Being grateful and gratitude for blessings is considered one of the most important moral and religious duties. Neglecting this moral virtue and failing to thank God can have undesirable consequences for a person. Below, we discuss the levels of gratitude, some of its effects, and some of the obstacles to being grateful for divine blessings.
Definition of Gratitude
In defining gratitude, some linguists emphasize the word blessing (Ni’mah in Arabic), while others focus on favor or kindness (Ihsan). Raghib Isfahani says: “Gratitude means the perception and remembrance of a blessing and the expression of that blessing”.[1] Ibn Manzur defines gratitude as: “Gratitude is recognizing favor and goodness and spreading it”.[2]
Some ethics scholars, in defining gratitude in technical terms, have said: “Gratitude means that a person knows that every blessing comes from the Bestower of blessings (God), feels joy for it, and acts according to that joy. This involves remembering the benefactor’s kindness in one’s heart, praising Him for it, and using the blessings in obedience to Him”.[3]
Levels of Gratitude
Gratitude for blessings can be classified into three levels based on how it is expressed:
1. Gratitude of the Heart
Gratitude of the blessings means appreciating blessings internally, being content and pleased with God’s gifts, and never feeling ungrateful, whether the blessings are few or many.
2. Gratitude of the Tongue
Gratitude for blessings by the tongue is expressing thanks to God verbally, for example by saying Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God). However, expressing gratitude with words alone is not enough. One must also ensure that blessings are not belittled or considered insignificant, but rather praised and valued, even if they seem small.
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS) said about expressing gratitude for blessings verbally: “Whenever God bestows a blessing, whether small or large, and a person says Alhamdulillah, he has fulfilled the right of gratitude”.[4]
3. Practical Gratitude
Practical gratitude means thinking carefully about the purpose of each blessing and using it accordingly. Divine blessings are given for human benefit in obeying God, so using them for disobedience or sin is ingratitude. Imam Ali (AS) said: “Gratitude for every blessing is to avoid God’s prohibitions”.[5]
A person can truly be grateful only if they use God’s blessings for their own well-being and success, avoid wastefulness, and steer clear of actions that may lead to divine punishment. In Islamic teaching, a Muslim’s recognition of God’s favors is tied to following His commands and refraining from sins and prohibited acts.
Practical gratitude for blessings represents the fullest form of gratitude, combining the heart’s appreciation and verbal acknowledgment. It holds the highest value, though only a few reach this level. The Quran says regarding practical gratitude for blessings:
اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ
“O House of David, act thankfully, and few of My servants are grateful”.[6]
Clearly, if gratitude were limited to verbal acknowledgment, it would not be difficult and many could do it. However, the Quran refers to gratitude in practice, using blessings in the way they were intended, which few people achieve.[7]
Gratitude for blessings as a Means to Increase Blessings
The importance of gratitude for blessings and cultivating a grateful spirit is emphasized throughout Islamic teachings. A person who fully and sincerely shows gratitude will also benefit from its effects and blessings.
The most important effect of gratitude is an increase in provision and divine blessings. Conversely, those who show ingratitude face divine punishment. God says in the Quran:
لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ
“If you are grateful, I will surely enhance you [in blessing], but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is indeed severe”.[8]
Imam Ali (AS) said: “Gratitude to the Benefactor increases sustenance”.[9]
According to him, if a person is ungrateful, an increase in provision naturally will not occur. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS) also said: “The increase of blessings from God does not cease except because of the ingratitude of His servants”.[10]
Obstacles to Gratitude for Blessings
As gratitude for blessings is every person’s duty toward God, performing gratitude increases sustenance, while ingratitude leads to God’s anger and punishment. However, there are obstacles that prevent a person from fully benefiting from this virtuous moral quality in life. Below, we discuss some of these obstacles.
1. Ignorance and Neglect of the Benefactor
God has bestowed countless blessings upon humans and has commanded them to be grateful. Some people, however, may attribute the blessings they have in life to themselves or their families, which leads to neglecting God and failing to thank Him.
Those who are truly grateful to God, praised in the Quran, recognize all blessings as coming from God. In contrast, those who are ungrateful attribute blessings to their own knowledge, power, or efforts.
For example, Prophet Solomon (AS), who possessed unmatched worldly power and blessings, considered all his material possessions and social status as gifts from God and believed that these blessings were a divine test. The Quran says about Solomon:
قَالَ هَٰذَا مِنْ فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ
“He said, ‘This is by the grace of my Lord, to test me if I will give thanks or be ungrateful”.[11]
Seeing one’s blessings as a divine test can prevent neglecting God or being unaware of Him as the true Bestower of blessings.
On the other hand, worldly-minded people like Qarun, upon gaining power and wealth, forget everything, including God, and consider their wealth and influence as the result of their own knowledge and efforts. The Quran says:
قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِنْدِي
“He said, I have indeed been given [all] this because of the knowledge that I have”.[12]
2. Ignorance and Neglect of the Blessings Themselves
Another obstacle to gratitude for blessings is ignorance of the blessings themselves. Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) said: “No one recognizes a blessing except the grateful, and no one is grateful except the one who is aware of it”.[13]
Often, neglect or ignorance of blessings leads to failing to give thanks or being careless in doing so, because blessings are numerous and abundant. When a person faces countless blessings that cannot easily be counted, they may forget them, fail to recognize them as blessings, forget God, and not properly show gratitude for blessings.
Some blessings can be counted, but because they are common, continuous, and available to everyone in all circumstances, people often overlook them and may fail to recognize them as blessings. Health and security are examples of such general blessings. The Prophet (PBUHH) said: “Two blessings are often unappreciated: health and security”.[14]
Imam Zain al-Abidin (AS), in the supplication of the grateful, addresses human neglect of God’s blessings:
“My God, the continuous arrival of Your kindness and favor has distracted me from establishing Your gratitude, and the abundance of Your grace has left me unable to count Your praise. The successive arrival of Your favors has prevented me from remembering Your good attributes, and the continuous coming of Your blessings has left me incapable of spreading Your virtues. This is the station of the one who acknowledges the abundance of Your blessings yet confesses his shortcomings and bears witness against himself for negligence and wasting them”.[15]
Some people may compare themselves to others who have more blessings and focus on others’ advantages, while neglecting and undervaluing the blessings God has given them. This can lead to ingratitude or insufficient gratitude for their own blessings.
God says in a sacred tradition (Hadith al-Qudsi): “O son of Adam! Let not the sins of people distract you from your own sins, nor the blessings and comforts of people prevent you from recognizing the blessings God has granted you”.[16]
Conclusion
Gratitude for blessings means acknowledging and properly using the blessings one has received. Gratitude for blessings has three levels: of the heart, of the tongue, and practical gratitude, with the third being the most complete.
Gratitude for blessings also increases blessings. Ignorance and neglect of the Benefactor and His blessings are among the most important obstacles that cause a person to forget and fail in the duty of gratitude for blessings.
Notes
[1] . Raghib Isfahani, Mufradat Alfaz al-Quran, p.461.
[2] . Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-Arab, vol.4, p.423.
[3] . Naraqi, Jami al-Saadat, vol.3, p.611.
[4] . Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol.68, p.32.
[5] . Ibid, vol.68, p.56.
[6] . Al-Saba:13.
[7] . Makarem Shirazi, Tafsir-e Nemuneh, vol.18, p.41.
[8] . Ibrahim:7.
[9] . Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol.73, p.315.
[10] . Ibid, vol.68, p.54.
[11] . Al-Naml:40.
[12] . Al-Qasas:78.
[13] . Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol.75, p.378.
[14] . Ibid, vol.78, p.170.
[15] . Ibid, vol.91, p.146.
[16] . Ibid, vol.68, p.45.
References
- The Holy Quran.
- Ibn Manzur, Muhammad ibn Mukarram, Lisan al-Arab, Qom, Adab al-Hawzah, 1405 AH.
- Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir, Bihar al-Anwar al-Jamia li Durar Akhbar al-Aimmah al-Athar, Beirut, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, 1362 SH.
- Makarem Shirazi, Tafsir-e Namuneh, Tehran, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyyah, 1374 SH.
- Naraqi, Muhammad Mahdi, Jami al-Saadat, Beirut, Al-Alamy Institute for Publications, 1427 AH.
- Raghib Isfahani, Husayn ibn Muhammad, Mufradat Alfaz al-Quran, Damascus, Dar al-Qalam, 1412 AH.
Source of the article | Adapted from:
- Hatam, Lotf Ali & Mashaqi, Fereshteh, “Study of the Concept of Gratitude for Blessings in the Quran and Sunnah: Its Effects and Social Consequences”, Strategic Studies of Humanities and Islamic Sciences Journal, Issue 56, 1402 SH, pp. 259–275.
- Sirajzadeh, Hasan, “Obstacles to Gratitude in Life from the Perspective of Islamic Texts”, Applied Ethics Studies, Issue 3, Consecutive No.77, 1403 SH, pp. 133–163.
- Sirajzadeh, Hasan, “Strategies for Cultivating a Spirit of Gratitude from Islamic Texts”, Applied Ethics Studies, Issue 5, Consecutive No.74, 1402 SH, pp. 145–172.
