Aslam

SPIRIT OF GRATEFULNESS: Know, O dear readers, that gratefulness is one of the good stages for those who travel in the path of religion. There are steps of gratefulness-knowledge, condition and action. Knowledge is the root out of which condition takes birth and out of condition action arises.
Knowledge consists in the fact that fortune comes from the Fortune-giver. The happiness that occurs out of getting that fortune is called condition or state of mind. To stand upon love and the objects of fortune- giver is called action which keeps connection with mind, tongue and limbs of body.

WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE OF GRATEFULNESS? To know it, three things shall have to be known first - (1) source of gratefulness. (2) cause of given fortune (3) and the attributes of the fortune giver. Fortune, fortune-giver and fortune-taker to know these three things are necessary. This knowledge follows the knowledge of Tauhid and Taqdir. It means that one should have knowledge that whatever is in the universe comes from God and His gifts. If there is perfection of this knowledge there can not be Shirk or setting up partnership with God. If any gift comes from the king and if any body feels that there is kindness of his minister therein, it is setting up partnership in the gift and thus enjoyment will be divided. Although the gift comes through his minister and in black and white, he or the paper and the ink are not entitled to have gratefulness as they are only mediums and not the source of the gift. They have no power and are guided

Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 79

by the king. Likewise, he who knows God and His wonderful creation knows fully well that all the things in the world - the sun, the moon, the stars and all other things are His creation and guided by Him as the pen is guided by a writer. Those animals which have got will axe^ubservient to His will although He has given them freedom of will. They are like the man in charge of the treasures of the king. The man has got no power to wish against the will of the king and cannot spend a farthing therefrom without the will of the king. So the man who takes the gift from God to you is bound to take it to you as God enkindles in him a strong desire to make a gift to you. God also enkindles in him a will to gift it along with a feeling that it will do him good both in this world and in the next and that the gift of a farthing here will be met with innumerable rewards in the hereafter just as a seed sprins forth a hundred seeds. This gift of charity is not to the poor man but rather it is to your self as you will get good rewards in lieu of your charity. In this way, you will recognise. God and get acquainted with His works. So God is to be praised and entitled to get gratefulness.