What is Shukr?

 

SHUKR has the following common meanings:

-To be thankful [for a benefit or benefits received]

-To be grateful

-To praise

-To eulogise

-To acknowledge beneficence and speak largely of it

-To acknowledge beneficence of Allah and act in a manner incumbent upon us in rendering Him obedience and abstaining from His disobedience

SHUKR has three main aspects when it is rendered by man to Allah:

-Being humble, lowly or submissive [in heart and mind]

-Praising, eulogising and acknowledging the beneficence of Allah [with the tongue]

-Obeying and submitting oneself to Allah [in deeds and actions] [39:60]

SHUKR rendered to Allah rests upon five main foundations:

-Humility towards Him to whom it is rendered

-Love of Him to whom it is rendered

-Acknowledgement of His beneficence to whom it is rendered

-Eulogising Him to whom it is rendered

-Not using the benefit received in a manner which He [who has conferred it] dislikes

SHUKR has the following meaning when it is rendered by Allah to man:

-To be liberal and bountiful in giving benefits or rewards to others. One of the attribute of Allah is Ash-Shakoor and another is Ash-Shakir, which means that Allah is very liberal and bountiful in rewarding or giving benefits to mankind

SHUKR has the following meanings when it is rendered by man to man:

-To be thankful [for a benefit or benefits received]

-To be grateful

-To be liberal and bountiful in giving benefits or rewards to others

Allah commands Momineen to render Shukr to parents [31:14]

But Allah says when Momineen do something for the welfare of others, in general, they do it for seeking the Countenance of Allah only. They do not wish any SHUKR or thanks from those for whom they do something good [76:8-9]
The word SHUKR also has some other meanings as follows:

-Act of uncovering and exposing to view [as opposed to Kufr, which means an act of concealing or hiding]

-Fullness of the udder of a she-camel with milk

-To become abundant with something. When Shukr refers to a result of some action, effort or work, it means "abundant, ample or huge reward of actions or efforts".

-Abounding, ample, bounteous, bountiful, copious, exuberant, filled, full, generous, liberal, luxuriant, plenteous, plenty, profuse, sufficient, teeming

-Be abundant with, be plentiful, flourish, thrive

How to render SHUKR to Allah?

-Be humble and submissive to Him [from heart and mind]

-Be thankful to Him and acknowledge His beneficence [with tongue]

-Obey and submit to Him [in actions and deeds]

-Use/utilize the benefits given by Him according to His Prescribed way

-Keep the benefits given by Allah open and exposed for the welfare of others [and do not conceal Allah's blessings from others]

-Be liberal and bountiful in sharing benefits given by Allah with others

What is Shukraan-e-Nemat?

-To use/utilize the benefits given by Allah according to His Prescribed way

-To keep the benefits given by Allah open and exposed for the welfare of others [and do not conceal Allah's blessings from others]

-To be liberal and bountiful in sharing and giving benefits given by Allah to others

What is Kufraan-e-Nemat?

-To NOT use/utilise the benefits given by Allah according to His Prescribed way

-To conceal or hide Allah's blessings from others

-To NOT share or give benefits given by Allah to others

Allah commands Momineen to render SHUKR [2:152]

But Most people do not render Shukr to Allah

Verily, man is [generally] ungrateful to his Lord [100:6]

Allah is full of bounty to mankind but most of mankind do not render any SHUKR [40:61]

Verily, your Lord is full of Grace to mankind, yet most of them do not render any SHUKR [27:73, 10:60]

It is He who has given you sense of hearing, sight and understanding but little SHUKR you render [23:78]

Allah is Shakir and Shakoor

Allah is Ash-Shakir [2:158, 4:147] and Ash-Shakoor [35:30, 35:34, 64:17], i.e. most ready to appreciate good deeds and recompense with great rewards.

Benefits of rendering SHUKR

-Allah likes those who do Shukr [39:7]

-Allah rewards those who do Shukr [3:144]

-Allah gives more benefits and blessings to those who do Shukr [14:7]

-Allah protects those from harm who render Him Shukr [54:34-35]

Disadvantages of Kufraan-e-Nemat & not rendering SHUKR

-Fear and hunger [16:112]

-Loss of blessings from Allah [34:15-17]

SHUKR, as a result of certain deeds

   

There are various verses of Quran where according to context, some of the following meanings of SHUKR seem more appropriate, in my humble understanding.

Abounding, ample, bounteous, bountiful, copious, exuberant, filled, full, generous, liberal, luxuriant, plenteous, plenty, profuse, sufficient, teeming, Be abundant with, be plentiful, flourish, thrive.

-Observe SIYAAM [i.e. abstinence in Ramadhan] …so that you may thrive in your human potential [laallakum tashkuroon] [2:185]

-Observe TAQWA [i.e. be careful in your duties assigned by Allah and guard yourself against disobedience of Allah's command] so that you may thrive in your human potential [laallakum tashkuroon] [3:123]

-Wash & clean yourself ….. so that you may be exuberant with purity [laallakum tashkuroon] [5:6]

-Allah bestows upon you various blessings …so that you may have sufficient and become bountiful and generous and be grateful [laallakum tashkuroon] [8:26, 16:14]