The Case for Permanent Gratitude to Allah

Share

Shaikh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī (may Allah sanctify his secret) said in one of the gatherings at his school in Baghdad, “Look at those worse than you in worldly matters and at those better than you in matters of the Hereafter”.

Our noble Shaikh means that the Muslim should assess his worldly possessions by looking at people whom Allah Almighty did not give as much as He gave him, so he is thankful for His blessings and not complaining about what He did not give him. As for working for the Hereafter, the Islamic way is for the person to look to those who excel over him in righteous deeds, noble character, and closeness to Allah Almighty, so he does not feel proud of his own deeds but rather emulates those closer to the pleasure of Allah Almighty. In worldly matters, the Muslim should be occupied with gratitude for what Allah has given him of favour, not with wishing for what others have. And as for matters of the Hereafter, he should be aware of what others have of righteous deeds and noble character that he has missed and strive to rectify himself.

Shaikh ʿAbd al-Qādir goes on to explain his eloquent saying by narrating an incident about a man who observes his inner self and seeks its righteousness:

“It is narrated that someone bought broad beans on a day of Eid and sat eating them, saying, ‘I wonder if there is anyone like me on a day like this eating broad beans without oil or salt!’ As he turned he saw someone eating the peels he was throwing away! So he wept and apologised to Allah Almighty for his statement”.

The words of our Shaikh are true in every place and time, but they have a special impact today as we witness what has been happening to the people of Palestine in terms of mass killing, ethnic cleansing, displacement, starvation, sickness, humiliation, and all forms of physical and psychological destruction that criminals have been sadistically and incessantly committing. Is it permissible for a Muslim to grieve over what he has missed of worldly good while he sees the state of the people of Gaza and the West Bank? Rather, how can he not feel ashamed even of the thought of regret for his own condition while seeing what has been happening to more than two million children, women, elderly, sick, and innocent people in general who have done nothing other than being the rightful owners of the land that a greedy supremacist group and its supporters want?

Indeed, the words of our great Shaikh are a great lesson and a useful reminder for every person with a heart and mercy, not only for Muslims.

Share

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *