Chapter: "Chapter on the one who is shown kindness, so he should reward it"

The Shaykh : In addition to what was mentioned previously, the word "shukran" (thank you) appears to be a translation of a foreign term. From this, we can understand that the use of this concise term is a foreign usage that we translated into Arabic, resulting in the word "shukran." However, this term coincides with the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): But since this word did not originate from Islam, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not direct attention to it, but rather directed us to say: "May Allah reward you with good," we should therefore use this phrase. If one must use the word "shukran" because a person may not find the opportunity or sufficient time to say "May Allah reward you with good" to everyone who does them a favor, then they may say this word for the sake of brevity and speed. There is no harm in using the word "shukran" in some cases and in some tight situations, but the original practice is to say "May Allah reward you with good," because this phrase is actually the counterpart to "As-salamu alaykum." Just as "As-salamu alaykum" is the greeting of Islam, so "May Allah reward you with good" is the expression of gratitude in Islam. However, the word "shukran" has a basis in the following hadith, so there is no harm in using it occasionally. As for the original practice, it is to say: "May Allah reward you with good." This is an explanation of his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Praise of him is, of course, intended to mean praise with good, and the best of good, as we mentioned with the phrase "May Allah reward you with good."
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is as if he (peace and blessings be upon him) is linking this matter to the following hadith: "He does not thank Allah who does not thank the people." So, whoever praises the benefactor with good has thanked him.
Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: That is, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in this last sentence, which is his saying: is addressing some sick souls, some souls dominated by selfishness and love of the self, which, when treated well, remain silent and do not mention the benefactor with good. This is due to the arrogance of the soul that commands evil. Therefore, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So, if a man does me a favor, the first rank in reciprocating with good is to reward him with the same treatment he gave you. The second rank is that if you do not find what to reward him with, you praise him with good. Otherwise, if you do not praise him with good and conceal it, you have been ungrateful for this blessing that our Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) presented to you through that benefactor. So it was ungratefulness, but it is ungratefulness for a blessing. Ungratefulness has degrees, and among them is ungratefulness for a blessing, as came in this hadith: Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim who believes in Allah and His Messenger to conceal this kindness if a benefactor does him a favor, because the least rank of gratitude is to mention the benefactor with good and not conceal this good from people, but to spread it among people that so-and-so did such and such with me, and did such and such with me. This is your thanking him when you are unable to reciprocate his kindness with an equal kindness. That is, if a person is given a gift, for example, a book, and you are able to reciprocate this gift with a similar gift, this is the obligatory first rank. If you do not have the capacity or ability to reciprocate the one who gave you the book, because people vary in material means, if a prominent man to whom people direct various gifts is of medium or below-medium material standing and cannot reciprocate every gift with its like, he should at least reciprocate that gift with praise and thanks. This is the second rank. As for the first rank, it is to reciprocate the reward with a similar reward: if he gave you a book, you give him a book; if he gave you a garment, you give him a garment; if he gave you any other thing, you reciprocate with its like, if you can. And there is a higher rank, much higher than this, which was the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). It came in his characteristics (peace and blessings be upon him) that he would accept gifts. When a gift was presented to him (peace and blessings be upon him), he did not refuse it or return it, but he accepted it. However, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would return the gift and reward it with something better than it. This is the nature of noble, good souls: to accept the gift and reward it with something better than it. So this is the highest rank, above which there is no rank.
Now we have three ranks. The highest rank, above which there is none, is what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) practiced, which is to reward with something better than what one was rewarded with. The second rank is to reward with the same as what one was rewarded with. The third and final rank is to mention the one who rewarded you with good and with good supplication. The best of supplication is, as we detailed, the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): Some sick souls do this: a gift comes to them and no one is aware of it, and this is not permissible. In this etiquette by which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us to mention the giver with good, at the least rank, there is treatment for the soul of the giver and the soul of the recipient. As for the giver, his soul is pleased and he is happy to give to the recipient again, with the same or better. This is the giver himself. And in this etiquette, there is treatment for the soul of the recipient by humbling it and subjecting it to the ruling of the Lawgiver, which is to mention that so-and-so did me a favor. Because in this is a consideration of what was mentioned to us in some previous lessons, his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): So when the recipient is willing to say that so-and-so gave me such and such, there is no doubt that in this statement and this reporting, from the perspective of the speaker, there is humbling of his self, because it makes the listeners feel that he accepted this gift and was pleased with it, so his hand was the lower one. In this is training of souls not to be arrogant and not to be haughty over the truth. And in contrast, it pleases the soul of the giver, because when the giver feels that his gift is not thanked for and not reciprocated with good praise, his spirit weakens and he is not encouraged to repeat such a gift again. Therefore, one must reciprocate the reward with at least the least rank, which is praise with good and supplication for the giver by saying "May Allah reward you with good." Otherwise, if he does not do that and conceals it, he has been ungrateful for it.