Quran by topic

Quran verses about gratitude

Gratitude, shukr in Arabic, is in the Quran a response to what has already been given. The passages below tie it to memory: the opposite of gratitude here is not sadness but forgetting who gave.

This is a short selection, not a complete list. Each passage is given in Arabic with an English translation and its place in the Quran. The same root appears in the Quran as giving thanks, being thankful and showing gratitude.

Remember Me and give thanks

فَٱذْكُرُونِىٓ أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِى وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ

Therefore remember Me, I will remember you. Give thanks to Me, and reject not Me.

Al-Baqara 2:152

Surah Al-Baqara (The Cow) · Medinan · ayah 152 of 286

If you give thanks, I will give you more

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌۭ

And when your Lord proclaimed: If ye give thanks, I will give you more; but if ye are thankless, lo! My punishment is dire.

Ibrahim 14:7

Surah Ibrahim (Abraham) · Meccan · ayah 7 of 52

Favours you cannot count

وَإِن تَعُدُّوا۟ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ

And if ye would count the favour of Allah ye cannot reckon it. Lo! Allah is indeed Forgiving, Merciful.

An-Nahl 16:18

Surah An-Nahl (The Bee) · Meccan · ayah 18 of 128

Solomon's prayer to be thankful

فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًۭا مِّن قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَٰلِحًۭا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِى بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِى عِبَادِكَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ

And (Solomon) smiled, laughing at her speech, and said: My Lord, arouse me to be thankful for Thy favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and to do good that shall be pleasing unto Thee, and include me in (the number of) Thy righteous slaves.

An-Naml 27:19

Surah An-Naml (The Ant) · Meccan · ayah 19 of 93

Luqman's wisdom: give thanks

وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا لُقْمَٰنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ أَنِ ٱشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌۭ

And verily We gave Luqman wisdom, saying: Give thanks unto Allah; and whosoever giveth thanks, he giveth thanks for (the good of) his soul. And whosoever refuseth - Lo! Allah is Absolute, Owner of Praise.

Luqman 31:12

Surah Luqman (Luqman) · Meccan · ayah 12 of 34

Eat of the good things and give thanks

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَٰكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِلَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ

O ye who believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you, and render thanks to Allah if it is (indeed) He Whom ye worship.

Al-Baqara 2:172

Surah Al-Baqara (The Cow) · Medinan · ayah 172 of 286

Speak of the bounty of your Lord

وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ

Therefor of the bounty of thy Lord be thy discourse.

Ad-Dhuhaa 93:11

Surah Ad-Dhuhaa (The Morning Hours) · Meccan · ayah 11 of 11

Context

Five of these passages are Meccan, from Surah Ibrahim, an-Nahl, an-Naml, Luqman and ad-Dhuhaa. The two from al-Baqarah are Medinan.

Surah 93:11 closes ad-Dhuhaa. Commentators report that the surah was revealed after a pause in revelation, when the Prophet was told that his Lord had neither forsaken him nor grown displeased with him. The last verse turns that reassurance into a command: speak of what your Lord has given. The Quran text itself does not name the occasion.

Surah 27:19 belongs to the story of Solomon and the valley of the ants. It is a narrative passage, not a ruling, and places gratitude in the mouth of a king at the height of his power.

No specific occasion is reported for the remaining passages. They are general exhortations, and are read as such.

Questions for reflection

If you tried to list what you have been given, where would the list become impossible?
Surah 14:7 ties thanks to increase. What changes when you name something as a gift rather than an achievement?
Solomon's prayer joins thanks for himself with thanks for his parents. How do you hold what you received from your family?
Ad-Dhuhaa ends by telling the Prophet to speak of God's bounty. What would it mean to speak of it without boasting?