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Gratitude is a necessary part of our relationship with Allah.

Quranic wisdom teaches us to be grateful not only when things go well but also to remember the two sides of gratitude, one of which we often overlook.

The proactive aspect of ‘shukur’ is evident in the life of Prophet Dawud, who, along with his family, Allah instructed him to ‘do gratitude’ and not just ‘say gratitude’.

This action-oriented gratitude was present in their work—precise engineering, exact measurements, rigorous work, and the creation of perpetuating systems. All this work was done not for personal gain but for a greater purpose: service.

The Prophets could easily have taken a backseat, thanked Allah for the resources they had, and lived comfortably.

However, they chose to be proactive, using those resources to forge things that would serve the community long after they were gone—truly a demonstration of gratitude.

When we consider their example, we understand that true gratitude entails recognizing and fully using our blessings for good; it necessitates action.

Blessings aren’t just for our benefit.

They are tools we should employ to serve a higher purpose.

Only then can we truly say we are grateful.