Jazkallahu Khayran or Jazakallah or Thank You or Shukran ? Rakibul Islam Salafi

Jazkallahu Khayran or Jazakallah or Thank You or Shukran ?

What is the correct Islamic way?

Good manners dictate that you should reciprocate the one who does you a favor in kindness.

Meaning of various words used to reciprocate the one who does you a favor:

·         THANK YOU = a polite expression of gratitude

·         Thanks = 10x

·         Shukriya= Shukran

·         JazakAllahu Khair = May Allah reward you or grant you with good.

          Does THANKS give any DUA better or equal to JazakAllahu Khair ?  NO !!!!
Reciprocating kindness means choosing that which will make the one who did you a favor feel happy, just as he made you feel happy. So you should strive to thank him in kind.

 Allaah says in Quran: 

“هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ ”

“Is there any reward for good other than good?”

[al-Rahmaan 55:60]

"‏ لاَ يَشْكُرُ اللَّهَ مَنْ لاَ يَشْكُرُ النَّاسَ ‏" 

"The one who does not give thanks to people does not give thanks to Allah" - 

Reported by Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad.

        If you are not able to reciprocate with a gift, or helping with some task, or offering some service, etc. then at least you can say du’aa’ for him, and this du’aa’ may be a means of bringing him happiness in this world and in the Hereafter.

v   Forms of Duaa

► One of the best forms of du’aa’ for the one who has done you a favor is that which is mentioned in the Sunnah/ Hadith:

 
           i) The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever has a favour done for him and says to the one who did it, ‘Jazak Allaahu khayran,’ has done enough to thank him.”

[Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1958 & 2035; Abu Dawood (1672) and by al-Nasaa’i in al-Sunan al-Kubra (6/53); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.].

► this du’aa’ is also narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in a lengthy hadeeth in which it says:

 
             ii) “You are the Ansaar, may Allaah reward you with good

(Jazaakum Allaahu khayran جزاکم اللہ خیرا ) , for you are decent and patient.”

[Narrated by Ibn-e-Hibbaan (7277) and Al-Haakim (4/79). He said: its isnaad is saheeh, and al-Dhahabi agreed with him. Shaykh al-Albaani said in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (3096): It is as they said].

► This phrase was often uttered by the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them).

       iii) ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “If one of you knew what there is in his saying to his brother, ‘Jazaak Allaahu khayran’, you would say it a great deal to one another”.

 “فِي قَوْلِ الرَّجُلِ لِأَخِيهِ: جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (5/322)].

       iv) Usayd ibn al-Hudayr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said to ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her): May Allaah reward you with good (O ‘Aa’ishah), for by Allaah, you never have any problem but Allaah grants you a way out and makes it a blessing for the Muslims. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (336) and Muslim (367).

        v) Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I came to my father when he was wounded and they praised him and said: May Allaah reward you with good, and he said: I have hope and fear – meaning hope for that which is with Allaah of reward and mercy, and fear of that which is with Him of punishment [Saheeh Muslim 1823].

v Understanding Grammar Behind The word:

       Jazakallah or Jazakallah Khair? Understanding Grammar Behind The word Jazakallah
Jazaak comes from the root word Jazaa which according to the popular Arabic-English dictionary, Al-Mawrid, has two meanings that are completely opposite to each other!
       Thus Jazaa can either mean Reward OR Punishment.
So :"JazakAllah" can may either mean "may Allah reward you" or punish you, while
"JazakAllah Khair" means ... "may Allah reward you with the Best / Good",

       So the correct way is to say Jazakallah khair & not just JazakAllah. Though someone might say that the intention by saying Jazakallah is the same like Jazakallahu khayran, if it’s so, then why not use the complete wordings as used by prophet (pbuh) and the sahabas? Which is Jazakallahu khayran !

v Jazak Allahu Khair depending on situation:

·         Masculine: Jazaka Allahu Khair

·         Feminine  : Jazaki Allahu Khair

·         Plural       : Jazakum Allahu Khair

v Substitute for Jazakallah khair is BarakAllah Feek ("May the blessings of Allah be upon you.")

v      How to Reply to Those who says Jazakallahu khair to you?:

1) Wa Antum fa Jazakumullahu khayran meaning "And you too, May Allah reward to with Khayr".

Evidence from Sunnah:

          Usayd ibn Hadayr (sahabi) says: I said: O Messenger of Allah جزاك الله خيرا [Jazaakallhu Khayran] the Prophet (pbuh) said: وَأَنْتُمْ فَجَزَاكُمُ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا[Wa Antum Fa Jazakumullahu khayran] And you too, May Allah reward to with Khayr].

[Albaani has said that the Hadeeh is Saheeh in al-Saheeha 3096,

al-Ta'leeqaatul hisaan al Saheeh ibn Hibbaan 6231]

2) Wa iyyakum (وإياكم)” meaning “And goodness to you also”
        This is the one the common message used by people. Muslims can use this phrase sometimes, and abandon it sometimes, but they must not cling to it as if it is an established Sunnah of the Messenger since there is no evidence related to it.

Conclusion:

         It’s a kind suggestion to all members that don’t just be a follower of prophet (pbuh) name sake but rather by following his sunnah. The correct sunnah is not to say thanks or shukran rather it’s to say Jazakallahu khair or barakAllah feek. And should be replied with Wa Antum fa Jazakumullahu khayran. Let’s revive this sunnah in our lives Inshallah & motivate others to do the same

Jazakallahu khair for reading this article.

Rakibul Islam Salafi

Mumbai, India