Gratitude and Happiness
I'd not be wrong if I claim that everyone on this planet (at least) wants to be happy. Happiness is the state of being happy and gratitude is the quality of being thankful. That is the definition of happiness and gratitude according to The Oxford Dictionary. On the contrary we find in the teachings of Islam that gratitude is a way of life. Imam Ibn Taimmiya الله رحمه writes in his book Jamia' Al-Masaail, that religion (of Islam) comprises of two things. Half of it is Sabr (roughly translated as patience) and half of it is Shukr (again roughly translated as gratitude). It is commonly mistaken that happy people are grateful. Many a times we see millionaires and billionaires making headlines reveling that they are going through a therapy due to depression or sometimes it being a cause of their death. Allah says in His kalaam: وأذ تأذن ربكم لأن شكرتم لأزيدنكم ولأن كفرتم أن عذابي لشديد "And remember! your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): "If you are ...