By Asma bint Shameem
*I read two rak’aat of Shukraana kay Nafl (Shukr) every night to give thanks to Allaah.*
*Is that proven from the Sunnah?*
*ANSWER*
It’s *not right* to read two rak’aat of shukr every night to give thanks.
Reading two rak’aat of Shukr is *not proven* from the authentic practice or teachings of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam.
You see, all acts of worship are '*tawqeefi*', which means that all acts of worship have to have PROOF from the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah.
They are not subject to personal opinion and it is not permissible to do any acts of worship except those which are approved by the Sharee'ah.
If we do any such Ibaadah that’s not proven from the authentic practice or teachings of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam, it would NOT be accepted by Allaah; instead it would be *rejected* and *thrown back at us* and thus would be of no use.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
"Whoever innovates anything in this matter of ours (i.e., Islaam), that is not part of it, will have it rejected."
(al-Bukhaari).
If the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam ever wanted to be especially thankful to Allaah, he would *increase in his obedience* to Allaah.
And *he did NOT resort to praying “two rak’aat of Shukr”*.
Instead, whenever he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam was ever relieved of a problem or he heard some good news, he would *fall into “sajdah” of Shukr*.
Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez Aal ash-Shaykh said:
“The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam would fall down in prostration to Allaah whenever he heard any good news.
This indicates that Sujud-ul-Shukr is Mustahabb (desirable) when a person receives a blessing or is saved from evil.
Sujud-ul-Shukr consists of one prostration only.
There is no basis in Sharee’ah for repeating Sujud-ul-Shukr every day.
It is prescribed to offer Sujud-ul-Shukr when a blessing is granted or an evil is warded off.
It is also BASELESS in Sharee’ah to have the intention to offer two Rak’ah in thankfulness to Allaah every day.
Likewise, there is no basis in Sharee’ah for continuously offering two Rak’ah in thankfulness to Allaah, and the same applies to offering Sujud-ul-Shukr continuously.”
*OBJECTION*
*Didn’t the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam read rak’aat every night for Shukr until his feet were swollen?*
Yes it’s true that the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam prayed at night until his feet were swollen.
Mugheerah ibn Shu‘bah radhi Allaahu anhu said:
The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam used to stand to pray for long that his feet – or his legs – would swell. Something would be said to him, and he would say: “Should I not be a thankful slave?” (al-Bukhaari 1078 and Muslim 2819)
*But those rak’aat were NOT rak’aat of Shukraana*.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam *NEVER* prayed specific rak’aat for Shukr.
Nor did he teach the Sahaabah to do that.
Rather, the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam would be praying *Tahajjud* and he would stand for so long that his feet would swell.
This was part of *Qiyaam al-Layl*.
You see, TRUE Thankfulness has three parts:
1. It’s SAYING it with the *tongue*.
2. And being CONTENT in the *heart*.
3.And SHOWING it in your ACTIONS by USING your *limbs* and *faculties* in the obedience of Allaah, doing many acts of ibaadah and keeping them away from all that’s displeasing to Him.
Imaam Al-Tabari said:
“The correct view is that the person’s gratitude is affirming that this is from Allaah and no one else, and affirmation of this fact is “action”, and it is confirmed by “action”.
As for the affirmation which is contradicted by action, the one who does that does not deserve to be called grateful at all.
But it may be called gratitude of the tongue.
The evidence that this is true is the words of Allaah: “ ‘Work you, O family of Dawood, with thanks!’”[ 34:13].
It is well known that He did not order them, when He said that to them, to affirm His blessings (with the tongue), because they did not deny that this was a favor from Him to them.
Rather He commanded them to give thanks for His blessings by “obeying” Him in their “actions”.
Similarly, the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam when his feet swelled up as he was praying at night, said: “Should I not be a thankful slave?”
(Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhaari)
And Allaah knows best
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