For example...

For example, Allah'' says regarding jihad; that is better for you (61:11); regarding fast: and that you fast is better for you (2:184), and regarding shortening of prayer: And when you journey in the earth, there is no blame on you if you shorten the prayer (4:101).

QUR'AN: and whoever on his own accord does good, then surely Allah is Grateful, All-knowing: The conjunctive "and" may be joining this sentence to any of the three phrases in the preceding one: It may connect it with "so whoever makes a pilgrimage In that case it would show a more general reason for the legislation of the walking between the two hills, after giving the particular reason, that is, "Surely the Safa and the Marwah are among the signs of Allah." According to this interpretation, "doing good on one's own accord" would mean "obedience" in general term, and not a voluntary deed.

It may be starting a new sentence, joining it to the words in the beginning of the verse. In that case, "doing good on one's own accord" would refer to the "going round the two hills ". Thus it would show only the desirability of as-sa'y (walking quickly seven times between Safa and the Marwah). Alternatively, the phrase "doing good on one's own according" may be referring to the hajj and the 'umrah, and the phrase would show the desirability of these two rites of worship.

ash-Shakir (= Grateful) and al- A lim (All-knowing) are two of the beautiful names of Allah. ash-Shukr (gratefulness, thankfulness). When a beneficiary returns the benevolence of the benefactor by announcing it in words and/or deeds, it is called gratefulness. Someone gives you a property, and in return you praise him mentioning his benevolence, or use that property in a way he likes - and thus you show your gratefulness to him.

Now, Allah is the Beneficent; His beneficence is eternal and all beneficence begins from Him; none can oblige Him in any way so that He would be grateful to that person. Yet, He, in His benevolence, looks at His creatures' good deeds as though the creatures have been beneficent to Him by doing those deeds (although, in reality the case is diametrically different; the creatures' good deeds are actually His benefaction to them).

And thus he repays those good deeds with gratefulness and benevolence, which in fact is a double benevolence. Allah says: Is the reward of goodness aught but goodness? (55:60); Surely this is a reward for you, and your striving shall be recompensed (76:22).