In the mystical journey, gratitude (Shukr) is one of the foundational ethical stages that guides the seeker (Salik) towards the knowledge of the Benefactor (Man'im) and submission to the divine action. Among the levels of gratitude, "Shukr-e-Makara" is a station that elevates the seeker beyond gratitude for blessings and invites them to express thankfulness in the face of hardships, tribulations, and adversities. This station, beautifully elucidated in Maqasid al-Sa'irin by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, has been elaborated with depth and precision in the teachings of (may his soul rest in peace). This paper, synthesizing the content of Session 300 and the associated detailed analyses, revisits Shukr-e-Makara as a bridge towards divine submission, love, and decorum. Shukr-e-Makara is akin to a door that leads the seeker from self-centeredness towards God-centeredness. It is as though hardship and adversity serve as a mirror in which the wisdom of the divine can be perceived. This station not only requires patience and endurance but also calls the seeker to express contentment and suppress angertwo attitudes that manifest the spirit of submission and decorum in the face of divine will. In the following, a structured and detailed exploration of the stages, characteristics, and wisdom of Shukr-e-Makara will be provided.
Shukr-e-Makara refers to expressing gratitude in the face of adversities, tribulations, and difficulties that, on the surface, seem incompatible with human nature. This station guides the seeker from the initial stage of gratitude for favors (Shukr-e-Mahab) limited to blessings of goodness, towards submission and contentment in the face of divine actions. Unlike the servant of goodness (Abd al-Khayr), who only expresses gratitude for blessings and resorts to complaining and lamenting in response to hardships, the seeker of Shukr-e-Makara, through knowledge of divine wisdom, perceives hardship itself as a blessing. This knowledge is akin to a lamp that illuminates the darkness of affliction, turning it into a gateway to divine proximity.
Key Point: Shukr-e-Makara guides the seeker from gratitude for apparent blessings towards gratitude for hardships as divine actions, indicative of a profound understanding of God's wisdom.
In Maqasid al-Sa'irin, gratitude is divided into three stages: Shukr-e-Mahab, Shukr-e-Makara, and Shukr-e-Mutlaq. Shukr-e-Mahab is the stage of the servant of goodness (Abd al-Khayr), who expresses gratitude only for good blessings and complains in the face of adversity. Shukr-e-Makara is a higher stage in which the seeker perceives hardship as a blessing and responds with submission or patience, offering gratitude to the Divine. Shukr-e-Mutlaq is the stage where the seeker has transcended their ego and sees only the will of God. These stages are like the rungs of a ladder that elevate the seeker from self-centeredness to God-centeredness. Shukr-e-Makara is the intermediate station in this journey, inviting the seeker to confront and accept hardships as divine grace. This station not only leads the seeker to patience, decorum, and love towards divine actions from an intellectual standpoint but also from a practical perspective.
Abd al-Khayr is a seeker situated at the stage of Shukr-e-Mahab. He praises the blessings of goodness but, like a tree that breaks in the face of a storm, succumbs to lamentation and despair when faced with adversity. This limitation stems from the lack of knowledge of the wisdom behind tribulations. Abd al-Khayr has not yet realised that hardships are also a result of divine wisdom and can lead to his spiritual development and perfection. It is as if he is engrossed in the garden of blessings, yet when faced with the thorns of adversity, he fails to offer gratitude. This stage is typical of beginner seekers whose understanding remains confined to apparent blessings and who have not yet delved into the divine wisdom in the distribution of both good and bad. Out of divine mercy, God sometimes protects these seekers from heavy afflictions to safeguard their faith from harm.
God, in distributing blessings and afflictions, educates His servants according to their capacities. At times, He nurtures them with abundance (Yusa) and at other times with constriction (Yuqadar), safeguarding them from misguidance and leading them towards happiness. This divine wisdom is akin to the hand of a gardener who prunes the branches of a tree so that it may bear fruit. From this perspective, affliction is not a punishment but a blessing that awakens the seeker from heedlessness and guides them towards spiritual perfection.
Key Point: Afflictions are subtle divine favours that, when met with gratitude, transform into blessings and lead to happiness and spiritual progress.
Makara, like a furnace that refines the iron of the self, transforms it into the sword of faith. Hardships awaken the seeker from heedlessness and guide them towards knowledge, worship, and submission. An example presented in the teachings describes how a man, through the hardships caused by his wifes behaviour, was led to tears, prayer, and spiritual insight. This hardship, which initially appeared unpleasant, ultimately led him to happiness and mystical understanding. It is as though affliction is a veil behind which divine mercy is hidden. Even enemies and disbelievers, by causing hardships, unknowingly contribute to the seekers spiritual formation. They are like stones in a river, which make the current stronger. These hardships propel the seeker towards higher stations, such as martyrdom, and Shukr-e-Makara reveals this divine mercy.
Shukr-e-Makara can be divided into two types: expressing contentment (Izhar al-Rida) and suppressing anger (Kadhm al-Ghayz). Expressing contentment is the stage in which the seeker views good and bad as equivalent, seeing both as actions of the beloved. This station has its roots in divine love; it is as if the seeker, like a lover, finds sweetness in whatever comes from the beloved. Pain and hardship, in the light of this love, transform into honey that sweetens the soul. In this stage, the seeker attains the station of loving for the sake of God and hating for the sake of God, where all conditions, from good to bad, are viewed equally in light of divine will. This equality is not born of indifference but of submission and love, leading the seeker towards divine proximity.
Key Point: Expressing contentment is the result of divine love that transforms pain and adversity into sweetness for the seeker, as they perceive the actions of the beloved as good.
Kazm Ghi is another form of gratitude for adversities that the seeker encounters. In this state, the seeker, with knowledge and respect, endures hardships and conceals complaints in their heart. This level is like a bridge that leads the seeker from despair and disrespect to divine patience and grace. The seeker, as if standing steadfast like a mountain against a storm of calamities, performs the duty of gratitude towards the Almighty with respect.
Paradise is like a pearl surrounded by hardships. The most difficult adversities are those for which patience seems impossible. Such gratitude is attained through respect and submission, leading the seeker to the common Paradise (Jannah) and, at higher levels, to the realm of Ridwan and Eden. It is as if adversities are gateways through which the seeker passes to reach the eternal gardens of the Divine.
This noble verse views gratitude as a generous response to the Divine bestowments that results in an increase of blessings, while ingratitude is the consequence of bad manners and deprivation. Key Insight: Paradise is surrounded by adversities, and gratitude for these adversities is a bridge that leads the seeker to divine proximity through respect and submission.
Most people, when faced with calamities, fall into despair and complaint, which are signs of weak knowledge and lack of respect in the face of God's will. Despair is like a veil that blinds the eye of knowledge, pulling the seeker away from gratitude and patience. An example cited in the lecture is the story of a woman who, during a pilgrimage, instead of displaying patience, resorted to disrespect and complaints when her child went missing. This behavior is a clear sign of weakness before adversity, which deprives the seeker of spiritual felicity.
Praise (Hamd) is the unconditional glorification of God, independent of any granted or withheld blessings, and is the root of gratitude. Unlike gratitude, which pertains to a specific blessing or trial, praise is like a breeze that blows through all circumstances, extolling the Divine essence. In the context of gratitude for adversity, the use of praise is inappropriate, as gratitude here is linked to a particular act (good or bad), while praise transcends these particularities to exalt the essence of God. Key Insight: Praise (Hamd) occupies a higher station than gratitude (Shukr) because it glorifies the Divine essence in all circumstances, not merely in response to a particular act, whether of good or evil. Gratitude is the graceful response to God's blessings, not out of legal obligation, but as a manifestation of respect and dignity. This response is like a flower that blooms in the garden of knowledge, spreading the fragrance of submission and love. Ingratitude is the result of poor manners, leading to deprivation and punishment; however, this punishment is the natural consequence of the action, not a forced duty.
One of the examples from the lecture is the story of a man whose difficulties caused by the behavior of his wife led him to worship, tears, and spiritual knowledge. This hardship, which appeared as an adversity, inwardly led him to spiritual bliss and enlightenment. It was as if his wife, unknowingly, was like a master who trained the seeker in the school of adversity. Gratitude for this adversity led the seeker to spiritual perfection instead of despair. Similarly, enemies and disbelievers, by creating hardships, guide the seeker to higher stations, such as martyrdom. They are like stones in a river, making the water's flow stronger. Gratitude for adversity transforms these hardships into blessings, revealing God's mercy. A historical example is the life of Imam (RA), who, through enduring exile and hardships, reached high spiritual stations and led the Islamic Revolution.
Gratitude for adversity is a stage that leads the seeker from gratitude for blessings to gratitude for calamities and hardships. This stage is expressed through two approaches: expressing contentment and practicing Kazm Ghi, manifesting the spirit of submission and respect towards God's actions. In this view, adversities are divine hidden blessings that educate and guide the seeker to felicity. The divine verses of the Qur'an, such as Indeed, Allah intends to remove from you the impurity of sin and If you are grateful, I will certainly increase your blessings, affirm the Qur'anic basis of this station. Practical examples, from the role of a spouse in guiding the seeker to the impact of enemies in attaining martyrdom, demonstrate the educational wisdom of adversities. Gratitude for adversity, with respect and dignity, guides the seeker to Paradise and higher stations, while praise, as an unconditional exaltation, is superior to gratitude.
