Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām - Abd Allah al-Bassam - (7/131)

for him, and show gratitude to him; and among the finest words of supplication and thanks is to say: ʿJazak Allahu khayranʾ (May Allah reward you with goodness), for this is the most eloquent form of praise. The reason is that when the recompense comes from Allah Most High it is immense, for His reward and His bounty know no limit, and the word “goodness” is a wholesome term that embraces the good of both this world and the hereafter.

If repaying a fellow creature who has shown kindness is recommended and admirable—while in truth he is only a means and the actual Giver is Allah Most High—then how much more binding is gratitude to the first Benefactor, the Possessor of the greatest favors and the most magnificent gifts, whose aid never ceases and whose generosity never stops.

Accordingly, one must remain in constant gratitude to Allah Most High for His beneficence and grace. He, exalted be He, says: “If you are grateful, I will surely increase you; but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is indeed severe” ⦗7⦘ [Ibrahim: 7]. Here, ingratitude means denying and rejecting His favors by failing to offer thanks for them in belief, speech, and action. And Allah is the One who grants success.

له، وليشكُرْهُ، ومن أفضل ألفاظ الدعاء والشكر قوله: "جزاك الله خيرًا" فإنَّ هذا أبلغ الثناء؛ ذلك أنَّ الجزاء إذا كان من الله تعالى كان عظيمًا؛ فإنَّ جزاء الله وعطاءه لا نهاية له، ولفظ "الخير" كلمة طيبة تشمل خيري الدنيا والآخرة. ٤ - وإذا كان مكافأة المخلوق المحسن مستحبة وجميلة، وهو ليس له من المعروف والإحسان إلاَّ أنَّه سبب، وإنَّما المعطي هو الله تعالى، فكيف يكون وجوب شكر المنعم الأوَّل، وصاحبِ النعم العظمى والهبات الكبرى, الَّذي لا ينقطع مدده، ولا يتوقف إحسانه. فالواجب أنْ يكون دائم الشكر لله تعالى على إحسانه وامتنانه؛ قال تعالى: ﴿لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ (٧)﴾ [إبراهيم: ٧]، والمراد هنا كفر النعم وجحدها، بعدم أداء الشكر فيها، اعتقادًا، وقولًا، وعملًا، والله الموفق. ***