Gratefulness and Its Advantages According to Quran
These reactions to others give one internal calm and peace. This peace and calm will be so much greater if one shows thankfulness to God.
Being grateful to God for His blessings is a human duty that helps one grow spiritually, among countless other advantages. God, of course, is infinite and does not need our gratefulness.
God says in verse 12 of Surah Luqman: “We gave wisdom to Lokman (saying): ‘Give thanks to Allah. He who gives thanks, thanks only for himself, but whosoever is ungrateful, surely, Allah is the Rich, the Praised.’”
Among the worldly benefits of being thankful for God’s blessings are increase in Rizq (sustenance), lasting blessings and being saved from losses and misfortunes. It has been emphasized in the Quran that “Remember when your Lord said to you, 'If you give thanks, I shall give you greater (favors), but if you deny the Truth, know that My retribution is severe.” (Surah Ibrahim, verse 7)
Being thankful is both in words and in deeds. It is uttering phrases or sentences like: “All praise belongs to God, Lord of the Universe.” (Surah Al-Fatiha, verse 2)
Being thankful and grateful in deeds means using the blessings that God has given us in a way that pleases God not using it to commit sins or do what is Haram.
Imam Ali (AS) says in this regard, “The least God, the Almighty, considers necessary for you to do is not use God’s blessings as means to commit sins and disobey God.”
