Our negative reactions becomes a gateway to our guilt.  Our guilt drives us to the corners of madness…

Assalam u alaikum wr wb,

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Been so long , today is but the day to finally write of what I understood of the concept gratefulness . 

Grateful , thankful, Being good, Thinking good. 

Gratitude is not a word and definitely not saying Alhamdulilah when you don’t feel it.  We actually don’t really feel the positive energy that comes into our halos if we don’t feel the gratitude. 

What is gratefulness really? 

Have we been grateful all of our lives? 

Lets see about that…

Gratitude to me is the acceptance of reality, Meanwhile being happy about it. 

3 ways are a must to show that we are being grateful :

One is we feel the greatness in our hearts, we actually feel grateful. 

Second is we say something about it.  If it’s a person then thank them.  If it’s Allah then think about ways to improve our worship more. 

Third is we do some sort of action.  For instance we give a gift or do some other action of the sort. 

Gratitude is not just a mere thought , it’s a thinking pattern.  It’s a wide behavior.  A number of blessings need to be a part of constant reminder in one’s list.  A number of things which we lost or no longer are in contact with needs to be analyzed.  How far have we come?  What impact could’ve been in our lives of the things/people that are no longer here ? 

Blessings are a part of all of us.  We are all fully indulged in these blessings, from the moment we wake up to the moment we lie down.  We constantly breathe with absolutely no idea how is it happening and how so smoothly.  Good riddance for such thoughts , such is our case.  But, really how miserable a human is?  If one gets ill, they are not able to do anything given more we complaint a lot. 

Once a saint saw a man with a bandage tied round his head. 

“Why have you tied the bandage?”  he asked. 

“Because my head aches,” the man replied. 

“How old are you?”  he demanded. 

“Thirty,” he replied. 

“Have you been in pain and anguish the greater part of your life?”  he enquired. 

“No,” the man answered. 

“For thirty years you have enjoyed good health,” he remarked, “and you never tied the bandage of thankfulness.  Now because of this one night head ache, that you have, you tie the bandage of complaint?” 

And if We make man taste mercy from Us, then take it off from him, most surely he is despairing, ungrateful.  And if We make him taste a favor after distress has afflicted him, he will certainly say: The evils are gone away from me.  Most surely he is exulting, boasting; except those who are patient and do good, they shall have forgiveness and a great reward.  Noble Qur’an (11:9-11)

Surely, we are given a lot of blessings.  Surely, we need to understand we are dependent upon Allah subhana wa taa’ala for even breathing.  We need Him every single moment of our lives.  How come we are in the phase of denial then.  Being grateful not only protects the blessing that we are granted with but we are also increased in abundance , it’s something that Allah has liked for us. 

If you disbelieve – indeed, Allah is Free from need of you.  And He does not approve for His servants disbelief.  And if you are grateful, He approves it for you; and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.  Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you about what you used to do.  Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.  Az-Zumr:7

Isn’t this ayah amazing? “ If you are grateful , He approves it for you”. 
After reading this , I felt I no longer need a reminder on being grateful.  Allah the Lord of this world has approved something for me.  It has to be true. 

Example: Getting a great degree, if it is not recognized if it is not approved nationally or internationally, what use could it be of?  None .  Absolutely null. 

If we think about life , the first and foremost emotion approved by Allah is Gratitude.  Quran starts from the word Alhamdulilah( All praise and gratitude is for Allah) .  It’s gratitude that heals us and keeps us happy and going. 

It cannot be bad for our philosophies , it cannot truly make us feel low.  The more grateful we are, the more happy we become.  The more happy we become , the more positivism revolves around us and the surroundings become happy too.  No matter , the people around are happy or not.  Everything will get affected by positivity as it gets affected by negativity. 

A negative behavior changes everything upside down. 
For instance, A person who arrives for the first time and we are to meet them.  The halos are neutral.  We don’t know them, they don’t know us.  The moment we see the a process starts.  This process is dependent on the way we think.  The reactions we get are also dependent on our actions (most of the time).  A little smile, a little gesture of affection can totally change the scenario.  On the other hand, thinking I would smile when I see them smile at me because I might feel more soft due to that action.  But , think.. even thinking about smiling makes you smile.  It’s not the other person all the time.  We all need to be happy and grateful for our own halos.  WE all need the positivity of our behaviors for our own selves.  We might otherwise harm ourselves.  I know it’s a big word to say.  But guess what ?  It’s true.  The more negative we think the more negative we become. &  Our negative reactions becomes a gateway to our guilt.  Our guilt drives us to the corners of madness. 

May Allah protect and guide us all , in believing and following what is best for us in this world and the hereafter.  Ameen.