The short answer
The Sunnah gives simple habits: look at people who have less than you rather than more, notice the everyday blessings of safety, health and food, say "alhamdulillah" when you eat and drink, thank the people who help you, and ask Allah directly to help you be grateful.
Allah promises, "If you are grateful, I will surely increase you" 1, and reminds us that if we tried to count His favours, we could not 2. Gratitude is less a feeling that arrives by itself and more a habit you build. Here is how the texts teach it.
1. Change the direction of your gaze. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Look to one who is lower than you, and do not look to one who is above you. For indeed that is more worthy (so that you will) not belittle Allah's favors upon you" 3. Social media constantly shows us people "above" us. Deliberately balance that.
2. Notice the basics. "Whoever among you wakes up in the morning secured in his dwelling, healthy in his body, having his food for the day, then it is as if the world has been gathered for him" 4. On an ordinary morning, you may already have more than you realise.
3. Attach "alhamdulillah" to daily moments. "Allah is pleased with His servant who says: Al-Hamdu lillah while taking a morsel of food and while drinking" 5. Small, frequent thanks train the heart.
4. Ask for it. The Prophet ﷺ told Mu'adh (RA) never to leave saying after every prayer: "O Allah, help me in remembering You, in giving You thanks, and worshipping You well" 6. Sulayman (AS) prayed, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor" 7.
5. Thank people. "Whoever is not grateful to the people, he is not grateful to Allah" 8. Text your parents, thank a teacher, appreciate your spouse. It is part of thanking Allah, who sent them to you.
Try one of these for a week, such as the dua after each prayer and three specific blessings each night, and watch how your view of your own life changes.
If you are grateful, Allah will surely increase you.
وَإِذۡ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمۡ لَئِن شَكَرۡتُمۡ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمۡۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرۡتُمۡ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدࣱ ٧
And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe
If you tried to count Allah's favours, you could not.
وَإِن تَعُدُّواْ نِعۡمَةَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحۡصُوهَآۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَفُورࣱ رَّحِيمࣱ ١٨
And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful
Look at those below you, not above you, so that you do not belittle Allah's favours on you.
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said:"Look to one who is lower than you, and do not look to one who is above you. For indeed that is more worthy(so that you will) not belittle Allah's favors upon you
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَوَكِيعٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " انْظُرُوا إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ وَلاَ تَنْظُرُوا إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ فَوْقَكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ أَجْدَرُ أَنْ لاَ تَزْدَرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ " . هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Waking up safe, healthy and with a day's food is as if the whole world were gathered for you.
Salamah bin 'Ubaidullah bin Mihsan Al-Khatmi narrated from his father -and he was a Companion- who said:"The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Whoever among you wakes up in the morning secured in his dwelling, healthy in his body, having his food for the day,then it is as if the world has been gathered for him
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ مَالِكٍ وَمَحْمُودُ بْنُ خِدَاشٍ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ قَالَا حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي شُمَيْلَةَ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مِحْصَنٍ الْخَطْمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَكَانَتْ لَهُ صُحْبَةٌ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ أَصْبَحَ مِنْكُمْ آمِنًا فِي سِرْبِهِ مُعَافًى فِي جَسَدِهِ عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا حِيزَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ لَا نَعْرِفُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ حَدِيثِ مَرْوَانَ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ وَحِيزَتْ جُمِعَتْ حَدَّثَنَا بِذَلِكَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَعِيلَ حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ نَحْوَهُ وَفِي الْبَاب عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ
Allah is pleased with a servant who praises Him when eating and drinking.
Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:Allah is pleased with His servant who says: Al-Hamdu lillah while taking a morsel of food and while drinking
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَابْنُ، نُمَيْرٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ نُمَيْرٍ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ عَنْ زَكَرِيَّاءَ بْنِ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ، مَالِكٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيَرْضَى عَنِ الْعَبْدِ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ الأَكْلَةَ فَيَحْمَدَهُ عَلَيْهَا أَوْ يَشْرَبَ الشَّرْبَةَ فَيَحْمَدَهُ عَلَيْهَا " .
The Prophet ﷺ taught Mu'adh to ask Allah after every prayer for help in remembering, thanking and worshipping Him.
Mu'adh b. Jabal reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) caught his hand and said:By Allah, I love you, Mu'adh. I give some instruction to you. Never leave to recite this supplication after every (prescribed) prayer: "O Allah, help me in remembering You, in giving You thanks, and worshipping You well." Mu'adh willed this supplication to the narrator al-Sunabihi and al-Sunabihi to 'Abu Abd al-Rahman
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ مَيْسَرَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْمُقْرِئُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَيْوَةُ بْنُ شُرَيْحٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عُقْبَةَ بْنَ مُسْلِمٍ، يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحُبُلِيُّ، عَنِ الصُّنَابِحِيِّ، عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ وَقَالَ " يَا مُعَاذُ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأُحِبُّكَ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأُحِبُّكَ " . فَقَالَ " أُوصِيكَ يَا مُعَاذُ لاَ تَدَعَنَّ فِي دُبُرِ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ تَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ " . وَأَوْصَى بِذَلِكَ مُعَاذٌ الصُّنَابِحِيَّ وَأَوْصَى بِهِ الصُّنَابِحِيُّ أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ .
Sulayman (AS) asks Allah to enable him to be grateful for His favour.
فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكࣰ ا مِّن قَوۡلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوۡزِعۡنِيٓ أَنۡ أَشۡكُرَ نِعۡمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِيٓ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَيَّ وَأَنۡ أَعۡمَلَ صَٰلِحࣰ ا تَرۡضَىٰهُ وَأَدۡخِلۡنِي بِرَحۡمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ١٩
So [Solomon] smiled, amused at her speech, and said, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants
Whoever does not thank people does not thank Allah.
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said :"Whoever is not grateful to the people, he is not grateful to Allah
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، حَدَّثَنَا الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ لاَ يَشْكُرِ النَّاسَ لاَ يَشْكُرِ اللَّهَ " . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24