Page 60 - The Basic Concepts in the Qur’an

No one can ever say “I say my prayers regularly and engage in righteous dealings, but do
not give thanks to Allah”. The individual who is not grateful to Allah is one who does not
occupy himself with the remembrance of Allah, and hence is heedless of Him. A person who,
like the animals, consumes everything given to him without pondering over why it is granted
and the One Who grants it, surely needs to change this attitude. Otherwise, expecting to
receive a reward from Allah and hoping to attain Heaven would be meaningless. That is why a
believer should never neglect to render thanks to Allah.
We also know from the revelations of Allah that only those who give thanks to Allah can
acknowledge the signs of Allah in the outer world and draw lessons for themselves. The
following verses elaborate upon this theme:
From the land that is clean and good, by the will of its Cherisher, springs up produce,
rich after its kind: but from the land that is bad, springs up nothing but that which is
niggardly: thus do we explain the signs by various symbols to those who are grateful.
(Al-Araf, 58)

We sent Moses with Our signs (and the command): “Bring out your people from the
depths of darkness into light, and teach them to remember the days of Allah.” Truly,
in this there are signs for such as are firmly patient and constant, grateful and
appreciative.
(Ibrahim, 5)

Do you not see that the ships sail across the ocean by the Grace of Allah, So that He
may show you His Signs? Truly, in this there are signs for all who constantly persevere
and give thanks.
(Luqman, 31)

But they said: “Our Lord! Place longer distances between our journey-stages” But they
wronged themselves in this. At length We made their fate a byword and We dispersed
them throughout the land. In this there are truly signs for every soul that is patiently
constant and grateful.
(Saba, 19)

The wisdom related in these verses and the evidences they furnish, can be comprehended
only by those who are endowed with the insight and sensitivity of those who give thanks. This
is no doubt a reward for being grateful to Allah. Ungrateful and insensitive people, on the other
hand, do not even notice these verses.
In many verses, Allah advises His Messengers, one of whom is Moses, to be grateful:

(Allah) said: “O Moses! I have chosen you above (other) men, by the mission I (have
given you ) and the words I (have spoken to you): take then the (revelation) which I
give you, and be of those who give thanks.”
(Al-Araf, 144)

In Surat-al-Ahkaf, verse 15, a believer in his maturity (the age of 40 is referred to as the age
of maturity in the Qur’an) prays that he may be a grateful person:

We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents. In pain his mother bore him, and
in pain she gave birth to him. The carrying of the child to his weaning is a period of
thirty months. At length, when he reaches manhood and attains forty years, he says,
“O my Lord! Inspire me to be grateful for the favours which you have bestowed upon
me, and upon both my parents, and to do good works of which you will approve; and
grant me good descendants. Truly, I have turned to you and truly I bow to You in
Islam.
(Al-Ahqaf, 15)