The literal meaning of gratitude is to acknowledge the favor, recognize the value and pay the reward of the benefactor. Contentment means being content with fate. In the terminological sense, contentment refers to being happy with the sustenance that is being given to man by Allah. Allah says:
لَينُ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ
Translation:
"If you express gratitude, I shall certainly give you more." (Surah Ibrahim: 7)
The Holy Prophet has said that he is a successful person who became a Muslim and got sustenance as much as he could afford. Allah gave him the ability to be content with what he gave. (Sahih Muslim: 1054) Contentment does not mean that a person should stop looking for resources, rather, he should keep trying and be satisfied with it after hard work. Gratitude and contentment are two such great qualities, by virtue of which a person can be close to his Lord and lead a happy life.
The Messenger of Allah said:
"And whoever finds something and mentions it, he is grateful for it, and whoever hides it, he is ungrateful." (Sunan Abi-Daud: 4814)
At another point, the Holy Prophet explained the reward of gratitude in these words:
"Being thankful to Allah after eating food has a reward equal to a person fasting patiently." (Jami at-Tirmidhi: 2486)
If a person is not contented and grateful for whatever he has got in his life, then he always remains busy in attaining more wealth and power which takes away his heart's contentment and day by day his health tends to deteriorate and comfort and peace leaves his life. The Holy Prophet was full of gratitude. There is a glimpse of different forms and methods of gratitude and contentment in the life of Prophet . Whenever he got a blessing by Allah, he immediately thanked Him by saying Alhamdulillah. Allah has blessed man with innumerable blessings. Every blessing that comes to a human being is only a gift from Allah Almighty and he should ponder over the blessings of this world. It is indeed the greatest blessing of Allah that He made us human beings and a Muslim, provided us a number of bounties like air, water, light and food to survive in this world. The bounties of Allah increases for the grateful ones.
The way to be thankful in life is that a person should look at those who are lower than him in terms of wealth, beauty, sustenance and blessings so that he may find out that his Lord has blessed him far more than a lot of people. These are the feelings that make a person grateful, thankfulness and contentment gives peace in worship, otherwise a person runs after life's unlimited and luxurious goods and gives himself away. We should be grateful to our Creator and Owner as well as our benefactors and benevolent friends. Because the Messenger of Allah (s) said:
"He who did not thank people, he also did not thank Allah." (Jami at-Tirmidhi: 1955)
The best way to thank people is to say "" in response to their goodness and courtesy.
The Messenger of Allah said:
"The person to whom a good thing is done and he says (May Allah reward you better) to the one who did good, he has fully appreciated it."
