How Saying Thank You Grants More From Your Lord

I’ve been thinking about the connection between the Hadith that reminds us that the one who does not thank the people, does not thank Allah, and the verse that reminds us that if we are grateful, He will give us more.

A small incident that made me reflect on this -

It was when I was in India, a few days after my grandma passed away. The house was flooded with guests every day and our maid helping us had to leave for a surgery. This meant there was just my mum and I trying to keep everything going, from serving the guests to cooking meals and tending to the house chores.

The days were long and tiring. There wasn’t a moment to sit down with myself to even grieve. Every time I’d be done with one thing, my mum would ask me to work on something else or my sister would scream for help for her toddler elsewhere.

Initially, it was all good. I was happy I could help out and be there for everyone. But over time, it felt like I was being used to just do what everyone else didn’t want to do. I tried my best to stay positive and remind myself that I was doing this for Allah and I didn’t need anything in return. But it continued and I remember reaching the point where I was thinking, I’m done. I’m not a servant here just to keep being at everyone’s beck and call.

But one day, things shifted, I was washing the dishes and as my mum saw I was finishing up, she asked me to quickly get to grating the coconuts next. I wanted to do the easy teenager thing and go disappear into a room, but I knew the brunt of work would fall on my mum so I nodded. Then in the same breath, she casually looked over her shoulder, called out jazakallah thasni, and carried on doing her own thing.

I froze.

Those 2 words. I didn’t realise that’s all my heart wanted to hear. The weight of all this running around I was doing suddenly felt lighter. I no longer just felt used…I felt appreciated.

I smiled and carried on, harder than before.

The ones we take for granted

I think about the mothers who cook and clean every day, exhausted at the end of the day, only to be told that her life is so easy as anyone can be a housewife.

I think about the fathers at their long jobs everyday, trying to earn for their family, waiting to come home for some quiet and peace, only to be bombarded with a list of complaints from their wives and kids.

I think about the sibling who looks after his old parents only to be told by his other siblings that he should be grateful to serve them.

Why do we try to dismiss what the people around us do, instead of uplift and appreciate them?

Who is to blame really?

We complain that our parents, spouses, children used to do so much more for us before but now they don’t.

But have we ever thought to blame ourselves for it.

We use the excuse that ‘why do I need to thank him if he’s doing it for Allah.’

But no one wants to feel used.

It’s a level of ihsan (excellence) to reach a point where you continue to work and help and care for someone while knowing that you’re being used but continuing just for the sake of Allah.

But it’s human nature to feel like not giving anymore to the one who doesn’t appreciate what you do for them.

The beautiful connection between gratitude to Allah and us

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) told us –

And Allah tells us in Surah Ibrahim, verse 7 -

There’s a beautiful profound connection between this Hadith and verse.

Because when you thank people for what they do for you, you are in turn being grateful to Allah. And when you are grateful to Him, He will give you more.

And I think that is reflected through that person who feels appreciated by you thanking them — they want to do more for you now.

And all it took was one thank you.

— — —

If you reached till the end of this reflection, thank you my friend. I appreciate it!

I hope we get to meet each other in my next reflection too. Until then, if you have any thoughts about what you’ve just read let me know (in the comments or any other way). I’d love to start a conversation!

And if you’d like to have my reflections reach you directly, consider subscribing with your email below.

Until next time,

Thasneema 🌻