CHAPTER II

BASE THEORY

A. The meaning of gratitude

In thanksgiven language is,

‫الثناء على المحسِن بما أ َ ْوال َكهُ من المعروف‬

Which means “ gratitude is the price for those who give

goodness, for their kindness “ (see Ash Shahhah fil Lughah by Al

Jauhari) or in Indonesia thanksgiven is “thanking you. And the term

thanksgiven in religion,

is as described by Ibnu Qayyim, Wich means,

“ Gratitude is showing the existence of Allah’s favor on him.

By verbally, that is in the form of prise and saying self-awareness that

he has been given a favor, through the heart, I the form of a witness

and love of God. Through the limbs, in the form of obedience and

obedience to God.” ( Madatijus skin, 2/244)

An Opponent of gratitude are kufr favors, wich are reluctant to

realize or even deny that the blessings obtained are the gift of Allah

Ta’ala. Such as the Quran who said:

َ ُ ‫إِنَّ َما أُوتِيتُه‬

‫علَى ِع ْل ٍم ِع ْندِي‬

Wich means “ truly the treasure and blessings that I have that I

get from the knowledge that I have .” (QS: Al-Qasas: 78 )

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 Gratitude is one of the attributes of Allah

Gratitude is one of the characteristics of Allah’s attributes.

That is, God will surely reply to any good deeds done by his servants,

without missing one person and without missing one charity. Allah

Ta’ala said :

ٌ ُ‫شك‬
‫ور‬ ٌ ُ ‫غف‬
َ ‫ور‬ َّ ‫إِ َّن‬
َ َ‫َّللا‬

Wich means “ truly Allah is Ghafur and gratitude.” (QS: Ash-

Shura: 23)

An interpreter, Imam Abu jarrir Ath-thabari, interpreted this

verse with a history form Qatadah, “ Ghafur means Allah is forgiven

of sin, and gratitude it means that Allah is evenging the good so that

Allah multiplies the reward.” (Tafsir Ath Thabari, 21/531)

Gratitude is the nature of the prophets

Always be grateful and happy to god for the abundance of

God’s blessings, aven though experiments come and face blocking,

looking for the nature of God’s nobleprophets and apostles.

Allah Ta’ala said about the prophet Nuh ‘Alaihissalam :

َ ‫ذ ُ ِريَّةَ َم ْن َح َم ْلنَا َم َع نُوحٍ ۚ إِنَّهُ َكانَ َع ْبدًا‬

ً ‫ش ُك‬
‫ورا‬

Wich means “ (namely) the children and grandchildren of the people

we brought with Nuh. Indeed Nuh is a servant who is much grateful.”

(QS: Al-Isra : 3)

Allah Ta’ala tells the nature of the Prophet Ibrahim

‘Alahissalam :

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 ‫شاكرا ألنعمه اجتباه وهداه إلى صراط مستقيم‬

‫إن إبراهيم كان أمة قانتا هلل حنيفا ولم يك من المشركين‬

Which means “ verily Abraham Adlaha is a priest who can be

used as an example again obedient to Allah and Hanif. And

sometimes he is not one of those who is polytheists, and he is always

grateful for the blessings of Allah, Allah has chosen him and shows it

to the right path.” (QS: An-Nahl: 120-121)

And the leaders of the prophets and apostles, and the end-

time prophet, the prophet Muhammad Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam,

did not escape gratitude even though it was guaranteed for his heaven.

Narrated by Ibnu ‘Aisyah Radhiallahu’anhu, which means,

“Rasulullah Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam usually when he

prays, he stands very long until his feet harden his. Is Aisyah ask,”

O Messenger of Allah, why did you come to that? Isn’t your sins

forgiven both the past and the future ? “ the prophet said “ o

‘Aisyah, shouldn’t I be a grateful servant?.” (HR. Bukhari No.1130,

Muslim No.2820)

Syukur is worship

Allah Ta’ala in many verses in the Qur’an accepts humans to

be grateful to him, so thanksgiven are worship and a form of

obedience at Allah’s request.

Allah Ta’ala said :

‫فاذكروني أذكركم واشكروا لي وال تكفرون‬

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 “ Remember me and I will remember you. Thank me and do

not deny” (QS: Al-baqarah: 152)

In another verse mentioned :

‫يا أيها الذين آمنوا كلوا من طيبات ما رزقناكم‬

‫واشكروا هلل إن كنتم إياه تعبدون‬

“ O ye who believe, eatamong the good sustenance that we

give you and give thanks to Allah, if truly you worship.” (QS: Al-

baqarah: 172)

So being grateful is carrying out God’s commands and

reluctant to give thanks and to love Allah’s favor is a form of

defiance of Allah’s commands.

B. How to be Grateful

1. Always thank other people

one way to be grateful for god’s blessings is to thank humans

who are the agents of God to convey God’s love to us.

The prophet Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam said,

‫ال يشكر هللا من ال يشكر الناس‬

“ A person who does not thank humans means is not grateful

to Allah.” (HR. Tirmidzi No.2081, he said. “ this Hadist is Hasan

Sahih”)

He also said,

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 ُ ‫ فَإ ِ ْن لَ ْم ت َ ِجد ُوا َما ت ُ َكافِئُونَه‬،ُ‫صنَ َع ِإلَ ْيكُ ْم َم ْع ُروفًا فَ َكافِئُوه‬
َ ‫َم ْن‬

ُ ‫عوا لَه ُ َحتَّى ت َ َر ْوا أَنَّكُ ْم قَدْ َكافَأْت ُ ُموه‬

ُ ْ‫فَاد‬

“Whoever has done something is told to you, then respond

with the same. Is you cannot reciprocate with the same, pray of him

until you think that your prays can be repaid similarly for his

kindness.” ( HR. Abu Daud No.16772, Omitted by Al-Albani is

Shahih Abu Daud)

Therefore, expressing gratitude is the noble character that

is taught byIslam. Prophet Shallallahu’alaihi Wasllam said,which

means,

"Whoever is given one good to him then he responds by

saying, 'Jazaakallahukhair' (may Allah reward you with kindness),

then wait for that to be sufficient in expressing his gratitude."

(HR.Tirmidzi No.2167, he said: " This hadist is Hasan jayyidGharib

", at the Al-Albani is Shahih At Tirmidhi)

2. Meditating on God’s Favors

In the Qur’an, God often arouses the human heart

that there are many blessings that have been bestowed upon us since

we same to this world so that we are aware and grateful to Allah

Allah Ta’ala said,

َ َ‫ون أ ُ َّم َهاتِكُ ْم ال ت َ ْعلَ ُمون‬

‫ش ْيئًا َو َجعَ َل لَكُ ُم‬ ِ ُ‫َّللا ُ أ َ ْخ َر َجكُ ْم ِم ْن بُط‬
َّ ‫َو‬

َ‫ار َواأل ْفئِدَة َ لَ َعلَّكُ ْم ت َ ْشكُ ُرون‬

َ ‫ص‬َ ‫س ْم َع َواأل ْب‬
َّ ‫ال‬

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 “ and God Takes you out of your mother’s stomach in a state

of not knowing anything, and he gives you hearing, vision, and hait,

so that you will be grateful.” (QS: An-Nahl: 78)

3. Qana’ah

Always feeling enough for the pleasure that is in us makes us

always thank God. Conversely, people who always feel dissatisfied,

feel lacking, he feels that God has never given him any gift.

Prophet Shallallahu’alaihi Wasalaam said,

‫الناس‬
ِ ‫ و كن قنِعًا تكن أ ْش َك َر‬، ‫لناس‬
ِ ‫عا تكن أعبدَ ا‬
ً ‫كن َو ِر‬

“ be a wara’, then you will be the most dedicated servant. Be a

person who is qana’ah, then you will be the most grateful servant.”

(HR. Ibnu Majah No.3417, Al –Albani in the Shahih of Ibnu Majah)

4. Prostration of gratitude

One way to express our gratitude for such great pleasure is to

do the prostration of gratitude, which means,

“From Abu Bakrah Nafi “ibnu Harist Radhiallahu’anhu he

said,” Rasulullah Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam is usually if you find

something that gives him support for prostration. As an expression of

gratitude to God.” (HR. Abu Daud No.2776, disahkan oelah Al-

Albani dalam Irwaul Ghalil)

5. Dzikir

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 Berdzikir and praise Allah is a form of our gratitude race to

Allah. Certain remembrances taught by the Prophet specifically

express our gratitude to Allah.

The prophet Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam said which means

"Whoever is in the morning of dhikr

AllahummaAshbahabiimin'matin au biahadin min

khalqikawahdakalaasyariikalakafalakalhamduwalakasysyukru. "(O

Allah, for the blessings you have given me today or what you gave to

one of your creatures, then it is truly delicious it is only from you and

there is no partner for you. All praise and thanksgiving are only for

you)

So he had fulfilled his day with gratitude. And whoever

pronounces it in the afternoon, he has fulfilled his night with the race

of gratitude "( HR. Abu Daud no.5075, di shahihkan oleh Syaikh

Abdul Qadir Al-Arnauth dalam tahqiqnya terhadap kitab raudhatul

muhadditsin)

C. Life

In a day’s life, each of us as humans will always meet other

people around us and in our daily lives, there is also happiness,

pleasure, joy, sadness in him. In everyday life, we will also face

activities that vary in variety.

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