Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, in the US, is a very hyped-up event. There’s much marketing and advertising. There is the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, which is a great spectacle to watch even on TV. So much attention giving thanks on just that one day.

Yet, there is, a common tradition before digging into the food, of everyone taking turns going around the table and sharing with their family and friends what they are thankful for. And I feel that for millions of people, in that moment of reflection, they may be truly thankful for whatever it is they are thankful for. Could be their family, their health, the food, the new job, whatever.

But how many of those millions of people thank God, or thank God first? How many of those people by the time they are in their food induced couch comas watching football are even thinking about God at all?

For submitters EVERY DAY is Thanksgiving! Every day we are given another chance to redeem ourselves for the stupid and arrogant mistake of not siding solely with God when we were given the chance to do so eons ago.

[38:75] He said, “O Satan, what prevented you from prostrating before what I created with My hands? Are you too arrogant? Have you rebelled?”

[7:13] He said, “Therefore, you must go down, for you are not to be arrogant here. Get out; you are debased.”

[40:60] Your Lord says, “Implore Me, and I will respond to you. Surely, those who are too arrogant to worship Me will enter Gehenna, forcibly.”

So here we are. As submitters we know why we’re here. The significance of the mistake we made by not fully siding with God way back then cannot be overstated. And we have clear instructions throughout the Quran on how to get back to God.

One of those things is being constantly aware that God is running everything and that everything that happens in our lives was recorded before the creation (57:22-23) and no matter what test God has specifically designed for each and every one of us, no matter how difficult (Submitter or not), we still need to be thankful to God.

There are only 8 occurrences of the word thankful in the Quran.

[2:172] O you who believe, eat from the good things we provided for you, and be thankful to GOD, if you do worship Him alone.

[21:80] And we taught him the skill of making shields to protect you in war. Are you then thankful?

[32:9] He shaped him and blew into him from His spirit. And He gave you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brains; rarely are you thankful.

[36:35] This is to provide them with fruits, and to let them manufacture with their own hands whatever they need. Would they be thankful?

[40:61] GOD is the One who designed the night so you can rest in it, and the day lighted. GOD bestows many blessings upon the people, but most people are not thankful.

[56:68-70] Have you noted the water you drink? Did you send it down from the clouds, or did we? If we will, we can make it salty. You should be thankful.

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