Thanksgiving In Islam By National Nasirat Team USA “ All praise is due to Allah who has fed us, given us drink, sufficed us, and sheltered us. How many are those who do not have enough and have no shelter? ” (S ̣ ah ̣ i ̄ h ̣ Muslim 2715)
What is Thanksgiving? A special holiday where families Today, it is a federal holiday and and friends get together to so schools, banks, post offices, celebrate the things they are and government offices are thankful for in their lives closed Some foods included turkey, It is celebrated on the duck, deer, seafood, cabbage, fourth Thursday of November Thanksgiving corn, fruits, squash, carrots, every year in America (Second plums, grapes, raspberries and Monday of October in Canada) of course cranberries It commemorates the time The “First Thanksgiving” took Pilgrims were people who when Pilgrims invited the Native place in 1621 and was attended migrated from England to Americans to a three day feast by 90 Native Americans and 53 United States in 1621 to get religious freedom. to celebrate harvest Pilgrims
Traditions of Thanksgiving Some Traditions of Thanksgiving Today People travel far to be with family during this holiday There is a family feast with traditional foods of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, cornbread, cranberry sauce, and various pies Many families take turns sharing what they are most thankful for during their Thanksgiving meal During the meal, the family breaks the turkey wishbone. Whoever pulls away the larger piece is granted a wish. Many churches hold a special Thanksgiving Day service centered on giving thanks to God Some observe the holiday through charity work Families watch Thanksgiving parades or sports together on TV Families end the day with quality time of playing games, going for a bike ride or walk, and napping
Thanksgiving for Muslims “ Shukr ” ( ركش ) is an Arabic word meaning thankfulness, gratitude or acknowledgment. As Muslims, our duty to be grateful to Allah In the Qur‟an, Allah is described as “Shakir” for all our blessings and commit ourselves and “Shakur”, which stem from the same to “ Shukr ” root “ Shukr ”. This means that Allah is thankful and appreciative when we engage in good actions. So, when Allah is pleased with us, He shows his gratitude by rewarding us. Thanksgiving is a heart warming time where families and friends gather However, as Muslims we should reflect on to eat together, and give the essence of giving thanks and what thanks to Allah for His Islam teaches us about gratitude! countless blessings.
Thanksgiving: A daily Affair in Islam The first chapter of the Holy Qur‟an starts Alhamdulillah means with “Alhamdulillah” “All Praise belongs to Allah” The first lesson we learn in the Islam teaches us to be thankful throughout the Qur’an is of day: gratitude by However, Alhamdulillah • On waking up Praising Allah! signifies GRATITUDE! This is why • After eating we respond with “Alhamdulillah” • After drinking when someone asks how we are. • Getting home after a day out • Receiving good news A Muslim’s entire life revolves around gratitude to Allah!
Levels of Thankfulness in Islam Hadith :“Whoever is not grateful for small things will not be grateful for large Hadith : “He has not thanked things. Whoever does not thank Allah who has not thanked Levels of being thankful to Allah people has not thanked Allah people.” (Abu Dawud) Almighty.” (al -Firdaws lil- Daylami ̄ 5962) Level 3 Level 1 Level 2 Express gratitude by doing Be grateful within our heart Give thanks with our tongue righteous deeds We must first realize all the blessings of Allah on us and then strive to be grateful at all levels!
Giving Thanks in the Holy Qur’an “Which, then, of the favours of your ﴿ ِنٰبِّذَکُت اَمُکِّبَر ِءَٓلُٰا ِّیَاِبَف۱۷﴾ Lord will you twain deny?” And He gave you all that you wanted of Him; and if you try to count the favors We forget to be grateful for our countless blessings of Allah, you will not be able to number Allah asks this question 31 times them. Verily, man is very unjust, very in Chapter 55, Surah Al-Rahman ungrateful. (14:35) And if you try to count the favours of Allah created us and then made this world for us. Allah, you will not be able to number He has blessed us with everything we need. After them. Surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, realizing all of His blessings on us, how can we Merciful. (16:19) not be thankful to Allah?
Giving Thanks in the Holy Qur’an What does the Holy Qur‟an say about being Thankful? Allah tells us in the Holy Qur‟an: „Therefore remember Me, and I will remember you; and be thankful to Me and do not be ungrateful to Me.‟ (2:153) „O ye who believe! eat of the good things We have provided for you, and render thanks to Allah, if it is He Whom you worship.‟ ( 2:173) „Why should Allah punish you if you are thankful and if you believe? And Allah is Appreciating, All knowing.‟ (4:148) „And remember also the time when your Lord declared, „If you are grateful, I will, surely, bestow more favours on you...‟ (14:8) „ And Allah brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers while you knew nothing, and gave you ears and eyes and hearts, that you might be grateful.‟ (16:79) „Give thanks to Me and to thy parents. Unto Me is the final return.‟ ( 31:15)
Giving Thanks in the Holy Qur’an Let us learn from our Prophets in the Holy Qur‟an Prophet Verses from Holy Qur‟an Prophet Abraham „ Who has created me, and it is He Who guides me; And Who gives me food and gives (describes God‟s me drink ; And when I am ill, it is He Who restores me to health ; And Who, I hope, blessings) will forgive me my faults on the Day of Judgment. (26:79-83) Prophet Solomon „My Lord, grant me the will and power to be grateful for Thy favour which Thou hast bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do such good works as would please Thee, and admit me, by Thy mercy, among Thy righteous servants.‟ (27:20) Prophet Luqman „And We bestowed wisdom on Luqman, saying , „Be grateful to Allah:‟ and whoso is grateful, is grateful only for the good of his own soul. And whoso is ungrateful, then surely Allah is Self- Sufficient, Praiseworthy.‟ ( 31:13)
Benefits of Giving Thanks Gratitude opens the door to more relationships Gratitude improves Gratitude increases mental physical health strength Benefits of Thankfulness Gratitude improves Gratitude improves self- psychological health esteem Gratitude enhances empathy Grateful people sleep better and reduces aggression
Hudhur’s Guidance on Gratefulness Extract from Friday Sermon, April 23, 2010 Hudhur remarked, “What is gratefulness of God’s grace and its expression? Indeed, it is perfect obedience. It is to practice what God enjoins and to avoid what He forbids. A true believer spends his/her life as Abd e Shakur in order to be a recipient of Divine grace. For this, one has to remember God’s favours with all one’s heart and mind throughout the course of one’s day and to continually remember Him, be always mindful of the blessings of God and glorify His name.” Hudhur further explained that mere verbal professing is not sufficient, the expression of gratefulness of a true believer is from his/her every gesture and there is an effort to adopt humility and humility is inculcated when there is an awareness that all blessings are from God.
Remember… Gratitude is an Antidote for Complaining • When the heart wants to complain, Some Simple Steps to Show Gratitude GIVE THANKS!!! Praise Allah as often as possible • In times of happiness and grief, • • Break the habit of complaining GIVE THANKS!!! Practice thanking others (write a thank you • During trials and tribulations, • letters) GIVE THANKS!!! • Remember the people who are less From morning till night, • fortunate and do something to help GIVE THANKS!!! • Focus on the positives during difficult times • For the blessings you recognize and Make a habit of smiling, especially when its • don’t recognize, hard to! GIVE THANKS!!!
Activity for November and the New Year For Thanksgiving this year: Activity 1: For t he month of November, start a “Gratitude Journal” • Try to write at least five things you are grateful for at the end of each day. Journal down ideas on ways that you can • help others as an action of being grateful and expressing gratitude and then do them. • Journal at least once a week. Activity 2: Keep a “Jar of Thanks” Everyday on a piece of paper, write • something great that happened which made you happy and/or something you are very grateful for and put it in a jar. https://www.happierhuman.com/benefits-of-gratitude/ • At the end of the year, give money to Tehrik- e-Jadid and Waqf-e-Jadid and remember all "He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which the things that happened through the year he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.“ (Epictetus) which you were grateful for.
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