Gratitude, in fact, is to repay Allah's Favors upon you by believing in Him and in His Messengers, loving Him and confessing His favors. You should thank Allah by good words and praises along with loving the Grantor, fearing Him, hoping for and looking forward to seeing Him, inviting to His Way and fulfilling His Rights. Believing in Allah and His Messengers entails believing in the best of them, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and adhering to his Shari`ah.
It is an expression of gratitude to believe that Allah is the only God Who is worthy of worship and that He is the Creator, the Provider, and the AllKnower. He alone is worthy of worship and the Lord of the worlds. There is no other god and no deity is truly worthy of worship except Allah. Thanking Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) involves also believing in His Names and Attributes, and that He is Perfect in His Essence, Names, and Attributes. He has no partner or equal and can never be compared with His creatures. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) states: There is nothing like Him; and He is the AllHearer, the AllSeer. He (Exalted be He) also states:
Say (O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ): "He is Allâh, (the) One. "AllâhusSamad (ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺪ ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﻳﺼﻤﺪ ﺇﻟﻴﻪ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺤﺎﺟﺎﺕ) [Allâh the SelfSufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)]. "He begets not, nor was He begotten. "And there is none coequal or comparable unto Him."
It is necessary for having true faith to believe that Allah Alone is worthy of `Ibadah (worship). In this respect, Allah (Exalted be He) states: And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. and: You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything). and: So, call you (O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ and the believers) upon (or invoke) Allâh making (your) worship pure for Him (Alone) (by worshipping none but Him and by doing religious deeds sincerely for Allâh's sake only and not to show off and not to set up rivals with Him in worship), however much the disbelievers (in the Oneness of Allâh) may hate (it). and: O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allâh), Who created you and: And I (Allâh) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone). and: And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allâh, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him) Indeed, Allah Alone is worthy of worship and supplication. He Alone should be invoked in times of hope and fear. Offering Salah (Prayer), vows, sacrifices and all other forms of `Ibadah must solely be devoted to Allah Alone.
Thus, it is clear that what the ignorant do, such as making Du`a' (supplication), fearing, hoping and offering sacrifices and vows to the dead, are acts of Major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) that go against the Testimony of Faith: "La ilaha illa Allah (there is no deity but Allah). It is also evident that whoever denies the Last Day, Resurrection, Jannah (Paradise), and Hellfire is truly a disbeliever who disbelieves in Allah and His Din.
The atheist communists commit Kufr and deviation as much as those who worship others beside Allah and ascribe partners to Him, including worshipers of graves, idols, prophets, righteous people, stars, the sun, the moon, etc. Allah (Exalted be He) states:
O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allâh), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become AlMuttaqûn (the pious See V.2:2). Who has made the earth a resting place for you He (Exalted be He) also states: Indeed your Lord is Allâh, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He rose over (Istawâ) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed is Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists)! Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors. And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, and invoke Him with fear and hope. Surely, Allâh's Mercy is (ever) near unto the gooddoers.
He who offers `Ibadah to others beside Allah, such as the Jinn (creatures created from fire), angels, Al Badawy, A lHusayn or other creatures, commits Shirk by worshiping others along with Allah, which violates the creed of "La ilaha illa Allah" and disbelieves in Allah's Favors of health and safety, and in the messengers, including our Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him). This is the worst kind of ingratitude. Allah (Exalted be He) states: That is because Allâh — He is the Truth (the only True God of all that exists, Who has no partners or rivals with Him), and what they (the polytheists) invoke besides Him, it is Bâtil (falsehood).
This is the true `Aqidah (creed) that was brought down by the messengers (peace be upon them) and the best of them and their Imam, Muhammad (peace be upon him) who called to Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah/monotheism) and devoting `Ibadah sincerely to Allah. He (peace be upon him) sent his emissaries to different tribes, calling them to Tawhid. He sent `Ali, Mu`adh, and Abu Musa AlAsh`ary (may Allah be pleased with them) to Yemen. He (peace be upon him) settled in Makkah for thirteen years, calling to Tawhid. He also settled in Madinah for ten years calling for Tawhid and following the Shari`ah of Allah. He started by calling to Tawhid,
for it is the foundation of Iman, Din, and gratitude to Allah, the Grantor. All messengers began by calling to Tawhid. Allah (Glorified be He) states: And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allâh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Tâghût (all false deities i.e. do not worship Tâghût besides Allâh)."
Whoever misses the mark of Tawhid and sincerity for Allah renders all his deeds Batil (null and void) and futile. Allah (Exalted be He) states: But if they had joined in worship others with Allâh, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them. and: And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ), as it was to those (Allâh's Messengers) before you: "If you join others in worship with Allâh, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers."
In addition, thanking Allah for the grace of Tawhid and others is one of the greatest obligations that brings one closer to Allah. This is an act of the heart, involving love and glorification of Allah and love of His Sake, longing to see Him and His Gardens. He (Glorified be He) is above His Creatures, rising over the Throne in a manner befitting His Majesty and Greatness. The meaning of Istawa [rising over His Throne] is not to be understood the way the innovators of the Jahmiyyah (a deviant Islamic sect denying some Attributes of Allah, claiming they are ascribed to people and cannot be ascribed to Allah) and others did. Rather, the meaning is that Allah rose over His Throne as the Salaf (righteous predecessors) stated and that He is above the heavens on His Throne and separate from His Creatures, knowing everything that nothing is hidden from Him.
It is common to cite the statement of Malik (may Allah be merciful with him) in this respect. When he was asked about Allah's statement: The Most Gracious (Allâh) rose over (Istawâ) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). he was asked how Allah rises over the Throne? He answered: "Istiwa' is wellknown while its manner is unknown. To believe in it is obligatory and to ask about it is Bid`ah." His opinion was also held by A h lu lSunnah walJama`ah (those adhering to the Sunnah and the Muslim main body) (may Allah be merciful with them).
"Asking about it is Bid`ah" means asking about its manner, for this is known only to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). Istiwa' is known as it means superiority and being up and above.
The same meaning was reported by Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) and Rabi`ah ibn Abu `Abdul Rahman, the teacher of Malik (may Allah be merciful with them). There are forms of being thankful in one's heart such as entertaining love for the believers and the messengers, particularly our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and witnessing that they conveyed the Messages with which Allah entrusted them. Allah (Glorified be He) states: And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allâh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Tâghût (all false deities i.e. do not worship Tâghût besides Allâh)." Besides, gratitude in one's heart one must believe firmly that `Ibadah is an exclusive Right of Allah and no one else will ever deserve it.
Thanking Allah with the heart means fearing, hoping for, and loving Him to an extent that makes one carry out His Right, give up sin, call to His Way, and hold fast to it. It also includes devotion and oftrepeated Tasbih (saying: ''Subhan Allah [Glory be to Allah]''), Tahmid (saying: "Alhamdu lillah [All praise is due to Allah]") and Takbir (saying: "Allahu Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]").
Thanking Allah also means praising Him by the tongue, constantly expressing Allah's blessings, enjoining Ma`ruf (that which is judged as good, beneficial, or fitting by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect) and forbidding Munkar (that which is unacceptable or disapproved of by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect). Thanking is by tongue, heart, and action. Thus, gratitude may be expressed by one's tongue through the words Allah has made lawful for us. There is a third type of gratitude, namely, expressing gratitude by one's actions. This is the physical aspect of thankfulness, which includes adherence to Islamic tenets such as Salah, Sawm (Fast), Zakah (obligatory charity), Hajj to Bayt Allah AlHaram (the House: another name for the Ka`bah), and Jihad (fighting/striving in the Cause of Allah) with one's life and property. Allah (Exalted be He) states: March forth, whether you are light (being healthy, young and wealthy) or heavy (being ill, old and poor), and strive hard with your wealth and your lives Gratitude of the heart is expressed by devotion, loving, fearing, and longing for Allah as we mentioned before.
Moreover, thankfulness to Allah results in receiving more bounties. Allah (Glorified be He) states: And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: "If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allâh), I will give you more (of My Blessings) Allah informs His Servants that if they thank Him, He will increase His Favors, but if they disbelieve, His torment will be severe. He may punish them by depriving them of His Grace and inflicting them with torment. He may cause them to suffer illnesses after enjoying health, sterility after fertility, fear after safety, Kufr after Islam, or disobedience after obedience. Thanking Allah keeps one on the right path and helps to remain grateful until He increases His Favors. If someone persists in being ungrateful and disobeying His Commandment, they will be subjected to His Punishment and Wrath. Punishment may take different forms; some in this world and others in the Hereafter.
Among the punishments in this world include the loss of blessings. Allah (Exalted be He) states: So when they turned away (from the Path of Allâh), Allâh turned their hearts away (from the Right Path). Punishment may also take place in the form of giving power to enemies over us. However, the punishment of the Hereafter is severer. Allah (Glorified be He) states: Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying), I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favours on you) and never be ungrateful to Me. and, Work you, O family of Dâwûd (David), with thanks!" But few of My slaves are grateful. He (Glorified be He) informs us that the grateful are few and most people do not thank Him.
Most people enjoy Allah's Favors, but do not thank Him for them. Rather, they are unmindful, heedless, and careless. Allah (Exalted be He) states: while those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as cattle eat; and the Fire will be their abode. Thankfulness is only complete when it is expressed by the tongue, hand, and heart together. In this respect, a poet wrote:
Favors are deeply appreciated by three: my hand, my tongue, and my hidden conscience
A Mu'min (believer) should be patient and grateful, as Allah (Exalted be He) states: Truly, therein are Ayât (evidence, proofs and signs) for every patient, thankful (person)." A Mu'min should be patient in times of adversity and thankful in times of prosperity. However, a Mu'min should not lose hope or neglect the physical means, for patience does not conflict with taking the necessary physical measures. For example, one should not feel hopeless when suffering from illness and should seek treatment.
One should not lose hope because of, for instance, shortage of harvest or disasters that may befall his farm, but he should treat the farm to correct the problem. Patience is obligatory, but it does not contradict seeking treatment and making use of permissible solutions. A Mu'min should endure patiently the afflictions that may befall him, bearing in mind that nothing occurs except according to Allah's Decree and great wisdom. One should know that the consequences of sins are grave, so one should hasten to perform Tawbah (repentance to Allah) from all sins and misdeeds. O Muslim, you must repent to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) so that He will set your affairs right, correct your defects, and return to you what you missed.
It is authentically reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: A servant may be deprived of provision for a sin he/she commits. Someone may commit a sin that deprives them of many favors. Allah (Exalted be He) states: And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much. (See the Qur'ân Verse 35:45). Allah also says, Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allâh, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself. and, Evil (sins and disobedience to Allâh) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds), that He (Allâh) may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allâh, and begging His Pardon).
Misfortunes prompt people to turn to Allah and warn them, so that they may repent. Repentance and sincere abandonment of sins are the true way of forgiveness of past sins. Seeking lawful physical treatment is also an act of obedience to Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: O Allah's servants! Seek treatment but use nothing unlawful
A Mu'min should be patient at times of distress that befall him or his family. He should be thankful for Alhah's Favors by observing His Rights and turning to Him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: Wonderful are the affairs of the Mu'min; for there is good in each of his affairs. This is not the case with anyone else except the Mu'min, for if he suffers affliction, he endures patiently, which is good for him. If he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (Allah), thus there is good for him in it. (Related by Muslim in his Sahih, on the authority of Suhayb ibn Sinan [may Allah be pleased with him])
It is an act of thanking Allah to abide by the Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet) and keeping away from innovations. Many people may be unaware of their practices which are, in fact, considered innovations in Islam.
Bid`ah (innovation) is a form of being ingratitude to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). For example, people in many countries celebrate the Mawlid (the Prophet's birth day) in the month of Rabi` AlAwwal ignorantly, following a tradition. They believe that this is Mustahab (desirable). This is a mistake that has no basis in the purified Shari`ah. Rather, it is a Bid`ah, which Allah has not sent down. This celebration may involve prohibited acts, such as drinking Khamr (intoxicants) and intermixing of men and women. Moreover, poems that may contain Major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) may be chanted in such an occasion, such as the famous poem of AlBurdah by AlBusairy where he says:
O you, the noblest creature, I have none to resort to when disasters befall but you If you will not help me when the time comes, I will definitely be lost Both the life and the Hereafter are of your benevolence and the knowledge of the Pen and the Tablet is derived from yours
Similar deviant statements are found in a poem written by AlBura`y AlYamany who fell into Major Shirk when he supplicated to the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Thus, celebrating Mawlids, whether that of the Prophet (peace be upon him) or others, such as the Mawlid of A lBadawy, Ibn `Ulwan, A lHusayn o r `Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) is a rejected Bid`ah that people invented. It was not practiced during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) or Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet), or the best generations.
It was first introduced by the Batiniyyah Shia, who are the children of `Ubayd AlQaddah, namely the Fatimid who ruled Egypt and Morocco in the fourth and fifth century A.H. They introduced many Mawlids, such as that of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and AlHusayn and others, then people imitated them. This resembles the Christians and the Jews in their festivals. In such gatherings many sins are committed, involving Major Shirk. This is true even if these acts are celebrated by so many people. However, the Truth is not recognized by the action of people; rather, by the Shari`ah proofs from the Book (Qur'an) and Sunnah. Many scholars warned against this matter, such as ShaykhulIslam Ibn Taymiyyah and AlShatiby (may Allah be merciful with them). Whoever approves it among the scholars thereby commits a grave mistake and should not be followed.
Praising the Prophet (peace be upon him) and describing his merits and esteem are not to be realized by Bid`ah in the name of Mawlid, but by following his Shari`ah, abiding by his commandments, abandoning his prohibitions, and calling for reviving his Sunnah and teaching it to the people in Masjids (mosques), schools, and universities. These Mawlids contain many kinds of evil and transgression where intermixing of men and women and drinking Khamr take place, in addition to graver acts of Major Shirk as previously illustrated. People began to imitate these by celebrating their birthdays or wedding anniversaries. These are of the rejected deeds as well, for they resemble the Kafirs (disbelievers). The `Eids of Muslims are only `EidulFitr (the Festival of Breaking the Fast) and `EidulAdha (the Festival of the Sacrifice) and Days of Tashriq (11th, 12th, and 13th of DhulHijjah), Day of `Arafah (9th of DhulHijjah) and Jumu`ah (Friday). Whoever introduces a new feast imitates the Christians and the Jews.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: Whoever commits any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, it is to be rejected. He also stated, Whoever introduces
extraneous things into our affair (i.e. religion), his act is rejected. and: Avoid novelties, for every novelty is a Bid`ah, and every Bid`ah is an error. There are so many Hadiths to the same effect. Muslims should follow the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) (may Allah be pleased with them) and their followers of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) and should abandon Bid`ah introduced after them. All these are among the ways through which one can offer thanks to Allah with words, deeds, and belief. May Allah grant us all beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds and help us act according to the Sunnah and thank Him for His Favors with words, deeds, and faith along with holding fast to AlHaqq. May Allah also guide Muslim rulers to all good, provide them with righteous retinue, and help them establish Allah's Commands on earth and execute the Hudud (ordained punishments for violating Allah's Law). I ask Him to entrust the Muslims' affairs to the best among them and to protect them from the affliction of deviance. He is the AllHearer, Ever Near. May Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions!