IT IS IMPORTANT TO THANK THE GREAT SPIRIT FOR EVERYTHING ONE TAKES FROM HIS LAND AND FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE GIVES. EVERYTIME WE REMEMBER HIM HE ALSO REMEMBERS (HAS MERCY ON US, EVEN THOUGH HE NEVER FORGETS US: "Therefore remember Me; I will remember you; Be grateful to Me (for My countless Favours on you) and never be ungrateful to Me." (The Holy Quran 2:152) WHEN WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HIM, HE INCREASES HIS BLESSINGS: And remember! your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): "If you are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you; But if you show ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed." (The Holy Quran 14:7) HE HAS GIVEN US PERMISSION TO HUNT ANIMALS AND TAKE FROM HIS LAND SO THAT WE MAY BE GRATEFUL TO HIM: "...thus have We made animals subject to you, that you may be grateful." (The Holy Quran 22:36) WE THANK HIM FOR THE HUNT AND FOR THE FOOD, BECAUSE HE HAS PROVIDED IT FOR US AND WE ARE HIS SLAVES: "So eat of the sustenance which God has provided for you, lawful and good; and be grateful for the favours of God, if it is He that you serve." (The Holy Quran 16:114) HE GRANTS US HIS MERCY SO THAT WE MAY BE GRATEFUL TO HIM: "And He it is Who has subjected the sea (to you), that you eat thereof fresh tender meat (i.e. fish), and that you bring forth out of it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships ploughing through it, that you may seek (thus) of His Bounty and that you may be grateful." (The Holy Quran 16:14) WHEN WE THANK HIM HE IS PLEASED WITH US: "If you reject (God), Truly God has no need of you; but He likes not ingratitude from His servants: if you are grateful, He is pleased with you. No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another. In the end, to your Lord is your Return, when He will tell you the truth of all that you did (in this life), for He knows well all that is in (people's) hearts." (The Holy Quran 39:7) HE IS THE ONE WHO GIVES ABUNDANTLY AND HE IS THE ONE WHO CAN RESTRICT SUSTENANCE, IF HE WANTS: "See they not that God enlarges the provision and restricts it, to whomsoever He pleases? Verily in that are Signs for those who believe." (The Holy Quran 30:37) BUT SOME PEOPLE ASK HELP FROM GOD WHEN THEY ARE IN DISTRESS, AND THEN THEY FORGET GOD AFTER HE HELPS THEM. GOD DISPISES SUCH INGRATITUDE: "And when some hurt touches man, he cries to his Lord (God Alone), turning to Him in repentance, but when He bestows a favour upon him from Himself, he forgets that for which he cried for before, and he sets up rivals to God, in order to mislead others from His Path. Say: 'Take pleasure in your disbelief for a while: surely, you are (one) of the dwellers of the Fire!'" (The Holy Quran 39:8) "What can God gain by your punishment, if you are grateful and you believe? Nay, it is God that recognises (all good), and knows all things." (The Holy Quran 4:147) |