Which has Priority - Patience or Gratitude? (4/7)

Yahiya Ibn ‘Atarid Al-Qurashi reported that his father said that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

"Allah never guides a servant to gratitude and (then) deprives him of addition." [1] This is because Allah the Almighty says:

“If ye are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you.” (Surah Ibraheem: 7)

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: "Indeed Allah gives as many favors as He wills but if the servant does not praise Him for them, He turns them into (a source of) torment." For this reason scholars used to call gratitude "the keeper", for it keeps the bounties which are at hand, and "the bringer", for it brings missing bounties.

Ibn Abud-Duniya reported that Ali Ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said to a man from Hamadhan: "Favor is connected with gratitude, and gratitude is restricted to adding, and both of them are always bound with each other. So, Allah will continue to add until the servant stops showing gratitude.”

Mutraf Ibn 'Abdillah said: "Good health with gratitude is more preferable than illness with patience." Moreover, Al-Hasan said: "keep remembering such favors, for this represents (their) gratitude". In extension, Allah commanded His Prophet to rehearse and proclaim his Lord's bounty. Allah the Almighty says:

“But the Bounty of thy Lord rehearse and proclaim!” (Surah Ad-Duha: 11)

Undoubtedly, Allah likes to see the mark of His bounty on His servant, for they implicitly express his showing gratitude.

'Ali Ibnul-Ja'd said: "I heard Sufiyan Ath-Thawri as saying: "When Dawud said: "All praise be to Allah as much as the honor of His face and prestige of His glory deserve." Allah revealed to Him: "O Dawud! You have made the Angels suffer."

Abu Raja' Al-‘Ataridi said: “‘Imran Ibnul Husayn went out for us wearing a well-made garment that we had never seen him wearing before. Then ‘Imran said: 'The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

"When Allah bestows a bounty on a servant, He likes to see the mark of His bounty on His servant." [2]

'Amr Ibn Shu'ayb reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

"Eat and drink, and give alms with no pompousness or extravagance, for Allah likes to see the mark or His bounty on His servant." [3]

Abul-Ahwas reported that his father said:

"I came to the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) in a miserable appearance. He asked me: "Do have property?" I said, "Yes." The Prophet said: "What kind of property?" I said, "All kinds. Allah has given me camels, horses, slaves and sheep." Then the Prophet said:

"When Allah gives you property let it (i.e. its mark) be seen on you."[4]

Bakir Ibn 'Abdullah reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

"Whoever is given some bounty and its mark is seen on him, is called a beloved of Allah and the one who rehearses and proclaims His Lord's bounty; and whoever is given some bounty and its mark is not seen on him is called the one who is detestable to Allah and denier of His bounty." [5]

Allah (Glory be to him) is not pleased with the man who does not show gratitude. Commenting on the Verse reading:

“Truly Man is, to his Lord, ungrateful.” (Surah Al-‘Adiyat: 6),

Al-Hasan said: "The ungrateful man here, is the one who counts bereavement and forgets beneficence." The Prophet (Peace be upon him) also stated that women represent most of the people of the Fire because of ingratitude; he said:

"If you keep being beneficent to one of them and then she sees you doing something (wrong to her) she says: I have never seen you doing anything good.” [6]

If this is the case with the woman who is not grateful to her husband, so what is the position of the one who is ungrateful to Allah?

An-Nu'man Ibn Bashir reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

"Proclamation of bounties is gratitude and leaving it (ie. the proclamation) is ingratitude." Whoever does not show gratitude for a little (bounty) does not show gratitude for a much (bounty either). In addition, whoever does not show gratitude to people does not show gratitude to Allah (either). Union (brings) blessing, but division (brings) torment.” [7]

Once Bakr Ibn 'Abdillah heard a porter as saying:

"Praise be to Allah I ask Allah for forgiveness."

Then I said to the man: "Do you not know words other than these?" The porter said: "I know many good things. I can read the Book of Allah, but man is always between a bounty and a sin, so I praise Allah for his bounty and ask Him to forgive my sin." Thereupon I said: "The porter is more intellectual than I am."

Jabir Ibn 'Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Prophet (Peace be upon him) went out to his Companions and read out Surah Ar-Rahman thoroughly. They remained silent. Then the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

"I read it out for the Jinn when I met them, and their reaction was better than yours. Every time I came to the words, “Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?” they said: "O our Lord! We deny nothing of Your bounties: Praise be to You!” [8]

Mus'ar said: "When these Words were said to the sons of David: “(Exercise thanks sons of David)” (Surahb Saba: 13) there was performance of Prayers every hour passed."

Abu Mu'awiyah said that 'Umar Ibnul-Khattab was putting on a shirt. When it came to his clavicles, he said," Praise be to Allah who has given me this shirt, with which I can cover my private parts and beautify myself in life." Then he extended his hands and cut off the unnecessary part he noticed and said: "I heard the Prophet (Peace be upon him) as saying:

"Whoever wears a garment (I think he said a new one (These words were added by 'Umar (translator)) and says when it comes to his clavicles or he said, "Before it comes to his knees" these words then he takes his old garment and gives it to a needy person, he remains in the neighborhood, custody and protection of Allah both in life and after death as long as (even) a thread of this garment remains."

Shurayh said: "There are three favors from Allah in every event bearing bereavement: that it is not in one's religion; it may have been more strenuous than it is; and it is a part if his inevitable destiny."

‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar Ibn ‘Abdil-‘Aziz said: "Whenever ‘Umar Ibn ‘Abdil-‘Aziz looked at a bounty from that which Allah had bestowed upon him, he used to say: "O Allah! I seek refuge with You not to exchange Your favor with ingratitude, not to be ungrateful for it after I have known it (i.e. after I have known it is from You), and not to forget it or neglect praising it."

Moreover, in some Qudsi Hadith, Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "O Child of Adam! Good is descending to you from Me, but your evil is ascending to Me. I seek your love through favors, but you seek My detest through sins; and there is still a noble Angel ascending to Me with an ugly deed of yours."

Anas Ibn Malik said: "Whenever a servant is incumbent on worshipping, Allah certainly sends down bounties for him, and makes the children of Adam bear them to him. If this servant accepts the bounties, showing gratitude becomes a must on him. But if he rejects them, Allah, Who is Free of all wants and Worthy of all praise, gives them to some of His poor servants, who show Him gratitude.”[9]

A man asked Ibn Taymiyah: "How have you entered upon this morning?" Ibn Taymiyah said; "I have entered upon this morning between two favors, and I do not know which of them is better than the other; one of them is sins that Allah has covered, that no one will humiliate me concerning, them, and the other favor is the affection that Allah has put for me in the hearts of people, though (I, because of) my deeds do not deserve it."

"Abdullah Ibn Salam narrated that Moses (Peace be upon him) said to Allah: "O my Lord! How could we show You gratitude as You deserve?" Allah said: "Keep your tongue wet with My remembrance.

Abu Hurayrah reported that a man from Al-Ansar, from the people of Qiba invited the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and we went with him. After the Prophet (Peace be upon him) had eaten and washed his hands, he said:

"Praise be to Allah Who feeds but is not fed; Who is the Most-Generous, that He has guided us, provided us with food and water, and tested us with every good test. Praise be to Allah. My lord never forsakes, nor is He rewarded, shown gratitude or unneeded. Praise be to Allah Who gives food and drink, clothes the undressed, guides the wandering, bestows vision on the blind, and confers special favors above a great part of His Creation. Praise be to Allah. The Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds." [10]

Imam Ahmad narrated that Abul-Khuld said: "I read that David (Peace be upon him) said: "O my Lord! How could I show You gratitude, while I could only reach Your gratitude through Your favors?" Abul-Khuld said: "Allah revealed to him saying: "O David! Do you not know that the favors bestowed upon you are from Me?" He said: "O My Lord! I do know." Allah said:

"Then I am pleased with this (knowledge and admittance) to be your gratitude shown." 'Abdullah Ibn Ahmad narrated that Sa'id Ibn ‘Abdul-Aziz said: "A part of David's invocations was: "Glory be to (Allah) Who brings gratitude out through bounties, and brings invocation out through testing.”

(Continued)