Moreover, those enjoying prosperity have greater need of gratitude, while those facing adversity have greater need of patience. Gratitude is obligatory for the former, and patience for the latter. Patience in prosperity, however, may be recommended, and gratitude may be recommended for someone facing adversity. Gratitude and patience can be combined amid both pain and pleasure, though this is a state many find difficult. A fuller discussion belongs elsewhere.

The point is that Allah Most High bestows blessings through all of this, even if most people do not recognize it at first. Allah knows, and you do not know. A person’s sins, however, come from himself. Nevertheless, when accompanied by a good outcome, even these are a blessing. They are also a blessing for someone else because of the lessons he draws from them. An example of this is the saying:

“O Allah, do not make me a cautionary lesson for others, and do not let anyone else benefit more than I do from what You have taught me.”

Among the supplications in the Quran is:

“Our Lord, do not make us a trial for the wrongdoing people.”

Likewise, it says:

“And make us leaders for the righteous.”

Make us leaders for those who follow our example, and do not make us a trial for those who go astray through us.

In Arabic, ālā’ means blessings, which also imply power. In the Quran, Allah Most High mentions His signs that demonstrate His power and lordship, His signs that contain His blessings to His servants, and His signs that reveal His wisdom. These are inseparable. Yet the blessing of benefiting from food, drink, dwellings, and clothing is evident to everyone. Hence these are cited as evidence in Surah al-Nahl, also called “the Surah of Blessings,” as Qatāda and others stated.

On this basis, many people say that praise is broader than gratitude in terms of its grounds, since it may be offered for a blessing or for something else, whereas gratitude is broader in terms of its forms, since it is expressed