I AM NOT BEING UNGRATEFUL, THIS IS THE TRUTH!

I miss the rain!
I am sick of this snow!
I am craving this food so much!
I miss that place so much!
I can’t take this place anymore!

Phrases we so readily and mundanely use without any understanding of their real significance and eventual consequences. Most of these phrases are used for small talk and are almost part of the culture, but are these the appropriate choice of words for a believer?

You see belief is a verb. It reflects in your actions, words, mannerism. What you do, what you talk about, where you go are all choices that stem from your state of iman (belief), or lack of it.

Your words are important. They reflect what you have in your heart.

A believer’s real concern is not where he is or what his condition is. A believer’s real concern is whether he has the rahma (mercy), hidaya (guidance), and acceptance of Allah SWT.

Complaining about a condition or comparing your condition with someone else’s will not bring about any real change in what you are going through, however, it will increase your misery and your ability to deal with it gracefully.

It can destroy your good deeds, your life, and your afterlife.

But unfortunately, this is the state of most people. Allah SWT already warned us saying “And few of My servants are grateful.” (Saba 34:13)

This was the disease of Bani Israel and this is why they received the anger of Allah SWT.
When Allah SWT gave them the food from Jannah. Instead of celebrating and being thankful, they started complaining about having to eat the same food every day. Allah SWT cursed them for this ingratitude!

How is that different from us complaining about rainy weather daily? Or a long spell of winter?

Unfortunately, complaining has become a cultural habit. It has become an accepted form of small conversation. It gives us something to talk about when we have nothing else. And that is sad!

Every time Allah SWT gives us a bounty, we keep complaining. If He gives us an opportunity to move, we miss where we were living before. If we have a chance to travel, we miss the comfort of home. If we are home for too long, we get bored and want to travel. If we eat homemade food, we wish to eat out. If we eat out, we miss the home cooked meal.

There is no end. Because the problem is not really with what is happening externally, the problem is hidden deep down in the heart. Thanklessness.

What we forget is that this world and our life here is supposed to be a test. We will be trialed. It is the way of this world and part of Allah SWT’s plan. Allah will give us gifts, and He will take some of these gifts back.

There is no point complaining about it because it is not like we can force Allah SWT to change His qadr (destiny). However, we can use this give and take in our favor by being in a state of gratefulness and truly saying Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen!

The wisdom of this life is to show gratitude to Allah, irrespective of your condition or situation. Allah SWT said in the Quran “And if you would count Allah’s favors, you will not be able to number them.” (An-Nahl 16:18)

Most people claim to be thankful to Allah SWT. If you are indeed thankful, can you compare between today and yesterday? Between two places? Between a condition and condition?

What is the main purpose and secret of this life?

It was never limited to this life. We say that this life is a testing ground to determine our ultimate end—heaven or otherwise. Then why do we get so caught up with what we are experiencing here?

Even if it’s the worst condition, a mo’min believes its part of his qadr and that there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel. Allah SWT said “Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full, without Hisaab (without limit, calculation, and estimation).” (Az-Zumar 39:10)

Add to that what the Prophet SAW said, “Whoever persists in being patient, Allah will make him patient. Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience.” (Al-Bukhari)

This makes it quite clear that if you are grateful and are patient with what Allah SWT has chosen for you, whether you like it or not, Allah SWT will give you the ability to deal with it in a graceful way.

If you are living like a mo’min, you won’t compare between one place and another, between one experience and another, between one weather and another. These are means to make us reach Allah SWT.

The real cause of concern are…

• Am I guided or not?
• For what is Allah using me?
• Where are my actions leading me?
• Am I in a state of thankfulness or not?
• What legacy am I leaving behind?
• How will I be remembered in this world?

I recently came across story of a 19-year-old man who developed a severe nerve condition which caused his skin to burn at touch and his bones started to degenerate at a rapid pace. He had to be bandaged like a mummy and was immobile. He was asked about his condition and how he copes with it. He said ‘all this is Allah’s way of preparing me for Jannah, and remembering this makes it easy to bear.’

We are not talking about putting up with cloudy days or incessant rain. We are talking about a teenager in severe agony on his death bed!

If we are living in this earth as believers, each day is leading us to Allah SWT and to Jannah. Even if we have nothing and we are thinking about Allah SWT and doing dhikr, we are building Jannah.

Rasul Allah SAW said, “Whoever says Subhan Allah il ‘azeem wa bi hamdihi (Glory and praise be to Allah, the Almighty), a palm tree will be planted for him in Paradise.” (Tirmidhi)

The amount of palm trees you plant is up to you. The acreage of your land in Jannah is really your own choice.

Be careful.

Don’t compare—your condition today to yesterdays; or your condition with someone else’s.

Comparison is a state of kufr. We are supposed to be thanking Allah and thinking about the bounty of Allah SWT. Every moment you thank Allah SWT is a bounty in itself.

What Allah SWT chooses for us is perfect. If we could look in the future and then decide for ourselves, we would choose the same exact thing. So trust in the One who created you and has taken care of you all your life.

Your state of thankfulness, or the opposite, thanklessness will reflect in your actions, behavior, attitude, manners, words, and even your external beauty. If you want to be beautiful and loved, you have a choice; if you want to cause aversion and agitation wherever you go, you have a choice.

Make the right choice.

Oh Allah, we are grateful for your blessings, your guidance, and for everything that you have given us and have taken from us. We know you do not take except to compensate us with something better.

May Allah SWT count us among his thankful slaves, and not the thankless ones. Ameen.