# Day 19: The Man Who Thought He Thanked God Enough | Ramadan Strong **Author:** Dr. Nazir Khan **Series:** Ramadan Strong **Published:** 2019-05-24 **YouTube:** https://youtu.be/MW4VDXXfK38 **URL:** https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-19-the-man-who-thought-he-thanked-god-enough-ramadan-strong **Topics:** Acts of Worship, Sharia ## Description One of the most humbling reminders of the immense blessings of Allah and the insufficiency of our appreciation is the story about a man who thought that he had thanked God enough, and therefore merited paradise on the basis of his deeds. ## Transcript **[0:00]** Salamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. Did you ever hear the story of the man who thought he thanked God enough? **[0:17]** It's a really interesting story that's related in the Musarak of Al-Hakim and it's a story that Jibreel alayhis-salam tells our Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam. The story goes like this, that there was a man who worshipped Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala continuously on a mountain on an island in the middle of the sea without any distractions. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala **[0:40]** provided for him from the vegetation there. So he had everything that he needed for and he just worshipped Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala continuously for 500 years and the angels would see him in sujood as they would descend and ascend. And this man **[0:57]** worshipping Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in this state, Jibreel alayhis-salam mentions that when he dies and is resurrected before Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says allow this servant to enter into Jannah by my mercy, by my compassion. And this servant **[1:14]** says, Ya Rabb, bi amadihi, O Allah, I want to enter into Jannah by my actions, by my good deeds. I worshipped you for 500 years nonstop. I want to enter into Jannah based on all this good that I've done. And so then Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala illustrates **[1:30]** something profound for us. He says, weigh on the scales, on the one hand, place on the scales, the 500 years of good deeds that this man did, the 500 years of worship. And on the other hand, place just the gift of eyesight. And it will be found that the gift of **[1:49]** eyesight is heavier in the scales than all of those 500 years of worship. In other words, worshipping Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for 500 years would not be enough to even thank Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala just for the gift of eyesight. What about all the other gifts that Allah **[2:05]** subhanahu wa ta'ala has given us? And then he says, Ya Rabb, let me enter into Jannah by your mercy, because I didn't thank you as much as you deserved. At that point, Jibreel alayhi salam turns to the Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam and he says, Ya Muhammad, innama al-ashyaa bi rahmati Allahi ta'ala. O Muhammad, barely all things occur by the mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. **[2:27]** How much is there, my dear brothers and sisters, in our lives that we take for granted? Ramadan reminds us of those blessings. Every little thing, our life, our health, our happiness, our family, the greatest gift of all is the gift of knowing Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, **[2:45]** the gift of iman, the gift of gratitude, the ability to thank Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make us amongst the thankful. Jazakumullah khair. ## Other Episodes in "Ramadan Strong" - [Day 30: Farewell, Ramadan | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-30-farewell-ramadan-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 29: Beware of Ramadanitis | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-29-beware-of-ramadanitis-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 28: Practicing Istiqama for the Long Haul | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-28-practicing-istiqama-for-the-long-haul-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 27: Meeting the Best Version of Ourselves | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-27-meeting-the-best-version-of-ourselves-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 26: A Date with Destiny | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-26-a-date-with-destiny-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 25: The Value of Seclusion - Ihtikaf | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-25-the-value-of-seclusion-ihtikaf-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 24: When the Night Draws its Curtain —The Importance of Tahajjud | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-24-the-importance-of-tahajjud-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 23: Maximizing the Last Ten Days | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-23-maximizing-the-last-day-days-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 22: Charity in the Last 10 Nights | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-22-charity-in-the-last-10-nights-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 21: Ten Days Ahead, Another Chance? | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-21-ten-days-ahead-another-chance.md) - [Day 20: The Extra Good Deed | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-20-the-extra-good-deed-ramadan-strong-2.md) - [Day 18: When Ramadan Breaks | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-18-when-ramadan-breaks-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 17: Ramadans of Yore | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-17-ramadans-of-yore-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 16: Detox by Day and Indulge By Night | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-16-detox-by-day-and-indulge-by-night.md) - [Day 15 | Overcoming the Mid-Ramadan Slump | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-15-mid-ramadan-slump-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 14 | Praise be to Allah | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-14-praise-be-to-allah-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 13 | The Need for Consistency and Balance | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-13-consistency-and-balance-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 11: "...but I've already fallen behind in my Ramadan goals" | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-11-behind-in-my-ramadan-goals-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 10: Your Qur'an Goals | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-10-your-quran-goals-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 9: Desire, Dedication, Discipline | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-9-desire-dedication-discipline-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 8: Talking to Allah | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-8-talking-to-allah-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 7: The Importance of Documenting Progress | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-7-the-importance-of-documenting-progress-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 6: Being Excused from Fasting is a Gift From God | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-6-being-excused-from-fasting-is-a-gift-from-god-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 5: Be Present | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-5-be-present-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 4: So That You Attain God-Consciousness | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-4-so-that-you-attain-god-consciousness-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 3: Mindful Fasting to Feed Your Soul | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-3-mindful-fasting-to-feed-your-soul-ramadan-strong.md) - [Day 1: Not Just Another Ramadan | Ramadan Strong](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/day-1-not-just-another-ramadan-ramadan-strong.md) - [Ramadan Strong: Series Introduction](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ramadan-strong/ramadan-strong-series-introduction.md)