Gratitude: Going Beyond Words

13 August 2021

Why Does Saying Thank You Feel Difficult?

Question: We see the person who does us a kindness, but can we see all the blessings behind that kindness?

When a friend helps us, we thank them. We recognize our parents’ efforts. Sometimes, however, we take those efforts for granted.

Al-Fatihah’s expression “Alhamdu lillahi rabbil ‘alamin” reminds us that gratitude has a broader horizon.

People should consider not only what they receive, but also the opportunity to use it. Our health, time, and capacity to work may be blessings we do not notice.

The Lord of the Worlds

Accepting Allah as our Lord is not merely saying a word in our lives. It means reflecting on who teaches, who creates, and to whom we will ultimately return.

Question: How much credit do we take for ourselves when we succeed at something?

Effort matters. Work matters. But we are not the ones who brought into existence from nothing the body with which to work, the mind with which to think, and the opportunities we use.

Recognizing this does not devalue effort. It protects the person making that effort from arrogance.

Blessings, Ownership, and Responsibility

We may produce an item, manage a business, or support a family. These do not make us the absolute owner of everything.

What people can manage is limited. They do not even have full control over their own future.

When we accept this, our behavior toward others may also change. We need to carry what is entrusted to us with responsibility, rather than an ambition to possess it.

Nor should we see the person beside us merely as an instrument for meeting our needs.

Praise That Extends into Life

Gratitude should not remain limited to saying, “Thank you.” It should become visible through behavior that does justice to the blessing.

Question: Can we maintain moderation while using the opportunities we have?

Instead of comparing ourselves with others, let us first look at what we have. Someone else having more does not make what we have been given worthless.

At the end of the day, let us ask ourselves one question: Did I also show through my behavior the value of what I was grateful for today?

Gratitude means remembering that blessings are a trust as much as counting them.