One benefit of expressing gratitude (Shukr) is that your worship will be accepted in the presence of Allah, because Allah loves gratitude dearly. The second benefit is that you will be granted further ability (Taufiq) from Allah to perform worship. As Allah Himself states: "If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]." If we thank Allah upon performing any act of worship, then Insha'Allah, that worship will be accepted in the court of Allah Almighty and become a means of receiving further ability.
Hazrat Imam Ghazali (Rahmatullah Alaih) has written a wonderful point, let us listen to that as well. He states that there are five things regarding which Allah has adopted a conditional/exceptional approach. That is, while mentioning them, He placed a restriction that these things will depend on His will; if He wishes to give, He will give, and if He does not wish to, He will not. Furthermore, it is His will whom He wishes to give and whom He does not.
(1) The first thing is 'Ighna' (اِغناء), which means enriching and making wealthy. He said: "Allah will enrich you from His bounty, if He wills."
(2) The second thing is 'Ijabah' (اجابةُ), which means acceptance and approval. He said: "Then He removes that affliction for which you call upon Him, if He wills." The removal of affliction depends on the acceptance of Du'a, and the acceptance of Du'a depends on the will of Allah—if He wills, He accepts, and if He does not, He doesn't.
(3) The third thing is 'Rizq' (Provision). About this, He said: "And Allah provides for whom He wills without account." Meaning, providing limitless and countless provision depends on Allah's will; He gives to whom He wills and doesn't to whom He doesn't.
(4) The fourth thing is 'Maghfirat' (Forgiveness). Allah Almighty states: "And He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills." Meaning, Allah forgives sins other than Shirk (polytheism) for whomever He wishes to forgive.
(5) The fifth thing is 'Tawbah' (Repentance). It is stated: "And He turns in forgiveness to whom He wills." Allah will grant the ability to repent or accept repentance from whomever He wishes to accept it.
After writing these five, Imam Ghazali states: Look, in all of these, Allah has adopted a conditional approach, but the promise made to give more blessings to the one who is grateful has been made with absolute certainty and conviction, without any condition or exception. It is stated: "If you are grateful, I will surely increase you." If you thank Him, I will give more blessings to every grateful person without exception. This shows the importance of gratitude, how crucial it is.
Along with this, the third benefit of expressing gratitude is that the calamities coming upon us from Allah will be averted. Allah states: "What would Allah do with your punishment if you are grateful..." If you keep thanking Him, it does not behove Me to cause you pain or afflict you with punishment. Thus, gratitude is such a grand thing that this deed is accepted in the court of Allah, further ability is granted, and upcoming hardships are removed.
The fourth benefit of gratitude is that a reward will be granted by Allah, as Allah Almighty states: "And We will reward the grateful." He did not specify what the reward would be. This indicates that it is a special kind of reward, fitting His majestic status. This is gratitude.
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(Book: Khutbat-e-Maulana Naeemuddin
Volume: 1
Page Number: 18 - 19
Speaker: Hazrat Maulana Naeemuddin Sahib.
Selection: Islamic Tube Pro App)
اناس میمن پلانپوری
