Friday Khutbah: Gratitude to People Is Part of Gratitude to Allah

In today's Friday khutbah, delivered on the topic "The Importance of Being Grateful for Blessings," it was said, citing a hadith of the Noble Prophet, that whoever is not grateful to people for the things they do is also not a person who is grateful to Allah Ta'ala. The khutbah said that one of the most important qualities taught by Islam, in order to maintain the unity and love of society, is being grateful for the blessings one has received. Although the blessings bestowed by Allah Ta'ala are so many that they cannot be counted or numbered, man is one who does not give thanks for those blessings, an oppressor — this was presented in the khutbah citing verse 34 of Surah Ibrahim. The khutbah said that being grateful for His blessings means acknowledging Allah Ta'ala's grace and using those blessings in the manner in which He is pleased. This is an act of worship that brings good to the servant's religion and worldly affairs and brings Allah's love and pleasure, the khutbah said. Stating that being grateful for blessings is a noble quality of the Prophets, the khutbah presented instructive examples of this from the stories of the father of the Prophets, Ibrahim (AS), as well as Sulaiman (AS) and Musa (AS). The khutbah stated that just as one should be grateful for the blessings bestowed by Allah Ta'ala, being grateful to people for the things they do is also an act of worship to which Islamic upbringing has given great importance. Among these, an ayah instructing specifically that one be grateful to parents was also presented in the khutbah. Along with this, the khutbah presented a saying of the Noble Prophet that whoever is not grateful to people for the things they do is also not a person who is grateful to Allah. In contrast, the khutbah also presented a saying of the Prophet that when a person does a good deed, merely saying "May Allah reward you with good" reaches the highest level of gratitude. In addition, instructive examples of gratitude from his life were also presented. The khutbah called for remembering the blessings bestowed by Allah Ta'ala, and for telling such stories to people in difficult circumstances as a lesson. The khutbah said that scholars have stated that this is among the things that fall under being grateful for blessings. The khutbah said that gratitude in life is maintained by looking at those who are in more difficult circumstances than oneself rather than those who are more affluent, and by appreciating the value of the blessings Allah has given oneself. And, along with being grateful to people for the things they do, the khutbah said, one should stay away from extravagance and arrogance and protect one's blessings.