Ash-Shakur
Allah is Ash-Shakoor meaning the most grateful, the rewarder of good deeds, and is most appreciative. Allah notices the smallest of our acts of righteousness and rewards us for them in this life or the next. He is bountiful in giving and bestows great rewards for small amount of good.
From the root sh-k-r which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to praise or commend for a benefit or benefits to acknowledge beneficence to offer thanks, acknowledgement to be thankful, grateful to produce, supply, give forth bountifully.
That He may give them in full their rewards and increase for them of His bounty. Indeed, He is Forgiving and Appreciative. (Quran 35:30)
If you loan Allah a goodly loan, He will multiply it for you and forgive you. And Allah is Most Appreciative and Forbearing. (Quran 64:17)
And they will say, “Praise to Allah, who has removed from us [all] sorrow. Indeed, our Lord is Forgiving and Appreciative. (Quran 35:34)
It is that of which Allah gives good tidings to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say, [O Muhammad], “I do not ask you for this message any payment [but] only good will through kinship.” And whoever commits a good deed – We will increase for him good therein. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Appreciative. (Quran 42:23)
|
Name: |
Ash-Shakur |
|
Ash-Shakur in Arabic |
ٱلْشَّكُورُ |
|
Arabic root: |
(ش ك ر) |
|
Ash-Shakur meaning in English: |
The Acknowledging, The Grateful, The Appreciative, The Rewarder of Thankfulness |
|
Ash-Shakur meaning in Urdu |
قدردان, قدر کرنے والا |
|
Appearance in the Quran: |
4 times |
|
Tasbeeh: |
40/41 times |
|
Asma-ul-Husna with similar meaning: |
|
Ash-Shakur is among the 99 glorious names of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). Ash-Shakur means the Most Appreciative, The Most Grateful, and The Rewarder of Good Deeds. This attribute of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) tells us that He is aware of even the tiniest of our righteous deeds, and He will reward us for them in the world and the Hereafter. He is the Most Bountiful and Bestower of Great Rewards on His creation.
The classical Arabic connotations of Ash-Shukar are derived from its Arabic root sheen-kaaf-ra (ش ك ر). They are to praise or acclaim for a benefit or benefits, offer acknowledgment and thanks, be grateful, supply, produce, or give abundantly.
In short, Ash-Shakur is a display of the extent of Allah's (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) love. He has given us life, and everything in this world belongs to us because He has willed it to be that way. However, despite being extensively bountiful and self-sufficient, He tells us that He appreciates us and our good deeds, no matter how little. Hence, we should always strive to please Him through our words and actions.
Ash-Shakur is mentioned four times in the Holy Quran, such as:
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِي يُبَشِّرُ ٱللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِۗ قُل لَّآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَجۡرًا إِلَّا ٱلۡمَوَدَّةَ فِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰۗ وَمَن يَقۡتَرِفۡ حَسَنَةٗ نَّزِدۡ لَهُۥ فِيهَا حُسۡنًاۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ شَكُورٌ
It is that of which Allah gives good tidings to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say, [O Muhammad], “I do not ask you for this message any payment [but] only good will through kinship.” And whoever commits a good deed – We will increase for him good therein. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Appreciative.
Allah’s (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) forgiving and appreciative attributes have also been highlighted by our beloved Prophet (ﷺ). As per a narration in Al-Bukhari and Muslim:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘While a man was walking, he saw a thorny branch on the road, so he removed it, and Allah appreciated his action and forgave him.’”
Ash-Shukar reminds us that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) appreciates and rewards His servants for all their good deeds. It highlights the importance of doing good, not for worldly praise and show but to please the Creator and seek His favor. Indeed, acknowledgment of our good deeds from the world is a bonus, but the real reward we should seek is from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى ) and this reward will always be more than what we expect.
To elaborate on the concept of Allah multiplying and increasing the rewards of His servants, we can use this saying of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) about good deeds performed while fasting:
“Every good deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied manifold. A good deed will be multiplied ten times up to as many as seven hundred times, or as much as Allah wills.”
Knowing that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is Ash-Shakur should make us grateful for His kindness, forgiveness, and reward since He is the All-Mighty and has no need to bestow His mercy and pardon on us. Yet, He continually forgives our sins and rewards even the smallest of our good deeds. As is said in the Holy Quran:
وَإِذۡ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمۡ لَئِن شَكَرۡتُمۡ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمۡۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرۡتُمۡ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٞ
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.’
Moreover, when Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) can be so forgiving and rewarding, we must strive to be so ourselves. When we adopt an appreciative and humble attitude towards people, it pleases Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) as well. It is narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“He who does not thank the people is not thankful to Allah.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 4811).
Hence, our obedience and gratitude for Allah’s appreciation and reward, as well as our humbleness and thankfulness towards others, will propel us towards Jannah. Surely, knowing that our Creator is so loving and appreciative of us is heartening.
Reciting this name 41 times will help in recovering from depression. Moreover, reciting Ash-Shakur 40 times on water and washing sore eyes will cure them.
Children named after this attribute of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) will inherently be humble and thankful towards others. They must be taught the value of forgiving misdeeds and rewarding even the smallest of kindness.
Similar to Ash-Shakur, the Quran also mentions the version ‘Ash-Shakir’ to describe Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). While Ash-Shakur means the Appreciative, Ash-Shakir means the Recognizer and Rewarder of Good and is the more emphatic version. Ash-Shakir is mentioned twice in the Quran; in the below ayah, it is mentioned with another attribute of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) Al-Aleem (The All-Knowing):
إِنَّ ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلۡمَرۡوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ ٱللَّهِۖ فَمَنۡ حَجَّ ٱلۡبَيۡتَ أَوِ ٱعۡتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَاۚ وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيۡرٗا فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ
Indeed, as-Safa and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. So whoever makes Hajj to the House or performs ‘umrah – there is no blame upon him for walking between them. And whoever volunteers good – then indeed, Allah is appreciative and Knowing.
Ash-Shakur is also paired with Al-Ghafoor (The Forgiving) in the Holy Quran:
وَقَالُواْ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَذۡهَبَ عَنَّا ٱلۡحَزَنَۖ إِنَّ رَبَّنَا لَغَفُورٞ شَكُورٌ
And they will say, ‘Praise to Allah, who has removed from us [all] sorrow. Indeed, our Lord is Forgiving and Appreciative’.
This pairing highlights Allah's (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) attributes of Mercy and His greatness in always seeing the good in His creation. He frequently forgives and purifies us from our sins and readily accepts all the good that we do, irrespective of how insignificant it might seem.
More names of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) that have a similar meaning or connection to Ash-Shakur are:
An-Naafi’ – The Bestower of benefits
إِن تَكۡفُرُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنكُمۡۖ وَلَا يَرۡضَىٰ لِعِبَادِهِ ٱلۡكُفۡرَۖ وَإِن تَشۡكُرُواْ يَرۡضَهُ لَكُمۡۗ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٞ وِزۡرَ أُخۡرَىٰۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُم مَّرۡجِعُكُمۡ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
If you disbelieve – indeed, Allah is Free from need of you. And He does not approve for His servants disbelief. And if you are grateful, He approves it for you; and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you about what you used to do. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts. (Quran 39:7)