Gratitude

Hadhrat Luqmaan (Alayhis Salaam) was an Abyssinian slave who worked for his master in an orchard. Once his master came to the orchard and asked for a cucumber. When the cucumber was brought, peeled and sliced, the master gave the first piece to Hadhrat Luqmaan (Alayhis Salaam) to eat. He placed it in his mouth and began eating it with great relish. When the master observed the degree of relish with which Hadhrat Luqmaan (Alayhis Salaam) ate the cucumber, he assumed that it must be very tasty. Hence he also put a piece into his mouth. 

To his utter amazement, he found the cucumber to be extremely bitter. He immediately spat it out and addressed Hadhrat luqmaan (Alayhis Salaam) saying: “O Luqmaan, how were you able to endure eating such a bitter cucumber with such relish without showing any sign of dissatisfaction?” Hadhrat Luqmaan (Alayhis Salaam) replied: “The hand that showers innumerable favours upon me all the time, if perchance I receive something bitter from it occasionally, how ungrateful would I be if I were to express dissatisfaction and unhappiness over it.” 

Source: Al-Haadi