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Lesson: 32 Thankfulness and Praise
One of the
virtues showing faith and the knowledge about the Almighty Allah is Thankfulness.
The issue of
thankfulness and its stages depends on the awareness about the real Benefactor.
From this angle, if one wants to fulfil his duties he should delve deeper in
the philosophy and Gnosticism so that he can perform his duties in a better
manner.
The discussion
regarding thankfulness also can be divided under four titles.
1 - Description
of some verses and traditions about shukr2 - The meaning of Shukr 3 - The stages of shukr.
Quranic verses:
1 - And
when We appointed a time of forty nights with Moosa , then you took the calf
for a god after him and you were unjust. Then We pardoned you after that so
that you might give thanks.
2 - Say:
Who is it that delivers you from the dangers of the land and the sea when you
call upon Him openly humiliating yourselves, and in secret: If He delivers us
from this, we should certainly be of the grateful ones. Say: Allah delivers
you from them and from every distress, but again you set up others with Him.
3 - And
certainly We have established you in the earth and made in it means of livelihood
for you; little it is that you give thanks.
4 - And
remember when you were few, deemed weak in the land, fearing lest people might
carry you off by force, but He sheltered you and strengthened you with His aid
and gave you of the good things that you may give thanks.
5 - And
Allah has brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers -you did not know
anything - and He gave you hearing and sight and hearts that you may give thanks.
6 - And
surely your Lord is the Lord of grace to men, but most of them are not grateful.
7 - give
thanks, O family of Dawood! And very few of My servants are grateful.
8 - And
certainly We gave wisdom to Luqman, saying: Be grateful to Allah. And whoever
is grateful, he is only grateful for his own soul; and whoever is ungrateful,
then surely Allah is Self-sufficient, Praised.
Traditions
1-Imam Baqir
(a.s.) said: The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was near Ayesha during a night of her
turn. She said to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.): O messenger of Allah! Why do
you put yourself to agony when Allah has already pardoned your past and future
sins? He replied: O Ayesha! Should I not be a thankful servant of Allah? And
she added: the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) stood on the toes of his feet till Allah
revealed this verse: We have not revealed the Quran to you that you may be put
to agony. 2 - Ubaidullah al
Waleed says: I heard from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that he said: There are three things
due to which no loss occurs: Dua prayer at the time of difficulty, Begging pardon
at the time of sinning and thankfulness at the time of comfort. 3 - Imam Sadiq (a.s.)
said: He said: One who gives thanks is given more. Almighty Allah says: If
you thank me, I will enhance your affluence. 4 - It is recorded
from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) that he said: When you see others in trouble,
thank God for being safe but in a way that they do not hear it silently so that
they may not be grieved. 5 - Amirul Momineen
(a.s.) said: Thankfulness for affluence increases provision. 6 - The Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) said: One who does not thank Allah except in the matter of food and
drink is, in fact less wise, and his chastisement is near. 7 - The Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) said: The pressure of the grave, in case of a Mo-min, is due to the
wasting of Gods favours. 8 - Imam Baqir (a.s.)
said: Allah does not cut off affluence favour unless thankfulness is cut off.
Now when you
have seen the ayat and Traditions, we invite your attention to their reality,
and before the quoting of narrations it should be remembered that the thankfulness
for every favour should be proportionate to it. The thankfulness for governance
is justice, the gratitude for affluence is spending for helping the weak, and
thankfulness for being safe is to work for the society and
A - Imam Sadiq
(a.s.) says: From what Allah had revealed to Moosa (a.s.) was also that: O Moosa
! Thank me in a worthy ways. Moosa (a.s.) said: what is that worthy way in which
I should thank you? When whatever thank I offer is also a favour your bestowed
by You? Allah said: O Moosa ! Now when you have realised that being thankful
to me is also a blessing from me, you have worthily thanked Me in a way which
is My worth.
Yes, If one
really understands that this blessing is from Allah he has spent it in His path.
B - It is recorded
from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) with reference to the verse: Yes, the one who thanks
Allah and is grateful to Him and realises that it is a favour from Him and not
from anyone else will be the one referred to in this verse.
C - It is recorded
from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that he said: Appreciate nearness to favour. It was asked:
what is nearness to favour? He said: Thankfulness to the Benefector and fulfilling
his rights.
D - Amirul
Mo-mineen (a.s.) said: Thanks for every favour is refraining from what Allah
has prohibited.
Stages of
Gratitude Thankfulness- Shukr
1 - Realising
that every blessing is from Allah and that he alone is the Benefactor and that
all the means are also from Him and as per His will, one who Understands this
has taken the first step and approached the highest stage. So it has been recorded
from Moosa (a.s.) that he said in his supplication: O my lord! You created Adam
by You Own might and You gave him a place in the paradise and you selected Hawwa
as his wife, then how should I thank you? He received the words: know that this
blessing is from me and that the recognition of this blessing is gratitude thankfulness.
And this understanding
is higher than hallowing and greater than some of the stages of Tawheed. Since
these two are the essential conditions of Marefat (knowing) and shanaakht (understanding)
and as a fact, hallowing means recognising Allah's being without any defect
or shortcoming, and since Tawheed means realising that Holiness does not belong
to anyone except Him and that Marefat means having certainty that all that is
in the universe and every bounty given to man is from Him. Perhaps it is because
of this that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: One who says laa illaha illal
laah has twenty rewards and one who recites alhamdo lillah has thirty rewards.
Since subhaanallaah
is word which announces Allah's holiness. And laailaah lillalllaah his oneness
and alhamdulillaah shows the recognition of Gods might and Beauty as the source
of every bounty. Of course it goes without saying that the promise rewards do
not accrue merely by oral utterance of these words. Understanding and acceptance
too must accompany recitation.
2 - Happiness
for a favour accompanied by a condition of courtesy and humility is another
meaning of thankfulness or gratitude.3 - Expression of
thankfulness a praise of Allah is yet another meaning of thankfulness.4 - Utilising the
limbs and organs and wealth and status for pleasing the lord of the worlds and
preventing them from causing displeasure of Allah is also a meaning of thankfulness.
In other words:
Every favour which is used against the liking and the order of Allah is thankfulness
opposite of Ungratefulness.
It is hoped
that this collection, in the light of the patronage of Imam-e-Zamana, may I
be sacrificed for him, and with the help of you, dear readers supplication,
will also enrich the soul of the writer.
O chief!
Distress has afflicted us and our family and we have brought scanty money, so
give us full measure and be charitable to us; surely Allah rewards the charitable.
