Al-Karim / Al-Kareem

“The Most Generous”

Short Summary

The Generous One, The Gracious, The Bountiful.

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Kareem (in Arabic: ٱلْكَرِيمُ) meaning the one who is the most generous, 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.

Arabic Root

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.

Details

Arabic Root: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 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 honored or respected. In the Qur’an, it 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 read Kareem to be translated as being noble. Abu Hurayra reported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: إِنَّ الْكَرِيمَ ابْنَ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنِ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنِ الْكَرِيمِ يُوسُفُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ, “The noble son of the noble son of the noble son of the noble one was Yusuf ibn Ya’qub ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim.” [1] Note the repetition of the Arabic (ابْنِ الْكَرِيمِ), Ibn Kareem, as being translated as “The Noble Son.” So together, we have the definition of being esteemed, noble, and honored. To have this reputation, to be called by these names indicates that you must have some virtuous qualities that have been perfected.Another example, Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ in Surah Waqi’ah verse 77 says, Innahoo la quraanun kareem which translates to, “Indeed, it is a noble Qur’an.” The connotation of Kareem being kind doesn’t apply here because it’s not clear what it means for a book to be gracious or generous. Instead, as the translation reflects, being a book of nobility does, meaning a book perfected in all its attributes.Now, moving towards the more understood meaning of this name. Kareem refers to kindness or generosity. His greatest gift to mankind is His mercy. We show a lapse in judgment whenever we err and should be held accountable for our actions. But Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is the generous one and has choosen to forgive. His mercy supersedes His wrath. He is also generous in His promise. The reward for the doer of good deeds far exceeds the effort of the action. It is not a one-to-one transaction. The reward that is with Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ far exceeds any imaginable notion of what’s promised. يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ ٱلْكَرِيمِYaaa ayyuhal insaaanu maa gharraka bi Rabbikal kareemEnglish Translation:”O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous,” — (Qur’an 82:6) قَالَ ٱلَّذِي عِندَهُۥ عِلۡمٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ أَنَا۠ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبۡلَ أَن يَرۡتَدَّ إِلَيۡكَ طَرۡفُكَۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهُ مُسۡتَقِرًّا عِندَهُۥ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِن فَضۡلِ رَبِّي لِيَبۡلُوَنِيٓ ءَأَشۡكُرُ أَمۡ أَكۡفُرُۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشۡكُرُ لِنَفۡسِهِۦۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيّٞ كَرِيمٞQaalal 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 KareemEnglish 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) ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْIqra wa rab bukal akram Al lazee ‘allama bil qalam ‘Al lamal insaana ma lam y’alamEnglish 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ refers to Himself as being Al-Akram or the most generous. The following verses speak to how He taught us all we know with a pen (i.e., through His book). This highlights the noblest attributes Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ has gifted mankind. It’s distinguished us from all other creations and has given us success as a species. Without this ability to learn from the pen, we would remain stagnant unable to transmit knowledge from one generation to the next.This brings weight to the saying that the pen is mightier than the sword. If we recognize this, being educated is just about one of the most dangerous pursuits. It’s one of the greatest skills, the ability to learn, read, and acquire knowledge because, from that, we can pick up any other skill. This is one of the many gifts Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ has given humanity, hence the perfect pairing with the name Al-Kareem. The ability to learn and know is the process that lifts us from ignorance. It’s process which we come to know who Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. It orients and directs all who would take the time to read.Some of His Generosity Enumerated:Just as He is generous, He is also gracious, meaning kind and merciful. An example of His mercy, Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad ones. Then He explained it [by saying that] he who has intended a good deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as from ten good deeds to seven hundred times or many times over. But if he has intended a bad deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down as one bad deed.[2]And in the Qur’an, it says He will give a “noble reward,” meaning a multiplicative reward to those who give from their wealth to help those less fortunate. إِنَّ ٱلۡمُصَّدِّقِينَ وَٱلۡمُصَّدِّقَٰتِ وَأَقۡرَضُواْ ٱللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنٗا يُضَٰعَفُ لَهُمۡ وَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرٞ كَرِيمٞInnal mussaddiqeena wal mussaddiqaati wa aqradul laaha qardan hassanany yudaa’afu lahum wa lahum ajrun kareemEnglish 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ loves when His servant turns to Him to ask for something. And when He gives, He gives without any reluctance or measure.He gives without asking and gives to whomever. We only see a few of these gifts as we’ve likely taken many of them for granted: our sight, intellect, health, friends, family, food, etc. It’s often quoted, “A healthy man wants a thousand things, a sick man only wants one.”He gives more than one can imagine. Out of all the blessings in your life, how many did you explicitly ask for?No discrimination. He gives to sinners and non-believers as well. He grants 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)Fulfills all promises and never turns His back on a supplicant. He does not reject an asker. Narrated Salman al-Farsi: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Your Lord is munificent and generous, and is ashamed to turn away empty the hands of His servant when he raises them to Him. [3]He gives even to those He knows who are insincere. “And when affliction touches man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove from him his affliction, he continues [in disobedience] as if he had never called upon Us to [remove] an affliction that touched him. Thus is made pleasing to the transgressors that which they have been doing” (10:12)Reflection:A believer benefits from knowing that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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. 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.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

Al-Mubdi

“The Originator”

Short Summary

The Originator, The Starter, The Initiator.

Long Summary

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.

Arabic Root

From the root ba-dal-hamza (ب د أ), 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.

Details

Arabic Root:From the root ba-dal-hamza (ب د أ), 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, different scholars have different criteria for what qualifies as a name of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. 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-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.All things have a beginning, except Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. Allah is Al-Mubdi, the initiator. He is the one from which all things begin. This name is often mentioned in pairs, Al-Mubdi and Al-Mu’id (the restorer). The connection between the two names is the first creation represents the beginning, Al-Mubdi. There is nothing like it. It is unique and original. Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ creation is made from nothingness and without any model. When we build something, we’re often taking inspiration 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 guide.Though the name Al-Mubdi is not mentioned in the Qur’an, many verses describe this quality of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. Instead, the Qur’an often mentions the two names in the verb form, yub’di-u (He originates) and yu’idu (regenerates). أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ كَيۡفَ يُبۡدِئُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٞAwa lam yaraw kaifa yubdi’ul laahul khalqa summa yu’eeduh; inna zaalika ‘alal laahi yaseerEnglish Translation: “Have they not considered how Allah begins creation and then repeats it? Indeed that, for Allah, is easy.” — (Qur’an 29:19) فَأَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفٗاۚ فِطۡرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِي فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَيۡهَاۚ لَا تَبۡدِيلَ لِخَلۡقِ ٱللَّهِۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلۡقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَFa aqim wajhaka liddeeni Haneefaa; fitratal laahil latee fataran naasa ‘alaihaa; laa taabdeela likhalqil laah; zaalikad deenul qaiyimu wa laakinna aksaran naasi laa ya’lamoonDr. Ghali 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) قُلۡ هَلۡ مِن شُرَكَآئِكُم مَّن يَبۡدَؤُاْ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥۚ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يَبۡدَؤُاْ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤۡفَكُونَQul hal min shurakaaa ‘ikum mai yabda’ul khalqa thumma yu’eeduh; qulil laahu yabda’ul khalqa thumma yu’eeduhoo fa annaa tu’fakoonEnglish 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) أَمَّن يَبۡدَؤُاْ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ وَمَن يَرۡزُقُكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ أَءِلَٰهٞ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِۚ قُلۡ هَاتُواْ بُرۡهَٰنَكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَAmmany yabda’ul khalqa thumma yu’eeduhoo wa many-yarzuqukum minas sammaaa’i wal ard; ‘a-ilaahun ma’allah; qul haatoo burhaanakum in kuntum saadiqeenEnglish 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) إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ يُبۡدِئُ وَيُعِيدُInnahoo Huwa yubdi’u wa yu’eedEnglish Translation: “Indeed, it is He who originates [creation] and repeats.” — (Qur’an 85:13)Reflection:The believer benefits from knowing that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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.

Ar-Raqib

“The All Watchful”

Short Summary

The Watcher, The Observer.

Long Summary

Allah is Ar-Raqib (in Arabic ٱلْرَّقِيبُ), 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ will reward it for what it’s earned.

Arabic Root

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.

Details

Arabic Root: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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ to be the all-watchful. The first is obvious, He sees the deeds of all His servants. Nothing is hidden from His sight. Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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.” يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسٖ وَٰحِدَةٖ وَخَلَقَ مِنۡهَا زَوۡجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنۡهُمَا رِجَالٗا كَثِيرٗا وَنِسَآءٗۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِي تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡأَرۡحَامَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ رَقِيبٗاYaaa 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 RaqeebaEnglish 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. مَا قُلۡتُ لَهُمۡ إِلَّا مَآ أَمَرۡتَنِي بِهِۦٓ أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمۡۚ وَكُنتُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ شَهِيدٗا مَّا دُمۡتُ فِيهِمۡۖ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيۡتَنِي كُنتَ أَنتَ ٱلرَّقِيبَ عَلَيۡهِمۡۚ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ شَهِيدٌMaa 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 ShaheedEnglish 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)The lesson from Prophet Isa (as):In this verse above, Jesus or Isa (as) describes how he was a witness to the people while he was among them. But when he was brought up from Earth to Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ there was no one to watch over His flock except Allah. Analogous to a shepherd, Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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) Sometimes sheep will go astray, but Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 (as) 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.Reflection:In one hadith, it describes how the companions gathered around the Prophet ﷺ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ). It is quite a long hadith, but at one point, it was asked of Prophet ﷺ “Inform me about al-Ihsan (perfection or performance of good deeds). He ﷺ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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.References:[1] Sahih Muslim 8a & Sahih al-Bukhari 50

Al-Mu’id

“The Restorer”

Short Summary

The Reproducer, The Restorer, The Renewer.

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Mu’id (in Arabic: ٱلْمُعِيدُ), He is the restorer, the one who refashions a thing. He is the One who will restore us back to life on the day of resurrection.

Arabic Root

From the root ayn-waw-dal (ع و د), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to return to something, to repeat, reproduce, to come back to, restore, to renew.

Details

Arabic Root:From the root ayn-waw-dal (ع و د), which 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, different scholars have different criteria for what qualifies as a name of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. 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-Mu’id 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. 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. This is the nature of Al-Mubdi and Al-Mu’id, who is present and continuously working in every moment. يَوۡمَ نَطۡوِي ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَطَيِّ ٱلسِّجِلِّ لِلۡكُتُبِۚ كَمَا بَدَأۡنَآ أَوَّلَ خَلۡقٖ نُّعِيدُهُۥۚ وَعۡدًا عَلَيۡنَآۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا فَٰعِلِينَYawma natwis samaaa’a kataiyis sijilli lilkutub; kamaa bada’naa awwala khalqin nu’eeduh; wa’dan ‘alainaa; innaa kunna faa’ileenEnglish 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) قُلۡ هَلۡ مِن شُرَكَآئِكُم مَّن يَبۡدَؤُاْ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥۚ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يَبۡدَؤُاْ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤۡفَكُونَQul hal min shurakaaa ikum mai yabda’ul khalqa thumma yu’eeduh; qulil laahu yabda’ul khalqa thumma yu’eeduhoo fa annaa tu’fakoonEnglish 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) أَمَّن يَبۡدَؤُاْ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ وَمَن يَرۡزُقُكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ أَءِلَٰهٞ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِۚ قُلۡ هَاتُواْ بُرۡهَٰنَكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَAmmany yabda’ul khalqa thumma yu’eeduhoo wa many-yarzuqukum minas sammaaa’i wal ard; ‘a-ilaahun ma’allah; qul haatoo burhaanakum in kuntum saadiqeenEnglish 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) إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ يُبۡدِئُ وَيُعِيدُInnahoo Huwa yubdi’u wa yu’eedEnglish Translation: “Indeed, it is He who originates [creation] and repeats.” — (Qur’an 85:13) أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ كَيۡفَ يُبۡدِئُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٞAwa lam yaraw kaifa yubdi’ul laahul khalqa summa yu’eeduh; inna zaalika ‘alal laahi yaseerEnglish Translation: “Have they not considered how Allah begins creation and then repeats it? Indeed that, for Allah, is easy.” — (Qur’an 29:19)Reflection: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 ﷺ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. 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.الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي عَافَانِي فِي جَسَدِي وَرَدَّ عَلَيَّ رُوحِي وَأَذِنَ لِي بِذِكْرِهِAl-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

al-Mujib / al-Mujeeb

“The Responsive One”

Short Summary

The Responsive, The Answerer of Prayers, The Hearkener.

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Mujeeb/Al-Mujib (in Arabic: ٱلْمُجِيبُ) meaning 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ.

Arabic Root

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.

Details

Arabic Root: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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Qareeb (near), and He is Al-Mujeeb (The Responsive). ۞وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمۡ صَٰلِحٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥۖ هُوَ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱسۡتَعۡمَرَكُمۡ فِيهَا فَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُوهُ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي قَرِيبٞ مُّجِيبٞWa 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 MujeebEnglish 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)Although these next few verses don’t mention the name al-Mujeeb directly, they further emphasize this quality of being responsive. وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدۡعُونِيٓ أَسۡتَجِبۡ لَكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ عَنۡ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدۡخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَWa 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) وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌۖ أُجِيبُ دَعۡوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِۖ فَلۡيَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلۡيُؤۡمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡشُدُونَWa izaa sa alaka ‘ibaadee ‘annnee fa innee qareebun ujeebu da’wataddaa’i izaa da’aani falyastajeeboo lee wal yu’minoo bee la’allahum yarshudoonEnglish 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 ﷺ 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 Qur’an, we are told Prophet Nuh (as) 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 (as) 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 (as), the father of Yusuf (as), was deeply hurt by the loss of his child. Don’t you think he prayed to Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 (as) du’a was answered as he was reunited with his son. However, this was only after decades of so-called “unanswered prayers.”Reflection:In learning the attributes of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. 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 to 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 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 (ra) 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Mujeeb. Just as Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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]References:[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 7536[2] Sahih Hadith, Jami At-Tirmidhi 3387[3] Sahih al-Bukhari 2568

Al-Muhyi

“The Maintainer of Life”

Short Summary

The Giver of Life, Bestower of life, The Reviver.

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Muhyi (in Arabic:ٱلْمُحْيِى), 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.

Arabic Root

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.

Details

Arabic Root: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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. 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-Muhyi is one of those names which is 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 al-Ghazali, have included this name in their lists.Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is THE living, the one who is eternal, or ever-lasting. His essence is to 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 glorify and praise Him.No verse in the Qur’an mentions this name, but there are close derivatives and other verses that describe this attribute: كَيۡفَ تَكۡفُرُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَكُنتُمۡ أَمۡوَٰتٗا فَأَحۡيَٰكُمۡۖ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمۡ ثُمَّ يُحۡيِيكُمۡ ثُمَّ إِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَKaifa takfuroona billaahi wa kuntum amwaatan fa ahyaakum summa yumeetukum summa yuhyeekum summaa ilaihi turja’oonEnglish 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) قُلۡ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيۡكُمۡ جَمِيعًا ٱلَّذِي لَهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحۡيِۦ وَيُمِيتُۖ فَـَٔامِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ٱلنَّبِيِّ ٱلۡأُمِّيِّ ٱلَّذِي يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَٱتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَهۡتَدُونَQul 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 tahtadoonEnglish 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) هُوَ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَHuwa yuhyee wa yumeetu wa ilaihi turja’oonEnglish Translation:”He gives life and causes death, and to Him you will be returned” — (Qur’an 10:56)Miracle of Prophet Isa (as):There is also one verse in the Qur’an where it mentions how Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 (as): إِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ٱذْكُرْ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَتِكَ إِذْ أَيَّدتُّكَ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ تُكَلِّمُ ٱلنَّاسَ فِى ٱلْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًۭا ۖ وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ ۖ وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيْـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِى فَتَنفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيْرًۢا بِإِذْنِى ۖ وَتُبْرِئُ ٱلْأَكْمَهَ وَٱلْأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِى ۖ وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِى ۖ وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ عَنكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ فَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭIz 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 mubeenEnglish 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)Reflection:The believer benefits from knowing that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Muhyi. It reminds us that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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, 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 ﷺ 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.رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي اَلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً, وَفِي اَلْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً, وَقِنَا عَذَابَ اَلنَّارِRabbana atina fid dunya hasanatan wa fil Aakhirati hasanatan waqina ‘adhaban-narEnglish Translation:”Anas (ra) narrated, The Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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

Al-Wasi

“The All-Encompassing”

Short Summary

The Vast, The All-Embracing, The Boundless.

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Wasi (in Arabic: ٱلْوَاسِعُ): 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ embraces all things and His wisdom and mercy are boundless.

Arabic Root

From the root waw-sin-ayn (و س ع), 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.

Details

Arabic Root:From the root waw-sin-ayn (و س ع), 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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. وَلِلَّهِ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقُ وَٱلۡمَغۡرِبُۚ فَأَيۡنَمَا تُوَلُّواْ فَثَمَّ وَجۡهُ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٞWa lillaahil mashriqu walmaghrib; fa aynamaa tuwalloo fasamma wajhullaah; innal laaha waasi’un AleemEnglish 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 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ when He says: ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱلۡفَقۡرَ وَيَأۡمُرُكُم بِٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغۡفِرَةٗ مِّنۡهُ وَفَضۡلٗاۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٞAsh Shaitaanu ya’idukumul faqra wa ya’murukum bilfahshaaa’i wallaahu ya’idukum maghfiratam minhu wa fadlaa; wallaahu Waasi’un ‘AleemEnglish 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 ﷺ 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] ۞قُلۡ يَٰعِبَادِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُQul yaa’ibaadiyal lazeena asrafoo ‘alaaa anfusihim laa taqnatoo mirrahmatil laah; innal laaha yaghfiruz zunooba jamee’aa; innahoo Huwal Ghafoorur RaheemEnglish 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: وَإِن يَتَفَرَّقَا يُغۡنِ ٱللَّهُ كُلّٗا مِّن سَعَتِهِۦۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعًا حَكِيمٗاWa iny-yatafarraqaa yughnil laahu kullam min sa’atih; wa kaanal laahu Waasi’an HakeemaaEnglish 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)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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ will enrich both from His abundance. وَلَا تُؤۡمِنُوٓاْ إِلَّا لِمَن تَبِعَ دِينَكُمۡ قُلۡ إِنَّ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ أَن يُؤۡتَىٰٓ أَحَدٞ مِّثۡلَ مَآ أُوتِيتُمۡ أَوۡ يُحَآجُّوكُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّكُمۡۗ قُلۡ إِنَّ ٱلۡفَضۡلَ بِيَدِ ٱللَّهِ يُؤۡتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٞWa 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 ‘AleemEnglish 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)Reflection: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.”The believer benefits from knowing Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Wasi in that they understand their Lord loves them. His mercy extends to all and knows no boundaries. It is all-encompassing and vast. This should bring great relief to the one who turns to Him, often asking for His forgiveness. It was narrated from Aisha (ra) 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. We are all likely to be living well beneath the potential Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ has made us capable of. We have a lot to offer and a lot to learn. Our connection to this name is through the expansion of our knowledge, our deen, and our character.References:[1] Hadith #34, 40 Hadith Qudsi[2] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 3460

Al-Hakim / Al-Hakeem

“The All-Wise”

Short Summary

The Wise, The Judge of Judges, The One who is correct in His doings.

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Hakeem (in Arabic: ٱلْحَكِيمُ), the most judicious and the all-wise. He 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.

Arabic Root

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.

Details

Arabic Root: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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 see how it connects with The All-Wise. Understanding this pairing helps us to see how Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Hakeem is through the story of Yusuf (as). 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.Summary of the story of Prophet Yusuf (as):When Yusuf (as) was a child, he had a special relationship with his father, Yaqub (as). 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. The other brothers grew envious of their relationship and plotted against Yusuf. One day Yusuf (as) 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 (as). 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. Aziz treated Yusuf (as) well, and he remained loyal to Aziz, but Yusuf (as) had to grow up not knowing his family. Yusuf (as) matured into an intelligent, charming, and handsome man under the care of Aziz. Much is written about Yusuf (as) beauty, Prophet ﷺ mentions in Isra’ and Mi’raj he met Yusuf (as) and Yusuf (as) had been given half of (world) beauty. [1]The story then takes yet another turn; Aziz’s wife becomes infatuated with Yusuf (as) 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 (as) 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 (as) denied this accusation, “It was she who sought to seduce me.” (Qur’an 12:26). In the end, Yusuf (as) 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 (as) 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 (as) was called upon. The dream was understood by Yusuf (as) to be a warning of an impending famine.From here, Yusuf’s (as) 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. وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيۡهِ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِ وَخَرُّواْ لَهُۥ سُجَّدٗاۖ وَقَالَ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ هَٰذَا تَأۡوِيلُ رُءۡيَٰيَ مِن قَبۡلُ قَدۡ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّي حَقّٗاۖ وَقَدۡ أَحۡسَنَ بِيٓ إِذۡ أَخۡرَجَنِي مِنَ ٱلسِّجۡنِ وَجَآءَ بِكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡبَدۡوِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ أَن نَّزَغَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَ إِخۡوَتِيٓۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَطِيفٞ لِّمَا يَشَآءُۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُWa 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 HakeemEnglish 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)Reflection: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 (as), 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 (as) endured all the pain to end up where he did. In the end, Yusuf (as) 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 (as) 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ as Al-Hakeem, they will recognize how all things are interconnected. Sometimes we should not just endure but learn to love and say alhamdulillah for the way the All-Wise has decreed things to unfold. كُتِبَ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرۡهٞ لَّكُمۡۖ وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تَكۡرَهُواْ شَيۡـٔٗا وَهُوَ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡۖ وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيۡـٔٗا وَهُوَ شَرّٞ لَّكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَKutiba 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)Event of Ifk:Another story of adversity comes from the seerah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It surrounds the traumatic events that took place in an attempt to attack the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his family.[2] Ayat 11-20 from Surah Nur addresses this matter, but we’ll focus on two verses in particular. إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ جَآءُو بِٱلۡإِفۡكِ عُصۡبَةٞ مِّنكُمۡۚ لَا تَحۡسَبُوهُ شَرّٗا لَّكُمۖ بَلۡ هُوَ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡۚ لِكُلِّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُم مَّا ٱكۡتَسَبَ مِنَ ٱلۡإِثۡمِۚ وَٱلَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ كِبۡرَهُۥ مِنۡهُمۡ لَهُۥ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٞInnal 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 azeemEnglish 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: وَيُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌWa yubaiyinul laahu lakumul Aayaat; wallaahu Aleemun HakeemEnglish 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 (ﷺ), and a man cursed it. The Prophet (ﷺ) 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[3] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 3469

Al-Wadud / Al-Wadood

“The Most Loving”

Short Summary

The Most Loving, The Most Affectionate, The Beloved.

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Wadud (in Arabic: ٱلْوَدُودُ), 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.

Arabic Root

From the root waw-dal-dal (و د د), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to love, to be affectionate, to long for, to desire, to wish for. The one who should be loved and whose friendship is to be earned.

Details

Arabic Root:From the root waw-dal-dal (و د د), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to love, to be affectionate, to long for, to desire, to wish for. The one who should be loved and whose friendship is to be earned.In Arabic, love is written as حب (hub); the name Al-Wadud is derived from the word وُدّ (wudd), which means an act or expression of love. So, hubb is just the emotion, whereas wudd is the physical manifestation of that love. An outward expression of the inner feeling. Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ refers to Himself as Al-Wadud twice in the Qur’an. وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي رَحِيمٞ وَدُودٞWastaghfiroo Rabbakum summa toobooo ilaih; inna Rabbee Raheemunw WadoodEnglish Translation:”And ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Merciful and Affectionate.” — (Qur’an 11:90) وَهُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلۡوَدُودُWa Huwal Ghafoorul WadoodEnglish Translation:”And He is the Forgiving, the Affectionate,” — (Qur’an 85:14)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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 forgives, He does not require anything in return. We learn from these two ayat that we’re always able to receive His affection. Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ does not like to see His servant punished; rather, He loves to forgive, and He loves those He forgave. There is no wickedness, malice, or injustice. Everything done is within reason – even then, He is on the side of leniency to the one who returns to the straight path and is sincere in forgiveness, “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)Beloved Actions:Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” (Qur’an 2:222)He loves those who follow the Prophet ﷺ: “Say, [O Muhammad], “If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Qur’an 3:31)Two traits in you that Allah loves are (1) forbearance (meaning self-control/discipline) and (2) deliberateness.[1]Love for the Prophet ﷺ family and love for those appreciative of their current blessings. 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.” [2]Love for gentleness.It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah is Gentle and loves gentleness, and He grants reward for it that He does not grant for harshness.”[3]Many of the lessons from the ninety-names of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ are a reminder of characteristics we know we should live up to. Avoid just intellectualizing it. Take time to reflect on each one and really find a way to integrate these qualities into your life.Reflection:The believer benefits from knowing that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ loves us should encourage us to do more of the things that are beloved to Him.Abu Huraira reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) 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 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]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

Al-Haleem

“The Clement One”

Short Summary

The Forbearing, The All Magnanimous. The One who delays the punishment for those who deserve it as He may forgive them.

Long Summary

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.

Arabic Root

From the root ha-lam-mim (ح ل م), which has the following classical Arabic 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.

Details

Arabic Root:From the root ha-lam-mim (ح ل م), which has the following classical Arabic 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 mercy. Just imagine if Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ hastened to His punishment everytime someone erred. Although Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is capable, He does not act with anger or rush to harshness even if we’re disobedient, rebellious, or mischievous. وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍۢ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّۭى ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَـْٔخِرُونَ سَاعَةًۭ ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَWa 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 yastaqdimoonEnglish 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? 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. إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوۡاْ مِنكُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡتَقَى ٱلۡجَمۡعَانِ إِنَّمَا ٱسۡتَزَلَّهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ بِبَعۡضِ مَا كَسَبُواْۖ وَلَقَدۡ عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٞInnal 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) وَلَوۡ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُواْ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَىٰ ظَهۡرِهَا مِن دَآبَّةٖ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمۡ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٖ مُّسَمّٗىۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمۡ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ بَصِيرَۢاWa 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)قَوۡلٞ مَّعۡرُوفٞ وَمَغۡفِرَةٌ خَيۡرٞ مِّن صَدَقَةٖ يَتۡبَعُهَآ أَذٗىۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَلِيمٞQawlum ma’roofunw wa maghfiratun khairum min sadaqatiny yatba’uhaaa azaa; wallaahu Ghaniyyun HaleemEnglish Translation:”Kind speech and forgiveness are better than charity followed by injury. And Allah is Free of need and Forbearing.” — (Qur’an 2:263) تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ ٱلسَّبْعُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ ۚ وَإِن مِّن شَىْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِۦ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًۭاTusabbihu 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 GhafooraaEnglish 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 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 Messenger ﷺ having said: By Him in 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] إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُمْسِكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ أَن تَزُولَا ۚ وَلَئِن زَالَتَآ إِنْ أَمْسَكَهُمَا مِنْ أَحَدٍۢ مِّنۢ بَعْدِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًۭاInnal laaha yumsikus samaawaati wal arda an tazoolaaa; wa la’in zaalataaa in amsa kahumaa min ahadim mim ba’dih; innahoo kaana Haleeman GhafooraaEnglish 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)Reflection: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) Ibrahim (as) 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ commanded Him to stop. And so, in the Qur’an Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ recognized Ibrahim (as) as being haleem.The names of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 ﷺ says to Aisha (ra): “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 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ). 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.References:[1] Sahih Muslim 2749[2]Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 4808