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Why Mentioning Allah's Best Names
I would like to bring this book to an end with Allah’s Best Names for the following reasons:
1- The purpose behind writing this book is to inform the readers of what will lead to the fulfillment of Dua. God Himself says:
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“And Allah’s are the Best Names, therefore call on Him.” (Verse 180, The Elevated places)
Sheikh Sadooq has polyquoted Abdussalam Ibne Heravi, Imam Reza, and Imam Ali (AS) as saying:
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826. “There are ninety names for God and whoever calls Him by those names, hid Dua will be answered and whoever counts and memorizes them, will enter paradise.”
2- It is honor for this book to come to an end with Allah’s Best Names.
Sheikh Sadooq has polyquoted Imam Sadeq, Imam Baqer, Imam Sajjad, Imam Hussein and Imam Ali (AS) as saying:
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827. “The Holy Prophet (SAW) has said: There are 99 names of Allah, a hundred but one. Whoever counts and memorizes them, will enter paradise. Here are the Names:
The Attributes of Allah
Now let us discuss His Attributes in detail:
1- “Allah”
The proper noun “Allah” solely belongs to The Almighty God, the Truth. Anything succeeding it is regarded as an adjective describing it, while it remains a noun indicative of the True God. It combines all His Attributes, and it needs no introduction from others, whereas the other Attributes attain recognition when added thereto. “Allah” is not given to anyone other than Him, nor should it ever be used for anyone besides Him.
“Allah” is the ever-Existent, the One Who causes existence, Who maintains existence, Who creates everything that exists. Whatever He creates shall perish; He never will: “...say: ‘Allah!’ then leave them sporting in their vain discourses” (Quran, 6:91).
2- “Al-Rahman”
Allah has said, “All those in the heavens and the earth will come to the Beneficent God obediently” (QURAN, 19:93)
“Al-Rahman al-Rahim” are two of the Attributes of Allah which remind people of His mercy, of the fact that His act of affecting goodness and rewards reach whomsoever He pleases, this warding off evil from them. “Al-Rahman” and “Al-Rahim” are two concurrent Attributes of His each conveying more meaning of mercy than the other.
“Al-Rahman” is an Attribute specially relevant of Allah; none besides Him can be called or referred to as such, whereas “Al-Rahim” can be applied to people: One may be described as “Rahim”, merciful or kind, but a human cannot be “Rahman”.
Beneficent, the Most Merciful” (QURAN, 1:1); “The beneficent God is firm in power” (QURAN, 20: 5). It is an Attribute demonstrating that mercy can be possible only through Him. It means “the One Who grants mercy beyond which there is no other mercy at all and the like of which does not at all exist.”
Though derived from mercy, “Al-Rahman” is both a noun and an adjective. Neither contradicts the other.
It is commonly known that mercy means: one’s desire or power of will to bring goodness to one who is much less than him in status.
3- “Al-Rahim”
Allah, Praise and Glory to Him, has said, “Inform My servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful” (QURAN, 15: 49).
“Al-Rahim” is derived from “rahman”, mercy or compassion. “Rahmah” implies the salvation of those who receive it from harm and loss, and their being blessed with guidance, forgiveness and sound conviction. Al-Rahim, i.e. the One Who grants rahmah, is a superlative. It is the highest derivative form of rahmah. Allah has said, “He it is Who sends His blessings on you, and (so do) His angels, so that He may bring you out of utter darkness into the light, and He is Merciful to the believers” (QURAN, 33:43).
Al-Rahim is the One Who bestows countless blessings. Some say that this word is derived from “Rahim”, that is favors from Allah and blessings; surely His blessings cannot be counted, nor can they ever be exhausted.
The Messenger of Allah has said, “One who has no compassion towards people is deprived from Allah’s Compassion.” He has also said, “One who does not respect the seniors among us, nor shows compassion towards our young, nor safeguards the rights of the scholars among us, is surely none of us.” Compassion among the servants of Allah is a sure path to achieving the mercy of Allah. The Messenger of Allah has said, “Be merciful unto those on the earth so that those in the heavens may be merciful unto you.”
4- “Al-Malik”
God has said, “So exalted be Allah, the True King” (QURAN, 23:116).
“Al-Malik" conveys the meaning of “One Who is free, by virtue of His Own merits and characteristics, from depending on anything in existence, while everything in existence depends on Him.” Nothing in existence can do without Him, whereas everything that exists derives its existence from Him or because of Him. Everything/everyone is His.
Al-Malik occurs in: “Master of the Day of Judgment” (QURAN, 1:4). Another method of recitation: Melik, King of the Day of Judgment, Al-Maleek exists in this verse: “In the seat of honour with a most “Powerful King” (QURAN, 54:55). “Malikul-Mulk” exists in: “O Allah, Master of the Kingdom!” (QURAN, 3: 26). “Al-Malakoot” exists in: “Therefore glory to the One in Whose hand is the kingdom of all things” (QURAN, 36:83).
The Almighty has described Himself as being “Malikul-Mulk”, the Owner of everything, of the whole domain, saying: “Say, O Allah, Master of the Kingdom!” (QURAN, 3:26), and “Master of the Day of Judgment” (QURAN: 1:4), which is one of the first verses of the Holy QURAN.
A land’s owner is its “malik”, one legally bound to obey the king, the “malik”, with regard to land-related laws issued by the latter, whereas the opposite is not possible.
Among the Attributes of Allah Almighty, the word “al-Malik” has occurred independently, whereas the word “Malik” is always added to something else, such as “Maliki yawmid-Deen,” Master of the Day of Judgment:; therefore, the first Attribute has to be more revered.
5- Al-Quddoos”
Allah has said, “Whatever in the heavens and in the earth declares the glory of Allah, the King, the Holy” (QURAN, 62:1).
“Al-Qudoos” means: the, One Whose characteristics cannot be conceived by the senses, nor can He be conceived by imagination, nor can He be realized by any mind or reason or judged by any intellect. Linguistically, it is derived from “quds,” purity or cleanliness. “Al-bayt al-muqaddas” means the Purified House, the one in which people purify themselves from the filth of sins. Paradise is also called the place of quds because it is free from the ills of the life of this world. Arch-angel Gabriel is called in Islam “al-ruh al-quds,” the Holy Spirit, because he is free from any fault in delivering divine inspiration to the messengers of Allah. Allah has described Himself as “.... the King, the Holy” (QURAN, 59:23), and He has also said, “Whatever in the heavens and in the earth declares the glory of Allah, the King, the heavens and in the earth declares the glory of Allah, the King, the Holy” (QURAN, 62:1).
Al- Quddus is the One Who is above need and Whose Attributes are above being deficient. He is the One Who purifies the souls against sinning, Who takes the wicked by their forelocks, Who is above being limited to space or time.
The Messenger of Allah once sent one of his companions to teach Islam to a group of new converts to lead them in congregational prayers. That companion used not to recite any chapter of the Holy QURAN (besides, of course, the Fatiha) other than Surat al-Tawhid (or al-Ikhlas), so those believers went back once to the Prophet and told him about it. The Prophet said to them, “Go back and ask him why he does so. Upon asking him, the companion answered them by saying, “....because it contains the Attribute of al-Rahman, and this is why I love to recite it so often!” When they told the Prophet this answer, he said to them, “Go back and tell him that the Praised and Glorified One loves him too.”
Ibn ‘Abbas spent a night once with his cousin the Messenger of Allah. When the Messenger of Allah woke up and stood up on his bed, he raised his head towards the heavens and thrice repeated the following statement: “Subhanal Melik al-Quddus!” (Glory to the King, the Holy! ) Then he recited the last verses of Surat Ali-Imran starting with the verse: “Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth....”
6- “Al-Salam”
Allah Almighty has said that He is “.... the King, the Holy” (QURAN, 59:23).
“Al-Salam” means: the One Who is free from defect and shortcoming, Whose qualities are above deficiency, Whose deeds are free from evil. Since He is as such, there can be neither peace nor security in existence without Him.
“Salam” means peace. Allah Almighty has said, “.... and Allah invites to the abode of peace” (QURAN, 10:25), meaning Paradise: anyone who abides therein will have been saved from agony and perdition. Allah has said, “And if he is one of those on the right hand, then peace to you from those on the right hand” (QURAN, 56:90-91), that is, rest assured that they are enjoying peace and tranquility. “Salam!” is a greeting; if a Muslim tells another Muslim “As-Salamu Alaikum!” he will have assured him of safety and security, granting him immunity against his evil or ill intentions. Allah Almighty praises Yahya, John the Bapist, by saying, “And peace be on the day he was born....” (QURAN, 19:15).
The most precarious situations to which human beings are exposed are three: The time of birth, the time of death, and the time of resurrection. So Allah honoured Yahya in all these three situations, granting him peace, safety and security against their woes. He saved him from the perils of all these three situations and granted him security against fear.
Muslims are repeatedly enjoined by the Holy QURAN to disseminate peace and to be receptive to those who offer it:
-O you who believe! Enter into peace one and all.... (2:208)
-And if they incline to peace, do incline it too and trust in Allah. (8:61)
-And the servants of al-Rahman are the ones who walk on earth humility, and when the ignorant ones address them, they say: Salam (Peace)! (25:63)
-And when those who believe in Our Signs come to you, say: Peace be on you! Your Lord has ordained mercy on Himself.... (6:54)
-So turn away from them and say, Peace! For they shall soon come to know.(43:89)
Allah’s Salam is His speech. Likewise, the Messenger of Islam used to quite often enjoin the believers to disseminate the greeting of peace among them. There are numerous traditions testifying to this fact; among them are the following:
-Assalamu minal Islam: The greeting of peace is an integral part of the creed of Islam.
-Afshu al Salama taslamu: Disseminate the greeting of peace among you so you may achieve peace and security.
-Whoever upholds three things will have combined in him the meaning of conviction: 1) fairness to his own self, 2) disseminating of the greeting of peace to everyone, and 3) spending wisely out of what he saves.
-Afshu al Salama baynakum: Disseminate the greeting of peace among you.
In one of his supplications, the Messenger of Allah used to say, “Lord! Make us harbingers of peace to Your friends!” The Holy QURAN tells us that the name of Paradise is “Dar al Salam,” the abode of peace; He, Glory and Exaltation to Him, says, “They shall have the abode of peace with their Lord, and He is their guardian because of what they did” (QURAN, 6:127). Allah will make the greeting of the believers, when they meet Him, “Peace! He says, “Their salutation on the Day they meet Him shall be: Salaam! (Peace  ” (QURAN, 33:44). Referring to the believers, He says the following in Surat al-Ra’d, “..... the gardens of perpetual abode which they will enter along with those who do good deeds from among their parents and spouses and offspring, and the angels will enter upon them from every gate (saying): Peace be on you because you were contant! How excellent, then, is the issue of the abode!" (Quran, 13:23-24).
Thawban servant of the Messenger of Allah, has said, "Whenever the Messenger of Allah finished his prayers, he would seek forgiveness of Allah thrice, saying, "Lord! You are the Peace; from You is the Peace; Glory to You! Greatness and honour are in You!"
7- “Al-Mu'min”
Allah has described himself as "al-Mu'min" "..the one who gives peace, who grants security" (Quran, 59:23)
"Al-Mu'min" means: the one to whom peace & security are rendered: He provides the means of their attainment, blocking all the avenues of fear. There is no peace nor security in this life against the causes of disease and perdition, nor in the life hereafter against the torment & the wrath, except that He provides the means to attain it.
"Iman," linguistically speaing, is an infinitive (to believe) derived from tow verbs: tasdeeq, testimony for the truth of something or someone, as in 12:17: "...and you will not believe us though we are truthful" (Quran, 12:17), and aman asylum or a peaceful haven as in 106:4 "...and gave them security against fear" (Quran, 106:4). Some linguists are of the view that the derivation of iman is from this second verb.
If we say that the Almighty grants His servants security against anything they dread, we must be understood in the light of the circumstance of the life in this world and in the hereafter. As regarding the life in this world, the removal of the cause of fear is not reasonably accepted except when a precarious situation has actually taken place. Fear cannot be removed when the possibility of loss of life is present, and nobody can remove such a possibility except Allah. Nobody can bring about peace and security other than He. A blind person is apprehensive of perishing on account of his inability to see the area from which death may overtake him. Sound vision grants him security against being annihilated. One whose arm is amputated fears the situation when he cannot defend himself except through the use of his arm. His healthy arm, then, is the cause of his feeling of security. The same can be said about all our senses and bodily parts. The one who has created all these parts is the same One who has removed from man the cause of fear by granting him such parts. The One who has created delicious food for man as well as good medicines and taught him how to make useful tools, thus sparing himself a lot of trouble, is surely the same One who grant him security against all such dangers.
The Messenger of Allah has said, "Anyone who believes in Allah and the last Day should bring security to his neighbor against his own misdeeds."
8- “Al-Muhaimin”
In 59:23, we read: "He is Allah besides Whom there no other god, the King, the Holy the One Who grants peace, the One Who grants security, the Guardian over all, the Mighty, the Supreme, the One who possesses greatness, Glory to Allah from whatever they set up (with Him)."
When applied to the Almighty, al-Muhaimin" means that He is the One Who oversees His servants' actions, Who provides them with sustenance, and decrees their life-spans. He does so through His knowledge, control, and protection. Anyone who oversees something is its guardian; so he has full power over it. These Attributes can never be present in their absolute meaning except in Allah.
This Attributes describes in 10:61 the One who testifies for or against His servants who enter into mutual transaction: ".. We are witnesses over you when you enter into it." Allah is Al-Muhaimin, the One who witnesses all what his servants do, be it a speech or an action. The meaning of this verse incorporates the meaning of the word "muhaimin" thus: the One who knows everything and rom Whose knowledge nothing at all can escape, not even the weight of an atom in the earth or in the heavens.
Al-Khalil ibn Ahmed al-Farahidi says that "al-Mumin means: the One who ever watches, Who ever protects. It is common in Arabic to describe someone as muhaimin if he protects someone else or is his guardian.
Al-Mibrad explains its meaning as: the One who is most kind and compassionate. Arabs describe the bird that stretches its wings to protect its young as being muhaimin over them.
Al-Hassan al-Basri says it means the Guardian who testifies to one's truth. Applied to the Almighty, it may carry one of two meanings: His testimony by word, hence His Testimony informing us about His messengers being truthful, and His empowering those messengers to produce miracles, thus testifying to their truthfulness.
Al-Muhaimin is the One Who encompasses in His knowledge the management of the affairs of all His creation from the smallest atom to the largest planet in the cosmos.
9- “Al-Aziz”
The Almighty has said: “O Moses! Surely I am Allah, the Omnipotent, the Wise” (QURAN, 27:9).
The root word of this Attribute is ‘izz, might, power, strength, victory, elevation, non-submission. Its verb means: to strengthen or to support as in: “We sent them two [messengers] but they called them liars, so We strengthened them with a third, “(QURAN, 36:14) that is, supported them and their argument with a third messenger. Linguistically, its verb means: to overcome, to gain the upper hand, to subdue...
Al-Aziz is the One Who Alone has all honour; He is never humiliated, nor is He ever wronged; neither imagination nor intellect can ever conceive Him. He is the One Who cannot be overcome or in any way harmed, the One Who has no peer nor a similitude, Who is very much needed, Who is victorious and is vanquished, the Mighty, the Omnipotent Who can never be reached.
The Almighty has described Himself as al-Aziz, narrating in His Book, the Holy QURAN, an anecdote Jesus pleading to Him thus” ....if You forgive them, surely You are the Mighty, the Wise” (QURAN, 45:37). He has proven that He has in Him all the Attributes of Greatness, saying: “To Allah belongs the might, and to His Prophet, and to the believers” (QURAN, 63:8), and also, “Glory to your Lord, the Lord of Honour, above what they describe” (QURAN, 37:180). While discussing Iblis, He quotes him saying, “..... by Your Might I will surely make them live an evil life, all of them” (QURAN, 38:82).
The Messenger of Allah used to say, “I seek refuge with Your Honour, for You are the One Who is the One and Only God Who never dies, while the jinns and men die.”
10. “Al-Jabbar”
Allah has said: “He is Allah besides Whom there is no other god, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Source of peace (and perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of safety, the One Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme; Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners they attribute to (Him)” (QURAN, 59:23).
Linguistically, “al-Jabbar” is derived from jabr, the opposite of breaking. It suggests the forceful mending of something broken, fractured, shattered, crushed...., etc.. It is also said that the adjective jabbar means great, huge, inaccessible. Linguists say that al-Jabbar is the Most Great. It is a superlative adjective derived from jabr, He is the One Who not only mends what is broken but also enriches the one who is incapacitated by poverty and want. In short, He is the One Who repairs everything broken or impaired.
Abdullah ibn Abbas says that al-Jabbar is the Great King, while Ibn al-Anbari says that “al-Jabbar” means the One Who cannot be harmed by any mighty oppressor, and nobody can dispute with Him about anything. It is said that “al-Jabbar” conveys the same meaning conveyed by the Attribute “al-Mutakabbir”, the Proud or the Supreme One. Pride and Supremacy are commendable Attributes only when applied to Allah. If applied to anyone else, on the other hand, they become abominable qualities. It is also said that the meaning of “al-Jabbar” connotes: the One Who forces His will on others. Nothing can happen in His domain except whatever He pleases, whether His beings like it or not. Or it may mean the One Who repairs, improves, or reforms, as is the analogy with one who mends, say, a broken limb.
One of its derivatives is jabaroot, supremacy or greatness. According to one tradition, the Messenger of Allah has supplicated thus, “Glory to the One Who has all the jabaroot and all the domain.” In one of his statements, Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib has said, “He is the One Whose will has manifested itself on the nature of hearts,” that is, He firmed the hearts according to the way He created them and according to their level of knowing Him; those who know Him are the happy ones, while those who do not are the wretches.
“Al-Jabbar” connotes forcefulness and forcibleness. We can find out that all parts of the body have been driven to perform their functions without any will of their own. Cast a look at the sun as it moves in its orbit without deviating from it as little as an inch, whether it likes it or not. Man has no control over the time when Allah chooses his life to begin, or how he his born, or when he dies, or the family in which he is to be born. All these are predestined for him, and he has no control over them. So is the case with all other beings on the face of earth. They all have been created with the ability to adapt to life on earth, and nobody has any choice in this matter: “It is He Who has spread out the earth for (His) creatures; therein are fruits and date-palms, producing spathes (containing dates)” (Quran, 55:10-11). All of these things are created without the choice of any human being.
11- “Al-Mutakabbir”
Allah has said, “He is Allah besides Whom there is no other god, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Source of peace (and perfection), the Guardian of the Faith, the Preserver of safety, the One Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme; Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners they attribute to (Him)” (QURAN, 59:23).
Understanding “al-Mutakabbir” requires a good deal of reasoning and insight. Its root word “kibriya” means greatness and sovereignty, and it incorporates the meanings of the perfection of one’s self and existence; nobody can be described as such except Allah. Greatness, as far as Allah Almighty is concerned, is the loftiness of status: “By His command does He send the spirit (of inspiration) to any of His servants He pleases so that it may warn (men) of the Day of mutual meaning” (QURAN, 40:15). Al-Mutakabbir is the One Who possesses all greatness, Who is above having any of the qualities of His creatures, Whose greatness and pride are the super-most. He is too great to be deficient in anything or in need for anyone or anything, the One Who is above having any of the characteristics and attributes of His creatures, the One Who Alone has all greatness and pride. None beside Him is justified to conceive himself as great, or as mighty, or as the sovereign. He is the One Who is too Holy to be afflicted by any calamity; so, no greatness is justified for anyone besides Him; He is the One Who has all might and kingdom. This Attribute means: the One Who has combined in Him, and Who rightly deserves so, all the attributes of greatness perfection, pride and glory, all at the same time.
He is too Great to submit to others; rather, submission is due to Him, and only to Him. The Holy QURAN bestows the Attribute of greatness upon the Almighty in Surat al-Jathiya: “To Him be Glory throughout the heavens and the earth, and He is Exalted in Power, full in Wisdom” (QURAN, 45:37). Pride due to the sense of being great is on of two kinds:
One is when actions of such a person are indeed great and better than those of anyone else’s; He is “.... the Source of peace (and perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of security, the One Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme” (QURAN, 59:23).
The other is that one conceives himself artificially to be as such, and this applies to most people:
-Thus does Allah set a seal over the heart of everyone who is proud, haughty. (40:35)
-Surely evil is the dwelling place of those who are proud. (16:29)
-Isn’t there in hell an abode for those who are proud? (39:60)
Quoting the Lord of Greatness, the Almighty God, the Messenger of Allah has said, “Pride is My cloak; Greatness is My garment; whoever disputes with Me regarding either, I shall surely hurl him into the fire.” Here the Almighty informs and admonishes us that greatness, might and pride are all His prerogatives, that none among His servants is worthy of claiming any of them for himself.
In one of his supplications, the Messenger of Allah says, “I seek refuge with You, Lord, against the evil of pride. “He is also quoted as saying that pride is an indication of ingratitude towards the Truth.” Imam Ali has said, “The son of Adam is truly amazing! A wound can end his life, a bug can cause him a pain, his sweat can make him stink, so how can he ever feel proud?”
The Messenger of Allah has warned us against pride and of being proud of ourselves, saying, “Nobody will enter Paradise if he has even the weight of a mustard seed of pride, and nobody will enter the fire if there is a likewise weight of conviction in his heart. “As the lucky* ones enter Paradise, their hearts will be purged of any pride and jealousy: “And we will root out whatever rancor there is in their hearts” (QURAN, 15:47)
The Attribute “al-Mutakabbir” is mentioned only once in the text of the Holy QURAN in 59:23, and Allah knows best.
12- “Al-Khaliq”
Allah has said, “He is Allah the Creator....” (QURAN, 59:24).
“Al-Khaliq” is derived from khalq, creating. Allah, al-Khaliq, the Creator, is the One Who brings things into existence after their non-existence, Who invents and innovates without a prior model. Some scholars say that al-Khaliq is the One who creates things out of naught then bestows upon them their characteristics of movement and other qualities. Others say that He is the One Who invents whatever the eyes can see, Who determined the measure of all things when they were enshrouded by void, perfecting them by His bounties and goodness, bringing them into existence according to His will, desire and wisdom. Anyone who thinks that there is anyone else besides Him who creates is indeed one who commits kufr, apostasy, disbelief. Allah* The word “lucky” is used here only because the Holy QURAN states in 41:35 that the residents of Paradise will surely be the very lucky ones. The Almighty’s use of this word is quite different from that of humans. It is human’ use of this word that we reject.* Almighty has said the following:
.... the Creator of everything: therefore, worship Him. (6:102)
.... is there any creator besides Allah...? (35:3)
Yea, indeed! For He is the Supreme Creator, of (infinite) skill and knowledge. (36:81)
... so blessed is Allah, the best of creators. (23:14)
Is it not to create and to govern? Blessed is Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds. (7:54)
Ibn Abbas is reported as saying that whenever the Messenger of Allah looked in the mirror, he would say, “Praise to Allah Who has made both my creation and my manners good, Who beautified in me what He has not done in others.” According to a narration by our master Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib, the Messenger of Allah used to say the following whenever he looked in the mirror, “Praise is due to Allah! Lord! Just as You have made my form good, I implore You to make my manners, too good.”
13- “Al-Bari”
Allah has said, “He is Allah the Creator, the Evolver, the One Who bestows forms (or colors) upon what He creates. To Him belong the Attributes” (Quran, 59:24).
There are viewpoints regarding the explanation of “al-Bari”: One says it refers to the One Who brings about something out of nothing, the One Who creates something which was never there before. It is said that Allah is al-Bari of creation, the One Who brought all things into existence out of non-existence.
The other meaning conveys the cutting off or severing of something. The root verb of this word means cutting and shaping something such as a twig or a pencil. One may say that illness has parted from him, or that he is free of a claim put forth by another. It can also be applied metaphorically such as one person severing his partnership with another, or a woman separating from her husband.
Allah has bara's, created or initiated, the creation without a model; bariyyah means thoes whom He has created. Another meaning is curing or healing. A wise saying states that one who is cured should express gratitude to the One who cured him.
Jafer ibn Sulayman is quoted as having said that he passed once by a blind women grieving over herself and wailing, so he asked her, "What does it take to sustain you?" She answered him saying, "Stop sticking your nose where it does not belong; I have reached this stage of life without needing you or others." Then she added, "Have you not heard the statement made by the Friend of Allah who said, "[Allah] Who created me then showed me the way, and He provides me with food to eat and with water to drink, and when I am sick, He restores my health to me." (26:78-80)?"
One who knows the real meaning of "al-Bari", therefore, is one whose heart is not affected by events, nor can momentous events overtakes him by surprise. It is also said that anyone who comes to know Who al-Bari really is will dissociate himself from claiming to have anything to do with his own form or shape, fearing his creator's Might, knowing that he is the One who has dissociated Himself from everyone else, the One who is never surprised y whatever events take place. it is also said that anyone who recognizes Him as al-Bari will dissociate himself from committing anything prohibitive, seeking refuge with the King, the most Forgiving One.
14. "Al-Musawwir"
Allah has said, "He is Allah the creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of forms (or colors). To Him belong the Attributes" (Quran, 59:24).
Al-Musawwir is the One who fashions, Who gives something its distinctive form and shape. The general human form is distinguished from that of non-humans. Allah say, "... and He formed you and made your form good" (Quran, 40:64), "Into whatever form He pleased He shaped you" (Quran, 82:8), and "He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases (3:6)."
"Al-Musawwir" means: the One Who invents the forms and shapes of whatever He creates, Who beautifies them according to His wisdom, giving everything its own distinctive shape and form. He creates humans in different forms and shapes, making some of them different from others in physique, size, complexion, etc. This may be the meaning of the verse saying, "And among His signs in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your tongues and colors; most surely there are signs in this for those who have knowledge" (Quran 30:22). "He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases; there is no God but He, the Mighty, the Wise" (Quran, 3:6); "And certainly We created man of an extract of clay, then We made the seed a clot, then We made the clot a lump of flesh, then We made in the lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, then We caused it to grow into another creation; so, blessed be Allah, the best creators" (Quran, 23:12-14).
Whenever the Messenger of Allah prostrated, he used to say, "Lord! To You have I prostrated, in You have I believed, and to You have I submitted! My countenance has prostrated to the One Who created it and shaped it, Who created hearing and vision for it; so, blessed is Allah, the best of creators!"
Among the supplications of the Messenger of Allah when he prostrated is this one: "My face has submitted to the One who created and formed it and Who made its form good". The Holy Quran has informed us a good deal about Al-Musawwir, Allah. In Surat al-Araf, for example, we read the following: "And certainly We created you then fashioned you" (Quran, 7:11). In Surat al-Taghabun, we read, "He has created the heavens and the earth in just proportions and He has given you shapes & made your shapes beautiful, and to Him is the final resort" (Quran, 64:3). In Surat Ghafir, we read, "Allah is He Who made the earth a resting-place for you and the heavens a canopy, and He formed you and then made your forms good, and He provided you with good things; that is Allah, your Lord; blessed then is Allah, the Lord of the worlds" (Quran, 40:64). In Surat Ali-Imran, we read, He it is who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases; there is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise" (Quran 3:6). In Surat al-Infitar, we read, "O man! What has beguiled you from your Lord, the Gracious One Who created you then made you complete, then He made you symmetrical? Into whatever form He pleased He constitutes you" (Quran, 82:6-8). And in Surat al-Hashr we read, "He is Allah the creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of forms (or colors). To Him belong the Attributes; all those in the heavens and on earth declare His praises and glory, and He is Exalted in Might, Wise (Quran, 59:24).
Allah Almighty has said, "And He created pairs, the male and the female, from the small seed when it is adapted, and upon Him is its bringing forth a second time" (Quran, 53:45-47).
15- “Al-Ghaffar”
Allah has said, “Surely I am most Forgiving to whoever repents and believes and does good deeds” (QURAN, 20:82).
Al-Ghaffar is one of Allah’s Attributes derived from ghufr and ghufran, both nouns which convey the meaning of: veiling, hiding, concealing. Allah’s mahifra, forgiveness, is His veiling of one’s sins, and His forgiveness by granting him His favor and mercy. Al-Ghaffar is the One Who has manifested what is beautiful and veiled what is ugly in the life of this world and Who does not inflict His penalty on him in the life hereafter. He is the One Who forgives sins, veils the shortcomings, wipes out the sins by accepting one’s repentance. He accepts His servants’ repentance and is pleased thereby, and the One Who forgives the sins and turns them into good deeds by His great favor. He is the One Who forgives the sins though they may be great, and He veils them though they may be numerous.
The words derived from forgiveness have mostly been associated with Allah. One of them is al-Ghafir as in this verse: “The One Who forgives the sins” (QURAN, 40:3). The second is al-Ghafur, He has said, “.... then [if he] asks forgiveness of Allah, he shall find Allah Forgiving, Merciful” (QURAN, 4:110). A third is al-Ghaffar, “And surely I am most Forgiving to one who repents and believes and does good deeds” (QURAN, 20:82), “.... seek forgiveness of your Lord; surely He is the most Forgiver” (QURAN, 39:5). It is proven, by making a reference to the Holy QURAN, that all these Attributes, which are derived from forgiveness, are applied only to Allah, the Most Exalted One.
Having killed a Copt, Moses implored his Lord thus: “Lord! Surely I have harmed my own self; so, forgive me” (QURAN, 28:16). He first admitted his sin then sought His forgiveness. Allah also revealed the fault of David then said, “So We forgave him this (lapse)” (QURAN, 38:25). He addressed Muhammed saying, “So that Allah may forgive your past and future faults” (QURAN, 48:2). Has He not in these examples exposed a sin then forgive it? In one of his supplications, Prophet Muhammed says, “Lord! I implore You to forgive me an apparent forgiveness and a concealed one, and to forgive open and secret sins.”
The meanings of maghfira, the root word of al-Ghaffar, al-Ghaafir, and al-Ghafur are clear in the verse saying: “The One Who forgives the sins and accepts the repentance, the One Who is severe in punishment, the Lord of bounty; there is no god but He; to Him is the eventual return” (QURAN, 40:3).
Al-Ghaffar is the One Who very often veils [the sins and faults of His servants], so much so that He does not propagate one’s silent supplication?” He answered by saying that he had heard the Messenger of Allah say, “Allah, the most Honoured, the Most Great, will touch His servant who believes in Him with His mercy by veiling his sin from the public in the life of this world, and in the life hereafter He will ask him about each and every sin and fault he had committed. Once he admits all of them and realizes that he is going to perish on their account, the Almighty will say, ‘I have veiled your sins in the past short life, and in this one I am going to forgive them.’ Then he will be handled the book of his good deeds.” All this happens to those who believe in Him; as regarding those who do not, and the hypocrites, He will deal with them quite differently.
16- “Al-Qahhar”
Allah has said, “Say: Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Supreme” (QURAN, 13:16).
Linguistically, “al-Qahhar” is derived from qahr, conquest, subduing, vanquishing, winning a victory. It means the overtaking of something or someone with the intention to humiliate him. One who takes another by way of qahr is one who takes him against his will. “Al-Qahhar” is a superlative of “al-Qahir”, the Victor or Subduer. Allah, indeed, is the One Who, by His Might, has subdued everything He created to His Authority and Power, using His creatures as He pleases, whether they like it or not. Al-Qahir is the One Who has the upper hand over all creation;” .... and Allah is the master of His affair” (QURAN, 12:21).
Al-Qahhar is the One Whose vengerance nobody can withstand. He humiliates oppressors, splits the spine of kings and emperors. He is the One besides Whose Might all creation is powerless, without Whose Power all beings are helpless. If we submit to Him, He will satisfy our needs, but if we do not, He will make us suffer as we try to achieve our objectives. He is the One Who splits the spine of the tyrants and oppressors from among His foes, subduing them by taking their lives away, and by humiliating them, while there is nothing in existence that can escape His Might and Power everyone and everything is helpless in His grip.
Al-Qahhar effects His will with regard to His creatures, whether they like it or not, whether they are willing or unwilling. He has subdued the souls of the worshippers by instilling in the hearts the fear of His retribution, and the hearts of those who are endowed with knowledge with the Might of nearness to Him, and the souls of those who love Him by unveiling the truth about Him to them. He has subdued all beings by death, so none is safe from Him, not even an angel who enjoys a special status with Him, nor a prophet, nor a messenger. Allah woll make even the angel of death, Israel, taste of death; so, when his soul is taken out, the angel of death will say, “By Your Honour do I swear that had I known the taste of death to be like this, I would never have taken away anyone’s soul at all!” It is to such a meaning that the word qahr, upon the taking of the souls of all beings, conveys as implied in the verse saying, “To whom does the kingdom belong this day? To Allah, the One, the Subduer (of all)” (QURAN, 40:16).
If one who believes in Allah desires to personify within him the meanings embedded in this Attribute, he has to subdue his own self, his nafs, and control his evil desires, by not plotting in cooperation with Satan, and by returning to Allah, submitting to His will in all matters. The path whereby man derives light from the Attribute “al-Qahhar” is that one should view his nafs, which is ever present within him, as the worst of hs enemies, so he subdues it and strangles it, doing exactly the opposite of what it tells him to do, so much so that it will have no choice except to submit to divine commandments. Then he will have to subdue his stubborn opponent, i.e. Satan, staying on his guard against his evil suggestions, blocking his avenues. Then he will have to subdue his carnal desires an insinuations by not following what they inspire him to do.
17- “Al-Wahhab”
Allah, the Most Exalted, the Most High, has said, “Lord! Do not let our hearts deviate after having guided us, but grant us mercy from Your own Presence, for You are the Grantor of bounties without measure” (QURAN, 3:8)
“Al-Wahhab” is derived from the proper noun hibah the verb of which, yahib, means: to make someone else the owner of what the giver, the first party (the doer), rightfully owns without asking the second party for any compensation in return. It is the gift which is free from any recompense or gain for the giver. If someone gives out such gifts quite often, he will earn the titles of jawad and wahhab, the generous one, the oft-giving, respectively. Allah Almighty is described as the Most Generous, the Most Giving, i.e. al-Wahhab, simply Attributes are al-Wahhab and al-Wahib. The latter Attribute means: the giver, whereas the first is a superlative of the latter. One who is wahub is one who grants many gifts.
Al-Wahab is the One Who gives away without a compensation; He bestows His favors upon His servants without a selfish end; He grants even without being asked; He is the One Who initiates giving, and He is the oft-Giver. Allah is surely al-Wahhab because He is the Most Munificent, the Most Giving, the One Who ever tries to get closer to His servants, Who graciously bestows His favors upon them, Who gives them even before they ask Him, the ever-Giver Who gives everyone what he needs. Al-Wahhab bestows His blessings upon His servants, and this indicates His inclusion of everyone as He continuously gives. He does not give painstakingly, nor does He seek a benefit, or an advantage, for Himself by doing so. Al-Wahhab showers you with His blessings without having to have a reason or a means to do so. Al-Wahhab gives away without being compensated for what He gives, and He causes all beings to die without a particular purpose He seeks to achieve for Himself. According to Surat al-Shura, “He bestows (children), male or female, according to His Will (and Plan)” (QURAN, 42:49).
Whenever the Messenger of Allah used to wake up during the night, he would supplicate thus: “Lord! There is no god but You! Glory to You! Lord! seek Your forgiveness for my sins, and I plead to You, by Your mercy, O Lord, to increase my share of knowledge, not to permit my heart to deviate after having guided it, and to grant me, from You, a mercy, for surely You are al-Wahhab....”
18- “Al-Razzaq”
“Al-Razaq” is derived from rizq, sustenance, or anything of any benefit to man, animals, plants, etc.., whereby the latter are sustained or are helped in their growth. Rain is also called rizq; it helps sustain every living being on our planet. In 51:58, we read: “Surely Allah is the One Who bestows sustenance, the Lord of Power, the Strong One.” Another verse referring to our sustenance is this: “And in the heavens is your sustenance and what you are threatened with” (QURAN, 51:22). “In the heavens is your sustenance” may be a reference to the rai that descends from the heavens, the sky.* As to the phrase “and what you are threatened with,” this may be a clue that the end of life on this earth will be terminated by a collision of an asteroid or a larger size cosmic debri with the earth, but this is not the place to discuss such interpretations or speculations. If Allah so wills, I intend to write a complete tafsir, an exegesis of the Holy QURAN that will contain such interpretations and speculations the like of which has never been written in English before. If the reader wishes to see such a book published, he is requested to pray the Almighty to make it happen. Prayers go a long way, had people only know. Allah listen to each and every supplication no matter who the supplicant is so long as the latter is a true believer in Him.
*Notice that the word “heavens” is used throughout this book as singular due to its reference to one: the sky. If it is at al used in the plural, it will then be referring to the seven layers or spheres of the sky. As for the word “heaven”, it is often used by non-Muslims to refer to Paradise. Non-Muslims’ concept of Paradise is certainly different from that of Muslims.
The word rizq may be used for means of income, livelihood, sustenance, money, wealth...., or for the earning of something good, be it during the life of this world or in the life to come, or it may be applied to one’s lot or fortune, or even to anything eaten. “Al-Razzaq is a superlative of “al-Raziq”, the One Who provides rizq. Al-Razaq is applied to none other than Allah. There are two types of rizq: one sustains the body, such as food and drink, while the other sustains the soul, which is knowledge and true inspiration. The latter is the best type of sustenance simply because what sustains the soul lasts forever, while what sustains the body has a temporary duration.
Al-Razzaq is the One Who creates all types of sustenance, Who extends His favor to cover making such sustenance attainable to His creatures, Who provides means for getting them to attain their sustenance. He sustains all His creation by whatever means needed to keep them alive. He sustains the minds with knowledge, the hearts with understanding, the souls with manifestations, the bodies with food, and so on. Only He can do so. Anyone who realizes this fact will recognize the fact that his own sustenance, and that of everyone and everything else, is controlled by none other than Allah.
References to rizq have been made in several Quranic verses such as these:
..... Allah provides means of subsistence to whomsoever He pleases without a measure. (2:212)
Allah is Benignant to His servants; He gives sustenance to whomsoever He pleases, and He is the Strong, the Might One. (42:19)
... and whoever fears Allah, He will make an outlet for him and give him sustenance from whence he does not expect. (65: 2-3)
..... these are the believers truly; they shall have forgiveness and an honorable provision. (8:74)
.... and the sustenance (provided) by your Lord is better and more abiding. (20:131)
Most surely this is Our sustenance: it shall never deplete. (38:54)
Say: The (blessing) from the presence of Allah cannot sustain you. (29:17)
There is no creature moving on earth except that its sustenance depends on Allah. (11:6)
One of the Islamic manners inspired by the Attribute “al-Razzaq” is that a servant of Allah becomes convinced that there is no partner with his Lord in providing sustenance, just as He has no partner in creating everything. He, therefore, pleads to Him for anything small or big. He also feels satisfied with what al-Razzaq has allotted for him, just as He has said, “And they are the ones who, when spending, are neither extravagant nor parsimonious but keep the just means between these [extremes]” (QURAN, 25:67), and also, Those who, when spending, are neither extravagant nor niggardly but hold a just (balance) between these (extremes)” (QURAN, 17:29).
The abundance of Allah’s sustenance is without a limit. He is the One Who says the following in Surat Hud: “There is no creature moving on earth except that its sustenance depends on Allah: He knows the time and place of its definite abode and its temporary deposit: all is in a clear record” (QURAN, 11:6).
19- “Al-Fattah”
The Almighty has said, “Say: Our Lord will gather us together and will in the end decide the matter between us (and you) in truth and justice, and He is the One to decide, the One Who knows everything” (QURAN, 34:26).
In Arabic, fataha, the verb, means “opened,” and muftah means key, whereas fath means victory or conquest. Fath also means flowing opponents. “Istiftah” means: seeking help or achieving victory. Both al-Fatih and al-Fattah are among the Attributes of Allah. They exist within the text of the Holy QURAN. “Al-Fattah” is a superlative of al-fath. To say that Allah is al-Fattah is to say that He is the One Who judges between those whom He creates, His servants, the obedient ones and the rebellious. It is derived from fath which means, in such usage, arbitration or decision-making. It exists in this meaning in the verse saying, “Lord! Decide between us and our people with truth, and You are the best of those who decide” (QURAN, 7:89). It also means: the One Who grants victory as in this verse of Surat al-Anfal: “If you pray for victory, then indeed victory has come to you” (QURAN, 8:19).
Al-Fattah is the One Who opens deadlocked matters and issues, Who reveals the truth, Who simplifies whatever seems to be complicated, Who controls the affairs of the heavens and the earth: “And with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures: none knows them but He, and He knows what is in the land and in the sea” (QURAN, 6:59). So He is the One Who opens what is closed and Who has the keys to everything, Who widely pens the gates of sustenance and bring down rain whereby He brings life back to dead lands, Who grants victory and support for His prophets whom He send to various lands so that the light of the truth may shine therein, and so that He may purge their souls from evil intentions. He opens the closed hearts and fills them with His light, so they become tranquil, and they enjoy the feeling of success.
The Attribute "al-Fattah" inspires good manners which ought to be followed by anyone who correctly grasps the meaning it implies, who deeply contemplates upon it, who sincerely desires to be blessed by it. Among such manners is that one should maintain as attitude of beautiful anticipation of the Grace of Allah, continuously expecting to receive His favours, always looking forward to earning His blessings. He abandons haste, feels satisfied with his lot and with whatever his Lord has decreed for him. "Contentment is a treasure that ever depletes," says an Arabic axiom. How true!
20. "Al-Aleem"
Allah has said, "..and trust in Allah; surely He is the Hearing, the knowing" (Quran, 8:61).
"Al-Aleem" is derived from "ilm, knowledge, which results from comprehending the truth about something and from the sure conviction which agrees with reality. "Al-Aleem," when applied to Almighty, is the One who is most knowing; surely His knowledge encompasses everything in existence even before anything begins to exist. Nothing at all can escape His knowledge. He is the One whose magnanimous. He knows its beginning and its end, what is above or underneath it, and what results there from.
Al-Aleem is also the One Who knows what has happened and what will. The knowledge of the unknown is with Him, and so is the knowledge of the hour; He knows what the wombs bear, when the rain falls, what every should earns, what evil intentions one harbors, what worldly desires he/she conceals, when and where anyone will die. Al-Aleem is the One who knows the details of all things, the particulars of things, what one's conscience and soul hide. Nothing at all, not even the weight of an atom in the earth or in the heavens, can ever escape His knowledge. From the word "ilm have many other words been derived. Al-Alim is one. It occurs in Surat al-Maida in this verse: "...surely You are the great One who knows the unseen" (Quran, 5:109). Another is al-Alam which occurs in Surat al-Anam: "Allah best knows where He places His message" (Quran, 6:124). Al-Aleem is a superlative of al-Alim.
The Holy Quran contains the following verses which demonstrate the various meanings and types of knowledge:
-He knows that there is weakness in you (8:66)
-He knows that there will be sick ones among you (73:20)
-And surely We know that your breast straitens at what they say (15:97)
-Allah knows what every females bears. (13:8)
"Al-Aleem, one of the ninety-nine Attributes of Allah, occurs in many Quranic verses such as:
..that is the ordinance of the Mighty, the Knowing (36:38)
The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Mighty, the knowing.. (40:2)
..surely He knows what is in the breasts (11:5)
..We have no knowledge except what You have taught us; surely You are the knowing, the Wise. (2:32)
And the sun runs (its course) to a term appointed for it; that is the ordinance of the Mighty, the Knowing. (36:38)
This word is coined as a superlative derived from a verb meaning: "to know or to be familiar with."
The Messenger of Allah is quoted saying that one who supplicates in the morning by thrice repeating, "In the Name of Allah with Whose Name nothing at all, be it in the earth or in the heavens, can ever harm, and He is the Hearing, the knowing." will not be afflicted by any sudden calamity till evening time, and if he says so in the evening, he will not be afflicted by any sudden calamity will day break.
21. "Al-Qabid"
Allah has said the following in the Holy Quran: "..and Allah straitens and amplifies.." (Quran, 2:245).
Linguistically, qabd, root verb of al-Qabid," means: to take, hold, seize, grip, catch, handle, and the like. It is the holding of something with the hand such as a sword's handle, etc. It is meant as a way to forcefully take control of something or someone. Allah Almighty has said the following in this sense: "..and Allah straitens and amplifies.." (Quran, 2:245), meaning He straitens, withholds, His sustenance of some while amplifying it for others.
"Al-Qabid" means: "the One who takes hold of the souls by subduing them, the spirits by effecting justice in their regard, the means of sustenance by His wisdom, and the hearts by making them fear His glory." Al-Qabid is the One Who causes the souls to be taken away from their bodies, their temporary homes, at the time of death. The angel who takes the soul away (i.e. the qabid) is called in Islam "Israel". Al-Qabid is the One who takes hold of the hearts, Who controls them, Who isolates them through their lack of knowledge, through their own oversights. He takes hold of some hearts, so He unveils to them His Greatness and Glory. He pleases other Hearts through the means whereby He gets closer to them out of His own kindness, Munificence, and Beauty. Al-Qabid is the One Who unveils His Glory to you, so He protects you; He is the One Who makes you dread being distanced from Him.
Al-Qabid is the One Who controls the entire cosmos; in the following verse, He makes reference to His control over the earth: "..and the whole earth shall be in His grip on the Day of Resurrection and the heavens rolled up in His right hand" (Quran, 39:67). The Almighty has neither a right nor a left hand; He has no hands at all; this is only a figure of speech denoting His total control over the heavens and the earth and everything in them. The expansion of the earth is done by Him during the life of this world; says He, "Have We not made the earth an even expanse?" (Quran, 78:6) meaning spread like a carpet. On the Day of Judgment, the earth shall also be there, but it will look quite different from its present appearance..; everything about how it will look and what will happen above and underneath it is detailed in books of hadith, in traditions that will, God willing, see the light for the first time in English.., but let us not digress here by borrowing from another book of mine soon, Insha-Allah, to be written!
Al-Qabid receives the knowledge of and appreciated acts of charity: to be a true servant of His, a blesses one. He says, "..Allah accepts repentance from His servants and takes the alms" (Quran, 9:104). e straitens the hearts, that is, places heavy burdens on them, burdens of woes and worries, of fear or of aspiration, and He also eases them.
22- “Al-Basit”
Linguistically, “al-Bair” means: one who stretches his hand, be it as a gesture of good will (in order to shake hands with someone else), or otherwise (to harm someone else, be it by inflicting a physical harm on it, or by causing damage to his property or his own self). It may be applied literally or metaphorically. The Almighty, for example, has quoted Cain son of Adam saying the following to his brother Able: “If you stretch forth your hand towards me to slay me..., etc.,” (QURAN, 5:28). It also means: to please. According to one tradition, the Messenger of Allah has said, “Fatimah is part of me; whatever pleases her pleases me, and whatever displeases her displeases me, too.” Literally, it means: to relax the facial muscles in order to express pleasure and happiness, elation or excitement; all other meanings branch out of that. In bisat, its noun, means, among other things, abandoning modesty. “Al-baseeta” is the outstretched tract of land, and “bast” is: expansion or propagation.
Al-Basit is the One Who pleases the souls by making them happy and delighted. He is the One Who plants the seeds of life in the bodies to signal the beginning of life therein. He, at the advent of resurrection, brings life back to them in order to show people, in the life hereafter, what they used to do during their temporary life in this world.
The Attribute “al-Basu” does not exist in the text of the Holy QURAN, yet its derivatives certainly do; these are examples where such derivatives exist:
Nay! His hands are spread out; He expends as He pleases. (5:64)
Allah has made for you the earth a wide expanse. (71:19)
Allah is the One Who sends forth the winds, so they raise a cloud, then He spreads it forth in the sky as He pleases, and He breaks it up, so you see rain coming forth from it; when He causes it to pour upon whomsoever He pleases of His servants, to, they rejoice! (30:48)
The Holy QURAN speaks of decorating the bodies with strength: “... and increased you in excellence in respect of physique” (QURAN, 7:69). And it speaks of pleasing through both knowledge and excellence of physique when it says, “..... and He has increased him abundantly in knowledge and in physique” (QURAN, 2:247).
We have to point out here that we ought to mention both divine Attributes of al-Qabid and al-Basit together in order to convey the meanings of al-Qabid and al-Basit together in order to convey the meanings of might and wisdom. The Almighty is al-Qabid just as He is al-Basit.
23- “Al-Khafid”
Some scholars say that both Attributes al-Khafid and al-Rafi ought to be used simultaneously. If applied to our Islamic creed, both Attributes connote misguidance and guidance respectively. If applied to knowledge or obedience to Allah, they imply the highest and the lowest of ranks respectively; it is in this sense that they occur in this verse: “Abasing (one party), exalting (the other)” (QURAN, 56:3), meaning abasing the unbelievers who occupy the lowest ranks of hell while exalting the believers to the highest ranks of Paradise.
Allah has said, “And be kind to him who follows you from among the believers” (QURAN, 26:215). Khafd is the opposite of raf: the first implies vanquishing, lowering the status of, abasing, insulting, humiliating. The Hour is sometimes described as such in 56:3: “Abasing (one party), exalting (the other)” (QURAN, 56:3), meaning abasing some people because of their transgression, hurling them into the pit of hellfire. In Surat al-Hijr, we read more about the khafd: “... be kind to the believers” (QURAN, 15:88), and in Surat al-Isra we read: “Be submissively gentle to them, compassionate” (QURAN, 17:24).
Al-Khafid is the One Who humiliates the oppressors and tyrants, lowering their ranks and insulting them. He abases at will. Al-Khafid is the One Who lowers, through humiliation, all those who think of themselves as being great, the arrogant and the conceited. He lowers entire nations. He lowers falsehood, Al-Khafid is the One Who lowers the rank of all those who disobey Him, Who humiliates those upon whom His wrath descends, Who lowers the ranks of those who deserve to be treated as such. He humiliates those upon whom His wrath descends, Who lowers the ranks of those who deserve to be treated as such. He humiliates the unbelievers by exposing them to misery, His foes by distancing them from Him, and by exposing them to perdition. Al-Khafid is the One Who has lowered the status of those who do not believe in Him, of those who are arrogant, of the liars, and of those who swerve away from His Path, the Path of Islam, His final Word of truth.
24- “Al-Rafi”
The Holy QURAN states the following: “Allah will exalt those of you who believe, and those who are granted knowledge, to high degrees” (QURAN, 58:11).
Al-Rafi is one of the Attributes of Allah whose root word is raf, lifting, raising, exalting, elevating, and the like. It can be used for objects as in 2:63: “... and lifted the mountain over you,” and in 13:2: “Allah is the One Who raised the heavens without any pillars so that you may see [His might] and He is firm in power.” It can also be used for raising the structure of a building as is the case in the verse saying, “And when Abraham and Ishmael raised the foundations of the House....” (QURAN, 2:127). It is also used for exalting or revering someone’s status as in this verse: “... and exalted your esteem” (QURAN, 94:4). It is also used to exalt the status or degree of someone honored as in the verse saying, “... and We have exalted some of them above others in degrees” (QURAN, 43:32), and also, “... and exalted thrones...” (QURAN, 56:34), that is, thrones the status of which is exalted by nearness to Him.
Al-Rafi is Allah Who exalts the status of His friends, granting them victory over their foes and His, and that of the righteous, to the highest degrees. He exalts the truth; He exalts the believers by granting them happiness; He exalts His friends from among the believers by getting closer to them; He exalts the status of His friends by granting them the upper hand, and He exalts the status of those who befriend Him in truth and in equity. Al-Rafi raised the heavens without pillars, raised the clouds over the winds, raised the birds in the air: “Have they not seen the birds above them expanding (their wings) and contracting (them)? Who withholds them save the Beneficent God? Surely He sees everything,” (QURAN,67:19).
Al-Rafi has raised the status of His friends in the life of this world by making the believers humble themselves before them, and by making people pay homage and respect to them even if they do not wield any power, even if they have no wealth at all: “Now surely the friends of Allah shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. Those who believed and guarded (themselves against evil) shall have glad tidings in the life of this world as well as in the mighty achievement” (10:62-65). Al-Rafi exalts the reputation of those who are regarded as weaklings among their own people, supporting the wronged against those who wrong them.
In Surat al-Baqarah, the Almighty says, “We have made some prophets excel over others; among them are those to whom Allah spoke, and some of them He exalted by (many degrees of) rank” argument which We gave to Abraham against his people; We exalt in dignity whomsoever We please; surely your Lord is Wise, Knowing” (QURAN, 2:253). In Surat al-Anam, He says, “And this was Our argument which We gave to Abraham against his people; We exalt in dignity whomsoever We please; surely your Lord is Wise, Knowing” (QURAN, 6:83). In the same chapter, the Almighty tells us that “He it is Who has made you successors in the land and raised some of you above others by (various) degrees so that He may try you by what He gives you; surely your Lord is quick to requite (evil), and He is most surely the Forgiving, the Merciful” (QURAN, 6:165). Other references occurs in the following verses:
Allah said: O Jesus! I am going to terminate the period of your stay (on earth) and cause you to ascend to Me, to purify you from those who disbelieve, and to make those who follow you above those who disbelieve till the Day of Resurrection; then to Me shall be your return, so I will decide among you concerning that in which you differed. (3:55)
And mention Idris (Enoch) in the Book; surely he was a truthful man, a prophet, and We raised him high in heaven. (19:56-57)
And the heavens He raised and established the balance. (55:7)
One who is granted a blessing through the inspiration of this Attribute of Allah is one who rises above his abominable desires and inclinations; such a person will be exalted by Allah to a status as high as that enjoyed by the angels with Him or even higher....
25- “Al-Muizz”
Allah has said, Whoever desires honour, to Allah belongs the honour all of it. To Him do the good words ascend, and the good deeds He raises; (as for) those who plan an evil plan, they shall have a severe chastisement, (as for) their plan, it shall surely perish. (35:10)
He has also said in Surat Ali-Imran:
Say: O Allah, Master of the kingdom! You bestow the kingdom upon whomsoever You please and take the kingdom away from whomsoever You please, and You please and abase whomsoever You please; in Your hand is the good (all of it); surely You have power over all things. (3:26)
Allah has said: “Those who take the unbelievers for guardians rather than the believers: do they seek honour from them? Surely all honour is Allah's" (Quran, 4:139)
AL-Muizz conveys the meaning of: the One who honors whomsoever He pleases from among His servants. Linguistically, ma'azza, the noun derived from the verb yuizz, means power, strength, might. Allah is surely al-Aziz, the Mighty One who subdues and is never subdued, Who strengthens His friends by His favour, protecting them against sinning, forgiving their faults, permitting them to reside in Paradise, the abode of His Munificence. Then He honours them by permitting them to witness His manifestation and see His signs. He s the One Who empowers His prophets by protecting them against erring, granting them victory, protecting them, raising their status among their people. He honours one who obeys Him even if poverty is his lots, and He raises the status of a pious servant of His even if he were an Abyssinian slave. Allah, God, The Truth, Praised and Glorified is His Name, is referred to as such in various verses of His Book, the Holy Quran. Among such references are the following:
Do not let their speech grieve you: surely might is wholly Allah's; He is the Hearing , the Knowing. (10:65)
Glory to your Lord, the Lord of Honour, above what they describe (37:180)
To Allah belongs the might, and to His Prophet, and the believers, but the hypocrites o not know. (63:8)
Imam Ali ibn al-Hussain Zayn al-Abidin is quoted saying, "If one desires to be honoured even though his tribe is not distinguished, or to be held in high esteem even though he has no authority, or to be a man whose wealth does not diminish, he should get out of the humiliation of disobedience and enter into the honour of obeying his Lord".
Essentially, the way how God honours His servants is by making them feel satisfied , contented, for humiliation lies in one being greedy. Had it not been for false hopes, no free man would have ever been enslaved by anything which, in all truth, is insignificant. The Almighty places one who persists in praising His Name in the center of honour, instilling love and respect for him in people's hearts. A servant of Allah who aspires to earn a good share of personifying this Glorified Names has to honour the Messenger of Allah and those who are knowledge among his own contemporaries, showing respect and humility to them.
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