Shukr
Shukr (Arabic: شكر) in Islamic terminology refers to verbal and practical gratitude and appreciation for the blessings of God. Muslim mystics classify shukr into three types: verbal shukr, which is the spoken acknowledgement of blessings; inner (or heartfelt) shukr, which is the recognition that all blessings come from God; and practical shukr, which is expressed through obedience and righteous action in response to the Giver of blessings.
According to the Qur’an, expressing gratitude benefits the individual, while gratitude or ingratitude does not affect God, as He is independent of humankind and their deeds. On this basis, gratitude is said to bring about barakah (blessing) and an increase in one’s blessings. Imam ʿAli (a) described shukr as a sign of faith (īmān) and piety (taqwā), and as a means of preserving and enhancing divine blessings.
Concept and Status
Shukr refers to the remembrance and recognition of God’s blessings, as well as their expression through the heart, speech, and actions.
In several verses of the Qur’an, such as “So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me”[1], and in the words of Prophet Solomon (a) after Asif b. Barkhiyā brought the throne of Bilqis before him — “This is by the grace of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful”[2] — Shukr is set in contrast to kufr (ingratitude or disbelief). One of the meanings of kufr is “to cover,” implying that the ungrateful person conceals God’s blessings, whereas the believer, through gratitude, uncovers and acknowledges them.
The meaning of acknowledging blessings is also embedded in the word shukr. It entails not only gratitude but also a form of reverence, recognition, remembrance, and expression of divine favors. Its opposite, kufr, signifies forgetfulness and the concealment of blessings.
In a well-known tradition, Imam al-Sadiq (a), when enumerating the “armies of intellect and ignorance,” identified shukr as one of the forces allied with intellect (ʿaql), while its opposite, ingratitude (kufrān), was listed among the forces of ignorance (jahl).
In the Qur’an, shukr is used in various contexts, including gratitude for material blessings, gratitude for faith and monotheism, gratitude for one's parents and the existence of God, and gratitude for God’s forgiveness and mercy.
In the traditions of the Infallibles (Maʿṣūmīn), the concept and examples of shukr are frequently discussed. Imam ʿAli (a) described gratitude as a sign of faith,[3] an aspect of piety,[4] a means of trial and testing,[5] an adornment of wealth,[6] and a cause for the increase[7] and preservation of blessings.[8] He is also reported to have said that a Muslim should be grateful to God in every circumstance.[9]
Effects of Gratitude
According to the Qur’an, gratitude benefits the individual, while gratitude or ingratitude brings neither benefit nor harm to God, for He is self-sufficient and far above being affected by human actions. In contrast, it is the human being who gains from gratitude, as thankfulness for blessings brings barakah (abundance and increase) to them. Gratitude also leads to guidance on the right path, whereas ingratitude results in divine punishment.
Notes
References
- The Holy Qur'an.
- Farāhīdī, Khalīl b. Aḥmad. Kitāb al-ʿayn. Edited by Mahdī Makhzūmī and Ibrāhīm Sāmirāʾirī. Qom: Dār al-Hijra, 1410 AH.
- Kulaynī, Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb al-. Al-Kāfī. Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmīyya, 1407 AH.
- Nahj al-balāgha. Edited by Fayḍ al-Islām. Tehran: Intishārāt-i Fayḍ al-Islām, 1374 SH.
- Rāghib al-Iṣfahānī, al-Ḥusayn b. Muḥammad al-. Al-Mufradāt fī gharīb al-Qurʾān. 1st edition. Edited by Ṣafwān ʿAdnān Dāwūdī. Beirut: Dār al-Qalam, 1412 AH.
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