Thanksgiving In Islam By National Nasirat Team USA All praise is - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Thanksgiving In Islam

By National Nasirat Team USA

“All praise is due to Allah who has fed us, given us drink, sufficed us, and sheltered us. How many are those who do not have enough and have no shelter?” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2715)

What is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year in America (Second Monday of October in Canada) Some foods included turkey, duck, deer, seafood, cabbage, corn, fruits, squash, carrots, plums, grapes, raspberries and

• f course cranberries

The “First Thanksgiving” took place in 1621 and was attended by 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims A special holiday where families and friends get together to celebrate the things they are thankful for in their lives Today, it is a federal holiday and so schools, banks, post offices, and government offices are closed

Pilgrims were people who migrated from England to United States in 1621 to get religious freedom.

It commemorates the time when Pilgrims invited the Native Americans to a three day feast to celebrate harvest

Traditions of Thanksgiving

Some Traditions of Thanksgiving Today People travel far to be with family during this holiday There is a family feast with traditional foods of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, cornbread, cranberry sauce, and various pies Many families take turns sharing what they are most thankful for during their Thanksgiving meal During the meal, the family breaks the turkey wishbone. Whoever pulls away the larger piece is granted a wish. ​ Many churches hold a special Thanksgiving Day service centered on giving thanks to God Some observe the holiday through charity work Families watch Thanksgiving parades or sports together on TV Families end the day with quality time of playing games, going for a bike ride or walk, and napping

Thanksgiving for Muslims

As Muslims, our duty to be grateful to Allah for all our blessings and commit ourselves to “Shukr” “Shukr” (ركش‎ )‎is an Arabic word meaning thankfulness, gratitude or acknowledgment. In the Qur‟an, Allah is described as “Shakir” and “Shakur”, which stem from the same root “Shukr”. This means that Allah is thankful and appreciative when we engage in good actions. So, when Allah is pleased with us, He shows his gratitude by rewarding us. Thanksgiving is a heart warming time where families and friends gather to eat together, and give thanks to Allah for His countless blessings. However, as Muslims we should reflect on the essence of giving thanks and what Islam teaches us about gratitude!

Thanksgiving: A daily Affair in Islam

Islam teaches us to be thankful throughout the day:

• On waking up
• After eating
• After drinking
• Getting home after a day out
• Receiving good news

The first chapter of the Holy Qur‟an starts with “Alhamdulillah” Alhamdulillah means “All Praise belongs to Allah” However, Alhamdulillah signifies GRATITUDE! This is why we respond with “Alhamdulillah” when someone asks how we are.

A Muslim’s entire life revolves around gratitude to Allah!

The first lesson we learn in the Qur’an is of gratitude by Praising Allah!

Levels of Thankfulness in Islam

We must first realize all the blessings of Allah on us and then strive to be grateful at all levels!

Levels of being thankful to Allah Level 1 Be grateful within our heart Level 2 Give thanks with our tongue Level 3 Express gratitude by doing righteous deeds

Hadith:“Whoever is not grateful for small things will not be grateful for large

• things. Whoever does not thank

people has not thanked Allah Almighty.” (al-Firdaws lil- Daylamī 5962) Hadith: “He has not thanked Allah who has not thanked people.” (Abu Dawud)

Giving Thanks in the Holy Qur’an

“Which, then, of the favours of your Lord will you twain deny?”

﴿ ِنٰبِّذَکُت اَمُکِّبَر ِءَٓلُٰا ِّیَاِبَف۱۷﴾

Allah asks this question 31 times in Chapter 55, Surah Al-Rahman Allah created us and then made this world for us. He has blessed us with everything we need. After realizing all of His blessings on us, how can we not be thankful to Allah? And He gave you all that you wanted of Him; and if you try to count the favors

• f Allah, you will not be able to number
• them. Verily, man is very unjust, very
• ungrateful. (14:35)

And if you try to count the favours of Allah, you will not be able to number

• them. Surely, Allah is Most Forgiving,
• Merciful. (16:19)

We forget to be grateful for our countless blessings

Giving Thanks in the Holy Qur’an

Allah tells us in the Holy Qur‟an: „Therefore remember Me, and I will remember you; and be thankful to Me and do not be ungrateful to Me.‟ (2:153) „O ye who believe! eat of the good things We have provided for you, and render thanks to Allah, if it is He Whom you worship.‟ (2:173) „Why should Allah punish you if you are thankful and if you believe? And Allah is Appreciating, All knowing.‟ (4:148) „And remember also the time when your Lord declared, „If you are grateful, I will, surely, bestow more favours on you...‟ (14:8) „And Allah brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers while you knew nothing, and gave you ears and eyes and hearts, that you might be grateful.‟ (16:79) „Give thanks to Me and to thy parents. Unto Me is the final return.‟ (31:15) What does the Holy Qur‟an say about being Thankful?

Giving Thanks in the Holy Qur’an

Prophet Verses from Holy Qur‟an Prophet Abraham

(describes God‟s blessings)

„Who has created me, and it is He Who guides me; And Who gives me food and gives me drink; And when I am ill, it is He Who restores me to health; And Who, I hope, will forgive me my faults on the Day of Judgment. (26:79-83) Prophet Solomon „My Lord, grant me the will and power to be grateful for Thy favour which Thou hast bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do such good works as would please Thee, and admit me, by Thy mercy, among Thy righteous servants.‟ (27:20) Prophet Luqman „And We bestowed wisdom on Luqman, saying, „Be grateful to Allah:‟ and whoso is grateful, is grateful only for the good of his own soul. And whoso is ungrateful, then surely Allah is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.‟ (31:13) Let us learn from our Prophets in the Holy Qur‟an

Benefits of Giving Thanks

Benefits of Thankfulness

Gratitude opens the door to more relationships Gratitude improves physical health Gratitude improves psychological health Gratitude increases mental strength Gratitude improves self- esteem Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression Grateful people sleep better

Hudhur’s Guidance on Gratefulness

Extract from Friday Sermon, April 23, 2010 Hudhur remarked, “What is gratefulness of God’s grace and its expression? Indeed, it is perfect obedience. It is to practice what God enjoins and to avoid what He

• forbids. A true believer spends his/her life as Abd e Shakur in order to be a

recipient of Divine grace. For this, one has to remember God’s favours with all

• ne’s heart and mind throughout the course of one’s day and to continually

remember Him, be always mindful of the blessings of God and glorify His name.” Hudhur further explained that mere verbal professing is not sufficient, the expression of gratefulness of a true believer is from his/her every gesture and there is an effort to adopt humility and humility is inculcated when there is an awareness that all blessings are from God.

Remember…

• When the heart wants to complain,

GIVE THANKS!!!

• In times of happiness and grief,

GIVE THANKS!!!

• During trials and tribulations,

GIVE THANKS!!!

• From morning till night,

GIVE THANKS!!!

• For the blessings you recognize and

don’t recognize, GIVE THANKS!!!

Gratitude is an Antidote for Complaining

Some Simple Steps to Show Gratitude

• Praise Allah as often as possible
• Break the habit of complaining
• Practice thanking others (write a thank you

letters)

• Remember the people who are less

fortunate and do something to help

• Focus on the positives during difficult times
• Make a habit of smiling, especially when its

hard to!

Activity for November and the New Year

For Thanksgiving this year: Activity 1: For the month of November, start a “Gratitude Journal”

• Try to write at least five things you are

grateful for at the end of each day.

• Journal down ideas on ways that you can

help others as an action of being grateful and expressing gratitude and then do them.

• Journal at least once a week.

Activity 2: Keep a “Jar of Thanks”

• Everyday on a piece of paper, write

something great that happened which made you happy and/or something you are very grateful for and put it in a jar.

• At the end of the year, give money to Tehrik-

e-Jadid and Waqf-e-Jadid and remember all the things that happened through the year which you were grateful for.

https://www.happierhuman.com/benefits-of-gratitude/

"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.“ (Epictetus)

References

• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)
• https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/first-thanksgiving-meal
• https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/history/thanksgiving-traditions/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shukr#cite_note-22
• https://islamfaith.com/thanksgiving-islam-thanking/
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2014/11/23/7-scientifically-proven-benefits-of-gratitude-that-

will-motivate-you-to-give-thanks-year-round/#23bbf91e183c

• https://www.alislam.org/quran/
• https://www.alislam.org/friday-sermon/2010-04-23.html
• https://www.whyislam.org/character/attitude-of-gratitude/
• https://www.inc.com/jeremy-goldman/giving-thanks-31-inspiring-quotes-about-thankfulness.html
• https://www.biblica.com/bible/niv/romans/5/
• https://stomson2001.wordpress.com/tag/when-matthew-henry-was-robbed/

Image References

• https://twitter.com/antonjgunn/status/1065837243120664582
• https://itsjustlife.me/tag/gratefulness/
• https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-the-meaning-of-alhamdulilah.html
• http://www.quranreading.com/blog/impact-of-reciting-holy-quran-and-role-of-quran-in-

muslims-lives/

• https://www.flickr.com/photos/sherazharoon/16284547428
• https://www.pinterest.com/pin/496099715176991872/?lp=true
• https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-annual-community-thanksgiving-dinner-tickets-

75797940681

• https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/a28714523/watch-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade/
• http://www.downtownmobile.org/community-thanksgiving-service/
• http://thecrcl.ca/thanksgiving-now-and-then/