Imaan
Now that we have understood “what is Gratitude, the need for gratitude and Gratitude in Islam,” we will over the next few weeks take a look at the various things in life which we ought to be grateful for.

There are millions of bounties which we all enjoy everyday, and to say everyday is certainly an over-statement, because we actually enjoy these blessings every moment, as Allah, the granter of all these favours, himself notifies man that;

وَإِن تَعُدُّوا۟ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَآ ۗ
If you want to count the favours of Allah, you will never be able to number them. (An Nahl: Verse 18)

But do we ever pause and reflect on how valuable these bounties really are and how would we have coped without them?
The very first and most important bounty is that of Imaan and Islam.

Imaan is at the core of our very existence on earth. Living a life without Imaan is not just meaningless but is a cause for everlasting doom and destruction.

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَآ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
But those who reject and defy Our revelations will be inmates of Hellfire wherein they shall live forever. Al Baqarah: Verse 39

Now ask yourself this fundamental question, Who gave you Imaan? Who chose you to be from among the Believers?

كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ
Thus, Allah leaves to stray whom He wills and guides whom He pleases. Al Mudaththir: Verse 31
Who gets Imaan is solely the prerogative of Allah, alone, and none of the Prophets (AS), including the most beloved of them, Muhammed ﷺ had a choice in choosing who should be given Imaan.

إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِى مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
O Prophet, you cannot give guidance to whom you wish, it is Allah Who gives guidance to whom He pleases, and He is aware of those who are guided. Al Qasas: Verse 56

So this certainly proves to us that it is certainly none other than Allah who has granted us Imaan. So if a person manufactures a specific item which is most unique, extremely valuable and very rare and he is the only one who is able to make it, and he makes a very few of it and he chooses you to receive one, would you not be grateful to him for it?

Imaan is far more unique and valuable than this? Do you not think that we should than be grateful to Allah for the Imaan that He has granted us?