Practicing and Expressing Gratitude — Led AbdulAziz Syed LCSW CSAT
Event Notes
Word Association
GRATITUDE
Thanks/ Appreciation
Religion/Islam
Alhamdolillah
Family and Friends
We have a conception of gratitude –
Q: What do you think gratitude means?
A: Being aware of what we have, bringing attention to the things that make you happy, giving back
Thought experiment #1
Write down and reflect on the things we’ve done for other people that they didn’t acknowledge.
Student Answers:
Making time for people during busy schedules
Cleaning
Advocating for someone without them knowing/ asking
We feel as Muslims that we shouldn’t recount our good deeds but we should because it allows us to now notice the things others do for us
Thought experiment #2
Write down things we didn’t notice that people may have done for us
Student Answers:
Dining halls have food prepared ready for us but someone was there to prepare that for us
Parents picking us up from school
Someone brought slippers to do wudu
Random texts from people you haven’t talked to in a while asking how you are
Friends driving us places
Friends listen to us rant/vent
What’s coming up inside of us (thoughts feelings and emotions) as we reflect
Regret we haven’t expressed thankfulness for them
Stronger sense of support system
Recognizing how deep our connections run
Knowing that they care enough to spend time with you: makes it extra special
Unearthing things we didn’t think about with more intentionality and feel hopeful for recognizing them sooner
Highlight how much we take for granted
Final exercise
What has Allah done for us that we have not realized/asked for (that have shaped us to who we are now —good or bad):
Rejections from internships/ schools
Bad grades - force me to do better find better studying techniques
Friends I made/people I met whether good or bad; Being around a diverse group of people
my health: wake up healthy and we only notice this when we don’t have that
Harvard study - gratitude is linked to success and happiness
The Prophet (PBUH) said: When a servant says: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe, Allah the Most High says: My servant has praised Me.
(Sahih Muslim Book 4, Hadith 41)
When you say Alhamdulillah, say it with intention and
These exercises allow us to .. make us feel cared for/ held and you feel part of a bigger system even if you feel like you didn’t deserve it
our relationship feels transactional
