Hadith #5333

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all worlds. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), his purified progeny, and his noble companions.

In this profound Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), he states,

Allah, the Glorified, does not open the door of gratitude for anyone and then close the door of increase [in blessings].

This Hadith emphasizes the infinite mercy and generosity of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) towards His servants. Let us delve deeper into the words of this Hadith and explore its significance in light of the Quran.

The word (shukr) "شُكْرِ" in Arabic refers to gratitude or thankfulness. It is an essential quality that every Muslim should possess, as it is a means of drawing closer to Allah and attaining His blessings. Gratitude is not merely expressing thanks with words, but it is a state of the heart that manifests in actions and attitudes. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) encourages us to be grateful in numerous verses of the Quran, such as in Surah Ibrahim, verse 7:

And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.'

Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) highlights that when Allah opens the door of gratitude for someone, He does not close the door of increase. This means that when a person sincerely expresses gratitude to Allah for His blessings, Allah does not withhold His blessings from them. On the contrary, He continues to bestow His favors upon them and increases them in blessings.

This concept is beautifully illustrated in the Quran. In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 152, Allah says,

So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.

Here, Allah assures us that if we remember Him and express gratitude, He will remember us and increase us in His blessings. Similarly, in Surah Al-Nahl, verse 18, Allah says,

And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

This verse reminds us that the blessings of Allah are countless, and He is ever ready to bestow more upon those who are grateful.

The profound wisdom behind this Hadith is that gratitude is not a one-time act, but an ongoing state of being. It is a continuous cycle of recognizing and appreciating the blessings of Allah, which leads to an increase in those blessings. When we express gratitude for the blessings we have, we develop a positive mindset and attract more blessings into our lives. This is because gratitude opens our hearts to the recognition of Allah's favors, and when we acknowledge and appreciate them, Allah showers us with even more.

Moreover, this Hadith teaches us that gratitude is not limited to material blessings alone. It encompasses all aspects of our lives, including health, knowledge, family, and spiritual well-being. When we express gratitude for these blessings, we invite more goodness into our lives. Allah's mercy knows no bounds, and He is always ready to increase us in blessings when we are grateful.

In conclusion, the Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) reminds us of the importance of gratitude and its profound impact on our lives. It teaches us that when we express gratitude to Allah, He does not close the door of increase but continues to shower us with His blessings. Let us strive to cultivate an attitude of gratitude in our hearts and minds, recognizing and appreciating the countless blessings bestowed upon us by Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ). May Allah grant us the ability to be grateful and increase us in His blessings.