By Sheikh Ali ibn Abdurrahman al-Huthaifi – 20 Shaban 1437

His Eminence Sheikh Ali ibn Abdurrahman al-Huthaifi, may Allah preserve him, delivered the Friday Khutbah entitled, “The Virtue of Thanking Allah, Exalted be He,” in which he talked about thanking Allah, Majesty and Glory be to Him, its virtues, the rewards granted to the thankful among people, and the punishments that befall the unthankful in this Worldly life and the Hereafter.

Praise be to Allah. Praise be to Allah, the Most High, the Most Great; the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful. I praise my Lord and thank Him for His manifest and hidden favours, and I ask Him to help me to be always thankful for His blessings. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, Who has no partners and to Whom is the final return; and I bear witness that our prophet and master, Muhammad, is His servant, messenger, and chosen one. O Allah! Bestow Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon Your servant and messenger Muhammad, the bearer of glad tidings, the warner, and the lamp spreading light, and upon his family and Companions, who strove hard and fought with their wealth and their lives to support and defend the religion until the earth shone with light and guidance.

Now then,
Fear Allah and you will attain His good pleasure and His Paradise and be saved from His wrath and punishments.

Servants of Allah!
Your Lord, Majesty and Glory be to Him, reminds you of all general and special favours so that you may be thankful to Him. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“O Humankind! Remember the Grace of Allah upon you! Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from the sky (rain) and the earth? La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). How then are you turning away (from Him)?” (Fatir: 3)

Allah, Exalted be He, says:
“And remember Allah’s Favour to you and His Covenant with which He bound you when you said: “We hear and we obey.” And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Knower of that which is in the (secrets of your) breasts.” (Al-Ma’idah: 7)

Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
“See you not (O men) that Allah has subjected for you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and has completed and perfected His Graces upon you, (both) apparent (i.e. Islamic Monotheism, and the lawful pleasures of this world, including health, good looks, etc.) and hidden [i.e. One’s Faith in Allah (of Islamic Monotheism) knowledge, wisdom, guidance for doing righteous deeds, and also the pleasures and delights of the Hereafter in Paradise]? …” (Luqman: 20)

Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, tells us that the blessings that we have are all from Him, so that we may fulfil His rights, Blessed and Exalted be He, by worshipping and thanking Him, and turn to Him for more. Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, says:  “And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allah …” (An-Nahl: 53)

Allah, Exalted be He, also says: “Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself …” (An-Nisa’: 79)

All the good things that man has are due to Allah’s bounty and mercy, and all the evils that befall man are due to man himself, though it is Allah Who has decreed and predetermined them. The Lord, Might and Majesty be to Him, never wrongs anyone, not even as little as the weight of a small ant.

While people know many of these favours, they are still ignorant of most of them. O man! So many are the blessings that Allah has given you and made you enjoy, but you are not aware of them! And so many are the evils and afflictions that He has warded off away from you, but you know nothing about them! Allah, Exalted be He, says about His protection of mankind:

“For him (each person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allah …” (Ar-R‘ad: 11)
Allah, Exalted be He, also says:

“And has subjected to you all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth; it is all as a favour and kindness from Him. Verily, in it are signs for a people who think deeply.” (Al-Jathiyah: 13)

Many organs in the human body carry out their functions to benefit the body and maintain its life even without man’s interference or will. Allah, Exalted be He, says: “And also in your ownselves. Will you not then see?” (Adh-Dhariyat: 21)

Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
“… and if you count the Blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them. Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, a disbeliever (an extreme ingrate who denies Allah’s Blessings by disbelief, and by worshipping others besides Allah, and by disobeying Allah and His Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him).” (Ibrahim: 34)

Indeed, if someone cannot possibly count Allah’s favours, he is undoubtedly ignorant of most of them. Allah, Exalted be He, has bestowed these blessings on us and He often reminds us of them so that we may use them to worship and obey Him and to maintain and develop the earth. Allah, Exalted be He, says: “… Thus does He perfect His Favour to you, that you may submit yourselves to His Will (in Islam).” (An-Nahl: 81)

Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, also says: “And Allah has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you know nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts that you might give thanks (to Allah).” (An-Nahl: 78)

Being thankful to Allah for His blessings is realized by a number of acts. It is realized by showing love for the Bestower of Favours, Allah, Majesty and Glory be to Him, and submitting to Him, Glorified be He, for His favours, while fully realizing that each favour is due to Allah’s kindness and benevolence to the servant, and is by no means the servant’s right that he deserves to receive from Allah. It is also realized by uttering words of praise to Allah for these favours, receiving them while showing poverty and need to Allah, glorifying them, and using them in doing what Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, loves. For if anyone uses Allah’s favours to do what Allah loves and accepts, employs them to meet the obligations of religion imposed upon him and fulfil the duties prescribed for him regarding such blessings by showing kindness to all creation, then he has given thanks to Allah for these favours. Conversely, if anyone uses Allah’s favours in doing whatever displeases Allah or does not fulfil the duties regarding them, then he has been ungrateful for these favours. In addition, to be truly thankful to Allah for His favours, the servant should not show arrogance or self-importance because of having such favours, nor should he listen to the Devil’s whispers suggesting to him that he is better than others because of such blessings or that he has been favoured with them only because he has some advantage over others. The servant must know that Allah tests people with both evil and good to show who the grateful and the patient are. One half of faith is thankfulness, and the other half is patience. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“See you not that the ships sail through the sea by Allah’s Grace that He may show you of His Signs? Verily, in this are signs for every patient, grateful (person).” (Luqman: 31)

A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, wrote a letter to Mu‘awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, may Allah be pleased with him, in which she said, “The least duty towards the Bestower of Favours is not to use His favours as a means of disobeying Him.”

Above the rank of being thankful to Allah for His blessings is that of being thankful to Him and praising Him for the calamities, evils, and misfortunes that may befall one. The people of this rank are the first ones to be called to enter Paradise, since they are thankful to Allah under all circumstances. Our Lord, Might and Majesty be to Him, has commanded us to be grateful to Him. Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, says: “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.” (Al-Baqarah: 152)

Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
“… but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favour to you that you may be thankful.” (Al-Ma’idah: 6)

Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
“… And be grateful for the Favour of Allah, if it is He Whom you worship.” (An-Nahl: 114)

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Love Allah for all the blessings He bestows upon you” (Reported by at-Tirmidhi, who classified it as an authenticated Hadith (sahih); part of the hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father).

The greatest form of gratitude is to believe in the Lord of the Worlds. This expresses gratitude to Allah for the blessing of the Message of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, with which He sent him as a mercy to all mankind. Next to this comes giving thanks to Allah for every blessing, no matter how small it may appear, for none of Allah’s blessings is small. On the contrary, the greatest form of ungratefulness for Allah’s favours is to disbelieve in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and no form of gratitude for any favour will be of any benefit if it is expressed by someone who does not believe in Islam. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“… And whosoever disbelieves in Faith [i.e. the Oneness of Allah and in all the other Articles of Faith, i.e. His (Allah’s), Angels, His Holy Books, His Messengers, the Day of Resurrection and Al-Qadar (Divine Preordainments)], then fruitless is his work; and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.” (Al-Ma’idah: 5)

Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
“And indeed they (Arab pagans) used to say: “If we had a reminder as had the men of old (before the coming of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as a Messenger of Allah), We would have indeed been the chosen slaves of Allah (true believers of Islamic Monotheism)!” But (now that the Qur’an has come) they disbelieve therein (i.e. in the Qur’an and in Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and all that he brought, – the Divine Revelation), so they will come to know!” (As-Saffat: 167-170)

Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, also says:
“See you not those who dispute about the Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah? How are they turning away [from the truth, (i.e. Islamic Monotheism to the falsehood (i.e. polytheism)]? Those who deny the Book (this Qur’an), and that with which We sent Our Messengers (i.e. to worship none but Allah Alone sincerely, and to reject all false deities and to confess resurrection after the death for recompense) they will come to know (when they will be cast into the Fire of Hell). When iron collars will be rounded over their necks, and the chains, they shall be dragged along, In the boiling water, then they will be burned in the Fire.” (Ghafir: 69-72)

Allah has promised His thankful servants to perpetuate, increase, and bless His favours to them. Allah, Exalted be He, says:
“And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: “If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allah), I will give you more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless (i.e. disbelievers), verily My Punishment is indeed severe.”” (Ibrahim: 7).

The thankful are the winners of all good, both in this world and in the hereafter. Allah, Exalted be He, says: “… and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful.” (Al ‘Imran: 144)

Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, says:
“… and whoever desires a reward in (this) world, We shall give him of it; and whoever desires a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give him thereof. And We shall reward the grateful.” (Al ‘Imran: 145)

The thankful will also be saved from the punishments of Allah and the evils of this world and from the afflictions of the hereafter. Allah, Exalted be He, says of the people of Lut (Prophet Lot), peace be upon him:

“Verily, We sent against them a violent storm of stones (which destroyed them all), except the family of Lut (Lot), them We saved in the last hour of the night, As a Favour from Us. Thus do We reward him who gives thanks (by obeying Us).” (Al-Qamar: 34-35)

Thankfulness is the status granted to Allah’s prophets and messengers as well as His believing servants. Allah, Exalted be He, says of Nuh (Prophet Noah), peace be upon him:  “… Verily, he was a grateful slave.” (Al-Isra’: 3)

Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
“Verily, Ibrahim (Abraham) was an Ummah (a leader having all the good righteous qualities), or a nation, obedient to Allah, Hanif (i.e. to worship none but Allah), and he was not one of those who were Al-Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, and those who joined partners with Allah). (He was) thankful for His (Allah’s) Favours. He (Allah) chose him (as an intimate friend) and guided him to a Straight Path (Islamic Monotheism – neither Judaism nor Christianity).” (An-Nahl: 120-121)

Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
“… “O Musa (Moses) I have chosen you above men by My Messages, and by My speaking (to you). So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful.”” (Al-A‘raf: 144)

A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to stand so long praying at night that the skin of his feet would crack. I said to him, “O Messenger of Allah! Why do you stand in prayer until your feet crack, when Allah has forgiven you all your past and future sins?” He said, “Should I not be a thankful servant?” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Allah favours the grateful with particular gifts that He does not give to others. Allah, Exalted be He, says:
“Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: “Is it these (poor believers) whom Allah has favoured from amongst us?” Does not Allah know best those who are grateful?” (Al-An‘am: 53)

The grateful are the people chosen by Allah from among His creation, hence they are few in number. Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, says: “… But few of My slaves are grateful.” (Saba’: 13)

O you who are thankful!
Be always grateful and upright, for whoever fulfils his covenant with Allah, Allah will fulfil His covenant with him. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“… and fulfil (your obligations to) My Covenant (with you) so that I fulfil (My Obligations to) your covenant (with Me), and fear none but Me.” (Al-Baqarah: 40)

O Grateful man! Never let Satan cause you to slip and then neglect showing gratitude to Allah, nor let him delude you into showing ingratitude to Him, lest your good condition should become bad, evil, and horrid. Allah, Exalted be He, says: “Ask the Children of Israel how many clear Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) We gave them. And whoever changes Allah’s Favour after it had come to him, [e.g. renounces the Religion of Allah (Islam) and accepts Kufr (disbelief),] then surely, Allah is Severe in punishment.” (Al-Baqarah: 211)

    If anyone perpetually shows gratitude to Allah, Allah will increase His blessings to him. If anyone maintains his uprightness, then for him blessings and honour will be maintained. And if anyone avoids acts of disobedience to Allah and does deeds that gain Allah’s good pleasure, then Allah will change all that he hates and abhors to what he loves. If anyone obeys Allah by drawing nearer to Him and turning away from sins, then Allah will take good care of him, lead him to guidance, and grant him a good end in all his affairs.

Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, reported that Jibril (Angel Gabriel) related that His Lord, Might and Majesty be to Him, said: Whoever humiliates one of my auliya’ (believing servants who love and fear Allah much) has indeed started war against Me. I do not show hesitation in anything that I do as much as I hesitate to order that the life of one of my believing servants be taken; he hates death and I hate to hurt him, but he must face it.

Some of My believing servants may at times wish to perform an act of worship, but I stand in their way lest they should pride themselves on doing it and then that might spoil the act altogether. Nothing which my servant does draws him nearer to me than his performance of the obligatory acts of worship that I have ordained upon him. My servant keeps drawing nearer to Me by performing supererogatory acts of worship until I love him, and if I love anyone, I shall be his hearing, his sight, his hands, and his supporter.

If he supplicates Me, I shall answer his prayer; if he asks Me, I shall give him; and if he shows sincerity and gives advice for My sake, I shall advise him.

The faith of some of My servants can never be set right unless they are wealthy and if I were to impoverish them, this would corrupt their faith. The faith of some of My servants cannot be set right unless they are poor, and if I were to grant them wealth, this would corrupt their faith. The faith of some of My servants cannot be set right except if they are sick, and if I were to make them healthy, this would corrupt their faith. The faith of some of My servants cannot be set right except if they are in good health, and if I were to make them ill, this would corrupt their faith.

I determine the state of My servants in accordance with My knowledge of what is in their hearts. I am All-Knowing, Well-Acquainted with all things. (Reported by at-Tabarani; some of its words are corroborated by a similar hadith reported in authenticated (sahih) hadith references)

Therefore, servants of Allah, be among those who are thankful to Allah, for He will lavish good upon them. Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, mentioned a Holy Hadith in which Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, says:

Those who remember Me are those who will sit with Me. Those who thank Me are those who will get more from Me. Those who obey Me are those who will receive My Honour. As for those who disobey Me, they should not despair of My Mercy. If they repent, I shall bless them with My love. If they do not repent, I shall be their Healer. I test them with afflictions to purify them from their defects.

Allah has ordered you to be among these successful servants. Allah, Exalted be He, says: “Nay! But worship Allah (Alone and none else), and be among the grateful.” (Az-Zumar: 66)

Allah, Exalted be He, has especially mentioned certain favours in His Book, because of the benefits and blessings they will continue to profit the Ummah until the Day of Judgement, and He has commanded us to thank Him for them. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, advised Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, saying: “O Mu‘adh! I love you. So say after each prayer, ‘O Allah! Help me to remember You, thank You, and worship You in the best manner’” (Reported by Abu-Dawud and an-Nasa’i).

The meanings of the words hamd (praise) and shukr (giving thanks) overlap, and each of them has other senses that are specific to it. Allah, Exalted be He, grants general and specific favours at all times, and one should continuously thank Allah for them by maintaining them and avoiding anything that may lead to their withdrawal. Favours can only be maintained by doing acts of obedience to Allah, abandoning wicked and reprehensible acts, and fulfilling one’s duties regarding each of them.

One of the favours that Allah has conferred upon us is wealth, and the duty which we have to fulfil regarding it is to pay the zakat due on it, spend from it to fulfil our obligations, and frequently pay voluntary charity out of it. Indeed, paying zakat increases one’s wealth, blesses it, protects it against destruction, keeps its owner away from evil, and raises his degrees in this world and in the hereafter. There is no good in wealth if it is not purified by paying the zakat due on it as well as engaging in obligatory and commendable spending from it. Allah, Exalted be He, says: “Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it …” (At-Taubah: 103)

Allah, Exalted be He, also says:
“… and whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allah’s Cause), He will replace it. And He is the Best of providers.” (Saba’: 39)

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “No one possesses some wealth and abstains from giving the zakat due on it but his wealth will come to him on the Day of Judgement in the form of a bald rattle snake, which will take him by the cheeks and gnaw him saying, ‘I am your treasure. I am your wealth’” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Abu-Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him)

Paying zakat is the right of Allah, Exalted be He, which he has made incumbent on the rich to pay to the poor and those entitled to it. If all the rich paid the zakat prescribed on their wealth, there would be no single poor person left.

Those who give thanks to Allah for His blessings will reap the benefits of their thankfulness, while those who neglect to give thanks to Him will harm none but themselves. Allah, Exalted be He, says:  “… and whoever gives thanks, he gives thanks for (the good of) his ownself. And whoever is unthankful, then verily, Allah is All-Rich (Free of all needs), Worthy of all praise.” (Luqman: 12)

Among the treasures in the Sunnah as to showing gratitude to Allah for His blessings is a hadith in which the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said,

Whoever says in the morning, “O Allah, whatever blessing comes to me or to any of Your creation this morning is from You alone; You have no partner. All praises and thanks are to You,” has fulfilled the thankfulness due for the night. And whoever says in the evening, “O Allah, whatever blessing comes to me or to any of Your creation this evening is from You alone; You have no partner. All praises and thanks are to You,” has fulfilled the thankfulness due for the day. (Hadith hasan (good), reported by Abu-Dawud and by ibn Hibban, who classified it as sahih (authenticated) and reported it on the authority of Abdullah ibn Ghannam al-Bayadi)

Allah, Exalted be He, says: “… give thanks to Me and to your parents. To Me is the final destination.” (Luqman: 14)

May Allah bless you and me with the Great Qur’an and make us benefit from its verses and wise words and benefit from the guidance and right sayings of the Imam of all Messengers. I have said what you have heard and I ask forgiveness of Allah for myself, for you, and for all Muslims. Ask Allah for forgiveness.