Ubayy ibn Kab narrated that when Allah created Adam, he extracted from him the souls of all his progeny. Then made them attest to His Oneness.
After this Adam looked to his progeny. He saw amongst them the rich and the poor, the beautiful and those less than that. So he said “Lord, would you have just made them equal?”
Allah replied: “I love that they thank me.” (Ahmad)
Ibn Umar narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said;
“There are no greater nor more beloved days to God for deeds than these ten days. So, make much tahlil, takbir, and tahmid therein.” (Ahmad)
What is the Difference Between Hamd and Shukr?
Hamd (Praise) and (Shukr) go hand in hand. Hamd is made verbally while shukr is realized through actions. When one realizes the gifts he or she has been given and acts upon them, they make Shukr.
Shukr is a word used by the Arabs to describe a horse that eats enough to gain energy, then takes off in a race. It does not eat gluttonously. Instead it realizes that what it has been given will suffice, and takes initiative to act.
When a person shows Shukr, they realize that what they have been dealt in life is enough for them to make it, because God does not burden a soul more than it can bear.
They realize the tools they’ve been given and then act. They don’t incapacitate themselves or wallow in self-pity. When they verbalize that realization, they make Hamd.
Shukr then proceeds Hamd, and Hamd results from Shukr. To say al-Hamdulillah is to realize that you were endowed with certain abilities and disabilities, and that despite the advantages or disadvantages you have in life, you realize that it is all from God.
How Can You Praise God for Disability?
You may be saying to yourself: “How can I be thankful for a disadvantage? How can I praise God for disability?”
First: What you see as a disability, or even as something bad or evil, does not mean that it serves no purpose in your life.
Second: What is life, really? If you look at life as only the time from when you are born until you die, then the negative always seems to be that, negative. Those bad or negative things do serve a purpose.
If Allah tests you with them, they remind you of your own temporality, your own indebtedness, your own limitations.
You can thank and praise God for them, because you now have a constant reminder that this body you inhabit, this world that you live in, is not perfect and you shouldn’t expect it to be.
Life is about ups and downs, joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. To experience this firsthand (through a personal disability) or by interacting with others (by the sickness or hurt of a family member) is a constant reminder that while you may have it bad, there are others that are much worse off.
It is a constant reminder that life as we know it, is not true life. If you look at life as Allah defined it, it’s much broader.
We read in the Quran:
{This worldly life is no more than play and amusement. But the Hereafter is indeed the real life, if only they knew.} (Al-`Ankabut 29:64)
The sickness, hurt, pain, disability, and upset that you experience in this world are part of the hand you are play in the card game of life. Your worth as a person is not in the cards that you were dealt, but in the way that you play the game.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “God does not look at your forms and your appearances, but He looks at your hearts and your actions.” (Muslim)
Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said “The first to be called into Jannah on the Day of Judgment are those that praise Allah during difficulty and during ease.” (Mishkat)
Put away the sadness and disappointment of this life, and take the first step towards your true life today.
Join Imam Joe Bradford to understand the virtues of saying Al-Hamdullilah during Dhul-Hijjah days.
Source: JoeBradford