So remember Me and I will remember you, and be thankful to Me and do not disbelieve. ~ 2:152

 

Believers are thankful and appreciative by nature, but there are specific things mentioned in the Quran that God advises us all to give thanks. So what specifically does God remind us to be thankful for?

 

 

Means of Livelihood  

 

We established you in the land, and We provided for you means of livelihood therein, but rarely do you give thanks! ~ 7:10

 
 

Night and Day

 

He is the One who rendered the night and the day in succession for those who wish to take heed or wish to give thanks. ~ 25:62

 

It is out of His mercy that He devised for you the night and the day, allowing you to rest and seek from His bounty during them, so hopefully, you may give thanks. ~ 28:62

 

God is the One who rendered the night for you to rest therein and the day for seeing. Indeed, God is Possessor of Favour for the people, but most people do not give thanks. ~ 40:61

 
 

Food & Drink 

 

So eat from the lawful and good things that God has provided for you, and give thanks for God’s blessings if it is Him whom you worship. ~ 16:114

 

Have you seen the water that you drink? Was it you who brought it down from the clouds, or was it Us who brought it down? If We wished, We could have made it bitter. If only you would be thankful! ~ 56:68-70

 
 

Livestock and their Benefits

 

Have they not seen that, out of what Our hands have made, We created for them livestock which they then become their owners? And We made them subservient to them; some of them they ride and some from which they eat. And they obtain from them benefits and drinks, so will they not be thankful? ~ 36:71-73

 

 

Means to Travel

 

And from among His signs is that He sends the winds bearing good news and lets you taste of His mercy, and for the ships to sail by His command, and for you to seek of His bounty so hopefully you may give thanks. ~ 30:46

 

 

Means of Protection 

 

And We taught him the art of making coats of armour to protect you from your own aggression. Are you then thankful? ~ 21:80

 

 

The Sea and its Benefits 

 

And it is Him who subjected the sea so that you would eat tender meat from it and extract from it jewelery that you wear. You see the ships ploughing through it so that you can seek His bounty and so that you may give thanks. ~ 16:14

 

 

Hearing, Eyesight and Hearts 

 

God repeatedly states in the Quran that we should be thankful for our hearing, our eyesight and our hearts. 

 

God brought you out of your mothers’ wombs knowing nothing, and He made for you the hearing, the sight, and the heart, so hopefully, you may give thanks. ~ 16:78

 

He is the One who devised for you the hearing, the sight and the hearts. Rarely do you give thanks. ~ 23:78

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 Why Should we be Thankful for our Hearing, Eyesight and our Hearts?

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We learn of wisdom from God in verse 31:12, that being thankful is all for our own good:

 

We gave Luqman the wisdom: “Give thanks to God. The one who gives thanks gives thanks but for his own good. As for the one who is ungrateful, then indeed, God is Rich, Praiseworthy.” ~ 31:12

 

Abraham set a good example for us:

 

Abraham was a nation, devoutly obedient to God. He was a monotheist and was not one of the mushrikeen. He was thankful for His blessings. He chose him and guided him to a straight path. ~ 16:120-121

 

God’s blessings are indeed a great test to see who are the appreciative ones:

 

The one who possessed knowledge from the Book said, “I can bring it to you before you blink.” So when he saw it settled before him, he said, “This is a favour from my Lord to test me as to whether I will be appreciative or unappreciative. Whoever is appreciative is appreciative for his own good. As for the one who is unappreciative indeed, my Lord is Rich, Generous.” ~ 27:40
 

Being appreciative is actually a quality of God that He describes for Himself! It is one of His attributes;

 

If you lend God a good loan, He will multiply it manifold for you and forgive you. God is Appreciative, Forbearing. ~ 64:17

 

And they will say, “Praise be to God who has removed from us the sorrow. Indeed, our Lord is Forgiver, Appreciative. ~ 35:34

 

Let’s all vow to be more thankful, especially for some of the hidden blessings and things we may take for granted.

 

Let’s ask God to count us with the appreciative ones, and to direct us to always be appreciative.

“My Lord, enable me to give thanks for Your blessings which You have bestowed upon me and my parents, and to do good deeds that You approve of, and admit me by Your mercy among Your righteous servants.” ~ 27:19

 

God rewards those who are thankful:

 

No self is to die except with God’s permission. It is a predetermined decree. Whoever desires the reward of this world, We grant him there-from, and whoever desires the reward of the Hereafter, We grant him therefrom. We shall reward those who are thankful. ~ 3:145

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Peace & God Bless​

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