One of the Greatest Blessings is Gratitude

As regards one whose deeds are great and many, he must busy himself with showing gratitude for them, for the accord to show gratitude is one of the greatest blessings Allah bestows upon His servant. It is obligatory upon him to meet these deeds with gratitude and realise his deficiency in displaying due gratitude.

Wahb ibn al-Ward, when asked about the reward of a particular deed, said, 'Ask not about its reward, but ask about the gratitude due upon  one who was guided to it.' [1]

Abu Sulayman would say, 'How can an intelligent person be amazed with his deeds? Deeds are one of Allah's blessings; as such, it is upon him to show gratitude and to show humility. It is only the Qadariyyah who are amazed at their deeds!'[2] i.e. those who do not believe that the actions of the servant are created by Allah, Mighty and Magnificent.

How excellent is the saying of Abu Bakr al-Nahshali on the day that Dawud al-Ta’i died. After his burial, ibn al-Sammak[3] stood and praised him for his good deeds and wept causing all present to weep as well and testify to the truth of what he said... Abu Bakr al-Nahshali stood and said, 'O Allah, forgive him and show mercy to him and leave him not to his deeds![4]

Abu Dawud  records   on  the  authority of  Zayd  ibn  Thabit (radhyAllahu  'anhu)  that the Messenger  of  Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, "Were Allah to punish  the inhabitants  of the heavens  and the inhabit ants of the earth, He could do so without having oppressed  them in any way. Were He to show them mercy, His mercy would be better for them than their deeds."[5]

Hakim records on the authority of Jabir (radhyAllahu 'anhu) that a man came to the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and said, 'Sins, sins!' repeating this two or three times. The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, "Say: O Allah, Your forgiveness is vaster than my sins and I have more hope in it than I do my deeds." He said this and the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, "Repeat it."  He did so and he was ordered to repeat it again which he did. Then he (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, ''Stand for you have been forgiven."[6]

My sins, were I but to ponder them, are copious.

But greater yet is my Lord's forgiveness:

In my righteous deeds lies not my expectation,

But in the mercy of Allah have I anticipation.