Du'aa for Whoever Do Good to You

Saying “thanks, Jazakumu Allahu Khairaan …etc.” is an Islamic tradition which Islam devotes ultimate significant. As much as receiving appreciation is humanitarian need, keeping gratitude is also encouraged behaviour[1], therefore the prophet Muhammad -May peace and blessing of Allah be upon him- always shows gratitude to whomsoever do good to him[2] and recommends Muslims to maintain it all the time and teaches them how to show their gratitude to their fellow Muslims.

عَنْ جَابِرٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنْ أُعْطِيَ عَطَاءً فَوَجَدَ فَلْيَجْزِ بِهِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَلْيُثْنِ، فَإِنَّ مَنْ أَثْنَى فَقَدْ شَكَرَ، وَمَنْ كَتَمَ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ، وَمَنْ تَحَلَّى بِمَا لَمْ يُعْطَهُ كَانَ كَلَابِسِ ثَوْبَيْ زُورٍ» وَمَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ: «وَمَنْ كَتَمَ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ» يَقُولُ: قَدْ كَفَرَ تِلْكَ النِّعْمَةَ

Jãbir narrated that the Prophet (May peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever is given a gift, then if he finds something let him reciprocate. If he has nothing, then let him mention some praise. For whoever has mentioned some praise, then he has expressed his gratitude. And whoever refrains (from doing so) then he has committed Kufr. And whoever pretends to be satisfied by that which he was not given, he is likethe one who wears a garment of falsehood."[Abu 'Eisa said:] the meaning of his saying: "And whoever refrains, then he has committed Kufr" is that he feigned that bounty.[3]

عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " مَنْ صُنِعَ إِلَيْهِ مَعْرُوفٌ فَقَالَ لِفَاعِلِهِ: جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا فَقَدْ أَبْلَغَ فِي الثَّنَاءِ "

Usãmah bin Zaid narrated that the Messenger of Allah (May peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)said: "Whoever some good was done to him, and he says: 'May Allah reward you in goodness' (Jazaka Allahu Khairan) then he has done the most that he can of praise ."[4]

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: « ..مَنْ صَنَعَ إِلَيْكُمْ مَعْرُوفًا فَكَافِئُوهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدُوا مَا تُكَافِئُونَهُ، فَادْعُوا لَهُ حَتَّى تَرَوْا أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ كَافَأْتُمُوهُ»

'Abdulläh bin 'Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever seeks protection for the sake of Allah, then grant him protection, and whoever asks for the sake of Allah, then give him, and whoever invites you, then respond to him, and whoever does some good to you, reciprocate to him, but if you do not have the means to do so, then supplicate for him until you feel that you have reciprocated
[5]."

The Prophet told his Companions (the Immigrants) that, if a person feels grateful to his benefactor, praises him and supplicates to his Creator for him, he enlists himself as eligible for reward from Allah. He, then, told the Companions not to worry about their recompense from Allah since they gave good praise to their benefactors and prayed to Allah for them.^[6]

عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ: لَمَّا قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ المَدِينَةَ أَتَاهُ المُهَاجِرُونَ فَقَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، مَا رَأَيْنَا قَوْمًا أَبْذَلَ مِنْ كَثِيرٍ وَلَا أَحْسَنَ مُوَاسَاةً مِنْ قَلِيلٍ مِنْ قَوْمٍ نَزَلْنَا بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِهِمْ لَقَدْ كَفَوْنَا المُؤْنَةَ وَأَشْرَكُونَا فِي المَهْنَإِ حَتَّى لَقَدْ خِفْنَا أَنْ يَذْهَبُوا بِالأَجْرِ كُلِّهِ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا مَا دَعَوْتُمُ اللَّهَ لَهُمْ وَأَثْنَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ»

 It was narrated that Anas said: When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Madinah, the Muhaajireen came to him and said, “O Messenger of Allah, we have never seen any people more generous when they have the means and more helpful when they have little than the people among whom we have settled. They have looked after us and they have let us join them and share in all their happy occasions, to such an extent that we are afraid that they will take all the reward. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Not so long as you pray for them and praise (show gratitude to) them (for it).”[7] 

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)in many occasions gave examples of what he had preached, one of these incident took place in the last moment of His life,

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ، عَاصِبٌ رَأْسَهُ بِخِرْقَةٍ، فَقَعَدَ عَلَى المِنْبَرِ، فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنَ النَّاسِ أَحَدٌ أَمَنَّ عَلَيَّ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ مِنْ أَبِي بكْرِ بْنِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ، وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا مِنَ النَّاسِ خَلِيلًا لاَتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا، وَلَكِنْ خُلَّةُ الإِسْلاَمِ أَفْضَلُ، سُدُّوا عَنِّي كُلَّ خَوْخَةٍ فِي هَذَا المَسْجِدِ، غَيْرَ خَوْخَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ»

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: Allah's Messenger in his fatal illness came out with a piece of cloth tied round his head and sat on the pulpit. After thanking and praising Allah he said, "There is no one who had done more favour to me with his life and his property than Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafa. If I were to take a Khalil, I would certainly have taken Abu Bakr but the Islamic brotherhood is better. Close all the Khaukhah (small doors) in this mosque except that of Abu Bakr."[8]

Allah The Glorified and Exalted also showed us -even that He is The almighty God- how He thankful and appreciated the good that any of His servant may fulfill, no matter how small this good could be.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «بَيْنَمَا رَجُلٌ يَمْشِي فِي طَرِيقٍ إِذْ وَجَدَ غُصْنَ شَوْكٍ فَأَخَّرَهُ فَشَكَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ فَغَفَرَ لَهُ»

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (May peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said: "While a man was walking on the road, he found a thorny branch and removed it .Allah appreciated his action by forgiving him ."[9]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did the same (i.e. showing how he thankful and gratitude for the good no matter how small this good could be.)

حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو نَهِيكٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو زَيْدٍ عَمْرُو بْنُ أَخْطَبَ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ قَالَ: اسْتَسْقَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِإِنَاءٍ فِيهِ مَاءٌ وَفِيهِ شَعْرَةٌ فَرَفَعْتُهَا، ثُمَّ نَاوَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ: «اللَّهُمَّ جَمِّلْهُ» قَالَ: فَرَأَيْتُهُ بَعْدَ ثَلَاثٍ وَتِسْعِينَ سَنَةً وَمَا فِي رَأْسِهِ وَلِحْيَتِهِ شَعَرَةٌ بَيْضَاء.

Narrated Abü Nuhaik that Abü Zaid ‘Amr Ibn Akhtab said: "The Messenger of Allah (May peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)asked for water to drink, I brought him some but I found a hair in it so I Remove it the prophet supplicated for me "O Allah Keep him handsome" Abü Nuhaik said, I saw him (i.e.‘Amr Ibn Akhtab) after ninety three years - (i.e. he was over a hundred years old then)- with no gray hairs.[10]

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ دَخَلَ الخَلاَءَ، فَوَضَعْتُ لَهُ وَضُوءًا قَالَ: «مَنْ وَضَعَ هَذَا فَأُخْبِرَ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ فَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ»

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: Once the Prophet entered a lavatory and I placed water for his ablution. He asked, "Who placed it?" He was informed accordingly and so he said, "O Allah! Make him (Ibn 'Abbas) a learned scholar in religion (Islam) [11]."

  Anyone who does not feel grateful to his fellow beings, of a certainty he is devoid of the very sense or feeling of gratitude. Then how can he be grateful to Allah? How can a man, whose very nature is built upon thanklessness and ingratitude, be grateful to Allah? In other words, whoever is incapable of being grateful to the people, will never be really grateful to Allah. Allah will not, therefore, accept the thankfulness or gratitude of such a thankless person.[12]

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: "مَنْ لَمْ يَشْكُرِ النَّاسَ لَمْ يَشْكُرِ اللَّهَ"

Abu Sa'eed narrated that the Messenger of Allah (May peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said : "Whoever is not grateful to the people, he is not grateful to Allah ." [13]