Islamic Teachings on Gratitude and Milad un Nabi

Islamic Teachings on Gratitude for Blessings and Mawlid al-Nabī ﷺ

Allah Almighty created humankind and granted them all kinds of blessings, small and large, apparent and hidden, physical and spiritual, religious and worldly. As Allah Almighty states: وَ اَسْبَغَ عَلَیْكُمْ نِعَمَهٗ ظَاهِرَةً وَّ بَاطِنَةًؕ- [1] Translation: “And He completed His apparent and concealed favours upon you?” He further states: [2] وَ مَا بِكُمْ مِّنْ نِّعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللّٰهِ Translation: “And whatever blessing you have, so it is from Allah,” In short, Allah Almighty's blessings upon mankind are so numerous that they cannot be counted. As Allah Almighty states: [3] وَ اِنْ تَعُدُّوْا نِعْمَتَ اللّٰهِ لَا تُحْصُوْهَاؕ- Translation: “And were you to count the blessings of Allah, you will not be able to enumerate them.”

Expressing gratitude for these countless blessings of Allah Almighty is one of the fundamental teachings of Islam, and it is also a means of attaining Allah Almighty's pleasure and favour. Allah Almighty loves those who express gratitude, whereas He dislikes those who are ungrateful. As Allah Almighty's glorious decree states: [4] وَ لَا یَرْضٰى لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَۚ- وَ اِنْ تَشْكُرُوْا یَرْضَهُ لَكُمْؕ- Translation: “And He is not pleased with ungratefulness for His people.  And if you express gratitude, He will like it for you.” This is why Allah Almighty commanded gratitude towards Him in several places in the Holy Quran and forbade ingratitude. At one place, it is stated: [5] وَ اشْكُرُوْا لِیْ وَ لَا تَكْفُرُوْنِ۠(۱۵۲) Translation: “And thank Me, and do not be ungrateful to me.”

It should be remembered that when Allah Almighty commands gratitude towards Him and forbids ingratitude, it is ultimately for the benefit and wellbeing of humankind itself. Allah Almighty states: [6] وَ مَنْ شَكَرَ فَاِنَّمَا یَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهٖۚ-وَ مَنْ كَفَرَ فَاِنَّ رَبِّیْ غَنِیٌّ كَرِیْمٌ(۴۰) Translation: “And Whosoever expresses gratitude, he only expresses gratitude for himself. And whosoever is ungrateful, then indeed my Lord is Infinitely Independent, Most Generous.” Gratitude leads to an increase in blessings, while ingratitude causes their loss. Allah Almighty states: [7] لَىٕنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَاَزِیْدَنَّكُمْ وَ لَىٕنْ كَفَرْتُمْ اِنَّ عَذَابِیْ لَشَدِیْدٌ(۷) Translation: “If you thank Me, then I shall most definitely grant you more, and if you are ungrateful, (than) indeed My punishment is severe.”

Among the countless blessings of Allah Almighty, one great favour is the noble personality of our beloved Master صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . As stated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī under this verse: [8] اَلَمْ تَرَ اِلَى الَّذِیْنَ بَدَّلُوْا نِعْمَتَ اللّٰهِ كُفْرًا Translation from Kanz-ul-Īmān: (Did you not look towards those who replaced the blessing of Allah with ungratefulness.): وَمُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نِعْمَةُ اللهِ, meaning Muhammad صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is a blessing of Allah Almighty.[9] The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  is such a blessing from Allah Almighty, who is the very essence of all blessings—the one who makes all blessings into blessings and delivers them to creation. Imam Aḥmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه states: The perfect Saints and practicing scholars explicitly state: From the beginning of time to eternity, across the heavens and the earth, in this world and the Hereafter, in religion and worldly life, in spirit and body, whether small or large, abundant  or scarce—every blessing and wealth anyone has received, is receiving, or will receive in the future has been, is being, and will always be distributed from the sacred court of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم .[10]

The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  is the magnificent and honoured blessing, about whom the Almighty stated: [11] لَقَدْ  مَنَّ  اللّٰهُ  عَلَى  الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ  اِذْ  بَعَثَ  فِیْهِمْ  رَسُوْلًا  مِّنْ  اَنْفُسِهِمْ  Translation: “Indeed, Allah bestowed a great favour upon the believers when He sent to them a Messenger from among them.”

Expressing gratitude for this favour of Allah Almighty, the noble Companions رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُم would hold Mawlid gatherings to commemorate the blessed advent of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . Thus, Sayyidunā Amīr MuꜤāwiyah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ states: Once, the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  came upon a circle of the noble Companions رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُم and asked: "Why are you sitting here?" They replied: "جَلَسْنَا نَذْكُرُ اللّٰهَ عَزَّوَجَلَّ،وَنَحْمَدُهُ عَلٰى مَا هَدَانَا لِلْاِسْلَامِ وَمَنَّ عَلَيْنَا بِكَ," meaning, "We are sitting here to remember Allah Almighty and to praise Him for guiding us to the religion of Islam and for bestowing His favour upon us by sending you." The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  asked: "Do you swear by this that you are sitting here for this very reason?" The noble Companions رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُم replied: "By Allah Almighty! We are sitting here for this very reason." The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  said:                               "اَتَانِيْ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَاَخْبَرَنِيْ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ عَزَّوَجَلَّ يُبَاهِي بِكُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ," meaning, "Jibrīl عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم  just came to me and informed me that Allah Almighty expresses His noble regard for you in the presence of the angels."[12] It is thus understood that the blessed arrival of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  is a great blessing of Allah Almighty, upon which He demonstrated His favour, and for which the noble Companions رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُم expressed gratitude.

The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  is a blessing from Allah, and the Almighty commands us to proclaim blessings, as He states: [13] وَ اَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ۠(۱۱) Translation: “And as for the blessing of your Lord, publicise it.” Similarly, the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  is also the grace and mercy of Allah Almighty. While commanding joy upon receiving His grace and mercy, Allah Almighty states: [14] قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللّٰهِ وَ بِرَحْمَتِهٖ فَبِذٰلِكَ فَلْیَفْرَحُوْاؕ- Translation: “Say, ‘Only with the Grace of Allah and His Mercy they should rejoice;’”

Remember! There are various ways to proclaim blessings and to express joy over favour and mercy. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم commemorated his birthday by fasting on Mondays.  When he was asked about fasting on this day, he stated: فِيْهِ وُلِدْتُ وَفِيْهِ اُنْزِلَ عَلَيَّ, meaning, 'On this day I was born, and on this day revelation was sent to me.'[15] Similarly, the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  celebrated his Mawlid by recounting the events of his birth, stating: 'I am the supplication of Ibrāhīm, the glad tidings of ꜤĪsā, and the vision my mother  saw when I was born_—a light shone from her through which the palaces of Syria shone brightly for her.'[16]

Devotees of the Holy Prophet also commemorate his birth sometimes by fasting, sometimes by narrating the blessed events of his birth, his virtues, excellences, and miracles in Mawlid gatherings; sometimes by decorating their homes, streets, and neighbourhoods; and sometimes by hoisting green flags; and sometimes by participating in Mawlid processions.