Islam
...quite incapable of thankfulness.” This means that even we thank Allah, we can never thank him enough. In fact, from a certain point of view, almost everyone is a multi-millionaire. Would you sell your arms, legs, or any other body part for a few million dollars? No, you would say that they are worth more than that. But have we ever thought of the people that don’t have that body part? So even though we are thanking Allah for what He has given us, we are not thanking Him for what He has not taken away. In the words of an authentic tradition (Al-Khabar As-Sahih): “The first of those invited to enter the Garden of Paradise will be those who are constantly praising Allah (Alhamdulillah).” The following story was told by one of the righteous: “In the course of one of my journeys, I caught sight of an old man, who was far advanced in age, so I asked him about his condition. He responded by telling me: 'In the early part of my life, I was deeply in love with a cousin of mine, the daughter of my paternal uncle, and she was equally in love with me, so it was agreed that I should marry her. [When she entered my chamber] on the night of her bridal procession [zifaf], I said to her: 'Come, let us spend the whole of this night in worship, as a way of giving thanks to Allah [shukran li'llah] (Almighty and Glorious is He) for having brought us together.' So we performed the ritual prayer [sallaina] throughout that night, and neither of us paid any attention to the other. Then, when the second night came around, we spent the whole of it in similar fashion. This came to be our constant practice, so that now, after seventy or eighty years have gone by, we are still in that same state every night.' His wife was with him at the time, so he turned to her and asked her: 'Is that not just the way it is, O So-and-so?' To this the old woman replied: 'It is just as the old man told you.'" All this just goes to show how important it is that we thank Allah. As stated above, whoever is unthankful, then verily, Allah is free of all wants, worthy of all praise. In the next ayah, Allah tells us to remember the advice that Luqman gave to his son. The first part of this advice is to not join partners with Allah. He says joining others in worship with Allah is a great wrong. The ayah itself in the Quran says: “Behold Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: "O my son! Join not in worship (others) with Allah: for false worship is indeed the highest wrong-doing." (31.13)” Joining others in worship with Allah is called shirk. Shirk can also include any object that a person may hold in regard higher than Allah. It is the most severe of sins and will not be forgiven. It is reported that a sahabah once said: “When the verse: "It is those who believe and do not confuse their belief with wrong (i.e. joining others in worship with Allah," (6.83) was revealed, we said, "O Allah's Apostle! Who is there amongst us who has not done wrong to himself?" He replied, "It is not as you say, for 'wrong' in the verse and 'do not confuse their belief, with wrong means 'Shirk' (i.e. joining others in worship with Allah). Haven't you heard Luqman's saying to his son, 'O my son! Join not others in worship with Allah, verily joining others in worship with Allah is a great wrong indeed. (31.13)." In the next two ayahs, Allah tells us how we should treat our parents. He says that we have commanded man to be dutiful and good to his parents. He also says that his mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon hardship, and his weaning is in two years, so give thanks to Me and to your parents, for verily unto Me is the final destination. The ayahs itself in Surah Luqman say: “And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him and in years twain was his weaning: (hear the command) "Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents: to Me is (thy final) Goal. But if they strive to make the join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge obey them not; Yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration) and follow the way of those who turn to Me (in love): in the End the return of you all is to Me and I will tell you the truth (and meaning) of all that ye did.” (31.14, 15) It is reported in a hadith that a sahabah said: “I heard Abi Amr 'Ash-Shaibani saying, "The owner of this house," (he pointed to 'Abdullah's house) "said, 'I asked the Prophet, "Which deed is loved most by Allah?" He replied, "To offer prayers at their early (very first) stated times." 'Abdullah asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" The Prophet said, "To be good and dutiful to one's parents." 'Abdullah a...