Expressing gratitude is more than saying “thank you”. It is being thankful for everything—your life, health, wealth, spouse, children, house, talent, and every other thing the God has bestowed upon you.
Gratitude is a fundamental concept that involves recognizing and appreciating the countless favors in every aspect of one’s life. It is not limited to words of thanks; it is also expected to be reflected in one’s actions resulting from a grateful heart. It is encouraged to manifest gratitude through exhibiting kindness and compassion towards others by living in the present moment.
Gratitude Benefits & Why is it Important?
1. Finding happiness:
In a state of gratitude mindset, you will feel so calm and serene. A wave of happiness will rush over, and no matter what your life situation is, you will sleep peacefully. When you are grateful, you will see all the beauty around you, and more beautiful things come to you.
2. Positive Outlook:
Gratitude practices helps you to have a positive view of all things around you. After practicing gratitude even for a few days, you can witness yourself discarding all negativity from your life and start seeing things in a different light.
3. Enhanced Relationships:
One of the major positive outcomes of practicing gratitude is the betterment of relationships. You will notice everybody around you is treating you in a compassionate way because you have already started treating them right. Brotherhood and friendship will strengthen, and nobody can be your enemy.
4. Increased Resilience:
When you are grateful for everything you have in life, no matter how hard your life situation gets, you will be strong and bounce back up. A person who would complain about his/her adversity and asks God, “Why is this happening to me?” will see only struggles. But a person who has gratitude tells God, “Thank you for this lesson, I trust in you,” will see solutions and overcome the challenges in his/her life.
5. Improved Mental Health:
Gratitude and mental health is deeply interrelated. If a person knows the importance of being thankful and feels grateful for all that happens as a part of the divine plan, then he/she has no worries. A person without worries has no reason to be sad and become depressed. The overall well-being of that person is improved because his thoughts are pure with gratitude.
6. Job Satisfaction:
Gratitude is not limited to one’s personal life; it also positively affects one’s professional life. A happy man does great work and excels in his career. Imagine a company where all the employees feel thankful and do their work happily. Doesn’t it sound like a great place to work? No complaints, no gossip, no problems—just growth and satisfaction.
7. Spiritual Growth:
Expressing gratitude and its regular practice allows you to become a better person spiritually. You will become generous, kind, and helpful to all living and non-living beings because everything is part of the same creation. You will feel a connection towards the divine and unlock abundance into your life. Start counting your blessings today, and the whole universe conspires to achieve many more blessings in your life.
Gratitude in Islam is a Way of Life
Being grateful in Islam is not a one-time thing. It’s not what you do in the holy month of Ramadan or on special occasions like your birthday. It is a way of life that you do every day; it is more like prayer.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) exemplified gratitude in every aspect of his life, teaching his followers to appreciate even the seemingly small blessings. The act of gratitude is intricately woven into the fabric of daily Islamic practices, from the five daily prayers to acts of charity and community service.
The Quran emphasizes the importance of gratitude, stating, “If you are grateful, I will surely increase you; but if you deny, indeed, my punishment is severe” (Quran 14:7).
