KHUTAB III - 7. SHUKR (GRATEFULNESS)

7. SHUKR (GRATEFULNESS)

The Meaning of the term shukr

The root of shukr is shakara, meaning “to thank, to be thankful, to be grateful”. Shukr means “thankfulness, gratefulness and gratitude.” It is an expression of praise and acknowledgement to the favours given by someone spiritually, physically, or materially. The favour could be saving us from disaster or calamity spiritually, physically or materially, or by giving us these things.

The Unlimited Blessings of Allah

The blessings of Allah are so enormous that they are uncountable. Let us ponder the following verses:

اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَأَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ

مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَكُمْ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ لِتَجْرِيَ فِي الْبَحْرِ بِأَمْرِهِ وَسَخَّرَ

لَكُمُ الْأَنْهَارَ. وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ دَائِبَيْنِ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ.

وَآَتَاكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا

إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ  (إبراهيم : ٣٢-٣٤).

Allah is He who has created the heavens and the earth

and sends down water from the sky, and thereby brought

forth fruits as provision for you; and He has made the ships

to be of service to you, that they may sail through the sea by

His command; and He has made rivers (also) to be of service

to you. And He has made the sun and the moon, both  constantly

pursuing their courses, to be of service  to you; and He has

made  the night and the day, to be  of service to you.

And He gave you all that you asked for, and if you

count the blessings (favours) of Allah, you will

never be  able to count them. Indeed, man is

most persistent in wrongdoing, stubbornly

thankless.  (Q. 14:32-34)

These verses mention some of Allah’s blessings: the creation of the heavens and the earth, the rain that brings forth different kinds of fruits, the ships are made to sail at sea, the rivers, the sun and the moon, the night and the day time, and gives us everything we need to survive on this earth, concluding that His favours to us cannot be counted, and yet, man is unjust and thankless.

Similar verses describing Allah’s favours and blessings are as follows:

خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ تَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ. خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُبِينٌ. وَالْأَنْعَامَ خَلَقَهَا لَكُمْ فِيهَا دِفْءٌ وَمَنَافِعُ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ. وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا جَمَالٌ حِينَ تُرِيحُونَ وَحِينَ تَسْرَحُونَ. وَتَحْمِلُ أَثْقَالَكُمْ إِلَى بَلَدٍ لَمْ تَكُونُوا بَالِغِيهِ إِلَّا بِشِقِّ الْأَنْفُسِ إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَرَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ .  وَالْخَيْلَ وَالْبِغَالَ وَالْحَمِيرَ لِتَرْكَبُوهَا وَزِينَةً وَيَخْلُقُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ.  وَعَلَى اللَّهِ قَصْدُ السَّبِيلِ وَمِنْهَا جَائِرٌ وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَهَدَاكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ. هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً لَكُمْ مِنْهُ شَرَابٌ وَمِنْهُ شَجَرٌ فِيهِ تُسِيمُونَ. يُنْبِتُ لَكُمْ بِهِ الزَّرْعَ وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالنَّخِيلَ وَالْأَعْنَابَ وَمِنْ كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآَيَةً لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ. وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومُ مُسَخَّرَاتٌ بِأَمْرِهِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآَيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ. وَمَا ذَرَأَ لَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانُهُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآَيَةً لِقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُونَ. وَهُوَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ الْبَحْرَ لِتَأْكُلُوا مِنْهُ لَحْمًا طَرِيًّا وَتَسْتَخْرِجُوا مِنْهُ حِلْيَةً تَلْبَسُونَهَا وَتَرَى الْفُلْكَ مَوَاخِرَ فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ. وَأَلْقَى فِي الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَنْ تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَأَنْهَارًا وَسُبُلًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ.   وَعَلَامَاتٍ وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ. أَفَمَنْ يَخْلُقُ كَمَنْ لَا يَخْلُقُ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ. وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ. (النحل  :٣-١٨)

  He has created the heavens and the earth to manifest the Truth. Exalted be He above all that they associate (with Him). He has created man from a drop of fluid, then behold, this same (man) becomes an open disputer. And He created cattle for you; in them there is warmth (warm clothing), and numerous benefits, and of them [i.e. their meat] you eat. How pleasant they look to you when you bring them home in the evening and drive them to pasture in the morning. And they carry heavy loads to far-off towns that you could not otherwise reach without painful toil. Truly, your Lord is full of Kindness, Most Merciful. And (He has created) horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride and as an ornament. And He created (other) things of which you have no knowledge. It is up to Allah to show the Right Way, when there exist some crooked ways. If Allah wanted, He would have guided you all. He it is who sends down water from the sky, from it you drink and from it (grows) the vegetation on which you send you cattle to pasture. With it He grows for you crops, olives, date-palms, grapes, and every kind of fruit: surely there is a great sign in this for those who think. He has subjected to you the night and the day, and the sun and the moon; and the stars are subjected by His command.  Surely, there are signs in this for people who use their common sense. And whatsoever He has created for you on the earth of varying colours. Surely, there is in these a sign for people who remember. And He it is Who has subjected the sea (for you), that you eat thereof fresh tender meat (i.e. fish), and that you may bring out of it ornaments to wear and you see the ships ploughing through it, that you may seek thus of His bounty, and that you may be grateful [to Him]. And He has placed firm mountains on earth, lest is sway with you; and rivers and roads, that you may guide yourselves. And landmarks (too) [during the day], and by the stars [during the night] they guide themselves. Is, then, He Who creates comparable to any [being] that cannot create? Will you not then remember? And if you would count the favours of Allah, you will never be able to count them. Truly, Allah is Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Q. 16:3-18).

          The above verses mention, in addition, the sea with the wealth it can bring to mankind, and the stars to guide us at night. It is mentioned again that Allah’s blessings and favours cannot be counted. Here Allah concluded that He is Forgiving and Most Merciful, whereas in the previous one, He said that man is most persistent in wrongdoing and stubbornly thankless, as if to balance the two opposite characters, of Allah and of man.

Three Ways of Thanking Allah

Muslims are required to be grateful to Allah. He said,

فَكُلُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا وَاشْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ (النحل : ١١٤)

So eat the lawful and good food which Allah has provided

for you.  And be grateful for the favours of Allah, if it is

He Whom you worship.  (Q. 16:114).

There are three ways of thanking Allah: a. with our heart, b. with our tongue, and c. with our actions.

a.     Thanking Allah with Our Heart

Thanking Allah with our heart is manifested through glorifying Him, appreciating His blessings and bounties, praising Him and remembering these blessings and bounties. It is by remembering His never-ending favours on us, being continually conscious of Him, His blessings, especially whenever we experience or witness one of His favours. We say in our heart, for example, “Thank You, O Allah, how Great You are, how Merciful You are,” and so on.

b.     Thanking Allah with Our Tongue

     It is by expressing of gratitude for these bounties of Allah we have in our heart. For example, we praise Him by saying الْحَمْدُ لِلَّه (al-h.amdu lillāh, “praise be to Allah,”) glorify Him by sayingسُبْحَانَ الله (subh.ānallāh, “Glory to Allah”), thank Him by sayingالشُّكْرُ لِله  “al-shukru lillāh, “ gratefulness be to Allah.” Admiring Him when we see with amazement one of His beautiful creation by saying مَا شَاءَ اللهُ   (māshā’ Allāh, lit. “whatever Allah wills (happens”). Another expression is اللهُ أَكْبَرُ   (allāhu akbar, lit. “Allah is Greater” which is translated as “Allah is Great” in the sense there is nothing great other than Him, or “Allah is the Greatest”). Before we start doing something, including eating and drinking, we say the basmalah, namely, Bismillāhir Rah.mānir Rah.īm (“In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful”), and after finishing it we say al-h.amdu lillāh.

The expression al-h.amdu lillāh is mentioned in the Qur’ān at least twenty-four times, five of them at the beginning of its sūrahs (chapters), namely, surah 1 (if the basmalah is excluded), 6, 18, 34, and 35, four of them at the end of the sūrahs, namely, surah 17 (Isrā’, verse 111), sūrah 27 (al-Naml, verse 93), sūrah 37 (al-S.āffāt verse 182), and sūrah 39 (al-Zumar verse 75), two of them said by the people intended to go to Paradise upon entering it (Q. 39:74 and 75), and two of them are the command of Allah to say it, by saying وَقٌلِ اْلحَمْدُ لِله   (“and say, ‘praise be to Allah’”), namely Q. 17:111 and 27:93.

It is mentioned in the Qur’ān, that everything glorifies Allah in praise.  Allah said,

تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَإِنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ

وَلَكِنْ لَا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا (الإسراء : ٤٤)

The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein glorify

Him. And there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with

His praise, but you do not understand their glorification.

Truly, He is Ever Forbearing, Forgiving. (Q. 17:44).

c.     Thanking Allah with Our Actions

     There are many ways of showing our thankfulness through action, among which are as follows: (1) Taking care of this bounty. (2) Not wasting and misusing it. (3) Sharing it with others.

1.  Taking care of this bounty is maintaining it and keeping it in “a good shape.” As everything belongs to Allah alone, anything we have is only entrusted to us to use it, to get benefit from it, and to take care of it. It has to be respected, appreciated and treated properly.

2. Not wasting and misusing it. In spending it, a Muslim should be neither a miser nor a spendthrift. Allah said,

 ... وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا. إِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوا إِخْوَانَ الشَّيَاطِينِ

 وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا (الإسراء : ٢٦-٢٧)

… But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift.

 Verily, the spendthrifts are brothers of satans (devils), and the satan

 (devil) is ever ungrateful to his Lord. (Q. 17:26-27)

3.  Sharing it with others. It is sharing His bounty with less fortunate people, disregarding their race, faith or backgrounds. He encourages Muslims to give charity called s.adaqah. There are two kinds of charity:: the obligatory and the voluntary one. The obligatory charity called zakāt is one of the pillars of Islam, where a Muslim gives annually 2.5 % of his income to the poor or any charitable purpose, and feeding a poor or a needy person or giving him the amount one day’s food. The voluntary charity is by sharing Allah’s bounty with the needy and helping the poor. This is a temporary charity. There is another kind of charity called صَدَقَةٌ جَارِيَة  (perpetual charity), like building mosques, hospitals, schools, orphanages, bridges, etc. where the benefits of them to the community remain as long as they are still being used. The reward for this kind of charity continues beyond the grave of the builders.

True charity is not by giving away what one does not need any more, but instead, what one still needs. Allah says,

لَنْ تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنْفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ  (آل عمران : ٩٢)

You can never attain righteousness unless you spend in the cause of

Allah that which you love; and whatever you spend, surely it is

 known to Allah. (Q. 3:92).

For people who cannot give charity due to their poverty still can have the reward by praising Allah with their tasbīh. (glorification of Allah). When a companion complained to the Prophet that he could not give charity because he was poor, the Prophet told him to say the tasbīh.  after prayer, namely, subh.ānallāh 33 times, then al-h.amdu lillāh 33 times, then allāhu akbar also 33 times. If he did this he would get the reward of giving charity. Since there was no (and never will be) secrecy in the teachings of the Prophet the rich also learned to recite this tasbīh. and started doing it. The man came to the Prophet telling him that the rich also did the same so that they would get the reward of both giving charity and reciting the tasbīh..  To this, the Prophet recited the Qur’ānic verse,

ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ (الجمعة : ٤)

That is the grace of Allah which He bestowed on whom He wills.

And Allah is the Owner of mighty grace. (Q. 62:4).

This means that giving charity is preferable to citing tasbīh., as the community, especially the poor among them, will get benefit from the former, where the latter will benefit it citers only.

Kufr as the Opposite of Shukr

 The opposite of shukr is kufr, “unthankfulness, ungratefulness” When the throne of the Queen Sheba was placed before the Prophet-King Solomon, he said that that this was Allah’s  bounty to test him either he was grateful or ungrateful,

 أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ (النمل : ٤٠)

  …whether I am grateful or ungrateful (Q. 27:40).

Allah says,

  فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ  (البقرة : ١٣٢)

Therefore, remember Me, I will remember you, be grateful

 to Me and never deny Me. (Q. 2:132)

            The significance of shukr is to indicate one’s acknowledgement of one’s frailty and dependence on Allah as a servant and slave of Him. Many people forget this matter.  After describing His favour to the Prophet-King Solomon (e.g. the jinn worked for him), Allah said in the Qur’ān,

اعْمَلُوا آَلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ (سبأ : ١٣)

O Family of David, Work gratefully! Only a few of my

 devotees are  truly grateful. (Q. 34:13).

Allah Himself in the Qur’ān urges us to thank Him. He bestowed His favour to His servants so that they would thank Him. The expression لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُوْنَ  “so that you might become grateful” are mentioned at least fourteen times in the Qur’ān (e.g., Q  2: 52, 56, 185; 3:123; 5:6, 89; 8:26; 16:14, 78; 22:36; 28:73; 30:46 35:12; 45:12) to those who thank Him He promises to refrain from punishing them and even to increase His favour, and to those who deny His favour He threatens them with punishment.  He says,

مَا يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ وَآَمَنْتُمْ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ شَاكِرًا عَلِيمًا (النساء  : ١٤٧)

Why should Allah punish you if you are grateful and true believers?

Allah knows the grateful. (Q. 4:147),

  وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ  (ابراهيم : ٧)

And [remember] that your Lord had proclaimed that if you are grateful [to Me]

 I shall certainly give you more [than you deserve], but if you are ungrateful

 [you should know that] My punishment will be terrible indeed. (Q. 14:7).

Wise people are grateful to Allah, like Luqmān the sage. He was given by Allah wisdom to thank Him (Q.31:12). It is unwise to be ungrateful. The example of punishment due to ungratefulness is upon Qārūn (Korah). Allah told us about him in the Qur’ān very briefly, in seven verses, but the story gives us a warning that we might end up with the same ill fate that befell him if we follow his step of ungratefulness and his arrogance. Allah said,

  إِنَّ قَارُونَ كَانَ مِنْ قَوْمِ مُوسَى فَبَغَى عَلَيْهِمْ وَآَتَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْكُنُوزِ مَا إِنَّ مَفَاتِحَهُ لَتَنُوءُ بِالْعُصْبَةِ أُولِي الْقُوَّةِ إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ قَوْمُهُ لَا تَفْرَحْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَرِحِينَ . وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا آَتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الْآَخِرَةَ وَلَا تَنْسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَحْسِنْ كَمَا أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ وَلَا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ. قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عِنْدِي أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا وَلَا يُسْأَلُ عَنْ ذُنُوبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ. فَخَرَجَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ فِي زِينَتِهِ قَالَ الَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا يَا لَيْتَ لَنَا مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ قَارُونُ إِنَّهُ لَذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ . وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ وَيْلَكُمْ ثَوَابُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِمَنْ آَمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَلَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الصَّابِرُونَ . فَخَسَفْنَا بِهِ وَبِدَارِهِ الْأَرْضَ فَمَا كَانَ لَهُ مِنْ فِئَةٍ يَنْصُرُونَهُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُنْتَصِرِينَ (القصص :٧٦-٨١)   

 Verily, Qārūn was of Moses’ people, but he behaved arrogantly towards them, and [as] We gave him such treasures [i.e. riches] that his treasure-chests would have been a too heavy burden to a band of strong men [عُصْبَة , of ten to forty men]. Remember when his people said to him: ‘Do not exult, for Allah does not love the exultant. But seek, with that (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on you, to attain the abode of the Hereafter, while not neglecting your share in this world. Be good to others as Allah has been good to you, and do not seek mischief in the land, for Allah does not love the mischief-makers. He said: ‘This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess.’ Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected? But the criminals will not be questioned of their sins. So he went forth before his people in his pomp. Those who were desirous of the life of the world, said: ‘Ah, would that we had the like of what Qārūn (Korah) has been given! Verily he is the owner of a great fortune.’ But those who had been given knowledge said: ‘Woe to you! The reward of Allah (in the Hereafter) is better for him who believes and does good deeds, and none shall attain it except those are patient in adversity.’ So We cause the earth to swallow him and his dwelling place.  Then he had no group or party to help him against Allah, nor was he one of those who could save themselves.  (Q. 28:76-81).

The word مَفَاتِح  (mafātih.) is the plural form of miftāh (a key) as well as muftāh  (that which under lock and key), namely, treasure chests. The former is the translation rendered by A.Y. Ali and Pickthall, whereas the second by M. Asad. The story of Korah in the Old Testament is found more elaborately at Numbers xvi, 1-35 where it is mentioned that he had 250 followers.

We Muslims are taught by Allah to talk about His bounty. He said,

وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ (الضحى : ١١)

 And speak of the bounty of your Lord. (Q. 93:11)

A.Y. Ali’s comment on this verse is as follows:

 Besides the petitioners, who ask help, there is the case of those who do not ask but are nevertheless poor—poor but contented in the worldly goods, or poor in knowledge or resources and not even knowing that they are poor. If you are bountifully endowed by Allah, your duty is to make the bounty spread far and wide.  Proclaim it and share it, as the holy Prophet always did. We all receive Allah’s grace and guidance in some degree or other. We all owe it as our duty to our fellow-men to be kind and helpful to those less endowed in any respect than ourselves.

As Muslims we express our thanks to Allah in our daily lives. We are constantly conscious of Him, glorify and praise Him at least seventeen times a day in every rak‘ah (unit) of our prayers, as well as outside our prayer. We say bismillāh before doing something, and say alhamdu lillāh when we finish it. We spend His bounty wisely, take care of it and share it with others.