Ash-Shakūr - The One Who Expresses Thankfulness by Rewarding Bounteously, The Grateful
Ash-Shakūr is the one who rewards trivial pious deeds with many grades, and the one who gives unlimited happiness in the life to come for activity during a limited period (in this life). The one who rewards the good deed with multiples of it is said to be thankful for that good deed, and the one who praises the performer of this good deed is also said to be thankful for it. If you consider multiple rewards (to be the criterion in this matter), then there can be no absolute Ash-Shakūr except God Most High, because His increase of the reward is not restricted and limited since the blessings of Paradise are infinite. God Most High says, “Eat and drink at ease for that which ye sent on before you in past days”.
When examining the meaning of praise we find that all praise is directed at others (not oneself). The Lord, however, when praising His servants, praises His own deeds since their works are His creation. If one who grants both gifts and praise can be considered Shakūr, how much more so the one who grants gifts and praises the recipient! The praise of God Most High upon His people is exemplified by His saying, “All men and women who remember God unceasingly: God hath prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward”, and by His saying, “How excellent a servant! Lo! He was ever turning in repentance (to his Lord)” and by other verses of this nature.
It is conceivable that man may be a thankful person in respect of another man, either by praising the second person for his good treatment of him or by rewarding the second person with a greater (benefit) than he received. (Actions of this nature) spring from man’s praiseworthy qualities. The messenger of God said – may God bless him and grant him salvation! – “The one who does not thank people does not thank God”. As far as thanking God is concerned, one can use this term only metaphorically and then only loosely. For even if man praises God, his praise is inadequate since the praise God deserves is incalculable.
However, the best way of manifesting thankfulness for the blessings of God Most High is to make use of these blessings in obeying, and not disobeying, Him.
