Shiin, kaf, rah Ash shukr: means to fill up and to express:* * Ibn Faaris says it has different meanings one of which is to be filled and abundant: shakaratin naaqah: the camel’s teats became full of milk: almishkaar: an animal which may have little fodder but still its teats are full of milk: zarratun shakra: teat full of milk: as shikrah: a camel (she) whose teats are full of milk***. Shaakiraatish shajarah: branches sprouted on the tree trunk: ishtakaratis sama-u: it rained very hartd: ishtakaral harru wal bard: the winter and summer were fullsome: shakara fulan: that man was greatly benevolent and gave a lot to people: *Taj and Raghib **Muheet ***Taj -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tajul Uroos says that shukr means obedience and the performance of must duties (farz) as also the expression of thankfulness, and God’s full response to this shukr or to give much in return for little shukr : for example if a person helps someone else a little even at his own cost, then this little sacrifice on his part will be considered greater than giving something to someone that is more than one’s necessities: this is what means givingample return for little benevolence. If we keep the basic meaning of ‘shukr’ in mind then we can easily comprehend the meaning of ‘sa-ee mushkoor’ or that effort which fetches good results: (i.e. more than the effort warranted): so complete like the teats of a goat which are full of milk: ‘shaakir’ ( fa-innal laha shaakirun aleem): shaakir is one who makes one’s effort fetch full results: and also the one whose efforts fetches such complete results: the word ‘shukr’ has been used for the efforts going waste and against khusr: 39:65, 66 a man’s efforts which produce good results is also called ‘shakoor’: 14:5 shakoor has more exaggeration than shaakir. Since ‘shukr’ means to highlight or make evident, that is why ‘kufr’ (denial) has been used against it 14:7 which means to cover or bury: surah Baqarah says wush kuru li walatakfurun: 2:154 it means always keep God given blessings uncovered or available so that the human race can benefit from it: do not hide them or cover them. Among the first of God given gifts, first are the capabilities which a human being possesses : the development of the capabilities and them to be evident thus is also ‘shukr’: and this thing is produced by good deeds: therefore, good deeds become the cause of ‘shukr’ of God’s benevolence: surah Ahqaaf relates this very fact: when it is said that you should ask for: rabbi auzi’ni un ashkur ne’mastika…: wa un aamaa swaleha: 46:15 O, my Nurturer, give me the capability of thanking you (for committing ‘shukr’) for your benevolence: that is, I may do such deeds as to develop them: at another place, it is said: Mun yashkur fa innama yashkuru li-nafsehi wa mun kafara fa innal laha ghaniyyun hameed: 31:12 he who covers up or hides God’s benevolence (i.e. he hides or does not disclose) , does God no harm but he who uncovers them develops his own capabilities: that he harms himself: God in His personality needs no thanks: he is not dependent on you. To uncover God’s gifts or to disclose them means to utilize them as God has ordered: that is, they should be kept available for humanity at large: this fact has been highlighted with the help of an exmaple: a basti or a group of dwellings or a city, was plentiful: but fakafarat bi-anami lillah: 16:112 they started covering God’s benefits and the result was that they started facing the azzaab (punishment) of hunger and fear: God’s prophet was sent to them but they rejected him too: then the momineen have been warned not to do likewise : wushkuru ne’matillah:16:114 keep God’s gifts uncovered: inn kuntum iyyahu ta’budoon: 16:114 if you follow His laws only, then obviously you will keep open whatever God has given you: and the ‘kufr’ of those gifts means to hide them (according to your self made laws) : bima kaanu yasna-oon: 16:112 this in surah Airaaf has been made explicit as : ‘shaakireen’ are those who do not follow the way of the Iblees and are do not fall into his trap: 7:17 Surah Baqarah says about the Bani Israeel: summa ba-asnakum min ba’di mautikum laallakum tashkuroon: 2:56 We gave you life after death so that you can be“thankful’; this makes it clear that nations regain life or are resurrected after death so that they can develop their capabilities: those nations which do not do so are not ‘alive’; nor can they exist. The above explains that: 1) For efforts to be thankful or mashkoor means for them to produce full results; that is, 2) they produce the fullest results and become fully fruitful. 3) to be thankful means to uncover the blessings or gifts that God has given: a) that he makes his latent capabilities fully evident or develops them; b) keep the means of development spread in the universe open for the benefit of mankind and not hide them for himself. 4) This is possible only when God’s laws are fully followed: this will be ‘thankfulness’ by man 5) ‘shukr’ from God’s side means that He makes man’s efforts produce full results; and it is a particularity of God’s law that if followed they produce the fullest possible results. Surah Dhahar says: inna hadainahus sabeela imma mashakiraw wa imam kafura: 76:3 We have shown the right path through the wahi: now it is upot him (man) to adopt it or some other way: here ‘shukr’ means to treat the path as a great gift and adopt it: surah Nisaa says: inn shakartum wa aamuntum 4:147 if you value this guidance then Believe (have faith or eeman): 34:13 has used shakur or shaakir which means to benefit from the gift you have been given: surah Saba says: I’malu aali Dauda shukra: 34:13 O, descendants of Daud (A.S.) act(according to our laws)by benefiting from the gifts given : that is, utilize the multiple benefits and avail of the benefits in the universe and thus be thankful for them. Ibn Faaris says it also basically means to be content with little means: farasin shakoor means a horse which is fat and so even a little fodder is enough for it: when one’s capabilities are developed then even few external supports also are sufficient for a man and they produce profuse results.
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 07:00:43 +0000
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