Thanksgiving and Contentment

On Thanksgiving
91- In Al-Mahasin it is narrated that Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Nothing has descended from Heaven as rare and as dear as the following: submission to God, piety and certitude."
92- Al-Nufli narrated that God's Prophet (a.s) said: "The one who eats and gives thanks has the same reward as the one who fasts (who will be rewarded in the Hereafter). The reward of one who is healthy and gives thanks is the same as the one who is suffering and is patient. The reward of one who gives charity and is thankful as the same as the one who is deprived but content."
93- Al-A'ala ibn Kamil narrated that once he told Imam Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s) that God had granted him so many blessings that he could not even count, and he did not know the reason for that. The Imam (a.s) asked if he really did not know the reason and told him that it was due to his thanksgiving. And in another tradition we read that the Imam (a.s) told him not to underestimate thanksgiving."
94- Imam Sadiq (a.s) quoted the Prophet of God (a.s) on the authority of his forefathers (a.s) on the authority of God's Prophet (a.s): "God will not open the doors to thanksgiving for anyone without opening up a door to increased blessings."
95- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Give thanks to God whenever you do a good deed, and seek God's forgiveness whenever you do something bad."
96- Sanan ibn Zarif said: "I told Imam Sadiq (a.s) that I am afraid to be reprimanded. He asked me why. I said I asked God for a thousand Durhams, and He granted it to me. I asked him for a servant, and He gave me one. Then Imam Sadiq (a.s) asked me what I have to say now. I said praise be to God. He said: "What you have said is better than what you have been given."
97- Sae'dan ibn Yazeed said: "I told Imam Sadiq (a.s) that I saw some one having hard times in life while I had a good life. Whatever I reach out for, I find in it what I like. Sometimes I see other people who are superior to me but they do not have these blessings. I am afraid this might be a sort of divine test for me". The Imam (a.s) said: "Have no fear as long as you give thanks for these blessings."
98- The Noble Prophet (a.s) said: "A man from among my nation goes to the bazaar, and buys a shirt-like dress for a half or a third of a Dinar, and praises God whenever he wears it. His sins are forgiven before this dress reaches down to his knees."
99- The Noble Prophet (a.s) said: "Whenever a believer gets full, stops eating and drinking and praises God, God grants him the reward of one who fasts. God is Grateful and loves to be praised."
100- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "One of the men among you will drink some water, and God will reward him with Heaven for this act." He added: "He brings the cup of water next to his lips, and calls God's name. Then he drinks some water and takes the cup away while he is still thirsty. Then he praises God and takes another sip, and he repeats this again. God will reward him with Heaven for this act."
101- Imam Sadiq (a.s) quoted on the authority of the Prophet Jesus (a.s): "People are divided into two groups. Some people are healthy, and others are in trouble. Praise God for being healthy, and ask God for His Mercy upon those in trouble."
102- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Do not look at those in trouble since this will make them sad."
103- It has been narrated that Imam Baqir (a.s) did not like to hear those in trouble say they seek refuge in God from trouble.
104- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "God will record ten good deeds for the one who makes ablution and prostrates to thank God. He will also wipe out ten of that man's major sins."
105- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "One day when the Prophet (a.s) went to the mosque with his companions, he prostrated for so long that they suspected his health was endangered. When he finally sat up they told him that he had prostrated for such a long time that they suspected he had died. He said: "Gabriel descended to me from near God the Almighty and said: O' Muhammad! Your Lord sends His greetings and says: "I have never hurt your feelings concerning anyone of your nation who loves you. I have not done anything for a believer to please him or hurt him unless it was good for him."" The Prophet (a.s) added: "At that time I had no property to give away in charity, and no slave to free, so I fell prostrate in worship and thanked God and praised Him for this."
106- Abi Ubeydeh al-Haz'za said: "When I was accompanying Imam Baqir (a.s) on the way to Medina, he suddenly fell prostrate in worship. When he finished he stood up and asked me if was surprised. I replied: "May I be your devoted servant! Yes." He said: "I remembered a blessing that God had given me, and found it hard to go along my way without thanking God for it."
107- Hisham ibn Ahmad said: "I was accompanying Imam Kazim (a.s) around Medina when he suddenly got off his horse and fell prostrate in worship, and stayed in that position for a long time. Then he mounted his horse. I asked him: "May I be your devoted servant! Why did you prostrate for such a long time?" He said: "I remembered a blessing that God gave me, and I felt I would like to give thanks to my Lord."
108- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: "Whenever God grants someone some blessings and he realizes that with his heart and expresses his gratitude, God will order an increase in his blessings before he finishes his words. God the Almighty has said:
"If ye are grateful, I will add more (favors) unto you." ]The Holy Quran: Ibrahim 14:7[
109- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “The thanksgiving of God's servants is non-stop.”
110- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Be a good neighbor for blessings!” He was asked what this means. He replied: “Thanking the One who has granted you the blessings.”
111- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Be a good neighbor for God's blessings, and try not to let blessings leave you and go to someone else. Beware that once blessings are gone they are hard to return.”
112- Imam Ali (a.s) said: “Lost blessings are rarely recovered.”
113- Mu'amir ibn Khal'lad narrated that Imam Reza (a.s) said: “Fear God, and be humble; grateful and give thanks to Him. There was a man among the Israelite tribe who had a dream one night. In his dream a man told him that he would only live half of his life in comfort, and asked him which half he preferred. He told the man that he had a partner. When he woke up the next morning, he told his wife about his dream. She told him to choose the first half, and he accepted. Then they got wealthy receiving constant blessings. His wife kept informing him about needy neighbors and relatives, and he would help them. They continued donating whatever they received, and giving thanks to God. One night the man had another dream and saw the same man. He told him that half of his life was now over, and asked his opinion. Again he told the man that he had a partner. When he woke up the next morning he told everything he saw in his dream to his wife. She said: “God gave us blessings, and we gave thanks, and God is most faithful.”
Then that man appeared in his dream again and said: “Now you will live in comfort all your life.”
114- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “There are three acts which will not be changed by anything: Praying during times of hardship, asking God for forgiveness, and giving thanks when receiving blessings.”
115- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said that it is written in the Old Testament: “Be thankful to whoever is kind to you, and be kind to whoever thanks you, since blessings last when you are thankful, and blessings vanish when you are ungrateful.
Giving thanks causes an increase in blessings, and protects from drastic changes.”
116- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whoever thanks God for what he acquires, God will increase his gain, but whoever does not thank God for what he acquires is endangering the blessings, and is not secure from revenge and changes.”
117- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “I asked God the Almighty for some property, and He granted it to me. Then I feared that this might be a cause of being tested or reprimanded.” The Imam (a.s) then continued: “I swear by God that if you give thanks, this will not be the case.”
118- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “I like to thank God one hundred times whenever a new blessing is granted to me.”
119- Imam Ali (a.s) narrated that God's Prophet (a.s) sent some people to war and said “O' God! I promise to praise You as You deserve praise if they return healthy and successful.” After some time they returned as he wished. Then the Prophet of God (a.s) said: “Thanks be to God for His various blessings.”
120- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whenever the Prophet (a.s) received a blessing which he liked he said: “Praise is for the Benevolent, the Beautiful God.” And whenever he received something that he disliked, he said: “Praise be to God in all cases, and praise be to God in this case.”
121- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whenever something pleasing came up for God's Prophet (a.s), he said: “Thanks God for this blessing.” And whenever something saddening happened, he said: “Praise be to God in all cases.”“
122- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Thanking for blessings is abstaining from the forbidden. Ultimate expression of gratitude is saying “Praise be to God, the Lord of the two worlds.”
123- Imam Reza (a.s) said: “One who praises God for His blessings has expressed his gratitude, and this praise is higher than the blessing.”
124- Imam Baqir (a.s) said that God the Almighty told Moses the son of Imran: “O' Moses! Give thanks that are due to being thankful to Me.'
Moses asked “How can I give thanks that are due to being thankful to You when the blessings are yours, and being thankful for them is another blessing from You, too.” God the Almighty said: “Just realizing that being thankful for My blessings is in itself a blessing, is the right of being thankful to Me.”
125- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “One who whole-heartedly realizes a God-given blessing has expressed the due thanks.”
126- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “The steady increase of God's blessings will not be interrupted unless the gratefulness of the people stops.”
127- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whoever is granted blessings by God and feels this by his heart and gives thanks for it, then God will order an increase in his blessings before he finishes his words. This is what is meant by God the Almighty's statement:
“If ye are grateful, I will add more (favors) unto you.” [The Holy Quran: Ibrahim 148:7]
128- In Rauzat al-Vaezeen it is narrated that Imam Sadiq (a.s) said that once when the Prophet (a.s) was passing by a group of people who were trying to lift a rock he asked them why they were doing so? They said that they were trying to find out who was the strongest. The Prophet (a.s) told them that he could tell them whom the strongest man was if they wished him to do so. When they said they wished to hear what the Prophet (a.s) had to say, he said the one who is the strongest is the one who does not engage in sin or do wrong deeds whenever he is satisfied; one who does not utter but what is right when he is angry; and one who does not do what is unjust when he is powerful.
129- Imam Hussein (a.s) said: “God will make you needless of the people if you prefer God's pleasure over the people's dissatisfaction. And God will leave you alone if you prefer the people's pleasure over God's dissatisfaction.”
130- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “God the Almighty granted a group of people some blessings, but they did not give thanks, and it became a burden for them. God brought a calamity upon some people and they persevered. Then they got blessings from their perseverance.”
131- Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) said: “Whenever you start to get some blessings, do not lose the rest of the blessings by not giving enough thanks.”
132- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “Do not associate with the rich. Before doing so you recognize the blessings that God has given you. But if you associate with the rich, you no longer recognize the blessings that God has given you.”
133- Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) said: “Complement God's blessings by submitting to your destiny and giving thanks for the blessings.”

On Contentment
134- In Al-Mahasin it is narrated that Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “One who is contented with divine destiny is the one most aware of God.”
135- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “The most important aspect of obedience to God is being content with and being patient with what God has decreed whether we like it or not. And when one is content with what God has decreed for him, whether he likes it or not, that which is decreed is best for him.”
136- Imam Sadiq (a.s) zsaid: “God has placed some good in whatever He has decreed for a believer with which the believer is content.”
137- Imam Baqir (a.s) quoted on the authority of the Prophet of God (a.s) that God the Almighty said: “I swear by My Majesty and My Honor that I have not created any creature dearer to Me than a believer. That is why I put My own name (believer) on him. He should be content with My action if I deprive him of whatever lies between the East and the west, or if I bestow on him whatever exists between the East and the West. He should be patient with any catastrophes that I descend upon him, and he should be grateful for My blessings. O' Muhammad! Please record his name among the honest ones near Me.”
138- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said that Imam Hassan Mujtaba (a.s) met Abdullah ibn Ja'far and told him: “O' Abdullah! How can one be a believer if he is not content with what God has destined for him; and considers his position to be low even though God has destined it for him. I guarantee that the supplications of those who think only of God's pleasure will be accepted.”
139- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Comfort and convenience lie in contentment and certitude, and sorrow and sadness lie in doubt and anger.”
140- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Religious knowledge guides us towards love for God. God will honor those who were chosen by God for their contentment, and God will debase those who make Him angry. Contentment and anger are two of God's creatures, and He will increase which ever He pleases.”
141- Imam Kazim (a.s) said: “Whoever ignores God should not become upset if his daily bread is delayed. He should not accuse God regarding his destiny.”
142- Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “God can fulfill people's needs through means in the hands of other people. Whoever gets what he needs should be content, patient and accept it from God.”
143- Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) said: “People gather together either out of consent or displeasure. If they are pleased with an affair, they will commit themselves to it. But if they are displeased with an affair, they will abandon it.”
144- Imam Reza (a.s) quoted on the authority of his noble grandfather (a.s): “A group of people went to visit God's Prophet (a.s) in one of the battles. The Prophet (a.s) asked them from which tribe they were. They told him that they were of the believers. He asked them about the degree of their faith. They replied: “We are patient during times of hardship, we are grateful during times of poverty, and we are content with what God has destined for us.” The Prophet (a.s) said: “Those people are so wise and knowledgeable that they are nearly in the position of Prophets.” Then he faced them and said: “Then if you are what you claim to be, do not build what you will not live in; do not collect what you will not eat; and fear God to whom is your return.”
145- Imam Sajjad (a.s) said: “Perseverance and contentment with divine destiny are the highest forms of God's worship. God will only destine what is beneficial for those who are patient and content with what God destines for them-whether they like it or not.”
146- One of the companions of Imam Sadiq (a.s) went to see him. The Imam (a.s) was seriously ill and near death. He saw that the Imam (a.s) was very weak, and he cried. Imam Sadiq (a.s) asked why he cried. He said: “Should I not cry seeing you this way?” The Imam (a.s) said: “Do not cry. Believers are always receiving what is good for them. Be it they lose a part of their body, or they become the owner of whatever lies between the East and the West, it is good for them.”
147- Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) said: “Being grateful for God's blessings is not committing divinely forbidden acts.”
148- Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “One night when the Prophet (a.s) was in Ayeshah's room, she asked him: “O' Prophet of God! Why is it that you always put yourself to so much trouble, even though all your past and future sins are forgiven?” He replied: “O' Ayeshah! Should I not be grateful?” Ayeshah said: “God's Prophet (a.s) always stood up on his toes.” Then the following verse was revealed:
“We have not sent down the Quran to thee to be (an occasion) for thy distress.” [The Holy Quran: Ta-ha 20:2]