Friday Sermon: Blessings Increased for the Grateful, Severe Punishment for Those Who Turn Away

The Friday sermon delivered today stated that blessings will be increased for those who are grateful, while those who turn away from blessings will face severe punishment. The topic of today's sermon was "The importance of gratitude for blessings." The sermon stated that one of the most important qualities taught by Islam to maintain unity and love within society is gratitude for blessings, noting that the blessings of Allah are too numerous to count or number. According to the sermon, gratitude for the blessings of Almighty Allah means acknowledging Allah's grace and using those blessings in the manner He is pleased with. It described this as a noble act of worship that brings goodness to a person's religion and worldly life and earns Allah's love and pleasure. "In addition to being grateful to Almighty Allah, expressing gratitude for the good deeds of people is also an act of worship given great importance in Islamic upbringing. In particular, it has been commanded to be grateful to parents," the Friday sermon stated. The sermon also emphasized the importance of remembering that when one is in difficulty, Allah's grace has granted prosperity, and of telling people such stories. Scholars explain that this is done as a way of showing gratitude for blessings. The continuation and loss of blessings depend upon gratitude, the sermon stated, declaring that blessings will be increased for those who are grateful and that those who turn away from blessings will be given a severe punishment. Gratitude in life is maintained by looking at those who are lower than you in worldly matters and weighing the greatness of the blessings Almighty Allah has given, and by being grateful for the good deeds people do. The sermon also stated that gratitude is maintained by staying away from extravagance and arrogance, and by being mindful of blessings. The Friday sermon further stated that gratitude for blessings is complete when a person's heart, tongue and limbs are all included in that act, and by spending those blessings in matters that please the Creator Lord.