Spiritual Health Learning Community Center
Exploring Life's Horizons
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And do not be like those who forgot Allah, and Allah made them forget their own souls.
Such are rebellious transgressors. [The Qur'an 59:19]
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Gratitude
Sufi masters indicate the sign of gratitude to God is sincerity.
They further indicate the signs of sincerity are: commitment
to, constancy with, and consistency in the active realization
of a seriousness of spiritual purpose.
If we wish to give thanks for the grace which has come to us
from Divinity, we should find a way of doing so which will
demonstrate our thanks is truly heartfelt. Furthermore, we
should find a way of showing gratitude that has a form and
content which is pleasing to the One to Whom it is being
offered. This is all part of the adab or spiritual etiquette of
expressing gratitude.
We, of course, could simply say to God: "Thank You!". We
could do this and feel it deeply. This might be a minimal form
of intentional acknowledgment of Divine kindness and
generosity. However, as the saying notes: "Talk is cheap".
Why not put a little, or a lot, more effort in to our expression
of gratitude? Why not put some thought, care, consideration,
planning, and imagination into our act of thanks?
For instance, we might begin by refraining from trying to
figure out what is the least we can do which will still meet the
requirements of spiritual etiquette. Such thinking tends to
undermine the alleged sincerity of our expression of thanks.
There is nothing which demands an expression of gratitude
must be restricted to a single act. Multiple acts of thanks,
even if the acts are small, indicate a state of mind and heart
in which gratitude lingers on over time. There is a definite
taste of sincerity to this.
Some of us consider the etiquette of gratitude to be
somewhat burdensome. It weighs heavily on us. We resent its
presence.
Is God just putting us in one of those embarrassing social
situations in which something is done for us, and, now, we
have to reciprocate? Otherwise, if we don't do something in
return, this makes us look bad, and we feel awkward?
Should we just send a card? If we get a gift, how much
should we spend?
We don't want to send the wrong message. If we do, we
could be back in the same predicament all too quickly.
The whole thing could escalate. We might have to invite God
to tea or lunch or something.
Consequently, we sometimes seek to find a way of
discharging this responsibility as quickly as we can.
However, we do so, not out of a sense of sincere thanks but
in order to rid ourselves of the burden we feel.
We are doing ourselves a favor rather than showing
gratitude. The form of what we do has the look of
thanksgiving, but the inner meaning and spirit of what we do
is just for us. Thanks, but no thanks!
To reflect on the sort of things we could do which might be
most enjoyable to the One to Whom we want to express
gratitude, suggests a certain degree of sincerity. To do this
effectively, we have to think about our relationship with God.
Who is God? Who are we? Why is God doing these things
for us? What do we mean to God? What does God mean to
us? What, if anything, would God like receiving from us?
What do we give to One Whom has everything? Has God
dropped any hints as to what might be a nice way of showing
gratitude?
According to the Sufi masters, God has sent 124,000
Prophets with spiritual guidance for humanity. The guidance
was given in order to help us find our way back to God in a
spiritually appropriate manner and condition.
This guidance is a gift of love from God to us. This gift is in
addition to the ones which have come to us through our
being, consciousness, intelligence, will, hearing, seeing and
speech. In addition, of course, God gives us a continuous
allotment of gifts in the form of: food, shelter, clothes, jobs,
money, families, friends, and health.
These gifts are all related. Existence, guidance and
maintenance are given for a specific purpose. That purpose
entails learning how to love, serve and worship God.
This purpose itself is a gift. It is given not for God's benefit
but for our benefit.
We are the ones with something to gain if we fulfil the
purpose for which all the other gifts have been given. The
Sufi masters are all agreed: God is entirely independent of
any needs in relation to human beings.
Whether or not we worship, love and serve God will cause
God neither profit nor loss. We will be the sole losers or
beneficiaries in this matter.
According to the practitioners of the Sufi path, the form of
gratitude which is most pleasing to God is to follow the
Divine guidance which has been sent to us through: the books
of revelation, the Prophets, the saints and spiritual guides. By
following guidance, one shows appreciation and gratitude for
everything which has been given to us. This is so because we
are using everything in the way God wished for those gifts to
be used.
There are two broad ways in which we can follow guidance.
We can do so reluctantly and with misgivings. Or, we
actually can try to enjoy the process.
There is something inherently just and right about showing
gratitude for gifts received. Furthermore, the reciprocity of
friends and lovers has an enjoyable charm in its own right.
If one's heart is in the right place, there will be a natural joy
which comes with showing gratitude in the manner outlined
by the Sufi masters. Both of the foregoing attitudes will color,
shape and orient the character of the behaviors we perform
to give expression to our gratitude.
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