Gratitude

Gratitude, Taqwa, and the Love of Allah

Taqwa is not just about avoiding sin—it is about living with a heart fully aware of Allah’s generosity, kindness, and support in every moment of our lives. It is about recognizing that He is Al-Razzaq, the One who provides; Al-Hamid, the One most deserving of all praise; and Ash-Shakoor, the One who appreciates and multiplies even our smallest acts of gratitude.

Allah’s love surrounds us in ways we often overlook. He blesses us, sustains us, and grants us both seen and unseen gifts. When we become conscious of these blessings, our hearts overflow with an overwhelming sense of appreciation. Allah Himself links worship to gratitude:

“So worship Allah and be grateful to Him.” (Qur’an 39:66)

Our purpose in life is to worship Him, and true worship is incomplete without gratitude. Ramadan is a time of deepening that connection—a month where we purify our hearts and cultivate taqwa. But for those who are unable to fast, it’s important to remember that you do not need to wait for absence in order to appreciate. Gratitude is not just about recognizing what we lack—it is about seeing the blessings present in our lives at every moment.

The most grateful person is not the one who only appreciates in hardship but the one who is grateful in both the presence and absence of things, in times of both ease and difficulty. Because true gratitude is a choice—one that transforms the soul. Allah tells us in the Qur’an:

“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor].” (Qur’an 14:7)

The more you thank Allah, the more your eyes will see the hidden, forgotten blessings in your life. Gratitude is not just about thanking Allah for what He has given, but also for who He is. It means thanking Him for the health of our children, our homes, our sustenance—for the big blessings and the small ones. But also for the things He withheld, or the mistakes He covered, for the paths He gently redirected us from, even when we desperately wanted them.

“If you were to count Allah’s blessings, you would not be able to enumerate them.” (Qur’an 16:18)

And what is the greatest blessing of all? Faith. The ability to know Him, to turn to Him, to be loved by Him. Without taqwa, there is no true relationship with Allah. And if there is no relationship with Allah, there is a void that we will try to fill with everything from this dunya that is not good for us—things that will only take us further from Him.

So this Ramadan, let gratitude be your act of worship. Whether you are fasting or not, allow your heart to be filled with appreciation for the kindness that has encompassed you since you were small—for the moments of joy, for the tests that strengthened you, and for the gift of knowing Allah. Because in that gratitude, you will find your way back to Him.