LESSON OF THE DAY 555

Ayah of the Day:
And do not take a life that God has made sacred, except for just cause. And if anyone is killed unjustly, We have given his next of kin a certain authority; but he should not be excessive in killing, for he is supported. [17: 33]

Hadith of the Day:
If you are pleased with what God has given you you will be the richest of men. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Seek Allah's refuge from the heedlessness which comes from prosperity; so deep is it, that it will take one very long to climb out of it. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
Gratitude: The tongue is a blessing. Gratitude in relation to it is to employ it in remembrance, in expressing glorification, praise, and thanks to Allah, and to restrain it from complaining in adversity and from all evil in general. It is highly inappropriate and sinful for such a worthless slave as man to complain about any condition that Allah Most High, the True King, has imposed on him. A word of gratitude emanating from the tongue is recorded as an act of obedience. Mere expression of gratitude with the tongue unaccompanied by the true state of gratitude of the heart is only lip service. It is essential that along with verbal expression of gratitude, the heart should value and honor the blessing of the Benefactor. Mere verbal gratitude will be as the outer casting, as the outer skin that is its external form.

The essence of gratitude is that the honor and appreciation of the Benefactor and the blessing are ingrained in the heart. The initial stage of gratitude is at the intellectual level. In other words, it is the correct understanding of the true meaning of gratitude and the realization of the honor of the Benefactor. The final stage of gratitude is the manifestation of its effect on one's body, movements, and all states. In short, the belief, acts of worship, mundane acts, and moral and social life of the one who is truly grateful to Allah will be in conformity with the Shari'a.

Gratitude is acquired by contemplating the bounties of Allah Most High. Every blessing is to be related to Him. By degrees such meditation will inspire love of Allah in the heart, the result of which will be the attainment of the perfect stage of gratitude. [The Path to Perfection]

Food for Thought:
It is not so much your profession or social status in life that counts, but what you do to make this world a better place.