Look at what Allāh has given you of blessings and be grateful: “Whoever among you wakes in the morning safe in his home, good health in his body, with enough provision for that day—it is as if the world’s treasure has been gathered for him!”

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All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation, may Allah extol the mention of our noble Prophet Muhammad in the highest company of Angels, bless him and give him peace and security―and his family, his Companions and all those who follow him correctly until the establishment of the Hour.

Imām at-Tirmidhi reported in his Sunan (no. 2346) from ʿUdaydullāh bin Mihṣin al-Khaṭmi (radiyallāhu ʿanhu) that the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said:

مَنْ أَصْبَحَ مِنْكُمْ آمِنًا فِي سِرْبِهِ مُعَافًى فِي جَسَدِهِ عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا حِيزَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا 

“Whoever among you wakes up in the morning safe in his home, feeling well in his body, with enough provision for that day—it is as if the world’s treasure has been gathered for him.”

‘Whoever wakes up in the morning,’ any morning, on any day, anywhere in the world a believer should not worry about his future because that is in the Hand of Allah (the Mighty and Majestic)—He is the One who controls the affairs and decrees them. So, upon the believer is to have good thoughts concerning Allah, hope for good and be optimistic.

He wakes up ‘safe in his home’ with respect to his wife, his children, and his family—and in his house, his hut, his tent and the path that leads to it. He feels safe in his home from being attacked, killed, robbed or dishonoured. Being secure and safe from evil and harm is among the greatest of the blessings of Imān and Islam—and few truly appreciate that blessing except for those who lose it such as those who live in anarchy and chaos—or those who live in cities that are attacked, bombed, and decimated by their enemies wherein people, crops and cattle are destroyed after they had once lived in safety and security—they sleep at night with a hand on their grieving hearts awaiting death at any moment. There are people living in that state as we speak—we seek Allah’s aid and with Him is refuge.

Allah (the Mighty and Majestic) has shown us the means to safety and security:

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوٓا إِيمَـٰنَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُولَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ ٨٢

“It is those who believe (and worship none but Allah) and do mix not their belief with oppression by devoting themselves to others besides Allah, then for them there is security and they are guided.” (Al-Anʿām: 82)

Allah has promised the believers safety and security if they actualise Tawheed, believe in Allah, devote themselves to Him, have true and sincere imān, and work righteous deeds. He (Most High) stated:

وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ كَمَا ٱسْتَخْلَفَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى ٱرْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِى لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِى شَيْـًٔا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ ٥٥

“Allāh has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them therein their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, because they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that, then those are the defiantly disobedient.” (An-Noor: 55)

And Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, stated:

أَلَآ إِنَّ أَوْلِيَآءَ ٱللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ٦٢
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ ٦٣
لَهُمُ ٱلْبُشْرَىٰ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ٦٤

“Unquestionably, for the allies of Allāh there will be nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve. Those who believed in Allah and feared disobeying Him. For them are glad tidings in the worldly life and in the Hereafter. No change is there in the words of Allāh. That is what is the supreme success.” (Yoonus: 62-64)

He is blessed because he wakes that morning in good bodily health, free from inability, aches, pains and sicknesses. That is a blessing and bounty from Allah. Imām Ahmad reported in his Musnad (3/192) and Abu Dawood (graded saheeh by al-Albāni) from Anas Ibn Mālik (radiyallāhu ʿanu) that the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) would supplicate and say:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوُذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْبَرَصِ وَالْجُنُونِ وَالْجُذَامِ وَسَيِّءِ الْأَسْقَامِ

“O Allāh! I seek refuge in You from vitiligo (small patches in the skin that remove it of its colour), and from insanity, leprosy, and all horrid and ugly diseases.”

Furthermore, the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) would ask Allah morning and evening for well-being in his Religion, his worldly affairs, his life, his health, his family and his property—and he (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) commanded his Companions to do the same. Abu Dawood (no. 5074) reported from Abdullāh Ibn ʿUmar (radiyallāhu ʿanhumā) who said: “Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) would not leave off these supplications in the late afternoon nor in the morning:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَاىَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَتِي 

“O Allah, I ask You for well-being and safety in this world and in the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in my religion and my worldly affairs, in my family and my property. O Allah, conceal my sins.”

And at-Tirmidhi reported in his Sunan (no. 3558) from Muʿādh Ibn Rifāʿah from his father that Abu Bakr (radiyallāhu ʿanhu) stood upon the mimbar (pulpit), and he wept, then he said: “Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) stood upon the mimbar in his first year (of hijrah) and he wept, then he said: ‘Ask Allah for forgiveness, well-being and safety for indeed there is no one who is granted anything better, after certainty (in faith), than wellbeing and safety.”

Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) informed us that there are many people who neglect and lose out on these bounties. Al-Bukhāri reported in his Saheeh (no. 6412) from Abdullah Ibn ʿAbbās (radiyallāhu ʿanhumā) who said that the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said:

نِعْمَتَانِ مَغْبُونٌ فِيهِمَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ الصِّحَّةُ وَالْفَرَاغُ 

“There are two blessings that many people are deceived into losing: their health and free time.”

The Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) commanded to take care of important affairs before they are lost. Al-Hākim reported in al-Mustadrak (no. 7844, graded saheeh by al-Albāni) from Abdullah Ibn ʿAbbās (radiyallāhu ʿanhumā) that the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said: “Take care of five before five: your life before your death, your health before your sickness, your free time before you become pre-occupied, your youth before your old age, and your wealth before your poverty.” That is why Ibn ʿUmar (radiyallāhu ʿanhumā) would say: “If you live till the morning, do not wait till the evening—and if you live till the evening, do not wait till the morning. Take benefit from your health [in preparation] for your sickness and take benefit from your life [in preparation] for your death.” (Al-Bukhāri, no. 6416)

The one who visits the sick at their homes or in the hospitals and sees what they have been tried with from afflictions and chronic illnesses [for which they can find no cure in these drug therapies], the one who sees that should praise Allah morning and evening and extoll His greatness and magnify His mention for the wellbeing and good health he has been blessed with. The Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said:

 مَن رَأَى مُبتَلًى فقال: الحمدُ للهِ الذي عافَانِي مِمَّا ابْتلاكَ به وفَضَّلَنِي على كَثيرٍ مِمَّنْ خلق تَفضِيلًا لَمْ يُصِبْهُ ذلكَ البلاءُ

“Whoever sees an afflicted person and says: ‘All praise is for Allah who has kept me safe from that which you have been afflicted with, and He has favoured me greatly above much of what He has created’ he will be saved from that affliction.” (Ibn Mājah, no. 3892, graded saheeh by al-Albāni)

And Allah spoke the truth when He (the Most Prefect) said:

وَءَاتَىٰكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ ٣٤

“And He gave you from all you asked of Him—and if you should count the blessings of Allāh, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is unjust and ungrateful.” (Ibrāheem: 34)

Muslim reported in his Saheeh (see Sharh an-Nawawi, no. 6/97) that a man asked ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAmr Ibn al-ʿAaṣ (radiyallāhu ʿanhumā): “Are we not from the poor migrants?” So, he replied: “Do you have a wife you can enjoy?” He said: “Yes.” Then ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAmr asked: “Do you have a dwelling in which you live?” The man answered: “Yes.” So,  ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAmr said: “Then you are rich.” The man said: “And I have a servant!” So ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAmr said: “Then you are from the kings!”

The one who additionally wakes up to find that he has enough provision for the day till the evening is given a great blessing. Allah, the Most Generous and Kind, said:

فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَـٰذَا ٱلْبَيْتِ ٣
ٱلَّذِىٓ أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍۢ وَءَامَنَهُم مِّنْ خَوْفٍ ٤

“So let them worship the Lord of this House who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear.” (Quraysh: 3-4) Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) would seek refuge from hunger. Abu Dawood reported (no. 1547) from Abu Hurayrah (radiyallāhu ʿanhu) that the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) would say:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُوعِ فَإِنَّهُ بِئْسَ الضَّجِيعُ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخِيَانَةِ فَإِنَّهَا بِئْسَتِ الْبِطَانَةُ

“O Allah, I seek refuge with You from hunger, for it is an evil bedfellow—and I seek refuge in You from treachery, for it is an evil companion.”

He would also seek from His Lord sufficiency, an amount that suffices him. Al-Bukhāri (no. 6460) and Muslim (no. 1055) reported from Abu Hurayrah (radiyallāhu ʿanhu) that Allah’s Messenger would say: “O Allah! Make the sustenance of the family of Muhammad sufficient for them.”

So, from all of what has preceded, it becomes clear that for whoever these three affairs are gathered together in his day is like a king of the world: safety in his home, health in his body, and sufficiency for his day—yet alongside all of this, man is in denial, looking down on what he is given and ungrateful, just as Allah has said:

يَعْرِفُونَ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنكِرُونَهَا وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ ٨٣

“They recognise the favour of Allāh, then they deny it. And most of them are disbelievers.” (An-Nahl: 83) And He (the Most High) said:

أَفَبِنِعْمَةِ ٱللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ ٧١

“Then is it the favour of Allāh they reject?” (An-Nahl: 71) The cure to this sickness of the soul is to look at the plight of those who do not have these bounties and blessings, who are less well-off and in poverty, those living in danger of their lives and the lives of their children, they have no food, water, shelter or electricity! Al-Bukhāri reported (no. 6490) and Muslim (no. 2963) from Abu Hurayrah (radiyallāhu ʿanhu) that the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said:

انْظُرُوا إِلَى مَنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ وَلاَ تَنْظُرُوا إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ فَوْقَكُمْ فَهُوَ أَجْدَرُ أَنْ لاَ تَزْدَرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ

“Look at those who are in a worse state than you and don’t look at those who are in a better state than you, for that is better for you so that you do not disparage Allah’s favours.”

Ibn Jareer at-Tabari explained that is a person looks at those who are better off than him in the world, his soul will desire what they have, and he will belittle and look down at what Allah has given him of bounties—and he will want an increase in worldly possessions so as to reach their status—this is something present in most people. However, when he looks at the worldly state of those who are less off than him, he will then truly appreciate the bounties that Allah has bestowed upon him, he will thank His Lord, he will be humble and show humility and he will do that which is good.

In finishing, we say: All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah extoll the mention of His Messenger Muhammad in the highest company of angels, may the peace and blessings of our Lord be upon him, his family, his Companions and all who truly follow him until the Day of Resurrection.