Gratitude is the greatest way to live for those who possess high ranks of righteousness, and such people did not reach these lofty ranks except through their gratitude; this is because belief is comprised of two halves; one half is gratitude and the other is perseverance.

　　Gratitude is to acknowledge being treated well by Allah; it is also to praise the One who has done one many favors. It also entails displaying the effect of the favors of Allah upon a person by believing with one's heart, uttering praise and glorifications of Allah by ones tongue, and to use one's limbs in the worship and obedience of Allah. If only a few favors are worthy of a great deal of gratitude, how would the case be when favors are abundant? People are either grateful or ungrateful.

　　Gratitude holds a high rank in Islam:

　　· Those who practice gratitude to Allah are those who are chosen to be granted His favors. He Says (what means): “And thus We have tried some of them through others that they [i.e., the disbelievers] might say, 'Is it these whom Allah has favored among us?' Is not Allah most knowing of those who are grateful?” [Quran 6: 53]

　　· Allah promises increased favors for those who are grateful. He Says (what means): “And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed My punishment is severe.'” [Quran 14: 7]

　　· Allah informs us that one of Satan’s primary objectives is to prevent humans from being grateful; He Says (what means): “[Satan said] 'Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You [i.e., Allah] will not find most of them grateful [to You].” [Quran 7: 17]

　　· Gratitude is the first instruction given to man as soon as he begins to comprehend. Allah Says (what means): “And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.” [Quran 31: 14]

　　· It is higher than the rank of contentment; and nobody can be content without being grateful.

　　· Allah makes gratitude a reason for attaining more of His bounties.

　　· It is extracted from Ash-Skakoor, which is one of the Names of Allah, and which implies gratitude.

　　· One should realise the favors bestowed upon him and have it present in his mind constantly, because this leads him to remember the Bestower of favors and therefore being grateful to and loving Allah, who is of course the Bestower of favors. This would therefore make one exert more effort in worshipping Allah.

　　2. Generally: To describe Allah as being generous and kind.

　　2) To utilise these favors in His obedience.

　　People fall into three categories with regards to the favors from Allah:

　　1. Those who express that they are worthy of them, when in fact they certainly are not.

　　An-Nu’man ibn Al-Basheer said: “He who does not thank Allah for small favors will not thank Him for great ones; and he who does not express gratitude to people (for doing him favors) will not express gratitude towards Allah. Appreciating and mentioning the favor bestowed upon one from Allah is gratitude, and not doing so expresses ingratitude.” [Ahmad]

　　This should be done in front of people and between a person and himself (i.e., to himself) but if people are of the envious type, then one should conceal such favors, and he would not be ungrateful in this case, because he is simply concealing them in an attempt to prevent an evil from befalling him, such as an evil eye or an evil plot from the envious, and it must be known that to prevent harm from afflicting man is an objective set forth by the Islamic Sharee’ah.

　　There is no way one can do anything to repay the favors bestowed upon him by Allah, except that he should continue to praise and thank Allah for having bestowed them upon him, as well as utilising these favors for the pleasure of Allah.

　　What is our duty towards Allah with regards to the favors He bestows upon us?

　　· Acknowledging that He is the Bestower of all favors.

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