Cultivating Gratitude for the Religion After the First Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah

With the convergence of the acts of worship during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah — days in which gratitude to the Creator, Glorified and Exalted, reaches its fullest expression — Allah, the Most High, bestowed upon His servants the perfection of His bounty through the completion of the religion and the perfection of His favor: “Today I have perfected for you your religion, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen Islam as your religion” (5:3). The servant, therefore, celebrates this divine gift through gratitude to Allah.

With the completion of the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, a new stage begins in the servant’s spiritual journey. Its aim is to attain the highest degree of gratitude to Allah for the blessing of this religion. This is achieved by making gratitude for Islam the foundation of one’s understanding of servitude, transforming it from what may be perceived as a burden of obligation into a gracious gift and a mark of divine honor. Allah says: “Indeed, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most God-conscious of you” (49:13).

From this perspective, servants come to view the religion as an honor bestowed upon them by Allah and a favor graciously granted to them, as indicated in the verse: “And I have completed My favor upon you” (5:3).

Among the means by which a servant can deepen this understanding of religion — an understanding grounded in and directed by gratitude to Allah — are strengthening certainty in Allah, cultivating greater trust in Him, and attaining a proper balance between mercy toward the believers and dignity in the face of disbelief.

Certainty in Allah

Certainty (yaqīn) is the bridge that leads to the pinnacle of gratitude. If faith were likened to a building, certainty would be the force that holds its structure together. The stronger one’s certainty becomes, the more firmly that structure stands. It does not collapse under pressure, temptation, doubt, or calamity; rather, it remains steadfast until the heart attains tranquility and contentment.

For this reason, Imam al-Junayd defined certainty as the stability of knowledge that neither changes nor wavers. This includes certainty in Allah’s mercy, certainty in His justice, and certainty in His wisdom. The fruit of such knowledge is contentment with Allah’s decree, as expressed in the Prophet’s supplication: “Your judgment concerning me is always carried out, and Your decree concerning me is just.”

The more deeply this knowledge takes root in the heart, the more profoundly it shapes one’s understanding of life and perception of every event and circumstance.

Manifestations of Certainty

When Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon him, was commanded to sacrifice his son Ismael, he perceived mercy within that command, despite its outward appearance as a tremendous trial. Hidden within that test were immense blessings: Ismael became a prophet and messenger; from his descendants came the Master of Creation, Allah bless him and grant him peace; Ibrahim was elevated to the station of intimate friendship with Allah; and Allah honored him by taking him as His Khalīl (close friend).

The Day of Badr appeared outwardly as a tremendous trial, yet within it lay the mercy of the Day of Distinction (Yawm al-Furqān), the victory of the believers, the triumph of truth, and the defeat of falsehood.

Likewise, the Day of Uhud was a severe trial, yet within it was the mercy of learning the conditions for attaining Allah’s pleasure: responding wholeheartedly to Allah and His Messenger and correcting one’s understanding of striving in the path of Allah. Allah says:“And that He may take from among you martyrs” (3:140).

The Battle of the Confederates (al-Ahzāb) was also a tremendous hardship, yet it contained the mercy of revealing the meaning of true faithfulness and distinguishing the sincere believers from others. Allah says: “Among the believers are men who have been true to what they pledged to Allah” (33:23).

Similarly, when Musa and Harun, peace be upon them, were commanded to confront the tyrant Pharaoh, they faced the hardship of standing before oppression and tyranny. Yet within that hardship was the mercy of realizing Allah’s companionship, support, and protection that accompany the believer wherever they may be. Allah says: “Do not fear; indeed, I am with you both. I hear and I see” (20:46).

These examples illustrate a profound reality: certainty enables a servant to perceive the mercy, wisdom, and divine favor concealed within trials and hardships.

The Fruit of Certainty: Humble Submission (Ikhbāt)

The fruit of such certainty is ikhbāt — humble submission, serenity, and complete surrender before Allah. It is a comprehensive spiritual state that encompasses the qualities of gratitude and through which a servant becomes truly thankful. Allah says: “And give glad tidings to the humble and submissive: those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned, those who are patient over whatever befalls them, those who establish prayer, and those who spend from what We have provided them” (22:34–35).

In these verses, Allah describes the people of ikhbāt through four distinguishing qualities:

1. A heart that trembles at the remembrance of Allah, reflecting gratitude for His lordship and divinity

2. Patience in the face of trials, reflecting gratitude through steadfast servitude

3. Establishing prayer, the greatest manifestation of gratitude and perseverance in worship, and

4. Spending from what Allah has provided, demonstrating the sincerity of gratitude and serving as a means of strengthening certainty itself.

These qualities illustrate how certainty blossoms into gratitude and how gratitude matures into complete servitude to Allah. They also demonstrate that true gratitude is not merely a feeling of appreciation, but a comprehensive state of the heart that manifests itself through worship, patience, humility, and generosity.

Balance Between Mercy Toward Believers and Dignity Toward Disbelievers

As for balancing mercy toward believers with dignity toward disbelievers, it is among the fruits of sincere faith and gratitude for the blessing of Islam. Allah describes those whom He loves and who love Him with this characteristic, saying: “Allah will bring forth a people whom He loves and who love Him, humble toward the believers and dignified toward the disbelievers” (5:54). Likewise, Allah describes the Prophet Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his Companions: “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those with him are firm against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves” (48:29).

These two qualities reflect a heart firmly attached to Allah and grateful for the blessing of guidance. Mercy toward believers arises from gratitude for the bond of faith that unites them, while dignity toward disbelievers stems from deriving honor through Allah (swt) alone and remaining steadfast upon His guidance.

Mercy toward believers is an expression of gratitude for the bond of faith that unites them regardless of lineage, race, language, or homeland. They come from every distant land, yet each believer feels affection for another because of the faith that joins them and the shared goal they seek: the pleasure of Allah and the hope of meeting Him in the Gardens of Bliss. 

Thus, believers love one another for Allah’s sake, irrespective of status, wealth, or social standing. Hajj serves as a powerful reminder of the greatness of this bond of faith. It establishes a brotherhood that transcends worldly boundaries, extends into eternity, and does not end with the end of earthly life.

When a servant looks upon a believing brother or sister with love, respect, and sincere concern, striving for what benefits them and avoiding what harms them, they do not know whether that believer may one day become a means of salvation for them on the Day of Judgment. Perhaps that believer will attain a sound heart and thereby earn Allah’s pleasure, while another may fall short of that rank during worldly life.

Then, on the Day of Judgment, a believer may find that one of their brothers is absent from the ranks of the saved. Out of love and concern, they will plead with Allah on their behalf, as mentioned in the Hadith: “When Allah has delivered the believers from the Fire and they have become safe, none of them will argue more passionately on behalf of a companion concerning a right in this world than the believers will argue with their Lord concerning their brothers who were admitted into the Fire. They will say: ‘Our Lord, our brothers used to pray with us, fast with us, and perform Hajj with us, yet You admitted them into the Fire.’ Allah will say: ‘Go and bring out those whom you recognize among them.’ They will come to them and recognize them by their features, for the Fire will not consume their faces. Some will have been touched by the Fire up to the middle of their shins, and others up to their ankles. Then they will bring them out.”

This profound intercession demonstrates the enduring nature of the bond of faith and the mercy that believers show one another, both in this world and in the Hereafter.

As for dignity toward disbelievers, it is a manifestation of steadfastness upon truth and honor through Allah alone. It does not imply injustice, harshness, or hostility. Rather, it means that a believer derives honor from faith, remains firm upon divine guidance, and does not compromise religious principles in pursuit of worldly approval.

At the same time, Islam commands justice, fairness, and good conduct toward all people. Thus, dignity is balanced with upright character and equitable treatment, guided by the Qur’anic principle: “For you is your religion, and for me is mine” (109:6).

In this way, the believer combines mercy toward the people of faith with principled dignity toward those who do not share that faith, seeking Allah’s pleasure in both relationships and remaining grateful for the blessing of guidance.