Skip to: Site menu | Main content

About

We believe that a true and comprehensive understanding of Islam would not be possible without careful recognition of the Prophetic Tradition and the Prophet's Household. And Allah is the Source of Strength.
 

Forgetting Gratitude 2

" In the original piece Forgetting Gratitude, we discussed how if Allah were to give us a pen and paper and asked us to write for ourselves what we had desired or wanted, we would probably miss out writing half (or more) blessings that we even have today, from the ability to blink till the strength of regulating our own bowel movement.

How granted we take things and how ungrateful we are.

To continue the thought, do we feel privileged because we belong to an elite part of the society? Why do i deserve to eat in  5 star hotel but someone deserves to eat only one time of the day because of their financial health? Why do i deserve to travel in a business class of an airline while someone deserves to sleep in cold without a roof on their head?

My privileges will bring accountability to me, but then, the person who ate only one time a day or slept in the cold without a roof on his head also is accountable.

Because reality is, we are all lucky and no matter who we are, we have been given alot more than what we think we deserve, and for this we must be grateful for.

We are rich and can satisfy all our needs, we are not poor. If we are poor, we are healthy and can still cherish the simple joys of life, we are not sick. If we are sick, we can still recover from it, atleast we are not disabled. If  we are disabled and cannot see or walk, atleast we are muslims and believe in one Allah, we are not mushriks (who will never be forgiven). If we are Mushriks, we are still alive and doors of repentance are open for us, we are not dead (when nothing else can be done and fate has been sealed).

No matter how miserable we feel our life as a human being is, we are still a human being and not a dog, a dog who can never celebrate the joys of being a human and enjoy a good TV program, a good sunset. And if we are a dog, we can still enjoy a good piece of meat and a good drink, we are not a stone which can not cherish the little joys of life.

What do we deserve then? Prophets became prophets not because they deserved to be prophets but because Allah chose them. Yunus (AS) was forgiven not because he deserved forgiveness but Allah chose to forgive him.

We have what we have not because we deserve it, but because Allah blessed us with it and chose for us what we have. We must respect that choice with gratitude.

I can argue one of the biggest blessings we have been bestowed with, is that we were created, so that we could experience the beautiful world, and the feeling of satisfaction in thirst when we drink cold water. "

Feel free to email your comments/replies to this article at author@sdol.org