الشَّكُورُ وَالْعَبْدُ الشَّاكِرُ

Allah is Appreciative This is one of the most astonishing names: Allah Himself is Ash-Shakuur (the Most Appreciative) and Ash-Shaakir (the Appreciative). He needs nothing, yet He "thanks" His servants: He accepts little and rewards it abundantly, He forgets no effort, He multiplies good deeds. • "… so that He may pay them their reward in full and add to them from His bounty. He is Forgiving, Appreciative (shakuur)" (meaning of 35:30). • "If you lend Allah a goodly loan, He will multiply it for you and forgive you. Allah is Appreciative, Forbearing" (meaning of 64:17). • A man saw a thirsty dog licking the damp earth; he went down into a well, filled his shoe with water and gave it to drink. "Allah thanked him (fa-shakara llaahu lahu) and forgave him" (Bukhari 2363, Muslim 2244) [À VÉRIFIER : numéros]. • A man removed a thorny branch from the road; "Allah thanked him and forgave him" (Bukhari 652, Muslim 1914) [À VÉRIFIER : numéros].

The servant's gratitude: heart, tongue, actions Scholars describe gratitude (ash-shukr) in three parts: • The heart: acknowledging that every blessing comes from Allah, and not from one's own skill alone. • The tongue: saying it, with "al-ḥamdu lillaah" and by speaking of Allah's blessings. Allah loves His servant to praise Him after eating or drinking (Muslim 2734). • Actions: using every blessing in obedience. "Work, O family of Daawuud, in gratitude; and few of My servants are grateful" (meaning of 34:13).

The promise "If you are grateful, I will surely increase My favours to you; but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is severe" (meaning of 14:7, text below). "Remember Me, I will remember you; be grateful to Me and do not be ungrateful to Me" (meaning of 2:152). And yet: "If you were to count the blessings of Allah, you could not enumerate them" (meaning of 16:18).

Three hadiths • "How wonderful is the affair of the believer! All of his affair is good, and this is given only to the believer: if something pleasing befalls him, he is grateful, and that is good for him; if hardship befalls him, he is patient, and that is good for him" (Muslim 2999). • The Prophet ﷺ took Mu'aadh ibn Jabal by the hand and said to him: "O Mu'aadh, by Allah, I love you." Then he advised him never to omit, after every prayer, saying: "Allaahumma a'innii 'alaa dhikrika wa shukrika wa ḥusni 'ibaadatik" ("O Allah, help me to remember You, to thank You and to worship You well") (Abu Daawuud 1522). • The Prophet ﷺ would pray at night until his feet swelled. He was asked why, when Allah had forgiven him; he answered: "Should I not be a grateful servant?" (Bukhari 4836, Muslim 2819).

Looking at those below oneself, and thanking people • "Look at those below you, and do not look at those above you: that is more fitting so that you do not belittle Allah's blessing upon you" (Muslim 2963; see also Bukhari 6490). • "Whoever does not thank people does not thank Allah" (Abu Daawuud 4811, At-Tirmidhi 1954) [À VÉRIFIER : numéros et degré].

Understanding the lesson

Explanation That the Lord of the worlds should be "Appreciative" towards His servants is an immense generosity: He gives us the strength to do good, then He thanks us for it. The dog given water and the branch removed show that no sincere gesture is too small for Ash-Shakuur. The servant responds with gratitude, which is not only a word. It begins in the heart (knowing where the blessing comes from), passes through the tongue (saying it) and is completed in actions (using it for Allah). Whoever says "al-ḥamdu lillaah" for his health, then uses it in disobedience, has not yet finished giving thanks. Gratitude also transforms one's outlook: the hadith of Muslim 2999 shows that the believer never loses, for he is grateful in good times and patient in hardship. Finally, the Prophet ﷺ, though forgiven, prayed until his feet swelled: gratitude is not a debt one repays once, it is a way of living.

Lessons to draw from it • Every evening, name three blessings of the day and say "al-ḥamdu lillaah". • After every prayer, say the supplication taught to Mu'aadh (Abu Daawuud 1522). • Use your blessings (time, money, health, knowledge) in what Allah loves. • Look at those who have less, not at those who have more. • Thank your parents, your spouse, your colleagues, the centre's volunteers.

Key points to remember • Ash-Shakuur: He rewards little abundantly (35:30; 64:17). • "Allah thanked him and forgave him": the dog given water, the branch removed. • Gratitude of the heart, the tongue and actions (34:13). • "If you are grateful, I will surely increase My favours to you" (14:7). • "Should I not be a grateful servant?" (Bukhari 4836, Muslim 2819).

The main message Allah is Appreciative and rewards the smallest good: be grateful to Him with your heart, your tongue and your actions, and He will increase His blessings to you.

The text: Surah Ibraahiim (14), verse 7 [TEXTE ARABE À INSÉRER : sourate 14:7]

The text: Surah Al-Baqara (2), verse 152 [TEXTE ARABE À INSÉRER : sourate 2:152]

Meaning: 14:7: "And when your Lord proclaimed: If you are grateful, I will surely increase My favours to you; but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is severe." 2:152: "Remember Me, I will remember you; be grateful to Me and do not be ungrateful to Me."

Arabic text: deliberately not typed, to avoid any error; it is to be copied from the centre's mushaf (or a verified source) at the place indicated.