Be Grateful, Don't Complain

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum
 
We have to be thankful for the countless favors and blessings in our lives. We should be very cautious about complaining. Sometimes we complain about the most ridiculous of things. We don't like the furniture, we complain. It is hot, we complain. It is cold, we complain.   Remember there are people who live in tents and in no man's land, between borders of countries. To be ungrateful is a very dangerous situation to be in. The downfall of blessings is getting accustom to it.

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌ ﴿٧

And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.' " (7) [Quran, Ibrahim 14:7]

Allah has told us that very few of His slaves are grateful.

وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّـٰكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ فِيهَا مَعَـٰيِشَ ۗ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٠

And We have certainly established you upon the earth and made for you therein ways of livelihood. Little are you grateful. (10) [Quran, Al-A'raf 7:10]

وَءَاتَىٰكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ ﴿٣٤

And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favor of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful. (34)   [Quran, Inrahim 14:34]

وَإِن تَعُدُّوا۟ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٨

And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (18) [Quran, An-Nahl 16:18]

Thanks or gratitude means reciprocating kindness and giving praise to the one who has done good and kind things. The one who is most deserving of thanks and praise from people is Allah Subhanahu Ta'ala because of the great favors and blessings that He has bestowed upon His slaves in both spiritual and worldly terms.

Allah has commanded us to give thanks to Him for those blessings, and not to deny them. He says,

فَٱذْكُرُونِىٓ أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِى وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ ﴿١٥٢

So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me. (152) [Quran Al-Baqarah 2:152]

How can we thank Allah for His great blessings? Our gratitude should fulfill all the necessary conditions, which are gratitude of the heart, gratitude of the tongue and gratitude of the physical faculties.

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Gratitude may be in the heart, in submission and humility; on the tongue, in praise and acknowledgement; and in the physical faculties, by means of obedience and submission.

May Allah make us among His thankful and grateful servants. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam