It is Good to Give Thanks: Gratitude in the Abrahamic Religions

This academic article explores how gratitude is a central spiritual value shared across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Each faith upholds gratitude not merely as a feeling but as a religious duty and moral response to divine generosity. The paper outlines how Jewish texts like the Psalms emphasize thankfulness as part of daily prayer and ethical living. In Christianity, gratitude is rooted in God’s grace, and believers are encouraged to live in a state of ongoing thanksgiving, especially as modeled by Jesus and the early Church.

In Islam, gratitude (shukr) is a foundational concept that appears repeatedly in the Qur’an. Believers are reminded to express thanks in all circumstances and to recognize God’s blessings through prayer, humility, and service to others. The Prophet Muhammad’s life is highlighted as a continuous act of thankfulness. This shared emphasis on gratitude highlights the common moral threads among the Abrahamic faiths, despite their theological differences.

The paper also discusses how gratitude in these religions is not passive, it demands action. True thankfulness is expressed through generosity, justice, and compassion toward others. This makes gratitude both a private emotional experience and a public ethical imperative. The authors argue that recognizing the power of gratitude across these traditions can promote interfaith understanding and moral development in contemporary society.

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