What do I need to be grateful for?

Imaan

Previously we discussed gratefulness, its importance and the magnanimity of gratitude.

Over the next few days we will now look at the multitude of things we can and should be grateful for.

The greatest bounty and favour of Allah which we all enjoy is that of Imaan. This morning it was already discussed how Allah is the Divine Being who has the sole right of deciding who is blessed with Imaan.

If we consider that even the beloved uncle of Nabi ﷺ, Abu Talib despite his help and assistance to Nabi ﷺ and his relationship to Nabi ﷺ was not blessed with Imaan.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِعَمِّهِ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ ‏”‏ قُلْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ أَشْهَدُ لَكَ بِهَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَأَبَى فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ‏{‏ إِنَّكَ لاَ تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ‏}‏ الآيَةَ ‏
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to his uncle at the time of his death:
Make a profession of it that there is no god but Allah and I will bear testimony (of your being a Muslim) on the Day of Judgment. But he (Abu Talib) refused to do so. Then Allah revealed this verse: “Verily thou cannot guide to the right path whom thou loves. But it is Allah Who guides whom He will and He knows best who are the guided” (Sahih Muslim Book 1, Hadith 41)

It is well-known that to enter any country a person needs to have a passport and in most cases a valid visa for that country as well. What is the passport or the visa for entry into Jannah? Is it our bank balance? Is it our intelligence and university degrees?

We know very well that none of the worldly gains or materialistic assets will matter in the Divine court of Allah in order to grant us salvation. Rather it is our Imaan that will ultimately gain us entry through the doors of Paradise. As Allah says in the Holy
Quraan;

وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ
Give glad tidings to those who believe in this Book and do good deeds in accordance with its teachings, for them there will be Gardens beneath which rivers flow. Al Baqarah: Verse – 25

And the Hadith of Nabi ﷺ are replete with glad tidings for the Believers and the warning of ever-lasting torment and punishment for the disbelievers.

عَنْ عُثْمَانَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏‏ مَنْ مَاتَ وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ ‏
It is narrated on the authority of ‘Uthman that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said. He who died knowing (fully well) that there is no god but Allah will enter Paradise. Sahih Muslim Book 1, Hadith 43

عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ يَا مُعَاذُ أَتَدْرِي مَا حَقُّ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ أَنْ يُعْبَدَ اللَّهُ وَلاَ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ شَىْءٌ – قَالَ – أَتَدْرِي مَا حَقُّهُمْ عَلَيْهِ إِذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ أَنْ لاَ يُعَذِّبَهُمْ ‏
It is narrated on the authority of Mu’adh bin Jabal (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

Mu’adh, do you know the right of Allah over His bondsmen? He (Mu’adh) said: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Messenger of Allah) said: That Allah alone should be worshipped and nothing should be associated with Him. He (the Holy Prophet) said: What right have they (bondsmen) upon Him in case they do it? He (Mu’adh) said: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) said: That He would not punish them. Sahih Muslim Book 1, Hadith 52

So it is through our Imaan that we will be granted entry to Jannah and saved from the chastisement of Allah, should we not be grateful to Allah who gave us this Imaan?