people - people used to say about them "What would we do without you?" They're all in the graveyard.
Part of being grateful is to be grateful for the fact that Allah honored us with the opportunity to serve. That's not because we're special - because Allah is giving us that opportunity.
The Honor of Being With the Messenger
Part of the thing that Musa's followers had to be grateful for - you know what it is? Not just the blessings around them, but the fact that they live in a time of a messenger that gets to give them a direct khutbah. A messenger - Musa (عليه السلام) - is giving them khutbah. Why shouldn't they be grateful? They get to be considered the sahaba of Musa (عليه السلام). That's an honor!
So the Muslims in Mecca that are being tortured are extremely grateful now for being tortured because they are with Muhammad Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. What greater honor can there be? So their attitude is not "I should be patient" - their attitude now is "I should be grateful! I'm going through a tough time because Allah honored me to go through this tough time. He didn't pick somebody else. He thought I was good enough to go through this. I get to join the ranks of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم."
Perseverance in Islamic Work
When you and I a lot of people when they're involved in Islamic work, they quit when things get hard. Look, when you get involved in Islamic work, there are personality clashes, there are people who say things you don't want to hear. Those things happen. And they say: "Brother, I used to help out, but I don't anymore. Those people don't appreciate me and they really test my patience. Some argument happened and I can't deal with it anymore. I don't deal with that anymore."
"Were you productive when you were there?"
"Yeah, I mean I was doing a lot of good things and we were getting somewhere, but I just don't want to be around that negative crowd anymore."
Look, when things get tougher, that just means Allah is testing your mettle. That doesn't mean you quit. That means you go on. That just means Allah wants to give you extra credit, because if it's tougher, that means Allah thinks you can handle it. Allah knows you can handle it. That's why you were put in that position. Those are not the reasons to quit - those are the reasons to go on.
The problems are not things that put us back. The problems are what push us forward. Subhanallah!
A Hadith About Learning Difficulties
I tell you something about problems. One of my favorite hadith of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم - I'm an Arabic teacher and I tell you, Arabic can be very painful to teach. Arabic sounds glorious and stuff, but when you get into it, you start seeing tears come down students' eyes, and they don't have to do with Iman. At that time I remind myself and I remind them of this hadith about learning, and specifically learning the Quran, because their patience is being tested with learning. They've got a learning block.
So the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
(Bukhari 4937, Muslim 798)
Al mahiru bil qurani ma'as safaratil kiraamil bararah
"The expert in the Quran is ranked among the highest, most noble angels."
The expert in the Quran - (الْمَاهِرُ بِالْقُرْآنِ - al-mahiru bilquran) - so the student is listening to this saying: "Well, I'm not an expert. Thanks for that, though. Now I feel worse because the expert is ranked so high. What about me?"
And the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says:
(Bukhari 4937, Muslim 798)
Wal ladhee yaqra'ul qurana wa yatatata'u feehi wa huwa alayhi shaqqun lahu ajraan
"The one who recites the Quran and he stumbles in it" - like the verb itself (يَتَتَعْتَعُ - yatatata'u) he stumbles when he recites - "and it's really hard on him" - that student that can't move forward, they've got this block and they can't fix it - "he gets twice the reward."
Now some scholars say he gets twice what a normal person would get. Others say he gets twice what the expert gets, because Allah made it extra hard for him so he could earn twice what even the expert earns, because Allah is not concerned with quantity - He is concerned with quality of effort.
So now the student who's doing the worst in class is the most motivated in class, because Allah promised him he gets twice the reward for struggling through it.
Anyway, that does not mean, by the way, get a zero on your test on purpose thinking "(له أجران - lahu ajraan)" - that's not what that means! But if you're going through a hard time, Allah acknowledges that hard time. He acknowledges that and says: "I'm gonna give you even more."
The Arabic Lesson on Blessings
I have four minutes left, and because this talk was about positivity and gratitude, I want to share something with you about just one of the small gems and really jewels from the Quran about gratitude.
The Arabic word for blessing that's very commonly known among Muslims is ni'mah - نعمة. You've heard the word before, yes? (نعمة - ni'mah).
The word - and this is gonna sound like an Arabic lesson so pay extra attention and bear with me inshallah, hopefully I can be coherent in presenting this to you - (نعمة - ni'mah), the plural of (نعمة - ni'mah), there are two words. There are two different plurals for (نعمة - ni'mah): there's (نعم - nu'um) and they say (أنعم - an'um). So there are two plurals - there are (نعم - nu'um) and (أنعم - an'um)
In the Arabic language, unlike English, they have the singular and they have the pair, and then they have the plural, and then they have the super awesome plural. We don't have the super awesome plural, but the Arabs do! They call it (جمع الكثرة - jam'ul kathrah)
So you have singular, pair, plural, and super plural. (نعم - nu'um) is (جمع الكثرة - jam'ul kathrah) - it's a super plural. (أنعم - an'um) is a weak plural. They say (أنعم - an'um) is (جمع قلة - jam'u qillah) - it's a weaker plural.
So now let's see if you're paying attention. This is a quiz. What is the weak plural? (أنعم - an'um). What's the powerful plural? (نعم - nu'um).
Once in the Quran, Allah uses the weak plural. Once in the Quran, Allah uses the powerful plural - once each.
Allah عز وجل talks about Ibrahim عليه السلام. He says:
شاكرا لأنعمه
Shakiran li an'umihi (Quran 16:121)
Now, show of hands - was that the weak plural or the strong plural? Weak? That was the weak plural.
Ibrahim عليه السلام - by the way, the weak plural means less than 10 or easily countable. Allah says about Ibrahim عليه السلام he was grateful for a few favors of Allah.
That sounds weird! I thought Ibrahim عليه السلام was one of the most grateful people that ever lived. Why would Allah use the weak plural? I was expecting Allah to use the strong plural for Ibrahim عليه السلام because he was so grateful - he was grateful for so many things. Why just say he was grateful for a handful of things?
You know why? Because Allah talks about one blessing. What's the singular of (أنعم - an'um) and (نعم - nu'um)? What's the singular word, folks? (نعمة - ni'mah)
Allah says:
Wa in ta'uddu ni'mata Allahi la tuhsoohaa
"If you were to try to count the singular favor of Allah" - is (نعمة مفرد - ni'mah mufrad) or (جمع - jam')? - "if you were to count the singular favor of Allah, you wouldn't be able to encircle it. You wouldn't have any grasp over it."
Humanity, most people, even together, can't even come up with full gratitude for one favor. So Ibrahim عليه السلام pulled off a few - that's a compliment and an honor given to Ibrahim عليه السلام
But now wait, wait! I'm not done yet. I said once the weak plural is used, and once the what? The strong plural is used.
Allah says:
Wa asbagha alaykum ni'amahu zahiratan wa batinah (Quran 31:20)
"Allah unleashed His uncountable, excessive favors onto you - the ones you can see and the ones you can't see, the ones that are obvious and the ones that are hidden."
Meaning all of us have been showered with so many favors that it is impossible for us to count. They're not just plural - they are super plural: (نعمه - ni'amahu)
So when the human being thanks - the best of us, one of the most grateful human beings in history, can only thank Allah for a few favors - and yet when Allah gives, He doesn't give a few favors. He doesn't say He showered you with a handful of favors. No, no, no, no, no! He showered you with uncountable favors: (نعمه - ni'amahu)
The Exercise of Gratitude
How dare you say "I can't think of anything to be grateful for"?
If you and I can just take out a piece of paper and start making a list of things you should be grateful for, and if you do this exercise with yourself, your family, your children, you'll find 2, 3, 4, 5 things and you start running out. Like: "What else? Did I mention the car already? I did, yeah. So should I mention the tires now? The transmission? Should I break it apart? I can't think of anything else. I'm running out of items."
But if you take another page and say "Give me a list of problems" - no, no, no! How about this? "Give me a list of problems you have with your husband." The sister will say: "Do you have an extra pad?" The husband will say: "I mean, I don't have time to write a book right now, man!"
Allah hasn't given us a few favors. Allah has given us an uncountable amount of favors, and we can't even fully grasp - when He gives us one, when He gives us one favor, we're not fully able to appreciate how many ways that one favor of Allah is blessing us.
This is what we have to become - people that are constantly looking for reasons to thank Allah.
Our Religion Begins with Gratitude
My last comment - I know I'm over time, I'll take one more minute, I promise.
We are a people that begin our religion with the phrase "Alhamdulillah," yes? Alhamdulillah is a constant in our religion. You know what that means? You and I - pessimism is out of our vocabulary. We are not pessimistic people because we are people of Alhamdulillah. We're always looking at the brighter side.
And if you're not always looking at the brighter side, you don't really understand what it means every time you stand in salah and say what? Alhamdulillah.
Because when you thank Allah, when you begin with Allah's name - every time we do an action, what do we say? Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim, right? We use Allah's name Ar-Rahman. About this name, Allah says this name is تبارك - it's full of blessings. This name, whenever we start with Bismillah, Allah is telling us He will put barakah in it - يعني الخير وزيادة في الخير. He will put so much good in it that is beyond your expectations.
You and I just have to do good deeds that begin with Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim. You and I just have to be a people of Alhamdulillah, and what Allah will produce from those efforts, what Allah will bring out of those efforts, is beyond your imagination.
A Personal Testament
I was sitting in an Arabic class with three people in Queens, New York, 11-12 years ago. It started with 10 people. Fourth day of class, there were 3 people left. Our teacher Dr. Abdus Sabur was standing in front. I was like: "Man, I guess people don't want to learn. What will come from this little dinky little class?"
And Dr. Sabur said: "Just say Alhamdulillah and let Allah do the rest."
And now I look back and I say: 30,000-plus people that have sat in an Arabic class with me alone, and I say: "Man, that's not me. That's all Alhamdulillah. That's not me."
There are people at this conference - how many thousands of people are here in this conference? This started from one person, two people that sat together and said: "Hey, we could do something. Let's talk to these people."
And how many people said: "No, you won't be able to contact all those sheikhs. You gotta get in a waiting list and they're never... Who are you? They're gonna respond to you? Try emailing them, see what happens."
And these people just said: "You know what? Alhamdulillah. We do our part, let Allah do the rest. Let's be optimistic and look at what Allah does."
Look at what Allah does! This is not us - this is Allah عز وجل
A Call to Action
Let's change the face of this world. Let's change the face of what this ummah looks like. Let's transform the teaching standards, the social standards, the ethical standards of the entire ummah. Let's uplift ourselves and let's stop being depressed.
Don't be the uncle who sits down with other uncles and says: "Oh yaar, the ummah is in a bad state. What should I do?" Don't be that uncle! Don't be that guy!
Closing
"BarakAllahu li walakum"
"Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh"