Gratitude: The Key to Success and Inner Peace in Islam

Gratitude for existing blessings helps us recognize the resources already available to us—whether interpersonal, physical, financial, psychological, or social. It reminds us that life is not all bad, giving the problem its place, but not total control over our lives."

Do you wonder that there has come to you a Reminder (and an advice) from your Lord through a man from amongst you to warn you? And remember that He made you successors after the people of Nuh (Noah) and increased you amply in stature. So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) from Allah so that you may be successful.

 (Surah al Araf, 69)

Interpretation: A reference to Prophet Hud (as) and the people of AD to whom he was sent. They were tall in stature and physically very strong, however, they were hard hearted and rejected the Message of their Prophet (as). He was sent to remind them of Allah's torment (swt) yet they did not show gratitude for the bounty of being among the descendants of the Prophet Noah (as) so-having good ancestry.

And if Allah touches you with harm, there is none who can remove it but He; and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can repel His Favour which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He wills. And He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. (Sr Yunus, 107)

Interpretation: Good and evil, benefit and harm come from Allah (swt) alone and only He (swt) has Power over all things.

The ayaat remind the individual to be grateful for existing bounties and for qualities such as forgiveness and mercy, since when faced with calamities these are the qualities we need but are least likely to display or consider.

One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: 'I will bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye! Then when he [Sulaiman (Solomon)) saw it placed before him, he said: "This is by the Grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful And whoever is grateful, truly, his gratitude is for (the good of) his own self; and whoever is ungrateful, (he is ungrateful only for the loss of his own self). Certainly my Lord is Rich (Free of all needs), Bountiful. (Sr an Naml, 40)

Interpretation: The incident of the Queen of Sheba and her acceptance of the invitation to the message of Islam from the Prophet Sulaiman(as). It describes how the Throne of Bilqis was bought to Sulaiman by the Jinn (beings made of smokeless fire) before her arrival at the Prophets palace(as) literally in the twinkling of an eye.

Narrated Abu Huraira (ra) that he heard Allah's Messenger (saw) saying, 'Allah willed to test three Israelis who were a leper, a blind man, and a bald headed man. So, he sent them an angel who came to the leper and said: 'What thing do you like most? He replied, 'good colour and good skin, for the people have a strong aversion to me.' The angel touched him and his illness was cured and he was given a good colour and a beautiful skin. The angel asked him, ' What kind of property do you like best? He replied, 'Camels.' So he (i.e., the leper) was given a pregnant she-camel and the angel said (to him), 'May Allah bless you in it. The angel then went to the bald-headed man and said, 'What thing do you like most? He said, 'I like good hair and wish to be cured of this disease for the people feel repulsion from me.' The angel touched him and his illness was cured, and he was given good hair. The angel asked (him), 'What kind of property do you like best? He replied, ''Cows.' The angel gave him a pregnant cow and said, 'May Allah bless you in it.' The angel went to the blind man and asked, 'What thing do you like best? He said, '(I like) that Allah may restore my eye-sight to me so that I may see the people. The angel touched his eyes and Allah gave him back his eye-sight. The angel asked him, "What kind of property do you like best? He replied, 'Sheep. The angel gave him a pregnant sheep. Afterwards, all the three pregnant animals gave birth to young ones, and multiplied and bought forth and one had a herd of cows filling a valley, and one had a flock of so much that one of the men had a herd of camels filling a valley, sheep filling a valley. Then the angel, disguised in the shape and appearance of a leper, went to the leper and said, I am a poor man, who has lost all means of livelihood while on a journey. So none will satisfy my need except Allah and then you. In the name of Him who has given you such nice colour and beautiful skin and so much property. I ask you to give me a camel so that I may reach my destination. The man replied: 'I have many obligations (so I can not give you). The angel said: 'I think I know you. Were you not a leper to whom the people had a strong aversion? Weren't you a poor man, and then Allah gave you (all of this property).' He replied, '(This is all wrong), I got this property through inheritance from my fore-fathers.' The angel said: 'If you are telling a lie, then let Allah make you as you were before." Then the angel disguised in the shape and appearance of a bald man, went to the bald man and said to him the same as he told the first one, and he too answered the same as the first one. The angel said: 'If you are telling a lie, then let Allah make you as you were before.' The angel, disguised in the shape of a blind man, went to the blind man and said: 'I am a poor man and a traveller, whose means of livelihood have been exhausted while on a journey. I have nobody to help me except Allah, and after Him, you. I ask you in the Name of Him Who has given you back your eyesight to give me a sheep, so that with its help, I may complete my journey. The man said: 'No doubt, I was a blind man and Allah gave me back my eyesight, I was poor and Allah made me rich; so take anything you wish from my property. By Allah I will not stop you from taking anything (you need) of my property which you take for Allah's sake.' The angel replied: 'Keep your property with you. You (i.e., three men) have been tested and Allah is pleased with you and is angry with your two companions.' (Bukhari, B55, C18, H 1448)

Theme: What has been said about Bani Israil. (The tale of a leper,a bald man and a blind man.)

The ayah and Hadith make connections between success, gratitude and positive thinking and its effect on behaviour and inner-peace , contentment

This reflection is based on insights from the book “Therapy from the Quran and Ahadith” by Dr. Feryad A. Hussain