Gratitude & Gratefulness

Gratitude and Gratefulness

Khutbah by Dr. Yusha Evans

Opening

The Islamic Center of Authenticity presents:

First of all, Ramadan Mubarak. May Allah subḥānahu wa taʿālā make this month a means of forgiveness for you. May He make it a means of nearness to Him for you. May He make this the month where not only do you learn to love Allah subḥānahu wa taʿālā in the way that He deserves to be loved and worshipped, but may you find that love returned to you from Him, jalla wa ʿalā, ʿazza wa jal.

First and foremost, I'm going to... Never do I do so, but I apologize beforehand. I have a very bad cough and a cold and a fever and I'm working through it, alḥamdulillāh. But it will be kind of scratchy maybe towards the end. InshāʾAllāh taʿālā, I'll be taking plenty of rest between the talks to make sure that I can give you the best of my abilities, bidni Allah taʿālā.

Introduction

And today, I'm gonna be short, quite short (inshāʾAllāh taʿālā), because we all know what we are here for, we know what I'm here for in the month of Ramadan. It becomes kind of a symbol that when Yusha shows up in Ramadan, it's time to make the masjid whole again through the funds that are needed. So you can get used to seeing that (inshāʾAllāh taʿālā).

I want to be very simple today as well, so that because a week of Ramadan has passed, we've gotten kind of into the fasting mode yet again. And maybe now you're starting to feel the effects of keeping yourself from the food and the drink and things of that nature. So I'm going to try to keep it very simple for you (inshāʾAllāh taʿālā), so that it can be something that you can take with you to benefit you.

It doesn't matter how eloquently I can get up here and speak to you, how many verses from the Quran I can roll off, how many aḥādīth from the Prophet ﷺ and deep understandings, etc. What matters is what you take home with you, what I am able to deliver to you, that you can take home with you and put into practice. That's what matters.

This is why the Prophet ﷺ kept his teachings to his companions simple and on a level where they not only understand it, but they could put it into practice. This is the way the deen is. It's based on simplicity.

The Verse of Gratitude

There's a very beautiful statement from Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ in Surah Ibrahim, upon which I will leave you this beautiful reminder and message, and hopefully a mind frame that will change this Ramadan for you, (inshāʾAllāh taʿālā).

Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ says:

"If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe." Reference: Quran 14:7

In Surah Ibrahim Allah says, if you are grateful to me, if you have shukr towards me, I will give you more. I'll give you more, I'll increase you. If you're grateful to me for what you have right now, and for what I've given to you so far, if you're grateful for it and you're thankful for it, then I will give you more. I'll give you more.

وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ

But if you become ungrateful for what I have given to you, and you do not give thanks, and you are not satisfied with everything that I have given you, indeed my punishment is severe.

Two Attitudes: Gratitude and Ingratitude

This is about two attitudes today.

Number one: being grateful, having the idea of shukr for Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ being thankful.

And the opposite of that: kufr, being ungrateful to what Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ has given us.

This idea is reiterated time and time again throughout the Quran. And many times you will see the two side by side. You will see gratefulness and ungratefulness. And you will see shukr associated with īmān. And of course we know that ungratefulness, kufr, is associated with kufr, disbelief.

The Purpose of Ramadan

We have to take this time in Ramadan. This is a time where we are denying the body in order to feed the soul.

We are denying our body, that which if we denied it incessantly, non-stop, we would die, we would die. But we deny it just enough, just enough to where we realize, (inshāʾAllāh taʿālā), that we have the abilities, have the abilities to overcome what the body wants, in order to give it what it needs. In order to give it what it needs.

That's what Ramadan teaches us.

To deny the body what it wants, to learn how to have that abstinence, this is part of what taqwā is, that we'll talk about, (inshāʾAllāh). I think tonight, (inshāʾAllāh), about taqwā in the month of Ramadan is about abstaining and

staying away from what the body wants and it desires, and the soul wants and desires that are negative, in order to give it what it needs.

So while we are in this mode or frame of mind, in this beautiful month of Ramadan, let us think and reflect on what is it do I possess, or what is it that has happened to me that I could be grateful for.

Reflecting on Allah's Blessings

Wallāhi, wallāhi, wallāhi. If you spent your days in this month of Ramadan remembering Allah subḥānahu wa taʿālā and everything that you have to be grateful and thankful to Him for, you would not find enough hours in this month. You wouldn't find enough hours in this month.

If you were to spend the nights of Ramadan standing in front of your Rabb, worshiping Him, thinking about the favors that He has given to you in your life, you would wish it would never end.

The Example of the Prophet

There is reasons why our Prophet used to stand at night until his feet would crack and bleed. When he was asked: "Why do you do this to yourself? You are someone whom Allah has already guaranteed the highest ranks of Jannah, has alleviated for you any mistake you could ever make. Why do you put yourself through this torture?"

The Prophet ﷺ responded:

"Should I not then be grateful?" Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4837

Should I not then be thankful that I've been given so much by Allah that I should worship Him more than all of you?

You see, the Prophet ﷺ understood. He understood what gratefulness and thankfulness was about.

The Example of Abu Bakr

Abu Bakr raḍiyaAllāhu ʿanhu wa raḍā was a man who was known by his soft heart, by the fact also that he could barely pray without breaking into tears, subḥānAllāh. This was his sunnah, his everyday mentality was that when he would stand in front of Allah subḥānahu wa taʿālā, he would break down. And this was a complaint even made against him.

When the Prophet ﷺ was in his last illness, and he couldn't get up to lead the ṣalāh, he tried and he tried and he tried, he called for Abu Bakr and said: "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the ṣalāh."

And it was responded to him: "Yeah, Abu Bakr is too soft, he cries too much. He cries too much, every time he prays he cries, he's gonna be leading us, he's gonna be crying, we're all gonna be crying."

The Prophet ﷺ got upset and said: "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the ṣalāh."

And when the people were a bit hesitant to do that the Prophet ﷺ tried to get up himself to go and make sure that this happens. And it is said when he stood up and looked out his window and he saw that Abu Bakr was already leading the ṣalāh, he smiled, he smiled.

You see, Abu Bakr had a life that was full of gratitude for the sake of Allah subḥānahu wa taʿālā.

Abu Bakr After the Prophet's Death

When the Prophet ﷺ died, Abu Bakr was of the first to remind us when everyone was in confusion, when Umar ibn al-Khattab raḍiyaAllāhu ʿanhu, a man whom earlier in his life hated the Prophet ﷺ so much that he had a sword in his hand ready to kill the Prophet ﷺ. Now he cannot even imagine to think that this man is gone. He said: "No, he is like Musa عليه السلام who left and went to be with Allah and he'll return to us. And if any of you says he is dead, I'll kill you myself."

He couldn't take it. Abu Bakr raḍiyaAllāhu ʿanhu wa raḍā, Aisha raḍiyaAllāhu ʿanha, his daughter said he came into the room where the Prophet ﷺ was laid and covered with a sheet. He lifted the sheet, he smiled at the person whom he loved the most in this world, kissed him and said: "You're even more beautiful now than in life."

Walked out and he told the people: "Oh you people, if you worship the Muhammad, know the Muhammad is dead ﷺ. But if you worship Allah, know that Allah is Al-Hayy. He is alive and He never dies."

You see, this is a man who understood the relationship between the human being and Allah subḥānahu wa taʿālā.

What Do We Have to Be Thankful For?

What is it that you have to be thankful for? What is it?

If you decided today, if I told you as homework for tonight to go home now, or when you make it home today after work, take out a piece of paper, start numbering and writing the things that you have to be thankful towards Allah subḥānahu wa taʿālā for, how long would it take to complete that list?

I don't think I'd see any of you for the rest of the weekend. Where do we begin?

The Gift of Life

What about the life that Allah gave you? Do you have that to be thankful for? Absolutely, absolutely.

What about the air that you breathe? Do you have that to be thankful for? Absolutely.

The Story of Dawud

When Dawud alayhi salam, there's a story about Dawud alayhi salam, he was pondering and asking Allah subḥānahu wa taʿālā about gratitude and thankfulness. And what does it mean?

Allah revealed to him: "Dawud, take a breath."

He took a breath, and then Allah subḥānahu wa taʿālā said: "That is the least of my favors to you."

That is the least of things from me to you that you have to be grateful for. How many times do we take a breath every single day? That is the least of Allah's favors to mankind.

What else do you have to be grateful for? We cannot begin to enumerate as Allah subḥānahu wa taʿālā says His favors.

"So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?" Reference: Quran 55:13 (repeated throughout Surah Ar-Rahman)

The Attitude of Iman

You see, this is part of the attitude of īmān. īmān is not about just believing that Allah exists. You see, the Meccans believed that Allah exists before Islam entered in and completed itself upon Fath al-Makkah.

During the time when the Prophet was with a handful of followers, they believed in Allah. Allah says that in the Quran, if you ask them who sends down rain from the sky, they will surely say it is Allah. The Christians believe in Allah. They believe in a creator. Jews believe in a creator. There are many people out there who believe that a creator of everything exists.

But you see, they don't have this attitude of gratefulness. Because they either do not give him the worship that he asked for, or they give that worship to someone else or to something else, or to some other idea. This is truly, truly the deepest attitude of ungratefulness.

This is why it's called kufr. Because Allah has given you air. Allah has given you water to drink. Allah has given you food to eat. He's given you a home to live in. He's given you children. He's given you spouses. And you are thanking someone else. You're giving worship to something else. You're denying Allah His right to be worshipped.

See, part of the attitude of īmān is being grateful and having gratitude. Shukr for Allah subḥānahu wa taʿālā.

Why Do We Worship Allah?

Then why do I worship Allah? Because not only does He deserve it, but I am in need to repay my debt. I'm in need.

I've quoted before on this very minbar, that every day you live, the account of debt between you and Allah, the account of debt that you owe to Allah subḥānahu wa taʿālā is continually racking itself up. It's continually

Taking Opportunities

So what do we do as believers? We take opportunity. We take the opportunity that is afforded to us. Like the time when salah is to be offered. Like when the time zakah is to be paid. Like when the time of Ramadan approaches. When opportunity to do good is presented to us. When the opportunity to avoid sin is presented to us.

We take the opportunity to show gratitude to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala by doing that which He has asked. By doing that which He has asked.

And in return, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala azza wa jal, on the day of qiyamah, when we stand in front of Him with this huge burden of debt, inshaAllah, will release us from the debts. He will forgive us for that which is owed to Him. He will forgive us for the mistakes that we made. He will forgive us for the sins that we committed. And He will enter us into the gardens of Jannah for eternity.

You see, that's the transaction. That's the life of this world. So it should be a life of gratefulness.

Being Grateful in Hardship

Just for good? What about the bad things? What about when your life isn't going so well? What about when hardship comes to you? Talked about this the last time I was here. What about when things aren't the way you planned? We've all had a bad day. We've all had bad times in our lives. We've all had negative experiences that we can remember for most of our lives.

What about those times? Are those times, times where we should become ungrateful? No. Those are the times when we should be most grateful. Most grateful.

The Life of the Believer

Because the Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

"The life of the believer is strange, it's odd, it's unique. And it's characteristic that it is khair in its entirety."

Yes, I've repeated this. This is part of the deen. Things being repeated. That's why we pray five times a day, not once.

He said: The life of the believer is odd, it is strange, it is unique. And it's characteristic that it is khair in its entirety. Odd. See, we're strange people. The huraba. Our lives are all good. You know, you hear people say, it's all good. Yeah, it's all good. Ask them that on a bad day. It's not all good today, but for the believer, for the Muslim, for the one who says that they possess iman, it's always good.

Because if some good befalls the believer, what do they do? They become thankful, they show shukr to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. They thank Him for it.

Alhamdulillah

There's a reason the book of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala begins with:

"All praise, all thanks, all gratitude belongs to Allah alone."

There's a reason why Allah begins His book with that. There's a reason why we have to say that 17 times, minimally every single day, reminding ourselves that all praise, all thanks, all gratitude belongs to Allah.

Patience in Hardship

But when the believer is given some hardship, some fitan comes in their life, some trials and tribulations, then the Prophet ﷺ said the believer has patience. They become patient with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Even if Allah was to take away everything. Even if Allah was to take everything, like when Suleyman, everything was taken from him. And he was asked: "What do you have to be thankful for?"

He said: "I have hands and feet and eyes and ears. I still have things to be thankful for."

When Ayub alayhi salam, everything was taken from him. He was still thankful to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Because even if Allah had taken everything in this life, he was still here, he was still living, he was still breathing. So he had plenty to be thankful for.

And in that situation, Allah then blesses and increases His slaves because of their patience in that hardship. So it becomes khair for them. That's only for you and me by the way. It's only for you and me.

Any hardship that befalls us, the Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

"Even to the pricking of a thorn, it is a relief from sin."

It is either a means for Allah to alleviate your sin. And I don't know about you, but I know for me, I need as much alleviation from that sin as I can possibly get. As much as I can.

Or Allah is testing you in order to increase you in this life and in the next. Or Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala simply wishes to give you His greatest gift and increase your ranks in Akhirah, in the next life.

None of that is bad. So our life is always good.

Always Something to Be Thankful For

So we always have something to be thankful for. Not just once a month, not just once a week, not just once a year, but every single day.

This is why the believers are commanded when they wake up, the first thing they are to say is:

"All praise is due to Allah who has given me life after having caused me to die, and to Him I shall return."

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

This is how our lives begin every day. Reminding ourselves that we have something to be thankful for.

The Attitude of the Muslim Ummah

This is an attitude that unfortunately the Muslim ummah, in America specifically, is not known for. We're not known for being the most grateful people, and thankful people, and praising people. This is not what we're known for. Why? Why is that?

Because we have not truly comprehended that ourselves. We have not truly understood that no matter what is going on in our lives, no matter what Allah may be putting you through, or putting this ummah through, we have more to be thankful for than any human beings walking on the face of this earth.

Because not only are we alive like them, not only are we breathing like them, not only are we eating like them, and drinking like them, but we have guidance. Allah has gifted us with the deen to know Him, to worship Him, as He desires to be worshipped. And we have an opportunity with our lives.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sahih Muslim)

"There is no one who has the faith in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, even the size of the grain of a mustard seed, the smallest of seeds, but they will enter into Jannah insha'Allah ta'ala."

Personal Testimony

Seriously, what do you have to complain about? What do you have to complain about?

Isn't that enough for you to be grateful every single moment of your life to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala?

Take it from someone who did not know that statement. 17 years ago today, I was not a Muslim. 17 years ago today, I had no concept of (لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ - la ilaha illallah). If you'd have told me, I wouldn't even have known what it meant. I didn't know the purpose of my life. I didn't know who my Rabb was. I didn't worship Him. I didn't thank Him. 17 years ago today.

Now here I am, almost 17 years later in December, it'll be 17 years exactly, being able to say to you: (لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - la ilaha illallah muhammadun rasulullah). I have no reason to complain. No reason to complain.

Whatever hardship Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala puts me through I say, (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ - alhamdulillah) for it because He gave me a gift that I can't repay for. He gave me a gift that He wrote for me before I existed in a book that is only with Him that I would be guided to Islam. I can't repay that.

This simple month of Ramadan with all of its beauty, with all of its power, with all of its extraordinary things that it gives us to me, is not significantly enough to repay Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for what He has given me.

Reinstilling Gratitude

This is the attitude of gratefulness that inshallah ta'ala we can re-instill in this ummah, in the United States at least. Is this attitude that whatever I do it's not enough. No matter how much I do it's not enough. Because Allah deserves more. He deserves better. And I'm grateful for whatever little bit He gives me and the opportunity to worship Him, I take advantage of it and I'm grateful for it.

Be Grateful for Ramadan

Lastly, but not truly, not leastly, be grateful for this month of Ramadan. You've seen it when others haven't. There are many people last year, maybe a few months ago, waiting for the month of Ramadan to bring themselves back to nearness with their Rabb, get themselves right with Allah, and they didn't make it. They didn't make it.

You've made it this far. Alhamdulillah. Show gratitude for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for that. Be thankful to Allah that He has given us this month of Ramadan an opportunity to fix ourselves, to heal ourselves, to prepare ourselves for the next 11 months till another Ramadan and make dua that you see another one. InshaAllah ta'ala.

Be thankful because this attitude of thankfulness will get you very far. It'll get you very far.

Gratitude Removes Worry

Just being thankful to Allah as I finish, just being thankful to Allah will take you so far. Are you worried? Do you have worries in your life? We all have worries. We all have stress.

Learning to be thankful to Allah, that worry will just dissipate from your heart. You won't be worried, you won't be stressed because you will know that you worship a Rabb who is in control.

The very fact that Allah says He is Rabb, means He is in control. He designs the affairs of the heavens and the earth with no effort, with no effort. Allah controls this entire universe. Most of it we have no idea anything about it, it's understanding. But Allah is controlling every single bit of it with no effort at His part, none. It takes no effort from Allah.

And we're worried about our little lives. We're thinking that Allah doesn't know what we're going through. Allah doesn't understand my struggles and my troubles. Wallahi, you're fooling yourself. You're confused. Because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala knows everything within His creation.

Allah's Concern for Believers

And He has genuine, genuine, genuine concern for the affairs of those who believe. Wallahi, He does. After being Muslim for 17 years of my life, one thing I can say, and I close.

I've been through ups and downs, I've had good times and bad times. But 17 years later when I look back in retrospect and reflection, Allah has never disappointed me. Not once. Not once.

Because I've always taken Him at His word. I've always said to my Creator, that You guided me to Islam, You've taught me so many things about trusting in You and having tawakkul. Therefore, I'm just going to leave it in Your hands when I can't control it anymore.

I've never been disappointed. Wallahi, never been disappointed. And I'm thankful and grateful that I've been able to live that type of life.

I've had less worries and stress. Even though I've been through more hardship in 17 years of being a Muslim. Been through way more hardship in 17 years of being a Muslim than one year of being a non-Muslim. Of course. But I've not worried, had stress, been anxious over them because I know Allah is Rabb.

Final Reminder

Let's be thankful to Allah for what we do have. Because at any moment, He can take it all away. All away. Do not become ungrateful.

Allah warns us:

"Indeed, my punishment is severe."

But if you become thankful and grateful, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says: "I will increase you. I'll give you more."

Just be grateful for what you do have.

Closing Dua