Dear God, as we gather around the table we are grateful for the blessings of family, friendship and food that surround us this Thanksgiving.
As we prepare to enjoy our festive meal, we are mindful of those in our country who struggle to put food on the table each and every day. More than 42 million Americans, including 13.1 million children, lack access to enough nutritious food for an active, healthy life.
As we prepare to celebrate and give thanks for all that is good in our lives, let us be grateful for our many blessings and steadfast in our commitment to ending hunger and its causes.
Together we can transform how it is, into how it should be.
Like the song writer we Praise God from whom all Blessings flow.
We thank you, for all your good gifts. In this time of uncertainty, help us remember to be grateful for what we have, and not worry so much about what we don't have.
We pray that our lawmakers be mindful that they are stewards of the bountiful treasures you have entrusted to their care. Lead them to do what is right and just, drafting tax legislation that makes provision for the hungry, the poor, and those most affected.
We are thankful for programs that provide opportunity to receive funds for food, health care, jobs, education, proper housing, and international development, and pray that Congress does not cut their funding.
We pray for all the "Dreamers," undocumented young adults brought to the United States at a young age by their parents, who are facing a future that is dramatically different from the one they had been promised.
We pray for the comfort and strength of all the people who are experiencing hunger due to famine, natural disasters, conflict, and weak governance.
The Quranic word for thanks is "shukr." It is mentioned in the Quran many times. It is the quality of human beings and it is also the quality of Allah. According to scholars Shukr means: "It is the consideration of the favor and its acknowledgment. Shukr from the human means the recognition of the favor. Shukr from Allah means the reward and appreciation."
In Islam thanksgiving is not only a particular religious act or service; it is the whole life. Shukr is a very important principle in Islam. It is a quality of the believers and it is a source of all goodness. (An excerpt from an article by Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi)
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