Thanking the Benefactor and Praying for Him
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Q: From 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Baz to the honorable brother, Shaykh M. T., Director of the Tahdhib School in Côte d'Ivoire. May Allah increase him in knowledge and faith. Amen.
Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
As for what follows: Your noble letter, dated 4/8/1394 AH, has reached me, may Allah guide you. The questions it contained were known, and here are their texts and answers:
First question: Is it permissible to say to a benefactor: "Thank you" or "May Allah bless you," and so on?
Second question: It is our custom that when we finish eating, after we have praised Allah, we say to our fathers, mothers, and elders: "May Allah bless you" or "Thank you, so-and-so," and we exchange these phrases among ourselves. Is that permissible... and so on?
Answer to the first question: There is no blame on a person if he says to his brother, when he has done him a favor, "Thank you," or "May Allah reward your effort," or "You are to be thanked," or similar phrases; for Allah the Exalted said: [Luqman: 14]. Thus, the Exalted commanded the son to thank his Lord and to thank his parents, which indicates the prescription of thanking Allah the Exalted and thanking the benefactor among people. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1955Sahih (Darussalam), and in another wording: Sunan Abi Dawud 4811Sahih (Al-Albani). It is also authentic from him (peace be upon him) that he said: Mishkat al-Masabih 1943, narrated by Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i with a good chain. Thanking the benefactor is of the same kind as supplication.
As for your saying: "(or may Allah bless you)," I did not clarify your intended meaning from it. If the intention is to pray for him with blessing, there is nothing wrong with it. But if the intention is another meaning, I hope you will inform us of it so that we may answer you regarding it.
Answer to the second question: The answer to this question becomes clear from the answer to the one before it, which is that there is no blame in thanking the benefactor and praying for him with blessing. In fact, that is prescribed, as indicated by the aforementioned evidence. In Sahih Muslim, it is stated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) visited some of his Companions, ate food with them, and when he wanted to leave, the wife of the host said: "O Messenger of Allah, pray for us." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 3729Sahih (Al-Albani).
May Allah protect you, and peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
As for what follows: Your noble letter, dated 4/8/1394 AH, has reached me, may Allah guide you. The questions it contained were known, and here are their texts and answers:
First question: Is it permissible to say to a benefactor: "Thank you" or "May Allah bless you," and so on?
Second question: It is our custom that when we finish eating, after we have praised Allah, we say to our fathers, mothers, and elders: "May Allah bless you" or "Thank you, so-and-so," and we exchange these phrases among ourselves. Is that permissible... and so on?
Answer to the first question: There is no blame on a person if he says to his brother, when he has done him a favor, "Thank you," or "May Allah reward your effort," or "You are to be thanked," or similar phrases; for Allah the Exalted said:
And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُWhoever is not grateful to the people, he is not grateful to Allah.
من لم يشكر الناس لم يشكر اللهHe who does not thank the people is not thankful to Allah.
لا يشكر الله من لا يشكر الناسand if anyone does you a kindness recompense him, but if you have not the means to do so pray for him until you feel that you have recompensed him.
من صنع إليكم معروفًا فكافئوه فإن لم تجدوا ما تكافئوه فادعوا له حتى تروا أنكم قد كافأتموهAs for your saying: "(or may Allah bless you)," I did not clarify your intended meaning from it. If the intention is to pray for him with blessing, there is nothing wrong with it. But if the intention is another meaning, I hope you will inform us of it so that we may answer you regarding it.
Answer to the second question: The answer to this question becomes clear from the answer to the one before it, which is that there is no blame in thanking the benefactor and praying for him with blessing. In fact, that is prescribed, as indicated by the aforementioned evidence. In Sahih Muslim, it is stated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) visited some of his Companions, ate food with them, and when he wanted to leave, the wife of the host said: "O Messenger of Allah, pray for us." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
O Allah, bless them in what you provided them, and have mercy on them.
اللهم بارك لهم فيما رزقتهم واغفر لهم وارحمهمMay Allah protect you, and peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.