A Cherished Muslimah is always a grateful slave. She is thankful for all those who are around her and recognises Allah’s giving hand in everything she has. She thanks everyone for whichever love language they use to express their love to her, whether that’s through words, actions, gifts, their time, or touch[1] – and she knows that by thanking others, she is actually thanking Allah.
Shall I not be a thankful slave (to Allah)?
Muslim 2820
Gratitude Towards Others And Allah
A Cherished Muslimah is always grateful and appreciative, by connecting to Allah through the submission of His names of giving. She is grateful whenever her need/wants are fulfilled; she sees abundance all around her and sees her life rich with blessings. She is always thankful for every little thing. And so, she is quick to say ‘thank-you’ to others. She knows He is the one providing for her and enriching her, and she is content with how much blessings she has been given, always aware that He is just with his providing – and also when He is not providing.
Sometimes He gives while depriving you,
And sometimes He deprives you in giving
When he opens up your understanding of deprivation,
Deprivation becomes the same as giving.Ibn Ata iLLah, Hikam (83-84)
This June, cultivate your love trait by manifesting endless gratitude through submitting to Allah’s names of generosity, benefaction and bounty – His beautiful attributes of endless giving! Here are 12 divine names to help you to have endless gratitude:
He is Generous in His Provisions
ASH-SHAKŪR (36)
Allah gives us more than we deserve and He appreciates our gratitude by giving us even more – in doing this we have an endless supply of reasons to be grateful for. Call upon Him when you get more than you deserve, and recognise His giving by thanking others when they give you something
AL-HAMĪD (57)
Allah is the one who praises Himself, and we submit to this name by praising Him continually, morning and evening.
Remember the name of your Lord in morning and evening.
Surah Al-Insān (76:25)
We can submit to this name by taking stock of blessings each day, when we wake up or before we go to sleep, by thinking of all the things we are grateful for – and there are so many! When we realise that all praise is for Allah alone we can be humble and gracious towards others – after all, it takes a lot of humility to thank others for what they do – especially when it may not be what we want, or up to our standards!
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the Worlds
Surah Al- Fātiha (1:2)
DHUL JALĀL WAL-IKRĀM (85)
Allah is the possessor of majesty and generosity – not only is He the majestic king, He also is generous. When we submit to this name, we submit to being slaves to the generous king – content and ever-ready to soak up the blessings in our life that He has provided us with.
AL-GHANĪ (88) & AL-MUGHNĪ (89)
Allah is the rich and independent and through these attributes, He enriches you. When you submit to these names, you recognise what an enriched life He has given you, and life becomes filled with abundance and prosperity.
‘And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allah,
you will never be able to count them.’Surah Ibraheem (14:34)
He is Always Looking After You
AL-MUHAYMIN (8)
Allah is the one who encompasses all your needs and wants. Be grateful and thank Allah by using this name whenever you see your needs/wants being fulfilled – whether that is through the way your body functions, the world works, and when you receive through those around you. Consider how everything comes together so perfectly just for you, each morning!
AL-ADL (30)
Allah is the one who is just in rulings and proportions. Know that everything that you receive is part of Allah’s divinely just ruling and proportioning. Some of us get more in some areas, and less in others – and it is Allah who decides the proportions.
He Showers You With a Bounty of Blessings
AL-WAHĀB (17) & AL-RAZZĀQ (18)
Allah is the provider and bestower of gifts. A Cherished Muslimah recognises all provisions and gifts in her life. She understands love languages and always sees her glass as half-full – if not overflowing with blessings! Submit to this name by being grateful whenever you receive gifts – and always be on the lookout to recognise gifts coming your way
ASH-SHAKŪR (36)
Allah is the one who gives more than one deserves. Submit to His bounty by enjoying abundant blessings. So often we can feel undeserving of help, gifts and compliments, and inadvertently reject them by dismissing them and not thinking of thanking the person giving them to us.
When you do feel overwhelmed with receiving something more than you deserve, be ever appreciative to others and to Allah, as He is the one who is sending them to you.
AL-MUQĪT (40)
Allah is the nourisher of food and knowledge. Submit to this name by being aware of His generosity each time you eat. Be grateful to your spouse when they earn money which brings food into the home, and when they cook and provide food on the table. Recognise Allah’s giving when you learn and teach; Invoke Allah and thank Him each time you are nourished – through food, knowledge and love from others.
AL-WADŪD (48)
Allah is the one who loves unconditionally, regardless of our actions. Submit to Allah’s name when others don’t treat you as well as they could, yet they are still giving you love in their own way. Never allow the behaviour of others to stop you from being grateful. A Cherished Muslimah is unconditionally grateful and respectful – two areas she never compromises.
AL-KARĪM (43)
Allah is the one who gives before you ask. Submit to Allah by being thankful for all the blessings that you are not even aware of. So much goes on behind the scenes in the functioning of your body and in the way the world works so perfectly – to consider each blessing would overwhelm us! Yet Allah keeps giving, even when we aren’t aware to even ask. Reflect on this name when you receive love from others before you even ask. Thank others for their generosity and thoughtfulness.
[1] [1] The Five Love Languages, by Dr. Gary Chapman
