Shukr - Thankfulness

We should be ever grateful and thankful to ALLAH (swt) for everything that we possess including our wealth,health, status, intellectual abilities and life. We should understand and recognise that our very existence and continuing sustenance are dependant on ALLAH (swt). Whatever praise is due , therfore is due to Him alone, for nobody has the power or the resources to give us anything except by his will. His bounties and blessings are countless.

ALLAH(swt) says:

Is, then, He who creates comparable to any that cannot create? Will you not, then, take heed? For should you try to count Allah's blessings, you could never compute them. Allah is, indeed, All forgiving , All compassionate; and Allah knows all that you keep secret as well as all that you bring into the open. {an-Nahl 16:17-19}

Its for this reason that Allah commanded prophet Ibrahim to say:

It is He who has created me; it is He who gives me to eat and drink, and whenever I am sick it is He who heals me; and it is He who makes me die and then will bring me to life. And upon Him, I pin my hope that He would forgive my sins on the Day of Judgement. {ash-shuara 26:77-82}

Whilst reading the book Spiritual discourses I read that we should grow in four habits.

Gratitude for what we have been given
Express gratitude for that which is in conformity with you nature, like a pleasent breeze, on seeing your family safe and healthy, when sitting for a meal, on seeing a child play say:

Alhamdulillahi allahumma lakalhamdu wa laka shukr
Say it all the time everyday.


Show patience when it is unpleasent
When something happens that you do not like, be patient. For instance, when the light goes off, or when its very hot, when you facing hardship, say:

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun
Remember this all the time.


Istighfar on past sins
When you remeber a sin you had committed in the past, ask for ALLAH (swt) to forgive you.
For example a sin you committed yesterday, or you didn't pray your fajr salah (I would have poured a bucket of water over your head!), or you told a lie, say:

Astaghfirullah rabbi min kulli thanbin wa atubu ilayhi.

We should realise that ALLAH (swt) has blessed us with loads. Even though what we may have may seem little compared to others, make it a habit to compare what you have in this dunya to people who do not have as much as you. You will surely realise and see His blessings.

For example those living in this country should thank ALLAH (swt) for never having made us even experience or see such devastation. In my 21 years I've never seen any natural disaster that has threatened my home, family or livelihood. I can't even begin to explain the countless number of blessings that we have been given...

I pray that ALLAH (swt) has mercy on us and protects us from such clamities, so that we may never witness something so disastrous. May he have mercy on all those muslims who have experienced such calamities. May he bless them with even more than what they had before, and may he give them happiness and success. May He ALLAH (swt) make us thankful towards everything that he has blessed us with and everything he will bless us with, may he plant shukr in our hearts the way a seed is planted in soil, for verily this will take us a step closer to our creator. Ameen.
Wassalam.

Source: http://www.mujahidah-an-nafs.blogspot.com/