القَاهِر Al-Qaahir (The Invincible Subduer) : One of the Names of Allaah

القَاهِر Al-Qaahir (the Invincible Subduer), the One Who subdues His creation from above to Whom everything submits, none can repel what He ordains or depart from what He decrees.

[SourceThe Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En] & Transcribed PDF]

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ
And He [Allaah] is al-Qaahir  above His slaves.
[Qur’aan, Soorat Al-An’aam (6:18)].

Allaah is al-Qaahir: The Most Mighty and the Magnificent, is dominant over all his slaves being Himself above creation, the Ever-living, the Mighty, and the AllPowerful. He is the One who subdued all of his creatures; everything in the upper and lower worlds is subservient to His Will, and Authority; whatever He willed to happen will certainly occur and as He wanted it to be, and whatever He willed not to occur will never take place; All creatures are in need of Him, they have no control of good or harm to themselves; nor can they control death nor life nor Resurrection. The most powerful creature is nothing before the domination and power of Allaah, the AllMighty; the creatures which people have taken as “gods” besides Allaah, cannot protect themselves let alone to dominate others. Allaah, the perfect is His domination deserves to be worshipped alone.

Source : From the eBook: Tafseer Ayatul-Kursi – By Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-’Uthaymeen (rahimahullah). With Related Points of Benefit From the Shaykh’s Commentary on Imaam ibn Taymeeyah’s Sharhul ’Aqeedatil-Waasitiyyah, Prepared by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh (rahimahullah)

Related Linkhttps://abdurrahman.org/asma-wa-sifaat-com/

الله Allaah: The ‘alam (identifying name or title) of the majestic, sole, and true God

Allaah is the ‘alam (identifying name or title) of the majestic, sole, and true God. This noun, which is the name of Allaah, applies to none other than Him. He, Most Majestic and High, has other names all of which follow on from His name Allaah. The meaning of the name “Allaah” is the ma’looh (that which is worshipped out of love, magnification, deification, and longing).

[See Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Uthaymeen’s Sharhul ‘Aqeedah Al-Waasitiyyah (Dammaam, KSA: Daar Ibnul Jawzi, 2d. ed. 1415/1994], p. 38, and Sharh Lum’at Al-’Itiqaad (Ismaa’eeliyyah, Egypt: MaktabatulImaam al-Bukhaari (checked by Ashraf Maqsood), 1412/1992)], p. 29.]

Source : From the eBook: Tafseer Ayatul-Kursi – By Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-’Uthaymeen (rahimahullah). With Related Points of Benefit From the Shaykh’s Commentary on Imaam ibn Taymeeyah’s Sharhul ’Aqeedatil-Waasitiyyah, Prepared by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh (rahimahullah)

Concerning the name Allaah, Ibn ul-Qayyim said in Midaarij us-Saalikeen:

“The name Allaah indicates all of the perfect names and lofty attributes in all three ways of indication since it indicates His Divinity, which indicates affirmation of all the characteristics of divinity for Him along with negation of their opposites for Him. So, the attributes of divinity are the attributes of perfection being free from any likeness with the creation and free of any deficiency or imperfection.”

And the author of the explainer of Kitaab at-Tawheed in Tayseer ul-`Azeez al-Hameed, brings a quote from Ibn ul-Qayyim also with regard to the excellent qualities of the name Allaah that Ibn ul-Qayyim rahimahullaah said:

As for the particular virtues of the meaning of this name Allaah then in this regard the most knowledgeable of the creation sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam himself said:

“I could not praise You enough as You deserve, You are as You have praised Yourself.”

[Reported by Muslim from the hadeeth of A’ishah radiyAllaahu `anha.]

He said, so how could we enumerate the special virtues of the name of the One Who comprises every perfection unrestrictedly and every praise and commendation and every laudation and exaltation and all splendour and all perfection and all glory and all beauty and all good and all eminence and all generosity, excellence and goodness is for Him and is from Him.

So, this name Allaah is not mentioned upon a small amount of something except that it causes it to increase. Nor is it mentioned in a state of fear except that it removes it. Nor is it mentioned upon any misfortune except that it relieves it. Nor in any state of anxiety and distress except that it brings relief. Nor upon any state of difficulty except that it brings ease to it. None who is weak resorts to it except that it brings strength to him. Nor anyone in a state of humiliation except that it brings honour to him. Nor anyone in poverty except that he is enriched. Nor anyone who feels estranged and uneasy except that it causes him to feel at ease. Nor is it mentioned by one who has been overcome except that it brings aid and victory for him. Nor by one who is in straitened circumstances except that his difficulty is removed. Nor is it mentioned by a fugitive except that he finds refuge.

So, it is the name, meaning Allaah’s name Allaah, it is the name through which distress is removed through which the descent of blessings is sought and through which supplications are answered. Through it slips are corrected, sins are warded away and good deeds are brought closer.

It is the name with which the earth and heavens were established and with which the revealed books were sent down and with which the messengers were sent. With it the legislated laws were prescribed, through it the prescribed punishments were established and with it jihaad was prescribed.

Through this name the creation will become divided into the fortunate and the wretched. With it the true and tremendous day is established and with it, the scales of justice are set up, the bridge laid down and the Paradise and the Fire established. With it, the Lord of all creation is worshipped and praised, for its right the messengers were sent and it will be asked about in the grave and for it, there will be the resurrection. Dispute is regarding it and judgement is to it and alliance and enmity are for it. Through it those who know it and establish its rights will be the fortunate ones and through it those who are ignorant of it and leave its rights will be the wretched ones.

So, it is the reason for creation and command and through it, they are established and confirmed and to it they arrive at a conclusion. So, the creation comes about through it, returns to it and exists because of it. So, there is nothing in creation and no command nor reward and no punishment except that it starts from it and ends with it. That is what brings it about and its reason. Then he quotes the aayah:

رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

O our Lord, You have not created all of this without purpose, free and far removed are You from that. So save us from the punishment of the Fire.  (Soorah Aali `Imraan (3), aayah 191)

Then with regard to the name الله  Allaah, brief indication of the meaning which is – the One Who is truly venerated and worshipped, the One deserving that He be singled out with all worship because of His perfect attributes of divinity.

[SourceThe Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En] & Transcribed PDF]

Related Linkhttps://abdurrahman.org/asma-wa-sifaat-com/

الرَّحْمَان Ar-Rahmaan & الرَّحِيم  Ar-Raheem

 الرَّحْمَان Ar-Rahmaan (the Extremely Merciful), the Merciful One Who has as His attribute mercy, the One possessing tremendous and extensive mercy.

 الرَّحِيم  Ar-Raheem (the Bestower of mercy), the One Who has mercy upon the creation.

As the verifier has mentioned, the difference between Ar-Rahmaan and Ar-Raheem is Ar-Rahmaan is with regard to the attribute of Allaah’s self, the attribute He has Himself of extreme mercy and Ar-Raheem is His bestowing mercy upon the creation with regard to His action.

[SourceThe Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En] & Transcribed PDF]

ar-Rahmaan (The One Who is Most Merciful): This is one of Allaah’s particular names and which denotes the attribute of very great and extensive mercy that exists with Him.

[See Ibnul Qayyim’s Badaai’ Al-Fawaa’id (Beirut, Lebanon: Daarul Khayr, 1st. ed. 1414/1994)], vol. 1, pp. 23-24, and Ibn ‘Uthaymeen’s Sharhul ‘Aqeedah Al-Waasitiyyah, ibid.]

ar-Raheem (The One Who Bestows Mercy): This name denotes that the attribute is related to the marhoom (i.e. the one whom Allaah chooses to receive His Rahmah (Mercy).

So, the difference between ar-Rahmaan and ar-Raheem is that in the case of the former, ar-Rahmah is His attribute, and in the latter, ar-Rahmah is His act, meaning that He is the One Who bestows ar-Rahmah upon others. So, when both names come together [i.e. ar-Rahmaan, ar-Raheem], then the meaning in this context is that Allaah’s Mercy is very great and extensive, and that His Mercy reaches His creation. This is what is meant by those who say that ar-Rahmaan is the One Whose Mercy encompasses everything (general Mercy), and ar-Raheem is the One who has Mercy upon the believers (special Mercy). Since Allaah’s Mercy upon the kaafir is a special one in this life only, then it is as if they have no mercy upon them, because in the Hereafter when they will ask Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى) to save them from Hell and admit being wrong, Allaah will deal with them with His Justice, not His Mercy, Saying:

اخْسَئُوا فِيهَا وَلَا تُكَلِّمُونِ
“Remain you in it [Hell] with ignominy! And speak not to Me!”
[Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Mu’minoon (23:108)].

The name ar-Raheem is applied to Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى) and may be applied to others. Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى) has described His Messenger Muhammad (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) as Raheem (Soorat At-Tawbah, 9:128).

Ibn Katheer (رحمه االله) said:

“Some of the names of Allaah تعالى are restricted to Him only like the names: Allaah, ar-Rahmaan, al-Khaaliq, ar-Raaziq and so forth. Some other names, however, may be applied to other than Him.”

[See Badaai’ Al-Fawaa’id, p. 24, Sharhul ‘Aqeedah Al-Waasitiyyah, pp. 38-39, Lum’atul I’tiqaad, p. 29, Tafseer Ibn Katheer (1:21), Sharh Thalaathat Al-Usool within Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen’s Majmoo’ Fataawaa (Riyadh, KSA: Daar Ath-Thuraya, 1st. ed. 1414/1993)], vol. 6, p. 11.

Source : From the eBook: Tafseer Ayatul-Kursi – By Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-’Uthaymeen (rahimahullah). With Related Points of Benefit From the Shaykh’s Commentary on Imaam ibn Taymeeyah’s Sharhul ’Aqeedatil-Waasitiyyah, Prepared by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh (rahimahullah)

Related Link : https://abdurrahman.org/asma-wa-sifaat-com/

البَرّ al-Barr (The Most Benign and Kind): One of the Names of Allaah

One of the Names of Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى) is  البَرّ al-Barr:

البَرّ al-Barr: The One Who is Most Subtle, Kind, Courteous, and Generous; the One Who is ample in goodness and beneficence; Who gives manifold increase of reward to the righteous, and Who overlooks many of the faults of the wrong-doers with gracious forgiveness; whoever brings a good deed, Allaah, al-Barr, rewards him ten times the like thereof to his credit, and whoever brings an evil deed He (تعالى) decrees for him only the recompense of the like thereof, and they will not be wronged. If somebody intends to do a good deed and he does not do it, then Allaah, al-Barr, will write for him a full good deed in his account with Him; and if he intends to do a bad deed and he does not do it, then Allaah will write a full good deed in his account with Him. He loves piety towards Him, goodness, justice, righteousness, honesty, truthfulness, benevolent regard or conduct to parents and others, as well as every incumbent duty.

[Source : From the eBook: Tafseer Ayatul-Kursi – By Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-’Uthaymeen (rahimahullah). With Related Points of Benefit From the Shaykh’s Commentary on Imaam ibn Taymeeyah’s Sharhul ’Aqeedatil-Waasitiyyah, Prepared by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh (rahimahullah)]

البَرّ  Al-Barr with a baa and a raa and a shaddah on the raaAl-Barr (the Most Benign and Kind), the One Who treats the creation in an excellent and kind manner, Who does not interrupt His fine treatment of them and Who rectifies their affairs for them.

[SourceThe Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En] & Transcribed PDF]

Related Link: https://abdurrahman.org/asma-wa-sifaat-com/

The Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En]

Taken from the Lessons of Kitaab at-Tawheed of Shaykh Muhammad bin AbdulWahhaab, rahimahullaah. Translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood Burbank, rahimahullaah

List of The 99 Names of Allaah – Shaykh Uthaymeen – Dawud Burbank [PDF]

Download Complete Transcription of the the following Audio –  [PDF]

[Souncloud Audio Link

Decsription of the Names are transcribed from above Audio:

1st Name: الله  Allaah

Concerning the name Allaah, Ibn ul-Qayyim said in Midaarij us-Saalikeen:

“The name Allaah indicates all of the perfect names and lofty attributes in all three ways of indication since it indicates His Divinity, which indicates affirmation of all the characteristics of divinity for Him along with negation of their opposites for Him. So, the attributes of divinity are the attributes of perfection being free from any likeness with the creation and free of any deficiency or imperfection.”

And the author of the explainer of Kitaab at-Tawheed in Tayseer ul-`Azeez al-Hameed, brings a quote from Ibn ul-Qayyim also with regard to the excellent qualities of the name Allaah that Ibn ul-Qayyim rahimahullaah said:

As for the particular virtues of the meaning of this name Allaah then in this regard the most knowledgeable of the creation sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam himself said:

“I could not praise You enough as You deserve, You are as You have praised Yourself.”[1]

He said, so how could we enumerate the special virtues of the name of the One Who comprises every perfection unrestrictedly and every praise and commendation and every laudation and exaltation and all splendour and all perfection and all glory and all beauty and all good and all eminence and all generosity, excellence and goodness is for Him and is from Him.

So, this name Allaah is not mentioned upon a small amount of something except that it causes it to increase. Nor is it mentioned in a state of fear except that it removes it. Nor is it mentioned upon any misfortune except that it relieves it. Nor in any state of anxiety and distress except that it brings relief. Nor upon any state of difficulty except that it brings ease to it. None who is weak resorts to it except that it brings strength to him. Nor anyone in a state of humiliation except that it brings honour to him. Nor anyone in poverty except that he is enriched. Nor anyone who feels estranged and uneasy except that it causes him to feel at ease. Nor is it mentioned by one who has been overcome except that it brings aid and victory for him. Nor by one who is in straitened circumstances except that his difficulty is removed. Nor is it mentioned by a fugitive except that he finds refuge.

So, it is the name, meaning Allaah’s name Allaah, it is the name through which distress is removed through which the descent of blessings is sought and through which supplications are answered. Through it slips are corrected, sins are warded away and good deeds are brought closer.

It is the name with which the earth and heavens were established and with which the revealed books were sent down and with which the messengers were sent. With it the legislated laws were prescribed, through it the prescribed punishments were established and with it jihaad was prescribed.

Through this name the creation will become divided into the fortunate and the wretched. With it the true and tremendous day is established and with it, the scales of justice are set up, the bridge laid down and the Paradise and the Fire established. With it, the Lord of all creation is worshipped and praised, for its right the messengers were sent and it will be asked about in the grave and for it, there will be the resurrection. Dispute is regarding it and judgement is to it and alliance and enmity are for it. Through it those who know it and establish its rights will be the fortunate ones and through it those who are ignorant of it and leave its rights will be the wretched ones.

So, it is the reason for creation and command and through it, they are established and confirmed and to it they arrive at a conclusion. So, the creation comes about through it, returns to it and exists because of it. So, there is nothing in creation and no command nor reward and no punishment except that it starts from it and ends with it. That is what brings it about and its reason. Then he quotes the aayah:

رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

O our Lord, You have not created all of this without purpose, free and far removed are You from that. So save us from the punishment of the Fire.  (Soorah Aali `Imraan (3), aayah 191)

Then with regard to the name الله  Allaah, brief indication of the meaning which is – the One Who is truly venerated and worshipped, the One deserving that He be singled out with all worship because of His perfect attributes of divinity.

With regard to the 2nd name that the Shaykh quotes, الأحَد  Al-Ahad (the Unique), the One Who is alone and unique in every sense, the One alone in His oneness, in His self and in His attributes, alone in His divinity.

The 3rd name; الأعْلَى  Al-A’laa (the Most High), the One Who is above everything, having power and control over everything and the One Who is exalted above every deficiency.

The 4th name;  الأكْرَم Al-Akram (the Most Generous), the One unequalled in His perfect generosity.

The 5th name; الإله Al-Ilaah, the One Who alone deserves to be worshipped.

The 6th name; الأوَّل  Al Awwal (the First) and this name, the 6th and the 7th and the 8th and the 9th Al-Awwalu, W`al Aakhiru W`al Dhaahiru W`al Baatin, the Shaykh has put most of the names as you can see in alphabetical order. These 4 names are out of alphabetical order and put together because they are all explained in an authentic hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim explained by Allaah’s Messenger himself sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam.

So Al Awwal (the First), is the One Who was before everything without any beginning.

The 7th name;  الآخِر Al-Aakhir (the Last), the One who remains after everything else without any end.

The 8th name; الظاهِر Adh-Dhaahir (the Uppermost One), the One such that nothing is above Him, He is above everything and He encompasses everything with His Knowledge.

The 9th name;  البَاطِن  Al-Baatin (the Innermost One), the One Who encompasses and knows the innermost secrets of everything.

The 10th name; البارِئ  Al-Baari` (the Originator) the One Who by His power originated and created and fashioned the created beings upon their separate forms without any prior example to follow and Who created and fashioned the souls in the wombs.

The 11th name;   البَرّ  Al-Barr with a baa and a raa and a shaddah on the raa, Al-Barr (the Most Benign and Kind), the One Who treats the creation in an excellent and kind manner, Who does not interrupt His fine treatment of them and Who rectifies their affairs for them.

The 12th name;  البَصِير Al-Baseer (the All-Seeing), the One Who sees everything such that nothing whatsoever is hidden from Him.

The 13th name;  التَّوَّاب  At-Tawwaab (the One Who guides His servants to repent and accepts their repentance), the One Who guides the servants that they should repent to Him, grants to them that they should repent and accepts their repentance again and again.

The 14th name;  الجَبَّار Al-Jabbaar (the Exalted and Almighty Compeller), the One to Whose might everything in the creation submits and the exalted One Who rectifies the affairs of His creation for them and Who restores the weak and the broken-hearted.

The 15th name;  الحافِظ  Al-Haafidh (the Protector), the One Who alone guards and protects the heavens and the earth and whatever they contain and Who protects His servants from destruction and from evil.

The 16th name;  الحَسِيب  Al-Haseeb (the Reckoner Who suffices), the One Who preserves the deeds of the creation and will bring them to account for them and the One Who suffices and protects His servants.

The 17th name;  الحَفِيظ  Al-Hafeedh (the Guardian), the One Who protects the servants from harm and Who perfectly preserves whatever deeds His servants have done, not losing any of their deeds and the One Who preserves and protects His beloved servants from falling into sins and from Satan.

The 18th name;  الحَفِيُّ  Al-Hafiyy (the Benevolent), the One Who is ever kind to His servants and ever responding to supplication.

The 19th name;  الحقّ Al-Haqq (the True One), the One true and certain in His existence in His self, in His attributes, in His sayings and in His actions.

The 20th name;  المُبِين  Al-Mubeen (the Clear and Manifest One), the One Whose sole Lordship and right to worship is clear and manifest.

The 21st name;  الحَكِيم  Al-Hakeem (the All-Wise), the One fully wise in everything He decrees and fully wise in His sayings and in His actions. There is no deficiency or error in anything He decrees, says or does.

The 22nd name;  الحَلِيم  Al-Haleem (the forbearing), the One Who does not immediately punish His servants for their sins, their shirk and their unbelief but rather He gives them the opportunity to repent.

The 23rd name;  الحَمِيد  Al-Hameed (the One Who is deservedly praised), the One Who is praised and fully deserves to be praised for His self, for His perfect names, for His attributes and for His perfect actions.

He 24th name;  الحَيّ Al-Hayy (the Everliving), the Everliving Who always remains without any beginning and any end with perfect and everlasting life Who never dies nor passes away.

The 25th name;  القَيُّوم  Al-Qayyoom (the Self-Subsisting One), upon Whom everything depends, the One Who sustains everything that exists, the One Who has no need whatever of anything but rather everything in existence has total need of Him.

The 26th name;  الخَبِير  Al-Khabeer (the Fully Aware), the One knowing fully everything that is, has been or will be, knowing whatever will bring harm or benefit, knowing the true condition of everything and the outcome of everything.

The 27th name;  الخَالِق Al-Khaaliq (the Creator and Maker of everything), the One Who brought everything into existence after it had previously not existed, the One Who has always had the attribute of being the Creator even when there was no creation in existence.

That’s a fine point that Shaykh ul-Islaam ibn Taymiyyah brings out and makes clear, “This was Allaah’s attribute always that He did not become the Creator when the creation came into existence, rather He has always been the Creator. This has always been His attribute.”

The 28th name;  الخَلاّق Al Khallaaq (the Creator) who creates again and again, the One for Whom it is not difficult to create anything.

The 29th name;  الرَّؤُوف Ar-Ra’oof (the Compassionate and Kind), the One Who is kind and compassionate to His servants.

The 30th name;  الرَّحْمَان Ar-Rahmaan (the Extremely Merciful), the Merciful One Who has as His attribute mercy, the One possessing tremendous and extensive mercy.

The 31st name;  الرَّحِيم  Ar-Raheem (the Bestower of mercy), the One Who has mercy upon the creation.

As the verifier has mentioned, the difference between Ar-Rahmaan and Ar-Raheem is Ar-Rahmaan is with regard to the attribute of Allaah’s self, the attribute He has Himself of extreme mercy and Ar-Raheem is His bestowing mercy upon the creation with regard to His action.

The 32nd name;  الرَّزَّاق Ar-Razzaaq (the Great Provider), the One Who provides extensively for the whole of the creation whatever they need and Who also provides the provision of beneficial knowledge and eemaan for the hearts of His obedient servants indicating the rizq that is general, that which is for the whole creation that He provides whatever the whole creation needs with regard to provision and sustenance and the particular, that which He provides for His beloved servants, the provision in addition to the general provision, the particular provision, the special provision, that of beneficial knowledge and eemaan providing sustenance for the hearts of His believing servants.

The 33rd name;  الرَّقِيب  Ar-Raqeeb (the Ever Watchful Guardian), the One Who misses nothing whatsoever, being aware of all deeds and of whatever thoughts are contained in the hearts of the creation.

The 34th name;  السّلام As-Salaam (the Impeccable One or Flawless One without any defect), the One free of all imperfections and deficiencies because of His perfection in His self, His attributes and His actions and the One Who renders His creation safe from His punishing anyone who does not deserve punishment and Who renders the creation safe from His oppressing them.

The 35th name;  السَّمِيع  As Samee’ (the All-Hearing), the One Who has as His attribute perfect hearing, the One Who hears everything within the creation even that which is most quiet and secret.

The 36th name;  الشَاكِر  Ash-Shaakir (the Appreciative), the One Who rewards a small deed with a great reward as mentioned by AtTabaree and Ibn Katheer in their Tafseers in explanation of it.

The 37th name;  الشَّكُور  Ash-Shakoor (the One most ready to appreciate and reward abundantly). The One Who rewards abundantly and multiplies the rewards of His obedient servants for their deeds, deeds which He himself favoured them with, deeds which He Himself granted to them, the One Who does not allow any of their deeds to be lost.

The 38th name;  الشَّهِيد  Ash-Shaheed (the Witness), the One Who witnesses everything, that which is apparent and that which is hidden.

The 39th name; الصَّمَد  As-Samad (the Perfect Lord and Master upon Whom the whole of creation depends), the Lord and Master Whose control is complete, upon Whom the whole of the creation depends for its needs because of His perfection in His self, His names, His attributes and His actions. The One Who remains and never passes away, the One Who neither eats nor drinks, free of all needs.

The 40th name;  العَالِم  Al-`Aalim (the All-Knower of the seen and the unseen), the Knower of whatever is hidden and whatever is manifest.

The 41st name;  العَزِيز  Al-`Azeez (the Almighty or the Invincible), the Almighty One Whom nothing can overcome, the One mighty in vengeance when He punishes His enemies, the All-Powerful One Who overcomes all and before Whose Might all submit and Who has no need of anyone.

The 42nd name; العَظِيم  Al-`Adheem (the Tremendous One or the Magnificent), the One tremendous in greatness and the only One deservingly held in awe and venerated by the creation for His greatness in every sense.

The 43rd name;  العَفُوّ  Al-`Afuww with an `ain and a faa and a waaw with a shaddah on it (the One Who pardons again and again), the One Who continues to pardon the sins of His servants and leaves off punishment for them, the One Who pardons His slaves so that they do not suffer the consequences of their sins if they repent.

The 44th name;  العَلِيم Al-`Aleem (the All-Knowing) and here we’ll quote quite a longest saying from Imaam Ahmad in explanation of Al-`Aleem found in the book Ar-rad `ala al-Jahmiyyah that he said,

“He is the One Who knows everything in the seven heavens and the seven earths and whatever is between them and whatever is beneath the ground and whatever is in the depths of the oceans and who knows the place where every hair grows and every tree and the place where each leaf falls and the number of stones there are and the number of the grains of sand and the number of grains of soil and the weight of the mountains and all of the actions of the servants and the traces they leave behind and their speech and every breath they take, He knows everything, nothing is hidden from Him whilst He is upon the Throne above the seven heavens, He, the Perfect and Most High.”

So He knows whatever was, whatever is and whatever will be before it occurs and He knows the true and hidden reality of everything and He knows whatever is not going to be and how it would be if it were to exist and He has always been the All-Knowing, perfect in His knowledge.

The 45th name;  العَلِيّ  Al-`Aliyy (the Exalted), the Exalted One, Exalted in His attributes and His greatness, High Above what the wrongdoers say and the One Who is Himself above the creation ascended upon the Throne and the One Who has ascendancy over the creation by His might. The 3 meanings of Uluw are all affirmed for Allaah; the Uluw of His being exalted and far above what the wrongdoers say, Exalted in His attributes, the One Who is Himself above and is ascended upon the Throne and thirdly, the One Who has ascendancy by His Might over the creation.

The 46th name;  الغَفَّار Al-Ghaffaar (the Oft-forgiving), the One Who forgives the sins of His servants again and again whenever the servant repents and Who hides the sins of the servants and does not expose them.

The 47th name;  الغَفُور Al-Ghafoor (the One Who forgives extensively), the One Who covers up the sins of the servant to an extent that cannot even be comprehended and Who forgives them so that He does not punish them for those sins.

The 48th name;  الغَنِيّ Al-Ghaniyy (the Independent One Who is free of all need), the One Who has no need whatsoever of the creation, the One Who is free from any poverty or need, the One in Whose Hand lie the treasures of the heavens and the earth and of this world and the Hereafter.

The 49th name;  الفَتَّاح Al-Fattaah, with a faa and a taa with a shaddah on it and a alif and a haa, (the Judge and Opener Who distinguishes the truth from falsehood), the Judge Who judges between His servants with the truth and with justice, with His legislation and with His decree and Who is never unjust and the One Who opens the gates of mercy and provision and whatever is closed to His servants and Who opens the eyes and hearts of His servants for them to see the truth and the One Who aids and grants victory to His believing servants and Who distinguishes the truth from falsehood.

And the 50th name;  القَادِر Al-Qaadir (the Fully Able One), the One fully able to do anything He wills, nothing renders Him incapable or wearies him.

The 51st name;  القَاهِر Al-Qaahir (the Invincible Subduer), the One Who subdues His creation from above to Whom everything submits, none can repel what He ordains or depart from what He decrees.

The 52nd name;  القُدُّوس Al-Quddoos (the Pure and Perfect), the Pure and Exalted One, High Above every impurity, the One Whom the noble angels venerate, the One free of any opposites, rivals, consorts and children, having perfection as His attribute, the One declared free of all deficiencies and imperfections and free of having anyone with the like of His perfection or anyone close to it.

The 53rd name;  القَدِير Al-Qadeer (the All-Powerful), the One Who is able to do all things, nothing renders Him incapable or wearies Him, the One perfect in His power, the One Who by His power created everything in existence and with His power, He controls them, completes them and gives life and death to them and with His power, He will resurrect His servants and reward and punish them, whenever He wishes something, He says kun (be) and it is.

The 54th name;  القَرِيب Al-Qareeb (the One Who is near to the servants), He draws nearer to those who perform acts of worship and seek nearness to Him and He is close to their hearts, He is nearer to everyone who makes supplication to Him and also in addition, He is nearer to the people with His knowledge and awareness, witnessing and encompassing everything whilst He is above the Throne; `Arsh.

The 55th name;  القَوِيّ Al-Qawiyy (the One perfect in strength), the One fully able to do anything, none can overcome Him, none can repel His decrees.

The 56th name;  القَهَّار  Al-Qahhaar (the Overwhelming Subduer Who is never overcome), the One Who alone subdues the whole of the creation with His sovereign authority and power, nothing occurs except with His permission, everything submits to Him, the One Who subdues the most obstinate and renegade tyrants with His punishment and Who subdues the whole of the creation with death.

The 57th name; الكَبِير  Al-Kabeer (the Incomparably Great), the Tremendous One Who is greater than everything, everything else is insignificant before Him, He is greater than anything imagined by the creation.

The 58th name;  الكَرِيم  Al-Kareem (the Bountiful), the Generous One, abundant in good, the One Who causes and makes easy every good and Who bestows generously, the One so generous that He even bestows favours upon those Who reject His favours and then use them as a means to disobey Him.

The 59th name;  اللَّطِيف  Al-Lateef (the Subtle and Kind), the One Who is fully aware of the hidden details of all affairs and of that which will benefit the servants and Who is kind to them and causes that which is good for them to reach them by a means which they had no expectation of.

The 60th name; المُؤمِن   Al-Mu`min (the True and Trustworthy), the granter of security, the One Who is true in His words and true to the promise He has made to the servants and Who does not disappoint His believing servants, the One Who safeguards His servants in this world and the Hereafter and Who renders His beloved servants safe from His punishment and Who renders the whole of the creation safe from His oppressing them.

The 61st name,  المُتَعَالِي  Al-Muta’aalee (the Supreme and Exalted One), the One supremely exalted above everything by His power, the One exalted above His creation in His being above them, having power over them and His subduing them, the One High Above and far removed from having anything else like Him and the One free and far removed from the lies of those who invent lies against Him and free from the characteristics of the creation.

The 62nd name;  المُتَكَبِّر  Al-Mutakabbir (the One Supreme in Glory), the justly and rightfully proud, the One Who is alone truly High and Mighty, exalted in glory above everything, the One Who disdains and is exalted above all evil and oppression against His servants and above everything not befitting Him.

The 63rd name;  المَتِين  Al-Mateen (the Strong), the One mighty in strength, the Powerful One whose strength does not end and who does not experience any difficulty in His actions nor does He experience any tiredness.

The 64th name;  المُجِيب  Al-Mujeeb (the Responsive), the One who responds to supplications of those who call upon him wherever they are and whatever situation they are in, no matter how many they are in number and who responds in particular to those who submit to him and those in dire need.

The 65th name;  المَجِيد  Al-Majeed (the One Perfect in Glory and Honour), the One great in honour, the One greatly extolled and praised, the magnificent One, having the characteristics of glory, majesty, greatness and splendour, the One greater, more tremendous and more exalted than everything, the One glorified and venerated in the hearts of His beloved servants.

The 66th name;  المُحِيط  Al-Muheet (the All-Encompassing), the One Who encompasses everything with His power and with His knowledge and has fully enumerated everything and the One Who encompasses everything with His mercy and His subjugation.

The 67th name; المُصَوِّر   Al-Musawwir (the Bestower of forms), the One Who forms and fashions His creation however He wishes, the One Who gives form to everything in existence, giving each created thing a particular form and appearance, which distinguishes it from all other created things.

The 68th name;  المُقْتَدِر  Al-Muqtadir (the Omnipotent), the One Whose power is absolute, the One for Whom nothing is impossible, He is fully able to do whatever He wishes.

The 69th name;  المُقِيت  Al-Muqeet (the All-Powerful Maintainer), the All-Powerful, the Guardian Who witnesses everything, the One Who provides each created being with the sustenance it requires.

The 70th name;  المَلِك  Al-Malik (the King), the sole, absolute and true Sovereign King, complete and perfect in His Kingship, the One Whom there is no Kingship above His Kingship nor anywhere near it, everything being incomparable to Him and beneath Him, the Sovereign Owner of everything who does whatever He wishes with regard to the creation with nothing to prevent or hinder Him, whose commands are fully effective within His dominion, the king of all kings.

The 71st name;  المَلِيك  Al-Maleek (the Omnipotent Sovereign), the Sovereign Who is fully able to do whatever He wishes, the Tremendous King Who created and decreed everything.

The 72nd name;  المَولَى  Al-Mawlaa (the Patron Lord or the Master and Supporter), the One Who supports and aids the creation, supporting all of them in general and aiding the believers in particular, the Lord and Master who aids the believers against their enemies, the one who causes whatever will benefit His believing servants to reach them.

The 73rd name;  المُهَيْمِن  Al-Muhaymin (the Trustworthy and Ever Watchful Witness), the One Who witnesses all the deeds and sayings of the creation, the One Who sent down His book and is a witness to its truth, the trustworthy One Who confirms the truth of everything He says and the ever watching guardian over His creation.

The 74th name; النَّصِير   An-Naseer (the Helper), the One Who aids the believers against their enemies and makes their feet firm when they face the enemy and Who casts terror into the hearts of their enemies. [2]

The 75th name;  الوَاحِد  Al-Waahid (the One and Only), the One Who always has been and always will be One and alone with regard to His self, His dhaat, the One Who has no partner, no sharer and no equal.

The 76th name; الوَارِث  Al-Waarith (the Inheritor), the One Who remains forever, the One Who remains after everything else perishes, the One Who inherits the earth and everything upon it, the One Who remains forever and never passes away.

The 77th name;  الوَاسِع  Al Waasi’ (the Vast One), the One vast with regard to His attributes and characteristics such that none can fulfil and encompass the praise that is due to Him, the One vast and tremendous in His greatness, His authority and His sovereignty and the One Who encompasses the whole of creation with His generosity, His blessings and with the tremendous good which He grants to them and with His mercy.

The 78th name; الوَدُود  Al-Wadood (the Loving One and the Beloved One), the One Who loves His believing servants and the One Who is loved by them, the One Who loves His prophets and messengers and their followers and is loved by them such that nothing is more beloved to them than Him.

The 79th name;  الوَكِيل  Al-Wakeel (the Trustworthy Disposer of Affairs), the One Who is depended upon and is true to His promise, the all-encompassing guardian Who suffices those who place their trust and reliance in Him, the One Who takes care of the affairs of His creation with His perfect knowledge and power and so is the finest disposer of their affairs.

The 80th name;  الوَلِيّ Al-Waliyy (the Guardian Lord), the One Who aids, assists, guides and grants success to the believers, the Guardian, the Master of everything, in control of everything.

The 81st name;  الوَهَّاب  Al-Wahhaab (the Bestower), the One Who bestows His bounties universally and perpetually, giving them freely for no compensation, the One Who gives His bounties throughout the ages to all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, the One Who alone grants health, wellbeing and strength, the One Who grants guidance, successful attainment of what is correct; tawfeeq and firmness upon His religion to the believers.

Then with regard to the rest of the names then the Shaykh has taken them from the authentic Sunnah:

The 82nd name;  الجَمِيل  Al-Jameel (the Beautiful One), the One beautiful in His self, in His names, His attributes and His actions, the One such that everything beautiful in existence is a result and an effect of His beauty, the One so beautiful that when the people of Paradise see Him in Paradise, they forget all the delights and bliss which they enjoy in Paradise because of His beauty, the One perfect in beauty such that nothing is like Him.

The 83rd name; الجَوَاد   Al-Jawaad (the Munificent), the One Whose generosity covers everything in existence, the One Who gives liberally and generously to those in need even when they reject and disbelieve in Him, the One who from His generosity has prepared in Paradise for His believing servants that which no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of and which has never been imagined by anyone.

The 84th name;  الحَكَم  Al-Hakam (the Judge), the One Who judges between the creation in this world by His revelation and Who judges between them in the Hereafter with His knowledge and Who establishes justice for those who have been wronged by others.

The 85th name;  الحَيِّي  Al-Hayyiyu (the One Who honourably disdains anything unbecoming His mercy and generosity), the One Who honourably disdains to leave the servants who supplicate to Him empty handed, the One Who covers up the sins of the servants and does not expose them, the One Who does not do anything unbecoming His extensive mercy, His perfect generosity and His forbearance, rather He pardons the faults of the servants and covers them.

The 86th name;  الرَّبّ  Ar-Rabb (the Lord and Nurturer) the Lord and Master who has none like Him in His Lordship, the One Who nurtures and rectifies the affairs of the creation by the favours which He showers upon them, the Sovereign Owner Who alone creates and commands, the One Who controls the affairs and grants blessings, the One Who nurtures, the Creator, the Provider, the One Who aids and the One Who guides.

The 87th name;  الرَّفِيق  Ar-Rafeeq (the Gentle), the One Who is gentle with His servants, gentle in His actions having created the creation in stages in accordance with His wisdom and gentleness.

The 88th name;  السُّبُّوح  As-Subbooh (the Venerated and Perfect), the One venerated and declared free of every deficiency, the One Whom the angels venerate.

The 89th name;  السَّيِّد As-Sayyid (the Lord and Master), the Owner of the whole creation, all of the creation are His slaves, the Lord Whom all of the creation are in total need of.

The 90th name;  الشَّافِي  Ash-Shaafee (the One Who cures), the One Who alone removes from the servants that which causes harm or pain to their hearts and their bodies, the One Who cures whomever He wills such that none can cure except Him.

The 91st name;  الطَّيِّب AtTayyib (the Pure One), the One perfect and rightly declared free of all deficiencies and shortcomings.

The 92nd name;  القابِض  Al-Qaabid and the 93rd name; البَاسِط  Al-Baasit  . It’s befitting that they are mentioned together. Al-Qaabid (the Withholder) and Al-Baasit (the Granter of ample provision). Then with regard to Al-Qaabid; the One Who withholds His provision and other than it from the servants in accordance with His wisdom and subtle kindness and the One Who takes the souls at the point of death and Al-Baasit; the One Who grants ample and extensive provision to His servants and the One Who diffuses the souls of the living in their bodies.

The 94th and the 95th name which again it is befitting that they are mentioned together.   المُقَدِّم Al-Muqaddim (the One Who gives precedence) and  المُؤَخِّر Al-Mu`akhkhir (the One Who puts back).Then with regard to Al-Muqaddim (the One Who gives precedence), the One Who gives precedence to whatever He loves should be given precedence to with regard to their status and their order in accordance with His wisdom and Al-Mu`akhkhir; the One Who puts back whatever He wishes, putting back whatever wisdom and rectitude necessitates should be put back.

The 96th name; المُحْسِن   Al-Muhsin, the One Who acts in a good and fine manner, the One such that all His actions are perfect.

The 97th name;  المُعْطِي  Al Mu’tee (the Giver), the One Who gives to whomever it is fitting should be given.

The 98th name; المَنَّان  Al-Mannaan (the Beneficent Bestower of bounties), the One such that all favours and blessings originate from Him, He is the One Who granted them and favoured the creation with them.

The 99th name; الوِتْر  Al-Witr (the One Who has no partner nor anyone like Him), He Who is One in His self, One in His attributes, One in His actions, having no partner and no helper, Subhaanahu Wata’ala.

Footnotes:

[1] Reported by Muslim from the hadeeth of A’ishah radiyAllaahu `anha.

[2] Translator’s side point: Al-Asbahaanee said in his book Al-Hujjah with regard to this name An-Naseer (the Helper) because of its meaning, he said “It is right and proper that every person when he sees an evil being done that he should forbid it and he should firmly believe that Allaah will help him because Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic said:

“If you give aid to Allaah’s religion, He will help you.”

Then he said “So everyone who wishes by his saying and his action to attain the pleasure of Allaah then Allaah will aid and help him.”

Transcribed by Saima Zaher
Reviewed, edited and formatted by AbdurRahman.Org

Related Link:

Kitaab-ut-Tawheed – Explanation of Imam al-Sa’di – Dawud Burbank [Audio Series|En]

https://abdurrahman.org/asma-wa-sifaat-com/

العليم al-‘Aleem: One of the names of Allaah

  العَلِيم Al-`Aleem (the All-Knowing) and here we’ll quote quite a longest saying from Imaam Ahmad in explanation of Al-`Aleem found in the book Ar-rad `ala al-Jahmiyyah that he said,

“He is the One Who knows everything in the seven heavens and the seven earths and whatever is between them and whatever is beneath the ground and whatever is in the depths of the oceans and who knows the place where every hair grows and every tree and the place where each leaf falls and the number of stones there are and the number of the grains of sand and the number of grains of soil and the weight of the mountains and all of the actions of the servants and the traces they leave behind and their speech and every breath they take, He knows everything, nothing is hidden from Him whilst He is upon the Throne above the seven heavens, He, the Perfect and Most High.”

So He knows whatever was, whatever is and whatever will be before it occurs and He knows the true and hidden reality of everything and He knows whatever is not going to be and how it would be if it were to exist and He has always been the All-Knowing, perfect in His knowledge.

[SourceThe Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En] & Transcribed PDF]

One of the Names of Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى) is العليم al-‘Aleem:

The One Who knows what has been and what will be; Who ever has known, and ever will know, what has been and what will be; His knowledge comprehends all things, the covert and the overt, the small thereof and the great, the possible and the impossible, the lofty and lower spheres, etc. in the most complete manner. Nothing is concealed from Him in the earth or in the heavens.

[See Shaykh as-Sa’dee’s Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan fee Tafseeri Kalaamil-Mannaan [‘Unayzah, Saudi Arabia: Saalih bin Saalih Center Publish. 1412/1992)], vol. 5, p. 299.

Posted from: Allaah Knows what happens to His creatures in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter – Shaykh Uthaymeen | Dr. Saleh as-Saleh

Related Link: https://abdurrahman.org/asma-wa-sifaat-com/

الصَّمَد As-Samad: One of the Names of Allaah

الصَّمَد  As-Samad (the Perfect Lord and Master upon Whom the whole of creation depends), the Lord and Master Whose control is complete, upon Whom the whole of the creation depends for its needs because of His perfection in His self, His names, His attributes and His actions. The One Who remains and never passes away, the One Who neither eats nor drinks, free of all needs.

[SourceThe Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En] & Transcribed PDF]

“Allāh is As-Samad” – Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen

Concerning his statement: “Allāh is As-Samad

This is a clause of continuation, after He mentioned Al-Ahadai’yyah (the oneness), he mentioned As-Samadiyyah, and used a definite clause for both, to indicate exclusivity. That is Allah, alone, is As-Samad.

What is the meaning of As-Samad?

It is said that As-Samad means He is the Perfect One, in His Knowledge, His Power, His Wisdom, His ’Izzah (Honor and Might), His Sovereignty and in all His Attributes.

It is also said: As-Samad is the one who does not have any cavity – that is without intestines nor abdomen. That is why it is said: The Angels are Samad because they do not have cavities; they do not eat nor drink. This meaning is related from Ibn ’Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him.[1] And this does not negate the first meaning, because it indicates His self sufficiency from all of His creation.

And it is said: As-Samad has the meaning of the Ma’ful form, that is Al-Masmudu ilaihi;He who is betaken to by the creation of their needs, with the meaning that they incline to Him and they reach out for Him, and surrender their needs to Him. So it has the meaning of the everyone is in need of.

These interpretations do not contradict one another in relation to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and as such we say that each of these meanings are affirmed due to the lack of contradiction among them. We interpret it with a comprehensive interpretation; we say As-Samad is the One Who is Perfect in His Attributes, the One whom all His creatures are in need of; they are dependent upon Him. Therefore, the tremendous meaning of the word As-Samad becomes clear to you. He is the One independent of any need from all other than Him, Perfect in all of What is attributed to Him, and that all other than Him is in need of Him.

If somebody says to you: “Allah rose above the Throne, does His rising above the Throne mean that He is in need of the Throne, such that if the Throne was removed, He would fall?” The answer is no! Never! Because Allah is Samad, perfect without need of the Throne. Rather the Throne, the heavens, the Kursi and all creatures are in need of Allah; He is independent of any need from them. We derive this from the word As-Samad.

If somebody asks: “Does Allah eat and drink?” I say: Never; because Allah is Samad.” With this, we recognize that the word As-Samad is a word that covers all the perfect Attributes of Allah, and it relates to all the imperfect attributes of the creatures. That is why the are in need of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.

References :

[1] Reported by Ibn Abi ’Asim in As-Sunnah (665) with a weak Chain of transmission from Ibn Abbas. It is authentically transmitted from Mujahid; “As-Samad: the one without an abdomen as is in As-Sunnah of Ibn Abi ’Asim (673) and Ibn Kathir authenticated its report from the Companion ‘Abdullah bin Buraidah.

SourceAl-’Aqidah Al-Wasitiyyah (2 Vol. Set) – Author: Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih Al-’Uthaimin – Publisher: Darussalam Publishers & Distributors

 

الحَيِّي al-Hayyee (The Shy One): One of the Names of Allaah

الحَيِّي  Al-Hayyiyu (the One Who honourably disdains anything unbecoming His mercy and generosity), the One Who honourably disdains to leave the servants who supplicate to Him empty handed, the One Who covers up the sins of the servants and does not expose them, the One Who does not do anything unbecoming His extensive mercy, His perfect generosity and His forbearance, rather He pardons the faults of the servants and covers them.

[SourceThe Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En] & Transcribed PDF]

The following is Translated & Compiled by Abbas Abu Yahya

1 – Allaah says:

<<Verily, Allaah is not ashamed to set forth a parable>>

[al-Baqarah: 26]

2 – What is mentioned in the hadeeth of Ya’ala bin Umayyah Radi Allaahu anhu:

that the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- saw a man bathing at an open place where there was no partitioning and without a wrapping garment, so the Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- climbed the Mimbar, and he praised Allaah and glorified Him and said:

‘Indeed Allaah – Azza wa Jal – is The Shy One, The One who Conceals, He loves modesty and covering up, so if one of you bathes (outside) then he should cover up.’

[Narrated by Abu Dawood and Nisaa’ee – authenticated by Albaani in ‘Irwa’ no. 2335]

3 – The hadeeth of Salman Radi Allaahu anhu who said: The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

‘Indeed your Lord – Tabaaraka wa Ta’ala – is The Shy One, The Generous, Allaah is Shy from His slave if the slave raises his hands towards Him, that He would return them without anything.’

[Narrated by Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah – authenticated by Albaani in ‘Irwa’ no. 2335]

4 – The author Muhammad al-Hamood an-Najdi said:

‘Know – may Allaah have mercy upon me and you – that the greatest modesty which is necessary to have is with Allaah Ta’ala, He Who fluctuates His blessings and His virtue day and night. We cannot do without Him even for a blink of an eye. We are under His Hearing and Sight, and nothing of our condition, statements and actions is absent from Him.

Just like Allaah –Azza wa Jal- said:

<<Whatever you (O Muhammad) may be doing, and whatever portion you may be reciting from the Qur’aan, – and whatever deed you (mankind) may be doing (good or evil), We are Witness thereof, when you are doing it. And nothing is hidden from your Lord (so much as) the weight of an atom on the earth or in the heaven. Not what is less than that or what is greater than that but is (written) in a Clear Record. >> [Yunus: 61]

[Summarised from ‘an-Nahaj al-Asma’ fee Sharh ‘Asmaa Allaah al-Hussna 3/99-]

5  – Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Haraas -Rahimullaah- said:

‘The Name of Allaah Ta’ala al-Hayyee (The Shy One) is a Name which is appropriate to Him, and it is not like the Hayya (Modesty) of the creation, which is a change and effect, which seizes a person when he is frightened by that which brings him shame or fault.  Rather it is leaving that which is not appropriate with His abundant Mercy and His perfect Generosity and Kindness, and His great Pardoning and His Gentleness.

So the slave of Allaah openly sins even though modesty is the thing that he is in most need of, and modesty is the weakest thing he has, and he uses Allaah’s blessings to sin.  However, Allaah – Subhanahu– along with His perfection in not needing anything whatsoever and His complete ability over modesty, is shy from the slave from removing his veil and humiliating him, so Allaah covers up the slave with that which disguises him from the means of covering up, then after that Allaah pardons his sins and forgives them.  Just like the hadeeth of Ibn Umar Radi Allaahu anhu:

‘Indeed Allaah comes close to the believer, and covers him then asks him, between Himself and the slave: Did you not do such and such, on such and such day? Until the slave of Allaah acknowledges his sins, and is certain that he will definitely be destroyed and Allaah says to him: I covered up your sins in the Dunyaa and today I will forgive them for you.’

[Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim – Taken from ‘an-Nahaj al-Asma’ fee Sharh ‘Asmaa Allaah al-Hussna 3/103]

All Praise belongs to Allāh , may His Praise and blessings be upon our final Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions and all those who follow his guidance.

الفَتَّاح Al-Fattaah (The Judge, The Opener): One of the Names of Allah

الفَتَّاح Al-Fattaah, with a faa and a taa with a shaddah on it and a alif and a haa, (the Judge and Opener Who distinguishes the truth from falsehood), the Judge Who judges between His servants with the truth and with justice, with His legislation and with His decree and Who is never unjust and the One Who opens the gates of mercy and provision and whatever is closed to His servants and Who opens the eyes and hearts of His servants for them to see the truth and the One Who aids and grants victory to His believing servants and Who distinguishes the truth from falsehood.

[SourceThe Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En] & Transcribed PDF]


الفَتَّاح
“Al-Fattaah – (the Judge/the Granter of blessings)”

Shaykh ‘Abd ur-Razzaaq al-Badr (hafidhahullaah) comments:

Shaykh ‘Abd ur-Rahmaan bin Sa’dee, rahimahullaah, said: ‘Al-Fattaah has two meanings.

The first meaning is: the One who judges between His slaves, and judges between them with His legislation and by rewarding those who obey (Him) and punishing those who disobey (Him) in the dunyaa and aakhira, as His, ta’aala, statement: {Say: ‘Our Lord will assemble us all together (on the Day of Resurrection), then He will judge between us in truth. And He is the Just Judge, the All-Knower of the true state of affairs’}, and His, ta’aala, statement: {‘Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth, for You are the Best of those who give judgment}.

The second meaning is: the One who opens all doors of blessings for His slaves. He, ta’aala, said: {Whatever Allaah grants to people of mercy – none can withhold it}. He grants benefits of the dunyaa and deen to His slaves, and opens the locks upon hearts for those whom He has favored with His Kindness and Care, and showers (the hearts) with knowledge and understanding from Him and realities of faith that rectifiy their conditions and by which they remain upon the Straight Path; and what’s more special is that He grants those who love Him and turn to Him knowledge from Him, spiritual conditions, shining lights and true understanding. And likewise He opens for His slaves the doors of rizq (provision) and the paths of the means, and paves the way for provisions and the means to (these provisions) for the muttaqoon (those who fear Him) from where they can’t imagine, and gives the mutawakkiloon (those who put their trust in Him) beyond what they ask and hope for, and makes easy for them affairs that are difficult, and opens for them doors that are closed.”

Source: Fiqh ul-Asmaa il-Husnaa; Chapter 30, p. 123
Asaheeha Translations 

Related Link: https://abdurrahman.org/asma-wa-sifaat-com/

An-Nur (The Light): One of Allaah’s Names

Explaining the Meaning of An-Nur (The Light) – One of Allaah’s Names
Prepared by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh (rahimahullah)

An-Nur (The Light) – Soorat An-Nur (Qur’aan 24:35):

1-An-Nur is one of Allaah’s Names as well one of His Attribute, derived from His Nur (Light) which is an Attribute established with His Thaat (Essence).

Allaah, (Azzawajal), said:

اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
Allaah is the Light (Nur) of the heavens and the earth [#2]
[TMQ;An-Nur (24):35]

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) used to invoke Allaah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) upon starting the night prayers (Tahajjud):

“All Praise is due to You; You are the Light of the heavens and the earth…”[#3]

2- “The texts from the Qur’aan and authentic Sunnah relate An-Nur to Allaah, according to the following angles:

The First Angle:

a. That Allaah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) has a Nur related (gr. conjugated) to Him as an Attribute of His Thaat [Essense], the same as His other Attributes of Life, Sight, Knowledge, Might, and so forth.

Allaah, Most Majestic and Most Magnificent, says:

وَأَشْرَقَتِ الْأَرْضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّهَا
And the earth will shine with the Light of its Rabb (Allaah–when He will come on the Day of Resurrection to judge among men)…[TMQ; Az-Zumar (39): 69].

And if the earth will shine with His Light, then He (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is a Nur (Light) as stated by His Messenger, Muhammad (Peace be upon him): “You are the Light of the heavens and the earth…”[#4]

b. That An-Nur relates to His most Honorable and Majestic Face.

‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’oud (radhi Allaahu anhu) said:

“The light of the heavens and the earth is from the Light of His Face.” [#5]

c. Allaah’s Nur is also related (mudaaf) to the heavens and the earth as in His (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) saying:

اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
Allaah is the Light (Nur) of the heavens and the earth ..
[TMQ; An-Nur (24): 35].[#6]

d. Light is Allaah’s Hijaab (Veil). The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“Light is His Hijaab, If He uncovers it then the subuhaat (brightness, splendour, majesty, and greatness) of His Face would burn His creation so far as His Sight reaches.” [#7]

The cases of the aforementioned angle represent situations in which the sifah (attribute) of An-Nur has been related to its mawsoof (what is being described) as Imaam Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله تعالى classified them.[#8]

The Second Angle:

The second angle is the idaafah (relating) of the maf’uool (object) to its faa’il (active subject).

Ibnul Qayyim said: “This is mentioned in the saying of Allaah, Most High:

اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ ۗ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

The parable of His Light is as (if there were) a niche and within it is a lamp, and the lamp is in glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east [#9] nor of the west [#10], whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), though no fire touched it. Light upon Light! Allaah guides to His Light whom he wills. And Allaah sets parables for mankind, and Allaah is the All-Knower of everything.” [TMQ; An-Nur (24): 35]

It means: The parable of Allaah’s Light in the heart of his believing slave. The one having the greatest share of this Light is His Messenger Muhammad (Peace be upon him). This Light relates to Allaah تعالى being the One who grants and bestows it upon His slave. It is also related to the slave since he is its place (mahalluhu) and favorable recipient (qaabiluhu).

This light has a:

  • 1-faa’il (active subject),
  • 2-qaabil (recipient),
  • 3-mahal (place),
  • 4-haamil (carrier), and
  • 5-and maadah (substance).

The aayah above comprises all of these mattters in detail:

  • The faa’il (One Who does this) is Allaah, Most High, the One Who makes the lights to abound, Who guides to His Light whom He Wills.
  • The favorable recipient (al-qaabil) is the believing slave.
  • The place of reception (mahal al-qubool) is the believer’s heart.
  • The haamil (carrier) is his motivation, determination, and will.
  • The maadah (substance) is his sayings and actions.”[#11]

“The light which Allaah puts in the heart of the submitting Muslim is faith in Him, knowledge and love of Him, and remembrance of Him. It is His light (the Qur’aan) which He brought down, the origin of which is in the hearts of the Muslims. Its substance strengthens and increases until it appears on their faces, their limbs and their bodies, even on their clothes and in their homes. On the Day of Resurrection, this light emerges and runs forward before them [#12] amidst the darkness of the Bridge (Siraat)[#13] until they cross over it. The (intensity) of their lights on the Bridge will correspond to the intensity (strong or weak) of the repective lights in their hearts in the dunya (this life).

The similitude of this Light and its place, its carrier, and its substance is as the niche which is like the chest [of the believer]. Inside the niche there is a glass, from the most crisp and clear kind. [In the aayah] it is even made to resemble brilliant star in its clarity and purity. This glass resembles the heart [al-mahal]. The similitude to the glass is because it embodies qualities present in the heart of the believer: clearity, smoothness, and firmness. It sees the truth by virtue of its clarity; kindness, mercy and affection originate from it because of its smoothness; it stands firm in holding to the truth and it makes jihaad against the enemies of Allaah, due to the firmness in its structure…

In contrast with this enlightened heart, there are two other opposing and blameworthy hearts. One of them is stone-like, harsh, merciless, it lacks beneficience, reverence, and the clarity by which it can see the truth. In fact it is as an ignorant and a tyrant heart; it is neither aware of Allaah (the Truth) nor it is mercifull to the creation. Opposite to it, is a weak, watery, neither firm nor strong heart,… and everything (good, evil, wicked, etc.) that mixes with it, affects it in its own way.

In the glass there is a lamp and it is the light (an-nur) that is in the wick. The wick in the lamp is the light carrier (al-haamil), and the substance of the light is the olive oil, extracted from the olives of a tree growing in the most suitable place by being exposed to the sun rays all day long. Its oil is from the purest of its kind, clear without turbidity, to the degree that it will almost glow forth of itself. Similar to the olive oil is the substance of the believing heart. It is from the “tree” of Revelation:[#14] it is the greatest blessed thing and most distant from deviation. It is intermediate and, indeed, it is the most just and best of all matters. It did not deviate like the deviation of Christanity and Judaism. In all things it is bound to a medium course between these two blameworthy extremes.

Since the clarity of this oil is so intense such that it almost glows by itself, and then upon mixing with fire its illumination as well as that of the fire’s substance of light intensifes, then this becomes light upon light.

Something similar happens to the believer. His heart is lit such that he almost knows the truth by means of his fitrah and intellect. His heart, however, has no maadah (substance) within itself. But when the maadah of the al-Wahy (Revelation) touches his heart and the latter rejoices in its company, its light [of fitrah] increases by the light of al-Wahy. The light of al-Wahy adds up to that of fitrah and it becomes a light upon light. So, the believer would almost speak the truth even though he may have not heard an evidence. He later   hears of the evidence to be identical to what has been attested to by his fitrah. Thus, it is being a light upon light. This is the status of the believer. He acknowledges the truth, in general, by means of his fitrah. He then hears of the textual proofs and [authentic] traditions presenting what he has acknowledged, but in details. His faith, therefore, stems from the attestation of al-Wahy and fitrah…” [#15]

I ask Allaah, An-Nur, to enlighten my heart and yours, and to fill them with firm Eeemaan. He is the Most Generous, the Most Merciful.

Saleh As-Saleh, 29-1-1426, March 10, 2005

Footnotes:

[#1]TMQ: Translation of the meaning of the Qur’aan.

[#2]In this Aayah’s construct, Allaah’s Nur is related (mudaaf) to As-Samaawati wal Ard (the heavens and the earth). Some had interpreted this aayah such that Allaah (Azzawajal), is the One Who illuminates (Munawwir) the heavens and the earth and guides their inhabitants. This is from His Actions, otherwise it does not preclude the fact that the Nur, which is one of His Attributes, is established with Him. It is common for the Salaf رحمهم الله تعالى , may Allaah’s Mercy be upon them, to mention all or some of the meanings of the attributes pertaining to Allaah’s Names. By mentioning some of the meanings they do not negate the other affirmed qualities of such names. As such, one of the meanings signified by Allaah being “An-Nur of the heavens and the earth” is that He has illuminated the heavens and the earth and guided their inhabitants by His Light. The saying that meaning is restricted to His illumination of the heavens and the earth by certain planets (sun, moon, stars), is wrong, because the illumination by their light does not cover the entire universe. [See Ibn Taymeeyah’s al-Fatawaa, 6: 390-393].

[#3]For a full text of the Prophet’s invocation see Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (English/Arabic), V.9, Hadeeth # 482.

[#4] Grammatically, the “Light” which is related (annexed) to Allaah in the construct of the Aayah (which means): “And the earth will shine with the Light of its Rabb…” is not an annexation denoting possession, creation, honor, or preferment as it is the case in many aayaat (Verses) of the Noble Qur’aan including:

  • a. Baytee (My house), mentioned in the aayah (which means): That they (Ibraaheem and Ismaa’eel) may purify Baytee (My house, i.e the Ka’bah) for those who circel it, or stay (in I’tikaaf ), or bow, or prostrate themselves (near it, in prayer).” (TMQ 2:125)
  • b. Naaqatullaah (Allaah’s She-Camel) mentioned in Allaah’s Saying (which means): “This Naaqatullaah (She-Camel of Allaah) is sent to you (Prophet Saalih’s people, Thamood) as a sign. So allow it to graze in Allaah’s earth.”(TMQ 7:73).

[#5] Reported by at-Tabaraani (Mu’jam At-Tabaraani, V.9, # 8886), ad-Daarimiye in ar-Rad ‘alaa Bishr al-Mareesi (p.449), and al-Haythami in Majma’uz- Zawaa’id (V.1, p.85). Amongst its narrators, is Abu ‘Abdis-Salaam Az- Zubayr. Ibn Abee Haatim and Ibn Ma’een did not mention anything regarding the haal (status) of this narrator i.e. whether he is da’eef (weak), or thiqah (trustworthy transmittor), or otherwise. Ibn Hibbaan, however, mentioned him in his book ath-Thiqaat (The Trustworthy (men of Hadeeth). Al-Haythami realted that Abu Haatim (i.e. Ar-Raazi) described Abu ‘Abdis-Salaam Azubayr as majhool (unknown). Shayekhul Islaam Ibn Taymeeyah reported this narration and said: “It is affirmed upon the authority of Ibn Mas’oud (radhi Allaahu Anhu).” (See Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa, V.6, p.391). He also mentioned it in V.2, p.189 of the same reference. And Allaah knows best.

[#6] There is no contradiction between the interpreation that this aayah means that Allaah, Most High, is the Munawwir of the heavens and the earth and between the saying of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’oud in which the Nur is related to Allaah’s Thaat. The interpretation that Allaah is the Munawwir (The One Who Illuminates) or Haadi (The One Who Guides) the heavens and the earth is true because it relates the act (verb) of Tanweer (Illumination) to the active “subject” i.e. Allaah, the Most Magnificent. There is no contradiction whether one says that Allaah is the Nur of the heavens and the earth bi-Thaatihi (by Himself) or bi-Fi’lihi (by His Act).

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله تعالى said:

“The truth is that Allaah is the Nur of the heavens and the earth taking into consideration all of the interpretations.” Being the Munnawwir and the Haadi, does not negate the fact that He (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), Himself, is Nur. Those who negate Allaah’s Attribute of An-Nur erred by thinking that if they would affirm the Attribute of An-Nur it would mean that Allaah is the light falling upon walls and gardens, etc.! The fact however is that the created light is an effect of the Attribute of An-Nur. We know that Ar-Rahmah (Mercy) is an Attribute of Allaah established with Him (Azzawajal). The rahmah (mercy) present on earth is an effect of Allaah’s Attribute of Ar-Rahmah separted from Him (Azzawajal). The knowledge of the creature is a distinct and separate effect of Allaah’s Attribute of Knowledge. The saying of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’oud (radhi Allaahu anhu) does not mean or imply that the light on walls and on the surface of the earth is the essence of the Light of Allaah’s most honourable Face.

[See Ibnul-Qayyim, Mukhtasar as-Sawaa’iq al-Mursalah ‘alal-Jahmiyyah al-Mu’attilah, checked by Ridwaan Shaakir Ridwaan (Makkah and Riyadh: Saudi Arabia, Maktabat Nizaar Al- Baaz), pp. 547-548 and Ijtimaa’ al-Ju-youoshil-Islaamiyyah, ‘Awaad ‘Abdullaah Al-Mi’tiq, ed. (Riyadh: Saudi Arabia, Maktabat Ar-Rushd, 1415/1995], pp.45-46.

[#7]In another narration instead of the word “light” it is fire, due to the doubt of the narrator Abu Musa al-Ash’ari. Reported by Muslim (Saheeh Muslim – English translation, V.1, Hadeeth # 343), Ahmad (4:405) and others. Both narrations stating the “light” and “fire” are in Saheeh Muslim.

The pure “fire” which Allaah mentioned in the Qur’aan when He (Azzawajal) spoke to Musa (peace be upon him) (Qur’aan 27:7-8) is also called a light and it is a light which illuminates without burning. Allaah also called the fire of the lamp a light (Qur’aan 24:35), contrary to the dark fire of Hell which is not called a light. Therefore, the doubt of the narrator between the words “light” and “fire” does not prevent [from affirming] that the “Light” is His Hijaab. [See Shayekhul- Islaam Ibn Taymeeyah’s Fataawaa, V.6, pp.384-386 and Ibnul Qayyim’s Mukhtasar as-Sawaa’iq al-Mursalah, p.551. Shayekhul Islaam said: “There are three kinds of (created light): The first is characterized by Isharaaq bila Ihraaq (illumination but without burning) and this is the “pure” light like that of the moon. The second kind burns without illumination and this is the dark fire (a black burning fire). The third being a light and a fire, like the sun. Also the fire of the lamps in this world is described by being being both (a light and a fire)…” Imaam Ibnul Qayyim added “This is the case with the created and witnessed lights. The Hijaab of ar-Rabb (Allaah), Most Blessed and Most High, is a Nur (Light) and it is a Fire. All of the [three] kinds of the created lights are real relative to their proper classifications…And if the light of His creation, like that of the sun, the moon, and fire, are real, then how could His Light be not real? The Light of His Face is real too [and fits His Majesty] and it is not figurative.” Ibid, pp.551-552 (with a slight adaptation).

[#8] Ibnul Qayyim in Ijtimaa’ al-Juyoushil-Islaamiyyah, pp.45-54.

[#9] It does not get sun-rays only in the morning.

[#10] Nor it gets sun-rays only in the afternoon, but it is exposed to the sun all day long.

[#11] Ibnul Qayyim in Ijtimaa’ al-Ju-yoush al-Islaamiyyah, pp.45-54.

[#12] Allaah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) Says: { نورهم يسعى بين أيديهم } (The believer’s) Light will run forward before them. (Qur’aan 66:8)

[#13] Siraat: The Bridge over the midst of Hell; It is extremely slippery; On it there are hooks, claws, and bars; Over it mankind will pass. The believers, as the Prophet (Peace be upon him) explained, “Will pass like the blink of an eye, like the lightning, like the wind, like the birds, and like the fast horses and camels. Some will be saved, some will be lacerated then set free, and some will be thrown into the Fire…”. See Saheeh Muslim, V.1, Hadeeth # 352.

[#14] What Allah reveals in His Books and (or) inspires to His Messengers. The strength of its “roots” in the heart of the believer depends upon His compliance with its content. That is why there is a variation amongst the degree of faith amongst Muslims. Some are stronger than others in their adherence to the teachings of Islam. There are the obedient and disobedient Muslims. Those who mixed the substance (al-maadah) with ways not condoned by Islam, became corrupt, or were led astray. If they do not repent, and clean their hearts and follow the way of Revelation, they may subject themselves to the punishment of Allah, which may manifest itself in different ways on the individual and (or) the society levels.

When the way of uncontrolled lusts and desires takes over the heart of man, he will turn away from the Revelation and may choose for himself ways of “worship” or “religions” that ascribe best to his desires. The goal becomes the life of this world only, turning man to forget as to what occurs after death. He is overwhelmed by the “developments” taking place around him in all walks of life and wants to keep “on track”! Life turns to “drug stores” asking for “pills” to ease down the “rush”, or to “therapeutic clinics” to “relief” the worry and the sad heart! Or to suicide! Sometimes taking other lives with him.

[#15]Ibnul Qayyim’s al-Waabil as-Sayyib, verified by Saleem al-Hilaali (Ad- Dammaam, Saudi Arabia, Daar Ibnul Jawzi, 1415/1994), pp.100-103.

Source : An-Nur (The Light) – One of Allaah’s Names – Dr Saleh as Saleh– 16 Pages – by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh [PDF]

الرَّبّ Ar-Rabb (The Lord and Nurturer) : One of the Names of Allaah

 الرَّبّ  Ar-Rabb (the Lord and Nurturer) the Lord and Master who has none like Him in His Lordship, the One Who nurtures and rectifies the affairs of the creation by the favours which He showers upon them, the Sovereign Owner Who alone creates and commands, the One Who controls the affairs and grants blessings, the One Who nurtures, the Creator, the Provider, the One Who aids and the One Who guides.

[SourceThe Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En] & Transcribed PDF]

The Meaning of Ar-Rabb, the Lord

Ar-Rabb is the owner who has full authority over his property. Ar-Rabb, linguistically means, the master or the one who has the authority to lead. All of these meanings are correct for Allah. When it is alone, the word Rabb is used only for Allah. As for other than Allah, it can be used to say Rabb Ad-Dar, the master of such and such object. Further, it was reported that Ar-Rabb is Allah’s Greatest Name.

Source : Tafseer Ibn Kathir, Surah Fathiha, Dar-us-salam English publication

Shaikh Saalih ibn Saalih al-Fawzaan haafidhahullaah said in Sharh Usool-ith-Thalaathah:

And Ar-Rabb (the Lord) is the One Who is worshipped,

and the proof is His saying, He the Most High:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ فِرَاشًا وَالسَّمَاءَ بِنَاءً وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَّكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ أَندَادًا وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

O mankind, single out your Lord with all worship, He Who created you and those who came before you so that you may be dutiful to Him, seeking to avoid His anger and His punishment. He Who made the earth a resting place for you and the sky a canopy, and He sent down from the clouds rain, and He brought out with it crops and fruits from the earth as provision for you, so do not set up rivals for Allaah whilst you know that you have no Lord besides Him. [2:21-22] (#9)

[#9]: His saying, “And Ar-Rabb (the Lord) is the One Who is worshipped”: meaning, He is the One Who deserves to be worshipped, as for other than Him, then it does not deserve worship, because it is not a Lord. This is the intent of the speech of the Shaikh rahimahullaah in his saying, “Ar-Rabb (the Lord) is the One Who is worshipped”, meaning He is the One Who deserves worship. Then also it is not sufficient that a person just affirms Ar-Ruboobiyyah (Lordship), rather he must affirm Al-‘Uboodiyyah (Allaah’s deserving all worship), He the Perfect and Most High, and he must carry it out making it purely and sincerely for Him, the Perfect and Most High. So since he has affirmed that He is Ar-Rabb (the Lord) then it is binding upon him to affirm that he is Al-Ma‘bood (the One Who therefore deserves to be worshipped), and that others besides Him do not deserve anything from worship.

Source : Sharh Usool-ith-Thalaathah – Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles – of Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abdil-Wahhaab [1115-1206 H], Explained by Shaikh Saalih ibn Saalih al-Fawzaan haafidhahullaah, Lesson 20: The Lord is the One Who is Worshipped; The Meaning and Types of Worship (And Ar-Rabb (the Lord) is the One Who is worshipped…)

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
<<All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists)>>. (Surah Faathiha v.2)

(V.1:2) Lord: The actual word used in the Qur’ân is Rabb. There is no proper equivalent for Rabb in the English language. It means the One and the Only Lord for all the universe, its Creator, Owner, Organizer, Provider, Master, Planner, Sustainer, Cherisher, and Giver of security. Rabb is also one of the Names of Allâh.

Source : Surah Fatiha – Translation of the meanings of The Noble Qur’an , in the English Language , By Dr. Muhammad Taqiuddeen al-Hilaalee and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan

Allaah is Al-’Alee (the Most High) & Al-’Atheem (the Most Great) – Shaykh Uthaymeen | Dr. Saleh as-Saleh

Bismillaah

The following is excerpted from the Shaykh Uthaymeen’s explanation of Aayatul-Kursi, Translated by Dr. Saleh as-Saleh rahimahullaah

وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
And He [Allaah] is the Most High, the Most Great.
[Qur’aan, Aayatul-Kursi , Surah Al-Baqarah 2:255]

This sentence, with both of its boundaries defined, denotes exclusivity that He (Allaah) alone is the Most High, meaning that He possesses the absolute Transcendence (al-’uluw al-mutlaq). The restricted or limited ‘uluw (transcendence) is affirmed for the humans. Allaah تعالى said:

وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ
So do not become weak
(O you pious believers), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory). [Qur’aan, Soorat Aal-’Imraan (3: 139)]

This superiority is restricted such as being above the kuffaar [in victory], not an absolute transcendence. The latter is exclusively restricted to Allaah, for He, the One who is most High and free from all imperfection, is above everything.

Then it must be known that the attribute of Transcendence of Allaah in the creed of ahlu-sunnah wal jamaa’ah is classified into two types:

(a)    The ‘uluw of the thaat : The Transcendence of Allaah’s Essence.

(b)   The ‘uluw of the sifaat : The Transcendence of Allaah’s Attributes.

The ‘uluw of the thaat means that Allaah (تعالى) in His Essence is above everything, and everything is below Him, Most Majestic and Mighty is He. Regarding the ‘uluw of the sifaat , it means that Allaah is qualified with the superlative qualities as He, the Most High, said:

 وَلِلَّهِ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَىٰ
And for Allaah is the Highest Description
[Qur’aan, Soorat An-Naml (16:60)].

Every Attribute which Allaah (تعالى) qualified Himself with is an Attribute of Perfection and in every respect is free from any kind of imperfection.

If you ask: “What is the reason behind this kind of classification? Do you have a proof of it from the Qur’aan or the sunnah ? Did you find this in the sayings of the sahaabah ?

The answer is: “No! But I found it to be necessary when it has been determined that the people of negation (an-nufaat), who themselves are ahlu-ta’teel (those who deny the Attributes), restrict the ‘uluw to the sifaat (qualities) only. They said that Allaah’s Transcendence is in His sifaat only not in Essence (thaat). The people of ta’teel (ahlu-ta’teel) themselves became divided regarding the ‘uluw of the thaat, as discussed below.

What is important is that the Imaams of  as-salaf -us-saalih (رحمهم الله) and the scholars who came after resorted to this classification out of necessity because they were tested by the people of ta’teel (who denied the ‘uluw of the thaat), and thus they were obligated to affirm the Transcendence in this way.

In fact, if we say only that, “Allaah is the Most High,” and if someone from the people of ta’teel says that, “the ‘uluw relates to His Attributes,” then what would the common Muslim understand? The only thing he will understand is that Allaah is qualified with the ‘uluw of the sifaat only. But if we say, “Allaah is Most High in His sifaat as well as in His Essence,” the common Muslims will understand this meaning. In fact, the first thing that is obvious to the common Muslim is that Allaah’s ‘uluw concerns His Essence. Certainly the ‘uluw of the sifaat is part of the meaning of the ‘uluw but the strange thing is that the people of negation and ta’teel establish it while it is not obvious to many people.

In their denial of the ‘uluw of Allaah’s thaat (Essence), the people of ta’teel ended up being divided into two groups:

The first group:  They said that Allaah, in His Essence, is everywhere, and if so then He, according to their claim, either occupies a hayyiz [70]  or He does not. If He occupies a hayyiz then it is necessary that He would occupy the “places” and there would remain no single “place” present. And if He does not occupy a hayyiz, then He is ma’doom (none-existing). [71]  They would not say that what does not occupy a hayyiz is like the “air” or the like thereof, because this would not be harmonious with their position. [72]

The second group: They said, “He (تعالى) is neither in ‘uluw (loftiness) nor in sufl (opposite ‘uluw: lowness); He is neither inside the world nor outside it; neither to the right nor to the justify; neither joined nor separate.

This position is absolute ta’teel (negation) because it is a description of al-’adam (none-existence). Some scholars said, “If we were asked to describe al-’adam we would not find a more comprehensive definition than this description [above].”

So contemplate as to how their negation of what has been affirmed by the way of naql (texts) and ‘aql (rational) led them to say what cannot be accepted neither by sensory perception (hiss), nor by naql or ‘aql.

We have explained earlier that the ‘uluw of Allaah is proven by the way of the kitaab (the Book, i.e. the Qur’aan), the sunnah , ijmaa’ (general consensus of the salaf ), ‘aql , and fitrah . [73]  The proofs of the Book and sunnah are diverse:

Some of which mention the ‘uluw like in the saying of Allaah (تعالى):

        { وهو العَلِيُّ العَظِيم } [البقرة:255].
And He [Allaah] is the Most High, the Most Great.

{ سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى } [الأعلى،1]
And make tasbeeh [declaring that Allaah is far removed above all imperfection] of your Rabb , the Most High, above everything.
[Qur’aan, Soorat Al-A’laa (87:1)].

Others state the fawqiyyah [Allaah being above creation], as in Allaah’s saying in the Qur’aan:

{ وَهُوَ القاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبادِهِ } [الأنعام،1].
And He [Allaah] is al-Qaahir [74]  above His slaves.
[Qur’aan, Soorat Al-An’aam (6:18)].

Some aayaat (verses) mention the su’ood (ascent) of things up to Him :

{ إليهِ يَصعَدُ الكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ والعَمَلُ الصالِحُ يرفَعُهُ } [فاطر،10].
 To Him ascend [all] the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it [the goodly words, i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allaah unless and until they are followed by good deeds][Qur’aan, Soorat Faatir (35:10)].

{ تَعرُجُ الملائِكَةُ والرُّوح إليه } [المعارج،4].
The angels and the rooh [Jibreel u] ascend to Him.
[Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Ma’aarij (70:4].

Sometimes the Qur’aan mentions the descent of things from Him (تعالى):

 { يُدَبَّرُ الأمر من السَّماء إلى الأرض } [السجدة،5].
He [Allaah] arranges [every] affair from the heavens to the earth.
[Qur’aan, Soorat As-Sajdah (32:5)].

 { إنَّا نحنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ } [الحجر،9].
Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the thikr  [the Qur’aan].
 [Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Hijr (15:5)].

In the Book there is also the affirmation that Allaah (تعالى) is above the heavens:

{ ءأمنْتُم من في السَّماء أن يخسِفَ بِكُمُ الأرْضَ } [المُلك،16].
Do you feel secure that He, who is above the heaven [Allaah], will not cause the earth to sink. [Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Mulk (67:16)].

In addition to the above aayaat, there are many other references in the Qur’aan which affirm the ‘uluw of Allaah. Similarly the sunnah affirms Allaah’s ‘uluw in His Essence by the way  of  saying, action, and approval. The affirmation in the saying as in the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him):

Our Rabb is Allaah Who is in the heaven …” [75]

And in his action as when he (peace be upon him) pointed towards the heavens when he said: “O! Allaah be witness [saying it thrice],” before the greatest assembly of Muslims then. [76]

As to his approval, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked a slave girl: Where is Allaah? She replied: “Above the heavens.” He (peace be upon him) then ordered her master, Grant her freedom, because she is a believer .” [77]

As for the ijmaa,’  it is acknowledged that the salaf are in agreement that Allaah is above His ‘arsh . No one among them had ever said that He is everywhere or that He is neither above the world nor below it, or that He is neither to the right nor to the left, or that He is neither separated from the world nor associated with it.

On the other hand, the proof of the ‎‘aql (intellect), has two angles to it:

1. The ‘uluw is an attribute of perfection and therefore being as such necessitates that it is an affirmed attribute of Allaah because Allaah is qualified with the attributes of perfection from every angle.

2. For the sake of argument, if we say that, “Allaah is either above the world or under it or on its right or left,” then which of these descriptions denote perfection? The answer is, “Allaah is above the world,” because if he is “under it” then He would be less perfect than the created! And if He is in the same place as the created, then Allaah (تعالى) would be equal to him in perfection. Thus it is necessitated that Allaah (تعالى) is above everything.

Finally, as far as the fitrah (natural inclination or disposition) is concerned, each person naturally acknowledges the fact that Allaah is above the heavens. That is why whenever a person supplicates His Rabb (Allaah) he (she) takes refuge towards the direction of the sky (i.e. upward). [78]

[In this regard it is noteworthy to mention] that because Abul Ma’aali al-Juwayyni, [79]  may Allaah bestow His mercy upon him and may He forgive him, denied the ascending of Allaah above the ‘arsh (istiwaa’ ‘ala al-’arsh) and the ‘uluw of Allaah in His Essence, he had  decided that, “Allaah was and there was nothing, [80]  and He is now as He ever has been,” [81]  denying the istiwaa ‘ala al-’arsh. Abul ‘Alaa al-Hamadaani, [82]  may Allaah bestow His mercy upon him, said, “Teacher! There is no need to mention the ‘arsh. [83] Just tell us about this necessity which we find within ourselves: Whenever an ‘aarif (one who knows of Allaah) says: ‘O! Allaah,’ he finds within his heart a compelling intent aspiring upward? [84]  Al-Juwayyni slapped his hands against his head screaming, “Al-Hamadani rendered me perplexed. Al-Hamadaani rendered me perplexed.” He was unable to respond because the matter is natural and cannot be denied.

The strange thing is that those who deny the Transcendence of Allaah themselves raise their hands upward in the direction of the heavens when they invoke Allaah. I do not know of the situation of the person who believes that Allaah is everywhere in His Essence or that He is not inside the world nor outside it or He is neither above nor below, how is he going to face His Rabb on the Day of Resurrection?

Then Allaah تعالى said:

{ العَظِيم }
The Most Great,

meaning the One Who possesses the absolutely perfect Greatness.

The great of a certain kind of things is the majestic whose qualities attained the utmost degree of perfection, as Allaah تعالى has said about the throne of the Queen of Sabaa’ :

 { وَلَهَا عَرْشُُ عَظِيم }
And She has a great throne.
[Qur’aan, Soorat An-Naml (27:23)].

In this sense the great of a certain kind of things is that which is characterized by utmost importance and utmost degree of perfection in its qualities.

Footnotes:

[70] Hayyiz: Linguistically the word hayyiz signifies:

(a) Drawing, collecting, or gathering.
(b) To hold in one’s possession.
(c) To drive the camel gently to water.
(d) To rise, turn away, or turn towards.
(e) Remove, withdraw, or retire to a distance.
(f) Draw back.
(g) Leave a place to another.
(h) Turn aside to a place or to a different company and
(i) What is annexed to the house.

It is noticed that these linguistic meanings entail: change, moving or turning from place to a place or from a direction to another. In addition, the term hayyiz refers to an existing external thing that surrounds and contains something. The lateral portions (or outer surfaces) of the contained thing itself form an existing hayyiz. Anything that surrounded by an existing hayyiz is called mutahayyiz. Accordingly, what is in between the heavens and the earth is mutahayyiz. [Refer to Appendix A for further important information.]

[71] They negate the ‘uluw of Allaah above the creation because they consider what is above the world is itself a hayyiz. Saying that Allaah is above the world means to them that he is in a hayyiz although they acknowledge that it is ‘adami (non-existing)! It is clear that the way of the scholastic theologians is fallacious argumentation. The fact is that above the world there is nothing except Allaah. So could He be in something “non-existing”? Being “in it” is no more than being alone by Himself and that He is distinct and separate from creation, His thaat is not commixed with any part of His creation..

[72] Because the air does not occupy a hayyiz, yet it exists. To Allaah belongs the best example.

[73] The Shaykh refers to his explanation of Al-’Aqeedah Al-Waasitiyyah of Shaykh-ulIslam Ibn Taymeeyah [Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Daar Ibnul Jawzi, 1415/1994], vol. 1, pp. 373-400.

[74] Allaah is al-Qaahir: The Most Mighty and the Magnificent, is dominant over all his slaves being Himself above creation, the Ever-living, the Mighty, and the AllPowerful. He is the One who subdued all of his creatures; everything in the upper and lower worlds is subservient to His Will, and Authority; whatever He willed to happen will certainly occur and as He wanted it to be, and whatever He willed not to occur will never take place; All creatures are in need of Him, they have no control of good or harm to themselves; nor can they control death nor life nor Resurrection. The most powerful creature is nothing before the domination and power of Allaah, the AllMighty; the creatures which people have taken as “gods” besides Allaah, cannot protect themselves let alone to dominate others. Allaah, the perfect is His domination deserves to be worshipped alone.

[75] Reported by Abu Daawood, Ahmad, and others. It was declared hasan by Ibn ‘Adiyy (Al-Kaamil 3:1054) and by Al-Baihaqi (Al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat, p. 892), ath-Thahabi (Al-’Uluw, p. 48), and ad-Daarimee (Ar-Rad ‘Alal-Jahmiyyah, p.70). Other scholars of hadeeth considered it weak because of the weakness of one of its narrators, Ziyaadah bin Muhammad al-Ansaari. According to al-Bukhaari, his hadeeth falls in the category of munkar that, according to him, is a strong state of criticism meaning “denounced”. Other scholars of hadeeth sometimes consider the munkar to mean the absolutely singular (al-fard al-mutlaq) narration which is not supported by any follow up (mutaaba’ah). [See Shifaa’ul-‘Aleel bi-Alfaath wa Qawaa’id Al-Jarh Watta’deel (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Maktabatul-’Ilm, 1411/1991), pp. 306-311, and Shaykh alAlbaani’s Da’eef Sunan Abee Daawood, no. 839]. However, another hadeeth by Qataadah in which Bani Israa’eel have said: “O Our Rabb!, You are in the heaven, and we are on the earth…,” is declared hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani (رحمه االله). See ath-Thahabi’s Al-’Uluw (Beirut, Lebanon: al-Maktab al-Islami, 1412/1991; checked by Shaykh alAlbaani)], no. 107.

[76] As in the long hadeeth of Jaabir (رضي االله عنهما) describing the Farewell Hajj of the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) which was reported by Muslim in his Saheeh (English Translation), vol. 2. pp. 611-617.

[77] This is a clear response to those who say, “Allaah is everywhere.” The Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) used the term “Where,” and the answer of the girl was “Above.” Those who say that Allaah is exalted above any particular direction are to be asked, “What do you mean by ‘direction’?” If they deny that Allaah is above the creation because it would mean that He is in a “particular direction,” then they are wrong because there is no one from the creation who exalted Allaah more than the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم), and yet he (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) affirmed that He (تعالى ) is above the heavens and pointed skyward because it is a direction of ‘uluw. This direction of ‘uluw does not limit, contain, or envelop Allaah, the Most Great.

Nothing is above Him, the Most High. Are they more eloquent in speech than the Prophet is (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم)? Are they more sincere with respect to the teachings of this deen than the Prophet is (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم)? Certainly, they are not. And the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) did not intend confusion to his followers. Had there been any false meaning necessitated by affirming the ‘uluw of Allaah the way the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) affirmed, he would have made it clear.

The texts, however, do not necessitate the false conclusions made by those who deny the ‘uluw of Allaah in His Essence above the creation. Neither in the Qur’aan nor in the authentic sunnah, does the affirmation of the ‘uluw imply hat Allaah is contained in a place or that he is a compounded body (jism), or “within limits,” for He is above everything and that there is no creation above the world, there is only Allaah above everything.

[78] People naturally raise their hands and seek the direction of ‘uluw (highness) in their hearts when they supplicate Allaah, the Most High. This does not mean that they do so because the sky is the qiblah of invocation just as the ka’bah is the qiblah (direction) of the prayer as claimed by those who deny the ‘uluw of Allaah is His Essence! There is no legal evidence that the sky is the qiblah of du’aa. Had this been one of the proven matters, it would have been known by the salaf. In addition, the qiblah of invocation is the qiblah of the prayer. It is praiseworthy that the Muslim face the qiblah while making du’aa. In fact the Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) faced the qiblah many times and invoked Allaah, the Most High. A qiblah is something that a person is face to face with, just like the positions in the prayer, invocation, thikr, sacrifice, etc. Had the sky been the qiblah of du’aa then it would have been permissible for the Muslim to invoke Allaah turning his face up in its direction, something not legally approved.

Linguistically, the upward position towards which the hands are raised is not called a qiblah. Directing the heart upward while in a state of du’aa is something ingrained in the fitrah and done by the Muslim, the kaafir, the learned and the ignorant, especially in times of distress. The one facing the qiblah knows well that Allaah is not there, however, while in a state of du’aa the person turns to his Creator who is above the creation. He does not turn towards the sky seeking refuge in something created, but he seeks the Creator of the heavens and the earth who is High above the entire creation. Ask those in times of distress, “Do you turn towards the heavens or to Allaah who is above the heavens?” Naturally, they turn to Allaah.

[79] Al-Juwayyni, ‘Abdul Maalik Ibn ‘Abdullaah Ibn Yusuf Ibn Muhammad Abul Ma’aali (419/1028-478/1085), nicknamed imaamul haramayyn (lit. the Imaam of the Two Sanctuaries i.e. Makkah and Madeenah). He lived in Makkah for four years and then moved to Madeenah where he taught. He never was, however, an Imaam of the two sacred Mosques. His followers exaggerated in him and gave him this title.

Originally, he was from Juwayyn (present-day Afghanistan). He was a Shaafi’ee scholar and an Ash’arite. It is important to remember that he is said to have been the first to resort to the figurative interpretation of the sifaat. He (رحمه االله) however, retracted from this position, but like many of the late ashaa’irah, he resorted to tafweed: consigning the meaning of the sifaat to Allaah claiming that the thaahir (obviously−understood meaning), is not the intended meaning, something that they erroneously attributed to the salaf. The truth, however, is that the salaf, affirm the obviously understood meaning of the Attributes of Allaah, but they consign the “how” of the sifaat to Allaah (تعالى ). For example, the obvious meaning of Pleasure is known.

We affirm it to Allaah as He has affirmed to Himself. The manner of Allaah’s Pleasure, however, is consigned to Allaah. So the Pleasure of Allaah is true and like all of His Attributes, nothing is like unto Him in His Pleasure. The kayyfiyah (specification, i.e. how is His Pleasure) is known only to Allaah. Imaam ath-Thahabi reported that before his death, al-Juwayyni denounced scholastic theology and fully supported the position of the salaf. (Al-’Uluw, p. 175, checked by Shaykh al-Albaani).

[80] Meaning that Allaah was and there was no ‘Arsh as confirmed by the full report in ath-Thahabi’s Al-’Uluw (p. 276, no. 337; checked by Shaykh al-Albaani).

[81] Meaning that He is not ascending above His ‘Arsh.

[82] Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali al-Hasan Ibn Muhammad al-Hamadaani (d. 531/1137).

[83] Because the proof for the ‘Arsh is sam’ee, meaning it is established by evidence from the Qur’aan and (or) authentic sunnah. Had it not been established through this means, we would have not known of it.

[84] i.e. because of the Transcendence of Allaah. In the detailed report, al-Hamadaani said: “Whenever an ‘aarif says: ‘O! Allaah,’ except that before his tongue starts moving, a compelling intention arises in his heart. It turns neither to the left nor to the right but heads for above. Do you have a way to avert this necessitated intention?” His saying “heads for above” affirms that it seeks Allaah who is absolutely above the universe, it does not turn to the heavens nor to the ‘Arsh because these are created things.

Source : From the eBook: Tafseer Ayatul-Kursi – By Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-’Uthaymeen (rahimahullah). With Related Points of Benefit From the Shaykh’s Commentary on Imaam ibn Taymeeyah’s Sharhul ’Aqeedatil-Waasitiyyah, Prepared by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh (rahimahullah)

Related Links:
https://abdurrahman.org/asma-wa-sifaat-com/

 

Al Hayy, Al-Qayyoum: Two of Allaah’s names which comprise the perfection of Attributes and Actions – Shaykh Uthaymeen | Dr. Saleh as-Saleh

Bismillaah

The following is excerpted from the Shaykh Uthaymeen’s explanation of Aayatul-Kursi, Translated by Dr. Saleh as-Saleh rahimahullaah

Regarding Allaah’s Saying:

{ الحَيُّ القَيُّومُ }
Al Hayy (The Ever living), Al-Qayyoum
[Qur’aan, Aayatul-Kursi , Surah Al-Baqarah 2:255]

These are two of Allaah’s names which comprise the perfection of Attributes and Actions.

The name: { الـحَيُّ } comprises the perfection of Attributes, and { القَيُّوم } the perfection of Actions. The meaning of { الحَيُّ} is the one who possesses the perfect living. This is inferred from the [34] { ال } in { الـحَيُّ} which is grammatically used to denote [amongst other things] [35]  the combination of all perfection [in properties and (or) applications in the term that it accompanies (al-istighraaq)].

This is also indicated in as far as existence and none-existence, and perfection and imperfection are concerned. In fact, if we consider man’s life, we find it imperfect because it originates in adam (none-existence) and ends in ‘adam. [36]

It is also imperfect as far as his attributes and actions are concerned. For his hearing, sight, sayings, and actions are all imperfect. As such, man’s life is imperfect from all angles: in existence and ‘adam , and with regard to the inseparable attributes of life itself. However, with respect to Allaah, Most Mighty and Majestic, His life is perfect,  neither preceded by ‘adam nor coming to naught. Allaah, Most High, says:

[ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ ]

And put your trust and reliance upon the One who is Ever Living, who does not die. [Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Furqaan (25:58)].

He  also said:

كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ
وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ

Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish, and the Face of Your Rabb , full of Majesty and Honour, will abide forever. [Qur’aan, Soorat Ar-Rahmaan (55:26-27)].

That is why some of the salaf said: “The person should make a connection and not pause [when he recites the word perish in the above verse] because this signifies the right manner of  perfection.” The true aspect of Allaah’s perfection lies not only in the fact that creation will perish but also in the baqaa’ (endless existence) of Allaah, the Most Mighty and Most Majestic.

In addition, Allaah’s hayaat (Life) is one which is neither accompanied by annihilation nor by ‘adam :

[ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ ]
Everything will perish save His Face. 

[Qur’aan, Soorat al-Qasas (28:88)].

Indeed, to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, belongs the eternally- perfect Life.

Furthermore Allaah’s hayaat is characterized by the perfection of Attributes: hearing, sight, knowledge, ability, might and all qualities of perfection. That is why the particle { ال } which denotes al-istighraaq with regard to baqaa’ (endless existence) and al-kamaal (perfection) was introduced.

Regarding [Allaah’s] Saying: { القَيُّوم }: al-Qayyoum , its origin is the word al-qiyaam, and the measure of { القَيُّوم } is fayy’ool and it is a form of intensiveness. The name al-Qayyoum means the One Who is established on His Own, Self-subsisting, by Whom all things subsist. [37]

Allaah, the Most High, said:

[ أَفَمَنْ هُوَ قَائِمٌ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ ]

Is He (Allaah) Who takes charge (guards, maintains, provides, etc.) of every person and know all that he has earned (like any other deities who know nothing)? [Qur’aan, Soorat Ar-Ra’d (13:33)].

Allaah is established on His Own (qaa’im bi-nafsihi ) as He, the Most High, says:

[ وَّاسْتَغْنَى اللَّهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ ]

And Allaah is the Rich (Free of all wants), worthy of all praise. 
[Qur’aan, Soorat At-Taghaabun (64:6)].

So, Allaah is absolutely free of any need from all creation. He is Self-subsisting. He needs not food nor drink, for He is the One Who feeds but is not fed. He needs not a supporter, nor a helper, nor a deputy, nor an advisor. He is established in perfection by Himself.

If someone says, “How do we reconcile the above meaning of al-Qayyoum with the saying of Allaah, the Most High:

إِن تَنصُرُوا اللَّهَ يَنصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ ]
O you who believe! If you “help Allaah,” He will help you. 

[Qur’aan, Soorat Muhammad (47:7)],

and His saying:

[ وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ ]
Verily Allaah will help those who “help Him”? 

[Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Hajj (22:40)].

What is meant by His affirmation that He “is being helped”? The answer is that the intended meaning is help in the cause of Allaah’s deen , for He is the One Who is in full charge of all things. So, everything other than Allaah is dependent upon Him in existence, preparation of affairs, and sustenance.

Footnotes:

[34] {ال}, “al”is a particle of determination and specification.
[35] See Lane, E.W., Arabic-English Lexicon (Cambridge, England: Islaamic Texts Society, 1984), vol. 1, p. 74.
[36] In the present world, otherwise man will end up in an eternal life in the Hereafter.
[37] He sustains, protects, prepares, and runs the affairs of all things as He wills in accordance with His Knowledge, Wisdom, and Justice.

Source : From the eBook: Tafseer Ayatul-Kursi – By Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-’Uthaymeen (rahimahullah). With Related Points of Benefit From the Shaykh’s Commentary on Imaam ibn Taymeeyah’s Sharhul ’Aqeedatil-Waasitiyyah, Prepared by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh (rahimahullah)

 الحَيّ Al-Hayy (the Everliving), the Everliving Who always remains without any beginning and any end with perfect and everlasting life Who never dies nor passes away.

 القَيُّوم  Al-Qayyoom (the Self-Subsisting One), upon Whom everything depends, the One Who sustains everything that exists, the One Who has no need whatever of anything but rather everything in existence has total need of Him.

[SourceThe Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En] & Transcribed PDF]

Related Link: https://abdurrahman.org/asma-wa-sifaat-com/

المَنَّان Al-Mannaan: One of the Names of Allah

Q 1: I heard a Khatib (preacher) saying in his Du`a’ (supplication): O Allah, You are Hannan (the Ever-Kind), O Allah, You are Mannan (the Bestower). Are these Names of Allah which we may use when supplicating to Him?

A:  Allah’s Most Beautiful Names are Tawqifiy (bound by a religious text and not amenable to personal opinion), and Allah (Exalted be He) should not be given a name unless it is mentioned in the Qur’an or the Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet).

Accordingly, Hannan is not one of the Names of Allah (Exalted be He). In fact, it is a description of one of His Actions. It means the One Who shows mercy and it is derived from mercy. Allah (Exalted be He) says: <<And (made him) sympathetic to men as a mercy (or a grant) from Us>> (Surah Maryam 19:13) The Ayah (Qur’anic verse) means a mercy from Allah (Exalted be He) according to one of its two interpretations. The Hadith that indicate that Allah (Exalted be He) has the Name Al-Hannan are not authentically reported.

Al-Mannan, on the other hand, is one of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah that are authentically reported. In Sunan (Hadith compilations classified by jurisprudential themes) of Abu Dawud and Al-Nasa’y, it was related on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) heard someone supplicating to Allah saying: O Allah! I ask You thatall praise is Yours. There is no true god except You, You are Al-Mannan, the Originator of the Heavens and Earth, Possessor of Majesty and Honor. O the Ever-Living, O Self-Subsisting. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said: “He has supplicated to Allah using His Greatest Name; when supplicated with this Name, He answers, and when asked with this Name He gives”.

May Allah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions!

Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’

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Source : alifta.net

المَنَّان  Al-Mannaan (the Beneficent Bestower of bounties), the One such that all favours and blessings originate from Him, He is the One Who granted them and favoured the creation with them.

[SourceThe Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En] & Transcribed PDF]

المُجِيب Al-Mujeeb (The One Who Responds) : One of the Names of Allaah

المُجِيب  Al-Mujeeb (the Responsive), the One who responds to supplications of those who call upon him wherever they are and whatever situation they are in, no matter how many they are in number and who responds in particular to those who submit to him and those in dire need.

[SourceThe Ninety-Nine Names of Allaah – Dawud Burbank [Audio|En] & Transcribed PDF]

Shaykh ‘Abd ur-Razzaaq al-Badr (hafidhahullaah) comments:

“And indeed as a result of having faith in the name of Allaah ‘Al-Mujeeb,’ the slave’s certainty in Allaah strengthens, and his turning to Him and hoping for what is with Him increases, and the disease of despairing from His Mercy departs from him. And how can the Muslim not trust in his Lord, the Most Generous, while in His Hand, subhaanah, is the kingdom of everything. So whatever He wills, will be, at the time that He wills, in the way that He wills, with no addition nor omission, no precedence nor delay; and His decree, subhaanah, is carried out in the heavens, and the earth and what is upon it and what is under it, and in the seas and the air, and in all the parts and atoms of the world. To Him belongs the creation and the command, to Him belongs the kingdom and the praise, to Him belongs the dunyaa and the aakhira.”

And His Name, ta’aala, ‘Al-Mujeeb’ shows that He, subhaanah, hears the du’aa of those who supplicate, and answers the request of those who ask, and does not disappoint a believer who has called upon Him, and He, subhaanah, loves that the slaves ask Him for all their needs of the deen and dunyaa, such as food, drink, clothing and shelter, just as they ask Him for guidance, forgiveness, success, assistance to obey (Him), and the like; and He promised them the response to all of that, no matter how great the request is, how much it is, and how diverse the wishes are; and in this, there is evidence of the absolute power of Allaah, subhaanah, and that His treasures will are not depleted nor diminished by (His) giving, even if He granted the first and the last of the jinn and mankind all that they asked Him, as is in the hadeeth qudsee.

And it has been mentioned in the Prophetic Sunnah that Allaah, tabaarak wa ta’aala, answers those who supplicate and gives those who ask, and that He, jalla wa ‘alaa, is Shy and Generous, too Generous to turn away the one who calls upon Him or disappoint the one who confides in Him with humility or prevent the one who asks Him.”

~
Source: Fiqh ul-Asmaa il-Husnaa; Chapter 63, p. 250, 251,253
asaheeha translations

Related Link: https://abdurrahman.org/asma-wa-sifaat-com/

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