13. Praise and Gratitude to Allah
١٣۔ كتاب حمد الله تعالى وشكره
Praise is due to Allah Who guided you to the true nature; had you taken the one containing wine, Your Umma would have gone astray.
إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أُتِيَ لَيْلَةَ أُسْرِيَ بِهِ بِإِيلِيَاءَ بِقَدَحَيْنِ مِنْ خَمْرٍ وَلَبَنٍ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِمَا فَأَخَذَ اللَّبَنَ فَقَالَ لَهُ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدَاكَ لِلْفِطْرَةِ لَوْ أَخَذْتَ الْخَمْرَ غَوَتْ أُمَّتُكَ
the Messenger of Allah said: “Every important matter that does not start with praise of Allah, is devoid (of blessings).”
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ ذِي بَالٍ لاَ يُبْدَأُ فِيهِ بِالْحَمْدِ أَقْطَعُ
"I buried my son Sinan and Abu Talhah Al-Khawlani was sitting on the rim of the grave. When I wanted to leave he took me by my hand and said: 'Shall I not inform you of some good new O Abu Sinan!' I said: 'Of course.' He said: 'Ad-Dahhak bin Abdur-Rahman bin Arzab narrated to me, from Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'When a child of the slave (of Allah) died, Allah says to the angels: "Have you taken the fruits of his work." They reply: "Yes." So He says: "What did My slave say?" They reply: "He praised you and mentioned that to You is the return." So Allah says: "Build a house in Paradise for My slave, and name it 'the house of praise.'"
دَفَنْتُ ابْنِي سِنَانًا وَأَبُو طَلْحَةَ الْخَوْلاَنِيُّ جَالِسٌ عَلَى شَفِيرِ الْقَبْرِ فَلَمَّا أَرَدْتُ الْخُرُوجَ أَخَذَ بِيَدِي فَقَالَ أَلاَ أُبَشِّرُكَ يَا أَبَا سِنَانٍ قُلْتُ بَلَى فَقَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَرْزَبٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِذَا مَاتَ وَلَدُ الْعَبْدِ قَالَ اللَّهُ لِمَلاَئِكَتِهِ قَبَضْتُمْ وَلَدَ عَبْدِي فَيَقُولُونَ نَعَمْ فَيَقُولُ قَبَضْتُمْ ثَمَرَةَ فُؤَادِهِ فَيَقُولُونَ نَعَمْ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا قَالَ عَبْدِي فَيَقُولُونَ حَمِدَكَ وَاسْتَرْجَعَ فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ ابْنُوا لِعَبْدِي بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَسَمُّوهُ بَيْتَ الْحَمْدِ
Allah is pleased with His servant who says: Al-Hamdu lillah while taking a morsel of food and while drinking.
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيَرْضَى عَنِ الْعَبْدِ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ الأَكْلَةَ فَيَحْمَدَهُ عَلَيْهَا أَوْ يَشْرَبَ الشَّرْبَةَ فَيَحْمَدَهُ عَلَيْهَا