Q: Is “Jazaakallaah” mentioned in any Hadith? Is there a Masnoon reply to it?
A: When someone does good to us, Islam encourages us to return the favour with good.
Allah Ta’ala rhetorically asks in the Quraan Majeed, “Is there any reward for good other than good.” {Surah Rahman: verse 60}
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said: “He who is not grateful to the people is not grateful to Allah.” [Abu Dawud #4811 The Book of Etiquette, Chapter 11, Tirmithi #1955]
‘The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said: “Whoever is given something and can afford it, let him give something in return, and if he cannot afford it, let him express his appreciation for him, for if he expresses his appreciation for him, he is grateful to him, but whoever conceals it, he has shown ingratitude.” [Abu Dawud #4813 The Book Of Etiquette, Chapter 11]
Therefore, we should try and return a favour with a gift, favour or service. However, sometimes we are unable to repay a person in a similar manner, so the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam encouraged us to make Du’aa for that person:
“Whoever does some good to you, reciprocate it to him, but if you do not have the means to do so, then supplicate for him until you feel that you have reciprocated it.”[Abu Dawud #1672]
One such Masnoon supplication is: ‘Jazaakallaahu Khairaa’ which means ‘May Allah reward you good.’
Sayyiduna Usaamah bin Zayd (رضي الله عنه) reports that Nabi sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said: “Whoever says ‘Jazaakallaahu Khairaa’ to the one who has done good to him, has certainly extolled him in praise.”
[Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: #2035, Chapters on Righteousness, Chapter 88) (Sahih Ibn Hibban, Hadith: #3413, Vol.8, Pg.202]
No one can give a better reward than Allah Ta’ala, so we are asking Him to reward this person who has done good to us in a good manner. This is indeed a great means of showing gratitude.
A practical example of the Nabi’s sallallahu alaihi wa sallam usage of this Du’aa has been narrated by Ibn Hibban in his ‘Sahih’, [#7279] and another one by Ibn Abi Shaibah in his ‘Musannaf’ [#19784 Vol.10 Pg. 305 The Book on Virtues of Jihad]
The Sahabah (رضي الله عنهم) used to also say ‘Jazaakallahu Khairaa’:
Usaid ibn Hadair (رضي الله عنه) said (to ‘A’isha (رضي الله عنها)): “(Jazaakillahu Khairaa) May Allah reward you with good, for by Allah, nothing ever happens to you but Allah grants you a way out and blesses the Muslims thereby.” [Bukhari #5164]
Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) said: “I was present with my father when he was wounded. People praised him and said: (Jazaakallahu Khairaa) ‘May Allah reward you with good!’ He said: ‘I am hopeful (of Allah’s mercy) as well as afraid (of His wrath).’” [Muslim #1823]
Umar (رضي الله عنه) said: “If any of you knew what good there is in his statement ‘Jazaakallaahu Khairaa’ to his brother, they would say it more often to one another.” [Ibn Abi Shaibah in Musannaf #27050 Book on Etiquettes Chapter 190]
N.B. – The Muhaddith Shaikh Muhammad Abasoomer said: We were unable to locate a narration that has ‘Jazaakallah’ only (without the word ‘khairaa’). (hadithanswers.com)
Though it is better to say Jazaakallahu Khairaa as reported in the hadith, merely saying Jazaakallah is also sufficient as it is accepted in Arabic –like any other language- that sometimes certain words (which are known to one and all) are omitted. So when we say ‘May Allah reward you’ (Jazaakallah), we mean a ‘good’ reward (Khairaa). [See here]
From the above we would have realised that ‘Jazaakallaahu Khairaa’ is already a reply therefore there is no need for any further response.
Shaikh Muhammad Abasoomer said: “I haven’t come across any response in the hadith. Some people say: ‘Ameen’ (O Allah accept) and others says: ‘Wa iyyaak’ (same to you).
Both make sense and will not be wrong, although they are not proven from the hadith. N.B.- One should not consider these responses as Sunnah though.” (hadithanswer.com)
Unfortunately, some people have given this reply (of ‘Ameen’ and ‘Wa-iyyaak’) a higher status than what the Shariah has afforded it. When a person says ‘Jazaakallaahu Khairaa’ to them, they wait to reply like how they wait to reply the one who sneezed and said ‘Alhumdulillah’. If people consider a reply to ‘Jazaakallaahu Khairaa’ necessary or even Sunnah then this will be an innovation (Bid’ah) in Deen. The scholars have said, whenever a permissible act is considered Sunnah or Wajib then it becomes a Bid’ah and innovation.
Note:
Some people cite a narration in Sahih Ibn Hibban (hadith: 7279) in which the words: Wa antum fa jazaakumullaahu khayraa According to the writer [Shaikh Abasoomer] , this is a misinterpretation.
The reason for this is that when the Sahabi (رضي الله عنه) told Nabi sallallahu alaihi wa sallam Jazaakallaahu Khairaa, Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: Wa antum fa jazaakumullaahu khairaa (rather, you deserve to be told; Jazaakumullaahu khairaa) and he went on praising the good qualities of the Ansar.
In actual fact Nabi sallallahu alaihi wa sallam was saying to them I should be telling you Jazaakallahu Khairaa, instead of you telling me.
This explains why Nabi sallallahu alaihi wa sallam gave that particular reply. It doesn’t mean that: wa antum fa jazaakumullahu khayraa is a standard reply to such a Du’aa. (hadithanswers.com)
Another narration that may give the impression that there is a masnoon reply to ‘jazaakallahu khairaa’ is one collected by Nasai’ in ‘Amalul Yawm wal Lailah’ [Hadith No.303] that states: “The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam was gifted a sheep. He said: ‘Distribute it.’ So when the servant returned, Aishah (رضي الله عنها) asked: ‘What did they say to you?’ He replied: (They said): ‘May Allah bless you’ (Baarakallah). So Aishah (رضي الله عنها) replied: ‘May Allah bless them. We repaid them what they said to us and kept our rewards with us.’”
This cannot be used as evidence for a reply to ‘Jazaakallaahu Khairaa’ for a number of reasons.
If a reply was necessary then it would lead to an infinite cycle of responses, which means the person hearing the reply should also reply and then the next person should reply once more until infinity.
This reply of Aisha (رضي الله عنها) was not made in front of those who said ‘May Allah bless you’.
There are many instances recorded where Sahabah said ‘Jazaakallahu Khairaa’ to one another but no report was found that state any reply, as pointed out by Shaikh Muhammad.
We came across no hadith wherein the Messenger sallallahu alaihi wa sallam teaches of any reply.
In conclusion ‘Jazaakallahu Khairaa’ is already a reply to a good done upon a person so there is no need for a further reply.
N.B. – The translation of ‘Jazaakallahu Khairaa’ ‘May Allah reward you good’ may also be used.
And Allah Ta’alaa knows best.
Muhammad Suleman Chothi