Al-Azeem

“The Magnificent One”

Short Summary

The Great One, The Mighty, The Tremendous.

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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.

Arabic Root

From the root ayn-za-mim (ع ظ م), 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.

Details

Arabic Root:From the root ayn-za-mim (ع ظ م), 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 (ﷺ) (68:4) are all referred to as azeem. فَسَبِّحْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلْعَظِيمِFasabbih bismi rabbikal azeemEnglish Translation:”So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.” — (Qur’an 55:96) & (Qur’an 69:52)Connecting with this name in your Salah:Be mindful of this name when you go into Ruku and recite, سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ subhana 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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. ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡحَيُّ ٱلۡقَيُّومُۚ لَا تَأۡخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٞ وَلَا نَوۡمٞۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِي يَشۡفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِهِۦۚ يَعۡلَمُ مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنۡ عِلۡمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَۚ وَسِعَ كُرۡسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفۡظُهُمَاۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡعَظِيمُAllahu 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 ‘AzeemEnglish 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) لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُLahoo maa fis samaa waati wa maa fil ardi wa Huwal ‘Aliyul ‘AzeemEnglish 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)Reflection:A believer benefits in knowing that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ cannot fulfill. He can make any aspect of your life great. Even in the mundane, He can show you the beauty in it. The Prophet ﷺ would make 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 ﷺ used to invoke Allah at the time of distress, saying, [2]لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ 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 name Al-Azim: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “(There are) two words which are dear to the Beneficent (Allah) and very light (easy) for the tongue (to say), but very heavy in weight in the balance. They are: ‘Subhan Allah wa-bi hamdihi’ and ‘Subhan Allah Al-Azim.” [3]This name also brings about humility in all who understand this attribute of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. As mentioned previously, a constant theme in many of these names is that we’re deluded in worldly pursuits. A person who sees success can think of himself as being grandeur. But in reality, nothing can eclipse Allah’s greatness. We can think of ourselves as big fish, not realizing we’re swimming in a little pond.In another case, we unknowingly may be influenced by a person with high status. Many fall into a trance of some sort, bending over backward to appease their demands. If, at that moment, Al-Azeem popped into your mind, it takes away the power they may hold over you. We realize yes, they may be wealthy, famous, and influential, but in comparison to Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ they are nothing. Therefore, you don’t need their approval. The only support we need, the only one that matters and can genuinely help us, is Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ.Another authentic supplication we can learn from the hadith which incorporates a variety of Allah’s names and attributes. It was narrated that ‘Ubadah bin As-Samit said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Whoever wakes up in the morning and says upon waking: [4] لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِLa 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-AzimEnglish 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[4] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 3878

Al-Ghafur

“The All-Forgiving”

Short Summary

The All-Forgiving, The Forgiving, The One who forgives a lot.

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Ghafoor (in Arabic: ٱلْغَفُورُ), He is The One who completely forgives our 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.

Arabic Root

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.

Details

Arabic Root: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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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. نَبِّئْ عِبَادِىٓ أَنِّىٓ أَنَا ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُNabbi’ ‘ibaadeee annneee anal Ghafoorur RaheemEnglish Translation:[O Muhammad], inform My servants that it is I who am the Forgiving, the Merciful. — (Qur’an 15:49) نُزُلًۭا مِّنْ غَفُورٍۢ رَّحِيمٍۢNuzulam min Ghafoorir Raheem (section 4)English Translation:”As accommodation from a [Lord who is] Forgiving and Merciful.” — (Qur’an 41:32) إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡمَيۡتَةَ وَٱلدَّمَ وَلَحۡمَ ٱلۡخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ بِهِۦ لِغَيۡرِ ٱللَّهِۖ فَمَنِ ٱضۡطُرَّ غَيۡرَ بَاغٖ وَلَا عَادٖ فَلَآ إِثۡمَ عَلَيۡهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٌInnamaa 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 RaheemEnglish 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)Reflection:From this name, we learn the importance of maghfirah, which means to seek the forgiveness of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. The believer benefits in knowing that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 ﷺ 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 without 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) and says, ‘O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,’ and Allah 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 (ra), “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 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 ﷺ 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 a different narration, Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) 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 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 mercy, to protect us by repairing or covering what’s been exposed. Indeed Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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.References:[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 7507[2] Silsilah al-Huda wa Noor no. 640[3] Sahih Muslim 2590a [4] Sahih Muslim 2590b

Ash-Shakur/Ash-Shakoor

“The Acknowledging One”

Short Summary

The Grateful, The Appreciative, The Rewarder of Thankfulness.

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Ash-Shakur (in Arabic: ٱلْشَّكُورُ), meaning the most grateful, the rewarder of 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.

Arabic Root

From the root shin-kaf-ra (ش ك ر), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to praise or commend for a benefit or benefits to acknowledge beneficence, to offer thanks, acknowledgement, to be thankful, grateful, to produce, supply, give forth bountifully.

Details

Arabic Root:From the root shin-kaf-ra (ش ك ر), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to praise or commend for a benefit or benefits to acknowledge beneficence, to offer thanks, acknowledgement, to be thankful, grateful, to produce, supply, give forth bountifully.There are two names here, Ash-Shakir (The Recogniser and Rewarder of good) and Ash-Shakur (The Appreciative). Al-Shakir is mentioned in the Qur’an twice, whereas Al-Shakur is mentioned four times. Below we’ve included an example of the usage of Al-Shakir, and you will see the name Shakur in other verses. One thing to note is that Shakur is more emphatic or exaggerated form. ۞إِنَّ ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلۡمَرۡوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ ٱللَّهِۖ فَمَنۡ حَجَّ ٱلۡبَيۡتَ أَوِ ٱعۡتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَاۚ وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيۡرٗا فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌInnas 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 AleemEnglish 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ has allowed it to be that way. Yet He tells us, He appreciates and accepts all deeds, no matter how small. He is all-watchful and all-grateful to us. مَّا يَفْعَلُ ٱللَّهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِن شَكَرْتُمْ وَءَامَنتُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ شَاكِرًا عَلِيمًۭاMaa 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 rewards of His servant’s many folds. It is also only Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ who has the power to multiple without any measure or restriction. As an illustrative example, here’s what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said on good deeds committed while fasting: “Every good deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied manifold. A good deed will be multiplied ten times up to as many as seven hundred times, or as much as Allah wills.” [1] Also, Ibn Umar narrated that one day: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to his Companions: “Say ‘Glory is to Allah and with His Praise (Subhan Allah, wa bihamdih) a hundred times. Whoever says [it] one time, it is written for him ten, and whoever says it ten (times), it is written for him a hundred, and whoever says it a hundred (times), it is written for him a thousand, and whoever increases, Allah will increase for him, and whoever seeks Allah’s forgiveness, [Allah] will forgive him.” [2]Pairing Al-Ghafur and Al-Shakur: وَقَالُواْ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَذۡهَبَ عَنَّا ٱلۡحَزَنَۖ إِنَّ رَبَّنَا لَغَفُورٞ شَكُورٌWa qaalul hamdu lillaahil lazeee azhaba ‘annal hazan; inna Rabbanaa la Ghafoorun ShakoorEnglish 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.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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ who always gives within measure or more than what’s due.Reflection:A believer benefits from knowing that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is al-Shakur. If Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 ﷺ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ, praise Him for His gratitude. Even this will render some benefit to you, as Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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. ذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِي يُبَشِّرُ ٱللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِۗ قُل لَّآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَجۡرًا إِلَّا ٱلۡمَوَدَّةَ فِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰۗ وَمَن يَقۡتَرِفۡ حَسَنَةٗ نَّزِدۡ لَهُۥ فِيهَا حُسۡنًاۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ شَكُورٌZaalikal 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 ShakoorEnglish 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)The Prophet (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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

Al-Aliyy / Al-Alee

“The High”

Short Summary

The Exalted and High. The One who is High in all respects.

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Aliyy (in Arabic: ٱلْعَلِيُّ), the most exalted and all high. He exceeds all 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.

Arabic Root

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.

Details

Arabic Root: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) and Al-Ala (The Most High). This is separate from the 78th name, Al-Muta’Ali, which means The High Above, The Exalted. These names describe the transcendent nature of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ and His loftiness when compared to all other creations. Imam al-Ghazali mentions, “[He] is the one above whose rank there is no rank, and all ranks are inferior to Him. This is because high is derived from ‘height’, and ‘height’ is taken from elevation that is the opposite of lowness.” Al-Aliyy is the all-high without any reference point. This is an intrinsic quality. Al-Muta-Ali is a variation that is a more intensified form.In the Qur’an, the name Al-Ala appears five times, Al-Aliyy five, and Al-Muta’Ali only once. سَبِّحِ ٱسْمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلْأَعْلَىSabbihisma Rabbikal A’laaEnglish 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 we bow our heads in ruku or sujood to show He سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ, 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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: ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡحَيُّ ٱلۡقَيُّومُۚ لَا تَأۡخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٞ وَلَا نَوۡمٞۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِي يَشۡفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِهِۦۚ يَعۡلَمُ مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنۡ عِلۡمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَۚ وَسِعَ كُرۡسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفۡظُهُمَاۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡعَظِيمُAllahu 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 AzeemEnglish 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)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 ﷺ 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]Reflection:The believer benefits in knowing that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Aliyy. He is The Most-High, The Exalted. There is no one else we need to rely upon but Him. The believers will be among those who are higher. Musa (as) was commanded to appear before Firawn and cast his staff. He was fearful as he did not know what would happen next, but Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ comforts him in saying, “Fear not! Lo! thou art the higher.” وَلَا تَنفَعُ ٱلشَّفَٰعَةُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا لِمَنۡ أَذِنَ لَهُۥۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمۡ قَالُواْ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمۡۖ قَالُواْ ٱلۡحَقَّۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡكَبِيرُWa 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 KabeerEnglish 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 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 (ﷺ) and said: ‘I cannot learn anything of the Quran; teach me something that I can say instead of reciting the Quran.’ He said: ‘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[2] Sahih Muslim 2730a[3] Hasan (Darussalam) Sunan an-Nasa’i 924

Al-Basit

“The Extender”

Short Summary

The Enlarger, The Expansive, The Munificent

Long Summary

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.

Arabic Root

From the root ba-sin-ta (ب س ط), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to expand, enlarge, extend, to grant abundance, to provide amply, to spread, widen, to make spacious, or to extend a hand.

Details

Arabic Root:From the root ba-sin-ta (ب س ط), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to expand, enlarge, extend, to grant abundance, to provide amply, to spread, widen, to make spacious, or to extend a hand.In Arabic qabd means to clench, grasp, or seize whereas bast refers to openness. Think closed hand versus open hand, to withhold and to give. These names are often mentioned together for juxtaposition. This emphasizes how Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ, in His infinite wisdom, is the one who either gives or withhold things to whomever He pleases. مَّن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يُقْرِضُ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًۭا فَيُضَـٰعِفَهُۥ لَهُۥٓ أَضْعَافًۭا كَثِيرَةًۭ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْصُۜطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَMan zal lazee yuqridul laaha qardan hasanan fayudaa ‘ifahoo lahoo ad’aafan kaseerah; wallaahu yaqbidu wa yabsutu wa ilaihi turja’oonEnglish 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 & Al-Basit:To constrast with Al-Qabid, Al-Basit is a display of Allah’s mercy of giving without any measure. When Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ wants to give, it is free and infinite. There is no stopping nor restricting it. ۞وَلَوۡ بَسَطَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِعِبَادِهِۦ لَبَغَوۡاْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَٰكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٖ مَّا يَشَآءُۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِعِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرُۢ بَصِيرٞWa law basatal laahur rizqa li’ibaadihee labaghaw fil ardi wa laakiny yunazzilu biqadarim maa yashaaa; innahoo bi’ibaadihee Khabeerun BaseerEnglish 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, 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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).In a hadith narration, narrated by Anas ibn Malik: The people said: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), prices have shot up, so fix prices for us. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Allah is the one Who fixes prices, withholds (the word used here is الْقَابِضُ – alqabid), gives lavishly (the word used here is الْبَاسِطُ – 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 (ﷺ) 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 that the people may repent for the fault committed from dusk to dawn. (He would accept repentance) before the sun rises in the west (before the Day of Resurrection). A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Shu’ba with the same chain of transmitters. [2]Reflection:The believers benefits from knowing Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is both Al-Qabid and Al-Basit. We can use these names in our supplication, asking Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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. 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ for what remains. Whatever happens, do not rush to conclusions and say whether it is good or bad, but say it’s from Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ and He knows best. ٱللَّهُ يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُۚ وَفَرِحُواْ بِٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ إِلَّا مَتَٰعٞAllaahu 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[2] Sahih Muslim 2759

Al-Kabeer

“The Great”

Short Summary

The Most Great, The All-Great, The Greatest.

Long Summary

The name Al-Kabeer (in Arabic: ٱلْكَبِيرُ) is the 37th name of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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.

Arabic Root

From the root kaf-ba-ra (ك ب ر), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to be great in rank, dignity, nobility, majesty to be great in size, vast, formidable to be great in age, oldest to be great in learning, most knowing to have rights above all others.

Details

Arabic Root:From the root kaf-ba-ra (ك ب ر), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to be great in rank, dignity, nobility, majesty to be great in size, vast, formidable to be great in age, oldest to be great in learning, most knowing to have rights above all others.In Arabic, the word kabir (كبير) is used by modern Arabic speakers to describe something great, big or large, often in a physical sense. The usage of the definite article “al” before the name is demonstrative of being THE biggest or THE greatest. But with Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ this is not limited in a physical sense. The name Al-Kabir is often used in tandem with Al-Aliyy (The Most High), likely to illustrate that Allah is great in all respects, greater than any mental constructs we may have of Him. It is a name of Allah’s perfection, not meant in a comparative sense. He is greatness and is alone in His greatness. ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ ٱلْبَـٰطِلُ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْكَبِيرُZaalika 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) وَلَا تَنفَعُ ٱلشَّفَٰعَةُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا لِمَنۡ أَذِنَ لَهُۥۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمۡ قَالُواْ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمۡۖ قَالُواْ ٱلۡحَقَّۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡكَبِيرُWa 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 KabeerEnglish 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 34:23) عَـٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ ٱلْكَبِيرُ ٱلْمُتَعَالِAalimul Ghaibi wash shahaadatil Kaabeerul Muta’aalEnglish Translation:”[He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Grand, the Exalted.” — (Qur’an 13:9)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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 (ﷺ) “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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ possesses true greatness, we, therefore, praise Him alone. Only Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ has true worth. Everything else is perishable and exists in a temporary state. The one who is only conscious and glorifies himself lives in denial of this truth. Consciousness of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ, and Allah knows what’s best for His creation. ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ هُوَ ٱلْبَـٰطِلُ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْكَبِيرُZaalika bi annal laaha Huwal haqqu wa anna maa yad’oona min doonihee huwal baatilu wa annal laaha Huwal Aliyyul kabeerEnglish 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)Reflection:This name is also a reminder to check our egos and to be humble because we know Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is far superior. Those who directly challenge Him will be among the losers. It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. The better one is determined by moral excellence. In the Qur’an, Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 ﷺ and said to him: Teach me the words which I should (often) utter. He said: Utter, [3] لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَثِيرًا سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِla ‘ilah ‘iila alllah wahdah la sharik lah alllah ‘akbar kabiran walhamd lillah kathiran subhan alllah rabb alealamin la hawl wala quwwat ‘iila bialllah aleaziz alhakimEnglish 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.”The Greatness within you:Another way a believer benefits from knowing Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Kabeer is acknowledging and respecting the beauty that is you. If we understand the superlative that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. Holding on to what was or is, is an impossible task. The one who caused the change is Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ, 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ, and we know that He is Al-Kabeer, The Greatest.References:[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 527[2] Hasan (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 4174 & Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 4090[3] Sahih Muslim 2696

Al-Khafid

“The Reducer”

Short Summary

The Lowerer, The Reducer, The Abaser

Long Summary

Allah is Al-Khafid (in Arabic: ٱلْخَافِضُ), 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.

Arabic Root

From the root kha-fa-dad (خ ف ض), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to lower, weaken, depress, to make humble, abase, to relax, diminish, subdue, to make gentle, tranquil, easy to deal with, to soften, make easy, facilitate.

Details

Arabic Root:From the root kha-fa-dad (خ ف ض), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to lower, weaken, depress, to make humble, abase, to relax, diminish, subdue, to make gentle, tranquil, easy to deal with, to soften, make easy, facilitate.This attribute describes how Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ abases the proud, the oppressors, and rebels. He chooses the ones to be humbled, softened, or made gentle. He decides to raise or weaken people, to 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 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-Khaafid is one of those names which has been excluded 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. خَافِضَةٌۭ رَّافِعَةٌKhafidatur raafi’ahEnglish Translation:”It will bring down [some] and raise up [others].” — (Qur’an 56:3)The downfall of Firaun:A well-known example of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ debasing someone is Firaun, the tyrannical dictator in the story of Musa (as). What was his fate despite having immense power and being the Pharaoh of Egypt? As the story goes, He sought after Musa (as) to kill or imprison him, and Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ protects Musa (as) 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 (as) 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 (as) instead. Still, the best historical account of the Pharaoh during Prophet Musa (as) 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)Reflection:The idea of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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. لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ فِيٓ أَحۡسَنِ تَقۡوِيمٖ ثُمَّ رَدَدۡنَٰهُ أَسۡفَلَ سَٰفِلِينَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ فَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرٌ غَيۡرُ مَمۡنُونٖLaqad khalaqnal insaana fee ahsani taqweem Thumma ra dad naahu asfala saafileen Ill-lal lazeena aamanoo wa amilus saalihaati; falahum ajrun ghairu mamnoonEnglish 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) فَأَمَّا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ إِذَا مَا ٱبۡتَلَىٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَأَكۡرَمَهُۥ وَنَعَّمَهُۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّيٓ أَكۡرَمَنِ وَأَمَّآ إِذَا مَا ٱبۡتَلَىٰهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيۡهِ رِزۡقَهُۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّيٓ أَهَٰنَنِFa 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 ahaananEnglish 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)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. It may be a test of patience, to find satisfaction or contentment in scarcity, or whether the person can remain grateful to Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ for that which they still have. Or will his faith decrease, and his displeasure with Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ increase? Will they transgress Allah’s commandments and become immoral to change their current circumstance?We’ve mentioned this hadith in one of the other names of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ, 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 (ﷺ) 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ gives us is a gift.References:[1] Hasan (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 4141

Al-Hafiz / Al-Hafeez / Al-Hafeedh

“The Preserver”

Short Summary

The Guarding One, The Protector, The One who Preserves what He created.

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Hafiz (in Arabic: ٱلْحَفِيظُ), 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.

Arabic Root

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.

Details

Arabic Root: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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ as the preserver in the sense of being a protector. A name that shows trust in Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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)The Perfect Balance:Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ has perfected the balance of the elements and instilled self-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. It’s jaw-dropping to consider how different elements that are at odds with one another (e.g., hot and cold, dryness and wetness) exist under our skin in the perfect balance because Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ has reconciled them to be that way. The 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 would burn a hole through your flesh. But Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ — great and glorious — made it so our stomach can safely house this acid for self-preservation to help eat and digest food. فَإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَقَدۡ أَبۡلَغۡتُكُم مَّآ أُرۡسِلۡتُ بِهِۦٓ إِلَيۡكُمۡۚ وَيَسۡتَخۡلِفُ رَبِّي قَوۡمًا غَيۡرَكُمۡ وَلَا تَضُرُّونَهُۥ شَيۡـًٔاۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ حَفِيظٞFa 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 HafeezEnglish 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) إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا ٱلذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَInnaa Nahnu nazalnaz Zikra wa Innaa lahoo lahaa fizoonEnglish 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 – was then indicated. They depend rather on faith, fortitude, discipline and firm resolution.” This is the idea that nothing can happen except by Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. 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.” قَالَ هَلۡ ءَامَنُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ إِلَّا كَمَآ أَمِنتُكُمۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَخِيهِ مِن قَبۡلُ فَٱللَّهُ خَيۡرٌ حَٰفِظٗاۖ وَهُوَ أَرۡحَمُ ٱلرَّـٰحِمِينَQaala hal aamanukum alaihi illaa kamaa amintukum alaaa akheehi min qabl; fal laahu khairun haafizanw wa Huwa arhamur RaahimeenEnglish 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. ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡحَيُّ ٱلۡقَيُّومُۚ لَا تَأۡخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٞ وَلَا نَوۡمٞۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِي يَشۡفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِهِۦۚ يَعۡلَمُ مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنۡ عِلۡمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَۚ وَسِعَ كُرۡسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفۡظُهُمَاۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡعَظِيمُAllahu 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 AzeemEnglish 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)The verse does not explicitly state the name Al-Hafeedh but mentions Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ by many names which we have covered up until this point. Can you identify them? [2]Reflection:Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ has provided the answers to things that threaten our existence and our harmony and taught us how to be protected from them. He sent this 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, lawful marriages, looking after your community, seeking knowledge, become intelligent 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. 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 surahs. Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet ﷺ said: “The one who memorized the Qur’an shall come on the Day of Judgment and (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 with him and says: “Recite and rise up, and be increased in reward with every Ayah.”” [3]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 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.[3] Hasan (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2915

Ar-Rafi

“The Exalter”

Short Summary

The Exalter, The Elevator, The Raiser.

Long Summary

Allah is Ar-Rafi (in Arabic: ٱلْرَّافِعُ). 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.

Arabic Root

From the root ra-fa-ayn (ر ف ع), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to raise or elevate something, to uplift, to take it up, to make high, to exalt, make honorable, make eminent, to bring a thing near.

Details

Arabic Root:From the root ra-fa-ayn (ر ف ع), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to raise or elevate something, to uplift, to take it up, to make high, to exalt, make honorable, make eminent, to bring a thing near.This name is contrasted with Al-Khafid, meaning The Reducer. Just as Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ can lower, He has the power and ability to raise. He honors certain individuals like the Prophets (may peace be upon them), who are still revered to this day. Others have been disgraced, like Abu Lahab, the uncle of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ who has an entire Surah debasing Him (i.e., Surah al-Masad).Among the disputed 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. 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. وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَآ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهَآ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ ۚ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَـٰتٍۢ مَّن نَّشَآءُ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌۭWa tilka hujjatunaaa aatainaahaaa Ibraaheema ‘alaa qawmih; narfa’u darajaatim man nashaaa’; inna Rabbaka Hakeemun ‘AleemEnglish 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) يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمۡ تَفَسَّحُواْ فِي ٱلۡمَجَٰلِسِ فَٱفۡسَحُواْ يَفۡسَحِ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ ٱنشُزُواْ فَٱنشُزُواْ يَرۡفَعِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجَٰتٖۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞYaaa 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 khabeerEnglish 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) رَفِيعُ ٱلدَّرَجَـٰتِ ذُو ٱلْعَرْشِ يُلْقِى ٱلرُّوحَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ لِيُنذِرَ يَوْمَ ٱلتَّلَاقِRafee’ud darajaati zul ‘Arshi yulqir rooha min amrihee ‘alaa mai yashaaa’u min ‘ibaadihee liyunzira yawmat talaaqEnglish 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ.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 commandments of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ, there is no disobedience. We’re also told by Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) that The Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers.” (Qur’an 2:34) The exclusion ‘except Iblees’ seems to imply He was among the Angels. Al-Qurtubi said in his tafsir of Surah Baqarah: “The idea that he was one of the angels is the view of the majority [i.e., of the early sahaba], Ibn Abbas, Ibn Mas’ud, Ibn Jurayj, Ibn al-Musayyib, Qutadah and others.” 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 became of the Jinn upon his refusal. He was given the privilege to be the only one among the Angels when Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ revealed to them His latest creation in Adam (as). But in Surah Sad, when Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ asked why he refused to prostrate to Adam, “He said, ‘I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.’” (Qur’an 38:76).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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ raised the rank of Muhammad ﷺ: In Surah Ash-Sharh verse 4, Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ reminds Prophet Muhammad ﷺ 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. وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَWa raf ana laka zikrakEnglish Translation:”And raised high for you your repute.” — (Qur’an 95:4)Reflection: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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is high above all, so whatever it is you wish to be increased in, call upon this name. Only Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 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 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.”References:[1] Sahih Muslim 2996 & Riyad as-Salihin 1846

Al-Muqit / Al-Muqeet

“The Nourisher”

Short Summary

The Nourisher, The Sustainer

Long Summary

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Muqeet (in Arabic: ٱلْمُقِيتُ) meaning the ultimate sustainer. He gives strength and nourishment to His creations and maintains all that exists. He oversees, guards, and preserves all. To Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ we owe the satisfaction of all needs, but He is alone and independent of needs.

Arabic Root

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.

Details

Arabic Root: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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ, 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. Through devotion to Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ and increasing their spiritual aspirations, they fill the missing piece. In this way, Al-Muqit is the spiritual nourisher.But Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ also has prescribed physical nourishment. Every person has it written for him/her what nourishment is 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 (ﷺ) 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 Ar-Razzaq (The Provider) but more emphasis on the spiritual aspect. Imam al-Ghazali writes, “this name is more specific, since provision includes what is other than food as well as food.” As the name of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ it is only mentioned once in the Qur’an. مَّن يَشۡفَعۡ شَفَٰعَةً حَسَنَةٗ يَكُن لَّهُۥ نَصِيبٞ مِّنۡهَاۖ وَمَن يَشۡفَعۡ شَفَٰعَةٗ سَيِّئَةٗ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كِفۡلٞ مِّنۡهَاۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ مُّقِيتٗاMai 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 MuqeetaaEnglish 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. ۞وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٖ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ رِزۡقُهَا وَيَعۡلَمُ مُسۡتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسۡتَوۡدَعَهَاۚ كُلّٞ فِي كِتَٰبٖ مُّبِينٖWa maa min daaabbatin fil ardi illaa ‘alal laahi rizquhaa wa ya’lamu mustaqarrahaa wa mustawda’ahaa; kullun fee Kitaabim MubeenEnglish 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) ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَأَخۡرَجَ بِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ رِزۡقٗا لَّكُمۡۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡفُلۡكَ لِتَجۡرِيَ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ بِأَمۡرِهِۦۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرَAllaahul 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 anhaarEnglish 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) قُلْ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّۭا فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يُطْعَمُ ۗ قُلْ إِنِّىٓ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ ۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَQul 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 mushrikeenEnglish 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)Reflection:We’ve explored in more detail how a believer benefits in understanding how Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is the giver of sustenance (see the name Ar-Razzaq). But a point worth reiterating is if you see that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ 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 سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. 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 ﷺ 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