Sunday, November 18, 2007

Is Thanksgiving only just a Christian thing?

Bismillah Arrahman Arraheem

This is the question I pose. Is Thanksgiving only just a Christian thing? Is it uniquely so?
Is it only a Christian duty? A Christian deed? A dynamic and a distinctive in Christianity especially in America?

Just look up "thanks" in the Quranic software and in the Hadith software and I come up with plenty of search results.

"Al-Mulk" The Dominion 67:23 - "Say: 'It is He Who created you (and made you grow), and made you the faculties of hearing, seeing, feeling, and understanding: little thanks it is ye give."

Isn't that the truth? Many folks don't pray and thank God that they can see and that you can hear, feel, and have understanding. I pray and thanked God for these attributes and that's because many don't and they end up losing their ability to hear or see, or lose feeling and become apathetic and lose understanding, never realizing they need to thank God in prayer.

"Abu Sa'eed Khudari Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "After eating Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam read this du'aa:

"Alhamdulillaahil-ladhi at-amanaa wa-saqaa-naa wa-ja-a-lanaa muslimeen."

Translation: "Praise be to Allah who fed us, and gave us drink and made us muslims."
(Shamaa-il Tirmidhi)

The Prophet (SAW) gives thanks to God. Now is thanksgiving just a Christian idea? No.

Commentary from this Hadith:
"It is evident that after eating we must thank Allah and as stated in the Quran: '...if you give THANKS to Me I will increase for you. - Sura Ibrahim, 7."

"This is an opportunity for giving THANKS. The word 'made us muslims' is included because together with worldly favours, Allah has granted us spiritual favours by making us Muslims (one totally submitted to God). Or because in reality the offering of THANKS for eating and drinking (no alcohol) and also praising and thanking of Allah is the result of Islam. Therefore this too has been included."

It is also a Muslim thing as well.

Another one from Shamaa-il Tirmidhi.

"Abu Sa'eed Khudari (R.A.) says, "When Rasulullah (SAW) put on a new garment, he would in happiness mention that garment's name. For example, "Allah Ta'aala gave me this qamis (thowb, kurtah), 'amaanah (turban) sheet, etc.' Then recited this du'aa:

"Allahumma lakal hamdu kama kasauw-tanihi, as-aluka khayrahu wa-khayra ma-suni'a lahu wa-a'u-dhu bika min sharrihi wa sharri ma-suni'a lahu."

Translation:
"Oh Allah, all praise and THANKS to you for clothing me with this garment. I ask You for the good of it and the good of what it's made for, and I ask Your protection from the evil of it and the evil of what it is made for."

Folks, we are never thankful for the clothes we wear that protects from the cold or from heat.
"..what little thanks ye give." Sura 67:23.

"O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House; in order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular Prayer: so fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them, and feed them with fruits: so that they may give THANKS." Sura 14, Abraham (Ibrahim) 37. Emphasis mine.

My point is throughout is that Thanksgiving is not necessarily an exclusively Christian and an American holiday. Canadians observe it, too, just a month early. There is that possibility of 1.5 billion people from around the globe give thanks to God every chance they do. It would be a sight if we all pray and give thanks on Thanksgiving Day.

"We always thank God...." Colossians 1:3.
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Colossians 4:2.
"Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what he has done." Psalm 105:1.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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