WEBVTT

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Our mother ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her.

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“O ‘A’ishah, should I not be a grateful servant?”

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It is important in matters of upbringing and education

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to correct misconceptions that are widespread among people,

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or specifically held by the educator.

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Likewise, it is important to clarify the correct understanding of religious matters,

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which people might otherwise limit to only one of their meanings.

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Among these matters

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is showing gratitude to Allah for His blessings and favor.

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For it is common among people

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that gratitude is expressed only with the tongue.

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This is indeed a correct meaning,

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but it is only one form of showing gratitude to Allah for His blessings and favor.

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There are other forms linked to the nature of the blessing itself.

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For instance, gratitude for the blessing of wealth

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may be expressed by spending in the way of Allah.

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Gratitude for the blessing of health

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may be expressed by using one’s body in the obedience of Allah.

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Thus, the matter is not limited to praising Allah with the tongue alone,

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even though that is required.

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Allah, the Almighty and Exalted,

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has shown us that gratitude is expressed through action,

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just as it is expressed by praising Allah with the tongue.

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He, the Exalted, said:

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“Work, O family of Dawud, in gratitude.”

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“And few of My servants are grateful.”

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Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his Tafsir of this verse:

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“It contains evidence that gratitude is expressed through action,

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just as it is expressed through speech and intention.”

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And Al-Sa‘di, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

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“Gratitude is the heart’s acknowledgment of Allah’s favor,

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receiving it with a sense of need for Him,

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directing it toward the obedience of Allah,

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and guarding it against being spent in disobedience.”

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Among the teachings of the Prophet, peace be upon him,

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and his upbringing of ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her,

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was that he clarified to her the meaning of gratitude to Allah

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for His blessings through both word and deed.

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‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:

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The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,

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when he prayed,

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would stand until his feet became swollen.

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‘A’ishah said,

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“O Messenger of Allah,

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do you do this,

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when your past and future sins have been forgiven?”

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He replied,

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“O ‘A’ishah,

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should I not be a grateful servant?”

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‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, had thought

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that the Prophet’s knowledge

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that Allah had forgiven him

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his past and future sins

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would lead him to moderate his worship

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and not burden himself.

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So the Prophet, peace be upon him, corrected her understanding

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of this concept,

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showing that knowledge of this forgiveness

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necessitates an increase in gratitude.

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Ibn Battal, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

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“In this is a point of fiqh:

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that the righteous person is required to have the same level of piety and fear

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as is required of the repentant sinner.

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The righteous person should not feel secure because of his righteousness,

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nor should the sinner despair or lose hope because of his sin.

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Rather, everyone should be both fearful and hopeful.”

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In this is a profound lesson for us.

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For if the Prophet, peace be upon him,

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despite his knowledge of Allah’s forgiveness for his sins,

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both past and future,

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would exert such effort in worship,

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then what of those who do not know

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whether they deserve the Fire or have been saved from it?

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Among the things that help one to show practical gratitude for Allah’s blessings

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is to keep in mind the magnitude of these blessings

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that Allah has bestowed upon him.

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Ibn Battal, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

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“Whoever has received great blessings from Allah

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is obligated to receive them with great gratitude.”

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And in the Prophet’s reply, peace be upon him,

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to ‘A’ishah, saying:

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“O ‘A’ishah,

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should I not be a grateful servant?”

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is a teaching for her that gratitude is expressed through deeds,

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just as it is expressed through words.

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He named the worship he performed

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as gratitude to Allah.

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Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

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“He called these deeds gratitude,

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and informed us that his gratitude was his performing them

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and his consistency in them.”

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The reality of gratitude

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is praising the Bestower,

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loving Him, and acting in obedience to Him.

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The Muslims who have reached Ramadan

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this year

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are in a state of great blessing

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that requires gratitude.

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Among the ways to show gratitude for this blessing

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is to maintain the night prayers until the month ends,

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to increase one’s efforts during the last ten nights,

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and to perform many types of righteous deeds.

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O Allah, make us among the grateful.

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We shall continue in a future meeting, if Allah wills.

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And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

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Our mother ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her.