The Danger of Becoming Accustomed to Blessings and Failing to Give Thanks (Khutbah)

The Danger of Becoming Accustomed to Blessings and Failing to Give Thanks for Them Praise be to Allah, the Sovereign, the Reckoning One, the Mighty, the Merciful, whose sovereignty does not cease, whose authority does not weaken, and nothing on earth or in heaven is beyond His power. To Him belong creation and command. He, the Possessor of grace and bestowal, sends blessings upon His servants. We praise Him for what He has guided us to and sufficed us with, and we thank Him for what He has given us and bestowed upon us. And I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner; the servants have not known Him as He deserves to be known, nor have they measured Him as He deserves to be measured. So those who disbelieved have disbelieved in Him, and those who disobeyed have disobeyed Him, and those who fell short in His obedience have fallen short. And had they known His greatness, exalted is He, their hearts would have been filled with awe of Him, reverence, love, and exaltation. And had they known His power, exalted is He, their hearts would not have attached themselves to other than Him. But He, exalted is He, is more merciful to the servants than their parents are to them. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. May Allah send prayers, peace, and blessings upon him, upon his family, his companions, and his followers with excellence until the Day of Judgment. As for what follows: Fear Allah, the Most High, and obey Him, and thank Him for His blessings, for indeed the gratitude for them increases them, just as ingratitude towards them deprives them. And [remember] when your Lord declared: "If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny [My grace], My punishment will surely be severe" [Ibrahim: 7]. "My story for you is about a man who was living in comfort and ease, with abundant provision, health in his body, and security for his family and children, with blessings surrounding him from every side. And one day, while he was with some of his companions, they spoke about Allah's blessings upon them. So one of them said: We are in a crowd of blessings. So this man turned to him and said: Give us some of this crowd of blessings that you have, for we do not see a crowd of blessings with us! And the days passed, and lo, the decrees came upon him in succession in a wondrous manner. It was not but a short time until one of his sons was exposed to a terrifying accident that ended in paralysis that left him unable to move. And he had barely recovered from the shock of his son's condition when another calamity befell him; for his wife was struck with cancer. Then the blows came one after another; he lost his business and his money, debts accumulated upon him, and his works were halted, until the paths narrowed for him, his services were suspended, and he went from abundance to straitness, and from wealth to need. Until it became that whenever he emerged from one affliction, he entered into another. So his uncle came to him one day, having seen what had befallen him of calamities, and said to him: My son, examine yourself, and search in your relationship with your Lord, for no affliction descends except by a sin, and it is not lifted except by repentance. So he remembered that word that had come from him the day he said to his companion: Give us some of the crowd of blessings, for we do not see a crowd of blessings with us. So he knew at that moment that a servant may live among Allah's blessings until he becomes accustomed to them, and he does not feel their value except when he loses them. For health is a blessing, and security is a blessing, and a wife is a blessing, and children are a blessing, and wealth is a blessing, and well-being is a blessing, and being veiled [from disgrace] is a blessing, and the continuation of these blessings is the greatest of blessings. And Allah has spoken the truth: "And if you should count the favor of Allah, you could not enumerate them" [An-Nahl: 18]. And the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, spoke the truth when he said: "Whoever among you wakes up in the morning safe in his dwelling, healthy in his body, with the provision of his day, it is as if the world has been gathered for him in its entirety." Yes, all of creation is in a crowd of blessings. Blessings that, even if various afflictions strike you, look at how many blessings remain for you that are innumerable, and whose value is hidden due to their constant presence. So one of us opens his eyes and sees only what is lacking, and forgets that he rose from his sleep and his soul was returned to him, and he was granted respite in his term, and he was healed in his body, and he was secure in his dwelling, and his family and his wealth were preserved for him. So how many a person today desires a blessing that you are in, and weeps over a well-being in whose garments you are draped! O beloved ones, if a blessing were taken from you, you would know its value. But among the greatest of afflictions is that a person lives among seas of blessings and sees only a missing drop. So thank Allah before the blessing becomes a memory, and always remember that among the greatest of blessings that people neglect is that Allah has not lifted His blessings from them despite their much falling short, and He has not cut off His favor from them despite their great negligence. They confront Him with sins, and He overwhelms them with blessings. They meet Him with heedlessness, and He meets them with forbearance, veiling, and kindness. So O you whom worries have weighed down, look at what remains, not at what was lost. And O you whom what was lost has occupied from what exists, remember that Allah has upon you in every moment a blessing that, if you lost it, you would know that what you were complaining of was nothing compared to it. "And if you should count the favor of Allah, you could not enumerate them" [An-Nahl: 18]. So that which cannot be counted cannot be denied, and that which cannot be enumerated cannot be rejected. So thank Allah for what you are in, for when blessings are given thanks for, they settle, and when they are denied, they depart. O Muslims, among the abandonment of the servant is his forgetting of the blessings of Allah, the Most High, either because of denying them, or because of becoming accustomed to them and habituated to them. And among His guidance for him in this world and the Hereafter is the remembrance of the blessings of Allah, the Most High, upon him in all his times and conditions; in his hardship and ease, in his joy and sorrow, in his leisure and busyness, and in his youth and old age; for the blessings of Allah, the Most High, encompass the servant in all stages of his life, and the remembrance of them leads to their gratitude... So when he looks upon a calamity greater than his own calamity, his calamity becomes light to him, and by this he lives with a contented eye, alternating between gratitude and patience as he alternates between prosperity and adversity, and his heart is filled with contentment with his Lord, Glory be to Him, in all his conditions. And there is no affliction in this matter more severe than the forgetting of blessings; rather, one may think that the past and present blessings are his due... And the truth is that every blessing the servant has attained is from the pure grace of Allah, the Most High, upon him, and the servant does not deserve it were it not for the mercy of Allah, the Most High, toward him, and His pardon of his injustice and disobedience... So the disbelievers of Mecca, when they became accustomed to the blessings of their Lord, Glory be to Him, did not look upon them to give thanks for them, but rather they thought that they were blessings they were entitled to, and their assumption thereof led them to disbelief in them. And Allah reminded them of His making them accustomed to the blessings: "For the accustomedness of Quraysh, their accustomedness to the journey of winter and summer, so let them worship the Lord of this House, who has fed them from hunger and made them safe from fear" [Quraysh: 1-4]... So Quraysh became accustomed to the journey of winter to Yemen and the journey of summer to the Levant; to bring goods to Mecca... And they forgot that their guidance to these two journeys, and the facilitation thereof, and the protection thereof, is the pure grace of Allah, the Most High, upon them, especially since their commercial caravans are saved from being raided and stolen from... But their accustomedness to them made them forget the blessing of Allah upon them through them; and therefore, when He, Glory be to Him, reminded them of these two journeys, He commanded them to worship Him alone, having no partner... As He reminded them once more, after commanding them to worship Him, that He made them safe from famines, and made them safe from fears; for what was established in the souls of the Arabs of their sanctity; because they are the inhabitants of the Sanctuary and the maintainers of the Ka'bah... And by what He inspired in people to bring provisions to them from the neighboring regions, such as the lands of Abyssinia... And He turned back the tribes so that no one would raid their land. He, the Most High, said: "Have they not seen that We have made it a secure sanctuary, while people are seized from around them? Do they then believe in falsehood and disbelieve in the blessing of Allah?" [al-'Ankabut: 67], and that granted them awe in the souls of people and compassion from them. This divine reminder to the disbelievers of Quraysh regarding the blessings they have grown accustomed to obligates us, as we read the Qur'an and the Surah of Quraysh passes before us many times, to reflect upon the blessings we have grown accustomed to, so that we do not assume they are our right by virtue of our familiarity with them, and so that we may remember them and fulfill the gratitude owed to them... There is a silent, dangerous disease, one of the most severe of diseases, whose features you cannot see and whose symptoms you do not feel; once it has taken hold of you, it will harm you greatly. It is the disease of "becoming accustomed to the blessing." And it has four manifestations: that you grow accustomed to the blessings of Allah upon you as though they are not blessings, and you lose the feeling of them, as though they are an acquired right; and that you grow accustomed to entering your home and finding your family well and in the best of conditions, yet you do not praise Allah; and that you go shopping, buy what you want, and return to your home without the slightest feeling of gratitude toward the Bestower and thanks to Him; and that you wake up every day in safety and good health without praising Allah. So beware: for in these states you are in danger. If you have grown accustomed to the blessing, then if you are eating, there are those who spent the night hungry, so praise Allah. And if you enter your home and Allah has blessed you with protection and affection, with the presence of a mother or a father or a wife and children in good health and fine condition, then praise Allah and thank Him abundantly. And when you are asked about your condition, do not say: "Nothing new," for you are in many blessings that you cannot count, which Allah has renewed for you on this day of yours, and it is obligatory upon you to praise and thank Him, while others have been deprived of them on that day of theirs. How many a person who was safe has become fearful, and how many a healthy person has become ill, and how many a worker has become unemployed, and how many a rich person has become needy, and how many a sighted person has become blind, and how many a mobile person has become incapacitated. And all those blessings have been renewed for you, so say: "Praise be to Allah for what He has given and preserved," in word and deed. Ibn al-Qayyim says: "Nothing is more harmful to the servant than his weariness with the blessings of Allah, for he does not see them as blessings, nor does he thank Him for them, nor does he rejoice in them." O servants of Allah, how much have we lost because of a habit we grew accustomed to, or a harmful pleasure we repeated, or a dear one whose worth we did not know until after his departure, or a blessing we forgot and thus despised? O you who believe, this abundance of small and great blessings in which our generations enjoy themselves obligates us, as parents and guardians, to plant in their hearts the importance of gratitude to Allah and thankfulness. And know that the manifest and hidden blessings of Allah upon His servants are too numerous to count: "And whatever blessing you have, it is from Allah" [An-Nahl: 53]. And among the greatest of blessings is the blessing of Islam and the completion of the religion, for through it comes the rectification of this world and the Hereafter. For this reason, among his supplications, peace and blessings be upon him, was: "And do not make our affliction in our religion"; narrated by al-Tirmidhi. And among the blessings upon us are the blessings of safety from fear and provision from hunger, and no one knows the worth of these two blessings except one who has lost them. O Muslims, all the blessings, Allah has bestowed them upon whom He wills and withheld them, by His wisdom, from whom He wills. O servants of Allah, and among the causes of the permanence of blessings is supplicating to Allah to preserve them. He, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the loss of Your blessing, the change of Your well-being, the suddenness of Your punishment, and all of Your anger"; narrated by Muslim. And know, O servant of Allah, that gratitude to Allah is that your entire life proceeds in accordance with the will of Allah and His Messenger, so that you do not hear except what pleases Allah, and you do not see except what He loves, and you do not speak except what brings you closer to Him. And gratitude is word and deed. Have you not heard His, exalted is He, saying: "O family of David, work in gratitude, and few of My servants are grateful" [Saba': 13]. O you who believe, the loss of a blessing is not limited to its departure, for the form of the blessing may remain while its blessing departs, and wealth may remain while its happiness departs, and health may remain while its benefit departs, and safety may remain outwardly while tranquility is lost from the hearts. O you who believe, among the greatest of blessings in which many people are shortchanged is the blessing of well-being. He, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Ask Allah for pardon and well-being"; narrated by al-Tirmidhi. O servants of Allah, indeed the punishment may descend after heedlessness and self-deception, and if blessings are feared to be taken away, and well-being is feared to be transformed, then the greatest thing a believer fears is that Allah becomes angry with him. He, the Exalted, said: "And whoever earns My wrath has certainly perished" [Ta-Ha: 81]. So whoever Allah is pleased with has succeeded, even if his worldly life is little, and whoever Allah is angry with has lost, even if the entirety of the world were gathered for him. So guard the blessings of Allah through gratitude, and persist in His well-being through obedience, and adhere to the door of seeking forgiveness, and increase in asking for steadfastness, for the blessing is bound by gratitude... O Allah, we seek refuge in You from the loss of Your blessing, the transformation of Your well-being, the suddenness of Your punishment, and all of Your wrath.

خطر إلف النعم وعدم شكرها الحمد لله الملك الديَّان، العزيز الرحمن، الذي لا يزول ملكه، ولا يضعف سلطانه، ولا يعجزه شيء في الأرض ولا في السماء، له الخلق والأمر، ذِي الْمَنِّ وَالْعَطَاء يُوَالِي عَلَى عِبَاده النَّعْمَاء، نَحْمَدُهُ عَلَى مَا هَدَانا وَكَفَانا، وَنَشْكُرُهُ عَلَى مَا أَعْطَانا وَأَوْلَانا، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ؛ مَا عَرَفَهُ الْعِبَادُ حَقَّ مَعْرِفَتِهِ ، وَلَمْ يَقْدُرُوهُ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ؛ فَكَفَرَ بِهِ مَنْ كَفَرَ، وَعَصَاهُ مَنْ عَصَى، وَقَصَّرَ فِي طَاعَتِهِ مَنْ قَصَّرَ، وَلَوْ عَرَفُوا عَظَمَتَهُ سُبْحَانَهُ لَمُلِئَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ؛ هَيْبَةً لَهُ وَإِجْلَالًا وَمَحَبَّةً وَتَعْظِيمًا، وَلَوْ عَلِمُوا قُدْرَتَهُ سُبْحَانَهُ لَمَا تَعَلَّقَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِغَيْرِهِ ، وَلَكِنَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ أَرْحَمُ بِالْعِبَادِ مِنْ رَحْمَةِ وَالِدِيهِمْ بِهِمْ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ، صَلَّى اللَّهُ وَسَلَّمَ وَبَارَكَ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ وَأَتْبَاعِهِ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ: فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ تَعَالَى وَأَطِيعُوهُ، وَاشْكُرُوهُ عَلَى نِعَمِهِ؛ فَإِنَّ شُكْرَها يَزِيدُها، كَما أَنَّ كُفْرَها يَسْلُبُها ﴿ وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ ﴾ [إبراهيم: 7]. "قصتي لكم عن رجلٍ كان يعيش في رغدٍ من العيش ، وواسعٍ من الرزق، صحةٍ في البدن، وأمنٍ في الأهل والولد، تحيط به النعم من كل جانب.. وفي يومٍ من الأيام وهو مع بعض أصحابه، فتحدَّثوا عن نعم الله عليهم، فقال أحدهم : نحن في زحامٍ من النعم.. فالتفت هذا الرجل إليه وقال: أعطِنا من هذا الزحام الذي عندك، فنحن لا نرى عندنا زحامًا من النعم! ومضت الأيام ، وإذا بالأقدار تتتابع عليه تتابعًا عجيبًا؛ فما هي إلا مدة يسيرة حتى تعرَّض أحد أبنائه لحادثٍ مروِّع، انتهى به إلى شَللٍ أقعده عن الحركة.. ولم يكد يفيق من صدمة ابنه حتى نزلت به مصيبة أخرى؛ إذ أُصيبت زوجته بمرض السرطان، ثم توالت الضربات ؛ فخسر تجارته وأمواله، وتراكمت عليه الديون، وتعَطَّلت أعماله، حتى ضاقت به السُّبُل، وأُوقفت خدماته، وأصبح بعد السعة في ضيق ، وبعد الغنى في حاجة.. حتى صار كلما خرج من بلاء دخل في آخر.. فجاءه عمُّه يومًا وقد رأى ما نزل به من المصائب، فقال له: يا بني، راجع نفسك، وفتِّش في علاقتك بربِّك، فما نزل بلاء إلا بذنب ، ولا رُفع إلا بتوبة.. فتذكر تلك الكلمة التي خرجت منه يوم قال لصاحبه: أعطِنا من زحام النعم ، فنحن لا نرى عندنا زحامًا من النعم.. فعلم حينها أن العبد قد يعيش بين نعم الله حتى يألفها، فلا يشعر بقيمتها إلا إذا فقدها؛ فالصحة نعمة ، والأمن نعمة، والزوجة نعمة، والأولاد نعمة، والمال نعمة، والعافية نعمة، والسَّتر نعمة، واستمرار هذه النعم أعظم نعمة.. وصدق الله : ﴿ وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ﴾ [النحل: 18]، وصدق النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم حين قال: «من أصبح منكم آمِنًا في سِرْبه، معافًى في جسده، عنده قوت يومه، فكأنما حيزت له الدنيا بحذافيرها». نعم فجميع الخلق في زحام من النِّعَم؛ نِعَمٌ وإن أصابتك أنواع البلايا فانظر كم بقي لك من النعم التي لا تحصى، وخفي قدرها لدوام وجودها.. ف أحدُنا يفتح عينيه فلا يرى إلا ما ينقصه، وينسى أنه قام من نومه وقد رُدَّت إليه روحه، وأُمهل في أجله، وعوفي في بدنه، وأُمن في سِرْبه، وأُبقي له أهله وماله.. فكم من إنسانٍ يتمنَّى اليوم نعمةً أنت فيها، ويبكي على عافيةٍ ترفل أنت في أثوابها! أيها الأحبة ، لو سُلِبت منك نعمة لعرفت قدرها، ولكن من أعظم البلاء أن يعيش الإنسان بين بحار النعم فلا يرى إلا قطرةً مفقودة.. فاشكروا الله قبل أن تتحول النعمة إلى ذكرى، واذكروا دائمًا أن من أعظم النعم التي يغفل عنها الناس: أن الله لم يرفع عنهم نعمه مع كثرة تقصيرهم، ولم يقطع عنهم فضله مع عظيم تفريطهم؛ يبارزونه بالذنوب ، ويغمرهم بالنعم، ويقابلونه بالغفلة، ويقابلهم بالحلم والستر والإحسان... فيا من أثقلته الهموم ، انظر إلى ما بقي لا إلى ما فُقد، ويا من شغله المفقود عن الموجود، تذكر أن لله عليك في كل لحظةٍ نعمةً لو فقدتها لعلمت أن ما كنت تشكو منه لم يكن شيئًا أمامها ﴿ وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ﴾ [النحل: 18]، فما لا يُحصى لا يُكفَر ، وما لا يُعد لا يُجحد، فاشكروا الله على ما أنتم فيه فإن النعم إذا شُكرت قرَّت، وإذا كُفرت فرَّت. أَيُّهَا الْمُسْلِمُونَ ، مِنَ الْخِذْلَانِ لِلْعَبْدِ نِسْيَانُهُ نِعَمَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى بِسَبَبِ جَحْدِها، أَوْ بِسَبَبِ إِلْفِها وَاعْتِيادِها. وَمِنَ التَّوْفِيقِ لَهُ فِي الْعَاجِلَةِ وَالْآجِلَةِ تَذَكُّرُ نِعَمِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ فِي كُلِّ أَحْيَانِهِ وَأَحْوَالِهِ؛ فِي عُسْرِهِ وَيُسْرِهِ، وفَرَحِهِ وَتَرَحِهِ، وَفِي فَرَاغِهِ وَشُغْلِهِ، وَفِي شَبَابِهِ وَهَرَمِهِ؛ فَإِنَّ نِعَمَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى تُحِيطُ بِالْعَبْدِ فِي كُلِّ مَرَاحِلِ عُمْرِهِ، وَإِنَّ تَذَكُّرَها يَقُودُ إِلَى شُكْرِهَا،... فَإِذَا نَظَرَ إِلَى مُصَابٍ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ مُصَابِهِ هَانَ عَلَيْهِ مُصَابُهُ، وَبِهَذَا يَعِيشُ قَرِيرَ الْعَيْنِ، يَتَقَلَّبُ بَيْنَ الشُّكْرِ وَالصَّبْرِ مع تَقَلُّبهُ بَيْنَ السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ، وَقَلْبُهُ مَمْلُوءٌ بِالرِّضَا عَنْ رَبِّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ فِي كُلِّ أَحْوَالِهِ. وَلَا آفَةَ فِي هَذَا الْبَابِ أَشَدُّ مِنْ نِسْيَانِ النِّعَمِ ، بَلْ قَدْ يَظُنُّ أَنَّ النِّعَمَ الْمَاضِيَةَ وَالْحَاضِرَةَ هِيَ مُسْتَحَقَّةٌ لَهُ.. وَالْحَقِيقَةُ أَنَّ كُلَّ نِعْمَةٍ نَالَهَا الْعَبْدُ فَهِيَ مِنْ مَحْضِ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ، وَلَا يَسْتَحِقُّهَا العَبْدُ لَوْلَا رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى بِهِ، وَعَفْوُهُ عَنْ ظُلْمِهِ وَعِصْيَانِهِ،... فَكُفَّارُ مَكَّةَ لَمَّا أَلِفُوا نِعَمَ رَبِّهِمْ سُبْحَانَهُ لَمْ يَنْظُرُوا إِلَيْهَا فَيَشْكُرُوها، بَلْ ظَنُّوا أَنَّهَا نِعَمٌ مُسْتَحَقَّةٌ لَهُمْ، فَأَدَّى بِهِمْ ظَنُّهُمْ هَذَا إِلَى كُفْرِهَا، وَقَدْ ذَكَّرَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِإِيْلَافِهِمْ لِلنِّعَمِ ﴿ لِإِيلَافِ قُرَيْشٍ * إِيلَافِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاءِ وَالصَّيْفِ * فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَذَا الْبَيْتِ * الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُمْ مِنْ جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُمْ مِنْ خَوْفٍ ﴾ [قريش: 1 - 4]... فَأَلِفَتْ قُرَيْشٌ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاءِ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ، ورِحْلَةَ الصَّيْفِ إِلَى الشَّامِ؛ لِجَلْبِ الْبَضَائِعِ إِلَى مَكَّةَ،.. وَنَسِيَتْ أَنَّ هِدَايَتَهُمْ لِهَاتَيْنِ الرِّحْلَتَيْنِ وَتَيْسِيرَهما وَحِفْظَهما هُوَ مَحْضُ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِمْ، وَلَا سِيَّما أَنَّ قَوَافِلَهُمُ التِّجارِيَّةَ تَنْجُو مِنَ السَّطْوِ عَلَيْهَا وَاخْتِلَاسِها... لَكِنَّ إِلْفَهُمْ لَها أَنْسَاهُمْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ بِهَا؛ وَلِذَا لَمَّا ذَكَّرَهُمْ سُبْحَانَهُ بِهَاتَيْنِ الرِّحْلَتَيْنِ، أَمَرَهُمْ بِعِبَادَتِهِ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ.. كَمَا ذَكَّرَهُمْ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى بَعْدَ أَمْرِهِمْ بِعِبَادَتِهِ بِأَنَّهُ أَمَّنَهُمْ مِنَ الْمَجَاعَاتِ، وَأَمَّنَهُمْ مِنَ الْمَخَاوِفِ؛ لِمَا وَقَرَ فِي نُفُوسِ الْعَرَبِ مِنْ حُرْمَتِهِمْ؛ لِأَنَّهُمْ سُكَّانُ الْحَرَمِ وَعُمَّارُ الْكَعْبَةِ.. وَبِمَا أَلْهَمَ النَّاسَ مِنْ جَلْبِ الْمِيرَةِ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الْآفَاقِ الْمُجَاوِرَةِ كَبِلَادِ الْحَبَشَةِ.. وَرَدَّ الْقَبَائِلَ فَلَا يُغِيرُ عَلَى بَلَدِهِمْ أَحَدٌ ، قَالَ تَعَالَى: ﴿ أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا جَعَلْنَا حَرَمًا آمِنًا وَيُتَخَطَّفُ النَّاسُ مِنْ حَوْلِهِمْ أَفَبِالْبَاطِلِ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَبِنِعْمَةِ اللَّهِ يَكْفُرُونَ ﴾ [العنكبوت: 67]، فَأَكْسَبَهُمْ ذَلِكَ مَهَابَةً فِي نُفُوسِ النَّاسِ وَعَطْفًا مِنْهُمْ. وَهَذَا التَّذْكِيرُ الرَّبَّانِيُّ لِكُفَّارِ قُرَيْشٍ بِمَا أَلِفُوا مِنَ النِّعَمِ يَجِبُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ نَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ ، وَتَمُرُّ بِنَا سُورَةُ قُرَيْشٍ كَثِيرًا أَنْ نَتَأَمَّلَ فِيمَا أَلِفْنَاهُ مِنْ نِعَمٍ؛ لِئَلَّا نَظُنَّ أَنَّهَا مُسْتَحَقَّةٌ لَنَا بِإِلْفِنَا إِيَّاها؛ وَلِكَيْ نَتَذَكَّرَها فَنُؤَدِّيَ شُكْرَهَا... فهناك مرض صامت خطير من أشد الأمراض ، لا ترى له ملامح، ولا تشعر له بأية أعراض، إذا تمكَّن منك فسوف يضرُّك ضررًا شديدًا، هو مرض "التعوُّد على النِّعْمة".. وله أربعة مظاهر هي : أن تألف نِعمَ اللهِ عليك وكأنها ليست بِنِعَم، وتفقد الإحساس بها، كأنها حقٌّ مكتسب.. و أن تتعوَّد الدخول على أهل بيتك وتجدهم بخير وفي أحسن حال، فلا تحمد الله.. و أن تذهب للتسوق ، وتشتري ما تريد وتعود لمنزلك دون أدنى إحساس بالمنعم وشكره.. و أن تستيقظ كل يوم وأنت في أمان وصحتك جيدة دون أن تحمد الله.. فانتبه: فأنت في هذه الحالات في خطر، فإذا أَلِفْتَ النعمة، فإن كنت تأك ل فهناك من بات جائعًا، فاحمد الله.. وإن كنت تدخل بيتك وقد أنعم الله عليك بالستر والمودة ، بوجود أم أو أب أو زوجة وأطفال بصحة وحال طيبة، فاحمد الله واشكره كثيرًا.. وإذ سُئِلت عن حالك؟ فلا تقل: (لا جديد ) فأنت في نعمٍ كثيرةٍ لا تحصيها، قد جدَّدها الله لك في يومك هذا، وواجب عليك حمده وشكره، وغيرك قد حُرِمها في يومه ذاك.. فكم من آمنٍ أصبح خائفًا ، وكم من صحيحٍ أصبح سقيمًا، وكم من عاملٍ أصبح عاطلًا، وكم من غنيٍّ أصبح محتاجًا، وكم من مُبْصرٍ أصبح أعمى، وكم من متحركٍ أصبح عاجزًا.. وأنت جُددت لك كل تلك النِّعَم ، فقل الحمد لله على ما أعطى وأبقى قولًا وعملًا.. يقول ابن القيم : "وليس على العبد أضرُّ من مَلَله لنعم الله، فإنه لا يراها نعمة، ولا يشكره عليها، ولا يفرح بها". عباد الله، كم خسرنا بسبب عادة ألِفناها أو متعة ضارة كررناها، أو عزيز لم نعرف مكانته إلا بعد رحيله، أو نعمة نسيناها فازدريناها؟ أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ، إن هَذَا الزِّحَامَ مِن النِّعَمِ الصَّغِيرةِ وَالْكَبِيرَةِ الَّذِي يَتَنَعَّمُ فِيهِ أَجْيَالُنا يَجِبُ عَلَيْنَا كَآبَاء وَمُرَبِّينَ أَنْ نَزْرَعَ مُقَابِلهُ أَهَمِّيَّةَ اَلشُّكْرِ لله وَالِامْتِنَانِ فِي نُفُوسِهِمْ... وَاعْلَمُوا أَنْ نَعِمَ اللَّه الظَّاهِرةَ وَالْبَاطِنَةَ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ كَثِيرَةٌ لَا تُحصى، ﴿ وَمَا بِكُمْ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ ﴾ [النحل: 53]. وَإِنْ مِنْ أَعْظَمِ النِّعَمِ نِعْمَةَ الْإِسْلَامِ وَإِكْمَال الدِّينِ؛ إِذْ بِهَا صَلَاح الدُّنْيا وَالْآخِرَةِ؛ ولهذا كان من دعائه صلى الله عليه وسلم: (ولا تجعل مصيبتنا في ديننا)؛ رواه الترمذي. وَمِن النِّعَمِ عَلَيْنَا نِعْمَتا الْأَمْنِ مِن الْخَوْفِ، وَالْإِطْعَامِ مِن الْجُوعِ ، وَلَا يَعْرِفُ قَدْرَ هَاتَيْنِ النِّعْمَتَيْنِ إِلَّا مَنْ فَقَدَهما. أَيُّهَا اَلْمُسْلِمُونَ ، إِنَّ النِّعَمَ جَمِيعَها وَهَبَها اللَّهُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنَعَها بِحِكْمَتِهِ عَمَّنْ يَشَاءُ. عباد الله، وَمِنْ أَسْبَابِ دَوَامِ النِّعَمِ دُعَاء اللَّه أن يَحْفَظَها، قال صلى الله عليه وسلم: ( اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ زَوَالِ نِعْمَتِكَ، وَتَحَوُّلِ عَافِيَتِكَ، وَفُجَاءَةِ نِقْمَتِكَ، وَجَمِيعِ سَخَطِكَ) ؛ رواه مسلم. وَاعْلَمْ يَا عَبْدَاللَّهِ أَنَّ اَلشُّكْرَ لِلَّهِ أَنْ تَسِيرَ حَيَاتُكَ كُلُّهَا وَفْقَ مُرَادِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، فَلَا تَسْمَعُ إِلَّا مَا يُرْضِي اللَّهَ، وَلَا تُبْصِرُ إِلَّا مَا يُحِبُّهُ، وَلَا تَنْطِقُ إِلَّا بِمَا يُقَرِّبُكَ مِنْهُ. وَالشُّكْرُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ ، أَلَم تَسْمَعُوا قَوْلَه تعالى: ﴿ اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ ﴾ [سبأ: 13]. أيها المؤمنون ، زوال النعمة ليس مقصورًا على ذهابها ، بل قد تبقى صورة النعمة وتذهب بركتها، وقد يبقى المال وتزول سعادته، وقد تبقى الصحة ويذهب نفعها، وقد يبقى الأمن ظاهرًا وتفقد الطمأنينة من القلوب. أيها المؤمنون ، من أعظم النعم التي يُغبن كثير من الناس فيها نعمة العافية، قال صلى الله عليه وسلم: (سلوا الله العفو والعافية)؛ رواه الترمذي. عباد الله ، إن النقمة قد تنزل بعد الغفلة والاغترار ، وإذا كانت النعم يُخشى عليها من الزوال، والعافية يُخشى عليها من التحوُّل؛ فإن أعظم ما يخشاه المؤمن أن يسخط الله عليه ، قال سبحانه: ﴿ وَمَنْ يَحْلِلْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبِي فَقَدْ هَوَى ﴾ [طه: 81]، فمن رضي الله عنه ؛ فقد فاز وإن قلَّت دنياه، ومن سخط الله عليه فقد خسر وإن اجتمعت له الدنيا بأسرها.. فاحفظوا نعم الله بالشكر ، واستديموا عافيته بالطاعة، والزموا باب الاستغفار، وأكثروا من سؤال الثبات، فإن النعمة قيدها الشكر ... اللهم إنا نعوذ بك من زوال نعمتك ، وتحوُّل عافيتك، وفجاءة نقمتك، وجميع سخطك.