“Shukr’ is the origin of Shakir and Shakoor. According to Foruqul Loghat it means to admit the gifts of God after acknowledging Him as the sustainer. Misbahol Loghat says it mean acknowledgment of the bounties, obeying the command and discarding sins so this has to be done verbally as well as through deeds. According to Raghib in Mafuradat the real meaning is the thought of the bounties and thankfulness for it. The opposite is Kufr or disbelief. “Kufran” means forgetting or ignoring the bounties. An animal is called Shakoor when the sustenance of its owner is evident on it. Shukr has been categorized in to three headings:
Heartfelt thankfulness-Verbal thankfulness and active thankfulness.
When the word “Shukr” is used for God it has many meanings like (1) the one who give great rewards for a little obedience; one who gives a large amount of sustenance or one who becomes agreeable after a little thankfulness. It actual means to reward but not according to deed but by keep His mercy and kindness in view.
Kafa’mi in Misbah and Suduq in Tawhid say when this word is used for God it means spiritually. But if it is taken as “the recognition of goodness’ as in Kitabol Aiyn for God then it can be taken literally.
We learn from this attribute that we should recognize the authority and rights of God. He is the one who gives great rewards for a few deeds and even thanks His subjects. This idea will lead the people to adopt goodness.
(3) We are being taught that we should be thankful for the help of other humans, and we should not neglect their efforts. We should more generous in thanking and rewarding.
There is a prayer of Imam Jafar Sadiq that says:
“O He who appreciates even the smallest of deeds and gestures and forgives the greater sins. He is the true forgiver. For give me those sins who have lost their taste but their punishment still remains.” (1)
One sentence of Imam Jafar Sadiq is also found in the Torah:
“Be thankful for the grace He bestows upon you, and give your bounties to those who are thankful to you.” (2)
The origin of Shafee is Shafa’ and means to mix one thing with another to get
the desired result. Its opposite is Witr and a lamb that is followed by a kid for it too is called Shafa’.
The right of Shafa’ is between two people when one of them sells his right to a third person and the other wants to buy it on the same price for himself.
An eye that sees two images is also called Shafa’
because it sees two images of a single person. This word has also been used in the sense of helper.(3)
The word Shafa’a is also used to denote some one who prays for someone else’s sins to be forgiven. It is like an elderly person standing with a sinner so that the aggrieved person may be kind to that man because of him.
The discussion on Shafa’a is very vast in the Qura’n and it will be discussion in Tafsir Mozui in details. (4)
We are discussion the word as an attribute of God.
The word Shafee is sued for God because on the Day of Judgment His omnipotence will be in total control. No one could do anything without permission so much so that even the Apostles, Imams and angels will need permission to intercede. Verse 255 of Surah Baqarah says, “Who is that can intercede with Him without His permission?”
The verse 44 of Surah Zumar says the same thing for the Messenger “The intercession is God’s totally, and His is the kingdom of the heaven and the earth.”
The permission to intercede will come from God only because He is the only intercessor; it is as if God will intercede on behalf of the sinner with himself. This is the peak of His greatness. (5)
Some say that the words Shafee and Shafa’ are used for God because He is present everywhere as said in verse 7 of Surah Mujadilah, “There is not a secret consultation between three but He is the fourth of them.”
But this meaning seems far fetched for Shafee because its meaning contains a kind of help, favor and an educational value. It may be that intercession may be both manifest and otherwise in the first we can again take the above example of an elderly person standing besides the accused in front of the aggrieved to help him by his intercession and the other view is the authority that takes man to God’s omnipotence and perfection.
What we learn here is that we should never despair for the help from God for He helps even the sinners in His court. He gives permission to the Apostles, angels and the Imams to intercede on behalf of the sinners (at least for those who deserve intercession). It is also certain that being attentive to this keeps men away from repeating his sins and leaves a deep impact so that the hope of salvation does not die.
Then men are being trained that they too should behave in the same manner with the weak and repentant and are eager to intercede on their behalf. The Hadith says, “Intercede for other and you will be rewarded.” (6)
The origin of Wakeel is Wakal or Wakl which means to trust or rely on some one. Since this denotes a sense of weakness too the word “Wakal” is used for the weak people. The word Wakaal is used for those animal that always follow others (like lambs) for they depend on others to lead the way. (7)
“Wakeel’ is he who can be trusted in solving the problems.
According to Shaykh Suduq in Tawhid if it is used for God then it will mean that He is our guardian as well as the guardian for all that exist (8)
Kafa’mi in Misbah says that it means, “That entity in which all the affairs of the universe are invested.” (9)
Some have spoken about the responsibility of sustenance but this is not the real meaning but a criterion for it is not limited to daily sustenance only.
In the commentary on Qamoos called Tajol Uroos Zubedi says dependence o0e submission shows the humility and the trust one has on another but this is a literal interpretation but for the realists the meaning of this complete dependence means complete trust in all that is with God and complete distrust of all that there is with others. The one who trusts and submits to God is he who believes that God is suffice for all his needs so he trusts and submits only to God and distrusts all others. (10)
We learn from the Qura’nic verses the Oneness of God demands that humans should trust and submit only to God because everything and every work is in His hands. We read in verse 123 of Surah HUD, “And to Him is the whole affair returned, so worship Him and rely on Him”
Verse 12 of Surah Ibrahim says, “On God alone should those who seek reliance depend.”
In verse 217 of Surah Shu’ara it says, “And rely on the all mighty the all merciful.”
What we learn from this attribute is that we should not be enmeshed in general causes, do not come close to the material powers, never rely on the weak and helpless beings, seek reliance only with God and seek help only from Him, love Him and seek comfort only in His presence.
The second message that we get is that we should learn to serve other beings to the utmost and help the harassed people in the path of God. There is a saying of Amirul Mumineen, “Reliance and submission to God rids one of all evils and saves one from the enemies.” (11)
The origin of Kafi is Kifayah. According to Maqayis-ol-Loghat and Lisan-ol-Arab it means to take steps to do something and be free from it but Raghib in Mafuradat says, that Kifayah means to remove needs and reach ones goal. Kafiya means enough food and Kafi means rain that solves the problem of scarcity of water.
When this word is used for God then it means the entity that arranges the affairs of men and solves their problem. He also reaches those who depend on Him to their objectives and never lead him somewhere else.(12)
Every person should invoke “Him who solves the problems for people that keep them busy.” And rely on Him. Then there is the saying “O He who is suffice for everything.”
This attribute of God pushes away the dark clouds of despondency from the people so that people may not become totally despaired because of them and when someone declares Him to be the God who is suffice then all his problems are removed. In verse 36 of Surah Zumar the Qura’n says, “Is not God sufficient for His servant?”
This attribute teaches the people to become attached to God and that they should take steps to help the poor and needy and instill the divine light in their souls.
1. Usul Kafi Vol. 2 page 589 Hadith 28
2. Safinatol Behar vol. 1 page 711 for Shukr; Usul Kafi vol.2 page 94 Hadith 3
3. Misbahol Loghata, Maqayis-ol-Loghata, Lisan-ol-Arab, Nihaya of Ibn Athir, At Tahqiq fi Kalimatol Qura’n and Kitabol Aiyn.
4. Tafsir Namuna vol.1 verse 48 of Surah Baqarah
5. Misbah of Kafa’mi page 344. Qamoos-ol-loghat
6. Tafsir Majmaul Bayan vol.3 page 84 for verse 85 of Surah Nisaa
7. Maqayis-ol-Lughata, Mafuradat, and Lisan-ol-Arab
8. Tawhid of Shaykh Suduq page 215
9. Misbah page 326
10. Tajol Uroos “ Origin of reliance”
11. Behar-ol-Anwar vol. 75 p[age 79 Hadith 56
12. Tajol Uroos the commentary on Qamoos
