The most deserving of your gratitude is the one who does not...

The most deserving of your gratitude is the one who does not prevent you from acquiring more. 15ـ أحقُّ مَنْ شَكَرْتَ مَنْ لايَمْنَعُ مَزيدَكَ. The first thing that is incumbent upon you with regards to Allah, the Glorified, is being grateful for His blessings and seeking His pleasure. 16ـ أوَّلُ ما يَجِبُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِلّهِ سُبْحانَهُ شُكْرُ أياديِهِ، وابْتِغاءُ مَراضيهِ.

The most effective thing that makes a blessing last longer is gratitude and the greatest thing by which tribulations are overcome is patience. 17ـ أبْلَغُ ما تُسْتَمَدُّ بِهِ النِّعْمَةُ الشُّكْرُ، وأعْظَمُ ما تَمَحَّصَ بِهِ المِحْنَةُ الصَّبْرُ. The most deserving of people for an increase in blessing is the most grateful of them for what he has been granted of it. 18ـ أحَقُّ النّاسِ بِزيادَةِ النِّعْمَةِ، أشْكَرُهُمْ لِما أُعْطِيَ مِنْها.

The most beloved of people to Allah, the Glorified, is the one who deals gratefully with the blessings that have been bestowed upon him and the most hated of them to Him is the one who deals ungratefully with His blessings. 19ـ أحَبُّ النّاسِ إلَى اللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ العامِلُ فيما أنْعَمَ بِهِ عَلَيْهِ بِالشُّكْرِ، وَأبْغَضُهُمْ إلَيْهِ اَلعامِلُ في نِعَمِهِ بِكُفْرِها. No one acquires gratitude except by giving [generously] from his wealth. 20ـ لايَحُوزُ الشُّكْرَ إلاّ مَنْ بَذَلَ مالَهُ.

Verily in every blessing there is a right of gratitude to Allah, the Most High, so whoever fulfils it, He increases it for him and whoever does not do so risks losing his blessing. 21ـ إنَّ لِلّهِ تعالى في كُلِّ نِعْمَة حَقّاً مِنَ الشُّكْرِ، فَمَنْ أدّاهُ زادَهُ مِنْها، وَمَنْ قَصَّرَ عَنْهُ خاطَرَ بِزَوالِ نِعْمَتِهِ. Verily the servant is [always] between blessing and sin, [and] nothing rectifies [or improves] them except repentance and gratitude.

22ـ إنَّ العَبْدَ بَيْنَ نِعْمَة وذَنْب لايُصْلِحُهُما إلاّ الاِسْتِغْفارُ وَالشُّكْرُ. Gratitude is [a means of] increment. 23ـ اَلشُّكْرُ زيادَةٌ. Gratitude is obligatory. 24ـ اَلشُّكْرُ مَفْرُوضٌ. Gratitude is advantageous. 25ـ اَلشُّكْرُ مَغْنَمٌ. Gratitude causes blessings to flow forth abundantly. 26ـ اَلشُّكْرُ يُدِرُّ(بَذْرُ) النِّعَمَ. Gratitude is an embellishment for blessing[s]. 27 ـ اَلشُّكْرُ زينَةٌ لِلنَّعْماءِ. Gratitude is the fortress of blessings.

28ـ اَلشُّكْرُ حِصْنُ النِّعَمِ. Showing [one’s] affluence is from [the ways of showing] gratitude.[^1] 29ـ إظْهارُ الْغِنى مِنَ الشُّكْرِ. Gratitude is the interpreter of intention and the tongue of [one’s inner] conscience.