Are you grateful?

I have never felt more contented than when I thank Allah for the pain.

Mar 24, 2024

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This Ramadan, we've been exploring forgiveness: why we should forgive, and how to do it.

Today, let's delve deeper into the most important step for true forgiveness. Last week's Sunday Serenity newsletter offered a 3-minute exercise to help you find blessings (barakah) even in painful experiences. If you haven't read it yet, be sure to check it out for the full benefit of today’s article.

How do you find blessings in the pain?

Today, we'll take a slightly different approach than previous newsletters, discarding of the the usual format. Rather we will focus solely on cultivating gratitude towards Allah.

Since everything that befalls a believer has some inherent good in it from Allah, that means we should strive to be grateful for everything, including our pain.

It might sound counter-intuitive, but through gratitude, you'll find the freedom from the past you desire.

The idea of being grateful for hardships resonates deeply with me on a personal level. I used to ponder the verse from Surah Ibrahim: 7:

14:7
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌۭ ٧
And ˹remember˺ when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more. But if you are ungrateful, surely My punishment is severe.’”

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One day, it dawned on me: by not being grateful for struggles and pain, I was making things much worse. It felt like a self-inflicted punishment.

Gratitude is something Allah loves. This Ramadan, I'm struck by how often the Quran reminds us of what Allah loves and does not love. He has made it so easy to earn His pleasure, and one way is through expressing gratitude.

Recently, a calamity befell a family member. We're actually still in the midst of it as a family. Yet, I increased my expressions of "alhamdulillah," and Allah showered us with His blessings. I could have focused on the difficulties or what wasn't working, but instead, I chose to thank my Lord and ask for His help. And when Allah’s Help came, it felt like beautiful, soothing rain after a drought. This lesson has been just awesome for me to learn.

person holding white and black i am a good day card — Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

This week, I want to leave you with just one thing:

Make a list of what you're grateful for. Thank Allah for every tear, every heartache, all the hurt and pain. Thank Him for being ever-present, closer than your jugular vein. Spend the next week strengthening your "alhamdulillah heart muscles," as I like to call them.

Set the intention that every time a negative thought pops into your head, counter it with gratitude to Allah. Here's an example:

"Yuk, I hate my thighs."

Reframe it as: "Ya Allah, alhamdulillah You formed me with these thighs. Forgive me and grant me contentment with Your decree and all You have given me. Make me someone who remembers You often and fill my heart with love for You, ameen."

Let the "Alhamdulillah" become embedded in your heart. With a grateful heart, blessings will surely follow, inshaAllah.

Let's kick things off with gratitude! Tell me in the comments what you're grateful for. Today, I'm grateful for being able to write this and share it with you. It truly is a blessing, and I recognize that I wouldn't have been able to share these experiences and wisdom if I hadn't suffered hardships. By the Will of Allah, I found beauty and barakah in the struggle. Alhamdulillah.