Ar-RahmaaN

(The Beneficent)

He who wills goodness and mercy for all

His creatures

ُ َْ ْ
Allah is Ar-Rahmaan (in arabic: ‫)ٱل َّرحـان‬. He is the One who blesses all His creation
with prosperity and devoid from disparity. He is most merciful, kind, and loving
towards all creation. His Rahma is all inclusive and embraces all.

From the root ra-ha-mim (‫)ر ح م‬, which
has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to have tenderness,
gentleness, kindness, to love, to have
mercy, to have pity, to show favor and
goodness, to have all that is required for
beneficence.
We begin the journey to understanding
who Allah T with the name Ar-Rahman
and Ar-Raheem. As a way of developing
His relationship with us, He tells us more
about Him. The names most frequently
used in the Qur’an are the names of
Rahmah (i.e., His mercy). We begin every
surah with the exception of Surah Taubah
with the recitation of the Basmala (i.e.,
the bismillah), in which we proclaim His
mercy. The Qur’an is a gift from Allah T,
a sign of His mercy. It gives the impression
He would like all of mankind to know that
He is the most gracious and the most
merciful.

There are 57 mentions of the name Ar-Rahman spanning across 16 different chapters
of the Qur’an.

ۡ َ َ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ٓ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ َ ْ ُ ۡ َ َّ ّٗ َ َ ٰ َ ۡ َّ ْ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ ْ ُ ۡ ُ
ۡ‫ت َهر‬ ‫ق ِل ٱدعوا ٱلل أوِ ٱدعوا ٱلرحمنۖ أيا ما تدعوا فله ٱلسماء ٱلسن ۚ ول‬
ٗ َ َ َ ََۡ َۡ َ َ ۡ َُ ََ َ َ َ
‫بِصلت ِك ول تاف ِت بِها وٱبتغِ بي ذٰل ِك سبِيل‬
Qulid’ul laaha awid’ur Rahmaana ayyam maa tad’oo falahul asmaaa’ul Husnaa; wa laa
tajhar bi Salaatika wa laa tukhaafit bihaa wabtaghi baina zaalika sabeela

English Translation:

“Say, “Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever [name] you call – to
Him belong the best names.” And do not recite [too] loudly in your prayer or [too]
quietly but seek between that an [intermediate] way.” (Qur’an 17:110)

In the Qur’an “My mercy encompasses all things” (Qur’an 7:156) and Shaykh Tosun
Bayrak writes of this name “He is the one who wills mercy and good for all creation, at
all times, without any distinction between the good and the bad, the faithful and the
rebel, the beloved and the hated.” It is clear from this verse there is no discrimination as
1 to whose worthy of His mercy and compassion.
The Names of Mercy:
There are eight names that refer to His mercy and kindness: Ar-Rahman, Ar-Raheem, Ar-Ra’uf,
Al-Barr, Al-Wahhab, Al-Ghaffar, Al-Afuww, and At-Tawwab. Each name, although related under the
umbrella of mercy, is unique. We’ll explore each in detail and see the various ways in which Allah’s
mercy manifests. As for the name Ar-Rahman it is reserved for Allah T alone. It’s a quality that
can’t be ascribed to anybody else. A person can be referred to as Raheem, meaning being
merciful. But Ar-Rahman is understood to be all-encompassing mercy, so far-reaching that it
touches everything and everyone. A kind of mercy that knows no bounds. As a name, it is understood
this kind of mercy is reserved only for Allah T. A person named Rahman must therefore have the
prefix Abdur, meaning servant of the merciful.

From the hadith, it comments on Allah’s Rahmat (mercy), “Verily, Allah has one hundred portions of
mercy. From one portion the creation has been given mercy by virtue of which there is mutual love
between the people and ninety nine portions are reserved for the Day of Resurrection.” [1]

Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Those
who are merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth and
the One in the heavens will have mercy upon you.” [2]

The belief in Allah’s mercy is beneficial to
a believer because it causes an individual to
reflect on their ability to be merciful
themselves. Narrated Jarir bin `Abdullah:
Allah’s Messenger (x) said, “Allah will not be
merciful to those who are not merciful to
mankind.” [3]
It also encourages a believer to
do good, to act with virtue so that they can
receive the mercy of their Lord, “As for those
who believe and do good, the Most
Compassionate will certainly bless them
with genuine love” (Surah Maryam ayah 96)
‘Umar b. Khattab reported that there were
brought some prisoners to Allah’s Messenger
(peace be upon him) amongst whom there
was also a woman, who was searching (for
someone) and when she found a child
amongst the prisoners, she took hold of it,
pressed it against her chest and provided it
suck. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (x) said:
Do you think this woman would ever afford
to throw her child in the Fire? We said: By
Allah, so far as it lies in her power, she would
never throw the child in Fire.’
Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (x) said: Allah
is more kind to His servants than this woman
is to her child. [4]
Allah’s mercy is vast and is described by
Prophet x to be greater than a mother’s
love for her child. In Imam Zarruq’s book, The
loftiest goal in elucidating Allah’s most
beautiful names he recommends attaching
oneself to this name through “fellowship,
hope, behaving with extreme affection
because of firm trust in His affection.” Know
Allah T is all-wise and all-knowing, you’re
forgiveness towards others, and their
imperfections will be rewarded on the day of
judgment. Lead with hope and compassion
and seek to assist those who are misguided
as they are in need. And on a concluding
note for this name, begin every task by
calling upon Ar-Rahman through the phrase,
“Bismillah Hir-Rahman Nir-Rahim,” which
means “In the name of God, The Most
Gracious, The Most Merciful.” All things are
only made possible with Allah’s blessing. We,
too, require His mercy and grace in all matters.

Hadith References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 2753 [3] Sahih al-Bukhari 7376
[2] Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1924 [4] Sahih al-Bukhari 5999 & Sahih Muslim 2754 2
 Ar-Raheem
(The Merciful)

He who acts with extreme kindness

ْ ْ
The name Ar-Raheem (in Arabic: ‫ )ٱل َّرحِي ُم‬comes from the same root as Ar-Rahman
which refers to Allah’s attribute of being Merciful. Although similarly related the
meanings are different. Ar-Rahman can be understood to refer to Allah as the
origination/source of all mercy, whereas Ar-Raheem refers to its sustaining/
infiniteness. Some view the name of Ar-Raheem as being merciful to His creation
deserving of mercy (primarily the mercy reserved for the believers).

From the root ra-ha-mim (‫)ر ح م‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to have tenderness, gentleness, kindness to love to have mercy, to have pity to show
favor and goodness to have all that is required for beneficence.

This name of Allah T is mentioned in the Qur’an for a total 114 times. Twice as much
as the name Ar-Rahman.

Is Ar-Raheem for the believers?

ُّ‫ت إ َل ٱنل‬ ُّ َ ّ ُ َ ۡ ُ ُ ُ َ ٰٓ َ َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ ّ َ ُ
َ ُ‫ٱلظل‬ َّ َ ُ
ِۚ ‫ور‬ ِ ِ ٰ ‫م‬ ‫ِن‬
‫م‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ج‬‫ر‬
ِ ‫خ‬ ‫ل‬ِ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ك‬ ِ ‫ئ‬ ‫ـ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫و‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ي‬‫ل‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ص‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ِي‬
‫ٱل‬ ‫هو‬
ِ
َ ‫َو َك َن بٱل ۡ ُم ۡؤ ِمن‬
ٗ ‫ِني َرح‬
‫ِيما‬ ِ
Huwal lazee yusallee ‘alaikum wa malaaa’ikatuhoo liyukhrijakum minazzulumaati
ilan-noor wa kaana bilmu’mineena Raheemaa

English Translation:

“It is He who confers blessing upon you, and His angels [ask Him to do so] that He
may bring you out from darknesses into the light. And ever is He, to the believers,
Merciful.” (Qur’an 33:43)

This ayah is often referenced to support the idea that Ar-Rahman is a universal mercy
that applies to all His creation and that ‘Ar-Raheem’ is a specific kind of mercy reserved
only for “al-mumin,” the believers. Ibn Arabi in unveiling the secret of the most beautiful
names mentions, “God indicated that this Mercy was limited and restrained, after
3
having manifested unconditional, absolute, and universal general mercy.
Also, its relation to the servant depends on his limitations.” But here lies some
disagreement among scholars.
The counter-argument given that opposes this view is in Surah Baqarah, which
directly challenges this notion:

ُ ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ٓ َ َ ُ ْ ُ ُ َ ّ ٗ َ َ ٗ َّ ُ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ َ َ
‫اس ويكون ٱلرسول‬ ِ ‫وكذٰل ِك جعلنٰكم أمة وسطا ِلكونوا شهداء ع ٱنل‬
َّ َ َّ ٓ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ٗ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ
‫نت َعل ۡي َها إِل لِ َ ۡعل َم َمن يَتب ِ ُع‬ ‫عليكم ش ِهيدا ۗ وما جعلنا ٱلقِبلة ٱل ِت ك‬
َّ
ُ‫ٱلل‬ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َّ ً َ َ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ ٰ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُ َّ
ۗ ‫ٱلرسول مِمن ينقل ِب ع عقِبي ۚهِ ِإَون كنت لكبِرية إِل ع ٱلِين هدى‬
ٌ ‫وف َّرح‬ ٞ ُ ََ ُ َ َ َ ُ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ
َ َّ ‫ك ۡم إ َّن‬
‫ِيم‬ ‫اس لرء‬ ِ َّ‫ٱلل بِٱنل‬ ِ ۚ ‫ضيع إِيمٰن‬ ِ ‫وما كن ٱلل ِل‬
Wa kazaalika ja’alnaakum ummatanw wasatal litakoonoo shuhadaaa’a ‘alan naasi wa
yakoonar Rasoolu ‘alaikum shaheedaa; wa maa ja’alnal qiblatal latee kunta ‘alaihaaa
illaa lina’lama mai yattabi’ur Rasoola mimmai yanqalibu ‘alaa ‘aqibayh; wa in kaanat
lakabeeratan illaa ‘alal lazeena hadal laah; wa maa kaanal laahu liyudee’a
eemaanakum; innal laaha binnaasi la Ra’oofur Raheem

English Translation:

“And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the
people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the
qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow
the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult
except for those whom Allah has guided. And never would Allah have caused you to
lose your faith. Indeed Allah is, to the people, Kind and Merciful.” (Qur’an 2:143)

Here it mentions Allah T as “Ra’oofur Raheem” meaning kind and merciful. But for
who? In this ayah, it says for all mankind, for all people. This gives the impression that
the mercy that encompasses Raheem is not just reserved for Muslims but “to the
people.”

َ َّ َّ َّ َ ۡ َّ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ٰٓ َ َ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ۡ ُ
۞ ‫س ِهم ل تقنطوا مِن رحةِ ٱللِۚ إِن ٱلل‬ ِ ‫قل يٰعِبادِي ٱلِين أسفوا ع أنف‬
ُ ‫ٱلرح‬ ُ ‫ِيعا ۚ إنَّ ُهۥ ُه َو ۡٱل َغ ُف‬
َّ ‫ور‬ ً َ َ ُ ُّ َۡ
‫ِيم‬ ِ ‫يغ ِف ُر ٱذلنوب ج‬
Qul yaa’ibaadiyal lazeena asrafoo ‘alaaa anfusihim laa taqnatoo mirrahmatil laah; innal
laaha yaghfiruz zunooba jamee’aa; innahoo Huwal Ghafoorur Raheem

English Translation:

“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not
despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the
Forgiving, the Merciful.” (Qur’an 39:53)

4
 Hadith which illustrates Allah’s mercy:
Allah’s mercy is vast, we can not begin to
fathom the many ways in which He’s
shown us mercy. As we mentioned in the
name Ar-Rahman, The Prophet x said
to us, “Do you think this woman could
throw her child in the fire?” We said, “No,
not if she is able to stop it.” The Prophet
said, “Allah is more merciful to His
servants than a mother is to her child.” [1]
On the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah
be pleased with him), from the Messenger
of Allah (x): “Verily Allah has written
down the good deeds and the evil deeds,
and then explained it: “Whosoever
intended to perform a good deed, but
did not do it, then Allah writes it down as
a completed good deed. And if he
intended to perform it and then did
perform it, then Allah writes it down as
from ten good deeds up to seven
hundred times, up to many times
multiplied. And if he intended to perform
an evil deed, but did not do it, then Allah
writes it down as a complete good deed.
Hadith References:
[1] Sahih Bukhari 5653 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Bukhari
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 6491 & Sahih Muslim 131a
[3] Sahih Muslim 2751a
5 [4] Sahih al-Bukhari 7376
And if he intended it [i.e., the evil deed]
and then performed it, then Allah writes
it down as one evil deed. [2]
Abu Huraira reported that Allah’s
Messenger (x) said: When Allah created
the creation as He was upon the Throne,
He put down in His Book: Verily, My mercy
predominates My wrath. [3]
The belief in Allah’s mercy is beneficial to
a believer because it causes an
individual to reflect on their ability to be
merciful themselves. Narrated Jarir bin
Abdullah: Allah’s Messenger (x) said,
“Allah will not be merciful to those who
are not merciful to mankind.” [4] It also
encourages a believer to do good, to
act with virtue so that they can receive
the mercy of their Lord, “As for those who
believe and do good, the Most
Compassionate will certainly bless them
with genuine love”
(Surah Maryam ayah 96)

ُ ْ
Allah is Al-Malik (in arabic: ‫)ٱل َمل ِك‬, the literal meaning in Arabic is “The King.” He is the
one who reigns dominion over the heavens and the earth and everything that resides
within them. There is nothing above Him, and He is alone.
From the root mim-lam-kaf ( ‫)م ل ك‬, which
has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to possess, to own
exclusively to exercise authority to
command to have power over,
command, reign to have dominion over,
to have ruling power to have kingship.
The Ruler or The King:
ُ ْ
There is a difference in ‫( ٱل َم ٰـل ِك‬Al-Malik)
ُ ْ
and ‫( ٱل َمـال ِك‬Al-Mālik), phonetically the
difference is the second is said with a
stress on the letter “a”. Al-Malik is a king, a
ruler over his subject whereas Al-Mālik is
the master and owner. Al-Malik is the king,
whose limits are not confined to a
boundary, He is ever-lasting in time and
space. He can never be abdicated from
His throne and doesn’t need the support
of His subjects. Our perception of a king is
that he leads the people, but he requires
buy-in from his subjects. Without the
support of the people, he has no power,
no dominion. Abu Dharr reported Allah’s
messenger x as stating that God most
high says, “if the first and last of you, the
living and the dead among you, those of
you who are fresh and those of you who
Al-Malik
(The King)
The Sovereign Lord, The One with the
complete Dominion, the One Whose
Dominion is clear from imperfection
This name of Allah T tells us He is the
absolute ruler, without any objection or
partnership. Ibn Arabi says Al-Malik is the
one “for whom nothing He wants to do in
His Sovereign kingdom is difficult.” All things
in existence come from Him, and He
presides as a sovereign ruler over them.
are withered, had all hearts as wretched
as the heart of the most wretched of my
servants, that would not diminish as
much as a gnat’s wing from my
dominion.” [1]
This emphasizes how He has no need of
any existing thing, He is independent. If
all people were wretched in their hearts,
i.e., they did not believe, He would still be
the king. His dominion would not diminish
even by a “gnat’s wing.” In his book, The
Name & the Named Shayk Tosun Bayrak
writes, “He does not need His kingdom,
His kingdom needs Him. He rules by
Himself; He does not need any help to
rule. He has created the universe as a
workplace for His creation, and He has
created the day of judgment as a great
court of justice.” 6
 َ ۡ َ ٰٓ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ
ُ‫ك َو ۡح ُيه ۖۥ‬ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ ُّ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ َ َ
‫ان مِن قب ِل أن يقض إِل‬ ِ ‫فتعل ٱلل ٱلمل ِك ٱلق ۗ ول تعجل بِٱلقرء‬
ۡٗ ۡ ّ َّ ُ َ
‫ب زِد ِن عِلما‬ ِ ‫وقل ر‬
Fata’aalal laahul Malikul Haqq; wa laa ta’jal bil Quraani min qabli ai yuqdaaa ilaika
wahyuhoo wa qur Rabbi zidnee ilmaa

English Translation:

“So high [above all] is Allah, the Sovereign, the Truth. And, [O Muhammad], do not
hasten with [recitation of] the Qur’an before its revelation is completed to you, and
say, “My Lord, increase me in knowledge.” (Qur’an 20:114)

ُ ٓ ََ َ ۡ ۡ ُ َ َ ُٓ ََ َ َ ۡ ُۡ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ٰ َ َّ ُ َّ ُ
‫زنع ٱل ُملك م َِّمن تشا ُء َوتعِ ُّز‬ ِ ‫ت‬ ‫و‬ ‫ء‬ ‫ا‬‫ش‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱل‬ ِ ‫كت‬
‫ت‬ ‫ؤ‬ ِ ‫ق ِل ٱللهم مل ِك ٱلمل‬
ٞ ‫شءٖ قَد‬ ۡ َ ‫ك‬ ّ ُ ٰ َ َ َ َّ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ ُّ ُ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ
‫ِير‬ ِ ‫من تشاء وتذِل من تشاء ۖ بِيدِك ٱلي ۖ إِنك ع‬
Qulil laahumma Maalikal Mulki tu’til mulka man tashaaa’u wa tanzi’ul mulka mimman
tashhaaa’u wa tu’izzu man tashaaa’u wa tuzillu man tashaaa’u biyadikal khairu innaka
‘alaa kulli shai’in Qadeer

English Translation:

“Say (O Muhammad SAW): “O Allah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom
to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with
honour whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good.
Verily, You are Able to do all things.” (Qur’an 3:26)

َ ۡ ۡ ُ َّ َ ٓ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ َ َ
‫ٱل ُّق ۖ ل إِل ٰ َه إِل ه َو َر ُّب ٱل َع ۡر ِش ٱلك ِري ِم‬ ‫فتعل ٱلل ٱلمل ِك‬

Fata’aalal laahul Malikul Haqq; laaa ilaaha illaa Huwa Rabbul Arshil Kareem

English Translation:

“So exalted is Allah, the Sovereign, the Truth; there is no deity except Him, Lord of the
Noble Throne.” (Qur’an 23:116)

7
 ُ‫ٱلس َل ٰ ُم ٱل ۡ ُم ۡؤم ُِن ٱل ۡ ُم َه ۡي ِم ُن ۡٱل َعزيز‬ ُ ‫ٱلل َّٱلِي َلٓ إ َل ٰ َه إ َّل ُه َو ٱل ۡ َمل ُِك ۡٱل ُق ُّد‬
َّ ‫وس‬ ُ َّ ‫ُه َو‬
ِ ِ ِ
َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ َّ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ُ ّ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ ۡ
‫شكون‬ ِ ‫ٱلبار ٱلمتك ِبۚ سبحن ٱللِ عما ي‬
Huwal-laahul-lazee laaa Ilaaha illaa Huwal-Malikul Quddoosus-Salaamul Muminul
Muhaiminul-aAzeezul Jabbaarul-Mutakabbir; Subhaanal laahi Ammaa yushrikoon

English Translation:

“He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection,
the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior.
Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him.” (Qur’an 23:116)

From the hadith, it mentions Allah’s Messenger (x) as saying, “The most awful name
in Allah’s sight on the Day of Resurrection, will be (that of) a man calling himself Malik
Al-Amlak (the King of kings).[2] There can be no King of kings, as Allah T is the King of
kings. To say otherwise would be blasphemous.

Our belief and understanding that
Allah T is Al-Malik (The King) enables us
to realize all matters we seek belong with
Him. We see how this name encompasses
an aura of grandness and majesty. He
has complete knowledge, power, and
rule over all His creation. So if we seek
refuge, we should confide in Allah
because only He can help provide relief.
If we seek the bounty, we should ask from
the King of kings because He is the only
true provider with no limits.
This belief also frees us from the shackles
of dependence on wealthy leaders that
may cause us to compromise our morals
and integrity so that we may be in their
favor. People will continually try to use
fame, money, and power to control and
influence our behavior for their benefit.
But for the person who knows Allah T as
Al-Malik, they can break hold from the
power others may hold over us. They see
T the illusion and don’t fall for their tricks.
A person who has Allah T only needs
Allah; they are free from worldly desires
and can find happiness within. They can
then focus on how to fulfill their duties
and obligations as Muslims so that they
may live like a King in the akhirah.

Hadith References:
[1] Mishkat al-Masabih 2350 [2] Sahih al-Bukhari 6205 8
 Al-Quddus
(The Most Sacred / The Most Holy)

The one who is clear of any imperfection,

weakness, or shortcoming.

ُ ُّ ُ ْ
Allah T is Al-Quddus (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلقدوس‬, meaning the most pure or the most holy. He
is so far removed from any imperfection and does not suffer from any shortcomings.
The mere mention of being free from defects borders on insult as it implies the
possibility of imperfection. He transcends all that we perceive as perfection, and all
sublime attributes belong to Him.

From the root qaf-dal-sin (‫)ق د س‬, which
has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be pure, clean, spotless
be far removed from impurity or
imperfection to be holy, sacred, and
hallowed.
The name Al-Quddus is derived from the
word quds meaning sanctify, purify, or to
be holy. Al-Quddus is the superlative
which captures His essence of perfection.
He is far removed from resembling
anything. Imam al-Ghazali writes in his
treatise of the 99 names, “the Holy is the
one who transcends every one of the
attributes of perfection which the
majority of creatures thinks of as
perfection.”

The Holy Spirit:

The Qur’an mentions the concept of the
Holy Spirit (Ruh Al-Quddus) four times. It
is understood that He purifies and makes
holy through this spirit. This is the concept
of the divine force and influence Allah T
has over His creatures. Whenever you
see either Ruh al-Quddus or Ruh al-Amin
(the faithful or trustworthy spirit, see
26:193 for example) the commentators
of the Qur’an interpret it as being
interchangeable with the Angel Jibrel.
In the tafsir of Ibn Kathir for Surah Maidah
ayah 110, “O Isa, son of Maryam!
Remember My favor to you and to your
9 mother when I supported you with Ruh
il-Qudus (Jibril) so that you spoke to the
people in the cradle and in maturity [...]
and you healed those born blind, and
the lepers by My permission, and when
you brought forth the dead by My
permission;” When Allah T mentions the
passing of this spirit it’s understood as to
cast a reflection of His divine
characteristics on His creation.
It makes a thing pure, and wholesome
and removes any imperfections. Isa
(q) was gifted with this quality
making him infallible and enabled him to
perform these miracles.
 َ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ َّ َ َّ ُ ۡ ّ ۡ َ ٰ َ َ ‫ٱلر ُس ُل فَ َّض ۡل َنا َب ۡع َض ُه ۡم‬
ُّ ‫ك‬ َ ۡ
۞‫ت‬ ۚ ٖ ٰ ‫ض مِنهم من كم ٱللۖ ورفع بعضهم درج‬ ٖۘ َ ‫ع بع‬ ‫ت ِل‬
َ َ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ ٓ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ۡ
ُ ُ ِ ‫ِيس ۡٱب َن َم ۡر َي َم ٱلَ ّي َنٰت َوأيَّ ۡد َنٰ ُه ب ُر‬ َ ‫َو َءاتَ ۡي َنا ع‬
‫س ولو شاء ٱلل ما ٱقتتل‬ ۗ ِ ‫وح ٱلقد‬ ِ ِ ِ
َ ْ َُ ۡ
‫ك ِن ٱخ َتلفوا ف ِم ۡن ُهم َّم ۡن َء َام َن‬
َ ُ ََّۡ ُ َُۡٓ َ َ ۡ َ ّ
ِ ٰ ‫ت َول‬ ٰ‫ِين ِم ۢن َب ۡع ِدهِم ِم ۢن بع ِد ما جاءتهم ٱليِن‬ َ ‫َّٱل‬
ُ‫ٱلل َي ۡف َع ُل َما يُريد‬
َ َّ ‫ك َّن‬ ٰ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ ٓ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ َ َّ ‫َوم ِۡن ُهم‬
ِ ِ ‫ل‬ ‫و‬ ‫وا‬‫ل‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ت‬‫ٱق‬ ‫ا‬‫م‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫ء‬ ‫ا‬‫ش‬ ‫و‬ ‫ل‬‫و‬ ۚ ‫ر‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬
Tilkar Rusulu faddalnaa ba’dahum ‘alaa ba’d; minhum man kallamal laahu wa rafa’a
ba’dahum darajaat; wa aatainaa ‘Eesab na Maryamal baiyinaati wa ayyadnaahu bi Roohil
Qudus; wa law shaaa’al laahu maqtatalal lazeena mimba’dihim mim ba’di maa
jaaa’athumul baiyinaatu wa laakinikh talafoo faminhum man aamana wa minhum man
kafar; wa law shaaa’al laahu maq tataloo wa laakinnallaaha yaf’alu maa yureed (section 33)

English Translation:

“Those messengers – some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those
to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in degree. And We gave Jesus, the Son of
Mary, clear proofs, and We supported him with the Pure Spirit. If Allah had willed, those
[generations] succeeding them would not have fought each other after the clear proofs had
come to them. But they differed, and some of them believed and some of them disbelieved.
And if Allah had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allah does what He intends.”
(Qur’an 2:253)

ِ‫ك ب ِ ُروح‬ َ ُّ َّ َ ۡ َ َ ٰ َ ٰ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ٰ َ ُ َّ َ َ ۡ
‫إِذ قال ٱلل يعِيس ٱبن مريم ٱذكر ن ِعم ِت عليك وع و ِلت ِك إِذ أيدت‬
َ ٰ َ ۡ َّ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ ٰ َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ َّ َ ۡ ٗ َ ۡ َ َّ‫ك ّل ُِم ٱنل‬َ ُ ُ ُۡ
‫اس ِف ٱل َم ۡه ِد َوك ۡهل ۖ ِإَوذ علمتك ٱلكِتب وٱل ِكمة وٱتلورىة‬ ‫ٱلقد ِس ت‬
ۡ ۢ َ ۡ َ ُ ُ َ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ ۡ ۡ َّ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ۡ َ
ّ ‫يل ِإَوذ تل ُق م َِن‬ ۡ َ ۡ َ
ۖ‫ي بِإِذ ِن فتنفخ فِيها فتكون طيا بِإِذ ِن‬ ِ ‫ٱلط‬ ‫ة‬
ِ ٔ ‫ـ‬ ‫ي‬‫ه‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ني‬
ِ ‫ٱلط‬
ِ ۖ ‫جن‬
ِ ِ ‫و‬
‫ٱل‬
َ َ ۡ ٓ َ ُ َۡ ۡ َ َ
ۡ ٰ َۡ ُ ۡ ۡ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َُۡ
‫سـٰٓءِيل‬ ِ ‫ت بِإِذ ِنۖ ِإَوذ كففت ب ِن إ‬ ‫بئ ٱلك َم َه َوٱلبۡ َر َص بِإِذ ِنۖ ِإَوذ ت ِرج ٱلمو‬ ِ ‫وت‬
ٞ ‫ر ُّمب‬ٞ ‫ِح‬ َّ
ۡ ‫ك َف ُروا ْ م ِۡن ُه ۡم إ ۡن َهٰ َذا ٓ إل س‬ َ َ َّ َ ََ َ ۡ َ ۡ ‫نك إ ۡذ‬ َ َ
‫ني‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫ت فقال ٱلِين‬ ِ ٰ‫جئت ُهم بِٱلَ ّيِن‬ ِ ِ ‫ع‬
Iz qaalal laahu yaa ‘Eesab-na-Maryamaz kur ni’matee ‘alaika wa ‘alaa waalidatika; iz
aiyattuka bi Roohil Qudusi tukallimun naasa fil mahdi wa kahlanw wa iz ‘allamtukal kitaaba
wal Hikmata wa Tawraata wal Injeela wa iz Takhluqu minat teeni kahai ‘atit tairi bi iznee
fatanfukhu feeha fatakoonu tairam bi iznee wa tubri’ul akmaha wal abrasa bi iznee wa iz
tukhrijul mawtaa bi iznee wa iz kafaftu Baneee Israaa’eela ‘anka iz ji’tahum bil baiyinaati fa
qaalal lazeena kafaroo minhum in haazaaa illaa sihrum mubeen

English Translation:
[The Day] when Allah will say, “O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your
mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit and you spoke to the people in the cradle and
in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel;
and when you designed from clay [what was] like the form of a bird with My permission, then you
breathed into it, and it became a bird with My permission; and you healed the blind and the leper
with My permission; and when you brought forth the dead with My permission; and when I
restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when you came to them with clear proofs and
those who disbelieved among them said, ‘This is not but obvious magic.’” (Qur’an 5:110)
10
 َ ۡ ُ ‫ام ُنوا ْ َو ُه ٗدى َوب‬
ٰ‫شى‬ َ ‫ت َّٱل‬
َ ‫ِين َء‬ َۡ ‫ك ب‬
َ ‫ٱل ّق ِلُثَ ّب‬ َ ّ َّ
ِ ُ ُ ۡ ُ ُ ُ َ َّ َ ۡ ُ
ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫قل نزلۥ روح ٱلقدس مِن رب‬
َ ‫ل ِۡل ُم ۡسلِم‬
‫ني‬ ِ
Qul nazzalahoo Roohul Qudusi mir Rabbika bilhaqqi liyusabbital lazeena aamanoo wa
hudanw wa bushraa lilmuslimeen

English Translation:

“Say, [O Muhammad], ‘The Pure Spirit has brought it down from your Lord in truth to
make firm those who believe and as guidance and good tidings to the Muslims.’”
(Qur’an 16:102)

ُ ‫ٱلس َل ٰ ُم ٱل ۡ ُم ۡؤم ُِن ٱل ۡ ُم َه ۡي ِم ُن ۡٱل َعز‬

‫يز‬ ُ ‫ٱلل َّٱلِي َلٓ إ َل ٰ َه إ َّل ُه َو ٱل ۡ َمل ُِك ۡٱل ُق ُّد‬
َّ ‫وس‬ ُ َّ ‫ُه َو‬
ِ ِ ِ
َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ َّ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ُ ّ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ ۡ
‫شكون‬ ِ ‫ٱلبار ٱلمتك ِبۚ سبحن ٱللِ عما ي‬
Huwal-laahul-lazee laaa Ilaaha illaa Huwal-Malikul Quddoosus-Salaamul Muminul
Muhaiminul-aAzeezul Jabbaarul-Mutakabbir; Subhaanal laahi Ammaa yushrikoon

English Translation:

“He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection,
the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior.
Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him.” (Qur’an 59:23)

ۡ َ ۡ ُّ ُۡ ۡ َۡ َ َ َّ ‫ي ُ َس ّب ُح ِ َّلِ َما ف‬
َ ِ ‫ِك ٱلقد‬
ِ ‫وس ٱلع ِز‬
‫يز ٱلكِي ِم‬ َ ِ ‫ت َو َما ِف ٱل‬
ِ ‫ۡرض ٱلمل‬ ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬ ِ ِ
Yusabbihu lilaahi maa fis samaawaati wa maa fil ardil Malikil Quddoosil ‘Azeezil Hakeem

English Translation:

“Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is exalting Allah, the
Sovereign, the Pure, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (Qur’an 62:1)

From the hadith, A’isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (x) “used to pronounce
while bowing and prostrating himself:
ٌ ُّ ُ ٌ ُّ ُ
(subbuhun quddus rabb al-mala’ikati wal-ruh) All Glorious (‫)سبوح‬, All Holy ( ‫)قدوس‬, Lord
َ َ َ ْ ُّ َ ُّ ‫) َو‬.” [1]
ِ ‫الر‬
of the Angels ( ِ‫ )رب المالئِكة‬and the Spirit ( ‫وح‬
Narrated Ubayy ibn Ka’b: When the Messenger of Allah (x) offered salutation in the witr
َ َ ْ ُ ْ ُْ
ِ ‫)الق ُّد‬. [2]
ِ ‫ )ال َمل‬most holy (‫وس‬
prayer, he said: Glorify (‫ )سبحان‬be to the king (‫ِك‬
It was narrated from Ubayy bin Ka’b that: The Messenger of Allah (x) used to pray witr
with three rak’ahs. In the first he would recite: “Glorify the Name of Your Lord, the Most
11
High” in the second: “Say: O you disbelievers!”, and in the third: “Say: He is Allah, (the)
One”. And he would say the Qunut before bowing, and when he finished he would say:
Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy) three times,
elongating the words the last time. [3]

We can benefit from knowing
Allah T is Al-Quddus by trying to be pure
and sanctified. We need to cleanse
ourselves where Allah T looks, which is
in our hearts and our actions. This is a
lifelong journey of freeing ourselves from
desires and avoiding anger, lust, and
addictions to food or clothing. Instead,
be engaged in tawbah, i.e., seek Allah’s
forgiveness, for He can cleanse you of
any mistakes or wrongdoings. He can
guide the one who is lost. As we’ll explore
in later sections, the name Al-Afuww, the
effacer of sins - He pardons any sin and
leaves no trace of any fault. Remember,
Allah T is Al-Quddus, the pure and the
Holy, and He created you.
There’s a purpose and wisdom for your
existence. We may not understand it or
seem lost at times. But when we turn
back to Allah T we become reoriented
and start to feel whole.

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 487a
[2] Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 1430
[3] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 1699 & Sunan an-Nasa’i 1732 12
 As-salaM
(The Giver of Peace)

The Most Perfect, The Source of Peace,

The Giver of Blessings.

ُ َ َّ ْ
Allah is As-Salam (in Arabic: ‫ ;)ٱلسلم‬He is the One who grants peace and security to
all His creation. Allah is above and beyond all weaknesses and inflictions. The source
of peace and security for mankind. Breaking away from As-Salam brings disturbance
and destruction to oneself. It is because He is free of any defect that the one who is
with Him experiences tranquility.

From the root sin-lam-mim (‫)س ل م‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be peaceful, quiet, tranquil, content, friendly, reconciled, to be free
from imperfections, free of faults, complete, whole, sound, to be safe, secure, well,
healthy, and prosperous.

The Salam:

We know from our greeting one another In the scripture genesis 2:2, it states, “By
with assalamualaikum, that we are the seventh day God had finished the
sending peace upon the receiver. work he had been doing; so on the

As-Salam refers to the attribute of Allah seventh day he rested from all his work.”

T as the source of this peace. The word
Islam also shares the same root of s-l-m
which encompasses the concept of
peace which is one of core principles of
the religion. This name also implies the
idea of “soundness” or “wholesomeness,”
i.e., being flawless, free from blemishes.
He is complete and whole. Nothing
depletes Him as He is self-sufficient. It is
because of this nature of Allah T the
one who is with him can feel safety and
security.
But this view is inconsistent with the
Islamic attributes of God. In Surah Qaf
verse 38, “And We did certainly create
the heavens and earth and what is
between them in six days, and there
touched Us no weariness.” In this way As-
Salam is similar to the meaning of Al-
Quddus which both negate any kind of
imperfection in His qualities.

13
Mentions of As-Salam in the Qur’an:

ُ ‫ٱلس َل ٰ ُم ٱل ۡ ُم ۡؤم ُِن ٱل ۡ ُم َه ۡي ِم ُن ۡٱل َعز‬

‫يز‬ ُ ‫ٱلل َّٱلِي َلٓ إ َل ٰ َه إ َّل ُه َو ٱل ۡ َمل ُِك ۡٱل ُق ُّد‬
َّ ‫وس‬ ُ َّ ‫ُه َو‬
ِ ِ ِ
َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ َّ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ُ ّ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ ۡ
‫شكون‬ ِ ‫ٱلبار ٱلمتك ِبۚ سبحن ٱللِ عما ي‬
Huwal-laahul-lazee laaa Ilaaha illaa Huwal-Malikul Quddoosus-Salaamul Muminul
Muhaiminul-aAzeezul Jabbaarul-Mutakabbir; Subhaanal laahi Ammaa yushrikoon

English Translation:

“Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god;- the Sovereign, the Holy One, the
Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the
Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the
partners they attribute to Him.” (Qur’an 59:23)

The usage of the word Salam is used repeatedly throughout the Qur’an but referring to
the attribute of Allah T as the giver of peace only once. For example, in Surah as-
Saffat verse 181:

ََ ٌ َ َ َ
َ ‫ع ٱل ۡ ُم ۡر َسل‬
‫ِني‬ ‫وسلٰم‬
Wa salaamun ‘alalmursaleen

English Translation:

“And peace upon the messengers.” (Qur’an 37:181)

But remember the originator of such peace is Allah. By turning to Him by this name
As-Salam, seeking His guidance, we hope to attain the final destination in paradise
(home of salam, peace).
From Surah Yaseen:

َّ ّ َّ ّ َٗۡ ٞ َ َ
‫ِيم‬
ٖ ‫ب رح‬ ٰ
ٖ ‫سلم قول مِن ر‬
Salaamun qawlam mir Rabbir Raheem

English Translation:

“[And] “Peace,” a word from a Merciful Lord.” (Qur’an 36:58)

We provide a little more context here with the previous three ayat leading up to verse
58, “55. Verily, the dwellers of the Paradise, that Day, will be busy with joyful things. 56.
They and their wives will be in pleasant shade, reclining on thrones. 57. They will have
therein fruits and all that they ask for. 58. (It will be said to them):

“Salam (Peace!)” — a Word from the Lord, Most Merciful.” 14

 In the hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (x) affirmed this name when he heard the
companions (may Allah be pleased with them) say, “salam upon Allah.” He corrected
them saying, “Allah Himself is As-Salam (Peace), and if anyone of you prays then he
should say, ‘All the compliments, prayers and good things are due to Allah; peace be
on you, O Prophet, and Allah’s mercy and blessings [be on you]. Peace be on us an on
the pious subjects of Allah.’” [1]

Supplicate with this name:

In another narration, it was reported that the Prophet (x) recited this name in his
supplication after prayer. Thauban reported: When the Messenger of Allah (x)
finished his prayer. He begged forgiveness three times and said:
(Allahumma Antas-Salam wa minkas-salam. Tabarakta ya Dhal-jalali wal-Ikram.) O
Allah! Thou art Peace, and peace comes from Thee; Blessed art Thou, O Possessor of
Glory and Honour. Walid reported: I said to Auza’i: How is the seeking of forgiveness?
He replied: You should say: I beg forgiveness from Allah, I beg forgiveness from Allah.” [2]

We can benefit from knowing whom the people’s lives and wealth are
As-Salam by working daily to attain safe.” [3]

peace. This process involves freeing the
heart and mind from silly games with no
upside, like jealousy, envy, and revenge.
As the saying goes, “resentment is like
drinking poison and then hoping it will kill
your enemies.” This is not the way to
achieve peace. Be forgiving of yourself
and others. Focus your effort to try and
become as close to flawless as you can
get. Work to minimize all
imperfections. When a person can love
himself and love others, he will naturally
bring peace to the earth.
The Prophet x also characterized the
believer as a being safe. It was narrated
from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger
of Allah x said: “The Muslim is the one
from whose tongue and hand the people
Anas reported that the Messenger of
Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace, said, “As-Salam (peace) is one of
the Names of Allah Almighty which Allah
has placed in the earth. Therefore give
the greeting among yourselves” [4]
and
“Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of
Allah (may peace and blessing be upon
him) observed: You shall not enter
your Paradise so long as you do not affirm
belief (in all those things which are the
articles of faith) and you will not believe
as long as you do not love one another.
Should I not direct you to a thing which,
if you do, will foster love amongst you:
(i.e.) give currency to (the practice of
paying salutation to one another by
saying) as-salamu alaikum.” [5]

are safe, and the believer is the one from

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 831 [2] Sahih Muslim 591 [3] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 4995
15 [4] Hasan (Al-Albani) Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 989 [5] Sahih Muslim 54a
 Al-Mu’min
(The Infuser of Faith)

The Affirmer of Truth, The Guarantor,

The Giver of Faith.

ْ ْ
The name of Allah T as Al-Mu’min (in Arabic: ‫ )ٱل ُمؤم ُِن‬means The One who witnessed
for Himself that no one is God but Him. And He is the one who sent down Messengers
and revealed His Books as clear proofs.

From the root hamza-mim-nun (‫)أ م ن‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be secure, safe, free from fear to be quiet, tranquil to grant protection,
safeguard to be trusted, trustworthy to believe in.

Meanings of Al-Mu’min:

Each name we explore and study unlocks
a door to further our relationship with
Allah T. As we grow more acquainted
with His essence, we can feel our
relationship with Him transform and
become more secure. The sixth name of
Allah T is Al-Mu’min which is the quality
that has enabled the hearts to experience
this feeling and brought us together. Al-
Mu’min is the inspirer of faith and the
giver of security. He’s the one who’s sent
down His book and Messengers with signs
of clear proof for all who’d listen. Some of
Allah T names can have many meanings
or interpretations. Al-Mu’min is one of
those names.
He is the one who provides justice and
security to His creations. He fulfills all His
promises and will never punish any
creature unfairly. He is as His servant
expects Him to be, “Indeed, Allah does not
do injustice, [even] as much as an atom’s
weight; while if there is a good deed, He
multiplies it and gives from Himself a
great reward.” (Qur’an 4:40) This sentiment
is repeated in Surah Ghafir verse 17, “This
Day every soul will be recompensed for
what it earned. No injustice today! Indeed,
Allah is swift in account.”
The Qur’an repeatedly mentions the
believer as mu’min, so how do we then
ascribe this name as an attribute of Allah
T? First, the context is completely
different; what’s true for one does not
mean it’s true for the other. In reality, there
is no comparison with Allah T with
anything. Mumin is derived from amana
or imaan, meaning security, surety, and/
or peace. When it refers to the believer, it
means the one who attests to what is
true (i.e., the six articles of faith - (1) Belief
in God, (2) Angels, (3) Books, (4)
Messengers, (5) Day of Judgment, and (6)
His Divine Decree). When it applies to
Allah T, it is the one who confirms Himself
as being true. So the one who believes is
said to have security, safety, and
protection from potential danger. 16
 ُ‫ٱلس َل ٰ ُم ٱل ۡ ُم ۡؤم ُِن ٱل ۡ ُم َه ۡي ِم ُن ۡٱل َعزيز‬ ُ ‫ٱلل َّٱلِي َلٓ إ َل ٰ َه إ َّل ُه َو ٱل ۡ َمل ُِك ۡٱل ُق ُّد‬
َّ ‫وس‬ ُ َّ ‫ُه َو‬
ِ ِ ِ
َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ َّ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ُ ّ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ ۡ
‫شكون‬ ِ ‫ٱلبار ٱلمتك ِبۚ سبحن ٱللِ عما ي‬
Huwal-laahul-lazee laaa Ilaaha illaa Huwal-Malikul Quddoosus-Salaamul Muminul
Muhaiminul-aAzeezul Jabbaarul-Mutakabbir; Subhaanal laahi Ammaa yushrikoon

English Translation:

“He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection,
the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior.
Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him.” (Qur’an 59:23)

We are weak without Allah T :

Imam al-Ghazali writes an analogy of a
man left alone in a state of ruin where he
could not move his limbs and was
pursued by enemies. Even if he could
move, he still had no weapons or soldiers
to fight with. Even if he had weapons or
an able army he could not guarantee
victory. Then someone comes to his
rescue, attends to him in his weakness,
provides him a big sturdy fortress,
soldiers, and weapons, and grants him
complete security and safety. The only
befitting name for such a person would
be “the faithful”.
Imam Ghazali continues, “Man is basically
weak by nature.” Our being compared to
other creations seems like we are strong
in the hierarchy of the animal kingdom,
but in many ways, we are also fragile.
The Qur’an even mentions this fact:

ٗ َ َٰ ۡ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ ّ َ ُ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ
ۡ‫نكم‬
‫نس ُن ض ِعيفا‬‫ٱل‬
ِ ‫وخل ِق‬ ۚ ‫ي ِريد ٱلل أن ي ِفف ع‬
Yureedul laahu ai yukhaffifa ‘ankum; wa khuliqal insaanu da’eefaa

English Translation:

“And Allah wants to lighten for you [your difficulties]; and mankind was created weak.”
(Qur’an 4:28)

There exists many threats to our well-being. We have deadly diseases and infections,
suffering from thirst and hunger, fear of fatal accidents, wars, and riots. It’s a never-
ending anxiety-inducing list. This is just phsyical realm of weakness. Then there’s a
spiritual aspect of being weak in regards to controlling one’s desires, impulses,
emotions, etc. Shaykh Tosun Bayrak said regarding this, “the worst of these enemies
are our own egos and the accursed Devil. The tyrants, the maligners, the envious,
come after them.”

17
Allah T is the only one who can protect us from all forms of harm and adversity. The
Qur’an mentions how the people of Quraysh had their fears removed and prospered
after the du’a Prophet Ibrahim (q) made. He asked for their safety, security, and
prosperity, and to this day, the request of his du’a is fulfilled. From this, we understand
that true security is only found with Allah Azzawajal.

ۡ َ ۡ ّ ُ َ َ َ َ ٖ‫َّ ٓ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ّ ُ وع‬
‫ٱلِي أطعمهم مِن ج وءامنهم مِن خو ِف‬
Allazeee at’amahum min joo’inw-wa-aamanahum min khawf

English Translation:

“Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them]
from fear.” (Qur’an 106:4)

We can benefit from knowing comfort, warmth, and love that radiates
Al-Mu’min by having faith and trusting in from you.
Allah. Allah T tells us in the Qur’an His Al-Mumin also protects us from injustice
rewards and promises for those who and oppression, so we must also stand
believe. We should feel special, immense up for what is right. If we see injustice, we
gratitude, and honor that Allah T put should not remain silent. In whatever
belief in our hearts. capacity we can help and try to make a

Just as Allah T is the source for safety difference, we should.

and security, we should live this attribute
by being a beacon for safety and
security for others. “It is narrated on the
authority of Abu Huraira that
Messenger of Allah (x) observed: He will
not enter Paradise whose neighbor is not
secure from his wrongful conduct.”
The people should feel a blanket of
This name, Al-Mu’min, can be invoked in
any prayer. Still, it should be kept in mind
by anyone experiencing fear or insecurity
the as a reminder to call upon Allah for
protection, “Oh Allah! You are Al-Mu’min,
protect us from this evil / enemy /
[1]
oppressor. Give us the strength to be
strong in our faith and let it not waver.”

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 46 18
 Al-Muhaymin
(The Guardian)

The Preserver of Safety & Overseeing

Protector.

َْ ْ
Allah is Al Muhaymin (‫)ٱل ُمهي ِم ُن‬, meaning the one who ensures well being and protection
over His creation. He is also the ever watchful. Nothing that can be hidden from Him,
He is the knower of all the secrets we conceal.

From the root ha-mim-nun (‫)ه م ن‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to watch over, oversee, protect, guard to be a witness to offer security and peace to
determine what is true, to extend a wing. Similar to the Arabic expression, ‘haymana
al-ta’ir alafirdkhih’ meaning that the bird took its young ones under the protection of
its wings.

The Absolute Authority of Al-Muhaymin:

The name Al-Muhaymin refers to His supreme nature as being the guardian or the
absolute authority. He is the superseder, nothing will overtake or usurp Him. He is the
ever-watchful, not just limited to the superficial, He can see all which is concealed in
the hearts. Nothing can be kept a secret from Him. “He knows what is in the heavens
and earth; He knows what you conceal and what you reveal; God knows very well the
secrets of every heart.” (64:4)

You can find variations of the word muhaymin, like muhaiminan in Surah Maidah
verse 48 where Allah T declares the Qur’an as being the book that will be well-
guarded over the other books:

Muhsin Khan Translation:

“And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad x) the Book (this Quran) in truth,
confirming the Scripture that came before it and Mohayminan (trustworthy in highness
and a witness) over it (old Scriptures).”

But as a name and attribute of Allah T, Al-Muhaymin is only ever mentioned once in
the Qur’an.

19
 ُ‫ٱلس َل ٰ ُم ٱل ۡ ُم ۡؤم ُِن ٱل ۡ ُم َه ۡي ِم ُن ۡٱل َعزيز‬ ُ ‫ٱلل َّٱلِي َلٓ إ َل ٰ َه إ َّل ُه َو ٱل ۡ َمل ُِك ۡٱل ُق ُّد‬
َّ ‫وس‬ ُ َّ ‫ُه َو‬
ِ ِ ِ
َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ َّ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ُ ّ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ ۡ
‫شكون‬ ِ ‫ٱلبار ٱلمتك ِبۚ سبحن ٱللِ عما ي‬
Huwal-laahul-lazee laaa Ilaaha illaa Huwal-Malikul Quddoosus-Salaamul Muminul
Muhaiminul-Azeezul Jabbaarul-Mutakabbir; Subhaanal laahi Ammaa yushrikoon

English Translation:

“Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god;- the Sovereign, the Holy One, the
Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the
Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the
partners they attribute to Him.” (Qur’an 59:23)

A sense of ownership/authority:
The word ‫( هيمنة‬transliteration: haymana)
in modern Arabic means dominance.
One country can seize another, being in
control or showing authority over that
state. But this is often transitory,
exchanging hands from one “owner” to
another. Only Allah T is Al-Muhaymin, the
one who has complete guardianship, a
quality of being in control, supremely that
lasts for eternity. It is not limited by any
means.
But this is one form of dominance.
Muhaymin also refers to an authoritative
figure who reigns supreme, one that you
can trust. This is analogous to a parent
who out of love for their child will set rules
and boundaries to protect and care for
the child. It’s often done in the best
interest despite the kid thinking otherwise.
Imam Al-Ghazali says, “Everyone who has
complete command of a situation, who
takes possession of it and protects it, will
be its ‘Guardian.’ taking command comes
down to knowledge, possession to the
perfection of power, and protection to
action. The one who unites these
meanings is named Guardian. But only
God - great and glorious - joins them
absolutely and perfectly.”

How do we benefit from knowing that Allah T is Al-Muhaymin? Just as Allah T is

the overseer of all His creation, we need to be watchful over ourselves. Many people
do not know themselves - they think they are their thoughts. We can let horrible or
negative thoughts come to mind, but we don’t have to identify with them. We can let
it come and pass, just like how a river flows. Identification, thinking you are your
thoughts, is like a beaver building a dam in the river. This only ends up damaging the
surrounding environment.
Similarly, identification can be destructive, leading to either a depressive state or
causing one to become arrogant or narcissistic. Instead, it is better to try and be
indifferent. Take time to observe and watch your thoughts come and go.
20
 Ask where and why they may have arisen. Analyze their depths, and you may uncover
secrets about yourself hiding in your psyche. Imam Ghazali recognizes this watching
as a crucial step in reforming oneself, allowing one to become a guardian over his
or her heart. Only selectively choosing thoughts that are constructive and letting
everything else go.
Another way in which one can try to characterize themselves by this name is to be
observant of those around you. People in passing will reveal certain pains and
troubles. If you are watchful, you can exhibit a Prophetic tradition of the Prophet
Muhammad x which was to care for the needs of those around him. In this sense,
you are a guardian, being watchful and showing care and compassion to those
around you.

21
 Al-Aziz
(The Mighty One)

The Strong, The Most Esteemed,

The Exalted in Might.

َْ
ُ ‫ )ٱلعز‬is the one who is most powerful and strong. He is the
Al-Aziz (in Arabic: ‫يز‬ِ
conqueror that is never conquered and never harmed. This is because His strength,
glory, and power are overwhelming, and cannot be overcome or resisted. He is the
only one with complete mastery over all creation.

From the root ayn-zay-zay (‫)ع ز ز‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to be mighty, potent, strong, powerful to be high, elevated, noble, exalted to be
honorable, noble, glorious, illustrious to be indomitable, invincible to be respected,
cherished, dear to be scarce, rare, precious, and unattainable.

There are several meanings to the name of Allah T as Al-Aziz (Al-Azeez). Common
translations include The Almighty, The Mighty One, or The Eminent One. The word Azeez
comes from izzat meaning honor and nobility.

The divine pairing of names:

This great name of Allah T appears opposes Him. Yet to those who deny and
approximately 90 times in the Qur’an. to those who disbelieve, He is always

It’s often paired with another name, merciful first. “My mercy predominates

for example, Al-Aziz Al-Rahim, Al-Aziz My wrath” [1] He does not hasten to punish

Al-Hakeem, Al-Aziz Al-Ghaffar, or Al-Aziz the one who errs but gives them time to

Al-Wahhab. The pairing of names oftens repent. And even when He punishes the

conveys an additional layer, we learn transgressors, He can be most severe,

something new about Allah T that but He punishes with mercy.

would often be overlooked if we just These meanings are said to be divinely

studied these names independently. designed, whose perfection in meaning

For example, what does it mean to be is understood best through the pairing

Al-Aziz Al-Rahim? Allah T is in a position of names.

of power, He can subdue anyone who

22
 َّ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َّ َۡ َ ُ َٓ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ
‫اب‬
ِ ‫يز ٱلوه‬ ِ ‫أم عِندهم خزائِن رحةِ ربِك ٱلع ِز‬
Am’indahum khazaaa ‘inu rahmati Rabbikal Azeezil Wahhab

English Translation:

“Or do they have the depositories of the mercy of your Lord, the Exalted in Might, the
Bestower?” (Qur’an 38:9)

The Pairing Al-Azeez and Al-Hakeem:

ُ َّ ‫ۡرض َو َك َن‬ َۡ َ ُ ُ ُ َّ َ
ً ‫ٱلل َعز‬
ً‫يزا َحكِيما‬ ۚ ِ ‫ت وٱل‬
َ َ َّ ‫ود‬
ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬ ‫و ِلِ جن‬
ِ
Wa lillaahi junoodus samaawaati wal ard; wa kaanal laahu azeezan hakeema

English Translation:

“And to Allah belong the soldiers of the heavens and the earth. And ever is Allah
Exalted in Might and Wise.” (Qur’an 48:7)

The juxtaposition of Al-Aziz and Al-Hakeem is also an interesting pairing. The saying
“absolute power corrupts absolutely” does not apply to Allah T as He is the all-wise.
Humans are fallible. We see it repeatedly happen when a person gains absolute power
in their small domain. It’s often met with cronyism, nepotism, and corruption. A person
you perceive as wise or humble can become blinded by power. They are not all-wise
and all-knowing.

Only Allah T is the rare exception capable of combining all these attributes perfectly.

ٗ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َّ َ ٗ َ َ َ ۡ َّ َ َ َ َ ِ َ ۡ ۡ ُ َ
ُ ‫انا ۚ َذٰل َِك َت ۡقد‬
‫ِير‬ ‫ٱلصباح وجعل ٱلل سكنا وٱلشمس وٱلقمر حسب‬ ِ ‫فال ِق‬
ۡ َ ‫ۡٱل‬
‫يز ٱل َعل ِي ِم‬
ِ ِ ‫ز‬‫ع‬
Faaliqul isbaahi wa ja’alal laila sakananw wash shamsa walqamara husbaanaa; zaalika
taqdeerul Azeezil Aleem

English Translation:

“[He is] the cleaver of daybreak and has made the night for rest and the sun and
moon for calculation. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.”
(Qur’an 6:96)

23
 ۡ َ َ َّ َ ٰ َ َ ُ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ ٌ َ ۡ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ّ ٓ َ َّ َ
َ َّ ‫ي َش‬
ۡ‫ٱلل مِن‬ ‫ب وٱلنع ِم متل ِف ألونهۥ كذل ِك ۗ إِنما‬ ِ َّ‫َوم َِن ٱنل‬
ِ ‫اس وٱدلوا‬
ٌ ‫يز َغ ُف‬
‫ور‬ َ َّ ‫ع َِبادِه ِ ۡٱل ُعلَ َمـٰٓ ُؤۗا ْ إ َّن‬
ٌ ‫ٱلل َعز‬
ِ ِ
Wa minan naasi wadda waaabbi wal an’aami mukhtalifun alwaanuhoo kazalik;
innamaa yakhshal laaha min ‘ibaadihil ‘ulamaaa’; innal laaha Azeezun Ghafoor

English Translation:

“And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors
similarly. Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge.
Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Forgiving.” (Qur’an 35:28)

Name Pairings # of Times

Al-Hakeem (All Wise) 47

Ar-Raheem (Merciful) 13

Al-Qawiyy (The Strong) 7

Al-Aleem (The All-Knowing) 6

Al-Ghaffar (The Oft-Forgiving) 5

Al-Hameed (The Praiseworthy) 3

*There are more pairings but the most common ones are listed above.

How can we benefit from knowing that Allah T is Al-Aziz? We can supplicate
using this name if we wish to be mighty. It’s natural to aspire for wealth, success, or
prestige. It’s a noble cause, especially if the goal of attainment is using that wealth to
further Islam and/or to help others.

To be blinded in the pursuit of these things that you forget all your other duties is not
virtuous and should be avoided. It’s a fine line that requires careful examination,
honesty with oneself, and awareness.

24
 If you have hunger or burning desire for success, health, wealth, and prestige you
should seek it from the true possessor of might, honor and rank.

In Surah Imran ayah 26:

ُ ٓ ََ َ ۡ ۡ ُ َ َ ُٓ ََ َ َ ۡ ُۡ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ٰ َ َّ ُ َّ ُ
‫زنع ٱل ُملك م َِّمن تشا ُء َوتعِ ُّز‬ ِ ‫ت‬ ‫و‬ ‫ء‬ ‫ا‬‫ش‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ‫كت‬
‫ؤ‬ ِ ‫ق ِل ٱللهم مل ِك ٱلمل‬
ٞ ‫شءٖ قَد‬ ۡ َ ‫ك‬ ّ ُ ٰ َ َ َ َّ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ ُّ ُ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ
‫ِير‬ ِ ‫من تشاء وتذِل من تشاء ۖ بِيدِك ٱلي ۖ إِنك ع‬
Qulil laahumma Maalikal Mulki tu’til mulka man tashaaa’u wa tanzi’ul mulka mimman
tashhaaa’u wa tu’izzu man tashaaa’u wa tuzillu man tashaaa’u biyadikal khairu innaka
‘alaa kulli shai’in Qadeer

English Translation:

“Say, “O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You
take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble
whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent.”
(Qur’an 3:26)

References:
25 [1] Sahih Muslim 2751a
 Al-Jabbar
(The All Compelling)

The Irresistible, The Restorer,

The Repairer.

ُ ‫ٱلب‬
Al-Jabbar (in Arabic: ‫ار‬
َّ ْ
َ ), there are several accepted meanings to this name. The
most often quoted is The Compeller. He implements His decree without any
opposition. There is no one that prevails over Him. The other interpretation is the
repairer. He restores all of creation. He heals the broken-hearted, binds their wounds,
and brings comfort to the weak. He compels each and everything to His divine will
but is never Himself compelled.

From the root jim-ba-ra ( ‫)ج ب ر‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to restore something to sound, right or good state to bring back to normal, reform to
benefit, to confer a benefit to be supreme, high, above all of creation to be compelling,
irresistible.

As a name of Allah T Al-Jabbar is only mentioned once in the Qur’an.

ُ ‫ٱلس َل ٰ ُم ٱل ۡ ُم ۡؤم ُِن ٱل ۡ ُم َه ۡي ِم ُن ۡٱل َعز‬

‫يز‬ ُ ‫ٱلل َّٱلِي َلٓ إ َل ٰ َه إ َّل ُه َو ٱل ۡ َمل ُِك ۡٱل ُق ُّد‬
َّ ‫وس‬ ُ َّ ‫ُه َو‬
ِ ِ ِ
َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ َّ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ُ ّ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ ۡ
‫شكون‬ ِ ‫ٱلبار ٱلمتك ِبۚ سبحن ٱللِ عما ي‬
Huwal-laahul-lazee laaa Ilaaha illaa Huwal-Malikul Quddoosus-Salaamul Muminul
Muhaiminul-aAzeezul Jabbaarul-Mutakabbir; Subhaanal laahi Ammaa yushrikoon

English Translation:

“He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection,
the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior.
Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him.” (Qur’an 59:23)

26
 Verses that describe Allah (T) decree:

There are other verses that we can of our anatomy, the beating of the heart,
examine which helps us understand the firing of our nerves, and the
what it means to be Al-Jabbar. For conception of a new baby.
example, in Surah Insan verse 30, “And All these details of perfection which
you do not will except that Allah wills. we’re unaware of are because Allah T
Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.” has compelled it to be that way.
Allah is the one who compels us. We
In Surah Yaseen, “His command is only
don’t get to choose where we’re born,
when He intends a thing that He says to
who our parents are, our physical traits,
it, ‘Be,’ and it is.” (Qur’an 36:82)
or the quirks that make us uniquely us.
We don’t fully understand the intricacies

A second meaning:
There is a second meaning to Al-Jabbar: the one who restores, resets, or fixes our
brokenness. He fixes by force and changes the state of something that is disordered
and sets it right. Therefore, we can make du’a with this name when you want something
in your life restored or fixed. Just as he compels a thing, He can put our lives in order.
He is the only one who can mend what is broken, and restore what is lost.

When we come to know Al-Jabbar, we realize Allah T as having extreme power,

supremacy, strength over all His creation. Imam Al-Ghazali says, “praised and exalted
- for He compels each thing and nothing compels Him, and He has no competitor on
either score.” In coming to realize this, we are subdued. We can no longer believe in
our superiority. We understand that He is the one who elevated our rank. He benefits
His creation but needs no benefitting Himself. This name can be a reminder not to
inflate your ego and to avoid self-aggrandizement, “Thus does Allah seal over every
heart [belonging to] an arrogant tyrant.” (Qur’an 40:35)

27
Supplications from Hadith:
We should call upon this name for help in
desperation. A cry to Al-Jabbar to remedy
a broken heart, marriage, or confidence.
In a weak hadith narration, “Ibn Abbas
narrated: ‘Between the two prostrations,
the Prophet would say: (Allahummaghfir li,
warhamni, wajburni, wahdini, warzuqni).
‘O Allah! Pardon me, have mercy on me,
help me, guide me, and grant me
sustenance.’ [1]
Here wajaburni means to help or rectify
me - which aligns with the meaning of
Al-Jabbar being the restorer/repairer.
Although this narration is da’if (weak), the
supplication is still very much relevant. A
word of caution, repeating this in your
prostration would be ritualizing something
unsound, and it’s not the way to reach
definitive practices taught by rasulullah. If
you do so because, at the moment, your
heart desires to supplicate in prostration,
and you recite this particular du’a
because it comes to your mind, then
that’s fine.
It’s still a beneficial act that praises Allah
T. The words of dhikr are still applicable,
References:
[1] Da’if (weak) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 284
[2] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 1069
but ritually doing something off of a weak
hadith is generally not advisable.
In another narration from Hudhaifah:
He prayed with the Messenger of Allah
(x) one night, and he heard him say
when he said the Takbir: “Allahu Akbara
dhal-jabaruti wal-malakuti wal-kibriya’i
wal-’azamah (Allah is Most Great, the One
Who has all power, sovereignty,
magnificence and might).” When bowing,
he would say: “Subhana Rabbiyal-’Azim
(Glory be to my Lord Almighty).” When he
raised his head from bowing, he would
say: “Lirabbil-hamd, Lirabbil-hamd (To my
Lord be praise, to my Lord be praise).” And
when he prostrated (he said): “Subhana
Rabbiyal-A’la (Glory be to my Lord Most
High).” And between the two prostrations
(he said): “Rabbighfirli, Rabbighfirli (Lord
forgive me, Lord forgive me).” His standing,
his bowing, when he raised his head from
bowing, his prostration, and the time
between the two prostrations were
almost the same. [2]
28
 Al-MutakabbiR
(The Dominant One)

The Tremendous, The Great, The Proud.

َُّ َ ْ
Al-Mutakabbir (in Arabic: ‫ )ٱل ُمتك ِب‬means the supremely great one. He is exalted far
above all creation, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures and
from resembling them. He has rights, privileges, and qualities that others do not
have. He is tremendous and manifests this greatness in all things and many ways.

From the root kaf-ba-ra (‫)ك ب ر‬, which in Classical Arabic means: to be great in size,
rank or dignity to be great in size, to be vast, formidable to be great in age, oldest to
be great in dignity, noble, majestic to be great in learning, most known to have rights
above all others.

What it means for Allah T to be proud:

The word Mutakabbir is derived from kabara meaning great, exalted, noble. Common
translations of Al-Mutakabbir include “The All Supreme,” “The Proud,” “The Dominant
One,” and “The Great.” These are all valid and acceptable interpretations of the name.
This name shows there is a vast distinction between Allah T and all His creation.
Everything pales in comparison. Thus, He is the supreme, the proud, the dominant
one. He is the king of kings, and we are His servants unworthy of consideration in
relation to Him.

ُ‫ٱلس َل ٰ ُم ٱل ۡ ُم ۡؤم ُِن ٱل ۡ ُم َه ۡي ِم ُن ۡٱل َعزيز‬ ُ ‫ٱلل َّٱلِي َلٓ إ َل ٰ َه إ َّل ُه َو ٱل ۡ َمل ُِك ۡٱل ُق ُّد‬
َّ ‫وس‬ ُ َّ ‫ُه َو‬
ِ ِ ِ
َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ َّ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ُ ّ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ ۡ
‫شكون‬ ِ ‫ٱلبار ٱلمتك ِبۚ سبحن ٱللِ عما ي‬
Huwal-laahul-lazee laaa Ilaaha illaa Huwal-Malikul Quddoosus-Salaamul Muminul
Muhaiminul-aAzeezul Jabbaarul-Mutakabbir; Subhaanal laahi Ammaa yushrikoon

English Translation:

“He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection,
the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior.
Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him.” (Qur’an 59:23)
29
The idea behind the name of
Al-Mutakabbir, meaning “The Proud,” is
that Allah alone possesses greatness; no
one can compete with Him. Abu Sa’id
Khudri and Abu Huraira reported Allah’s
Messenger (x) as saying: Allah, the
Exalted and Glorious, said: Glory is His
lower garment and Majesty is His cloak
and (Allah says,) He who contends
with Me in regard to them I shall torment
him. [1]
Now, if you were the best in a particular
A sense of ownership/authority:
Note the emphasis on “...if his assessment
be correct” imagine if the presumptions
of greatness were false, then that person
is due for a rude awakening. This is the
story of Iblis. He was the first to claim
arrogance. He believed he was great in
exclusion of all else, and he was humiliated
by Allah T. This danger looms true for all.
Don’t become arrogant, and believe in
your superiority. Those who do fail to
realize it was from Allah T and not their
own doing.
Even Firawn, the king of Egypt, likened
himself to a God. But where are all the
caesars and dictators now? What
empires still stand that honor, worship,
and praise them daily?
A lesson to be learned is as you grow
skilled in a field, it’s natural that you’d get
more confident. But when you start to
think of yourself as an expert, you make
yourself vulnerable, hence the saying,
“it’s the strong swimmers who drown.”
It’s the strong swimmers who take more
field or sport, we’re talking complete
domination; no one comes close to
winning. Wouldn’t you feel proud of your
ability and achievements? In this regard,
Allah T is said to be proud. Imam Ghazali
explains Al-Mutakabbir as the one “Who
sees greatness and Majesty only in
regard to himself, and looks upon others
as a king looks upon his servants. And if
his assessment be correct, he will be
truly proud.”
Their pride became arrogance which
was based on faulty presumptions. They
believed they had no one to answer to,
“Thus does Allah seal over every heart
[belonging to] an (mutakabbirin jabbaar)
arrogant tyrant.” (Qur’an 40:35)
In the tafsir of Abul-Maududi it says of this
verse, “the seal is not set on the heart of
anybody without a reason. This seal of
curse is set only on the heart of the one
who is filled with arrogance and spirit of
violence and tyranny.” In another ayah,
“But Moses said, ‘Indeed, I have sought
refuge in my Lord and your Lord from
every arrogant one who does not believe
in the Day of Account.” (Qur’an 40:27)
risks and, as a result, face fatal accidents.
It’s too late for them, and their fate is
sealed. Similarly, what’s better for the
believer is to focus on finding truth. To
avoid arrogance in thinking that they
already know.
30
 The human condition is a desire to know,
expand, and have power. It’s hard to
renounce all things - which, if you could,
would be better. But that’s the road less
traveled. It’s difficult and discomforting
to assume you don’t know or to admit
you are uncertain. It feels reassuring to
think you know something.
But in this facade, you deprive yourself of
going further. The tricky part of having
poor judgment is you don’t know when
you have it. It’s far better to find evidence
in reality to support your view - and even
then, not to draw conclusions.
The moment you feel you
something, you allow yourself to stop
searching. We all likely share a similar
experience in studying for a test. You
may have gone over a homework
problem, looked at the answer, and
thought, “yeah that make sense” or
“that’s easy,” and moved on.
But when a similar question appeared
on the test, we “blanked out” and couldn’t
answer it. Really we just fooled ourselves
into thinking we knew and never got
evidence to support that we really did.
It would’ve been wise to test and practice,
into thinking we knew something when
we really didn’t.
To try and characterize oneself as being
great and as feeling proud of their
achievements in a non-conceited way,
we can simplify it to the basic philosophy
of doing your best. Be clear and
deliberate in understanding what’s
important to you, and then try your best
to live up to that standard.
If you could go to bed every day knowing
you’ve done your best, how can you not
say you succeeded in what you set out
to do? As a result of doing this over an
know extended period, you will surely get
recognition from those closest to you,
and perhaps it will shine through for
others to see as well.
But that part is something that will
happen as a by-product, not as the goal
for attainment. More important to ask
how to be deserving of greatness rather
than a desire for greatness.
In another light, Al-Mutakabbir is also the
one we can lean on when we are faced
with an obstacle that seems
insurmountable. It’s a name that should

space out some time, and do it again. inspire hope and optimism.

This way, we would not fool ourselves As the Qur’an mentions:

ُ ُ ُ َ َّ َ َ ُ ُۡ َۡ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ ۡ ُ َ
‫نصكم‬ ‫ٱلل فل غل َِب لك ۡمۖ ِإَون يذلك ۡم ف َمن ذا ٱلِي ي‬ ‫إِن ينصكم‬
َ ۡ ۡ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َ َّ َ َ َ َۡ ّ
‫ك ٱل ُمؤم ُِنون‬
ِ ‫ِم ۢن بع ِده ِۗۦ وع ٱللِ فليتو‬
Iny-yansurkumul laahu falaa ghaaliba lakum wa iny-yakhzulkum faman zal lazee
yansurukum min ba’dih; wa ‘alal laahi falyatawakkalil mu’minoon

English Translation:
“If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is
there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely.” (Qur’an 3:160)

References:
31 [1] Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 4090 & Sahih Muslim 2620
 Al-Khaliq
(The Creator)

The One who brings everything from

non-existence to existence.

ُ َْ
Al Khaaliq (in Arabic: ‫ )ٱلال ِق‬He is the one who creates things from nothing with no
precedents. He creates what He pleases and in a perfect manner. He is the only one
who determines when, how, and what to create and does so from nothing.

From the Arabic root kha-lam-qaf (‫ق‬ ‫)خ ل‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to measure accurately, to determine the proper measure or proportion
for something, to proportion one thing according to another, to create something
based on a pattern or model which one has devised, to bring a thing into existence
from non-existence.

The names of creation:

The name Al-Khaliq is mentioned in the
Qur’an 8 times. The three names of
creation, Al-Khaliq (The Creator), Al-Bari
(The Producer), and Al-Musawwir (The
Fashioner). These names may seem
synonymous with Allah’s ability to invent
or create.
For example, these three names are
often said to represent an order to His
creation. First, you have Al-Khaliq, The
Creator. He who produces something
from nothing, i.e., He plans and creates.
Secondly, He is Al-Bari, The Producer -
the one who initiates and brings into

But they are distinct names offering existence.

unique shades of meaning, bringing out Lastly, He is Al-Musawwir, The Fashioner -

different aspects to Allah’s creating of He organizes and shapes the
creation. arrangement of the creation.

What’s amazing is these names are followed in this exact sequence based on their
meaning in in the following ayah:

32
 َ ُ َ ُ ّ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ٓ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ ّ َ ُ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ َّ َ ُ
‫ن ۚ يسبِح لۥ ما ِف‬ ٰ ‫هو ٱلل ٱلخٰل ِق ٱلارِئ ٱلمصوِر ۖ ل ٱلسماء ٱلس‬
َۡ َ
َ ۡ ‫يز‬
ُ‫ٱلكِيم‬ ُ ‫ۡرض َو ُه َو ۡٱل َعز‬
ۖ ِ ‫ت وٱل‬
َ َ َّ
ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬
ِ
Huwal Laahul Khaaliqul Baari ul Musawwir; lahul Asmaaa’ul Husnaa; yusabbihu lahoo
maa fis samaawaati wal ardi wa Huwal Azeezul Hakeem

English Translation:

“He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names.
Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might,
the Wise.” (Qur’an 59:24)

A useful analogy:
Imam al-Ghazali compares these three
names to the process of constructing a
house. You have the planner, the builder,
and the designer who gives it its final
shape. Similarly, Allah T takes on the
three roles - the creator, producer, and
the fashioner. However, the difference is
we are not really inventing.
Only Allah T creates and He does so on
an unimaginable scale. He creates from
nothingness, whereas we are merely
finding ways to transform material from
one form to another. We are limited in
what we can make, whereas Allah’s
creation is unbounded.
No single creation exists without His
willingness for it to be. Every one of Allah’s
creations has its origination with Him,
and He gave it its form according to His
divine knowledge and wisdom.

َ ََ ۡ ۡ َۡ َ َ َٗ ۡ َ ََ ۡ َۡ َ َ ََٗ َ َ َۡ َ ُ
‫ث َّم خلق َنا ٱنلُّ ۡطفة َعلقة فخلق َنا ٱل َعلقة ُمضغة فخلق َنا ٱل ُمضغة عِظٰ ٗما‬
َ‫خٰلِقني‬ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ً ۡ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َ َّ ُ ٗ ۡ َ َ ٰ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ
ِ ‫فكسونا ٱلعِظم لما ثم أنشأنه خلقا ءاخر ۚ فتبارك ٱلل أحسن ٱل‬
Summa khalaqnan nutfata alaqatan fakhalaqnal alaqata mudghatan fakhalaq nal
mudghata izaaman fakasawnal izaama lahman summa anshaanaahu khalqan aakhar;
fatabaarakal laahu ahsanul khaaliqeen

English Translation:

“Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a
lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones
with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the
best of creators.” (Qur’an 23:14)

Note, in this verse it refers to Allah T as ahsan al khaliqeen, meaning “the best of
creators”. It’s also mentioned another time in Surah as-Saffat ayat 125.
33
Note how, in the following ayah, it pairs these two attributes of His, i.e., He is Al-Khaliq,
and Al-Alim (the knower). It signifies his ability to create in abundance and in
accordance with His master plan.

He creates perpetually and with a purpose. “Did you imagine that We created you
without any purpose, and that you will not be brought back to Us?” (Qur’an 23:115)

‫ِيم‬ َ ۡ ‫ك ُه َو‬
ُ ‫ٱل َّل ٰـ ُق ۡٱل َعل‬ َ َّ َ َّ
‫إِن رب‬
Inna Rabbaka Huwal khallaaqul ‘aleem

English Translation:

“For verily it is thy Lord who is the Master-Creator, knowing all things.” (Qur’an 15:86)

If we take a second to reflect on all of
Allah’s creations. How can a person be
created from a small drop of fluid and
have it manifest into 30 trillion cells that
all work in unison, giving us life? If you
gaze at the night sky, look at each tiny
speck of light, each one of those is a
giant star existing far away in some
galaxy Allah T has created.
the beauty in the world, and you get to
experience it; Allah T has allowed us to
play a part in it. How can you not feel
humble and appreciative of this very
moment? The pessimist says, ‘but think
of all the fitnahs (i.e., trials or tests) of the
world’. A person can look through a
window and appreciate the beauty
outside, but it is possible to fixate only on

Yet here we are on this relatively small the specks that dirty the glass.

rock, floating through space, and it’s the Whatever you focus on, you will see.
only one we know that is habitable. All

34
 Al-Bari
(The Evolver / The Maker)

The Maker, The Creator who has the

Power to turn the entities.

ُ ْ
Al-Baari (in Arabic: ‫ )ٱلَارِئ‬is the one who decreed things to exist out of nothing in a
specific manner. Creates shape from nothing that has no model or similarity. He
manifests His creations in perfect harmony and in perfect proportions without any
faults.

From the root ba-ra-hamza (‫أ‬ ‫)ب ر‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to create, to form out of nothing, to manifest, to create using pre-
existing matter, evolve, to be individual free and clear of another thing, to be free and
clear of fault or blemish.

Names of creating:

As we mentioned in the name Al-Khaliq often said to represent an order to His

(the creator), He also has two similar
names Al-Bari (the producer or the
maker), and Al-Musawwir (the fashioner).
These names may seem synonymous
with Allah’s ability to invent or create. But
they are distinct and offer unique shades
of meaning, bringing out different
aspects to Allah’s creating of creation.
For example, these three names are
creation. First, you have Al-Khaliq, The
Creator. He who produces something
from nothing, i.e.,
He plans and creates. Secondly, He is Al-
Bari, The Producer - the one who initiates
and brings into existence. Lastly, He is Al-
Musawwir, The Fashioner - He organizes
and shapes the arrangement of the
creation.

What’s amazing is these names are followed in this exact sequence based on their
meaning in in the following ayah:

35
 َ ُ َ ُ ّ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ٓ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ ّ َ ُ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ َّ َ ُ
‫ن ۚ يسبِح لۥ ما ِف‬ ٰ ‫هو ٱلل ٱلخٰل ِق ٱلارِئ ٱلمصوِر ۖ ل ٱلسماء ٱلس‬
َۡ َ
َ ۡ ‫يز‬
ُ‫ٱلكِيم‬ ُ ‫ۡرض َو ُه َو ۡٱل َعز‬
ۖ ِ ‫ت وٱل‬
َ َ َّ
ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬
ِ
Huwal Laahul Khaaliqul Baari ‘ul Musawwir; lahul Asmaaa’ul Husnaa; yusabbihu lahoo
maa fis samaawaati wal ardi wa Huwal ‘Azeezul Hakeem

English Translation:

“He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names.
Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might,
the Wise.” (Qur’an 59:24)

A useful analogy:
Imam al-Ghazali compares these three
names to the process of constructing a
house. You have the planner, the builder,
and the designer who gives it its final
shape. Similarly, Allah T takes on the
three roles - the creator, producer, and
the fashioner. However, the difference is
we are not really inventing.
Only Allah T creates and He does so on
an unimaginable scale. He creates from
nothingness, whereas we are merely
finding ways to transform material from
one form to another. We are limited in
what we can make, whereas Allah’s
creation is unbounded.

Here you can read other verses which do not contain the name Al-Bari but furthr
describe Allah T as being the best of creators.

َ َ َ َ َ َ ٰ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ
‫ٱلِي خلقك فسوىك فعدلك‬
Allazee khalaqaka fasaw waaka fa’adalak

English Translation:

“Who created you, proportioned you, and balanced you?” (Qur’an 82:7)

At times, we may feel insecure with our physical traits, but Allah T tells us in the
Qur’an that we’ve been created in the best moulds.

َۡ َ ۡ َ ٓ َ َٰ ۡ ََۡ َ ۡ ََ
‫يم‬
ٖ ِ‫ٱلنسن ِف أحس ِن تقو‬
ِ ‫لقد خلقنا‬
Laqad khalaqnal insaana fee ahsani taqweem

English Translation:

“Verily, We created man of the best stature (mould),” (Qur’an 95:4)

36
 Start with Acceptance:
This is a reminder that we should be
thankful to Allah T for the vessel He has
granted us. We can not change it, nor
should there be a desire to. Instead, we
should learn to love it, look after it, and
accept it for what it is. This process
doesn’t happen overnight; there’s no
guilt in not feeling great immediately.
But, through studying deen,
understand Allah’s attributes of how He
is all-Knowing, doesn’t make mistakes,
and that He is the best of creators.
We must then examine our insecurities
and put them under a microscope. Here
we will find that we are all perfectly
imperfect. As a physical creation of Allah
T we are designed perfectly; He created
us how He intended. The suffering we
experience in our self-image is of the
mind, and this differs from reality. The
ways we are imperfect are through our
actions and the way we treat ourselves.
These actions can erode self-respect
and dignity - perhaps on a subconscious
level.
But, if we are honest, we can figure out
we what may be causing our unhappiness/
uneasiness and seek to better ourselves.
We don’t have to deny our weaknesses;
instead, we should embrace them.
The Qur’an even tells us, “man was
created weak.” (Qur’an 4:28).

َ‫ِي َأ ۡت َقن‬
ٓ ‫ٱللِ َّٱل‬
َّ َ ۡ ُ
‫اب صنع‬ َ َّ
ۚ ِ ‫ه ت ُم ُّر م َّر ٱلسح‬
َۡ َ َ ۡ
َ َ َ ِ ‫ت َس ُب َها َجام َِد ٗة َو‬ ‫ٱلبال‬ َََ
ِ ‫وترى‬
َ ُ َۡ ۡ َ ‫ك‬
ُ ‫ش ٍء إنَّ ُهۥ َخب‬ َّ ُ
‫ري ۢ ب ِ َما تف َعلون‬ ِ ِ ۚ
Wa taral jibaala tahsabuhaa jaamidatanw wa hiya tamurru marras sahaab; sun’al
laahil lazeee atqana kulla shai’; innahoo khabeerun bimaa taf’aloon

English Translation:
“And you see the mountains, thinking them rigid, while they will pass as the passing of
clouds. [It is] the work of Allah, who perfected all things. Indeed, He is Acquainted with
that which you do.” (Qur’an 27:88)

Changing the goal:

The journey starts with love. There will be
less of an internal conflict to do the
things you already know you should be
doing the day you revitalize the love of
self.
becomes indoctrinated. But this does
not always align with what Allah T loves
to see in His servant. This is what it means
to be fooled by the worldly life - the cars,
the money, beauty standards, fame, or

It’s hard to detach or untangle our popularity. All these are superficial. You

current aspirations from what society don’t need to define yourself by these

has been telling us is important as it values.

37
Instead, you can rewrite your story for
confidence to be defined by your loving
nature, piousness, devotion to Allah
your compassion, your mercy,
wisdom, your family values, and/or your
hard-working and resourceful nature.
Notice how all these are internal values
that occur at the individual level. It
doesn’t involve other people or require
an outwardly show of something.
There is no competition with others. This
makes it less glamorized and promoted
References:
[1] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3789
in culture, as there’s nothing for them to
sell you and to make a profit on. If
T, anything, perfecting oneself can make
your others feel inferior, so it’s looked down
on.
Narrated Ibn Abbas: that the Messenger
of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Love
Allah for what He nourishes you with of
His Blessings, love me due to the love of
Allah, and love the people of my house
due to the love of me.” [1]
38
 Al-Musawwir
(The Flawless Shaper)

The Fashioner, The Bestower of Form,

The Shaper of Unique Beauty.

َ ْ
Allah is Al-Musawwir (in arabic: ‫)ٱل ُمص ّوِ ُر‬, meaning He brings into existence whatever
He wills and in whatever manner He wills it. He says, kun faya kun, “Be! and it is”. He is
the fashioner of every creation and has given it a special form whereby it is
distinguished.

From the root sad-waw-ra (‫ر‬ ‫)ص و‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to make something incline, lean or bend towards, to form, fashion,
sculpt, imagine or picture something, to have an inclination or desire towards
something.

The names of creation:

The three names of creation, Al-Khaliq
(The Creator), Al-Bari (The Producer), and
Al-Musawwir (The Fashioner). These
names may seem synonymous with
Allah’s ability to invent or create.
But they are distinct names offering
unique shades of meaning, bringing out
different aspects to Allah’s creating of
creation. For example, these three names
are often said to represent an order to
His creation. First, you have Al-Khaliq, The
Creator. He who produces something
from nothing, i.e., He plans and creates.
Secondly, He is Al-Bari, The Producer -
the one who initiates and brings into
existence. Lastly, He is Al-Musawwir, The
Fashioner - He organizes and shapes the
arrangement of the creation.

What’s amazing is these names are followed in this exact sequence based on their
meaning in in the following ayah:

39
 َ ُ َ ُ ّ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ٓ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ ّ َ ُ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ َّ َ ُ
‫ن ۚ يسبِح لۥ ما ِف‬ ٰ ‫هو ٱلل ٱلخٰل ِق ٱلارِئ ٱلمصوِر ۖ ل ٱلسماء ٱلس‬
َۡ َ
َ ۡ ‫يز‬
ُ‫ٱلكِيم‬ ُ ‫ۡرض َو ُه َو ۡٱل َعز‬
ۖ ِ ‫ت وٱل‬
َ َ َّ
ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬
ِ
Huwal Laahul Khaaliqul Baari ‘ul Musawwir; lahul Asmaaa’ul Husnaa; yusabbihu lahoo
maa fis samaawaati wal ardi wa Huwal ‘Azeezul Hakeem

English Translation:

“He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names.
Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might,
the Wise.” (Qur’an 59:24)

A useful analogy:
Imam al-Ghazali compares these three
names to the process of constructing a
house. You have the planner, the builder,
and the designer who gives it its final
shape. Similarly, Allah T takes on the
three roles - the creator, producer, and
the fashioner. However, the difference is
we are not really inventing.
Only Allah T creates and He does so on
an unimaginable scale. He creates from
nothingness, whereas we are merely
finding ways to transform material from
one form to another. We are limited in
what we can make, whereas Allah’s
creation is unbounded.

We’ve covered the only verse which explicitly mentions the name Al-Musawwir which
establishes it as a name of Allah T. The following verses further exemplify the quality
of Allah T as being the fashioner:

َ َ َ َ َ َ ٰ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َ ۡ َ ّ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ
‫ٱلنسن ما غرك بِربِك ٱلك ِري ِم ٱلِي خلقك فسوىك فعدلك‬ ِ ‫يـأيها‬
َ َّ ٓ َ َ
‫ورة ٖ َّما شا َء َرك َبك‬
َ ‫ف أ ّي ُص‬
ِ ِٓ
Yaaa ayyuhal insaaanu maa gharraka bi Rabbikal kareem Allazee khalaqaka fasaw
waaka fa’adalak Feee ayye sooratim maa shaaa’a rakkabak

English Translation:

“O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous, Who
created you, proportioned you, and balanced you? In whatever form He willed has
He assembled you.” (Qur’an 82:6-8)

40
 َّ ۡ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َۡ َ َ َ َّ ُ ۡ َ َ
‫ت وٱلۡرض وٱختِلف ألسِنتِكم وألون ِك ۚم إِن ِف‬ ِ ِ ‫َوم ِۡن َءايٰتِهِۦ خلق ٱلسمو‬
ٰ ٰ
َ ‫ٓأَليٰت ّل ِۡل َعٰلِم‬
‫ني‬
َ َ َٰ
‫ذل ِك‬
ِ ٖ
Wa min Aayaatihee khalqus samaawaati wal aardi wakhtilaafu alsinatikum wa
alwaanikum; inna fee zaalika la Aayaatil lil’aalimeen

English Translation:

“And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of
your languages and your colors. Indeed in that are signs for those of knowledge.”
(Qur’an 30:22)

َ‫ٱلس ۡمع‬ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ٔٗ ۡ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ
َّ ‫ك ُم‬ ۡ‫كم‬ ُ ٰ َ َّ ُ ُ ُ ۢ ّ ُ َ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ
‫ل تعلمون شيـا وجعل ل‬ ِ ‫ون أمهت‬ ِ
ِ ‫وٱلل أخرجكم من بط‬
َ ُ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ َ
َ‫َو ۡٱلَبۡ َص ٰ َر َوٱل ۡفـٔ َدة‬
ۡ
‫ل َعلك ۡم تشك ُرون‬ ِ
Wallaahu akhrajakum mim butooni ummahaatikum laa ta’lamoona shai’anw wa ja’ala
lakumus sam’a wal absaara wal af’idata la’allakum tashkuroon

English Translation:

“And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing,
and He made for you hearing and vision and intellect that perhaps you would be
grateful.” (Qur’an 16:78)

These verses and Allah’s names of unique abilities. The Qur’an says that he
creations are a reminder to us of how gifted “the language of the birds.” We
we should be grateful to Allah T. You also learn that he could hear the ants
can read the benefits of knowing these when they spoke and that he could
names, as we already discussed in al- command the Jinn. Moreover, he was
Khaliq and al-Bari. We can take with us a wise, “And We had certainly given to
lesson from the life of Prophet Suleiman David and Solomon knowledge” (27:15).
(q). Remember this as you read this Do you think he cultivated this ability on
next section, Allah T is the fashioner; he his own? No, of course not. These are the
forms us unique and however, He gifts that only the creator can bestow.
pleases.
Prophet Suleiman (q) knew this
Prophet Suleiman (q) was a wealthy himself, which is why he made the
King, ruling over the Israelites, loved by following du’a which we are told in Surah
the people, and endowed with many Naml:
41
 َّ‫ع‬َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ ّ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ّ ٗ َ َ َّ َ َ َ
‫ت أنعمت‬ ٓ ِ ‫ن أن أشكر ن ِعمتك ٱل‬ ٓ ِ ‫ب أوزِع‬
ِ ‫فتبسم ضاح َِك م َِن قول ِها وقال ر‬
َّ ‫ك ف ع َِباد َِك‬
َ ‫ٱلص ٰـلِح‬ َ ََۡ َ
ۡ ۡ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ ٗ ٰ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َّ َ َ ٰ َ َ َ
‫ني‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫ت‬ ‫ح‬‫ر‬ِ ِ ‫وع و ٰ ِلي وأن أعمل صل ِحا ترضىه وأدخ‬
‫ب‬ ‫ن‬‫ِل‬
Fatabassama daahikam min qawlihaa wa qaala Rabbi awzi’nee an ashkura ni’mata kal
lateee an’amta alaiya wa alaa waalidaiya wa an a’mala saalihan tardaahu wa
adkhilnee birahmatika fee ibaadikas saaliheen

English Translation:

“So [Solomon] smiled, amused at her speech, and said, ‘My Lord, enable me to be
grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents
and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into
[the ranks of] Your righteous servants.” (Qur’an 27:19)

The complete du’a of Prophet Suleiman thing good or bad, it is all perfect
(q) starts with the word Rabbi, because it is how Allah T intended it to
meaning “My Lord.” This du’a has been be, “Such is Allah; He creates what He
highlighted for your reference. wills. When He decrees a matter, He only

In concluding on these three names of says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.” (3:47)

creation we accept, whether we deem a

42

َّ َ ْ
ُ ‫)ٱلغف‬, He sees our sins and disobedience, yet He still
Allah T is Al-Ghaffar (in Arabic: ‫ار‬
forgives and accepts the repentance of the sincere. He shows never-ending
compassion and forgiveness, no matter how big or small the sin. He is the most
forgiving and loves to forgive.
From the root ghayn-fa-ra (‫)غ ف ر‬, which
has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to cover, veil, conceal, hide
to pardon, to forgive, to set aright, to
cover a thing, to protect it from dirt.
The names Al-Ghaffar, Al-Ghaffur, and
Al-Ghafir all refer to Allah’s attribute of
Allah T loves to forgive:
These names refer to Allah T nature of
being forgiving. He wants to forgive those
who seek istighfar (forgiveness). Anas
(May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah x said, “Allah, the
Exalted, has said: ‘O son of adam, I forgive
you as long as you pray to Me and hope
for My forgiveness, whatever sins you
have committed. O son of ‘Adam, I do not
care if your sins reach the height of the
heaven, then you ask for my forgiveness, I
would forgive you. O son of ‘Adam, if you
come to Me with an earth load of sins,
and meet Me associating nothing to Me, I
would match it with an earthload of
forgiveness.”’ [1]
From this hadith, we learn that it’s never
43 too late for someone who seeks the
Al-Ghaffar
(The Great-Forgiver)
The Forgiver, The Ever-Forgiving,
The Most-Forgiving.
being forgiving. Together they have been
mentioned a total of 97 times in the
Qur’an.
Of those 97 instances, the Qur’an
mentions Al-Ghaffur 91 times, Al-Ghaffar
5 times, and Al-Ghafir just once.
forgiveness of their Lord, even if their sins
“reach the height of the heaven.” Do not
ever feel you are overburdening, asking
for too much, or it’s too late. This would be
insulting to Allah’s mercy, who is Al-
Ghaffar, The Oft-Forgiving, the one who
forgives perpetually. A person who has
sinned should not despair of Allah’s
mercy. We are told in the following verse
the one who sins has only wronged
themselves when they disobey Allah T.
They have not wronged Allah T but
cheated themselves out of some
goodness.
Like a person who cheats on a test. They
may get a good grade in the class but will
miss the benefit of having that knowledge
and will pay the price in the real world.
 َ َّ َّ َّ َ ۡ َّ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ٰٓ َ َ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ۡ ُ
۞ ‫س ِهم ل تقنطوا مِن رحةِ ٱللِۚ إِن ٱلل‬ ِ ‫قل يٰعِبادِي ٱلِين أسفوا ع أنف‬
ُ ‫ٱلرح‬ ُ ‫ِيعا ۚ إنَّ ُهۥ ُه َو ۡٱل َغ ُف‬
َّ ‫ور‬ ً َ َ ُ ُّ َۡ
‫ِيم‬ ِ ‫يغفِ ُر ٱذلنوب ج‬
Qul yaa’ibaadiyal lazeena asrafoo ‘alaaa anfusihim laa taqnatoo mirrahmatil laah; innal
laaha yaghfiruz zunooba jamee’aa; innahoo Huwal Ghafoorur Raheem

English Translation:

“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not
despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the
Forgiving, the Merciful.” (Qur’an 39:53)

ُ َّ َ ْ ُ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ َ
ٗ ‫ك ۡم إنَّ ُهۥ َك َن َغ َّف‬
‫ارا‬ ِ ‫فقلت ٱستغ ِفروا رب‬
Faqultus taghfiroo Rabakum innahoo kaana Ghaffaaraa

English Translation:

“And said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver.”
(Qur’an 71:10)

Even what’s regarded as the un-
pardonable sin shirk (i.e., associating
partners with Allah T) can be forgiven.
In the Qur’an, it says, “Indeed, Allah does
not forgive association with Him, but He
forgives what is less than that for whom
He wills. And he who associates others
with Allah has certainly fabricated a
tremendous sin” (Qur’an 4:48) and in
another verse, “Indeed, Allah does not
forgive association with Him, but He
forgives what is less than that for whom
He wills. And he who associates others
with Allah has certainly gone far astray.”
(Qur’an 4:116) But as other commentators
have pointed out in Surah Az-Zumar,
“Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.” All the
sahabah before the Prophet’s time were
considered mushrikeen, but they
changed, they sought forgiveness, and
Allah forgave them. The Qur’an only
speaks of the person not being forgiven
if they died having committed shirk (e.g.,
Prophet Ibrahim AS father who died a
pagan) and chose to reject or deny
Islam.
The remaining Quranic verses that
include the name Al-Ghaffar.

ۡ َّ ُ ٗ ٰ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ّ ٞ َّ َ َ ّ
ٰ ‫ٱه َت َد‬
‫ى‬ ‫ِإَون لغفار ل ِمن تاب وءامن وع ِمل صل ِحا ثم‬
ِ
Wa innee la Ghaffaarul liman taaba wa aamana wa ‘amila saalihan summah tadaa

English Translation:

“But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does
righteousness and then continues in guidance.” (Qur’an 20:82)
44
 َۡ َ
ُ ‫ۡرض َو َما بَ ۡي َن ُه َما ۡٱل َعز‬
ُ‫يز ۡٱل َغ َّف ٰـر‬ ِ ‫ٱل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ٰ َ ٰ ‫ٱلس َم‬
‫و‬ َّ ‫َر ُّب‬
ِ
Rabbus samaawaati wal ardi wa maa bainahumal Azeezul Ghaffaar

English Translation:

“Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, the Exalted in
Might, the Perpetual Forgiver.” (Qur’an 38:66)

َ ُ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َّ ُ ّ َ ُ ّ َ ۡ
َ‫ك ّو ُر ٱنلَّ َهار‬ َ َ ۡ َ ٰ َ ٰ َ َّ َ َ َ
ِ ‫كوِ ر ٱلل َع ٱنلهارِ و َي‬ ٞ
‫ت وٱلۡرض بِٱل ِقۖ ي‬ ِ ‫خلق ٱلسمو‬
ُ‫ٱل َعز يز‬ۡ َُ َ ًّ َ ُّ َ ۡ َ ّ ُ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َّ َ َّ َ َ ۡ َّ َ َ
ِ ‫ع ٱل ِلۖ وسخر ٱلشمس وٱلقمر ۖ ك ي ِر ي ِلج ٖل مسمۗ أ ل هو‬
َّ َ ۡ
‫ٱ لغف ٰـ ُر‬
Khalaqas samaawaati wal arda bilhaqq; yukawwirul laila ‘alan nahaari wa yukawwirun
nahaara ‘alaal laili wa sakhkharash shamsa walqamara kulluny yajree li ajalim
musammaa; alaa Huwal ‘Azeezul Ghaffaar

English Translation:

“He created the heavens and earth in truth. He wraps the night over the day and
wraps the day over the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running
[its course] for a specified term. Unquestionably, He is the Exalted in Might, the
Perpetual Forgiver.” (Qur’an 39:5)

َ ۡ ُ ُ َۡ َََ۠ ٞ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َّ َ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ َۡ
‫شك بِهِۦ ما ليس ِل بِهِۦ عِلم وأنا أدعوكم إِل‬ ِ ‫تدعون ِن ِلكفر بِٱللِ وأ‬
َّ َ ۡ َ ‫ۡٱل‬
‫يز ٱلغف ٰـ ِر‬ ِ ِ ‫ز‬‫ع‬

Tad’oonanee li-akfura billaahi wa ushrika bihee maa laisa lee bihee ilmunw wa ana
ad’ookum ilal’Azeezil Ghaffaar

English Translation:

“You invite me to disbelieve in Allah and associate with Him that of which I have no
knowledge, and I invite you to the Exalted in Might, the Perpetual Forgiver.”
(Qur’an 40:42)

45
 Name Pairings # of Times

Ar-Raheem (Merciful) 42

Al-Haleem (The Clement One) 4

Al-Afuww (The Effacer of Sins) 4

Ash-Shakur (Grateful) 3

Al-Aziz (The Eminent) 2

*There are more pairings but the most common ones are listed above.

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Apostle
( x) as saying: The servant
conceals) the faults of others in this
world, Allah would conceal his faults on
the Day of Resurrection. [2]
The lesson
behind this is not to conceal unlawful
acts from authorities per se but rather to
serve as a reminder to avoid searching
for the ugliness in people.
What is better for the believer is to look
(who for the good, just as Allah T wants to
forgive His servants. He wants those who
make mistakes to rise above them, i.e., to
seek His forgiveness and to be better
because of it. We should give people the
same opportunity. It does take being
vulnerable to some extent, but that is not
a weakness.

Some people actively look, and when Lead with love, trust, and compassion.
they find it, they are delighted. They have Only once your kindness is taken
an inherent distrust in people, and so advantage of should you review your
when their suspicion is confirmed - they terms of interaction with that particular
are pleased. Others may find pleasure in individual. Be oft-forgiving and avoid
seeing the fault in others as a way to growing bitter towards humanity at
avoid dealing with their deficiencies. large.

References:
[1] Riyad as-Salihin 442
[2] Sahih Muslim 2590b & Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 4893 46
 Al-Qahhar
(The All-Prevailing One)

The Dominantor, The Irrestible,

The Subduer

َّ َ ْ
ُ ‫)ٱلقه‬, meaning the one who prevails over all creation.
Allah T is Al-Qahhar (in Arabic: ‫ار‬
The universe runs according to the laws laid down by Allah T. He is dominant, the
master of all, and is victorious over all opposition. He has the perfect Power and is
not unable over anything.

From the root qaf-ha-ra (‫)ق ه ر‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to overcome, conquer to overpower, master to dominate over, prevail to subdue,
subjugate, to compel against one’s wishes.

The names Al-Qahhar and Al-Qahir:

There are two names, Al-Qahir, and Al-
Qahhar. The name Al-Qahir is the base
form meaning “the irresistible.” On the
other hand, Al-Qahhar is more emphatic,
the one who is all over-powering, all-
prevailing. Al-Qahir is mentioned twice in
the Qur’an in Surah al-An’am verse 18 and
verse 61. while Al-Qahhar is used more
intensively, mentioned a total of 6 times.
This name informs us that Allah T
strength is unmatched. He has absolute
sovereignty over all His creation. He is the
dominator. Whoever is an enemy or
challenges Allah T stands no chance.
He can humiliate them with ease. Things
are measured on the scale of eternity, so
if a person opposes Allah T they will lose
inevitably. There isn’t a single creation
that isn’t subjected to Allah’s will or could
escape it.

The pairing of Al-Qahhar with Al-Wahid:

In the Qur’an, this name is also always
coupled with the name Al-Wahid,
meaning “The One.” A king in this world
can be powerful, but it’s not because he
possesses intrinsic power.
It often comes with the buy-in of the
state citizens or having a large army. If
47 they were to turn on him, he would have
no power. So this pairing of names shows
the difference, He is one with complete
dominion over all.
We again see how the holistic approach
of studying the names in their pairs
brings light to a new meaning that we
otherwise might’ve missed.
 ُ َّ ‫ ۖ َو َما م ِۡن إ َلٰه إ َّل‬ٞ‫قُ ۡل إ َّن َما ٓ َأنَا ۠ ُمنذِر‬
ُ‫ٱلل ۡٱل َوٰح ُِد ۡٱل َق َّهار‬
ِ ٍ ِ ِ
Qul innamaaa ana munzirunw wa maa min laahin illal laahul Waahidul Qahhaar

English Translation:

“Say, [O Muhammad], ‘I am only a warner, and there is not any deity except Allah, the
One, the Prevailing.” (Qur’an 38:65)

ُ َّ ‫ي أَ ِم‬
ُ‫ٱلل ۡٱل َوٰح ُِد ۡٱل َق َّهار‬ َ ُ ّ َ َ ُّ ٞ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ّ
ٌ ۡ ‫ون َخ‬ ‫ب ٱلسِج ِن ءأرباب متف ِرق‬ َ ِ ٰ ‫َي ٰ َص‬
ِ ‫ح‬
Yaa saahibayis sijni ‘a-arbaabum mutafarriqoona khayrun amil laahul waahidul qahhaar

English Translation:

“O [my] two companions of prison, are separate lords better or Allah, the One, the
Prevailing?” (Qur’an 12:39)

َ َ ٓ َ ۡ َ ٓ ُ ّ ُ ۡ َ َّ َ َ ۡ ُ ُ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َ َّ ُّ َّ َ ۡ ُ
‫ۡرض ق ِل ٱللۚ قل أفٱتذتم مِن دونِهِۦ أو ِلاء ل‬ ِ ‫ت وٱل‬ ِ ٰ ‫قل من رب ٱلسمٰو‬
ۡ َ َۡ ُ َۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ّٗ َ َ َ ٗ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ َ ُ ۡ َ
ٰ
‫س ِهم نفعا ول ض ۚا قل هل يستوِي ٱلعم وٱل ِصري أم هل‬ ِ ‫يمل ِكون ِلنف‬
ُۡ َ ۡ َ َ ٰ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ٓ َ َ ُ َّ ْ ُ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ُّ َ ُ َ ُ ُّ َ
‫ت ۡس َتوِي ٱلظلمٰت وٱنلور ۗ أم جعلوا ِلِ شكء خلقوا كخل ِقهِۦ فتشبه ٱللق‬
َۡ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ‫ك‬ ّ ُ ُ ٰ َ ُ َّ ُ ۡ َۡ َ
‫شءٖ َوه َو ٱل َوٰح ُِد ٱلق َّه ٰـ ُر‬ ِ ‫ِق‬ ‫ل‬ ‫خ‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫ل‬ ِ ‫علي ِه ۚم ق‬
Qul mar Rabbus samaawaati wal ard; qulillaah; qul afattakhaztum min dooniheee
awliyaaa’a laa yamlikoona li anfusihim naf’anw wa laa darraa; qul hal yastawil a’maa
wal baseeru am hal tastawiz zulumaatu wannoor; am ja’aloo lillaahi shurakaaa’a
khalaqoo kakhalqihee fatashaa bahal khalqu ‘alaihim; qulil laahu Khaaliqu kulli shai’inw
wa Huwal Waahidul Qahhar

English Translation:

Say, “Who is Lord of the heavens and earth?” Say, “Allah.” Say, “Have you then taken
besides Him allies not possessing [even] for themselves any benefit or any harm?”
Say, “Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Or is darkness equivalent to light? Or have
they attributed to Allah partners who created like His creation so that the creation
[of each] seemed similar to them?” Say, “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is
the One, the Prevailing.” (Qur’an 13:16)

48
 َّ َۡ َ ۡ َّ ْ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ َّ َ ُ َ ۡ َ
ِ‫ح ِد ٱلقهار‬ ٰ ٰ ٰ ِ
ِ ‫يوم تبدل ٱلۡرض غي ٱلۡرض وٱلسموت ۖ وبرزوا ِلِ ٱلو‬
Yawma tubaddalul ardu ghairal ardi wassamaawaatu wa barazoo lillaahil Waahidil
Qahhaar

English Translation:

“[It will be] on the Day the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens
[as well], and all creatures will come out before Allah, the One, the Prevailing.”
(Qur’an 14:48)

َّ َ ُ ُ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ُ ٓ َ َ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ َّ ٰ َ َ ۡ َّ ٗ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َّ
ُ‫ٱلل‬ ‫خذ ولا لصطف مِما يلق ما يشاء ۚ سبحنه ۖۥ هو‬ ِ ‫لو أراد ٱلل أن يت‬
ۡ ۡ
ُ ‫ٱل َوٰح ُِد ٱل َق َّه‬
‫ار‬
Law araadal laahu aiyattakhiza waladal lastafaa mimmaa yakhluqu maa yashaaa’;
Subhaanahoo Huwal laahul Waahidul Qahhaar

English Translation:

“If Allah had intended to take a son, He could have chosen from what He creates
whatever He willed. Exalted is He; He is Allah, the One, the Prevailing.” (Qur’an 39:4)

َّ َۡ َ ۡ َّ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ّ ٞ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ُ َ ُ َ ۡ َ
ِ‫ح ِد ٱلقهار‬ ٰ
ِ ‫ف ع ٱللِ مِنهم شء ۚ ل ِم ِن ٱلملك ٱلوم ۖ ِلِ ٱلو‬ٰ ‫يوم هم ب ٰ ِرزونۖ ل ي‬

Yawma hum baarizoona laa yakhfaa alal laahi minhum shai; limanil mulkul Yawma
lillaahil Waahidil Qahaar

English Translation:

“The Day they come forth nothing concerning them will be concealed from Allah. To
whom belongs [all] sovereignty this Day? To Allah, the One, the Prevailing.” (Qur’an 40:16)

In using this beautiful name of Allah T in your supplication, you can have the
assurance that the most powerful is with you.

If Allah T is with you, just as He was with Prophet Musa (q) when he stood against
Firawn, or when Prophet Muhammad x was being persecuted by the Meccans, or
when Prophet Dawud (q) fought and won the battle against Jalut, then nothing
can overpower you. “If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you” (Qur’an 3:160)

49
A useful analogy:

َ ْ‫األر ِض َوما َبي‬

ْ ‫ـموات َو‬ َّ ُّ َ ّ َ ُ ُ ّ َ
‫ـنهـما‬ ِ ‫الس‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ـار‬‫ه‬ ‫الق‬ ‫ِد‬
‫ح‬ ‫الـوا‬ ‫اهلل‬ ‫ال‬ِ ‫ال إِلـه إ‬
ّ َ ُ َ
‫زيـز الغـفار‬ ‫الع‬
La ilaha illallah al-Wahidul-Qahhar, Rabbus-samawati wa ‘l-ardi wa ma baynahuma
al-`Azīzul-Ghaffar.

English Translation:

“There is none worthy of worship but Allah, the One, the Victorious, Lord of the heavens
and the earth and all that is between them, the All-Mighty, the All-Forgiving.” [1]

References:
[1] Hisn al-Muslim 112 50
 Al-Wahhab
(The Supreme Bestower)

The One who is abundantly generous in

giving without ever needing to calculate.

ُ َّ ْ
Allah is Al Wahhab (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل َوهاب‬, which means the great giver whose blessings
are freely and perpetually given. He gives with no purpose and expects nothing in
return. Allah T is truly the most liberal giver, He gives to the deserving and
undeserving, to the good and the evil.

From the root waw-ha-ba (‫)و ه ب‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to give for no compensation, to give as a gift, to donate, to offer as a present, to
bestow, or to give liberally and freely.

The gift of Allah T:

The name Al-Wahhab is mentioned three
times in the Qur’an and comes from al-
hibah, which is a gift detached without
conditions or prior cause. This name
speaks to Allah T nature of being the all
endowering, all bestowing, or the
perpetual giver of gifts. Allah T loves His
creation intimately, He gives without
recompense or interests. In Surah Ibrahim
verse 34, “And if you should count the
favor of Allah, you could not enumerate
them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most
unjust and ungrateful.”
Give yourself a moment to reflect, look all
around you, look at the complexity of your
body. We can not show enough
appreciation to Allah T for all of His
blessings. The gift of life, how each cell
everyday is at war, it wards off viruses
and bacteria that want to destroy it. Yet
here you are. Every moment we are living
and its because Allah T has written it to
be that way. He sustains us in every
moment and we are unaware and
unknowing.

َّ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َّ َۡ َ ُ َٓ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ
‫اب‬
ِ ‫يز ٱلوه‬ ِ ‫أم عِندهم خزائِن رحةِ ربِك ٱلع ِز‬
Am’indahum khazaaa inu rahmati Rabbikal Azeezil Wahhab

English Translation:

“Do they possess the treasures of your Lord, the Most Mighty, the Great Bestower?”
(Qur’an 38:9)
51
The pairing with the name Al-Wahhab:
When the names of Allah T are paired it
often conveys a greater message. In this
case, the names Al-Azeez (The Exalted /
The Mighty) is paired with Al-Wahhab.
This signals the purity of the gift. Allah T
is The All Mighty, He does not need
anything, so when He gives, He gives
freely. There is no ulterior motive, no
looking to get in someone’s favor. Unlike
humans, we understand there’s an
unspoken social contract to reciprocate
the giving. If someone invites you to their
wedding, you feel almost compelled or
obligated to invite them to yours. Allah is
greater. He just gives and gives without
any limits.
The pairing of these two names also
shows how nothing can come in the way
of His giving. We live in a world where
politics, leadership, and logistics all
come in the way, preventing good
people from helping one another. The
wealthiest countries in the world still
have some degree of the population
suffering from poverty and hunger, and
it’s not because of a lack of resources.
Even if they wanted to help, they could
not. Allah’s bounties have no limits, and
no one can prevent Him from Giving to
whom He wills.
Allah T does not need anything from
His servants. We know His gifts are purely
out of His generosity and kindness. They
serve as a reminder of His love for all His
creation. He even gives to those who
might not be deserving; perhaps they
would realize that their Lord is showering
them with many blessings and that they
return to Him. This would be a gift within
a gift - He gives so you can get to know
Him, leading us to seek His approval and
mercy.

Prophetic supplication with this name:

If you wish to call upon this beautiful name of Allah T we can learn the du’a Prophet
Suleiman (q) recited asking for forgivness and wealth.

َ‫ك أَنت‬
َ َّ ٓ ۡ َ ۢ ّ َ َ َ َ َّ ٗ ۡ ُ
‫ب ِل ملك ل يۢنب ِغ ِلح ٖد ِمن بعدِيۖ إِن‬
ۡ ّ َ َ َ
ۡ ‫ٱغف ۡر ل َو َه‬
ِ ِ ‫ب‬ ِ ‫قال ر‬
ۡ
ُ ‫ٱل َو َّه‬
‫اب‬
Qaala Rabbigh fir lee wa hab lee mulkal laa yambaghee li ahadin min ba’dee innaka
Antal Wahhaab

English Translation:

“He said, ‘My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to
anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower.’” (Qur’an 38:35)

52
 This name should also make us
realize that our success is only through
Allah T. Whatever good you do, who
inspired that impulse within you? Who
records and rewards the good one
does? It’s all from Allah T. He is not
obliged in any way, and He does
whatever He wishes. But through learning
about Allah’s divine names, we learn
about His justice, generosity, and
abundance, as well as His care, love, and
forgiveness. These are all gifts of Al-
Wahhab.
Upon further reflection on this name, we
may also realize that any inherent skills/
qualities we have are also a gift from
Allah T. Don’t let your nafs (i.e., ego)
intrude and take control over your heart.
We do that in part by remaining thankful
to Allah T because we did nothing to be
The pairing of Al-Qahhar with Al-Wahid:
Let’s say you gave a gift to a friend, and
you see it wasn’t appreciated, used, or
had the opposite effect you intended -
how would you feel? The truth is it hurts.
Imagine a recent kidney donor seeing
their friend revert back to being an
alcoholic. It would be a big slap in the face.
Similarly, Allah T has given certain people
gifts that get abused. We have
knowledgeable people, but they use their
knowledge to manipulate and cheat
others. In the act of omission, Allah’s given
us the faculty to achieve great things, but
we don’t live up to our potential. Instead,
we get caught up and waste time playing
meaningless games. We must try our best
to use the gifts Allah’s given us in a way
References:
[1] Sahih Bukhari 851 [3] Hasan (Al-Albani) Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 594
53 [2] Sahih (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1953
deserving of His gifts. He just gives, period.
No questions asked, no “please sign here
on the dotted line.” He then leaves us
with the choice to take it for granted or
to be grateful. It’s on us to see His
kindness and His mercy.
Narrated Uqba: I offered the Asr prayer
behind the Prophet (x) at Medina. When
he had finished the prayer with Taslim,
he got up hurriedly and went out by
crossing the rows of the people to one of
the dwellings of his wives. The people got
scared at his speed. The Prophet (x)
came back and found the people
surprised at his haste and said to them,
“I remembered a piece of gold Lying in
my house and I did not like it to divert my
attention from Allah’s worship, so I have
ordered it to be distributed (in charity). [1]
that would not insult the giver. We should
use our gifts to spread goodness to try
and uplift and benefit others.
Just as Allah T gives gifts out of love we
should learn to do the same. “Aishah
narrated: ‘The Prophet would accept gifts
and he would give something in return.’” [2]
Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet x
said, “Give gifts and you will love one
another.” [3] And just as a reminder, no gift
is too small. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be
pleased with him) reported: Messenger of
Allah x said, “O Muslim women! No one of
you should consider insignificant (a gift) to
give to her neighbour even if it is (a gift of)
the trotters of a sheep”. [4]
[4] Riyad as-Salihin 306
 Ar-razzaq
(The Total Provider)

The Provider, The Sustainer.

The one who creates sustenance for all
His creations.

ُ َّ ْ
Allah T is Ar-Razzaq (in Arabic: ‫ )ٱل َّرزاق‬The Provider, The Sustainer for all His creatures.
He is The One who creates all means of nourishment and gives them their livelihood.
He is the provider of growth for all things good for the body, the soul, and the mind.

From the root ra-zay-qaf (‫)ر ز ق‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to receive something beneficial, especially as a gift to be provided with the necessities
of life, to receive a portion, share or lot, to be supplied with a means of subsistence.

The difference between Ar-Razzaq and Al-Wahhab:

There is often confusion between the
names Al-Wahhab (The Bestower) and
Ar-Razzaq (The Provider). Al-Wahhab
contains the same root as the name
Hiba, which means a gift. So, Al-Wahhab
refers to Allah’s attribute of being the
perpetual giver of gifts. It knows no
bounds and requires no action from the
receiver. Now, rizq has multiple meanings;
the first is of general sustenance. This
refers to any physical or material wealth.
It’s what has been allocated by the
creator for you.
However, unlike a gift, effort must be
applied to receive it. This encompasses
the outward definition of rizq.
Rizq can also apply to inward sustenance
- one that benefits your soul, your heart
(emotional sustenance), your faith, and
your health. When you count on Allah’s
T blessings, seek the rizq that will purify
your soul, guide you, and increase your
imaan for it is nobler. The inward
sustenance is ever-lasting, whereas
material provision, although necessary,
is only temporary.

A lesson from Prophet Ibrahim (q):

In the Qur’an, Surah Ash-Shu’ara, Prophet
Ibrahim (q) addresses Polytheists
giving reasons why Allah T should be the
only one worthy of worship. He argues how
it is Allah T, “Who created me and Who
guides me; Who gives me food and drink,
and Who, when I am ill, heals me; Who will
cause me to die and then will again
restore me to life.” (Qur’an 26:78-81) What’s
interesting to note here is the order of
things mentioned. Prophet Ibrahim (q)
first shows appreciation for his existence
and to be among those Allah guided. He
only then shifts to the outward rizq of
worldly provisions such as food, drink, and
health. 54
 The name mentioned in the Qur’an:
There are countless ayat which discuss Allah T as being The Provider. For example,
“Allah is the one who created you, then provided for you, then will cause you to die,
and then will give you life.

Are there any of your ‘partners’ who does anything of that? Exalted is He and high
above what they associate with Him” (Qur’an 30:40) and also, “O mankind, remember
the favor of Allah upon you. Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you
from the heaven and earth? There is no deity except Him, so how are you deluded?”
(Qur’an 35:3)

But as a reference to the name Ar-Razzaq there is only one instance:

َ ُ ُ ََٓ ْ ّ ّ ُْ ُ ُ َٓ ُ ‫نس إ َّل ِلَ ْع ُب‬ ْ ُ َْ َ ََ

َ ‫ٱل َّن َو ْٱل‬
‫يد أن‬ ‫ون ما أرِيد مِنهم مِن رِز ٍۢق وما أ ِر‬ ِ ‫د‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫وما خلقت‬
ُ ‫اق ُذو ٱلْ ُق َّوة ِ ٱل ْ َمت‬
‫ني‬
ُ َّ َّ َ ُ َ َّ َّ
‫ون إِن ٱلل هو ٱلرز‬ ُ ُْ
ِ ِ ‫يطعِم‬
Wa maa khalaqtul jinna wal insa illaa liya’budoon Maaa ureedu minhum mir rizqinw wa
maaa ureedu anyyut’imoon Innal laaha Huwar Razzaaqu Zul Quwwatil Mateen

English Translation:

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. I do not want from
them any provision, nor do I want them to feed Me. Indeed, it is Allah who is the
[continual] Provider, the firm possessor of strength.” (Qur’an 51:56-58)

The pairing of Ar-Razzaq and Al-Mateen:

The pairing here is with the two names Ar-Razzaq and Al-Mateen, the perpetual
provider and the firm possessor of strength. We can always depend on Allah T for
provision because He is the firm one. What does it mean to be firm? It means being
solid, unwavering, or unbreakable. You can forever rely on Allah T because of His
strength. All other sources that claim to be strong providers really are not. The greatest
countries or empires all rise and fall, and the biggest companies of the past are now
bankrupt. Nothing is ever-lasting except Allah T. He is unshakable.

َ ُ َّ ْ َ ٓ َّ ُ َّ َْ ُ ُُ َْ َ ُْ
ٰ َ ‫اك ْم ل َع‬
‫ل‬
ُ
‫ت َوٱل ْر ِض ۖ ق ِل ٱلل ۖ ِإَونا أو إِي‬ َ َّ ‫كم ّم َِن‬
ِ ٰ ‫ٱلس َم ٰـو‬ ‫قل من يرزق‬
َ
ۢ ٍ ِ ‫ُه ًدى أ ْو ِف َضلَ ٰـ ۢل ُّمب‬
‫ني‬ ٍ
Qul mai yarzuqukum minas samaawaati wal ardi qulil laahu wa innaaa aw iyyaakum
la’alaa hudan aw fee dalaalim mubeen

English Translation:

“Say, ‘Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth?’ Say, ‘Allah. And indeed,
55
we or you are either upon guidance or in clear error.” (Qur’an 34:24)
Is your Rizq decreed?
It was Narrated Abdullah who recorded
Allah’s Messenger x as saying, “...then
Allah sends an angel and orders him to
write four things, i.e., his provision, his age,
and whether he will be of the wretched
or the blessed (in the Hereafter). Then
the soul is breathed into him.” [1]
mentioned previously, to receive worldly
rizq still requires genuine effort. We
simply don’t know; it could be after
reading this, you make du’a asking from
Allah T, and He increases what has
been portioned for you. Allah T had
already known this as it was in your qadr.

If your rizq is decreed, why make du’a? It was written, but you did not know.

This question is often asked, and it’s So we proceed just as we would before,
rather a moot point. Allah’s qadr (divine doing good deeds, making du’a, and
decree) is known only by Allah T. We putting our best foot forward. The rest is
don’t know what was written, and as with Allah T.

َُُ ُُّ ْ ُّ َّ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َّ َ َ ۡ َّ َ
ٰ
ٍ ‫أمن هذا ٱلِي يرزقكم إِن أمسك رِزقه ۚۥ بل لوا ِف عتوٖ ونف‬
‫ور‬
Amman haazal lazee yarzuqukum in amsaka rizqah; bal lajjoo fee utuwwinw wa nufoor

English Translation:

“Or who is it that could provide for you if He withheld His provision? But they have
persisted in insolence and aversion.” (Qur’an 67:21)

At some biological level, we have this compromise their morals and resort to
looming anxiety of not having enough. cheating and stealing to secure
We’re afraid of losing our job, being sustenance. But the one who knows Allah
unable to pay our bills, or not having T as Ar-Razzaq will avoid acting in this
enough to eat. We live with this constant way as he knows the absolute authority
angst and worry. is with Allah, The Almighty.

The release can come from knowing
Allah T is Ar-Razzaq. He is the best
provider for all; there is not a single
creature that Allah T does not provide
for. Since He is the only one who can give
sustenance, we should seek it from Allah
T. Understanding this frees a person
from the shackles of the influence of an
unjust employer, dictator, or any kind of
authority. People may be coerced to
Narrated Warrad: (the clerk of Al-Mughira
bin Shu`ba) Once Al-Mughira dictated to
me in a letter addressed to Muawiya
that the Prophet x used to say after
every compulsory prayer, “La ilaha illa
l-lahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu
l-mulku wa lahu l-hamdu, wa huwa `ala
kulli shay’in qadir. Allahumma la mani`a
lima a`taita, wa la mu`tiya lima mana`ta,
wa la yanfa`u dhal-jaddi minka l-jadd.
56
 [There is no Deity but Allah, Alone, no
Partner to Him. His is the Kingdom and all
praise, and Omnipotent is he. O Allah!
Nobody can hold back what you gave,
nobody can give what You held back,
and no struggler’s effort can benefit
against You].” And Al-Hasan
“Al-jadd’ means prosperity [??].”
The attitude which is best for a believer
to adopt was mentioned in the hadith of
Sahih Muslim. Abu Hurairah narrated that
the Messenger of Allah x said: “Look at
those who are beneath you and do not
look at those who are above you, for it is
more suitable that you should not
consider as less the blessing of Allah.”
This problem has multiplied
thousandfold in the age of social media.
We see the highlight reel of everyone’s
best life. It then leads to shaitan planting
his seeds of doubt in the garden of your
mind. These weeds - if not dealt with
immediately - take form and spread,
References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 6594
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 844
[3] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 4142
57 [4] Hasan (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 4141
soon overtaking the entire garden. This
manifests in a variety of ways into doubt,
resentment, or belittling the favors which
Allah T has given us (nauzubillah).
For those seeking tranquility, it is better
to find contentment with that which Allah
said, has already provided you. This sentiment
[2]
is perfectly captured in Surah Ta-ha
verse 131, “And do not extend your eyes
toward that by which We have given
enjoyment to [some] categories of them,
[its being but] the splendor of worldly life
by which We test them. And the provision
of your Lord is better and more enduring.”
It was narrated from Salamah bin
[3]
‘Ubaidullah bin Mihsan Al-Ansari that his
a father said: “The Messenger of Allah (x)
said: ‘Whoever among you wakes up
physically healthy, feeling safe and
secure within himself, with food for the
day, it is as if he acquired the whole
world.’” [4]
 Al-fattaH
(The Opener / The Judge)

The Opener, The Solver,

The Victory Giver.

ُ َّ َ ْ
Allah T is Al-Fattah (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلفتاح‬, meaning the opener, the revealer, and the
granter of success. He opens or locks His doors of mercy to whom He pleases.
Through His guidance, whatever is unclear becomes clear. Allah T has the best
judgment and holds the keys to victory and success.

From the root fa-ta-ha (‫ح‬ ‫)ف ت‬, which means to open. It has the following classical
Arabic connotations: to open, unlock, unfold, to make victorious, to reveal, inform,
explain, make clear, to judge, to decide, to grant, and to permit.

The Opener:

There are multiple meanings associated path untrodden. Sometimes we see

with this name. In Arabic, fath (‫ )فتح‬means
ُ َّ َ ْ
to open, and Al-Fattah (‫ )ٱلفتاح‬is The
Opener. This name takes on a perpetual
form that is ever-lasting. He is the one
that is always doing this again and
again. Now, what is implied by the
opening? What is that He opens? As we
covered in the last name, Allah T holds
the key to our sustenance (Ar-Razzaq),
so naturally, He is considered the opener
to provisions.
He is also the one who opens the door of
mercy. Narrated by Abu Huraira, who
reported Allah’s Messenger x as saying:
When it is the month of Ramadan, the
gates of mercy are opened, and the
gates of Hell are locked and the devils
are chained. [1]
It can also mean providing guidance to
one who is lost, revealing the unseen, a
things as impossible. Our minds were
unable to see it in a different light. But
that is until Allah T, in all His glory, clears
our minds and opens the possibility for
us. We are blinded and unable to see, i.e.,
until He reveals. So, we learn that Al-
Fattah is the one who makes what
seemed once impossible possible.
Allah T also opens the doors to His tests
for both the believers and those who
don’t believe. He may open access to
fame, wealth, or power just to see how
we respond. For others, He may take it
away. In the Qur’an, it mentions, “So when
they forgot that by which they had been
reminded, We opened to them the doors
of every [good] thing until, when they
rejoiced in that which they were given,
We seized them suddenly, and they were
[then] in despair.” (Qur’an 6:44) 58
 Al-Fattah in the Qur’an:
Moving onto the instances of the name Al-Fattah as mentioned in the Qur’an. It
appears only once; however, many verses exemplify this attribute of Allah T. Below is
the ayah in which this name was revealed.

َ ْ ‫قُ ْل َيْ َم ُع بَيْ َن َنا َر ُّب َنا ُث َّم َي ْف َت ُح بَيْ َن َنا ب‬

ُ ‫ٱل ّق َو ُه َو ٱلْ َف َّت‬
ُ‫اح ٱلْ َعل ِيم‬
ِ ِ
Qul yajma’u bainanaa Rabbunaa summa yaftahu bainanaa bilhaqq; wa Huwal
Fattaahul Aleem

English Translation:

Say, “Our Lord will bring us together; then He will judge between us in truth. And He is
the Knowing Judge.” (Qur’an 34:26)

By being vulnerable to oneself, by َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َّ ُ َّ

‫حتِك‬ ‫اللهم افتح ِل أبواب ر‬
opening up towards Allah T you give
yourself the opportunity for Allah T to Allahumma-iftah li abwaba rahmatik
open His doors of mercy for you. Abu which means, “O Allah! Open for me the
Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of gates of Your mercy!” [3] This beautiful
Allah x said: “Indeed Allah Most High du’a keeps in mind that when we enter a
says: ‘I am as My slave thinks of Me, and I masjid, we seek to experience Allah’s
am with him when He calls upon Me.’” [2] mercy. This dhikr is an active
remembrance of this fact. It asks Allah
From this name, we further recognize
T directly to open His gates of mercy
that Allah T is the only one we need to
for us.
rely upon. Whatever it is we need access
to, Al-Fattah is the one who can open it The hadith then continues, “And when he
leaves (the masjid), let him say:
َ ْ َ ْ َ ُ َ ْ َ ّ َّ ُ َّ
for us. If you’re feeling stuck or struggling
to make a decision, pray salat al- ‫اللهم إ ِ ِن أسألك مِن فضل ِك‬
istikhara. Ask Allah T to open your heart
Allahumma inni as’aluka min fadlika,
to make the right choice. He is the best
meaning ‘O Allah, I ask of you from Your
judge who knows whether a thing will
bounty.’” The lesson is, when you enter a
benefit you in your deen, relationship, or
masjid, seek His mercy and look towards
livelihood.
your afterlife, but when you leave, seek
The Prophet x recommended that His grace and bounty so you can
when we enter the masjid, we should succeed in this Dunya.
make this du’a,

59
 َ َ ََ ْ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َّ ُ َّ ِ‫َّما َي ْف َتح‬
‫ح ٍةۢ فل ُم ْمسِك ل َها ۖ َو َما ُي ْمسِك فل ُم ْرسِل ُلۥ‬ ‫اس مِن ر‬ ِ ‫ٱلل ل َِّلن‬
ُ ‫ٱلك‬
‫ِيم‬ َ ْ ‫يز‬ ُ ‫ِم ۢن َب ْع ِده ِۦ ۚ َو ُه َو ٱلْ َعز‬
ِ
Maa yaftahil laahu linnaaasi mir rahmatin falaa mumsika lahaa wa maa yumsik falaa
mursila lahoo mimba’dihi; wa Huwal Azeezul Hakeem

English Translation:

“Whatever Allah grants to people of mercy – none can withhold it; and whatever He
withholds – none can release it thereafter. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”
(Qur’an 35:2)

Imam al-Ghazali writes to characterize oneself as Abdul-Fattah, “man should yearn

to reach a point where the locks to the divine mysteries are opened by his speech,
and where he might facilitate by his knowledge what creatures find difficult in
religious and wordly affairs.”

Being relentless in figuring out the answers in whatever specialty and then sharing
this knowledge with others. Kick down the doors and let people in. Share the knowledge
and experiences of your life with others — the good and the bad, as both are equally
instructive.

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 1079b
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 7405
[3] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 772 60
 Al-Alim / Al-Aleem
(The All-Knowing One)

The Knowledgeable,
The Omniscient One, The Knower

Allah T is Al-Alim (in Arabic: ‫)العليم‬, meaning the one whose knowledge is
comprehensive and extends to all that is seen and unseen, apparent and hidden,
present and future, near and far. His knowledge precedes, and He is intuitively aware
of all things, even before they happen. He is the knower of all details, and nothing
goes unnoticed or unrecorded. Indeed, He is the Omniscient One.

From the root ayn-lam-mim (‫)ع ل م‬,
which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to have knowledge, be
cognizant, be certain, to be aware,
thoroughly informed, to find out, gather
information, to have intuitive knowledge,
or to be firmly rooted in knowledge, to
know the minutiae, to be wise and act
according to knowledge.
The word Alim means knower and is
derived from the Arabic ilm meaning
knowledge. Al-Alim and Al-Aleem take on
the grandeur form of being The Knower,
The All-Knowing, The Omniscient. This
attribute helps us understand how Allah’s
knowledge is complete and all-
encompassing; He knows the beginning,
the ending, and everything that’s kept
within. He is not only aware of our
outward actions but knows the state of
our hearts when we make them. Nothing
is kept a secret, and nothing can be
hidden from His knowledge.

ُ َّ َ ۡ َ َ ّ َ َ ٰ َ َ ۡ ُ ۖ ُ َ َّ َ ۡ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ
ۡ ‫ك ۡم َعٰل ِ ِم ۡٱل َغ‬
‫ب‬
ِۖ ‫ي‬ ‫وقال ٱلِين كفروا ل تأت ِينا ٱلساعة قل بل ور ِب لأت ِين‬
َ َٰ َ
َ ۡ ََٓ َۡ َ َ َ َّ ‫َل َي ۡع ُز ُب َع ۡن ُه م ِۡث َق ُال َذ َّرة ف‬
‫ۡرض ول أصغر مِن ذل ِك‬ُ ِ ‫ت َول ِف ٱل‬ ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬ ِ ٖ
ُّ َ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ ٓ َ َ
‫ني‬
ٖ ِ ‫ب مب‬ ٰ
ٖ ‫ول أكب إِل ِف كِت‬
Wa qaalal lazeena kafaroo laa taateenas Saa’ah; qul balaa wa Rabbee
lataatiyannakum Aalimul Ghaib; laa ya’zubu anhu misqaalu zarratin fis samaawaati wa
laa fil ardi wa laaa asgharu min zaalika wa laaa akbaru illaa fee kitaabim mubeen

English Translation:

“But those who disbelieve say, ‘The Hour will not come to us.’ Say, ‘Yes, by my Lord, it
will surely come to you. [Allah is] the Knower of the unseen.’ Not absent from Him is
an atom’s weight within the heavens or within the earth or [what is] smaller than that
or greater, except that it is in a clear register –” (Qur’an 34:3)
61
Al-Aleem appears 157 times in the Qur’an and its variations 17 times. This name is
often mentioned in pairs with other names in the Qur’an quite frequently. This provides
deeper insight, negates any deficiency, and shows perfection in His names.

Name Pairings # of Times

Al-Hakeem (The Wise) 36

Al-Wasi (The Vast) 7

Al-Aziz (The Eminent) 4

Al-Qadir (The Powerful) 4

Al-Khabir (The All-Aware) 4

Al-Haleem (The Indulgent) 3

Al- (The Eminent) 2

Ash-Shakur (Grateful) 2

Al-Khaliq (The Creator) 2

Al-Fattah (The Opener) 1

*There are more pairings but the most common ones are listed above.

Then there exist many variants of the root word ilm, which include Allaamul, A’lam,
Alim, and Aleem. Whenever these qualities are mentioned to describe Allah T it is to
show how His knowledge is absolute and complete. There is nothing lacking in His
knowledge.

َ َ‫ك أ‬
ُ ‫نت َع َّل ٰـ ُم ۡٱل ُغ‬ َ َّ ٓ َ َ َ ۡ َ ْ ُ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ٓ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ َ ُ ُّ ُ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ
‫جبتمۖ قالوا ل عِلم لا ۖإِن‬
۞ ‫وب‬
ِ ‫ي‬ ِ ‫يوم يمع ٱلل ٱلرسل فيقول ماذا أ‬
yawma yajma’ul laahur Rusula fa yaqoolu maazaaa ujibtum qaaloo laa ilma lanaa
innaka Anta Allaamul Ghuyoob

English Translation:

“[Be warned of] the Day when Allah will assemble the messengers and say, ‘What
was the response you received?’ They will say, ‘We have no knowledge. Indeed, it is
You who is Knower of the unseen.” (Qur’an 5:109)
62
 What is human knowledge:

Man’s knowledge often comes through that is, is because Allah T has willed it.
experience and failures. We learn by He is the Creator and the source for
iterating. We accumulate this knowledge everything, whereas we merely make
by writing books to store this information observations. Allah T knows and
so as to not forget. We then pass down remembers the tiniest details of things,
our learning from generation to nothing happens in the universe without
generation, revising and building upon His knowledge, and He never forgets any
past works as we go along. of it. And this is just one layer of His infinite

We may try to describe Allah’s knowledge, knowledge.

but we won’t truly understand the extent What happens in this universe is just a
of its vastness. As Imam al-Ghazali linear timeline of events unfolding. His
mentions, Allah’s knowledge “is not knowledge extends to the infinite
derived from things known, rather things possibilities of all the things that could’ve
unknown are derived from it.” Everything happened.

ْ َ‫ٱل‬ْ َ ّ َْ َ ‫ِندهُۥ َم َفات ُِح ٱلْ َغيْب َل َي ْعلَ ُم َها ٓ إ َّل ُه َو ۚ َو َي ْعلَ ُم‬
‫ح ِر ۚ َو َما‬ ‫بو‬ ِ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ف‬ ِ ‫ا‬‫م‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫َوع‬
ََ ْ َ ََ ْ َْ َ ُ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ َ ُ ‫ت َ ْس ُق‬
‫ب ول‬ ۢ ‫ط‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ت‬ ِ ٰ
‫ـ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ظ‬ ‫ف‬ ۢ
‫ة‬ ٍ ‫ب‬ ‫ح‬ ‫ل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ه‬ ‫م‬ ‫ل‬‫ع‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ل‬ ‫إ‬ ‫ة‬
ٍ ‫ق‬‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ِن‬‫م‬ ‫ط‬
ٍ ِ ِ
َّ
ۢ ٍ ِ ‫ب ُّمب‬
‫ني‬ ۢ ٍ ‫يَاب ِ ٍس إِل ِف ك َِت ٰـ‬
Wa indahoo mafaatihul ghaibi laa ya’lamuhaaa illaa Hoo; wa ya’lamu maa fil barri
walbahr; wa maa tasqutu minw waraqatin illaa ya’lamuhaa wa laa habbatin fee
zulumaatil ardi wa laa ratbinw wa laa yaabisin illaa fee Kitaabim Mubeen

English Translation:

“And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He
knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no
grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that
it is [written] in a clear record.” (Qur’an 6:59)

َ َ‫ب ۖ َّل يَض ُّل َر ّب َو َل ي‬

‫نس‬ ۢ ٰ
‫ـ‬ ‫ِت‬ َ ‫قَ َال عِلْ ُم َها ع‬
َ ‫ِند َر ّب ف ك‬
ِ ِ ٍ ِ ِ
Qaala ilmuhaa inda Rabee fee kitaab, laa yadillu Rabbee wa laa yansaa

English Translation:

“[Moses] said, ‘The knowledge thereof is with my Lord in a record. My Lord neither errs
nor forgets.” (Qur’an 20:52)

63
Al-Aleem and Al-Hakeem:
In this next example, we explore the most frequently paired name with Al-Aleem which
is Al-Hakeem (the Most Wise).

َ ْ ‫ِيم‬ ُ ٰ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َ ْ ُ ٰ َ ْ َ َ َّ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َّ
ُ ‫ك ْم ۖ َو ُه َو ٱلْ َعل‬ َ َ َ
ُ‫ٱلكِيم‬ ‫ق ْد ف َرض ٱلل لكم تِلة أيمـن ِكم ۚ وٱلل مولى‬

Qad faradal laahu lakum tahillata aymaanikum; wallaahu mawlaakum wa huwal

aleemul hakeem

English Translation:

“Allah has already ordained for you [Muslims] the dissolution of your oaths. And Allah
is your protector, and He is the Knowing, the Wise.” (Qur’an 66:2)

You’ve likely heard this quote before
stating, “knowledge is power.” But your
experience or intuition may recognize
that this saying is incomplete. Simply just
getting more information does not
directly correlate with having power.
You probably know many intellectual
people, but they are still prone to making
very wrong decisions. They can be led
astray by emotions and desires. They
may have biases causing them to be
blinded or tunnel-visioned. Would you
call this person wise? Probably not. The
issue with the quote is that it grossly
downplays the importance of applying
knowledge. This is what most recognize
as wisdom.
It’s not enough to read a book. A wise
person would reflect upon what’s being
read and try to map all the ways it’s
applicable in his or her everyday life. A
wise person, just like a knowledgeable
one, knows what to say but, more
importantly, when to say it. That makes
all the difference. Similarly, Allah T is the
All-Knowing and the All-Wise. He knows
what to do, when to do them, and with
whom.

Two lessons from knowing the pair Al-Hakeem and Al-Aleem:

1. Understanding how Allah T is both greatest pain we experience becomes
knowing and wise can bring peace into our biggest strength with time and
the believer’s life. We put complete trust understanding. Even if we can’t see the
in Allah’s plan for us and what He’s wisdom in it in this life, we must realize
decreed, as we know He makes no the benefit must lie on the day of
mistakes. When calamity strikes, if we judgment.
don’t get that job, if we lose something This is the mercy of Allah T the
we treasure - we trust that Allah T All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
knows best.

There is no point in dwelling and feeling

sorry for past hardships. Often the
64
 2. We should ask Allah T to give us knowledgeable instructors or keep one
wisdom. People often give too much from purchasing books or courses.
weight trying to find the “secret.” The one But really it’s in Allah T what we should
thing that’ll transform their life for the be seeking. If we don’t have the
better. It doesn’t exist, and the people intelligence or wisdom to apply our
purchasing the courses, books, or knowledge, to have the courage to take
instructors that make these promises bold action when needed or to be
are taken advantage of. resourceful, then it would all be for
This is not meant to discourage seeking nothing.

As a person grows older, he begins to because they are naturally curious.

learn about different subjects and thinks
of himself as knowledgeable.
But if we stop to think of the vastness of
Allah’s knowledge, we realize we know
nothing. It’s a humbling experience to
really ponder and ask ourselves how
much we think we know. Realize and
embrace the truth that we know nothing
in the grand scheme of things. Letting
any amount of superiority sink its way
into your mind will just impede the way
to further growth. A child learns the most
Everything is new and an exciting
adventure.
They are open, innocent and genuinely
want to understand how everything
works. This spurs a parent’s favorite
game with a child called a hundred
thousand why’s (sarcasm).
But if you assume you already know, then
the journey stops. Why explore something
further if you feel you already know the
outcome?

Knowledge is given by Allah T

Allah T tells us in Surah Baqarah, “And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said
to the angels, ‘Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority.’ They said,
‘Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we
declare Your praise and sanctify You?’ Allah said, ‘Indeed, I know that which you do
not know.’ And He taught Adam the names – all of them. Then He showed them to the
angels and said, ‘Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful.’” (Qur’an 2:30-31)

The angels then responded with the following:

َ ۡ ‫ِيم‬
ُ‫ٱلكِيم‬ َ َ‫ك أ‬
ُ ‫نت ۡٱل َعل‬ َ َّ ٓ َ َ ۡ َّ َ َ َّ ٓ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ْ ُ َ
‫قالوا سبحنك ل عِلم لا إِل ما علمتنا ۖ إِن‬
Qaaloo subhaanaka laa ilma lanaaa illaa maa allamtanaaa innaka antal aleemul hakeem

English Translation:

“They said, ‘Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us.
Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise.” (Qur’an 2:32)
65
These verses are a testament to how all
creations have their limitations set by
Allah T, and without His permission, they
could not know anything beyond what
was allowed for them. Allah T tell us He,
“taught Adam the names – all of them.”
What is meant by names is left up to
interpretation. Ibn Abbas understood it
as names of objects for everyday
discourse. Other commentators believe
it to be the spoken languages on earth,
or the capacity to know all things, or it
could refer to Allah’s Divine Names.
Regardless, we see the separation
between Angels’ knowledge, which is
limited compared to human knowledge,
designed to be more comprehensive. In
the tafheem ul-Quran, Maududi remarks,
“It seems that the knowledge of each
angel and each genre of angel is
confined to its own sphere of
competence. The angels appointed to
administer, let us say, things relating to
air have full knowledge about this subject
but have no knowledge, say, about water,
and so on and so forth. Man’s range of
knowledge, however, is comprehensive.”
We don’t know what we don’t know – we
may ask for forgiveness for things in our
hearts we know we did wrong. But what
about the things we are not aware of?
References:
[1] Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 3660
[2] Hasan (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 226
Ask Allah T to pardon all our sins, to give
us a clean slate. Ask to increase our
capacity to learn and to know of our
shortcomings, to make us among
students with great Islamic knowledge.
We are blessed today to study His
attributes. This is one of the most
beneficial paths one can take. It will only
increase a person’s love for their creator
and be among those who’ve acquired
knowledge that will benefit them. Insha-
Allah, this will also lead us to share this
knowledge with others and help guide
others toward the straight path.
Narrated Zayd ibn Thabit: I heard the
Messenger of Allah (x) say: May Allah
brighten a man who hears a tradition
from us, gets it by heart and passes it on
to others. Many a bearer of knowledge
conveys it to one who is more versed
than he is; and many a bearer of
knowledge is not versed in it. [1]
It was narrated that Zirr bin Hubaish said:
“I went to Safwan bin Assal Al-Muradi
and he said: What brought you here? I
said: I am seeking knowledge. He said: I
heard the Messenger of Allah say: “There
is no one who goes out of his house in
order to seek knowledge, but the angels
lower their wings in approval of his
action.” [2]
66
 Al-Qabid
(The Restricting One)

The Constrictor,
The Withholder, The Restrainer.

Allah is Al-Qabid meaning whatever He wills comes to be. He is the one who enriches
and makes poor. Al-Qabid decides to withhold something or to make it scarce. He is
the taker of all souls at the time of death, and He stretches His hand out to the
believers so that they may turn to him and repent.

He is the one who constricts sustenance, our lives, and our hearts. The opposite,
Al-Basit is the one who expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy.

From the root qaf-ba-dad (‫ض‬ ‫)ق ب‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to take in the hand, clutch, lay hold of to grasp, grip, seize, hold firmly to
have absolute ownership of something, barter to contract, shrink, draw together,
make scanty, make scarce to contract the heart, i.e., distress, depression, lack of joy.

Al-Qabid and Al-Basit:

The names Al-Qabid and Al-Basit are often mentioned together for juxtaposition. It
emphasizes how Allah T can be both the constrictor (Al-Qabid) and the one who
expands something (Al-Basit).

This is a display of how Allah T, in His infinite wisdom, gives or withhold to whomever
He pleases.

ْ َ ٓ ُ َ ُ َ ٰ َ ُ َ ً َ َ ً ْ َ َ َّ
َ ِ ‫ض َعافًا َكث‬
ُ َّ ‫ريةً ۚ َو‬ ُ ْ َّ َ
‫ٱلل‬ ‫َّمن ذا ٱلِى ُيق ِرض ٱلل قرضا حسنا فيضـ ِعفهۥ لۥ أ‬
َ ُ َ ُ ُ ْ
‫َيقبِض َو َيبْ ۜص ُط ِإَولْهِ ت ْر َج ُعون‬
Man zal lazee yuqridul laaha qardan hasanan fayudaa ‘ifahoo lahoo ad’aafan
kaseerah; wallaahu yaqbidu wa yabsutu wa ilaihi turja’oon

English Translation:

“Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many
times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will
be returned.” (Qur’an 2:245)

67
Among the disputed names:
Note, the name Al-Qabid, there is no explicit mention in the Qur’an. However, as an
attribute or quality of Allah T its been described in the Qur’an and the Hadith
literature.

What it means for Allah T to withold:

Just as food is good, but being over-
indulgent is unhealthy and can be
destructive, leading to many
complications down the road. Allah T take care of yourself. Perhaps these
may withhold His provisions based on His
superior knowledge. In the Qur’an, it says,
“And if Allah had extended [excessively]
provision for His servants, they would
have committed tyranny throughout the
earth. But He sends [it] down in an
amount which He wills. Indeed He is, of
His servants, Acquainted and Seeing.”
(Qur’an 42:27)
It is difficult, but if we go through a period
of constriction, we should find peace as
Allah T knows best. We can always
uncover some good in the bad. We are
brought down to earth, and we are
humbled. By switching our narrative, we
can help transform a tragedy into an
opportunity. If we see this period of our
life as a test, we can behave in a manner
that Allah T would love to see His
servant respond. For example, strive
harder in worship, show sabr (patience),
seek to do good deeds, help others, and
tough times are necessary to create
future leaders who are more resilient,
grounded, empathetic, and wise. Passing
the test can allow one to climb to greater
heights they never could’ve imagined.
And Allah T knows best.
But it’s also important to note there are
no limitations put upon Allah T. He is the
master. He can constrict whatever He
wills for whomever, howsoever. All of
creation exists because of Him, and it’s
under His control. He can dispose of His
dominion however He wishes. It is not up
to us to judge whether a thing is good or
bad. Whatever Allah T wills is good
since it’s from Him. He’s not limited in
what He can do — this goes back to the
attributes of power, control, and supreme
authority.

The divine pairing with Al-Qabid:

As we discussed previously, the perfection in meaning is best understood through
viewing the names in pairs as they occur. This is the consensus among scholars,
especially when the Names of Allah T are opposite in meaning. We should try our
best to recite them in a similar manner as to avoid any perceived negative
connotation.

These names include Al-Qabid (The Constrictor) & Al-Basit (The Extender), Al-Awwal
(The Very First from Eternity) & Al-Akhir (The very Last for Eternity), and Az-Zaahir (The
Perceptible) & Al-Baatin (The Imperceptible), Al-Mu’izz (The Honourer-Bestower) & Al-
Mudhill (The Abaser).
68
 In Arabic qabd means to clench, to
grasp, or to seize whereas bast refers to
openness. Think closed hand versus
open hand, to withhold and to give.
Allah will say, ‘Go and take out (of Hell)
anyone in whose heart you find faith
equal to the weight of one (gold) Dinar.’
Allah will forbid the Fire to burn the faces
of those sinners. They will go to them and
find some of them in Hell (Fire) up to their
feet, and some up to the middle of their
legs. So they will take out those whom
they will recognize and then they will
return, and Allah will say (to them), ‘Go
and take out (of Hell) anyone in whose
heart you find faith equal to the weight
of one half Dinar.’ They will take out
whomever they will recognize and return,
and then Allah will say, ‘Go and take out
(of Hell) anyone in whose heart you find
faith equal to the weight of an atom (or
a smallest ant), and so they will take out
all those whom they will recognize.” Abu
Sa’id said: If you do not believe me then
read the Holy Verse: ‘Surely! Allah wrongs
not even of the weight of an atom (or a
The believer benefits from knowing
Allah T is both Al-Qabid and Al-Basit.
We can use these names in our
supplication, asking Allah T to expand
our hearts to be reminded in
remembrance of Him. We can call upon
these names for rizq as they are closely
related. But remember the natural laws
of contraction and expansion.
69
smallest ant) but if there is any good
(done) He doubles it.’ (Qur’an 4:40) The
Prophet added, “Then the prophets and
Angels and the believers will intercede,
and (last of all) the Almighty (Allah) will
say, ‘Now remains My Intercession. He will
then hold a handful (the word used here
ً َ َ
‫ قبْضة‬- qabdatan meaning hold, grip,
grab) of the Fire from which He will take
out some people whose bodies have
been burnt, and they will be thrown into
a river at the entrance of Paradise, called
the water of life. [1]
In another hadith narration, Narrated
Anas ibn Malik: The people said:
Messenger of Allah, prices have shot up,
so fix prices for us. Thereupon the
Messenger of Allah (x) said: Allah is the
one Who fixes prices, withholds (the word
ُ َْ
used here is ‫ القابِض‬- alqabid), gives
ُ ْ
lavishly (the word used here is ‫ الَاسِط‬-
albasit) and provides, and I hope that
when I meet Allah, none of you will have
any claim on me for an injustice
regarding blood or property. [2]
We should not be overtly excited for the
good provision and not be deeply
saddened in times of constraint. Accept
both as they come and always be
grateful to Allah T for what remains.
Whatever happens, do not rush to
conclusions and say whether it is good
or bad, but say it’s from Allah T and He
knows best.
 ۡ ُّ ُ ٰ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ ُّ ٰ َ َ ۡ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ َ ۡ ّ ُ ُ ۡ َ ُ َّ
‫ٱدلن َيا‬ ‫ٱلرزق ل ِمن يشاء ويقدِر ۚ وف ِرحوا بِٱليوة ِ ٱدلنيا وما ٱليوة‬
ِ ‫ٱلل يبسط‬
َ َّ
‫ع‬ٞ ٰ‫ِف ٱٓأۡلخ َِرة ِ إِل َمت‬
Allaahu yabsutur rizqa limai yashaaa’u wa yaqdir; wa farihoo bilhayaatid dunyaa wa
mal hayaatud dunya fil Aakhirati illaa mataa’ (section 3)

English Translation:

“Allah extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. And they rejoice in the
worldly life, while the worldly life is not, compared to the Hereafter, except [brief]
enjoyment.” (Qur’an 13:26)

In the tafsir of Maududi, this verse refutes
the disbelievers of Makkah, “They judged
a man’s worth by his wealth and worldly
prosperity and not by his faith and
righteous conduct.
[...] Allah gives His provision to the people
abundantly or sparingly for reasons
different from those which they
presumed and richness or poverty is no
criterion by which to judge the worth of
people. The real criterion of judging the
worth of people is their beliefs and
deeds.”

ً ۡ ُ ‫فَإ َّن َم َع ۡٱل ُع ۡس ي‬

‫سا‬ ِ ِ
Fa inna ma’al usri yusra

English Translation:

“For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.” (Qur’an 94:5)

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 7439
[2] Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 3451 70
 Al-basit
(The Extender)

The Enlarger, The Expansive,

The Munificent

Allah is Al-Baasit, The One who amplifies all abundance. He is the one who makes the
way wide open. He expands and widens the hearts and our souls and gives us
sustenance in His Generosity and Mercy. He gives plentifully to whoever He wills and
reaches out a helping hand to all mankind.

From the root ba-sin-ta (‫ط‬ ‫)ب س‬, which Think closed hand versus open hand, to
has the following classical Arabic withhold and to give. These names are
connotations: to expand, enlarge, extend, often mentioned together for
to grant abundance, to provide amply, juxtaposition.
to spread, widen, to make spacious, or to This emphasizes how Allah T, in His
extend a hand. infinite wisdom, is the one who either
In Arabic qabd means to clench, grasp, gives or withhold things to whomever He
or seize whereas bast refers to openness. pleases.

ْ َ ٓ ُ َ ُ َ ٰ َ ُ َ ً َ َ ً ْ َ َ َّ
َ ِ ‫ض َعافًا َكث‬
ُ َّ ‫ريةً ۚ َو‬ ُ ْ َّ َ
‫ٱلل‬ ‫َّمن ذا ٱلِى ُيق ِرض ٱلل قرضا حسنا فيضـ ِعفهۥ لۥ أ‬
َ ُ َ ُ ُ ْ
‫َيقبِض َو َيبْ ۜص ُط ِإَولْهِ ت ْر َج ُعون‬
Man zal lazee yuqridul laaha qardan hasanan fayudaa ‘ifahoo lahoo ad’aafan
kaseerah; wallaahu yaqbidu wa yabsutu wa ilaihi turja’oon

English Translation:

“Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many
times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will
be returned.” (Qur’an 2:245)

Al-Qabid and Al-Basit:

To constrast with Al-Qabid, Al-Basit is a display of Allah’s mercy of giving without any
measure. When Allah T wants to give, it is free and infinite. There is no stopping nor
restricting it.
71
 ٓ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ ّ َ ُ ََ َۡ ْۡ َََ َ ِ‫ٱلر ۡز َق لِع‬ ُ َّ ‫َول َ ۡو ب َ َس َط‬
ُ
۞ۚ ‫نل بِقدرٖ ما يشاء‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ك‬
ِ ٰ ‫ل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ۡرض‬ِ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬ ‫غ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ِۦ‬ ‫ه‬ ِ ‫د‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ب‬ ّ ‫ٱلل‬
ِ ِ ِ
َ َّ
ُ ‫إن ُهۥ بعِ َبادِه ِۦ خب‬
ٞ‫ري ۢ بَ ِصري‬
ِ ِ ِ
Wa law basatal laahur rizqa li’ibaadihee labaghaw fil ardi wa laakiny yunazzilu
biqadarim maa yashaaa; innahoo bi’ibaadihee Khabeerun Baseer

English Translation:

“And if Allah had extended [excessively] provision for His servants, they would have
committed tyranny throughout the earth. But He sends [it] down in an amount which
He wills. Indeed He is, of His servants, Acquainted and Seeing.” (Qur’an 42:47)

The divine pairing of Al-Basit:

As we discussed previously,
perfection in meaning is best understood
through viewing the names in pairs as
they occur. This is the consensus among
scholars, especially when the Names of
Allah T are opposite in meaning. We
should try our best to recite them in a
similar manner as to avoid any perceived
negative connotation.
These names include Al-Qabid (The
Constrictor) & Al-Basit (The Extender),
Al-Awwal (The Very First from Eternity) &
Al-Akhir (The very Last for Eternity), and
Az-Zaahir (The Perceptible) & Al-Baatin
(The Imperceptible), Al-Mu’izz
Honourer-Bestower) & Al-Mudhill (The
Abaser).
the fixes prices, withholds (the word used
ُ َْ
here is‫ القابِض‬- alqabid), gives lavishly
ُ ْ
(the word used here is ‫ الَاسِط‬- albasit)
and provides, and I hope that when I
meet Allah, none of you will have any
claim on me for an injustice regarding
blood or property. [1]
In Sahih Muslim, Abu Musa reported
Allah’s Messenger (x) as saying that
Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, Stretches
out His Hand during the night so that the
people may repent for the fault
committed from dawn till dusk and He
stretches out His Hand during the day so
(The that the people may repent for the fault
committed from dusk to dawn. (He would
accept repentance) before the sun rises

In a hadith narration, narrated by Anas in the west (before the Day of

ibn Malik: The people said: Messenger of Resurrection). A hadith like this has been

Allah (x), prices have shot up, so fix narrated on the authority of Shu’ba with

prices for us. Thereupon the Messenger the same chain of transmitters. [2]

of Allah (x) said: Allah is the one Who

72
 The believers benefits from knowing not be overtly excited for the good
Allah T is both Al-Qabid and Al-Basit. provision and not be deeply saddened
We can use these names in our in times of constraint. Accept both as
supplication, asking Allah T to expand they come and always be grateful to
our hearts to be reminded in Allah T for what remains.
remembrance of Him. We can call upon Whatever happens, do not rush to
these names for rizq as they are closely conclusions and say whether it is good
related. But remember the natural laws or bad, but say it’s from Allah T and He
of contraction and expansion. We should knows best.

ۡ ُّ ُ ٰ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ ُّ ٰ َ َ ۡ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ َ ۡ ّ ُ ُ ۡ َ ُ َّ
‫ٱدلن َيا‬ ‫ٱلرزق ل ِمن يشاء ويقدِر ۚ وف ِرحوا بِٱليوة ِ ٱدلنيا وما ٱليوة‬
ِ ‫ٱلل يبسط‬
َ َّ
‫ع‬ٞ ٰ‫ِف ٱٓأۡلخ َِرة ِ إِل َمت‬
Allaahu yabsutur rizqa limai yashaaa’u wa yaqdir; wa farihoo bilhayaatid dunyaa wa
mal hayaatud dunya fil Aakhirati illaa mataa (section 3)

English Translation:

“Allah extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. And they rejoice in the
worldly life, while the worldly life is not, compared to the Hereafter, except [brief]
enjoyment.” (Qur’an 13:26)

In the tafsir of Maududi, this verse refutes
the disbelievers of Makkah, “They judged
a man’s worth by his wealth and worldly
prosperity and not by his faith and
righteous conduct. [...] Allah gives His
provision to the people abundantly or
sparingly for reasons different from
those which they presumed and richness
or poverty is no criterion by which to
judge the worth of people. The real
criterion of judging the worth of people
is their beliefs and deeds.”

References:
[1] Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 3451
73 [2] Sahih Muslim 2759
 Al-Khafid
(The Reducer)

The Lowerer, The Reducer,

The Abaser

ُ َْ
Allah is Al-Khafid (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلاف ِض‬, meaning the Abaser, The One who lowers whoever
He willed by His destruction and (Ar-Rafi) The One who raises whoever He willed by
His endowment.

From the root kha-fa-dad (‫)خ ف ض‬, which This attribute describes how Allah T
has the following classical Arabic abases the proud, the oppressors, and
connotations: to lower, weaken, depress, rebels. He chooses the ones to be
to make humble, abase, to relax, diminish, humbled, softened, or made gentle. He
subdue, to make gentle, tranquil, easy to decides to raise or weaken people, to
deal with, to soften, make easy, facilitate. give them honor, or to take it away.

Among the disputed names:

Different scholars have different criteria
for what qualifies as a name of Allah
Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly
mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore, there
is not one agreed-upon list for the
remaining 18 names. Al-Khaafid is one of
those names which has been excluded
T. by some scholars. This includes Ibn
Uthaymeen, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn Hajar,
among others. However, Al-Khafid is
commonly recognized as an official
name in most books of Asmaul Husna.

ٌ ٌ َ َ
‫خاف ِضة َّراف َِعة‬
Khafidatur raafi’ah

English Translation:

“It will bring down [some] and raise up [others].” (Qur’an 56:3)

The downfall of Firaun:

A well-known example of Allah T debasing someone is Firaun, the tyrannical dictator
in the story of Musa (q). What was his fate despite having immense power and
being the Pharaoh of Egypt?
74
 As the story goes, He sought after Musa
(q) to kill or imprison him, and Allah
T protects Musa (q) by granting
him entry through the sea by parting it.
“Then We inspired to Moses, “Strike with
your staff the sea,” and it parted, and
each portion was like a great towering
mountain.” (Surah Ash-Shu’ara Ayat 63)
Firaun was a witness to this but still
decided to pursue and capture Musa
(q) and the Israelites to prevent their
escape. But the Qur’an mentions, “Then
We drowned the others.” (Surah
Ash-Shu’ara Ayat 66)
Now, the Qur’an does not explicitly state
Firaun’s name but focuses on Musa’s
story (q) instead. Still, the best
historical account of the Pharaoh during
Prophet Musa (q) time is guessed to
be King Ramses II. King Ramses Mummy
has been preserved and is now open to
the public for visitation in the Cairo
Museum in Egypt. The Qur’an says about
Firaun, “So today We will save you in body
that you may be to those who succeed
you a sign. And indeed, many among the
people, of Our signs, are heedless”
(Qur’an 10:92)

The idea of Allah T being the reducer can be studied indirectly through
referencing other verses from the Qur’an, which emphasize the quality. This will allow
us to reflect more deeply on His greatness and wisdom.

َ ٰ َ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َ َّ ُ َۡ َ ۡ َ ٓ َ َٰ ۡ ََۡ َ ۡ ََ
۞ ‫يم ۞ ثم رددنه أسفل سفِل ِني‬ ٖ ِ‫ٱلنسن ِف أحس ِن تقو‬ ِ ‫لقد خلقنا‬
َ
‫ون‬ ‫ن‬ ُ ۡ ‫ت فَلَ ُه ۡم أ ۡج ٌر َغ‬
ُ ‫ي َم ۡم‬
ِ ٰ ‫ِح‬ َّ ْ ‫ام ُنوا ْ َو َعملُوا‬
َ ‫ٱلص ٰـل‬
ِ َ ‫إ َّل َّٱل‬
َ ‫ِين َء‬
ٖ ِ
Laqad khalaqnal insaana fee ahsani taqweem Thumma ra dad naahu asfala saafileen
Ill-lal lazeena aamanoo wa amilus saalihaati; falahum ajrun ghairu mamnoon

English Translation:

“We have certainly created man in the best of stature; Then We return him to the
lowest of the low, Except for those who believe and do righteous deeds, for they will
have a reward uninterrupted.” (Quran 95:4-6)

َ َ ۡ َ ُ ُ َ َ ُ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ُّ َ ُ ٰ َ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َّ َ َ
ٓ‫ول َر ّب‬
۞ ‫أكرم ِن‬ ِ َ ‫ٱلنس َن إِذا ما ٱبتلىه ربهۥ فأكرمهۥ ونعمهۥ فيق‬ ِ ‫فأما‬
َ َ ٓ ّ َ ُ ُ َ َ ُ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ٰ َ َ ۡ َ َ ٓ َّ َ
ِ ٰ‫ب أه‬
‫ن‬ ِ ‫وأما إِذا ما ٱبتلىه فقدر عليهِ رِزقهۥ فيقول ر‬
Fa ammal insaanu izaa mab talaahu Rabbuhoo fa akramahoo wa na ‘amahoo fa
yaqoolu Rabbeee akraman Wa ammaaa izaa mabtalaahu faqadara ‘alaihi rizqahoo fa
yaqoolu Rabbeee ahaanan

English Translation:
And as for man, when his Lord tries him and [thus] is generous to him and favors him,
he says, ‘My Lord has honored me.’ But when He tries him and restricts his provision,
he says, ‘My Lord has humiliated me.” (Quran 89:15-16)
75
The Tafheem ul-Qur’an by Abul-Maududi
explores an interesting perspective on
the last ayah. If the believer’s reaction
when his or her financial situation
worsens is, “My Lord has humiliated me,”
reveals a hidden message or wrongful
thinking the person may have been
blinded to. In this case, the person may
be afraid to be seen as a failure. Their
ego was preoccupied with attaining
worldly success (which is not inherently
problematic), but they may have
identified with it too deeply. They fail to
realize that having wealth is not a sign of
Allah’s approval and that a lack is not a
sign of His displeasure. Rather both are
tests for the believer. In wealth, the test is
whether or not the person will forget his
Lord or become arrogant and ingrateful.
Or, as we’ve mentioned previously, in a
position of power, will they become
abusive, corrupt, and try to take
advantage of people for personal gain?
In poverty, the test is different.
References:
[1] Hasan (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 4141
It may be a test of patience, to find
satisfaction or contentment in scarcity,
or whether the person can remain
grateful to Allah T for that which they
still have. Or will his faith decrease, and
his displeasure with Allah T increase?
Will they transgress Allah’s command-
ments and become immoral to change
their current circumstance?
We’ve mentioned this hadith in one of
the other names of Allah T, but it is
worth reiterating here for this name. It
was narrated from Salamah bin
Ubaidullah bin Mihsan Al-Ansari that his
father said: The Messenger of Allah (x)
said: ‘Whoever among you wakes up
physically healthy, feeling safe and
secure within himself with food for the
day, it is as if he acquired the whole
world.’ [1] We need to remind ourselves
that sometimes this is enough; anything
else Allah T gives us is a gift.
76
 Ar-Rafi
(The Exalter)

The Exalter, The Elevator,

The Raiser.

ُ ْ
Allah is Ar-Rafi (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل َّراف ِع‬. He is The One who lowers whoever He wills and raises
whoever He wills. The One who chooses who will be raised in rank in every way.

From the root ra-fa-ayn (‫ع‬ ‫)ر ف‬, which can lower, He has the power and ability
has the following classical Arabic to raise. He honors certain individuals like
connotations: to raise or elevate the Prophets (may peace be upon
something, to uplift, to take it up, to make them), who are still revered to this day.
high, to exalt, make honorable, make Others have been disgraced, like Abu
eminent, to bring a thing near. Lahab, the uncle of Prophet Muhammad
This name is contrasted with Al-Khafid, x who has an entire Surah debasing
meaning The Reducer. Just as Allah T Him (i.e., Surah al-Masad).

Among the disputed names:

Different scholars have different criteria for what qualifies as a name of Allah T. Of
the 99 names, 81 are explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore, there is not one
agreed-upon list for the remaining 18 names. Ar-Rafi is one of those names which has
been excluded by some scholars. This includes Ibn Uthaymeen, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn
Hajar, among others. However, Ar-Rafi is commonly recognized as an official name in
most books of Asmaul Husna.

َ َّ ٓ َ َّ
‫ت َّمن نشا ُء ۗ إِن َر َّبك‬ ٰ َ َ ‫ِيم‬
ۢ ٍ ‫ع قَ ْو ِمهِۦ ۚ نَ ْر َف ُع َد َر َج ٰـ‬ ِ
َ ْ َ
َ ‫ك ُح َّج ُت َنا ٓ َءاتَيْ َن ٰـ َها ٓ إب ْ َرٰه‬ ‫وت ِل‬
ٌ ‫ِيم َعل‬
‫ِيم‬ ٌ ‫َحك‬

Wa tilka hujjatunaaa aatainaahaaa Ibraaheema ‘alaa qawmih; narfa’u darajaatim man

nashaaa’; inna Rabbaka Hakeemun ‘Aleem

English Translation:

“And that was Our [conclusive] argument which We gave Abraham against his
people. We raise by degrees whom We will. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing.”
(Qur’an 6:83)
77
 َ َۡ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ ٰ َ ‫حوا ْ ف ٱل ۡ َم‬
ُ َّ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ ْ ٓ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ
ِ‫ح‬ ‫س‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ي‬ ‫وا‬ ‫ح‬ ‫س‬ ‫ٱف‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ِس‬ ِ ‫ل‬ ‫ج‬ ِ ‫س‬ ‫ف‬ ‫يـأيها ٱلِين ءامنوا إِذا قِيل لكم ت‬
َ ‫ِنك ۡم َو َّٱل‬
‫ِين‬
ُ ْ َ َ َ َّ ُ َّ َ ۡ َ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ ُ ُ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ َّ
‫ام ُنوا م‬ ‫ٱلل لكمۖ ِإَوذا قِيل ٱنشوا فٱنشوا يرفعِ ٱلل ٱلِين ء‬
ٞ‫ون َخبري‬ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ ْ ُ ُ
ِ ‫ت وٱلل بِما تعمل‬ ۚ ٖ ‫أوتوا ٱلعِلم درج‬
Yaaa ayyuhal lazeena aamanoo izaa qeela lakum tafassahoo fil majaalisi fafsahoo
yafsahil laahu lakum wa izaa qeelan shuzoo fanshuzoo yarfa’il laahul lazeena aamanoo
minkum wallazeena ootul ‘ilma darajaat; wallaahu bimaa ta’maloona khabeer

English Translation:

“O you who have believed, when you are told, “Space yourselves” in assemblies, then
make space; Allah will make space for you. And when you are told, “Arise,” then arise;
Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given
knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” (Qur’an 58:11)

ٓ َ َ َ َٰ َ َ ْ َ
َ ْ ُ ْ
‫ٱلروح مِن أم ِره ِۦ ع من يشاء مِن عِبادِه ِۦ‬ ُّ ‫ت ُذو ٱلْ َع ْر ِش يُلْق‬ َ َّ ‫ِيع‬
ِ ‫ٱدل َرج ٰـ‬ ُ ‫َرف‬
ِ
َ َّ َ ْ َ َ ُ
‫ٱتلل ِق‬ ‫ِلنذِر يوم‬
Rafee’ud darajaati zul ‘Arshi yulqir rooha min amrihee ‘alaa mai yashaaa’u min
‘ibaadihee liyunzira yawmat talaaq

English Translation:

“[He is] the Exalted above [all] degrees, Owner of the Throne; He places the inspiration
of His command upon whom He wills of His servants to warn of the Day of Meeting.”
(Qur’an 40:15)

An example from the story of Iblees:

The story of Iblees encapsulates these
two names perfectly. It is yet another
example of how if Allah T chooses, He
can either exalt or debase. The popular
belief among scholars is that Iblees was
not an Angel but among the Jinns. But he
was a high-ranking and pious one
devoted to Allah T.
The reasoning for him being among the
Jinn is that “..angels stern (and) severe,
who flinch not (from executing) the
Commands they receive from Allah, but
do (precisely) what they are
commanded.” (Qur’an 66:6). Angels have
no free will and carry out the command-
ments of Allah T, there is no
disobedience. We’re also told by Aishah
(May Allah be pleased with her) that The
Messenger of Allah x said, “Angels were
created from light, jinns were created
from a smokeless flame of fire, and
‘Adam was created from that which you
have been told (i.e., sounding clay like
the clay of pottery).” [1]
The confusion as to whether Iblees was
an Angel comes from this verse, “And
[mention] when We said to the angels,
‘Prostrate before Adam’; so they
prostrated, except for Iblees.
78
 He refused and was arrogant and became of the Jinn upon his refusal. He
became of the disbelievers.” (Qur’an was given the privilege to be the only
2:34) The exclusion ‘except Iblees’ seems one among the Angels when Allah T
to imply He was among the Angels. revealed to them His latest creation in

Al-Qurtubi said in his tafsir of Surah Adam (q).

Baqarah: “The idea that he was one of But in Surah Sad, when Allah T asked
the angels is the view of the majority [i.e., why he refused to prostrate to Adam, “He
of the early sahaba], Ibn Abbas, Ibn said, ‘I am better than him. You created
Mas’ud, Ibn Jurayj, Ibn al-Musayyib, me from fire and created him from clay.’”
Qutadah and others.” (Qur’an 38:76).

But in Surah Kahf, it is made clear, “And
[mention] when We said to the angels,
‘Prostrate to Adam,’ and they prostrated,
except for Iblees. He was of the jinn and
departed from the command of his
Lord.” (Qur’an 18:50) Still the view among
some is he was an Angel and then
From these verses and the hadith, it
seems clear the popular opinion should
be that Iblees was a high-ranking Jinn
who became debased. “[Allah] said, ‘Get
out of here; surely you are rajim accursed,
And indeed, upon you is My curse until the
Day of Recompense.’” (Qur’an 38:77-78)

Allah T raised the rank of Muhammad x

In Surah Ash-Sharh verse 4, Allah T reminds Prophet Muhammad x He had raised
his status to comfort him. Remember that this was an early Meccan surah when the
Prophet was relatively unknown, with a few followers.

ْ َ َ َ
‫َو َرف ْع َنا لك ذِك َر َك‬
Wa raf ana laka zikrak

English Translation:

“And raised high for you your repute.” (Qur’an 94:4)

The believer benefits from the
knowledge of this name. It re-affirms the
reality that Ar-Rafi is the one we should
rely upon. Allah T is high above all, so
whatever it is you wish to be increased
in, call upon this name. Only Allah T can
increase your ranks; there is no other.
Be detached from your wrong-doings.
Your wrong-doings are not you. Similarly,
avoid the goal seeking to be raised
79
because it creates a trap for yourself.
What happens if you don’t feel your
status being elevated? Do you lose hope
and motivation and stop seeking it from
Allah? Imam Zarruq writes, “Whosoever
comes to understand that He is Al-Khafid
Ar-Rafi does not place his trust in any of
his states, and he settles with no reliance
on any component of his knowledge or
any action of his.
Besides, he desires neither a lowering
nor an uplifting, since the two of them
are not gained saved through Him.” The
one who worships Allah because they
understand only He is worthy of worship,
regardless of their emotional state or in
success or poverty.
Imam al-Ghazali writes regarding his
counsel for this name, “Man’s share in
References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 2996 & Riyad as-Salihin 1846
this consists in exalting the truth and
abasing falsehood, by supporting those
who are right and reporaching those
who are wrong, treating God’s enemies
as enemies in order to abase them and
befriending God’s friends in order to
exalt them.”
80
 Al-Mu’izz
(The Honourer-Bestower)

The Giver of Honor,

The Bestower of Might.

Allah T is Al-Mu’izz, He gives esteem to whoever He willed; hence there will be no

one to degrade them. He degrades whoever He willed; hence there is no one else to
provide them with esteem. Al-Mu’izz is the one to give strength and honor to His
obedient and loving servants. He gives material power to whoever He wills. He
strengthens, glorifies, and makes it possible for someone or something to be
respected.

From the root ayn-zay-zay (‫ز‬ ‫)ع ز‬, which related to the previous names. The
has the following classical Arabic emphasis of these attributes is on giving
connotations: to be mighty, potent, dominion or sovereignty to the people
strong, powerful, high, elevated, noble, and/or taking it away. Imam al-Ghazali
exalted, honorable, to be noble, glorious, writes on Al-Mu’izz, “true dominion
illustrious, indomitable, invincible, consists in deliverance [meaning set
respected, cherished, dear to, scarce, free] from the shame of need, the
rare, precious, and/or unattainable. dominance of passion, and the disgrace

The following two names in the series of ignorance.”

(i.e., Al-Mu’izz and Al-Mudhill) are closely

Among the disputed names:

We’ve also covered how varying scholars have different criteria for what consitutes
as a name of Allah T. Al-Mu’izz is not fully recognized as an official name by certain
scholars such as Ibn Uthaymeen, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn al-Wazir among others. As a rule
of thumb, if the name contains prefix alif lam before the name then that’s a clear
indication of belonging as a name of Allah T.
The name Al-Mu’izz does not appear in the Qur’an, but many verses allude to this
attribute as the one who gives izzah meaning strength, power, or dignity. This has
been mentioned in the name of Allah T Al-Aziz which shares the same root.

81
 ُ ٓ ََ َ ۡ ۡ ُ َ َ ُٓ ََ َ َ ۡ ُۡ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ٰ َ َّ ُ َّ ُ
‫زنع ٱل ُملك م َِّمن تشا ُء َوت ِع ُّز‬ ِ ‫ت‬ ‫و‬ ‫ء‬ ‫ا‬‫ش‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ‫كت‬
‫ؤ‬ ِ ‫ق ِل ٱللهم مل ِك ٱلمل‬
ٞ ‫شءٖ قَد‬ ۡ َ ‫ك‬ ّ ُ ٰ َ َ َ َّ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ ُّ ُ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ
‫ِير‬ ِ ‫من تشاء وتذِل من تشاء ۖ بِيدِك ٱلي ۖ إِنك ع‬
Qulil laahumma Maalikal Mulki tu’til mulka man tashaaa’u wa tanzi’ul mulka mimman
tashhaaa’u wa tu’izzu man tashaaa’u wa tuzillu man tashaaa’u biyadikal khairu innaka
‘alaa kulli shai’in Qadeer

English Translation:

“Say, “O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You
take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You
humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things
competent.” (Qur’an 3:26)

َ ۡ َ َٰ َ َ َٓ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َّ ُ َ َٓ ََۡ ۡ َ َۡ َ َََ
َ
‫فبدأ بِأوعِيت ِ ِهم قبل وِعءِ أخِيهِ ثم ٱستخرجها مِن وِعء أخِي ۚهِ كذل ِك كِدنا‬
ِ
ٰ َ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ ٓ َ َ َ ٓ َّ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ ُ َۡ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ
‫ت‬ ٖ ‫ِك إِل أن يشاء ٱللۚ نرفع درج‬ ِ ‫ِين ٱلمل‬ ِ ‫ِلوسفۖ ما كن ِلأخذ أخاه ِف د‬
ٞ ‫ك ذِي ع ِۡلم َعل‬ ّ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ٓ َ َّ َّ
‫ِيم‬ ٍ ِ ‫من نشاء ۗ وفوق‬
Fabada-a bi-aw’iyatihim qabla wi’aaa’i akheehi summas takhrajahaa minw wi aaa’i
akheeh; kazaalika kidnaa li Yoosuf; maa kaana liyaakhuza akhaahu fee deenil maliki illaaa
any yashaaa’al laah; narfa’u darajaatim man nashaaa’; wa fawqa kulli zee ilmin Aleem

English Translation:

“So he began [the search] with their bags before the bag of his brother; then he
extracted it from the bag of his brother. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not
have taken his brother within the religion of the king except that Allah willed. We
raise in degrees whom We will, but over every possessor of knowledge is one
[more] knowing.” (Qur’an 12:76)

To be among the honored Allah T created from male and female

tells in Surah Hujurat verse 76, “O mankind, (understood to mean our origin is the
indeed We have created you from male same as Adam and Eve). Allah T has
and female and made you peoples and created us to meet other tribes so that
tribes that you may know one another. we may get to know one another. To
Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight gain knowledge and to further
of Allah is the most righteous of you. understand the human condition.
Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” Despite the visible differences, we bleed

This famous verse addresses racial the same.

discrimination and prejudice. We are all

82
 In the commentary of Tafhim ul-Quran,
“O people, be aware: your God is One. No
Arab has any superiority over a non-
Arab, and no non-Arab any superiority
over an Arab, and no white one has any
superiority over a black one, and no
black one any superiority over a white
one, except on the basis of taqwa (piety).”
With this in mind, one can characterize
themselves by this name of Allah T by
using their strength and might to what
has been commanded and to uphold/
honor it. The opposite for Al-Mudhill is
also true. To lower and debase that
which Allah T has forbiden.

ُ ۡ ُ ّ َّ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ً َ ُ َّ ۡ َّ َ َ َّ ۡ ُ ُ َ َ َ
‫ب َوٱل َع َمل‬ ِ ‫من كن ي ِريد ٱلعِزة فل ِلهِ ٱلعِزة جِيعا ۚ إِلهِ يصعد ٱلك ِم ٱلطي‬
ُ
َ ٰٓ َ ْ ُ ۡ َ َ ٞ َ ٞ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َ ّ َّ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ َ ُ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ ٰ َّ
‫ات لهم عذاب شدِيدۖ ومكر أولـئِك‬ ٔ
ِ ‫ٱلصـل ِح يرفعه ۚۥ وٱلِين يمكرون ٱلسيِـ‬
ُ ‫ُه َو َي ُب‬
‫ور‬
Man kaana yureedul izzata falillaahil izzatu jamee’aa; ilaihi yas’adul kalimut taiyibu
wal’amalus saalihu yarfa’uh; wallazeena yamkuroonas sayyiaati lahum ‘azaabun
shadeed; wa makru ulaaa’ika huwa yaboor

English Translation:

“Whoever desires honor [through power] – then to Allah belongs all honor. To Him
ascends good speech, and righteous work raises it. But they who plot evil deeds
will have a severe punishment, and the plotting of those – it will perish.”
(Qur’an 35:10)

ۡ ُّ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َٰ َ َٓ
ُ َّ ‫ك‬
ۖ‫ٱدلن َيا‬ ‫ار ٱٓأۡلخِرة ۖ ول تنس ن ِصيبك مِن‬ َّ ‫ٱلل‬
َ ‫ٱدل‬ ‫ٱب َتغِ فِيما ءاتى‬
ۡ ‫َو‬
ُّ‫ٱلل َل ُيِب‬ َ َّ ‫ۡرض إ َّن‬ َۡ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ٓ َ َ ۡ ََ
ِ ۖ ِ ‫وأحسِن كما أحسن ٱلل إِلك ۖ ول تبغِ ٱلفساد ِف ٱل‬
ۡ ۡ
ِ ‫ٱل ُمف‬
َ ‫س ِد‬
‫ين‬
Wabtaghi feemaaa aataakal laahud Daaral Aakhirata wa laa tansa naseebaka minad
dunyaa wa ahsin kamaaa ahsanal laahu ilaika wa laa tabghil fasaada fil ardi innal laaha
laa yuhibbul mufsideen

English Translation:

“But seek, through that which Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and
[yet], do not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allah has done good
to you. And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allah does not like corrupters.”
(Quran 28:77)

83
 Al-Muzill/Al-Mudhill
(The Dishonourer)

The Humiliator, The Disgracer,

The Degrader

ُّ ْ
Allah is Al Muzil or Mudhill (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل ُمذِل‬, He gives esteem to whoever He willed;
hence there will be no one to degrade them. He degrades whoever He willed; hence
there is no one else to provide them with esteem. Once a man is disgraced, He may
never be honored without the permission of Allah.

From the root dad-lam-lam (‫)ض ل ل‬,
which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be low, base, abject,
paltry, to be vile, contemptible,
despicable, to be inglorious, abased,
humble, to be lowly, submissive, weak, to
be tractable, easy, and manageable.
The following two names in the series
(i.e., Al-Mu’izz and Al-Mudhill) are closely
related to the previous names.
The emphasis of these attributes is on
giving dominion or sovereignty to the
people and/or taking it away. Imam al-
Ghazali writes on Al-Mu’izz, “true dominion
consists in deliverance [meaning set
free] from the shame of need, the
dominance of passion, and the disgrace
of ignorance.”

Among the disputed names:

There is no ayah which explicitly mentions the name Al-Mudhill in the Qur’an, but
many describe this attribute of Allah T.

ُ ٓ ََ َ ْ ْ ُ َ َ ُٓ ََ َ َ ْ ُْ ْ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ ٰ َ َّ ُ َّ ُ
‫زنع ٱل ُملك م َِّمن تشا ُء َوتعِ ُّز‬ ِ ‫ت‬ ‫و‬ ‫ء‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ش‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬‫ل‬ ‫م‬‫ٱل‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ‫كت‬
‫ؤ‬ ِ ‫ق ِل ٱللهم مـل ِك ٱلمل‬
ْ َ ‫ك‬
ٌ ‫ش ٍء ۢ قَد‬ ّ ُ ٰ َ َ َ َّ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ ُّ ُ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ
‫ِير‬ ِ ‫من تشاء وتذِل من تشاء ۖ بِيدِك ٱلي ۖ إِنك ع‬
Qulil laahumma Maalikal Mulki tu’til mulka man tashaaa’u wa tanzi’ul mulka mimman
tashhaaa’u wa tu’izzu man tashaaa’u wa tuzillu man tashaaa’u biyadikal khairu innaka
‘alaa kulli shai’in Qadeer

English Translation:

“Say, ‘O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You
take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You
humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things
competent.” (Qur’an 3:26)
84
 َ ُ َ ۡ َ ْ ُ َ َۡ َُ ۡ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ ُّ ٰ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ ُ َّ ُ ُ َ َ َ َ
‫فأذاقهم ٱلل ٱلِزي ِف ٱليوة ِ ٱدلنياۖ ولعذاب ٱٓأۡلخِرة ِ أكبۚ لو كنوا يعلمون‬
Fa azaaqahumul laahul khizya fil hayaatid dunyaa wa la’azaabul Aakhirati akbar; law
kaanoo ya’lamoon

English Translation:

“So Allah made them taste disgrace in worldly life. But the punishment of the
Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.” (Qur’an 39:26)

As we mentioned in the name Al-Khafid, Allah T humbles who He chooses. In the

names leading up to this one, we’ve briefly covered the stories of Abu Lahab, Iblees,
and Firaun and how they were debased.

The next verse reminds us that on the day of judgement the hypocrites will also be
among those who are humbled.

َ ُ ُ َ ُ َ َ ۡ ُ َّ ٰ َ َ ٰ َ َ ْ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ َ ُ
‫نت ۡم أنف َسك ۡم َوت َر َّب ۡص ُت ۡم‬ ‫ينادونهم ألم نكن معكمۖ قالوا بل ولكِنكم فت‬
ُ ُ َ ۡ َّ ُ َّ َ َ َّ ُ ۡ َ َ ٓ َ ٰ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ۡ ُ ُ ۡ َّ َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ
۞ ‫ان حت جاء أمر ٱللِ وغركم بِٱللِ ٱلغرور‬ ِ ‫وٱرتبتم وغرتكم ٱلم‬
ۡ
ُ ٰ َ َ ْ ۚ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ٞ َ ۡ ۡ ُ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ
َ ِ ۖ ‫ار‬
‫ه‬ ُ َّ‫ك ُم ٱنل‬ ‫فٱلَ ۡو َم ل يُؤخذ مِنكم ف ِدية ول مِن ٱلِين كفروا مأوى‬
ُ‫ك ۡمۖ َوب ۡئ َس ٱل ۡ َم ِصري‬
ُ ََٰۡ
‫مولى‬
ِ
Yunaadoonahum alam nakum ma’akum qaaloo balaa wa laakinnakum fatantum
anfusakum wa tarabbastum wartabtum wa gharratkumul amaaniyyu hatta jaaa’a amrul
laahi wa gharrakum billaahil gharoor Fal Yawma laa yu’khazu minkum fidyatunw wa laa
minal lazeena kafaroo; ma’waakumun Naaru hiya maw laakum wa bi’sal maseer

English Translation:

“The hypocrites will call to the believers, “Were we not with you?” They will say, “Yes,
but you afflicted yourselves and awaited [misfortune for us] and doubted, and
wishful thinking deluded you until there came the command of Allah. And the
Deceiver deceived you concerning Allah. So today no ransom will be taken from
you or from those who disbelieved. Your refuge is the Fire. It is most worthy of you,
and wretched is the destination.”(Qur’an 35:10)

As mentioned in Al-Mu’izz - To be among the honored Allah T tells in Surah

Hujurat verse 76, “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female
and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most
noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing
and Acquainted.”

85
This famous verse addresses racial a non-Arab, and no non-Arab any
discrimination and prejudice. We are all superiority over an Arab, and no white
created from male and female one has any superiority over a black one,
(understood to mean our origin is the and no black one any superiority over a
same as Adam and Eve). Allah T has white one, except on the basis of taqwa
created us to meet other tribes so that (piety).” With this in mind, one can
we may get to know one another. To characterize themselves by this name of
gain knowledge and to further Allah T by using their strength and
understand the human condition. might to what has been commanded

Despite the visible differences, we bleed and to uphold/honor it. The opposite for

the same. In the commentary of Tafhim Al-Mudhill is also true. To lower and

ul-Quran, “O people, be aware: your God debase that which Allah T has forbiden.

is One. No Arab has any superiority over

86
 As-sami
(The All-Hearing)

The Hearer. His eternal hearing without

an ear, instrument or organ.

Allah is As-Sami (in Arabic:

ُ ‫ )ٱل ْ َّس ِم‬the perpetual hearer. He pays attention to every
‫يع‬
supplication, listening to all who reach out to Him. Whether we speak loudly or in
secrecy, English or in French, Allah T hears it all.

From the root sin-mim-ayn (‫)س م ع‬, which But note this is not to anthropomorphize
has the following classical Arabic Allah’s qualities. Rather, we affirm these
connotations: to hear, to listen, to accept, attributes because He affirmed them. His
to receive, to be told, to pay attention to, seeing is not like our seeing. His hearing
pay regard, to understand the meaning. is far greater than our hearing.
The name of Allah T As-Sami is Imam Al-Ghazali wrote, “He hears without
established in the Qur’an. Thus far, we’ve any auditory organs or ears, as He acts
discussed attributes about His will, power, without limbs and speaks without a
knowledge, strength, and ability. Next, we tongue; and His hearing is free from
focus on Allah’s attributes of hearing accidents which could befall it.”
and seeing.

َّ ٓ ّ َ َّ َ ٓ ُ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ ْ ْ َ ٰ َ َ ُّ َ ٓ َ َّ َ ُ ْ َ َ ُْ
‫ب ۚ إِن ُهۥ‬
ِ ‫ر‬ ‫ل‬ ِ ‫إ‬ ِ
‫وح‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ِ ‫ب‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ي‬ ‫د‬ ‫ت‬‫ٱه‬ ‫ِإَون‬
ِ ۖ ‫س‬ ِ ‫ف‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ض‬
ِ ‫أ‬ ‫ا‬‫م‬ ‫ن‬ ِ ‫إ‬‫ف‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ض‬ ‫ن‬ِ ‫إ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ق‬
ٌ ‫يع قَر‬
‫يب‬ ٌ ‫َس ِم‬
ِ
Qul in dalaltu fainnamaaa adillu ‘alaa nafsee wa inih-tadaitu fabimaa yoohee ilaiya
Rabbee; innahoo Samee’un Qareeb

English Translation:

“Say, ‘If I should err, I would only err against myself. But if I am guided, it is by what
my Lord reveals to me. Indeed, He is Hearing and near.” (Qur’an 34:50)

What does it mean for Allah T to hear?

So how do we then conceptualize Allah’s hearing? From this ayah, we learn Allah T
is near to all of us, and He is forever listening. There is no deficiency in His perception.
87 He hears all, even if it were hidden. He knows what is felt by the heart.
So, whatever it is you want, make du’a and ask of it from Allah the Almighty. There is
no limit and nothing He can’t fulfill. This attribute is also a reminder

if you need someone to talk to, He will always be there to hear from His servant. We
don’t have to go to His house (Kaabah) just to be close to Him. “And when My servants
ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation
of the supplicant when he calls upon Me” (Qur’an 2:186)

Human desire to be heard:

All humans, on some level, crave to be
loved and heard. And sometimes, the
people closest to us can hurt us the
most because we expect them to
reciprocate interest, and when they
don’t, it feels like a betrayal. We’ve taken
time to listen to them, but they turn
around and prioritize their own lives,
issues, and problems. It can feel isolating.
We should recognize a good friend is
someone who will listen not just when
we’ve got good news but when we’re
down.
In the Qur’an, Allah T reassures us many
times that He is the eternal hearer. The
best friend/listener you could ask for. We
can always fall back and know He is
listening and available for us. Allah T
also makes this point heard by repeating
this name for a total of 45 throughout
the Qur’an.

َّ َ ٓ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ
ُ َّ ‫ٱللِ َو‬ َ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َ َ ْ َ
‫ٱلل ي َ ْس َم ُع‬ ‫جها وتشت ِك إِل‬ ِ ‫قد س ِمع ٱلل قول ٱل ِت ت ٰـدِلك ِف زو‬
ٌ ‫يع بَ ِص‬
‫ري‬ ۢ ٌ ‫ٱلل َس ِم‬ ُ َ‫َت‬
َ َّ ‫او َر ُك َما ٓ ۚ إ َّن‬
ِ
Qad sami’al laahu qawlal latee tujaadiluka fee zawjihaa wa tashtakeee ilal laahi
wallaahu yasma’u tahaawurakumaa; innal laaha samee’um baseer

English Translation:

“Certainly has Allah heard the speech of the one who argues with you, [O
Muhammad], concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allah. And
Allah hears your dialogue; indeed, Allah is Hearing and Seeing.” (Qur’an 34:50)

This ayah also shows a second meaning to the name Sami which is ‘hearing the
speech’ or acceptance. For example, when a person praying comes up from ruku
they say,
ُ‫الل ل َِم ْن َح َِده‬
ُ َّ ‫ َس ِم َع‬Sami Allahu liman hamidah, meaning ‘Allah hears the one
who praises Him.’ [1]

From the Story of Prophet Yaqub (q):

At some low point in our lives, we may have questioned whether Allah T has heard
our prayers. In a moment of weakness, the shaitan whispers in our ears, tricking us
into thinking our supplication went “unheard.”

This is faulty thinking. Just because we immediately didn’t get what we wanted doesn’t
mean He hasn’t heard our prayer. 88
 Remember that even Prophet Yaqub know not.” (Qur’an 12:21) Eventually, His
(q) spent many years separated du’a went from being heard to accepted
from his son Yusuf (q). He grieved as and he was reunited with his son.
any father would. The Qur’an states The other subtlety that’s often missed,
Yaqub’s (q) vision became impaired which encompasses the name Al-Sami,
from stress, sorrow, and frequent is Allah’s acceptance and/or His
sobbing. But Yaqub ( q) never response. As Yaqub (q) mentioned,
wavered in Allah T plan for him. He kept “Allah has full power and control over His
turning to Him, praying, making du’a, affairs.” This is why Prophet Ibrahim and
asking that he be reunited with his son. Ishamel (may peace be upon them)
He would say, “I only complain of my asked Allah T to accept their du’a as He
suffering and my grief to Allah…” (Qur’an is Samme’ul Aleem. He hears and knows
12:86) and “And Allah has full power and what’s best for the believer.
control over His Affairs, but most of men

َ‫ك أَنت‬
َ َّ ٓ َّ ۡ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ
‫ت ِإَوسم ِعيل ربنا تقبل مِنا ۖ إِن‬ ِ ۡ
‫ي‬ َ ۡ َ َ َ َۡ ُ َۡ ُ َ َۡ ۡ
‫ٱل‬ ‫ِإَوذ يرفع إِبرٰهِـۧم ٱلقواعِد مِن‬
ُ ‫يع ۡٱل َعل‬
‫ِيم‬ َّ
ُ ‫ٱلس ِم‬

Wa iz yarfa’u Ibraaheemul qawaa’ida minal Baitiwa Ismaa’eelu Rabbanaa taqabbal

minnaa innaka Antas Samee’ul Aleem

English Translation:

“And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with
him] Ishmael, [saying], “Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing,
the Knowing.” (Qur’an 34:50)

Learning about As-Sami is a reminder From this, we also understand the

to ourselves to become better listeners.
Just as Allah T tells us He listens, can we
say the same? How closely have we
heard and understood the calling of
Allah T? Could we do better in following
what was shown to us for guidance? Go
out and seek to hear things that will
benefit the mind, body, and soul. Listen
and learn from the Qur’an, and seek
knowledge that benefits your life, career,
marriage, children, and your deen. Set
aside a portion of your day, be it 10-20
minutes, to search for these things.
89
importance of being watchful over our
words and our actions. If in every
moment we realized Allah T was
watching over us, then we would speak
and act in the highest manner. We would
be diligent to avoid all that which
displeases Him.
Furthermore, it makes us reflect on the
importance that good communication
plays in our lives. How would you assess
or grade your listening skills? It truly is an
art form to be mastered.
A mother who is upset with her son may
not really be upset about the subject
matter. If it’s a common occurrence, it
may be seeking attention in the only way
she knows the son will respond. Good
communication is picking up on or
asking ourselves if we’re
something other than what’s being said.
This goes back to human desire to be
heard and understood.
In the hadith narrated by Abu Musa: We
were with the Prophet (x) on a journey,
and whenever we ascended a high
References:
[1] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 1062
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 7386
place, we used to say, “Allahu Akbar.” The
Prophet ( x) said, “Don’t trouble
yourselves too much! You are not calling
a deaf or an absent person, but you are
calling One Who Hears, Sees, and is very
near.” [2]
missing Find comfort in knowing we are never
truly alone, “you are calling One Who
Hears, Sees, and is very near.” The world
may misunderstand you, but Allah T
knows the purity and kindness that lives
in your heart. He understands what’s
really being said and what we need.
90
 Al-basir
(The All-Seeing)

The All-Noticing. The one who sees all

things by His Eternal Seeing without a
pupil or any other instrument.

Allah is Al-Baseer (in Arabic:

ُ ‫) ْٱلَ ِص‬, He sees everything, even if it’s insignificant, like a
‫ري‬
black ant on a black stone when it’s pitch black at night. There is nothing hidden
from His sight. He has knowledge of all things, both in Heaven and on Earth. He does
not miss any detail. His sight encompasses all, not just the superficial. He sees what’s
truly within.

From the root ba-sad-ra (‫ر‬ ‫)ب ص‬, which These names are often used in tandem
has the following classical Arabic to emphasize how Allah T has complete
connotations: to see, behold, to notice, to awareness and is knowledgeable of
understand, to know, to perceive, to have everything. The idea that nothing
insight, to be acutely aware. escapes Him.
Al-Basir is the complementary name to This name makes an appearance a total
As-Sami, which means “The All Hearing.” of 42 times throughout the Qur’an.

From the story of Prophet Musa (q):

َ َ ُ َ َ َّ ٓ َ َ َ َ َ َ
ٰ‫ك َما ٓ أ ْس َم ُع َوأ َرى‬‫قال ل تافا ۖ إِن ِن مع‬
Qaala laa takhaafaaa innanee ma’akumaa asma’u wa araa

English Translation:

“[Allah] said, “Fear not. Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and I see.” (Qur’an 20:46)

This verse was said to Prophet Musa (q) when he was commanded to confront
the tyrannical Firaun. Imagine being in Prophet Musa (q) shoes. You know Firaun’s
violent history of torturing and enslaving anyone who defied him.

Now, imagine Allah T telling you He is by your side. That He is hearing and seeing
does not ease Musa (q) task at hand, but it does highlight another meaning to
the name Al-Basir, which often gets overlooked. It’s a reminder that Allah T is not just
watching you, but He is watching over you. It’s a name that, once understood, should
91 instill peace, comfort, and protection.
 َ ُّ َ َ ُ ‫ِني َت ُق‬
َ ‫كح‬ َ ٰ ََ َّ َ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ
َّ ‫ع ٱلْ َعزيز‬
‫ َوتقل َبك ِف‬218 ‫وم‬ ‫ ٱلِى يرى‬217 ‫ٱلرحِي ِم‬ ِ ِ ‫وتوك‬
ُ ‫يع ٱلْ َعل‬
220 ‫ِيم‬ َّ ‫ إنَّ ُهۥ ُه َو‬219 ‫ِين‬
ُ ‫ٱلس ِم‬ َ ‫ٱلس ٰـجد‬َّ
ِ ِ
Wa tawakkal alal ‘Azeezir Raheem Allazee yaraaka heena taqoom Wa taqallubaka fis
saajideen Innahoo Huwas Samee’ul ‘Aleem

English Translation:

“And rely upon the Exalted in Might, the Merciful, Who sees you when you arise And
your movement among those who prostrate. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the
Knowing.” (Qur’an 26:217-220)

َ َّ َ َۡ ُۡ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ٰٓ َ ٰ َ ٰ َ َ ۡ ْ ُّ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ َّ
‫اس أن‬ ِ ‫ت إِل أهل ِها ِإَوذا حكمتم بي ٱنل‬ ِ ‫إِن ٱلل يأمركم أن تؤدوا ٱلمن‬
َ ‫ٱلل َك َن َسم‬
ٗ ‫يعۢا بَ ِص‬ َ َّ َّ ٓ ُ ُ َ َّ َ َّ َّ ۡ ْ ُ ُ َۡ
ۡ ‫ٱل َع‬
‫ريا‬ ِ ‫ن‬ ‫إ‬
ِ ِۗ ‫ِۦ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ب‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ظ‬ ‫ع‬
ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ ‫ع‬
ِ ِ ‫ن‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫ن‬ ‫إ‬ ‫ل‬
ِ ِۚ ‫د‬ ِ ‫تكموا ب‬
Innal laaha ya’murukum an tu’addul amaanaati ilaaa ahlihaa wa izaa hakamtum
bainan naasi an tahkumoo bil’adl; innal laaha ni’immaa ya’izukum bih; innal laaha
kaana Samee’am Baseeraa

English Translation:

“Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when
you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah
instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing.” (Qur’an 4:58)

From the famous hadith of Jibreel, “Tell me about excellence. The Prophet said,
“Excellence is to worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He surely
sees you.” [1]

ۡ َ ٞ ٰ َّ َ ۡ ّ َ َ ْ ۡ َ َّ َ َّ ۡ ُ ٰ َ ّ ۡ َ ُ ُ ّ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ
‫ي مِن ذل ِكمۖ ل ِلِين ٱتقوا عِند رب ِ ِهم جنـت ت ِري مِن‬ ٖ ‫قل أؤنبِئ َكم ِب‬
ُ َّ ‫ٱللِ َو‬
ُ ‫ٱلل بَ ِص‬ َّ ّ ٞ َ ۡ ٞ َّ َ ُّ ٞ َ ۡ َ َ َ ‫تت ِ َها ۡٱلنۡ َه ٰ ُر َخ ٰ ِل‬
َۡ
ۢ ‫ري‬ ۗ ‫ِين فِيها َوأزوٰج مطه َرة َورِضوٰن م َِن‬
ۡ
ِ‫بِٱلعِ َبا د‬
Qul a’unabbi ‘ukum bikhairim min zaalikum; lillazeenat taqaw ‘inda Rabbihim jannaatun
tajree min tahtihal anhaaru khaalideena feehaa wa azwaajum mutahharatunw wa
ridwaanum minal laah; wallaahu baseerum bil’ibaad

English Translation:

“Say, ‘Shall I inform you of [something] better than that? For those who fear Allah
will be gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein
they abide eternally, and purified spouses and approval from Allah. And Allah is
Seeing of [His] servants –” (Qur’an 3:15)
92
 We must remember that Allah
The All-Hearer and The All-Seer. If we kept
this at the forefront of our minds, it would
save us from a lot of trouble. Knowing
Allah T is watching, we would avoid
doing or saying something we would
later regret. It serves as a preventive
mechanism through which we can filter
our choices, raising awareness of our
speech and actions.
Furthermore, the believer who knows
Allah T is Al-Basir finds comfort. Allah T
notices every detail, public or in private.
Sometimes we may not get credited for
our work, or our kindness and generosity
may get taken advantage of or go
T is unappreciated. But the believer can find
solace in understanding that Allah T
sees and knows all. Nothing goes without
His noticing, and on the day of judgment,
all accounts will be measured accurately.
If instead of seeking validation through
others, we realized that any good would
be rewarded in a multiple by Allah T
and His approval is all that matters, we
should be overjoyed. Allah T says in the
Qur’an, “And what is the reward of
goodness, but goodness.” (Quran 55:60)
Continue to do good because it will
come back around. Do things for Allah
T sake and you will never be
disappointed.

َ َ َ ُّ َ ُ َ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ُ ُ ُ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ ‫ٱع َملُوا ْ فَ َس‬

ۡ ُ
‫عٰل ِ ِم‬ ‫تدون إ ِ ٰل‬ ‫يى ٱلل عملكم ورسولۥ وٱلمؤمِنونۖ وس‬ ‫َوق ِل‬
َ ُ َ ُ ُ َ ُ ُ ّ َ ُ َ َ ٰ َ َّ َ ۡ َ ۡ
‫نت ۡم ت ۡع َملون‬ ‫ب وٱلشهدة ِ فينبِئكم بِما ك‬ِ ‫ٱلغي‬,
Wa qul i’maloo fasayaral laahu ‘amalakum wa Rasooluhoo wal mu’minoon; wa
saturaddoona ilaa ‘Aalimil Ghaibi washshahaadati fa yunabbi’ukum bimaa kuntum
ta’maloon

English Translation:

“And say, ‘Do [as you will], for Allah will see your deeds, and [so, will] His Messenger
and the believers. And you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the
witnessed, and He will inform you of what you used to do.” (Qur’an 9:105)

References:
93 [1] Sahih Muslim 9
 Al-Hakam
(The Impartial Judge)

The Arbitrator, The Judge,

The Giver of Justice.

َ ْ
Allah is Al-Hakam (in Arabic: ‫ٱلك ُم‬
َ ), The Giver of Justice. His judgment, once rendered,
cannot be thwarted. He always delivers justly in every situation and never makes a
mistake. He is the best of judges.

From the root ha-kaf-mim (‫)ح ك م‬, which must be all-wise. You may hear the term
has the following classical Arabic Hikmah, a concept from Islamic
connotations: to be wise, knowing the philosophy that concerns wisdom,
true nature of things, to pass judgment, rationality, and objectivity, i.e., knowing
to decide, pass a verdict, to judge and the essence of things as they are. A
pass sentence, to prevent or restrain person with hikmah has complete clarity.
from wrongdoing or corruption, to turn They see the action and the
someone back from wrongdoing or consequences thereafter.
ignorance. Imam al-Ghazali writes, He “is the
Al-Hakam is the judge, the arbitrator, and arbitrating magistrate and the avenging
the giver of justice. Similar to Al-Hakeem judge, whose ruling no-one overturns
(The All-Wise), which comes from the and whose decree no-one corrects.”
same root. To be the best of judges, you

َ ُ ُ ۢ ْ َ ّ ً ْ ُ َّ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ َّ ٰ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ َ
‫أفحكم ٱلـ ِهل ِيةِ يبغون ۚ ومن أحسن مِن ٱللِ حكما ل ِقو ٍم يوق ِنون‬
Afahukmal jaahiliyyati yabghoon; wa man ahsanu minal laahi hukmal liqawminy
yooqinoon (section 7)

English Translation:

“Then is it the judgement of [the time of] ignorance they desire? But who is better
than Allah in judgement for a people who are certain [in faith].” (Qur’an 5:50)

94
 َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َّ ُ َّ
‫ش ٍء خلق َن ٰـ ُه بِق َد ٍ ۢر‬ ‫إِنا ك‬
Innaa kulla shai’in khalaqnaahu bi qadar

English Translation:

“Verily, all things have We created in proportion and measure.” (Qur’an 54:49)

َ ُ َْ َ ‫ك ْم يَ ْو َم ٱلْ ِق َي ٰـ َمةِ ف‬
ُ ‫ِيما ُك‬ ُ َ ْ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َّ
‫نت ْم فِيهِ ت َتل ِفون‬ ‫ٱلل يكم بين‬
Allaahu yahkumu bainakum Yawmal Qiyaamati feemaa kuntum feehi takhtalifoon

English Translation:

“Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over
which you used to differ.” (Qur’an 22:69)

Allah T ruling:

An essential aspect of the name Al-
Hakam is to help us understand the
decree of Allah T. Under the lens of Him
being the most wise and the best of
judges, we shouldn’t worry ourselves with
what has been decreed. The hadith
mentions for us to “recognize
acknowledge Allah in times of ease and
prosperity, and He will remember you in
times of adversity. And know that what
has passed you by [and you have failed
to attain] was not going to befall you,
and what has befallen you was not
going to pass you by. And know that
victory comes with patience, relief with
affliction, and hardship with ease.”
Our only task in this life is to take control
of our hearts’ state, keep it pure despite
the surrounding factors, and perform to
the best of our abilities. We must find
and focus our attention on the things
which are within our control. Everything
else that happens outside is the will of
Allah T, and He is the best arbitrator. If
and your focus is on things outside of your
grasp, you will forever give up your
happiness. Shaykh Tosun Bayrak says,
“Instead of questioning Allah’s judgment,
be a true judge of yourself.
Neither tyranize yourself nor excuse and
pamper yourself.” Allah T says, “And that
there is not for man except that [good]
for which he strives And that his effort is
[1]
going to be seen – Then he will be
recompensed for it with the fullest
recompense” (Qur’an 53:39-41)

95
Du’a of Prophet Muhammad x:
We can learn the same du’a for guidance that Prophet Muhammad x made as
mentioned in the hadith which mentions Allah T as the arbitrator:

َّ ‫ِـر‬
َ ‫ فاط‬- ‫ِإَوسـرافيل‬ ْ - ‫ َوميكـائيل‬- ‫ـبائيل‬ ْ ‫ـم َر َّب ج‬ ّ
َّ ‫الل ُه‬
‫موات‬
ِ ‫الس‬ ِ
َ ْ َ َ
ْ َ ْ َ َِ َّ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ
َ ُ
‫ـب والشهـادة أنـت تـكم بيـن عِبـادِك فيـما‬ ِ ‫ اعلـِم الغي‬- ‫واألرض‬
َ َّ ْ ّ َ َ ْ َ ُْ َ ْ‫اكنوا فيهِ َي‬
‫ إِنـك‬- ‫ـق بِإِذن ِك‬
ِ ‫ال‬ ‫ِن‬
‫م‬ ِ ‫ه‬ ‫فيـ‬ ‫ِف‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ـ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫اخ‬ ‫ِمـا‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ِنـي‬
‫د‬ ‫اه‬ .‫ِفـون‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ت‬
‫اط ُم ْس َتقـيم‬ ٍ ‫ص‬ِ ‫شـاء إِىل‬ ُ َ ‫َت ْهـدي َم ْن ت‬

Allahumma, rabba Jibra’ila, wa Mika’ila, wa Israfila Fatira s-samawati wa l-ardi, alima

l-ghaybi wa sh-shahadati, anta tahkumu bayna ibadika fima kanu fihi yakhtalifuna.
Ihdini li makhtulifa fihi min al-haqqi bi idhnika. Innaka tahdi man tasha’u ila siratin
mustaqim.

English Translation:

“O Allah, Lord of Jibraīl, Mīkaīl and Israfīl (great angels), Creator of the heavens and
the Earth, Knower of the seen and the unseen. You are the arbitrator between Your
servants in that which they have disputed. Guide me to the truth by Your leave, in
that which they have differed, for verily You guide whom You will to a straight
path.”[2]

A believer benefits in knowing that We share a beautiful quote by the writer

Allah T is Al-Hakam. Although it can be
difficult to find in your heart to forgive a
perpetrator, personal retribution is not
always necessary, knowing justice will be
served on the day of judgment. This is
not meant with any malice. Perhaps
whatever the person did, he atoned
sincerely, and Allah T sees and knows
best. But from an individual standpoint, if
we understand and accept Allah
Al-Hakam, it can be used as a tool to
remain emotionally whole and to find
forgiveness instead of seeking revenge.
Cormac McCarthy on forgiveness, “He
knew that our enemies by contrast seem
always with us. The greater our hatred
the more persistent the memory of them
so that a truly terrible enemy becomes
deathless. So that the man who has
done you great injury or injustice makes
himself a guest in your house forever.
Perhaps only forgiveness can dislodge
T is him.” This is similar to the idea that hate
is a poison more deadly to the hater
than the hated.

96
 َ ‫كم‬
‫ني‬ َْ ‫ي‬
ِ ِ ‫ٱل ٰـ‬ ُ ْ ‫ٱلل ۚ َو ُه َو َخ‬ ُ ْ َ ٰ َّ َ ْ ْ َ َ ْ َ ٰٓ َ ُ َ ْ َّ َ
ُ َّ ‫ك َم‬ ‫وٱتبِع ما يوح إِلك وٱص ِب حت ي‬
Wattabi maa yoohaaa ilaika wasbir hattaa yahkumal laah; wa Huwa khairul haakimeen
(section 11)

English Translation:

“And follow what is revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and be patient until Allah will
judge. And He is the best of judges.” (Qur’an 10:109)

Another takeaway is we can strive to be Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakrah narrated:

impartial just as Allah T is impartial. It
should increase our desire to raise our
standards to be rational, objective, and
righteous in our actions. To consistently
make the right decision aligned with our
values and deen.
“My father wrote to ‘Ubaidullah bin Abi
Bakrah who was a judge: “Do not pass a
judgement between two people while
you are angry, for indeed I heard the
Messenger of Allah (x) saying: ‘The
judge should not judge between two
people while he is angry.’” [3]

References:
[1] Hadith #19, 40 Hadith an-Nawawi
[2] Hisn al-Muslim 30
97 [3] Sahih (Darussalam) Jami at-Tirmidhi 1334
 Al-Adl
(The Embodiment of Justice)

The Just, The One who is entitled to do

what He does.

ُْ َْ
Allah is Al-Adl (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلعدل‬, The one who rectifies and sets matters straight in a
just and equitable manner. He always delivers absolute justice through His wisdom
without failure. He gives each what he deserves and puts everything in its proper
order.

From the root ayn-dal-lam (‫)ع د ل‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to act justly, fairly, equitably, to adjust properly, to make even, to straighten, to rectify,
to establish justice or balance. To make equal, uniform, to turn one away from
something, rightly, direct, to make comfortable with what is right.

Among the disputed names:

We’ve mentioned previously how varying In Sahih Muslim, “O My servants! I have

scholars have different criteria for what
constitutes being a name of Allah T.
The name Al-Adl is not recognized as an
official name by scholars such as Ibn
Uthaymeen, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn al-Wazir,
among others. As a rule of thumb, if the
name contains the prefix alif lam before
the name in the Qur’an, then that’s a
clear indication of belonging as a name
of Allah T. There is no verse directly
quoting Al-Adl in the Qur’an.
forbidden dhulm (oppression) for Myself,
and I have made it forbidden amongst
you, so do not oppress one another.” [1]
Here Allah T makes a declaration, He
can do anything He pleases, but He
forbids injustice for Himself. A point made
to let us know that He is not unjust. Allah
then commands us to uphold this
standard amongst ourselves, to call out
and prevent any injustice we may see.

ْ َ‫ك َح َس َن ًة يُ َض ٰـع ْف َها َو ُي ْؤت مِن َّ ُلن ْ ُه أ‬

ً‫ج ًرا َع ِظيما‬ ُ َ َ َ َْ ْ َ َ ّ َّ
ِ ِ ‫ٱلل ل َيظل ُِم مِثقال ذ َّر ٍة ۖۢ ِإَون ت‬ ‫إِن‬
Innal laaha laa yazlimu misqaala zarratinw wa in taku hasanatany yudaa’ifhaa wa yu’ti
mil ladunhu ajran ‘azeemaa

English Translation:

“Indeed, Allah does not do injustice, [even] as much as an atom’s weight; while if there
is a good deed, He multiplies it and gives from Himself a great reward.” (Qur’an 4:40) 98
 َ ْ َْ َ ٰ َ ْ َ َ َٰ ْ ُْ َ ٰ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َّّ َّ
ِ‫آئ ذِى ٱلقرب وينه ع ِن ٱلفحشآء‬ ِ ‫ٱلحسـ ِن ِإَويت‬ ِ ‫إِن ٱلل يأمر بِٱلعد ِل و‬
َ َّ َ َ ُ َّ َ ُ ُ ْ َْ َ َ ُْ َ
‫غ ۚ يَعِظك ْم ل َعلك ْم تذك ُرون‬ ِ ‫وٱلمنك ِر وٱل‬
Innal laaha ya’muru bil ‘adli wal ihsaani wa eetaaa’i zil qurbaa wa yanhaa ‘anil
fahshaaa’i wal munkari walbagh-i’ ya’izukum la’allakum tazakkaroon

English Translation:

“Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids
immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps
you will be reminded.” (Qur’an 16:90)

ُ ‫يع ٱلْ َعل‬

‫ِيم‬ َّ ‫ص ْدقًا َو َع ْد ًل ۚ َّل ُم َب ّ ِد َل ل َِك َِم ٰـتِهِۦ ۚ َو ُه َو‬
ُ ‫ٱلس ِم‬ َ ّ ُ َ َ ْ َّ َ َ
ِ ‫ت َرب ِك‬ ‫وتمت ك ِم‬
Wa tammat Kalimatu Rabbika sidqanw wa ‘adlaa; laa mubaddila li Kalimaatih; wa
Huwas Samee’ul ‘Aleem

English Translation:

“ And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can alter
His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” (Qur’an 6:115)

Why is there suffering?

The topic of suffering can bring about
doubt in a believer’s heart. The uneasiness
we feel is because we can’t comprehend
Allah’s justice. We may have uncertainties,
fear, or forget this world is only but a
temporary residence. We must
remember everything is within Allah T
ownership and control. He can do
whatever, with whomever, and He is the
All-Wise and All-Knowing. If we understand
this, we don’t need to go any further. Allah
T can dispose of all of creation today,
and it wouldn’t be right or wrong; it’s just
His command. This is what it means to be
the Supreme Authority, King of Kings, and
the All-Powerful. To deny this would be to
deny His attributes. But only seeing Allah
T only through the lens of His
independence and sovereignty misses
His essence. It is more comprehensive
99 seeing all His attributes working together,
including Him being the All-Knower, the
All-Wise, The Merciful, and The
Embodiment of Justice.
Allah T tells mankind, “Surely We will test
you with a bit of fear and hunger, and
loss in wealth and lives and fruits, and
give good tidings to the patient.” ( Qur’an
2:155) And Prophet Muhammad x said,
“No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor
sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a
Muslim, even if it were the prick he
receives from a thorn, but that Allah
expiates some of his sins for that.” [2]
So, we must remember this life is only
temporary, and with “every hardship is
ease,” whether it is realized in this life or
the hereafter. This is Allah T justice - it
will always be fair and measured. “Allah
does not task any self beyond its
capacity” (Qur’an 2:286).
On the suffering of a child:
For every child that passes away, they
are granted eternal bliss in Paradise. In a
hadith, it reports Allah’s Messenger (x)
who used to ask his companions, “Did
anyone of you see a dream?” and they
told him their dream. He commented on
this dream, “ And the tall man whom you
saw in the garden, is Abraham and the
children around him are those children
who die with Al-Fitra (the Islamic Faith).
Some Muslims asked the Prophet, “O
Allah’s Messenger (x)! What about the
children of pagans?” The Prophet (x)
replied, “And also the children of
pagans.”” [3]
Abu Hassan reported: I said to
Huraira that my two children had
Would you narrate to me anything
Allah’s Messenger (x) a hadith
would soothe our hearts in
bereavements? He said: Yes. Small
children are the fowls of Paradise. If one
of them meets his father (or he said his
parents) he would take hold of his cloth,
or he said with his hand as I take hold of
the hem of your cloth (with my hand).
And he (the child) would not take off (his
hand) from it until Allah causes his father
to enter Paradise.[4]
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The
Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings
be upon him, said, “Verily, those who
were just will be in the presence of Allah
upon pulpits of light, near the right hand
of the Merciful, the Exalted, and both of
Abu His sides are honorable. They are those
died. who practiced justice in their judgments
from and with their families and in all that they
that did.” [5]
our

َ ُ ُ َ ٰٓ َ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ُ ۡ َ ٰ َّ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ
‫ع أنفسِك ۡم أ ِو‬ ‫ني بِٱل ِق ۡس ِط شهدآء ِلِ ولو‬ ‫يـأيها ٱلِين ءامنوا كونوا قوـ ِم‬
َ َ َۡ ۡ َ ۡ َ َٰ ۡ
ٰٓ‫ٱلل أ ۡو َ ٰل ب ِ ِه َماۖ فَ َل تَ َّتب ِ ُعوا ْ ٱل ۡ َه َوى‬ ٗ ِ‫ك ۡن َغن ًِّيا أ ۡو فَق‬
ُ َّ َ‫ريا ف‬ ُ َ َ َ
‫ٱلو ِلي ِن وٱلقربِنيۚ إِن ي‬
ٗ‫ون َخبريا‬ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ َ َّّ َّّ َ ْ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ ْ ٓ ُ ۡ َ َ ْ ُ َۡ َ
ِ ‫أن تعدِل ۚوا ِإَون تلوۥا أو تع ِرضوا فإِن ٱلل كن بِما تعمل‬
Yaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanoo koonoo qawwa ameena bilqisti shuhadaaa’a lillaahi wa
law ‘alaa anfusikum awil waalidaini wal aqrabeen iny yakun ghaniyyan aw faqeeran
fallaahu awlaa bihimaa falaaa tattabi’ul hawaaa an ta’diloo; wa in talwooo aw tu’ridoo
fa innal laaha kaana bimaa ta’maloona Khabeera

English Translation:

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for
Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich
or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you
not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah
is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.” (Qur’an 4:135)

100
 In recognizing Allah T as just, how We would have to embrace our
can we bring this virtue into our life? weaknesses and the possibility of being
Instead of seeking confirmation or wrong. We can also expand the scope of
looking to prove our side as being justice to go beyond interpersonal
correct, can we instead seek the truth? dynamics. We can look within the
This would necessitate leaving our individual. Are we just to our souls,
emotions and ego at the door. treating ourselves with respect, or are
we oppressive to ourselves?

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 2577a
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 5641
[3] Sahih al-Bukhari 7047
[4] Sahih Muslim 2635
101 [5] Sahih (authentic) Sahih Muslim 4493
 Al-lateef
(The Knower of Subtleties)

The Subtle One, The Gracious, The One

who is kind to His servants and endows
upon them.

Allah is Al-Lateef. The most gentle and gracious to people and cares for them,
although they may be oblivious to his acts. His nature is kind, affectionate, and
understanding of the subtle details of individual circumstances.
His actions are so subtle that they can not be observable or understood. He does
things for you that you will never know. This is the name of Allah T to call when
asking for help through hardship.

From the root lam-ta-fa (‫ف‬ ‫)ل ط‬, which those things which are beneficial, as well
has the following classical Arabic as their hidden aspects, along with what
connotations: to be thin, delicate, refined, is subtle about them and what is
elegant, graceful, gentle, gracious, benevolent.” Allah T knows where the
courteous, kindly, subtle, to know the most subtle and hidden benefit lies, and
obscurities of all affairs, to treat with He knows how to use it for whomever He
regard for circumstances, to be most has destined it for.
soothing and refined in manner, to treat This gentleness and subtlety manifest
with kindness, goodness, gentleness, themselves in many ways. For example,
benevolence, and affection. attending a khutbah, watching a random
All the names of Allah T are beautiful video online, or reading a book a friend
and complete. But Al-Lateef often holds recommended, al-Latif delivers a
a special place in a believer’s heart as it message that gives you exactly what
resonates deeply with the human spirit. It you need to hear.
carries with it many meanings depending It would appear like that message was
on the context it is used. But generally, directly written or spoken for you. The
this name refers to the attribute of timing could not have been any better.
“gentleness.” Al-Ghazali continues, “Moreover, in
Imam al-Ghazali writes of Al-Latif as conveying them to those who are
being the only one “deserving of this deserving, he is committed to the path
name if one knows the subtleties of of gentleness rather than harshness.”

102
 The knower of subtleties:

Just as Allah T is subtle in His kindness and giving, He is aware of all nuances or
things trying to remain inconspicuous. Nothing is neglected. Everything has its place
and will be accounted for.

َ َّ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ََ ۢ َ َ ّ َ َ َْ ُ َ َّ َّ َ ُ ٰ َ
ِ ‫ن إِن َهآ إِن تك مِثقال ح َّب ٍةۢ ِم ْن خ ْرد ٍل فتكن ِف صخ َر ٍة أو ِف ٱلسمـو‬
‫ت‬ ٰ ٰ َ ‫يـب‬
ٌ َ َ َّ َّ ُ َّ َ ْ َ َ
َ‫أ ْو ف ْٱل ْر ِض ي‬
ٌ ‫يف َخب‬
‫ري‬ ‫ط‬
ِ ‫ل‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫ن‬ ‫إ‬ ۚ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫ا‬‫ه‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ‫أ‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ
Ya bunaiya innahaaa in taku misqaala habbatim min khardalin fatakun fee sakhratin
aw fis samaawaati aw fil ardi yaati bi Allah; innal laaha lateefun Khabeer

English Translation:

“ [And Luqman said], “O my son, indeed if wrong should be the weight of a mustard
seed and should be within a rock or [anywhere] in the heavens or in the earth, Allah
will bring it forth. Indeed, Allah is Subtle and Acquainted.” (Qur’an 31:16)

ٌ َ َ َّ َّ ً َّ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ً َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ َ
‫ألم تر أن ٱلل أنزل مِن ٱلسمآءِ مآء فتصبِح ٱلرض مضة ۗ إِن ٱلل ل ِطيف‬
ٌ ‫َخب‬
‫ري‬ِ
Alam tara annal laaha anzala minas samaaa’i maaa’an fatusbihul ardu mukhdarrah;
innal laaha Lateefun Khabeer

English Translation:

“Do you not see that Allah has sent down rain from the sky and the earth becomes
green? Indeed, Allah is Subtle and Acquainted.” (Qur’an 22:63)

Allah T is the creator, subtle in design.
Imam al-Ghazali writes, “In sum, He is
wise insofar as He plans things, generous
insofar as He creates them, fashioner
insofar as He orders them, just insofar as
He puts each thing in its proper place,
and benevolent insofar as He does not
overlook subtleties and qualities of
gentleness concerning them.” The level
of sophistication, the attention to detail
of the minutiae, none can be overlooked
in order to understand His name.

Story of Prophet Yusuf (q):

The story of Prophet Yusuf, may peace be upon him, is also very instructive in getting
to understand how Allah T is Al-Lateef:

103
 َ ُ َْ َ َ ََ َ َ َ ََ َََْ َ ََ َ
ً ‫ع ٱلْ َع ْر ِش َو َخ ُّروا ْ َ ُلۥ ُس َّج‬
ٰ ْ ُ
‫ت ه ٰـذا تأوِيل رءيـ َى‬ ِ ‫ب‬ ‫أ‬ٰٓ ‫ـ‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ق‬‫و‬َ ۖ ‫ا‬ ‫د‬ ِ‫ورفع أبويه‬
ْ ‫خ َر َجن م َِن ٱل ّس‬ َ َ
ْ ْ ٓ َ َ ْ ْ َ َ ًّ َ ّ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ
َ ‫جن َو َج‬
‫آء‬ ِ ‫مِن قبل قد جعلها ر ِب حقا ۖ وقد أحسن ِب إِذ أ‬
ِ ِ
ٌ َ ّ َ َّ ٓ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ ُ ٰ َ ْ َّ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ ۢ ْ ْ ُ
‫بِكم ّ ِم َن ٱلَدوِ ِمن بع ِد أن نزغ ٱلشيطـن بي ِن وبي إِخو ِت ۚ إِن ر ِب ل ِطيف‬
ُ‫ٱلكِيم‬ َ ْ ‫ِيم‬ ُ ‫آء ۚ إنَّ ُهۥ ُه َو ٱلْ َعل‬
ِ
ُ ‫ل ِّ َما ي َ َش‬

Wa raf’a abawaihi ‘alal ‘arshi wa kharroo lahoo sujjadaa; wa qaala yaaa abati haaza
taaweelu ru’yaaya min qablu qad ja’alahaa Rabbee haqqaa; wa qad ahsana beee iz
akhrajanee minas sijni wa jaaa’a bikum minal badwi mim ba’di an nazaghash
Shaitaanu bainee wa baina ikhwatee; inna Rabbee lateeful limaa yashaaa’; innahoo
Huwal Aleemul Hakeem

English Translation:

“ And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they bowed to him in prostration.
And he said, “O my father, this is the explanation of my vision of before. My Lord has
made it reality. And He was certainly good to me when He took me out of prison
and brought you [here] from bedouin life after Satan had induced [estrangement]
between me and my brothers. Indeed, my Lord is Subtle in what He wills. Indeed, it
is He who is the Knowing, the Wise.” (Qur’an 12:100)

In the story of Yusuf (q), we know he by a man named Azeez - a pious,

has a vision in his dream where “eleven
stars and the sun and the moon; I saw
them prostrating to me.” (Qur’an 12:4). He
does not know exactly when, where, and
how this will happen. But Allah T had
decreed this and shown him his destiny
in a dream. The path was unclear and
unknown to Yusuf (q). In fact, from
the outside looking in, it would seem like
a delusional vision as nothing seemed to
go right for Yusuf (q). In his home, his
older brothers were envious of Yusuf
(q) and plotted to kill him, but before
this plan was put into action, someone
spoke up and said, “Do not kill Joseph
[Yusuf] but throw him into the bottom of
the well” (Qur’an 12:10)
Once abandoned in a well, a caravan
passing by finds him detains him, and
pawns him as a slave to the highest
bidder. Another stroke of ‘luck’ is out of all
the people, Yusuf (q) was purchased
wealthy, and respectful man. Finally,
Yusuf (q) could breathe and had a
place to mature, but the coast was not
clear. Eventually, problems between
Yusuf (q) and Zulaikha (Azeez’s wife)
transpired. It wasn’t before long this
situation led to Yusuf (q) being
falsely imprisoned. In jail, he developed a
reputation as being the interpreter for
dreams. The security guard picks up on
this talent and shares this information
with the King, who is troubled by a
recurring dream. This access and
opportunity then granted Yusuf (q)
to be recognized, released, and
promoted by the King.
This leads to the inevitable conclusion of
the story, where Yusuf sees the dream he
had as a kid come true. As this verse
above states, “this is the explanation of
my vision of before. My Lord has made it
reality.”

104
 From the story of Prophet Yusuf
(q), we can see how Allah
Al-Lateef and guides us without our
knowledge. It is subtle in ways we cannot
connect the dots moving forward, only
looking back. Even then, we may not
understand all of its intricacies.
field you otherwise would’ve never
T is explored. In not attending that prestigious
university you wanted, you may have
dodged some tragedy or difficulty. Allah
T may have protected you from being
led astray. Nothing which happens in
your life is good or bad as you may

A wrong turn can lead to a disastrous perceive it. Only Allah T who is Al-Aleem

outcome. Imagine the person who did (Knower) of all things, knows what’s best.

not inspire the brothers to throw Yusuf All we can do is move forward, trying to

(q) in the well. What if he was sold as connect the dots looking back - but even

a slave to someone other than Azeez? then, our story is still being written, and

Would Yusuf (q) have met the King we don’t know how this story ends.

without being falsely imprisoned? In a hadith narration, Prophet Muhammad

We can learn from this story just how the x says to Aisha (x): “show gentleness,
quality of Allah T being Al-Lateef for if gentleness is found in anything, it

manifests. Perhaps there’s a blessing in beautifies it and when it is taken out from

not being accepted into that prestigious anything it damages it.” [1]
and in Sahih

university you wanted. Instead, you being Muslim, “A’isha, verily Allah is kind and He

forced to “settle” for a local college, you loves kindness and confers upon

meet a professor by “happenstance” kindness which he does not confer upon

who inspires you in a way no other could severity and does not confer upon

have. Perhaps you meet your spouse, anything else besides it (kindness).” [2]

make life-long friends, or land an Here are the remaining four verses that
internship giving you exposure to a new metion Allah T as Al-Lateef in the Qur’an:

ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ ٰ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ُ ٰ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ ُ َّ
َ ْ ‫يف‬
ُ‫ٱلبري‬
ِ ‫ل تدرِكه ٱلبصـر وهو يدرِك ٱلبصـر ۖ وهو ٱلل ِط‬
Laa tudrikuhul absaaru wa Huwa yudrikul absaara wa huwal Lateeful Khabeer

English Translation:

“Vision perceives Him not, but He perceives [all] vision; and He is the Subtle, the
Acquainted.” (Qur’an 6:103)

105
 ً َ َ َ َ َّ َّ ْ ْ ُ ْ
‫ٱلل كن ل ِطيفا‬
َّ
‫ت ٱللِ َوٱل ِك َمةِ ۚ إِن‬
ُ ٰ َ ْ‫َوٱذك ْر َن َما ُيت‬
ِ ‫ل ِف ُب ُيوت ِك َّن م ِْن َءايَ ٰـ‬
ً ‫َخب‬
‫ري ا‬ ِ
Wazkurna maa yutlaa fee bu yootikunna min aayaatil laahi wal Hikmah; innal laaha
kaana lateefan Khabeera (section 4)

English Translation:

“And remember what is recited in your houses of the verses of Allah and wisdom.
Indeed, Allah is ever Subtle and Acquainted [with all things].” (Qur’an 33:34)

ُ ‫آء ۖ َو ُه َو ٱلْ َقو ُّى ٱلْ َعز‬

‫يز‬ ۢ ٌ ‫ٱلل لَ ِط‬
ُ ‫يف بعِ َبادِه ِۦ يَ ْر ُز ُق َمن ي َ َش‬ ُ َّ
ِ ِ ِ
Allahu lateefum bi’ibaadihee yarzuqu mai yashaaa’u wa Huwal Qawiyyul ‘Azeez
(Section 2)

English Translation:

“Allah is Subtle with His servants; He gives provisions to whom He wills. And He is the
Powerful, the Exalted in Might.” (Qur’an 42:19)

ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ
َ ْ ‫يف‬
ُ‫ٱلبري‬
ِ ‫أل يعلم من خلق وهو ٱلل ِط‬
Alaa ya’lamu man khalaqa wa huwal lateeful khabeer

English Translation:

“Does He who created not know, while He is the Subtle, the Acquainted?”
(Qur’an 67:14)

References:
[1] Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 4808
[2] Sahih Muslim 2593 106
 Al-Khabir
(The All-Acquainted)

The One who knows the truth of things.

Allah is Al-Khabeer. The Knower of reality, The One whose knowledge is comprehensive,
knowing the qualities and meanings of all things. He knows and understands the
most hidden secrets. He is All-Aware and All-Acquainted. The One who knows the
truth in every situation.

From the root kha-ba-ra (‫ر‬ ‫)خ ب‬, which of something, to prove, try, test by
has the following classical Arabic experience (resulting in inner knowledge).
connotations: to know, or be aware of In modern Arabic, if you call someone
the real inner nature of something, to ‫( خبري‬khabir) it means he’s an expert, i.e.,
understand the inner, the intrinsic nature possessing great knowledge about that
of something, to know the reality of particular field or subject.
something, to know the secret inner state

The pairing of names with Al-Khabir:

This name often appears in pairs with Al-Lateef (The All-Subtle) and Al-Alim
(The All-Knowing). The name is mentioned 45 times throughout the Qur’an. To be fully
acquainted requires having both knowledge and knowing subtleties.

Allah T not only knows our actions, but He knows the state of our hearts. He is
acquainted with the outwardly and inwardly.

َّ َ َّ ْ ُ َّ َ َ ۡ َ َّ َ َّ ٞ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َّ ْ ُ َّ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ
‫ٱللۚ إِن‬ ‫يـأيها ٱلِين ءامنوا ٱتقوا ٱلل ولنظر نفس ما قدمت ل ِغدٖۖ وٱتقوا‬
َ ُ َ ُ ‫ٱلل َخب‬
َ َّ
‫ري ۢ ب ِ َما ت ۡع َملون‬ِ
Yaaa ayyuhal lazeena aamanut taqul-laaha; waltanzur nafsum maa qaddamat
lighadiw wattaqual laah; innal laaha khabeerum bimaa ta’maloon

English Translation:

“O you who have believed, fear Allah. And let every soul look to what it has put forth
for tomorrow – and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.”
(Qur’an 59:18)
107
 ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ ٰ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ُ ٰ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ ُ َّ
َ ْ ‫يف‬
ُ‫ٱلبري‬
ِ ‫ل تدرِكه ٱلبصـر وهو يدرِك ٱلبصـر ۖ وهو ٱلل ِط‬
Laa tudrikuhul absaaru wa Huwa yudrikul absaara wa huwal Lateeful Khabeer

English Translation:

“Vision perceives Him not, but He perceives [all] vision; and He is the Subtle, the
Acquainted.” (Qur’an 6:103)

ُ َ ْ َ َ ۡ َ ْ ُ َ َۡ َ ۡ ُ َ َٓ ُ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ ُ ۡ َ
‫جابُوا لك ۡمۖ َو َي ۡو َم‬ ‫إِن تدعوهم ل يسمعوا دعءكم ولو س ِمعوا ما ٱست‬
َ ُ ۡ َ ُ َُّ َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َٰ ۡ
‫ري‬
ٖ ِ ‫ب‬‫خ‬ ‫ٱلقِيمةِ يكفرون ب ِ ِشكِك ۚم ول ينبِئك مِثل‬
Innal laaha ‘indahoo ‘ilmus saa’ati wa yunazzilul ghaisa wa ya’lamu maa fil arhaami wa
maa tadree nafsum maazaa taksibu ghadaa; wa maa tadree nafsum bi ayyi ardin
tamoot; innal laaha ‘Aleemun Khabeer (section 4)

English Translation:

“Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and
knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and
no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.”
(Qur’an 31:34)

Allah’s T knowledge and awareness of derived from our actions. We have to

all things is not from observation. Rather
everything known is from the knowledge
of Allah T. This is what is meant by the
perfection of attributes. He possesses
these qualities intrinsically, and they are
His essence. He was al-Khaliq before the
first creation was made. He was ar-
Raheem before the creation of Adam
(q). This is why scholars have
mentioned that all of Allah T actions
are derived from His most glorious and
perfect names. For us, our names are
prove and qualify ourselves to be called
honest, trustworthy, or strong. Someone
says I am strong, and we say, okay, pick
this heavy thing up. We could infer from
their muscles that they are strong, but
that’s only due to the weight training
they had to do first. Whereas the qualities
and attributes of Allah T just are and
always have been. They are eternal and
part of His being. The actions which
come forth are an effect of having these
names.

This name spurs the need to examine oneself or, as Shaykh Tosun Bayrak puts it,
“to be one’s own doctor.” Just as Allah T is all-acquainted, we must ask ourselves if
we are aware of what goes in ourselves.

108
 If we view the mind as some sort of People like to think of themselves
factory, whatever you think about or favorably and are over-confident in
consume (i.e., through the media, online desirable traits (e.g., kindness, generosity,
videos, education, reading, friendships, intelligence, disciplined, etc.), but would
etc.), these are all the raw ingredients the world around you say the same?
we’re processing through this factory. If The brain and body seeks to preserve,
all you put in is trash, it’d be hard to your ego wants to protect you from
expect that we’d be manufacturing taking any punches and getting bruised.
luxury goods or treasures. What we put All this happens without our conscious
into this factory is likely what we’ll get out. knowledge, and so in a sense, we can be
Focus on the wrong thing, and you’ll get easily deluded. It takes constant
the wrong result. examination to know this game of self-
So, this calls for a level of radical honesty deceit and to understand the tricks of
to unearth some truth and awareness the brain before we can say we’re
about oneself; otherwise, what lies “acquainted” or “totally aware.” We have
underneath remains hidden. What is it to prove to others and to ourselves
that motivates you? Are you too whether we qualify to be worthy of being
preoccupied with worldly pursuits? called by a certain title or name.

109
 Al-Haleem
(The Clement One)

The Forbearing, The All Magnanimous. The

One who delays the punishment for those
who deserve it as He may forgive them.

Allah is Al-Haleem (also spelt Al-Halim), the most serene, kind and gentle. He does
not punish people for every sin. He tolerates and is most gracious and merciful. He is
ever calm and deliberate, never acting hastily, even with the wrongdoers. He gives
us the opportunity to learn and be kind.

From the root ha-lam-mim (‫)ح ل م‬, which
has the following classical
connotations: to be forbearing, mild,
lenient, clement, to be forgiving, gentle,
deliberate to be leisurely in manner, not
hasty, to be calm, serene, to manage
one’s temper, to exhibit moderation.
In the Qur’an, the name Al-Haleem is
mentioned 11 times. It is one of the names
which emphasizes His compassion and
Arabic mercy. Just imagine if Allah T hastened
to His punishment everytime someone
erred.
Although Allah T is capable, He does
not act with anger or rush to harshness
even if we’re disobedient, rebellious, or
mischievous.

َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َّ ْ ُ َ ُ َّ ‫َول َ ْو يُ َؤاخ ُِذ‬

ٰٓ ِ ‫كن يُ َؤ ّخ ُِر ُه ْم إ‬
‫ل‬ ِ ‫ٱلل ٱنلَّاس بِظل ِم ِهم ما ت َرك عليْ َها مِن دٓاب ٍةۢ َول ٰـ‬
َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ً َ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َ َ َ ٓ َ َ َ ًّ َ ُّ ۢ َ َ
‫خرون ساعة ۖ ول يستقدِمون‬ ِ ٔ‫أج ٍل مسم ۖ فإِذا جاء أجلهم ل يستـ‬
Wa law yu’aakhizul laahun naasa bizulminhim maa taraka ‘alaihaa min daaabbatinw
wa laakiny yu’akhkhiruhum ilaaa ajalim musamman fa izaa jaaa’a ajaluhum laa
yastaakhiroona saa’atanw wa laa yastaqdimoon

English Translation:

“And if Allah were to impose blame on the people for their wrongdoing, He would not
have left upon the earth any creature, but He defers them for a specified term. And
when their term has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede
[it].” (Qur’an 16:61)

Now imagine if you had done something you know you shouldn’t have and you were
caught red-handed, but instead of being reprimanded, the judge chose to forgive
you. Wouldn’t you express immense gratitude?
110
 A sense of redemption would overtake your psyche, and you made a vow to never
repeat the same mistake, to walk the straight path. This is the same way we should
look at Allah’s forbearance, He’s patient with His verdict, and He keeps giving us
second chances. But some think that they’re getting away with it.
They fall further and further away from the fold of Islam by repeating the same
mistake and are not mindful of the final judgment that awaits them.

َّ َّ َ َ ۡ َ َّ ۡ ََۡ َ َۡ ۡ ُ ْ ۡ َّ َ َ َ َّ َّ
‫تل ُه ُم ٱلش ۡي َطٰ ُن ب ِ َب ۡع ِض َما‬ ‫ان إِنما ٱس‬ ِ ‫ع‬َ ‫ٱل ۡم‬
َ ‫ق‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫م‬‫و‬ ‫ي‬ ‫م‬ ‫ِنك‬ ‫م‬ ‫إِن ٱلِين تولوا‬
ٞ ‫ور َحل‬
‫ِيم‬ ٌ ‫ٱلل َغ ُف‬ َ َّ ‫ٱلل َع ۡن ُه ۡم إ َّن‬ُ َّ ‫َك َس ُب ۖوا ْ َولَ َق ۡد َع َفا‬
ِ ۗ
Innal lazeena tawallaw minkum yawmal taqal jam’aani innamas tazallahumush
Shaitaanu biba’di maa kasaboo wa laqad afal laahu anhum; innnal laaha Ghafoorun
Haleem (section 16)

English Translation:

“Indeed, those of you who turned back on the day the two armies met, it was Satan
who caused them to slip because of some [blame] they had earned. But Allah has
already forgiven them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing.” (Qur’an 3:155)

َ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ٰ َ َ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َ َّ ُ َّ ُ َ ُ ۡ َ َ
‫كن‬ ِ ٰ ‫ع ظه ِرها مِن دٓابةٖ َول‬ ‫ولو يؤاخِذ ٱلل ٱنلاس بِما كسبوا ما ترك‬
َ َّ ‫ل أَ َجل ُّم َس ّٗم فَإ َذا َجا ٓ َء أَ َجلُ ُه ۡم فَإ َّن‬
َ ‫ٱلل َك َن بعِ َبادِه ِۦ بَ ِص‬
ۢ‫ريا‬ ٰٓ
َ ۡ ُ ُ ّ َُ
ِ ِ ِ ۖ ٖ ِ ‫يؤخِرهم إ‬
Wa law yu’aakhizul laahun naasa bima kasaboo maa taraka ‘alaa zahrihaa min
daaabbatinw wa laakiny yu’akhkhiruhum ilaaa ajalim musamman fa izaa jaaa’a
ajaluhum fa innal laaha kaana bi’ibaadihee Baseeraa (section 5)

English Translation:

“And if Allah were to impose blame on the people for what they have earned, He
would not leave upon the earth any creature. But He defers them for a specified
term. And when their time comes, then indeed Allah has ever been, of His servants,
Seeing.” (Qur’an 35:45)

ٞ ‫ن َحل‬
‫ِيم‬ ُ َّ ‫ ّمِن َص َدقَة يَ ۡت َب ُع َها ٓ أَ ٗذى َو‬ٞ‫وف َو َم ۡغ ِف َرةٌ َخ ۡي‬
ٌّ ‫ٱلل َغ‬ ٞ ُ ۡ َّ ٞ ۡ َ
‫قول معر‬
ِ ۗ ٖ
Qawlum ma’roofunw wa maghfiratun khairum min sadaqatiny yatba’uhaaa azaa;
wallaahu Ghaniyyun Haleem

English Translation:

“Kind speech and forgiveness are better than charity followed by injury. And Allah is
Free of need and Forbearing.” (Qur’an 2:263)
111
 ُ‫ش ٍء إ َّل ي ُ َس ّبح‬
ْ َ ّ َّ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َّ ُ ٰ َ ٰ َ َّ ُ َ ُ ّ َ ُ
ِ ِ ‫تسبِح ل ٱلسمـوت ٱلسبع وٱلرض ومن فِي ِهن ۚ ِإَون مِن‬
ً‫ِيما َغ ُفورا‬ ً ‫يح ُه ْم ۗ إنَّ ُهۥ َك َن َحل‬ َ ُ َ ْ َ َّ
َ ‫ون ت َ ْسب‬ َ َ
ِ ِ ‫كن ل تفقه‬ ِ ‫ِب ْم ِده ِۦ َول ٰـ‬
Tusabbihu lahus samaawaatus sab’u wal ardu wa man feehinn; wa im min shai’in illaa
yusabbihu bihamdihee wa laakil laa tafqahoona tasbeehahum; innahoo kaana
Haleeman Ghafooraa

English Translation:

“The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is
not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise, but you do not understand their
[way of] exalting. Indeed, He is ever Forbearing and Forgiving.” (Qur’an 17:44)

Al-Haleem and Al-Ghaffur:

This pairing of names of both Al-Haleem Messenger x having said: By Him in

and Al-Ghaffur is an important one to
highlight. His forbearance does not
mean He waits to punish those who sin.
He allows us the chance to learn and
grow, and we must not forget that He
loves to forgive, as He is the most
forgiving. Abu Huraira reported Allah’s
Whose Hand is my life, if you were not to
commit sin, Allah would sweep you out
of existence and He would replace (you
by) those people who would commit sin
and seek forgiveness from Allah, and He
would have pardoned them. [1]

َ َ ْ َ ْ ََٓ َ َ َ َ َُ َ َ ْ َْ َ
ْ‫ك ُه َما مِن‬ َ َّ ‫ِك‬ ُ ْ ُ َ َّ َّ
‫ت وٱلرض أن تزول ۚ ولئِن زالا إِن أمس‬ ِ ٰ ‫ٱلس َم ٰـو‬ ‫إِن ٱلل يمس‬
ً ‫ِيما َغ ُف‬ َ
ً ‫أ َح ۢد ّ ِم ۢن َب ْع ِده ِۦٓ ۚ إنَّ ُهۥ َك َن َحل‬
‫ورا‬ ِ ٍ
Innal laaha yumsikus samaawaati wal arda an tazoolaaa; wa la’in zaalataaa in amsa
kahumaa min ahadim mim ba’dih; innahoo kaana Haleeman Ghafooraa

English Translation:

“Indeed, Allah holds the heavens and the earth, lest they cease. And if they should
cease, no one could hold them [in place] after Him. Indeed, He is Forbearing and
Forgiving.” (Qur’an 35:41)

We can try to characterize ourselves by this name to be known as ‘Abd al-Haleem.

This manifests in reality when we have a chance to take revenge but instead opt for
forgiveness and gentleness. We take from the example mentioned in the Qur’an
where it says, “inna Ibraaheema la awwaahun haleemm Surely, Ibrahim was most
tender-hearted, God-fearing, forbearing.” (Qur’an 9:114)
112
 Ibrahim was most tender-hearted, God-
fearing, forbearing.” (Qur’an 9:114) Ibrahim
(q) is described in the Qur’an as
being awwaahun haleem. He loved His
Father because He was tender-hearted.
This is despite the fact his father cruelly
persecuted him and was an “enemy to
Allah,” and died as a kafir (disbeliever).
Yet he remained compassionate and
made du’a asking for His forgiveness
until Allah T commanded Him to stop.
And so, in the Qur’an Allah T recognized
Ibrahim (q) as being haleem.
The names of Allah T do not describe a
quality that is disliked in Himself. Rather,
each name is beloved by Him, so if we
have a share in it, it will please Him to see
it emulated by His servant. At the root, Al-
Haleem is an attribute of His love. Allah
T is not just the one who withholds
punishment. He is patient just as a
mother shows patience out of love for
her children. Or like a good friend who
knows your faults and your weaknesses.
But they stick around and are genuinely
concerned about what’s best for you.
We may push good friends away when
we’re doing wrong, but when that phase
is over, they’re still happy to help you with
welcoming arms.
In the name Al-Lateef, we mentioned a
hadith, but we’ll expand on it a little
further here. The Prophet Muhammad x
says to Aisha (x): “show gentleness,
for if gentleness is found in anything, it
beautifies it and when it is taken out from
anything it damages it.” [2]
Positive
feedback loops are powerful, probably
References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 2749
113 [2]Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 4808
much more than we’d like to give them
credit. Being generous with compliments,
especially when observing good, can
encourage more of that behavior.
Imagine how destructive it would be to a
child’s development if you were negative
or talked down on them whenever they
sought praise. The kid would feel lost or
helpless.
They would struggle to do what’s right
since they’re trying to seek approval.
Their entire moral compass is derived
from immediate feedback from the
environment. The comments of “don’t
touch that” and the gentleness of
“Masha-Allah, you did that!?” are very
instructive. We should strive for
gentleness in every instance as it has
the power to beautify the situation, and
when it’s removed from the equation, it
damages it. We think as adults, we’re not
prone to this, but we are. When the effort
from the act of making dinner goes
unappreciated or, worse, criticized, the
pain can be piercing. It can make you
question why you even tried in the first
place (the answer one can always find
solace in is for Allah T).
At work, when the boss sincerely
appreciates the work you’ve put in, it’s
rewarding. It beautifies the workspace,
and we’re happy to show up the next
day. Even in a sport like basketball -
hearing and seeing the ball swishing
through the net is the gentleness that
makes the player want to take the next
shot.
 Al-Azeem
(The Magnificent One)

The Great One, The Mighty,

The Tremendous.

Allah T is Al-Azeem, The Supreme Glory and The Greatest. His reality is too great to
be fully understood under the human mind’s capacity. He is infinitely greater than
His creation. It is said, His throne (symbolic of His knowledge and authority) extends
over the heavens and the earth, and their care burdens Him not. He is the One
deserving the attributes of Exaltment, Glory, Extolement, and Purity from all
imperfection.

From the root ayn-za-mim (‫م‬ ‫)ع ظ‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be great, large, big, to be vast, huge, enormous, to be great in rank,
importance or dignity, to be imposing, powerful, superior, to be magnificent, honored,
revered, to be immense, stupendous, lofty, to be above imperfection and sublime.

Understanding Azeem as it is mentioned in the Qur’an:

When it comes to Al-Azeem (Al-Azim), we
need to understand that with Allah T
there are no limits or restrictions. He is
tremendous in all aspects. His mercy is
tremendous, His ability, His strength, His
knowledge, His generosity are all as
great as can be. He is truly the possessor
of excellence.
He is Al-Azeem, The Greatest in all His
beautiful qualities and attributes. This
name is mentioned nine times in the
Qur’an but is also used to describe things
more generally as Azeem (tremendous).
For example, His punishment in the
hereafter is described as azeem. The
Qur’an (15:87), the throne (27:26, 27:23),
His grace (33:35), the day of judgment
(83:5), the trials and tribulations of the
children of Israel (7:141), His rewards
(64:15), the upright character of Prophet
Muhammad (x) (68:4) are all referred
to as azeem.

ْ َ ْ ‫فَ َس ّب ْح ب‬
‫ٱس ِم َر ّبِك ٱل َع ِظي ِم‬ِ ِ
Fasabbih bismi rabbikal azeem

English Translation:

“So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.” (Qur’an 55:96) & (Qur’an 69:52)
114
 Connecting with this name in your Salah:
ْ ََّ َ َ ْ ُ
Be mindful of this name when you go into Ruku and recite, ‫ب ال َع ِظي ِم‬
ِ ‫ سبحان ر‬subhana
rabbiyal azeem meaning, “Glorious is my Lord the Magnificent.” [1]
Think of the words
you’re saying as you recite them and understand the implications behind them.

Why do you offer prayer? What is it your attending to? We want Allah T to forgive us,
to give us the best life in this world and in the next, to ease our tasks and make us
better Muslims for Al-Azeem is tremendous and all capable.

َ َ َّ َ ُ َّ ٞ ۡ َ َ َ ٞ َ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ ُّ َ ۡ ُّ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ َ ٓ َ ُ َّ
‫ت‬ِ ٰ ‫ٱلل ل إِلٰه إِل هو ٱلح ٱلقيوم ۚ ل تأخذهۥ سِنة ول نوم ۚ لۥ ما ِف ٱلسمو‬
ٰ
َ‫ي َأيۡدِيه ۡم َوما‬ َ ۡ ‫ِندهُ ٓۥ إ َّل بإ ۡذنِهِۦ َي ۡعلَ ُم َما َب‬ َ ‫ۡرض َمن َذا َّٱلِي ي َ ۡش َف ُع ع‬ َۡ ََ
ِ ۚ ِِ ِ ۗ ِ ‫وما ِف ٱل‬
َ ٰ َ َّ ُ ُّ ۡ ُ َ َ َ ٓ َ َ َّ ٓ ۡ ۡ ّ ۡ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ
‫ت‬ ٰ
ِ ‫خلفهمۖ ول يِيطون بِشءٖ مِن عِل ِمهِۦ إِل بِما شاء ۚ وسِع كرسِيه ٱلسمو‬
ُ ‫ل ۡٱل َع ِظ‬ ۡ ُ ُٔ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ
ُّ ِ ‫ودهُۥ ح ِۡف ُظ ُه َما ۚ َو ُه َو ٱل َع‬
‫يم‬ ‫ۡرض ول يـ‬ ۖ ‫وٱل‬
Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal Haiyul Qaiyoom; laa taakhuzuhoo sinatunw wa laa nawm;
lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; man zal lazee yashfa’u indahooo illaa bi-
iznih; ya’lamu maa baina aydeehim wa maa khalfahum wa laa yuheetoona bishai’im
min ‘ilmihee illaa bimaa shaaa’; wasi’a Kursiyyuhus samaawaati wal arda wa laa
Ya’ooduhoo hifzuhumaa; wa Huwal Aliyyul ‘Azeem

English Translation:

“Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence.
Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except
by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after
them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His
Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not.
And He is the Most High, the Most Great.” (Qur’an 2:255)

َْ
ُ ‫ل ٱلْ َع ِظ‬
‫يم‬
ْ
ُّ ِ ‫ت َو َما ِف ٱل ْر ِض ۖ َو ُه َو ٱل َع‬ َّ ‫َ ُلۥ َما ف‬
ِٰ ‫ٱلس َم ٰـ َو‬ ِ
Lahoo maa fis samaa waati wa maa fil ardi wa Huwal ‘Aliyul ‘Azeem

English Translation:

“To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He is
the Most High, the Most Great.” (Qur’an 42:4)

115
 A believer benefits in knowing that
Allah T is Al-Azeem by calling upon this
name whenever faced with a problem.
There is no obstacle too large, no dream
too big that Allah T cannot fulfill. He can
make any aspect of your life great. Even
in the mundane, He can show you the
this du’a when distressed which calls
upon two of Allah’s attributes of being
Al-Azim and Al-Haleem (The Clement
One).
Narrated Ibn Abbas: The Prophet x used
to invoke Allah at the time of distress,
saying, [2]

beauty in it. The Prophet x would make

ُّ‫ات َواألَ ْر ِض َرب‬ َ َ َّ ُّ َ ُ َّ َّ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ُ َّ َّ َ َ َ

ِ ‫ال إِل إِال الل الع ِظيم الل ِيم ال إِل إِال الل رب السمو‬
َ ْ ْ َ ْ
‫العر ِش الع ِظي ِم‬
La ilaha illal-lahu Al-`Azim, al- Halim, La ilaha illal-lahu Rabbu-s-samawati wal-ard wa
Rabbu-l- arsh il-azim.
English Translation:

“There is no God but Allah, the Magnificent, the Forbearing. There is no God but Allah,
Lord of the magnificent Throne. There is no God but Allah, Lord of the heavens and
Earth, Lord of the generous Throne.”

How to tip the scale in your favor with the Many fall into a trance of some sort,
name Al-Azim: The Prophet (x) said, bending over backward to appease
“(There are) two words which are dear to their demands. If, at that moment,
the Beneficent (Allah) and very light Al-Azeem popped into your mind, it takes
(easy) for the tongue (to say), but very away the power they may hold over you.
heavy in weight in the balance. They are: We realize yes, they may be wealthy,
‘Subhan Allah wa-bi hamdihi’ and famous, and influential, but in comparison
‘Subhan Allah Al-Azim.” [3]
to Allah T they are nothing. Therefore,

This name also brings about humility in you don’t need their approval. The only

all who understand this attribute of Allah support we need, the only one that

T. As mentioned previously, a constant matters and can genuinely help us, is

theme in many of these names is that Allah T.

we’re deluded in worldly pursuits. A Another authentic supplication we can
person who sees success can think of learn from the hadith which incorporates
himself as being grandeur. But in reality, a variety of Allah’s names and attributes.
nothing can eclipse Allah’s greatness. It was narrated that ‘Ubadah bin
We can think of ourselves as big fish, not As-Samit said: “The Messenger of Allah
realizing we’re swimming in a little pond. (x) said: ‘Whoever wakes up in the

In another case, we unknowingly may be morning and says upon waking: [4]

influenced by a person with high status.

116
 ٌ ‫ش ٍء قَد‬ْ َ ‫ك‬ ّ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َّ َ َ َ
‫ِير‬ ِ ‫شيك ل ل الملك ول َالمد وهو ع‬ ِ ‫ال إِل إِال الل وحده ال‬
َّ َ َّ ُ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َّ َ ُ َّ َّ َ َ َ َ َّ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ ْ ُ
‫سبحان اللِ والمد ِلِ وال إِل إِال الل والل أكب وال حول وال قوة إِال‬
َ ْ َ ْ َّ
ِّ ِ ‫بِاللِ الع‬
‫ل الع ِظي ِم‬
La ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa ‘ala
kulli shay’in Qadir; Subhan-Allah walhamdu lillahi, wa la ilaha illallahu, wa Allahu Akbar,
wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil-Aliyil-Azim

English Translation:

“None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, with no partner or associate.
His is the dominion and all praise is to Him, and He is Able to do all things. Glory is to
Allah, praise is to Allah, none has the right to be worshiped but Allah, Allah is the Most
Great, and there is no power and no strength except with Allah, the Most High, the
Most Supreme”.

The hadith then adds, “then he supplicates Rabbighfirli (O Lord, forgive me), he will be
forgiven.’” Walid said: “Or he said: then if he supplicated, it will be answered for him
then if he stood up and performed ablution and then performed prayer, his prayer
would be accepted.”

References:
[1] Sahih (Darussalam) Jami At-Tirmidhi 262
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 6345 & Sahih Muslim 2730
[3] Sahih al-Bukhari 7563
117 [4] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 3878
 Al-Ghafur
(The All-Forgiving)

The All-Forgiving, The Forgiving,

The One who forgives a lot.

َُْ
ُ ‫)ٱلغف‬, He is The One who completely forgives our
Allah T is Al-Ghafoor (in Arabic: ‫ور‬
sins and faults. His forgiveness is unlimited, and He is all compassionate. He is most
high; His forgiveness extends to all who turn to him in humility and seek repentance.

From the root ghayn-fa-ra (‫)غ ف ر‬, which
has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to cover, veil, conceal, hide
to pardon, to forgive, to set aright, to
cover a thing, to protect it from dirt.
As we mentioned in the name Al-Ghaffar.
There are three accompanying names,
Al-Ghafir, Al-Ghaffar, and Al-Ghaffur. Al-
Ghafir connotes His nature of being the
forgiver, whereas Al-Ghaffar and Al-
Ghaffur are more grandiose, meaning
the great forgiver, the all-forgiving.
Linguistically these two names are not
synonymous even though both relate to
the ideas of His forgiveness and share
the same root. Scholars note that Al-
Ghaffar describes His ability to forgive as
being great. It is all-encompassing,
doesn’t matter the circumstance, the
individuals, or the degree of sin. If Allah
T wills, He can forgive. Al-Ghafur refers
to the vastness, perpetual nature of
forgiving time after time.
Together these three names are
mentioned in the Qur’an ninety-eight
times. Of these 98 mentions, Al-Ghafur
appears 91 times.

ُ‫ٱلرحِيم‬ ُ ‫ن َأنَا ٱلْ َغ ُف‬

َّ ‫ور‬
َ ٓ َ ْ َّ
ٓ ّ ِ ‫ِى أ‬ ‫نبِئ عِباد‬
Nabbi’ ‘ibaadeee annneee anal Ghafoorur Raheem

English Translation:

[O Muhammad], inform My servants that it is I who am the Forgiving, the Merciful.

(Qur’an 15:49)

ً
ۢ ٍ ‫نُ ُزل ّم ِْن َغ ُفورۢ َّرح‬
‫ِيم‬ ٍ
Nuzulam min Ghafoorir Raheem (section 4)

English Translation:

“As accommodation from a [Lord who is] Forgiving and Merciful.” (Qur’an 41:32)
118
 َ َ َّ ۡ َ َّ ُ ٓ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َّ
‫ي ٱللِۖ فم ِن‬ِ ‫ِغ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ِۦ‬ ‫ه‬ِ ‫ب‬ ‫ِل‬ ‫ه‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬‫و‬ ‫ير‬
ِ ِ ‫ِزن‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫إِنما حرم عليكم ٱلميتة وٱدلم ولم‬
ٌ‫ َّرحِيم‬ٞ‫ٱلل َغ ُفور‬ َ َّ ‫ي بَاغٖ َو َل َعد فَ َلٓ إ ۡث َم َعلَ ۡيهِ إ َّن‬
َ ۡ ‫ٱض ُط َّر َغ‬
ۡ
ِ ۚ ِ ٖ
Innamaa harrama ‘alaikumul maitata waddama wa lahmal khinzeeri wa maaa uhilla
bihee lighairil laahi famanid turra ghaira baaghinw wa laa ‘aadin falaaa isma ‘alaih;
innal laaha Ghafoorur Raheem

English Translation:

“He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that
which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity],
neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah
is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Qur’an 2:173)

From this name, we learn
importance of maghfirah, which means
to seek the forgiveness of Allah
believer benefits in knowing that Allah T
is Al-Ghaffur because it reminds us that
we worship an oft-forgiving Lord. Despite
making the same mistake repeatedly,
we’re not doomed by our past.
Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard the Prophet
x saying, “If somebody commits a sin
and then says, ‘O my Lord! I have sinned,
please forgive me!’ And his Lord says, ‘My
servant has known that he has a Lord
who forgives sins and punishes for it, I
therefore have forgiven my servant (his
sins).’ Then he remains
committing any sin for a while and then
again commits another sin and says, ‘O
my Lord, I have committed another sin,
please forgive me,’ and Allah says, ‘My
servant has known that he has a Lord
who forgives sins and punishes for it, I
therefore have forgiven my slave (his
sin). Then he remains without Committing
any another sin for a while and then
commits another sin (for the third time)
119
the and says, ‘O my Lord, I have committed
another sin, please forgive me,’ and Allah
T. The says, ‘My servant knows that he has a
Lord who forgives sins and punishes for
it. I have forgiven My servant - three
times.’” [1]
A du’a from Abu Bakr al-Sadiq (z),
“O Allah, You know me better than I know
myself, and I know myself better than
these people who praise me. Make me
better than what they think of me, and
forgive those sins of mine of which they
have no knowledge, and do not hold me
responsible for what they say.” [2]
This covers an essential aspect of the
names that share the root gh-f-r. It’s not
without
just a name of forgiveness but the idea
of concealment. But not in a conniving
way, to conceal something ugly and to
beautify it. Allah conceals our faults from
being exposed, so we’re not under public
scrutiny. It should inspire us to become
better knowing we’ve been given a
second, third, or fourth chance and to
help uplift others. So, His mercy extends
to forgive perpetually and to hide our
faults from being exposed.
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Apostle
as saying: The servant (whose fault) Allah
conceals in this world, Allah would also
conceal (his faults) on the Day of
Resurrection. [3]
and in
narration, Abu Huraira reported Allah’s
Apostle (x) as saying: The servant (who
conceals) the faults of others in this
world, Allah would conceal his faults on
the Day of Resurrection. [4]
The analogy often used is that every
References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 7507
[2] Silsilah al-Huda wa Noor no. 640
[3] Sahih Muslim 2590a
[4] Sahih Muslim 2590b
x time we sin, a crack appears, which
uncovers or exposes us. When we ask for
istighfar (seeking Allah’s forgiveness) -
we’re asking for Him to show us His
a different mercy, to protect us by repairing or
covering what’s been exposed.
Indeed Allah T is both Al-Ghaffar (The
Great Forgiver), the one who forgives big
and small sins, and Al-Ghaffur (The Oft-
Forgiver), the one who forgives time and
time again.
120
 Ash-shakuR
(The Acknowledging One)

The Grateful, The Appreciative,

The Rewarder of Thankfulness.

ُ َّ ْ
ُ ‫)ٱلشك‬, meaning the most grateful, the rewarder of
Allah T is Ash-Shakur (in Arabic: ‫ور‬
good deeds, and is most appreciative. He notices the smallest of our acts of
righteousness and rewards us for them in this life or the next. He is bountiful in giving
and bestows great rewards for the smallest amount of good.

From the root shin-kaf-ra (‫ر‬ ‫)ش ك‬, which and Ash-Shakur (The Appreciative).
has the following classical Arabic Al-Shakir is mentioned in the Qur’an
connotations: to praise or commend for twice, whereas Al-Shakur is mentioned
a benefit or benefits to acknowledge four times.
beneficence, to offer thanks, Below we’ve included an example of the
acknowledgement, to be thankful, usage of Al-Shakir, and you will see the
grateful, to produce, supply, give forth name Shakur in other verses. One thing
bountifully. to note is that Shakur is more emphatic
There are two names here, Ash-Shakir or exaggerated form.
(The Recogniser and Rewarder of good)

ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َّ َ ۡ َ َ َّ
َ‫ٱع َت َم َر فَ َل ُج َناح‬ ٓ َ ۡ َ َّ َّ
‫ٱلصفا َوٱل َم ۡر َوةَ مِن ش َعائ ِ ِر ٱللِۖ فمن حج ٱليت أ ِو‬ ‫إِن‬
َ َّ ‫يا فَإ َّن‬ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ ۡ َ‫َعل‬
ٌ ‫ٱلل َشاك ٌِر َعل‬
‫ِيم‬ ٗ ۡ ‫ع َخ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ط‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬‫و‬ ۚ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ف‬ ‫و‬ ‫ط‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ن‬ ‫أ‬ ِ ‫ه‬ ‫ي‬
ِ ِِ
Innas Safaa wal-Marwata min sha’aaa’iril laahi faman hajjal Baita awi’tamara falaa
junaaha ‘alaihi ai yattawwafa bihimaa; wa man tatawwa’a khairan fa innal laaha
Shaakirun Aleem

English Translation:

“Indeed, as-Safa and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. So whoever
makes Hajj to the House or performs ‘umrah – there is no blame upon him for
walking between them. And whoever volunteers good – then indeed, Allah is
appreciative and Knowing.” (Qur’an 2:158)

Ash-Shakur is a display of the expansiveness of Allah’s love. He is the one who has
given us the gift of life. Everything we see, love, and touch are because Allah T has
allowed it to be that way. Yet He tells us, He appreciates and accepts all deeds, no
121 matter how small. He is all-watchful and all-grateful to us.
 ‫ِيما‬ ُ َّ ‫نت ْم ۚ َو َك َن‬
ً ‫ٱلل َشاك ًِرا َعل‬ َ َ
َ ‫ك ْر ُت ْم َو َء‬
ُ ‫ام‬ ُ َ ُ َّ ُ َ ْ َ َّ
‫ٱلل ب ِ َعذابِك ْم إِن ش‬ ‫ما يفعل‬
Maa yaf’alul laahu bi ‘azaabikum in shakartum wa aamantum; wa kaanal laahu
Shaakiran Aleema (End Juz 5)

English Translation:

“What can Allah gain by your punishment, if ye are grateful and ye believe? Nay, it
is Allah that recogniseth (all good), and knoweth all things.” (Qur’an 4:147)

Multiplying good deeds:

Moreover, He is the one who multiples The Messenger of Allah x said to his
the rewards of His servant’s many folds. Companions: “Say ‘Glory is to Allah and
It is also only Allah T who has the power with His Praise (Subhan Allah, wa
to multiple without any measure or bihamdih) a hundred times. Whoever
restriction. As an illustrative example, says [it] one time, it is written for him ten,
here’s what the Messenger of Allah x and whoever says it ten (times), it is
said on good deeds committed while written for him a hundred, and whoever
fasting: “Every good deed of the son of says it a hundred (times), it is written for
Adam will be multiplied manifold. A good him a thousand, and whoever increases,
deed will be multiplied ten times up to as Allah will increase for him, and whoever
many as seven hundred times, or as seeks Allah’s forgiveness, [Allah] will
much as Allah wills.” [1]
forgive him.” [2]

Also, Ibn Umar narrated that one day:

Pairing Al-Ghafur and Al-Shakur:

ُ َ ٞ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َ ٓ َّ َّ ُ ۡ َ ۡ ْ ُ َ َ
ٌ‫كور‬ ‫وقالوا ٱلمد ِلِ ٱلِي أذهب عنا ٱلزنۖ إِن ربنا لغفور ش‬
Wa qaalul hamdu lillaahil lazeee azhaba ‘annal hazan; inna Rabbanaa la Ghafoorun
Shakoor

English Translation:

“And they will say, “Praise to Allah, who has removed from us [all] sorrow. Indeed,
our Lord is Forgiving and Appreciative –” (Qur’an 35:34)

This pairing of names here conveys Allah’s nature of showing mercy and seeing the
good in us. Put another way, He frequently forgives, cleansing us of our many sins. He
is also accepting of all good that we do, no matter how inconsequential it may appear.

122
 The promise of Jannah:
The promise of an eternal paradise for a
short-lived time on earth doing good
deeds is an example of an immense
reward for relatively little effort. In the
Qur’an, it says to the people in paradise,
“[They will be told], ‘Eat and drink in
satisfaction for what you put forth in the
days past.’” (Qur’an 69:24) Allah T
recognizes and rewards the action of His
servants. This is why it’s important to do
good, even when no one sees it. To do
good for its own sake because Allah T
will reward us for it. Any acknowledgment
from the outside world is a bonus. Being
recognized through an award is nice to
have. The real reward we should seek is
from Allah T who always gives within
measure or more than what’s due.

A believer benefits from knowing that
Allah T is al-Shakur. If Allah T can be
grateful to His servants when He has no
need to be, and He continually forgives
and rewards; then perhaps we can learn
to be the same amongst ourselves. In a
hadith, Prophet Muhammad x conveys
a similar message, “He who does not
thank the people is not thankful to Allah. [3]
This is also a reminder to thank Allah T,
praise Him for His gratitude. Even this will
render some benefit to you, as Allah T
says in the Qur’an, “If you are grateful, I
will surely increase you [in favor]” (Qur’an
14:17) and also, “If you disbelieve – indeed,
Allah is Free from need of you. And He
does not approve for His servants
disbelief. And if you are grateful, He
approves it for you; and no bearer of
burdens will bear the burden of another.
Then to your Lord is your return, and He
will inform you about what you used to
do. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within
the breasts [hearts].” (Qur’an 39:7). Our
praise and obedience will work in a loop
that only further propels us to the
entrance of Jannah. We can never do
enough to repay the blessings He has
bestowed on us.
We should try to keep this front of mind
as we can feel immense happiness and
love to know we have such a loving and
appreciative creator.

ٓ َّ ُ ٰ َ ٰ َّ ْ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ ُ َ َ ُ َّ ُ ّ َ ُ َّ َ َ
‫ت قل ل‬ ِۗ ‫ذٰل ِك ٱلِي يب ِش ٱلل عِباده ٱلِين ءامنوا وع ِملوا ٱلصـل ِح‬
َ‫ب َو َمن َي ۡق َت ۡف َح َس َن ٗة نَّز ۡد َ ُلۥ فِيها‬ٰ َ ۡ ُۡ َ َّ َ َ ۡ َّ ً ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ ُ َ ۡ َ
ِ ِ ۗ ‫أسـٔلكم عليهِ أجرا إِل ٱلمودة ِف ٱلقر‬
ٌ ‫ك‬ ُ َ ٞ ُ َ َ َّ َّ ً ۡ ُ
‫ور‬ ‫حسنا ۚ إِن ٱلل غفور ش‬
Zaalikal lazee yubash shirul laahu ‘ibaadahul lazeena aamanoo wa ‘amilus saalihaat;
qul laaa as’alukum ‘alaihi ajran illal mawaddata fil qurbaa; wa mai yaqtarif hasanatan
nazid lahoo feehaa husnaa; innal laaha Ghafoorun Shakoor

English Translation:
“It is that of which Allah gives good tidings to His servants who believe and do righteous
deeds. Say, [O Muhammad], “I do not ask you for this message any payment [but] only
good will through kinship.” And whoever commits a good deed – We will increase for
him good therein. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Appreciative.” (Qur’an 42:23)
123
The Prophet (x) said, “I saw a man going about in Jannah (and enjoying himself) as
a reward for cutting from the middle of the road, a tree which was causing
inconvenience to the Muslims.” According to the narration in Al-Bukhari and Muslim:
Messenger of Allah (x) said, “While a man was walking, he saw a thorny branch on
the road, so he removed it and Allah appreciated his action and forgave him.” [4]

References:
[1] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 1638
[2] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami at-Tirmidhi 3470
[3] Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 4811<
[4] Riyad as-Salihin 127 124
 Al-Aliyy / Al-Alee
(The High)

The Exalted and High.

The One who is High in all respects.

َْ
ُّ ِ ‫)ٱلع‬, the most exalted and all high. He exceeds all
Allah T is Al-Aliyy (in Arabic: ‫ل‬
others, and there is nothing higher. He is the one whose rank and station are the
highest. He is above all that has or will ever be.

From the root ayn-lam-waw (‫)ع ل و‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be high, elevated, lofty to be exalted, to rise up, to ascend to be
higher, to exceed, surpass, to overcome, overwhelm, to advance, promote, rise above,
to mount, be overtop, eminent.

Al-Aliyy, Al-Ala, and Muta-Ali:

There are two names, Al-Aliyy (The High) high is derived from ‘height’, and ‘height’ is
and Al-Ala (The Most High). This is separate taken from elevation that is the opposite
from the 78th name, Al-Muta’Ali, which of lowness.” Al-Aliyy is the all-high without
means The High Above, The Exalted. These any reference point. This is an intrinsic
names describe the transcendent nature quality. Al-Muta-Ali is a variation that is a
of Allah T and His loftiness when more intensified form.
compared to all other creations. In the Qur’an, the name Al-Ala appears
Imam al-Ghazali mentions, “[He] is the one five times, Al-Aliyy five, and Al-Muta’Ali only
above whose rank there is no rank, and all once.
ranks are inferior to Him. This is because
َْ َْ َ ْ ِ‫َس ّبح‬
‫ٱس َم َر ّبِك ٱلع‬ ِ
Sabbihisma Rabbikal A’laa
English Translation:

“Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High,” (Qur’an 87:1)

Connecting with this name in your Salah:

His essence to being above His creation in a literal sense. This may be more subjective,
but when we cry out to Allah T in a time of need, we have this intuition to look up to
the sky. We make du’a seeking His guidance or help. Another act of submission is how
125
we bow our heads in ruku or sujood to show He T is higher.
At our lowest point in sujood (prostration), we say, Subhana Rabbi Al Ala meaning,
“Glory is to my Lord, the Most High.”[1] And in the Qur’an, “They fear their Lord above them,
and they do what they are commanded.” (Qur’an 16:50)

Allah T is above:
The other meaning refers to the highness of His attributes being above all. He is above
all creation in all respects. As we’ve studied up to this name of Allah T, many of His
qualities often indicate a form of being grand or perpetual. That is why it’s The Most
Merciful, The Most Gracious, The All-Hearing, and The All-Seeing.

Being above the Throne:

“It is He who created the heavens and
earth in six days and then established
Himself above the Throne. He knows what
penetrates into the earth and what
emerges from it and what descends from
the heaven and what ascends therein;
and He is with you wherever you are. And
Allah, of what you do, is Seeing.” (Quran
57:4) It is oft-mentioned in the Qur’an that
Allah T is above the Throne or ascended
the Throne, (i.e., sits on the Throne).
The throne is often interpreted as being
the place which Allah T governs the
entire universe, the place where He
showers blessings of life and power. Imam
al-Ghazali writes, “For the throne is the
most exalted body, and is above all bodies:
an object far beyond determination and
calculation in terms of the boundaries of
bodies and the measure proper to them;
it is above all bodies in rank.Special
mention is made of.” Many other verses
mention Him being above the throne.
We’ve included them here for your
reference: 13:2, 10:3, 7:54, 25:59, 20:5. The
most well-known verse would be “the
Verse of the Throne” or Ayatul Kursi:

َ َ َّ َ ُ َّ ٞ ۡ َ َ َ ٞ َ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ ُّ َ ۡ ُّ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ َ ٓ َ ُ َّ
‫ت‬ِ ٰ ‫ٱلل ل إِلٰه إِل هو ٱلح ٱلقيوم ۚ ل تأخذهۥ سِنة ول نوم ۚ لۥ ما ِف ٱلسمٰو‬
َ‫ي َأيۡدِيه ۡم َوما‬ َ ۡ ‫ِندهُ ٓۥ إ َّل بإ ۡذنِهِۦ َي ۡعلَ ُم َما َب‬ َ ‫ۡرض َمن َذا َّٱلِي ي َ ۡش َف ُع ع‬ َۡ ََ
ِ ۚ ِِ ِ ۗ ِ ‫وما ِف ٱل‬
َ َ َّ ‫شء ّم ِۡن ع ِۡلمهِۦٓ إ َّل ب َما َشا ٓ َء َوس َِع ُك ۡرس ُِّي ُه‬ ۡ َ َ ُ ُ ََ ۡ ُ َۡ َ
‫ت‬ ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬ ۚ ِ ِ ِ ٖ ِ ‫خلفهمۖ ول يِيط َون ب‬
ُ‫ل ۡٱل َع ِظيم‬ ۡ ُ ُٔ َ َ َ ۡ َ
ُّ ِ ‫ودهُۥ ح ِۡف ُظ ُه َما ۚ َو ُه َو ٱل َع‬
َ
‫ۡرض ول يـ‬ ۖ ‫وٱل‬
Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal Haiyul Qaiyoom; laa taakhuzuhoo sinatunw wa laa nawm;
lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; man zal lazee yashfa’u indahooo illaa bi-
iznih; ya’lamu maa baina aydeehim wa maa khalfahum wa laa yuheetoona bishai’im
min ‘ilmihee illaa bimaa shaaa’; wasi’a Kursiyyuhus samaawaati wal arda wa laa
Ya’ooduhoo hifzuhumaa; wa Huwal Aliyyul Azeem

English Translation:

“Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence.
Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except
by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after
them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His
Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not.
And He is the Most High, the Most Great.” (Qur’an 2:255)
126
 Things are elevated to Him:
There are also verses that mention things
ascending to Him, meaning they are low
and must rise upwards to Him, “Whoever
desires honor [through power] – then to
Allah belongs all honor. To Him ascends
good speech, and righteous work raises
it.” (Qur’an 35:10) and “The angels and the
Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the
extent of which is fifty thousand years.”
(Qur’an 70:4)
Ibn Abbas reported that Allah’s Apostle x
used to supplicate during the time of
trouble (in these words):
La ilaha illallahul-Adhimul-Haleem. La
ilaha illallahu Rabbul-‘Arshil-‘Adhim. La
ilaha illallahu Rabbus-samawati, wa
Rabbul-ardi, wa Rabbul-‘Arshil- Kareem.
“There is no god but Allah, the Great, the
Tolerant, there is no god but Allah, the
Lord of the Magnificent Throne There is no
god but Allah, the Lord of the Heaven and
the earth, the Lord of the Edifying Throne.”[2]

The believer benefits in knowing that (q) was commanded to appear

Allah T is Al-Aliyy. He is The Most-High, before Firawn and cast his staff. He was
The Exalted. There is no one else we need fearful as he did not know what would
to rely upon but Him. The believers will be happen next, but Allah T comforts him in
among those who are higher. Musa saying, “Fear not! Lo! thou art the higher.”

ْ ُ َ ۡ ُ ُ َ َ ّ ُ َ َّ َ ُ َ َ َ ۡ َ َّ ٓ ُ َ َّ ُ َ َ َ َ
‫ت إِذا ف ِزع عن قلوب ِ ِهم قالوا‬ ٰٓ ‫ٱلش َفٰ َع ُة عِندهۥ إِل ل ِمن أذِن ل ۚۥ ح‬ ‫ول تنفع‬
َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ُ َ َّ َ ۡ ْ ُ َ ۡ ُ ُّ َ َ َ َ َ
ُ ‫كب‬
‫ري‬ِ ‫ل ٱل‬ُّ ِ ‫ماذا قال ربكمۖ قالوا ٱلق ۖ وهو ٱلع‬
Wa laa tanfa’ush shafaa’atu ‘indahooo illaa liman azina lah; hattaaa izaa fuzzi’a ‘an
quloobihim qaaloo maazaa qaala Rabbukum; qaalul haqq, wa Huwal Aliyul Kabeer

English Translation:
“And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits. [And
those wait] until, when terror is removed from their hearts, they will say [to one
another], “What has your Lord said?” They will say, “The truth.” And He is the Most
High, the Grand.” (Quran 34:23)

Another hadith narration provides us instead of reciting the Quran.’ He said:

with a supplication we can recite using
the name Al-Aliyy. Best for the one who
may find themselves wrestling to learn
the Qur’an and/or it’s concepts. It was
narrated that Ibn Abi Awfa said: “A man
came to the Prophet (x) and said: ‘I
cannot learn anything of the Quran;
teach me something that I can say
‘Say: SubhanAllah, wal-hamdulilah, wa la
illaha ill-Allah, wa Allahu Akbar, wa la
hawla wa la quwwata illa Billahil-aliy
al-azim (Glory be to Allah, praise be to
Allah, there is none worthy of worship
except Allah, Allah is Most Great, and there
is no power and no strength except with
Allah the Exalted and Magnificent).’” [3]

References:
[1] Sahih (Darussalam) Jami At-Tirmidhi 262 [3] Hasan (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 924
127 [2] Sahih Muslim 2730a
 Al-kabeer
(The Great)

The Most Great, The All-Great,

The Greatest.

َ ْ
ُ ‫كب‬
The name Al-Kabeer (in Arabic: ‫ري‬ِ ‫ )ٱل‬is the 37th name of Allah T meaning the
perfection of greatness. The heart of the believer knows Allah is the essence of
perfection and nothing is comparable to him. His greatness is beyond measure, and
His being is unimaginable to the human mind.

From the root kaf-ba-ra ( ‫ر‬ ‫)ك ب‬, which demonstrative of being THE biggest or
has the following classical Arabic THE greatest.
connotations: to be great in rank, dignity, But with Allah T this is not limited in a
nobility, majesty to be great in size, vast, physical sense. The name Al-Kabir is
formidable to be great in age, oldest to often used in tandem with Al-Aliyy (The
be great in learning, most knowing to Most High), likely to illustrate that Allah is
have rights above all others. great in all respects, greater than any
In Arabic, the word kabir ( ‫ )كبري‬is used by mental constructs we may have of Him.
modern Arabic speakers to describe It is a name of Allah’s perfection, not
something great, big or large, often in a meant in a comparative sense. He is
physical sense. The usage of the definite greatness and is alone in His greatness.
article “al” before the name is

ُ َ َّ َّ َ َ ُ ٰ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َّ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ َّ َّ َ َ ٰ َ
‫ٱلل ه َو‬ ‫ٱل ُّق َوأن َما يَد ُعون مِن دونِهِ ٱلـ ِطل وأن‬ ‫ذل ِك بِأن ٱلل هو‬
ُ ‫كب‬ َ ْ َ ْ‫ٱل‬
‫ري‬ ِ ‫ٱل‬ ُّ
‫ل‬ ِ ‫ع‬
Zaalika bi annal laaha Huwal Haqqu wa anna maa yad’oona min doonihil baatilu wa
annal laaha Huwal Aliyyul Kabeer (section 3)

English Translation:

“That is because Allah is the Truth, and that what they call upon other than Him is
falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.” (Qur’an 31:30)

128
 ْ ُ َ ۡ ُ ُ َ َ ّ ُ َ َّ َ ُ َ َ َ ۡ َ َّ ٓ ُ َ ُ َ ٰ َ َّ ُ َ َ َ َ
ٰٓ
‫ول تنفع ٱلشفعة عِندهۥ إِل ل ِمن أذِن ل ۚۥ حت إِذا ف ِزع عن قلوب ِ ِهم قالوا‬
َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ُ َ َّ َ ۡ ْ ُ َ ۡ ُ ُّ َ َ َ َ َ
ُ ‫كب‬
‫ري‬ِ ‫ل ٱل‬ُّ ِ ‫ماذا قال ربكمۖ قالوا ٱلق ۖ وهو ٱلع‬
Wa laa tanfa’ush shafaa’atu ‘indahooo illaa liman azina lah; hattaaa izaa fuzzi’a an
quloobihim qaaloo maazaa qaala Rabbukum; qaalul haqq, wa Huwal Aliyul Kabeer

English Translation:

“And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits. [And
those wait] until, when terror is removed from their hearts, they will say [to one
another], “What has your Lord said?” They will say, “The truth.” And He is the Most High,
the Grand.” (Qur’an 31:30)

َ َ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ َ ٰ َ َّ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ٰ َ
‫ب وٱلشهـدة ِ ٱلكبِري ٱلمتعا ِل‬
ِ ‫عـل ِم ٱلغي‬
Aalimul Ghaibi wash shahaadatil Kaabeerul Muta’aal

English Translation:

“[He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Grand, the Exalted.”
(Qur’an 31:30)

Expanding on the meaning of Allahu Akbar:

The name Al-Kabir appears a total of six
times in the Qur’an. It’s also an attribute
of Allah T you’re used to hearing on an
everyday basis. In the call to prayer (i.e.,
the adhan), we say Allahu Akabar
meaning “Allah is greater.” This contains
the importance of salah time, to stop all
that you’re doing when the adhan comes
on, and hayya alas salah, meaning
“come to prayer.” Why? Because God is
greater - He is greater than whatever
else may be preoccupying your time.
Here it seems to be used in the
comparative sense, but really it’s an
affirmation of Allah’s absoluteness.
Although the reference to the last verse
of Surah Jumuah is about Jumuah
prayer, the message remains true for all
your prayers, “O you who have believed,
when [the adhan] is called for the prayer
on the day of Jumu’ah [Friday], then
proceed to the remembrance of Allah
and leave trade. That is better for you, if
you only knew.” It’s only befitting that the
next part in the adhan mentions hayya
alal falah “come to success.” Narrated
`Abdullah: I asked the Prophet (x) “Which
deed is the dearest to Allah?” He replied,
“To offer the prayers at their early stated
fixed times.” [1]

Al-Kabir - testament of tawhid:

Upon realizing only Allah T possesses true greatness, we, therefore, praise Him alone.
Only Allah T has true worth. Everything else is perishable and exists in a temporary
129 state. The one who is only conscious and glorifies himself lives in denial of this truth.
Consciousness of Allah T and His greatness affirms His divine oneness and allows a
person to live beyond his selfish desires and pursuits. It creates the space for detachment
from oneself and to live for Allah T, and Allah knows what’s best for His creation.

َ َّ ‫ٱلَ ٰـ ِط ُل َوأَ َّن‬

َ‫ٱلل ُهو‬ ْ َُ ُ َ ُ ْ َ َ َّ َ َ ُّ َ ْ َ ُ َ َّ َّ َ َ ٰ َ
‫ذل ِك بِأن ٱلل هو ٱلق وأن ما يدعون مِن دونِهِۦ هو‬
َ ْ
ُ‫كبري‬ َ ْ
ُّ
ِ ‫ٱلع ِل ٱل‬
Zaalika bi annal laaha Huwal haqqu wa anna maa yad’oona min doonihee huwal
baatilu wa annal laaha Huwal Aliyyul kabeer

English Translation:

“That is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon other than Him is
falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.” (Qur’an 22:62)

This name is also a reminder to check
our egos and to be humble because we
know Allah T is far superior. Those who
directly challenge Him will be among the
losers. It was narrated from Abu Hurairah
that the Messenger of Allah x said:
“Allah, the Glorified, says: ‘Pride / Grandeur
is My cloak and greatness My robe, and
whoever competes with Me with regard
to either of them, I shall throw him into
Hell.’” [2] Even those who don’t directly
challenge Allah T but are narcissistic
and have a delusional sense of self-
worth - they may bully, humiliate and
berate others but will be faced Allah’s
vengeance. We are all created equal in
the sight of Allah T. The better one is
determined by moral excellence. In the
Qur’an, Allah T says, “O mankind, indeed
We have created you from male and
female and made you peoples and
tribes that you may know one another.
Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight
of Allah is the most righteous of you.
Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.”
(Qur’an 49:13)
Mu’sab b. Sa’d reported on the authority
of his father that a desert Arab came to
Allah’s Messenger x and said to him:
Teach me the words which I should
(often) utter. He said: Utter, [3]

َ َ ْ ُ ً َ َّ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ً َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َّ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َّ َ َ َ
‫شيك ل الل أكب كبِريا والمد ِلِ كثِريا سبحان‬ ِ ‫ال إِل إِال الل وحده ال‬
َْ َْ َّ َّ َ َّ ُ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َ ْ ّ َ َّ
‫يز الكِي ِم‬
ِ ‫ب العال ِمني ال حول وال قوة إِال بِاللِ الع ِز‬
ِ ‫اللِ ر‬
la ‘ilah ‘iila alllah wahdah la sharik lah alllah ‘akbar kabiran walhamd lillah kathiran
subhan alllah rabb alealamin la hawl wala quwwat ‘iila bialllah aleaziz alhakim
English Translation:

“There is no god but Allah, the One, having no partner with Him. Allah is the Greatest
of the great and all praise is due to Him. Hallowed be Allah, the Lord of the worlds,
there is no Might and Power but that of Allah, the All-Powerful and the Wise.”
130
 The Greatness within you:
Another way a believer benefits from
knowing Allah T is Al-Kabeer is
acknowledging and respecting the
beauty that is you. If we understand the
superlative that Allah T is the highest
and greatest then it must be that
everything that comes from Him must
be perfect and great in its own respect.
Whether or not we recognize and accept
our beauty and our greatness is a
different question altogether. To begin
transforming self-loathing to self-loving
has to do with reprogramming the story
that’s been conditioned in your psyche
and reworking it. It takes some believing
and trust to attach a new story to take its
place, and whose word is greater to
follow and trust than Al-Kabeer?
In the Qur’an, Allah T mentions His
creation as being molded perfectly, “It is
Allah who made for you the earth a
place of settlement and the sky a ceiling
and formed you and perfected your
forms and provided you with good
things. That is Allah, your Lord; then
blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds.”
(Qur’an 40:64) and also, “We have
certainly created man in the best of
stature;” Qur’an 95:4 Would you refute
Him, saying, “look, I respect your opinion
but I am objectively ugly. See my left eye
is slightly bigger than my right!” It may
seem ridiculous, but we are all guilty of
doing this in some fashion. This is
probably even more exaggerated today
because of the high beauty standards
pushed on by social media.
Another beautiful ayat from the Qur’an
worth deeply reflecting on is, “You now
see the mountains and consider them
References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 527
[2] Hasan (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 4174 & Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 4090
131 [3] Sahih Muslim 2696
firmly fixed, but then they shall pass away
even as clouds pass away. That will be
the handiwork of Allah Who has created
everything with perfect wisdom. He is
well aware of what you do.” (Qur’an
27:88) The commentators of the Qur’an
interpret “pass away” as a reference to
the Earth itself, meaning that the world,
believed to be solid, is actually as
ephemeral as a cloud. It is temporary.
We can even try to extrapolate from this
ayah on a personal level. Things that
may seem firmly fixed will pass. If we can
accept this, we can learn to let go of any
emotional attachments. There is nothing
that exists with absolute permanence
but Allah T. Holding on to what was or is,
is an impossible task. The one who
caused the change is Allah T, and He is
the one who has perfect wisdom.
We can experience inner peace only
with acceptance of what He has willed. If
we’re flexible with changing events, we
can see the many blessings Allah T has
given each one of us. Try to drop the
anxiety and self-criticism if you’re not
doing what you feel you’re supposed to
be doing - or where you think you should
be. Harsh criticism of yourself serves no
purpose but to hinder future progress.
Instead, just focus on the smallest step
you can take to improve your situation.
Just as Allah T spreads His perfection
through His creation, we work to perfect
our inner character. Emotional
temperance, knowledge, deen, love,
family, friendships, etc. Whatever else
happens is up to Allah T, and we know
that He is Al-Kabeer, The Greatest.
 Al-hafiz
(The Preserver)

The Guarding One, The Protector,

The One who Preserves what He created.

ُ َْ
Allah T is Al-Hafiz (in Arabic: ‫ٱلفِيظ‬ ), the guardian and protector of everything. He
preserves all creations and remembers all that has ever been and all that is. He is
the protector of The Qur’an and vowed to safeguard it from being changed or
perverted, as was the case with previous scriptures.

From the root ha-fa-za ( ‫)ح ف ظ‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to preserve, guard, protect, to keep, retain, take care of, tend to, prevent from perishing,
or becoming lost, to be watchful, mindful, attentive, and vigilant.

Al-Hafiz - The Protector:

The name of Allah T Al-Hafiz (other
common transliterations include Al-
Hafeez or Al-Hafeedh) appears for a
total of six times throughout the Qur’an.
There are different aspects of this name
we can explore. Imam al-Ghazali writes
the first is “perpetuating the existence of
existing things and sustaining them, the
opposite of which is annihilation.” In this
light, we see Allah T as the preserver in
the sense of being a protector. A name
that shows trust in Allah T plan for us
and humanity as a whole. Every parent
dropping their kids off at school, every
person caught amid a war or dangerous
situation. Or it could be something as
simple as entrusting something valuable
to someone else; the attribute of Allah
T we need to know is that He is Al-Hafiz.
Sheikh Tosun Barak writes, “He protects
His creation from all harm and
disharmony. That is how all heavenly
bodies speeding in great haste revolve
and travel within their destined orbits,
instead of clashing with each other.” This
is the work of Allah T as being Al-Hafiz.
“So exalted is Allah when you reach the
evening and when you reach the
morning. And to Him is [due all] praise
throughout the heavens and the earth.
And [exalted is He] at night and when
you are at noon. He brings the living out
of the dead and brings the dead out of
the living and brings to life the earth after
its lifelessness. And thus will you be
brought out.” (Qur’an 30:17-19)

132
 The Perfect Balance:
Allah T has perfected the balance of
the elements and instilled
preservation within all creation. All things
are instinctually guided. This is how birds
know to migrate south for the winter,
how bees can travel 12km away from the
hive and find their way back, how
salmons return to the same river bank
they were born to lay their eggs despite
having traveled hundreds to thousands
of miles away in the vast ocean.
reconciled them to be that way. The
self- human body is a powerful self-regulating
system. If you look at the average body
temperature in humans, it exists within a
small range of 36.1 C - 37.2 C. The same is
true of our blood pH level, hovering
around 7.35 to 7.45. The slightest diversion
from this range can have very harmful
effects. Yet, within our body, the pH level
of the acid in our stomach is 1.5-2.5. If this
came in direct contact with your skin, it

It’s jaw-dropping to consider how would burn a hole through your flesh.

different elements that are at odds with But Allah T — great and glorious —
one another (e.g., hot and cold, dryness made it so our stomach can safely
and wetness) exist under our skin in the house this acid for self-preservation to
perfect balance because Allah T has help eat and digest food.

ً‫ك ۡم َوي َ ۡس َت ۡخل ُِف َر ّب قَ ۡوما‬ُ َۡ ٓ ُ ۡ ۡ ُ ٓ َّ ُ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ْ ۡ َّ َ َ َ

ِ ۚ ‫فإِن تولوا فقد أبلغتكم ما أرسِلت بِهِۦ إِل‬
ٞ ۡ َ ‫ك‬ ّ ُ ٰ َ َ ّ َ َّ ً ۡ َ ُ َ ُّ ُ َ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ
‫ش ٍء َحفِيظ‬ ِ ‫غيكم ول تضونهۥ شيـٔا ۚ إِن ر ِب ع‬
Fa in tawallaw faqad ablaghtukum maaa ursiltu biheee ilaikum; wa yastakhlifu Rabbee
qawman ghairakum wa laa tadur roonahoo shai’aa; inna Rabbee ‘alaa kulli shai’in Hafeez

English Translation:

But if they turn away, [say], ‘I have already conveyed that with which I was sent to
you. My Lord will give succession to a people other than you, and you will not harm
Him at all. Indeed my Lord is, over all things, Guardian.’” (Qur’an 11:57)

َ ُ ٰ َ َ ُ َ َّ َ ْ ّ َ ْ َّ َ ُ ْ َ َّ
‫إِنا نن نزلا ٱذلِكر ِإَونا لۥ لـفِظون‬
Innaa Nahnu nazalnaz Zikra wa Innaa lahoo lahaa fizoon
English Translation:

“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur’an and indeed, We will be its guardian.” (Qur’an 15:9)

Ayatul Kursi:
You may be familiar with the idea of reciting Ayatul Kursi if you’re afraid and want
some kind of protection. But why else do we recite Ayatul kursi? What’s special about
this verse? In the tafsir of Abul Ala Maududi, “A fundamental fact about war – that
victory and success do not depend upon superiority in either numbers or weapons
133 – was then indicated.
They depend rather on faith, fortitude,
discipline and firm resolution.” This is the
idea that nothing can happen except by
Allah T permission. In moments of
complete despair, when it looks like you
can’t win the battle because you’re
outnumbered - the one who can grant
you victory, provide protection, and bring
you comfort is Allah T. Believe in Him,
praise Him, call upon His attributes, “Ya
Hafeedh, Ya Maani, Ya Qawwiy, Ya Aliyyul
Azeem” - “O Guardian, O Preventer of
Harm, O Strong One, O Most High, the
Most Great” and continue asking for
whatever you wish, “guide us, forgive us,
grant us a safe passage.”

ُ َّ َ‫ع أَخِيهِ مِن َق ۡب ُل ف‬

ٌ‫ٱلل َخ ۡي‬ ُ ُ َ ٓ َ َ َّ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ ُ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ
ٰٓ َ َ ‫ك ۡم‬ ‫قال هل ءامنكم عليهِ إِل كما أمِنت‬
َ‫ٱلر ٰـحمني‬ َ ۡ َ ُ َ ٗ َ
ِ ِ َّ ُ
‫حٰفِظاۖ وه َو أرحم‬
Qaala hal aamanukum alaihi illaa kamaa amintukum alaaa akheehi min qabl; fal laahu
khairun haafizanw wa Huwa arhamur Raahimeen
English Translation:
“He said, ‘Should I entrust you with him except [under coercion] as I entrusted you
with his brother before? But Allah is the best guardian, and He is the most merciful of
the merciful.’” (Qur’an 12:64)

We can make du’a in any language, but another reason for reciting Ayatul Kursi is given
in the hadith. narrated ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud: “Allah has not created in the heavens nor
in the earth what is more magnificent than Ayat Al-Kursi.” Sufyan said: “Because Ayat
Al-Kursi is the Speech of Allah, and Allah’s Speech is greater than Allah’s creation of the
heavens and the earth.” [1] So, with this perspective let’s review this magnificent verse.

َ َ َّ َ ُ َّ ٞ ۡ َ َ َ ٞ َ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ ُّ َ ۡ ُّ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ َ ٓ َ ُ َّ
‫ت‬ِ ٰ ‫ٱلل ل إِلٰه إِل هو ٱلح ٱلقيوم ۚ ل تأخذهۥ سِنة ول نوم ۚ لۥ ما ِف ٱلسمٰو‬
َ‫ي َأيۡدِيه ۡم َوما‬ َ ۡ ‫ِندهُ ٓۥ إ َّل بإ ۡذنِهِۦ َي ۡعلَ ُم َما َب‬ َ ‫ۡرض َمن َذا َّٱلِي ي َ ۡش َف ُع ع‬ َۡ ََ
ِ ۚ ِِ ِ ۗ ِ ‫وما ِف ٱل‬
َ َ َّ ‫شء ّم ِۡن ع ِۡلمهِۦٓ إ َّل ب َما َشا ٓ َء َوس َِع ُك ۡرس ُِّي ُه‬ ۡ َ َ ُ ُ ََ ۡ ُ َۡ َ
‫ت‬ ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬ ۚ ِ ِ ِ ٖ ِ ‫خلفهمۖ ول يِيط َون ب‬
ُ‫ل ۡٱل َع ِظيم‬ ۡ ُ ُٔ َ َ َ ۡ َ
ُّ ِ ‫ودهُۥ ح ِۡف ُظ ُه َما ۚ َو ُه َو ٱل َع‬
َ
‫ۡرض ول يـ‬ ۖ ‫وٱل‬
Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal Haiyul Qaiyoom; laa taakhuzuhoo sinatunw wa laa nawm;
lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; man zal lazee yashfa’u indahooo illaa bi-
iznih; ya’lamu maa baina aydeehim wa maa khalfahum wa laa yuheetoona bishai’im
min ‘ilmihee illaa bimaa shaaa’; wasi’a Kursiyyuhus samaawaati wal arda wa laa
Ya’ooduhoo hifzuhumaa; wa Huwal Aliyyul Azeem

English Translation:

“Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence.
Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except
by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after
them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His
Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not.
And He is the Most High, the Most Great.” (Qur’an 2:255)
134
 The verse does not explicitly state the name Al-Hafeedh but mentions Allah T as
being watchful over “the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not.”
which encompasses the same attribute as the name Al-Hafeedh.

It also calls upon Allah T by many names which we have covered up until this point.
Can you identify them? [2]

Allah T has provided the answers to
things that threaten our existence and
our harmony and taught us how to be
protected from them. He
through His books and His teachers (i.e.,
the Prophets, may peace be upon them).
He tells us to be cautious and avoid the
poisons of gambling, alcohol, adultery,
backbiting, envy, jealousy, and ignorance.
He advocates for charity,
marriages, looking after your community,
seeking knowledge, become intelligent
Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet x
said: “The one who memorized the Qur’an
shall come on the Day of Judgment and
sent this (the reward for reciting the Qur’an) says:
‘O Lord! Decorate him.” So he is donned
with a crown of nobility. Then it says: “O
Lord! Give him more!” So he is donned
with a suit of nobility. Then it says: “O Lord!
Be pleased with him.’ So He is pleased
lawful with him and says: “Recite and rise up,
and be increased in reward with every
Ayah.”” [3]

and useful. He’s not denied us enjoyment
and complete detachment from all
things. We’re encouraged to enjoy what’s
permissible while keeping our duties and
responsibilities.
By studying the name Al-Hafeedh, it
should inspire us to further rely upon
Allah T. We should seek to mimic this
attribute in small ways, to give our best
effort to memorize the Qur’an and
become a Hafiz. This is probably too big
of a task, so break it down and be a
“preserver” of a few small
We must also try to preserve our deen
and our character from being corrupted
by sin. The Shaitan will try to pull us in
many directions. He will encourage us to
get angry about small things, to let down
over here, and to give in to some
temptations over there. We must actively
fight to preserve our faith. We should
also seek to preserve things encouraged
in Islam, kindness to one another, love
among the community, and keeping the
peace. The only justification for fighting
surahs. is against oppression and tyranny.

References:
[1] Sahih (Darussalam) Jami at-Tirmidhi 2884
[2] Five names: Allah, Al-Hayy, Al-Qayyum, Al-Aliyy, Al-Azeem. However, attributes such as His decree, knowledge, and dominion
are also referenced.
135 [3] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2915
 Al-muqeet
(The Nourisher)

The Nourisher, The Sustainer

Allah T is Al-Muqeet (in Arabic:

ُ ِ‫ )ٱل ْ ُمق‬meaning the ultimate sustainer. He gives
‫يت‬
strength and nourishment to His creations and maintains all that exists. He oversees,
guards, and preserves all. To Allah T we owe the satisfaction of all needs, but He is
alone and independent of needs.

From the root qaf-waw-ta (‫)ق و ت‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to feed, nourish, to supply, sustain, to keep, preserve, guard, to witness, observe, watch
over.

Physical v. Spiritual Needs:

The name of Allah T, Al-Muqeet - The
Nourisher. We all require sustenance and
nourishment. At first, we require physical
nourishment, food, and drink being the
strongest of needs. Once that need is
satiated, we often experience an inner
void, and some mistakenly believe it can
only be filled with material things. After
all the hoarding and consuming, they will
find this hole is a bottomless pit that can
never be filled. The nourishment they
need can only be found in the light of
Allah T. Through devotion to Allah T Ar-Razzaq
and increasing their spiritual aspirations,
they fill the missing piece. In this way, Al-
Muqit is the spiritual nourisher.
available, and no one can come in the
way of limiting what’s been ordained. It
was narrated from Jabir bin Abdullah
that the Messenger of Allah (x) said:
“O people, fear Allah and be moderate in
seeking a living, for no soul will die until it
has received all its provision, even if it is
slow in coming. So fear Allah and be
moderate in seeking provision; take that
which is permissible and leave that
which is forbidden.” [1]
So in this sense, it’s
similar to the meaning of the name
(The Provider) but more
emphasis on the spiritual aspect. Imam
al-Ghazali writes, “this name is more
specific, since provision includes what is

But Allah T also has prescribed physical other than food as well as food.” As the

nourishment. Every person has it written name of Allah T it is only mentioned

for him/her what nourishment is once in the Qur’an.

136
 ٗ ٗ َ َ َ ۡ ٞ ‫كن َّ ُلۥ نَص‬
‫يب ّم ِۡن َهاۖ َو َمن يَشف ۡع شفٰ َعة َس ّي ِ َئة‬
ُ َ ٗ َ َ َ ً َ ٰ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َّ
‫من يشفع شفعة حسنة ي‬
ِ
ٗ ‫شء ُّمق‬ َ ّ ُ ٰ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ ۡ ّ ٞ ۡ ُ َّ ُ َ
‫يتا‬ ِ ٖ ۡ ‫ك‬ ِ ‫يكن لۥ كِفل مِنهاۗ وكن ٱلل ع‬
Mai yashfa shafaa’atan hasanatay yakul lahoo naseebum minhaa wa mai yashfa
shafaa’atan saiyi’atany-yakul lahoo kiflum minhaa; wa kaanal laahu ‘alaa kulli
shai’im Muqeetaa

English Translation:

“Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a reward therefrom; and whoever
intercedes for an evil cause will have a burden therefrom. And ever is Allah, over all
things, a Keeper.” (Qur’an 4:85)

Because of this attribute of being the one who sustains all and provides for all, some
will write Al-Muqit as being “The Powerful.” But being the nourisher is a more accurate
description. Below we include more Quranic verses that demonstrate the quality of
this name rather than verses that reference this name.

َ َ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َّ َۡ َ
‫ۡرض إِل ع ٱللِ رِ ۡزق َها َو َي ۡعل ُم ُم ۡس َتق َّرها َو ُم ۡس َت ۡودع َه ۚا‬
ِ ‫َو َما مِن دٓابَّ ٖة ِف ٱل‬
ُّ ‫ك ف ك َِتٰب‬ ّٞ ُ
‫ني‬ ‫ب‬‫م‬
ٖ ِ ٖ ِ
Wa maa min daaabbatin fil ardi illaa ‘alal laahi rizquhaa wa ya’lamu mustaqarrahaa
wa mustawda’ahaa; kullun fee Kitaabim Mubeen

English Translation:

“And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision, and He knows
its place of dwelling and place of storage. All is in a clear register.” (Qur’an 11:6)

َ‫ٱلس َمآءِ َما ٓ ٗء فَأَ ۡخ َر َج بهِۦ مِن‬

َّ ‫نز َل م َِن‬ َ َ‫ۡرض َوأ‬
َ َ ۡ َ ٰ َ ٰ َ َّ َ َ َ
‫ٱل‬‫و‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ‫و‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱلس‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ل‬‫خ‬ ‫ِي‬
َّ ُ َّ
‫ٱل‬ ‫ٱلل‬
ِ
َّ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ َ َّ ُ َّ ٗ
‫ت رِ ۡزقا لك ۡمۖ َو َسخ َر لك ُم ٱلفلك لِ َ ۡج ِر َي ِف ٱلَ ۡح ِر بِأ ۡم ِره ِۖۦ َو َسخ َر‬ َّ
ِ ٰ ‫ٱثل َم َر‬
َ
َ‫ك ُم ۡٱلنۡ َهٰر‬ ُ َ
‫ل‬
Allaahul lazee khalaqas samaawaati wal arda wa anzala minas samaaa’i maaa’an
faakhraja bihee minas samaraati rizqal lakum wa sakhkhara lakumul fulka litajriya fil
bahri bi amrihee wa sakhkhara lakumul anhaar

English Translation:

“It is Allah who created the heavens and the earth and sent down rain from the sky
and produced thereby some fruits as provision for you and subjected for you the
ships to sail through the sea by His command and subjected for you the rivers.”
(Qur’an 14:32)
137
 ُْ ُ َ ُْ ََ ُ ُْ َُ َ ْ َْ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ َّ َ َّ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ
‫ت وٱل ر ِض وهو يطعِم ول يطعم ۗ قل‬ ٰ ًّ
ِ ٰ ‫قل أغي ٱللِ أتِذ و ِلا فاط ِِر ٱلسمـو‬
َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ ْ ُ ٓ ّ
َ‫ون َّن م َِن ٱل ْ ُم ْشك ِني‬
ِ ‫إ ِ ِن أمِرت أن أكون أول من أسلم ۖ ول تك‬
Qul aghairal laahi attakhizu waliyyan faatiris samaawaati wal ardi wa Huwa yut’imu wa
laa yut’am; qul inneee umirtu an akoona awwala man aslama wa laa takoonanna
minal mushrikeen

English Translation:

“Say, “Is it other than Allah I should take as a protector, Creator of the heavens and
the earth, while it is He who feeds and is not fed?” Say, [O Muhammad], “Indeed, I
have been commanded to be the first [among you] who submit [to Allah] and [was
commanded], ‘Do not ever be of the polytheists.’” (Qur’an 6:14)

We’ve explored in more detail how a
believer benefits in understanding how
Allah T is the giver of sustenance (see
the name Ar-Razzaq). But a point worth
reiterating is if you see that Allah T is
Al-Muqit, then you realize the importance
of sabr (patience). “And We will surely
test you with something of fear and
hunger and a loss of wealth and lives
and fruits, but give good tidings to the
patient…” (Qur’an 2:155)
Go out in the world, be as deliberate as
you can be, do your work, do what’s
required of you but leave the rest to Allah
T. Nothing can happen without His will,
and if you trust He is the nourisher, the
provider, the all-wise, then you must not
be hard on yourself. What has been
written for you, you will receive. Resorting
to unlawful measures will not increase
your sustenance. The number is the
number. How you will receive it is up to
you. It may come at once in a large sum.
For others, it may be a slow and steady
race.
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger
x as saying: O Allah, make the provision
of Muhammad’s family sufficient just to
sustain life. [2]

References:
[1] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 2144
[2] Sahih Muslim 1055 138
 Al-haseeb / Al-Hasib
(The Reckoner)

The Reckoner, The Sufficient,

The one who Suffices.

ُ ْ
َ ). He is The One who takes account of all
Allah T is Al-Haseeb (in Arabic: ‫ٱلسِيب‬
actions and reckons them on the day of judgment. There is nothing that goes
unnoticed, however small. Allah T is the one who will take account of all and
everything and will hold each person accountable. He will give whatever is sufficient
and necessary in every situation.

From the root ha-sin-ba ( ‫)ح س ب‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
To reckon, number, count, calculate, compute, think. To give without sparing or
scanting, to give without the receiver’s expectation. To suffice, to be sufficient, or
without measure.

Al-Muqeet and Al-Haseeb:

The previous name we discussed is or account. He is the one who measures

Al-Muqeet which is closely related to and reckons. So, in a way, Al-Muqeet is
Al-Haseeb. Al-Muqit is The Nourisher. He the one who fills us with life, knowledge,
provides for our sustenance in a variety and wealth, and Al-Haseeb is the one
of ways - both material and spiritual. who is constantly measuring. He is
Allah T has given each one of us a checking to see whether these gifts are
varying degree of intellectual ability as squandered or utilized. So, in the
well as a certain amount of wealth and perpetual form, Al-Hasib is “The
time to spend however we wish. Accountant,” who watches every action

Now, Hasib comes from hasaba, which and deed and will settle all accounts.

means to count (past tense), calculate,

َّ ٰ َ َ َ َ َّ َّ ً َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َّ
ً‫ٱللِ َحسِيبا‬ َ َ ُ ّ َ َّ
‫ت ٱللِ ويخشونهۥ ول يشون أحدا إِل ٱلل ۗ وكف ِب‬ ِ ‫ِين ُي َبل ِغون رِ َس ٰـل ٰـ‬
‫ٱل‬
Allazeena yuballighoona Risaalaatil laahi wa yakhshaw nahoo wa laa yakkhshawna
ahadan illal laah; wa kafaa billaahi Haseebaa

English Translation:

“[Allah praises] those who convey the messages of Allah and fear Him and do not
fear anyone but Allah. And sufficient is Allah as Accountant.” (Qur’an 33:39)
139
Other Interpretations:
Al-Haseeb is also understood to be a
name of Allah T that demonstrates the
attribute of His knowledge. He knows the
result of every creation. Nothing surprises
Him. On the day of reckoning, they will
stand before Him bringing their accounts
of whatever good they’ve accumulated.
Allah T does not need to perform any
calculations. He knows the result. There is
no inaccuracy or impreciseness in His
judgment. He takes everything
account and does not miss any detail.
Another meaning of Al-Hasib
sufficiency. He is sufficient, not needing
anyone or anything. Nothing is truly self-
sufficient besides Allah T. For if
something was sufficient, it would not
need anything for its existence. There is
nothing but Allah T that has this quality.
But yet, a common desire is to be self-
reliant but this term is often misused and
misunderstood.
What we really mean is we need Allah T
to take care of us and help us in our
affairs. We are not be beholden to
into anyone or anything but Allah T. In Surah
Talaq verse 3, “And will provide for him
is from where he does not expect. And
whoever relies upon Allah – then He is
[hasbuh] sufficient for him.”

Du’a of Prophet Muhammad x:

The best example of this is when the Prophet x faced a loss in battle Uhud against
Abu Sufyan. The army gathered and confronted the Prophet (may peace be upon
him), and in an attempt to break their morale, “Men said to them: ‘A great army is
gathering against you’ And frightened them: But it (only) increased their Faith: They
said: Hasbunallah wa ni’mal-Wakil “For us Allah sufficeth, and He is the best disposer
of affairs.” (Qur’an 3:173)

َ َۡ َ َ ٗ َ ٞ ۡ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ َٰ ۡ ِ ۡ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َٰ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ
‫س ش ۡيـٔاۖ ِإَون كن مِثقال‬ ‫ونضع ٱلموزِين ٱلقِسط ِلوم ٱلقِيمةِ فل تظلم نف‬
َ‫سبني‬ ٰ َ‫ف ب َنا ح‬
ٰ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ّ َّ َ
ِ ِ ِ ‫حبةٖ مِن خرد ٍل أتينا بِهاۗ وك‬
Wa nada’ul mawaazeenal qista li Yawmil Qiyaamati falaa tuzlamu nafsun shai’aa; wa in
kaana misqaala habbatim min khardalin atainaa bihaa; wa kafaa binaa haasibeen

English Translation:

“And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be
treated unjustly at all. And if there is [even] the weight of a mustard seed, We will
bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountant.” (Qur’an 21:47)

140
 From this attribute of Allah T we can Assalamualaikum being the base,
learn not to undermine any act of good. Assalamualaikum Warahmatullah being
There is no deed too small. Any chance one greater, and Assalamualaikum
to do good should be taken with utmost Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh being the
urgency because, on the day of greatest of them all). Imagine the
reckoning, we would wish to have a strange looks if, in the English language,
chance to replay those moments and we did the same. Your friend says, “Hey,”
do things differently. So this name and you respond, “Hi, hope you’re doing
reminds us not to waste a moment to do better than good and better than most,
good and go the extra mile because May Allah shower His peace and
most people won’t. Be an extraordinary blessings upon you!”
individual, always looking and observing Now, in every interaction, you’re given a
to find a way to help people. Don’t chance to have that same effect, not
squander your time on earth as ‘The just with being over the top with your
Accountant’ is watching how you spend words but with your presence, alertness,
the greatest capital of all, which is your attention, and overall care for the other
time. person. When someone really cares, we
Be courteous, and don’t be afraid to be can feel it. It’s an intuitive feeling and
different. Run to the kitchen the next time hard to fake. But it can be worked on and
someone says they are thirsty and see improved. What if this was your last
how weirdly they’ll look at you. Another conversation with that person? How
example the Qur’an teaches us is to would that change the dynamics of the
greet the person who says salam with way you approach the interaction?
one that’s better than it (i.e.,

ٗ َ ّ َ ٗ َ َٰ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ۡ ّ ٞ َ ُ َّ ُ َ ٗ َ َ َ ً َ ٰ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َّ
‫من يشفع شفعة حسنة يكن لۥ ن ِصيب مِنهاۖ ومن يشفع شفعة سيِئة‬
َ ‫يتم ب‬ َ
ُ ‫ِإَوذا ُح ّي‬ ٗ ‫شء ُّمق‬ َ ّ ُ ٰ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ ۡ ّ ٞ ۡ ُ َّ ُ َ
‫ح َّي ٖة‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ِ ِ 85 ‫ا‬‫يت‬ ِ ٖ ۡ ‫ك‬
ِ ‫يكن لۥ َكِفل مِنهاۗ وك َن ٱلل ع‬
ً ‫ش ٍء َحس‬ ۡ َ ‫ك‬ ّ ُ ٰ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َّ ٓ َ ُّ ُ ۡ ٓ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ْ ُّ َ َ
86 ‫ِيبا‬ ِ ‫فحيوا بِأحسن مِنها أو ردوها ۗ إِن ٱلل كن ع‬
Mai yashfa shafaa’atan hasanatay yakul lahoo naseebum minhaa wa mai yashfa
shafaa’atan saiyi’atany-yakul lahoo kiflum minhaa; wa kaanal laahu alaa kulli shai’im
Muqeetaa Wa izaa huyyeetum bitahaiyyatin fahaiyoo bi ahsana minhaaa aw
ruddoohaa; innal laaha kaana alaa kulli shai’in Haseeba

English Translation:

“Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a reward therefrom; and whoever
intercedes for an evil cause will have a burden therefrom. And ever is Allah, over all
things, a Keeper. And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one
better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner]. Indeed, Allah is ever, over all
things, an Accountant.” (Qur’an 4:85-86)
141
Ibn Mas’ud narrated that the Messenger of Allah SAW said: “The feet of the son of
Adam shall not move from before his Lord on the Day of Judgment, until he is asked
about five things: About his life and what he did with it, about his youth and what he
wore it out in, about his wealth and how he earned it, and spent it upon, and what he
did with what he knew.” [1]

References:
[1] Classified as hasan by al-Albaani: Jami at-Tirmidhi 2416 142
 Al-Jalil / Al-Jaleel
(The Majestic One)

The Glorious, The Majestic,

The Sublime

ُ َْ ): He is the great one and above all in dignity and

Allah T is Al-Jaleel (in Arabic: ‫ٱلل ِيل‬
rank. He is majestic and the source of all attributes of greatness. To Him, all honor
and sincere devotion are due.

From the root jim-lam-lam (‫ل‬ ‫)ج ل‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be supremely great. To be glorious, majestic. To be sublime, to be
high, lofty, far above, independent. The word Jalal (‫ )جالل‬comes from the same root
meaning greatness, majestic, and loftiness.

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned in previous names, certain scholars. This list includes Ibn al-
different scholars have different criteria Wazir, Ibn Hajar, and Ibn al-Uthaymeen.
for what qualifies as a name of Allah T. However, others, such as Ibn Arabi, Imam
Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly al-Bayhaqi, and Imam al-Ghazali, have
mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore, there included this name in their books of
is not one agreed-upon list for the explanations of Asma ul-Husna. But
remaining 18 names. Al-Jalil is one of many verses do describe this quality of
those names which is not included by Allah T as being Al-Jalil.
ْ ْ َ ٰ َ َْ ُ َ َّ ُ ْ َ َََْٰ
‫ٱلك َر ِام‬ ‫و‬
ِ ِ ‫ل‬ ‫ـ‬ ‫ل‬‫ٱل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ذ‬ ‫ويبق وجه ربِك‬
Wa yabqaa wajhu rabbika zul jalaali wal ikraam

English Translation:

“And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.”
(Qur’an 55:27)

What does it mean to be majestic?

The All-Majestic is an attribute only Allah T can attain. What does it mean to be
absolutely majestic?
143
It means you have complete knowledge, - the one described as tremendous
strength, sovereignty, wealth, power, and because of His attributes. All the
dominion, among all the other attributes. attributes which mention the greatness,
His majesty is unique and immeasurable. majesty or transcendent nature of Allah
It bears no resemblance to anything T are called attributes of Jalal (majesty).
past, present, or future. There are many The other attributes (i.e., mercy, kindness,
names which denote Allah’s T care, provision, sustenance) are
greatness. For example, Al-Jalil is ‘The attributes of beauty (Jamal). It is said by
Majestic’ because of the perfection of all scholars all of His names are either
His attributes/qualities. Al-Kabir (the attributes of Jalal or Jamal. They are also
great), whose very essence is to be interrelated, the majesty of Allah T is His
perfect. Al-Azeem (the magnificent one) beauty, and His beauty is His majesty.

When Allah revealed Himself to Musa (q):

َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ ٓ َ ّ َ َ َ ُ ُّ َ ُ َ َّ َ َ َ ٰ َ ٰ َ ‫َول َ َّما َجا ٓ َء ُم‬

‫ب أرِ ِن أنظر إِلك ۚ قال لن‬ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ت‬‫ـ‬
ِ ِ ‫يق‬‫م‬ِ ‫ل‬ ‫وس‬
َّٰ َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ
َ ‫ٱنظ ْر إ ِ َل‬ ُ َ َ
‫ٱس َتق َّر َمكن ُهۥ ف َس ْوف ت َرى ٰ ِن ۚ فلما تل‬ ‫ٱل َب ِل فإ ِ ِن‬ ِ ‫ت َرى ٰ ِن َول ٰـ‬
‫ك ِن‬
ُ‫ك ُتبْت‬ َ َ ٰ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ٓ َّ َ َ ً َ ٰ َ ُ َّ َ َ ًّ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ ُّ َ
‫ربهۥ ل ِلجب ِل جعلهۥ دك وخر موس صعِقا ۚ فلما أفاق قال سبحـن‬
َ‫ك َو َأنَا ۠ أَ َّو ُل ٱل ْ ُم ْؤ ِمن ِني‬ َ َْ
‫إِل‬
Wa lammaa jaaa’a Moosa limeeqaatinaa wa kallamahoo Rabbuhoo qaala Rabbi
arineee anzur ilaik; qaala lan taraanee wa laakininzur ilal jabali fa inistaqarra
makaanahoo fasawfa taraanee; falammaa tajallaa Rabbuhoo liljabali ja’alahoo
dakkanw wa kharra Moosaa sa’iqaa; falammaaa afaaqa qaala Subhaanaka tubtu ilaika
wa ana awwalul mu’mineen

English Translation:

“And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said,
‘My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You.’ [Allah] said, ‘You will not see Me,
but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me.’ But
when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell
unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, “Exalted are You! I have repented to You,
and I am the first of the believers.’” (Qur’an 7:143)

This ayah explains how Musa (q) asked to see Allah T. But Allah T responded
that no one could bear to see Him, warning Musa (q) of the danger. Instead, He
made His presence to a nearby mountain. What followed was the decimation of that
mountain. It was said the mountain was leveled or flattened, meaning it was
transformed into a flat land or a small hill. In that split second, just being close to His
presence, Musa (q) fainted.

144
 The connection of this story with the
name Al-Jalil is Allah’s beauty and
majesty can’t be understood through
sight. The way we metaphorically see
Allah T is through the study and
understanding of the attributes that
make Him “The All-Majestic.” Imam al-
Ghazali writes of Allah’s attributes, “and
that is beautiful comportment
beautiful disposition’ perceived
insight rather than by sight.” The one who
understands how the inner has been
perfected and properly proportioned will
gain much more understanding and
This also covers the important topic of
loving for the sake of Allah T. It’s a
message that encourages us never to
stop searching for the good in humanity.
To love your fellow person unconditionally
because that’s what Allah loves and will
reward us for doing.
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger
‘or’ x as saying: Verily. Allah would say on
by the Day of Resurrection: Where are those
who have a mutual love for My Glory’s
sake? Today I shall shelter them in My
shadow when there is no other shadow
but the shadow of Mine. [2]

satisfaction than the one who judges

The believer further benefits from
beauty just by sight.
knowing and understanding Al-Jalil by
In this hadith, we see where the attribute trying to perfect his interior attributes.
of Allah T as being called al-Jaleel Doing so will bring more beauty and
originates, Mu’adh ibn Jabal narrated pleasure into this world than any
that the Messenger of Allah x said: superficial looks could bring. As Imam
“Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said: Ghazali writes, “exterior beauty is of lesser
‘Those who love each other for the sake
َ َ worth.”
of My Majesty (‫ )جال ِل‬shall be upon
podiums of light, and they will be admired
by the Prophets and the martyrs.’” [1]

References:
[1] Sahih (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2390
145 [2] Sahih Muslim 2566
 Al-Karim / Al-Kareem
(The Most Generous)

The Generous One, The Gracious,

The Bountiful.

َ ْ
ُ ‫ )ٱلكر‬meaning the one who is the most generous,
Allah T is Al-Kareem (in Arabic: ‫يم‬ِ
bountiful and esteemed. He is The One whose kindness knows no bounds and
continually gives precious gifts to whomever He wills. He is gracious in giving and
forgiving.

From the root kaf-ra-mim (‫)ك ر م‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to be noble, grand, high minded. To be generous, giving, beneficent, to be highly
esteemed, honored, prized, valued, to be excellent, precious, valuable, rare, to be
productive, fruitful.

First Interpretation of the Name:

The name Al-Kareem is understood to honored or respected. In the Qur’an, it

have two meanings. More commonly
understood to be the one who is
generous or bestows honor. But some
scholars have said Al-Kareem also
possesses the same quality of being all
honorable or noble. This interpretation is
supported by the idea that Karam (same
root k-r-m) is used to describe something
says, “Wa laqad karramnaa Baneee
aadama,” meaning, “And We have
certainly honored the children of Adam”
(Qur’an 17:70). This view also connects to
the last name, Al-Jaleel (The Majestic).
Al-Jaleel is the highest in rank, which
makes Him Kareem - honored or highly
esteemed.

Second Interpretation of the Name:

Similarly, in the hadith literature, you will Ya’qub ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim.” [1]
Note the
َ ْ
read Kareem to be translated as being repetition of the Arabic (‫الك ِري ِم‬ ‫)اب ْ ِن‬,
noble. Abu Hurayra reported the Ibn Kareem, as being translated as “The
Messenger of Allah x as saying: Noble Son.” So together, we have the
َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َّ
‫يم ابْ َن الك ِري ِم اب ْ ِن الك ِري ِم اب ْ ِن الك ِري ِم‬
َ ‫كر‬
ِ ‫إِن ال‬
definition of being esteemed, noble, and

َ ‫حاق بْن إب ْ َراه‬َ َ ‫وب بْن إ ْس‬ َ ‫وس ُف بْ ُن َي ْعق‬

ُ ُ ُ‫ي‬, honored. To have this reputation, to be
‫ِيم‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ called by these names indicates that
“The noble son of the noble son of the you must have some virtuous qualities
noble son of the noble one was Yusuf ibn that have been perfected. 146
 Another example, Allah T in Surah Kareem refers to kindness or generosity.
Waqi’ah verse 77 says, Innahoo la His greatest gift to mankind is His mercy.
quraanun kareem which translates to, We show a lapse in judgment whenever
“Indeed, it is a noble Qur’an.” The we err and should be held accountable
connotation of Kareem being kind doesn’t for our actions.
apply here because it’s not clear what it But Allah T is the generous one and has
means for a book to be gracious or choosen to forgive. His mercy supersedes
generous. Instead, as the translation His wrath. He is also generous in His
reflects, being a book of nobility does, promise. The reward for the doer of good
meaning a book perfected in all its deeds far exceeds the effort of the action.
attributes. It is not a one-to-one transaction. The
Now, moving towards the more reward that is with Allah T far exceeds
understood meaning of this name. any imaginable notion of what’s promised.

َ ْ َ ّ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ ٰ َ ْ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ
‫ٱلنسـن ما غرك بِربِك ٱلك ِري ِم‬ ِ ‫يـأيها‬
Yaaa ayyuhal insaaanu maa gharraka bi Rabbikal kareem

English Translation:

“O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous,”
(Qur’an 82:6)

َ ۡ َ َّ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ۠ َ َٰ ۡ َ ّ ٞ ۡ ُ َ َّ َ َ
‫ب أنا ءاتِيك بِهِۦ قبل أن يرتد إِلك‬ ِ ‫ِت‬‫ك‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ِن‬ ‫م‬ ‫م‬ ‫ِل‬‫ع‬ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ِند‬
‫ع‬ ‫ِي‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫قال‬
َۡ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ُ َ
‫ن َءأشك ُر أم‬ ٓ ‫ال َهٰ َذا مِن فَ ۡضل َر ّب ِلَ ۡبلُ َو‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ِند‬
‫ع‬ ‫ا‬‫ر‬ًّ ِ‫ك فَلَ َّما َر َءاهُ ُم ۡس َتق‬ َ ُۡ َ
‫طرف‬
ِ ِ ِ ۚ
ٞ‫ن َكريم‬ ٞ ّ ‫ك َف َر فَإ َّن َر ّب َغ‬
َ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ
ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫سه ِۖۦ ومن‬ ِ ‫أكفر ۖ ومن شكر فإِنما يشكر لِ ف‬
Qaalal lazee indahoo ‘ilmum minal Kitaabi ana aateeka bihee qabla ai yartadda ilaika
tarfuk; falammaa ra aahu mustaqirran ‘indahoo qaala haazaa min fadli Rabbee li
yabluwaneee ‘a-ashkuru am akfuru wa man shakara fa innamaa yashkuru linafsihee
wa man kafara fa inna Rabbee Ghaniyyun Kareem

English Translation:

“Said one who had knowledge from the Scripture, ‘I will bring it to you before your
glance returns to you.’ And when [Solomon] saw it placed before him, he said,
‘This is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful.
And whoever is grateful – his gratitude is only for [the benefit of] himself. And
whoever is ungrateful – then indeed, my Lord is Free of need and Generous.’”
(Qur’an 27:40)

147
 ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ٰ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ َّ َ َّ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ ُّ َ َ ْ َ ْ
5 ‫ٱلنسـن ما لم يعلم‬ ِ ‫ علم‬4 ‫ ٱلِى علم بِٱلقل ِم‬3 ‫ٱقرأ وربك ٱلكرم‬
Iqra wa rab bukal akram Al lazee ‘allama bil qalam ‘Al lamal insaana ma lam y’alam

English Translation:

“Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous – Who taught by the pen – Taught
man that which he knew not.” (Qur’an 96:3-5)

On the virtue of education:

Here Allah T refers to Himself as being recognize this, being educated is just
Al-Akram or the most generous. The about one of the most dangerous
following verses speak to how He taught pursuits. It’s one of the greatest skills, the
us all we know with a pen (i.e., through ability to learn, read, and acquire
His book). This highlights the noblest knowledge because, from that, we can
attributes Allah T has gifted mankind. pick up any other skill. This is one of the
It’s distinguished us from all other many gifts Allah T has given humanity,
creations and has given us success as a hence the perfect pairing with the name
species. Without this ability to learn from Al-Kareem.
the pen, we would remain stagnant The ability to learn and know is the
unable to transmit knowledge from one process that lifts us from ignorance. It’s
generation to the next. process which we come to know who
This brings weight to the saying that the Allah T. It orients and directs all who
pen is mightier than the sword. If we would take the time to read.

Some of His Generosity Enumerated:

Just as He is generous, He is also gracious, deeds to seven hundred times or many
meaning kind and merciful. An example times over. But if he has intended a bad
of His mercy, Allah has written down the deed and has not done it, Allah writes it
good deeds and the bad ones. down with Himself as a full good deed,

Then He explained it [by saying that] he but if he has intended it and has done it,

who has intended a good deed and has Allah writes it down as one bad deed.[2]

not done it, Allah writes it down with And in the Qur’an, it says He will give a
Himself as a full good deed, but if he has “noble reward,” meaning a multiplicative
intended it and has done it, Allah writes it reward to those who give from their
down with Himself as from ten good wealth to help those less fortunate.

148
 َ َّ ْ ‫ت َوأَ ۡق َر ُضوا‬
ۡ‫ٱلل قَ ۡر ًضا َح َس ٗنا يُ َض ٰ َع ُف ل َ ُه ۡم َول َ ُهم‬ َ ّ َّ ۡ َ ّ َّ ۡ َّ
ِ ٰ ‫إِن ٱل ُمص ِدقِني َوٱل ُمصدِق‬
ٞ‫ر َكريم‬ٞ ‫أَ ۡج‬
ِ
Innal mussaddiqeena wal mussaddiqaati wa aqradul laaha qardan hassanany
yudaa’afu lahum wa lahum ajrun kareem

English Translation:

“Indeed, the men who practice charity and the women who practice charity and
[they who] have loaned Allah a goodly loan – it will be multiplied for them, and they
will have a noble reward.” (Qur’an 57:18)

The scholars often list many other ways His generosity shines through. We enumerate
some of the ways here:

• He loves to give. Allah T loves when • Fulfills all promises and never turns His
His servant turns to Him to ask for back on a supplicant. He does not
something. And when He gives, He reject an asker. Narrated Salman
gives without any reluctance or al-Farsi: The Prophet (x) said: Your
measure. Lord is munificent and generous, and is

• He gives without asking and gives to ashamed to turn away empty the

whomever. We only see a few of these hands of His servant when he raises

gifts as we’ve likely taken many of them them to Him. [3]

for granted: our sight, intellect, health, • He gives even to those He knows who
friends, family, food, etc. It’s often are insincere. “And when affliction
quoted, “A healthy man wants a touches man, he calls upon Us, whether
thousand things, a sick man only wants lying on his side or sitting or standing;
one.” but when We remove from him his

• He gives more than one can imagine. affliction, he continues [in disobedience]

Out of all the blessings in your life, how as if he had never called upon Us to

many did you explicitly ask for? [remove] an affliction that touched
him. Thus is made pleasing to the
• No discrimination. He gives to sinners
transgressors that which they have
and non-believers as well. He grants
been doing” (10:12)
them the chance to see and accept
the truth, “And whoever disbelieves - I
will grant him enjoyment for a little;
then I will force him to the punishment
of the Fire, and wretched is the
destination.” (2:126)

149
 A believer benefits from knowing that
Allah T is Al-Kareem. We recognize that
our Lord is generous, bountiful, and kind.
We can try our best to mimic some of
the ways Allah T has been generous
with us.
For example, to find joy in giving. We may
know someone or may have felt this way
before, but when they give, they do so
reluctantly. There’s an art to giving that
needs to be mastered.
Imagine a scenario where you’re getting
a free shoe shine at the mall. You look
down at the shoe and see the young
boy just gave you one of the all-time
greatest shines. And so now you decide
to tip him. You look in your wallet and see
a $1.00 coin or $5.00 bill. Which do you
give? You feel a bit reluctant to pay $5.00
for a 5 minutes shine.
As a personal rule, if two amounts cross
your mind, go for the higher amount.
Why? It will make all the difference in the
world. If you give the boy $1.00, you start
feeling bad. Every time you put on the
shoes and recognize the shine, you’ll say
to yourself, I must be cheap.
References:
[1] Sahih (Al-Albani) Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 896
[2] Hadith #16, 40 Hadith Qudsi (As it was related in Sahih al-Bukhari 6491 and Sahih Muslim 131a)
[3] Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 1488
You don’t want to go through the whole
day with that on your mind.
Another way to try and to be generous is
if you know someone who is in need,
offer a helping hand and save them the
dignity of asking. If you know of their
financial situation, throw a lifeline before
the storm ravages through. Try and offer
help before the pain necessitates them
to seek help. We can also try to perfect
our inner qualities to gain a reputation
on earth as being noble. This includes
working on perfecting attributes of
graciousness, kindness, courage,
intelligence, compassion, and
communication.
These are all skills that can be acquired
but require a commitment to a lifelong
journey of being a student studying,
searching, and analyzing.
As Imam al-Ghazali points out, it is good
to recognize that these qualities may
characterize us. Yet, we remain deficient
by comparison with the one who is the
superlative form, absolutely generous,
all-wise, the oft-forgiving.
150
 Ar-raqib
(The All Watchful)

The Watcher, The Observer.

ُ ْ
Allah is Ar-Raqib (in Arabic ‫)ٱل َّرقِيب‬, meaning the one who sees what’s hidden. He is
the vigilant witness and acts as a guardian protecting His creation. It also relates to
the attribute of knowledge. He is the one who sees the truth in everything. He knows
the secrets of every soul, and on the day of recompense, Allah T will reward it for
what it’s earned.

From the root ra-qaf-ba (‫)ر ق ب‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to look, watch, be vigilant to expect, anticipate, await. To keep an eye on, detect,
observe to be mindful of. To be a spy, scout, observer to regard, hold in consideration,
and respect.

The Watchful:

There are two connotations as to what it
means for Allah T to be the all-watchful.
The first is obvious, He sees the deeds of
all His servants. Nothing is hidden from
His sight. Allah T is well-aware of the
details of every matter. Armed with this
knowledge, we should be aware of
ourselves, our actions, and our motives. It
should inspire us to do what’s right in all
instances. To work diligently serving
Allah’s cause and seeking His approval. A
constant reminder of Allah’s ever-
watchful nature. Living with this name at
the forefront of our minds should make it
easier to mitigate the evil temptations of
shaitan and our ego - the two biggest
enemies we face. However, this definition
is just one of two and more befitting of
the name Ash-Shaheed, meaning “The
Observing Witness.”

َ‫كم ّمِن َّن ۡفس َوٰح َِدة ٖ َو َخلَ َق م ِۡنها‬ ُ ََ َ َّ ُ ُ َّ َ ْ ُ َّ ُ َّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ

ٖ ‫يـأيها ٱنلاس ٱتقوا ربكم ٱلِي خلق‬
َ ُ ٓ َ َّ َّ َ ٗ ٓ َ َ ٗ َ ٗ َ َ ُ ۡ َّ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ
َ َّ ْ ‫ٱت ُقوا‬
‫ٱلل ٱلِي ت َسا َءلون بِهِۦ‬ ‫زوجها وبث مِنهما رِجال كثِريا ون ِساء ۚ و‬
ٗ ‫ك ۡم َرق‬ ُ ۡ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ
‫ِيبا‬ ‫وٱلرحام ۚ إِن ٱلل كن علي‬
Yaaa aiyuhan naasut taqoo Rabbakumul lazee khalaqakum min nafsinw waahidatinw wa
khalaqa minhaa zawjahaa wa bas sa minhumaa rijaalan kaseeranw wa nisaaa’aa; wattaqul
laahallazee tasaaa ‘aloona bihee wal arhaam; innal laaha kaana ‘alaikum Raqeeba
151
 English Translation:

“O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its
mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah,
through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you,
an Observer.” (Qur’an 4:1)

A neglected meaning:
A more accurate description of Ar-Raqib refers to his nature of being “watchful,” not
in the sense of scrutiny or judgment but just as a parent or guardian would be
watchful over their child with love and care. He has not created us aimlessly to wander
and become preoccupied elsewhere.

Imam al-Ghazali says of Ar-Raqeeb, “is one who knows and protects.” If we were
aware of the constant surveillance or permanence of His gaze, we should feel safe
and secure. But also, like a parent watching over a child, we should be very cautious
to avoid approaching things that have been forbidden.

The Castle of Al-Marqab:

In Northern Syria, there is a castle called “Qalaat al-Marqab,” which translates to
“Castle of the Watchtower.” This castle was strategically built 1,180 ft above sea level
to overlook the Mediterranean Sea. The word Marqab shares the same Arabic root,
r-q-b. A Marqab refers to something tall, high above, and looked down upon.

In this case, the castle is a high vantage point to protect from potential intruders or
attacks.

ُ ‫ك ۡم َو ُك‬
ۡ‫نت َعلَ ۡيهم‬ ُ َّ َ َ ّ َ َ َّ ْ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ ٓ َ َّ ۡ ُ َ ُ ۡ ُ َ
ِ ٓ
ۚ ‫ما قلت لهم إِل ما أمرت ِن بِهِۦ أ ِن ٱعبدوا ٱلل ر ِب ورب‬
ٰ‫ع‬ َ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َّ َ َ َّ َ َ ۡ
َ ٗ َ
ُ ‫يدا َّما ُد ۡم‬
‫ت فِي ِهمۖ فلما توفيت ِن كنت أنت ٱلرقِيب علي ِه ۚم وأنت‬ ‫ش ِه‬
ٌ ‫شء َشه‬
‫يد‬ ۡ َ ‫ك‬ ُّ
ِ ٖ ِ
Maa qultu lahum illaa maaa amartanee bihee ani’budul laaha Rabbeee wa Rabbakum;
wa kuntu alaihim shaheedam maa dumtu feehim falammaa tawaffaitanee kunta Antar
Raqeeba alaihim; wa Anta ‘alaa kulli shai’in Shaheed

English Translation:

“Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allah) did command me to say:
‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ And I was a witness over them while I dwelt
amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and
You are a Witness to all things.” (Qur’an 5:117)

152
 The lesson from Prophet Isa (q):
In this verse above, Jesus or Isa (q)
describes how he was a witness to the
people while he was among them. But
when he was brought up from Earth to
Allah T there was no one to watch over
His flock except Allah. Analogous to a
shepherd, Allah T provides food, drink,
and shelter. He is the one who protects
us from the harm of many dangers we’re
not even aware of. In the next verse, “If
You should punish them – indeed they
are Your servants; but if You forgive them
– indeed it is You who is the Exalted in
Might, the Wise.” (Qur’an 5:118)
In one hadith, it describes how the
companions gathered around the
Prophet x and asked questions about
Al-Imaan, Al-Islam, and Al-Ihsan. In the
hadith, they discussed the obligations of
Al-Imaan and affirmed Al-Qadr (the
divine decree of Allah T). It is quite a
long hadith, but at one point, it was asked
of Prophet x “Inform me about al-Ihsan
(perfection or performance of good
deeds). He x said: That you worship
Allah as if you are seeing Him, for though
you don’t see Him, He, verily, sees you. [1]
A common thread that runs through
each name requires us to look inward.
The believer benefits from this self-
monitoring, not just from doing immoral
acts but asking if they are living up to
their potential. Are they using their time
in a manner that Allah T would be
pleased to see? By truly embracing this
perspective, a person can become more
aware of how they dispense with their
time. A person looks to see how they can
References:
153 [1] Sahih Muslim 8a & Sahih al-Bukhari 50
Sometimes sheep will go astray, but
Allah T provides the signs to be guided
back to the straight path. He has all the
power and every right to punish, He is
the shepherd or master, and we are the
sheep, yet Isa (q) says, “but if You
forgive them – indeed it is You who is the
Exalted in Might, the Wise.”
Our misbehaving does not affect Him as
He is “Exalted in Might.” His forgiveness is
not a sign of weakness but a mark of His
intelligence and wisdom.
be more productive and contribute to
the well-being of their community, family,
or friends. However, we must learn to
balance, to not live with guilt to take time
to enjoy the many blessings Allah T has
provided for us as well. In Surah
Ar-Rahman verse 13, “So which of the
favors of your Lord would you deny?”
Imam al-Ghazali also warns, “knowing
that his own soul is an enemy to him,
and that Satan is his enemy; and that
both of them take the opportunity to
prompt him to forgetfulness and
disobedience.” This is similar to the
famous African proverb, “if there is no
enemy within, the enemy outside can do
us no harm.” Suppose we learn to
understand the root of our desires, fears,
and insecurities. In that case, we can
neutralize the destructive ways they
manifest. If we are watchful over
ourselves, we can protect ourselves from
many shortcomings.
 Al-mujib / Al-mujeeb
(The Responsive One)

The Responsive, The Answerer of Prayers,

The Hearkener.

ُ
ُ ْ
Allah T is Al-Mujeeb/Al-Mujib (in Arabic: ‫جيب‬
ِ ‫ )ٱلم‬meaning He is the one very close to
His believers and readily available to hear and answer the supplications of those
who ask. He is the responder to all needs, invitations, and prayers. Whoever needs
help in difficulties, they should call upon this name of Allah T.

From the root jim-waw-ba (‫)ج و ب‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to answer, reply, respond, accept to cut, pierce, penetrate, to have a
dialog or conference, to comply with a desire when invited to do so.

Allah T is close to you:

Al-Mujeeb (The Responder) is mentioned
in the Qur’an once and is beautifully
paired with Al-Qareeb (The Close One).
It’s because Allah T is near to us, He
responds. Nearness does not have to
mean in a literal physical sense. For
example, if I asked who is closest to you,
would you look to your immediate right?
No, you would likely respond with your
spouse, a parent, a sibling, or a childhood
friend. This person is close to you
because they know you on a level most
don’t. They can be trusted and genuinely
care for you and accept you. Similarly,
Allah T is Qareeb (near), and He is
Al-Mujeeb (The Responsive).

ُ َ َ َ َّ ْ ُ ُ ۡ ِ ۡ َ ٰ َ َ َ ٗ ٰ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ ٰ َ
ُ ۡ ‫كم ّم ِۡن إ َلٰه َغ‬
َ‫يهُ ۖۥ ُهو‬ ٍ ِ ‫ِإَول ثمود أخاهم صل ِحا ۚ قال يقوم ٱعبدوا ٱلل ما ل‬
ّ َ َّ ۡ َ ْ ٓ ُ ُ َّ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َۡ َ ّ ُ َ َ َ
‫ۡرض وٱستعمركم فِيها فٱستغفِر وه ثم توبوا إِل ۚهِ إِن ر ِب‬ ِ ‫أنشأكم مِن ٱل‬
ٞ ‫يب ُّم‬
‫يب‬ ٞ ‫قَر‬
ِ ِ
Wa ilaa Samooda akhaahum Saalihaa; qaala yaa qawmi budul laaha maa lakum min
ilaahim ghairuhoo Huwa ansha akum minal ardi wasta’ marakum feehaa
fastaghfiroohu summa toobooo ilaih; inna Rabbee Qareebum Mujeeb

English Translation:

“And to Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih. He said, “O my people, worship Allah;
you have no deity other than Him. He has produced you from the earth and
settled you in it, so ask forgiveness of Him and then repent to Him. Indeed, my
Lord is near and responsive.” (Qur’an 11:61)
154
 Although these next few verses don’t mention the name al-Mujeeb directly, they
further emphasize this quality of being responsive.

َ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َّ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ٓ ُ ۡ ُ ُ ُّ َ َ َ َ
‫جب لك ۚم إِن ٱلِين يستك ِبون عن عِباد ِت‬ ِ ‫ون أست‬
ِ ‫وقال ربكم ٱدع‬
َ ُ ُ َۡ َ
َ ‫ون َج َه َّن َم َداخِر‬
‫ين‬ ِ ‫سيدخل‬
Wa qaala Rabbukumud ooneee astajib lakum; innal lazeena yastakbiroona an
ibaadatee sa yadkhuloona jahannama daakhireen (Section 6)

English Translation:

“And your Lord says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” Indeed, those who
disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.” (Qur’an 40:60)

َ َ َ ِ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ُ ٌ َ ّ َ ّ َ َ َ َََ َ
ۖ‫جيب دعوة ٱدلاع إِذا دع ِن‬ ِ ‫ِإَوذا سألك عِبادِي ع ِن فإ ِ ِن ق ِريبۖ أ‬
َّ
َ ُ ُ َۡ ۡ ُ ََ ْ ُ ُۡۡ َ ْ ُ َ ۡ ََۡ
‫جيبوا ِل ولؤمِنوا ِب لعلهم يرشدون‬ ِ ‫فليست‬
Wa izaa sa alaka ‘ibaadee ‘annnee fa innee qareebun ujeebu da’wataddaa’i izaa
da’aani falyastajeeboo lee wal yu’minoo bee la’allahum yarshudoon

English Translation:

“And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am

near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let
them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly]
guided.” (Qur’an 2:186)

And from the hadith, it was narrated by Anas: “The Prophet x said, “My Lord says, ‘If
My slave comes nearer to me for a span, I go nearer to him for a cubit; and if he
comes nearer to Me for a cubit, I go nearer to him for the span of outstretched arms;
and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.’” [1]

Addressing the concern of du’a not being responded to:

The Prophets in Islam (may peace be
upon them) were regular people like you
and me, except we held them to a higher
standard as they were impeccable in
character. Despite their respected status
in Islam, they suffered and endured a lot.
Contrast this with when we make du’a,
and it’s not immediately fulfilled. We may
grow impatient or falsely accept that
we’re not on good terms with our creator
or that we’re being punished. Yet in the
155
Qur’an, we are told Prophet Nuh (q)
made du’as asking for the protection of
his wife and son, yet when the tide came,
it drowned his family because they were
of the deniers (see 11:42-42) Prophet
Yusuf (q) was an innocent child. Do
you think he deserved to be thrown into
a well by his own brothers and left to
die? Prophet Yaqub (q), the father of
Yusuf (q), was deeply hurt by the
loss of his child.
Don’t you think he prayed to Allah T every day, asking for the safe return of his child?
Allah tells us “give good tidings to the patient” (Qur’an 2:155). We know Yaqub (q)
du’a was answered as he was reunited with his son. However, this was only after
decades of so-called “unanswered prayers.”
In learning the attributes of Allah
we come to understand whatever Allah
does, He does good. We may see the
challenges we’re currently facing as
difficult. Still, there is a reward for going
through the pain and struggle and
remembering Allah through it all. The
bigger the hill, the better the reward. And
each hill trekked and conquered brings
one step closer to Allah T. If we recognize
this, whatever obstacle is placed on that
path, we will find a way to overcome it.
This is similar to how a farmer must be
patient to get his crop. He has to labor
away many hours working under the hot,
dry sun. He has to care for and nurture
his garden to eventually reap the reward
of his crops. No one said attaining the
goal would be easy. But if we change our
definition of what easy means
something you can do, then it’s easy,
“Allah does not charge a soul except
[with that within] its capacity. It will have
[the consequence of] what [good] it has
gained, and it will bear [the consequence
of] what [evil] it has earned.” (Qur’an
2:286).
We trust Allah T knows what’s best for us
as we keep relentlessly marching forward.
We turn to Allah, asking for His approval
and seeking His guidance, “If Allah should
aid you, no one can overcome you; but if
He should forsake you, who is there that
References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 7536 [3] Sahih al-Bukhari 2568
[2] Sahih Hadith, Jami At-Tirmidhi 3387
T can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let
the believers rely.” (Qur’an 3:160)
Abu Hurairah narrated that: The Prophet
said: “One of you will be responded to,
so long as he is not hasty, saying:
‘I supplicated, and I was not responded
to.’ [2]
Be persistent and do not lose hope.
One of the beneficial remedies is
persisting in your du’a. Umar Ibn Khattab
(z) said: “I do not concern myself with
the response, but I concern myself with
making supplication, for I know that the
response will come with it!”
The believer further benefits from knowing
Allah T is Al-Mujeeb. Just as Allah T is
responsive to us, we should be responsive
to Him. He has asked us to uphold many
values, i.e., of kinship, salah, spreading
peace, helping the community, and
to keeping the sawm (fast). The Qur’an tells
us (if we’re capable) to respond to the
ones who ask for help, “and do not chide
the one who asks for help;” (Qur’an 93:10).
The Prophet x also never denied an
invitation of a person who wanted to
help Him even if it seemed unappealing
or in this case unappetizing, “Narrated
Abu Huraira: The Prophet x said, “I shall
accept the invitation even if I were invited
to a meal of a sheep’s trotter [feet of
sheep], and I shall accept the gift even if
it was an arm or a trotter of a sheep.” [3]
156
 Al-Wasi
(The All-Encompassing)

The Vast, The All-Embracing,

The Boundless.

ْ
Allah T is Al-Wasi (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل َواس ُِع‬: The one who’s knowledge, mercy, and provision
are vast. He is of limitless capacity and abundance and gives without expecting
anything in return. Allah T embraces all things and His wisdom and mercy are
boundless.

From the root waw-sin-ayn (‫ع‬ ‫)و س‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be sufficient in capacity or size, wide, spacious to be ample, plentiful,
bountiful, rich to comprehend, embrace, include, take in, pervade, limitless capacity,
and abundance.

His Omnipresence:

The name Al-Wasi has been mentioned nine times in the Qur’an and has a variety of
meanings that we will uncover. The first refers to His vastness. Allah T is everywhere.
Wherever you may be, He is with you. His vastness encompasses the entirety of the
universe. He is not limited or bounded to one geographic location. He listens and
responds to all who ask of Him because of the attribute of being Al-Wasi.

َّ ُ ۡ َ َّ َ َ ْ ُّ َ ُ َ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َّ َ
َ َّ ‫ٱللِ إ َّن‬
ٞ‫ٱلل َوٰس ٌِع َعل ِيم‬
ِ ۚ ‫ب فأينما تولوا فثم وجه‬ ۚ ‫شق وٱلمغ ِر‬
ِ ‫و ِلِ ٱلم‬
Wa lillaahil mashriqu walmaghrib; fa aynamaa tuwalloo fasamma wajhullaah; innal
laaha waasi’un Aleem

English Translation:

“And to Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you [might] turn, there
is the Face of Allah. Indeed, Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.”
(Qur’an 2:115)

His Mercy:
Another aspect of this name refers to the vastness of Allah’s mercy encompasses. His
mercy, knowledge, and power are infinite. It is the work of shaitan to make you believe
157
that your plea for forgiveness will be rejected.
The Qur’an and hadith affirm that our Lord is merciful. We may have done terrible things
in the past. We may have repeated the same mistake to the point where it seems
unredeemable. But how can we deny ourselves the mercy of Allah T when He says:

ُ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ِ ٓ َ ۡ َ ۡ
ُ‫كم َّم ۡغف َر ٗة ّم ِۡنه‬ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُ ُ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َّ
ِ ‫ٱلشيطن يعِدكم ٱلفقر ويأمركم بِٱلفحشاءۖ وٱلل يعِد‬
ُ َّ ‫َوفَ ۡض ٗل ۗ َو‬
ٞ ‫ٱلل َوٰس ٌِع َعل‬
‫ِيم‬
Ash Shaitaanu ya’idukumul faqra wa ya’murukum bilfahshaaa’i wallaahu ya’idukum
maghfiratam minhu wa fadlaa; wallaahu Waasi’un ‘Aleem

English Translation:

“Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality, while Allah
promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty. And Allah is all-Encompassing
and Knowing.” (Qur’an 2:268)

On the authority of Anas (may Allah be
pleased with him), who said: I heard the
Messenger of Allah x say: Allah the
Almighty said: O son of Adam, so long as
you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall
forgive you for what you have done, and
I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were
your sins to reach the clouds of the sky
and you were then to ask forgiveness of
Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam,
were you to come to Me with sins nearly
as great as the earth and were you then
to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I
would bring you forgiveness nearly as
great as it. It was related by at-Tirmidhi
(also by Ahmad ibn Hanbal). Its chain of
authorities is sound.[1]

َّ َّ َّ َ ۡ َّ
َ‫ٱلل‬ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ٰٓ َ َ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ۡ ُ
‫س ِهم ل تقنطوا مِن رحةِ ٱللِۚ إِن‬ ِ ‫قل يٰعِبادِي ٱلِين أسفوا ع أنف‬
ُ ‫ٱلرح‬ ُ ‫ِيعا ۚ إنَّ ُهۥ ُه َو ۡٱل َغ ُف‬
َّ ‫ور‬ ً َ َ ُ ُّ َۡ
‫ِيم‬ ِ ‫يغفِ ُر ٱذلنوب ج‬
Qul yaa’ibaadiyal lazeena asrafoo ‘alaaa anfusihim laa taqnatoo mirrahmatil laah; innal
laaha yaghfiruz zunooba jamee’aa; innahoo Huwal Ghafoorur Raheem

English Translation:

“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do

not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He
who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.’” (Qur’an 39:53)

Al-Wasi in divorce:
ّٗ ُ ُ َّ
ُ َّ ‫ك ّمِن َس َعتِهِۦ َو َك َن‬ ۡ َ َ
ٗ‫ٱلل َوٰس ًِعا َحكِيما‬
ۚ ‫ِإَون َي َتف َّرقا ُيغ ِن ٱلل‬
Wa iny-yatafarraqaa yughnil laahu kullam min sa’atih; wa kaanal laahu Waasi’an Hakeemaa

English Translation:

“But if they separate [by divorce], Allah will enrich each [of them] from His
abundance. And ever is Allah Encompassing and Wise.” (Qur’an 4:130) 158
 Another connotation we can infer from this ayah is Allah is Al-Wasi, the one whose
provision is all-encompassing. In extenuating circumstances, divorce happens, and
when it does, Allah T reassures that both parties should not fear scarcity, clawing to
one-up each other. Reconciliation and protecting the sanctity of marriage should be
the priority, but if that ship has presumably sailed, then seek fairness as Allah T will
enrich both from His abundance.

َ ۡ ّ ٞ َ َ ٰٓ َ ۡ ُ َ َّ ُ ٰ َ ُ ۡ َّ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ َ َ َ َ َّ ْ ٓ ُ ۡ ُ َ َ
‫ى ه َدى ٱللِ أن يؤت أحد مِثل‬ ‫ول تؤمِنوا إِل ل ِمن تبِع دِينكم قل إِن ٱلهد‬
ُۗ ‫ٱللِ يُ ۡؤتِيهِ َمن ي َ َشآء‬
َّ َ‫ك ۡمۗ قُ ۡل إ َّن ۡٱل َف ۡض َل بي ِد‬ ُ َّ َ ۡ ُ ُّ ٓ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُ ٓ َ
ِ ِ ِ ‫ما أوت ِيتم أو ياجوكم عِند رب‬
ٞ ‫ٱلل َوٰس ٌِع َعل‬
‫ِيم‬ ُ َّ ‫َو‬

Wa laa tu’minooo illaa liman tabi’a deenakum qul innal hudaa hudal laahi ai yu’taaa
ahadum misla maaa ooteetum aw yuhaaajjookum inda Rabbikum, qul innal fadla
biyadil laah; yu’teehi mai yashaaa; wallaahu Waasi’un ‘Aleem

English Translation:

“And do not trust except those who follow your religion.” Say, “Indeed, the [true]
guidance is the guidance of Allah. [Do you fear] lest someone be given [knowledge]
like you were given or that they would [thereby] argue with you before your Lord?”
Say, “Indeed, [all] bounty is in the hand of Allah – He grants it to whom He wills.
And Allah is all-Encompassing and Wise.” (Qur’an 3:73)

Among these verses where Al-Wasi is
mentioned, you see the pairing of names
with the all-merciful, the all-knowing, and
the all-wise. This name furthers the
perfection of all His attributes. They are
all-encompassing and have no extent to
which they can be depleted or diminished.
Imam Ghazali writes, “His knowledge be
considered, the sea of things He knows
has no shore; in fact the seas would be
exhausted if they were ink for His words.”
Him, often asking for His forgiveness. It
was narrated from Aisha (x) that she
said: “Praise be to Allah Whose hearing
encompasses all voices.[2] We also must
look within ourselves; we are constrained
and limited in many ways. Our intellect
has boundaries, and our physical body
has constraints, but can we say honestly
we’ve stretched to see what’s possible?
Are we living close to these limits?
Probably not.

The believer benefits from knowing Allah We are all likely to be living well beneath
T is Al-Wasi in that they understand the potential Allah T has made us
their Lord loves them. His mercy extends capable of. We have a lot to offer and a
to all and knows no boundaries. It is all- lot to learn. Our connection to this name
encompassing and vast. This should is through the expansion of our
bring great relief to the one who turns to knowledge, our deen, and our character.

References:
159 [1] Hadith #34, 40 Hadith Qudsi [2] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 3460

ُ ‫ٱلك‬ ْ
َ ), the most judicious and the all-wise. He
Allah T is Al-Hakeem (in Arabic: ‫ِيم‬
possesses the ability to determine right from wrong and is free from error and
misunderstanding. His designs in nature and life are perfect and accurate. He is the
only one qualified to judge the worth of all things.
From the root ha-kaf-mim (‫)ح ك م‬, which
has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to prevent or restrain from
wrongdoing or corruption, to turn someone
back from wrongdoing or ignorance, to be
wise, knowing the true nature of things, to
pass judgment, to decide, pass a verdict.
Al-Hakeem shares the same root h-k-m,
with a closely related name we’ve already
covered, Al-Hakam meaning “The Judge.”
Allah T is referred to as the all-wise for a
total of 93 times in the Qur’an and the
judge six times.
This name is often used in pairs with the
name Al-Alim (“The All-Knowing”). You can
read about Al-Alim, which covers what it
means to be The All-Knowledgable, and
Summary of the story of Prophet Yusuf (q):
When Yusuf (q) was a child, he had a
special relationship with his father, Yaqub
(q). He told his father about a dream he
had, “O my father, indeed I have seen [in a
dream] eleven stars and the sun and the
moon; I saw them prostrating to me.” (Qur’an
12:4). Not knowing how or when, but he knew
this vision was from Allah T. The other
brothers grew envious of their relationship
and plotted against Yusuf. One day
Al-hakim / Al-hakeem
(The All-Wise)
The Wise, The Judge of Judges,
The One who is correct in His doings.
see how it connects with The All-Wise.
Understanding this pairing helps us to see
how Allah T knowledge permeates every
aspect of our lives. Everything He’s
forbidden is not without reason. Allah’s
wisdom lives in you. Every cell is perfectly
portioned to serve its purpose. The perfect
cooperation of all the cells working
together until the time He has called you
to return to Him.
One of the best stories which illustrates
how Allah T is Al-Hakeem is through the
story of Yusuf (q). We provide a brief
write-up for those unfamiliar, but it is told
in a manner to cover the critical life events.
We recommended reading Surah Yusuf
with translation to get all the details of this
fascinating story.
Yusuf (q) went to play with his brothers,
and they led him to a well. When he came
close, they pushed him in and abandoned
him. This set off a series of unfortunate
events for Yusuf (q). A caravan of
travelers stopped by the well and found the
young boy. They pulled him out and rescued
him but decided to pawn him off as a slave
to a man named Aziz, the chief minister. 160
 Aziz treated Yusuf (q) well, and he
remained loyal to Aziz, but Yusuf (q)
had to grow up not knowing his family.
Yusuf (q) matured into an intelligent,
charming, and handsome man under
the care of Aziz. Much is written about
Yusuf (q) beauty, Prophet x
mentions in Isra’ and Mi’raj he met Yusuf
(q) and Yusuf (q) had been given
half of (world) beauty. [1]
The story then takes yet another turn;
Aziz’s wife becomes infatuated with Yusuf
(q) and seeks to seduce him, but he
rejects her advances, “[I seek] the refuge
of Allah. Indeed, he is my master, who has
made good my residence. Indeed,
wrongdoers will not succeed.” (Qur’an
12:23) Hurt and embarrassed by the
rejection, she tried to falsely accuse Yusuf
(q) for approaching her, “And they
both raced to the door, and she tore his
shirt from the back, and they found her
husband at the door. She said, “What is
the recompense of one who intended
evil for your wife but that he be imprisoned
or a painful punishment?” (Qur’an 12:25)
Yusuf (q) denied this accusation, “It
was she who sought to seduce me.”
(Qur’an 12:26). In the end, Yusuf (q)
was found innocent since the shirt was
ripped from the back, not the front, which
was a sign of escape, not assault. Still, to
safeguard Zulaikha (Aziz’s wife) and
protect her honor, Yusuf was sentenced
by Aziz to prison despite being innocent.
The next phase of his life was serving time
in prison. While in prison, he developed a
reputation for accurately interpreting
dreams. One of Yusuf (q) former
prison inmates, who was freed and
served wine to the King, knew of this skill.
So, when he heard the King was having
trouble understanding a recurring dream,
he advised the King to meet with Yusuf
(q) was called upon. The dream was
understood by Yusuf (q) to be a
warning of an impending famine.
From here, Yusuf’s (q) innocence was
proven, and his sentence was overturned.
The King appointed him to work in
storehouses to help prepare the city
prepare for the famine. He worked hard
over the years, and this eventually led
him to be reunited with His father.

َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ ٰ َ َ َ ٰٓ َ َ َ َ ٗ َّ ُ ُ َ ْ ُّ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ََ َََۡ َ ََ َ
‫ت هذا تأوِيل رءيي مِن‬ ِ ‫ورفع أبويهِ ع ٱلعر ِش وخروا لۥ سجداۖ وقال يـأب‬
ُ َ َ َ ۡ ّ َ ٓ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ٓ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ّٗ َ ّ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ َ
‫قبل قد جعلها ر ِب حقاۖ وقد أحسن ِب إِذ أخرج ِن مِن ٱلسِج ِن وجاء بِكم‬
َ‫يف ل ِّما‬ ٞ َ ّ َ َّ ٓ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َّ َ َ َّ َ ۡ َ ۢ ۡ
‫ّم َِن ٱلَ ۡدوِ ِمن بع ِد أن نزغ ٱلشيطن بي ِن وبي إِخو ِت ۚ إِن ر ِب ل ِط‬
ُ‫ٱلكِيم‬َ ۡ ‫ِيم‬ ُ ‫ي َ َشا ٓ ُء ۚ إنَّ ُهۥ ُه َو ۡٱل َعل‬
ِ
Wa raf’a abawaihi alal arshi wa kharroo lahoo sujjadaa; wa qaala yaaa abati haaza taaweelu
ru’yaaya min qablu qad ja’alahaa Rabbee haqqaa; wa qad ahsana beee iz akhrajanee
minas sijni wa jaaa’a bikum minal badwi mim ba’di an nazaghash Shaitaanu bainee wa
baina ikhwatee; inna Rabbee lateeful limaa yashaaa; innahoo Huwal Aleemul Hakeem

English Translation:

“And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they bowed to him in prostration.
And he said, “O my father, this is the explanation of my vision of before. My Lord has
made it reality. And He was certainly good to me when He took me out of prison
and brought you [here] from bedouin life after Satan had induced [estrangement]
between me and my brothers. Indeed, my Lord is Subtle in what He wills. Indeed, it
161
is He who is the Knowing, the Wise.” (Qur’an 12:100)
 The lesson from the story - Yusuf’s life
was overcoming one obstacle after
another. When there seemed to be light
at the end of the tunnel, he realized it
was just an oncoming train. Yet, with
everything that happened, he takes it in
stride. He tackles each situation with
resolve and never loses hope or faith.
Why? He believed in Allah’s attribute of
being Al-Hakeem, trusting He knows what
to do and with whom.
When we read about the story of Yusuf
(q), we learn a crucial life lesson that
it’s impossible to connect the dots
looking forwards. We can only connect
them by looking backward. We see how
Yusuf (q) endured all the pain to end
up where he did. In the end, Yusuf (q)
saved the people of Egypt from famine,
attained immense success, and was
reunited with his family. Ultimately the
vision he had in his childhood came true.
It was not easy, and he kept in pursuit; he
believed in Allah T and knew the dots
would somehow connect in the future
but never exactly knew how.
This also brings about another question,
if we could rewind the clock, should we
tell Yusuf (q) not to play with his
brothers that day? We know the answer
is no, but we may still be reserved in our
answer, not feeling one hundred percent
confident. Our mind thinks maybe his life
could’ve been better. Perhaps a route to
the same destination with less pain?
Even in our lives, we may wish things in
our past may have gone differently. This
goes to the idea that we will always wish
for things to be better. We rarely embrace
and accept reality as it is, even though it
can’t be any other way. But to the one
who sees Allah T as Al-Hakeem, they will
recognize how all things are inter-
connected. Sometimes we should not
just endure but learn to love and say
alhamdulillah for the way the All-Wise
has decreed things to unfold.

ۡ َ َ ٰٓ َ َ َ ۡ ُ َّ ٞ ۡ ُ َ ُ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ُ
ٞ‫ك َر ُهوا ْ َش ۡي ٗـٔا َو ُه َو َخ ۡي‬ ‫كتِب عليكم ٱل ِقتال وهو كره لكمۖ وعس أن ت‬
َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ ۡ ُ َّ ٞ ّ َ َ ُ َ ٗ ۡ َ ْ ُّ ُ َ ٰٓ َ َ َ ۡ ُ َّ
َ
‫لكمۖ وعس أن تِبوا شيـٔا وهو ش لك ۚم وٱلل يعلم وأنتم ل تعلمون‬
Kutiba alaikumulqitaalu wa huwa kurhullakum wa ‘asaaa an takrahoo shai’anw wa huwa
khairullakum wa ‘asaaa an tuhibbo shai’anw wa huwa sharrullakum; wallaahu ya’lamu
wa antum laa ta’lamoon (section 26)

English Translation:

“Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you
hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for
you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.” (Qur’an 2:216)

162
 Event of Ifk:
Another story of adversity comes from the seerah of Prophet Muhammad x.
It surrounds the traumatic events that took place in an attempt to attack the Prophet
Muhammad x and his family.[2] Ayat 11-20 from Surah Nur addresses this matter, but
we’ll focus on two verses in particular.

ُ َّ َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ ّٗ َ ُ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ ّ ٞ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ۡ ُ ٓ َ َ َّ َّ
‫ لك ۡ ۚم‬ٞ‫شا لكمۖ بَل ه َو خ ۡي‬ ‫ك عصبة مِنك ۚم ل تسبوه‬ ِ ‫ٱلف‬
ِ ِ ‫إِن ٱلِين جاءو ب‬
ٞ ‫اب َع ِظ‬
‫يم‬ َ ۡ ‫ب م َِن ۡٱلثۡ ِم َو َّٱلِي تَ َو َّ ٰل ك‬
ٌ ‫ِبهُۥ م ِۡن ُه ۡم َ ُلۥ َع َذ‬ َ ‫ٱكتَ َس‬
ۡ
‫ا‬‫م‬َّ ‫ٱمري ّم ِۡن ُهم‬ ُّ
ۡ ‫ِك‬
ۚ ِ ٕٖ ِ ِ ‫ل‬
Innal lazeena jaaa’oo bilifki ‘usbatum minkum; laa tahsaboohu sharral lakum bal huwa
khairul lakum; likul limri’im minhum mak tasaba minal-ism; wallazee tawallaa kibrahoo
minhum lahoo azaabun azeem

English Translation:

“Indeed, those who came with falsehood are a group among you. Do not think it
bad for you; rather it is good for you. For every person among them is what
[punishment] he has earned from the sin, and he who took upon himself the
greater portion thereof – for him is a great punishment.” (Qur’an 24:11)

In the tafsir of Maududi, it is written regarding this verse “That is, you should not lose
heart. Though the hypocrites, according to their own presumptions, have made the
worst attack on you, it will eventually bring misfortune on them and will prove to be a
blessing in disguise for you.” In the following verses, it continues mentioning:

ُ َّ ‫ت َو‬
ٌ ‫ٱلل َعل‬
ٌ ‫ِيم َحك‬ َ ُ ُ َ ُ َّ ُ ّ َ ُ َ
‫ِيم‬ ۚ ِ ٰ ‫ويب ِي ٱلل لكم ٱٓأۡلي‬
Wa yubaiyinul laahu lakumul Aayaat; wallaahu Aleemun Hakeem

English Translation:

“And Allah makes clear to you the verses, and Allah is Knowing and Wise.”
(Qur’an 24:18)

This is yet another example of how we
should believe in Allah’s attribute of
being All-Wise and All-Knowing. Things
may not make sense to us at the
moment, and to iterate the point, we can
not connect the dots looking forwards.
We know Allah knows the truth in every
situation. Our duty is to find the good in
every ‘tragedy,’ “Do not think it bad for
you; rather it is good for you.” In the
hadith, it was narrated by Abu Hurairah
who said: “Mention of fever was made in
the presence of the Messenger of
Allah (x), and a man cursed it. The
Prophet (x) said: ‘Do not curse it, for it
erases sin as fire removes filth from iron.’” [3]

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 162a
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 4141
163 [3] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 3469
 Al-Wadud
(The Most Loving)

The Most Loving,

The Most Affectionate, The Beloved.

ُ ُ ْ
Allah T is Al-Wadud (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل َودود‬, the most loving and affectionate. He is faithful
to his servants and shows them the purest love. He is the singular source of all love
and kindness. The One who loves His believing servants, and His believing servants
adore Him.

ّ
From the root waw-dal-dal (‫د‬ ‫)و د‬, which word ‫( ُود‬wudd), which means an act or
has the following classical Arabic expression of love. So, hubb is just the
connotations: to love, to be affectionate, emotion, whereas wudd is the physical
to long for, to desire, to wish for. The one manifestation of that love. An outward
who should be loved and whose expression of the inner feeling. Allah T
friendship is to be earned. refers to Himself as Al-Wadud twice in
the Qur’an.
In Arabic, love is written as ‫( حب‬hub); the
name Al-Wadud is derived from the

ٞ ُ َ ٞ َ ّ َ َّ ۡ َ ْ ٓ ُ ُ َّ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ ْ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ
‫وٱستغفِر وا ربكم ثم توبوا إِل ۚهِ إِن ر ِب رحِيم ودود‬
Wastaghfiroo Rabbakum summa toobooo ilaih; inna Rabbee Raheemunw Wadood

English Translation:

“And ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Merciful
and Affectionate.” (Qur’an 11:90)

ُ ُ ۡ ُ َُۡ َُ َ
‫ور ٱل َودود‬ ‫وهو ٱلغف‬
Wa Huwal Ghafoorul Wadood

English Translation:

“And He is the Forgiving, the Affectionate,” (Qur’an 85:14)

164
 Pairing with the name Al-Wadud:

In these two ayat, we see the pairing of names with Ar-Rahim (The Most Merciful) and
Al-Ghafur (The Oft-Forgiving) with Al-Wadud. Allah T love for all His creation is
unshakeable. If you ask a happily married couple, what’s the most important truth to
the success of your relationship? What’s the secret sauce? The resounding answer is
often trust or honesty in the relationship. They will say that once that trust is broken,
it’s near impossible to repair. It’s like broken glass, it can be pieced back together, but
you can still see all cracks.

Allah’s forgiveness is vast:

Allah’s forgiveness is full. When He then, He is on the side of leniency to the
forgives, He does not require anything in one who returns to the straight path and
return. We learn from these two ayat that is sincere in forgiveness, “Say, ‘O My
we’re always able to receive His affection. servants who have transgressed against
Allah T does not like to see His servant themselves [by sinning], do not despair
punished; rather, He loves to forgive, and of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah
He loves those He forgave. There is no forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the
wickedness, malice, or injustice. Forgiving, the Merciful.’” (Qur’an 39:53)
Everything done is within reason - even

Beloved Actions:
Allah T has provided us with many avenues to garner His love and affection;
throughout this guide of the 99 names of Allah, we’ve covered many actions that are
beloved by Him, but we’ll include a few here:

• He loves all those who try, “Allah loves • Love for the Prophet x family and love
those who are constantly repentant for those appreciative of their current
and loves those who purify themselves.” blessings. Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas: that the
(Qur’an 2:222) Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
• He loves those who follow the said: “Love Allah for what He nourishes
Prophet x: “Say, [O Muhammad], “If you with of His Blessings, love me due to
you should love Allah, then follow me, the love of Allah, and love the people of
[so] Allah will love you and forgive you my house due to the love of me.” [2]
your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and • Love for gentleness. It was narrated from
Merciful.” (Qur’an 3:31) Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah
• Two traits in you that Allah loves are (1) x said: “Allah is Gentle and loves
forbearance (meaning self-control/ gentleness, and He grants reward for it
discipline) and (2) deliberateness.[1] that He does not grant for harshness.”[3]

Many of the lessons from the ninety-names of Allah T are a reminder of characteristics
we know we should live up to. Avoid just intellectualizing it. Take time to reflect on
165 each one and really find a way to integrate these qualities into your life.
 The believer benefits from knowing
that Allah T is Al-Wadud. We recognize
that we have a Lord who is all-loving,
caring, and compassionate. There is not
a single person on earth who’s beyond
receiving His love or forgiveness. It is a
name that should inspire hope in the
believer and quiet your concerns or
doubt. Knowing that Allah T loves us
should encourage us to do more of the
things that are beloved to Him.
Abu Huraira reported that Allah’s
Messenger (x) said: When Allah loves a
servant, He calls Gabriel and says: Verily,
I love so and so; you should also love
him, and then Gabriel begins to love him.
Then he makes an announcement in the
References:
[1] Sahih (Darussalam) Jami at-Tirmidhi 2011
[2] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3789
[3] Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 4807
[4] Sahih Muslim 2637a
heaven saying: Allah loves so and so and
you also love him, and then the
inhabitants of the Heaven (the Angels)
also begin to love him and then there is
conferred honour upon him in the earth;
and when Allah is angry with any servant
He calls Gabriel and says: I am angry
with such and such and you also
become angry with him, and then
Gabriel also becomes angry and then
makes an announcement amongst the
inhabitants of heaven: Verily Allah is
angry with so-and-so, so you also
become angry with him, and thus they
also become angry with him. Then he
becomes the object of wrath on the
earth also.[4]
166
 Al-Majeed
(The All-Glorious)

The Most Glorious One,

The Most Honorable.

ُ ‫)ٱل ْ َمج‬, meaning the one who is the most glorious,

‫يد‬
Allah T is Al-Majeed (in Arabic: ِ
honorable, dignified, noble, and generous. It is another name that covers several
attributes. He is the only one deserving all praise and honor because He is all-
glorious.

From the root mim-jim-dal ( ‫د‬ ‫)م ج‬, which
has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be glorious, dignified,
majestic, noble, honorable, to be lauded,
exalted, sublime, to be liberal, bountiful,
and/or exceedingly generous.
Allah T is Al-Majeed meaning The All-
Glorious One. His excellence is
unparalleled as it does not resemble
anything else. It is unique and alone. To
be all-glorious is not a single standalone
attribute but the quality of perfection of
several attributes together (similar to
how we discuss in the name Al-Jaleel -
The Majestic One). Imam Al-Ghazali
writes, “Al-Majid the All-Glorious is one
who is noble in essence, beautiful in
actions, and bountiful in gifts and in
favours.” In Ahmad Zarruq’s book The
Loftiest Goal in Elucidating Allah’s Most
Beautiful Names, he writes, “Al-Majīd
comes from al-majd, namely, the
furthermost limit of nobility which allows
for no additional increase of such quality
beyond it, since it is complete in itself
and outwardly manifest.”
In the Qur’an, it refers to Allah T as
Al-Majeed once, and it is beautifully
paired with the name Al-Hamid (“The
Praiseworthy”). After all, the one worthy of
praise should be the one whose essence
is excellence and nobility.

ٞ َّ ٞ َ ُ َّ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ ُ ٰ َ َ َ َ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ َّ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ ْ ٓ ُ َ
ِ ‫ت إِنهۥ حِيد‬
‫ميد‬ ۚ ِ ‫قالوا أتعجبِني مِن أم ِر ٱللِۖ رحت ٱللِ وبركتهۥ عليكم أهل ٱلي‬
Qaalooo ata’jabeena min amril laahi rahmatul laahi wa barakaatuhoo alaikum Ahlal
Bayt; innahoo Hameedun Majeed

English Translation:

“They said, ‘Are you amazed at the decree of Allah? May the mercy of Allah and
His blessings be upon you, people of the house. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy and
Honorable.’” (Qur’an 11:73)
167
 ُ ‫ُذو ۡٱل َع ۡر ِش ٱل ۡ َمج‬
‫يد‬ ِ
Zul Arshil Majeed

English Translation:

“Honorable Owner of the Throne,” (Qur’an 85:15)

Now, as the word Majeed is used to describe both the Qur’an and the throne as
glorious, it has been perfected and should be viewed with high status and ranking.
The Qur’an is a glorious book since it serves as guidance for all of humanity. Of His
throne, it is said, “His throne extends over the heavens and the Earth” (Qur’an 2:255)

‫جي ِد‬ َۡ َ ۡ ُۡ َ ٓ
ِ ‫ان ٱلم‬
ِ ‫قۚ وٱلقرء‬
Qaaaf; wal Qur aanil Majeed

English Translation:

“Qaf. By the honored Qur’an…” (Qur’an 50:1)

From Hadith Literature:

Ibn Abi Laila reported: Ka’b b. ‘Ujra met me and said: Should I not offer you a present
(and added): The Messenger of Allah (x) came to us and we said: We have learned
how to invoke peace upon you; (kindly tell us) how we should bless you. He (the Holy
Prophet) said: Say: “O Allah: bless Muhammad and his family as Thou didst bless the
ٌ َ
family of Ibrahim. Verily Thou art ( ‫ حِيد‬- hamid) Praiseworthy and ( ‫ميد‬
ٌ َ - majeed)
ِ
Glorious, O Allah.” [1]

The believer benefits in knowing Allah T is Al-Majeed in two ways. The first is in
worship. Allah T holds all honor and glory, our success is through Allah. Seek His
pleasure by sincere and honest devotion to Him. When we recite durood Ibrahim in
our salah, we call on the names Al-Hameed and Al-Majeed. He is the one worthy of
praise because of the name Al-Majeed, i.e., the perfection of all attributes.

َ ‫إب ْ َراه‬ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ ََ َُ ََ ّ َّ
‫ِيم‬ ِ ‫ِيم َوع آ ِل‬ ‫الل ُه َّم َص ِل ع م َّم ٍد َوع آ ِل مم ٍد كما صليت ع إِبراه‬
َ ‫إب ْ َراه‬ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ ََ َُ ََ ْ َّ ٌ َ ٌ َ َ َّ
‫ِيم‬ ِ ‫تع‬ ‫يد الل ُه َّم بَارِك ع م َّم ٍد َوع آ ِل مم ٍد كما بارك‬ ‫م‬
ِ ‫إِنك حِيد‬
ٌ ‫ِيد َم‬
ٌ ‫ك َح‬َ َّ َ َ ْ ََ َ
‫يد‬ ِ ‫ن‬ِ ‫إ‬ ‫ِيم‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ا‬‫ر‬ ‫ب‬ِ ‫إ‬ ‫ل‬
ِ ‫آ‬ ‫ع‬ ‫و‬
Allahumma Salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala aali Muhammadin, kama sallaita ‘ala
Ibrahima wa ‘ala aali Ibrahima innaka Hamidum-Majeed. Allahumma barik ‘ala
Muhammadin wa ‘ala aali Muhammadin kama barakta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala aali
Ibrahima innaka Hameedum-Majeed. [2] 168
 The second way a believer benefits from learning about Al-Majeed is by understanding
that we should work on perfecting our attributes to raise our rank and increase our
essence. To be a well-rounded Muslim means to work on our piety, devotion to Allah
T, studiousness, affection, kindness, generosity, etc. And to recoil from hypocrisy,
falsehoods, and arrogance.

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 406a
169 [2] Sahih al-Bukhari 3370
 Al-ba’ith
(The Infuser of New Life)

The Awakener, The Resurrector,

The Arouser

ُ ْ
Allah T is Al-Ba’ith (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلَاعِث‬, meaning the One who chooses who will be
awakened and be sent forth. He is the giver of life and who sends light into the world.
The One who resurrects His servants after death for reward and/or punishment.

From the root ba-ayn-tha (‫ث‬ ‫)ب ع‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to call forth, awaken, to raise up from sleep or death, to resurrect, to
delegate, consign, to send, send out, make manifest.

Among the Disputed Names:

Al-Ba’ith is one of the names of Allah T where there isn’t a consensus. The more common
opinion is that Al-Ba’ith is the name of Allah Azzawajal. As we mentioned previously, of the
99 names of Allah, 81 are explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an. The other attributes are
derived elsewhere. The scholars’ Ibn al-Arabi, Ibn Hazm, and al-Radwani have excluded
this name, whereas al-Ghazali, al-Walid, and Ibn Mandah have recognized it.

Allah’s forgiveness is vast:

This quality/attribute of Allah T describes how He will resurrect us from the dead. A
final rebirth. He will awaken the dead and infuse them with a new life. It is written by
Sheikh Tosun in his book, “He will raise people from their graves and bring out all the
actions, thoughts, and feelings that occurred during their liftetime on this earth.”
َ ََ
ٰٓ ٰ َ َّ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ٰ َ ٰ َ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ َّ َّ َ ْ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ
‫ت وٱلۡرض ولم يع ِبل ِق ِهن بِقد ٍِر ع أن‬ ِ ‫و‬ ‫م‬‫ٱلس‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ل‬‫خ‬ ‫ِي‬‫ٱل‬ ‫أولم يروا أن ٱلل‬
ۡ َ ‫ك‬
ٞ ‫شءٖ قَد‬ ّ ُ ٰ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ ٰ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ
‫ِير‬ ِ ‫ل ۚ إِنهۥ ع‬ ٰٓ ‫يـِۧي ٱلموت ۚ ب‬
Awalam yaraw annal laahal lazee khalaqas samaawaati wal arda wa lam ya’ya bikhal
qihinna biqaadirin ‘alaaa aiyuhyiyal mawtaa; balaaa innahoo ‘alaa kulli shai’in Qadeer

English Translation:

“Do they not see that Allah, who created the heavens and earth and did not fail
in their creation, is able to give life to the dead? Yes. Indeed, He is over all things
competent.” (Qur’an 46:33)
170
 ُ ُۡ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ َّ ٞ َ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ
ِ‫وأن ٱلساعة ءاتِية ل ريب فِيها وأن ٱلل يبعث من ِف ٱلقبور‬
Wa annas Saa’ata aatiya tul laa raiba feeha wa annal laaha yab’asuman fil quboor

English Translation:

“ And [that they may know] that the Hour is coming – no doubt about it – and that
Allah will resurrect those in the graves.” (Qur’an 22:7)

Al-Ba’ith - The Sender:

As mentioned in the Qur’an, the name Al-Ba’ith is not mentioned in the noun form, but
many verses contain the verb form. For example, “Bā’atha” (He sent, 62:2), following
this line, some commentators have mentioned an aspect of this name of sending
forth something (for example, His Prophets and His Guidance).
The other meaning is being the resurrector, “Yabā’athu” (will they be raised, 64:7). He
has absolute power to change the state of a person from sleep to wakefulness.

ٗ ُ َ َ ُّّۡ
ُ‫ول ّ ِم ۡن ُه ۡم َي ۡتلُوا ْ َعلَ ۡيه ۡم َء َايٰتِهِۦ َو ُي َز ّك ِيه ۡم َو ُي َع ّل ِ ُم ُهم‬ َ ََ َّ َ ُ
ِ ِ ‫س‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ۧن‬ ‫ـ‬ِ ‫ي‬‫م‬ِ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ف‬ ِ ‫ث‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ِي‬
‫ٱل‬ ‫هو‬
ْ
ُّ ‫ب َوٱل ِۡك َم َة ِإَون َكنُوا مِن َق ۡب ُل لَف َض َلٰل‬ ۡ ۡ
َ ٰ‫ٱلك َِت‬
‫ني‬ٖ ِ ‫ب‬ ‫م‬ ٖ ِ
Huwal lazee ba’atha fil ummiyyeena Rasoolam min hum yatloo ‘alaihim aayaatihee wa
yuzakkeehim wa yu’allimuhumul Kitaaba wal Hikmata wa in kaanoo min qablu lafee
dalaalim mubeen

English Translation:

“It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves
reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and
wisdom – although they were before in clear error –” (Qur’an 62:2)

In this verse and many others which use the verb form, it is used to reference the
Prophets (may peace be upon them) and how they were “raised,” “risen,” or “sent” to
be a chosen messenger of Allah T and to warn of the inevitable resurrection.

ُ ُ َ ۡ َ َّ ُ َ َّ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َّ ُ ٰ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ َ
ٰٓ‫ك ۡم فِيهِ ِلُ ۡق َض‬ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ُ
‫وهو ٱلِي يتوفىكم بِٱل ِل ويعلم ما جرحتم بِٱنلهارِ ثم يبعث‬
َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُ َ ُ ُ ّ َ ُ َّ ُ ۡ ُ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َّ ُ ّٗ َ ُّ ٞ َ َ
ُ
‫جعكم ثم ينب ِئكم بِما كنتم تعملون‬ ِ ‫أجل مسمۖ ثم إِلهِ مر‬
Wa Huwal lazee yatawaf faakum billaili wa ya’lamu maa jarahtum binnahaari summa
yab’asukum feehee liyuqdaaa ajalum musamman summa ilaihi marji’ukum summa
yunabbi ‘ukum bimaa kuntum ta’maloon (section 7)

English Translation:

“And it is He who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by
day. Then He revives you therein that a specified term may be fulfilled. Then to Him
will be your return; then He will inform you about what you used to do.” (Qur’an 6:60)
171
Battle of Uhud:
In the Qur’an, it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad
regarding the martyrs of the battle of Uhud.
َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ّ َ َ ٌ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۢ َ ٰ َ ۡ َ َّ
‫يل ٱللِ أموتا ۚ بل أحيآء عِند رب ِ ِهم يرزقون‬ِ ِ ‫ول تسب ٱلِين قتِلوا ِف سب‬
Wa laa tahsabannal lazeena qutiloo fee sabeelillaahi amwaata; bal ahyaaa’un ‘inda
Rabbihim yurzaqoon
English Translation:
“And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead.
Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision,” (Qur’an 3:169)
Most of humanity understands that
death is an inevitability. They know of it,
but they do not really understand it. They
treat death as non-existence, the end of
the road, or finality. But the believer
understands that death is just act one
scene one of this play. In the next scene,
we will be brought back and held
accountable for all that transpired. We
will be held responsible for our actions.
This should not be a scary proposition.
Rather we should be joyful about this
revelation. It brings purpose and
meaning to our existence, “Then did you
think that We created you uselessly and
that to Us you would not be returned?”
(Qur’an 23:115) So the one who
understands the name Al-Ba’ith develops
greater certainity in the day of
resurrection and greater conviction in
Allah’s T promise.
The name also creates a sense of
responsibility within, a duty to ourselves
to become better and avoid being a
degenerate (i.e., a person with loose
morals, corrupt, or showing signs of
decline). It was narrated that Aishah
said: “The Messenger of Allah x said to
x who said the following
َ ْ ُ ُ َ َّ َّ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ
me: ‘O ‘Aishah, beware of (evil) deeds
that are regarded as insignificant, for
they have a pursuer from Allah. (i.e.
accountability).” [1]
The realization of death also brings
about a sense of urgency. We have, but
a limited time on earth, so we should not
squander it. It should inspire us to do
good and rush to acts loved by Allah T.
However you die here is how you will be
brought back to life there, so seek good,
and you will receive good.
Death also brings to the surface the
importance of moment-to-moment
awareness, like a soldier about to be
deployed overseas. They don’t have any
time to waste on trivial matters or petty
arguments. They let all these things go,
which tells you something about their
importance. You can even imagine the
week leading up to his deployment; he will
handle all his affairs and be extremely
loving and present. Why wait until the last
second on our deathbeds to feel this way?
Why wait before we’re deployed and
uncertain of the future? Is it because
maybe we’re taking tomorrow for granted?
172
 At any moment, we have the power to (i.e., jahl or Ignorance) is death. So, you
reflect on the name Al-Ba’ith and tap can revive yourself by pursuing
into the truth Allah T has created this knowledge and resurrect others by being
universe as a temporary place. Death is generous with that information. Imam
the inescapable reality we will all face. Ghazali mentions, “Ignorance is the
As mentioned in Surah Baqarah, “Indeed greatest death and knowledge the
we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him noblest life. [...] Whoever lifts another out
we will return.” (Qur’an 2:156) of Ignorance to knowledge has already

In many places of the Qur’an, Allah T created him anew and revivified him to

has referred to as knowledge (ilm) as a blessed life.”

hayat life. The heart without knowledge

References:
173 [1] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 4243
 Ash-shah eed
(The All Observing Witnessing)

The Witness, The All-Observant,

The Testifier.

َّ ْ
ُ ‫ )ٱلشه‬meaning the one who is omnipresent and
Allah T is Ash-Shaheed (in Arabic: ‫يد‬ ِ
all-observing. There is nothing that we do that goes unnoticed, as He is ever-present
and sees everything. His knowledge comprehends all, and He will be the ultimate
witness on the day of judgment.

From the root shin-ha-dal ( ‫)ش ه د‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to bear witness, to offer testimony, to have knowledge of, to experience, to be present
with.

An Attribute of Ilm (knowledge):

To be a witness is an attribute of knowledge. You cannot be a witness without being

present or having knowledge or so unique insight or perspective on some matter.
Allah T is Ash-Shaheed, THE witness. He is the knower of the Ghayb (the unseen), the
things that are concealed or invisible to man. It is because of the attribute of being
Ash-Shaheed that on the day of judgment, He will reveal Himself as being the witness
to all that has happened.

ُ َّ ‫ك ۡم قَ ۡد َن َّب َأنَا‬
‫ٱلل‬
ُ َ َ ۡ ُّ َ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َّ ُ ۡ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َ
‫يعتذِرون إِلكم إِذا رجعتم إِل ِه ۚم قل ل تعتذِروا لن نؤمِن ل‬
َّ َ ۡ َ ۡ ٰ َ ٰ َ َ ُّ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ ُ ُ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ ُ َّ
َِ ‫ٱلش َهٰدة‬ َ َ َ َ ۡ ُ َۡ َ ۡ
‫بو‬ ِ ‫مِن أخبارِك ۚم وسيى ٱلل عملكم ورسولۥ ثم تردون إِل عل ِ ِم ٱلغي‬
َ ُ َ ُ ُ َ ُ ُ ََُّ
‫نت ۡم ت ۡع َملون‬ ‫فينبِئكم بِما ك‬,
Ya’taziroona ilaikum izaa raja’tum ilaihim; qul laa ta’taziroo lan nu’mina lakum qad nabba
annal laahu min akhbaarikum; wa sa yaral laahu ‘amalakum wa Rasooluhoo thumma
turaddoona ilaa ‘Aalimil Ghaibi washshahaadati fa yunabbi’ukum bimaa kuntum ta’maloon

English Translation:

“They will make excuses to you when you have returned to them. Say, ‘Make no
excuse – never will we believe you. Allah has already informed us of your news.
And Allah will observe your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger; then you will be
taken back to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and He will inform
you of what you used to do.’” (Qur’an 9:94)
174
 َ‫س َق َو َما َشه ۡدنَا ٓ إ َّل ب َما َعل ِۡم َنا َوما‬َ َ ‫ك‬ َ َ ۡ َّ ٓ َ َ َ ٰٓ َ ْ ُ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ ٰٓ َ ْ ٓ ُ ۡ
ِ ِ ِ ‫جعوا إِل أبِيكم فقولوا يـأبانا إِن ٱبن‬ ِ ‫ٱر‬
َ ‫حٰفظ‬
‫ني‬ ِ ِ ‫ب‬
َ ۡ ‫ُك َّنا ل ِۡل َغ‬
‫ي‬
ِ
Irji’ooo ilaaa abeekum faqooloo yaaa abaanaaa innab naka saraq; wa maa
shahidnaaa illaa bimaa ‘alimnaa wa maa kunnaa lilghaibi haafizeen

English Translation:

“Return to your father and say, “O our father, indeed your son has stolen, and we did not
testify except to what we knew. And we were not witnesses of the unseen,” (Qur’an 12:81)

This verse also helps us establish a
connection to the previous name,
Al-Ba’ith - The Resurrector. When we are
raised from the grave, we will be held
accountable. The only one who can be a
judge is the one who has knowledge of
the truth, “we did not testify except to
what we knew.” Allah T knowledge is
all-encompassing. He is Al-Alim (The All-
Knowing) and Al-Khabir (The All-Aware).
The explanation of the name Ash-
Shaheed is similar to that of those
names. We recommend reading the
write-up provided for those names to
become acquainted with the name of
Ash-Shaheed.
Now, as a name of Allah T it is mentioned
throughout the Qur’an a total of 18 times.
We will explore a few more verses here:

‫ك‬
ُّ ٰ َ َ ‫ٱلل‬
‫ع‬ ُ َّ ‫ِيعا َف ُينَ ّب ُئ ُهم ب َما َع ِملُ ۚٓوا ْ أَ ۡح َصى ٰ ُه‬
ُ َّ ‫ٱلل َون َ ُسوهُ َو‬ ٗ ‫ٱلل َج‬
ُ َّ ‫يَ ۡو َم َي ۡب َع ُث ُه ُم‬
ِ ۚ ِ ِ
ٌ ‫شء َشه‬
‫يد‬ ٖ ۡ َ
ِ
Yawma yab’asuhumul laahu jamee’an fayunabbi’uhum bimaa ‘amiloo; ahsaahul laahu
wa nasooh; wallaahu ‘alaa kulli shai’in shaheed

English Translation:

“On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all and inform them of what they did. Allah
had enumerated it, while they forgot it; and Allah is, over all things, Witness.” (Qur’an 58:6)

َ ٰ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َّ َ َ ّ َ َ َ َ َ ٓ َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ٓ َّ
‫ما أصابك مِن حسنةٖ ف ِمن ٱللِۖ وما أصابك مِن سيِئ ٖة ف ِمن نفسِكۚ وأرسلنك‬
ٗ َ َّ ٰ َ َ َ ٗ ُ َ
‫ف بِٱللِ ش ِهيدا‬ ‫اس رسول ۚ وك‬ ِ ‫ل َِّلن‬
Maaa asaabaka min hasanatin faminal laahi wa maaa asaaabaka min saiyi’atin famin
nafsik; wa arsalnaaka linnaasi Rasoolaa; wa kafaa billaahi Shaheedaa

English Translation:

“What comes to you of good is from Allah, but what comes to you of evil, [O man],
is from yourself. And We have sent you, [O Muhammad], to the people as a
messenger, and sufficient is Allah as Witness.” (Qur’an 4:79)
175
 ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ ُّ َ ۡ ُ َّ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ٰ َّ َ ۡ ُ َ ٓ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ ُ ‫َس‬
‫س ِهم حت يتبي لهم أنه ٱلق ۗ أولم يك ِف‬ ِ ‫ني ِهم ءايٰتِنا ِف ٱٓأۡلف‬
ِ ‫اق و ِف أنف‬ ِ
َ
ٌ ‫ش ء شه‬ َ ّ ُ َ َ َّ َ
ُ َ َّ
ۡ ‫عك‬
‫يد‬ ِ ٖ ِ ٰ ‫بِربِك أنهۥ‬
Sanureehim Aayaatinaa fil aafaaqi wa feee anfusihim hattaa yatabaiyana lahum
annahul haqq; awa lam yakfi bi Rabbika annahoo ‘alaa kulli shai-in Shaheed

English Translation:

“We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it
becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your
Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?” (Qur’an 41:53)

Tip to help memorize the meaning of this name:

To help remember the meaning of Ash-Shaheed, it can be useful to make the
connection in your mind with this name and the shahadah (the testimony of faith),
Ashhadu an la ilaha ill-Allah was ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh
(I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness
that Muhammad is his servant and Messenger).[1]

Here ashhadu means, “I bear witness,” “I testify” and the name of Allah Ash-Shaheed
is, “The Witnesser,” “The Testifier.”

The believer benefits from knowing Remember Allah T is enough for you as
Allah T is Ash-Shaheed. As we a witness. Whatever good you do, if no
mentioned in previous names, it makes one sees or recognizes it, it doesn’t
us cognizant of our actions. We will be matter as Allah T sees all. Nothing goes
held responsible on the day of judgment, unaccounted for. Having this knowledge
so unattractive qualities within ourselves allows a person to drop all forms of
(e.g., envy, anger, pride, back-biting, etc.) pettiness. Who cares if you did something
should be conquered as these emotions good for someone and it wasn’t
work against you. This name also reciprocated. You invited them to your
encourages humility, admitting mistakes, wedding, but they didn’t invite you. Allah
taking ownership over your actions, and is the witness, don’t let others’ lack of
seeking forgiveness from Allah T. So on care affect the good you can do.
that day, these mistakes will already be
wiped from your account.

References:
[1] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan An Nasai (632) and Sunan Ibn Majah (470) | The Messenger of Allah x in the hadith said:
Whoever performs Wudu and does it well, then says the shahadat. Eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, and he
may enter through whichever one he wishes. 176
 Al-haqq
(The Absolute Truth)

The Truth, The Real,

The Embodiment of Truth.

Allah T is Al-Haqq (in Arabic: َ ْ ), meaning: the only reality, the one who is the
‫ٱل ُّق‬
embodiment of truth, the absolute. Since He is the sole and true God, He has every
right to be worshipped. His essence is unavoidable and unchanged.

From the root ha-qaf-qaf (‫)ح ق ق‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to be suitable, to the requirements of wisdom, justice, truth or fact. To be in accord
with the needs of the situation, to be true, right, just, proper. To be genuine, authentic,
real, sound, substantial. To be established, confirmed as fact. To be necessary,
requisite, justified.

Allah’s Truth:

Allah T very essence is the truth. There Allah T slowly deteriorates, so how can
are many layers of His truth. For example, we trust in anything but Him. The Qur’an
His word is truth (the Qur’an and mentions, “Indeed, what you are
Messengers), our meeting with Him is promised is to occur. So when the stars
truth (resurrection), and His promise is are obliterated And when the heaven is
truth (heaven and hell). The truth, by opened And when the mountains are
definition, is also never changing. It’s blown away And when the messengers’
absolute or certain. In this manner, only time has come… For what Day was it
Allah T is the truth. His existence is postponed? For the Day of Judgement.”
enduring and forever. Everything but (Qur’an 77:7-13)

َ ۡ َ ُ َ َّ َّ َ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ ُّ ۡ
َ َ ُ َ َّ َّ َ َ َ
ُّ ِ ‫ذٰل ِك بِأن ٱلل هو ٱلق وأن ما يدعون مِن دونِهِ ٱلب ِطل وأن ٱلل هو ٱلع‬
‫ل‬ ٰ
ُ ‫كب‬ َ ۡ
‫ري‬ ِ ‫ٱل‬
Zaalika bi annal laaha Huwal Haqqu wa anna maa yad’oona min doonihil baatilu wa
annal laaha Huwal ‘Aliyyul Kabeer (section 3)

English Translation:

“That is because Allah is the Truth, and that what they call upon other than Him is
falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.” (Qur’an 31:30)
177
The understanding that Allah T is the embodiment of truth is also a testimony to His
judgment and knowledge as being perfect. With this understanding, we should
adhere to the guidance He set forth.
Sometimes, we may find restrictions that seem inconvenient or without cause, but we
should realize that we don’t always know what’s best for us. We must trust Allah T
knows best. Therefore the believer should show self-restraint and be subservient to
the truth.

َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ٰ َّ َ َ ُ ٰ َ َّ َّ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ُّ َ ۡ ُ ُ ُّ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ َ َ
‫ٱل ّ ِق إِل ٱلضلل ۖ فأن تصفون‬ ‫فذٰل ِكم ٱلل ربكم ٱلق ۖ فماذا بعد‬
Fazaalikumul laahu Rabbukumul haqq; famaazaa ba’dal haqqi illad dalaalu fa anna tusrafoon

English Translation:

“ For that is Allah, your Lord, the Truth. And what can be beyond truth except
error? So how are you averted?” (Qur’an 10:32)

َ‫سبني‬ ٰ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ُ َ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ َ َ َ ّ َ ۡ ُ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َّ َ ْ ٓ ُّ ُ َّ ُ
َ‫ع ۡٱلح‬
ِ ِ ‫ق أل ل ٱلكم وهو أس‬ ۚ ِ ‫ثم ردوا إِل ٱللِ مولىهم ٱل‬
Summa ruddooo ilallaahi mawlaahumul haqq; alaa lahul hukmu wa Huwa asra’ul haasibeen

English Translation:

“Then are men returned unto Allah, their protector, the (only) reality: Is not His the
command? and He is the swiftest in taking account.” (Qur’an 6:62)

ۡ َ ‫ك‬
ٞ‫شءٖ قَدِير‬ ّ ُ ٰ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ ٰ َ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ ُ ُ َّ َ َ ُّ َ ۡ َ ُ َ َّ َّ َ َ ٰ َ
ِ ‫ح ٱلموت وأنهۥ ع‬ ِ ‫ذل ِك بِأن ٱلل هو ٱلق وأنهۥ ي‬
Zaalika bi annal laaha Huwal haqqu wa annahoo yuhyil mawtaa wa annahoo ‘alaakulli
shai’in Qadeer

English Translation:

“That is because Allah is the Truth and because He gives life to the dead and
because He is over all things competent” (Qur’an 22:6)

َ َّ ‫ون مِن ُدونِهِۦ ُه َو ۡٱل َبٰ ِط ُل َوأَ َّن‬

َ‫ٱلل ُهو‬ َ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ ُّ َ ۡ َ ُ َ َّ َّ َ َ ٰ َ
‫ذل ِك بِأن ٱلل هو ٱلق وأن ما يدع‬
ُ ‫كب‬َ ۡ َ ‫ۡٱل‬
‫ري‬ِ ‫ٱل‬ ُّ
‫ل‬ ِ ‫ع‬
Zaalika bi annal laaha Huwal haqqu wa anna maa yad’oona min doonihee huwal baatilu
wa annal laaha Huwal ‘Aliyyul kabeer

English Translation:

“That is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon other than Him
is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.” (Qur’an 22:62)
178
 What is truth?
Many think truth is science, but this is
false. There is no objective truth in
science. Rather science’s whole
objective is to disprove that which we
currently know. Only in the failure to
disprove do we develop some kind of
understanding of what is “true,” i.e., until
it is disproven. This is the scientific
process. Its goal is not to provide
conclusions but to provide a model of
reality consistent with the collective
observations of humanity sustained
over time.
Things that have been “true” for
thousands of years are things that have
been thoroughly tested and therefore
earned a higher degree of trust. Even
then, paradigm shifts exist. There was a
time when the predominant view was
that the Earth was flat and not round. At
one point, diabetes patients were
encouraged to eat sugar because it
seemed their bodies were just good at
removing sugar from their system. So to
compensate, doctors suggested eating
more sugar to make up for the loss.
They only discovered this was not the
Abu Hanifa and The Atheist:
Ibn Abi al-’Izz reported: It is said that Abu
Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him,
was approached by some philosophers
who intended to discuss with him the
oneness of Allah’s Lordship. Abu Hanifa
said, “Before we discuss this question,
tell me what you think about a boat in
the Euphrates, which goes to shore,
loads itself with food and other things,
then returns, anchors and unloads all
by itself, without anyone sailing or
controlling it?” They said, “This is
179 impossible.” Abu Hanifa said, “If it is
case through trial and error. It’s hard to
know the things we don’t know. Every
generation should have fewer blindspots
than the previous, so we can have more
confidence now than at any time in the
past.[1]
But that’s not to say blindspots don’t or
can’t exist. What if the reality we know
today is just an illusion? A limitation of
our sensory organs or the first layer of a
larger painting? We may never know
whether our observations are real or
just shadows of what is real. The Qur’an
states, “The life of this world is nothing
but delusion” (Qur’an 57:20). So we’ve
come to the point where we must
accept that we know close to nothing.
It’s freeing... we realize how little anybody
knows, and that’s a good place to start
as it opens the door for humility and
exposes us to the openness of all
possibilities. The one and only absolue
truth we can be sure of is la ilaha illallah
muhammadur rasulullah, “There is no
deity but Allah. Prophet Muhammad x
is His messenger.”
impossible with a boat, then how is it
possible for the world, in all its vastness,
to move by itself?”
The point Abu Hanifa makes is that
underlying every assertion - the one
who causes it to be is Allah T. These
things don’t need to be exclusive of one
another; they can coexist. To be a
believer in science is to be a witness
and see Allah T. You observe and
appreciate the manifestation of His
creation.
Supplications which include the name Al-Haqq:
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (x) used to say in his
Talbiyah: “Labbaika ilahal-haqq, labbaika (Here I am, O god of Truth, here I am).” [2]

Narrated Ibn Abbas: When the Prophet (x) got up at night to offer the Tahajjud
prayer, he used to say:[3]

َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ ّ َ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َّ ُ َّ
‫ات واألر ِض ومن فِي ِهن ولك المد لك‬ َ ُ
ِ ‫اللهم لك المد أنت قيِم السمو‬
َْ َ َ َّ ُ َ
ُ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ َّ ْ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ ُ ْ ُ
‫ات واأل ر ِض‬ َ
ِ ‫ات واألر ِض ومن فِي ِهن ولك المد أنت نور السمو‬ َ
ِ ‫ملك السمو‬
ُ َ َ ٌّ َ َ ْ َ َ ٌّ َ َ ُ َ َ ُّ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ ُّ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ
ْ ُ ْ ْ َ
‫ال َّنة َح ٌّق‬ ‫ولك المد أنت الق ووعدك الق ول ِقاؤك حق وقولك حق و‬
ُ َ َّ َ ٌّ َ َُ َ
‫اعة َح ٌّق‬ ‫ار َح ٌّق َوانلَّب ِ ُّيون َح ٌّق َوم َّم ٌد صىل اهلل عليه وسلم حق والس‬ ُ َّ‫َوانل‬
ُ‫اص ْمت‬ َ ‫ك َخ‬ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ ُ َّ
َ ِ ‫اللهم لك أسلمت وبِك آمنت وعليك توك َت ِإَولك أ َنبت وب‬
ُ ْ‫ت َو َما أ ْعلَن‬ ُ ‫س ْر‬
َ ْ ‫ت َو َما أ‬ ُ ‫ت َو َما أ َّخ ْر‬ ُ ‫اغفِ ْر ل َما قَ َّد ْم‬ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ َْ
‫ت‬ ِ ‫ِإَولك حاكمت ف‬
َ َّ َ َ
َ ْ ‫ت ال ُم َؤ ّخ ُِر ال إ َل إال أن‬ ْ َ
َ ْ ‫ت ال ُم َق ّد ُِم َوأن‬ ْ َ ْ ‫َأن‬
‫ت‬ ِ ِ
Allahumma lakal-hamd. Anta qaiyyimus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Walakal-
hamd, Laka mulkus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Walakal-hamd, anta nurus-
samawati wal-ard. Wa lakal-hamd, anta-l-haq wa wa’duka-lhaq, wa liqa’uka Haq, wa
qauluka Haq, wal-jannatu Han wan-naru Haq wannabiyuna Haq. Wa Muhammadun,
sallal-lahu’alaihi wasallam, Haq, was-sa’atu Haq. Allahumma aslamtu Laka wabika
amantu, wa ‘Alaika tawakkaltu, wa ilaika anabtu wa bika khasamtu, wa ilaika hakamtu
faghfir li ma qaddamtu wama akh-khartu wama as-rartu wama’a lantu, anta-l-
muqaddim wa anta-l-mu akh-khir, la ilaha illa anta (or la ilaha ghairuka)

English Translation:

“O Allah! All the praises are for you, You are the Holder of the Heavens and the
Earth, And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You have the possession
of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You;
You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth And all the praises are for You; You
are the King of the Heavens and the Earth; And all the praises are for You; You are
the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, And to meet You is true, Your Word is the
truth And Paradise is true And Hell is true And all the Prophets (Peace be upon
them) are true; And Muhammad is true, And the Day of Resurrection is true. O
Allah! I surrender (my will) to You; I believe in You and depend on You. And repent
to You, And with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers) And I
take You as a judge (to judge between us). Please forgive me my previous And
future sins; And whatever I concealed or revealed And You are the One who make
(some people) forward And (some) backward. There is none to be worshipped
but you.”

180
 The believer benefits from knowing that Allah T is Al-Haqq (The Truth). We live
following the message of Islam to receive His promise. The Qur’an is the book of truth
coming from Allah T. It teaches us the basics of enjoying life while honoring our
duties. It provides a blueprint for how we should structure our life, what kind of person
we should be, the importance of this life, and the greater significance of the next.

References:
[1] As an aside - This is not meant to be an anti-science remark or stance. I understand it can be controversial, especially
with the pandemic and vaccines. The described scientific process is the closest approximation to what is true, but it’s far
from objective truth. Advocate for skepticism within reason and avoidance of becoming cynical without cause.
[2] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 2920
181 [3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1120
 Al-Wakeel
(The Trustee)

The Universal Trustee,

The Disposer of Affairs, The Trustworthy.

ُ ْ
Allah T is Al-Wakeel (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل َوك ِيل‬, the one and only who can be trusted with all
our affairs. He is the supreme trustee, guardian, and administrator. A believer
understands the rewards of his efforts come from Allah T, and therefore He entrusts
his faith fully in Him.

From the root waw-kaf-lam (‫ل‬ ‫)و ك‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to appoint or entrust for the care or management of something, to
have a commissioned agent, a guardian of one’s interests, to rely upon, confide in,
lean upon, submit to.

Who can we trust?

Allah T is Al-Wakeel, the one to be
entrusted with all of our affairs. This
relationship is entirely voluntary; it is on
the part of the believer to recognize that
Allah T is the authority we should trust.
An authoritarian leader, a corrupt
government, or an institution may try to
make the people dependent on them to
enforce being entrusted out of necessity.
But the reality is they are deficient and
clawing to hold onto power. They cannot
fulfill the demands of all the people.
They are limited in capacity
resources. Secondly, whether they realize
it or not, their existence is finite. Only Allah
T existence is eternal. Therefore it would
be wise for us to bring our affairs to the
one who can act on them long after
we’re gone. Only Allah T has that kind of
power, longevity, and capacity. He is the
only deity deserving of having all matters
entrusted to Him.
Sheikh Tosun Bayrak mentions of this
name, “He completes the work left to Him
without leaving anything undone.” People
think of themselves as capable, but it is
Allah T who allows for everything. It’s like
if you were a duck floating in a pond
while it’s been raining, and you keep
going up in the world. After some time,
you think it’s you and not the rain. You
may say to yourself, “I must be one good
and duck.” Realize Allah T gives people
specific tests of wealth and poverty or
success and failure.
The question in each circumstance is
how will they respond to these
happenings? Who will they turn to help
handle their affairs?
182
 Imam Ghazali writes, “But those so
entrusted may be distinguished into one
entrusted with some things (and that
one is deficient) or one to whom
everything is entrusted, and this is none
but God - may He be praised and
exalted.” Only Allah T is trustworthy,
knowledgable, and has the complete
power to protect and provide the best
care for His servant. Allah T is the all
compassionate, the all powerful, the all
wise. Allah is sufficient for you as a
guardian, and belief and trust in this is
the meaning of tawakkul. This does not
excuse the need for one to provide for
themselves, a true believer understands
they must apply themselves to the best
of their abilities. But it is Allah who decides
to do what He wills and controls the
outcome.

Hadith of the camel:

This concept is beautifully illustrated in the famous hadith. Anas bin Malik narrated
that a man said: “O Messenger of Allah! Shall I tie it and rely (upon Allah), or leave it
loose and rely (upon Allah)?” He said: “Tie it and rely (upon Allah).” [1]

There is no need to over complicate such a simple life philosophy. Complete trust
and faithfulness in Allah’s plan invite peace into your life. Worldly pursuit, ambitions,
and not meeting your expectations cause misery and anxiety. Acceptance frees
the mind from the prison it creates.

Supplication of Prophet Muhammad x:

The name Al-Wakeel was also invoked
in a du’a of Prophet Muhammad
recited this du’a at a time of distress, at
a time when he needed His Lord to help
him overcome the adversity he faced.
He suffered a great loss to Abu Sufyan
in the battle of Uhud. His army of 700
fought against 3000 Meccan soldiers.
The losses of Uhud reported 70 Muslims
were killed, and only 22 of the 3000
x. He Medinan soldiers had died. Prophet
Muhammad himself was injured and
bloodied in battle. You can imagine the
conviction he had when he said these
words. The morale among his
companions was low, yet he recited
these words as revealed in Surah Imran.

َ َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َّ
َ ‫اد ُه ۡم إ‬ َ َ َ َّ
ُ َّ‫ال ل َ ُه ُم ٱنل‬
‫يم ٰ ٗنا‬ِ ‫اس إِن ٱنلاس قد جعوا لكم فٱخشوهم فز‬ ‫ٱلِين ق‬
ُ ۡ ْ
ُ َّ ‫َوقَالُوا َح ۡسبُ َنا‬
‫ٱلل َون ِۡع َم ٱل َوك ِيل‬
Allazeena qaala lahumun naasu innan naasa qad jama’oo lakum fakhshawhum
fazaadahum emaananw wa qaaloo hasbunal laahu wa ni’mal wakeel

English Translation:

“Those to whom hypocrites said, ‘Indeed, the people have gathered against you,
so fear them.’ But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, ‘Sufficient for
us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.’” (Qur’an 3:173)

183
The part of the ayat which contains the du’a has been bolded for your reference.
This was also mentioned in the hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas:” ‘Allah is Sufficient for
us and He Is the Best Disposer of affairs,’ was said by Abraham when he was thrown
into the fire; and it was said by Muhammad.” [2]

Allah T takes care of all those who turn to Him in their time of need. We may trust
our spouse, friends, or family, but in the truest sense, they can’t hold the title of being
“the trustee.”

ً َ َّ َََ َۡ َ َ َ َّ ‫َو ِ َّلِ َما ف‬

ٰ ۚ ِ ‫ت َوما ِف ٱل‬
‫ۡرض وكف بِٱللِ وك ِيل‬ ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬ ِ
Wa lillaahi maa fis samaawaati wa maa fil ard; wa kafaa billaahi Wakeelaa

English Translation:

“ And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth.
And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.” (Qur’an 4:132)

ٗ ۡ َّ َ ُ َّ َ ٓ َ ۡ َۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُّ َّ
‫ب ل إِل ٰ َه إِل ه َو فٱتِذهُ َوك ِيل‬
ِ ِ ‫ر‬‫غ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱل‬‫و‬ ‫ق‬
ِ ‫ش‬
ِ ‫رب ٱلم‬
Rabbul mashriqi wal maghriibi laaa ilaaha illaa Huwa fattakhizhu wakeelaa

English Translation:

“ [He is] the Lord of the East and the West; there is no deity except Him, so take
Him as Disposer of [your] affairs.” (Qur’an 73:9)

Umar bin Al-Khattab narrated that the Messenger of Allah x said: “If you were to
rely upon Allah with the required reliance, then He would provide for you just as a
bird is provided for, it goes out in the morning empty, and returns full.” [3]

The believer benefits from knowing
that Allah T is Al-Wakeel. Just like the
bird who goes out in search of food
every day and finds its sustenance, the
one who trusts in Allah’s T plan will be
taken care of. That’s not to say there
won’t be any struggle. The bird still has to
leave the nest in search of food -
principles like the early bird getting the
worm still have merit. Personal effort is a
necessary precursor for change.
However, the outcome of that effort is up
to Allah T. In the Qur’an, it says, “for each
one are successive [angels] before and
behind him who protect him by the
decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah will not
change the condition of a people until
they change what is in themselves.”
(Qur’an 13:11) It’s unreasonable to expect
different results if you continually repeat
the same old habits.
If you want to see change, you have to
change. Surrender to Allah T, make du’a
for whatever it is you wish, and work in
pursuit towards that goal.
184
 ۡ َ ‫ك‬ّ ُ ٰ َ َ َ ُ َ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ ّ ُ ُ ٰ َ َ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ ٓ َ ۡ ُ ُّ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ ٰ َ
ٖ‫شء‬ ِ ‫ك شءٖ فٱعبدوهۚ وهو ع‬ ِ ‫ذل ِكم ٱلل ربكمۖ ل إِله إِل هو ۖ خل ِق‬
ٞ
‫َو ك ِيل‬
Zaalikumul laahu Rabbukum laaa ilaaha illaa huwa khaaliqu kulli shai’in fa’budooh; wa
huwa ‘alaa kulli shai’inw Wakeel

English Translation:

“That is Allah, your Lord; there is no deity except Him, the Creator of all things, so
worship Him. And He is Disposer of all things.” (Qur’an 6:102)

References:
[1] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami at-Tirmidhi 2517
[2] Sahih Bukhari 4563
185 [3] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2344
 Al-qawiyy / Al-qawi
(The All-Strong)

The Most Strong, Perfect Power,

The One with inexhaustible strength.

َْ َْ
ُّ ‫ ٱلقو‬is Al-Qawiyy (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلقو ُّي‬, meaning the one who commands all power
Allah ‫ي‬ ِ ِ
and whose strength is unparalleled to anything else. His strength is truly unlimited
and inexhaustible. Man’s strength does not compare to that of Allah the Almighty.

From the root qaf-waw-ya (‫)ق و ي‬, which hearing, judgment, or knowledge. He can
has the following classical Arabic provide whatever for whomever. With
connotations: to be strong, vigorous, regard to His life, it is absolutely enduring
potent, to be robust, hardy, sturdy, to forever. He is strong in all aspects - there
have sufficient strength or power, to are no exceptions.
prevail over. Because of His perfect strength, we rely
The name Al-Qawiyy (sometimes written upon Him for our success alone. Given a
as Al-Qawi) is mentioned a total of nine choice between two leaders, you would
times in the Qur’an. It refers to Allah’s likely choose the one whose power was
attribute of being strong. The one who unmatched (assuming they are not
has perfect power. He is eternal; death is morally corrupt). Similarily, Allah T has
not something that touches Him. From unlimited capacity and possess superior
Ayatul Kursi, “Neither drowsiness judgement. He is the only one who can
overtakes Him nor sleep.” (Qur’an 2:255) provide the comfort and protection we
No weakness or deficiencies reach Him. seek. For this reason, this name is often
His strength is inexhaustible and mentioned in pairs with Al-Aziz (The
overcomes all. Mighty) or Al-Matin (The Firm).

He is the most strong. To be strong is a Imam Al-Ghazali has noted, “Strength

broader concept than power or some indicates perfect power, while firmness
manifestation of physical strength. In a indicates intensification of strength.”
sense it describes Allah T entity as Allah’s decree is immovable. Whatever
being perfected. He does not suffer from He wills will happen, and nothing can
any weakness, whether it be His sight, prevent it.

186
 ُ‫ت ۡٱل َقو ُّي ۡٱلَمِني‬
َ ‫ج ۡر‬
َ ٔ‫ٱس َت ۡـ‬ ۡ ‫ت إ ۡح َدى ٰ ُه َما يَـٰٓ َأبَت‬
َ ۡ ‫ٱس َت ۡـٔج ۡرهُ إ َّن َخ‬
ۡ ‫ي َمن‬ ۡ َ‫قَال‬
ِ ِ ِ ۖ ِ ِ ِ
Qaalat ihdaahumaa yaaa abatis taajirhu inna khaira manistaajartal qawiyyul ameen

English Translation:

“One of the women said, ‘O my father, hire him. Indeed, the best one you can hire
is the strong and the trustworthy.’” (Qur’an 28:26)

ٌ ‫ٱلل لَ َقو ٌّي َعز‬

‫يز‬ َ َّ ْ ‫َما قَ َد ُروا‬
َ َّ ‫ٱلل َح َّق قَ ۡدره ِۦٓ إ َّن‬
ِ ِ ِ ِۚ
Maa qadrul laaha haqqa qadrih; innal laaha la Qawiyyun ‘Azeez

English Translation:

“They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and
Exalted in Might.” (Qur’an 22:74)

ُ ‫يف ب ِع َبادِه ِۦ يَ ۡر ُز ُق َمن ي َ َشا ٓ ُء ۖ َو ُه َو ۡٱل َقو ُّي ۡٱل َعز‬

‫يز‬ ۢ ُ ‫ٱلل لَط‬
ِ ُ َّ
ِ ِ ِ
Allahu lateefum bi’ibaadihee yarzuqu mai yashaaa’u wa Huwal Qawiyyul ‘Azeez (Section 2)

English Translation:

“Allah is Subtle with His servants; He gives provisions to whom He wills. And He is
the Powerful, the Exalted in Might.” (Qur’an 42:19)

He has unlimited capability and sense, for example, in lifting weights, we

should be feared in the sense that if He get tired and need to rest. There is a limit
chose to go against you, you would be to what we’re capable of. Allah T does
helpless. In the Qur’an, “If Allah should aid not get tired. He created the entirety of
you, no one can overcome you; but if He the universe with ease and can do so
should forsake you, who is there that can many times over. Our moment-to-
aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the moment existence is because Allah T
believers rely.” (Qur’an 3:160) Nothing is sustains it until the appointed time. There
able to stand on its own. There is a is not a thing that has indepence or
consequence when we exercise or use strength but Allah T.
any strength or power. In a physical

187
Supplication of Prophet Muhammad x:
It was narrated that Abu Musa said: “The belief in Allah T. This is like when Allah T
Prophet x heard me saying: ‘La hawla commanded Musa ( q) with His
wa la quwwata illa billah (there is no message to “Go to Firaawn; (Pharaoh)
power and no strength except with Indeed, he has transgressed.” (Qur’an
Allah).’ He said: ‘O ‘Abdullah bin Qais! 20:24) Can you imagine criticizing any
Shall I not tell you of a word which is one King, let alone the tyrannical King of
of the treasures of Paradise?’ I said: ‘Yes, Egypt, and say to him that he has
O Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Say: La transgressed? It is quite paradoxical; our
hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (There is fear in Allah T should be a source of
no power and no strength except with courage and strength in this life to do
Allah).’” [1]
what is right.

From this comes humility in under- To stand up in the face of injustice and
standing whatever strength or ability we to try and aid those oppressed. The
possess, it is from Allah T. We should strong believer is the one who believes in
derive power and confidence from our the most strong, Al-Qawiyy.

ُ‫وم ٱنلَّاس‬ َ َ ۡ َ َ َٰ ۡ ُ ُ َ َ َۡ َ ََ
َ ‫ان ِلَ ُق‬ ٰ َ ّ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ُ َۡ َ َۡ ۡ ََ
‫ت وأنزلا معهم ٱلكِتب وٱل ِمزي‬ ِ ‫لقد أرسلنا رسلنا بِٱليِن‬
َ َّ َ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ ٞ َ ٞ َ ۡ َ ۡ ََۡ ََ ۡ
ُ
‫اس و ِلعلم ٱلل من‬ ُ ٰ َ
ِ ‫ط وأنزلا ٱلدِيد فِيهِ بأس شدِيد ومنفِع ل ِلن‬ َ ۖ ِ ‫بِٱلقِ ۡس‬
ٞ ‫ٱلل قَو ٌّي َعز‬ ۡ َُ ُ ُ َ ُُ ُ َ
َ َّ ‫ٱل َغ ۡيب إ َّن‬
‫يز‬ ِ ِ ِ ۚ ِ ِ ‫ينصهۥ ورسلهۥ ب‬
Laqad arsalnaa Rusulanaa bilbaiyinaati wa anzalnaa ma’ahumul Kitaaba wal
Meezaana liyaqooman naasu bilqist, wa anzalnal hadeeda feehi baasun shadeedunw
wa manaafi’u linnaasi wa liya’lamal laahu many yansuruhoo wa Rusulahoo bilghaib;
innal laaha Qawiyyun Azeez

English Translation:

“We sent aforetime our messengers with Clear Signs and sent down with them
the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in
justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as
many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen,
Him and His messengers: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to
enforce His Will).” (Qur’an 57:25)

188
 َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ ُ َّ َ َ ٗ ۡ َ ْ ُ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ ُ َّ َّ َ َ
ۚ ‫ٱلل ٱل ُمؤ ِمن ِني ٱلقِتال‬ ‫ي ۚا َوكف‬ ‫ورد ٱلل ٱلِين كفر وا بِغي ِظ ِهم لم ينالوا خ‬
‫يزا‬ ُ َّ ‫َو َك َن‬
ٗ ‫ٱلل قَو ًّيا َعز‬
ِ ِ
Wa raddal laahul lazeena kafaroo bighaizihim lam yanaaloo khairaa; wa kafal laahul
mu’mineenal qitaal; wa kaanal laahu Qawiyyan ‘Azeezaa

English Translation:

“And Allah repelled those who disbelieved, in their rage, not having obtained any
good. And sufficient was Allah for the believers in battle, and ever is Allah Powerful
and Exalted in Might.” (Qur’an 33:25)

Hadith on what makes a believer strong:

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: “The Messenger of Allah (x) said: ‘The strong
believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, although both
are good. Strive for that which will benefit you, seek the help of Allah, and do not feel
helpless.

If anything befalls you, do not say, “if only I had done such and such,” rather say
“Qaddara Allahu wa ma sha’a fa’ala (Allah has decreed, and whatever he wills, He
does).” For (saying) ‘If’ opens (the door) to the deeds of Satan.’” [2]

References:
[1] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 3824
189 [2] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 79
 Al-Matin / Al-Mateen
(The Firm One)

The One with extreme Power which is

un-interrupted and He does not get
tired.

ْ
ُ ‫)ٱل َمت‬, meaning His power is steadfast. It is the same
Allah T is Al-Matin (in Arabic: ‫ني‬ِ
as it was yesterday and will remain tomorrow. He is ever-constant and firm.

From the root mim-ta-nun (‫)م ت ن‬, which
has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be strong, stout, firm,
hard, to be solid, robust, to be steadfast,
certain, sure, to possess any quality in a
strong degree, the hard outer or
apparent part of something, elevated
and hard ground.
The names Al-Qawiyy (The Strong) and
Al-Matin (The Firm) are often grouped
together for being closely related in their
meaning. The distinction is Al-Qawiyy
refers to Allah’s strength, He possesses
perfect power. Al-Matin/Al-Mateen is an
extension of His strength but focuses on
its intensity. It refers to the quality of
being solid, unwavering, and unshakable.
When this name is paired with the name
Ar-Razzaq, it means His provision is firm.
Nothing disrupts its flow - no force can
disrupt or weaken it. When paired with
the name Al-Qawiyy, it means His
strength is firm. Nothing can challenge
or cause Him difficulty.
So, it is generally stated that Al-Matin is
the perfection of His power, and it can’t
be counteracted or resisted.

ُ ‫اق ُذو ۡٱل ُق َّوة ِ ٱل ۡ َمت‬

‫ني‬
ُ َّ َّ َ ُ َ َّ َّ
‫إِن ٱلل هو ٱلرز‬
ِ
Innal laaha Huwar Razzaaqu Zul Quwwatil Mateen

English Translation:

“Indeed, it is Allah who is the [continual] Provider, the firm possessor of strength.”
(Qur’an 51:58)

There is only one instance of the name
Al-Mateen in the Qur’an. There are many
other verses where Allah T describes
His plan as being firm. We can’t
comprehend the nuances and
intricacies of His plans, but we know His
plans are without flaws and will be acted
out. “And you see the mountains, thinking
them rigid, while they will pass as the
passing of clouds. [It is] the work of Allah,
who perfected all things. Indeed, He is
Acquainted with that which you do.”
(Qur’an 27:88) and “Allāh has written [i.e.,
decreed], ‘I will surely overcome, I and My
messengers.’ Indeed, Allāh is Powerful
and Exalted in Might.” (Qur’an 58:21) 190
 ٌ‫َوأُ ۡمل ل َ ُه ۡم إ َّن َك ۡيدِي َمتِني‬
ِ ۚ ِ
Wa umlee lahum; inna kaidee mateen

English Translation:

“And I will give them time. Indeed, my plan is firm.” (Qur’an 7:183)

ٌ‫َوأُ ۡمل ل َ ُه ۡم إ َّن َك ۡيدِي َمتِني‬

ِ ۚ ِ
Wa umlee lahum; inna kaidee mateen

English Translation:

“And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm.” (Qur’an 68:45)

The believer benefits from learning
about how Allah T is Al-Mateen. We
recognize the importance of remaining
firm in both the good and the bad. We
must understand in life, we are either
coming out of some difficulty or heading
towards one. It’s going to happen; life is
a joyful experience mixed with some
sadness. It’s the way of life for everyone
- to believe otherwise would be naïve.
We don’t think anything can ever go
wrong when things are going well. And
when things are bad, we feel as though
they will remain bad forever.
We must try our best to be firm in our
patience and in our deen. Anas said, “The
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant
him peace, most frequently said, “O Allah,
O Overturner of hearts, make my heart
firm in Your deen.”[1] Firmness in faith
means flexibility with what Allah has
planned for us. The trials of life are not
unique to us; many have gone through
something similar. Don’t ask how to avoid
the winters. That’s not a possibility.
References:
191 [1] Sahih (Al-Albani) Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 683
Instead, we need to learn how to prepare
and handle them. Some winters will be
short, others will be long, and they will
regularly come after fall. When it comes,
remember firmness and resolve in Allah
T. Say, “la hawla wala quwwata illa
billahil aliyyil azim”, “there is no power and
no strength except with Allah.” Be firm in
your faith and trust that whatever test
Allah T has given you that it is within
your capacity to solve.
It was narrated from Al Bara bin Azib that
the Prophet said: “Allah will keep firm
those who believe, with the world that
stands firm in this world, and in the
Hereafter. This was revelated concerning
the torment in the grave. It will be said to
him (the deceased: ‘Who is your Lord?’
and he will say: ‘My Lord is Allah and my
Prophet is Muhammad. That is what is
(the meaning of) His saying: Allah will
keep firm those who believe, with the
word that stands firm in this world, and in
the Hereafter”. [2]
[2] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 2057
 Al-Waliy / Al-Wali
(The Protecting Associate)

The Protecting Friend, The Supporter,

The Patron.

ْ
AllahT is Al-Waliy (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل َو ِ ُّل‬, meaning the true protector. He is supportive and
loves His servants, protecting them from evil. Allah T wants victory for us and will
guide mankind towards the path of righteousness.

From the root waw-lam-ya (‫)و ل ي‬, which peace, guidance, and success in this life
has the following classical Arabic and the hereafter. Now, Allah T is also
connotations: to be near, close, nearby, Al-Khaliq (The Creator), and we
to be a friend, helper, supporter, to understand this to mean that we are His
defend, guard (lit. friendly dealing), to be servants.
in charge, to turn one toward something, But this is just one categorization of our
to be the master, owner, lord. possible relationship with Allah T. There
Al-Waliyy refers to the attribute of Allah are a group of people who are His
T being a close friend or ally. He wants friends/allies called awliyah of Allah,
you to know you’re protected, supported, friends of Allah (awliyah is the plural of
and looked after. He provides them with wali).

َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ُ َّ َ ۡ َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ َ َ َ
‫ومن يتول ٱلل ورسولۥ وٱلِين ءامنوا فإِن حِزب ٱللِ هم ٱلغل ِبون‬
Wa mai yatawallal laaha wa Rasoolahoo wallazeena aamanoo fa inna hizbal laahi
humul ghaaliboon (section 8)

English Translation:

“And whoever is an ally of Allah and His Messenger and those who have believed
– indeed, the party of Allah – they will be the predominant.” (Qur’an 5:56)

Awliyah of Allah:

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The
Messenger of Allah x said, “Verily Allah ta’ala has said: ‘Whosoever shows enmity to
a wali (friend) of Mine, then I have declared war against him. And My servant does not
draw near to Me with anything more loved to Me than the religious duties I have
obligated upon him. 192
 And My servant continues to draw near to me with nafil (supererogatory) deeds until
I Love him. When I Love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with
which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks.
Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to seek
refuge with Me, I would surely grant him refuge.’” [1]

We can read about who the awliyah of obey His commands. Once that’s
Allah T are, but we should realize it’s a established, go the extra mile and taste
status that is within our grasp. We should the sweetness in involuntary acts which
not read these stories without feeling are encouraged but not mandatory.
inspired that it’s possible for us. The Sheikh Tosun Bayrak writes, “There is
Qur’an states by being a believer, you neither fear nor sadness for them
are a friend of His. The question then is (referring to the believer), for they do not
how can one become the foremost elect know any other friend but Allah. They fear
of Allah T. The answer is simple, but the nothing except opposing Allah’s
practice is hard. It’s to be dutiful and pleasure.”
fulfill your obligations. To do good and

َ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ ُ ُّ َ ّ ُ ُ ۡ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ ُّ َ ُ َّ
ُ‫ك َف ُر ٓوا ْ أ ۡو ِلَا ٓ ُؤ ُهم‬ ٰ َ
ِ ‫ٱلل و ِل ٱلِين ءامنوا ي ِرجهم مِن ٱلظلم‬
‫ت إِل ٱنلورِۖ وٱلِين‬
َ
َ ُ ٰ َ َ ۡ ُ َّ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ ٰٓ َ ْ ُ ٰ َ ُ ُّ َ ُّ َ ّ ُ َ ُ ۡ ُ ُ ُ ٰ َّ
‫ت أولـئِك أصحب ٱنلارِۖ هم فِيها خ ِلون‬ ۗ ِ ‫ٱلطـغوت ي ِرجونهم مِن ٱنلورِ إِل ٱلظلم‬
Allaahu waliyyul lazeena aamanoo yukhrijuhum minaz zulumaati ilan noori wallazeena
kafarooo awliyaaa’uhumut Taaghootu yukhrijoonahum minan noori ilaz zulumaat;
ulaaa’ika Ashaabun Naari hum feehaa khaalidoon (section 34)

English Translation:

“Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into
the light. And those who disbelieve – their allies are Taghut. They take them out
of the light into darknesses. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide
eternally therein.” (Qur’an 2:257)

َ ُۡ َ َّ َ ُ ُ َ َّ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ ُ ُ َ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ ُّ َ َ َّ
‫ٱلصل ٰوةَ َو ُيؤتون‬ ‫إِنما و ِلكم ٱلل ورسولۥ وٱلِين ءامنوا ٱلِين يقِيمون‬
َ ُ َ َّ
‫ٱلزك ٰوةَ َوه ۡم َرٰك ُِعون‬
Innamaa waliyyukumul laahu wa Rasooluhoo wal lazeena aamanul lazeena
yuqeemoonas Salaata wa yu’toonaz Zakaata wa hum raaki’oon

English Translation:

“Your ally is none but Allah and [therefore] His Messenger and those who have
believed – those who establish prayer and give zakah, and they bow [in worship].”
(Qur’an 5:55)
193
We can see from these verses, Waliyy is mentioned as an ally, a working partner who
ensures success for the believer. This encompasses one meaning of Waliyy. It can
also refer to protection, as in the case of guardianship. For example, in Arabic, ‫أويلاء‬
means parents, and someone who has “Wilayah” is said to be the authority, ruler, or
legal guardian. Verses from the Qur’an that reflect this quality of Al-Wali:

ُ ‫ٱلم‬ ۡ ۡ ُ ََُۡ ُ ُ ََ ْ ََُ َ َۡ َ َۡ َُُّ َّ َ ُ َ

‫يد‬ ِ َ ‫نش َرحته ۚۥ َوه َو ٱل َو ِ ُّل‬ ‫نل ٱلغ ۡيث ِم ۢن بع ِد ما قنطوا وي‬
ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ِي‬
‫ٱل‬ ‫وهو‬
Wa Huwal lazee yunazzilul ghaisa min ba’di maa qanatoo wa yanshuru rahmatah; wa
Huwal Waliyyul Hameed

English Translation:

“And it is He who sends down the rain after they had despaired and spreads His
mercy. And He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy.” (Qur’an 42:28)

َّ ‫ب َو ُه َو َي َت َو َّل‬
َ ‫ٱلص ٰـلِح‬ َ َ ۡ َ َّ َ َّ ُ َّ َّ
‫ني‬ ِ ۖ ٰ ‫ِت‬
‫ك‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ز‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ِي‬
‫ٱل‬ ‫إِن َوَيِّۧـِل ٱلل‬
Inna waliyyial laahul lazee nazzalal Kitaaba wa Huwa yatawallas saaliheen

English Translation:

“Indeed, my protector is Allah, who has sent down the Book; and He is an ally to
the righteous.” (Qur’an 7:196)

The story of Prophet Yusuf draws
many parallels to Prophet Muhammad
(may peace be upon them). Both were
separated from their parents early in their
childhood. They faced harm from the
people closest to them. Yusuf (q)
brothers thought about killing him, and
Abu Lahab opposed protecting his
nephew and used to publicly humiliate
him by casting rocks and leaving
excrement at his door. Those closest to
them failed to provide support. Aziz, who
cared for Yusus (q), acted out in his
self-interest betraying Yusuf, leading to
his arrest and imprisonment. And how did
they respond? They turned to Allah T,
the only true friend a person needs. Yusuf
(q) made the du’a Anta waliyyee fid
dunyaa, “You are my protector in this
world and in the Hereafter.” (Qur’an 12:101)
They are not hurt by anyone or anything
because they have no expectations of
others. They believe all matters are in
Allah T care. If you turn to Him in pleasing
ways, He will grant you care and
protection. It may not be as you want it to
be, but trust Allah T knows best.
For a second, imagine what it would feel
like to be part of an inner circle of a kind
King or someone of immense worldly
success; you would be grateful for being
in such a lucky position. You wouldn’t
want to break the trust and confidence
that person has in you.
194
 Similarily, the believer benefits in knowing that Allah T is Al-Wali. He has not left any
of His believers stranded. He is the best friend anyone could ask for. He’s the source
of true success in this life and the next. We should engage in activities beloved by
Allah T that would raise our ranks within the inner circle of believers to try and grow
nearer to Him.

َّ َ
ُ‫ٱلل‬ ۡ َ ُ ٓ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ ٰ َّ َّ ٗ ۡ َ َّ َ َ َ ْ ُ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ َّ
‫ضو‬ٖۖ ‫إِنهم لن يغنوا عنك مِن ٱللِ شيـٔا ۚ ِإَون ٱلظـل ِ ِمني بعضهم أو ِلاء بع‬
َ ‫َو ُّل ٱل ۡ ُم َّتق‬
‫ني‬ ِ ِ
Innahum lany yughnoo ‘anka minal laahi shai’aa; wa innaz zaalimeena ba’duhum
awliyaaa’u ba’dinw wallaahu waliyyul muttaqeen

English Translation:

“Indeed, they will never avail you against Allah at all. And indeed, the wrongdoers
are allies of one another; but Allah is the protector of the righteous.”
(Qur’an 45:19)

References:
195 [1] Sahih al-Bukhari 6502 & Hadith #38 an-Nawawi
 Al-hameed / Al-hamid
(The Praiseworthy)

The Praiseworthy, The Laudable one.

ُ ‫ٱلم‬ ْ
Allah T is Al-Hameed (in Arabic: ‫يد‬ ِ َ ), meaning the one worthy of praise. He
qualifies as the praiseworthy one because of all His attributes and because He has
given us what we have. He is the only one deserving in every manner of praise, and
He should be exalted. Join in extolling him by repeating ‘al-hamdu lillah, meaning
‘praise be to Allah.’

From the root ha-mim-dal (‫)ح م د‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to praise, to laud with deep feelings of adoration and submission to praise one for
something done by that one’s own will to speak well of, honor, commend to eulogize.

Connecting this name with Surah Fatiha:

In the first two ayat of the Qur’an, it is written, Bismillah hir rahman nir raheem, Alhamdu
lillaahi Rabbil ‘aalameen note the word, Al-hamd meaning, “[All] praise and thanks”
and continues lillaahi “be to Allah.” It then goes onto list several reasons why:

(1) Rabbil ‘aalameen - He is the “Lord of the worlds”

(2) Ar-Rahmaan - He is “The Entirely Merciful”

(3) Ar-Raheem - He is “the Especially Merciful”

(4) Maaliki Yawmid-Deen - He is “The Master [Ruling judge] of the Day of Recompense.”

This affirms Allah T as being Al-Hameed and love. He is the ruling judge on the
(the praiseworthy one) and the natural day of recompense, but Allah T
response to such a realization would be prefaced this first by telling us that He is
Iyyaaka na’budu wa lyyaaka nasta’een Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem - The Most
“It is You we worship and You we ask for Beneficent and The Most Merciful. Hence,
help.” He is the all-praiseworthy. We should feel

From Surah Fatiha, we understand it is the weight behind the words we speak.

Allah T who’s the source of all gifts. He’s For example, in saying alhamdulillah, we
the Lord of the worlds, giving us life and recognize that He alone is worthy of all
intellect. He’s surrounded us with beauty praise.
196
 Through our words and actions, we praise Him, and if we are mindful of the reason
behind the words we say as we say them, we can’t help but be overcome with
gratitude.

Al-Hameed is mentioned throughout the Qur’an 17 times, and we’ll examine a few
ayat to further understand this attribute.

َ‫كم ّمِن‬ُ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ٓ َّ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ٰ َ ّ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ٓ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ
‫ت ما كسبتم ومِما أخرجنا ل‬ ِ ‫يـأيها ٱلِين ءامنوا أنفِقوا مِن طيِب‬
ْ ُ ۡ ُ َ ٓ َّ َ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ ْ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ َۡ
ِ‫خذِيهِ إِل أن تغ ِمضوا فِي ۚه‬ ٔ
ِ ‫ۡرض ول تيمموا ٱلبِيث مِنه تنفِقون ولستم بِـا‬ ِ
ۖ ‫ٱل‬
َ ْ َ
ٌ ‫ن َح‬
‫ِيد‬ ٌّ ‫ٱلل َغ‬ َ َّ ‫ٱعل ُم ٓوا أ َّن‬
ۡ َ
‫و‬
ِ
Yaaa ‘ayyuhal lazeena aamanooo anfiqoo min taiyibaati maa kasabtum wa mimmaaa
akhrajna lakum minal ardi wa laa tayammamul khabeesa minhu tunfiqoona wa lastum
bi aakhizeehi illaaa an tughmidoo feeh; wa’lamooo annal laaha Ghaniyyun Hameed

English Translation:

“O you who have believed, spend from the good things which you have earned
and from that which We have produced for you from the earth. And do not aim
toward the defective therefrom, spending [from that] while you would not take it
[yourself] except with closed eyes. And know that Allah is Free of need and
Praiseworthy.” (Qur’an 2:267)

َِ ۡ ‫ن‬
ُ‫ٱلميد‬ ُّ ‫ٱلل ُه َو ۡٱل َغ‬ ۡ
َ َّ ‫ٱلُ ۡخل َو َمن َي َت َو َّل فَإ َّن‬ َ َّ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َّ
ِ ِ ِۗ ِ ‫ٱلِين يبخلون ويأمرون ٱنلاس ب‬
Allazeeena yabkhaloona wa yaamuroonan naasa bil bukhl; wa many yatawalla fa innal
laaha Huwal Ghaniyyul Hameed

English Translation:

“[Those] who are stingy and enjoin upon people stinginess. And whoever turns
away – then indeed, Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.” (Qur’an 57:24)

ۡ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ َ َّ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ
ِ ‫ولقد ءاتينا لقمن ٱل ِكمة أ ِن ٱشكر ِلِۚ ومن يشكر فإِنما يشكر لِ ف‬
‫سه ِۖۦ‬
ٞ َ ٌّ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ‫َو‬
‫ن حِيد‬ ِ ‫غ‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫ن‬ ِ ‫إ‬‫ف‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬
Wa laqad aatainaa Luqmaanal hikmata anishkur lillaah; wa many yashkur fa innamaa
yashkuru linafsihee wa man kafara fa innal laaha Ghaniyyun Hameed

English Translation:

“And We had certainly given Luqman wisdom [and said], “Be grateful to Allah.”
And whoever is grateful is grateful for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever
denies [His favor] – then indeed, Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.”
197
(Qur’an 31:12)
 ُ َ ۡ
ُّ َ ۡ َ ُ ُ َّ َ َّ َ ُ ٓ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ
۞ ‫يـأيها ٱنلاس أنتم ٱلفقراء إِل ٱللِۖ وٱلل هو ٱلغ ِن ٱل ِميد‬
Yaaa ayyunhan naasu antumul fuqaraaa’u ilallaahi wallaahu Huwal Ghaniyyul Hameed

English Translation:

“O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the
Praiseworthy.” (Qur’an 35:15)

Exploring Al-Ghaniyy and Al-Hamid:

As we mentioned previously, exploring
the association of these names provides
clarity. It allows for a holistic under-
standing giving further insight into who
Allah T is. For example, we have Al-
Ghaniyy (The Self-Sufficient - coupled 10
times), Al-Azeez (The Mighty one - 3
times), Al-Hakim, Al-Majid, and Al-Wali
(The Wise, The Glorious, and The Patron
- each paired 1 time).
In the previous verses, we see the pairing
of Al-Ghaniyy (The Self-Sufficient One)
with Al-Hameed. Allah T would be
worthy of praise even if no one existed.
Imam al-Ghazali writes that Allah T is
“Praised by the virtue of His praise of
Himself from eternity.” He is self-
sufficient and free from the need of
praise. We praise Him because we are
in need. Ibn Arabi wrote in his book, “He
is His own praiser, the one who praises
Himself [...] This is the height of generosity
(karam): first, He gives you, and then He
Praises you for what He has given you.”
This is analogous to how we often know
the creator and praise them for their
inventions. They are beloved and
become heroes in some sense, prime
example is Elon Musk.
The creator of the universe, the master
inventor is Allah T. This should shape
our behavior to praise Him even though
He does not need it for His sustenance.

َ َ ّ ٞ َ ۡ َ ۡ ََ ۡ ََ َۡ ُ َ ۡ ۡ َ َّ
ۡ
‫ِيم حِي ٖد‬
ٍ ‫زنيل مِن حك‬ ِ ‫ل يأتِيهِ ٱلبٰ ِطل ِم ۢن ب‬
ِ ‫ي يديهِ ول مِن خل ِفهِۖۦ ت‬
Laa yaateehil baatilu mim baini yadaihi wa laa min khalfihee tanzeelum min Hakeemin Hameed

English Translation:

“Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it; [it is] a revelation
from a [Lord who is] Wise and Praiseworthy.” (Qur’an 41:42)

ُ ‫ٱلم‬ ۡ ۡ ُ ََُۡ ُ ُ ََ ْ ََُ َ َۡ َ َۡ َُُّ َّ َ ُ َ

‫يد‬ ِ َ ‫نش َرحته ۚۥ َوه َو ٱل َو ِ ُّل‬ ‫نل ٱلغ ۡيث ِم ۢن بع ِد ما قنطوا وي‬
ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ِي‬
‫ٱل‬ ‫وهو‬
Wa Huwal lazee yunazzilul ghaisa min ba’di maa qanatoo wa yanshuru rahmatah; wa
Huwal Waliyyul Hameed

English Translation:

“And it is He who sends down the rain after they had despaired and spreads His
mercy. And He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy.” (Qur’an 42:28) 198
 Exploring Al-Hakeem/Al-Waliyy and Al-Hamid:
In these verses, it mentions Allah T as
Al-Waliyy (The Protecting Associate).
Allah T gives people what they need,
when they need it. He “sends down rain
after they had despaired and spreads
His mercy.” In the ayah, rain is said as
symbolic of nourishment or, as other
commentators interpret it, spiritual or
divine inspiration. We understand
Dealing with a tragedy:
The pairing of names helps us to see
that Allah T is Al-Hameed (worthy of
praise) in all circumstances. That’s why
even in the darkest moments, we say
alhamdulillah. One of the most painful
experiences any human can go through
is the loss of a child. Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari
(May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (x) said, “When
a servant’s child dies, Allah, the Most High
asks His angels, ‘Have you taken out the
life of the child of My servant?” They reply
in the affirmative. He then asks, ‘Have you
taken the fruit of his heart?’ They reply in
the affirmative.
Thereupon he asks, ‘What has My servant
said?’ They say: ‘He has praised You and
said: Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un (We
belong to Allah and to Him we shall be
returned). Allah says: ‘Build a house for
My servant in Jannah and name it as
Bait-ul-Hamd (the House of Praise).”’[1]
From the hadith, there is another story
that exemplifies the best way a believer
responds to tragedy. It is the story of
Umm Sulaym (x) and the loss of her
child. She was one of the first Muslim
women converts, and as we’ll shortly see,
she was a courageous, emotionally
strong, and intelligent woman. She did
199 things in a manner to please Allah T.
whatever is decreed by Allah T there is
wisdom in it. We may not understand it,
and we don’t necessarily need to. The
veil may be lifted with the passage of
time to see the blessings in some of our
hardships. But regardless of what
happens, remain dutiful to Allah T, and
be patient because whatever He has
ordered will ultimately be for their benefit.
Narrated by Anas bin malik: Abu Talha
had a child who was sick. [Abu Talhah
was upset and distressed by the child’s
sickness.) Once, while Abu Talha was out,
the child died. [Umm Sulaym (the
mother) washed the child, enshrouded
him and laid him down. She said to the
people in the house, “Do not tell his father
that he died before I tell him.”] When Abu
Talha returned home [along with some
of his friends from the mosque], he asked,
“How is my child” Umm Sulaym replied,
“He is quieter than he has ever been.”
[Her husband took it to mean that the
child’s condition had improved.] [2]
She brought the meal, and they all ate
dinner [then the guests left.] [She got up
and put on perfume and adorned herself,]
[making herself more beautiful than she
ever had before.] He slept with her, and
when he finished [they slept, and when it
was morning, he did ghusl (full ablution)
and was heading to leave, so she said to
him] [“O Abu Talhah, do you think that if
some people lent something to some
others, then they asked for it back, do they
have the right not to give it back?” He
said, “No.”] [They should return it to them]
[She said, “Allah Almighty, lent your son to
you, and now He has taken him back, so
seek reward with Him and have patience.”]
She said: “Bury the child (as he’s dead).”
[He became angry and said, “You left me
until I did what I did, then you tell me that
my son has died!”] [Then he said, “Innaa
Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon (Truly, to
Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall
return) and praised Allah.] In the morning
Abu Talha came to Allah’s Messenger x
and told him about that. The Prophet x
said (to him), “Did you sleep with your
wife last night?” Abu Talha said, “Yes”. The
Prophet x said, “O Allah! Bestow your
blessing on them as regards that night
of theirs.” Umm Sulaym gave birth to a
boy. Abu Talha told me to take care of
the child till it was taken to the Prophet.
Then Abu Talha took the child to the
Prophet x [he found him smearing
some camels with tar to protect them
from diseases, or marking them] and
Umm Sulaym sent some dates along
with the child. The Prophet x took the
child (on his lap) and asked if there was
something with him. The people replied,
“Yes, a few dates.” The Prophet took a
date, chewed it, took some of it out of his
mouth, put it into the child’s mouth and
did Tahnik for him with that, and named
him ‘Abdullah. [There was no young man
better than him among al-Ansar]

Exploring Al-Hakeem/Al-Waliyy and Al-Hamid:

When reciting durood ibrahim we call upon these two names, Al-Hameed and
Al-Majeed. Narrated Ka`b bin Ujra: It was said, “O Allah’s Messenger x We know how
to greet you, but how to invoke Allah for you?” The Prophet said, “Say: Allahumma salli
ala Muhammadin wa’ala `Ali Muhammaddin, kama sallaita ‘ala all Ibrahim, innaka
Hamidun Majid.” Meaning: “O Allah, send your grace, honour and mercy upon
Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your grace, honour and
mercy upon Ibrahim, You are indeed Praiseworthy, Most Glorious.” [3]

The believer benefits from knowing that Allah T is Al-Hameed. If we introspect

with this name, we ask ourselves how we can make ourselves worthy of praise - not
in the sense of worship but admiration for our faith, character, or actions. What
qualities must we possess to deserve respect from our peers, friends, or family?

References:
[1] Riyad as-Salihin 1395
[2] Sahih Muslim 2144d & Sahih al-Bukhari 5470 | Combined narration from several sources, Bukhari, Muslim, al-Tayalisi,
Musnad Ahmad, Sahih Ibn Haban
[3] Sahih al-Bukhari 4797 200
 Al-Muhsi / Al-Muhsee
(The All-Enumerating)

The Counter, The Reckoner,

The One whose count of things is known
to him.

The One who considers all things in the universe and knows the details of every
moment or change. He comprehends everything and possesses all knowledge. Allah
T knows every deed, and written details are recorded by His angels.

From the root ha-sad-ya ( ‫ي‬ ‫)ح ص‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to number, count, reckon, compute to collect in an aggregate by
numbering to register or record something to take an account of something to
comprehend or know altogether to possess full comprehension.

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned in previous names,
different scholars have different criteria
for what qualifies as a name of Allah T.
Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly
mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore, you
won’t find Al-Muhsi recognized as an
official name by certain scholars. This list
includes Ibn Uthaymeen, Ibn Hazm, and
Ibn Hajar, among others. However, others,
such as Ibn Arabi, Imam al-Bayhaqi, and
al-Ghazali, have included this name in
their lists.
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger
(x) as saying: There are ninety-nine
names of Allah; he who commits them to
memory would get into Paradise. Verily,
Allah is Odd (He is one, and it is an odd
number), and He loves odd numbers.
And in the narration of Ibn Umar (the
words are): “He who enumerated them.”[1]
201
In the hadith, it uses the word with the
same root
َ ْ َ
(‫أحصا‬ - ihsa), meaning
computation of some kind. To enumerate
or to count.
What is meant by referring to Allah T
as the all-enumerating, the numberer,
or the counter? It is an attribute of His
knowledge, much like Al-Alim (The All-
Knowing), Ash-Shaheed (The Witness),
or Al-Khabir (The All-Acquainted). The
difference is Al-Muhsi is often described
more analytically. He has knowledge of
all things. He takes into account each
separate item and stores it in His ledger.
Every breath inhaled and exhaled, every
leaf that falls, and the movement of
every atom is accounted for. Allah T
knowledge is infinite, He knows a thing
through and through.
Some commentators mention He knows all the things that are possible, for everything
that is possible. So, He not only knows everything but knows what it could have been.
He’s calculated the infinite possibility of every choice, and the downstream effects
caused. There is nothing unknown to Him T.
َّ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ ّ َ ٰ َ ٰ َ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ّ
ۡ َ ‫ك‬
ۢ‫ش ٍء َع َد َدا‬ ‫ت رب ِ ِهم وأحاط بِما لي ِهم وأحص‬ ِ ‫ِلعلم أن قد أبلغوا رِسل‬
Liya’lama an qad ablaghoo risaalaati rabbihim wa ahaata bi maa ladaihim wa ahsaa
kulla shai’in ‘adada

English Translation:

“That he may know that they have conveyed the messages of their Lord; and He
has encompassed whatever is with them and has enumerated all things in
number.” (Qur’an 72:28)

ٗ‫ش ٍء أَ ۡح َص ۡي َنٰ ُه ك َِتٰبا‬

ۡ َ ‫َو ُ َّك‬

Wa kulla shai-in ahsai naahu kitaa ba

English Translation:

“But all things We have enumerated in writing.” (Qur’an 78:29)

Counter of deeds:

َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ َ ‫تى ٱل ۡ ُم ۡجرم‬
َ ‫ِني ُم ۡشفق‬
‫ني م َِّما فِيهِ َو َيقولون ي ٰ َو ۡيل َت َنا َما ِل هٰذا‬ ُ ٰ‫ض َع ۡٱلك َِت‬
َ َ ‫ب َف‬
ِِ ِ ِ ‫َو ُو‬
َ َ ٗ َ ْ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َ ٰ َ ۡ َ َّ ً َ َ َ َ ٗ َ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ ۡ
‫اضاۗ ول‬ ِ ‫ب ل يغادِر صغِرية ول كبِرية إِل أحصىها ۚ ووجدوا ما ع ِملوا ح‬ ِ ٰ‫ٱلكِت‬
ٗ َ َ َ ُّ َ ُ ۡ َ
‫يظل ِم ربك أحدا‬
Wa wudi’al kitaabu fataral mujrimeena mushfiqeena mimmaa feehi wa yaqooloona
yaa wailatanaa maa lihaazal kitaabi laa yughaadiru saghee ratanw wa laa kabeeratan
illaaa ahsaahaa; wa wajadoo maa ‘amiloo haadiraa; wa laa yazlimu Rabbuka ahadaa
(Section 6)

English Translation:

“And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals
fearful of that within it, and they will say, “Oh, woe to us! What is this book that
leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?” And they will find
what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one.”
(Qur’an 18:49)

202
 The knower and bestower blessings:

ۡ َّ َ ُ ۡ ُ َ َّ َ َ ۡ ْ ُّ ُ َ َۡ َ َ ُّ ّ ُ َٰ َ َ
ٰ َ ‫ٱل‬
َ‫نسن‬ ُ ُ ُ
ِ ‫ك ما سألموهۚ ِإَون تعدوا ن ِعمت ٱللِ ل تصوهآۗ إِن‬ ِ ‫وءاتىكم ِمن‬
ٞ‫ َك َّفار‬ٞ‫لَ َظلُوم‬

Wa aataakum min kulli maa sa altumooh; wa in ta’uddoo ni’matal laahi laa tuhsoohaa;
innal insaana lazaloo mun kaffaar (section 5)

English Translation:

“And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favor of
Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust
and ungrateful.” (Qur’an 14:34)

From this ayah, we realize that we probably don’t understand the extent of Allah’s
blessings. We’re unable to count them all. If every reward or blessing required us to
praise and exalt Allah T we would fall short. We are forever indebted to His continuous
favors, kindness, and mercy.

The knower of all people:

ُّ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َّ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َّ
ٓ ۡ َ َ ُ
ٖ ِ ‫ت ونكتب ما قدموا وءاثٰره ۚم وك ش ٍء أحصينه ِف إِما ٖم مب‬
‫ني‬ ٰ ٰ ‫ح ٱلمو‬ِ ‫إِنا نن ن‬
Innaa Nahnu nuhyil mawtaa wa naktubu maa qaddamoo wa aasaarahum; wa kulla
shai’in ahsainaahu feee Imaamim Mubeen

English Translation:

“Indeed, it is We who bring the dead to life and record what they have put forth
and what they left behind, and all things We have enumerated in a clear register.”
(Qur’an 36:12)

ُ ۡ َُ ُ ُُۡ َۡ ۡ ُ ُ َ ٓ َ ْ ُُۡ َۡ َّ ‫ّ ِ َّلِ َما ف‬

َ َ ٰ ‫ٱلس َم ٰ َو‬
‫ۡرض ِإَون تبدوا ما ِف أنفسِكم أو تفوه ياسِبكم‬ۗ ِ ‫ت وما ِف ٱل‬ِ ِ
َ ّ
ۡ ‫ع ُك‬
ٌ ‫ش ٖء قَد‬ َ َ ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ َ ُ ّ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ َّ
‫ِير‬ ِ ٰ ‫بِهِ ٱللۖ فيغ ِفر ل ِمن يشآء ويع ِذب من يشآء ۗ وٱلل‬
Lillaahi maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; wa in tubdoo maa feee anfusikum aw
tukhfoohu yuhaasibkum bihil laa; fayaghfiru li mai yashaaa’u wa yu’azzibu mai yashaaa
u; wallaahu ‘alaa kulli shai in qadeer

English Translation:

“To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Whether
you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account
for it. Then He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wills, and Allah is
over all things competent.” (Qur’an 2:284)
203
 This name reminds us that Allah
knows you and me. If you feel unheard,
small, or not counted for, remember
Allah T is and always has been watchful
over you. We all matter to Him, and He
has accounted for us and guided us to
live fruitful lives. He has not forgotten
anyone. He knows everyone that has
walked this earth - past and present.
In explaining each name, we try to find a
way to connect the knowledge of the
name to our everyday life. This often
includes providing a reflection
consider how we can live and exemplify
the same beautiful attributes to try and
better ourselves. However, for the name
Al-Muhsi, our access is limited. Awareness
of this name is enough to have a
meaningful impact in your life. Think of
Allah T when confronted with a decision
and ask what you believe would be most
pleasing to Him.
As a comparison to try and illustrate the
scale at which Allah T intimately knows
every person, we examine our limited
social networking abilities. It
proposed by an anthropologist named
Robert Dunbar that the number of
meaningful relationships we could make
was capped by the size of our brain’s
neocortex size - that there’s a natural
limit to the number of friendships we
could actively manage. His proposed
number is coined as “Dunbar’s number”
and suggests we could hold about ~150
References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 2677a
T relationships (a meaningful relationship
is informally defined as the number of
people you would not feel awkward
about joining for a coffee or some get-
together). Now, every relationship is not
made equal. Of these 150, only 5-10 may
be your core support clique. You
frequently interact, share bad news, and
know what’s happening in each other’s
lives. The second group may be 10 people
you consider your close friends. The
further out you go, the weaker the bond.
to Outside this 150+ boundary would be
acquaintances - people you know but
aren’t in close contact with.
Now, this number is disputed by some
researchers - social sciences are not
hard science. But the proposed number
remains small (i.e., less than 400-500).
Now, imagine the vastness and capability
of Allah’s knowledge when He tells us,
“And with Him are the keys of the unseen;
none knows them except Him. And He
knows what is on the land and in the sea.
Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And
was no grain is there within the darknesses of
the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but
that it is [written] in a clear record.”
(Qur’an 6:59)
He not only knows each of us by name
but remembers our prayers, our deeds,
and what we conceal in our hearts. This
is the vastness and complete knowledge
of Allah T and what is conveyed through
the meaning of His name Al-Muhsi.
204
 Al-Mubdi
(The Originator)

The Originator, The Starter,

The Initiator.

Allah is Al-Mubdi, the originator of all creation. He is the beginner of all things, and
nothing could have existed without His willing it to be. He is The One who initiates all
things.

From the root ba-dal-hamza (‫أ‬ ‫)ب د‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to begin, create, make something new, to make something be first,
have precedence, to contrive a new thing, to invent, to do first, to commence, start,
be at the beginning.

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned in previous names, beginning, Al-Mubdi. There is nothing like

different scholars have different criteria
for what qualifies as a name of Allah
Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly
mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore, there
isn’t one agreed-upon list for
remaining 18 names. Al-Mubdi is one of
those names which is not included by
certain scholars. This list includes Ibn
Mandah, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn Hajar, among
others. However, others, such as Ibn
Arabi, Imam al-Bayhaqi, and al-Ghazali,
have included this name in their lists.
it. It is unique and original. Allah T
T. creation is made from nothingness and
without any model. When we build
something, we’re often taking inspiration
the or building on top of something that
came before, that is said to be a
restoration. The meaning of Al-Mu’id is
the same, taking something prior and
revitalizing it. Except for Allah T can
restore a thing from non-living back to
life. We’ll expand on the name Al-Mu’id in
greater detail in the next section of the

All things have a beginning, except Allah guide.

T. Allah is Al-Mubdi, the initiator. He is Though the name Al-Mubdi is not

the one from which all things begin. This mentioned in the Qur’an, many verses
name is often mentioned in pairs, Al- describe this quality of Allah T. Instead,
Mubdi and Al-Mu’id (the restorer). The the Qur’an often mentions the two
connection between the two names is names in the verb form, yub’di-u (He
the first creation represents the originates) and yu’idu (regenerates).
205
 َّ َ َ َ ٰ َ َّ ٓ ُ ُ ُ َّ ُ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َّ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ
ٌ‫ٱللِ يَسِري‬ ‫أولم يروا كيف يبدِئ ٱلل ٱللق ثم يعِيدهۥ ۚ إِن ذل ِك ع‬
Awa lam yaraw kaifa yubdi’ul laahul khalqa summa yu’eeduh; inna zaalika ‘alal laahi yaseer

English Translation:
“Have they not considered how Allah begins creation and then repeats it? Indeed
that, for Allah, is easy.” (Qur’an 29:19)

ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ ْ ً َ ّ َ َ ْ َ ْ ََ
‫ِين حن ِيفا ۚ ف ِطرت ٱللِ ٱل ِت فطر ٱنلاس عليها ۚ ل تبدِيل ِلل ِق‬ ِ ‫فأق ِم وجهك ل ِدل‬
َ َ َ ََ‫ك‬
ْ َ َ َ ْ ُ ّ َ ٰ َ َّ
‫اس ل َي ْعل ُمون‬
ِ َّ‫ث ٱنل‬ ِ ‫ِين ٱلق ّي ِ ُم َول ٰـ‬
‫ك َّن أ‬ ‫ٱللِ ۚ ذل ِك ٱدل‬
Fa aqim wajhaka liddeeni Haneefaa; fitratal laahil latee fataran naasa ‘alaihaa; laa
taabdeela likhalqil laah; zaalikad deenul qaiyimu wa laakinna aksaran naasi laa ya’lamoon

English Translation:
“So set your face upright to the religion, unswervingly upright; (this religion is) the
original disposition from Allah upon which He originated (Literally: constituted)
mankind. There is no exchange for the creation of Allah. That is the most upright
religion, but most of mankind do not know.” (Qur’an 30:30)

ُ ۡ َ ۡ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ ُ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َّ ُ ٓ َ َ ُ َۡ ُۡ
‫ٱلل َق ث َّم‬ ‫يدهُ ۚۥ ق ِل ٱلل يبدؤا‬ِ‫قل هل مِن شكئِكم من يبدؤا ٱللق ثم يع‬
َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ٰ َّ َ َ ُ ُ ُ
‫يعِيده ۖۥ فأن تؤفكون‬
Qul hal min shurakaaa ‘ikum mai yabda’ul khalqa thumma yu’eeduh; qulil laahu
yabda’ul khalqa thumma yu’eeduhoo fa annaa tu’fakoon

English Translation:

“Say, “Are there of your ‘partners’ any who begins creation and then repeats it?” Say,
‘Allah begins creation and then repeats it, so how are you deluded?’” (Qur’an 10:34)

َّ َ َّ ٞ ٰ َ َ َ ۡ َ ٓ َ َّ َ ّ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ُ ُ ُ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َّ َ
ِۚ‫ۡرض أءِله مع ٱلل‬ ۗ ِ ‫أمن يبدؤا ٱللق ثم يعِيدهۥ ومن يرزقكم مِن ٱلسماءِ وٱل‬
ُ ََٰ ُۡ ْ ُ َ ُۡ
ُ ‫ك ۡم إن ُك‬
َ ‫نت ۡم َص ٰ ِدق‬
‫ِني‬ ِ ‫قل هاتوا برهن‬
Ammany yabda’ul khalqa thumma yu’eeduhoo wa many-yarzuqukum minas sammaaa’i
wal ard; ‘a-ilaahun ma’allah; qul haatoo burhaanakum in kuntum saadiqeen

English Translation:

“Is He [not best] who begins creation and then repeats it and who provides for you
from the heaven and earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Say, ‘Produce your proof, if
you should be truthful.’” (Qur’an 27:64) 206
 ُ ۡ ُ َ ُ ُ َّ
ُ ‫ِئ َو ُيع‬
‫يد‬ِ ‫إِنهۥ هو يبد‬
Innahoo Huwa yubdi’u wa yu’eed

English Translation:

“Indeed, it is He who originates [creation] and repeats.” (Qur’an 85:13)

The believer benefits from knowing
that Allah T is Al-Mubdi. It is a reminder
to the one who began everything. It is
really easy to pass the time by being
busy and going, going, going that we
miss seeing the bigger picture. We see
Allah’s creation through the lens of
permanence. We don’t think about the
fragility of life, and when we do, it’s
misinformed. We think He’s created us
on this planet, and when we die, we
return to Him, the work of Al-Mubdi and
Al-Mu’id. But in reality, in every moment,
who is giving us existence? Do you drink
from a magical elixir every morning that
sustains you? The lifespan of a single
skin cell. Its existence is short, lasting only
two to four weeks. Every day we shed 50
million dead skin cells, which goes
unnoticed. It is an illusion that these
attributes of Allah T only serve us twice,
at birth and on the day of qiyamah. But
the truth is in every moment, we are
being originated and returning to Allah
T. This is the nature of Al-Mubdi and
Al-Mu’id, who is continuously working.
It’s important to give ourselves some
space, a much-needed break to pause
and reflect. Technology is supposed to
serve, not enslave. We don’t need to
distract ourselves every moment; let
boredom and silence fill some time. See
the beauty in Allah’s creation - there is
much entertainment there.
Respect the gift of this moment given to
you by Allah T. The choice is yours to
squander it or make the deliberate effort
to take the most from it - regardless of
what is happening or has happened.
Insha-Allah, when Allah T restores us,
we’ll be able to say, look at all the good
I’ve done, all the smiles on people’s
faces I left, the adherence to the
guidance you’ve taught. That is what the
“good life” looks like.

207
 Al-Mu’id
(The Restorer)

The Reproducer, The Restorer,

The Renewer.

ُ ‫)ٱل ْ ُمع‬, He is the restorer, the one who refashions a

‫يد‬
Allah T is Al-Mu’id (in Arabic: ِ
thing. He is the One who will restore us back to life on the day of resurrection.

From the root ayn-waw-dal (‫د‬ ‫ )ع و‬which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to return to something, to repeat, reproduce, to come back to, restore,
to renew.

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned in the last name, Al-Mu’id is often juxtaposed with the
different scholars have different criteria name Al-Mubdi (The Starter / The
for what qualifies as a name of Allah T. Originator). In this case, Al-Mu’id refers to
Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly the quality of Allah T as being able to
mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore, there restore. He is the starting point from
is not one agreed-upon list for the which all creation begins, and we will be
remaining 18 names. Al-Mu’id is one of restored to Him. But as we discussed, the
those names which is not included by truth is in every moment, we are being
certain scholars. This list includes Ibn originated while also being closer to
Mandah, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn Hajar, among returning to Allah T. This is the nature of
others. However, others, such as Ibn Al-Mubdi and Al-Mu’id, who is present
Arabi, Imam al-Bayhaqi, and Al-Ghazali, and continuously working in every
have included this name in their lists. moment.

Al-Mubdi and Al’Mu’id:

Al-Mu’id is often juxtaposed with the name Al-Mubdi (The Starter / The Originator). In
this case, Al-Mu’id refers to the quality of Allah T as being able to restore. He is the
starting point from which all creation begins, and we will be restored to Him.

But as we discussed, the truth is in every moment, we are being originated while also
being closer to returning to Allah T. This is the nature of Al-Mubdi and Al-Mu’id, who
is present and continuously working in every moment.

208
 ُ ‫َك َما بَ َد ۡأنَآ أَ َّو َل َخ ۡلق نُّع‬
ً‫يدهُۥ َو ۡعدا‬ ‫ب‬ ُُ ۡ ّ ‫س‬ ّ ‫آء َك َط ّي ٱل‬ َّ ‫يَ ۡو َم َن ۡطوي‬
َ ‫ٱلس َم‬
ۚ ِ ٖ ۚ ِ ‫ج ِل ل ِلكت‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ
َ ‫َفٰعل‬ َُّ َّ َ ۡ َ َ
‫ِني‬ ِ ‫علين ۚآ إِنا كنا‬
Yawma natwis samaaa’a kataiyis sijilli lilkutub; kamaa bada’naa awwala khalqin nu’eeduh;
wa’dan ‘alainaa; innaa kunna faa’ileen

English Translation:

“The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a [written] sheet for the
records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. [That is] a promise binding
upon Us. Indeed, We will do it.” (Qur’an 21:104)

ُ ۡ َ ۡ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ ُ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َّ ُ ٓ َ َ ُ َۡ ُۡ
‫ٱلل َق ث َّم‬ ‫يدهُ ۚۥ ق ِل ٱلل يبدؤا‬ِ‫قل هل مِن شكئِكم من يبدؤا ٱللق ثم يع‬
َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ٰ َّ َ َ ُ ُ ُ
‫يعِيده ۖۥ فأن تؤفكون‬
Qul hal min shurakaaa ikum mai yabda’ul khalqa thumma yu’eeduh; qulil laahu yabda’ul
khalqa thumma yu’eeduhoo fa annaa tu’fakoon

English Translation:

“Say, “Are there of your ‘partners’ any who begins creation and then repeats it?” Say,
‘Allah begins creation and then repeats it, so how are you deluded?’” (Qur’an 10:34)

َّ َ َّ ٞ ٰ َ َ َ ۡ َ ٓ َ َّ َ ّ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ُ ُ ُ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َّ َ
ِۚ‫ۡرض أءِله مع ٱلل‬ ۗ ِ ‫أمن يبدؤا ٱللق ثم يعِيدهۥ ومن يرزقكم مِن ٱلسماءِ وٱل‬
ُ ََٰ ُۡ ْ ُ َ ُۡ
ُ ‫ك ۡم إن ُك‬
َ ‫نت ۡم َص ٰ ِدق‬
‫ِني‬ ِ ‫قل هاتوا برهن‬
Ammany yabda’ul khalqa thumma yu’eeduhoo wa many-yarzuqukum minas sammaaa’i
wal ard; ‘a-ilaahun ma’allah; qul haatoo burhaanakum in kuntum saadiqeen

English Translation:

“Is He [not best] who begins creation and then repeats it and who provides for you
from the heaven and earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Say, ‘Produce your proof, if
you should be truthful.’” (Qur’an 27:64)

ُ ۡ ُ َ ُ ُ َّ
ُ ‫ِئ َو ُيع‬
‫يد‬ِ ‫إِنهۥ هو يبد‬
Innahoo Huwa yubdi’u wa yu’eed

English Translation:

“Indeed, it is He who originates [creation] and repeats.” (Qur’an 85:13)

209
 َّ َ َ َ ٰ َ َّ ٓ ُ ُ ُ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َّ ُ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ ْ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ
ٞ‫ٱللِ يَسِري‬ ‫أولم يروا كيف يبدِئ ٱلل ٱللق ثم يعِيده ۚۥ إِن ذل ِك ع‬
Awa lam yaraw kaifa yubdi’ul laahul khalqa summa yu’eeduh; inna zaalika ‘alal laahi
yaseer

English Translation:

“Have they not considered how Allah begins creation and then repeats it? Indeed
that, for Allah, is easy.” (Qur’an 29:19)

The meaning of this name has been
covered more extensively in our
exploration of the name Al-Mubdi. There
is one additional comment that can be
made here: a believer should think about
life and death, but he/she shouldn’t
worry about it. The Prophet x said,
“None of you should wish for death
because of a calamity befalling him; but
if he has to wish for death, he should say:
“O Allah! Keep me alive as long as life is
better for me, and let me die if death is
better for me.’ [1]
Of course, this is easier said than done.
But the attitude we should have is to fix
our focus and direct it towards Allah T.
It’s the only thing that matters and is
within our control. We can always work
towards restoring our faith to rewrite our
wrongs. If you’ve been making the same
mistake for the past five years, change it
so you don’t make it for the next five.
You’re not a tree, you’re capable of
change, and the pathways to Jannah
are many.

ْ َ ََ َّ َ َ ‫ان ِف َج َسدِي َو َر َّد‬ َ َ َّ َّ ُ ْ َ ْ

ِ ‫ع ُر‬
ِ ‫وح وأذِن ِل بِذِك ِره‬ ِ ‫ف‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ِي‬
‫ال‬ ِ‫المد ِل‬
Al-hamdu lillahil-ladhi afani fi jasadi, wa radda `alayya ruji, wa ‘adhina li bidhikrihi.

English Translation:

“Praise is to Allah Who gave strength to my body and returned my soul to me and
permitted me to remember Him.” [2]

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 5671
[2] Hisn al-Muslim 3 210
 Al-Muhyi
(The Maintainer of Life)

The Giver of Life, Bestower of life,

The Reviver.

Allah T ْ ْ
is Al-Muhyi (in Arabic:‫)ٱل ُمح ِي‬, the One who took out a living human from
semen that does not have a soul. He gives life by giving the souls back to the worn-
out bodies on the resurrection day. He is The One who makes the hearts alive by the
light of knowledge.

From the root ha-ya-ya (‫)ح ي ي‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to live, to be living, to become apparent, distinct from animating, from reviving to
vitalize, to call into being to be whole, sound to call, summon, invite, hasten.

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned in previous names,
different scholars have different criteria
for what qualifies as a name of Allah
Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly
mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore, there
is not one agreed-upon list for the
remaining 18 names.
Allah T is THE living, the one who is
eternal, or ever-lasting. His essence is to
T. be alive, never deteriorating, and not
derived from any source. The name Al-
Muhyi describes His nature of not only
being the living but the one who gives
life to His creation so that they may

Al-Muhyi is one of those names which is glorify and praise Him.

not included by certain scholars. This list No verse in the Qur’an mentions this
includes Ibn al-Wazir, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn name, but there are close derivatives
al-Uthaymeen, among others. However, and other verses that describe this
others, such as Ibn Arabi, Imam attribute:
al-Bayhaqi, and al-Ghazali, have
included this name in their lists.

211
 ُ ۡ ُ َّ ُ ۡ ُ ُ ُ َّ ُ ۡ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َ ٗ ٰ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُ َ َّ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ
َّ‫يك ۡم ُثم‬
ِ ‫كيف تكفر ون بِٱللِ وكنتم أموتا فأحيكمۖ ثم ي ِميتكم ثم يي‬
َ ُ َ ُۡ َۡ
‫إِلهِ ترجعون‬
Kaifa takfuroona billaahi wa kuntum amwaatan fa ahyaakum summa yumeetukum
summa yuhyeekum summaa ilaihi turja’oon

English Translation:

“How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless and He brought you to life;
then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him
you will be returned.” (Qur’an 2:28)

َ ٰ ‫ٱلس َم‬
َّ ُ ۡ ُ َُ َّ ً َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َّ ُ ُ َ ّ ُ َّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ ۡ ُ
‫ت‬ِ ٰ ‫و‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ِي‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫قل يـأيها ٱنلاس إ ِ ِن رسول ٱللِ إِلكم جِيعا‬
َّ ّ ّ ۡ َّ ُ ُ َ َ َّ ْ ُ ٔ َ َ ُ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ ٓ َ َۡ َ
ّ
‫م ٱلِي‬ ِ ِ ‫ب ٱل‬ ِ ِ ‫ولِ ٱنل‬ِ ‫حۦ وي ِميتۖ فـامِنوا بِٱللِ ورس‬ ِ ‫ۡرض ل إِله إِل هو ي‬ ۖ ِ ‫وٱل‬
َ َ ُ َّ َ َّ َ َّ ۡ
‫يُؤم ُِن بِٱللِ َوك َِمٰتِهِۦ َوٱتب ِ ُعوهُ ل َعلك ۡم ت ۡه َت ُدون‬
Qul yaaa aiyuhan naasu innee Rasoolul laahi ilaikum jamee’anil lazee lahoo mulkus
samaawaati wal ardi laaa ilaaha illaa Huwa yuhyee wa yumeetu fa aaminoo billaahi wa
Rasoolihin Nabiyyil ummiy yil lazee yu’minu billaahi wa Kalimaatihee wattabi’oohu
la’allakum tahtadoon

English Translation:

“Say, [O Muhammad], “O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all,

[from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is
no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.” So believe in Allah and His
Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow
him that you may be guided.” (Qur’an 7:158)

َ ُ َ ُ َُ ُْ َُ
‫يت ِإَولْهِ ت ْر َج ُعون‬‫حۦ وي ِم‬
ِ ‫هو ي‬
Huwa yuhyee wa yumeetu wa ilaihi turja’oon

English Translation:

“He gives life and causes death, and to Him you will be returned” (Qur’an 10:56)

Miracle of Prophet Isa (q):

There is also one verse in the Qur’an where it mentions how Allah T gave permission
to one of His servants with the ability to raise someone from the dead and bring them
life. This person was none other than Isa (q):

212
 َ ُّ َّ َ ْ َ َ ٰ َ ٰ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ ْ َّ َ َ ْ
‫يس ٱبْ َن َم ْر َي َم ٱذك ْر ن ِْع َم ِت عليك وع و ِلت ِك إِذ أيدتك‬ َ ‫ٱلل يَ ٰـع‬
ِ ُ ‫إِذ قال‬
َ ‫ك ٱلْك َِت ٰـ‬ َ ُ ْ َّ َ ْ ً َ ْ َ َّ‫ك ّل ُِم ٱنل‬ َ ُ ُْ ِ ُ
‫ب‬ ‫اس ِف ٱل َم ْه ِد َوك ْهل ۖ ِإَوذ علمت‬ ‫وح ٱلق ُد ِس ت‬ ‫بِر‬
ُ ُ َ ْ َّ ِ‫ٱلطني َك َهيْ َـٔة‬
ْ ‫ٱلط‬ ّ ‫يل ۖ ِإَوذْ َتْلُ ُق م َِن‬ َ ْ َ َ ٰ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ ْ ْ َ
‫ي بِإِذ ِن ف َتنفخ‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫وٱل ِكمة وٱتلورىة و‬
‫جن‬ ‫ٱل‬
ْ ُ َ ْ َ
ْ ْ ُ َُْ
‫ت‬ٰ َ ‫ك َم َه َوٱلب ْ َر َص بِإِذْ ِن ۖ ِإَوذْ تْ ِر ُج ٱل َم ْو‬ ‫بئ ٱل‬ ِ ‫ت‬ ‫و‬ ۖ ‫ن‬ِ
ْ ًۢ ْ َ ُ ُ َ َ َ
‫فِيها فتكون طيا بِإِذ‬
َّ َ ََ ََّٰ ْ َ ْ ْ‫نك إذ‬ َ َ َ ٰٓ َ ْ ٓ َ ُ ْ َ َ ْ ْ
َ ‫ال ٱل‬
‫ِين‬ ‫ت فق‬ ِ ‫جئت ُهم بِٱليِنـ‬ ِ ِ ‫بِإِذ ِن ۖ ِإَوذ كففت ب ِن إِسرءِيل ع‬
ْ ‫ك َف ُروا مِنْ ُه ْم إ ْن َه ٰـ َذا ٓ إ َّل س‬
ٌ ‫ِح ٌر ُّمب‬ َ
‫ني‬ ِ ِ ِ
Iz qaalal laahu yaa ‘Eesab-na-Maryamaz kur ni’matee ‘alaika wa ‘alaa waalidatika; iz
aiyattuka bi Roohil Qudusi tukallimun naasa fil mahdi wa kahlanw wa iz ‘allamtukal
kitaaba wal Hikmata wa Tawraata wal Injeela wa iz Takhluqu minat teeni kahai ‘atit tairi
bi iznee fatanfukhu feeha fatakoonu tairam bi iznee wa tubri’ul akmaha wal abrasa bi
iznee wa iz tukhrijul mawtaa bi iznee wa iz kafaftu Baneee Israaa’eela ‘anka iz ji’tahum
bil baiyinaati fa qaalal lazeena kafaroo minhum in haazaaa illaa sihrum mubeen

English Translation:

“[The Day] when Allah will say, ‘O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you
and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit and you spoke to
the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing
and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and when you designed from clay
[what was] like the form of a bird with My permission, then you breathed into it, and
it became a bird with My permission; and you healed the blind and the leper with
My permission; and when you brought forth the dead with My permission; and
when I restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when you came to them
with clear proofs and those who disbelieved among them said, “This is not but
obvious magic.’” (Qur’an 5:110)

The believer benefits from knowing
that Allah T is Al-Muhyi. It reminds us
that Allah T chooses you to be alive. He
gave us all the gifts of life to enjoy its ups
and downs. Nothing He creates is by
accident or mistake. He is Ahsanul
Khaliqeen, the best of creators. He also
did not create us aimlessly; He provided
His book for guidance so that we may
choose Him, just as He chose us.
Yes, no doubt every person will face
many kinds of fitnahs (i.e., tests or
adversities), fitnah of the heart, money,
213
and in our families. For some, these trials
will be small and private. For others, they
may be big and public. But rest assured,
“Allah does not burden any human being
with a responsibility heavier than he can
bear.” (Qur’an 2:286) Allah T gifted us
with strength and intellect. He’s given us
the ability to think and reason, to seek
and find. So whatever you fear facing,
know that Allah T has made you
capable and equipped to handle all of
life’s various challenges. Just like the last
big problem you faced and no longer
worry about, this too will fade with time.
Narrated Anas: The Prophet x said, “O Allah! There is no life worth living except the life
of the Hereafter, so (please) make righteous the Ansar and the Emigrants.” [1]

A beautiful du’a which asks for the best in this life and the next.

َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ ً َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ً َ َ َ َ ْ ُّ َ َ َ َّ َ
ِ‫ وق ِنا عذاب انلار‬,‫ و ِف الخِرة ِ حسنة‬,‫ربنا آت ِنا ِف ادلنيا حسنة‬
Rabbana atina fid dunya hasanatan wa fil Aakhirati hasanatan waqina ‘adhaban-nar

English Translation:

“Anas (z) narrated, The Messenger of Allah x used to supplicate frequently:

‘O our Lord, grants us the best in this life and the best in the next life, and protects us
from the punishment of the Fire.’ Agreed upon.” [2]

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 6413
[2] Bulugh al-Maram Book 16, Hadith 1562 214
 Al-Mumit/Al-Mumeet
(The Inflicter of Death)

The Slayer, The Bringer of Death,

The Life-Taker.

ُ ْ
Allah T is Al-Mumeet (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل ُم ِميت‬, meaning the one who gives life and the one
who takes it away. He ordains who will become lifeless. Eventually, we all return to
Him.

From the root mim-waw-ta (‫ت‬ ‫)م و‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to die, pass away, burn out, be lifeless, to be quiet, still, calm, to be
inanimate, to be deprived of sensation, to be spiritually dead, lacking spiritual life.

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned prior, different which is not included by certain scholars.

scholars have different criteria for what This list includes Ibn al-Wazir, Ibn Hazm,
qualifies as a name of Allah T. Of the 99 and Ibn al-Uthaymeen, among others.
names, 81 are explicitly mentioned in the However, others, such as Ibn Arabi, Imam
Qur’an. Therefore, there is not one al-Bayhaqi, and al-Ghazali, have
agreed-upon list for the remaining 18 included this name in their lists.
names. Al-Mumeet is one of those names

The pairing of Al-Muhyi and Al-Mumeet:

The names Al-Muhyi and Al-Mumeet are temptations of this world with fear of no
often mentioned together for their consequences. But the knowledge of our
contrasting nature. Al-Muhyi is the mortality softens many emotions and
bestower of life, and Al-Mumeet is the balances us out. We should have no
bringer of death. These two attributes reason to fear death; death is a gift to
are not shared with anyone and are the believer. Because of this constraint,
reserved for Allah T alone. we rush to do good, seek Allah’s

Al-Muhyi and Al-Mumeet are necessary forgiveness, and offer our daily prayers.

as they bring balance to all things. If we The duality of life and death is created

lived as if we were immortal, we would by Al-Muhyi and Al-Mumeet, which

be more likely overtaken by the maintains this essential balance.

215
 َ ُ ۡ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َّ ّ ٞ ۡ َ ُ َ ُ َّ َ َ ٞ ۡ َ َ ٞ َ َّ ٓ َ ۡ ُّ ُ ٰ َ َ ۡ َ َ
‫ون أفل تعقِلون‬ۚ ‫وما ٱليوة ٱدلنيا إِل لعِب ولهو ۖ ولدلار ٱٓأۡلخِرة خي ل ِلِين يتق‬
Wa mal hayaatud dunyaaa illaa la’ibunw wa lahwunw wa lad Daarul Aakhiratu khaiyrul
lillazeena yattaqoon; afalaa ta’qiloon

English Translation:

“And the worldly life is not but amusement and diversion; but the home of the
Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah, so will you not reason?” (Qur’an 6:32)

Death is not non-existence:

These verses from the Qur’an do not
include the name Al-Mumeet but help us
understand the quality of being called
the slayer. “Abdallah b. Amr reported
God’s Messenger x as saying: ‘The gift
to a believer is death.’ (i.e., death is the
means by which he gains an introduction
to the delights of paradise.)” [1]
Death is a
state of being for living things. It does not
mean non-existence or nothingness. It
exists as another state from which our
lives transcend.
Some scholars have commented on
how we live many lives. But they are all
connected, one continuous life
compartmentalized into distinct phases.
We have the life of this world (hayat al
dunya), life of the grave (hayat al qabr),
life of the interworld (hayat al barzakh),
the life of the day resurrection (hayat al
qiyamah), and the final destination the
life of the hereafter (hayat al akhirah).

َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ ٗ َ َ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ ُ َ َ َ ٓ َ َ َ ٞ َ َ َّ ُ ّ ُ َ
‫ِك أم ٍة أجل ۖ فإِذا جاء أجلهم ل يستأخِرون ساعة ول يستقدِمون‬ ِ ‫ول‬
Wa likulli ummatin ajalun fa izaa jaaa’a ajaluhum laa yasta’ khiroona saa’atanw wa laa
yastaqdimoon

English Translation:

“And for every nation is a [specified] term. So when their time has come, they will
not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it].” (Qur’an 7:34)

Abdullah b. Amr b. al-’As reported: I heard Allah’s Messenger (x) as saying: Allah
ordained the measures (of quality) of the creation fifty thousand years before He
created the heavens and the earth, as His Throne was upon water. [2]

ّ ُ َٰ َ َ ُ َ ُ ُ َ َۡ َ ُ ۡ ُ َُ
ۡ َ ‫ك‬
ٌ‫شءٖ قَدِير‬ ‫ع‬ ‫و‬ ‫ه‬ ‫و‬ ۖ‫يت‬ ‫م‬
ِ ‫ي‬ ‫و‬ ‫ۦ‬ ‫ح‬
ُۡ
‫ي‬ ِ
‫ۡرض‬
ۖ ‫ٱل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ٰ َ ٰ ‫ٱلس َم‬
‫و‬ َّ ‫ك‬ ‫لۥ مل‬
ِ ِ
Lahoo mulkus samaawaati wal ardi yuhyee wa yumeetu wa Huwa ‘alaa kulli shai’in Qadeer

English Translation:

“His is the dominion of the heavens and earth. He gives life and causes death, and
He is over all things competent.” (Qur’an 57:2)
216
 Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet x said, “None of you should wish for death
because of a calamity befalling him; but if he has to wish for death, he should say:
“O Allah! Keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and let me die if death is better
for me.’” [3]

The Prophet x tells us to avoid rewards that are offered to the believer
making statements that shows who is patient when tragedy strikes. (1)
displeasure with the decree of Allah T. Expiation of His or Her sins. [4]
(2) Those
We should avoid jokingly or sarcastically who are patient for the sake of Allah in
saying, “I would like nothing more than to anticipation of receiving his mercy and
just die.” Instead, we are told of the blessings will be rewarded. [5]

َ ُ َۡ ُ ُ َ ُۡ َُ
‫ِإَولهِ ت ۡر َج ُعون‬ ‫حۦ وي ِميت‬
ِ ‫هو ي‬
Huwa yuhyee wa yumeetu wa ilaihi turja’oon

English Translation:

“He gives life and causes death, and to Him you will be returned” (Qur’an 10:56)

Allah T is the one who gives (Al-
Muhyi) and takes (Al-Mumeet). To Allah
T belong all things when He causes
them to return - He is retrieving what
was rightfully His. In The Name & The
Named, it mentions how the human
body is made from a combination of
flesh and soul. The flesh is visible; the soul
is not. The body is temporal (short-
lasting), whereas the soul is eternal. The
book provides a useful conceptualization:
the soul with its body is like a merchant
who buys and sells goods, making gains
and losses. When the soul parts from the
body, it’s like the business which no
longer serves its owner. When we die, we
are left with whatever profit or debt we
have incurred. In the grave, we wait for
the day of judgment, either bankrupt or
rich.

َ ََ ِ َ َۡۡ َ َ َ ۡ ُ ّ َ ُ َ َ َّ ُ ۡ َ َّ ‫إ َّن‬
‫نل ٱلغ ۡيث َو َي ۡعل ُم َما ِف ٱلرحامۖ وما تدرِي‬
ۡ
ِ ‫ي‬ ‫و‬ ‫ة‬
ِ ‫اع‬ ‫ٱلس‬ ‫م‬ ‫ِل‬
‫ع‬ ‫ۥ‬ َ ‫ٱلل ع‬
ُ‫ِنده‬
ِ
ُ ‫ِيم َخب‬ َ َّ ‫وتۚ إ َّن‬ َ َ
ُ ‫س بأ ّي أۡرض َت ُم‬ َۡ ۡ َ َ ٗ َ ُ ‫كس‬ ۡ َ َ َّ ٞ ۡ َ
ۢ ‫ري‬ ٌ ‫ٱلل َعل‬ ٖ ِ ِ ۢ ُ ‫ِب غداۖ َوما تدرِي نف‬ ‫نفس ماذا ت‬
ِ ِ
Innal laaha indahoo ‘ilmus saa’ati wa yunazzilul ghaisa wa ya’lamu maa fil arhaami wa
maa tadree nafsum maazaa taksibu ghadaa; wa maa tadree nafsum bi ayyi ardin
tamoot; innal laaha ‘Aleemun Khabeer (section 4)
English Translation:

“Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and
knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and
no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.”
(Qur’an 31:34)
217
Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: A daughter of the
Prophet x sent a message to him that her son was at his last breath and requested
him to come to her. The Messenger of Allah x sent back the informer saying:
“To Allah belongs what He takes and what He gives, and everything has a limited
period (in this world).

So ask her to endure patiently, and expect the reward of Allah.” [6]

Du’a calling on this attribute of Allah T:

Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari narrated that the Messenger of Allah (x) said: “Whoever says
ten times: (reciting the du’a below) it is for him equal to freeing four slaves among the
offspring of Isma’il.”

ّ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ ُ ُ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َّ َ َ َ
ِ ‫شيك ل ل الملك ول المد ي ِي وي ِميت وهو ع‬
‫ك‬ ِ ‫ا إِل إِال الل وحده ال‬
ٌ ‫ش ٍء قَد‬
ْ َ
‫ِير‬
La ilaha illallah, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, yuhyi wa yumitu
wa huwa ‘ala kulli shai’in qadir

English Translation:

“None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner. His is
the dominion and His is the praise. He brings life and He causes death, and He is
Able to do all things.” [7]

References:
[1] Mishkat al-Masabih 1609
[2] Sahih Muslim 2653b
[3] Sahih al-Bukhari 5671
[4] Sahih al-Bukhari 5640 | No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even though
it were the prick he receives from a thorn.
[5] Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 532 & Qur’an 25:75 | “Those will be awarded the Chamber for what they patiently endured, and they
will be received therein with greetings and [words of] peace.”
[6] Riyad as-Salihin 924
[7] Sahih (Darussalam) Jami at-Tirmidhi 3553 218
 Al-Hayy
(The Ever-Living)

The Living, The Alive,

The Everlasting.

ْ
ُّ َ ‫)ٱل‬, the One who is undying and will be forever. He is
Allah T is Al-Hayy (in Arabic ‫ح‬
perfect and not subject to death or sickness. He is eternally whole and absolute,
whom all life arises from.

From the root ha-ya-ya (‫)ح ي ي‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to live, to be living, to become apparent, distinct, to animate, to revive, to vitalize, to
call into being, to be whole, sound, to call, summon, invite, hasten.

Three possible interpretations:

As we discussed in the previous two
names, Allah T is Al-Muhyi meaning, the
giver of life, and Al-Mumeet, the bringer
of death. This name, Al-Hayy describes
the quality of Allah T as being ever-
living. There is no beginning and end to
His existence. Allah T just is. There are
many layers to the name Al-Hayy which
we will explore in this section. (1) It Has
already been mentioned and discussed
extensively throughout the previous
names; it’s Allah’s essence or quality of
being everlasting. (2) The second layer is
the perfection of His life. (3) The third
quality is being the source of life.

What is life?
The word Hayy comes from hayaat
which means life. One of the criteria of
life as we know it is to have perception.
Imam al-Ghazali says, “The lowest level
of perception involves the one perceiving
being conscious of itself.” Plants are said
to be alive since they detect and orient
themselves toward the sunlight. Living
things are also defined by their ability to
respond purposefully to what they
perceive.
219
But all living things are limited in their
scope of activity and perception. We
operate within narrowly defined limits
set by the creator. And Allah T in His
infinite wisdom has given life to a diverse
range of creations which vary in these
two qualities of perception and activity.
An example Shaykh Tosun Bayrak
mentions is how a plant is superior to the
soil or rock since it’s given the faculties to
eat, drink and propagate.
Life in animals is more developed with
hearing, seeing, and moving. And so
naturally, animals learn to dominate
over vegetation. Human life is said to be
the highest form of Allah’s creation. We
can store what we perceive and use our
intellect, reasoning, and free will to
respond with this information. We can
act consciously based on our knowledge.
This quality seems to be lacking in
animals who only respond to their
desires and stimuli. People differ in their
“aliveness,” which is often a function of
their knowledge and actions.

What it means for Allah T to be living:

Now, when the word hayy is used as a creation, not just in the sense of being
name of Allah T it shows how He is everlasting, but in terms of what it means
aware of all things. Allah T is the most to be perfect in living. His life is perfection;
perceptive. He is As-Sami (The All- it is not touched by sickness, weakness,
Hearing) and Al-Baseer (The All-Seeing). or any deficiency. Absence does not
There is nothing that escapes His precede Him, nor does death follow after
knowledge as He is aware of all activity. Him. In Surah Baqarah verse 255 (Ayatul
In this sense, it can be said He is the Kursi), Allah T says:
absolutely living. This transcends all

َ‫ٱلس َم ٰ َوٰت َوما‬َّ َ ُ َّ ٞ ۡ َ َ َ ٞ َ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ ُّ َ ۡ ُّ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ ٓ َ ُ َّ

ِ ‫ٱلل ل إِله إِل هو ٱلح ٱلقيوم ۚ ل تأخذهۥ سِنة ول نوم ۚ لۥ ما ِف‬
ۡۖ‫ي َأيۡدِيه ۡم َو َما َخل َف ُهم‬
ۡ َ ۡ ‫ِندهُ ٓۥ إ َّل بإ ۡذنِهِۦ َي ۡعلَ ُم َما َب‬ َ ‫ۡرض َمن َذا َّٱلِي ي َ ۡش َف ُع ع‬ َۡ
ِ ۚ ِِ ِ ۗ ِ ‫ِف ٱل‬
َ َ ۡ َ َ َّ ‫شء ّم ِۡن ع ِۡلمهِۦٓ إ َّل ب َما َشا ٓ َء َوس َِع ُك ۡرس ُِّي ُه‬
َ ٰ ‫ٱلس َم‬ َ َ ُ ُ ََ
‫ۡرض َول‬ ۖ ‫ٱل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ت‬ ِ ٰ ‫و‬ ۚ ِ ِ ِ ٖ ۡ ِ ‫ول يِيطون ب‬
‫يم‬ ُ ‫ل ۡٱل َع ِظ‬ ۡ
ُّ ِ ‫ودهُۥ ح ِۡف ُظ ُه َما ۚ َو ُه َو ٱل َع‬
ُ ُٔ َ
‫يـ‬
Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal Haiyul Qaiyoom; laa taakhuzuhoo sinatunw wa laa
nawm; lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; man zal lazee yashfa’u indahooo
illaa bi-iznih; ya’lamu maa baina aydeehim wa maa khalfahum wa laa yuheetoona
bishai’im min ‘ilmihee illaa bimaa shaaa’; wasi’a Kursiyyuhus samaawaati wal arda wa
laa Ya’ooduhoo hifzuhumaa; wa Huwal Aliyyul ‘Azeem

English Translation:

“Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence.
Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except
by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after
them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills.
His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him
not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.” (Qur’an 7:34)

This is just one of five verses in the Qur’an where the name Al-Hayy is mentioned.

220
 ‫وم‬ ُّ َ ْ‫ٱلل َلٓ إِلَ ٰـ َه إ ِ َّل ُه َو ٱل‬
ُ ‫ح ٱلْ َق ُّي‬ ُ َّ

Allaahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal Haiyul Qaiyoom

English Translation:

“Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence.”
(Qur’an 3:2)

ْ ُ َََ ْ َ َ َ ََْ ْ ّ َ ْ ُ ُ ُْ
‫حل ظل ًما‬ ِ ‫ح ٱل َق ُّي‬
‫وم ۖ وقد خاب من‬ ََ
ِ ‫َوعن‬
ِ ‫ت ٱلوجوه ل ِل‬
Wa ‘anatil wujoohu lil Haiiyil Qaiyoomi wa qad khaaba man hamala zulmaa

English Translation:

“And [all] faces will be humbled before the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence.
And he will have failed who carries injustice.” (Qur’an 20:111)

ً ‫ف بهِۦ ب ُذنُوب ع َِبادِه ِۦ َخب‬ َََ ُ ‫ح َّٱلِي َل َي ُم‬

ۡ َ‫وت َو َس ّب ۡح ب‬ ّ َ َ ۡ َّ َ َ َ
َ ‫ع ۡٱل‬
‫ريا‬ِ ِ ِ ِ ٰ ‫ك‬ ‫و‬ ‫ِۦ‬ ۚ ‫ه‬ ‫د‬
ِ ‫م‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫وتوك‬
Wa tawakkal ‘alal Haiyil lazee laa yamootu wa sabbih bihamdih; wa kafaa bihee bizunoobi
‘ibaadihee khabeeraa

English Translation:

“And rely upon the Ever-Living who does not die, and exalt [Allah] with His praise.
And sufficient is He to be, with the sins of His servants, Acquainted –” (Qur’an 25:58)

َ‫ٱل ْم ُد ِ َّلِ َر ّب ٱلْ َع ٰـلَمني‬

َ ْ َ ّ َُ َ ْ ُ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ ٓ َ ُّ َ ْ َ ُ
ِ ِ ۗ ‫هو ٱلح ل إِلـه إِل هو فٱدعوه مل ِِصني ل ٱدلِين‬
Huwal Hayyu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwa fad’oohu mukh liseena lahud-deen; alhamdu lillaahi
Rabbil ‘aalameen

English Translation:

“He is the Ever-Living; there is no deity except Him, so call upon Him, [being] sincere
to Him in religion. [All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds.” (Qur’an 40:65)

Allah’s greatest name?

Allah T essence is living. He is the one responsible for all creation. There would be no
life without His willingness to allow it. So we recognize Him as being the only source
we should turn to and rely upon for our sustenance.

In fact, whenever the Prophet x was stressed, He used to call upon the two names,
Ya Hayyu, Ya Qayyum (i.e., the subsisting, the self-sustaining).

221
Anas bin Malik said: “Whenever a matter
would distress him, the Prophet (x)
would say: ‘O Living, O Self-Sustaining
Sustainer! In Your Mercy do I seek relief
(Ya hayyu ya Qayyum, bi-rahmatika
astaghith).’” And with this chain, that he
said: “The Messenger of Allah (x) said:
‘Be constant with: “O Possessor of Majesty
and Honor (Ya Dhal-Jalali wal-Ikram).’” [1]
Another hadith mentions a second du’a
which includes reciting these two names.
Narrated Anas ibn Malik: I was sitting with
the Messenger of Allah x and a man
was offering prayer. He then made
supplication: O Allah, I ask Thee by virtue
of the fact that praise is due to Thee,
there is no deity but Thou, Who showest
favour and beneficence, the Originator
of the Heavens and the earth, O Lord of
Majesty and Splendour, O Living One (ya
hayyu), O Eternal One (ya-qayyum).
The Prophet x then said: He has
supplicated Allah using His Greatest
Name, when supplicated by this name,
He answers, and when asked by this
name He gives.[2]
It is inferred from the last hadith that the
greatest names of Allah T may be
Al-Hayy and Al-Qayyum. This is consistent
with another narration by Al-Qasim, who
said: The Greatest Name of Allah, if He is
called by which He will respond, is in
three Surah: Al-Baqarah, Al-Imran and
Ta-Ha. (Hasan) Another chain for
something similar from Al-Qasim, from
Abu Umamah, from the Prophet (x). [3]
Life after the death of Prophet Muhammad x:
There is an important message in the Qur’an and hadith. You can imagine after the
death of Prophet Muhammad x, some people whose faith hadn’t been fully nourished
yet felt disconnected.
Al-Hayy and Al-Qayyum are both found
in those surahs mentioned. There is
another view that Allah may be the
greatest name of all, and the case for
that is because it is mentioned 2698
times throughout the Qur’an, way more
than any other name.
Regardless, it is not a worthwhile pursuit
to view the names of Allah T as being
hierarchical and trying to determine
their rank. Instead, we should follow the
advice given in the Qur’an, “And to Allah
belong the best names, so invoke Him by
them” (Qur’an 7:180).
Similarly, we should try not to rank Allah’s
creation to feel superior. If Allah T had
given you the gift of knowledge like He
had given Prophet Sulaiman (q) turn
that awareness into gratitude and praise
Allah T that learning and studying
comes easier to you than others. In the
Qur’an, “And We had certainly given to
David and Solomon knowledge, and they
said, ‘Praise [is due] to Allah, who has
favored us over many of His believing
servants.’” (Qur’an 27:15) We can’t be
particularly proud of gifts, they are from
Allah T. We should only be proud of the
choices we make in how we use those
gifts.
The main takeaway from the hadith is
that invoking these names in our du’a
can hold extra weight or reward for the
believer. Especially when said in a time
of distress when you need Him the most.
222
 They listened to Prophet Muhamamd for
his leadership and guidance, and when
he returned to Allah T they felt lost.
Surah al-Imran ayah 144 reminds all of
us, “Muhammad is not but a messenger.
[Other] messengers have passed on
before him. So if he was to die or be killed,
would you turn back on your heels [to
unbelief]?” Abu Bakr (the first caliphate to
succeed Prophet Muhammad x) came
to His funeral prayer
Narrated Aisha (x): Abu Bakr came
riding his horse from his dwelling place
in As-Sunh. He got down from it, entered
the Mosque and did not speak with
anybody till he came to me and went
direct to the Prophet, who was covered
with a marked blanket. Abu Bakr
uncovered his face. He knelt down and
kissed him and then started weeping
and said, “My father and my mother be
sacrificed for you, O Allah’s Prophet! Allah
will not combine two deaths on you. You
have died the death which was written
for you.” Narrated Abu Salama from Ibn
Abbas: Abu Bakr came out and Umar,
was addressing the people, and Abu
Bakr told him to sit down but Umar
refused. Abu Bakr again told him to sit
down but Umar again refused. Then Abu
Many go through life at the whims of their impulses and desires. The one who is
truly alive is the one who tames himself. His life belongs to himself, and he is not a
slave to whatever the controlling force of the time may be. The truly living are the
ones who are in constant remembrance of Allah T. For them will be granted eternal
paradise in the hereafter.
References:
[1] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami at-Tirmidhi 3524
[2] Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 1495
[3] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami at-Tirmidhi 3524
223 [4] Sahih al-Bukhari 1241
Bakr recited the Tashah-hud (i.e. none
has the right to be worshipped but Allah
and Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger x
and the people attended to Abu Bakr
and left Umar. Abu Bakr said, “Amma
ba’du, whoever amongst you worshipped
Muhammad, then Muhammad is dead,
but whoever worshipped Allah, Allah is
alive (Al-hayy) and will never die. [here
ayah 3:144 was recited] (The narrator
added, “By Allah, it was as if the people
never knew that Allah had revealed this
verse before till Abu Bakr recited it and
then whoever heard it, started reciting
it.”) [4]
This can be a very instructive lesson for
parents with children. In the same sense,
they are guardians/leaders over their
children, teaching them Islam just as the
Prophet x taught the sahabah.
Sometimes children don’t understand or
become disconnected from the fact
that worship is for Allah T and not for
seeking parental approval - or in some
cases, avoiding parental punishment.
Once the parent passes away or if the
children grow up, get married and move
away, they should remember that it is
Al-Hayy, the ever-living, that they’re
seeking approval from.
 Al-qayyum
(The Sustainer)

The Self-Subsisting,
The Self-Existing.

Allah T is Al-Qayyum (in Arabic:

ُ ‫)ٱلْ َق ُّي‬, His essence/nature is to exist being utterly
‫وم‬
free from dependence on anything or anyone. Al-Qayyum is the one through whom
all things arise. He is Ever-Living and Self-Sustaining. Everything else in existence
depends on Al-Qayyum.

From the root qaf-waw-mim (‫م‬ ‫)ق و‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to stand up, to rise up, to ascend, become high, to begin, to start, to
come, to pass, to arise, to set out, to be on-going, to exist, to be founded, to be built
on, to undertake, to carry out, to manage, to make aright, straighten out, accurate,
exact, to make righteous, upright.

The pairing Al-Hayy and Al-Qayyum:

The name of Allah T Al-Qayyum, He is subsisting. In contrast, all life remains

the one who is self-existing. Three verses dependent on one thing or another. They
in the Qur’an include the name Al- require proper living conditions, which
Qayyum, and it always occurs in pairs include specific temperatures, the
with the name Al-Hayy (the living). correct atmospheric pressure,
Together these names show the attribute composition, and dependence on many
of Allah T being independent and other elements. There is no one but Allah
sovereign. He is ever-living not because T that can exist without truly needing
some source enables Him but because anything from anyone. All things in
of His essence of self-sustaining / self- existence rely upon Him for their being.

‫وم‬ ُّ َ ْ‫ٱلل َلٓ إِلَ ٰـ َه إ ِ َّل ُه َو ٱل‬

ُ ‫ح ٱلْ َق ُّي‬ ُ َّ

Allaahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal Haiyul Qaiyoom

English Translation:

“Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence.”
(Qur’an 3:2)

224
 ً‫ح َل ُظلْما‬ َ ‫وم ۖ َوقَ ْد َخ‬ ْ ّ َ ْ ُ ُ ُْ
َ َ ‫اب َم ْن‬ ِ ‫ح ٱل َق ُّي‬
ِ ‫ِل‬ ‫ل‬ ‫وه‬‫ج‬‫و‬‫ٱل‬ ‫ت‬
ِ
َ ‫َو َع‬
‫ن‬
Wa ‘anatil wujoohu lil Haiiyil Qaiyoomi wa qad khaaba man hamala zulmaa

English Translation:

“And [all] faces will be humbled before the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence.
And he will have failed who carries injustice.” (Qur’an 20:111)

َ َ َّ َ ُ َّ ٞ ۡ َ َ َ ٞ َ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ ُّ َ ۡ ُّ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ َ ٓ َ ُ َّ
‫ت‬ِ ٰ ‫ٱلل ل إِلٰه إِل هو ٱلح ٱلقيوم ۚ ل تأخذهۥ سِنة ول نوم ۚ لۥ ما ِف ٱلسمٰو‬
َ‫ي َأيۡدِيه ۡم َوما‬ َ ۡ ‫ِندهُ ٓۥ إ َّل بإ ۡذنِهِۦ َي ۡعلَ ُم َما َب‬ َ ‫ۡرض َمن َذا َّٱلِي ي َ ۡش َف ُع ع‬ َۡ ََ
ِ ۚ ِِ ِ ۗ ِ ‫وما ِف ٱل‬
َ َ َّ ‫شء ّم ِۡن ع ِۡلمهِۦٓ إ َّل ب َما َشا ٓ َء َوس َِع ُك ۡرس ُِّي ُه‬ ۡ َ َ ُ ُ ََ ۡ ُ َۡ َ
‫ت‬ ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬ ۚ ِ ِ ِ ٖ ِ ‫خلفهمۖ ول يِيط َون ب‬
ُ‫ل ۡٱل َع ِظيم‬ ۡ ُ ُٔ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ
ُّ ِ ‫ودهُۥ ح ِۡف ُظ ُه َما ۚ َو ُه َو ٱل َع‬ ‫ۡرض ول يـ‬ ۖ ‫وٱل‬
Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal Haiyul Qaiyoom; laa taakhuzuhoo sinatunw wa laa nawm;
lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; man zal lazee yashfa’u indahooo illaa bi-
iznih; ya’lamu maa baina aydeehim wa maa khalfahum wa laa yuheetoona bishai’im
min ‘ilmihee illaa bimaa shaaa’; wasi’a Kursiyyuhus samaawaati wal arda wa laa
Ya’ooduhoo hifzuhumaa; wa Huwal Aliyyul ‘Azeem

English Translation:

“Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence.
Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the
heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except
by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after
them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills.
His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him
not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.” (Qur’an 2:255)

Allah T - The Provider:

There is another understood meaning of Afaman Huwa qaaa’imun ‘alaa kulli
Al-Qayyum: He is the one who holds nafsim bimaa kasabat meaning, “Is then
upright or causes to stand up. This He (Allah) Who takes charge (guards,
connotates a sense of dependence, He maintains, provides, etc.) of every person
not only is self-sustaining but is the and knows all that he has earned (like
sustainer. For example, qa’im (‫ )قايم‬or any other deities who know nothing)?”
ٌ َ
qaimatun (‫ )قائ ِ َمة‬is an Arabic name/word Whether we realize it or not, we’re all
for standing, rising, or being upright. Al- being upheld by the willingness and
Qayyum is the more emphatic derivative command of Allah T. He is the
containing the same root q-w-m. And in maintainer who ‘guards, protects, and
Surah Ar-Ra’d ayah 33 it mentions, provides.
225
A man’s duty:
The word Qayoom also shares the same
root of the word qawama, a concept of
survival and subsistence. This topic has
become controversial because it plays
into gender politics. The verse which is
viewed with scrutiny comes from Surah
Nisa ayah 34, Arrijaalu qawwaamoona
alan nisaaa’i bimaa fad
ba’dahum ‘alaa ba’dinw wa bimaaa
anfaqoo min amwaalihim “Men are in
charge of women, because Allah hath
made the one of them to excel the other,
and because they spend
property (for the support of women).”
Some translations of this verse use “in
charge,” which seems more possessive
but really it means a duty upon man to
provide, protect, and look after the
women in their lives. To be a guardian or
a supporter. This includes, but is not
limited to, material sustenance. But this
sustenance can be further extended to
emotional support, guidance,
companionship required for a healthy
marriage. It’s not to say women aren’t
capable, in studying seerah we know
Khadija bint Khuwaylid (x),
Prophet’s x first wife, was a very
successful merchant on her own. Ibn
Arabi says to assume this character trait,
“If one of the servants meets this
condition in responding to the needs of
References:
[1] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami at-Tirmidhi 3524
[2] Sahih (Al-Albani) Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 705
the one who seeks his support, and if it
comes frequently, he is self-existing.”
Anas bin Malik said: “Whenever a matter
would distress him, the Prophet (x)
would say: ‘O Living, O Self-Sustaining
Sustainer! In Your Mercy do I seek relief
(Ya hayyu ya Qayyum, bi-rahmatika
dalallaahu
astaghith).’” And with this chain, that he
said: “The Messenger of Allah (x) said:
‘Be constant with: “O Possessor of Majesty
and Honor (Ya Dhal-Jalali wal-Ikram).’” [1]
of their The believer benefits from knowing that
Allah T is Al-Hayy and Al-Qayyum. We
acknowledge that reliance upon
anything other than Allah T is futile. No
other is ever-living like Al-Hayy, and none
is self-subsisting except Al-Qayyum. And
so, as Imam Ghazali puts it, “man’s
access to this attribute is in proportion
to his detachment from everything that
is not God the most high.”
and Anas said, “I was with the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace,
when a man made supplication, saying,
‘O Originator of the heavens! O Living,
the Self-Subsistent! I ask of You.’ He said, ‘Do
you know by what he has made
supplication? By the One in whose hand
my soul is, he has asked Allah by the
Name that He answers when He is asked
by it.” [2]
226
 Al-Wajid
(The Perceiver)

The Resourceful; The Unfailing,

The Finder.

ْ
Allah T is Al-Waajid (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل َوا ِج ُد‬, the one who does not need or lacks anything.
He is the most resourceful and finds whatever He wills.

From the root waw-jim-dal (‫)و ج د‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to find, discover, attain what was sought, to become aware of something, to perceive,
to experience, to gain or possess wealth, property, resources, to be rich, to have
abundance, to be without wants.

Among the disputed names:

For your notes, this is among the disputed names of Allah T. There is no ayah in the
Qur’an where this name is mentioned. However, as an attribute of Allah T it is
accepted and valid.

What is life?
This name has two associated meanings,
but they are connected. First, wajid ( ‫)واجد‬
is an Arabic word meaning “to find.”
So naturally, the emphatic version of
Al-Wajid as an attribute of Allah
means “The Finder.” This speaks to the
idea of Allah’s resourcefulness in which
there is no deficiency. He is not in-
capacitated in any way from what He
directs His attention to. The idea is that
whatever He seeks, He will find. Similar to
kun fa-yakunu, “Be, and it is.” (36:82).
He does not lack anything and is
absolutely resourceful. This leads to the
second meaning of the name, which is
the realizer. The one who realizes (i.e., in
T the sense of gaining something), but
also the one who knows the truth in all
things.
The name Al-Wajid does not appear
explicitly in the Qur’an, but many verses
describe this quality or attribute of
Allah T.

227
 ٰ َ ۡ ََ ٗ َٓ َ َ َ َ َ ٰ َ َ َ ّٗ َ َ َ َ َ َ
8 ‫ ووجدك عئِل فأغن‬7 ‫ووجدك ضٓال فهدى‬
7. Wa wa jadaka daal lan fahada 8. Wa wa jadaka ‘aa-ilan fa aghnaa

English Translation:

“And He found you lost and guided [you], And He found you poor and made [you]
self-sufficient.” (Qur’an 93:7-8)

ۡ‫وج ُّم َش َّي َدة ٖ ِإَون تُ ِص ۡب ُهم‬ ُ‫نت ۡم ف بر‬

ُ ُ ‫كك ُم ٱل ۡ َم ۡو‬
ُ ‫ت َول َ ۡو ُك‬ ُّ ۡ ُ ْ ُ ُ َ َََۡ
ۗ ٖ ِ ِ‫أينما تكونوا يدر‬
َ ۡ َ ْ ُ َُ َٞ ّ َ ۡ ُۡ ُ َّ ۡ َ ْ ُ َُ ٞ َ َ َ
ۚ‫حسنة يقولوا هٰ ِذه ِۦ مِن عِن ِد ٱللِۖ ِإَون ت ِصبهم سيِئة يقولوا هٰ ِذه ِۦ مِن عِندِك‬
ٗ َ َۡ َ ُ َ َ َۡ َُٓ َ َ َّ ّٞ ُ ۡ ُ
‫قل ك ّم ِۡن عِن ِد ٱللِۖ ف َما ِل هـٰٓؤلءِ ٱلق ۡو ِم ل يَكادون َيفق ُهون َحدِيثا‬
Ayna maa takoonoo yudrikkumul mawtu wa law kuntum fee buroojim mushai yadah;
wa in tusibhum hasanatuny yaqooloo haazihee min indil laahi wa in tusibhum
saiyi’atuny yaqooloo haazihee min ‘indik; qul kullum min ‘indillaahi famaa lihaaa
‘ulaaa’il qawmi laa yakaadoona yafqahoona hadeesaa

English Translation:

“Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers
of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, “This is from Allah “; and
if evil befalls them, they say, “This is from you.” Say, “All [things] are from Allah.” So
what is [the matter] with those people that they can hardly understand any
statement?” (Qur’an 4:78)

َ َ َ َّ َ
ٓ َ َّ َ ً ٓ َ ُ َ ۡ َّ ُ ُ َ ۡ َ َ
‫ت إِذا َجا َءهُۥ‬
ٰٓ ‫اب ب ِ ِقيع ٖة يسبه ٱلظمـٔان ماء ح‬ َ َ ‫ك َف ُر ٓوا ْ أ ۡع َمٰلُ ُه ۡم َك‬
‫س‬ ‫وٱلِين‬
ِ
ۡ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ ُ َ
َ ‫ٱل‬ َ َّ ‫ل َ ۡم َي ۡدهُ َش ۡي ٗـٔا َو َو َج َد‬
‫اب‬ِ ‫ِس‬ ‫يع‬ ‫س‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ۥ‬ۗ ‫ه‬ ‫اب‬ ‫ِس‬
‫ح‬ ‫ه‬ٰ ‫ى‬ ‫ف‬‫و‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ِند‬‫ع‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ِ
ِ
Wallazeena kafarooo a’maaluhum kasaraabim biqee’atiny yahsabuhuz zamaanu
maaa’an hattaaa izaa jaaa’ahoo lam yajid hu shai’anw wa wajadal laaha ‘indahoo fa
waffaahu hisaabah; wallaahu saree’ul hisaab

English Translation:

“But those who disbelieved – their deeds are like a mirage in a lowland which a
thirsty one thinks is water until, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing but finds
Allah before Him, and He will pay him in full his due; and Allah is swift in account.”
(Qur’an 24:39)

228
 The believer benefits from under-
standing that Allah T is Al-Wajid. We
further realize that Allah T is free from
all wants and all needs. Not in a reclusive
way, but completely selfless with an
open hand to those who seek Him and
ask for His help. He is full in every sense of
that word; we should not fear turning to
Him and asking for all that is good for us.
Find sufficiency in Allah T for what we
seek in all matters is Him. This is unlike the
condition that develops from dealing
with people who require reciprocity (i.e.,
favors in return). We’re incapable of
giving as freely as Allah T gives because
we’re limited, we have finite resources
(both in time and money), and in giving
we deplete one of these reserves. We
can try to make ourselves more
resourceful, but it will always be relative.
We can never be the absolutely
resourceful one.
How can we make ourselves more
resourceful? It is not always about having
more to give more - although that is one
aspect of what it means to be resourceful.
Resourcefulness can mean trying to
accomplish more in less time, being
innovative, or finding creative yet simple
solutions to overlooked problems.
229
It can also mean spending intelligently
from our reserves so as to not be
wasteful. If you found a way to buy a TV
that was $1000 for $100, you might be
very happy for being so resourceful. But
the price is only one aspect of the
purchase; the TV can cost you a lot in
other ways, such as wasted time. This is
often a very expensive part of the
equation that’s missing. If you spend 10
hours a week, that’s 40 hours a month or
a combined total of 480 hours a year!
Imagine if you cut that viewing time in
half or a third. You can measure to see if
the quality of your life, mood, and
happiness increases or decreases.
Ask yourself open-ended questions and
be curious, “how could that time be
better spent and what impact would
that have in my life and for those around
me?” It’s a question worth exploring, and
each person’s answer will be different.
Sometimes, being resourceful can simply
mean eliminating excess and needing
less. Imam Zarruq, in his book the loftiest
goal in elucidating Allah’s most beautiful
names, says, “Fortifying the heart: That is
granted to the one who recites it over
every morsel of his food, and Allah knows
best.”
 Al-Majid
(The Illustrious)

The Noble, The Sovereign,

The Glorious.

‫ج ُد‬ َْ
Allah T is Al-Maajid (in Arabic: ِ ‫)ٱلما‬, the most noble, magnificent, and generous.
Majid is very close to the meaning of Jalal (majesty and greatness) and Kareem (full
of bounty and honor). He is the one who consistently gives, for His wealth is endless.
Truly Allah T is the most glorious and highly esteemed.

From the root mim-jim-dal (‫)م ج د‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to be glorious, dignified, noble and honorable to be lauded, exalted, sublime to be
liberal, bountiful, exceedingly generous.

Difference between Al-Majid and Al-Majeed:

If you’ve been reading our guide on the The names do share similar meanings
99 Names of Allah in sequential order, but vary in their degree of intensity. The
you may get to this name and wonder... fa’eel pattern signals the same meaning
this seems oddly familiar. And that’s for a with the addition of superlative
good reason. You may recognize the intensification - grammatically used to
similarity between this name, Al-Majid describe a quality only Allah T
ُ ‫)ٱل ْ َما‬, and the 48th name, Al-Majeed
(‫جد‬ِ possesses. It is more emphatic and
ُ(‫)ٱل ْ َمجيد‬.
ِ indicates perpetualness or permanence.

Al-Majeed can be found in the Qur’an. We see this pattern in several of His
However, Al-Majid as an official name is names, Rahim and Raheem, majid and
disputed by some scholars as it is only Majeed, Alim and Aleem, and Hakim and
found in the hadith of Tirmidhi. Hakeem.

Among the disputed names:

The name Al-Majeed is mentioned once in the Qur’an, and the name Al-Majid isn’t
used. As we’ve discussed prior, of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly mentioned in the
Qur’an. Therefore, there is not one agreed-upon list for the remaining 18 names. Al-
Majid is one of those names which has been excluded by some scholars. This includes
the likes of Ibn Uthaymeen, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn Hajar, among others. However, others
such as Imam al-Ghazali and Ibn Arabi recognize this name in their books on the
explanations of Al-Asmaul al-Husna. 230
 Below you will find the ayah, which mentions the name Al-Majeed. Note the pairing
with the name Al-Hamed (The Praiseworthy).

ُ‫ت إنَّهۥ‬ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ ُ ٰ َ َ َ َ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ َّ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ ْ ٓ ُ َ
ِ ۚ ِ ‫قالوا أتعجبِني مِن أم ِر ٱللِۖ رحت ٱللِ وبركتهۥ عليكم أهل ٱلي‬
ٞ َّ ٞ َ
‫ميد‬ ِ ‫حِيد‬
Qaalooo ata’jabeena min amril laahi rahmatul laahi wa barakaatuhoo ‘alaikum Ahlal
Bayt; innahoo Hameedun Majeed

English Translation:

“They said, ‘Are you amazed at the decree of Allah? May the mercy of Allah and His
blessings be upon you, people of the house. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy and
Honorable.’” (Qur’an 11:73)

The only one worthy of praise:

The base of the names Al-Majid and Al-
Majeed contain the word majd (‫)جمد‬,
which means glorify, honor, or praise.
There are many ways to exalt Allah T.
The easiest may be through these three
short-phrases, Subhanallah (glory be to
Allah - glorification), Alhamdulilah (all
praise is due to Allah - praise), and
Allahu-Akbar (Allah is the greatest -
praise and glorification). Being conscious
whenever we have idle time to recite
these three short phrases has extensive
rewards.
As mentioned in the name Al-Majeed, to
be considered glorious or magnificent is
not a standalone attribute. It comes
from the idea of having perfected all
other qualities. And Allah T is the
superlative of every adjective imaginable.
He is not just the merciful, but the most
merciful; He is not just wise, but the all-
wise. Whatever quality you can think of,
knowledge, wealth, power, sight, living,
creating - Allah T is the greatest. He’s
perfected perfection.
There is no other whose essence is
perfection and this is where His majesty,
nobility, and superiority over everything
comes from.

َۡ َۡ َ َّ َ ۡ ّ َ
‫سبِحِ ٱسم ربِك ٱلع‬
Sabbihisma Rabbikal A’laa

English Translation:

“Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High,” (Qur’an 87:1)

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: “Umm Sulaim came to the Prophet x and
said: ‘O Messenger of Allah x, teach me some words that I may supplicate with
during my prayer.’ He said: ‘Glorify Allah (by saying SubhanAllah) ten times, and praise
Him (by saying Alhamdulilah) ten times, and magnify Him (by saying Allahu Akbar) ten
231 times, then ask Him for what you need; He will say: ‘Yes, yes.’ [1]
It was narrated from ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Ghanm that Abu Malik Al-Ash’ari told him
that the Messenger of Allah x said: “Isbagh Al-Wudu is half of faith; Alhamdulillah
(praise be to Allah) fills the balance; the Tasbih and the Takbir fill the heavens and
Earth; the Salah is light; the Zakah is a sign (of sincerity); patience is an illuminating
torch; and the Qur’an is proof, either for you or against you.” [2]

References:
[1] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 1299
[2] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 2437 232
 Al-Wahid
(The One)

The Unique, The Single,

The Only One.

ُ َْ
Allah T is Al-Waahid (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلوٰحِد‬, the One and only God. There is no alternative.
He is the sole originator from which all has arisen. He has no partners or relationships.
None is equal to Him.

From the root waw-ha-dal (‫)و ح د‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to be one, to be made one, to be called one, to be unique, singular, to be one apart
from others.

The oneness of Allah T:

Al-Wahid and Al-Ahad are two names
which describe tawhid (the oneness) of
Allah T . This is what characterizes our
deen and differentiates Islam from
other religions. That’s why the first step
to converting to Islam is to recite the
shahada. We testify, la ilaha illa allah,
“there is no god but Allah”, muhammadur
rasul-ullah, “and Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah.” This core belief is
shared among all Muslims and is the
first pillar of Islam. These two names of
Allah T further emphasize this idea of
Allah’s oneness.
The word Waahid in Arabic means ‘one.’
For example, someone who is Waheed
uz-zaman is said to be a unique person
of that era (time). So it’s used in a
relative sense, but as a name of Allah
T it is absolute. He is unique in all
aspects, the only one who embodies
perfection. He has no equal. Throughout
our guide on the 99 Names of Allah T
233
we discuss and encourage ways in
which we can share in the divine
attributes, to be merciful, giving, caring,
and a friend to others. But these are
human characterizations. It’s important
to realize that no one comes close to
sharing in His attributes or actions. He is
alone and unique in His essence. As
Imam Zarruq has said, “He is One in His
Attributes: He resembles nothing and
nothing resembles Him.”
Imam al-Ghazali also mentions how
Al-Wahid refers to the one who can
neither be divided nor duplicated. This
quality of being indivisible also makes
Him one since He’s not separated into
parts. For being separated into parts
makes the previous part dependent on
the other to be considered whole. And
Allah T is Al-Ghaniyy, The Self-Sufficient
- free from dependence on anyone or
anything.
 َ َ ٓ َ ۡ َ ٓ ُ ّ ُ ۡ َ َّ َ َ ۡ ُ ُ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َ َّ ُّ َّ َ ۡ ُ
‫ۡرض ق ِل ٱللۚ قل أفٱتذتم مِن دونِهِۦ أو ِلاء ل‬ ِ ‫ت وٱل‬ ِ ٰ ‫قل من رب ٱلسمٰو‬
ۡ َ َ ُ َۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ ۡ ُ ّٗ َ َ َ ٗ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ َ ُ ۡ َ
‫ري أ ۡم هل‬ ‫م وٱل ِص‬ ٰ ‫ض ۚا قل َهل ي َ ۡس َتوِي ٱلع‬ ‫س ِهم نفعا ول‬ ِ ‫يمل ِكون ِلنف‬
ۡ َۡ َ َ ٰ َ َ َ َ
ۡ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ ٓ َ َ ُ َّ ْ ُ َ َ ۡ ُ ُّ َ ُ َ ُ ُّ َ
‫ٱلل ُق‬ ‫شك َء خلقوا كخلقِهِۦ فتشبه‬ ِ‫ت ۡس َتوِي ٱلظلمٰت وٱنلور ۗ أم جعلوا ِل‬
َۡ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ‫ك‬ ّ ُ ُ ٰ َ ُ َّ ُ ۡ َۡ َ
‫شءٖ َوه َو ٱل َوٰح ُِد ٱلق َّه ٰـ ُر‬ ِ ‫ِق‬ ‫ل‬ ‫خ‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫ل‬ِ ‫علي ِه ۚم ق‬
Qul mar Rabbus samaawaati wal ard; qulillaah; qul afattakhaztum min dooniheee
awliyaaa’a laa yamlikoona li anfusihim naf’anw wa laa darraa; qul hal yastawil a’maa
wal baseeru am hal tastawiz zulumaatu wannoor; am ja’aloo lillaahi shurakaaa’a
khalaqoo kakhalqihee fatashaa bahal khalqu ‘alaihim; qulil laahu Khaaliqu kulli shai’inw
wa Huwal Waahidul Qahhar

English Translation:

“Say, ‘Who is Lord of the heavens and earth?’ Say, ‘Allah.’ Say, “Have you then taken
besides Him allies not possessing [even] for themselves any benefit or any harm?’
Say, ‘Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Or is darkness equivalent to light? Or
have they attributed to Allah partners who created like His creation so that the
creation [of each] seemed similar to them?” Say, ‘Allah is the Creator of all things,
and He is the One, the Prevailing.’” (Qur’an 13:16)

َّ َ ُ ُ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ ُ ٓ َ َ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ َّ ٰ َ َ ۡ َّ ٗ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َّ
ُ‫ٱلل‬ ‫خذ ولا لصطف مِما يلق ما يشاء ۚ سبحنه ۖۥ هو‬ ِ ‫لو أراد ٱلل أن يت‬
ُ ‫ۡٱل َوٰح ُِد ۡٱل َق َّه‬
‫ار‬
Law araadal laahu aiyattakhiza waladal lastafaa mimmaa yakhluqu maa yashaaa’;
Subhaanahoo Huwal laahul Waahidul Qahhaar

English Translation:

“If Allah had intended to take a son, He could have chosen from what He creates
whatever He willed. Exalted is He; He is Allah, the One, the Prevailing.” (Qur’an 39:4)

ُ َّ ‫ ۖ َو َما م ِۡن إ َلٰه إ َّل‬ٞ‫قُ ۡل إ َّن َما ٓ َأنَا ۠ ُمنذِر‬

ُ‫ٱلل ۡٱل َوٰح ُِد ۡٱل َق َّهار‬
ِ ٍ ِ ِ
Qul innamaaa ana munzirunw wa maa min laahin illal laahul Waahidul Qahhaar

English Translation:

“Say, [O Muhammad], “I am only a warner, and there is not any deity except Allah,
the One, the Prevailing.” (Qur’an 38:65)

234
 َّ َۡ َ ۡ َّ ْ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ َّ َ ُ َ ۡ َ
ٰ ٰ ٰ
ِ ‫ۡرض وٱلسموت ۖ وبرزوا ِلِ ٱلو‬
ِ‫ح ِد ٱلقهار‬ ِ ‫يوم تبدل ٱلۡرض غي ٱل‬
Yawma tubaddalul ardu ghairal ardi wassamaawaatu wa barazoo lillaahil Waahidil
Qahhaar

English Translation:

“[It will be] on the Day the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens
[as well], and all creatures will come out before Allah, the One, the Prevailing.”
(Qur’an 14:48)

Pairing with Al-Qahhar:

As we discussed in the name Al-Qahhar,
we can see the pairing of names with Al-
Wahid. Al-Qahhar is the “Prevailing One,”
the one who dominates absolutely. The
pairing is meant to instill humility in
mankind. Humans tend to arrange
themselves in a hierarchy. We see this
with countries, governments, companies,
tribes, sports teams, etc. As an individual
climbs the ladder, they begin to take
more control and serve as a leader to
the surrounding people. But they can
become corrupted by this power and
use it for personal gain rather than the
greater good. The higher they climb, the
less they may think they have no superior
to answer to. But Allah T reminds us He
is the one who dominates all others and
does so alone. No matter how great you
may think you are, we will all be held for
our transgressions.

َ ٰ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۢ ُ َ ُ َّ ُ ٗ َ ٰ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ُّ َ ۡ ُ
‫وح إِل هذا‬ ِ ‫قل أي ش ٍء أكب شهدة ۖ ق ِل ٱللۖ ش ِهيد بي ِن وبينك ۚم وأ‬
ُۡ ً َ َّ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ ۢ َ َ ُ ُ ُ ُۡ
ٰۚ ‫ٱللِ َءال ِهة أخ َر‬
‫ى‬ ‫ٱلق ۡر َءان ِلنذ َِركم بِهِۦ ومن بلغۚ أئِنكم لتشهدون أن مع‬
َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ ّ ٞ ٓ َ َّ ٞ ٰ َ ٞ ٰ َ َ ُ َ َّ ۡ ُ ُ َ ۡ َ ٓ َّ ُ
‫شكون‬ ِ ‫قل ل أشه ۚد قل إِنما هو إِله وحِد ِإَون ِن ب ِريء مِما ت‬
Qul ayyu shai’in akbaru shahaadatan qulil laahu shaheedum bainee wa bainakum; wa
oohiya ilaiya haazal Qur’aanu li unzirakum bihee wa mam balagh; a’innakum
latashhadoona anna ma’al laahi aalihatan ukhraa; qul laaa ashhad; qul innamaa Huwa
Ilaahunw Waahidunw wa innanee baree’um mimmaa tushrikoon

English Translation:

“Say, “What thing is greatest in testimony?” Say, “Allah is witness between me and
you. And this Qur’an was revealed to me that I may warn you thereby and whomever
it reaches. Do you [truly] testify that with Allah there are other deities?” Say, “I will not
testify [with you].” Say, “Indeed, He is but one God, and indeed, I am free of what you
associate [with Him].” (Qur’an 6:19)

235
Supplications from Hadith:
Ibn Abbas reported that Allah’s Apostle x used to supplicate during the time of
trouble (in these words):

َّ َّ َ َ َ
ُ‫الل‬ َ ْ ْ َ ْ ُّ َ ُ َّ َّ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ُ َّ َّ َ َ َ
‫ال إِل إِال الل الع ِظيم الل ِيم ال إِل إِال الل رب العر ِش الع ِظي ِم ال إِل إِال‬
َ ْ ْ َ ْ ُّ َ َ ْ َ ُّ َ َ َّ ‫َر ُّب‬
‫ات ورب األر ِض ورب العر ِش الك ِري ِم‬ ِ ‫الس َم َو‬
‘La Ilaha Illalahul ‘Alzimul Halim, La Ilaha Illallahu Rabbul ‘Arshil ‘Azim, La Ilaha Illallahu
Rabbus Samawati Wa Rabbul Ardi Wa Rabbul ‘Arshil Karim

English Translation:

“There is no god but Allah, the Great, the Tolerant, there is no god but Allah, the Lord
of the Magnificent Throne There is no god but Allah, the Lord of the Heaven and the
earth, the Lord of the Edifying Throne.” [1]

Narrated Mu’adh bin Jabal: The Messenger of Allah x as saying: If anyone’s last
words are “There is no god but Allah” he will enter Paradise. [2]

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 2730a
[2] Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 3116 236
 Al-Ahad
(The Unique)

The Sole One,

The Incomparable.

َْ
Allah T is Al-Ahad (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل َحد‬, He is incomparable, unequaled, and indivisible.
Al-Ahad is the One who was, is, and will ever remain alone. No one can ever be equal
to Him in the essence of all His beautiful attributes.

From the root hamza-ha-dal (‫د‬ ‫)أ ح‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be one, to be the only one, one alone, sole, to unite, unify.

Differences between Al-Ahad and Al-Wahid:

As we mentioned previously, Al-Wahid new shade of meaning. They are not

and Al-Ahad are two names that synonymous, although there may be
describe the tawhid (the oneness) of some overlap. Al-Ahad describes
Allah T. He is the one who can neither absolute oneness and uniqueness;
be divided nor duplicated, making Him none compares to Him. In contrast,
the one and only. This is the starting Al-Wahid refers to His being as the
point of what it means to be a Muslim, numerical one. Some commentators
the core belief from which everything noted that Al-Wahid indicates
else stems. That is why in the shahadah, affirmation, whereas Al-Ahad refers to
we testify, la ilaha illa allahem>, “there is negation. For example, fi alhiqihi, lam ara
no god but Allah.” He is said to be the ahada, “Actually, I didn’t see anyone,”
one who existed before anything else and yabqa rajulun wahidun, “one man
existed. In this sense, He was the first. For remains.” Others note that Ahad is seen
a further explanation of His oneness, as conveying a higher degree. He is
please view the section of Al-Wahid. intensely one, uniquely one.

In this section, we explore the view of The name Al-Wahid is mentioned many
scholars explaining the difference times throughout the Qur’an. The name
between Al-Ahad and Al-Wahid, Al-Ahad appears in one place, and that
although both refer to His oneness. Each is in Surah Ikhlas.
name of Allah T is unique and offers a

237
 ٌ‫ٱلل أَ َحد‬
ُ َّ ‫قُ ۡل ُه َو‬
Qul huwal laahu ahad

English Translation:

“Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One,” (Qur’an 112:1)

َ
ۢ ‫كن َّ ُلۥ ُك ُف ًوا أ َح ُد‬
ُ َ ََۡ
‫ولم ي‬
Wa lam yakul-lahoo kufuwan ahad (section 1)

English Translation:

“Nor is there to Him any equivalent.” (Qur’an 112:4)

Sa’īd b. al-Musayyib reported in mursal form that the Prophet said, “If anyone recites
ten times ‘Say, He is God, One’, a palace will be built for him in paradise because of
it; if anyone recites twenty times two palaces will be built for him in paradise because
of it; and if anyone recites it thirty times three palaces will be built for him in paradise
because of it.” ‘Umar b. al-Khattāb said, “I swear by God, messenger of God, that we
shall then produce many palaces for ourselves;” to which he replied, “God’s
abundant grace is even more comprehensive than that.” [1]

The Love For Surah Ikhlas:

Anas said: One of the Ansar used to lead to lead them in Salat. When the Prophet
the Ansar in Salat in the Quba’ mosque x went to them as usual, they informed
and it was his habit to recite Qul Huwal- him about it.
lahu Ahad whenever he wanted to recite
The Prophet x addressed him and said,
something in Salat.
“O so-and-so, what forbids you from
When he finished that Surah, he would doing what your companions ask you to
recite another one with it. He followed the do? Why do you read this Surah
same procedure in each Rak’a. His particularly in every Rak’a?” He repiled,
companions discussed this with him and “I love this Surah.” The Prophet x said,
said, “You recite this Surah and do not “Your love for this Surah will make you
consider it sufficient and then you recite enter Paradise.” [2]

another. So would you recite it alone or

leave it and recite some other.”
He said, “I will never leave it and if you
want me to be your Imam on this
condition then it is all right; otherwise I will
leave you.”
They knew that he was the best amongst
them and they did not like someone else
Abu Darda reported Allah’s Apostle x as
saying: Is any one of you incapable of
reciting a third of the Qur’an in a night?
They (the Companions) asked: How could
one recite a third of the Qur’an (in a
night)? Upon this he (the Holy Prophet x)
said:” ‘Say: He is Allah, One’ (Qur’an 112) is
equivalent to a third of the Qur’an.” [3]
238
 The believer benefits in knowing that honorable in the sight of Allah T often
Allah T is Al-Ahad. We realize what it neglected? It’s easy to conform and
means to be truly unique. Allah is the one blend in with the masses. In fact, we may
and only Creator (Al-Khaliq), the one and unconsciously do this so as to not be
only Provider (Ar-Razzaq). As the title of ostracized from standing out. Instead,
the Surah Ikhlas (meaning ‘sincerity’) we should recognize how Allah T made
suggests, we turn to Him with the purest us unique and be grateful to Him. Don’t
intentions to seek His mercy, love, and fall for the dreams people sell that you
acceptance. We also learn of the should be like them, which can only be
extensive rewards that’s gift-wrapped achieved by purchasing their product.
for the believer in reciting Surah Ikhlas. This is a chase that will lead to

We can reflect on this name by asking unfulfillment. True contentedness is

ourselves how we are unique. What through acceptance and gratitude for

admirable qualities do I possess or wish what Allah T has given you.

to develop? What are attributes

Supplications from Hadith:

ْ َ‫ـم ُد َّالـذي ل‬
ْ‫ـم يَل ِـد‬ َ ‫الص‬َّ ‫ِـد األَ َحـد‬ُ ‫ـك الواح‬ َ َّ َ ُ َ ُ َ ْ َ ّ َّ ُ ّ
‫اللهـم إِن ِـي أسألـك يا اهلل بِأن‬
َ
َ ْ ‫ـك أن‬
َ َّ ُ َْ ْ َ َ ً ُ ُ َ ْ ْ َ ‫َول َ ْم‬
َ‫يول َول َ ْم ي‬
‫ـت‬ ‫كـن ُل كـفوا أ َحـد أن تغـ ِف ْر يل ذنـويب إِن‬
َ
‫الر ّحِـيم‬ ُ ‫الغ‬
َّ ‫فـور‬

Allahumma inni as’aluka ya Allah bi’annaka ‘l-Wahidu ‘l-Ahadus-samad, alladhi lam

yalid wa lam yulad, wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad, an taghfir li dhunubi, innaka anta
‘l-Ghafurur-Rahim.

English Translation:

“O Allah, I ask You. O Allah, You are the One, the Only, Self-Sufficient Master, Who was
not begotten and begets not, and none is equal to Him. Forgive me my sins, surely
you are Forgiving, Merciful.” [4]

References:
[1] Mishkat al-Masabih 2185
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 774b
[3] Sahih Muslim 811a & Riyad as-Salihin 1010
239 [4] Sunan an-Nasa’i 1301
 As-Samad
(The Eternal)

The Everlasting, The Master,

The Self-Sufficient.

ُ َّ ْ
Allah T is As-Samad (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلص َمد‬, meaning He is the one whom refuge is sought
in times of adversity. He is eternal, whole and complete. There is no emptiness.

From the root sad mim dāl (‫د‬ ‫)ص م‬, which occurs only once in the Qur’an. It has the
following classical Arabic connotations: to endeavor, to reach or attain something, to
turn to, to need, to direct oneself toward, or aim toward something, to set up, to erect
something, to be impenetrable, solid, to remain unaffected, unchanged, to be sublime,
and everlasting.

Exploring multiple meanings of the name:

There are several meanings of As- indivisible, and unique. There is no deity
Samad. We’ve covered some of these outside of Him who we can sufficiently
aspects in the previous names, so less rely upon. The nature of creation is
time will be spent here elaborating on neediness, so we turn to the one
those qualities. The first is the idea of absolutely free of needs and depend on
self-sustaining, self-sufficiency, and no one else. He alone is enough for the
being independent of all things (see also believer. All our troubles, needs, and
#63, Al-Qayyum). The name is mentioned wants are handled perfectly in the care
in Surah Ikhlas shortly after being told of Allah T.
that Allah T is Al-Ahad (The Unique / The Also note, this name or attribute of being
Sole One). These names come together Samad is only applicable for Allah T.
to paint a picture that He is alone,

ُ َ َّ ُ َّ ٌ َ َ ُ َّ ُ ۡ ُ
2 ‫ ٱلل ٱلصمد‬1 ‫قل ه َو ٱلل أحد‬
1. Qul huwal laahu ahad 2. Allah hus-samad

English Translation:

“Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge.” (Qur’an 112:1-2)

240
 The other common interpretation of As- Him. Glory be to Allah, the One, the
Samad is the master who has complete Irresistible.’” [1]

control. “Ibn Abbas, ‘He is the Master Who
is perfect in His sovereignty, the Most
Noble Who is perfect in His nobility, the
Most Magnificent Who is perfect in His
magnificence, the Most Forbearing Who
is perfect in His forbearance, the All-
Knowing Who is perfect in His knowledge,
and the Most Wise Who is perfect in His
wisdom. He is the One Who is perfect in
all aspects of nobility and authority. He is
Allah, glory be unto Him. These attributes
are not befitting anyone other than Him.
He has no coequal and nothing is like
From The Study Qur’an, it mentions
As-Samad “lexical, non-theological
meaning indicates something solid and
impenetrable or simply ‘not hollow.’”
It then describes theologically As-Samad
as being interpreted by some as “an
allusion to the primary or initial cause of
all things, an eternally self-sufficient,
independent being who continues to
exist after His creation has ceased to
exist the one who has and always will
be.”

Supplication from hadith with the name As-Samad:

Abdullah bin Buraidah Al Aslami narrated from his father, who said: “The Prophet x
heard a man supplicating, and he was saying:

َّ ُ َ َّ ُ َ َ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ ْ َ َ َّ َ ُ َ ْ َ ّ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ّ َّ ُ َّ
‫اللهم إ ِ ِن أسألك بِأ ِن أشهد أنك أنت الل ال إِل إِال أنت األحد الصمد الِي‬
َ ُُ َ ُ َ َْ ُ ََْ ْ َ َْ
‫ول َول ْم يَك ْن ُل كف ًوا أ َح ٌد‬‫لم ي ِل ولم ي‬
Allahumma inni as’aluka bi annī ashhadu annaka antallāh, la ilaha illa ant, al-ahadus-
samad, alladhi lam yalid wa lam yūlad, wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad

English Translation:

“O Allah, indeed, I ask you by my testifying that You are Allah, there is none worthy
of worship except You, the One, As-Samad, the one who does not beget, nor was
begotten, and there is none who is like Him.”[2]

He said: “So he said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, he has asked Allah by His
Greatest Name, the one which if He is called upon by it, He responds, and when He is
asked by it, He gives.’”

The believer benefits from knowing that Allah T is As-Samad. No one but Allah T
could fulfill all our needs, so we turn to Him and ask for His mercy. Ibn Abbas was
privileged to be so young and to have accepted Islam so early. He had immediate
access to the Prophet x who would often give him advice.
241
So one day, he was praying behind the
Prophet x, the Prophet x turned to him
told him the following. “ He said: ‘O boy! I
will teach you a statement: Be mindful of
Allah and He will protect you. Be mindful
of Allah and you will find Him before you.
When you ask, ask Allah, and when you
seek aid, seek Allah’s aid. Know that if the
entire creation were to gather together
to do something to benefit you - you
would never get any benefit except that
Allah had written for you. And if they were
to gather to do something to harm you
- you would never be harmed except
that Allah had written for you. The pens
are lifted and the pages are dried.’”
For all our needs, be it spiritual, physical,
or material - the source is Allah
As-Samad, the eternal refuge. We should
never feel as though we are asking for
too much and limit our asking, this would
be an insult to Allah T who is Ar-Razzaq
(The Provider). Any restriction you put in
References:
[1] Tafsir by Ibn Kathir | commentary of surah ikhlas ayah 2
[2] Sahih (Darussalam) Jami at-Tirmidhi 3475
[3] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami at-Tirmidhi 2516
[4] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami at-Tirmidhi 3604i
your du’a is a reflection of a self-imposed
limitation of what you believe is possible
for yourself. Thabit narrated from Anas,
who said, “The Messenger of Allah (x)
said: ‘Let one of you ask his Lord for his
every need, even until he asks Him for
the strap of his sandal when it breaks.’” [4]
Imam Zarruq writes of As-Samad as “the
one whom people direct themselves to
in respect of needs to be provided for.”
So the anthropomorphic realization of
this divine attribute would be to become
a person who people can turn to for
help. Other people need us just as we
need them. Seek the pleasure of Allah T
[3]
by helping your fellow brother or sister.
Be a source of comfort and assistance
T who that benefits them.
And remember, la hawla wala quwwata,
“there is no might nor power except with
Allah.” All physical manifestation of help
in this world comes from Allah T.
242
 Al-qadir / Al-qadeer
(The All-Powerful)

The Able,
The All Capable

َْ
Allah T is Al-Qaadir (in Arabic: ‫)القاد ُِر‬, the most powerful with the ability to measure
out everything. Whenever He decrees a thing, it is. Nothing can interrupt or disturb
the will of Allah T. He is the most capable without any limitations.

From the root qaf-dal-ra (‫)ق د ر‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to measure something, to make manifest the measure of something, to distribute or
apportion (as though by measure), measure-out to decree, to ordain, to decide a
matter (as though measuring it to fit), to exercise thought in preparing something, to
make use of reason (measuring out), to have the power, to accomplish, to be rendered
able, capable, to be able, to prevail, to be empowered, to have control over.

A name for inspiration:

This name of Allah T is a beautiful name
to inspire optimism and fill us with vibrant
energy. The belief in this attribute also
connects us to all the other names.
Al-Qadir is the able one - this refers to His
strength and ability to do as He pleases.
Sometimes we may want a thing, but as
time goes on, we lose faith, it seems too
distant or impossible, and we ask of Allah
T less and less. This is wrong. We should
continue to ask from Allah T for as long
as we’re alive because only He can give it
to us.
Why would we stop? Prophet Ibrahim
(q) was reportedly eighty-six years
old when he was granted his first child. If a
thing doesn’t benefit you, then Allah T verses in the Qur’an which mention the
may withhold it, and He knows best. But
243 don’t ever believe it’s not within your fate
because you don’t know. Believing so
becomes self-fulfilling as you’ll ask less
and not take the necessary action to
receive His barakah (blessing). It’s as if to
say Allah T can’t or won’t do this for me.
The best attitude for a believer is to say
neither I can nor can’t. The servant of Allah
T operates in a state of surrender to
Allah; he works to serve. He does let his ego
direct his action through the delusion of
superiority and self-control. But the other
extreme is the delusion of irresponsibility,
that you’re incapable of doing anything.
Simply be a servant who serves his creator,
his family, and his community and lives
immensely thankful to His creator. The
name Al-Qadir encourage us to keep
asking Allah T in this light.
 ُ ‫ك م َِّمن ت َ َش‬
ُّ‫آء َوتُعِز‬ َ ْ ُْ ُ َ َ ُ ََ َ َ ْ ُْ ْ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ ٰ َ َّ ُ َّ ُ
‫زنع ٱلمل‬
ِ ‫ت‬ ‫و‬ ‫آء‬ ‫ش‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬‫ٱل‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ‫ؤ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ك‬
ِ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ِك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ـ‬ ‫م‬ ‫م‬‫ه‬‫ٱلل‬ ‫ل‬
ِ ‫ق‬
ٌ ‫ش ٍء ۢ قَد‬ َ
ْ ‫ع ُك‬ّ َ ْ
َ َ َّ ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ُّ َُ ُ ََ َ
‫ِير‬ ِ ٰ ‫من تشآء وتذِل من تشآء ۖ بِيدِك ٱلي ۖ إِنك‬
Qulil laahumma Maalikal Mulki tu’til mulka man tashaaa’u wa tanzi’ul mulka mimman
tashhaaa’u wa tu’izzu man tashaaa’u wa tuzillu man tashaaa’u biyadikal khairu innaka
‘alaa kulli shai’in Qadeer

English Translation:

“Say, ‘O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take
sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble whom
You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent.’” (Qur’an 3:26)

The story of an unnamed Prophet:

The Qur’an also provides a lesson from an unnamed Prophet (may peace be upon him).
He stood looking at a fallen/abandoned town, and He asked out of curiosity (not from a
place of doubt), “How will Allah restore life to this town that is now dead?” Allah T then
revealed to him His ability and what He’s capable of. The Prophet, at the end of this, calls
upon the name Al-Qadir saying, “I know that Allah is over all things competent.” Competent
here referring knowledge, skill, or ability to do something successfully.

َ‫ٱلل َب ۡعد‬ ُ َّ ِ ‫ن يُ ۡحۦ َهٰ ِذه‬ َّ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ٰ َ َ ٌ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ٰ َ َ َّ َ َّ َ ۡ َ

ِ ٰ ‫أو كٱلِي مر ع قريةٖ و ِه خاوِية ع عروشِها قال أ‬
َ ۡ َ ۡ ً ۡ َ ُ ۡ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َّ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُ َّ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ
َ
‫موت ِهاۖ فأماته ٱلل مِائة ع ٖم ثم بعثه ۖۥ قال كم لِثتۖ قال لِثت يوما أو بعض‬
ٰ‫ٱنظ ۡر إ ِ َل‬ ُ َ ۡ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ۡ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َ
‫يومٖۖ قال بل لِثت مِائة ع ٖم فٱنظر إِل طعامِك وشابِك لم يتسنهۖ و‬
َ ۡ َ ُ َ ُ ُ ََۡ ِ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ َّ ِ ‫ك َءايَ ٗة ّل‬
َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َِ
‫نشها ث َّم نك ُسوها‬ ِ ‫اس وٱنظر إِل ٱلعِظام كيف ن‬ ِۖ ‫لن‬ ‫حارِك ولِ جعل‬
َ َ
ّ ُ ٰ َ َ َ َّ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ َ َّ َ َ ٗ ۡ َ
ٞ ‫شءٖ قَد‬ ۡ َ ‫ك‬
‫ِير‬ ِ ‫لما ۚ فلما تبي لۥ قال أعلم أن ٱلل ع‬
Aw kallazee marra ‘alaa qaryatinw wa hiya khaawiyatun ‘alaa ‘urooshihaa qaala annaa
yuhyee haazihil laahu ba’da mawtihaa fa amaatahul laahu mi’ata ‘aamin summa
ba’asahoo qaala kam labista qaala labistu yawman aw ba’da yawmin qaala bal labista
mi’ata ‘aamin fanzur ilaa ta’aamika wa sharaabika lam yatasannah wanzur ilaa himaarika
wa linaj’alaka Aayatal linnaasi wanzur ilal’izaami kaifa nunshizuhaa summa naksoohaa
lahmaa; falammaa tabayyana lahoo qaala a’lamu annal laaha ‘alaa kulli shai’in Qadeer
English Translation:

“Or [consider such an example] as the one who passed by a township which had
fallen into ruin. He said, ‘How will Allah bring this to life after its death?’ So Allah
caused him to die for a hundred years; then He revived him. He said, ‘How long
have you remained?’ The man said, ‘I have remained a day or part of a day.’ He
said, ‘Rather, you have remained one hundred years. Look at your food and your
drink; it has not changed with time. And look at your donkey; and We will make you
a sign for the people. And look at the bones [of this donkey] – how We raise them
and then We cover them with flesh.’ And when it became clear to him, he said, ‘I
know that Allah is over all things competent.’” (Qur’an 2:259) 244
 From the life of Prophet Zakariya (q):
The story of Prophet Zakariya (q) and Mary, from where is this [coming] to you?’
Maryam (May Allah be pleased with her)
it perfectly illustrates the quality of how
Allah T is Al-Qadir (though the name is
not directly used). Zakariya (q) was
Maryam (x) sponsor and was married
to her sister. He used to visit Maryam
(x) in her chambers quite often, and
whenever He did, he was surprised by the
provisions that seemed to multiply with
each visit. Eventually, he just asked,” ‘O
She said, ‘It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah
provides for whom He wills without
account.’” (Qur’an 3:37). Right then Prophet
Zakariya (q) made a du’a asking from
Allah T for a child. For whatever reason,
this had not occurred to Zakariya (q).
Like Prophet Ibrahim (q) he was in his
old age, but his wife was also infertile. The
truth was revealed at that moment, and
Zakariya (q) made the following du’a:

ٓ ُّ ُ َ َ َّ ً َ ّ َ ٗ َّ ّ ُ َ ُ َّ ۡ ‫ُه َنال َِك َد َع َز َكر َّيا َر َّب ُه ۖۥ قَ َال َر ّب َه‬

ِ‫ٱدل َعء‬ ‫ب ِل مِن لنك ذرِية طيِبة ۖ إِنك س ِميع‬ ِ ِ
Hunaaalika da’aa Zakariyyaa Rabbahoo qaala Rabbi hab lee mil ladunka zurriyyatan
taiyibatan innaka samee’ud du’aaa

English Translation:

“At that, Zechariah called upon his Lord, saying, ‘My Lord, grant me from Yourself a
good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication.’” (Qur’an 3:38)

Allah T gives without measure and
is able to overcome every obstacle. The
believer benefits from knowing Allah T
is Al-Qadir. Just as when you need help
moving, you call on friends or family that
are able to help. You don’t call on people
who are not reliable, unavailable, or
overseas. Similarly, Allah T is Al-Qadir -
the all-powerful, the all-able, the one
who can assist you no matter the
circumstance. Sometimes we say Insha-
Allah, but we don’t believe it. We don’t
have enough conviction. Allah T knows
no limitations, but perhaps He may limit
us based on the ones we self-impose.
By setting the bar too low, He may fulfill
our du’a, so we miss out on all the other
gifts He could’ve given us.

ْ َ ُ ْ ُ َ ٰ َ ٰ َّ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ َ ْ ّ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ ٌ َ ُّ ُ ْ َ ٰ َ َ َّ َ َ َ
‫أولمآ أصـبتكم م ِصيبة قد أصبتم ِمثليها قلتم أن هـذا ۖ قل هو مِن عِن ِد‬
ْ َ ‫ك‬
ٌ‫ش ٍء ۢ قَدِير‬ ّ ُ ٰ َ َ َ َّ َّ ْ ُ ُ َ
ِ ‫أنفسِكم ۗ إِن ٱلل ع‬
Awa lammaaa asaabatkum museebatun qad asabtum mislaihaa qultum annaa
haazaa qul huwa min ‘indi anfusikum; innal laaha ‘alaa kulli shai’in Qadeer

English Translation:

“Why [is it that] when a [single] disaster struck you [on the day of Uhud], although
you had struck [the enemy in the battle of Badr] with one twice as great, you said,
“From where is this?” Say, “It is from yourselves.” Indeed, Allah is over all things
245
competent.” (Qur’an 3:165)
After the battle of Uhud, which was a
great loss, the believers weaker in faith
had begun questioning how they could
lose when Allah T and His Messenger x
were on their side. They asked, “From
where is this?” and Allah T responded,
“It is from yourselves.” This reminds us
that we must move towards certain
things we’ve asked for. We have to take
some responsibility in our du’a. Otherwise,
we may fall victim to the same tragedy
that occurred on the battlefield. The loss
of Uhud was due to impatience.
They were not disciplined, lured by
material wealth, and abandoned their
stations. And so, just as Al-Qadir has the
power to make them victorious, He also
has the power to bring about their
defeat. He can do anything He wishes.
The implied lesson is if you make du’a for
knowledge, Allah T may give you the
cognitive mental ability. He may make
the teachers and books accessible, but
if your pride or laziness prevents you
from learning from them, “It is from
yourselves.”
246
 Al-muqtadir
(The All-Determiner)

The Powerful, The Dominant,

The Enforcer.

ْ ْ
Allah T is Al-Muqtadir (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل ُمق َتد ُِر‬, the all-powerful who delivers a suitable
measure of all things. He has absolute strength, power, and mastery. Nothing is
beyond his power.

From the root qaf-dal-ra (‫)ق د ر‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to measure something, know the measure of something, to distribute, allot or
apportion the suitable measure to decree, to ordain, to decide a matter (as though
measuring it to fit), to exercise thought in preparing something, to make use of reason,
to intend or determine something, to have the power, to accomplish, to be rendered
able, to be able to prevail, to be empowered.

Difference between Al-Qadir and Al-Muqtadir:

The names Al-Qadir (The All-Powerful)
and Al-Muqtadir (The All-Determiner)
both refer to Allah’s attribute of
possessing power or being capable. But
as Imam al-Ghazali mentions, “All-
Determiner is more emphatic. Power is
equivalent to the intention by which a
thing comes into existence according to
a determinate plan of will and knowledge,
and in conformity with both of them.”
So, both names establish Allah T as
having power, but Al-Muqtadir exercises
His power over everything. The example
al-Ghazali gives how Allah T has
determined a day for resurrection. In this
sense, He’s the All-Determiner, The
Enforcer. But if He wished, he could bring
about the day of judgment today - but
He chooses not to. Everything is done
according to His knowledge; the reason
for not doing so is up to Him. He’s fixed
an appointed time, and nothing can
resist His plan (similar to Al-Qahhar - the
irresistible).

Pairing with the name Al-Malik

Coupling of the name Al-Muqtadir with the name Al-Malik (The King):

ۡ ۡ ‫ف َم ۡق َعد‬
‫ِيك ُّمق َتد ِِر‬ َ َ
ٖ ‫صد ٍق عِند مل‬
ِ ِ ِ
Fee maq’adi sidqin ‘inda Maleekin Muqtadir

English Translation:

247
“In a seat of honor near a Sovereign, Perfect in Ability.” (Qur’an 54:55)
What has been said about the pairing of the names Al-Muqtadir and Al-Malik. Imam
Zarruq wrote, “Al-Muqtadir comes from iqtidar, which is to overpower whoever He
granted a portion of power to. As such, it reverts to the gathering meaning
encompassed by the name Al-Malik.” It is Allah T who has complete and total power.

He puts into creation whatever power they possess. No creation by itself is powerful
except that Allah has made it such. “If Allah is your helper none can overcome you,
and if He withdraw His help from you, who is there who can help you after Him? In
Allah let believers put their trust.” ( Qur’an 3:160)

ُ‫ٱخ َتلَ َط بهِۦ َن َبات‬ ۡ َ َ َّ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ ُّ ٰ َ َ ۡ َ َ َّ ُ َ ۡ ۡ َ

ِ ‫ٱضب لهم مثل ٱليوة ِ ٱدلنيا كمآ ٍء أنزلنه مِن ٱلسمآءِ ف‬ ِ ‫و‬
ّ ُ ٰ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ ُ ٰ َ ّ ُ ُ ۡ َ ٗ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ
ۡ ۡ َ ‫ك‬
‫شءٖ ُّمق َتد ًِرا‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ك‬ ‫و‬ ۗ‫ح‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ٱلر‬ ‫وه‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ذ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ا‬ ‫يم‬ ِ‫ش‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ح‬ ‫ب‬‫ص‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ف‬ ِ
‫ۡرض‬ ‫ٱل‬
ِ ِ
Wadrib lahum masalal hayaatid dunyaa kamaaa’in anzalnaahu minas samaaa’i
fakhtalata bihee nabaatul ardi fa asbaha hasheeman tazroo hur riyaah; wa kaanal
laahu ‘alaa kulli shai’im muqtadiraa

English Translation:
“And present to them the example of the life of this world, [its being] like rain which
We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and
[then] it becomes dry remnants, scattered by the winds. And Allah is ever, over all
things, Perfect in Ability.” (Qur’an 18:45)

َ ۡ ُّ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ّ ُ َ ٰ َ َ ْ ُ َّ َ
‫يز مقتد ٍِر‬ ٖ ‫كذبوا بِـٔايتِنا ك ِها فأخذنهم أخذ ع ِز‬
Kazzaboo bi Aayaatinaa kullihaa fa akhaznaahum akhza azeezim muqtadir

English Translation:

“They denied Our signs, all of them, so We seized them with a seizure of one Exalted
in Might and Perfect in Ability.” (Qur’an 54:42)

The weight of the world is on the
shoulders of the one who believes
everything is his doing. Any failure or
success is believed by him to be
attributed to him. This is a very unhealthy
previously; Anas bin Malik narrated that a
man said: “O Messenger of Allah! Shall I
tie it and rely (upon Allah), or leave it
loose and rely (upon Allah)?” He said: “Tie
it and rely (upon Allah).” [1]

attitude and can be the root cause of Do what is required and leave the rest
many personal troubles, from extreme up to Allah T. If what you wished to
egotism to self-hatred and anxiety. There achieve comes true, alhamdulillah, Allah
is still personal accountability and T has given you the power and allowed
responsibility, no doubt. We quote the it to be.
famous hadith which was mentioned
248
 But if things don’t go the way you
imagined, say alhamdulillah for Allah
knows best. “For We do determine
(according to need); for We are the best
to determine (things)” (Qur’an 77:23).
Submit to Allah’s will, become in love with
it, and embrace it. This is the route for the
one who wants to receive His love,
blessings, and power.
It’s important not to indulge
unnecessary self-criticism. There is a
healthy form of guilt and an unhealthy
form. A normal person may feel shame
or embarrassed in failing an exam, but
to what degree depends entirely on the
circumstance. With the analogy of the
camel, the question would be, do you
sincerely believe you had done your part
in preparation? Did you study, seek the
help of teachers, assistants, tutors, or
online videos? Did you do all that you
could’ve done? If not, let this failure serve
as feedback that leads to behavior
change. Don’t repeat the mistake of the
past. If you are stressed, there’s often an
underlying cause; take the first step to
address it because negligence would be
from yourself.
In the story of Prophet Musa (q),
when he tried to break up the fight, he
had no intention of killing the man. As
soon as he realizes that the man has
References:
249 [1]Hasan (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2517
died, he says, “This is from the work of
T Satan. Indeed, he is a manifest,
misleading enemy.” He felt remorseful
immediately and began praying to Allah,
Rabbi innee zalamtu nafsee faghfir lee
meaning, “My Lord, indeed I have
wronged myself, so forgive me.” In the
same ayah, we are told Allah T
responded to this call, “and He forgave
in him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the
Merciful.” ( Qur’an 28:18).
From what we know of the story is Musa
(q) did not dwell on this failure or
mistake. He made sincere repentance,
and the story continues. He forgave
himself just as Allah T had forgiven him.
The only way to get rid of the skeletons in
your closet is to pile so much good on
top of it that it becomes hidden from
view. Musa (q) shifted his focus from
his dire state to seeking good that could
be done in the name of Allah T, Rabbi
innee limaaa anzalta ilaiya min khairin
faqeer, “My Lord, indeed I am, for
whatever good You would send down to
me, in need.” ( Qur’an 28:24)
Now, if you can confidently say there is
nothing more you could’ve done, then
Allah T knows best, and we can only
connect the dots looking back. But what
sense does it make to feel terrible about
something you cannot control?
 Al-Muqaddim
(The Expediter)

The Promoter, The Expediter,

The One who Brings Forward.

َ ْ
Allah T is Al-Muqaddim (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل ُمق ّ ِد ُم‬, The One who promotes or brings forward.
This includes promoting His servants to higher ranks.

From the root qaf-dal-mim ( ‫م‬ ‫)ق د‬, which Promoter, or the one who brings forth,
has the following classical Arabic and the other is Al-Mu’akhkhir, The
connotations: to precede, to come Postponer, or the one who pushes away.
before, to head, to lead, to offer, to bring In this section, we will focus on what it
forward, to make foremost, to put at the means to refer to Allah T by the name
front, to advance, to promote, to exist called Al-Muqaddim, and in the next,
without beginning. we’ll cover in more detail the name
The next two names in this series are Al-Mu’akhkhir. But note they should not
closely connected and should be be separated and mentioned in pairs
mentioned together for full like Al-Qabid and Al-Basit.
comprehension. Al-Muqqadim is The

First Interpretation - The Promoter:

The first meaning is the promoter. This interpretation is likened to the name Ar-Rafi
(The Exalter, The Elevator). Imam al-Ghazali mentions that the one who is brought
close to Him is promoted. They have been given guidance and shown mercy.

This includes the angels, prophets, friends, and scholars. And so Allah T ‘brings forth’
some through worship and seeking His approval and guidance.

Second Interpretation - A discussion on free will:

The second interpretation is that Al-Muqaddim is the one who expedites. This
discussion leads us down the path of free will and fate, which understandably can be
confusing, and we’ll try our best to clarify.

As the name pertains, He can make something happen sooner and be accomplished
more quickly.

250
 For example, we know Allah
proportioned our rizq for us as “(inscribed)
in Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved
Tablet)” (Qur’an 85:22). But from our
perspective, through du’a and other
actions which are beloved to Him, we
can have our rizq expedited
increased. But from Allah T perspective,
there has been no change in the
prescribed tablet. Our total rizq was
decreed just as the du’a we made was
known to Allah T before we made it. But
from our vantage point, it seems as
though it was expedited. Remember
Allah’s T existence is not linear. He is not
bounded by time like we are.
T has four things. He is ordered to write down
his (i.e. the new creature’s) deeds, his
livelihood, his (date of) death, and
whether he will be blessed or wretched
(in religion). Then the soul is breathed
into him. So, a man amongst you may do
and (good deeds till there is only a cubit
between him and Paradise and then
what has been written for him decides
his behavior and he starts doing (evil)
deeds characteristic of the people of
the (Hell) Fire. And similarly a man
amongst you may do (evil) deeds till
there is only a cubit between him and
the (Hell) Fire, and then what has been
written for him decides his behavior, and

Narrated by Abdullah bin Mus’ud: Allah’s he starts doing deeds characteristic of

Messenger x, the true and truly inspired the people of Paradise.”[1]

said, “(The matter of the creation of) a Abdullah b. Amr b. al-’As reported: I heard
human being is put together in the Allah’s Messenger x as saying: Allah
womb of the mother in forty days, and ordained the measures (of quality) of
then he becomes a clot of thick blood the creation fifty thousand years before
for a similar period, and then a piece of He created the heavens and the earth,
flesh for a similar period. Then Allah as His Throne was upon water. [2]

sends an angel who is ordered to write

ُ َ ْ َ ّ َْ
ْ َ‫ٱل‬ َ ‫ِندهُۥ َم َفات ُِح ٱلْ َغيْب َل َي ْعلَ ُم َها ٓ إ َّل ُه َو ۚ َو َي ْعلَ ُم‬
‫ح ِر ۚ َو َما ت ْسق ُط‬ ‫بو‬ ِ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ف‬ِ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫َوع‬
َْ
َّ َ
‫ب ول ياب ِ ٍس إِل ِف‬
ََ
ۢ ْ
‫ط‬ َ
‫ر‬ ‫ل‬
ََ
‫و‬ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫ر‬ْ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ت‬ ِ ٰ ‫مِن َو َرقَ ٍة إ ِ َّل َي ْعلَ ُم َها َو َل َح َّب ٍةۢ ِف ُظلُ َم‬
‫ـ‬
ٍ
ۢ ٍ ِ ‫ب ُّمب‬
‫ني‬ ۢ ٍ ‫ك َِت ٰـ‬
Wa indahoo mafaatihul ghaibi laa ya’lamuhaaa illaa Hoo; wa ya’lamu maa fil barri
walbahr; wa maa tasqutu minw waraqatin illaa ya’lamuhaa wa laa habbatin fee
zulumaatil ardi wa laa ratbinw wa laa yaabisin illaa fee Kitaabim Mubeen

English Translation:
“And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He
knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And
no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but
that it is [written] in a clear record.” (Qur’an 6:50)

251
Is your rizq decreed?
The question arises, if rizq is decreed,
then there can be no increase? Yes, and
no. The problem which plagues us is
awareness or consciousness. We fail to
recognize or accept that our knowledge
may be deficient/limited. So for all
practical purposes, it is best to view qadr
from our perspective as infinite
possibilities. From Allah’s perspective,
there is only one since He has complete
knowledge and knows the ending of all
things, “...with Him are the keys of the
unseen; none knows them except Him.”
A simple illustrative example, He may
have decreed to the angels at birth to
write for us $1,000,000, but at the end of
our lifetime, it could have increased to
$2,000,000 since His believer was devout
and spread a lot of good into this world.
The outcome of $2,000,000 was originally
written and known by Allah T, but it was
not known to anyone else. As an analogy,
a person watching a movie with a friend
who hasn’t seen the film knows all the
plot twists and turns. And so, the most
productive outlook we can have in such
matters is approaching each day with
our best foot forward. To try and go to
bed a little wiser and to have some more
good deeds under your belt than from
when you first woke up. We need not
complicate matters any further by
thinking if my provision was decreed and
it was guaranteed, then I can’t do
anything and should let things unfold
and manifest. This is foolish thinking.
Jabir reported: The Messenger of Allah
x, peace and blessings be upon him,
said, “Were the son of Adam to flee from
his provision as he flees from death, his
provision would surely reach him just as
death will reach him.” [3]
Umar bin Al-Khattab narrated that the
Messenger of Allah x said: “If you were
to rely upon Allah with the required
reliance, then He would provide for you
just as a bird is provided for, it goes out
in the morning empty, and returns full.” [4]
The hadith clearly mentions that the
birds have to go out in the morning, each
and every day, in search of their rizq. This
signifies the importance of not neglecting
your duty in taking action. (Make note we
mention in the name Ar-Razzaq that rizq
is of many types. Here we have been
referring to it in the sense of the material).
The hadith also does not neglect the role
of seeking Allah’s trust that He knows
what’s best for us. And so we turn to Him
because we need Him. He is the source
for which all things come forth, so we
make du’a so to receive His blessings.
We’ve been given many examples in the
Qur’an of how rizq has been distributed
and the ways in which it is received and
deserved. For example, in the name Al-
Qadir, we mentioned how Allah T gave
Prophet Zakariya (q) a child, despite
His old age and His wife is barren. This is
the qadr of Allah T but was only made
a reality because of du’a, good deeds,
and the righteous character of Prophet
Zakariya (q). The Qur’an explicitly
mentions, “So We responded to him, and
We gave him John, and amended for
him his wife. Indeed, they used to hasten
to good deeds and supplicate Us in
hope and fear, and they were to Us
humbly submissive.” (Qur’an 21:90).”
252
 Other ways include purifying our state by means of seeking His forgiveness, “And said,
‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send [rain
from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers And give you increase in wealth and
children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.” (Qur’an 71:10-12)

Also, Narrated Anas bin Malik: I heard Allah’s Messenger x saying, “whoever desires
an expansion in his sustenance and age, should keep good relations with his Kith and
kin.”[5]
َ ۡ َ ٓ َ َّ َ ّ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ْ ۡ َ َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ ٰٓ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َّ َ ۡ َ َ
ِ ‫ت مِن ٱلسماءِ وٱل‬
‫ۡرض‬ ٰ َ
ٖ ‫ولو أن أهل ٱلقرى ءامنوا وٱتقوا لفتحنا علي ِهم برك‬
َ ُ ۡ َ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َ
‫كن كذبوا فأخذنهم بِما كنوا يكسِبون‬ ِ ٰ ‫َول‬
Wa law anna ahlal quraaa aamanoo wattaqaw lafatahnaa ‘alaihim barakaatim minas
samaaa’i wal ardi wa laakin kazzaboo fa akhaznaahum bimaa kaanoo yaksiboon

English Translation:

“And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have
opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the
messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning.” (Qur’an 7:96)

So in many ways, the believer benefits ‘I am just as My slave thinks I am, (i.e., I
from knowing that Allah T is Al- am able to do for him what he thinks I
Muqaddim. He has the power to bring can do for him) and I am with him if He
forth many sweetnesses in our life. It remembers Me.[6]

could be that marriage you’re searching With regards to supplications which

for, the job that pays well and enables include the names Al-Muqaddim and
your family to be supported, or a Al-Mu’akhkhir, there are two mentioned
beautiful, healthy child which you desire. in the hadith. We will mention one here
Allah T provides for all. Narrated Abu and leave the other in the next section of
Huraira: The Prophet x said, “Allah says: Al-Mu’akhkhir.

َّ ّ
َّ‫الل ُهم‬ ُ َْ َ َ َْ ََ ْ َ
َ ْ ‫يئت َو َج ْهل‬ َ َ ْ َّ ُ َّ
ْ ِ‫اغف‬
‫ِإَوس ِاف ِف أم ِري وما أنت أعلم بِهِ م ِِن‬ ِ ِ ‫ط‬
ِ ‫خ‬ ‫ل‬ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫اللهم‬
ْ َّ ْ َ َ ُّ ُ َ َ َ ْ ْ
‫ج ّدِي َوه ْز ِل َوخ َطئِي َوع ْمدِي َوك ذل ِك عِندِي الل ُه َّم اغفِ ْر ِل َما‬ ِ ‫اغفِر ِل‬
َ‫ت أَ ْعلَ ُم بهِ م ِّن َأنْت‬َ ْ ‫ت َو َما َأن‬
ُ ْ‫ت َو َما أَ ْعلَن‬ ُ ‫س ْر‬ َ
َ ْ ‫ت َو َما أ‬ ُ ‫ت َو َما أَ َّخ ْر‬ ُ ‫قَ َّد ْم‬
ِ ِ
ْ َ ‫ك‬
ٌ‫ش ٍء قَدِير‬ ُّ ََ َ ْ ََ ُ ّ َ ُْ َ ْ ََ ُ ّ َ ُْ
ِ ‫المقدِم وأنت المؤخِر وأنت ع‬
Allahummaghfirli Khati ‘ati wa jahli wa israfi fi `Amri kullihi, wa ma anta a’lamu bihi minni.
Allahumma ighfirli khatayaya wa ‘amdi, wa jahli wa jiddi, wa kullu dhalika’indi.
Allahumma ighrifli ma qaddamtu wa ma akhartu wa ma asrartu wa ma a’lantu. Anta-l-
muqaddimu wa anta-l-mu’akh-khiru, wa anta ‘ala kulli shai’in qadir.

253
 English Translation:

“O Allah, forgive me my faults, my ignorance, my immoderation in my concerns.

And Thou art better aware (of my affairs) than myself. O Allah, grant me forgiveness
(of the faults which I committed) seriously or otherwise (and which I committed
inadvertently and de- liberately. All these (failings) are in me. O Allah, grant me
forgiveness from the fault which I did in haste or deferred, which I committed in
privacy or in public and Thou art better aware of (them) than myself. Thou art the
First and the Last and over all things Thou art Omnipotent.” [7]

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 3208 & Sahih Muslim 2643a
[2] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 2144
[3] Hasan (fair) according to Al-Albani Hilyat al-Awliya’ 7/90
[4] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2344
[5] Sahih al-Bukhari 2067
[6] Sahih al-Bukhari 7405
[7] Sahih Muslim 2719a & Sahih al-Bukhari 6398 254
 Al-mu’akhkhir
(The Delayer)

The Postponer,
He Who Puts Far Away.

ْ
Allah T is Al-Mu’akhkhir (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل ُم َؤ ّ ِخ ُر‬, The One who wisely delays or holds back.
By His will, he can detain unbelievers and hold them back on the day of judgment.

From the root hamza-kha-ra (‫)أ خ ر‬, which
has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to cause, to go back,
backwards, retreat, recede, to retire, to
drive back, to put behind or after, to
cause, to remain behind, hang back, lag
behind, to postpone, put off, or delay.
The names Al-Mu’akhkhir and
Muqqadim are two names in this series
that are closely connected and should
be mentioned together for complete
comprehension. Al-Muqqadim is The
Promoter, or the one who brings forth,
and the other is Al-Mu’akhkhir,
Postponer, or the one who pushes away.
For this section, we will focus on what it
means for Allah T to be called by the
name Al-Mu’akhkhir. You can also go
back to the previous name, where we
discuss Al-Muqqadim in more depth. The
first interpretation is that Al-Mu’akhkhir is
the one who pushes away whom He wills.
Some of His creations are honored and
promoted, like His angels, prophets,
friends, and scholars.
But the enemies of Islam He pushes
Al- away and banishes them. A clear
example from the Qur’an would be the
nation of ‘Aad, “And that was ‘Aad, who
rejected the signs of their Lord and
disobeyed His messengers and followed
the order of every obstinate tyrant. And
The they were [therefore] followed in this
world with a curse and [as well] on the
Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably,
‘Aad denied their Lord; then away with
‘Aad, the people of Hud.” (Qur’an 11:59-60)

Du’a from hadith book:

For the name Al-Muqqadim, no ayah in the Qur’an explicitly calls upon this name. Still,
in the hadith corpus, we find a supplication that the Prophet x recites describing
Allah T as being “anta-l-muqaddim” and “wa anta-l-mu akh-khir.”

255
 ُ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ ّ َ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َّ ُ َّ
‫ات واألر ِض ومن فِي ِهن ولك المد لك ملك‬ َ ُ
ِ ‫اللهم لك المد أنت قي ِم السمو‬
َ ََ ْ َ َّ َ
ُ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ َّ ْ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َّ
‫ات واألر ِض ولك‬ َ َ َ ُ
ِ ‫ات واألر ِض ومن فِي ِهن ولك المد أنت نور السمو‬ ِ ‫الس َم َو‬
َ ْ ‫ك َح ٌّق َو‬
ُ‫ال َّن ُة َح ٌّق َوانلَّار‬ َ ُ ْ َ َ ٌّ َ َ ُ َ َ ُّ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َ ُّ َ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ ْ
‫المد أنت الق ووعدك الق ول ِقاؤك حق وقول‬
ََ َّ ُ َّ ٌّ َ ُ َ َّ َ ٌّ َ َُ َ
‫َح ٌّق َوانلَّب ِ ُّيون َح ٌّق َوم َّم ٌد صىل اهلل عليه وسلم حق والساعة حق اللهم لك‬
َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ
‫أسلمت وبِك آمنت وعليك توكت ِإَولك أنبت وبِك خاصمت ِإَولك‬
َ ْ ‫ت َأن‬
ُ‫ت ال ْ ُم َق ّ ِدم‬ ُ ْ‫ت َو َما أَ ْعلَن‬ ُ ‫س ْر‬ َ
َ ْ ‫ت َو َما أ‬ ُ ‫ت َو َما أَ َّخ ْر‬ ُ ‫اغفِ ْر ل َما قَ َّد ْم‬ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َ
‫حاكمت ف‬
ِ
َ
َ ْ ‫ال أن‬ َ
َّ َ َ ُ ّ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ
‫ت‬ ِ ‫خر ال إِل إ‬ ِ ‫وأنت المؤ‬
Allahumma lakal-hamd. Anta qaiyyimus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Walakal-
hamd, Laka mulkus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Walakal-hamd, anta nurus-
samawati wal-ard. Wa lakal-hamd, anta-l-haq wa wa’duka-lhaq, wa liqa’uka Haq, wa
qauluka Haq, wal-jannatu Han wan-naru Haq wannabiyuna Haq. Wa Muhammadun,
sallal-lahu’alaihi wasallam, Haq, was-sa’atu Haq. Allahumma aslamtu Laka wabika
amantu, wa ‘Alaika tawakkaltu, wa ilaika anabtu wa bika khasamtu, wa ilaika hakamtu
faghfir li ma qaddamtu wama akh-khartu wama as-rartu wama’a lantu, anta-l-
muqaddim wa anta-l-mu akh-khir, la ilaha illa anta

English Translation:
“O Allah! All the praises are for you, You are the Holder of the Heavens and the
Earth, And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You have the possession
of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You;
You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth And all the praises are for You; You
are the King of the Heavens and the Earth; And all the praises are for You; You are
the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, And to meet You is true, Your Word is the
truth And Paradise is true And Hell is true And all the Prophets (Peace be upon
them) are true; And Muhammad is true, And the Day of Resurrection is true. O Allah
! I surrender (my will) to You; I believe in You and depend on You. And repent to You,
And with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers) And I take You
as a judge (to judge between us). Please forgive me my previous And future sins;
And whatever I concealed or revealed And You are the One who make (some
people) forward And (some) backward. There is none to be worshipped but you” [1]

A helpful Qur’anic verse:

In the Qur’an, one verse refers to the words qaddama and wa akhkhar, which, if we
analyze, can further help us understand the meaning of both names.
َ َ ۡ ْ ُ َّ َ ُ
َ‫نس ُن يَ ۡو َمئ ِذ ب َما قَ َّد َم َوأ َّخر‬
ٰ ‫ٱل‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫ينبؤا‬
Yunabba ul insaanu yawma ‘izim bimaa qaddama wa akhkhar

English Translation:
“Man will be informed that Day of what he sent ahead and kept back” (Qur’an 75:13) 256
 In this ayah, Allah T is instructing us to
hasten to do good because on the day
of resurrection, we will bring forth
(qaddama) all of our deeds and they will
testify to the good or bad that we’ve
done. Next, it mentions (wa akhkhar),
things we’ve left behind or kept back.
This implies different meanings. Some
commentators suggest it can mean
leaving behind evil on earth, others
interpret it in the affirmative, leaving
behind a good legacy that perpetuates
good for him even after he has returned
to Allah T (e.g., sadaqah jariyah - a
perpetual, on-going charity). Allah’s
Messenger x said: He who introduced
some good practice in Islam which was
followed after him (by people) he would
be assured of reward like one who
followed it, without their rewards being
diminished in any respect. And he who
introduced some evil practice in Islam
which had been followed subsequently
(by others), he would be required to bear
the burden like that of one who followed
this (evil practice) without their’s being
diminished in any respect.[2]

Trials from the life of the Prophets:

One thing that’s important to understand
is Allah T doesn’t just delay or demote
things for quote-unquote ‘bad people,’
for lack of a better term. Some pious
people are delayed in marriage or in
having kids. Each person has their own
fitnah (meaning trial or affliction) to the
level Allah T knows they’re capable of
shouldering. “And We will surely test you
with something of fear and hunger and
a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but
give good tidings to the patient,” (2:155),
and “Allah does not charge a soul except
[with that within] its capacity.” (2:286) We
must recognize He is Aleemul Hakeem,
the all-knowing, the all-wise and see that
things don’t just happen, they happen
just (i.e., by the will of Allah T).
We can even briefly study the lives of the
Prophets to understand how He delays
even those closest to Him. For example,
in the story of Prophet Ayyub (q) he
lost everything in a great tragedy that
killed all His children. In the account of
Ibn Kathir:

Satan once again visited Ayyub disguised as sympathising bystander, and remarked
with sorrow, “The circumstances under which your children died were sad. Surely, your
Lord is not rewarding you properly for all your prayers.”
Ayyub responded, “Allah gives me what is good for me, and takes away what Allah
sees that is displeasing for Him and for me. Allah sees that all of these children may
be a strong test & trial for me, so Allah took them away from me. Whether a thing is
beneficial or harmful to me, I will remain firm in my belief and remain thankful to my
Creator.”

The same can be said for Prophet Nuh (q). Allah T showed mercy, He gave
people every chance to listen and seek His guidance, but only a few did. Prophet Nuh
(q) had to endure 950 years of preaching to an unreceptive and at times, hostile
crowd, “And We certainly sent Noah to his people, and he remained among them a
thousand years minus fifty years, and the flood seized them while they were
257 wrongdoers.” ( Qur’an 29:14)
Even when the flood came from Allah T a clear sign of their disobedience, Nuh
(q) wife and son were still was among deniers and they drowned in the flood,
“[But the son] answered: “I shall betake myself to a mountain that will protect me from
the waters.” Said [Noah]: “Today there is no protection [for anyone] from God’s
judgment, save [for] those who have earned [His] mercy!” And a wave rose up between
them, and [the son] was among those who were drowned” ( Qur’an 11:43)

From these two names, Al-Muqaddim,
and Al-Mu’akhkhir, the believer under-
stands whether Allah T decrees for us
promotion or delay we must not waver
in our faith. Wallaahu khairul maakireen,
“Allah is the best of planners.” “Allah is the
best of planners.” [3]
We must accept His
decree graciously and endure patiently,
for there is wisdom in it. And if you have
fallen back, do not despair, for Allah T is
Al-Muqaddim, the one brings forward.
This is why it’s important to mention the
names together. So as to not lose hope
in Him. There is nothing that can’t stop
Allah T mercy and to increase you in all
aspects of living a good life. So never
despair. As long as you are breathing
Allah T can improve your situation. As
Prophet Ayyub said, “I will remain firm in
my belief and remain thankful to my
Creator.”

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 1120
[2] Sahih Muslim 1017e
[3] Surah Imran Ayat 54 | “And the disbelievers planned, but Allah planned. And Allah is the best of planners.” 258
 Al-Awwal
(The First)

The First, The Pre-Existing

ُ َ
Allah T is Al-Awwal (in Arabic: ‫)ٱأل َّول‬, He is The One whose existence is without
beginning. He is truly the first, and nothing was before Him.

From the root hamza-waw-lam (‫)أ و ل‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be first, principle, to be before, to come back to, to return, to precede,
to be the first part, to be foremost.

Tawhid & Tawakkul:

The understanding and belief in the name establishes tawheed (oneness of Allah T).
Al-Awwal means He was first or is the first. But this does not mean that there was
nothing before. Rather the beginning was Him. He exists without a beginning and is
the source from which everything comes into existence. From this name, we see how
He is from ever and forever, and He is never absent and always present. It is a reminder
we should rely upon Him alone (the concept of tawakkul).

The First & The Last:

Al-Awwal also implies an opposite. If there
is a first, then there must be a last, and
this is the name Al-Akhir. This does not
mean that Allah T has a beginning and
an end. Instead, it tells us He is the start,
and He is the end. It’s the race of life; we
start with Him and return to Him. In this
race, some may try to take shortcuts only
to get lost, and the wiser pace themselves,
knowing it’s a marathon. A few may try to
trip or sabotage others to gain an
advantage, but they fail to see the race is
within themselves. There is no first or
second-place prize. At the end of the
journey, the satisfied will be those who
gave their best effort; they struggled
beautifully and gave it their all. For them
259 will be the prize of the akhirah, Insha-Allah.
You don’t want to have reached the end
of the race to realize you had much more
to offer; you want to be tired at the end.
In The Name & the Named, Sheikh Tosun
Bayrak writes, “It is proper to read, recite,
and consider the attributes “The First” and
“The Last” together because the meaning
is like a circle where the first and the last
are one.” This interpretation seems to
describe these two names accurately.
Imam Ghazali mentions something
similar, “So He is last with respect to
wayfaring [there is nothing that will
succeed him], and first with respect to
existence: the first beginning was from
Him; and to Him is the last return and
destination.”
 ُ َ ُ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ ٰ َّ َ ُ
ۡ َ ‫ك ّل‬
ٌ‫ش ٍء َعل ِيم‬ َ ُ َّ َ ۡ َ ُ
ِ ِ ‫هو ٱلول وٱٓأۡلخِر وٱلظـ ِهر وٱلاطِنۖ وهو ب‬
Huwal Awwalu wal’Aakhiru waz Zaahiru wal Baatinu wa huwa bikulli shai’in Aleem

English Translation:
“He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things,
Knowing.” (Qur’an 57:3)

َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ ٓ َّ َّ َّ ْ ٓ ُ َ ٞ َ ُّ ُ ۡ َ ٰ َ َ ٓ َ َ َّ
‫جعون‬
ِ ‫ٱلِين إِذا أصبتهم م ِصيبة قالوا إِنا ِلِ ِإَونا إِلهِ ر‬
Allazeena izaaa asaabathum museebatun qaalooo innaa lillaahi wa innaaa ilaihi
raaji’oon

English Translation:
“Who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him
we will return.’” (Qur’an 2:156)

The case of the curious mind:

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah x said: Men
will continue to question one another till this is propounded: Allah T created all things
but who created Allah? He who found himself confronted with such a situation should
say: I affirm my faith in Allah. [1]

To those with a curious minds, we can’t fathom how something can exist from nothing.
We’re so ingrained by our experiences as to seeing how one thing gives birth to
another that we ask the same question of God.

But as Prophet x tells the companions who ask Him this question, he replies that it’s
a matter of faith. The Qur’an addresses the hypocrites and the disbelievers in many
verses. For example:

ً َ ْ َ َ َ َٰ َّ َ َ ْ ُ َ ٰ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ٓ َّ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ
‫حة‬ ‫ل َعليْ ِه ْم ۚ إِن ِف ذل ِك لر‬ٰ ‫أولم يك ِف ِهم أ نا أ نز لا عليك ٱلكِتـب يت‬
َ ْ َ ٰ َْ َ
‫ى ل ِق ْو ٍ ۢم يُؤم ُِنون‬ ‫وذِكر‬
Awa lam yakfihim annaaa anzalnaa ‘alaikal kitaaba yutlaa ‘alaihim; inna fee zaalika
larahmatanw wa zikraa liqawminy yu’minoon (section 5)

English Translation:
“And is it not sufficient for them that We revealed to you the Book which is recited to
them? Indeed in that is a mercy and reminder for a people who believe.”
(Qur’an 29:51)

260
 The human mind has many limitations,
and we often fool ourselves. We don’t
know what we don’t know, and we can’t
know the limits of how our intelligence
may be bounded. A lot of psychological
work has been done to show the many
ways in which we’re unreliable narrators.
One such fallacy is the illusion of
explanatory depth (IOED). If we look at
the simplest of things we use every day
and try to explain in detail how they work,
we quickly realize that much of our
knowledge is surface level. For example,
what’s a toilet? We likely answer with
confidence what seems to be a silly
question. Of course, we know what it is
and how to operate one, but when you
press the flush button, what’s really
happening underneath the tank? That’s
what makes the toilet a toilet. It seems
like a strange analogy, but the point is
we are often unaware of our ignorance,
yet we ask irrelevant questions of Allah
T that we cannot comprehend. And so,
the answer Prophet Muhammad x
gives just may be the most intelligent
answer to the question.

Supplication from hadith using these two names:

There is a nice du’a mentioned in the hadith literature, which tells us what he would
sometimes recite before going to bed. In this du’a, it asks for debts and desires to be
cleared so he may rest in peace. He x calls upon these two names Al-Awwal and
Al-Akhir, and we’ve highlighted them for your reference.

َ ّ ُ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َّ َ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ َّ
َّ ‫الل ُه َّم َر َّب‬
ْ
‫ك ش ٍء‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫م‬ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ظ‬
ِ ‫ع‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ش‬ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫األ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ات‬
ِ َ ‫الس َم‬
‫و‬
ِ
ُّ ّ َ ْ َ ُ ُ َ َْ ُْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ َّ َ ّ َ ْ َ َ
‫ك‬ ِ ِ ‫ش‬ ‫ِن‬ ‫م‬
َ
‫ك‬ ِ ‫ب‬ ‫وذ‬ ‫ع‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ان‬
ِ ‫ق‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ال‬‫و‬ ‫يل‬ ِ ‫نل اتلو َراة ِ و‬
ِ ِ َ ‫اإل‬
‫ن‬ ِ ‫ب وانلوى وم‬ ِ ‫فال ِق َال‬
َ ْ ‫ش ٌء َوأن‬ ْ َ ‫ك‬ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َّ َّ
َ ْ ‫الل ُه َّم أن‬ َ ٌ َ ْ ‫ش ٍء أن‬ْ َ
‫ت اآلخ ُِر‬ ‫ت األول فليس قبل‬ ِ‫اص َيتِه‬
ِ ‫ت آخِذ بِن‬
ََ ْ َ ْ َ َ ٌ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َّ َ ْ َ َ ٌ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ
‫ت الَاط ُِن فليْ َس‬ ‫فليس بعدك شء وأنت الظاهِر فليس فوقك شء وأن‬
ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َّ َّ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ ُ
‫ش ٌء اق ِض عنا ادلين وأغن ِنا مِن الفق ِر‬ ‫دونك‬

Suhail reported that Abu Salih used to
command us (in these words): When any
one of you intends to go to sleep, he
should lie on the bed on his right side
and then say: “O Allah. the Lord of the
Heavens and the Lord of the Earth and
Lord of the Magnificent Throne, our Lord,
and the Lord of evervthing, the Splitter of
the grain of corn and the datestone (or
fruit kernal), the Revealer of Torah and
Injil (Bible) and Criterion (the Holy Qur’an),
I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of
every - thing Thou art to sieze by the
forelock (Thou hast perfect control over
it). O Allah, Thou art the First, there is
naught before Thee, and Thou art the
Last and there is naught after Thee, and
Thou art Evident and there is nothing
above Thee, and Thou art Innermost and
there is nothing beyond Thee. Remove
the burden of debt from us and relieve
us from want.” Abu Salih used to narrate
it from Abu Huraira who narrated it from
Allah’s Apostle (x) [2]

References:
261 [1] Sahih Muslim 134a [2] Sahih Muslim 2713a
 Al-Akhir
(The Last)

The Last, The End,

The Endless.

ْ
Allah T is Al-Akhir (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلخ ُِر‬, The One whose existence will extend past the end
of this universe. He will be the last, just as He is the first.

From the root hamza-kha-ra (‫)أ خ ر‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to put back, to put behind, to be latter to postpone, to put at the end to
be last, final, ultimate.

Tawhid & Tawakkul:

The understanding and belief in the name establishes tawheed (oneness of Allah T).
Al-Awwal means He was first or is the first. But this does not mean that there was
nothing before. Rather the beginning was Him. He exists without a beginning and is
the source from which everything comes into existence. From this name, we see how
He is from ever and forever, and He is never absent and always present. It is a reminder
we should rely upon Him alone (the concept of tawakkul).

The First & The Last:

Al-Awwal also implies an opposite. If there
is a first, then there must be a last, and
this is the name Al-Akhir. This does not
mean that Allah T has a beginning and
an end. Instead, it tells us He is the start,
and He is the end. It’s the race of life; we
start with Him and return to Him. In this
race, some may try to take shortcuts only
to get lost, and the wiser pace themselves,
knowing it’s a marathon. A few may try to
trip or sabotage others to gain an
advantage, but they fail to see the race is
within themselves. There is no first or
second-place prize. At the end of the
journey, the satisfied will be those who
gave their best effort; they struggled
beautifully and gave it their all. For them
will be the prize of the akhirah, Insha-Allah.
You don’t want to have reached the end
of the race to realize you had much more
to offer; you want to be tired at the end.
In The Name & the Named, Sheikh Tosun
Bayrak writes, “It is proper to read, recite,
and consider the attributes “The First” and
“The Last” together because the meaning
is like a circle where the first and the last
are one.” This interpretation seems to
describe these two names accurately.
Imam Ghazali mentions something
similar, “So He is last with respect to
wayfaring [there is nothing that will
succeed him], and first with respect to
existence: the first beginning was from
Him; and to Him is the last return and
destination.”
262
 ُ َ ُ َ ُ َ ۡ َ ُ ٰ َّ َ ُ
ۡ َ ‫ك ّل‬
ٌ‫ش ٍء َعل ِيم‬ َ ُ َّ َ ۡ َ ُ
ِ ِ ‫هو ٱلول وٱٓأۡلخِر وٱلظـ ِهر وٱلاطِنۖ وهو ب‬
Huwal Awwalu wal’Aakhiru waz Zaahiru wal Baatinu wa huwa bikulli shai’in Aleem

English Translation:
“He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things,
Knowing.” (Qur’an 57:3)

َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ ٓ َّ َّ َّ ْ ٓ ُ َ ٞ َ ُّ ُ ۡ َ ٰ َ َ ٓ َ َ َّ
‫جعون‬
ِ ‫ٱلِين إِذا أصبتهم م ِصيبة قالوا إِنا ِلِ ِإَونا إِلهِ ر‬
Allazeena izaaa asaabathum museebatun qaalooo innaa lillaahi wa innaaa ilaihi
raaji’oon

English Translation:
“Who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him
we will return.’” (Qur’an 2:156)

The case of the curious mind:

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah x said: Men
will continue to question one another till this is propounded: Allah T created all things
but who created Allah? He who found himself confronted with such a situation should
say: I affirm my faith in Allah. [1]

To those with a curious minds, we can’t fathom how something can exist from nothing.
We’re so ingrained by our experiences as to seeing how one thing gives birth to
another that we ask the same question of God.

But as Prophet x tells the companions who ask Him this question, he replies that it’s
a matter of faith. The Qur’an addresses the hypocrites and the disbelievers in many
verses. For example:

ً َ ْ َ َ َ َٰ َّ َ َ ْ ُ َ ٰ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ٓ َّ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ
‫حة‬ ‫ل َعليْ ِه ْم ۚ إِن ِف ذل ِك لر‬ٰ ‫أولم يك ِف ِهم أ نا أ نز لا عليك ٱلكِتـب يت‬
َ ْ َ ٰ َْ َ
‫ى ل ِق ْو ٍ ۢم يُؤم ُِنون‬ ‫وذِكر‬
Awa lam yakfihim annaaa anzalnaa ‘alaikal kitaaba yutlaa ‘alaihim; inna fee zaalika
larahmatanw wa zikraa liqawminy yu’minoon (section 5)

English Translation:
“And is it not sufficient for them that We revealed to you the Book which is recited to
them? Indeed in that is a mercy and reminder for a people who believe.”
(Qur’an 29:51)

263
The human mind has many limitations,
and we often fool ourselves. We don’t
know what we don’t know, and we can’t
know the limits of how our intelligence
may be bounded. A lot of psychological
work has been done to show the many
ways in which we’re unreliable narrators.
One such fallacy is the illusion of
explanatory depth (IOED). If we look at
the simplest of things we use every day
and try to explain in detail how they work,
we quickly realize that much of our
knowledge is surface level. For example,
what’s a toilet? We likely answer with
confidence what seems to be a silly
question. Of course, we know what it is
and how to operate one, but when you
press the flush button, what’s really
happening underneath the tank? That’s
what makes the toilet a toilet. It seems
like a strange analogy, but the point is
we are often unaware of our ignorance,
yet we ask irrelevant questions of Allah
T that we cannot comprehend. And so,
the answer Prophet Muhammad x
gives just may be the most intelligent
answer to the question.

Supplication from hadith using these two names:

There is a nice du’a mentioned in the hadith literature, which tells us what he would
sometimes recite before going to bed. In this du’a, it asks for debts and desires to be
cleared so he may rest in peace. He x calls upon these two names Al-Awwal and
Al-Akhir, and we’ve highlighted them for your reference.

َ ّ ُ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َّ َ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ َّ
َّ ‫الل ُه َّم َر َّب‬
ْ
‫ك ش ٍء‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫م‬ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ظ‬
ِ ‫ع‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ش‬ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫األ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ات‬
ِ َ ‫الس َم‬
‫و‬
ِ
ُّ ّ َ ْ َ ُ ُ َ َْ ُْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ َّ َ ّ َ ْ َ َ
‫ك‬ ِ ِ ‫ش‬ ‫ِن‬ ‫م‬
َ
‫ك‬ ِ ‫ب‬ ‫وذ‬ ‫ع‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ان‬
ِ ‫ق‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ال‬‫و‬ ‫يل‬ ِ ‫نل اتلو َراة ِ و‬
ِ ِ َ ‫اإل‬
‫ن‬ ِ ‫ب وانلوى وم‬ ِ ‫فال ِق َال‬
َ ْ ‫ش ٌء َوأن‬ ْ َ ‫ك‬ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َّ َّ
َ ْ ‫الل ُه َّم أن‬ َ ٌ َ ْ ‫ش ٍء أن‬ْ َ
‫ت اآلخ ُِر‬ ‫ت األول فليس قبل‬ ِ‫اص َيتِه‬
ِ ‫ت آخِذ بِن‬
ََ ْ َ ْ َ َ ٌ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َّ َ ْ َ َ ٌ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ
‫ت الَاط ُِن فليْ َس‬ ‫فليس بعدك شء وأنت الظاهِر فليس فوقك شء وأن‬
ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َّ َّ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ ُ
‫ش ٌء اق ِض عنا ادلين وأغن ِنا مِن الفق ِر‬ ‫دونك‬

Suhail reported that Abu Salih used to
command us (in these words): When any
one of you intends to go to sleep, he
should lie on the bed on his right side
and then say: “O Allah. the Lord of the
Heavens and the Lord of the Earth and
Lord of the Magnificent Throne, our Lord,
and the Lord of evervthing, the Splitter of
the grain of corn and the datestone (or
fruit kernal), the Revealer of Torah and
Injil (Bible) and Criterion (the Holy Qur’an),
I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of
every - thing Thou art to sieze by the
forelock (Thou hast perfect control over
it). O Allah, Thou art the First, there is
naught before Thee, and Thou art the
Last and there is naught after Thee, and
Thou art Evident and there is nothing
above Thee, and Thou art Innermost and
there is nothing beyond Thee. Remove
the burden of debt from us and relieve
us from want.” Abu Salih used to narrate
it from Abu Huraira who narrated it from
Allah’s Apostle (x) [2]

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 134a [2] Sahih Muslim 2713a 264
 Az-zahiR
(The Manifest)

The Conspicuous, The Evident,

The Outward

َّ ْ
Allah T is Az-Zaahir (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلظاه ُِر‬, The One who is evident and conspicuous. He
made himself evident without being visible. The very essence and attributes are
shown through all His creations.

From the root za-ha-ra (‫)ظ ه ر‬, which has
the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be visible, manifest,
obvious, clear, distinct, to open, to come
out, to cause, to appear after being
concealed, to be conspicuous, distinct,
to ascend, mount, have higher status, to
have the upper hand, subdue, overcome,
to endorse, help, aid, support others,
render superior.
Mentioning the names together is
necessary for this pair because to say
Allah T is hidden by itself can imply a
negative connotation. In Surah Hadid,
there is one short ayah which mentions
four of Allah T divine names.

ُ َ ُ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ ٰ َّ َ ُ ٔ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َ ْ َ ُ
ْ َ ‫ك ّل‬
ٌ‫ش ٍء َعل ِيم‬
ِ ِ ‫هو ٱلول وٱلـاخِر وٱلظـ ِهر وٱلاطِن ۖ وهو ب‬
Huwal Awwalu wal’Aakhiru waz Zaahiru wal Baatinu wa huwa bikulli shai’in Aleem

English Translation:

SAHIH INTERNATIONAL:
“He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all
things, Knowing.”

ABUL ALA MAUDUDI:

He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden, and He has
knowledge of everything.

DR.GHALI:
He is The First and The Last, and The Outward and The Inward; (Or: The Topmost
and The Innermost) and He is Ever-Knowing of everything. — (Qur’an 57:3)

The four names in this verse are best viewed in pairs for their connected meaning.
The first pairing is Al-Awwal and Al-Akhir (The First and The Last). The following two
names which will be the focus of this section are Az-Zahir and Al-Batin (The Manifest,
The Hidden). We included three different translations of this ayah to help us see
265 understand the nuances.
A pairing paradox:

At first, the pairing of Al-Zahir and knows their inner dimensions.

Al-Batin seems contradictory. How can Imam Ghazali mentions these two
something be both manifest yet hidden? attributes that Allah T is manifest and
One interpretation is He is outwardly hidden, referring to the mode of
manifested, all that exists serves as perception. If you need to “see it to
clear proof of His manifestation, as well believe it,” you will surely miss Him.
as His knowledge and His power. But He
But if you find the ways in which He
is hidden in plain sight, He appears
manifests Himself through the Prophets
before everything, and it should be
(may peace be upon them), His books,
apparent, but they ignore the truth
religion, power, knowledge, and all the
presented right in front of them.
ways He’s supplied blessings for you,
Another view of Al-Zahir that is also you will surely find Him. Allah T is
reflected in the translations is that He is “hidden when He is sought by sensory
transcendent above all, predominating perception or using the resources of
over them. He is High above, a clear imagination, yet manifest when sought
witness over everything, and He knows by way of inference using the resources
all which is concealed or hidden. He is of reason.”
fully acquainted with His servants and

ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ ٰ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ُ ٰ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ ُ َّ
َ ْ ‫يف‬
ُ‫ٱلبري‬
ِ ‫ل تدرِكه ٱلبصـر وهو يدرِك ٱلبصـر ۖ وهو ٱلل ِط‬
Laa tudrikuhul absaaru wa Huwa yudrikul absaara wa huwal Lateeful Khabeer

English Translation:
“Vision perceives Him not, but He perceives [all] vision; and He is the Subtle, the
Acquainted.” (Qur’an 6:103)

Seeing Allah T:
This is also a topic of discussion Allah T had with Musa (q) as captured in the
Qur’an. Musa (q) is the only person we know to have communicated directly with
Allah T. In his conversation, he asked if the veil which separates God from us could
be lifted so that he may see Him.

Allah T told Musa (q) He cannot be seen and then demonstrated why by
revealing Himself to a nearby mountain. Upon doing so, the mountain turned to
ashes/dust and was leveled. The whole experience caused Musa (q) to collapse
unconscious.

266
 ٰ َ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ ٓ َ ّ َ َ َ ُ ُّ َ ُ َ َّ َ َ َ ٰ َ ٰ َ ‫َول َ َّما َجا ٓ َء ُم‬
‫ب أرِ ِن أنظر إِلكۚ قال لن ترى ِن‬ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ ِ ‫ت‬‫يق‬‫م‬ِ ِ ‫ل‬ ‫وس‬
َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ ‫ٱل َبل فَإن‬ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ
ٰ َ‫ٱس َت َق َّر َمكنَ ُهۥ ف َس ۡوف تَ َرى ٰ ِن ۚ فل َّما ت‬
ُ‫ل َر ُّبهۥ‬
ِ ِ ِ َ ‫ك ِن ٱنظر إِل‬ ِ ٰ ‫َول‬
َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ ُ َ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ٓ َّ َ َ ٗ َ ٰ َ ُ َّ َ َ ّٗ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ
‫ل ِلجب ِل جعلهۥ دكا وخر موس صعِقا ۚ فلما أفاق قال سبحنك تبت إِلك‬
َ‫َو َأنَا ۠ أَ َّو ُل ٱل ۡ ُم ۡؤ ِمن ِني‬
Wa lammaa jaaa’a Moosa limeeqaatinaa wa kallamahoo Rabbuhoo qaala Rabbi
arineee anzur ilaik; qaala lan taraanee wa laakininzur ilal jabali fa inistaqarra
makaanahoo fasawfa taraanee; falammaa tajallaa Rabbuhoo liljabali ja’alahoo
dakkanw wa kharra Moosaa sa’iqaa; falammaaa afaaqa qaala Subhaanaka tubtu ilaika
wa ana awwalul mu’mineen

English Translation:
“And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said,
‘My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You.’ [Allah] said, “You will not see Me,
but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me.” But when
his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious.
And when he awoke, he said, ‘Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the
first of the believers.’” (Qur’an 7:143)

ٗ ُ َ َ ُۡ َۡ َ َٓ َ ۡ َ ً ۡ َ َّ ُ َّ ُ َ ّ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ
‫اب أو يرسِل رسول‬
ٍ ‫ش أن يكل ِمه ٱلل إِل وحيا أو مِن ورا ِٕي حِج‬ ٍ ‫وما كن ل ِب‬
ٞ ‫ع َحك‬
‫ِيم‬ ٌّ ِ َ ‫وح بِإ ِ ۡذنِهِۦ َما ي َ َشا ٓ ُء ۚ إِنَّ ُهۥ‬
َ ِ ‫َف ُي‬

Wa maa kaana libasharin any yukallimahul laahu illaa wahyan aw minw waraaa’i hijaabin
aw yursila Rasoolan fa yoohiya bi iznihee maa yashaaa’; innahoo ‘Aliyyun Hakeem

English Translation:
“And it is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation
or from behind a partition or that He sends a messenger to reveal, by His permission,
what He wills. Indeed, He is Most High and Wise.” (Qur’an 42:51)

Al-Ghazali gives an illustrative example of
how, if you read a page of a book, would
you doubt that the author exists? Or would
you recognize the author’s existence for
the book to exist? We could go one step
further and infer from what was written
that they were knowledgeable and
assume they had the qualities of sight
and hearing. [1] Now, if you take a second to
ponder the arrangement of the universe.
See all its perfectly managed complexity.
267 Why do you need to see the organizer to
validate His existence? The creation and
perfect arrangement of all the atoms and
molecules, everything around us, is a clear
manifest proof of His existence. It speaks
volumes about all of His glorious attributes.
Even we can see the wisdom in His book,
Allah T had authored all of creation, kun
fa-yakoon, “’Be’, and it is!” (Qur’an 36:82).
This also brings us back to the first pairing
we mentioned (Al-Awwal and Al-Akhir),
recognizing Him as the originator or the
source for all creation.
It was narrated from Umar that Jibreel
q said to the Prophet x: What is
faith (iman)? He said: “To believe in Allah,
His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the
Last Day and the divine decree, both
good and bad,” Jibreel said to him: You
have spoken the truth. He said: We were
amazed that he asked him and then
confirmed his answers as being correct.
The Prophet x said: “That was Jībreel,
who came to teach you your religion.`”
It is also worth mentioning that Surah
Al-An’am ayah 120 notes two Arabic
words, zaahiral and baatinah, but not in
the context of Allah T glorious names.
Rather, these words were a message to
the believers about what is permissible
and forbidden. It gives clear guidance to
avoid sinning, whether open (zaahiral) or
hidden (baatinah).
[2]

ْ ُ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ َّ ٓ ُ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ
‫ٱلثم سيجزون بِما كنوا‬ ِ ‫وذروا ظٰ ِهر‬
ِ ‫ٱلث ِم وباطِنه ۚۥ إِن ٱلِين يكسِبون‬
َ ُ ََۡ
‫تفون‬
ِ ‫يق‬
Wa zaroo zaahiral ismi wa baatinah; innal lazeena yaksiboonal ismaa sa yujzawna
bimaa kaanoo yaqtarifoon

English Translation:
“Avoid committing sin, whether openly or in secret, for those who commit sin will be
repaid for what they do,” (Qur’an 6:120)

Du’a of Prophet Muhammad x:

There is also mention of these two names as recorded in a du’a of Prophet
Muhammad x:

َ ّ ُ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َّ َ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ َّ
َّ ‫الل ُه َّم َر َّب‬
ْ
‫ك ش ٍء‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫م‬ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ظ‬
ِ ‫ع‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ش‬ِ ‫ر‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫األ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ات‬
ِ َ ‫الس َم‬
‫و‬
ِ
ُّ ّ َ ْ َ ُ ُ َ َْ ُْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ َّ َ ّ َ ْ َ َ
‫ك‬ ِ ‫ش‬ ِ ‫ان أعوذ بِك َمِن‬ ِ ‫يل والفرق‬ ِ ‫ن‬ ِ ‫اإل‬
َ ِ ‫نل اتلو َراة ِ و‬ ِ ‫ب وانلوى وم‬ ِ ‫فال ِق َال‬
َ ْ ‫ش ٌء َوأن‬ْ َ ‫ك‬ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َّ َّ
َ ْ ‫اص َيتِهِ الل ُه َّم أن‬ َ ٌ َ ْ ‫ش ٍء أن‬ْ َ
‫ت اآلخ ُِر‬ ‫ت األول فليس قبل‬ ِ ‫ت آخِذ بِن‬
َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ٌ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َّ َ ْ َ َ ٌ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ
‫فليس بعدك شء وأنت الظاهِرفليس فوقك شء وأنت الاطِن فليس‬
ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َّ َّ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ ُ
‫ش ٌء اق ِض عنا ادلين وأغن ِنا مِن الفقر‬ ‫دونك‬
Allahumma Rabbas-samawati wa Rabbal-ardi, wa Rabbul-’Arshil-’Azim, Rabbana wa
Rabba kulli shay, faliqal-habbi wan-nawa, wa munzilat-Tawrati wal-Injili wal-furqan.
A’udhu bika min sharri kulli shayin ‘anta akhidhun binasiyatih, alllahumma ‘ant al’awwal
falays qablaka shaay’ wa’antal akhiru falaysa baadika shayy, Antaz-zahiru, fa laysa
fawqaka shay’, wa antal-batinu fa laysa dunaka shay, aqdi ‘annid-dayna waghnini
minal-faqr

268
 Suhail reported that Abu Salih used to
command us (in these words): When any
one of you intends to go to sleep, he
should lie on the bed on his right side
and then say: “O Allah. the Lord of the
Heavens and the Lord of the Earth and
Lord of the Magnificent Throne, our Lord,
and the Lord of everything, the Splitter of
the grain of corn and the datestone (or
fruit kernal), the Revealer of Torah and
Injil (Bible) and Criterion (the Holy Qur’an),
I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of
every - thing Thou art to sieze by the
forelock (Thou hast perfect control over
it). O Allah, Thou art the First, there is
naught before Thee, and Thou art the
Last and there is naught after Thee, and
Thou art Evident and there is nothing
above Thee, and Thou art Innermost and
there is nothing beyond Thee. Remove
the burden of debt from us and relieve
us from want.” Abu Salih used to narrate
it from Abu Huraira who narrated it from
Allah’s Apostle (x). [3]

References:
[1] Imam al Ghazali was an 11th-century author and philosopher. Keep in mind the context; braille was invented in 1824, and
sign-language in the 17th century. The modern accessibility tools we take for granted today did not exist. So, the analogy
made must be viewed in context.
[2] Sahih (Darussalam) Musnad Ahmad 191
269 [3] Sahih Muslim 2713a
 Al-batin
(The Hidden One)

The Secret One, The Inner One,

The Intimate.

ْ
Allah is Al-Baatin T (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلَاط ُِن‬, The One who is hidden or secret. Allah T is
unseen but His existence is known through signs. Allah T immanent operating within
all of creation. The one who is the secret inner companion.

From the root ba-ta-nun (‫)ب ط ن‬, which
has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be concealed, to lie
hidden, to penetrate, to be inside.
Mentioning the names together is
necessary for this pair because to say
Allah T is hidden by itself can imply a
negative connotation.
In Surah Hadid, there is one short ayah
which mentions four of Allah T divine
names.

ُ َ ُ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ ٰ َّ َ ُ ٔ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َ ْ َ ُ
ْ َ ‫ك ّل‬
ٌ ‫ش ٍء َعل‬
‫ِيم‬ ِ ِ ‫هو ٱلول وٱلـاخِر وٱلظـ ِهر وٱلاطِن ۖ وهو ب‬
Huwal Awwalu wal’Aakhiru waz Zaahiru wal Baatinu wa huwa bikulli shai’in Aleem

English Translation:

SAHIH INTERNATIONAL:
“He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all
things, Knowing.”

ABUL ALA MAUDUDI:

He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden, and He has
knowledge of everything.

DR.GHALI:
He is The First and The Last, and The Outward and The Inward; (Or: The Topmost
and The Innermost) and He is Ever-Knowing of everything. — (Qur’an 57:3)

The four names in this verse are best viewed in pairs for their connected meaning.
The first pairing is Al-Awwal and Al-Akhir (The First and The Last). The following two
names which will be the focus of this section are Az-Zahir and Al-Batin (The Manifest,
The Hidden). We included three different translations of this ayah to help us see
understand the nuances.
270
 A pairing paradox:

At first, the pairing of Al-Zahir and knows their inner dimensions.

Al-Batin seems contradictory. How can Imam Ghazali mentions these two
something be both manifest yet hidden? attributes that Allah T is manifest and
One interpretation is He is outwardly hidden, referring to the mode of
manifested, all that exists serves as perception. If you need to “see it to
clear proof of His manifestation, as well believe it,” you will surely miss Him.
as His knowledge and His power. But He
But if you find the ways in which He
is hidden in plain sight, He appears
manifests Himself through the Prophets
before everything, and it should be
(may peace be upon them), His books,
apparent, but they ignore the truth
religion, power, knowledge, and all the
presented right in front of them.
ways He’s supplied blessings for you,
Another view of Al-Zahir that is also you will surely find Him. Allah T is
reflected in the translations is that He is “hidden when He is sought by sensory
transcendent above all, predominating perception or using the resources of
over them. He is High above, a clear imagination, yet manifest when sought
witness over everything, and He knows by way of inference using the resources
all which is concealed or hidden. He is of reason.”
fully acquainted with His servants and

ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ ٰ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ُ ٰ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ ُ َّ
َ ْ ‫يف‬
ُ‫ٱلبري‬
ِ ‫ل تدرِكه ٱلبصـر وهو يدرِك ٱلبصـر ۖ وهو ٱلل ِط‬
Laa tudrikuhul absaaru wa Huwa yudrikul absaara wa huwal Lateeful Khabeer

English Translation:
“Vision perceives Him not, but He perceives [all] vision; and He is the Subtle, the
Acquainted.” (Qur’an 6:103)

Seeing Allah T:
This is also a topic of discussion Allah T had with Musa (q) as captured in the
Qur’an. Musa (q) is the only person we know to have communicated directly with
Allah T. In his conversation, he asked if the veil which separates God from us could
be lifted so that he may see Him.

Allah T told Musa (q) He cannot be seen and then demonstrated why by
revealing Himself to a nearby mountain. Upon doing so, the mountain turned to
ashes/dust and was leveled. The whole experience caused Musa (q) to collapse
unconscious.

271
 ٰ َ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ ٓ َ ّ َ َ َ ُ ُّ َ ُ َ َّ َ َ َ ٰ َ ٰ َ ‫َول َ َّما َجا ٓ َء ُم‬
‫ب أرِ ِن أنظر إِلكۚ قال لن ترى ِن‬ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ ِ ‫ت‬‫يق‬‫م‬ِ ِ ‫ل‬ ‫وس‬
َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ ‫ٱل َبل فَإن‬ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ
ٰ َ‫ٱس َت َق َّر َمكنَ ُهۥ ف َس ۡوف تَ َرى ٰ ِن ۚ فل َّما ت‬
ُ‫ل َر ُّبهۥ‬
ِ ِ ِ َ ‫ك ِن ٱنظر إِل‬ ِ ٰ ‫َول‬
َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ ُ َ َ ٰ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ٓ َّ َ َ ٗ َ ٰ َ ُ َّ َ َ ّٗ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ
‫ل ِلجب ِل جعلهۥ دكا وخر موس صعِقا ۚ فلما أفاق قال سبحنك تبت إِلك‬
َ‫َو َأنَا ۠ أَ َّو ُل ٱل ۡ ُم ۡؤ ِمن ِني‬
Wa lammaa jaaa’a Moosa limeeqaatinaa wa kallamahoo Rabbuhoo qaala Rabbi
arineee anzur ilaik; qaala lan taraanee wa laakininzur ilal jabali fa inistaqarra
makaanahoo fasawfa taraanee; falammaa tajallaa Rabbuhoo liljabali ja’alahoo
dakkanw wa kharra Moosaa sa’iqaa; falammaaa afaaqa qaala Subhaanaka tubtu ilaika
wa ana awwalul mu’mineen

English Translation:
“And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said,
‘My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You.’ [Allah] said, “You will not see Me,
but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me.” But when
his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious.
And when he awoke, he said, ‘Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the
first of the believers.’” (Qur’an 7:143)

ٗ ُ َ َ ُۡ َۡ َ َٓ َ ۡ َ ً ۡ َ َّ ُ َّ ُ َ ّ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ
‫اب أو يرسِل رسول‬
ٍ ‫ش أن يكل ِمه ٱلل إِل وحيا أو مِن ورا ِٕي حِج‬ ٍ ‫وما كن ل ِب‬
ٞ ‫ع َحك‬
‫ِيم‬ ٌّ ِ َ ‫وح بِإ ِ ۡذنِهِۦ َما ي َ َشا ٓ ُء ۚ إِنَّ ُهۥ‬
َ ِ ‫َف ُي‬

Wa maa kaana libasharin any yukallimahul laahu illaa wahyan aw minw waraaa’i hijaabin
aw yursila Rasoolan fa yoohiya bi iznihee maa yashaaa’; innahoo ‘Aliyyun Hakeem

English Translation:
“And it is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation
or from behind a partition or that He sends a messenger to reveal, by His permission,
what He wills. Indeed, He is Most High and Wise.” (Qur’an 42:51)

Al-Ghazali gives an illustrative example of
how, if you read a page of a book, would
you doubt that the author exists? Or would
you recognize the author’s existence for
the book to exist? We could go one step
further and infer from what was written
that they were knowledgeable and
assume they had the qualities of sight
and hearing. [1] Now, if you take a second to
ponder the arrangement of the universe.
See all its perfectly managed complexity.
Why do you need to see the organizer to
validate His existence? The creation and
perfect arrangement of all the atoms and
molecules, everything around us, is a clear
manifest proof of His existence. It speaks
volumes about all of His glorious attributes.
Even we can see the wisdom in His book,
Allah T had authored all of creation, kun
fa-yakoon, “’Be’, and it is!” (Qur’an 36:82).
This also brings us back to the first pairing
we mentioned (Al-Awwal and Al-Akhir),
recognizing Him as the originator or the
source for all creation. 272
 It was narrated from Umar that Jibreel
q said to the Prophet x: What is
faith (iman)? He said: “To believe in Allah,
His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the
Last Day and the divine decree, both
good and bad,” Jibreel said to him: You
have spoken the truth. He said: We were
amazed that he asked him and then
confirmed his answers as being correct.
The Prophet x said: “That was Jībreel,
who came to teach you your religion.`”
It is also worth mentioning that Surah
Al-An’am ayah 120 notes two Arabic
words, zaahiral and baatinah, but not in
the context of Allah T glorious names.
Rather, these words were a message to
the believers about what is permissible
and forbidden. It gives clear guidance to
avoid sinning, whether open (zaahiral) or
hidden (baatinah).
[2]

ْ ُ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ َّ ٓ ُ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ
‫ٱلثم سيجزون بِما كنوا‬ ِ ‫وذروا ظٰ ِهر‬
ِ ‫ٱلث ِم وباطِنه ۚۥ إِن ٱلِين يكسِبون‬
َ ُ ََۡ
‫تفون‬
ِ ‫يق‬
Wa zaroo zaahiral ismi wa baatinah; innal lazeena yaksiboonal ismaa sa yujzawna
bimaa kaanoo yaqtarifoon

English Translation:
“Avoid committing sin, whether openly or in secret, for those who commit sin will be
repaid for what they do,” (Qur’an 6:120)

Du’a of Prophet Muhammad x:

There is also mention of these two names as recorded in a du’a of Prophet
Muhammad x:

َ ّ ُ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َّ َ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ َّ
َّ ‫الل ُه َّم َر َّب‬
ْ
‫ك ش ٍء‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫م‬ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ظ‬
ِ ‫ع‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ش‬ِ ‫ر‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫األ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫ات‬
ِ َ ‫الس َم‬
‫و‬
ِ
ُّ ّ َ ْ َ ُ ُ َ َْ ُْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ َّ َ ّ َ ْ َ َ
‫ك‬ ِ ‫ش‬ ِ ‫ان أعوذ بِك َمِن‬ ِ ‫يل والفرق‬ ِ ‫ن‬ ِ ‫اإل‬
َ ِ ‫نل اتلو َراة ِ و‬ ِ ‫ب وانلوى وم‬ ِ ‫فال ِق َال‬
َ ْ ‫ش ٌء َوأن‬ْ َ ‫ك‬ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َّ َّ
َ ْ ‫اص َيتِهِ الل ُه َّم أن‬ َ ٌ َ ْ ‫ش ٍء أن‬ْ َ
‫ت اآلخ ُِر‬ ‫ت األول فليس قبل‬ ِ ‫ت آخِذ بِن‬
َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ٌ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َّ َ ْ َ َ ٌ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ
‫فليس بعدك شء وأنت الظاهِرفليس فوقك شء وأنت الاطِن فليس‬
ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َّ َّ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ ُ
‫ش ٌء اق ِض عنا ادلين وأغن ِنا مِن الفقر‬ ‫دونك‬
Allahumma Rabbas-samawati wa Rabbal-ardi, wa Rabbul-’Arshil-’Azim, Rabbana wa
Rabba kulli shay, faliqal-habbi wan-nawa, wa munzilat-Tawrati wal-Injili wal-furqan.
A’udhu bika min sharri kulli shayin ‘anta akhidhun binasiyatih, alllahumma ‘ant al’awwal
falays qablaka shaay’ wa’antal akhiru falaysa baadika shayy, Antaz-zahiru, fa laysa
fawqaka shay’, wa antal-batinu fa laysa dunaka shay, aqdi ‘annid-dayna waghnini
minal-faqr

273
Suhail reported that Abu Salih used to
command us (in these words): When any
one of you intends to go to sleep, he
should lie on the bed on his right side
and then say: “O Allah. the Lord of the
Heavens and the Lord of the Earth and
Lord of the Magnificent Throne, our Lord,
and the Lord of everything, the Splitter of
the grain of corn and the datestone (or
fruit kernal), the Revealer of Torah and
Injil (Bible) and Criterion (the Holy Qur’an),
I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of
every - thing Thou art to sieze by the
forelock (Thou hast perfect control over
it). O Allah, Thou art the First, there is
naught before Thee, and Thou art the
Last and there is naught after Thee, and
Thou art Evident and there is nothing
above Thee, and Thou art Innermost and
there is nothing beyond Thee. Remove
the burden of debt from us and relieve
us from want.” Abu Salih used to narrate
it from Abu Huraira who narrated it from
Allah’s Apostle (x). [3]

References:
[1] Imam al Ghazali was an 11th-century author and philosopher. Keep in mind the context; braille was invented in 1824, and
sign-language in the 17th century. The modern accessibility tools we take for granted today did not exist. So, the analogy
made must be viewed in context.
[2] Sahih (Darussalam) Musnad Ahmad 191
[3] Sahih Muslim 2713a 274
 Al-Wali
(The Holder of Supreme Authority)

The Governor, The Ruler.

َ ْ
Allah T is Al-Waali (in Arabic: ‫ال‬
ِ ‫)ٱلو‬, The One who is the sole planner and governor of
all things. He is fully supportive, helpful, and a master of all. He manages and disposes
of things at His will based on His judgment.

From the root waw-lam-ya (‫ي‬ ‫)و ل‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be near, close, nearby to be a friend, helper, supporter, maintainer,
to defend, guard (lit. friendly dealing), to be in charge, to turn one toward something,
to be the master, owner, lord.

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned in previous names, different scholars have different criteria for
what qualifies as a name of Allah T. Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly mentioned in
the Qur’an. Therefore, there isn’t one agreed-upon list for the remaining 18 names.
Al-Wali is one of those names that is deduced and, therefore, not included on the
list of certain scholars. This includes Ibn Mandah, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn Hajar, among
others.

However, others, such as Imam al-Bayhaqi and Imam al-Ghazali, have included this
name in their lists. Note as an attribute to describe Allah T it is valid.

To be a ruler...
This name is also not to be confused and action. Failure in any of these
with one we’ve already discussed in Al- respects relinquishes the title of being
ُّ ‫)ٱل ْ َو‬
(‫ل‬
Waliyy ِ - The Protecting Associate. called the true ruler.
(‫ال‬
َْ
Here Al-Wali ِ ‫)ٱلو‬ refers to being the Below are just a few verses that mention
ruler or guardian, and this encompasses Allah’s complete dominion. It
three qualities. demonstrates how He is the best planner,
Imam Ghazali mentions that being a the all-powerful king, and the one who
governor requires organization, power, manages the affairs of all things.

275
From the Qur’an:
There are no direct mentions of the name Al-Wali, but we can understand this attribute
further by verses that describe this quality from the Qur’an.

َ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ ۡ
َ ‫ير ُج‬
‫وكۚ َو َي ۡمك ُرون‬ ِ ‫ِإَوذ يمكر بِك ٱلِين كفروا ِلثبِتوك أو يقتلوك أو‬
َ ‫ي ۡٱل َمٰكِر‬
‫ين‬ ُ ۡ ‫ٱلل َخ‬
ُ َّ ‫ٱللۖ َو‬ ُ ََۡ
ُ َّ ‫ك ُر‬ ‫و يم‬
ِ
Wa iz yamkuru bikal lazeena kafaroo liyusbitooka aw yaqtulooka aw yukhrijook; wa
yamkuroona wa yamkurul laahu wallaahu khairul maakireen

English Translation:
“And [remember, O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you
to restrain you or kill you or evict you [from Makkah]. But they plan, and Allah plans.
And Allah is the best of planners.” (Qur’an 8:30)

ُ ٓ ََ َ ۡ ۡ ُ َ َ ُٓ ََ َ َ ۡ ُۡ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ٰ َ َّ ُ َّ ُ
‫زنع ٱل ُملك م َِّمن تشا ُء َوتعِ ُّز‬ ِ ‫ت‬ ‫و‬ ‫ء‬ ‫ا‬‫ش‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ‫ؤ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ك‬
ِ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ِك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫م‬ ‫ه‬‫ٱلل‬ ‫ل‬
ِ ‫ق‬
ٞ ‫شءٖ قَد‬ ۡ َ ‫ك‬ ۡ
ّ ُ ٰ َ َ َ َّ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ ُّ ُ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ
‫ِير‬ ِ ‫من تشاء وتذِل من تشاء ۖ بِيدِك ٱلي ۖ إِنك ع‬
Qulil laahumma Maalikal Mulki tu’til mulka man tashaaa’u wa tanzi’ul mulka mimman
tashhaaa’u wa tu’izzu man tashaaa’u wa tuzillu man tashaaa’u biyadikal khairu innaka
‘alaa kulli shai’in Qadeer

English Translation:
“Say, “O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You
take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You
humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things
competent.” (Qur’an 3:26)

ّ ُ ٰ َ َ َ ُ َ ُ ُ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ّ ُ ُ ٰ َ َ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ ٓ َ ْ ُ ُّ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ ٰ َ
ِ ‫ك ش ٍء ۢ فٱعبدوه ۚ وهو ع‬
‫ك‬ ِ ‫ذل ِكم ٱلل ربكم ۖ ل إِلـه إِل هو ۖ خـل ِق‬
ٌ ْ َ
‫ش ٍء ۢ َوك ِيل‬
Zaalikumul laahu Rabbukum laaa ilaaha illaa huwa khaaliqu kulli shai’in fa’budooh; wa
huwa ‘alaa kulli shai’inw Wakeel

English Translation:
“That is Allah, your Lord; there is no deity except Him, the Creator of all things, so
worship Him. And He is Disposer of all things.” (Qur’an 3:102)

276
 ْ ٓ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ُ ُّ ّ ُ ۡ ُ ْ ُ َ َ ‫ٱلل َو ُّل َّٱل‬
ُ َّ
‫ت إِل ٱنلورِۖ وٱلِين كفروا‬ ِ ٰ ‫ِين َءامنوا ي ِرج ُهم م َِن ٱلظلم‬ ِ
َّ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َ َُْ
ٰٓ ٰ َ ُ ُّ َ ُّ َ ّ ُ َ ُ ۡ ُ ُ ُ ٰ َّ ُ ُ ُ ٓ َ ۡ َ
ِۖ‫ت أولـئِك أصحب ٱنلار‬ ۗ ِ ‫أو ِلاؤهم ٱلطـغوت ي ِرجونهم مِن ٱنلورِ إِل ٱلظلم‬
َ ُ َٰ َ ۡ ُ
‫لون‬ ِ ‫هم فِيها خ‬
Allaahu waliyyul lazeena aamanoo yukhrijuhum minaz zulumaati ilan noori wallazeena
kafarooo awliyaaa’uhumut Taaghootu yukhrijoonahum minan noori ilaz zulumaat;
ulaaa’ika Ashaabun Naari hum feehaa khaalidoon (section 34)

English Translation:
“Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the
light. And those who disbelieve – their allies are Taghut. They take them out of the
light into darknesses. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally
therein.” (Qur’an 2:257)

The believer benefits from knowing
that Allah T is Al-Wali. He understands
that real control comes from
commandments of whatever Allah
wills. No one can dictate otherwise. It
should further solidify the notion of
reliance upon Him for all matters. He is
the one who organizes the plan, puts it
into action, and then preserves it. Shaykh
Tosun Barak writes, “the whole of creation
is governed by Allah’s knowledge and
power: not a leaf moves without His will.
Neither is the movement of the leaf
disconnected from other things moved
by the same wind, by the same will.”
So all matters are in the care of Allah
our being is part of a divine order He has
planned. He is Al-Wali (The Ruler) and
Al-Waliyy (The Protecting Associate).
But one must realize that what may be
good for you may not be in the way you
wellbeing and protection, yet Umar Ibn
Al-Khattab (z) was martyred. Even Ali
the ibn Abi Talib (z) was killed and
T martyred. Some may wonder about the
justice in that, but the real reward is in
the hereafter. The reward of one’s actions
is not necessarily manifested in this life. If
it is, that is a blessing or a gift from Allah
T, but it shouldn’t be the primary
motivation.
It was narrated that Sa’eed bin Zaid bin
‘Amr bin Nufail said: “The Messenger of
Allah was one of the Ten (given glad
tidings of Paradise). He said: ‘Abu Bakr will
be in Paradise; ‘Umar will be in Paradise;
T, ‘Uthman will be in Paradise; ‘Ali will be in
Paradise; Talhah will be in Paradise;
Zubair will be in Paradise; Sa’d will be in
Paradise; ‘Abdur-Rahman will be in
Paradise.” He was asked: ‘Who will be the
ninth?’ He said: ‘I will.’” [1]

want. Each caliphate asked Allah T for

References:
277 [1] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 133 & Sunan Abi Dawud 4649
 Al-Muta’ ali
(The Self Exalted)

The Supremely Exalted,

The All Exalted

‫ال‬ َ َ ُْ
Allah T is Al-Muta’ali (in Arabic: ِ ‫)ٱلمتع‬, The highest One, and exalted above all
creation. He is far beyond any imagination or thought, and the human mind is too
narrow to understand his true greatness.

From the root ayn-lam-waw (‫و‬
which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be high, elevated, lofty,
to be exalted, to rise up, to ascend, to be
higher to exceed, surpass, to overcome,
overwhelm to advance, promote, rise
above, to mount, be overtop, eminent.
Much of what needs to be said regarding
‫)ع ل‬, this name has been covered in the name
Al-Aliyy. Al-Aliyy means “The High” or “The
Exalted.” Al-Muta’ali is related to this
name, but its meaning is intensified. So,
He is “The Most High” or the “Supremely
Exalted.” Dr. Sayyed Mohammad Reza, in
his book titled “Divine Names & Attributes
In The Holy Qur’an,”

Allah the Exalted is ‘Ali because to Him belongs highness and all of its aspects,
highness of His Essence, highness of His attributes and esteem, Highness of strength
and power. He is the one who has risen over His throne and the who has encompassed
the dominion. He is the one who and whom all attributes of greatness, grandness,
magnificence, and beauty find perfection and fulfillment.”

As a reminder, there are three forms of which we should be aware of Al-Aliyy (The
High), Al-Ala (The Most High), and Al-Muta’ali (The Highest). Each successive name
goes into a more exaggeratory form. Together they characterize Allah’s loftiness, Him
being the High above in all respects (i.e., might, wisdom, knowledge, judgment, power,
etc.).

َ
ٰ َ ۡ ‫إ ِ َّل ٱبۡت ِ َغا ٓ َء َو ۡجهِ َر ّبهِ ۡٱل‬
‫ع‬ ِ
Illab tighaaa’a wajhi rabbihil a’laa

English Translation:

“But only seeking the countenance of his Lord, Most High.” (Qur’an 93:20)

278
 َ َّ ‫ون مِن ُدونِهِۦ ُه َو ۡٱل َبٰ ِط ُل َوأَ َّن‬
َ‫ٱلل ُهو‬ َ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ ُّ َ ۡ َ ُ َ َّ َّ َ َ ٰ َ
‫ذل ِك بِأن ٱلل هو ٱلق وأن ما يدع‬
َ ۡ ۡ
ُ ‫كب‬
‫ري‬ِ ‫ل ٱل‬ُّ ِ ‫ٱل َع‬
Zaalika bi annal laaha Huwal haqqu wa anna maa yad’oona min doonihee huwal
baatilu wa annal laaha Huwal ‘Aliyyul kabeer

English Translation:

“That is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon other than Him is
falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.” (Qur’an 22:62)

َۡ َّ ‫َ ُلۥ َما ف‬
ُ‫ل ۡٱل َع ِظيم‬ َ ۡ َُ َ
ُّ ِ ‫ۡرض وهو ٱلع‬
ۖ ِ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ا‬ َ ‫ٱلس َم ٰ َوٰت َو‬
‫م‬ ِ
ِ ِ
Lahoo maa fis samaa waati wa maa fil ardi wa Huwal ‘Aliyul ‘Azeem

English Translation:

“To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He is
the Most High, the Most Great.” (Qur’an 42:4)

‫ي يَ َد ۡي‬ ّ ‫ب َو ۡٱلَ ۡحر َو َمن يُ ۡرس ُِل‬

َ ۡ ُ ‫ٱلر َي ٰ َح ب‬
َ ۡ ‫شۢا َب‬ ّ َ ۡ ‫ت ٱل‬ ٰ ‫م‬ َ ُ‫ِيك ۡم ف ُظل‬
ُ
‫د‬ ۡ ‫أَ َّمن َي‬
‫ه‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ َّ ٞ َ َ
َ ٓ ََۡ
‫شكون‬ ِ ‫رحتِه ِۗۦ أءِلٰه مع ٱللِۚ تعٰل ٱلل عما ي‬
Ammany-yahdeekum fee zulumaatil barri wal bahri wa many yursilu riyaaha bushran
baina yadai rahmatih; ‘a-ilaahun ma’allah; Ta’aalal laahu ‘ammaa yushrikoon

English Translation:

“Is He [not best] who guides you through the darknesses of the land and sea and
who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy? Is there a deity with Allah?
High is Allah above whatever they associate with Him.” (Qur’an 27:63)

ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ
‫ري ٱل ُم َت َعا ِل‬ ِ ‫عٰل ِم ٱلغي‬
ِ ‫ب وٱلشهٰدة ِ ٱلكب‬
‘Aalimul Ghaibi wash shahaadatil Kaabeerul Muta’aal

English Translation:

“[He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Grand, the Exalted.”
(Qur’an 13:9)

279
We can beautify every action by doing it
in the name of Allah T. If we realize His
Highness and live to seek His approval,
our character will become elevated.
Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant
him peace, said, “The one who maintains
ties of kinship is not the one who
reciprocates. The one who maintains
References:
[1] Sahih (Al-Albani) Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 68
ties of kinship is the one who, when his
relatives cut him off, maintains ties of
kinship.” [1]
The reason to keep trying is
none other but for the sake of Allah T.
There is no blame on oneself or the
wrongs of the other person. The focus
and comfort should come from knowing
you’re behaving in a manner that is
pleasing to Allah T.
280
 Al-barr
(The Source of All Goodness)

The Beneficent One, The Doer of Good,

The All Pure.

ُّ َ ْ
Allah T is Al-Barr (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلب‬, The One who is the great benefactor, the most
righteous, and the source of goodness. He is ample in kindness and desires good for
people bestowing them with health, wealth, and happiness. He is ever merciful and
compassionate. He is The One who covered them with His sustenance and specified
whoever He willed among them by His support, protection, and special mercy.

From the root ba-ra-ra (‫)ب ر ر‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to be devoted, affectionate, gentle to be just and proper, honest, truthful, have regard
for the circumstances of another, to be beneficent, to bestow bountiful gifts, to reward
for service, recompense, to behave courteously, to do good, to be benign, gracious,
kindly, to be pious, virtuous, righteous to be ample, extensive.
The name Al-Barr occurs once in the Qur’an.

ُ ‫ٱلرح‬
‫ِيم‬ ُّ َ ۡ ‫إنَّا ُك َّنا مِن َق ۡب ُل نَ ۡد ُعوهُ إنَّ ُهۥ ُه َو ٱل‬
َّ ‫ب‬
ِ ۖ ِ
Innaa kunnaa min qablu nad’oohu innahoo huwal barrur raheem
English Translation:

“Indeed, we used to supplicate Him before. Indeed, it is He who is the Beneficent,

the Merciful.”” (Qur’an 52:28)

This name of Allah T, Al-Barr, speaks to
His essences of kindness, generosity, and
mercy. To enumerate His kindness is an
impossible task. We will never be able to
grasp all the ways in which He has
blessed us. If we were to show our
gratitude, it would never be enough.
There are just so many layers to His
mercy and kindness: His gift of creation,
to instill in us a soul, to protect us every
day from harm, to give us the earth and
the ability to enjoy all its fruits, to listen
281 and answer our prayers, to forgive our
sins and give us a multiplicative reward
for our good. He’s given us guidance
through His Prophets (may peace be
upon them) and His book so we can live
a purposeful life instead of meandering
about aimlessly. He had no obligation to
make the path to Him so clear. The path
to Him could’ve been hard, reserved only
for the rare truth seekers. Truly, Allah T is
the doer of good and most
compassionate. In Surah Baqarah verse
185, “Allah intends for you ease and does
not intend for you hardship.”
 ٰ‫ت ّم َِن ٱل ۡ ُه َدى‬ َ‫اس َو َب ّين‬ َّ ّ ُٗ ُ َ ۡ ُۡ َ ُ ٓ َّ َ َ َ َ ُ ۡ َ
ٰ
ٖ ِ ِ ‫نزل فِيهِ ٱلقرءان هدى ل ِلن‬ ِ ‫شهر رمضان ٱلِي أ‬
َ
َ ٰ َ َ ۡ ً َ َ َ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َّ ُ ُ َ َ َۡ ُۡ َ
‫ع َسف ٖر‬ ‫ان ف َمن ش ِه َد مِنكم ٱلشهر فليصمهۖ ومن كن م ِريضا أو‬ ۚ ِ ‫وٱلفرق‬
ْ ُ ۡ ُ َ َ ۡ ُۡ ُ ُ َ ۡ ُ ُ َّ ُ ُ َ َ ُ َ
َّ‫ ّم ِۡن أي‬ٞ ‫فَع َّدة‬
‫يد بِكم ٱلعس ولِ ك ِملوا‬ ُ ‫س َول يُر‬ َ ۡ ‫ك ُم ٱل ُي‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫يد‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ي‬ ۗ ‫ر‬‫خ‬ ‫أ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ا‬ ِ
ِ ِ ِ ٍ
َ ُ َۡ ُ َّ َ ُ َ َ
ٰ َ ‫ٱلل‬ ْ
َ َّ ‫بوا‬ َ
ُ ّ ‫ٱلعِ َّدةَ َولِ ُك‬ ۡ
‫ع َما ه َدىٰك ۡم َول َعلك ۡم تشك ُرون‬ ِ
Shahru Ramadaanallazeee unzila feehil Qur’aanu hudal linnaasi wa baiyinaatim minal
hudaa wal furqaan; faman shahida minkumush shahra falyasumhu wa man kaana
mareedan aw ‘alaa safarin fa’iddatum min ayyaamin ukhar; yureedul laahu bikumul
yusra wa laa yureedu bikumul ‘usra wa litukmilul ‘iddata wa litukabbirul laaha ‘alaa maa
hadaakum wa la’allakum tashkuroon

English Translation:
“The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance
for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the
new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an
equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for
you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for
that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.” (Qur’an 2:185)

Even in the treatment of good deeds thoughts, it will not be recorded until put
versus bad. You would think a just God into action. [1]

would reward an action based on its
merit, but Allah T is greater. He is Ar-
Rahman (The Beneficent) and
Raheem (The Merciful). The Prophet
speaks of how if you intended to do a
good deed, but for whatever reason, it
was not done, you will have written for
you, by the angels, a good deed. But this
does not discourage from the actual act
because The Prophet x speaks of how if
you intended to do a good deed, but for
whatever reason it was not done, you will
have written for you, by the angels, a
good deed. But this does not discourage
from the actual act, because “if he
intends to do a good deed and actually
did it, then Allah will write for him with
The believer benefits from knowing that
Allah T is Al-Barr. He sees the kindness
Ar- of His Lord, which increases his love and
x gratitude towards Him. We understand
how His mercy will always be available if
sought after. Allah T is clear and true in
His promise if we do certain things, He
will grant us what we seek. Furthermore,
upon reflecting on this name, we ask
ourselves, how can we be among the
doers of good? A’isha, the wife of Allah’s
Apostle x, reported that Allah’s
Messenger x said: A’isha, verily Allah is
kind and He loves kindness and confers
upon kindness which he does not confer
upon severity and does not confer upon
anything else besides it (kindness). [2]

Him from ten to seven hundred times to Why withhold kindness? Why withhold
many more times.” However, the same the goodness and ripple effects it can
standard is not applied for bad or evil create?
282
 Allah T tells us He loves kindness and tenderly feelings is in fact deprived of
rewards His servant when he’s in service good. [4]

to others. Hearing the right thing at the
right time can have a profound effect on
the trajectory of a person’s life. It can
unlock dreams unimagined. Words of
encouragement can give courage and
strength to one suffering, almost like a
cure to an illness or a plant in need of
water. But of course, the other side of the
coin reads words can create havoc if
we’re not careful. Fights, wars, and ties of
kinships have all been severed just from
the movement of the tongue. It is more
powerful than we like to give it credit.
Narrated Abu Musa: Some people asked
Allah’s Messenger x, “Whose Islam is the
best? (I.e., Who is a the best Muslim)?” He
replied, “One who avoids harming the
Muslims with his tongue and hands.” [3]
This is something Prophet Muhammad
x understood and taught, which is likely
part of the reason why he was so
beloved. He never missed the opportunity
to spread love. Don’t assume your child
knows you’re proud of them... take the
time to tell them. Don’t assume your
spouse knows you love them... make it a
point to tell them.
It is best for us and everyone not to be
deprived of feelings of affection and
kindness because if you do, you will have
stopped goodness and created a void
that can be filled with shaitan.
The repercussion will also be felt on the
day of judgment as we’ve limited the
goodness that’s receivable in our

accounts.
Jarir b. Abdullah reported Allah’s Apostle
x as saying: He who is deprived of

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 6491
[2] Sahih Muslim 2593
[3] Sahih al-Bukhari 11
283 [4] Sahih Muslim 2592c
 At-tawwab
(The Ever-Pardoning)

The Acceptor of Repentance,

The Ever-Relenting, The Acceptor of our
Return.

ُ ْ
َّ ), The One who beckons for our return. He repeatedly
Allah T is At-Tawwab (in Arabic: ‫ٱل َّواب‬
turns mankind towards repentance should they journey temporarily on the wrong path. Allah
is lenient and restores grace to those who repent and forgives those who seek forgiveness.

From the root ta-waw-ba (‫)ت و ب‬, which
has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to return, to return to
goodness, to repent, to be restored, to be
rewarded for deeds, to be repeatedly
summoned or called.
This name of Allah T, At-Tawwab, means
the acceptor of repentance. This name
makes an appearance in 11 different verses
of the Qur’an. Now, being the acceptor of
repentance is the most commonly
understood meaning of this name. This is
what is meant by seeking Tawbah, i.e., you
return to Allah T asking for forgiveness.
But this misses an important quality of
what it means to be At-Taawab. The root
of both contains the idea of turning, i.e.,
changing directions to something else.
Allah T is Al-Tawwab not just in the sense
that we turn to Him. But for our prayers to
be heard and our sins to be forgiven, He
must turn to us, allowing for repentance. It
is within reason to see how Allah T does
not need to turn to those who sin. They
often willingly engaged in disobedience
and defiance, searching for pleasure in
worldly pursuits. Why should Allah T turn
to this servant who knowingly transgresses
against Himself? But yet, Allah T in His
infinite mercy, kindness, and grace, turns
to His servant. He listens to his sincere
repentance, and He forgives.

َ ۡ ۡ ُ ُ َّ ُ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َّ ِ ۡ َ ٰ َ َ ٰ َ ُ َ َ ۡ
‫ٱتاذِكم ٱلعِجل‬ ِ ِ ‫وس ل ِق ۡو ِمهِۦ يقوم إِنكم ظلمتم أنفسكم ب‬ ‫ِإَوذ قال م‬
ُ َ
ُ َّ ٞ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ٰ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ ْ ٓ ُ ُ ۡ َ ۡ ُ
َ ‫ك ۡم ع‬ َ ْ ُ َُ
‫ِند بَارِئِك ۡم‬ ‫وب ٓوا إ ِ ٰل بَارِئِكم فٱقتلوا أنفسكم ذل ِكم خي ل‬ ‫فت‬
ُ ‫ٱلرح‬ َّ ‫اب‬ُ ‫ٱتل َّو‬ ُ َۡ َ َ ََ
َّ ‫ك ۡم إنَّ ُهۥ ُه َو‬
‫ِيم‬ ِ ۚ ‫فتاب علي‬
Wa iz qaala Moosaa liqawmihee yaa qawmi innakum zalamtum anfusakum bittikhaa
zikumul ‘ijla fatoobooo ilaa Baari’ikum faqtulooo anfusakum zaalikum khairul lakum ‘inda
Baari’ikum fataaba ‘alaikum; innahoo Huwat Tawwaabur Raheem
English Translation:
“And remember Moses said to his people: “O my people! Ye have indeed wronged
yourselves by your worship of the calf: So turn (in repentance) to your Maker, and slay
yourselves (the wrong-doers); that will be better for you in the sight of your Maker.” Then He
turned towards you (in forgiveness): For He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.” (Qur’an 2:54) 284
 َ َّ ‫ت َوأَ َّن‬
َ‫ٱلل ُهو‬ َّ ‫ٱتل ۡو َب َة َع ۡن ع َِبادِه ِۦ َو َيأۡ ُخ ُذ‬
ِٰ ‫ٱلص َد َق‬ َ َّ ‫َأل َ ۡم َي ۡعلَ ُم ٓوا ْ أَ َّن‬
َّ ‫ٱلل ُه َو َي ۡق َب ُل‬
ُ ‫ٱلرح‬
‫ِيم‬ َّ ‫اب‬ ُ ‫ٱتل َّو‬,
َّ

Alam ya’lamooo annal laaha huwa yaqbalut tawbata ‘an ibaadihee wa ya’khuzus
sadaqaati wa annal laaha huwat Tawwaabur Raheem

English Translation:

“Do they not know that it is Allah who accepts repentance from His servants and
receives charities and that it is Allah who is the Accepting of repentance, the
Merciful?” (Qur’an 9:104)

The Prophet Muhammad x describes
the lowest people in paradise and how,
on the day of judgment, it would be said:
“Present his minor sins to him, and
withhold from him his serious sins. Then
the minor sins would be placed before
him, and it would be said: On such and
such a day you did so and so and on
such and such a day you did so and so.
He would say: Yes. It will not be possible
for him to deny, while he would be afraid
lest serious sins should be presented
before him. It would be said to him: In
place of every evil deed you will have a
good deed. He will say: “My Lord! I have
done things I do not see here.” I indeed
saw the Messenger of Allah laugh till his
front teeth were exposed.” [1]
important to realize that the goal is not
to reach perfection, “do not claim
yourselves to be pure.” This has been
interpreted to be understood that Allah
T expects us to slip and fall, for the
minor sins He forgives without even
being asked for “He is most knowing of
you,” and He’s “vast in forgiveness.” The
other view is that we should not be proud
of piety; the ability to do good is because
Allah T has purified them to be able to
do good. It is from Him, and we should
be grateful to Him for this ability. There’s
a difference of opinion regarding “the
major sins,” for these sins can be forgiven
but require active repentance, “...do not
despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed,
Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who

From this hadith, we see yet another is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (Qur’an

example of Allah’s kindness and 39:53).

generosity. He is oft-pardoning, and we Guilt is an interesting emotion and can

can see how He loves to forgive. “Those be seen as a gift from Allah T. It can go
who avoid the major sins and two ways, (1) destructive and (2)
immoralities, only [committing] slight instructive. If we are not careful, the
ones. Indeed, your Lord is vast in constant repetition of something we
forgiveness. He was most knowing of you know is inherently not good for us or is
when He produced you from the earth immoral will cause guilt to fester. It’s like
and when you were fetuses in the wombs a built-in alarm siren that’s shouting to
of your mothers. So do not claim change course. If it’s ignored, it can
yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing erode self-confidence, self-esteem, and
285 of who fears Him” (Qur’an 52:32). Here, it’s overall self-worth.
If the action which originally caused guilt
becomes normalized, then we may fail
to recognize the damage it’s causing.
The one who sins and no longer fears
Allah T should be most worried. This
person may have developed a deep-
rooted belief that they will not have to
answer to anyone as they face no
serious repercussions for their misdeeds.
In their case, it would be best to read the
Qur’an and learn about the warnings
and punishment of the afterlife to re-
instill this fear. He is merciful and turns to
His servant, He gives us the chance to
meet Him halfway, but remember Allah
T is also just. Being able to admit your
faults and harbor guilt is a beautiful sign
of your belief and dedication to Allah
It is a sign of your iman (faith). Don’t let
guilt transform into self-hate, don’t ever
think it’s too late for you.
At any given moment, you can change.
The next nine years don’t have to look like
the previous nine. “Allah wants to accept
your repentance” (Qur’an 4:27). It is never
too late to seek the forgiveness of your
Lord.
Anas bin Malik narrated that the
Messenger of Allah x said: “Allah, Blessed
is He and Most High, said: ‘O son of Adam!
Verily as long as you called upon Me and
hoped in Me, I forgave you, despite
whatever may have occurred from you,
and I did not mind. O son of Adam! Were
your sins to reach the clouds of the sky,
then you sought forgiveness from Me,
I would forgive you, and I would not mind.
So son of Adam! If you came to me with
T. sins nearly as great as the earth, and
then you met Me not associating
anything with Me, I would come to you
with forgiveness nearly as great as it.’” [2]

ُ ‫ٱلرح‬ َّ ‫اب َعلَ ۡيهِ إنَّ ُهۥ ُه َو‬

ُ ‫ٱتل َّو‬
َّ ‫اب‬ َ َ ٰٓ َّ َ َ َ
َ ‫اد ُم مِن َّر ّبهِۦ َك َِمٰت َف َت‬
‫ِيم‬ ِ ۚ ٖ ِ ‫فتلق ء‬
Fatalaqqaaa Aadamu mir Rabbihee Kalimaatin fataaba ‘alaihi; innahoo Huwat
Tawwaabur Raheem

English Translation:

“Then Adam received from his Lord [some] words, and He accepted his repentance.
Indeed, it is He who is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.” (Qur’an 2:37)

ُ‫ٱلرحِيم‬ َّ ‫وب َعلَ ۡيه ۡم َو َأنَا‬

ُ ‫ٱتل َّو‬
َّ ‫اب‬ ُ ُ‫ك َأت‬
َ ٰٓ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َ ْ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َّ َّ
ِ ِ ‫إِل ٱلِين تابوا وأصلحوا وبينوا فأولـئ‬
Illal lazeena taaboo wa aslahoo wa baiyanoo fa ulaaa’ika atoobu ‘alaihim; wa Anat
Tawwaabur Raheem

English Translation:

“Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what
they concealed]. Those – I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of
repentance, the Merciful.” (Qur’an 2:160)

286
 We may see someone we know messing
up, and their world may come crashing
down on them. Some will abandon their
side because they disagree with their
ways, so they try to create distance
between them and that person. Now,
each person’s case is unique, and we’re
not advocating for people to sympathize
with abusers or put up with harmful or
toxic relationships. But if you care for
that person as a friend, we should try (in
whatever way they allow it) to be part of
the recovery process. To be part of the
core support group to try and help build
back better.
Imam al-Ghazali writes in connection to
this name, “whoever accepts time and
again the excuses of those who do
wrong among those entrusted to his
care, as well as those of his friends and
acquaintances, is indeed characterized
by this quality and has gained a share
of it.”
Narrated Anas: Allah’s Messenger
said, “Help your brother, whether he is
an oppressor or he is an oppressed one.
People asked, “O Allah’s Messenger
References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 190a
[2] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3540
[3] Sahih al-Bukhari 2444
287 [4] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 5039
It is all right to help him if he is oppressed,
but how should we help him if he is
an oppressor?” The Prophet x said,
“By preventing him from oppressing
others.”[3]
We live in a time where we are fast to
point fingers. Where people are not
allowed to make mistakes publicly, but if
we wish to share the connection in this
divine name of Allah T as being At-
Tawwab, we should turn to people in
kindness just as we want Allah T to be
kind to us, even when we are in the
wrong. It was narrated from Anas bin
Malik that: The Prophet x said: “None of
you has believed until he loves for his
brother what he loves for himself.” [4]
When we study the beautiful names of
Allah T we learn of the ways in which
He describes Himself and makes Himself
known to us. Allah T tells us He is kind,
generous, merciful, wise, forgiving,
oft-pardoning, and a friend to all. This
x should make us laugh and smile just as
Prophet Muhammad x did when
teaching others the mercy of Allah T.
x!
 Al-muntaqim
(The Avenger)

The Disapprover,
The Inflictor of Retribution, The Retaliator.

ْ
Allah T is Al-Muntaqim (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل ُمنْ َتقِ ُم‬, The One who victoriously prevails over His
enemies and punishes them for their sins. Allah is most patient, but the time will
come when justice must be given. Avoid things which Allah T has forbidden, for He
is swift and just with His punishment and does not let trespassing go unaccounted
for.

From the root nun-qaf-mim (‫م‬ ‫)ن ق‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to dislike, disapprove, find fault, to punish, exact vengeance, to inflict
retribution, avenge.

From The Story of Prophet Nuh (q):

The story of Prophet Nuh (q) is very they denied Our servant and said,
illustrative of this name. We briefly ‘A madman,’ and he was repelled.”
mentioned how Prophet Nuh (q) (Qur’an 54:9). Some Qur’an interpreters
preached for 950 years, “And We certainly mention that stoning may not be literal
sent Noah to his people, and he remained but refer to constant abuse, slander, or
among them a thousand years minus vilification from all sides. This is the view
fifty years, and the flood seized them of early Qur’an exegetes with regards to
while they were wrongdoers” (Qur’an the phrase “al-shaytan al-rajim” as
29:14) The people denied His message, literally meaning “the stoned shaitan”
which was one thing, but that rejection but now more commonly as “the
turned into harassment, and they slowly accursed satan.” This symbolizes a
grew hostile towards him. metaphorical stoning rather than a

The Qur’an even mentions possible literal one.

death threats Nuh (q) had to endure,
“They said, ‘If you do not desist, O Noah,
you will surely be of those who are
stoned.’” (Qur’an 26:116) and also, “The
people of Noah denied before them, and
Regardless, after centuries of calling
people to embrace Islam but it falling on
deaf ears and patiently enduring the
abuse, Nuh (q) cried out to his Lord
with this supplication
288
 َ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ ٗ ۡ ُ َ ‫ٱغف ۡر ل َول َِو ٰ ِ َل َّي َول َِمن َد َخ َل بَ ۡي‬
ۡ ّ َّ
ِۖ ٰ‫ت مؤمِنا َول ِل ُمؤ ِمن ِني َوٱل ُمؤمِن‬
ِ‫ت َول ت ِزد‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫ب‬
ِ ‫ر‬
َ ‫ني إ َّل َت َب‬
َ َّ
‫ارۢا‬ ِ ‫ٱلظ ٰـل ِ ِم‬
Rabbigh fir lee wa liwaa lidaiya wa liman dakhala baitiya mu’minanw wa lil mu’mineena
wal mu’minaati wa laa tazidiz zaalimeena illaa tabaaraa

English Translation:

“My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my house a believer and
the believing men and believing women. And do not increase the wrongdoers
except in destruction.” (Qur’an 71:28)

In Surah al-Qamar we also learn of the exact du’a Nuh (q) made before the flood:

ۡ‫ص‬ ٞ ُ‫فَ َد َع َر َّب ُه ٓۥ َأ ّن َم ۡغل‬

َ‫وب فَٱنت‬
ِ ِ
Fada’aa Rabbahooo annee maghloobun fantasir

English Translation:

“So he invoked his Lord, ‘Indeed, I am overpowered, so help.’” (Qur’an 54:10)

And so what proceeded was retributive
justice, “Then We opened the gates of
the heaven with rain pouring down”
(Qur’an 54:11). The same fate is mentioned
of Firawn, “So We took retribution from
them, and We drowned them in the sea
because they denied Our signs and were
heedless of them.” (Qur’an 7:136).
In every example, you will find that Allah’s
punishment is not without cause. He is
the impartial judge (Al-Hakam. He gives
repeated signs of His mercy and allows
for the perpetrator to return back to Him
(the virtue of also being At-Tawwab). If
they decide to remain defiant, defensive,
and thankless, then inevitably, they will
pay the price.
From the story of Nuh (q), we also
learn that his son was among those who
drowned. He refused to accept Allah
and even on the day when the storm
came, he told his father he rather goes
289
to the top of the hill than with him on the
boat. “[But] he said, ‘I will take refuge on a
mountain to protect me from the water.’
[Noah] said, ‘There is no protector today
from the decree of Allah, except for
whom He gives mercy.’ And the waves
came between them, and he was
among the drowned.” (Qur’an 11:34)
This is a hard but an important lesson.
Despite the Prophets (may peace be
upon them) being favored by Allah T to
spread His message, there is no
favoritism. Every person will be held
accountable for their actions. It does not
matter what lineage or bloodline a
person comes from.
These things may matter in the realm of
human politicking, but in receiving Allah’s
mercy or punishment, it holds no
T precedence. Every person will be held
responsible for what they earn.
 َ َ َّ َ َ ۡ َ َّ َ
َ ‫ك فَإنَّا م ِۡن ُهم ُّم‬
‫نتقِ ُمون‬ ِ ِ ‫فإِما نذهب ب‬
Fa immaa nazhabanna bika fa innaa minhum muntaqimoon
English Translation:

“And whether [or not] We take you away [in death], indeed, We will take retribution
upon them.” (Qur’an 43:41)

َ َ ‫ى إنَّا ُم‬
‫نتقِ ُمون‬ َُۡ ۡ َ َ ۡ ۡ ُ َۡ ََۡ
ِ ٰٓ ‫يوم نب ِطش ٱلَطشة ٱلكب‬
Yawma nabtishul batsha tal kubraa innaa muntaqimoon
English Translation:

“The Day We will strike with the greatest assault, indeed, We will take retribution.”
(Qur’an 44:16)

ۡ‫ٱللِ ل َ ُهم‬
َّ ٰ َ ٔ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ َ َ َّ ‫مِن َق ۡب ُل ُه ٗدى ّل‬
ِ ‫اس وأنزل ٱلفرقانۗ إِن ٱلِين كفروا بِـاي‬
‫ت‬ ِ ‫ِلن‬
َ ُ ٞ َ ُ َّ َ ٞ َ ٞ َ َ
‫يز ذو ٱنتِقا ٍم‬ ‫عذاب شدِيدۗ وٱلل ع ِز‬
Min qablu hudal linnaasi wa anzalal Furqaan; innallazeena kafaroo bi Aayaatil laahi
lahum ‘azaabun shadeed; wallaahu azeezun zun tiqaam

English Translation:

“Before, as guidance for the people. And He revealed the Qur’an. Indeed, those
who disbelieve in the verses of Allah will have a severe punishment, and Allah is
exalted in Might, the Owner of Retribution.” (Qur’an 3:4)

This name is important to understand best vengeance is on the enemies of

for several reasons. The first is to instill
fear. This can remind those in power that
they are still accountable to Allah T. He
punishes those who cause disharmony,
oppress, and tyrannizes His creation.
It teaches us at the individual level that
we will be held accountable for whatever
good or bad we do. It provides assurance
and peace to victims of abuse that their
perpetrator will face the most just of
judges. He has complete knowledge and
knows the appropriate action to handle
each situation.
In Imam al-Ghazali’s book, he writes the
Allah T, but the worst of all the enemies
is one’s lower soul. “As it is reported
regarding Abu Yazīd - may God be
merciful to him that he said: ‘My soul was
so lazy one night as to keep me from a
litany, so I punished it by depriving it of
water for a year.” So take vengeance
against oneself in matters where one
lets down. In failing to be obedient in
worship, in giving, in showing kindness, in
repressing anger, in controlling one’s
tongue. Each person has their own
struggle, and in this way, they should
pursue the path of vengeance.
290
 Al-’Afuww
(The Pardoner)

The Oft-Pardoning, The Effacer of Sins,

The Eliminator of Sins.

َُْ
Allah T is Al-Afuw (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلعف ُّو‬, The One who pardons sins and leaves no trace of
any fault. The difference between forgiving and effacing is there will be no trace or
record of the offense being committed. It will be as if it had never happened.

From the root ayn-fa-waw (‫)ع ف و‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to forgive, pardon, to pass over, forgo, absolve, to obliterate all traces,
efface, remove, to kill-off, allow to die, to turn away from punishing, not see, annul, to
make unapparent, imperceptible, to give spontaneously, to give without constraint, to
give more than what is due.

This name compared to other names of forgiveness:

Allah T loves to forgive His servants. We
can see from the previous attributes that
much has been said about His forgiveness.
He is At-Tawwab (The Ever-Relenting), Ar-
Rahman (The Beneficent), Ar-Raheem
(The Merciful), Al-Ghaffar (The Forgiver),
and Al-Gafoor (The Great Forgiver). Now,
we expand to this list by adding another
name, Al-Afuw, The Effacer of Sins. He is the
one who erases all traces
Forgiveness implies concealment, but the
mark of sin still exists on the servant’s
record. Al-Afuww suggests much more
than just forgiving but eliminating it
entirely. The view of scholars is the prior
names are names of maghfirah (seeking
forgiveness) which is different from
seeking afw.
For example, maghfirah is like forgiving but
not forgetting. ‘afw is purification, being
reborn, and having a clean slate.
of sin.
As a name of Allah T, Al-Afuw is mentioned
for a total of five times in the Qur’an.

َ َّ ‫ت ُفوهُ أَ ۡو َت ۡع ُفوا ْ َعن ُس ٓوءٖ فَإ َّن‬

ً‫ٱلل َك َن َع ُف ّٗوا قَدِيرا‬ ُۡ َۡ ًۡ َ ْ ُ ُۡ
‫إِن تبدوا خيا أو‬
ِ
in tubdoo khairann aw tukhfoohu aw ta’foo ‘an sooo’in fa innal laaha kaana ‘afuwwan Qadeeraa

English Translation:

“(Even though you have the right to speak evil if you are wronged), if you keep
doing good -whether openly or secretly -or at least pardon the evil (then that is
the attribute of Allah). Allah is All-Pardoning and He has all the power to chastise.”
(Qur’an 4:149)
291
 ٞ‫ٱلل لَ َع ُف ٌّو َغ ُفور‬ ُ َّ ُ َّ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َ ُ‫ب ب ِم ۡثل َما ُعوق َِب بهِۦ ُث َّم ب‬
َ َّ ‫ٱلل إ َّن‬ َ َ‫َذٰل َِك َو َم ۡن َعق‬
ِ ۚ ‫غ عليهِ لَنصنه‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ۖ
Zaalika wa man ‘aaqaba bimisli maa ‘ooqiba bihee summa bughiya ‘alaihi la
yansurannahul laah; innal laaha la ‘Afuwwun Ghafoor

English Translation:

“That [is so]. And whoever responds [to injustice] with the equivalent of that with
which he was harmed and then is tyrannized – Allah will surely aid him. Indeed,
Allah is Pardoning and Forgiving.” (Qur’an 22:60)

Signs of Allah’s mercy:

Once equipped with the knowledge of
these attributes, how can someone feel
as if they are so reprehensible that they
are beyond Allah’s mercy when all
evidence points to a Lord who shows us
He is caring, kind, and loves to forgive?
So, we should never feel overwhelmed.
We are told in the Qur’an that doubting
Allah’s mercy is a greater sin than the
thing you were worried about in the first
place, “O my sons, go and find out about
Joseph and his brother and despair not
of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one
despairs of relief from Allah except the
disbelieving people.” (Qur’an 12:87) Never
give up hope in Allah T, and never stop
trusting in Him for what you’re trying to
accomplish. Instead, we should focus on
what is within our control, and that is
seeking His forgiveness and moving
toward spreading as much good as we
can. The rest is with Allah T.

The mercy of Ramadan:

One of the signs of His mercy is giving us
the month of Ramadan. A chance for us
to return to Him and receive His blessings
Narrated Abu Huraira reported Allah’s
Messenger x as saying: When there
comes the month of Ramadan, the
gates of mercy are opened, and the
gates of Hell are locked and the devils
are chained. [1]
In this month, Allah T revealed the first
verse of the Qur’an establishing the night
of decree (laylatul qadr). This is a night
said to have more blessings than a
thousand months, “Indeed, We sent the
Qur’an down during the Night of Decree.
And what can make you know what is
the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree
is better than a thousand months. The

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet x angels and the Spirit descend therein by

said, “Whoever established prayers on permission of their Lord for every matter.

the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.”

hoping for a reward from Allah, then all (Qur’an 97:1-5)

his previous sins will be forgiven; and It was narrated from Aishah that she
whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan said: “O Messenger of Allah x, what do
out of sincere faith, and hoping for a you think I should say in my supplication,
reward from Allah, then all his previous if I come upon Laylatul-Qadr?” He x
sins will be forgiven.” [2]
said: [3]
292
 َ ُ ْ َ ْ ْ ُّ ُ ٌّ ُ َ َ َّ َّ ُ َّ
‫ِب ال َعف َو فاعف ع ِّن‬ ‫اللهم إِنك عفو ت‬
Allahumma innaka afuwwun tuhibbul-afwa, fa’fu anni

English Translation:

“O Allah, You are Forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me”

When to seek Allah’s forgiveness:

It’s also worth noting that seeking the of His Lord. Abu Huraira reported Allah’s
forgiveness of Allah T should not be Messenger x as saying: None amongst
confined to only when we have knowingly you can get into Paradise by virtue of his
sinned. We know from the sunnah of deeds alone. They said: Allah’s Messenger,
Prophet Muhammad x that he engaged not even you? Thereupon he said: Not
in istighfar (seeking forgiveness) over even I, but that Allah should wrap me in
seventy times a day. Narrated by Abu His Grace and Mercy.[6]
Huraira: I heard Allah’s Messenger x This, however, should not deter us from
saying.” By Allah! I ask for forgiveness doing good deeds. In the Qur’an, it
from Allah and turn to Him in repentance mentions how if a person does good,
more than seventy times a day.” [4]
some of his misdeeds will be converted
In some other narrations this number is to good, “Except for those who repent,
reported to be as high as one-hundred believe and do righteous work. For them
times a day. [5]
Now, keep in mind this is a Allah will replace their evil deeds with
man beloved and protected by Allah T good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and
who still feared not receiving the grace Merciful.” (Qur’an 25:70)

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 1079a
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 1901
[3] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 3850
[4] Sahih al-Bukhari 6307
[5] Sahih Muslim 2702b
293 [6] Sahih Muslim 2702b
 Ar-Ra’uf
(The Most Kind)

The All-Pitying, The Compassionate,

The Clement.

ُُ ْ
Allah T is Ar-Ra’uf (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل َّرؤف‬, The One who is extremely compassionate. He is
The One whose mercy will endow whoever he willed among His creatures. Whatever
Allah T decrees is done with perfect judgment, and He is never harsh or unjust in his
rulings.

From the root ra-hamza-fa (‫ف‬ ‫)ر أ‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be kind, gentle, clement, to be merciful, compassionate, to show pity,
to show tenderness.

Difference between Raheem and Ra’uf:

The name of Allah T Ar-Rauf, the most “Yes, for no Muslim is afflicted with any
kind and compassionate, is mentioned 11 harm but that Allah will remove his sins
times in the Qur’an. Calling on this name as the leaves of a tree fall down.” [1]

invokes on Allah T desire to be tender
to His servants. In fact, in the Qur’an, this
name is often mentioned in pairs with
the names of His mercy. Imam Al-Ghazali
writes, “Al-Ra’uf - the All-Pitying - is one
who possess pity, and pity is
intensification of mercy.”
So in a sense, it’s similar to the name
Ar-Raheem (The Merciful) but exists as a
more intensified or emphatic form. The
difference is Allah’s Rahma (mercy) is
shown after a calamity, whereas Ra’fa is
before. Narrated Abdullah: I visited the
Prophet x during his ailments, and he
was suffering from a high fever. I said,
“You have a high fever. Is it because you
will have a double reward for it?” He said,
Here tragedy befalls a person, and he/
she has been afflicted with some
hardship. But this is not without benefit,
Allah T shows His mercy to that person,
and this is atonement from sins. Allah’s
an Messenger x said: There is no trouble
that comes to a believer except that it
obliterates from his sins, even if it is the
pricking of a thorn.[2]
These two are examples of Rahma or
Allah’s mercy. Ra’fa manifests in ways of
warnings or protection from things that
may cause a person harm. He takes pity
and showers His mercy so tragedy can
be avoided.
294
 To receive Allah’s compassion means enjoining good here on earth but also for you
in the hereafter. This is a higher form of mercy, by giving His servants warnings of
actions that will cause damage. We may not be privy to this kind of compassion
which is why Allah T is always deserving of more than we can offer.
In the book, “In the Company of God,” it mentions the scholar Abu Ubaydah who said:
“Compassion is more delicate a disposition than mercy.”

َ ُ
‫ِين َس َبقونا‬َ ‫ٱغفِ ۡر َلَا َو ِل ۡخ َوٰن َِنا َّٱل‬
ۡ َ َّ َ َ ُ ُ َ ۡ ۡ َ ۢ
‫ا‬ ‫ن‬‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ون‬‫ول‬‫ق‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ِم‬ ‫ه‬ ‫د‬
ِ ‫ع‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ن‬ ِ
‫م‬ ‫و‬ ‫ء‬ َ ‫َو َّٱل‬
ُ ٓ ‫ِين َجا‬
ِ
ٞ َ َّ َ َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ ّ ّٗ َ ُ ُ
ٓ ۡ َۡ َ َ ‫ٱل‬ۡ
ٌ‫ك َر ُءوف َّرحِيم‬ ‫يم ٰ ِن َول ت َعل ِف قلوبِنا غِل ل ِلِين ءامنوا ربنا إِن‬ ِ ِ‫ب‬
Wallazeena jaaa’oo min ba’dihim yaqooloona Rabbanagh fir lanaa wa li ikhwaani nal
lazeena sabqoonaa bil eemaani wa laa taj’al fee quloobinaa ghillalil lazeena aamanoo
rabbannaaa innaka Ra’oofur Raheem

English Translation:

“And [there is a share for] those who came after them, saying, ‘Our Lord, forgive us
and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any]
resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and
Merciful.’” (Qur’an 59:10)

ُّ‫ت إ َل ٱنل‬ ٰ ُّ َ ّ ُ َ ۡ ُ ّ ٰ َ ّ َ ٰ َ َ ٓ ۡ َ ٰ َ َ ُ ّ َ ُ
َ ُ‫ٱلظل‬ َّ َ ُ
ِۚ ‫ور‬ ِ ِ ‫م‬ ‫ِن‬
‫م‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ج‬‫ر‬
ِ ‫خ‬ ‫ل‬
ِ ‫ت‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ي‬
ٖ ِ ِ ‫ب‬ ‫ت‬ ‫اي‬ ‫ء‬ ‫ِۦ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫د‬
ِ ‫ب‬‫ع‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ن‬
ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ِي‬
‫ٱل‬ ‫هو‬
ٞ ‫وف َّرح‬ٞ ُ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َّ َّ
‫ِيم‬ ‫ِإَون ٱلل بِكم لرء‬
Huwal lazee yunazzilu ‘alaa ‘abdiheee Aayaatim baiyinaatil liyukhrijakum minaz
zulumaati ilan noor; wa innal laaha bikum la Ra’oofur Raheem

English Translation:

“It is He who sends down upon His Servant [Muhammad] verses of clear evidence
that He may bring you out from darknesses into the light. And indeed, Allah is to
you Kind and Merciful.” (Qur’an 57:9)

ٞ ُ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ ُ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ
ٞ‫وف َّرحِيم‬ ‫ولول فضل ٱللِ عليكم ورحتهۥ وأن ٱلل رء‬
Wa law laa fadlul laahi ‘alaikum wa rahmatuhoo wa annal laaha Ra’oofur Raheem
(section 2)

English Translation:

“And had it not been for the Grace of Allah upon you and His mercy, and that Allah
is Ever Compassionate, Ever-Merciful (you had been the losers).” (Qur’an 24:20)

295
 َّ َ َّ َۡ َ َ ۡ ّ َّ َ َ ُ َّ َ َّ َ َّ
َِ ‫اعةِ ۡٱل ُع ۡسة‬
َ ‫ٱت َب ُعوهُ ف َس‬ َ
‫ج ِرين وٱلنصارِ ٱلِين‬ ِٰ ‫ب َوٱل ُم َه‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫لقد تاب ٱلل ع ٱنل‬
ٞ َّ َ َ َ َّ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ ّ َ ُ ُُ ُ َ َ َ َ َۡ ۢ
‫اب َعل ۡي ِه ۡ ۚم إِن ُهۥ ب ِ ِه ۡم َر ُءوف‬ ‫يق مِنهم ثم ت‬ ٖ ِ ‫ِمن بع ِد ما كد ي ِزيغ قلوب ف‬
‫ر‬
ٞ ‫رح‬,
‫ِيم‬ َّ

Laqat taabal laahu ‘alan nabiyyi wal Muhaajireena wal Ansaaril lazeenat taba’oohu fee
saa’atil ‘usrati min ba’di maa kaada yazeeghu quloobu fariqin minhum thumma taaba
‘alaihim; innahoo bihim Ra’oofur Raheem

English Translation:

“Allah has already forgiven the Prophet and the Muhajireen and the Ansar who
followed him in the hour of difficulty after the hearts of a party of them had almost
inclined [to doubt], and then He forgave them. Indeed, He was to them Kind and
Merciful.” (Qur’an 9:117)

ۡ ُۢ ُ َّ ‫ٱللِ َو‬
َّ َ َ َٓ ۡ ُ َۡ َۡ َ
ِ‫ٱلل َر ُءوف بِٱلعِ َباد‬ ۚ ‫ات‬ ِ ‫شي نف َسه ٱبتِغا َء م ۡرض‬ ِ َّ‫َوم َِن ٱنل‬
ِ ‫اس من ي‬
Wa minan naasi mai yashree nafsahub tighaaa’a mardaatil laah; wallaahu ra’oofum
bil’ibaad

English Translation:

“And of the people is he who sells himself, seeking means to the approval of Allah.
And Allah is kind to [His] servants.” (Qur’an 2:207)

The believer benefits from knowing that Allah T is Ar-Ra’uf as it helps to further
our relationship with Him. The study of His attributes of mercy and compassion
increases our love towards Him as it shows He cares and loves us. We are not left
stranded and hopeless.

This name communicates a yearning of Allah T to be empathetic to our struggle

and show pity to one who returns to Him. He guides and instructs us in ways that are
unseen and saves us from harm, and to Him, we are forever grateful.

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 5647
[2] Sahih Muslim 2572e 296
 Malik ul-Mulk
(Master of the Kingdom)

The Owner of Absolute Sovereignty,

The Owner of Dominion.

ُ ْ ْ ُ َ
Allah T is Malikul-Mulk (in Arabic: ‫)مال ِك ٱل ُملك‬, The Lord of the Kingdom. He is the sole
owner of all creation and, with absolute authority, can act in any manner, at any
time, and in any way.

From the root mim-lam-kaf (‫)م ل ك‬, which power but Him. He carries out whatever
has the following classical Arabic He wants in a manner which pleases
connotations: to possess, to own Him, and nothing can come in the way
exclusively, to exercise authority, to of His decree. All of creation comes from
command to have power over, Him, and He remains with absolute
command, reign to have dominion over, control over them, not suffering from any
to have ruling power to have kingship. limitations.

This is similar to a previous name of Allah If He so wished to bring about its

T we’ve discussed, Al-Malik (The Owner).
As mentioned, there is a difference
between Malik (king) and Mālik (owner).
Al-Mulk refers to His dominion, territory, or
kingdom. So together, Malik Al-Mulk or
Mālik Al-Mulk means The King of Absolute
Sovereignty, The Owner of Absolute
Sovereignty. No one possesses perfect
complete destruction or annihilation, He
could. Now, imagine Him by your side,
supporting you in your cause, “If Allah
should aid you, no one can overcome
you; but if He should forsake you, who is
there that can aid you after Him? And
upon Allah let the believers rely.” (Qur’an
3:160)

ُ ٓ ََ َ ۡ ۡ ُ َ َ ُٓ ََ َ َ ۡ ُۡ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ٰ َ َّ ُ َّ ُ
‫زنع ٱل ُملك م َِّمن تشا ُء َوتعِ ُّز‬ ِ ‫ت‬ ‫و‬ ‫ء‬ ‫ا‬‫ش‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ‫ؤ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ك‬
ِ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ِك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫م‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫ل‬
ِ ‫ق‬
ٞ ‫ش ٖء قَد‬ۡ َ ‫ك‬ َ ۡ
ّ ُ ٰ َ َ َّ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ ُّ ُ ٓ ََ
‫ِير‬ ِ ‫ع‬ ‫َمن تشا ُء َوتذِل من تشاء ۖ بِيدِك ٱلي ۖ إِنك‬
Qulil laahumma Maalikal Mulki tu’til mulka man tashaaa’u wa tanzi’ul mulka mimman
tashhaaa’u wa tu’izzu man tashaaa’u wa tuzillu man tashaaa’u biyadikal khairu innaka
‘alaa kulli shai’in Qadeer
English Translation:

“Say, “O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You
take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You
humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things
competent.” (Qur’an 3:26)
297
 َّ َ
ُ‫ٱللِ ٱل ۡ َم ِصري‬ َۡ َ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ
َ َ َّ ‫ك‬
ۖ ِ ‫ت وٱل‬
‫ۡرض ِإَول‬ ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬ ‫و ِلِ مل‬
Wa lillaahi mulkus samaawaati wal ardi wa ilal laahil maseer

English Translation:

“And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah is
the destination.” (Qur’an 24:42)

In our daily prayers and the opening chapter of the Qur’an, we are reminded that He
is the “master” or “owner” of the day of judgment. This reminds us that He alone
possesses power and gives His final verdict.

ّ ۡ َ ِ ‫َمٰل‬
ِ ‫ِك يو ِم ٱدل‬
‫ِين‬
Maaliki Yawmid-Deen

English Translation:

“Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.” (Qur’an 1:4)

This name reminds us of the temporary Alhamdulillah, you’re doing well

nature of our existence on earth. Part of
living is our desire to expand endlessly,
acquiring things. In this acquisition of
land, property, and material, we become
deluded. It is easy to become distracted
and believe all of this is real and that the
goal of living is to consume and conquer.
Our ego inflates if we see success, and
we are prone to become less akhirah
motivated. This is why receiving wealth is
a blessing from Allah T but also a test in
disguise. Will they use their wealth in a
manner pleasing to Him, or will they
become a servant to their ego?
financially and closed on your second,
third, and looking for a fourth investment
properties. What feelings come to you as
you stand there looking at each of your
properties. In your mind, does the inner
dialogue say, “wow, I can’t believe this is
mine!” It’s not far-fetched you’d feel
this way, but this is where the danger
creeps in. The development of this self-
image, being “the owner” of these
properties and land. A sense of great
pride and honor envelopes your psyche.
The scariest part is you may not even
realize it.

Take a second to reflect on this But how many people stood on this
hypothetical scenario, and try to really same land before you? How many
see yourself in this scenario. You just people before you held a written
bought your first home and looking at document proclaiming the ownership of
this beautiful structure, envision all the the very land you currently stand on? All
future memories that’ll reside within. were deluded by this temporary
What feelings flood your heart and brain? ownership.
Now, many years have passed. 298
 This failure is partly due to the omission The power which they likely craved was
and deep resonation with the saying of given to them by Allah T, and it had
alhamdulillah (all praise is due to Allah). corrupted them. They began to feel like
Allah gives some of His servant’s untouchable kings with no authority to

temporary ownership, but He is the prevail over them.

eternal owner. In Surah Baqarah, it mentions how the

tyrant King Nimrod believed he had
This tiny thought experiment is on such a
absolute sovereignty over his land and
small scale, but still, we see the nature of
people. His word became the law of the
the human condition. A few are given the
land. If he was so inclined to kill a man, he
position of extreme wealth, like Firawn or
could go without recourse.
Nimrod.

َ‫ك إ ِ ۡذ قَ َال إِبۡ َرٰهِـ ُۧم َر ّب‬ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ َّ ُ ٰ َ َ ۡ َ ٓ ّ َ َ ٰ َ ۡ َّ َٓ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ

ِ ‫ألم تر إِل ٱلِي حاج إِبرهِـۧم ِف ربِهِۦ أن ءاتىه ٱلل ٱلمل‬
ۡ َّ ۡ َ َ َّ َّ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ُ َ ۡ ُ ََ۠ َ َ ُ ُ َ ُۡ َّ
‫حۦ وأمِيتۖ قال إِبرهِـۧم فإِن ٱلل يأ ِت بِٱلشم ِس‬ ِ ‫حۦ وي ِمۡيت قال أنا أ‬ ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ِي‬
‫ٱل‬
َ‫ٱلل َل َي ۡهدِي ۡٱل َق ۡوم‬ َُّ َ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ َ ۡ َۡ َ َ َ ۡ َۡ َ
‫ۗو‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ِي‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ه‬
ِ ‫ب‬‫ف‬ ‫ب‬ِ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫غ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ِن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ا‬‫ه‬ِ ِ ‫ب‬ ‫ت‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ق‬
ِ ‫ش‬ ِ ‫مِن ٱلم‬
َ ‫لظ ٰـلِم‬َّ
‫ني‬ ِ ‫ٱ‬
Alam tara ilal lazee Haaajja Ibraaheema fee Rabbiheee an aataahullaahul mulka iz
qaala Ibraaheemu Rabbiyal lazee yuhyee wa yumeetu qaala ana uhyee wa umeetu
qaala Ibraaheemu fa innal laaha yaatee bishshamsi minal mashriqi faati bihaa minal
maghribi fabuhital lazee kafar; wallaahu laa yahdil qawmaz zaalimeen

English Translation:

“Have you not considered the one who argued with Abraham about his Lord
[merely] because Allah had given him kingship? When Abraham said, “My Lord is
the one who gives life and causes death,” he said, “I give life and cause death.”
Abraham said, “Indeed, Allah brings up the sun from the east, so bring it up from
the west.” So the disbeliever was overwhelmed [by astonishment], and Allah does
not guide the wrongdoing people.” (Qur’an 2:258)

Prophet Ibrahim (q) then challenges
Him to control the sun’s setting. The
Tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi mentions
how Nimrod did not deny the existence of
God or believe He was the creator of
heaven and earth.
So this statement was meant to remind
him of a greater authority that rules over
whatever dominion he thinks he has.
In comparison, Prophet Sulaiman (q)
was a wise and noble king. He was blessed
by Allah T, and we can see the difference
in leadership and mindset from this one
du’a he made.

299
 َّ‫ع‬َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َّ َ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ ّ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ّ ٗ َ َ َّ َ َ َ
‫ت أنعمت‬ ٓ ِ ‫ن أن أشكر ن ِعمتك ٱل‬ ٓ ِ ‫ب أوزِع‬ ِ ‫ِك م َِن قول ِها وقال ر‬‫فتبسم ضاح‬
َّ ‫ك ف ع َِباد َِك‬
َ ‫ٱلص ٰـلِح‬ َ َۡ َ ۡ َ َ
ۡ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ ٗ ٰ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َّ َ ٰ َ ٰ َ َ َ
‫ني‬ ِ ‫ت‬‫ح‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ‫ر‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ن‬‫ِل‬ ‫خ‬ ‫د‬ ‫وع و ِلي وأن أعمل صل ِحا ترضىه وأ‬
Fatabassama daahikam min qawlihaa wa qaala Rabbi awzi’nee an ashkura ni’mata kal
lateee an’amta ‘alaiya wa ‘alaa waalidaiya wa an a’mala saalihan tardaahu wa
adkhilnee birahmatika fee ‘ibaadikas saaliheen

English Translation:

“So [Solomon] smiled, amused at her speech, and said, ‘My Lord, enable me to be
grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents
and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into
[the ranks of] Your righteous servants.’” (Qur’an 27:19)

He is well aware of what troubles arise
from getting what you want. You can
become arrogant, ungrateful,
prideful. So in his du’a, he asks Allah T to
“enable me to be grateful for Your favor”
and “do righteousness of which You
approve.” His leadership was rooted in
His submission and gratitude to Allah
His mission was driven to be of service to
His Lord, who He knows is the true king.
humility. The moment you begin to think
you’re greater than you are, you’ve
and collapsed whatever blessings Allah T
has given you. Abu Huraira reported from
Allah’s Messenger x as saying: The most
wretched person in the sight of Allah on
the Day of Resurrection and the worst
T. person and target of His wrath would of
the person who is called Malik al-Amlak
(the King of Kings) for there is no king but

Again, we see the central theme around Allah. [1]

This next hadith is very instructive in understanding Allah’s power and dominion. Abu
Dharr reported Allah’s Messenger x as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious,
said: [2]

1. “O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it

forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another.

2. O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek
guidance of Me and I shall guide you,

3. O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek
food of Me and I shall feed you.

4. O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek
clothing of Me and I shall clothe you.

5. O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek
forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you.

6. O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will
not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me.
300
 7. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you
and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man
of you, that would not increase My dominion in anything.

8. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you
and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one
man of you, that would not decrease My dominion in anything.

9. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you
and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and
were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what
I have, any more that a needle decreases the sea if put into it.

10. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I record for you and then recompense
you for. So let him who finds good, praise Allah, and let him who finds other
than that blame no one but himself.”

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 2143b
301 [2] Sahih Muslim 2577a
 zul Jalali Wal ikram
(Possessor of Glory and Honor)

Lord of Majesty and Bounty,

Possessor of Might and Glory.

ُ ْ ْ َ َ ْ ُ
Allah is Zul-Jalaali-wal-Ikram (in Arabic: ‫ٱلك َرام‬ َ
ِ ‫)ذو ٱلل ِل و‬, The One who is glorious and
majestic. He is the possessor of all glory and honor. He is The One who deserves to
be Exalted and not denied.

The attributes of Allah in this phrase are
based on the root of two jim-lam-lam
(‫ )ج ل ل‬and kaf-ra-mim (‫)ك ر م‬.
The meaning of j-l-l: to be supremely
great to be glorious, majestic to be
sublime to be high, lofty, far above,
independent. k-r-m: to be noble, high
minded, generous, to be highly
esteemed, honored, prized, valued, to be
excellent, precious, valuable, rare, to be
productive, fruitful, bountiful.
You may find various translations of this
name, and it stems from the inter-
pretations of what Jalal and Ikram mean.
Dhul (The Lord or Possessor), Jalal
(Majesty or Glory), wal (and), Ikram, which
comes from Karam (Generosity or Honor
- similar to the name Al-Kareem).
So, together we often see the Lord of
Majesty and Honor, The Lord of Bounty
and Honor, Lord of Majesty and
Generosity.
As a name of Allah T it is mentioned
twice in the Qur’an, both times in Surah
Ar-Rahman.

ۡ ۡ َ َٰ َۡ ُ َ ّ َ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ
‫ٱلك َر ِام‬
ِ ‫ق وجه ربِك ذو ٱلل ِل و‬ٰ ‫ويب‬
Wa yabqaa wajhu rabbika zul jalaali wal ikraam

English Translation:

“And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.” (Qur’an 55:27)

ۡ ۡ َ َٰ َۡ َ َّ ُ ۡ َ َ ََ
‫ٱلك َر ِام‬
ِ ‫تبٰرك ٱسم ربِك ذِي ٱلل ِل و‬
Tabaarakasmu Rabbika Zil-Jalaali wal-Ikraam

English Translation:

“Blessed is the name of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.” (Qur’an 55:78)
302
 The Face of Allah:

In Surah Ar-Rahman, leading up to ayah What has also been said is the order of
27, the primary focus was on the these two qualities. We must first
blessings of the worldly life. From 26-27, it recognize His Majesty, which
marks the transition to the blessings of encompasses many of His attributes,
the afterlife, “Everyone upon the earth power, strength, judgment, knowledge,
will perish, And there will remain the Face and absolute dominion. This could be
of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and classified as first studying and developing
Honor.” Imam Bayhaqi mentions, “As for Taqwa (often described as God-
Allah’s face, we affirm it is an attribute of consciousness or God-fearing piety),
Allah, not as a form or image.” Rather then we should study His grace
wajh is often interpreted as a “face” to (attributes of kindness, mercy, and
represent His essence of having forgiveness).
attributes of majesty and honor.

If we only realize His loving and
merciful attributes, we may rationalize or
be easily tempted by bad behaviors. But
if we recognize His power and strength,
we would avoid things out of fear of
displeasing Him. This is a back-and-forth
between reverence and seeking
repentance from His attributes of love
that has thorns on it?” Umar said, “Yes.”
Ubayy asked, “What did you do then?” to
which Umar replied, “I rolled up my
sleeves and struggled.” Ubayy said, “That
is taqwa, to protect oneself from sin
through life’s dangerous journey so that
one can successfully complete the
journey unscathed by sin.” [1]

and mercy. A’isha (x ) reported: When the

It was reported that Umar bin Khattab Messenger of Allah x pronounced
asked Ubayy ibn Ka’b about Taqwa. Ubay salutation, he salutation longer than it
said, “Have you ever walked on a path took him to say:[2]

َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ َّ َ ْ َ ُ َ َّ َ ْ َ َّ ُ َّ
‫اإلكر ِام‬
ِ ‫اللهم أنت السالم ومِنك السالم تباركت ذا الال ِل و‬
Allahumma antas salam wa minkas salam tabarakta dhal jalali wal ikram

English Translation:

“O Allah: Thou art Peace, and peace comes from Thee, blessed art Thou, Possessor
of Glory and Honour”

Narrated Anas ibn Malik: I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah x and a man was
offering prayer. He then made supplication: [3]

303
 ْ َ َ
َ َ َّ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ْ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ّ َّ ُ َّ
‫ات واألر ِض‬
ِ ‫اللهم إ ِ ِن أسألك بِأن لك المد ال إِل إِال أنت المنان بدِيع السمو‬
ُ ‫ح يَا َق ُّي‬ َ َْ َ َ
ُّ َ ‫ال ِل َواإل ْك َر ِام يَا‬
‫وم‬ ِ ‫يا ذا ال‬
Allahumma inni as’aluka bi - anna lakal - hamd, lailaha illa ant, al - mannanu badi’us -
samawati wal - ard, ya dhal jalali wal ikram! Ya hayyu ya qayyum

English Translation:

“O Allah, I ask Thee by virtue of the fact that praise is due to Thee, there is no deity
but Thou, Who showest favour and beneficence, the Originator of the Heavens and
the earth, O Lord of Majesty and Splendour, O Living One, O Eternal One.”

There is great virtue and reward in supplicating with these names. The narration
continues, “The Prophet x then said: He has supplicated Allah using His Greatest
Name, when supplicated by this name, He answers, and when asked by this name He
gives.”

References:
[1] Muhammad Saed Abdul-Rahman (2009). The Meaning and Explanation of the Glorious Quran. MSA Publication Limited.
p. 63.
[2] Sahih Muslim 592a
[3] Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 1495 304
 Al-Muqsit
(The Just One)

The Equitable, The Requiter,

The Redresser.

ُ ْ ْ
Allah T is Al-Muqsit (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل ُمقسِط‬, The One who is most fair and just. He recognizes
and provides rewards beyond measure for any good, however small. He is The One
who leads mankind to justice and harmony.

From the root qaf-sin-ta (‫)ق س ط‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to act justly, equitably to do away with injustice, to establish an equitable balance.

Allah’s name of justice:

Allah T is Al-Muqsit (The Equitable), which is similar in meaning or connection to the

names Al-Adl (The Embodiment of Justice), and Al-Hakam (The Impartial Judge). He
is the one who perfectly balances the punishment with the crime. He brings satisfaction
to the victim while holding the perpetrator accountable in equal measure.

َ َۡ َ َ ٗ َ ٞ ۡ َ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ َٰ ۡ ِ ۡ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َٰ َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ
‫س ش ۡيـٔاۖ ِإَون كن مِثقال‬ ‫ونضع ٱلموزِين ٱل ِقسط ِلوم ٱل ِقيمةِ فل تظلم نف‬
َ‫سبني‬ ٰ َ‫ف ب َنا ح‬
ٰ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ّ َّ َ
ِ ِ ِ ‫حبةٖ مِن خرد ٍل أتينا بِهاۗ وك‬
Wa nada’ul mawaazeenal qista li Yawmil Qiyaamati falaa tuzlamu nafsun shai’aa; wa in
kaana misqaala habbatim min khardalin atainaa bihaa; wa kafaa binaa haasibeen

English Translation:

“And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be
treated unjustly at all. And if there is [even] the weight of a mustard seed, We will
bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountant.” (Qur’an 21:47)

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned in previous names, different scholars have different criteria for
what qualifies as a name of Allah T. Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly mentioned in
the Qur’an. Therefore, there is not one agreed-upon list for the remaining 18 names.

Al-Muqsit is one of those names which is not included by certain scholars. This list
includes Ibn al-Wazir, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn al-Uthaymeen.
305
However, others, such as Ibn Arabi, Imam al-Bayhaqi, and Imam al-Ghazali, have
included this name in their books of explanations of Asma ul-Husna. Still, many verses
speak to Allah’s nature as being equitable

َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َّ ۡ َ ُّ ُ ٰ َّ َ ُ َ َ ۡ َّ َ ُ ٰ َ ُ ۡ َ ُّ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ
‫يوم تأ ِت ك نف ٖس تجدِل عن نفسِها وتوف ك نف ٖس ما ع ِملت وهم ل‬
َ َ ۡ
‫ُيظل ُمو ن‬
Yawma taatee kullu nafsin tujaadilu ‘an nafsihaa wa tuwaffaa kullu nafsim maa ‘amilat
wa hum laa yuzlamoon

English Translation:

“On the Day when every soul will come disputing for itself, and every soul will be
fully compensated for what it did, and they will not be wronged.” (Qur’an 16:111)

َ َٓ ۡ ۡ ُ َ َ َ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ َ ٓ َ ُ َّ َ ُ َّ َ َ
‫ط ل إِل ٰ َه‬
ۚ ِ ‫بِٱلقِس‬ ۢ‫ك ُة َوأ ْولُوا ْ ۡٱل ِع ۡل ِم قَآئ َما‬ َ
ِ ‫ش ِهد ٱلل أنهۥ ل إِلٰه إِل هو وٱلملـٰٓئ‬
ِ
‫ِيم‬ُ ‫ٱلك‬ َ ۡ ‫يز‬ ُ ‫إ َّل ُه َو ۡٱل َعز‬
ِ
ِ
Shahidal laahu annahoo laa ilaaha illaa Huwa walmalaaa’ikatu wa ulul ‘ilmi qaaa’imam
bilqist; laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal ‘Azeezul Hakeem

English Translation:

“Allah witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those
of knowledge – [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except
Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (Qur’an 3:18)

Although the name Al-Muqsit is not
mentioned, we are told on three separate
occasions in the Qur’an that innal laaha
yuhibbul muqsiteen, “Indeed, Allah loves
those who act justly.” The context in
which each verse was revealed varies,
but the overarching idea is Allah T loves
those who seek to do good for the sake
of Allah.
(1) The Medinah Jews came to the
Prophet x trying to settle a matter of
some unlawful they consumed. Allah T
at the time ordered to either help judge
between them and give them the
accurate Islamic ruling over the unlawful
matter. The other option would be to
turn them away - for if you turn them
away, they can not harm you.

The three verses and their context,

306
 ۡ ۡ َ َۡ ۡ ََُۡ ُ ۡ َ َ ُٓ َ َ ۡ ُّ َ ُ ٰ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ٰ َّ َ
‫ت فإِن جاءوك فٱحكم بينهم أو أع ِرض‬ ۚ ِ ‫ِب أكـلون ل ِلسح‬ ِ ‫ذ‬ ‫ك‬ ‫سمـعون ل ِل‬
ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ۖ‫ُ ۡ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ُ ُّ َ َ ۡ ٗ ٔا‬ َۡ
‫ٱحكم بَ ۡي َن ُهم‬ ‫عن ُه ۡمۖ ِإَون تع ِرض عنهم فلن يضوك شيـ ِإَون حكمت ف‬
َ ‫سط‬ ۡ ُ ۡ ُّ ُ َ َّ َّ ۡ ۡ
‫ني‬ ِ ِ ‫ق‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ِب‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫ن‬ ۚ
ِ ِ ِ ِ‫ب‬
‫إ‬ ‫ط‬ ‫س‬ ‫ق‬‫ٱل‬
Sammaa’oona lilkazibi akkaaloona lissuht; fa in jaaa’ooka fahkum bainahum aw a’rid
anhum wa in tu’rid ‘anhum falany-yadurrooka shai’anw wa in hakamta fahkum
bainahum bilqist; innal laaha yuhibbul muqsiteen
English Translation:

“[They are] avid listeners to falsehood, devourers of [what is] unlawful. So if they
come to you, [O Muhammad], judge between them or turn away from them. And if
you turn away from them – never will they harm you at all. And if you judge, judge
between them with justice. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.” (Qur’an 5:42)

(2) It reserves the right of Muslims to
remain peaceful amongst each other.
Fighting should never occur internally,
just as cursing amongst one another
has been prohibited. If a dispute turns
into a fight, help the victim fight against
the one who’s the aggressor, i.e., until
cooler heads prevail. We should be
loving and just amongst ourselves, not
motivated by self-interest or by ties of
kinship.

ََ َ ُٰ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ ۢ َ َ ُ ََۡ ْ ُ ۡ ََ ْ ُ ََ ۡ َ ۡ ُۡ َ َ ‫ِإَون َطآئ َف‬

‫ان مِن ٱلمؤ ِمن ِني ٱقتتلوا فأصل ِحوا بينهماۖ فإِن بغت إِحدىهما ع‬ ِ ِ‫ت‬
ْ َ َ
َ‫ت فأ ۡصل ُِحوا بَ ۡي َن ُهما‬ۡ َ ٓ َ َ َ َ
َّ ۡ ٰٓ َ ٓ َ ٰ َّ َ ۡ َ َّ ْ ُ ََ ٰ َ ۡ ُۡ
ٰ
‫ٱلخرى فقتِلوا ٱل ِت تب ِغ حت ت ِفء إِل أم ِر ٱللِۚ فإِن فاء‬
َ‫سطني‬ ۡ ُ ۡ ُّ ُ َ َّ َّ ْ ٓ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ
ِ ِ ‫بِٱلعد ِل وأقسِطوۖا إِن ٱلل يِب ٱلمق‬
Wa in taaa’ifataani minal mu’mineena naqtataloo fa aslihoo bainahumaa; fa-im baghat
ihdaahumaa ‘alal ukhraa faqaatilul latee tabghee hattaa tafeee’a ilaaa amril laah; fa-in
faaa’at fa aslihoo bainahumaa bil’adli wa aqsitoo, innal laaha yuhibbul muqsiteen
English Translation:

“And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement
between the two. But if one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one
that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allah. And if it returns, then make
settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allah loves those who
act justly.” (Qur’an 49:9)

(3) The next verse encourages Muslims
not to make enemies with all non-muslims.
If the non-believers do not fight Islam and
do not try to expel Muslims from their
homes, then it is recommended in the
Qur’an that we behave justly and
righteously towards them. This ayah is
307
reportedly believed to have been revealed
in response to Abu Bakr’s daughter, Asma,
who refused to meet her mother when
she came from Mecca because she
remained a polytheist. The Prophet x was
made aware of this situation, and the
verse was revealed to Him in response.
 َ ۡ ُ َ ُ ُۡ َ ُ ُ ٰ َ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َ َّ
‫ِين َول ۡم ي ِر ُجوكم ّمِن دِي ٰ ِركم أن‬
ِ
ّ ‫وك ۡم ف‬
‫ٱدل‬ ِ ‫ل ينهىكم ٱلل ع ِن ٱلِين لم يقتِل‬
َ ‫سط‬ ۡ ۡ ُّ ُ َ َّ َّ ۡ ۡ َ ْ ٓ ُ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ ُّ َ َ
‫ني‬ ِ ِ ‫ٱلل يِب ٱل ُمق‬ ‫تبوهم وتقسِطوا إِل ِه ۚم إِن‬
Laa yanhaakumul laahu ‘anil lazeena lam yuqaatilookum fid deeni wa lam yukhrijookum
min diyaarikum an tabarroohum wa tuqsitooo ilaihim; innal laaha yuhibbul muqsiteen

English Translation:

“Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and
do not expel you from your homes – from being righteous toward them and acting
justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.” (Qur’an 60:8)

Seeking justice for when you are wrong:

Much has already been said in the
previous names regarding seeking
Allah’s forgiveness for our sins and ways
in which we may have been deficient.
But we may also benefit by looking at
those we may have hurt and seeking
their forgiveness directly.
win this case on the day of judgment.
But what about the thousands of cases
others may have against you? What kind
of precedent would you like established
on the day of resurrection? No one can
genuinely achieve Jannah on the basis
of their deeds alone. Whatever we do will

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger never be enough for us to confidently

x said, “Whoever has wronged his say we are deserving of paradise.

brother, should ask for his pardon (before Jannah is only achieved by Allah’s grace

his death), as (in the Hereafter) there will and mercy. And so, what’s best for the

be neither a Dinar nor a Dirham. (He believer is to sincerely find it in their

should secure pardon in this life) before hearts to forgive and let go of the pain

some of his good deeds are taken and others may have caused. In doing so,

paid to his brother, or, if he has done no you open yourself to receiving Allah’s

good deeds, some of the bad deeds of mercy.

his brother are taken to be loaded on From the hadith, “none can enter
him (in the Hereafter). [1]
Paradise through his good deeds. They

The simple principle we should try (the Prophet’s companions) said, ‘Not

applying in our life is to deal with people even you, O Allah’s Messenger (x)?’ He

the way you would like Allah T to deal said, “Not even myself, unless Allah

with you. A person may have wronged bestows His favor and mercy on me.” [2]

you terribly, and you’re confident you’ll

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 6534
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 5673 308
 Al-Jami
(The Gatherer)

The Unifier, The Uniter.

ُ ْ
َ ), He is The One who has the power to assemble
Allah T is Al-Jaami (in Arabic: ‫ٱلامِع‬
and arrange all that which has been dispersed. He is the one who composes and
connects things together.

From the root jim-mim-ayn (‫ع‬ ‫)ج م‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to collect, gather up, to congregate, gather together, to draw together,
muster, to reconcile, to connect, combine, to form a connection between, union, to
compose, arrange, resolve, or settle something.

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned in previous names, different scholars have different criteria for
what qualifies as a name of Allah T. Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly mentioned in
the Qur’an. Therefore, there is not one agreed-upon list for the remaining 18 names.
Al-Jami is one of those names which is not included by certain scholars.

This list includes Ibn al-Wazir, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn al-Uthaymeen. However, others, such
as Ibn Arabi, Imam al-Bayhaqi, and al-Ghazali, have included this name in their books
of explanations of Asma ul-Husna.

The Gatherer:
The word Jami is derived from Jama’a,
which means to collect or gather. As with
all the beautiful names of Allah
Al-Jami is not limited or restricted in any
manner. He is The Gatherer. He has the
power to combine all things, whether
similar or dissimilar, both in space and
time. He brought together human beings,
infused them with a spirit, and put them
on earth. We can go further by analyzing
the details of a single creation, the
human body. Its composition is complex,
T, consisting of many layers all working as
one, circulatory system (blood, veins,
arteries...), digestive system (teeth, saliva,
stomach...), nervous system (brain, spine,
nerves...), and the list goes on. This is the
makeup of one of His creations on earth,
and we’ll avoid discussions of the stars,
planets, and galaxies.

309
 ُ َ َ َ َ ّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ َ َ ٰ َ َٰ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ْ َّ َّ َ ُ ٰ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ
4 ‫ بل قـدِرِين ع أن نسوِى بنانهۥ‬3 ‫ٱلنسـن ألن نمع عِظامهۥ‬ ِ ‫أيسب‬
َ
َ ‫ج َر أ َم‬ُ ‫نس ٰـ ُن ِلَ ْف‬ ْ ُ ‫بَ ْل يُر‬
5 ‫ام ُهۥ‬ َ ‫يد ٱل‬
ِ ِ
Ayahsabul insaanu al lan najm’a ‘izaamah Balaa qaadireena ‘alaaa an nusawwiya
banaanah Bal yureedul insaanu liyafjura amaamah
English Translation:

“Does man think that We will not assemble his bones? Yes. [We are] Able [even] to
proportion his fingertips. But man desires to continue in sin.” (Qur’an 75:3-5)

The gatherer also refers to how on the day of resurrection, we will all be brought back
together, awaiting His final judgment.

َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ َ َ َّ َّ
‫يعاد‬ َ ‫اس ِلَ ۡوم َّل َر ۡي‬
‫ب فِي ۚهِ إِن ٱلل ل يل ِف ٱل ِم‬
َ َّ ٓ
ِ َّ‫َر َّب َنا إِنك َجام ُِع ٱنل‬
ٖ
Rabbanaaa innaka jaami un-naasil Yawmil laa raibafeeh; innal laaha laa yukhliful
mee’aad (section 1)
English Translation:

“Our Lord, surely You will gather the people for a Day about which there is no doubt.
Indeed, Allah does not fail in His promise.” (Qur’an 3:9)

The day of judgment has many names, Yawm Al-Qiyamah (The Day of Resurrection),
Yawm Al-Din (The Day of Recompense), Yawm Al-Hasrah (The Day of Regret), and
Yawm Al-Jam’i (The Day of Collecting Together).

َ‫ى َو َم ۡن َح ۡول َ َها َوتُنذ َِر يَ ۡوم‬ ُ

ٰ ‫ك قُ ۡر َءانًا َع َرب ّٗيا ّ ِلُنذ َِر أ َّم ۡٱل ُق َر‬َ ۡ َ ٓ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َٰ َ َ
ِ ‫وكذل ِك أوحينا إِل‬
َّ ‫يق ف‬ ٞ ‫ٱل َّنةِ َوفَر‬ َ ۡ ٞ ‫ب فِيهِ فَر‬ َ
َ ‫ٱل ۡمعِ ل َر ۡي‬َ ۡ
‫ري‬
ِ ‫ع‬
ِ ‫ٱلس‬ ِ ِ ‫ف‬ ‫يق‬
ِ ِ ۚ
Wa kazaalika awhainaaa llaika Qur-aanan ‘Arabiyyal litunzira Ummal Quraa wa man
hawlahaa wa tunzira Yawmal Jam’i laa raiba feeh; fareequn fil jannati wa fareequn fissa’eer

English Translation:

“And thus We have revealed to you an Arabic Qur’an that you may warn the Mother of
Cities [Makkah] and those around it and warn of the Day of Assembly, about which
there is no doubt. A party will be in Paradise and a party in the Blaze.” (Qur’an 42:7)

َ ‫ك ۡم َو ۡٱلَ َّول‬
‫ِني‬
ُ َٰ ۡ َ َ َۡ َ َ
‫هٰذا يَ ۡو ُم ٱلف ۡص ِلۖ جعن‬
Haaza yawmul fasli jama ‘naakum wal awwaleen

English Translation:
“This is the Day of Judgement; We will have assembled you and the former peoples.”
(Qur’an 77:38) 310
 ۡ َ ‫ل ۡق َنا به ۡم ُذ ّر َّي َت ُه ۡم َو َما ٓ َأ‬
ۡ‫ل َنٰ ُهم ّمِن‬ َ َ
َ ۡ ‫يمٰن أ‬ ‫إ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫م‬‫ه‬
َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ
ُ ‫ٱت َب َع ۡت ُه ۡم ُذ ّر َّي ُت‬ ‫وٱلِين ءامنوا و‬
ِ ِِ ٍ ِِ ِ
ٞ ‫ب َره‬ َ ‫ٱمري ب َما َك َس‬ ۡ ‫ك‬ُّ ُ ۡ َ ّ َ
‫ِني‬ ِ ِٕ ِ ۚ ٖ‫ع َمل ِ ِهم مِن شء‬
Wallazeena aamanoo wattaba’at hum zurriyyatuhum bieemaanin alhaqnaa bihim
zurriyyatahum wa maaa alatnaahum min ‘amalihim min shai’; kullum ri’im bimaa
kasaba raheen
English Translation:

“And those who believed and whose descendants followed them in faith – We will
join with them their descendants, and We will not deprive them of anything of their
deeds. Every person, for what he earned, is retained.” (Qur’an 52:21)

The believer benefits from knowing
that Allah T is Al-Jami, i.e., the gatherer.
We realize that our return will be back to
Him, and we will be gathered together
with all who’ve walked this earth. Upon
reflection on this name, we ask ourselves
whether we could say we’ve been a
good representative of being one of
Allah’s servants? If not, what changes
could we make starting today that would
move us one step closer to that person?
Imam al-Ghazali mentions our
connection to this name is in integrating
“the external behavior of his limbs with
the inner realities of his heart. The one
who unites is one in whom knowledge is
perfect and behaviour admirable.” To
have the outer reflect the inner and to
beautify them both.

311
 Al-Ghani
(The Self-Sufficient)

The Rich, The Independent One,

The Wealthy.

Allah T is Al-Ghaniyy (in Arabic: ُّ ‫)ٱلْ َغ‬, He is The One who is self-sufficient and
‫ين‬
independent. He does not need anything as He is completely satisfied and free from
dependence. Allah is The One whose wealth and riches all others depend on.

From the root ghayn-nun-ya ( ‫ي‬ ‫)غ ن‬,
which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be free from wants or
needs, to be self-sufficient, independent,
to be able to do without help from others,
to be content, satisfied to be rich,
wealthy, flourishing.
The name of Allah T Al-Ghani, the rich
or wealthy. This is one of the names of
Allah T from the Qur’an as it is mentioned
18 times. It is often explained in pairs with
Al-Mughni (The Enricher) for its closeness
in meaning. But just as a note to self, Al-
Mughni is one of the names where there
isn’t a consensus as being accepted as
an official name of Allah as it’s not
mentioned in the Qur’an.
َ ِ ‫ ) ْغ‬is often said to imply
The word ghni ( ‫ن‬
rich or wealthy. In the Qur’an, “Allah has
certainly heard the statement of those
[Jews] who said, innal laaha faqeerunw
wa nahnu aghniyaaa “Indeed, Allah is
poor, while we are rich.” (Qur’an 3:181). In a
hadith qudsi, the Prophet Muhammad
x related Allah T as saying, “[...] O My
servants, were the first of you and the
last of you, the human of you and the
jinn of you to rise up in one place and
make a request of Me, and were I to give
everyone what he requested, that
would not decrease what I have, any
more that a needle decreases the sea if
put into it.”[1]
This is how vast Allah T wealth is. If every
creation, human and jinn, both past, and
present, were to ask Allah T their
innermost desire, and He was to give it to
you, it would deplete Him as much as if
you were to dip a needle in the ocean
and try and remove some water with it.
This is how rich Al-Ghaniyy is. His ability to
provide is non-diminishable.

Living the rich life:

Now, if you were to ask Allah T to gift you with a rich life, what would that mean? One
dimension may include monetary success. But if that’s all you care about, you’ll have
missed the aim of what a truly rich life is.
312
 Imagine a person who’s been given
wealth by Allah T but with it a short
lifespan, health problems, minimal love
and support from friends or family, with
limited capacity to think and reason.
Would you say they are living a rich life?
Their wish will have been wasted as they
haven’t even considered the purpose of
their existence, which is to glorify and
worship Allah T. They’ll go through their
entire life aimlessly, and on the day of
resurrection, they’ll be lost.
This is to illustrate that when we refer to
Al-Ghani as rich, we don’t mean in one
aspect. But rather, He is abundant in all
respects (i.e., knowledge, power,
influence, might, time, etc.) In this light,
we can see why Al-Ghaniy is often
translated as ‘The Self-Sufficient.’
He is without the need for anything as He
has it all. He is independent and entirely
satisfied.

َ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َّ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ۠ َ َٰ ۡ َ ّ ٞ ۡ ُ َ َّ َ َ
ۚ‫ب أنا ءاتِيك بِهِۦ قبل أن يرتد إِلك طرفك‬ ِ ‫قال ٱلِي عِندهۥ عِلم مِن ٱلكِت‬
َ َ َ َ َٰ َ َ ُ َ
ُ ۡ ۡ ُ ۡ ٓ َ َۡ ّ َ ۡ َ
ۖ ‫ن َءأشك ُر أم أكف ُر‬ ‫و‬
ُ
‫ل‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ل‬
ِ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ل‬‫ض‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ِن‬‫م‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ذ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ِند‬
‫ع‬ ‫ا‬‫ر‬ًّ ‫فَلَ َّما َر َءاهُ ُم ۡس َت ِق‬
ِ ِ ِ
ٞ‫ن كريم‬َ َ
ٞ ّ ‫ك َف َر فَإ َّن َر ّب غ‬
َ َ ‫سهِۦ َو‬ ۡ َ ُ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ
ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ۖ ِ ‫ف‬ ِ‫ومن شكر فإِنما يشكر ل‬
Qaalal lazee indahoo ‘ilmum minal Kitaabi ana aateeka bihee qabla ai yartadda ilaika
tarfuk; falammaa ra aahu mustaqirran ‘indahoo qaala haazaa min fadli Rabbee li
yabluwaneee ‘a-ashkuru am akfuru wa man shakara fa innamaa yashkuru linafsihee
wa man kafara fa inna Rabbee Ghaniyyun Kareem

English Translation:

“Said one who had knowledge from the Scripture, ‘I will bring it to you before your
glance returns to you.’ And when [Solomon] saw it placed before him, he said,
‘This is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful.
And whoever is grateful – his gratitude is only for [the benefit of] himself. And
whoever is ungrateful – then indeed, my Lord is Free of need and Generous.’”
(Qur’an 52:21)

ُ‫خل ِْف ِم ۢن َب ْعد ُِكم َّما ي َ َشآء‬ْ َ ََْ ْ ُ ْ ُْ ْ ََ ُّ ‫ك ٱلْ َغ‬

َّ ‫ن ُذو‬
َ ْ ‫ٱلر‬ َ ُّ َ َ
‫حةِ ۚ إِن يشأ يذهِبكم ويست‬ ِ ‫ورب‬
َ
َ َ ْ َ َّ ّ ُ ّ ُ َ ٓ َ ََ
َ ‫اخر‬
‫ين‬ ِ ‫كما أنشأكم مِن ذرِيةِ قو ٍم ء‬
Wa Rabbukal ghaniyyu zur rahmah; iny yasha’ yuz hibkum wa yastakhlif mim ba’dikum
maa yashaaa’u kamaaa ansha akum min zurriyyati qawmin aakhareen

English Translation:

“And your Lord is the Free of need, the possessor of mercy. If He wills, he can do
away with you and give succession after you to whomever He wills, just as He
produced you from the descendants of another people.” (Qur’an 6:133)

313
The Promise of Iblees:
Sometimes we can be very
appreciative of the blessings Allah
has given us. He’s provided for us, and
we are not aware. We are not satiated
by the things we possess. This is the
curse of shaitan to look for the next
thing, then the next thing, and after that,
there is something else for us to fixate
on. We are only finished chasing when
we have reached our graves. This was
the promise of Iblees. He vowed to make
man ungrateful after his refusal to bow
down to Adam ( q ), “Then I will come
to them from before them and from
behind them and on their right and on
their left, and You will not find most of
them grateful [to You].” (Qur’an 7:17)
In the prophetic traditions of Muhammad
x, you will find the best example of
behavior. He never praised food or drink.
He would express gratitude towards the
one who prepared it. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri
told that when God’s messenger
finished his food he said, “Praise be to
God who has given us food and drink
un- and made us Muslims.” [2] and also, Anas
T said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, went to bed,
he said, ‘Praise be to Allah who has
given us food and drink, and given us
enough and given us refuge. How many
people have neither enough nor
refuge!’” [3]
This is what it means to be
cognizant of Allah’s blessings.
Nothing can stand on human ambition
and ability alone, we may be deluded to
think so, but all success comes from
Allah T. Do we fail to recognize His
blessings? He’s given the ability to see,
breathe, hear, think, reflect, and love.
This name of Allah T should instill
humility in the believer’s heart. It should
cause us to think about Him and see the
blessings He’s put around us. Every day
we have food to eat, and we wake up
and have the opportunity to spend time
with our beautiful children, spouse,
friends, and/or family. This is all a
blessing of Allah T.

ُ َّ ‫ ّمِن َص َدقَة يَ ۡت َب ُع َها ٓ أَ ٗذى َو‬ٞ‫وف َو َم ۡغ ِف َرةٌ َخ ۡي‬

ٌّ ‫ٱلل َغ‬
ٞ‫ن َحل ِيم‬ ٞ ُ ۡ َّ ٞ ۡ َ
‫قول معر‬
ِ ۗ ٖ
Qawlum ma’roofunw wa maghfiratun khairum min sadaqatiny yatba’uhaaa azaa;
wallaahu Ghaniyyun Haleem

English Translation:

“Kind speech and forgiveness are better than charity followed by injury. And Allah
is Free of need and Forbearing.” (Qur’an 2:263)

We can call upon Al-Ghani (The Rich)
and Al-Mughni (The Enricher) whenever
you are in need. Allah T is unlimited,
and we should never fear asking of Him
because who else would you then ask?
The balance is that we should be careful
to not be ungrateful or unsatisfied with
the gifts He has already given us.
314
 Be deliberate in your worldly desires.
If it benefits you, then ask of Allah T. But
if you only want something out of greed,
pride, or to rise in social rankings, we
should think twice about its importance.
What would be best for the believer is to
live a life of detachment just as Prophet
Muhammad x did. For the one who has
no need for anything but Allah, T is the
richest among the people.
Ali (z) narrated: that a Mukatib came
to him and said: “Indeed I am not capable
of my Kitabah so aid me.” He said: “Should
I not teach you words that the Messenger
of Allah (x) taught me? If you had a
debt upon you similar to the mountain of
Sir, Allah would fulfill it for you. He said: [4]

ْ َ
َ‫ضل َِك َع َّم ْن س َِواك‬ ْ ََ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َّ
‫الل ُه َّم اكفِ ِن ِبالل ِك عن حرامِك وأغن ِِن بِف‬
Allahummakfini bihalalika `an haramika, wa aghnini bi fadlika `amman siwaka

English Translation:

“O Allah, suffice me with Your lawful against Your prohibited, and make me
independent of all those besides You”

This is a beautiful supplication to ask
Allah T to help aid us in debts. But more
generally, it is also both du’a of gratitude
and detachment. Asking Allah T to
make us independent, free from all
wants. We don’t necessarily need more
than we currently have in order to be at
peace. This applies in the realm of rizq to
make our careers enough for us, so we
don’t fall into prohibited acts of usury,
cheating, stealing, etc. It also applies to
marriages. To make us sufficient in our
relationships, not desiring anything
outside that has been forbidden.

A look into how the Prophet x lived:

In one of the longer hadith narrations,
Umar bin Al-Khattab was said to visit the
Prophet Muhammad x in his house, and
what he saw made him cry. “Why are you
weeping?’ Umar replied, “O Allah’s
Messenger x! Caesar and Khosrau are
leading the life (i.e., Luxurious life) while you,
Allah’s Messenger x though you are, is
living in destitute”. The Prophet x then
replied, ‘Won’t you be satisfied that they
enjoy this world and we the Hereafter?’” [5]
Umar in the hadith describes the poverty-
stricken lifestyle of Prophet Muhammad
x in the hadith. He entered the home of
Prophet Muhammad x to find him lying
on a mat made of palm tree leaves. There
was nothing to separate Prophet
Muhammad x from the mat. When he
got off the mat, you could visibly see the
branch marks it left on his body. When he
saw these marks, Umar began to weep.
Even as the economic conditions of the
Muslims improved, the Prophet
Muhammad x stayed humble. Even in
poverty, he x was offered many bribes
by Pagan leaders to abandon his
campaign, and he always denied it
because with Allah T He was sufficient.

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 2577a [4] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3563
[2] Mishkat al-Masabih 4204 [5] Sahih al-Bukhari 4913
315 [3] Sahih (Al-Albani) Al-Adab Al-Mufrad Book 50, Hadith 1206

T ُّ ‫)ٱل ُم ْغ‬, He is The One who gives abundantly and
Allah is Al-Mughni (in Arabic:
provides all that is needed. He enriches all of creation so that they may be satisfied
and content.
From the root ghayn-nun-ya (‫ي‬
which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to be free from wants or
needs, to be self-sufficient, independent,
to be able to do without help from others,
to be content, satisfied to be rich,
wealthy, flourishing.
Two names are often mentioned in pairs,
Al-Ghani (The Rich/The Self Sufficient)
and Al-Mughni (The Enricher). You should
read the write-up for the name Al-Ghani
to more deeply understand the name
Al-Mughni. As a note, Al-Ghani is a name
mentioned in the Qur’an 18
How to ask from Allah T:
There are two aspects of this, ask from
Allah T when you are needy. But to also
not deny or belittle the blessings He’s
already given (see Al-Ghani for further
clarification). There is a belief among
scholars that there is a methodology or
certain things a person can do to
increase the chance of their du’a being
fulfilled. Allah T says in Surah Baqarah,
“[...] I respond to the invocation of the
supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let
Al-Mughni
(The Enricher)
The Emancipator, The Fulfiller of Needs,
The Bestower of Wealth.
ْ
‫ن‬
ِ
‫)غ ن‬, whereas scholars do not unanimously
recognize Al-Mughni as it’s not mentioned
in the Qur’an.
To provide a quick summary, the name
Al-Ghani implies that Allah T is free from
wants, independent, and self-sufficient.
It’s because of this nature of being fully
satisfied and abundant that makes Him
Al-Mughni, The Enricher. He is not only
rich in a monetary sense but in all
regards. He is the one needed and
whose riches all others depend on. Now,
Al-Mughni is the ultimate fulfiller of needs.
times,
them respond to Me [by obedience] and
believe in Me that they may be [rightly]
guided.” (Qur’an 2:186) Allah is near to
those who call upon Him, but He asks in
return that we be obedient to what He
has asked of us. This is part of the
concept of tawassul. By increasing your
nearness to Allah T with actions beloved
to Him, you increase the likelihood of
obtaining His favor.
316
 After Prophet Zakariya (q) made
du’a, we’re told in the Qur’an, “So We
responded to him, and We gave to him
John, and amended for him his wife.
Indeed, they used to hasten to good
deeds and supplicate Us in hope and
fear, and they were to Us humbly
submissive.” (Qur’an 21:90)
He can’t do. But note in the du’a of
Prophet Zakariya (q), “My Lord, grant
me from Yourself a good offspring.
Indeed, You are the Hearer of
supplication.” (Qur’an 3:38) and also, “My
Lord, do not leave me alone [with no
heir], while you are the best of inheritors.”
(Qur’an 21:89) The importance is placed

Another shift we can make is going from on seeking it from the one who can

an egocentric view to making a du’a in provide you it. Both du’as begin with

complete submission to Allah T. The exalting Him, Rabbanna “My Lord,” all

idea is sometimes we make our du’a, things come from yourself, so grant me

and we only focus on the self. I need this, this, you’re the hearer of supplication,

and I need that. Please make this happen. you’re the best of inheritors, so provide

There is nothing wrong with this view, for me.

Allah T is Al-Mughni, and there is nothing

َ َ َ ْ ٓ َ َ ُ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ُّ ُ ْ َ َ ْ ْ ُ ُ َّ َ
‫ج َعلك ْم خلفا َء ٱل ْر ِض ۗ أءِل ٰـ ٌه‬ ‫يب ٱل ُمض َط َّر إِذا د َعهُ َو َيكشِ ف ٱلس ٓو َء وي‬ ‫ي‬
ِ ‫أمن‬
ْ َ‫ْ َ ّ َو ْٱل‬ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َّ ً َ َّ َ َّ
ُ
‫ح ِر َو َمن يُ ْرسِل‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ت‬
ِ ٰ ‫ِيك ْم ِف ُظلُ َم‬
‫ـ‬
ُ
‫د‬ ْ ‫ أ َّمن َي‬62 ‫ون‬
‫ه‬ ‫مع ٱللِ ۚ قل ِيل ما تذكر‬
ِ َ
َ ُ ْ ُ َّ َ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ َ َّ َ َّ ٌ ٰ َ ٓ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ ۢ ً ْ ُ َ ٰ َ ّ
‫شكون‬ ِ ‫ٱلريـح بشا بي يدى رحتِهِۦ ۗ أءِلـه مع ٱللِ ۚ تعـل ٱلل عما ي‬ ِ
Ammany-yujeebul mud tarra izaa da’aahu wa yakshifus sooo’a wa yaj’alukum khula
faaa’al ardi ‘a-ilaahun ma’allah qaleelan maa tazak karoon Ammany-yahdeekum fee
zulumaatil barri wal bahri wa many yursilu riyaaha bushran baina yadai rahmatih;
‘a-ilaahun ma’allah; Ta’aalal laahu ‘ammaa yushrikoon

English Translation:

“Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and
removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allah?
Little do you remember. Is He [not best] who guides you through the darknesses
of the land and sea and who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy?
Is there a deity with Allah? High is Allah above whatever they associate with Him.”
(Qur’an 27:62-63)

Being vulnerable in your du’a:

We can also use our state or reliance upon Allah. Directing your heart
circumstance and say, “Oh Allah, I am in neediness to receive from Him and His
faqeer ( ‫فقري‬‎),” meaning from poverty or in beautiful attributes. Of course, following
a dire state. From this ayah, we learn that these criteria is not always necessary.
Allah T loves to respond to the Allah T is most merciful and gives to
desperate cry of His believer. The subtle whom He wills. But we should be aware
spiritual shift is from revolving around of the actions beloved to Him and seek
317 your needs to sincere submission and His approval through such manners.
 َ َ ْ َ ُ ُ َّ َ َ
ٰ‫ن َوأ ْق َن‬
ٰ ‫وأنهۥ ه َو أغ‬
Wa annahoo huwa aghnaa wa aqnaa

English Translation:

“And that it is He who enriches and suffices.” (Qur’an 53:48)

From the story of Musa (q):

Another example of proper du’a etiquette
is shown in the story of Musa (q).
After escaping Egypt to
persecution, he traveled through the
desert until he came across a group of
male shepherds watering their flocks at
a well. Keeping their distance, he noticed
two women waiting in the back with their
sheep. Why? For whatever reason, they
felt safer waiting than mixing with the
men who were gathered at the well. They
explained to Musa (q) that their
father was an older man and unable to
feed their flock, so they had to take on
avoid this duty. Now, keep in mind that Musa
(q) himself was disheveled and
exhausted from his travels. He likely did
not have much to eat or drink. Still, he
empathized with the girls, “So he watered
(their flocks) for them; then he turned
back to the shade….” As he turned back
to the shade, he recited the following
du’a.

ٞ‫ت إ َ َّل م ِۡن َخ ۡي فَقِري‬ َ َ‫ال َر ّب إ ّن ل َِما ٓ أ‬

َ ‫نز ۡل‬ َ َ َ ّ ّ َ ٰٓ َّ َ َ َّ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َ
‫ٱلظ ِل فق‬
ِ ‫ق لهما ثم تول إِل‬ ٰ ‫فس‬
ٖ ِ ِ
ِ ِ
Fasaqaa lahumaa summa tawallaaa ilaz zilli faqaala Rabbi innee limaaa anzalta ilaiya
min khairin faqeer

English Translation:

“So he watered [their flocks] for them; then he went back to the shade and said, ‘My
Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need.’”
(Qur’an 28:24)

He was in a dire state and made this plea before Allah T to send down more good.
He knew he was impoverished and saw that the opportunity which presented itself
was a gift from Allah T and he was in need of more. It’s a beautiful du’a that asks
from Allah T but also keeps in mind the role we play as well.

The ways in which the believer can try
to connect with this name is to spend their
time busying themselves in the service to
others. You can enrich your soul by trying
to enrich the lives of others. Shaykh Tosun
Bayrak wrote, “become an instrument of
satisfying the needs of the needy” in both
the realms of the material and spiritual.
318
 We can see this quality through the
stories told about Prophet Muhammad
x.
Jabir b. Abdullah reported: It never
happened that Allah’s Messenger
was asked for anything, and he said:
No. [1]
The Prophet Muhammad
character was perfect. Whenever
someone came to him asking for help,
he could not find in his heart to turn them
away. He would spend his time being of
service, which is part of what made him
so loved among the companions. He
was there for them, and they knew it.
Anas b. Malik (z) reported: I served
the Messenger of Allah x for ten years,
and, by Allah, he never said to me any
harsh word, and he never said to me
about a thing as to why I had done that
and as to why I had not done that. [2]
Prophet x never tried to spread
negativity, hatred, or curse those around
him. He never questioned why Anas ibn
Malik (z) did something or did not do
something. This does not mean he was
passive, either. All we can infer from this
is the supreme leadership skills he
possessed.
What reputation follows us? How would
someone speak of working with you after
spending ten years together? Did you try
to uplift others? Were you supportive? Or
would they say you complained
frequently and brought everyone down?
We can never be truly devoid of needs;
we are human beings with desires and
needs. But as mentioned in Al-Ghani, we
319
can work on being deliberate in our
worldly desires. If it benefits you, then ask
of Allah T who is Al-Ghani and Al-
Mughni. But if you only want something
x out of greed, pride, or to rise in social
rankings, we should think twice about its
x importance. It’s possible to have 1 million
dollars and still believe you don’t have
enough. You may have friends who have
boats and multi-million dollar mansions,
making you feel less than. This is why it’s
been famously said it is not greed that
drives the world but envy. Today, we
have fridges, cars, video games,
computers, phones, and on-demand
food delivery service. The average
person is living better than kings a
thousand years ago. But do you feel like
a king? In Al-Ghani, we mentioned how
The Umar (z) cried when he saw how the
Prophet x was living. This house had
one bed, a few cloth and pots, black
curtains, water skins that hung above his
bed, and an uncomfortable mat that left
marks on his body. When Prophet
Muhammad x was asked about this,
“Won’t you be satisfied that they enjoy
this world and we the Hereafter?” So it is
possible we have been enriched by
Al-Mughni and not even realized it.
Ali (z) narrated: that a Mukatib came
to him and said: “Indeed I am not capable
of my Kitabah so aid me.” He said: “Should
I not teach you words that the Messenger
of Allah (x) taught me? If you had a
debt upon you similar to the mountain of
Sir, Allah would fulfill it for you.” He said: [3]
 ْ َ
َ‫ضل َِك َع َّم ْن س َِواك‬ ْ ََ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َّ
‫الل ُه َّم اكفِ ِن ِبالل ِك عن حرامِك وأغن ِِن بِف‬
Allahummakfini bihalalika `an haramika, wa aghnini bi fadlika `amman siwaka

English Translation:

“O Allah, suffice me with Your lawful against Your prohibited, and make me
independent of all those besides You”

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 2311a
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 6038 and Sahih Muslim 2309d
[3] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3563 320
 Al-Mani
(The Withholder)

The Shielder, The Protector,

The Preventer.

ُ ْ
Allah T is Al-Mani (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل َمان ِع‬. There is no one to give what he’s withheld or to
prevent what He gives. He protects people from harmful situations and prevents
undesirable actions. All is done according to His infinite wisdom and mercy.

From the root mim-nun-ayn (‫ع‬ ‫)م ن‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to prevent, hinder, hold back, restrain, deny, impede, resist, forbid, refuse,
prohibit, to guard, defend, or to protect.

Among the disputed names:

The name of Allah, Al-Mani, The Protector.
As we’ve mentioned in previous names,
different scholars have different criteria
for what qualifies as a name of Allah T.
Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly
mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore, there
is not one agreed-upon list for the
remaining 18 names. Al-Mani is one of
those names that certain scholars do
not include. This list includes Ibn al-Wazir,
Ibn Hazm, and Ibn al-Uthaymeen, among
others. However, others, such as Ibn
Arabi, Imam al-Bayhaqi, and al-Ghazali,
have included this name in their lists.
Al-Hafeedh (The Protector) and Al-Qabid
(The Restricting) are similar in meaning
to this name. As we mention in the name
Al-Qabid, Allah T can give and prevent
for whomever. Whatever Allah T wills is
good since it’s from Him. He can dispose
of His dominion however He wishes. It is
not up to us to judge whether a thing is
good or bad. And He’s not limited in what
He can do; this goes back to the
attributes of power, control, and supreme
authority. He is Al-Wahhab (The Bestower
of Gifts) and the opposite in meaning Al-
Mani (The Preventer).

Al-Mani is the one who gives and the one However, the name Al-Mani can also
who withholds. When He gives, nothing connotate positive prevention with His
can come in its way to prevent it. If he infinite wisdom, judgment, and mercy.
decides to withhold, no one can His withholding is a defense or a shield
substitute and give it instead. from what we do not know.

321
 ۡ َ ۡ ُۡ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ ٓ َ َ ٓ َّ
ٰ‫ب َوٱلَ َتٰ َم‬ ٰ ‫ِلر ُسو ِل َو ِلِي ٱلقر‬ ٰ ‫ولِۦ م ِۡن أ ۡهل ۡٱل ُق َر‬
َّ ‫ى فَل َِّلهِ َول‬ ُ َ ٰ
ِ ‫ما أفاء ٱلل ع رس‬
َ ِ
ُ َ ٓ ُ ٓ ۡ ۡ َ
َ ۡ ‫ون ُدولَۢة َب‬ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َّ ‫سكِني َوٱبۡن‬ َ َۡ َ
‫ي ٱلغن َِياءِ مِنك ۡ ۚم َو َما َءاتىٰك ُم‬ ‫يل ك ل يك‬ ِ ِ ‫ب‬ ‫ٱلس‬ ِ ِ ٰ ‫وٱلم‬
َ ۡ ُ َ َ َّ َّ َ َّ ْ ُ َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ٰ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ُ َ ُ ُ َّ
ِ ِ‫ٱلرسول فخذوه وما نهىكم عنه فٱنته ۚوا وٱتقوا ٱللۖ إِن ٱلل شدِيد ٱلع‬
‫اب‬ ‫ق‬
Maaa afaaa’al laahu ‘alaa Rasoolihee min ahlil quraa falillaahi wa lir Rasooli wa lizil
qurbaa wal yataamaa walmasaakeeni wabnis sabeeli kai laa yakoona doolatam bainal
aghniyaaa’i minkum; wa maaa aataakumur Rasoolu fakhuzoohu wa maa nahaakum
‘anhu fantahoo; wattaqul laaha innal laaha shadeedul-‘iqaab

English Translation:

“And what Allah restored to His Messenger from the people of the towns – it is for Allah
and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives and orphans and the [stranded]
traveler – so that it will not be a perpetual distribution among the rich from among
you. And whatever the Messenger has given you – take; and what he has forbidden
you – refrain from. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.” (Qur’an 59:7)

َُ َّ َ َّ ُ ُّ ُ َ َ َّ َّ ْ ۗٓ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ ٰ َ ُ َ َّ َّ
‫ور‬
ٍ ‫ان كف‬
ٖ ‫إِن ٱلل يدف ِع ع ِن ٱلِين ءامنوا إِن ٱلل ل يِب ك خو‬
Innal laaha yudaafi anil lazeena aamanoo; innal laaha laa yuhibbu kulla khawwaanin
kafoor (section 5)

English Translation:

“Indeed, Allah defends those who have believed. Indeed, Allah does not like
everyone treacherous and ungrateful.” (Qur’an 22:38)

Du’a of Prophet Muhammad x:

Narrated by Warrad: (the clerk of Al-Mughira bin Shu`ba), Once Al-Mughira dictated to
me in a letter addressed to Muawiya that the Prophet (x) used to say after every
compulsory prayer: [1]

ٌ‫ش ٍء قَدِير‬ْ َ ‫ك‬ ّ ُ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َّ َ َ َ

ِ ‫شيك ل ل الملك ول المد وهو ع‬ ِ ‫ال إِل إِال الل وح َده ال‬
ْ ْ َ َ
َ ْ ّ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َّ ُ َّ
‫ال ُّد‬
َ ‫ك‬ ‫اللهم ال مان ِع ل ِما أعطيت وال مع ِطي ل ِما منعت وال ينفع ذا ال ِد مِن‬
La ilaha illa l-lahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-hamdu, wa huwa
‘ala kulli shay’in qadir. Allahumma la mani’a lima a’taita, wa la mu’tiya lima mana’ta, wa
la yanfa’u dhal-jaddi minka l-jadd

English Translation:

“There is no Deity but Allah, Alone, no Partner to Him. His is the Kingdom and all praise,
and Omnipotent is he. O Allah! Nobody can hold back what you gave, nobody can
give what You held back, and no struggler’s effort can benefit against You”
322
 َُُ ُُّ ْ ُّ َّ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ ُ ُ ُ ۡ َ َّ َ َ ۡ َّ َ
‫ور‬
ٍ ‫ف‬ ‫ن‬ ‫و‬ ٖ ‫و‬ ‫ت‬‫ع‬ ‫ف‬ِ ‫وا‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ۥ‬ ‫ه‬
ۚ ِ‫ق‬‫ز‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ك‬ ‫س‬ ‫م‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ن‬ِ ‫إ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬‫ق‬‫ز‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ِي‬
‫ٱل‬ ‫أمن هٰذا‬
Amman haazal lazee yarzuqukum in amsaka rizqah; bal lajjoo fee ‘utuwwinw wa nufoor

English Translation:

“Or who is it that could provide for you if He withheld His provision? But they have
persisted in insolence and aversion.” (Qur’an 67:21)

When we think about Allah T we are return.” We may be independent in our

in no position to expect or demand actions and responsibilities, but we
anything. We have no authority or right belong to Allah T, and we exist under
to demand that we get all that we desire. His dominion and rule.
Just like a father or mother who withholds In times of difficulty, practice sabr
things from a child, it is out of compassion (patience), and Allah T will reward you
and wisdom. for how well His servant responded to
We must remember whatever the mind the adversity. Ask yourself a simple
focuses on is what we’ll notice. We can question, how would The Prophet x
look to see the many blessings already respond to this happening? In studying
bestowed by His quality of being Al- His biography, sayings, and teachings,
Khaliq, Al-Wahhab, and Ar-Razzaq. we can try and approximate to the best
He created us, gave us the gift of life, way we should react to certain events.
and continues to provide sustenance in And remember, there is always some
every moment. In death, we are reward you can gain from either
reminded, inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un situation.
“to Allah we belong and to him we shall

References:
323 [1] Sahih al-Bukhari 844
 Adh-Dharr
(The Distresser)

The Balancer, The Punisher,

The Harmer.

َّ ْ
ُ ‫)ٱلض‬, The One who harms or benefits whoever He wills.
Allah T is Ad-Darr (in Arabic: ‫ار‬
He is the one whose wisdom may choose to use forceful corrections to discourage
wrongful behavior.

From the root dad-ra-ra ( ‫)ض ر ر‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to have an opinion that is opposing, to apply forceful correction, to do an act that is
disliked making inconvenient, annoy, distress, to cause adversity, afflict, to harm, injure,
and hurt.

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned in previous names, different scholars have different criteria for
what qualifies as a name of Allah T. Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly mentioned in
the Qur’an. Therefore, there is not one agreed-upon list for the remaining 18 names.
Adh-Darr & An-Nafi are among those names which are not included by certain
scholars. This list includes Ibn al-Wazir, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn al-Uthaymeen, among
others. However, others, such as Ibn Arabi, Imam al-Bayhaqi, and Imam al-Ghazali,
have included these names in their lists.

Complimentary Devine Names:

The names Al-Nafi and Ad-Darr (The one who benefits and The one who harms) are
often explained in pairs to acknowledge their opposing nature. To explain each name
in isolation is to break the harmony and provide an inaccurate or less comprehensive
depiction of who Allah T is. The same is true of Al-Qabid (The Restrictor) and Al-Basit
(The Expander), Al-Awwal (The First) and Al-Akhir (The Last).

Duality of good and evil:

All things come from Allah T, but the proper prescribed Islamic etiquette (Adab -
good manners) is to not attribute evil with Allah. Yes, it is Allah T who punishes the
disobedient, and on the day of judgment, He passes His verdict on whether we will
attain paradise. We should be fearful and wish to avoid His punishment. This is part of
having taqwa. But let’s not forget all His other attributes, how He is Al-Hakam (The
Impartial Judge) and Al-Adl (The Embodiment of Justice). 324
 Imam Zarruq writes of Ad-Darr and An-
Nafi, “He is the One who decrees harm
and benefit, and who causes either of
the two to reach whoever He wills in
whichever manner He wills, justly in the
case of the former, and out of bountiful
favour in respect of the latter, and Allah
knows best.”
I am doubtful many of us would opt into
living in a real anarchist society without
law enforcement or governing authority.
That an individual is free to do whatever
they prefer. Similarly, Allah T is the ruling
governing body over this world and the
hereafter. He created both good and
bad, and He gave us the judgment to
discern between the two and
encouraged us to seek good.

The character of Prophet Ibrahim (q):

ُ َّ ْ ‫ َّٱلِى َخلَ َقن َف ُه َو َي‬77 ‫ني‬

َ ‫ل إ َّل َر َّب ٱلْ َع ٰـلَم‬ ّ ٌّ ُ َ ْ ُ َّ َ
‫ َوٱلِى ه َو‬78 ‫ِين‬
ِ ‫د‬ ‫ه‬ ِ ِ ٓ
ِ ِ ‫فإِنهم عدو‬
َْ ََُ ُ ْ َ َ ََْ ُ ُْ
80 ‫ني‬ِ ‫ف‬
ِ ‫ش‬ ‫ ِإَوذا م ِرضت فهو ي‬79 ‫ني‬ ِ ِ‫يطعِم ِن ويسق‬
Fa innahum ‘aduwwwul leee illaa Rabbal ‘aalameen Allazee khalaqanee fa Huwa
yahdeen Wallazee Huwa yut’imunee wa yasqeen Wa izaa maridtu fahuwa yashfeen

English Translation:

“Indeed, they are enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds, Who created me,
and He [it is who] guides me. And it is He who feeds me and gives me drink. And
when I am ill, it is He who cures me.” (Qur’an 26:77-80)

Note the exemplary manners of Prophet Ibrahim (q ) in this ayat. It recognizes

Allah T as being the cause of everything, Lord of the worlds, the one who creates
and gives sustenance. But when it comes to sickness, He refuses to attribute any
malice to Allah T and instead says, “when I am ill.” He then continues recognizing
Allah T as being the healer of the sickness.

ۡ‫وج ُّم َش َّي َدة ٖ ِإَون تُ ِص ۡب ُهم‬ ُ ‫ت َول َ ۡو ُك‬

ُ‫نت ۡم ف بر‬
ُ ُ ‫كك ُم ٱل ۡ َم ۡو‬
ُّ ۡ ُ ْ ُ ُ َ َََۡ
ۗ ٖ ِ ِ‫أينما تكونوا يدر‬
ْ ُ
َ ‫ َي ُقولوا َهٰذه ِۦ م ِۡن عِند‬ٞ‫ٱللِ ِإَون تُص ۡب ُه ۡم َس ّي َئة‬ َّ ۡ ٰ َ ْ ُ َُ ٞ َ َ َ
ۚ ‫ِك‬ ِ ِ ِ ۖ ِ ‫د‬ ‫ِن‬‫ع‬ ‫ِن‬‫م‬ ‫ِۦ‬ ‫ه‬ ِ ‫حسنة يقولوا‬
‫ذ‬ ‫ه‬
ٗ َ َۡ َ ُ َ َ َۡ َُٓ َ َ َّ ّٞ ُ ۡ ُ
‫قل ك ّم ِۡن عِن ِد ٱللِۖ ف َما ِل هـٰٓؤلءِ ٱلق ۡو ِم ل يَكادون َيفق ُهون َحدِيثا‬
Ayna maa takoonoo yudrikkumul mawtu wa law kuntum fee buroojim mushai yadah;
wa in tusibhum hasanatuny yaqooloo haazihee min indil laahi wa in tusibhum
saiyi’atuny yaqooloo haazihee min ‘indik; qul kullum min ‘indillaahi famaa lihaaa ‘ulaaa’il
qawmi laa yakaadoona yafqahoona hadeesaa
English Translation:
“Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers
of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, “This is from Allah “; and
if evil befalls them, they say, “This is from you.” Say, “All [things] are from Allah.” So
what is [the matter] with those people that they can hardly understand any
325
statement?” (Qur’an 4:78)
In another example, when Surah An-Nisa
Ayah 123 was revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad x, it worried the sahabah.
Abu Bakr asked Prophet Muhammad
about this verse: O Messenger of Allah,
you not fall sick? Do you not get
exhausted? Do you not feel sad? Don’t
calamities befall you?” He said: Of course.
x He said: “That is the recompense you are
given.” [1]

how could we be in a good state after
this verse: “It will not be in accordance
with your desires, nor those of the people
of the Scripture, whosoever works evil, will
have the recompense thereof (4:123)?
Will we be punished for every bad deed
we do? There Messenger of Allah x said:
“May Allah forgive you, O Abu Bakr, do
So what we learn from this is Allah T is
Ad-Darr (the one who causes harm), but
it is never senseless or without benefit.
Remember, Allah T is also Al-Haleem
(Forbearing) and As-Sabur (Patient). So,
often what is best for the believer is to
ask for forgiveness and to be steadfast
and perseverant if faced with difficulties.

Ibrahim (q) and the fire:

Imam al-Ghazali mentions that anything
that happens (good or bad) does not
occur without the will of Allah T. The
example Imam al-Ghazali gives is not to
suppose “poison kills or harms by itself, or
that food satisfies or benefits by itself; or
that kings or men or Satan, or any
creature - be they heavenly bodies or
stars or anything else are capable of
good or evil, benefit or harm, by
themselves.” All that happens is because
of the will of Allah T. He’s allowed for the
medicine to cure, the poison to harm,
and for Iblees and mankind to exist.
Another example of this is fire. It is neither
good nor bad, but Allah T makes it so.
When Nimrod threatened to kill Ibrahim
(q) he threw him into the fire, “Allah
said, ‘O fire, be coolness and safety upon
Abraham.’ And they intended for him
harm, but We made them the greatest
losers.” (Qur’an 21:69-70) To a person who
has the support of Al-Nafi (The
Benefactor), nothing can harm them.

And so, the believer benefits from
knowing these two names of Allah T.
We further recognize that it is only Allah
T who has absolute power to benefit or
cause harm. When you’re stricken with
fear, sickness, or poverty, know that it is
from Allah T and only He can dispel it.
When blessed with happiness, wealth, or
good health, it is from Allah T, and only
He can sustain it.
and ask ourselves what things are
causing us harm mentally, spiritually,
and physically. Once identified, seek to
limit or eliminate. Alternatively, be
conscious and seek things that benefit
you. Find ways to incorporate them and
make them part of your daily routine. Be
grateful and thankful to Allah T for
allowing these blessings, as we must
realize it is all from Him.

We must further reflect upon our lives

326
 ٗ َ َّ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ُّ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َّ ُ ُ َۡ ََ
‫ت فإِنك إِذا ّم َِن‬ ‫ون ٱللِ ما ل ينفعك ول يضك ۖ فإِن فعل‬
ِ ‫د‬ ‫ِن‬
‫م‬ ‫ع‬ ‫و ل تد‬
َّ
َ ‫لظ ٰـلِم‬
‫ني‬ ِ ‫ٱ‬
Wa laa tad’u min doonil laahi maa laa yanfa’uka wa laa yadurruk; fa in fa’alta fa innaka
izam minaz zaalimeen

English Translation:

“And do not invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harms you,
for if you did, then indeed you would be of the wrongdoers.’” (Qur’an 10:106)

ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ ٰٓ َ َ ُّ َ ُ َ َ ُّ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َّ ُ ْ ُ ََۡ ُۡ
‫ون ٱللِ ما ل ينفعنا ول يضنا ونرد ع أعقابِنا بعد إِذ‬ ِ ‫قل أندعوا مِن د‬
َ َ َ َ َۡ َ َ ۡ َّ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ َّ َ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ َ
‫ب يَ ۡد ُعون ُه ٓۥ‬ ٞ ٰ‫ح‬َ ‫ان ُل ٓۥ أ ۡص‬ ‫ۡرض حي‬ ِ ‫ني ِف ٱل‬ ُ ‫ٱلش َيٰط‬
ِ ‫ه‬ ‫ت‬ ‫و‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ٱس‬ ‫ِي‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫هدىنا ٱلل ك‬
ُ
َ ‫ى َوأم ِۡرنَا ل ِنُ ۡسل َِم ل َِر ّب ۡٱل َعٰلَم‬ َ ‫ٱللِ ُه َو ٱل ۡ ُه‬
َّ َ ‫إ َل ٱل ۡ ُه َدى ٱئۡت َناۗ قُ ۡل إ َّن ُه‬
‫ني‬ ِ ِ ۖ ٰ ‫د‬ ‫ى‬ ‫د‬ ِ ِ ِ
Qul anad’oo min doonil laahi maa laa yanfa’unaa wa laa yadurrunaa wa nuraddu
‘alaaa a’qaabina ba’da iz hadaanal laahu kallazis tahwat hush Shayaateenu fil ardi
hairaana lahooo ashaabuny yad’oo nahooo ilal huda’ tinaa; qul inna hudal laahi huwal
hudaa wa umirnaa linuslima li Rabbil ‘aalameen

English Translation:

Say, “Shall we invoke instead of Allah that which neither benefits us nor harms us
and be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us? [We would then be]
like one whom the devils enticed [to wander] upon the earth confused, [while] he
has companions inviting him to guidance, [calling], ‘Come to us.’” Say, “Indeed, the
guidance of Allah is the [only] guidance; and we have been commanded to
submit to the Lord of the worlds.” (Qur’an 6:71)

References:
327 [1] Sahih bituruqihi wa shawahidihi (Darussalam) Musnad Ahmad 68
 An-Nafi
(The Propitious)

The Benefactor, The Creator of Good,

The Auspicious.

ْ
Allah T is An-Nafi (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلَّاف ُِع‬, The Propitious, the one who grants success. He
creates favorable outcomes. Everything that benefits creation is created by Him. The
greatest gifts given to mankind is their intellect, consciousness, and faith.

From the root nun-fa-ayn ( ‫ع‬ ‫)ن ف‬, which has the following classical Arabic
connotations: to profit, to be of use, to be beneficial, useful to have the use of
something.

Among the disputed names:

As an aside, as we’ve mentioned in previous names, different scholars have different

criteria for what qualifies as a name of Allah T. Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly
mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore, there is not one agreed-upon list for the remaining
18 names.
Adh-Darr & An-Nafi are among those names which are not included by certain
scholars. This list includes Ibn al-Wazir, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn al-Uthaymeen, among
others. However, others, such as Ibn Arabi, Imam al-Bayhaqi, and Imam al-Ghazali,
have included these names in their lists.

Complimentary Devine Names:

The names Al-Nafi and Ad-Darr (The one who benefits and The one who harms) are
often explained in pairs to acknowledge their opposing nature. To explain each
name in isolation is to break the harmony and provide an inaccurate or less
comprehensive depiction of who Allah T is. The same is true of Al-Qabid (The
Restrictor) and Al-Basit (The Expander), Al-Awwal (The First) and Al-Akhir (The Last).

Duality of good and evil:

All things come from Allah T , but the proper prescribed Islamic etiquette (Adab -
good manners) is to not attribute evil with Allah. Yes, it is Allah T who punishes the
disobedient, and on the day of judgment, He passes His verdict on whether we will
attain paradise. We should be fearful and wish to avoid His punishment. This is part
of having taqwa. But let’s not forget all His other attributes, how He is Al-Hakam (The
Impartial Judge) and Al-Adl (The Embodiment of Justice). 328
 Imam Zarruq writes of Ad-Darr and An-
Nafi, “He is the One who decrees harm
and benefit, and who causes either of
the two to reach whoever He wills in
whichever manner He wills, justly in the
case of the former, and out of bountiful
favour in respect of the latter, and Allah
knows best.”
I am doubtful many of us would opt into
living in a real anarchist society without
law enforcement or governing authority.
That an individual is free to do whatever
they prefer. Similarly, Allah T is the ruling
governing body over this world and the
hereafter. He created both good and
bad, and He gave us the judgment to
discern between the two and
encouraged us to seek good.

The character of Prophet Ibrahim (q):

ُ َّ ْ ‫ َّٱلِى َخلَ َقن َف ُه َو َي‬77 ‫ني‬

َ ‫ل إ َّل َر َّب ٱلْ َع ٰـلَم‬ ّ ٌّ ُ َ ْ ُ َّ َ
‫ َوٱلِى ه َو‬78 ‫ِين‬
ِ ‫د‬ ‫ه‬ ِ ِ ٓ
ِ ِ ‫فإِنهم عدو‬
َْ ََُ ُ ْ َ َ ََْ ُ ُْ
80 ‫ني‬ِ ‫ف‬
ِ ‫ش‬ ‫ ِإَوذا م ِرضت فهو ي‬79 ‫ني‬ ِ ِ‫يطعِم ِن ويسق‬
Fa innahum ‘aduwwwul leee illaa Rabbal ‘aalameen Allazee khalaqanee fa Huwa
yahdeen Wallazee Huwa yut’imunee wa yasqeen Wa izaa maridtu fahuwa yashfeen

English Translation:

“Indeed, they are enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds, Who created me,
and He [it is who] guides me. And it is He who feeds me and gives me drink. And
when I am ill, it is He who cures me.” (Qur’an 26:77-80)

Note the exemplary manners of Prophet Ibrahim (q ) in this ayat. It recognizes

Allah T as being the cause of everything, Lord of the worlds, the one who creates
and gives sustenance. But when it comes to sickness, He refuses to attribute any
malice to Allah T and instead says, “when I am ill.” He then continues recognizing
Allah T as being the healer of the sickness.

ۡ‫وج ُّم َش َّي َدة ٖ ِإَون تُ ِص ۡب ُهم‬ ُ ‫ت َول َ ۡو ُك‬

ُ‫نت ۡم ف بر‬
ُ ُ ‫كك ُم ٱل ۡ َم ۡو‬
ُّ ۡ ُ ْ ُ ُ َ َََۡ
ۗ ٖ ِ ِ‫أينما تكونوا يدر‬
ْ ُ
َ ‫ َي ُقولوا َهٰذه ِۦ م ِۡن عِند‬ٞ‫ٱللِ ِإَون تُص ۡب ُه ۡم َس ّي َئة‬ َّ ۡ ٰ َ ْ ُ َُ ٞ َ َ َ
ۚ ‫ِك‬ ِ ِ ِ ۖ ِ ‫د‬ ‫ِن‬‫ع‬ ‫ِن‬‫م‬ ‫ِۦ‬ ‫ه‬ ِ ‫حسنة يقولوا‬
‫ذ‬ ‫ه‬
ٗ َ َۡ َ ُ َ َ َۡ َُٓ َ َ َّ ّٞ ُ ۡ ُ
‫قل ك ّم ِۡن عِن ِد ٱللِۖ ف َما ِل هـٰٓؤلءِ ٱلق ۡو ِم ل يَكادون َيفق ُهون َحدِيثا‬
Ayna maa takoonoo yudrikkumul mawtu wa law kuntum fee buroojim mushai yadah;
wa in tusibhum hasanatuny yaqooloo haazihee min indil laahi wa in tusibhum
saiyi’atuny yaqooloo haazihee min ‘indik; qul kullum min ‘indillaahi famaa lihaaa ‘ulaaa’il
qawmi laa yakaadoona yafqahoona hadeesaa
English Translation:
“Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers
of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, “This is from Allah “; and
if evil befalls them, they say, “This is from you.” Say, “All [things] are from Allah.” So
what is [the matter] with those people that they can hardly understand any
329
statement?” (Qur’an 4:78)
In another example, when Surah An-Nisa
Ayah 123 was revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad x, it worried the sahabah.
Abu Bakr asked Prophet Muhammad
about this verse: O Messenger of Allah,
you not fall sick? Do you not get
exhausted? Do you not feel sad? Don’t
calamities befall you?” He said: Of course.
x He said: “That is the recompense you are
given.” [1]

how could we be in a good state after
this verse: “It will not be in accordance
with your desires, nor those of the people
of the Scripture, whosoever works evil, will
have the recompense thereof (4:123)?
Will we be punished for every bad deed
we do? There Messenger of Allah x said:
“May Allah forgive you, O Abu Bakr, do
So what we learn from this is Allah T is
Ad-Darr (the one who causes harm), but
it is never senseless or without benefit.
Remember, Allah T is also Al-Haleem
(Forbearing) and As-Sabur (Patient). So,
often what is best for the believer is to
ask for forgiveness and to be steadfast
and perseverant if faced with difficulties.

Ibrahim (q) and the fire:

Imam al-Ghazali mentions that anything
that happens (good or bad) does not
occur without the will of Allah T. The
example Imam al-Ghazali gives is not to
suppose “poison kills or harms by itself, or
that food satisfies or benefits by itself; or
that kings or men or Satan, or any
creature - be they heavenly bodies or
stars or anything else are capable of
good or evil, benefit or harm, by
themselves.” All that happens is because
of the will of Allah T. He’s allowed for the
medicine to cure, the poison to harm,
and for Iblees and mankind to exist.
Another example of this is fire. It is neither
good nor bad, but Allah T makes it so.
When Nimrod threatened to kill Ibrahim
(q) he threw him into the fire, “Allah
said, ‘O fire, be coolness and safety upon
Abraham.’ And they intended for him
harm, but We made them the greatest
losers.” (Qur’an 21:69-70) To a person who
has the support of Al-Nafi (The
Benefactor), nothing can harm them.

And so, the believer benefits from
knowing these two names of Allah T.
We further recognize that it is only Allah
T who has absolute power to benefit or
cause harm. When you’re stricken with
fear, sickness, or poverty, know that it is
from Allah T and only He can dispel it.
When blessed with happiness, wealth, or
good health, it is from Allah T, and only
He can sustain it.
and ask ourselves what things are
causing us harm mentally, spiritually,
and physically. Once identified, seek to
limit or eliminate. Alternatively, be
conscious and seek things that benefit
you. Find ways to incorporate them and
make them part of your daily routine. Be
grateful and thankful to Allah T for
allowing these blessings, as we must
realize it is all from Him.

We must further reflect upon our lives

330
 ٗ َ َّ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ُّ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َّ ُ ُ َۡ ََ
‫ت فإِنك إِذا ّم َِن‬ ‫ون ٱللِ ما ل ينفعك ول يضك ۖ فإِن فعل‬
ِ ‫د‬ ‫ِن‬
‫م‬ ‫ع‬ ‫و ل تد‬
َّ
َ ‫لظ ٰـلِم‬
‫ني‬ ِ ‫ٱ‬
Wa laa tad’u min doonil laahi maa laa yanfa’uka wa laa yadurruk; fa in fa’alta fa innaka
izam minaz zaalimeen

English Translation:

“And do not invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harms you,
for if you did, then indeed you would be of the wrongdoers.’” (Qur’an 10:106)

ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ ٰٓ َ َ ُّ َ ُ َ َ ُّ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َّ ُ ْ ُ ََۡ ُۡ
‫ون ٱللِ ما ل ينفعنا ول يضنا ونرد ع أعقابِنا بعد إِذ‬ ِ ‫قل أندعوا مِن د‬
َ َ َ َ َۡ َ َ ۡ َّ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ َّ َ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ َ
‫ب يَ ۡد ُعون ُه ٓۥ‬ ٞ ٰ‫ح‬َ ‫ان ُل ٓۥ أ ۡص‬ ‫ۡرض حي‬ ِ ‫ني ِف ٱل‬ ُ ‫ٱلش َيٰط‬
ِ ‫ه‬ ‫ت‬ ‫و‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ٱس‬ ‫ِي‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫هدىنا ٱلل ك‬
ُ
َ ‫ى َوأم ِۡرنَا ل ِنُ ۡسل َِم ل َِر ّب ۡٱل َعٰلَم‬ َ ‫ٱللِ ُه َو ٱل ۡ ُه‬
َّ َ ‫إ َل ٱل ۡ ُه َدى ٱئۡت َناۗ قُ ۡل إ َّن ُه‬
‫ني‬ ِ ِ ۖ ٰ ‫د‬ ‫ى‬ ‫د‬ ِ ِ ِ
Qul anad’oo min doonil laahi maa laa yanfa’unaa wa laa yadurrunaa wa nuraddu
‘alaaa a’qaabina ba’da iz hadaanal laahu kallazis tahwat hush Shayaateenu fil ardi
hairaana lahooo ashaabuny yad’oo nahooo ilal huda’ tinaa; qul inna hudal laahi huwal
hudaa wa umirnaa linuslima li Rabbil ‘aalameen

English Translation:

Say, “Shall we invoke instead of Allah that which neither benefits us nor harms us
and be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us? [We would then be]
like one whom the devils enticed [to wander] upon the earth confused, [while] he
has companions inviting him to guidance, [calling], ‘Come to us.’” Say, “Indeed, the
guidance of Allah is the [only] guidance; and we have been commanded to
submit to the Lord of the worlds.” (Qur’an 6:71)

References:
331 [1] Sahih bituruqihi wa shawahidihi (Darussalam) Musnad Ahmad 68
 An-No or/Al-Nur
(The Light)

The Illuminator, The One who Reveals,

The One Who Guides.

ْ
ُ ُّ‫)ٱل‬, meaning The One who illuminates and
Allah T call himself An-Noor (in Arabic: ‫ور‬
reveals the divine light of all the worlds. His light illuminates the heart and provides
clarity and guidance. Anyone who turns their back to the true light will be in darkness.

From the root nun-waw-ra ( ‫)ن و ر‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to give light, to illuminate, to fill with light, to clarify, to reveal, to make visible, to blossom,
to be in bloom (revealed), to be flaming, blazing and apparent to the senses, to
enlighten, give counsel, and give advice.

Allah’s Light Described:

The light of Allah T as described in the conversation, He asked if he could see

hadith and Qur’an, Abu Musa reported:
The Messenger of Allah x was standing
amongst us and he told us five things. He
said: Verily the Exalted and Mighty God
does not sleep, and it does not befit Him
to sleep. He lowers the scale and lifts it.
The deeds in the night are taken up to
Him before the deeds of the day, and
the deeds of the day before the deeds
of the night. His veil is the light. In the
hadith narrated by Abu Bakr (instead of
the word “light”), it is fire. If he withdraws it
(the veil), the splendor of His countenance
would consume His creation so far as His
sight reaches. [1]
him, “And when Moses arrived at Our
appointed time and his Lord spoke to
him, he said, “My Lord, show me [Yourself]
that I may look at You.” [Allah] said, “You
will not see Me, but look at the mountain;
if it should remain in place, then you will
see Me.” But when his Lord appeared to
the mountain, He rendered it level, and
Moses fell unconscious. And when he
awoke, he said, ‘Exalted are You! I have
repented to You, and I am the first of the
believers.’” Qur’an 7:143 So we learn that
Allah’s light is too powerful to be
witnessed, “Vision perceives Him not, but
He perceives [all] vision; and He is the

Musa (q) was the only Prophet to Subtle, the Acquainted.” (Qur’an 6:103)

have spoken with Allah T, and in his

332
 The Various Interpretations:
It may be obvious, but worth mentioning.
When we say Allah T is Al-Nur (The
Light), it is not meant in the literal sense.
The light we see is created and is not
eternal. It gets emitted, absorbed,
reflected, and refracted. Most scholars
agree for it to be a name and attribute
of Allah T it must be understood by the
consequence and the properties of
light. Light illuminates, makes things
visible, and shows the way through the
darkness. This leads to many
interpretations of the name An-Nur
which we’ll explore in detail.
The first understanding is through His
ability to manifest creation. Darkness is
the absence of light; when we have no
light, what remains is darkness. Similarly,
it can be said if something did not exist,
it was hidden or unknown. Allah T has
the power to make them visible or known
by creating them. It may seem
paradoxical, but the natural state of
existence is nothingness. We cannot
fathom what absolute nothingness is,
but that’s the state from which all things
come - it’s the origin. People mistakenly
assume that life is just the arrangement
of atoms and molecules, but who
created the atoms and molecules?
Who was responsible for its perfect,
orderly arrangement? What keeps
everything going and allows them to
remain? The only logical conclusion to
this question is Allah T. Without Him
saying, kun fa-yakoon, “Be, and it is!”
Qur’an 36:82, they would not be known.
A second interpretation is light manifests;
it makes things that are hidden - visible.
His light operates at many levels. There
is nothing that can be hidden from Him.
He is the Al-Baseer (All-Seeing) and As-
Sami (All-Hearing). His light reveals, and
nothing escapes His view. “And with Him
are the keys of the unseen; none knows
them except Him. And He knows what is
on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf
falls but that He knows it.” (Qur’an 6:59)
He also illuminates mankind through His
book and His Messengers (may peace
be upon them). He’s a guide to those
lost. So, in this sense, He lights upon light.
From the darkness of nonexistence to
the light of existence, from unguided to
guided.

َ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ُ َّ ّ ٗ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ ّ َ ُ َ ُ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ ٓ َ ۡ َ ٰ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ ٰٓ َ
َ‫ون مِن‬ ‫ب قد جاءكم رسولا يب ِي لكم كثِريا مِما كنتم تف‬ ِ ‫يـأهل ٱلكِت‬
ٞ ‫ب ُّمب‬
‫ني‬ ‫ِن‬‫م‬ ‫م‬‫ك‬ ‫ء‬
ٓ
َّ َ ّ ُ َ َ ۡ َ
ٞ ٰ‫ َوك َِت‬ٞ‫ٱللِ نُور‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ج‬ ‫د‬‫ق‬
َ َ ‫ۡٱلك َِتٰب َو َي ۡع ُفوا‬
ْ
ِ ٖۚ ‫ري‬ِ ‫ث‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ع‬ ِ
yaaa Ahlal kitaabi qad jaaa’akum Rasoolunaa yubaiyinu lakum kaseeram mimmmaa
kuntum tukhfoona minal Kitaabi wa ya’foo ‘an kaseer; qad jaaa’akum minal laahi
noorunw wa Kitaabum Mubeen

English Translation:

“O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to
you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much.
There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book.” (Qur’an 5:15)

333
The Darkness Within:
Allah T describes Himself in verse 35 of
Surah Nur as the “light of the heaven
and the earth.” Everything that comes
from Him comes through His light. To
contrast, Shaykh Tosun Bayrak mentions
how “the light of faith eliminates the
darknesses of infidelity and sin within
and without, bringing us to the light of
Truth and salvation and serenity. The
devil, and one’s own devil, the ego, are
those who like to operate in darkness
and enter dark houses they will not enter
that Divine house, the heart illuminated
by the light of Faith.”
The darkness in the believer is their ego.
It calls us to pursue pleasure and things
prohibited to pull us from Allah T. We
can bring light into our life and the world,
by and large, through following the
commandments of Allah T.
By keeping ties of kinship, spreading
peace, oppressing evils, gift-giving,
feeding friends and neighbors, praying
salah, remembering Him in our prayers,
giving zakat to the needy, being patient,
practicing gratitude, respecting and
upholding the rights of parents, children,
and women. This is the guidance of Allah
T which illuminates the hearts.

ُ‫اح ٱلۡم ۡص َباح‬ ٌ ‫ِيها م ِۡص َب‬ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ََُ َۡ َ َ َ َّ ‫ور‬ُ ُ‫ٱلل ن‬

ُ َّ
ِ ۖ ٰ
‫ۡرض مثل نورِه ِۦ ك ِمشكو ة ٖ ف‬ ۚ ِ ‫ت وٱل‬ ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬
َ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ٰ َ ُّ َ َ َ ُ َ ُ ٞ ّ ّ ُ ٞ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ ُّ َ َ ُ
ٖ‫ِف زجاج ٍةۖ ٱلزجاجة كأ نها كو كب د رِ ي يوقد مِن شجر ة ٖ مبر كةٖ ز يتونة‬
ٰ َ َ ‫ور‬
‫ع‬ ٌ ُّ‫ ۚ ن‬ٞ‫ض ُء َو ل َ ۡو ل َ ۡم َت ۡم َس ۡس ُه نَار‬ ُ َ َ َّ ۡ َ َ َ َّ ۡ َ َّ
ٓ ِ ُ‫اد َز ۡي ُت َها ي‬ ‫ل شقِي ٖة و ل غر بِي ٖة يك‬
ُ َّ ‫اس َو‬ َ
َ َ ۡ ُ َّ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ ٓ َ َ َ َۡ ُ
ِۗ ‫ٱلل ٱل ۡمثٰل ل َِّلن‬ ‫ضب‬ ُ ُ َّ
‫ٱلل‬ ِ ‫نورٖۚ يه ِد ي ٱلل لِ ورِه ِۦ من يشا ء ۚ و ي‬
ٞ ‫ش ٍء َعل‬
‫ِيم‬ ۡ َ ‫ك ّل‬ ُ
ِ ِ‫ب‬
Allaahu noorus samaawaati wal ard; masalu noorihee kamishkaatin feehaa misbaah;
almisbaahu fee zujaajatin azzujaajatu ka annahaa kawkabun durriyyuny yooqadu
min shajaratim mubaarakatin zaitoonatil laa shariqiyyatinw wa laa gharbiyyatiny
yakaadu zaituhaa yudeee’u wa law lam tamsashu naar; noorun ‘alaa noor; yahdil
laahu linoorihee mai yashaaa’; wa yadribul laahul amsaala linnaas; wallaahu bikulli
shai’in Aleem

English Translation:

“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a
niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a
pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of
the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light.
Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people,
and Allah is Knowing of all things.” (Qur’an 24:35)

334
 Supplication of Prophet Muhammad x:
We can ask Allah T to bless us with His light just as Prophet Muhammad x taught
the sahabah. [2]

ً ُ‫ورا َو َع ْن ي َ َساري ن‬
‫ورا‬ ً ُ‫ورا َو َع ْن يَ ِمين ن‬
ً ُ‫ورا َوف َس ْمع ن‬ً ُ‫اج َع ْل ف قَلْب ن‬ َّ
ْ ‫الل ُه َّم‬
ِ ِ ِ َ ِ ِ ِ
ُ ْ َ ُ ْ َ ُ ُ ْ َ ً ‫َوفَ ْوق ن‬
ُ
‫ورا‬ً ‫ورا َوأع ِظ ْم ل ن‬
ِ
ً ‫ورا َوخلف ن‬
ِ
ً ‫ام ن‬ِ ‫ورا َوأ َم‬
ً ‫ورا َوتت ن‬
ِ ِ
Allaahummaj’al fee qalbee nooran, wa fee sam’ee nooran, wa an yamini nooran, wa
an yasari nooran, wa fawqi nooran, wa tahti nooran, wa amami nooran, wa khalfi
nooran, wa a’dhim lee nooran.
English Translation:

“O Allah, put light in my heart and light in my hearing and light on my right and
light on my left and a light above me and a light under me and a light in front of
me and a light behind me and make my light great.”

Reflecting on your light:

Every person has a light that emanates from them. The intensity at which it shines is
determined by their upright character and the righteousness of their deeds. Every
good you do illuminates the path toward paradise, and every evil takes from it. The
intention of the believer, then, should be to focus on ways in which their being is like
a moth to a flame, attracting others because of their light and goodness.

َ ۡ َ ۡ َۡ ََۡ ُ ُ َ َۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ
‫ورهم بي أيدِي ِهم َو بِأيمن ِ ِه ۖم‬
ٰ ُ ‫عن‬ ٰ ‫ت يس‬ ِ ٰ‫يَ ۡوم ت َرى ٱل ُمؤ ِمن ِني َوٱل ُمؤمِن‬
َ ۡ ُ َ َ َ َ ٰ َ ُ َٰ ۡ َ ۡ َ َۡ ۡ َ ٞ ٰ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُ ٰ َ ۡ ُ
‫ِيها ۚ ذٰل ِك ه َو ٱلف ۡو ُز‬ ‫ت ت ِري مِن تتِها ٱلنهر خ ِلِين ف‬ ‫بش ىكم ٱلوم جنـ‬
ۡ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ َّ ُ ٰ َ ٰ َ ُ ۡ َ َ ُ ٰ َ ُ ۡ ُ ُ َ َ ۡ َ ُ ‫ۡٱل َع ِظ‬
‫ام ُنوا ٱنظ ُر ونا نق َتب ِ ۡس‬ ‫ يوم يقول ٱلمنفِقون وٱلمنفِقت ل ِلِين ء‬12 ‫يم‬
َّ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ ٓ َ َ ْ ُ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُّ
ٗۖ ُ‫ٱلَ ِم ُسوا ْ ن‬
ُ َ‫ور ا ف‬
‫ض َب بَ ۡي َن ُهم ب ِ ُسورٖ ُلۥ‬ ِ ‫جعوا و را ءكم ف‬ ِ ‫مِن نورِكم قِيل ٱر‬
ُ ‫ح ُة َو َظٰه ُرهُۥ مِن ق َِبلِهِ ۡٱل َع َذ‬
13 ‫اب‬ َ ۡ ‫ٱلر‬
َّ ِ‫اب بَاط ُِن ُهۥ فِيه‬
ۢ ُ َ‫ب‬
ِ
(12) Yawma taral mu’mineena walmu’minaati yas’aa nooruhum baina aydeehim wa bi
aymaanihim bushraakumul yawma jannaatun tajree min tahtihal anhaaru khaalideena
feeha; zaalika huwal fawzul ‘azeem (13) Yawma yaqoolul munaafiqoona
walmunaafiqaatu lil lazeena aamanu unzuroonaa naqtabis min noorikum qeelarji’oo
waraaa’akum faltamisoo nooran faduriba bainahum bisooril lahoo baabun,
baatinuhoo feehir rahmatu wa zaahiruhoo min qibalihi-‘azaab
English Translation:

“(12) On the Day you see the believing men and believing women, their light proceeding
before them and on their right, [it will be said], “Your good tidings today are [of] gardens
beneath which rivers flow, wherein you will abide eternally.” That is what is the great
attainment. (13) On the [same] Day the hypocrite men and hypocrite women will say to
those who believed, “Wait for us that we may acquire some of your light.” It will be said,
“Go back behind you and seek light.” And a wall will be placed between them with a
door, its interior containing mercy, but on the outside of it is torment.” (Qur’an 57:12-13)
335
Ask Allah T for forgiveness and to increase your light so we don’t suffer the fate of
those who get left behind because their light was too weak.

The du’a has been underlined below for your reference.

َ‫ك ّ ِفر‬َ ُ َ ۡ ُ ُّ َ ٰ َ َ ً ُ َّ ٗ َ ۡ َ َّ َ ْ ٓ ُ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ
‫يـأ يها ٱلِين ء امنوا توبوا إ ِل ٱللِ تو بة نصوحا عس ر بكم أ ن ي‬
َ َ َۡ ُ ََۡ ۡ َ َۡ َۡ َّ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ ّ َ ۡ ُ َ
‫ت ت ِر ي مِن تتِها ٱل نهٰر يوم ل‬ ٖ ‫عنكم سيِـٔا ت ِكم و يد خِلكم جن ٰـ‬
َ َ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ ُ ُ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُۡ
ُ َّ ‫يز ي‬
‫ي أ يۡ ِد ي ِه ۡم َو بِأ يۡ َمٰن ِ ِه ۡم‬ ‫عب‬ ٰ ‫ب وٱلِين َء امنوا معه ۖۥ نورهم يس‬ َّ َّ‫ٱلل ٱنل‬
ٞ‫ش ءٖ قَ ِد ير‬ َ ّ ُ َ َ َ َّ ٓ َ ۡ َ َ َ ُ َ ۡ ۡ َ ٓ َ َّ ِ َ َ ُ ُ َ ِ
ۡ ‫عك‬ َ ۡ َ
ِ ٰ ‫يقولون ر بنا أ ت ِمم لا نور نا وٱغفِر لا ۖ إ ِنك‬
Yaaa ayyuhal lazeena aamanoo toobooo ilal laahi tawbatan nasoohan ‘asaa
rabbukum any-yukaffira ‘ankum sayyi aatikum wa yudkhilakum jannaatin tajree min
tahtihal anhaaru yawma laa yukhzil laahun nabiyya wallazeena aamanoo ma’ahoo
nooruhum yas’aa baina aydeehim wa bi aymaanihim yaqooloona rabbanaaa atmim
lanaa nooranaa waghfir lana innaka ‘alaa kulli shai’in qadeer

English Translation:

“O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance. Perhaps your
Lord will remove from you your misdeeds and admit you into gardens beneath
which rivers flow [on] the Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those
who believed with him. Their light will proceed before them and on their right; they
will say, ‘Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all
things competent.’” (Qur’an 66:8)

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 179c
[2] Sahih (Al-Albani) Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 695 | variations exists, see also Sahih Bukhari 6316 and/or Jami at-Tirmidhi 3419 336
 Al-Hadi
(The Guide)

The Guide, The Way.

َْ
Allah T is Al Haadi (in Arabic: ‫)ٱلهادِي‬, The One who gives guidance to His believers. His
Guidance is beneficial and protects them from whatever may be harmful. He is The
One who sent prophets (may peace be upon them) as the deliverers of His message
to ensure mankind is guided on the right path.

From the root ha-dal-ya ( ‫)ه د ي‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to guide rightly, to show with kindness the proper path, to guide on the right path
until reaching the goal, to guide aright, to lead the right way.

The Qur’an and The Prophets

This is similar to the Arabic word, Hidayah
meaning “guidance.” It is also closely
related in meaning to the previous name
Al-Nur as they both refer to making the
path visible, showing the way. Guidance
is sent through two means. The primary
source for guidance is the literal word of
Allah T, and that is the Qur’an. The
second form of guidance was given
through His Prophets and the last
Messenger, Prophet Muhammad x. We
study and learn from the Prophetic
traditions (what he said and consistently
did or encouraged). This is captured
through his companions and is mentioned
in the hadith book collections. Most
notably, Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim,
Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Sunan-Ibn Majah,
Sunan Abu-Dawud, Sunan Nasa’i. More
precedence is given to the first two books,
denoted by the title Sahih, meaning
authentic. There is a sect among Muslims
who refute the guidance provided in the
hadith even though the hadith shows us
the rites or hajj, wudu, and daily prayer. The
Qur’an also addresses this exact issue.

َ َّ ْ ‫ ل ّ َِمن َك َن يَ ۡر ُجوا‬ٞ‫ٱللِ أُ ۡس َوةٌ َح َس َنة‬

َ‫ٱلل َو ۡٱلَ ۡو َم ٱٓأۡلخِر‬ َّ ُ َ َ َ َ َّ
‫لق ۡد كن لك ۡم ِف َر ُسو ِل‬
ٗ ِ ‫ٱلل َكث‬
‫ريا‬ َ َّ ‫َو َذ َك َر‬
Laqad kaana lakum fee Rasoolil laahi uswatun hasanatul liman kaana yarjul laaha wal
yawmal Aakhira wa zakaral laaha kaseeraa

English Translation:

“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern
for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah
often.” (Qur’an 33:21)
337
 َ ۡ َ َ َ َّ ُ ۡ ُ ُ َ َّ ً َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َّ ُ ُ َ ّ ُ َّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ ۡ ُ
ۖ ِ ‫ت وٱل‬
‫ۡرض‬ ٰ ٰ
ِ ‫قل يـأيها ٱنلاس إ ِ ِن رسول ٱللِ إِلكم جِيعا ٱلِي لۥ ملك ٱلسمو‬
َّ ۡ َّ ّ ّ ُ ۡ َّ َّ ْ ُ ٔ َ َ ُ ُ َ ۡ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ٰ َ ٓ َ
ِ‫م ٱلِي يُؤم ُِن بِٱلل‬ِِ ‫ٱل‬ ّ
‫ب‬
ِِ ‫ٱنل‬ ِ ِ
‫ول‬ ُ
‫س‬ َ
‫ر‬ َ
‫و‬ ِ ‫ٱلل‬ ِ ‫حۦ وي ِميتۖ فـامِنوا ب‬
ِ ‫ل إِله إِل هو ي‬
َ َ ُ َّ َ َّ َ
‫َوك َِمٰتِهِۦ َوٱتب ِ ُعوهُ ل َعلك ۡم ت ۡه َت ُدون‬
Qul yaaa aiyuhan naasu innee Rasoolul laahi ilaikum jamee’anil lazee lahoo mulkus
samaawaati wal ardi laaa ilaaha illaa Huwa yuhyee wa yumeetu fa aaminoo billaahi
wa Rasoolihin Nabiyyil ummiy yil lazee yu’minu billaahi wa Kalimaatihee wattabi’oohu
la’allakum tahtadoon

English Translation:

“Say, [O Muhammad], “O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all,

[from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is
no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.” So believe in Allah and His
Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow
him that you may be guided.” (Qur’an 7:158)

َُ َّ َ َّ ُ ُّ ُ َ َ َّ َّ ْ ۗٓ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ ٰ َ ُ َ َّ َّ
‫ور‬
ٍ ‫ان كف‬
ٖ ‫إِن ٱلل يدف ِع ع ِن ٱلِين ءامنوا إِن ٱلل ل يِب ك خو‬
Innal laaha yudaafi anil lazeena aamanoo; innal laaha laa yuhibbu kulla khawwaanin
kafoor (section 5)

English Translation:

“Indeed, Allah defends those who have believed. Indeed, Allah does not like
everyone treacherous and ungrateful.” (Qur’an 22:38)

The Guidance of Muhammad (x) Questioned?

َ‫ٱلل َي ۡهدِي َمن ي َ َشا ٓ ُء َو ُه َو أَ ۡعلَ ُم بٱل ۡ ُم ۡه َتدِين‬

َ َّ ‫ك َّن‬ ٰ ََ َ َۡ ۡ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ َّ
ِ ‫إِنك ل تهدِي من أحببت ول‬
ِ ۚ
Innaka laa tahdee man ahbabta wa laakinn Allaha yahdee mai yashaaa’; wa huwa
a’lamu bil muhtadeen

English Translation:

“Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom
He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.” (Qur’an 28:56)

It is believed, according to Bukhari and Muslim, that this verse was sent to the Prophet
x when his beloved uncle Abu Talib passed away without having converted. From
the Tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, it mentions how the non-believers took this as an
opportunity to mock and discredit Prophet Muhammad (x), saying, “...you wish that
your clansmen and your kinsfolk; and your near and dear ones should benefit from
this life-giving nectar.” 338
 The response Allah T gives to Prophet
Muhammad (x) is that he is only but a
mere guide. He can show the way to the
path, but he can’t compel someone to
walk it. The only force that has that
power is Allah T, for He is Al-Hadi.
Maududi concludes with the following
remark for this ayah, “He wills not on
account of a family or tribal relationship,
but on the basis of one’s sincerity,
capability and inclination of the heart.”
This is why when we make du’a, we ask
Allah to increase our imaan (faith) and
to make us among those who have the
courage, intellect, and strength so that
we can walk the straight path.

Divine Guidance:
The second interpretation of what it means for Allah T to be referred to as Al-Hadi
is expanded with the understanding of this ayah.

ٰ‫ش ٍء َخ ۡل َق ُهۥ ُث َّم َه َدى‬ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ ٓ َّ َ ُّ َ َ َ

ۡ َ ‫ك‬ ‫قال ربنا ٱلِي أعط ٰى‬
Qaala Rabbunal lazeee a’taa kulla shai’in khalqahoo summa hadaa

English Translation:

“He said, ‘Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided [it].’” (Qur’an 20:50)

From this ayah, we can infer that Allah’s
guidance is not just an attribute of
showing people the path of faith. It is
more encompassing than that. Each
creation has been divinely guided to
what is required to satisfy its needs.
Imam al-Ghazali writes of how an infant
knows how to crawl up to the mother’s
breast and take milk without any
intervention (a phenomenon known as
“the breast crawl”). It’s also why bees
build their hives in a hexagonal pattern.
It’s the most efficient use of space. This
shape is better than all others as it
requires the least amount of wax to
build, creates a compact structure, and
leaves the most space for honey and
rearing larvae. Everything has been
perfectly guided and accounted for.

ٰ‫َو َّٱلِى قَ َّد َر َف َه َدى‬

Wallazee qaddara fahadaa

English Translation:

“And who destined and [then] guided” (Qur’an 87:3)

We ask to become among those rightly guided. We realize in all our actions, there
is an underlying motive, and that reason is to serve Allah T. It is an expression of love
and servitude. The reason why we pray five times per day, dietary “restrictions,”
wearing the hijab, and keeping the beard. All of this is for Allah T. We should keep this
in mind and not forget the purpose of our actions. Don’t just fall in love with the
routine without thinking of the reason why. Avoid the mindset of doing things just for
339
the sake of doing them. There’s a deeper
motive to it, and if it’s understood, it will
make the action sweeter. Remember, in
all good that you do, it’s to please Allah
T, to draw closer and strengthen our
connection to Him. By realizing this, we
may even begin asking upon doing
something good if there was a manner
in which the act could’ve been performed
that would’ve been even more pleasing
to Allah T. This spurs curiosity and
motivation to study the Prophetic
traditions of Prophet Muhammad x in
all matters. In doing so, you become
even more guided.
To characterize oneself by the name Al-
Hadi, we ask whether we are good
representatives or guides to encourage
people to do what’s better. The key is to
facilitate, which means to make
something easier. It does not mean
demanding, scolding, judging, being
negative, or making others feel miserable.
We can even see how the message of
Allah T is explained in the Qur’an:

َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ ّ َ ُ َ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ ُ ۡ َ َ َّ
‫إِن هٰذا ٱلق ۡر َءان َي ۡهدِي ل ِل ِت ِه أقوم ويب ِش ٱلمؤ ِمن ِني ٱلِين يعملون‬
ٗ ‫ت أَ َّن ل َ ُه ۡم أَ ۡج ٗرا َكب‬
‫ريا‬ َ َّ
ِ ٰ‫ٱلص ٰـل ِح‬
ِ
Inna haazal Quraana yahdee lillatee hiya aqwamu wa yubashshirul mu’mineenal
lazeena ya’maloonas saalihaati anna lahum ajran kabeeraa

English Translation:

“Indeed, this Qur’an guides to that which is most suitable and gives good tidings
to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward.”
(Qur’an 17:9)

It mentions that the Qur’an has been
sent to protect noble/upright character.
By following this guidance, by doing what
is right, you will have a great reward. Like
a doctor who warns a diabetic, you can
eat sugary foods but be ready to pay
the price for not changing your diet. The
role taken is an advisory role, not to be
try our best to raise the standard and
uplift each other. To encourage good
acts, educate, show, explain, and make
something as easy as possible to follow.
Narrated Uthman bin Affan: The Prophet
x said, “The most superior among you
(Muslims) are those who learn the Qur’an
and teach it.” [1]

Allah’s enforcement officer. Allah T

reveals to Prophet Muhammad x, “Say Narrated Abdullah: Allah’s Messenger
[Prophet], ‘People, I am sent only to give xsaid, “Do not wish to be like anybody
you clear warning.’ And those who have except in two cases: The case of a man
believed and done righteous deeds – for whom Allah has given wealth and he
them is forgiveness and noble provision. spends it in the right way, and that of a
But the ones who strove against Our man whom Allah has given religious
verses, [seeking] to cause failure – those wisdom (i.e., Qur’an and Sunna) and he
are the companions of Hellfire.” (Qur’an gives his verdicts according to it and
22:49-51) and also in Surah Hud, “But you teaches it.” (to others i.e., religious
are only a warner. And Allah is Disposer knowledge of Qur’an and Sunna
of all things.” (Qur’an 11:12) So, we should (Prophet’s Traditions).” [2]
340
 Supplication of Prophet Muhammad x:
We can learn this du’a which the Prophet Muhammad x made asking Allah T to
make us noble, beautify us in faith, and be among those who are rightly guided. Ata
bn As-Sa’ib narrated that his father said: “Ammar bin Yasir led us in prayer and he
made it brief. Some of the people said to him: ‘You made the prayer sort (or brief).’
He said: ‘Nevertheless I still recited supplications that I heard from the Messenger of
Allah (x ).’ When he got up and left, a man -- he was my father but he did not name
himself -- followed him and asked him about that supplication, then he came and
told the people: [3]

ً ْ ‫ال َياةَ َخ‬ َْ ‫ت‬ َ ‫حين َما َعل ِْم‬ ْ َ‫اللْق أ‬ َْ ‫ع‬ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َّ ُ َّ
‫يا ِل‬ ِ ِ َ َِ ‫اللهم ب ِ ِعل ِمك الغيب وقدرت ِك‬
َ َ َّ َ ْ َ ْ
ِ ‫ادة‬ ‫ب والشه‬ ‫ي‬ ‫غ‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ك‬
َ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ ْ َ َّ ُ َّ
‫ت‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ش‬ ‫خ‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫أ‬ ‫س‬ ‫أ‬ ‫و‬ ‫م‬ ‫ه‬ ‫الل‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ً ْ ‫ت ال ْ َوفَاةَ َخ‬
‫ي‬ َ ‫َوتَ َو َّفن إ َذا َعل ِْم‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
ْ ْ ْ
َ‫ك ال َق ْص َد ف ال َفقر َوالغن‬ ْ َ ْ َُ َ َ ْ
َ َ َ َ ّ ّ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َُْ ََ
ِ ِ ِ
َ َ
‫ب وأسأل‬ ِ ‫ضا والغض‬ َ ِ َ ‫و َأس َألك ك ِمة ال ِق ِف‬
‫الر‬
َ ‫الر َض‬ َ ُ ْ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َّ ُ َ ُ ْ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ ً َ َ ُ ْ َ
‫اء َب ْع َد‬ ِ
ّ ‫ك‬ ‫ي ال تنق ِطع وأسأل‬ ٍ ‫وأسألك نعِ َيم َا ال ينفد وأسألك قرة ع‬
َ ْ َ َ َ َ
َّ َ ُ َ َ ْ ََْ ْ‫ك بَ ْر َد الْ َعي‬ َ ُ ْ َ ِ َ َْ
‫ج ِهك‬ ‫ت َوأ ْسألك لةَ انلَّظ ِر إِل و‬ ِ ْ
‫و‬ ‫م‬َ ‫ال‬ ‫د‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ش‬ ِ ‫القضاء وأسأل‬
َ ‫الل ُه َّم َز ّي َّنا بز‬ َّ َّ ُ َ ْ َ َ َّ ُ َ َّ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َّ َ
ِ‫ينة‬ ِِ ِ ‫ة‬
ٍ ‫ل‬ ‫ض‬ِ ‫م‬ ‫ة‬
ٍ ‫ن‬ ‫ِت‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ال‬ ‫و‬ ‫ة‬
ٍ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫م‬ ‫اء‬ ‫ض‬ ‫ي‬
ِ ‫غ‬ ‫ف‬ ِ ِ ‫والشوق إِل ل ِقائ‬
‫ك‬
‫ِين‬َ ‫اج َعلْ َنا ُه َداةً ُم ْه َتد‬ ْ ‫يمان َو‬ َ
ِ ‫اإل‬ ِ
Allahumma bi ilmikal-ghaiba wa qudratika alal-khalqi ahyini ma ‘alimtal-hayata
khairan li, wa tawaffani idha ‘alimtal-wafata khairan li. Allahumma wa as’aluka
khashyataka fil-ghaibi wash-shahadati wa as’aluka kalimatal-haqqi fir-rida’i wal
ghadab, wa as’alukal-qaṣda fil faqri wal-ghina, wa as’aluka na’iman la yanfadu wa
as’aluka qurrata ainin la tanqaṭi’u wa as’alukar-rida’i ba’dal-qada’i wa as’aluka bardal
‘aishi ba’dal-mawti, wa as’aluka ladhdhatan-nazari ila wajhika wash-shawqa ila liqa’ika
fi ghairi darra’a mudirratin wa la fitnatin mudillatin, Allahumma zayyinna bizinatil-imani
waj’alna hudatan muhtadin

English Translation:

“O Allah, by Your knowledge of the unseen and Your power over creation, keep
me alive so long as You know that living is good for me and cause me to die
when You know that death is better for me. O Allah, cause me to fear You in
secret and in public. I ask You to make me true in speech in times of pleasure
and of anger. I ask You to make me moderate in times of wealth and poverty.
And I ask You for everlasting delight and joy that will never cease. I ask You to
make me pleased with that which You have decreed and for an easy life after
death. I askYou for the sweetness of looking upon Your face and a longing to
meet You in a manner that does not entail a calamity that will bring about harm
or a trial that will cause deviation. O Allah, beautify us with the adornment of faith
and make us among those who guide and are rightly guided.”

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 5028 [3] Hasan (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 1305
341 [2] Sahih al-Bukhari 7316
 Al-badi
(The Incomparable Originator)

The Unequaled One, The Unique,

The Matchless.

ْ
ُ ‫)ٱلَد‬, The One who created and formed the universe
Allah T is Al-Badi (in Arabic: ‫ِيع‬
without any mold or preceding example. With His will, He invents all that exists without
any prior material. His creation is made without any similarity to anything else that
has ever existed.

From the root ba-dal-ayn (‫)ب د ع‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to introduce, originate, start, innovate to do for the first time, and not after the
similitude of anything pre-existing to cause to exist, to bring into existence to devise,
to uniquely contrive to be amazing, outstanding, marvelous, superlative, incomparable.

One of One:

Allah T is original, one of one. There is no
one similar to having attributes as He has.
There is no one similar in His actions that
can create the Heavens and the Earth
from nothingness. Only He possesses the
power to do things He’s done. This
encapsulates the meaning of Allah T Everlasting). His original disposition never
name Al-Badi. He is said to be unique in
essence and as the originator. He is
incomparable, matchless, and unequaled
as the creator of the entire universe.
As we’ve discussed in Al-Awwal (The First),
there is nothing that predates Him. He is
both the original and the originator. This
name extends to the next name in the 99
Names of Allah series to Al-Baqi (The
deteriorates or diminishes in any sense. In
the Qur’an, there are two places where
this name is mentioned.

ُ ُ ََ ُ ُ َ ُ ُ َ َ َّ َ ٗ ۡ َ َ َ َ َۡ َ َ َ َّ ‫ِيع‬
ُ ‫بَد‬
ٰٓ ۖ ِ ‫ت وٱل‬
‫ۡرض ِإَوذا قض أمرا فإِنما يقول لۥ كن فيكون‬ ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬
Badeee’us samaawaati wal ardi wa izaa qadaaa amran fa innamaa yaqoolu lahoo kun
fayakoon

English Translation:

“Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only
says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.” (Qur’an 2:117)
342
 َّ ُ َ َ َ َ ٞ َ ٰ َ ُ َّ ُ َ ۡ َ َ ٞ َ َ ُ َ ُ ُ َ ٰ َّ َ َۡ َ َ َ َّ ‫ِيع‬
ُ ‫بَد‬
‫حبة ۖ وخلق ك‬ ِ ‫ۡرض أن يكون لۥ ول ولم تكن لۥ ص‬ ۖ ِ ‫ت وٱل‬ِ ٰ ‫ٱلسمٰو‬
ۡ َ ‫ك ّل‬
ٞ ‫ش ٍء َعل‬
‫ِيم‬
ُ َُ َ ۡ َ
ِ ِ ‫شءٖۖ وهو ب‬
Badee’us samaawaati wal ardi annnaa yakoonu lahoo waladunw wa lam takul lahoo
saahibatunw wa khalaqa kulla shain’inw wa Huwa bikulli shai’in ‘Aleem

English Translation:

“[He is] Originator of the heavens and the earth. How could He have a son when
He does not have a companion and He created all things? And He is, of all things,
Knowing.” (Qur’an 6:101)

Among the disputed names:

Here we see the Arabic word badee’u, meaning “originator.” There is some
disagreement as to whether this ayah can be used to classify the word as an official
name or title of Allah T. But as an attribute, there is no doubt it is befitting. Among the
scholars who dispute this as a name are Ibn Hazm and Ibn Uthaymeen. Those that
support the view of it being a name are Imam al-Ghazali and Ibn Arabi, among others.

The names of creating:

As for discussions regarding Allah’s unique inventiveness and creativity we’ve
touched on this topic in the three names, Al-Khaliq (The Creator), Al-Bari (The Maker),
and Al-Musawwir (The Fashioner).

ُ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ٰ َّ َّ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ ُ َ ۡ َ ٓ َ َّ َ ْ ٓ ُ ُ َ ۡ َ َ َ
6 ‫وج‬ ٖ ‫أفلم ينظروا إِل ٱلسماءِ فوقهم كيف بنينٰها وزينـها وما لها مِن فر‬
َٗ َۡ َ ۡ َ ُّ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ِ َٰ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ َٰ ۡ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ
‫صة‬ ِ ‫ تب‬7 ‫يج‬ ٖ ‫ك زو ٍج ب ِه‬ ِ ‫وٱلۡرض مددنها وألقينا فِيها روس وأۢنبتنا فِيها مِن‬
َّ ‫ۢنب ۡت َنا بهِۦ َج‬ َ َّ ‫ َونَ َّز ۡلَا م َِن‬8 ‫ِك َع ۡبد ُّمن ِيب‬
َ ‫ٱلس َمآءِ َما ٓ ٗء ُّم َبٰ َرك فَأ‬
ٗ ُّ ٰ َ ۡ َ
‫ت‬ ٰ
‫ـ‬ ‫ن‬
ٖ
َ
ِ ٖ ٖ ِ ‫وذِكرى ل‬
ّۡ ٗ ٞ َّ ٞ ۡ َ َ َّ ٰ َ َ َ ۡ َّ َ ۡ َّ َ َ
‫ ّرِ ۡزقا ل ِلعِ َبادِۖ َوأ ۡح َي ۡي َنا بِهِۦ‬10 ‫ضيد‬ ِ ‫ت لها طلع ن‬ ٖ ‫ِق‬ ‫س‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ل‬ ‫خ‬ ‫ٱنل‬‫و‬ 9 ‫د‬
ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ص‬ِ َ
‫ٱل‬ ‫وحب‬
11 ‫وج‬ ُ ‫ٱل ُر‬ُ ۡ ‫ل ٗة َّم ۡي ٗتا ۚ َك َذٰل َِك‬َ ۡ َ‫ب‬

Qul yaaa aiyuhan naasu innee Rasoolul laahi ilaikum jamee’anil lazee lahoo mulkus
samaawaati wal ardi laaa ilaaha illaa Huwa yuhyee wa yumeetu fa aaminoo billaahi
wa Rasoolihin Nabiyyil ummiy yil lazee yu’minu billaahi wa Kalimaatihee wattabi’oohu
la’allakum tahtadoon

English Translation:

“Say, [O Muhammad], “O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all,

[from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is
no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.” So believe in Allah and His
Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow
him that you may be guided.” (Qur’an 7:158)
343
 In realizing that Allah T is Al-Badi,
absolutely unique, we ask ourselves, who
else is more deserving of praise and
worship? We recognize it is Allah
has spoiled us with His blessings and all
that is in the universe. In His uniqueness
and perfection of attributes, everything
is in harmonious balance. We may not
see it this way if He’s withheld something
we desire, but we’re surrounded by so
Realizing your uniqueness:
You don’t have to look further than to
analyze the tip of your finger to be
amazed. There are 7,753,000,000+
people on earth, and no two people
share the same fingerprints. Not even
identical twins. How can you not say,
Subhanallah? Realize there will never be
another you. No person walking this
earth (past, present, or future) will look
exactly like you and share the same
experiences you’ve had, your personality,
individual qualities, thoughts, or feelings.
You are incomparable, a one-of-one
but in a different sense.
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:
“The Messenger of Allah x said: ‘The
strong believer is better and more
beloved to Allah than the weak believer,
although both are good. Strive for that
which will benefit you, seek the help of
Allah, and do not feel helpless. If anything
befalls you, do not say, “if only I had done
such and such,” rather say “Qaddara
Allahu wa ma sha’a fa’ala (Allah has
decreed and whatever he wills, He
does).” For (saying) ‘If’ opens (the door)
to the deeds of Satan.’” [1]
Ask yourself, how can you further yourself
and become a rare distinguished
References:
[1] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 79
many other blessings that they don’t
even register on our radar. We remain
oblivious and unaware, which causes us
T who to be unthankful. Whatever we focus on
is what we will feel internally. But if we
take the time to study and contemplate
what it means for Allah T to be Al-Badi,
we can be increased in our shukr
(thankfulness) towards Allah T as many
of His blessings will come to light.
individual in the sight of Allah T? This
can be increased in beneficial
knowledge, temperance, in being a
better husband or wife. Don’t waste your
effort on differentiating yourself in vain
or superficial ways. This will be an
endless chase and will not help to seek
Allah’s approval. Instead, you could
become a unique individual in character.
For example, who likes traffic? Only a
rare person would find traffic amusing
rather than frustrating. A time to sit,
reflect and count the many blessings of
Allah T. The path many take is to get
angry and impatient and feel justified in
these emotions. All this is a deliberate
decision to savor and enjoy all the
experiences and possibilities of life. How
many more unique perspectives like this
are available to the mind to find and
adopt? Each person’s circumstance will
be different and require deep reflection.
But the outcome should bring about
love for Allah T. Try changing the
frequency of the radio your mind
automatically tunes into. Find the
alhamdulillah station.
344
 Al-baqi
(The Everlasting)

The Eternal, Ever-Present,

The Immutable.

ْ
Allah T is Al-Baqi (in Araic: ِ َ‫)ٱل‬, The Everlasting. The one who has always existed
‫اق‬
and who will never cease to be. He is the one whose existence doesn’t have a
beginning nor an end. The virtue of this name signifies Allah as being perpetual,
endless, and everlasting. He will remain forever and unaffected by time.

From the ba-qaf-ya ( ‫)ب ق ي‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
To continue, to remain, and to endure. To be permanent, everlasting, and constant.
To survive forever, to be eternal. To be incessant, continuous, and endless.

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned in the last name,
different scholars have different criteria
for what qualifies as a name of Allah
Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly
mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore, there
is not one agreed-upon list for the
remaining 18 names. al-Baqi is one of
those names which is not included by
certain scholars. This list includes Ibn
T. Uthaymeen, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn Hajar,
among others. However, others, such as
Ibn Arabi, Imam al-Bayhaqi, and al-
Ghazali, have included this name in their
lists.

Forever and Ever:

We’ve briefly described this attribute of describes Allah’s nature to be everlasting
Allah T in Al-Awwal (The First) and Al- or eternal. Being called the first and the
Akhir (The Last), but there is a difference last can seem bounded or constrained
in the interpreted meaning each name by time. Al-Baqi affirms to us that Allah
conveys. Al-Awwal teaches us about T transcends time. There is no before
Allah T as being the beginning of all or after with respect to Allah T. He just
creation, Al-Akhir describes Him as being is and always will be.
the last. However, with Al-Baqi, it

345
Time as it relates to Allah (T):
Time is a creation of Allah T, and His Allah T and is limited by its very nature.
perception of it is unchanging. As Imam The prospect of Allah’s non-existence
Ghazali mentions, “only changeable seems completely irrational. Imam
things participate in past or future Ghazali further explains, “He is the
because past or future are temporal existent whose existence is necessary in
expressions.” So Allah T can’t be itself.” It is inconceivable to imagine how
understood according to the same laws something could exist in and of itself.
of physics He has bounded creation by.
But His existence is, and it’s everlasting.
He transcends the nature of what He For this reason, we are all here today.
created and is not constrained by it. The He’s allowed for us to be and gives us
mind is incapable of understanding what our continued sustenance and purpose
this truly means as itself is created by for existing.

َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ َ ْ ٓ ُ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ ۡ َ َ َ َّ َ ََ ُ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َ
‫اق ولَج ِزين ٱلِين صبوا أج َرهم بِأحس ِن‬ ٖۗ ‫ما عِندكم ينفد وما عِند ٱللِ ب‬
َ ُ ْ ُ َ
‫َما كنوا َي ۡع َملون‬
maa indakum yanfadu wa maa indal laahi baaq; wa lanajziyannal lazeena sabarooo
ajjrahum bi ahsani maa kaanoo ya’maloon

English Translation:

“Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is lasting. And We will surely give
those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to
do.” (Qur’an 16:96)

َ ۡ ۡ َ َٰ َۡ ُ َ ّ َ ُ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ُّ ُ
ِ
27 ‫ٱلكرام‬ ‫و‬
ِ ِ ‫ل‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ذ‬ ‫ك‬ِ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ج‬‫و‬ ٰ
‫ق‬ ‫ب‬‫ي‬ ‫و‬ 26 ٖ ‫ك من عليها ف‬
‫ان‬
(26) Kullu man ‘alaihaa faan (27) Wa yabqaa wajhu rabbika zul jalaali wal ikraam

English Translation:

“(26) Everyone upon the earth will perish, (27) And there will remain the Face of
your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.” (Qur’an 55:26-27)

From the story of Musa (q):

The believer benefits from knowing that Allah T is Al-Baqi. We realize the best thing for
us is to worship Allah T and seek His approval. All else that is perishable disqualifies
itself from being praiseworthy.

This is something the sorcerers in the story of Musa (q) realized. Firawn had
gathered the best magicians in the city to disprove the magic Musa (q) had
presented.
346
 They challenged him, “Some sorcerers stepped forward and challenged Musa
(q), “O Moses, either you throw [your staff], or we will be the ones to throw [first]”
(Qur’an 7:115), and in the following ayah, “[..] they presented a great [feat of] magic.”
Next, Allah T inspired Moses, “’Throw your staff,’ and at once it devoured what they
were falsifying.

So the truth was established, and abolished was what they were doing. And Pharaoh
and his people were overcome right there and became debased.” (Qur’an 7:117-119).

َ َ َ َٓ ۡ َ َ ََ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ٓ َ َ ٰ َ َ َ َ ۡ ُّ َ ْ ُ َ
ۖ ٍ ‫ت وٱلِي فط َرناۖ فٱق ِض ما أنت ق‬
‫اض‬ ِ ٰ‫ع ما جا َءنا م َِن ٱلَ ّيِن‬ ‫قالوا لن نؤث ِرك‬
ٓ َ َ َ َ ٰ َ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ َ ّ َ َّ َ َ ٓ َّ ٓ ۡ ُّ َ ٰ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َّ
‫ إِنا ءامنا بِربِنا ِلغفِر لا خطيٰنا وما‬72 ‫ٱدلن َيا‬ ‫إِن َما تق ِض هٰ ِذه ِ ٱليوة‬
ٰٓ َ ۡ َ َ ٞ ۡ َ ُ َّ َ ۡ ّ َ ۡ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ
73 ‫أكرهتنا عليهِ مِن ٱلسِح ِرۗ وٱلل خي وأبق‬
(72) Qaaloo lan nu’siraka ‘alaa maa jaaa’anaa minal baiyinaati wallazee fataranaa
faqdimaaa anta qaad; innamaa taqdee haazihil hayaatad dunyaa (73) Innaaa
aamannaa bi Rabbinaa liyaghfira lanaa khataayaanaa wa maaa akrahtanaa ‘alaihi
minas sihr; wallaahu khairunw wa abqaa

English Translation:

“(72) They said, ‘Never will we prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs
and [over] He who created us. So decree whatever you are to decree. You can
only decree for this worldly life. (73) Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He
may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us [to do] of magic. And Allah is
better and more enduring.’” (Qur’an 20:72-73)

The sorcerers became confident in
Allah’s existence and realized that the
promises of Firawn were temporary and
futile compared to the rewards of Allah
T who is more enduring. Similarly, we
recognize the opposite may be true,
and the punishment of Allah T could
be more lasting than the punishment of
Firawn, “And whatever thing you [people]
have been given – it is [only for] the
enjoyment of worldly life and its
adornment. And what is with Allah is
better and more lasting; so will you not
use reason?” (Qur’an 28:60) This is similar
to how Prophet Yusuf (q) made a
du’a saying, “My Lord, prison is more to
my liking than that to which they invite
me [...]” (Qur’an 12:33). His faith in Allah’s
promise was so strong that he would
rather go to prison being righteous than
committing sin and being free. He
recognized the rewards of Allah T are
far better and more everlasting than
any temporary pleasure incited by
shaitan.

On cursing time:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (x) as saying: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious,
said: The son of Adam displeases Me by abusing Dahr (time), whereas I am Dahr
347 (time)--I alter nate the night and the day. [1]
It is said in this hadith that the Prophet
x told us to not curse time. What is
meant by time here? Time is reality, the
unfolding of current events. Everything
that happens is by the divine decree of
Allah T. By cursing what has happened
you’re complaining about what Allah T
ordained. As the hadith mentions, this is
displeasing to Allah T , and this reaction
should be avoided. If something breaks,
there’s no point in verbally expressing
discontent about what has already
happened. The mind should
automatically go to saying, alhamdulillah,
and figure out the next best step. Don’t
suffer twice by lamenting what
transpired and relieving the pain.
With regards to our connection with
this name, it’s limited as our life is finite.
The thing we should exhibit permanence
in is our imaan (faith). There is a blessing
in meditating upon this further. We
shouldn’t procrastinate as the concept
of forever is only for Allah T. As Shaykh
Tosun Bayrak writes, “Yet there is a way to
gain an eternal life during the short visit
here. It is achieved by not tying one’s
heart to this world. It is by not working
only for profit in this world, by not working
for one’s own immediate benefit. If one
References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 2246b
[2] Sahih Muslim 1053a
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that some
people from among the Ansar begged
from the Messenger of Allah x and he
gave them. They again begged him and
he again gave them, till when what was
in his possession was exhausted he said:
Whatever good (riches, goods) I have, I
will not withhold it from you. He who
refrains from begging Allah safeguards
him against want. and he who seeks
sufficiency, Allah would keep him in a
state of sufficiency, and he who shows
endurance. Allah would grant him power
to endure, and none is blessed with an
endowment better and greater than
endurance. [2]
works for Allah’s sake, for Allah’s pleasure,
for the benefit of Allah’s creation now
and in the future, when all is ended, and
this body has returned to dust one’s work
will carry one to Eternity.” As cliche as it
sounds — and perhaps with the
explanation of the name Al-Baqi it
resonates more — we realize there is no
better time for change than now. We
should work towards bringing an end to
destructive or unhealthy habits and
promote/nurture the good ones.
348
 Al-Warith
(The Inheritor)

The Heir,
The Inheritor of All.

ُ ْ
Allah T is Al-Warith (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل َوارِث‬, The One who remains after all has past. He is
everlasting, and to whom all possessions will be returned.

From the root waw-ra-tha ( ‫)و ر ث‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to inherit, to be an heir, survivor, to be the owner or sustainer after someone.

What does it means for Allah T to inherit?

We begin by defining what it means to discussed in the previous name Al-Baqi

receive an inheritance. It usually refers
to the passing down of money, property,
or some material thing from one person
to another upon their passing. This is
typically a transfer from a parent or
spouse down the family tree to preserve
whatever wealth they had. Now, with
respect to Allah T what does it mean to
say he is Al-Warith, The Inheritor? As we
(The Everlasting) and Al-Akhir (The Last),
He is the one who will exist after all
possessors disappear. He is also the
originator (Al-Badi) and the creator (Al-
Khaliq), so naturally, all things belong to
Him. So when all is said and done, when
creation vanishes, all things will return to
their rightful owner.

َ ُ ْ َْ ُ َُ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َّ
‫يت َون ُن ٱل َوٰرِثون‬ ِ ‫ِإَونا لحن ن‬
‫حۦ ون ِم‬
Wa innnaa la nahnu nuhyee wa numeetu wa nahnul waarisoon

English Translation:

“And indeed, it is We who give life and cause death, and We are the Inheritor.” (Qur’an 15:23)

َ‫ي ۡٱل َوٰرثِني‬ َ َ‫ى َر َّب ُهۥ َر ّب َل تَ َذ ۡرن فَ ۡر ٗدا َوأ‬

ُ ۡ ‫نت َخ‬ َ َ ۡ ٓ َّ َ َ َ
ٰ ‫اد‬ ‫وزك ِريا إِذ ن‬
ِ ِ ِ
Wa Zakariyyaaa iz naadaa Rabbahoo Rabbi laa tazarnee fardanw wa Anta khairul waariseen

English Translation:

“And [mention] Zechariah, when he called to his Lord, ‘My Lord, do not leave me
alone [with no heir], while you are the best of inheritors.’” (Qur’an 21:89)
349
Understanding that AllahT is Al-Warith is also a testament to the person’s belief in
tawhid (oneness). We recognize Allah T works alone, and so the claim to everything
is for Him solely. He has no partners which whom the inheritance must be shared with.

َ ْ َّ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ ّ ٌ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ ٰ َ ُ َ ْ َ
‫ح ِد‬ ٰ
ِ ‫ف ع ٱللِ مِنهم شء ۚ ل ِم ِن ٱلملك ٱلوم ۖ ِلِ ٱلو‬ ٰ ‫يوم هم بـ ِرزون ۖ ل ي‬
‫ار‬‫ه‬َّ ‫ٱلْ َق‬
ِ
Yawma hum baarizoona laa yakhfaa alal laahi minhum shai; limanil mulkul Yawma
lillaahil Waahidil Qahaar

English Translation:

“The Day they come forth nothing concerning them will be concealed from Allah. To
whom belongs [all] sovereignty this Day? To Allah, the One, the Prevailing.” (Qur’an 40:16)

The 80-year-old version of you:

The believer benefits from knowing that
Allah T is Al-Warith in many ways. There
is a story of a very wealthy man who
died. At his funeral, a colleague asked, “I
wonder how much he left?” to which
someone replied, “I believe he left it all.”
The lesson is that we need to be wiser in
our pursuits and how we spend our time.
One of the foundational teachings of
Islam is that all things return to Allah T.
Nothing was ever ours to begin with.
Imagine speaking with your 80-year-old
self. What would the older you say to the
you of today? Do you think he/she would
be happy with how you’re spending
time? Perhaps you’re too hard on
yourself or sacrificed too much in the
name of worldly pursuits. It’s a useful
way to think about decision-making;
what would your eighty-year-old self
think about the thing that’s troubling the
you of today?
As we mentioned previously, wanting
financial security for your family’s well-
being is an honorable mission. When the
only pursuit is money, that’s a problem.
Seeking enjoyment is fine. Allah T does
not say we are forbidden from seeking
pleasure from things which He’s allowed.
The problems arise when you only live
for pleasure and forget your duty
towards Allah T.

َ ُْ َْ ْ ُُ ٰ َ َ َ ْ َ ََ َ َ ْ َ َ ََْ ْ َْ َ ْ ََ
ۢ‫كن ّ ِمن‬ ‫وكم أهلكنا مِن قري ٍة ب ِطرت معِيشتها ۖ فتِلك مسـكِنهم لم تس‬ َ
ً َ َّ ْ ْ َ
َ ‫ِيل ۖ َو ُك َّنا َنْ ُن ٱلْ َوٰرث‬
‫ِني‬ ِ ‫بع ِدهِم إِل قل‬
Wa kam ahlaknaa min qaryatim batirat ma’eeshatahaa fatilka masaakinuhum lam
tuskam mim ba’dihim illaa qaleelaa; wa kunnaa Nahnul waariseen
English Translation:

“And how many a city have We destroyed that was insolent in its [way of] living,
and those are their dwellings which have not been inhabited after them except
briefly. And it is We who were the inheritors.” (Qur’an 28:58)
350
 This ayah reminds us that all things will
inevitably perish, and the cities will be
destroyed. It’s not hard to imagine the
ambition that drove the people who
lived in the city while it was thriving. They
played the game to hoard, not realizing,
in the end, it belongs to Allah T.
Islam encourages us not to focus on the
material we leave behind but on the
impact of our legacy. What good will
your soul reap even long after you’re
gone? This is the concept behind
Sadaqah jariyah (the continuing/
perpetual charity). In this way, we can
be the inheritors of whatever/whoever
our unique touch reaches. Sahl bin
Mu’adh bin Anas narrated from his
father that: The Prophet said: “Whoever
teaches some knowledge will have the
reward of the one who acts upon it,
without that detracting from his reward
in the slightest.” [1]
Being a teacher or
educator allows us to reap the same
reward as the person who learns from it.
Who can be a teacher? Just about
everybody. This does not mean teaching
as a profession. You can share your
experience and invite others in to learn
from your wisdom or mistakes.
Sometimes we try to conceal our past
from kids to “protect them,” not realizing
we’re just protecting the image of
ourselves. They can benefit from the
knowledge of the good and the bad
we’ve realized. It’s an opportunity for
redemption as we also receive the
reward if it helps them do good and
avoid evil.
351
Other examples of sadaqah jariyah,
Narrated Sa’d ibn Ubadah: Sa’d asked:
Messenger of Allah, Umm Sa’d has died;
what form of sadaqah is best? He
replied: Water (is best). He dug a well
and said: It is for Umm Sa’d. [2]
“It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that
the Messenger of Allah x said: ‘When a
man dies all his good deeds come to an
end except three: Ongoing charity
(Sadaqah Jariyah), beneficial knowledge
and a righteous son who prays for
him.’” [3]
Seek ways in which your good
deeds will multiply without your
involvement. Having kids and raising
them to be righteous will be one of the
greatest future rewards to benefit you.
All the love and energy you spend as a
parent is stored inside your child. That
kind of effort is not wasted. Like a bank,
it’s stored and will be inherited by the
next generation and then the next. Your
soul continues to live through them, and
your account will reap whatever good
they sow. Consider writing down your
own principles on what it means to live a
good life and pass it down. You don’t
need to be a best-selling author to get
permission to say a few words on a
page.
If we reframe our actions by thinking of
the future impact we can create, it can
inspire us to do great things. It doesn’t
have to be grandiose. It can be as
simple as planting a tree. Allah T knows
best and loves to multiply the rewards
of the doers of good in His cause.
 َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َّ َ ۡ ُ َ َ ۡ َ َ ُ ُ َ َّ ُ َ َّ
‫يل ٱللِ كمث ِل حب ٍة أۢنبتت سبع سنابِل ِف‬ ِ ِ ‫مثل ٱلِين ينفِقون أموٰلهم ِف سب‬
ٌ ‫ٱلل َوٰس ٌِع َعل‬
‫ِيم‬ ُ َّ ‫ۢنبلَة ّمِاْئ َ ُة َح َّبةۗ َو‬
ُ َّ ‫ٱلل يُ َضٰعِ ُف ل َِمن ي َ َشا ٓ ُء َو‬ ُ ُ ُّ
ۚ ٖ ٖ ‫كس‬ ِ
Masalul lazeena yunfiqoona amwaalahum fee sabeelil laahi kamasali habbatin
ambatat sab’a sanaabila fee kulli sumbulatim mi’atu habbah; wallaahu yudaa’ifu limai
yashaaa; wallaahu Waasi’un ‘Aleem

English Translation:

“The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of
grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah
multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and
Knowing.” (Qur’an 2:261)

References:
[1] Hasan (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 240
[2] Hasan (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 1681
[3] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 3651 352
 Al-Rasheed
(The Guide)

The Infallible teacher,

The Right in Guidance, The Unerring
Director.

ُ ْ
Allah T is Ar-Rasheed (in Arabic: ‫)ٱل َّرشِيد‬, the one who guides to rectitude. Allah is the
supreme director to the right path and belief. He does not compel people into
religion. He has shown the right way through The Qur’an and His messengers.

From the root ra-shin-dal (‫)ر ش د‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to be directed aright, to be caused to follow the right course, to be directed to take
the right way, to be caused to hold a right belief, to adopt the right path.

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned in previous names, of those names which is not included by

different scholars have different criteria
for what qualifies as a name of Allah
Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly
mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore,
there is not one agreed-upon list for the
remaining 18 names. Ar-Rasheed is one
certain scholars. This list includes Ibn al-
T. Wazir, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn al-Uthaymeen.
However, others, such as Ibn Arabi, Imam
al-Bayhaqi, and Imam al-Ghazali, have
included this name in their lists.

The one who is guided:

The name of Allah Ar-Rasheed, The
Rightly Guided, is similar to a name
we’ve already discussed Al-Hadi,
meaning The Guide. However, being
called rightly guided negates
negative connotations. He is infallible in
His direction, and to be misguided is
inconceivable. Similar in meaning to the
name Al-Hakeem, (The Wise). Imam al-
Ghazali writes of Ar-Rasheed as “acting
without any indication of an advisor or
the directions of a director or the
353 guidance of a guide.” His very essence is
to be rightly guided.
The name Rashid is often said to describe
an educated person who’s been “rightly
guided” or possesses “true faith.” A
all derivative, Murshid, is an Arabic word
derived from the same root r-sh-d to
describe a teacher. The job of a teacher
is to be a guide for a particular subject
or topic. In the next ayah, we’ll see the
use of the word ghayy which is the
opposite of rushd meaning guidance to
the wrong path.
 ۡ ُ َّ ُ ۡ
ِ ‫غۚ ف َمن يَكف ۡر بِٱلطٰغ‬
‫وت َو ُيؤ ِم ۢن‬
َ ّ َ ۡ َ ُ ۡ ُّ َ َّ َ َّ َ ّ
‫ٱل‬ ‫ِن‬ ‫م‬ ‫د‬ ‫ش‬ ‫ٱلر‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ت‬ ‫د‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ين‬ ‫دل‬
ِ ‫ٱ‬ ‫ف‬ َ‫َل إ ۡك َراه‬
ِ ۖ ِ ِ ِ
ُ َّ ‫ام ل َ َهاۗ َو‬ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َّ
ٌ ‫يع َعل‬
‫ِيم‬ ٌ ‫ٱلل َس ِم‬ َ ‫ق ل ٱنف َص‬
ِ ٰ َ ‫ك بِٱل ُع ۡر َوة ِ ٱل ُو ۡث‬ ‫بِٱللِ فق ِد ٱستمس‬
Laaa ikraaha fid deeni qat tabiyanar rushdu minal ghayy; famai yakfur bit Taaghooti wa
yu’mim billaahi faqadis tamsaka bil’urwatil wusqaa lan fisaama lahaa; wallaahu
Samee’un ‘Aleem

English Translation:

“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from
the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah, then he has
grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is All-
Hearer, All-Knower.” (Qur’an 2:256)

If you’re feeling lost, call upon these names Al-Hadi and Ar-Rasheed. Allah T is the
knowledgeable guide who could make the path easy for anybody. He knows our
natural inclinations and can reveal certain routes better suited for us. By Him showing
us the way to receive His approval, He can make the path to attaining any goal easier.

ٗ َ َ ْ ۡ َّ َ َ َ ٰٓ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َ ُ ٰ َ ۡ َّ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ َّ َّ َ َ
‫وأنا مِنا ٱلمسل ِمون ومِنا ٱلقسِطونۖ فمن أسلم فأولـئِك تروا رشدا‬
Wa annaa minnal muslimoona wa minnal qaasitoona faman aslama fa ulaaa’ika
taharraw rashada
English Translation:

“And among us are Muslims [in submission to Allah], and among us are the unjust.
And whoever has become Muslim – those have sought out the right course.”
(Qur’an 72:14)

Degrees of guidance:
There are different levels of guidance, and it exists on a continuum. It’s not as simple
as two options, being guided or not guided. Accepting Islam and being conscious of
Allah’s existence is one form of guidance, but there is more to it.

ُ
َ ۡ ‫وس ُم َص ّد ِٗقا ل ّ َِما َب‬
ِۡ‫ي يَ َديه‬ ٰ َ ‫قَالُوا ْ َي ٰ َق ۡو َم َنا ٓ إِنَّا َس ِم ۡع َنا ك َِتٰ ًبا أنز َل ِم ۢن َب ۡع ِد ُم‬
ِ
َ ۡ ُّ َ ٰ َ ّ َ ۡ َ ٓ َۡ
‫يم‬
ٖ ِ ‫ق‬ ‫ت‬ ‫س‬ ‫م‬ ‫يق‬
ٖ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫ط‬ ‫ِإَول‬ ‫ق‬ِ ‫ٱل‬ ‫يهدِي إِل‬
Qaaloo yaa qawmanaaa innaa sami’naa Kitaaban unzila mim ba’di Moosa musaddiqal
limaa baina yadihi yahdeee ilal haqqi wa ilaa Tareeqim Mustaqeem

English Translation:

“They said, “O our people, indeed we have heard a [recited] Book revealed after
Moses confirming what was before it which guides to the truth and to a straight
path.” (Qur’an 46:30)
354
 َ َ ٌ ۡ ‫ت َخ‬
ُ ٰ‫ٱلص ٰـل َِح‬
َّ ‫ت‬ ۡ َ َّ ُ َّ ُ َ َ
ُ ٰ‫ٱه َت َد ۡوا ْ ُه ٗدى َو ۡٱل َبٰقِ َي‬
‫ِند َر ّبِك ث َو ٗابا‬
َ ‫يع‬
ۗ ‫وي ِزيد ٱلل ٱلِين‬
ًّ َ
‫ َّم َردا‬ٞ‫َوخ ۡي‬
Wa yazeedul laahul lazeenah tadaw hudaa; wal baaqiyaatus saalihaatu khairun inda
Rabbika sawaabanw wa khairum maraddaa

English Translation:

“And Allah increases those who were guided, in guidance, and the enduring good
deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for recourse.” (Qur’an 19:76)

These two verses make it clear that guidance can come in different forms. The path
of truth could refer to guidance in the form of awareness, knowledge, or understanding.
Compared to the path of being rightly guided, meaning in our actions, behaviors,
and demonstrating complete submission to the will of Allah T.
So, we can be increased with these definitions of what it means to be guided—being
increased in our good deeds, patience, uprightness, imaan (faith), knowledge, and
understanding.

Du’a to be rightly guided:

We can learn about and recite the same It is an all-encompassing du’a for
du’a that the youth recited when protection from outside harm, patience,
escaping from the tyrannical king and provision, and overall guidance. Some
taking shelter in the cave. They asked commentators have interpreted the
Allah T for His refuge to handle their cave as their heart, so when the outside
affairs. They pleaded for forgiveness, to world became corrupt, they turned
remain sound in judgment, and to be inward to the heart and asked for it to
rightfully guided. remain pure and guided.

ۡ‫ئ َلَا مِن‬

ۡ ‫ح ٗة َو َه ّي‬ َ ُ َّ
َ ۡ ‫نك َر‬ َ ٓ َ َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َُۡ ۡ َ َ ۡ
َ
‫إِذ أوى ٱلفِتية إِل ٱلكه ِف فقالوا ربنا ءات ِنا مِن ل‬
ِ
ٗ ََ َ َۡ
‫أم ِرنا رشدا‬
Iz awal fityatu ilal Kahfi faqaaloo Rabbanaaa aatinaa mil ladunka rahmatanw wa haiyi’
lanaa min amrinaa rashadaa

English Translation:

“[Mention] when the youths retreated to the cave and said, ‘Our Lord, grant us
from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.’”
(Qur’an 18:10)

355
 We can find peace in knowing that
Allah T is Al-Rasheed. The guidance
that He has provided is divine guidance.
He is the unerring director and the
infallible teacher. Therefore His direction
through the Qur’an and His Messengers
(may peace be upon them) is the truth
that we seek. We should ask to be rightly
guided in all matters. We should
approach each problem we face with
the looming thought, what response
would please Allah T? And to be rightly
guided to fulfill then whatever Allah T
seeks. Sometimes it may not
apparent, but in understanding this
name, we can trust the guidance that
Allah T provided for us is what was best
for us anyways. We should have no
regret knowing the actions taken were
for the best.
In the personal striving to have the best
character, we should seek to be rightly
guided in our speech, knowledge, justice,
and emotions. There is a balance to
emotions that require mastery. When we
suffer a loss, we are allowed to grieve,
but we shouldn’t become so hurt that
we are unhappy with Allah’s qadr. It’s
also possible to be rightly guided in
anger. For example, anger for the sake
of Allah T is justified.
It is said the Prophet x only got angry
when the commandments of Allah T
were violated. But this was done
be eloquently, not to quarrel and publicly
humiliate, but to instruct one back to
Allah T. This requires a level of control
and balance only the unique possess.
We should ask Allah to be increased in
guidance and among those rightly
guided in all respects.

ُ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َّ َ ٰ َ َ ِ‫ٱلص َر ٰ َط ٱل ۡ ُم ۡس َتق‬
ّ ‫ٱهدِنَا‬
ۡ
‫وب‬
ِ ‫ض‬ ‫غ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ي‬
ِ ‫غ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ه‬
ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ت‬ ‫م‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ن‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ِين‬ ‫ٱل‬ ‫ط‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ص‬
ِ 6 ‫يم‬ ِ
َ ّ َّ ََ ۡ َۡ َ
7 ‫علي ِهم ول ٱلضٓال ِني‬
Ihdinas-Siraatal-Mustaqeem Siraatal-lazeena an’amta ‘alaihim ghayril-maghdoobi
alaihim wa lad-daaalleen

English Translation:

“Guide us to the straight path – The path of those upon whom You have bestowed
favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.”
(Qur’an 1:6-7)

356
 As-sabuR
(The Patient)

The All-Patient, The Restrained,

The Forbearing.

ُ َّ ْ
ُ ‫)ٱلصب‬, The One who is most patient and enduring. He
Allah T is As-Sabur (in Arabic: ‫ور‬
is not hasty in His actions but waits for the proper time. He has all the power to
punish those who do wrong, but instead, He allows time for us to repent and change
course to comeback to the right path.

From the root sad-ba-ra (‫)ص ب ر‬, which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to be patient, to be enduring, to endure trial or affliction with good manner, to be
contented in trial or affliction without show of complaint, to make no distinction
between comfort and affliction, to bear calmly, to persevere cheerfully, to be steadfast,
constant, to restrain, confine, withhold from something.

Among the disputed names:

As we’ve mentioned in previous names, those names which is not included by

different scholars have different criteria
for what qualifies as a name of Allah
Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly
mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore,
there is not one agreed-upon list for the
remaining 18 names. As-Sabur is one of
certain scholars. This list includes Ibn al-
T. Wazir, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn al-Uthaymeen.
However, others, such as Ibn Arabi, Imam
al-Bayhaqi, and Imam al-Ghazali, have
included this name in their lists.

Does Allah T have more than ninety-nine names?

Alhamdulillah, we’ve reached the “last names such as Al-Jameel (The Beautiful
name” of Allah T. We put this in quotes One), Al-Jawad (The Munificent/
because Allah T has many, many Generous), Ash-Shafee (The One who
names, and there is no one definitive list. Cures), At-Tayyib (The Pure One), Ar-
As we’ve mentioned about the disputed Rabb (The Lord), Ar-Rafeeq (The Gentle),
names, different scholars recognize Al-Illah (The one who is to be worshipped).
different attributes of Allah T which These names may already be familiar to
they derive from the Qur’an and Sunnah. you, and as attributes of Allah T they

357
For example, Ibn Uthaymeen includes are completely acceptable.
Allah has ninety-nine Names, i.e., one
hundred minus one, and whoever
believes in their meanings and acts
accordingly will enter Paradise. [1]
analogy which is often quoted to explain
this hadith is if you were to say I have
ninety-nine dollars, does that mean
that’s all you have? No, that’s all you may
have in your wallet, but it’s not all you
have.
Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of
Allah x said, “If any Muslim is afflicted
with distress and makes this supplication,
then his supplication will be answered: O
Allah, I am Your servant, the son of Your
servant, the son of Your maidservant. My
forelock is in Your hand, Your command
concerning me prevails, and
decision concerning me is fair. I call
upon You by every one of the beautiful
names with which You have described
Exploring the name As-Sabur:
The name of Allah T As-Sabur, the
patient. As we come to know from these
attributes, Allah’s blessings are immense.
We are forever indebted to Him, and we
could never reciprocate or do enough
to equalize the blessings He’s given us.
The gift of life, our health, faith, and its
sustenance in every moment is because
of His will. In return, Allah T commands
from us very little, and even in that, we
sometimes fall short. For example, even
when we offer our Salah, it can be
deficient. Our bodies go through the
motion, our tongues say the words, but
our minds remain preoccupied with
worldly distractions. We’re thinking of
things we can’t wait to do after our
prayer is over instead of being present
in our salah.
Yourself, or which You have revealed in
Your Book, or You have taught to any of
Your creatures, or which You have
The chosen to keep in the knowledge of the
Unseen with You, to make the Quran the
delight of my soul, the light of my heart,
and to remove my sadness and dispel
my anxiety.” The Prophet said, “If he says
this, Allah will remove his affliction and
replace it with joy and happiness.” [2]
We emphasize one part of the hadith, “...
or which You have chosen to keep in the
knowledge of the Unseen with You,”
which implies there are names and
qualities of Allah T which are not known
to man. If Allah T is Al-Kabeer (The
Great One), we must realize the extent of
Your His greatness can’t be fully understood.
So in studying these attributes, we only
get a glimpse of His essence.
At other times we transgress the
boundaries of acceptable behavior. We
defy His command with things He has
forbidden. In every situation, He has
complete right to exercise His power
and give an equal punishment, but He
abstains, for He is Al-Haleem (The
Forbearing / The Clement One). He
withholds His right to convict and keeps
the doors of repentance and forgiveness
open. That is how merciful Allah T is.
Even when there is reason to punish, He
does not punish.
Imam al-Ghazali writes about this very
nature of Allah T to delay. This restraint
is not like a lazy person who
procrastinates or a rash person who
hastens to retaliate.
358
 Rather, As-Sabur is the one who disposes people they ascribe children to Him, yet
of “each thing in its proper time, in the He gives them health and (supplies
way in which it needs to be and them with) provision.” [3]

according to what it requires.” Everything Note, however, it does not refer to Him
is perfectly handled by Allah T by the title As-Sabur but instead
according to His definite plan. describes His essence or quality as
Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet x said: being patient. Similarly, in the Qur’an,
None is more patient than Allah against we’ll see verses describing His nature of
the harmful saying. He hears from the showing respite.

ٰ َ َ َّ َ َ ۡ َ ٰ َ َ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َ َّ ُ َّ ُ َ ُ ۡ َ َ
‫كن‬ ِ ‫ولو يؤاخِذ ٱلل ٱنلاس بِما كسبوا ما ترك ع ظه ِرها مِن دٓابةٖ ول‬
َ َّ ‫ل أَ َجل ُّم َس ّٗم فَإ َذا َجا ٓ َء أَ َجلُ ُه ۡم فَإ َّن‬
َ ‫ٱلل َك َن بعِ َبادِه ِۦ بَ ِص‬
ۢ‫ريا‬ ٰٓ
َ ۡ ُ ُ ّ َُ
ِ ِ ِ ۖ ٖ ِ ‫يؤخِرهم إ‬
Wa law yu’aakhizul laahun naasa bima kasaboo maa taraka ‘alaa zahrihaa min
daaabbatinw wa laakiny yu’akhkhiruhum ilaaa ajalim musamman fa izaa jaaa’a
ajaluhum fa innal laaha kaana bi’ibaadihee Baseeraa (section 5)

English Translation:

“And if Allah were to impose blame on the people for what they have earned, He
would not leave upon the earth any creature. But He defers them for a specified
term. And when their time comes, then indeed Allah has ever been, of His servants,
Seeing.” (Qur’an 35:45)

The one who sees Allah T as As-
Sabur can only be increased in their love
for Allah T. We see Him in the best light
as a Lord who shows ultimate grace and
patience for all of humanity. We see His
treatment and gentleness as being
caring, giving us a chance for
redemption. A chance to turn back to
Him if we’ve erred in any way. We should
rejoice in knowing our creator is
forbearing and does not hasten to
punish even though it would be most
just and deserving if He should.
Shaykh Tosun Bayrak writes, “patience is
in Allah’s Divine disposition; therefore,
patient people reflect this honored
disposition.” But the question we ask is
patience always a virtue? In a previous
359
reflection, we discuss the character trait
of acting fast with a sense of urgency. To
understand the finiteness of our lives
and to not delay any activity further than
it needs to be. How can we reconcile
that with the quality of being patient?
It requires discernment to know when to
apply what. Should you wait to do good
deeds? If something can be done now,
would it be better to wait until tomorrow?
Let’s say you set a worthy goal for
yourself. Should you stop pursuing it if
the deadline you set has passed? Or
imagine a scenario of your child learning
to walk. Would you ask Allah T only once
to make it easy for them? If they didn’t
learn right away, would you just quit and
say, “that’s it, I guess she’s not a walker.”
A person should exercise this quality to
abstain from things he/she desires but
knows it does not serve them. This is
obvious for things that are clearly
forbidden in Islam but also pose a
danger to your well-being (e.g., alcohol).
But there exists a category that, on the
surface, can seem enticing and offer
some initial benefit. These can be very
dangerous, it creeps in quietly, corrupting
goodness without our knowledge. An
example is the use of credit cards. There
are real benefits to using cards, cash-
back, points, security & safety, and
building your credit score. If an
unauthorized purchase is made, you can
call and get it reversed, whereas, with a
debit card, you’re responsible.
Yet, somehow, all the stats around credit
cards are scary. In 2021 55% of Americans
had a balance on their cards month-to-
month, 15% have been in debt for 15 years,
and 6% or 14 million people have over
$10,000 worth of credit card debt. This will
likely only get worse with time. We live in
a society where credit cards are a near
necessity for most individuals. It would
be best to be patient and restrained
from using these “tools” when you don’t
need to. This can be hard because once
you start transacting with a credit card,
it opens the door for many troubles to
walk right in. You can easily overspend
what you earn on things you didn’t need
but want. It’s a constant battle.
But Anas b. Malik reported: The Paradise
is surrounded by hardships, and the Hell-
Fire is surrounded by temptations. [4]
In the Qur’an and hadith, many passages
further encourage us to be patient (i.e.,
showing sabr). This includes patience in
one’s faith, patience/restraint in dealing
with those who may try to harm you, and
abstaining from foul language. It also
extends to patience when dealing with
some tragedy that has befallen you. The
Prophet x said, “What wealth I have, I will
not hoard from you. Whoever has
forbearance, Allah will help him. Whoever
tries to be independent, Allah will enrich
him. Whoever tries to be patient, Allah will
give him patience, and no one is given a
better or vaster gift than patience.” [5]

َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ َ َّ َّ ُ ۡ َ َ َ ۡ ۡ َ
‫ب َك إِل بِٱللِۚ َول ت َزن َعل ۡي ِه ۡم َول تك ِف ض ۡي ٖق ّم َِّما َي ۡمك ُرون‬ ‫وٱص ِب وما ص‬
Wasbir wa maa sabruka illaa billaah; wa laa tahzan ‘alaihim wa laa taku fee daiqim
mimmaa yamkuroon
English Translation:

“And be patient, [O Muhammad], and your patience is not but through Allah. And do
not grieve over them and do not be in distress over what they conspire.” (Qur’an 16:27)

َ َّ ‫ٱلصلَ ٰوة ِ إ َّن‬

َّ ‫ٱلل َم َع‬
َ‫ٱلص ٰـبين‬ َّ ‫ينوا ْ ب‬
َّ ‫ٱلص ۡب َو‬ ۡ ْ ‫ام ُنوا‬
ُ ‫ٱس َتع‬ َ ‫ِين َء‬
َ َّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ
ِِ ِ ۚ ِ ِ ِ ‫يـأيها ٱل‬
Yaaa ayyuhal laazeena aamanus ta’eenoo bissabri was Salaah; innal laaha ma’as-saabireen

English Translation:

“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is
with the patient.” (Qur’an 2:153)
360
 َ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ ُ َّ َ َ َ َّ ْ ُ َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ ْ ُ ۡ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ
‫يـأيها ٱلِين ءامنوا ٱص ِبوا وصابِروا ورابِطوا وٱتقوا ٱلل لعلكم تفل ِحون‬
Yaaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanus biroo wa saabiroo wa raabitoo wattaqul laaha
la’allakum tuflihoon (section 20)

English Translation:

“O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear
Allah that you may be successful.” (Qur’an 3:200)

Narrated Anas: The Prophet x said, “The real patience is at the first stroke of a
calamity.” [6]

ً َ ٗۡ َ ۡ ۡ َ
‫با جِيل‬ ‫فٱص ِب ص‬
Fasbir sabran jameelaa

English Translation:

“So be patient with gracious patience.” (Qur’an 70:5)

It was narrated from Ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah x said: “The believer who
mixes with people and bears their annoyance with patience will have a greater
reward than the believer who does not mix with people and does not put up with
their annoyance.” [7]

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 6410
[2] Musnad Ahmad 3712
[3] Sahih al-Bukhari 6099
[4] Sahih Muslim 2822
[5] Muwatta Malik Book 58, Hadith 1850
[6] Sahih al-Bukhari 1302
361 [7] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 4032