Shukr – Thanks to Allah (SWT)

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The first word of Quran is Alhamdulillah which means “all praise is for Allah^SWT.” The basic concept of Shukr in Islam is to attribute everything we have, to Allah^SWT, at all times. This includes

• Everything we have
• Everything we don’t have and;
• Everything we had and taken back by Allah’s will

All our life we aspire to get the best of everything yet we are blessed with some, we work hard for something yet sometimes we get it, others not. This is Allah’s will and His knowledge of what is good for us and what is not.

In our quest for the best we even forget to thank Allah^SWT for his blessings, we learn to take them for granted. In Surah Rahman, Allah^SWT asks us the same question thirty-one times, “Which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?” giving examples of simple things around us, from which we have closed our eyes.

أَفَمَن يَخْلُقُ كَمَن لَّا يَخْلُقُ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ 16:17

Then is He who creates like one who does not create?  So will you not be reminded? (An Nahl : 17)

وَلَقَدۡ اٰتَيۡنَا لُقۡمٰنَ الۡحِكۡمَةَ اَنِ اشۡكُرۡ لِلّٰهِ​ؕ وَمَنۡ يَّشۡكُرۡ فَاِنَّمَا يَشۡكُرُ لِنَفۡسِهٖ​ۚ وَمَنۡ كَفَرَ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيۡدٌ 31:12

We bestowed wisdom upon Luqman, (enjoining): “Give thanks to Allah.” Whoso gives thanks to Allah, does so to his own good. And whoso disbelieves (let him know that) Allah is All-Sufficient, Immensely Praiseworthy. (Luqman: 12)

وَاللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُم مِّن بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ 16:78

And Allah brought you forth from the wombs (of) your mothers, not knowing anything, and made for you the hearing and the sight and the hearts so that you may give thanks. (An Nahl: 78).

قَالَ فَبِمَاۤ اَغۡوَيۡتَنِىۡ لَاَقۡعُدَنَّ لَهُمۡ صِرَاطَكَ الۡمُسۡتَقِيۡمَۙ‏ ﴿7:16﴾ ثُمَّ لَاَتِيَنَّهُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَيۡنِ اَيۡدِيۡهِمۡ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِمۡ وَعَنۡ اَيۡمَانِهِمۡ وَعَنۡ شَمَآئِلِهِمۡ​ؕ وَلَاٰ تَجِدُ اَكۡثَرَهُمۡ شٰكِرِيۡنَ‏ 7:17

[Satan] said, “Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path. Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You].” (Al Araf : 16-17)

The basic aim of Shaitan is to create diversions so that we continue to look for more and more, forgetting what we have. Think; what Allah^SWT has blessed us with, our eyes to see, our nose to smell, our ears to hear, the hands to work, our feet to walk, just for a second think of people who are not blessed with them. It will give you enough gratitude for Allah^SWT and a sense of thankfulness.

We can describe three levels of thankfulness or gratitude:

• Shukr-bil-Qalb: to realize and appreciate all blessings by and within the heart.
• Shukr-bil-Lisaan: to say thanks with the tongue.
• Skukr-bil-Jawarah: To express gratitude by doing righteous deeds.

Gratitude and thankfulness for Allah^SWT does not need any specific reason or thing, the blessings are all around us, and we just need to use our senses to appreciate.

فَبِأيِّ آلَآء رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both [jinn and men] deny?

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