Reflecting on Surah Ibrahim:1-17

Do I want my blessings to increase? Am I grateful for them?

YES I do want my blessings to increase. I am grateful to them at the level of the heart  but I lack gratitude in tongue and actions in some cases.

For example: I am grateful for wealth at all 3 levels but when it comes to my parents I am just grateful at the level of the heart.

During the class when the example of Dr. Farhat Hashmi was being spoken about, I started thinking about my own trip to umrah which was last year (a month before I joined classes). I remember that finally after all the wait I was going for umrah. My dad told me that we would be going for 10 days . I was disheartened that it was for 10 days and not 20. I also remember when speaking to MOST people : the common reaction was : “You‘re going for only 10 days?”

This added to my negativity and I would complain and even started telling people : “Yeah I‘m going to umrah, but it‘s just for 10 days.”

Astagfirullah! I realized later on how ungrateful I was. There are many people who can’t even go, despite desiring it so much. This was one of the best blessings I had received, yet all I was doing was complaining. When I saw the ticket I found it was for actually 9 days and while in Madina , my dad talked about extending the trip for 2 or 3 days, but that didn’t work out. Today, in class, it occurred to me that it probably didn’t work out because I was so ungrateful . I didn’t really complain about the whole trip and tried to be patient with people , pushing during tawaf etc. , but when it came to the number of days I had to stay, I was complaining.

I have learnt to not complain a lot and that that is showing ingratitude through the tongue, even though I may say ‘Alhamdulillah’ at the end of the night for all khair that has come my way and for the blessings in my life. The more I try to refrain from it, the easier it’ll become. I should keep in mind that there in khair in everything that Allah gives me, no matter if it’s a time of difficulty or ease. For both these times, I should be grateful.

I was actually supposed to get married 3 years ago, but Alhamduliallh, Allah has better plans for all of us. Even though it was a time of difficulty, I got the BEST during the time I’ve been waiting. Alhamdulillah I am doing this course. Had I been married, I might have not gotten the opportunity to or I wouldn’t have completed this course. Anytime I think about complaining now, I remind myself that Allah is the Best of Planners . Alhamdulillah! I should be grateful that this difficulty has come my way because it has brought more khair than sharr in my life.

May Allah give us the taufeeq to do gratitude at the level of the heart, tongue and limbs. AMEEN.

 A Student of the Quranl

Yes, I believe I always want my blessings to increase. I want more resources, funds, children, rain, good weather, good food, nicer servants, nicer friends, more attentive spouses, well-behaved children, a better character, better health, better mood, better living conditions, to become a better Muslim and ultimately opportunities and Hidaya to do more good deeds so that I can (Inshallah) attain Jannah.

 But I believe wanting more, doesn’t mean that I am not grateful for all that I already have. I feel I am truly blessed and Allah has already endowed me with so many blessings that if I thanked Him every second of the Day it wouldn’t be enough! However, I believe sometimes I do forget all the blessings I do have, when something might not be going my way!

 Also, being humans we always have needs. I guess that is our innate nature, and who knows us better than our Creator? Hence, we are encouraged to do shukr for all that we do have and to earnestly and sincerely ask Allah from His endless bounties. l

Uzma. Ismail