understand-quran-shukr-in-Islam

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Allah (swt) has sent us the Quran as a guidebook on how to live. He mentions only the things that are relevant to that purpose and doesn’t mention a single word or letter that is irrelevant or useless. In the same way, the things Allah has mentioned in the Quran repeatedly also have specific purposes. He reminds us many times about taqwa. ‘Wattaqullah!’ Why? Because it is something which we tend to really lack.

Similarly, He talks a lot about shukr. He keeps reminding us to be grateful.Why? Because human beings tend to be ungrateful! This is something we need to put extra care on, since Allah keeps warning us about it so many times in the Quran. Let us look at some of the ways in which gratefulness is highlighted in the Quran.

•    Quran begins with Alhamdulillah
The very first chapter of the Quran starts with “Praise be to Allah.”

•    The last call of the people of Paradise is Alhamdulillah.
دَعْوَاهُمْ فِيهَا سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَتَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا سَلَامٌ ۚ وَآخِرُ دَعْوَاهُمْ أَنِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Their call therein will be, ‘Exalted are You, O Allah ,’ and their greeting therein will be, ‘Peace.’ And the last of their call will be, ‘Praise to Allah , Lord of the worlds!’ [10:10]

•    If you indeed worship Allah, then you have to be grateful
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِلَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ
O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship. [2:172]

•    The purpose of fasting in Ramadan is to make us grateful.
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an … Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful. [2:182-188]

•    Allah is ash-Shakir.
مَّا يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِن شَكَرْتُمْ وَآمَنتُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ شَاكِرًا عَلِيمًا
What would Allah do with your punishment if you are grateful and believe? And ever is Allah Appreciative and Knowing. [4:147]

•    Allah reminds us of His favours upon us so many times in the Quran:
وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّاكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ فِيهَا مَعَايِشَ ۗ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ
And We have certainly established you upon the earth and made for you therein ways of livelihood. Little are you grateful. [7:10]
وَهُوَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ الْبَحْرَ لِتَأْكُلُوا مِنْهُ لَحْمًا طَرِيًّا وَتَسْتَخْرِجُوا مِنْهُ حِلْيَةً تَلْبَسُونَهَا وَتَرَى الْفُلْكَ مَوَاخِرَ فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it, and [He subjected it] that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful. [16:14]
And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and intellect that perhaps you would be grateful. [16:78]

This uncertainty of our gratefulness at the end of these verses is to make us more concerned about being grateful to Allah. He has given us so much and yet we find it difficult to even express our gratitude. In fact, we can’t even thank Him enough for all of His favours on us.

•    Shaytan challenged Allah that we wouldn’t be grateful.
ثُمَّ لَآتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَائِلِهِمْ ۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَاكِرِينَ
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].’ [7:17]  Are we going to let Shaytan have what he wants, or are we going to give him a fight?

•    ‘If you’re grateful, I will increase you.’
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ
And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.‘ [14:7]

So next time you receive a gift of ten bars of chocolates, say alhamdulillah from your heart, and be absolutely sure of receiving more soon!

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