Shia Books Collection

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The Concept of God in Islam (a selection)

Title

Introduction

Knowing Allah

The Ninety Nine Attributes of Allah

Unity of Allah {Tawhid)

How to Supplicate to Allah

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AUah

The Concept of God in lslam(a selection)

Yasin T. al-J ibouri

Published by:
. . Ansariyan Publications
~<:y^. No. 22 Shohada Street

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Introduction

In any theistic religion, the concept of God rests at the core of its beliefs, tenets and practices,
and it determines what its adherents regard as admissible or otherwise. It shapes their attitudes
towards others whom they label as "unbelievers." It inspires their perceptions, formulating
how they conceive their role in life, how they should treat one another, what they should do
when they sin or fall into error. It determines the extent of their humanity and provides them
with a yardstick to measure that of others. It dictates to them ways to treat other living beings
around them: animals, plants, the environment at large, how they look at nature and how they
envision their responsibility to protect and preserve it. It paves their path to worldly happiness
and to salvation in the hereafter. No words can over-estimate the significance of such a
concept in any given faith based on the belief in a Supreme Deity, God Almighty, Creator of
everything and everyone. This book is written primarily for open-minded non-Muslims. This
is why I have refrained from using the usual salutation of "peace be upon him and his family"
whenever the name of Prophet Muhammed is mentioned, or "peace be upon him" whenever
the name of a messenger or a prophet of Allah or an Imam is mentioned. Needless to say, the
primary reference utilized is the Holy Qura'n. A colon (:) separates the number of its Chapter
(Sura) from that of the verse (aya). For example, 2:255 refers to Chapter 2 (al-Baqarah, the
Cow), verse 255, or ayat al-kursi, verse of the Throne.

For about quarter of a century living in exile here in America, I have had the opportunity to
closely discern the attitudes of non-Muslims around me towards Islam and Muslims, often
visiting a number of churches— and one synagogue in Atlanta, Georgia— to observe first-hand
how they worship God, what their faith enjoins or prohibits, how they look at those who do
not subscribe to their beliefs. When I was living in Atlanta, Georgia, from 1972 to 1979, as
many as five churches had my name and address on their mailing lists. Beautiful young ladies
would come to my apartment to escort me and my roommates (a Pakistani Hindu named
Udeshi and an Indian Sunni Muslim named Aziz) to various church functions. The food was
always good, although I and my Indian roommate had to always make sure no pork or any of
its derivatives would pollute our systems. And there were many good looking young ladies
there. The trap was well set for us. And we were single and available, young and healthy. And
temptation was always there. I had asked those churches to place my name and address on
their mailing list, to let me know when they had a function, and to send their good-looking
young ladies to my apartment for the ride to the church. All of that did not happen
coincidentally. In my view, nothing, absolutely nothing, happens by a coincident, not even a

stone rolling down a mountain or a leaf falling on the ground. Everything happens according
to a plan put forth by the Planner and Executor of the world, the One and Only God Who
created it and everything in it. "Accidentally," "coincidentally," and "by chance" are words
and expressions which should be eliminated from language altogether; they are intruders.
They are sacrilegious.

My visits to churches and Christian homes were never done out of a pure desire to have a
good time, to socialize, to have one girl-friend or more as some of my roommates had
anticipated, nor to kill time. To me, killing time is one of the worst murder crimes. I had a
burning desire to see things for myself. Some promoters of those church programs were more
aggressive than others. They wanted to gauge how serious we were about our religious beliefs
in order, perhaps, to evaluate their chances to succeed in converting us to Christianity, and
they did so in various ways. There were occasions, therefore, when tempers rose high,
accusations flew, and offenses committed. Yes, there were times when I had to pay a dear
price for defending my Islamic creed in the face of attacks launched by those promoters, for
not keeping my mouth shut as was the case with my nice Indian roommate Aziz who just did
not want to offend anybody. I have never hesitated to offend others, including my closest
friends, when I was convinced that they were offending the Almighty. And there was always
a price to pay, and I gladly paid it even when it hurt very badly. This is why I have been
called many names by many people, by Muslims and non-Muslims. I still am being called
names, but it is O.K. with me as long as the Almighty calls me a good, though far from being
perfect, servant of His. I do not care if all people of the world call me bad names. As long as
my Lord and Maker keeps the gates of His mercy open for me, name calling does not hurt me
in the least.

From the very beginning, I realized that those churches were doing their best— and worst— to
convert non-Christians to Christianity; after all, is not this what missionary work is all about?!
And who could be better candidates than single foreign students studying for their graduate
degrees? Once they go home, these students will disseminate their new faith with zeal and
enthusiasm to others. At least this is what those churches were hoping. This is why many of
their preachers and priests were distributing anti-Islamic literature, thinking that by attacking
others' beliefs, they would protect their own and win new converts. They had forgotten about
the laws of action and reaction. Some of those churches were showing movies derogatory to
Islam and to the Prophet of Islam. Since my life's motto has always been the Prophet's
tradition saying, "One who remains silent rather than says the truth is a tongue-tied Satan," I
refuse to be that Satan.

I almost broke into a fist fight once with an Atlanta pastor who was then my host and who
was assaulting Islam and the Prophet of Islam; he had to shut his mouth after listening to my
counter- arguments and to a volley of charges of my own against today's version of
Christianity which included tracing the deviation in the Christian Church back to its very first
years. I explained to him how much respect Muslims have for Christ and his saintly mother
and juxtaposed it with the disrespect of people like him towards our Abrahamic faith. I

reminded him of the bloody and shameful history of the barbaric Crusades which were
sponsored by the Church, of the Muslim lands they burnt and looted and of the Muslim blood
they shed, of the Muslims who were brought to Europe as slaves. He soon realized that he
was facing a formidable foe who was fully knowledgeable of the history of the Christian
church and who, for many years, had studied such bloody history academically and written
numerous term papers about it, and who knew fully well the extent of mischief inflicted in the
past and is still being inflicted upon the Islamic world by the colonizers and imperialists who
profess to follow Christ, the prince of peace, the man who never hurt anyone or anything. He
realized how ignorant he was about our faith, how tolerant our religion is, how hypocritical
most leaders of the Islamic world nowadays are, how much the so-called Christian West is
indebted to Islamic civilization, and how rude he was in attacking my beliefs despite his
knowledge of the fact that I was then editor of a globally circulated Islamic publication [1] .
The memory of the encounter with that pastor still boils the blood in my veins even today,
despite the passage of so many years; it is in defense of this precious Islamic creed that I write
this book hoping the Almighty will accept and bless it, praying that He accept and bless the
other articles and books I have written, edited, or translated during all these years and, God
willing, in the years to come.

This incident took place before the outbreak of the glorious Islamic Revolution in Iran.
Needless to say, this Revolution enraged and provoked the enemies of Islam, mostly Zionist
Jews who dominate the public opinion through their total control of the information and news
media. These Zionist Jews also control the financial and political systems of the West in
general and of the U.S. in particular. The Islamic Revolution in Iran provided these traditional
enemies of Islam and those whom they brainwashed with a golden opportunity to vent their
contempt towards Islam and Muslims, making the latter the object of their daily attacks and
favourite pastime. I had, of course, to bear my share of persecution, being a staunch and
uncompromising follower of the Shi'a Ithna-'Asheri School of Muslim Law, and an admirer
of the late Ayatullah RuhuUah al-Mousawi al-Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic of
Iran and arch-enemy of all arrogant tyrants and bigots wherever they are. I was, like millions
others, inspired by this great Revolution that signaled the dawn of freedom for all the
downtrodden and persecuted peoples of the world, not only for the Muslims. The details of
the persecution to which I was exposed will Insha- Allah be incorporated in Volume Two of
my autobiography titled Memoirs of a ShVa Missionary in America, Volume One has been
received so well, many readers have suggested its text makes the plot for a first-class movie!

The book in your hands is not written for those who deliberately misrepresent our Islamic
faith, for these will never see anything except through their own tinted glasses, and there is no
cure for their blindness. These are mentally and psychologically sick with a sundry of
contagious and terminal diseases: prejudice, arrogance, close-mindedness, racist superiority
complexes..., and it is a waste of precious time to try to deal with them; they are rubbish
unworthy of attention. Rather, it is written for open-minded and fair non-Muslims who
sincerely wish to know how Muslims conceive their Creator. It is for these non-Muslims, and
for those Muslims whose extended stay in any non-Muslim country may have taken its toll on

their faith, who changed their names from "Jasim" to "Jessy," from "Husain" to "Jose," etc.,
that this book is written.

If the reader wishes to comment on this book's contents or on those of my other books, I
encourage him to write me; my address is included in the Conclusion. Such comments, be
they compliments or complaints, are always welcome. May Allah ta'a^la guide us to His

Path, Allahomma Ameen,

Yasin T. al-Jibouri

September 26,

1996 Falls Church, Virginia, U.S.A.

[1] At that time, I was editing Islamic Affairs newsletter which was being mailed out to
readers in all U.S. States as well as in 67 countries world-wide.

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Knowing Allah

Muhammed, the Messenger of Allah, has said, "One among you who knows Allah best is the
one who fears Him most, and I fear Him even more than him." Ibn "Abbas [1] says that a
bedouin once came to the Messenger of Allah and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Teach me of
the most unusual of knowledge!" He asked him, "What have you done with the peak of
knowledge so that you now ask about its most unusual things?!" The man asked him, "O
Messenger of Allah! What is this peak of knowledge?!" He said, "It is knowing Allah as He
deserves to be known." The bedouin then said, "And how can He be known as He ought to
be?" The Messenger of Allah answered, "It is that you know Him as having no model, no
peer, no antithesis, and that He is One and only: He is the One Who is Apparent yet Hidden,
the First and the Last, having no peer nor a similitude; this is the true knowledge about Him."

Accurately knowing Allah is the pillar whereupon Islam in its entirety hinges. Without such
knowledge, any action in Islam does not have any real value whatsoever: it has neither
essence nor value. The Question is: "How can we get to know Allah, and what is the venue
for attaining such knowledge?" The answer is crucially conditional: If we do not know the
right course, we can never reach our destination. Any erroneous approach to knowing Allah is
a major contributor to distancing a large number of people from accurately getting to believe
in Allah. The Holy Qura'n narrates to us stories about those who disbelieved in Allah in every
age and time, depicting for us how they insisted, in order to believe in Him, on hearing or
seeing Him, relying on their senses. Following are only a few examples: Allah Almighty has
said.

And those who have no knowledge say: Why does not Allah speak to us or a sign come to us?
Even thus did those before them say; (they said) the like of what such people say; their hearts
are all alike. Indeed, We have made the signs (leading to belief in Him) clear for people who
are sure. (2:118)

And those who do not hope for Our meeting say: Why have no angels been sent down upon
us, or (why) do we not see our Lord? Certainly they themselves are too proud and have
revolted in great revolt. On the day they see the angels, there shall be no joy on that day for
the guilty... (25:21-22)

Pharaoh said: O Haman! Build me a tower so that I may attain the means of access, the means
of access to the heavens, then (I may be able to) reach the God of Moses, and I surely think he
is a liar. And thus was the evil of his deed made fair- seeming to Pharaoh, and he was turned
away from the (right) course. (40:36-37)

"Turned away from the (right) course" refers to the course that ends with acquiring a sound
and accurate knowledge of the Almighty. Such a goal should be our first and foremost
concern. Without properly knowing Allah, how can we properly worship Him? The
Messenger of Allah Muhammed has said in a qudsi tradition, "For everything there is a path,
and the path to Paradise is knowledge." This is a humble attempt to search for such sound and
accurate knowledge, the one that brings us closer to our Lord and leads us to the path of
salvation, to happiness both in this life and in the eternal life to come.

Muslims Start Everything in the Name of Allah

In one hadith, the Messenger of Allah is quoted saying, "Anything which does not start with
the Name of Allah is cut-off (from Allah's blessing)." It is customary for Muslims to invoke
the Name of Allah whenever they do anything important, or whenever they seek His
protection against His arch-enemy and ours Satan the Accursed. Examples are: When they
stand up or sit down, when they eat or drink, when they enter their homes, when they open the
door of their cars or bathrooms or any room in the house, when they start the engines of their
cars, when they put on or take off their clothes, when they ascend or descend a ladder, when
they start writing something important, when they slaughter an animal decreed by Allah as
lawful for their food..., and even when they cohabit with their wives in the hope Allah will
bless them with righteous progeny. Such are the manners of good Muslims. So let us start in
the Name of Allah Who created and determined everything from nothing, the ever-Living, the
Eternal Who is never affected by time, nor space, nor anything else. Who never initiated a
place for His being, nor did He attain His might after having created everything, nor was He
weak before then. In the Name of Allah Who never needed company before creating
everything. In the Name of Allah the like of Whom there is none at all, nor was He without
His domain before the latter's creation. In the Name of Allah Who hears without a hearing
faculty. Who sees without vision. In the Name of Allah Who is Mighty without having to
derive His might from His creation. In the Name of Allah the eyes of Whose creatures can
never see Him, the Most Exalted One, the all-Knowing. I testify that Allah is the One and
Only God; there is no partner with Him, the One and only One upon Whom all things and
beings depend. He does not beget, nor is He begotten, nor is there anything like Him. I further
testify that our master Muhammed is His Servant and Messenger, bearer of His Message and
of the glad tidings, the one whom He trusted for His revelation; blessings of Allah be upon
him and his righteous and pure progeny.

How Prophet Muhammed Praised His Lord

Our master Muhammed has said.

All Praise is due to Allah, the One and only God. His being Eternal is compounded by His
being Divine. He is Proud in His own right and in His Greatness. He creates whatever He
wills and initiates the creation without having to have a model for any of what He creates !
Our Lord is the One Who has always been beyond time as such; through His knowledge has
He split the seed; through His Might has He created all creation; through the light of the
morning has He started the dawn; there is none that can alter what He has created, nor is there
any that can change what He has made, nor is there any that can revoke His decree or repeal
His command or be exempted from His call! There is no extinction to His domain, nor is
there a term for His Divinity. He is the first to create, the One Who is eternal even beyond
eternity itself, the One Who has obscured Himself from His creation in the horizon of
ambition, in the lofty Exaltation, in the abundant domain, higher than anything that is high.
Yet He is close to everything, so He manifests Himself to His creatures even without being
seen, while He is the most Sublime! By His Light He veiled Himself and ascended the height,
obscuring Himself from His creation. He sent them messengers so that He would have the
clear argument against them, and so that His messengers would testify against His creation.
He sent prophets to them to bring them glad tidings and to warn them, so that He would guide
whomsoever He pleases after providing them with His clear signs and bringing to life
whomsoever He pleases with the same, hence the creation will know about their Lord that
which they did not know, and they will know Him as their God after having rejected Him.
They will believe in His Unity after having persisted in denying it.

Commonly Asked Questions About "Allah"

Let us now try to answer a number of basic questions about the Almighty:

1. How can you describe Him?

Numerous verses of the Holy Qura'n point out to His existence. Consider the argument of His
Friend Ibrahim (Abraham, as) who said: "My Lord is the One Who brings life and Who
causes death" (Qura'n, 2:258), and the argument of Moses who said, "[He is] your Lord and
the Lord of your fathers of old" (Qura'n, 26:26). Also consider these verses:
Our Lord is the One Who gave everything its creation, then He guided it (to its destination).
(20:50)The Lord of the East and the West: there is no god but He; therefore, take Him for a
protector. (73:9)

2. Can you define Him?

The Exalted One says that He defies definition: "... nothing at all is like Him" (Qura'n,
42:11).

3. Can one ask: "What is He?"

Pharaoh asked Moses, "And what is the Lord of the worlds?" (Qura'n, 26:23). Moses
answered by saying that He is "Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old" (Qura'n,
26:26). There is no way to know Him by defining "what" He is; rather, one can get to know
the proofs of His Existence, Might, Knowledge, Wisdom, Mercy and His being the Creator of
everything. "Do not think about Allah," said Imam "Ali, "rather, think about what Allah has
created, for thinking about Allah only increases one's bewilderment."

4. Is He one or more?

The Glorified One has required the Muslims to

Say: He, Allah, is One. (112:1)

And your God is One God! (2:163)

Had there been in them any gods besides Allah, they would both have certainly been in a state
of disorder. (21:22)

5. Is He confined to any place?

The Holy Qura'n tells us that: He is the Supreme (watching) over His worshippers. (6:61)
They revere their Lord High above them. (16:50) The Beneficent God is firmly established on
the throne (of authority). (20:5)

"Above them" in 16:50 refers to the Almighty being above His servants in His Might, Power,
Loftiness, not to being above them in place, space, area, elevation, or physical location; these
do not apply to Him. The Messenger of Allah called upon His Lord during his ascension to
heavens pleading to Him thus, "You are as You have praised Your own Self," and Prophet
Younus (Jonah) son of Matti, while being in the bottom of the sea, called upon his Lord
saying, "There is no god but You! Glory to You! Surely I have become one of those who
commit injustice against their own souls!" (Qura'n, 21:87). The Messenger of Allah has said,
"Do not exalt me over him [over Younus] in nearness to Allah just because I reached the High
Throne while he was in the bottom of the sea, for the Adored One is above being confined to
a space or a direction." He has also addressed Him saying, "You and he in the strata of the
heavens;" the believers call upon Him saying, "You and them on earth." Had He been in a
particular area or place, all these persons could not have differed from one another in His
regard at any given time. He is above being confined to place or direction: "All those in the
heavens and the earth glorify Allah" (Qura'n, 57:1).

6. When did He begin to exist?

The Praised One has said, He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Immanent, and He
has full knowledge of all things. (57:3) Everything is to perish except He. (28:88)

Anyone who asks when His existence came to be implies that there was a time when He did
not exist, i.e. that void preceded Him. He is not "preceded" by anyone, nor is He "succeeded"
by anyone. His continuation is above being tied to time. His existence is too holy to be
dependent on time; such are characteristics of things or persons who come to be then perish,
or of those whose being is possible in the future, but they do not apply to Him. Another verse
which similarly describes His eternity and perpetuity is this one: "Everyone on earth will
perish but will abide (forever) the Face of your Lord, full of Majesty, Bounty and
Honour" (Qura'n, 55:26-27), and also this: "Blessed is He in Whose hands is the
dominion" (Qura'n, 67:1). "Blessed," that is, tabaraka, is derived from baraka, blessing,
which connotes constancy and lack of acceptance to change. His existence is everlasting,
eternal, perpetual.

7. Over what does He rule?

The Almighty says, "Say: O Allah! Master of authority! You give authority to whomsoever
You please and take it away from whomsoever You please" (Qura'n, 3:26). He, and only He,
is the King of kings; He grants others authority: "Blessed is the One in Whose hand is the
kingdom" (Qura'n, 67:1). Vanities and possessions owned by others will all disappear on the
Day of Judgment: "Whose will be the dominion that Day? It is Allah's, the One, the Subduer
(ofall)" (Qura'n, 40:16).

8. What is [the extent of] His knowledge?

He has said, [He is] the One Who knows the unseen and the seen. (6:73) And with Him are
the keys of the unseen treasures: none knows them except He. (6:59) Slumber does not
overtake Him nor sleep. (2:255) And your Lord is not forgetful. (19:64) And you are not
(engaged) in any affair, nor do you recite concerning it any portion of the Qura'n, nor do you
do anything, except that We are witnesses over you when you enter into it. (10:61)

9. What is His speech?

The Most Glorified and Exalted has said. Were every tree on earth (made into) pens and the
sea (to supply it with ink), with seven more seas to add thereto, the words of Allah would not
have been exhausted; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise. (31:27) Say: Were the sea (turned into)
ink for the (recording of the) words of my Lord, the sea would surely be consumed before the
words of my Lord are exhausted though We were to bring the like of that (sea) to add thereto.
(18:109)

10. How is He?

The Exalted One says, Allah's is the command before (now) and thereafter. (30:4) The day on
which no soul shall control anything for (another) soul, and the command on that Day shall be
entirely Allah's. (82:19)

11. Why is He the Praised One?

The Almighty has said that He is "... the Apparent and the Hidden" (Qura'n, 57:3), that is. His
Existence, Might and Wisdom are all evident if one observes the indications thereto, yet His
reality is obscured from all intellects.

12. What is His will?

The answer to this verse is provided by verses such as these: And you do not please except if
Allah [so] pleases. (76:30) Allah chooses whomsoever He pleases especially for His mercy,
and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace. (2:105) Allah grants His authority to whomsoever He
pleases, and Allah cares for all, and He knows all things. (2:247) Allah sets on the right path
whomsoever He pleases. (2:272) He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases. (3:6) If
He pleases. He may take you off and make whomsoever He pleases successors after you.
(6:133)

13. Why is He the all-Knowing, the Omnipotent?

He has responded to those who raised such a question by saying. He cannot be questioned
concerning what He does while they shall be questioned. (21:23) All things are destined in the
end to the One Who has facilitated their being what they are, the One Who cannot be
explained; therefore, the attempt to analyze Him, His Attributes, and His actions, is simply
impossible.

14. Does He have sons, daughters, parents, or any family members or relatives?!

The God of Islam and of all mankind has said, "Say: He, Allah, is One. Allah is He on Whom
everyone [and everything] depends. He does not beget, nor is He begotten, and none is like
Him" (Qura'n, 112:1-4).

15. Does He forgive?

He has said, "Inform My servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful" (Qura'n, 15:49).

16. What about His creation?

He has said, O man! What has beguiled you from your Lord, the Gracious One Who created

you then made you complete, then He made you symmetrical? Into whatever form He pleased
did He shape you. (82:6-8) Have they not considered that Allah, Who created the heavens and
the earth and was not tired by their creation...? (46:33) This is Allah's creation, so show Me
what those besides Him have created. (31:11)

17. Can He be seen?

He, the Most Exalted, the Most High, has told that When Moses came to the place appointed
by Us, and his Lord addressed him, he said: "Lord! Show (Yourself) to me so that I may look
upon You." Allah said: "By no means can you see Me; but look at the mountain; if it abides in
its place, then shall you see Me." When his Lord manifested His glory to the mountain. He
made it like dust, and Moses fell in a swoon. When he recovered his senses, he said: "Glory to
You! To You do I turn in repentance, and I am the first to believe." (Qura'n, 7:143).

Sunnis, however, believe, as the reader will find out in a later part of this book, that the
believers will be able on the Day of Judgment to see Allah. Shi" as disagree with them as you
will read later in this book, Insha-Allah,

18. How does He command?

He has said. His command, when He intends anything, is only to say to it: Be, and it is.
(36:82) When He decrees an affair. He only says to it: Be, and it is. (40:68) His creatures have
always wondered about His Attributes, Praise and Glory to Him, so He provided them with
the following verses wherein they can find the clear answer: And Allah's are the most
Beautiful Names (Attributes), so call upon Him thereby. (7:180) Allah: there is no god but
He; His are the very Best Names. (20:8) Say: Call upon Allah or upon al-Raman; whichever
you call upon. He has the Great Names...(17:110).

He is Allah, besides Whom there is no other god; the King, the Holy, the One Who grants
peace, the One Who gives security, the Guardian over all, the Mighty, the Supreme, the
Possessor of greatness; Glory to Allah from what they set up (with Him). He is Allah the
Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner; His are the most beautiful Attributes; whatever in the
heavens and the earth declares His glory, and He is the Mighty, the Wise. (59:21-24)

[1] Ibn "Abbas was one of Prophet Muhammed's cousins: he was Abdullah ibn "Abbas ibn
Abd al-Muattalib, of Banu Hashim, of Quraysh. Referred to as the Islamic nation's scribe, he
was a highly respected sahabi whose hadith are classified by al-Bukhari and Muslim as
''sahiK' accurate, authentic. He was born in Mecca, and he kept the Messenger of Allah
company and narrated his traditions. He fought on the side of Imam " Ali during the Battle of
the Camel (which started on Friday, Jumada I 16, 36 A.H./November 10, 656 A.H.) against
" Ayesha and her supporters, and also during the Battle of Siffin (which started in Thul-Hijjah
36 A.H./May 657 A.D.). During his later years, he became blind, so he retired to 'if where he

died in 68 A.H./687 A.D. In both al-Bukhari's and Muslim's Sahih books, there are 1160
hadith transmitted through Ibn "Abbas alone.

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The Ninety Nine A ttributesof Allah

In the Holy Qura'n, we read the following verses:

Allah: There is no god but He; His are the Greatest Names. (20:8)

Say: Call upon Allah or call upon the Beneficent God (al-Rahman); whichever you call upon,
He has the Greatest Names." (Qura'n, 17:110) To Allah belong the Greatest Names; therefore,
call on Him thereby, and leave alone those who violate the sanctity of His Names..." (Qura'n,
7:180)

In order to familiarize ourselves with Allah's Attributes, we have to consult the Holy Qura'n,
traditions, or even common-sense. On page 220 of his Book of Unity (of Allah), Shaikh
Muhammed ibn "Ali ibn Babawayh al-Qummi al-Saduq quotes Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq quoting
his forefathers quoting the Messenger of Allah saying, "There are ninety-nine Attributes, one
hundred minus one, of Allah; whoever counts them will enter Paradise." He is also quoted
saying that whoever learns these Attributes by heart and comprehends their meanings (and
acts upon it) will enter Paradise. One should be familiar with the meanings and implications
of these names, not just with their count. Nobody can sufficiently be acquainted with the
Attributes of Allah as He Himself says in 73:20: "He knows that you cannot (sufficiently)
count Him (His Attributes)." A tradition says, "Derive your manners from the Attributes of
Allah." Allah has willed to show His servant His Attributes which collectively describe Him
without His Name being a separate part thereof, even though He is not identical to them in
essence.

On page 112, Vol. 1, the renown scholar al-Kulaini al-Razi cites Hisham ibn al-Hakam saying
that when he once asked Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq about Allah's Attributes and their derivation, as
well as the derivation of the word "Allah," the Imam said to him, "O Hisham! The proper
noun "Allah' is derived from '//a/z;' the Creator requires the existence of creation [to testify to
His being its Creator]. This is a noun, not an adjective. Anyone who worships a name without
worshipping what the name stands for is actually committing kufr, apostasy; in reality, he
does not worship anything at all. One who worships the name and the meaning is also
committing kufr, for he will be worshipping two. Only one who worships the meaning
without the name is in line with the concept of Tawhid (Unity of God). Have you understood
all of this, O Hisham?" He answered him in the affirmative, requesting him to provide more
explanations, whereupon the Imam said, "There are ninety-nine Attributes of Allah. Had each

Attribute been the same as it describes, each one of them would have been a god by itself. But
"Allah' is the meaning one deducts once he becomes familiar with all these Attributes. They
all, O Hisham, in their collective sense, are not the same as He Himself. Bread is something
you eat. Water is something you drink. A garment is something you put on. And fire is
something that burns. Do you understand all of this, O Hisham, fully enough so that you
would promote it and fight the enemies of Allah for its sake?!" Hisham answered him in the
affirmative, whereupon the Imam added, "May Allah grant you thereby benefits, and may He
keep your feet firm thereupon, O Hisham!"

Imam al-Sadiq has said,

O son of Adam! If a bird were to eat your heart, it would not have felt satisfied. If the hole of
a needle were put before your vision, it would have covered it up. How dare you, using these
two, expect to know by them the domain of the heavens and the earth?! Had you been
truthful, you would have looked at this sun: it is one object among many of Allah's creations.
Had your eyes been able to see all of it, then, and only then, would you have really been
truthful. Allah, the Exalted and the Great, says, "And to your Lord is the [end] goal" (Qura'n,
53:42). So, when speech reaches the subject of Allah, it is then that you should hold your
tongue...

EXPLANATION AND DERIVATION OF THE WORD "ALLAH"

Views vary in this regard. One says it is derived from one who ilahs (as a verb) another when
the latter seeks refuge with him during the time of fear or calamity, and he would grant him
refuge and a safe haven; so, the word would become ilah (as a noun) of people, just as one
may be their imam when he leads them in congregational prayers or becomes their undisputed
leader, or just as a robe becomes a rid' when it is worn, or lihaf when used as a covering.
Since it is an adjective for someone who is great, "There is nothing like unto Him" (Qura'n,
42:1 1), people desired to glorify Him by giving the word the prefix al, thus it became Al-ilah.
But they found the hamza in the beginning and also in its midst, where it is quite heavily
stressed, heavy on the tongue, so they eliminated it and it became just as it is revealed in the
Holy Qura'n, that is, "Allah." This viewpoint is supported by al-Harith ibn Asad al-Muhasibi
and a group of scholars, and there are dissenters.

Derivation of the Word "Allah''

Some say that the word "Allah" is derived from the verb walaha (past tense), yawlahu
(present tense), from the root noun walah. The waw was replaced with a hamza, just as the
case with wisad and isad, wisha and isha, wikafmid ikaf. Walah is extreme love. Prophet
Yahya (John the Baptist) used to be forlorn most of the time whereas Jesus used to be mostly
merry and always wearing a smile on his face. They both sought the judgment of the
Almighty in their regard, whereupon Allah inspired them, "The nearest of you to Me is the
one who thinks best of Me." And surely Allah knows best.

The Almighty is Endless regarding His essence, perpetuity, eternity. Attributes, qualities and
blessings. His creation, on the other hand, are described as reaching the end of their life terms,
being limited in their characteristics, thoughts, and spheres. The one who is incapacitated
cannot reach the Endless One. No wonder, then, that the minds are forever overcome by the
lights of His Independence, and the reasons are too feeble to realize the brightness of His
Greatness. He is as He describes Himself when He says in 6:18 and 6:61, "He is the Supreme
above His servants."

The Creator is the One Who is adored, and He is worthy of it; hence. He is called ilah. He has
made it clear for us that He is the One who bestows His blessings upon those whom He
creates in sundry ways. Adoring is the ultimate form of glorifying. Reason testifies that the
ultimate end of glorification suits only the One Who is the source of benevolence and bliss. It
is to this fact that the Almighty refers when He says, "How do you deny Allah while you were
dead and He gave you Life"? (2:28).

Nobody knows Allah as He deserves to be known except Allah Himself. In sermon 186 in
Nahjul Balagha, Imam " Ali says the following:

One who assigns conditions to Him does not believe in His Oneness, nor does one who likens
Him to anything grasp the reality about Him. One who illustrates an example for Him does
not revere Him. One who points at Him and imagines Him does not know the meaning of His
Lordship. Anything known by itself is a created thing, and everything that exists by virtue of
other things is the effect thereof. He does things but not with the help of instruments. He
assigns measures but not with the faculty of thinking. He is rich but not by acquisition. Time
does not keep company with Him, nor does He seek help from any means. His Being
precedes time. His Existence precedes non-existence, and His eternity precedes beginning. By
creating the senses, it is known that He does not have the same. By comparing antitheses, it is
known that He has no antithesis, and by striking similarities between things, it is known that
there is nothing similar to Him. He has made light the contrary of darkness, brightness the
opposite of dimness, dryness the opposite of moisture, and heat the opposite of coolness. He
causes harmony among opposites. He fuses together diverse things; He brings closer what is
remote and distances what is joined together. He is not confined to limits, nor computed by
figures. Matters are attracted to one another, and parts point out to what is similar to them; the
word "since" disproves their eternity, and possibility disproves their perpetuity, while certain
means keep them distant from perfection. Through them does the Creator manifest Himself to
the intellect, and by them is He veiled from vision. Stillness and motion do not apply to Him;
how can anything that He causes to have any effect on Him, and how can anything which He
has created revert in its effect unto Him? Or how can anything have an impact upon Him
while He Himself brought it to being? Had it not been so. He would have become subject to
diversity. His Being would have become divisible (into parts), and His reality would have
been prevented from being Eternal. Had He had a front. He would have had a rear! He would
have needed to be completed had there been any shortage in Him. In that case, characteristics

of His creatures would have appeared in Him, and He would have become a sign (leading to
other objects) instead of the latter leading to Him. Through the might of His effectiveness is
He distanced above being affected by things. Neither change nor extinction affect Him. He
has not begotten anyone lest He should be said as having been Himself born. He has not been
begotten lest He should have been confined to limits. He is too sublime to have sons, too pure
to take women. Imagination cannot reach Him to assess Him. Comprehension cannot
conceive Him and fancy a shape for Him. Senses do not perceive Him to probe Him. Hands
cannot touch Him to feel Him. He does not change into any condition. He does not pass from
one stage to another. Nights and days do not age Him. Light and darkness do not alter Him. It
cannot be said that He has a limb or extremity, an end or an expiration, nor do things control
Him to raise or lower Him, nor does anything support Him to bend Him or keep Him erect.
He is not inside things nor outside them. He conveys news, but not with the tongue or voice.
He listens, but not with ear holes or organs of hearing. He speaks but does not utter words. He
remembers but does not memorize. He determines but not by exercising His mind. He loves
and approves without sentiments. He hates and feels angry without any painstaking. When He
intends to create a thing. He says to it "Be" and it is, but not through a voice that strikes (the
ears). His speech is a manifestation of what He has created. His peer never existed before, nor
is He regarded as old; otherwise. He would have become a second god. It cannot be said that
He came into being after He had not been in existence because in that case the effects of
creation would have been reflected on Him, and there would have remained no difference
between them and Him, and He would have no distinction over them. Thus, the Creator and
the created would have become equal, and the Initiator and the initiated would have been on
the same level. He created creation without any model made by someone else, and He did not
secure the assistance of any among His creation for creating. He created the earth and
controlled it without having to hold it, retained it without having to support it, making it stand
without poles, raising it without pillars, protecting it against bending or curving, defending it
against crumbling or fragmenting. He fixed mountains on it like pegs, solidified its rocks,
caused its streams to flow and expanded its valleys. Whatever He made did not suffer any
flaw, and whatever He strengthened did not permit any weakness. He manifests Himself over
the earth through His authority and greatness. He is aware of what there is inside it through
His knowledge and understanding. He has power over everything on earth by virtue of His
sublimity and dignity. Nothing on earth that He asks defies Him, nor does it oppose Him to
overpower Him. He is not in need of anyone to feed Him. All things bow down to Him and
are humble before His greatness. They cannot flee away from His authority to someone else
in order to escape His benefit or harm. There is no parallel for Him who may match Him, and
none is like Him to equal Him. He will destroy the earth after its existence, till all that exists
on it will become non-existent. But the extinction of the world after its creation is no stranger
than its formation and invention the first time. How could it be? Even if all the beings on
earth, be they birds or beasts, cattle or pasture herds, of different origins and species, clever or
not so clever nations, all jointly combine efforts to create even a mosquito, they will not be
able to bring it into being nor understand the means to its creation. Their wits are bewildered
and they are aimlessly wandering. Their powers fall short and they fail, returning
disappointed and worn out, realizing that they are defeated, admitting their inability to

produce it. They will also realize that they are too weak (even) to destroy it. Surely, after the
extinction of the world, Allah the Glorified will remain alone with nothing else besides Him.
He will be, after its extinction, as He was before then: without time or place, a moment or a
period. Age and time will not then exist, and years and hours will disappear. There will be
nothing except Allah, the One, the Omnipotent. To Him is the return of all matters. The initial
creation of all matters was never within the power of the latter, and the prevention of their
own extinction was never within their reach. Had they had the power to prevent such an
extinction, they would have existed forever. When He created any part of this world, its
making did not cause Him any difficulty, and the creation of anything which He created and
formed did not exhaust Him. He did not create it to enhance His authority, nor did He do so
for fear of any loss or harm, nor to seek help against an overwhelming foe, nor to guard
against any avenging opponent, nor for the extension of His domain, nor for boasting of it
before a partner, nor because of His feeling of loneliness and desire to seek company. Then,
after its creation. He will destroy it not because of any worry that overcomes Him in
maintaining and administering it, nor for any pleasure that will accrue to Him, nor for the
cumbersomeness of anything over Him. The prolongation of its existence does not wear Him
out to induce Him to its quick destruction. But Allah, the Glorified One, has maintained it
with His kindness, kept it intact with His command, and perfected it with His might. Then,
after its destruction. He will bring it back to being again not for any need of His own for it,
nor to seek the assistance of anything in it, nor to change the condition of loneliness to that of
company, nor from ignorance to knowledge, nor from want and need to independence and
plentitude, nor from disgrace and lowliness to honour and prestige.

In another sermon, wherein he discusses the beginning of the creation of the heavens and the
earth, the Imam says.

Praise is due to Allah Whose worth cannot be described by orators. Whose bounties cannot be
counted by those who compute, the obedience to Whom cannot be satisfied by those who
strive to do so. Whom the height of intellectual endeavor cannot appreciate, and the depths of
understanding cannot reach, for Whose description no limit can ever be set, nor praise
satisfies, nor time suffices, and no duration is fixed. He brought forth creation through His
might, dispersed the winds as an act of His mercy, and He firmed the earth with the
mountains. The foremost in religious obligation is to acknowledge Him, the perfection of
acknowledging Him is to achieve His Pleasure, the perfection of achieving His Pleasure is to
believe in His Oneness, the perfection of believing in His Oneness is to regard Him as the
Pure, and the perfection of His purity is not to attach adjectives to Him because every
adjective is an indication that it is different from that to which it is best named, and
everything to which something is best named is different from the Best Name itself. Thus,
whoever attaches adjectives to Allah recognizes a peer like Him, and whoever recognizes His
peer regards two gods; and whoever regards Him as One of two associate-partners with Him,
and whoever associates partners with Him errs in His regard and does Him injustice, and
whoever errs in His regard points out at Him, and whoever points out at Him admits
limitations for Him, and whoever admits limitations for Him numbers Him. Whoever

wonders where He is maintains that He is confined to a place, and whoever wonders above
what He is maintains that He is not above something else. He is a Being but not through
phenomenon of coming into being. He exists but not from non-existence. He is with
everything but not in physical proximity. He is different from everything but not in any
physical way. He acts but without connotations of movement or means. He sees yet none
among His creation can see Him. He is One and Only, so there is none with whom He keeps
company or whom He misses when absent.

THE ATTRIBUTES OF ALLAH

Now let us discuss His Attributes in more details:

1. ''Allah''

The proper noun "Allah" solely belongs to The Almighty God, the Truth. Anything
succeeding it is regarded as an adjective describing it, while it remains a noun indicative of
the True God. It combines all His Attributes, and it needs no introduction from others,
whereas the other Attributes attain recognition when added thereto. "Allah" is not given to
anyone other than Him, nor should it ever be used for anyone besides Him.

"Allah" is the ever-Existent, the One Who causes existence. Who maintains existence. Who
creates everything that exists. Whatever He creates shall perish; He never will: "... say:
"Allah!' then leave them sporting in their vain discourses" (Qura'n, 6:91).

2. "Al-Rahman"

Allah has said, "All those in the heavens and the earth will come to the Beneficent God
obediently" (Qura'n, 19:93).

"Al-Rahman al-Rahim" are two of the Attributes of Allah which remind people of His mercy,
of the fact that His act of affecting goodness and rewards reach whomsoever He pleases, thus
warding off evil from them. "Al-Rahman" and "al-Rahim" are two concurrent Attributes of
His each conveying more meanings of mercy than the other.

"Al-Rahman" is an Attribute specifically relevant to Allah; none besides Him can be called or
referred to as such, whereas ''al-rahim'' can be applied to people: One may be described as
"rahim," merciful or kind, but a human cannot be ''rahman'\

In the Holy Qura'n, we read: "In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most
Merciful" (Qura'n, 1:1); "The beneficent God is firm in power" (Qura'n, 20:5). It is an
Attribute demonstrating that mercy can be possible only through Him. It means "the One

Who grants mercy beyond which there is no other mercy at all and the like of which does not
at all exist."

Though derived from mercy, "al-Rahman" is both a noun and an adjective. Neither
contradicts the other.

It is commonly known that mercy means: one's desire or power of will to bring goodness to
one who is much less than him in status.

3. "Al-Rahim"

Allah, Praise and Glory to Him, has said, "Inform My servants that I am the Forgiving, the
Merciful" (Qura'n, 15:49).

''Al-Rahim'' is derived from ''rahmah,'' mercy or compassion. "Rahmah'' implies the salvation
of those who receive it from harm and loss, and their being blessed with guidance,
forgiveness and sound conviction. Al-Rahim, i.e. the One Who grants rahmah, is a
superlative. It is the highest derivative form of rahmah. Allah has said, "He it is Who sends
His blessings on you, and (so do) His angels, so that He may bring you out of utter darkness
into the light, and He is Merciful to the believers" (Qura'n, 33:43).

Al-Rahim is the One Who bestows countless blessings. Some say that this word is derived
from ''Rahim,'' and we have already come to know that the root word for it is ''rahmah,'' that
is, favours from Allah and blessings; surely His blessings cannot be counted, nor can they
ever be exhausted.

The Messenger of Allah has said, "One who has no compassion towards people is deprived
from Allah's Compassion." He has also said, "One who does not respect the seniors among us,
nor shows compassion towards our young, nor safeguards the rights of the scholars among us,
is surely none of us." Compassion among the servants of Allah is a sure path to achieving the
mercy of Allah. The Messenger of Allah has said, "Be merciful unto those on earth so that
those in the heavens may be merciful unto you."

4. "Al-Malik''

God has said, "So exalted be Allah, the True King" (Qura'n, 23:116).

"A/-Ma///:" conveys the meaning of "One Who is free, by virtue of His Own merits and
characteristics, from depending on anything in existence, while everything in existence
depends on Him." Nothing in existence can do without Him, whereas everything that exists
derives its existence from Him or because of Him. Everything/everyone is His.

Al-Malik occurs in: "Master of the Day of Judgment" (Qura'n, 1:4). Another method of
recitation: Melik, King of the Day of Judgment. Al-Maleek exists in this verse: "In the seat of
honour with a most Powerful King" (Qura'n, 54:55). "Mahkul-Mulk" exists in: "O Allah,
Master of the Kingdom!" (Qura'n, 3:26). "Al-Malakoot" exists in: "Therefore glory to the One
in Whose hand is the kingdom of all things" (Qura'n, 36:83).

The Almighty has described Himself as being "Malikul-Mulk," the Owner of everything, of
the whole domain, saying, "Say: O Allah, Master of the Kingdom!" (Qura'n, 3:26), and
"Master of the Day of Judgment" (Qura'n, 1:4), which is one of the first verses of the Holy
Qura'n.

A land's owner is its "malik," one legally bound to obey the king, the "malik," with regard to
land-related laws issued by the latter, whereas the opposite is not possible.

Among the Attributes of Allah Almighty, the word "al-Malik" has occurred independently,
whereas the word "Malik" is always added to something else, such as "Maliki yawmid-Deen,"
Master of the Day of Judgment; therefore, the first Attribute has to be more revered.

5. "Al-Quddoos"

Allah has said, "Whatever in the heavens and in the earth declares the glory of Allah, the
King, the Holy" (Qura'n, 62:1).

''Al-Qudoos'' means: the One Whose characteristics cannot be conceived by the senses, nor
can He be conceived by imagination, nor can He be realized by any mind or reason or judged
by any intellect. Linguistically, it is derived from ''quds,'' purity or cleanness. "Al-bayt al-
muqaddas" means the Purified House, the one in which people purify themselves from the
filth of sins. Paradise is also called the place of quds because it is free from the ills of the life
of this world. Arch-angel Gabriel is called in Islam ''al-ruh al-quds,'' the Holy Spirit, because
he is free from any fault in delivering divine inspiration to the messengers of Allah. Allah has
described Himself as "... the King, the Holy" (Qura'n, 59:23), and He has also said, "Whatever
in the heavens and in the earth declares the glory of Allah, the King, the Holy" (Qura'n,
62:1).

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Unity of Allah (Tflwhid)

Islam falls in the category of monotheistic creeds whose adherents believe in the Oneness of
God. This concept is referred to in Islam as Tawhid, and it is so important and so vast that
volumes of books have been written about it. "AUama al-Majlisi, for example, dedicates two
entire volumes of his encyclopedic work Bihar al-Anwar to this most important tenet of
Islam. Tawhid instructs Muslims that: there is only one God, one truth, one straight line
between two points: God and His servants, one family, one couple of parents, Adam and
Even, one human race, one heaven, and one hell.

Since the space here is limited, we will have to be brief as much as possible. Had we been
able to afford the space, we would have refuted the views of dualists and polytheists as well
as those who believe in the concept of the Trinity and in God having a son, a daughter, a wife,
or any close family relative!

1. TAWHID IN THE HOLY QURAN

The Holy Qura'n is an inexhaustible source of knowledge for those who seek to discuss this
subject. We have preferred here to be very brief in bringing the reader the following aspects
relevant to Tawhid as outlined in the Holy Qura'n. Additional interesting and useful
information shedding light on Tawhid is included in two chapters to follow.

a. Allah is Unique, Peerless

Qura'nic verses testifying to the fact that Allah, Praise to Him, is One and peerless and can
never have a partner in His authority, or a similitude, nor can He have a son, a daughter, an
aunt, or any kin, are numerous; here are some of them:

(He is) the Originator of the heavens and the earth; He made mates for you from among
yourselves, and mates of (and for) the cattle, too, multiplying you (humans and animals)
thereby; nothing is like Him; and He is the Hearing, the Seeing. (42:1 1) Say: He, Allah, is
One. Allah is He on Whom all (beings and things) depend. He does not beget, nor is He
begotten. And none is like Him. (112:1-4) He is Allah, the One, the Subduer (of all). (39:4)
Say: Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth? Say: Allah. Say: Do you then take besides
Him guardians who do not control any benefit or harm for themselves? Say: Are the blind and

the seeing alike? Or can the darkness and the light be equal? Or have they set up with Allah
associates who have created creation like His, so what is created became confused to them?
Say: Allah is the Creator of all, and He is the One, the Supreme. (13:16)

All these verses, and many others, testify that Allah is the One and Only God, negating the
theories of dualists or polytheists.

b. He is the Only Creator

None besides Allah has ever created anything out of nothing. He, and only He, is the Creator,
whereas everything besides Him is a creation of His. Everything in the cosmos, the stars and
constellations, the earth and its mountains, oceans, rivers, vegetation, small or large beings,
and the humans who live on it, are all among His creations. Verses stressing this fact abound
in the Holy Qura'n; among them are: (See 13:16 above)

Allah is the Creator of everything and He has authority over everything. His are the treasures
of the heavens and the earth; as for those who disbelieve in the communications of Allah, they
surely are the losers. (39:62-63) Such is Allah, your Lord, the Creator of everything; there is
no God but He; whence are you then turned away? (40:62) Such is Allah, your Lord; there is
no god but He, the Creator of all things; so, worship Him (and Him alone), and He has charge
of all things. (6:102)He is Allah, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner; His are the most
beautiful names; whatever in the heavens and in the earth declares His glory, and He is the
Mighty, the Wise. (59:24) (Allah is the) Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth!
How could He have a son when He has no consort, and He (Himself) created everything? And
He knows all things. (6:101) O men! Call to mind the favour of Allah on you; is there any
creator besides Allah who gives you sustenance from the heavens and the earth? There is no
god but He; whence are you then turned away? (35:3) Surely your Lord is Allah Who created
the heavens and the earth in six periods of time, and He is firm in power; He throws the veil
of night over the day, which it incessantly pursues, and (He created) the sun and the moon and
the stars (and) made them subservient (to you, serving you) by His command; surely His is
the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds. (7:54)

c. The One in Godhead and in Nurturing His Beings

There is only One God for the entire cosmos. He deals with it as He pleases without having
anyone to share His authority, or to help Him. He manages the affairs through many agents,
the most noteworthy of whom are the angels who outnumber by many, many times, all the
residents of earth, and whose duties and ranks vary a great deal. They carry out His orders
most efficiently and effectively; He enabled them to do so. Consider the following verses:

Surely your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods, and He is
firm in power, regulating the affairs; there is no intercessor except with His permission. Such

is Allah, your Lord; so, worship Him; will you not then mind? (10:3) Allah raised the heavens
without any pillars that you can see, and He is firm in power, and He made the sun and the
moon subservient (to you): each pursues its course to an appointed time; He regulates the
affairs, making clear the signs so that you may be certain of meeting your Lord. (13:2) He is
the Supreme above His servants, and He sends keepers over you until, when death comes to
one of you. Our messengers (angels of death) cause him to die, and they are not remiss. (6:61)
Allah takes the souls away at the time of death (through His agents, the angels of death), and
those that do not die during their sleep. He withholds those on whom He has passed the
decree of death and sends the others back till an appointed term; most surely there are signs in
this for people who reflect. (39:42) And seek assistance through patience and prayer, and
most surely it is hard except for the humble ones. (2:45) Say: Allah's is the intercession all of
it; His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, then to Him shall you all be brought back.
(39:44) And how many an angel is there in the heavens whose intercession does not avail at
all except after Allah has given permission to whom He pleases and chooses (to receive His
mercy)? (53:26) Say: None in the heavens and in the earth knows the unseen except Allah,
and they do not know when they shall be raised. (27:65) On no account will Allah leave the
believers in the condition in which you are till He separates the evil from the good, nor is
Allah going to make you acquainted with the unseen, but Allah chooses as His prophets
whomsoever He pleases; so, believe in Allah and in His prophets, and if you believe and
guard (yourselves against evil), you shall then have a great reward. (3:179) And when I am
sick. He restores health to me. (26:80) And We reveal of the Qura'n that wherein there is a
healing and a mercy to the believers, and it adds only perdition to the unjust ones. (17:82)
Surely Allah bestows sustenance, the Lord of Power, the Strong One. (51:58) ... and maintain
them out of (the benefits thereof), and clothe them and speak to them words of honest advice.
(4:5) Have you considered what you sow? Is it you that cause it to grow, or do We not cause
its growth?! (56:63-64) ... it delights the one that sows it, so that He may enrage the
unbelievers on their account; Allah has promised those who believe and do good from among
them forgiveness and a great reward. (48:29) ... Allah writes down (through His agents, the
angels) what they decide by night; therefore, turn aside from them and trust in Allah, and
Allah suffices as the Protector. (4:81) Aye! And Our messengers (angels) are with them
writing down (whatever they say and do). (43:80) As for those who do not believe in the
hereafter. We have surely made their deeds fair-seeming to them, so they blindly wander on.
(27:4) And Satan made their deeds fair-seeming to them and said: No one can overcome you
this day, and surely I am your protector. But when the two parties came in sight of each other,
he turned upon his heels and said: Surely I am clear of you; surely I see what you do not see;
surely I fear Allah. And Allah is severe in requiting (evil). (8:48) And We have appointed
form them comrades, so they have made fair-seeming to them what is before them and what is
behind them. (41:25) Say: Who gives you sustenance from the heavens and the earth? Or
Who controls the hearing and the sight? And Who brings forth the living from the dead and
the dead from the living? And Who regulates the affairs? They will then say: Allah. Say: Will
you not then guard (yourselves against evil)? (20:31) Then those that regulate the affair (on
behalf of and according to the instructions of Allah)... (79:5) ... and you did not smite them
when you smote (the, the enemy), but it was Allah Who smote (them). (8:17) Had there been

in them any gods other than Allah, they would have both been in a state of disorder; therefore,
glory to Allah, the Lord of the dominion, above what they attribute (to Him). (21:22) Neither
did Allah take to Himself a son, and never was there with him any (other) god; in that case,
each god would certainly have taken away what he created, and some of them would certainly
have overpowered others; glory to Allah above what they describe! (23:91)

d. Allah is the Only Source of Legislation

For the Muslims, Allah is the only One Who legislates every rule of their lives. Such a code
of legislation, i.e. the SharVa, regulates everyone's relationship with all others as well as with
his/her Lord and Maker. The Holy Qura'n clearly indicates that no man-made law or
constitution is acceptable, that the only canon is the Holy Qura'n. Verses requiring the
believers to obey only Allah are numerous; here are some of them:

You do not worship besides Him except names which you yourselves and your fathers have
named; Allah has not sent down any authority for them; judgment is only Allah's; He has
commanded that you should worship none but Him; this is the right religion, but most people
do not know. (12:40) Is it then the judgment of (the times of) ignorance (jahiliyya) that they
desire? And who is better than Allah to judge for people who are sure? (5:50) Surely We
revealed the Torah in which there was guidance and light. With it, the prophets who
submitted themselves (to Allah) judged (matters) for those who were Jews, and the masters of
Divine knowledge and the doctors, because they were required to guard (part) of the Book of
Allah, and they were witnesses thereof; therefore, do not fear the people but fear Me, and do
not take a small price for My communications. Whoever does not judge by what Allah has
revealed, they are the unbelievers. And We prescribed to them in it that: a life for a life, an
eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and (that there is)
reprisal in wounds; but whoever forgoes it, it shall be an expiation for him, and whoever does
not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unjust. And We sent after them
in their footsteps Jesus son of Mary testifying to what was before him of the Torah, and We
gave him the Gospel wherein there was guidance and light and testifying to what was before
it of the Torah, and a guidance, and an admonition for those who guard (themselves against
evil). And the People of the Book should have judged by what Allah revealed in it, and
whoever does not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the transgressors.
(5:44-47)

The questions that force themselves on us here are: Are Muslims really following the Islamic
Shari'a? Are they deriving their laws from the Holy Qura'n? Do their legal, social, and
economical systems adhere to the Holy Qura'n? What about their blind imitation of the anti-
Islamic Western way of life? What about their bowing down to the authority of the
organization called the "United Nations" which is ruled by the non-Muslim and anti-Islamic
permanent members of its Security Council? Why do they brag about following the so-called
"international law" knowing that it is neither the law of the Holy Qura'n, nor does the Islamic
Shari'a make room for any man-made code of any kind whatsoever? For how long will they

keep closing their eyes to the fact that the United Nations is united only against them? Will
they ever wake up? When will they ever tell the United Nations to go to hell? But they have
first of all to purge their countries of corrupt rulers who fear nothing more than the Islamic
Shari'a and who derive their strength not from public support but from the enemies of the
Islamic Shari'a.

e. The Only One to Obey

Only Allah should be obeyed. Obedience of His commandments manifests one's submission
to Him. A Muslim is required to do only what pleases Allah and what He has decreed as
permissible. Anything besides that is apostasy:

Be careful of (your duty to) Allah as much as you can, and hear and obey and spend (of what
He bestows upon you); it is better for your souls (that you do so), and whoever is saved from
the greediness of his soul, these it is that are the successful. (64:16) And We did not send any
prophet except that he should be obeyed by Allah's permission. (4:64)

f. Allah is the Only Judge

Allah is the only Judge, the Judge of Judges, the One Whose authority is above that of anyone
else's. His Word is the law, His injunctions are binding on everyone. To accept anyone else's
judgment in preference to Allah's is to commit shirk; we seek refuge with Him against doing
so. Consider the following verses: (See 12:40 above)

Say: Surely I have a manifest proof from my Lord but you call it a lie; I have not with me (to
bring about) that which you hasten; judgment is only Allah's; He relates the truth and He is
the best of those who decide. (6:57) Then they are sent back to Allah, their Master, the True
One; surely His is the judgment, and He is the swiftest in taking account. (6:62) O David!
Surely We have made you a ruler in the land; so judge between men with justice and do not
follow (your own personal) desire lest it should lead you astray from the path of Allah.
(38:26)

g. Rewards of Testifying that "There is no god except Allah"

To articulate the testimony of La ilaha ilia-Allah (There is no god except Allah) is regarded in
Islam as an act of worship for which the believer will be richly rewarded. Such rewards are
recorded starting from p. 20 of Thawab al-A^mal wa Iqab al-A^mal by the great mentor Abu
Ja'fer Muhammed ibn "Ali ibn al-Husain ibn Babawayh al-Saduq al-Qummi (d. 381 A.H./991
A.D.) and published in 1410 A.H./1989 A.D. by al-A'lami Establishment for Publications
(Beirut, Lebanon). We would like to quote some of the very interesting and enlightening text
on those pages for the benefit of the dear reader:

Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri [ 1] quotes the Messenger of Allah saying, "Allah, the most Exalted
and Sublime, said once to Moses son of "Imran (Amram), "O Moses! Had the heavens and all
those who reside therein, as well as those of the seven (layers) of earth, been placed on one
scale and La ilha ilia-Allah on the other, the scale containing La ilaha ilia-Allah would surely
have weighed more."

The great sahabi Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari quotes the Messenger of Allah saying, "Two
most sure things are: 1) Whoever dies testifying that There is no god except Allah will enter
Paradise and, 2) Whoever dies associating anything with Allah will enter the fire (of hell)."

Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq quotes his great grandfather the Messenger of Allah saying, "Teach your
dying persons to say: La ilaha ilia- Allah, for it will smash their sins all of them." He was
asked, "O Messenger of Allah! What about one who says so while enjoying good health?" He
said, "That is more smashing to them, more so, and still more! Indeed, La ilaha ilia- Allah is
the best companion of anyone during his lifetime, when he dies, and when he is brought back
to life again... Gabriel has said (to me): "O Muhammed! Were you only to see them when
they are brought back to life again! Some are raised with white faces calling out: La ilaha ilia-
Allah! Allahu Akbar! And the faces of others will be black, and they will be crying out: Ya
Waylah! Ya Thuburah! (O woe unto me! O what a calamity!)'"

The Messenger of Allah has said, "Whoever says: La ilaha ilia-Allah will have a tree planted
for him in Paradise of red sapphire; it is planted in white musk, is sweeter than honey and is
more white than snow; its fragrance is better than musk, its fruit looks like virgins' breasts,
and it opens up for seventy outfits."

Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ju"fi quotes Imam Abu Ja'fer al-Baqir who quotes the Messenger of Allah
saying, "For everything there is something else equal to it except Allah, the Exalted, the
Sublime, for nothing at all equals Him, and so is La ilaha ilia-Allah: nothing equals it.
Nothing can weigh heavier than one's tear shed out of fear of Allah. If it trickles down his
face, no exhaustion nor humiliation shall ever touch it (his face) thereafter."

The Commander of the Faithful Imam " Ali ibn Abu Talib has said, "Whenever a servant of
Allah says: La ilaha ilia-Allah, it (the statement) ascends piercing every ceiling, wiping out
his sins as it passes by them till it reaches its equivalent in good deeds. It is only there that it
will."

Abu Ja'fer, Imam Muhammed al-Baqir, has said, "Nothing is more rewardable than testifying
that There is no god except Allah, for nothing equates Allah, the most Exalted One, nor is
there any partner with him."

Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri quotes the Messenger of Allah saying, "I have not said anything, nor
has anyone else before me, like: La ilaha ilia-Allah.''

Abu Abdullah Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq has said, "The testimony of la ilaha ilia-Allah is the price
of Paradise."

The Messenger of Allah is quoted saying, "Repeat la ilaha ilia-Allah and Allahu Akbar as
often as you can, for Allah loves nothing more than them both."

Of course the more you pronounce this short but very weighty statement, the more rewards
you will earn. Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq has said, "Whoever repeats the testimony of la ilaha ilia-
Allah a hundred times is better than all other people that day except one who repeats it more
often than him."

Imam al-Sadiq has also said, "If one says La ilaha ilia-Allah a hundred times prior to going to
bed, Allah builds him a mansion in Paradise, and whoever seeks Allah's forgiveness a
hundred times before going to bed, his sins will fall down as leaves fall down from the trees."

2. HOW SUNNIS VIEW ALLAH

First of all, the references cited in this part are all written by well known Sunni scholars of
hadith. The numbers of their books' volumes and pages reflect those of their original Arabic
texts. Many of them are yet to be translated into English. The translated ones, on the other
hand, are quite often edited, and the editing includes the elimination of a good deal of the
original text. Like Jews and Christians, Sunnis view Allah as having created Adam in His
own image. Reference to the Almighty creating Adam in His image exists in the Book of
Genesis of the Old Testament, and some ignorant people take it literally. On p. 1481, Vol. 4,
of the English translation of Muslim's Sahih (published in New Delhi, India, in 1977 by
Nusrat " Ali Nasri for Kitab Bhavan), Abu Hurayra quotes the Messenger of Allah saying,
"Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, created Adam in His own image with His length of sixty
cubits..." [2] In Bukhari, we read how Allah is described as having the same physical
appearance given to man. Read Bukhari's Sahih, particularly the chapter on seeking
permission to enter, p. 122, Vol. 2, where Sural al-Zumar is explained, p. 184, Vol. 6, "Kitab
di\-Tawhid' (Book of the Unity of Allah), where the verse saying, "... I created in My own
hand," p. 192, Vol. 6, where the verse saying, "[Some faces] on that Day shall be pleased," in
his explanation of the verse saying, "On the Day when a leg shall be uncovered" which exists
in Sural Noon (i.e. 68:42), in his exegesis of Sural Qaf, in a chapter explaining the verse
saying, "The mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good" on p. 191 of Vol. 4, in his "Kitab al-
Tahajjud," in a chapter dealing with supplications and prayers at the end of the night, and
elsewhere. Other references are indicated in the footnotes below.

Sunnis, as indicated above, claim that Allah created Adam in His image [3] that He has
fingers [4], legs [5], and feet [6]. As for Allah having fingers, readers who are not fluent in
Arabic are referred to p. 1461, Vol. 4, of the English translation of Muslim's Sahih where they

will be reading about Allah's alleged fingers in the following "tradition" narrated by Abdullah
ibn MasuM [7], by Mansur, and by al-A"mash. Both latter narrators narrate it in slightly
different variations. Its unedited text is as follows:

A Jew scholar came to Allah's Prophet (may peace be upon him) and said: Muhammed, or
Abu al-Qasim, verily, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, would carry the Heavens on the Day
of Judgment upon one finger and earths upon one finger and the mountains and trees upon
one finger and the ocean and moist earth upon one finger — in fact the whole of the creation
upon one finger, and then He would stir them and say: I am your Lord, I am your Lord.
Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) smiled testifying what that scholar
had said. [8]

The same "tradition" is recorded in both its Arabic text and English translation on p. 113 of
The Divine Traditions, In another "tradition" on the following page (p. 1462 of the English
translation of Muslim's Sahih), we are told that Allah has hands. It is narrated by none other
than Abu Hurayra who quotes the Messenger of Allah saying, "Allah, the Exalted and
Glorious, will take in His grip the earth on the Day of Judgment and He would roll up the sky
in His right hand and would say: I am the Lord; where are the sovereigns of the world?" With
slightly different wording, the same "tradition" is narrated by AbduUh ibn Omer, and it is also
reported by Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah and is published in both languages on p. 1 14 of The
Divine Traditions, Reference to Allah's alleged hands exists in the following page (p. 1463 of
the English translation of Muslim's Sahih)\ here is its unedited text:

Abu al-SaiM Khudri [9] reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying that
the earth would turn to be one single bread on the Day of Resurrection and the Almighty
would turn it in His hand as one of you turns a loaf while on a journey. It would be a feast
arranged in the honour of the people of Paradise. He (the narrator) further narrated that a
person from among the Jews came and he said: Abu al-Qasim, may the Compassionate Lord
be pleased with you! May I inform you about the feast arranged in honour of the people of
Paradise on the Day of Resurrection? He said: Do it, of course. He said: The earth would
become one single bread. Then Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) looked towards
us and laughed until his molar teeth became visible [10] .He then again said: May I inform
you about that with which they would season it? He said: Do it, of course. He said: Their
seasoning would be balam and fish. The Companions of the Holy Prophet (may peace be
upon him) said: What is this balaml He said: Ox and fish from whose excessive livers
seventy thousand people would be able to eat.

Since when did the Prophet of Allah need the Jews to tell him about the hereafter? Could the
Jews have told him better than arch-angel Gabriel? This is how Judaica crept into Islamic
literature, wreaking havoc in and corrupting it, rendering it un-Islamic. Laughter is not at all

dignifying. Whenever a Muslim laughs, he/she is supposed to seek Allah's forgiveness and
say, ''Allahomma la tamqutnr (O Allah! Do not despise me!" Such is the Islamic code of
conduct. Yet there are numerous references to the Prophet laughing in hadith the authenticity
of which leaves much to be desired. Whenever you laugh, you ought to remember verse 82 of
Surat Bar'a: "So they shall laugh a little and weep much as a recompense for what they
earned" (Qura'n, 9:82). Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq quotes his fathers citing the Messenger of Allah
saying, "A good deal of jesting is not at all dignifying, while a good deal of laughter wipes
out iman (conviction)." [11] Imam al-Sadiq has also quoted his father Imam Muhammed al-
Baqir saying, "(Prophet) David said to (his son, later Prophet) Solomon: "O son! Beware of
laughing a lot, for a good deal of laughter leaves a servant of Allah very poor on the Day of
Judgment.'" [12] Abu Abdullah, Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq, has also said, "Three things invoke
Allah's contempt: one sleeps without having kept a vigil, laughs without having witnessed
something extra-ordinary, and one who eats though his stomach is already full." [13] One of
the pieces of advice given by the Messenger of Allah to Abu Tharr al-Ghifari was this one
which is recorded in ^Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida: "Strange how one who knows that there is the
fire (of hell) and who still laughs." He has also said, "Beware of much laughter, for it causes
the death of the heart." [14] The Messenger of Allah always smiled but never laughed. As a
matter of fact, to smile in the face of your Muslim brother is equivalent to paying charity,
according to one hadith. One day the Messenger of Allah passed by a band of young Ansaris
who were talking and laughing heartily, so he said to them, "O folks! Anyone among you who
is deceived by his hopes and is short of doing good deeds should look at the graves and be
admonished about the life to come. And remember death, for it shall put an end to each and
every enjoyment. "[15] ^ ■-' " • v -' : ■■'-

The readers may tolerate reading about the Prophet laughing, but what is their conclusion
when they come across the claim that Allah, too, laughs?! References to Allah laughing exist
in lengthy "traditions" narrated by Ma'ath ibn Fulah who quotes Hisham quoting Qatadah
quoting Anas ibn Malik and is recorded on pp. 1 19-120 of The Divine Traditions, It depicts
one of the scenes on the Day of Judgment. A variation of it is narrated by Abd al-" Aziz ibn
Abdullah who quotes Ibrahim ibn SaM quoting Ibn Shihab quoting " Ata ibn Yazid al-Laythi
quoting Abu Hurayra, and it is recorded by al-Bukhari and cited on pp. 121-122 of The Divine
Traditions. We do not think it is worth quoting here.

Sunnis also claim that Allah occupies a certain space and travels from one place to another,
building their argument not on any Qura'nic verse but on a tradition wherein the Messenger of
Allah says, "Our Lord, before creating His creation, did not have anything with Him;
underneath Him was air; above Him was air, then He created His throne on water." [16] They
also quote the Messenger of Allah saying, "His " Arsh was over His heavens like this (then he
demonstrated with his finger the shape of a dome), and He mounted it as a rider mounts over
the saddle of his mount." [17] They also quote him saying, "Allah descends at the last part of
the night from the heavens to the lower earth and says, "Who is there to ask Me, so I respond
to him, and who is there to ask Me, so I give him?'" [18] They also quote him saying, "Allah

descends during the night of the middle of Sha'ban to the lower heavens where He
forgives..." [19] They also quote him saying the following about the Day of Judgment: "It
will be said to hell: "Are you filled up?' It will say, "Is there any more?' So the Lord, Blessed
and Exalted is He, will put His leg into it, whereupon it will say, "Now I am full!'" In another
version of this "tradition," Prophet Muhammed is quoted saying, "As to the fire (of hell), it
will not be filled up until He puts His foot in it, whereupon it will say, "Now, only now, am I
full!' It is then that it will be full, and each of its parts will close in on the other." [20] Similar
variations of this "tradition" are narrated by Qatdah who quotes Anas ibn Malik.

Sunnis claim that Allah will be seen by Muhammed, the Messenger of Allah, who will have
audience with Him, as well as by everyone else on the Day of Judgment. They quote the
Messenger of Allah saying, "The believers will come to Me for intercession after all prophets
refuse to intercede on their behalf, so I will set out and sook audience with my Lord, and I will
be granted audience with Him. Once I see my Lord, I shall fall down prostrating... Then I
shall SQok His intercession, and He will draw a line for me, so I shall let them enter Paradise.
Then I shall go back to my Lord. Once I see Him, I shall fall prostrating..., etc." [21]
According to this "tradition," [22] the Almighty is confined to a specific place where He is
visited by the Messenger of Allah who recognizes Him upon seeing Him... An entire chapter
in The Divine Traditions is dedicated to the believers allegedly seeing their Lord. It starts on
p. 157. The narrators who narrate such "traditions" include: UbayduUah ibn Omer ibn
Maysarah, Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi, Hammad ibn Salamah, Thabit al-Bunani, Abd al-
Rahman ibn Abu Layla, Shuhayb, Jabir ibn Abdullah, Saheeb, and others. They are recorded
in the hadith and sunan books of Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, al-Tirmithi, and al-Nisa'i.
Sunnis also quote the Messenger of Allah saying, "Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, will
descend on the Day of Judgment to His servants in order to judge between them." [23] They
claim that he said, "You shall see your God with your own eyes." [24] They claim that
Muslims will see their God on the Day of Judgment just as they see the moon without
suffering any pain while looking at Him. [25] They go beyond that to cite the Almighty
saying, "Whoever worships something, let him follow it." So, they proceed to say, some
people will follow the sun while others will follow the moon, while still others will follow the
tyrants, and this nation shall stay including its hypocrites. "Allah will then come to them not
in the shape whereby they know Him, and He will say, "I am your God.' They will say, "We
seek refuge with Allah against you. We shall stay here till our God comes to us. So once our
God comes to us, we shall recognize Him.' It is then that Allah will go to them in the shape
whereby they know Him, and He will say, "I am your God.' They will say, "You are our Lord,'
and they shall follow Him... etc." [26] Another "tradition" states the following:

So when nobody remains except the righteous and the libertine who worshipped Allah, the
Lord of the Worlds will come to them in the form wherein they saw Him, and He will ask
them, "What are you waiting for? Each nation should follow what it used to worship." They
will say, "We are waiting for our Lord Whom we worshipped." "I am your Lord," He will
say. They will twice or thrice respond by saying, "We do not associate any with Allah..." He

will ask them, "Is there any mark whereby you can recognize Him?" They will say, "Yes, the
leg." So He will uncover His leg, whereupon they will fall prostrating. Then they will raise
their heads and see Him in the form whereby they saw Him the first time. It is then that He
will say, "I am your Lord." They will say, "You are our Lord." [27]

And Allah speaks to His servants on the Day of Judgment and those near and far will hear His
voice as we are told in the following "tradition" compiled and published in The Divine
Traditions (Al-Ahadith al-Qudsiya); its text here exists on p. 226 and is unedited, hence its
broken English:

Jabir (RAA) narrated on the authority of Abdullah bin Unais (RAA) who said, "Allah will
gather the people and call them with a Voice which will be heard by those who will be far
away and those who will be near, by saying, "I am the King; I am the Daiyan (The one who
Judges people on their deeds after calling them to account). Bukhari transmitted it. (The Book
[of] Monotheism; chapter: The statement of Allah, "No intercession avails with Him except
for him whom He permits" (Qura'n, 34:23).

Sunnis, therefore, believe that Allah will speak to His servants who will be permitted to enter
into His Paradise as the above cited quotation implies. There is another lengthy "tradition" on
pp. 160-161 of The Divine Traditions transmitted by Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyab who met Abu
Hurayra who informed him of it. A portion of it states, as the poorly translated text reads, as
follows:

Abu Huraira told that he asked, "O Allah's Messenger, shall we see our Lord?" To which he
replied, "Yes, are you in doubt about seeing the sun and the moon on the night when it is
full?" On receiving the reply that they were not, he said, "Similarly you will have no doubts
about the vision of your Lord, and no man will remain in that assembly without Allah
conversing with him, till he says to one of them, "So and so son of so and so, do you
remember the day you said such-and-such?' And He will remind him of one of the dishonest
things he did in the world. He will say, "O my Lord, hast Thou not forgiven me?' And He will
reply, "Yes; by the widness [28] of my forgiveness you have reached this station of
yours.'" [29]

This "tradition" is included in al-Tirmithi's Sahih, Vol. 2, pp. 89-90. There are many such
"traditions" which the reader can review in Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, and other "reliable"
Sunni recorders of hadith. Had we attempted to quote all of them here, this book would have
become much larger than it already is. Probably the most evident of the belief of Sunnis that
Allah has the same human physical attributes is what is recorded by the "imam of imams,"
namely the great hafiz Muhammed ibn Ishaq ibn Khuzaymah (d. 311 A.H./923 A.D.) who
taught hadith to both Bukhari and Muslim. He wrote a book with a rather lengthy title: Al-
Tawhid wa ithbat sifat al-rabb ^azza w a jail allati waafa bih nafsahfi tanzeelih wa ^ala lisn
nabiyyih (The Unity of God and the proof about the characteristics of the Lord, the Unique

and the Exalted One, whereby He described Himself in His Book and through His Prophet).
This book was pubhshed in 1378 A.H./1958 A.D. by Maktabat al-KuUiyyat al-Azhariyya
(Library of al-Azhar's Colleges) at Maydan al-Azhar, Cairo. The titles of some of this book
sound like a piece-by-piece list of the Almighty's alleged bodily parts: His face, His form. His
eyes. His hearing. His vision. His hands. His leg..., and a chapter on how all the believers will
see Allah on the Day of Judgment and will be able to recognize Him. Another hafiz imam,
Othman ibn Sa'eed al-Darmi (d. 280 A.H./893 A.D.), wrote a book as a rebuttal to the views
of the Jahmites; among its chapters are: how the Lord seats Himself on the Throne and
ascends to heavens, how He is different from His creation, how He descends on the night of
the middle of Sha'ban, how He descends on the Day of "Arafat, how He descends on the Day
of Judgment for the great trial, how He descends to the residents of Paradise, and how He is
seen.

This much should suffice to demonstrate to the discreet reader how our Sunni brethren
consider the Almighty as having a physical body quite like ours, how He comes and goes,
ascends and descends, walks, talks, laughs and does I do not know what else...!

3. HOW SHIAS VIEW ALLAH

The above views adopted and recorded by Sunni Muslims are not at all endorsed by Shi" a
Muslims who refute them by quoting verse 103 of Surat al-Ana"m (6:103) that states the
following:

Vision does not comprehend Him, while He comprehends all vision, and He knows all the
subtleties, (He is) the Aware One.

In their view, the Almighty is not a physical form and, hence, does not occupy a space, nor
does He move from one place to another, nor can He be seen by anyone. They contend that
their Sunni brethren simply do not have the proper tafsir (exegesis) of certain Qura'nic verses
such as the following:

Some faces will on that Day be bright, looking to their Lord. (75:22)

"Looking to their Lord" does not mean "looking at their Lord;" it means: they are waiting in
optimistic anticipation for His rewards. As regarding the Almighty seating Himself on the
"Arsh, the Throne of Authority, Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq (as), from whoso fiqh Ithna-'Asheri
Ja'feri Shi" as derive their creed, says the following:

Whoever claims that Allah sits on the " Arsh considers Allah as being conveyed (or mounted
on something), implying that what conveys Him has to be stronger than Him (so it could carry
His weight). And whoever claims that Allah is present somewhere, or is on top of something,
or there is a place where He is not there, or that He occupies a space..., would be attributing to

Him characteristics which are strictly relevant to those whom He creates, whereas Allah is the
Creator of everything. He cannot be measured or compared by anything; He cannot be like
people; He is not absent from anywhere, and He does not occupy a specific space. [30]

Shi" as also refute this claim by citing Imam "Ali ibn Abu Talib saying,

Allah does not descend, nor does He need to descend. Such is claimed by those who attribute
to Him an increase or a decrease. Everything mobile needs what mobilizes it or what means
whereby it moves. Beware, then, when you discuss His characteristics lest you should imply
any increase or decrease to Him, any movement or mobilization, any departure or descending,
any sitting or standing. [31]

This is the view held by all other Imams from Ahl al-Bayt; none of them contradicts the other;
such is the true creed, one wherein there is no contradiction at all.

Allah as Viewed by the Commander of the Faithful Imam " Ali

Two narrators, Muhammed ibn Abi Abdillah and Muhammed ibn Yahya, narrate a tradition
related by Abu Abdullah Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq citing the Commander of the Faithful Imam
" Ali ibn Abu Talib delivering a sermon once in order to solicit people's support in his second
war against Mua'wiyah ibn Abu Sufyan. In it, the Commander of the Faithful says.

All praise is due to Allah, the One and Only God Who is sought by all, the Unique One Who
is neither created out of anything pre-existing, nor has He created anything out of something.
Through His Might does He manifest Himself, and it is through His Might that anything
manifests itself. None of His attributes can be fully comprehended, nor does He have any
measure whereby He is compared. The tongue in any language is too crippled to describe His
attributes, and the circumlocution of His attributes leads into nowhere but a blind alley. The
sharpest of intellects are too puzzled to comprehend His kingdom; all comprehensive
explanations are rendered short of delving into His kingdom. Unknown curtains obstruct the
understanding of the lowest levels of His hidden knowledge, and the keenest insights are
totally lost in comprehending the most (seemingly) superficial of His subtleties.

So Glorified is Allah Who cannot be reached by the most ambitious of wills, nor can He be
grasped by the deepest of insights. Exalted is He for Whom there is no measure of time, nor
any fixed duration, nor any limited description. Praised is He Who has no beginning at all nor
any end, nor any extinction. Glorified is He as He has described Himself. Those who attempt
to describe Him can never do so. He delineated the boundaries of all things when He created
them without having modelled them after any pre-existing models, thus distinguishing
Himself from their similitude. Never has He resided in them, so it could be said that He is
contained therein, nor has He been apart from them, so a place outside them could be sought
for Him. Rather, He, all Praise is due to Him, encompassed them in His knowledge and

perfected their design and computed them. Even things beyond the curtains of the atmosphere
are never hidden from His knowledge, nor are those obscurities within the depth of the dark,
nor are those in the high heavens, nor are those in the lowest layers of the earth: for each and
every thing in them there is a custodian and a keeper, each one of them surrounds the others,
while His knowledge encompasses them all. He is the One and Only God upon Whom all
depend for their existence and subsistence, the One Whom the passage of time never alters,
nor does the creation of things tire Him. Whatever He wills. He says to it, "Be!" and it is. He
created everything without following a pre-existing model or a precedent, and without
encountering any fatigue or a prior planning. Whoever makes something makes it out of
something else, whereas Allah created everything out of nothing. Every scholar acquires
knowledge after being ignorant, while Allah is never ignorant, nor has He ever acquired
knowledge out of what He creates. He encompasses all things in His knowledge before
creating them. Nothing is added to His knowledge because of their coming into existence: His
knowledge is the same before and after He brought them into existence. He never created
what He created in order to enhance His control, nor out of fear of its decay or loss, nor to
seek help out of it against His adversary, nor to seek the upper hand over a progressive
competitor, nor seeking to be the equal of a dominating partner; all creation is nurtured by
Him; everyone and everything are humbled slaves before Him.

Glorified is He Who never feels weary on account of creating what He creates, nor in
nurturing whatever He creates, nor does He, out of inability or slackness, terminate what He
creates. He knows what He creates and creates what He knows. Whatever He creates He
creates neither out of deliberating on any new knowledge, nor does any doubt entertain Him
on account of what He creates. Rather, He creates out of His inviolable decision, firm
knowledge, and exact command. He made Himself unique in His Mastership, peerless in
unity, grandeur, and sublimity. He remains peerless in praise and exalted in glory. He is far
above parenthood, purified from and sanctified against any cohabitation.

He is too Great and too Mighty to seek any partners. Thus, none among what He creates
opposes Him, nor is there any equal peer like Him from among His possessions, nor is there
any partner in His Kingdom. He is the One, the Unique, the One sought by all, the Eternal, the
Everlasting, the Lord of the cosmos Who has always been and shall always be, the eternally
all alone before the beginning of time and after the end of all affairs. He will never terminate
nor expire. Thus do I describe my Lord; there is no god except Allah; Great is He and how
Great! Glorified is He and how Glorified! Almighty is He and how Almighty! He is far above
what the unjust ones say about Him, far, far above that!

[1] His name is Sa' d ibn |V|alil< ibn Sinan al-Khudri al-Ansari al-Khazraji, Abu Sai' d. He was a

sa/iab/ who for many years kept the Prophet company and participated in twelve of his military
campaigns. He died in 74 A.H./693 A.D.

[2] The maximum length of a cubit is 21 inches; hence, they claim that Adam and the
Almighty is each 15 feet tall... Astaghfirullah... '<:^^. ^'<:^^

[3] al-Bukhari, Sahih, "Kitab al-lsti'than" (Book of seeking permission to enter), in a chapter

titled "Bab Bid' al-Salam" (a chapter dealing with initiating a greeting). Muslim, Sahih, "Kitab al-
Jannah wa sifat na'eemiha" (Book of Paradise and the description of its bliss), in a chapter
titled "Bab yadkhul al-jannah aqwam af'idatuhum mithi af'idat al-tayr" (a chapter about
Paradise being entered by people whose hearts are like those of birds'). Vol. 28; see also Vol.
115, "Kitab al-birr: Bab al-nahi ' an arb al-wajh" (Book of kindness: a chapter dealing with the
prohibition of striking the face." Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Musnad, Vol. 2, pp. 244, 251, 323, 365,
424, and 569.

[4] al-Bukhari, Sahih, Vol. 2, p. 122, where Surat al-Zumar is explained. It is also stated in Vol.

4, p. 186, where the verse "What stopped you (0 Eblis) from prostrating to what I created with
My own hand?" is explained. It is also stated in Vol. 4, p. 192, where the verse saying, "Some
faces will on that Day be pleased" is discussed. Muslim, Sahih, Vol. 19, pp. 21-22, where a
description of the Day of J udgment, of Paradise, and of Hell, is given.

[5] al-Bukhari, Sahih, Vol. 4, p. 189, where verse 43 of Surat Noon is explained in "Kitab al-
Tawhid" (Book of the Unity of God).

[6] al-Bukhari, Sahih, Vol. 4, p. 191, where Surat Qaf is explained. Al-Tirmithi, Sahih, Vols. 35-

38, where a discussion of Hell being entered by the tyrants and Paradise by the weaklings
exists. 20.

[7] His name is Abdullah ibn Masu' d ibn Khafil ibn Habib al-Hathli, Abu Abd al-Rahman, one of

the foremost sahaba in Islamic history. He was the very first person in Mecca to openly recite
the Holy Qura'n. He spent years serving and accompanying the Messenger of Allah, being one
of his confidants. I bn Masu' d died in 32 A.H./652 A.D.

[8] This quotation is cited without any editing at all, hence its broken English! We wonder,
since Allah, according to this "tradition," has fingers, whether He also has toes!

[9] The correct spelling is: Abu Sa' eed al-Khudri.

[10] The Messenger of Allah was never reported laughing; instead, he always smiled. He never
audibly laughed.

[11] al-Saduq, Amali, p. 324. ■■^'^■'

[12] al-Majlisi, Bihar ai-Anwar, Vol. 73, p. 58, citing Qurb ai-lsnad.

[13] Ibid.

[14] Ibid., p. 59.

[15] al-Tusi, Al-amali, Vol. 2, p. 136.

[16] Ibn Majah, Sunan, Introduction. al-Tlrmithi, Sunan, where Surat Hud is explained. Ahmed
ibn Hanbal, Musnad, Vol. 4, pp. 11-12.

[17] Abu Dawud, Sunan, "Kitab al-Sunnah". Ibn Majah, Sunan, Introduction. Muhammed ibn
Abd al-Wahhab, Kitab al-Tawiiid. Ibn Taymiyyah, M/n/?ay ai-Sunnaii.

[18] al-Bukhari, Saliili, Vol. 2, pp. 233-235." Ibn Majah, Sunan, "Kitb al-Salah." Ibn Malik,

Mawta', "Kitab al-Qura'n," Chapter 30. Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Musnad, Vol. 2, pp. 264, 267, 282,
419, 433, 487, 504, and 521.

[19] al-Tirmithi, Sunan, where he discusses the fast and the night of the middle of Sha' ban.
Ibn Majah, Sunan, in a volume dealing with the prayers and with the night of the middle of
Sha' ban. Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Musnad, Vol. 2, p. 433. si: >•?

[20] Both "traditions" are narrated on the authority of the "saiiabi" Abu Hurayra when al-
Bukhari, in Vol. 3, p. 128, of his Saliili, explains Surat Qaf. They are repeated in Vol. 4, p. 191
of the same book in "Kitab al-Tawhid." The "tradition" referring to Allah's foot is narrated by
Anas and is detailed in Vol. 4, p. 129, of the same Sahih. To review more of such "traditions,"
refer to "Kitab al-jannah" in al-Tirmithi's Sunan, Vol. 10, p. 29, where the eternity of the
residents of Paradise and those of hell is discussed. See also Ahmed ibn Hanbal's Musnad, Vol.
2, p. 396. Readers who are not well versed in Arabic may read their texts together with their
English translation in The Divine Traditions, especially on p. 149 where the verbatim and
unedited text reads as follows: "As for Paradise, (it will be filled with good people) because
Allah does not wrong any of His created beings, and He created for Hell whomever He will, and
they will be thrown into it, and it will say thrice, Ms there any more?' Till Allah will put His Foot
over it, and it will become full and its sides will come close to each other and it will say,
'Enough! Enough! Enough!' Bukhari transmitted it."

[21] al-Bukhari, Saliiii, Vol. 4, p. 185, "Kitab al-Tawhid." See also Vol. 4, p. 190 of the same
reference.

[22] This "tradition" is cited on pp. 115-116 of 7/?e Divine Traditions.
[23] al-Tirmithi, Sunan, Vol. 9, p. 229, "Kitab al-Zuhd."
[24] al-Bukhari, Sahih, Vol. 4, p. 188, "Kitab al-Tawhid."
[25] Ibid., yol 10, pp. 18 and 20.

[26] Muslim, Sahih, Vol. 4, p. 188, "Kitab al-lman.

[27] Ibid., p. 229, "Kitab al-lman," in a chapter about how to see. Al-Bukhari words this

"tradition" slightly differently in Vol. 4, p. 189 in his "Kitab al-Tawhid." We wish those who saw
their Lord and His leg would tell us all about it! They will then be doing us a great favor,
indeed! Astaghfirullah...

[28] This is how the text reads... The translator should have used "expanse," "spaciousness,"
"extent," "breadth," or the like.

[29] The Divine Traditions, Tr. Dr. Ibrahim al-SeIek, Dar el-Fiker (Beirut, Lebanon, 1994), p.
160.

[30] al-Kulayni, Usool al-Kafi, Vol. 1, pp. 3, 7, and 9, "Kitab al-Tawhid." Shaikh al-Saduq, Al-
Tawhid, pp. 9-10, p. 12. al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 3, p. 311, "Kitab al-Tawhid."

[31] Ibid., Vol. 1, p. 18. al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 3, p. 311.

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How to Supplicate to Allah

Before addressing the issue of how to suppHcate to Allah, we need to tackle the subject of
how are we to worship Him.

After Allah, the Glorified and the Exalted One, had created us, after we admitted His Oneness
and Might, and after He had taken from us a covenant and made us bear witness against our
own selves that He is our Creator, He returned us to the loins of Adam, made us in the loins
of humans, each in the loins of his forefathers, then He brought us into this world whenever
He willed, defining His reason for creating us, which is: to worship Him, and only Him. After
having sent us prophets and messengers during various ages to warn us against worshipping
anyone but Him and chosen the best of His messengers for us, namely our master
Muhammed, the best of creeds, namely Islam, and the best of divine books, namely the Holy
Qura'n..., after all of that, it becomes incumbent upon us to answer questions such as: How
are we to adore Allah? What are the best means to achieve this end?

The answers to these questions are provided by the best of creation, messengers and prophets,
our master Muhammed . Having been asked once what adoration was, he answered,
"Supplication is adoration," then he recited the Qura'nic verse saying, "And your Lord says:
Call upon Me, I will answer you; surely those who are too proud to worship Me shall soon
enter hell abased" (Qura'n, 40:60).

In order to emphasize the fact that supplication is the zenith of adoration as the Holy Qura'n
states, we would like to present some Qura'nic verses that highlight this fact and underscore
the significance of supplication:

Say: My Lord would not care for you were it not for your du^' (supplication). (25:77) And
who speaks better than he who calls to Allah while he himself does good [deeds] and says: I
am surely of those who submit (to Allah in Islam)? (41:33) Those to whom they call upon,
they themselves seek the means of access to their Lord— whoever of them is nearest— and they
hope for His mercy and fear His chastisement. (17:57) And withhold yourself with those who
call on their Lord morning and evening desiring His goodwill. (18:28) Their sides draw away
from their beds; they call upon their Lord in fear and in hope. (32:16) They used to hasten,
one with another, in deeds of goodness and to call upon Us, hoping and fearing. (21:90) To
this then go on inviting, and go on steadfastly on the right way as you are commanded, and do

not follow their low desires. (42:15) And I will call upon my Lord; maybe I shall not remain
unblessed in calling upon my Lord. (19:48) He is the Living, there is no god but He;
therefore, call on Him, being sincere to Him in obedience. (40:65) Praise to Allah Who has
given me despite old age Ishmael and Isc; most surely my Lord is the Hearer of prayer.
(14:39) And when My servants ask you concerning Me, surely I am very near; I answer the
prayer (supplication) of the suppliant when he calls on Me. (2:186)

These are only samples of what the Holy Qura'n contains of verses stressing the importance
of supplication for the creation, clarifying for them the status supplication enjoys with their
Creator.

A SUPPLICATION CONTAINING ALLAH'S GREATEST NAME

Imam al-Husain ibn " Ali ibn Abu Talib is quoted narrating the following incident:

"We were making our towa/ around the Ka'ba when we heard someone reciting these verses
of poetry:

O You Who answers the distressed and those who in the depth of the darkness utter their
supplication, O You Who removes the causes of the trials, the pain, together with the
tribulation. Around Your Sacred House are Your guests who have come from everywhere.
Supplicating while the eyes of Allah never sleep, always aware, I plead to You to grant me
Your Forgiveness for the sins I have committed, by Your Grace, Your creation knows You,
Lord, to be Most Gracious, so I plead to You by the Light of Your Face! If Your pardon never
reaches a sinner nor bless. Who is to be gracious unto those who transgress?

"My father "Ali ibn Abu Talib," the Imam continues, "said, "O Husain! Don't you hear
someone grieving about his sin, complaining to his Lord? Go and bring him here.' So I
hurried till I was able to reach him. I found him to be a handsome man, his body looked free
of deformity, his clothes seemed to be very clean, and I could smell the fragrance he was
wearing. I also noticed that his right side was paralyzed. I approached him and ordered him to
present himself before the Commander of the Faithful. He came and the Commander of the
Faithful asked him, "Who are you, and what is your story?' The man said, "O Commander of
the Faithful! What is the case of a man who opted to do what is punishable while not
performing what he is enjoined to perform?' The Imam asked him again, "What is your
name?' The man answered, "Munzzil son of Lahiq.' He asked him, "What is your story?' He
said, "I used to be quite famous among the Arabs for merry-making and sinning in my youth,
without waking from my slumber. Now if I repent, my repentance will not be accepted from

me, and if I try to amend my steps, I will not be able to do that either. So I prolong my
transgression during the [sacred] months of Rajab and Sha'ban. My father used to be quite
affectionate and compassionate towards me. He used to warn me against the outcome of my
ignorance and the terrible end awaiting the transgressors. He used to say, "O son! Allah
sometimes manifests His might when He expresses His Wrath; so, do not tread the avenues of
those who will be penalized with the Fire, for how often people have complained about you,
and so have the sacred angels, and the sacred months, the nights, and the days?' Yet whenever
he persisted in admonishing and reprimanding me, I persisted in beating him. One day, when
my conduct pressured him too much, he said, "By Allah I am going to fast and will not break
my fast, and I shall offer prayers and will not sleep...' He fasted for one week, then he rode a
lean camel and went to Mecca for the pilgrimage and said, "I shall go to the House of Allah,
and I shall plead to Allah to side with me against you.' He reached Mecca on the day of the
Great Pilgrimage, took hold of the curtains of the Ka'ba and invoked Allah against me
saying,

O One to Whom pilgrims come from far and wide. Those who come walking, and those who
ride. Hoping to win he Grace of the One, the Dignified, The One who Sustains, from Whom
none can hide. This Munazil never seems to cease, though I chide. So effect retribution; Your
Judgment none can override. And do inflict pain on him and do paralyze his side. You were
never born, nor bears, but is always sanctified!

"I swear by the One Who raised the heavens and caused the water to form springs, he hardly
finished his statement when my right side was completely paralyzed, and I remained like a
piece of wood lying somewhere in the precincts of the Sacred House. People used to come
and go and say about me, "This is a man the plea of whose father Allah has answered.'"

Imam "Ali asked him, "What did your father do?" He said, "O Commander of the Faithful! I
requested him to invoke Allah on my behalf in the same way he invoked Him against me,
now since he reconciled and was pleased with me. I placed him on a she-camel and we rushed
till we reached the valley of Arak when a bird suddenly flew from a tree and scared the she-
camel. My father fell and died on the way.' "Ali said, "Shall I teach you certain invocations
which I have learned from the Messenger of Allah and about which he said that nobody
recites them without Allah Almighty removing his distress from him?" He said, "Yes, please
do!" Imam al-Husain stood up and taught him the invocation. He recited it and was healed
from his ailment and his complete health returned to him. I asked the man, "What did you
do?" He said, 'When all the eyes calmed down, I recited it, then repeated it a second time,
then a third, whereupon I heard someone saying, "Suffices you Allah, for you have invoked
Him by His Greatest Name which, if anyone implores Him by it. He will answer him, and if
anyone requests him for something. He will grant it!' So I slept and I saw the Messenger of
Allah in my vision, and he said to me, "Truly " Ali, my cousin, has told you the truth: it does
contain Allah's Greatest Attribute which, if one pleads to Him by it. He will oblige, and if one
asks Him for something. He will grant it.' Then I saw him a second time in a vision, so I said
to him, "O Messenger of Allah! I love to hear you reciting that invocation!' He said.

Lord! I plead to You, O One Who knows what is hidden! O One by Whose Might the heavens
is erected, and the earth is spread out, and the sun and the moon through the Light of Whose
Greatness illuminate and shine! O One Who approaches every believing and pure soul! O
One Who removes the fear of those who are in awe of Him, those who are righteous! O One
Who takes care of all the needs of His creation. Who has saved Yousuf from the bondage of
slavery. Who has no doorman to be approached, nor does He have a supporter to be defeated,
nor does He have a vizier to be bribed, nor is there any other god besides Him so he would be
called upon, nor does He increase, despite His giving, except in giving and in open-
handedness..., and surely Allah has blessed Muhammed and his progeny! Whereupon I
implore You, Lord, to grant me my quest, for You can do anything at all.

"So I woke up and I was healed." "Ali said, "Uphold this supplication, for it is one of the
treasures of Paradise.

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Al-Qudds is the One Who is above need and Whose Attributes are above being deficient. He
is the One Who purifies the souls against sinning, Who takes the wicked by their forelocks,
Who is above being limited to space or time.

The Messenger of Allah once sent one of his companions to teach Islam to a group of new
converts and to lead them in congregational prayers. That companion used not to recite any
chapter of the Holy Qura'n (besides, of course, the Fatiha) other than Surat al-Tawhid (or al-
Ikhlas), so those believers went back once to the Prophet and told him about it. The Prophet
said to them, "Go back and ask him why he does so." Upon asking him, the companion
answered them by saying, "... because it contains the Attribute of al-Rahman, and this is why
I love to recite it so often!" When they told the Prophet this answer, he said to them, "Go back
and tell him that the Praised and Glorified One loves him too."

Ibn "Abbas spent a night once with his cousin the Messenger of Allah. When the Messenger
of Allah woke up and stood up on his bed, he raised his head towards the heavens and thrice
repeated the following statement: ''Subhanal Malik al-QuddsV (Glory to the King, the Holy!)
Then he recited the last verses of Surat Ali-"Imran starting with the verse: "Surely in the
creation of the heavens and the earth..., etc."

6. "Al-Salam"

Allah Almighty has said that He is "... the King, the Holy" (Qura'n, 59:23).

''Al-Salam'' means: the One Who is free from defect and shortcoming. Whose qualities are
above deficiency. Whose deeds are free from evil. Since He is as such, there can be neither
peace nor security in existence without Him.

"5a/am" means peace. Allah Almighty has said, "... and Allah invites to the abode of
peace" (Qura'n, 10:25), meaning Paradise: anyone who abides therein will have been saved
from agony and perdition. Allah has said, "And if he is one of those on the right hand, then
peace to you from those on the right hand" (Qura'n, 56:90-91), that is, rest assured that they
are enjoying peace and tranquility. ''Salamr is a greeting; if a Muslim tells another Muslim
''As-Salamu AlaikumV he will have assured him of safety and security, granting him
immunity against his evil or ill intentions. Allah Almighty praises Yahya, John the Baptist, by
saying, "And peace be on him on the day he was born..." (Qura'n, 19:15).

The most precarious situations to which human beings are exposed are three: The time of

birth, the time of death, and the time of resurrection. So Allah honoured Yahya in all these
three situations, granting him peace, safety and security against their woes. He saved him
from the perils of all these three situations and granted him security against fear.

Muslims are repeatedly enjoined by the Holy Qura'n to disseminate peace and to be receptive
to those who offer it: ""-.;.■::

O you who believe! Enter into peace one and all... (2:208) And if they incline to peace, do
incline to it too and trust in Allah. (8:61) And the servants of al-Rahman are the ones who
walk on earth humbly, and when the ignorant ones address them, they say: Salam (Peace)!
(25:63) And when those who believe in Our Signs come to you, say: Peace be on you! Your
Lord has ordained mercy on Himself... (6:54) So turn away from them and say. Peace! For
they shall soon come to know. (43:89)

Allah's Salam is His speech. Likewise, the Messenger of Islam used to quite often enjoin the
believers to disseminate the greeting of peace among them. There are numerous traditions
testifying to this fact; among them are the following:

Assalamu minal Islam: The greeting of peace is an integral part of the creed of Islam.

Afshu al Salama taslamu: Disseminate the greeting of peace among you so you may achieve
peace and security.

Whoever upholds three things will have combined in him the meaning of conviction: 1)
fairness to his own self, 2) disseminating of the greeting of peace to everyone, and 3)
spending wisely out of what he saves.

Afshu al Salama baynakum: Disseminate the greeting of peace among you.

In one of his supplications, the Messenger of Allah used to say, "Lord! Make us harbingers of
peace to Your friends!" The Holy Qura'n tells us that the name of Paradise is "Dar al Salam,"
the abode of peace; He, Glory and Exaltation to Him, says, "They shall have the abode of
peace with their Lord, and He is their guardian because of what they did" (Qura'n, 6:127).
Allah will make the greeting of the believers, when they meet Him, "Peace!" He says, "Their
salutation on the Day they meet Him shall be: Salam! (Peace!)" (Qura'n, 33:44). Referring to
the believers. He says the following in Surat al-RaM, "... the gardens of perpetual abode
which they will enter along with those who do good deeds from among their parents and
spouses and offspring, and the angels will enter upon them from every gate (saying): Peace be
on you because you were constant! How excellent, then, is the issue of the abode!" (Qura'n,
13:23-24).

Thawban, servant of the Messenger of Allah, has said, "Whenever the Messenger of Allah

finished his prayers, he would seek forgiveness of Allah thrice, saying, "Lord! You are the
Peace; from You is the Peace; Glory to You! Greatness and Honour are in You!'"

7. "Al-Mu'min"

Allah has described Himself as al-Mu'min: "... the One Who gives peace. Who grants
security" (Qura'n, 59:23). r^^K/^'

''Al-Mu'min'' means: the One to Whom peace and security are rendered: He provides the
means of their attainment, blocking all the avenues of fear. There is no peace nor security in
this life against the causes of disease and perdition, nor in the life hereafter against the
torment and the Wrath, except that He provides the means to attain it.

"Iman," linguistically speaking, is an infinitive (to believe) derived from two verbs: tasdeeq,
testimony for the truth of something or someone, as in 12:17: "... and you will not believe us
though we are truthful" (Qura'n, 12:17), and aman, asylum or a peaceful haven as in 106:4:
"... and gave them security against fear" (Qura'n, 106:4). Some linguists are of the view that
the derivation of iman is from this second verb.

If we say that the Almighty grants His servants security against anything they dread, we must
be understood in the light of the circumstances of the life in this world and in the hereafter. As
regarding the life in this world, the removal of the cause of fear is not reasonably accepted
except when a precarious situation has actually taken place. Fear cannot be removed when the
possibility of loss of life is present, and nobody can remove such a possibility except Allah.
Nobody can bring about peace and security other than He. A blind person is apprehensive of
perishing on account of his inability to see the area from which death may overtake him.
Sound vision grants him security against being annihilated. One whose arm is amputated fears
the situation when he cannot defend himself except through the use of his arm. His healthy
arm, then, is the cause of his feeling of security. The same can be said about all our senses
and bodily parts. The One Who created all these parts is the same One Who has removed
from man the causes of fear by granting him such parts. The One Who has created delicious
food for man as well as good medicines and taught him how to make useful tools, thus
sparing himself a lot of trouble, is surely the same One Who grants him security against all
such dangers. The Messenger of Allah has said, "Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last
Day should bring security to his neighbor against his own misdeeds." [1]

8. ''Al-Muhaimin"

In 59:23, we read: "He is Allah besides Whom there is no other god, the King, the Holy, the
One Who grants peace, the One Who grants security, the Guardian over all, the Mighty, the
Supreme, the One Who possesses greatness; Glory to Allah from whatever they set up (with
Him)."

When applied to the Almighty, '' al-Muhaimin'' means that He is the One Who oversees His
servants' actions, Who provides them with sustenance, and decrees their life-spans. He does
so through His knowledge, control, and protection. Anyone who oversees something is its
guardian; so he has full power over it. These Attributes can never be present in their absolute
meaning except in Allah.

This Attribute describes in 10:61 the One Who testifies for or against His servants who enter
into mutual transactions: "... We are witnesses over you when you enter into it." Allah is al-
Muhaimin, the One Who witnesses all what His servants do, be it a speech or an action. The
meaning of this verse incorporates the meaning of the word ''muhaimin'' thus: the One Who
knows everything and from Whose knowledge nothing at all can escape, not even the weight
of an atom in the earth or in the heavens.

Al-Khalil ibn Ahmed al-Farahidi says that '' al-Mu'min'' means: the One Who ever watches.
Who ever protects. It is common in Arabic to describe someone as ''muhaimin'' if he protects
someone else or is his guardian.

Al-Mibrad explains its meaning as: the One Who is most kind and compassionate. Arabs
describe the bird that stretches its wings to protect its young as being ''muhaimin'' over them.

Al-Hassan al-Basri says it means the Guardian Who testifies to one's truth. Applied to the
Almighty, it may carry one of two meanings: His testimony by word, hence His testimony
informing us about His messengers being truthful, and His empowering those messengers to
produce miracles, thus testifying to their truthfulness.

Al-Muhaimin is the One Who encompasses in His knowledge the management of the affairs
of all His creation from the smallest atom to the largest planet in the cosmos.

9. ''Al- Aziz"

The Almighty has said, "O Moses! Surely I am Allah, the Omnipotent, the Wise" (Qura'n,
27:9).

The root word of this Attribute is '/zz, might, power, strength, victory, elevation, non-
submission. Its verb means: to strengthen or to support as in: "We sent them two [messengers]
but they called them liars, so We strengthened them with a third," (Qura'n, 36:14) that is,
supported them and their argument with a third messenger. Linguistically, its verb means: to
overcome, to gain the upper hand, to subdue...

Al-^Aziz is the One Who Alone has all honour; He is never humiliated, nor is He ever
wronged; neither imagination nor intellect can ever conceive Him. He is the One Who cannot

be overcome or in any way harmed, the One Who has no peer nor a similitude, Who is very
much needed. Who is victorious and is never vanquished, the Mighty, the Omnipotent Who
can never be reached.

The Almighty has described Himself as al-^Aziz, narrating in His Book, the Holy Qura'n, an
anecdote about Jesus pleading to Him thus "... if You forgive them, surely You are the
Mighty, the Wise" (Qura'n, 5:118). He has also said, "And to Him belongs greatness in the
heavens and in the earth, and He is the Mighty, the Wise" (Qura'n, 45:37). He has proven that
He has in Him all the Attributes of Greatness, saying, "To Allah belongs the might, and to His
Prophet, and to the believers" (Qura'n, 63:8), and also, "Glory to your Lord, the Lord of
Honour, above what they describe" (Qura'n, 37:180). While discussing Iblis, He quotes him
saying, "... by Your Might I will surely make them live an evil life, all of them" (Qura'n,
38:82).

The Messenger of Allah used to say, "I seek refuge with Your Honour, for You are the One
Who is the One and Only God Who never dies, while the jinns and men die."

10. "Al-Jabbar"

Allah has said, "He is Allah besides Whom there is no other god, the Sovereign, the Holy, the
Source of peace (and perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of safety, the One
Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme; Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the
partners they attribute to (Him)" (Qura'n, 59:23).

Linguistically, ''al-Jabbaf' is derived from jabr, the opposite of breaking. It suggests the
forceful mending of something broken, fractured, shattered, crushed..., etc. It is also said that
the adjective ja/?/?ar means great, huge, inaccessible. Linguists say that al-Jabbar is the Most
Great. It is a superlative adjective derived from jabr; He is the One Who not only mends what
is broken but also enriches the one who is incapacitated by poverty and want. In short. He is
the One Who repairs everything broken or impaired.

Abdullah ibn "Abbas says that al-Jabbar is the Great King, while Ibn al-Anbari says that al-
Jabbar is the One Who is beyond anyone's reach. Others have said that ''al-Jabbar'' means
the One Who cannot be harmed by any mighty oppressor, and nobody can dispute with Him
about anything. It is said that "al-Jabbar" conveys the same meaning conveyed by the
Attribute "al-Mutakabbir" the Proud or the Supreme One. Pride and Supremacy are
commendable Attributes only when applied to Allah. If applied to anyone else, on the other
hand, they become abominable qualities. It is also said that the meaning of "al-Jabbar"
connotes: the One Who forces His will on others. Nothing can happen in His domain except
whatever He pleases, whether His beings like it or not. Or it may mean the One Who repairs,
improves, or reforms, as is the analogy with one who mends, say, a broken limb.

One of its derivatives isjabaroot, supremacy or greatness. According to one tradition, the
Messenger of Allah has supplicated thus, "Glory to the One Who has all tho jabaroot and all
the domain." In one of his statements. Imam "Ali ibn Abu Talib has said, "He is the One
Whose will has manifested itself on the nature of hearts," that is. He firmed the hearts
according to the way He created them and according to their level of knowing Him; those
who know Him are the happy ones, while those who do not are the wretches.

''Al-Jabbaf connotes forcefulness and forcibleness. We can find out that all parts of the body
have been driven to perform their functions without any will of their own. Cast a look at the
sun as it moves in its orbit without deviating from it as little as an inch, whether it likes it or
not. Man has no control over the time when Allah chooses his life to begin, or how he is born,
or when he dies, or the family in which he is to be born. All these are predestined for him, and
he has no control over them. So is the case with all other beings on the face of earth. They all
have been created with the ability to adapt to life on earth, and nobody has any choice in this
matter: "It is He Who has spread out the earth for (His) creatures; therein are fruits and date-
palms, producing spathes (containing dates)" (Qura'n, 55:10-11). All of these things are
created without the choice of any human being.

11. "Al-Mutakabbir"

Allah has said, "He is Allah besides Whom there is no other god, the Sovereign, the Holy, the
Source of peace (and perfection), the Guardian of the Faith, the Preserver of safety, the One
Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme; Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the
partners they attribute to (Him)" (Qura'n, 59:23).

Understanding "al-Mutakabbif' requires a good deal of reasoning and insight. Its root word
''kibriya"' means greatness and sovereignty, and it incorporates the meanings of the perfection
of one's self and existence; nobody can be described as such except Allah. Greatness, as far as
Allah Almighty is concerned, is the loftiness of status: "By His command does He send the
spirit (of inspiration) to any of His servants He pleases so that it may warn (men) of the Day
of mutual meeting" (Qura'n, 40:15). Al-Mutakabbir is the One Who possesses all greatness.
Who is above having any of the qualities of His creatures. Who is above being harmed by the
oppressors among His creation. Whose greatness and pride are the super-most. He is too great
to be deficient in anything or in need for anyone or anything, the One Who is above having
any of the characteristics and attributes of His creatures, the One Who Alone has all greatness
and pride. None besides Him is justified to conceive himself as great, or as mighty, or as the
sovereign. He is the One Who is too Holy to be afflicted by any calamity; so, no greatness is
justified for anyone besides Him; He is the One Who has all might and kingdom. This
Attribute means: the One Who has combined in Him, and Who rightly deserves so, all the
attributes of greatness, perfection, pride and glory, all at the same time.

He is too Great to submit to others; rather, submission is due to Him, and only to Him. The

Holy Qura'n bestows the Attribute of greatness upon the Almighty in Surat al-Jathiya: "To
Him be Glory throughout the heavens and the earth, and He is Exalted in Power, full of
Wisdom" (Qura'n, 45:37). Pride due to the sense of being great is of two kinds:

One is when actions of such a person are indeed great and better than those of anyone else's;
He is "... the Source of peace (and perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of
security, the One Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme" (Qura'n, 59:23).

The other is that one conceives himself artificially to be as such, and this applies to most
people:

Thus does Allah set a seal over the heart of everyone who is proud, haughty. (40:35) Surely
evil is the dwelling place of those who are proud. (16:29) Isn't there in hell an abode for those
who are proud? (39:60)

Quoting the Lord of Greatness, the Almighty God, the Messenger of Allah has said, "Pride is
My cloak; Greatness is My garment; whoever disputes with Me regarding either, I shall surely
hurl him into the fire." Here the Almighty informs and admonishes us that greatness, might
and pride are all His prerogatives, that none among His servants is worthy of claiming any of
them for himself.

In one of his supplications, the Messenger of Allah says, "I seek refuge with You, Lord,
against the evil of pride." He is also quoted as saying that pride is an indication of ingratitude
towards the Truth, the Almighty; he has said, "Pride is ingratitude towards the Truth." Imam
"Ali has said, "The son of Adam is truly amazing! A wound can end his life, a bug can cause
him a pain, his sweat can make him stink, so how can he ever feel proud?"

The Messenger of Allah has warned us against pride and of being proud of ourselves, saying,
"Nobody will enter Paradise if he has even the weight of a mustard seed of pride, and nobody
will enter the fire if there is a likewise weight of conviction in his heart." As the lucky [2]
ones enter Paradise, their hearts will be purged of any pride and jealousy: "And we will root
out whatever rancor there is in their hearts" (Qura'n, 15:47).

The Attribute '' al-Mutakabbif' is mentioned only once in the text of the Holy Qura'n in 59:23,
and Allah knows best.

12. "Al-Khaliq"

Allah has said, "He is Allah the Creator..." (Qura'n, 59:24).

"Al-Khaliq" is derived from khalq, creating. Allah, al-Khaliq, the Creator, is the One Who
brings things into existence after their non-existence. Who invents and innovates without a

prior model. Some scholars say that al-Khaliq is the One Who creates things out of naught
then bestows upon them their characteristics of movement and other qualities. Others say that
He is the One Who invents whatever the eyes can see, Who perfects their creation. Still others
say that He is the One Who determined the measure of all things when they were enshrouded
by void, perfecting them by His bounties and goodness, bringing them into existence
according to His will, desire and wisdom. Anyone who thinks that there is anyone else
besides Him who creates is indeed one who commits kufr, apostasy, blasphemy, disbelief.
Allah Almighty has said the following:

... the Creator of everything; therefore, worship Him. (6:102)... is there any creator besides
Allah...? (35:3) Yea, indeed! For He is the Supreme Creator, of (infinite) skill and knowledge.
(36:81) ... so blessed is Allah, the best of creators. (23:14) Is it not His to create and to
govern? Blessed is Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds. (7:54)

Ibn "Abbas is reported as saying that whenever the Messenger of Allah looked in the mirror,
he would say, "Praise to Allah Who has made both my creation and my manners good. Who
beautified in me what He has not done in others." According to a narration by our master
Imam " Ali ibn Abu Talib, the Messenger of Allah used to say the following whenever he
looked in the mirror, "Praise is due to Allah! Lord! Just as You have made my form good, I
implore You to make my manners, too, good." [3]

13. "Al-Bari''

Allah has said, "He is Allah the Creator, the Evolver, the One Who bestows forms (or colors)
upon what He creates. To Him belong the Attributes" (Qura'n, 59:24).

There are viewpoints regarding the explanation of ''al-BarV: One says it refers to the One
Who brings about something out of nothing, the One Who creates something which was never
there before. It is said that Allah is al-Bari of creation, the One Who brought about all things
into existence out of non-existence.

The other meaning conveys the cutting off or severing of something. The root verb of this
word means cutting and shaping something such as a twig or a pencil. One may say that
illness has parted from him, or that he is free of a claim put forth by another. It can also be
applied metaphorically such as one person severing his partnership with another, or a woman
separating from her husband. Allah has bara'a, created or initiated, the creation without a
model; bariyyah means those whom He has created. Another meaning is curing or healing. A
wise saying states that one who is cured should express gratitude to the One Who cured him.

Ja'fer ibn Sulayman is quoted as having said that he passed once by a blind old woman
grieving over herself and wailing, so he asked her, "What does it take to sustain you?" She
answered him saying, "Stop sticking your nose where it does not belong; I have reached this

stage of life without needing you or others." Then she added, "Have you not heard the
statement made by the Friend of Allah who said, " [Allah] Who created me then showed me
the way, and He provides me with food to eat and with water to drink, and when I am sick. He
restores my health to me' (26:78-80)?"

One who knows the real meaning of "a/-5an", therefore, is one whose heart is not affected by
events, nor can momentous events overtake him by surprise. It is also said that anyone who
comes to know Who al-Bari really is will dissociate himself from claiming to have anything
to do with his own form or shape, fearing his Creator's Might, knowing that he is not doing
Him a favour by worshipping and obeying Him. It is also said that He is the One Who has
dissociated Himself from everyone else, the One Who is never surprised by whatever events
take place. It is also said that anyone who recognizes Him as al-Bari will dissociate himself
from committing anything prohibitive, seeking refuge with the King, the Most Forgiving
One.

14. "Al-Musawwir"

Allah has said, "He is Allah the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of forms (or colors). To
Him belong the Attributes" (Qura'n, 59:24).

Al-Musawwir is the One Who fashions. Who gives something its distinctive form and shape.
The general human form is distinguished from that of non-humans. Allah says, "... and He
formed you and made your forms good" (Qura'n, 40:64), "Into whatever form He pleased He
shaped you" (Qura'n, 82:8), and "He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases (3:6)."

Al-Musawwir means: the One Who invents the forms and shapes of whatever He creates.
Who beautifies them according to His wisdom, giving everything its own distinctive shape
and form. He creates humans in different forms and shapes, making some of them different
from others in physique, size, complexion, etc. This may be the meaning of the verse saying,
"And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your
tongues and colors; most surely there are signs in this for those who have
knowledge" (Qura'n, 30:22). "He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases; there is
no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise" (Qura'n, 3:6); "And certainly We created man of an
extract of clay, then We made him a small seed in a firm resting-place, then We made the
seed a clot, then We made the clot a lump of flesh, then We made in the lump of flesh bones,
then We clothed the bones with flesh, then We caused it to grow into another creation; so,
blessed be Allah, the best of creators" (Qura'n, 23:12-14).

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In language, noor is light, whatever its glow, rays, or reflection may be. It aids vision. There
are two kinds of light: a light related to the life of this world, and a light related to the life
hereafter. The first, let us say the secular, is also of two types: one is what the mind, the
intellect, can see; it is a Divine light, the light of reason, of the Holy Qura'n. The other is
related to the physical one, that of things which emit or reflect light such as the sun and the
moon. An example for the Divine light is implied in a verse such as this: "... there has come to
you light and a clear Book from Allah" (Qura'n, 5:15). Reference to the physical light exists
in the verse saying, "He it is Who made the sun a shining brightness and the moon a light (a
reflection)" (Qura'n, 10:5). Here, the sun is mentioned before the moon because its light is
more commonly associated with what we can see than the moon.

Al-Noor is the Apparent One Who has manifested Himself fully. The One Who is apparent on
His own and Who makes everything else apparent and visible is called al-Noor Who takes
things out of non-existence and brings them into the world of existence. Al-Noor, Glory to
Him, has filled our world with light and brought it into existence. Who determined it since
time immemorial. Who has illuminated the apparent existence through the sun and the stars.
Who illuminated the world of spirits through the Messenger of Allah, the master of the first
generations and of the last, and He illuminated the hearts through the light of His Divinely
revealed Books. He illuminated those endowed with knowledge with the light of Divine
manifestations. Al-Noor has illuminated the hearts of the truthful through His Unity, and the
conscience of those who love Him by His support for them. He beautified the complexions
and brought life to the souls of the pious through their adoration. He guides the hearts to
prefer and opt for what is right. Who guides the innermost conscience to silently address
Him.

Noor, light, then, has many meanings. One of them is the light of knowledge and scholarship,
which is the dawn of the truth as seen by the heart of a knowledgeable believer. The Attribute
''al-Noor'' has been mentioned in the text of the Holy Qura'n and is attributed to Allah in
many places the best known of which is 24:35 cited above.

Ibn "Abbas says that the meaning of this verse is that Allah is the Guide of the residents of the
heavens and of the earth; the similitude of His guidance in the heart of a believer is like pure
oil which shines even before fire touches it; therefore, when fire does touch it, it intensifies its
light, so it intensifies and adds light to its light. The Attribute "al-Noor" is indicative of the
fact that Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.

There are many other verses wherein reference to Allah's light is made; among them are the
following:

They desire to put out the Hght of Allah with their mouths, and Allah insists on perfecting His
light though the unbelievers are averse thereto. (9:32) What?! Is he whose heart Allah has
opened for Islam, so he is in a light from his Lord (like the hard-hearted one)? Nay! Woe unto
those whose hearts are hard against the remembrance of Allah; surely they are in clear error.
(39:22) And the earth shall beam with the light of its Lord, and the Book shall be laid down,
and the prophets and the witnesses shall be brought forth, and judgment shall be issued
between them with equity, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly. (39:69)

There are more than forty references to light in the text of the Holy Qura'n. Some scholars are
of the view that the Attribute ''al-Noof' is Allah's Greatest Name. They say that they cannot
see anything in existence without seeing the meaning of this Attribute manifested in it.

The Messenger of Allah used to supplicate to his Lord in the morning saying, "Lord! I invoke
You to create light in my heart, light in all parts of my body, light in my hearing, light in my
sight, light in my hair, light in my complexion, light in my flesh, light in my blood, light in
my bones, light before me, light behind me, light on my right, light on my left, light above
me, light underneath me! Lord! I implore You to increase my light, to grant me light, and to
create light for me."

94. "Al-Hadi"

The Most Glorified and Exalted One has said, ... and sufficient is your Lord as a Guide and a
Helper. (25:31)

''Al-Hadr is an Attribute derived, linguistically, from hidya, guidance, which means: to
attract someone to something, such as attracting the heart of a believer to al-Hadi, to the One
Who provides such guidance. Guidance means bringing the hearts closer to the Almighty.

Guidance is the following of one's sound reason and common sense and the graceful way of
bringing someone to the anticipated goal. He guides the elite from among His servants whom
He has chosen to know His Essence, so much so that they see things through Him, and He
guides the commoners among them to witness His creatures, so much so that they have seen
them as signs of His being their Creator and Sustainer. He has guided everything He created
to whatever means whereby it can satisfy its needs. He has guided the baby to suck the breast
of its mother, the young birds to pick the seeds, and the bees to build their honey-combs in
hexagonal shapes which are the best to suit the forms of their bodies, and such examples are
quite lengthy indeed.

Al-Hadi guides the guilty to repentance, and those blessed with knowledge to the facts
regarding nearness to Him. Al-Hadi occupies the hearts by truthfulness and equity, the bodies
by life and death. Al-Hadi has given everything He has created its shape and characteristics.

and He guides whom He creates to the goals behind His creating them, to issues related to
their life in this world and to those related to their creed, in addition to everything else related
to them. He guides the hearts to know Him and the souls to obey Him; He guides the guilty to
the path of repentance, the sincere ones to nearness to Him after being far from it. He keeps
the hearts filled with love for equity and truth; He enables them to treat people justly. Al-Hadi
is in all reality Allah. Al-Hadi has guided the elite from among His servants to wisdom and
knowledge.

Whenever the Messenger of Allah woke up during the night for prayers, he would supplicate
to his Lord saying, "Lord! God of Gabriel, Michael and Israfil, Originator of the heavens and
the earth, Knower of the unknown and the Witness! You judge between Your servants
regarding that wherein they dispute! I plead to You to guide me to that wherein they have
differed, by Your will, for You guide whomsoever You please to a straight path."

95. "Al-Badee "

Allah, Glory and Exaltation are His, has said. Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the
earth! When He decrees an affair. He only says to it "Be!" and it is. (2:117)

In language, to originate is to bring about something without following a model or an
example. Al-Badee^ is the Unique One; there is nothing similar to Him in His essence,
qualities, or whatever He does; He has manifested the wonders that He has created as the
most beautiful indications of His wisdom. He has created all cosmic worlds without a prior
model. He, Exalted is His Name, has said, "Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the
earth! How could He have a son when He has no consort, and He (Himself) created
everything, and He knows all things?" (Qura'n, 6:101).

''Badee^'' means: originator; one who does something new, originating its existence. ''Bid'a''
means something new, an innovation, simply because nobody before had said or advocated it.
Allah is the Originator of all things without following a prior model. He did not learn their
creation from anyone else; rather. He initiated the creation of all beings, so He is their Maker,
the One Who started their existence. The Almighty, al-Badee\ has brought everything into
existence without the use of a tool or any material, without being limited to time or space in
order to be able to do that.

Al-Badee^ has manifested the wonderful things of what He has done and the extra-ordinary
proofs of His wisdom. He is the Absolute One Who has no peer similar to Him in His
qualities, wisdom, or anything related to Him; He, and only He, is the Absolute al-Badee^
Who has created everything without following a prior model.

Since there is none like Him in His essence, characteristics, actions, or anything related to
Him, that makes Him the Absolute Originator. If such a thing is known commonly, it cannot

be called badee' at all; so, this Attribute does not fit anyone besides Allah. None was ever like
Him nor ever will; therefore, His example never existed at all and never will, and whatever
exists besides Him exists because of Him; He, and He alone, is the Originator since time
immemorial and forever.

Anas ibn Malik is quoted saying that the Messenger of Allah once heard a man supplicating
thus, "Lord! I plead to You by the fact that to You is all Praise due; there is no god but You;
You are the One Who never stops giving. Who originated the heavens and the earth, the One
to Whom all Glory and Honour belong! I plead to You to grant me a place in Your Paradise,
and I seek refuge with You against the fire," whereupon the Prophet said, "He surely has
pleaded to Allah by His Attribute which, if one pleads to Him by it. He grants the plea and
gives what He is asked."

A believer's share of this Glorious Attribute is that if he repeats it quite often, Allah will cause
the springs of wisdom to flow from his tongue; he will be wise in his intentions, for intention
is the bedrock of action. A servant of Allah who remembers and repeats this Attribute quite
often, being fully aware of its meanings, will be exposed to the beauty of its light. Allah, the
Truth, Exalted and Blessed is He, will permit him to enter into the circle of invention; He will
make him a master obeyed by others. One of the norms of conduct of whoever mentions this
Attribute quite often is the avoiding of innovations in the creed and full adherence to the
Sunnah.

96. "Al-Baqi"

Allah, Glory and Exaltation are His, has said, "... and Allah is better and more
abiding" (Qura'n, 20:73).

''Al-BaqV is one of Allah's Attributes the root word of which is baqa'\ the opposite of
extinction. It also means: obedience to Allah and awaiting His rewards, or the lingering status
of goodness.

The reality of al-Baqi, Glory to Him, is in His ever-enduring existence; endurance is one of
His characteristics. Al-Baqi, Glory to Him, always exists and Whose existence is necessitated
by virtue of His own merits. He is ever-Present, Who remains existing forever, from the
beginning of any beginning and for eternity. The Absolute al-Baqi is the One the duration of
Whom never ends, and such a duration is described as abadi, perpetual, eternal, endless. The
Absolute al-Qadeem is the One the time of Whose beginning, if there is such a thing, goes
back to the very beginning of time, and such a duration is called azali, eternal. When you say
that His existence depends on His own merits, this Attribute will then include both meanings.

What affects the determining of the "past" and the "present" are certain variables; both words
describe time, and nothing measures time other than change. One Who is above change by

virtue of motion is above being affected by time; therefore, neither "past" nor "future" can
apply to Him. The Truth, Exalted is He, is before time, since He Himself created time, and
nothing in Him changed, and He was before time, and He remains after His creation of time
just as He has always been and will always be. Those who have claimed that duration is a
characteristic added to the essence of al-Baqi are far from the truth, and still further from the
truth than them are those who claim that time is an additional quality in as far as the Eternal
One is concerned. There is no need to bother the reader with details about such confusion
regarding existence, duration, and which qualities endure.

Allah's existence stands on its own merits and is self-necessitating, that is, it does not accept
extinction in any way. The duration of anything which is self-sustaining during the past and
will remain so in the future as well as it did in the past is called old, and its duration in the
future is called existence.

The subject of enduring and duration attributed to Allah has been referred to in the text of the
Holy Qura'n in more than one place. Examples are the following:

... and the sustenance of your Lord is better and more abiding. (20:131) And there will endure

forever the person of your Lord, the Lord of glory and honour. (55:27) ... what is with Allah is

better and more lasting for those who believe and rely on their Lord. (42:36)

... ever- abiding good deeds are with your Lord best in recompense and best in yielding fruit.

(19:76)

The good fortune a servant of Allah may receive if he remembers this Attribute quite often is
that the Almighty will reveal to him enduring facts and will make him observe the perishing
trails, so he will flee eagerly to al-Baqi and decorate his conduct with the meanings its
qualities and moral code suggest.

97. "Al-Warith"

Allah has said, ... Allah's is the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is aware of
everything you do. (3:180)

Al-Warith, Glory to Him, remains after the extinction of all beings. He inherits everything
after the extinction of everyone and everything. He is the Heir: on the Day of Judgment, it
will be loudly called out, "To whom does the kingdom belong this Day? To Allah, the One,
The Subduer (of all)" (Qura'n, 40:16).

The root word of the Attribute ''al-WaritK' is ''waratha,'' inherited: He will inherit all beings
after their extinction. He is the only One Who remains after those who used to think that they
possessed wares and items, the things which He had given them, will be gone; their existence,
as well as that of what He has given them, is dependent on Him, and on none else. He has

said, "And most surely We bring to life, and We cause death, and We are the heirs" (Qura'n,
15:23).

What Allah's servants used to own will go back to Him; there is no partner with Him. Al-
Warith is the One to Whom all possessions will go back after the death of their "owners." He
will be the One Who will call on that Day, the Day of Judgment, as in 40:16, "To whom does
the kingdom belong this Day?" and He will be the One Who will answer by saying, "To
Allah, the One, The Subduer (of all)" (Qura'n, 40:16)." Most people mistakenly think that
they have possessions which are their own, but the reality of the matter will be unfolded
before their eyes on that Day. This call represents a fact which will then be revealed to
everyone.

Reference to the subject of heritage as applied to the Almighty occurs in some Qura'nic verses
such as the following:

And most surely We bring to life and cause death, and We are the heirs. (15:23) Surely We
inherit the earth and all those on it and to Us shall they all be returned. (19:40) And We
desired to bestow a favour upon those who were deemed weak in the land and make them the
Imams and make them the heirs. (28:5) Lord! Do not leave me alone, and You are the best of
inheritors. (21:89)

The Messenger of Allah used to supplicate saying, "Lord! I plead to You to grant me the
enjoyment of my hearing and vision, and to make them my heirs."

98. "Al-Rasheed"

Allah subhanahu wa ta^ala has said. And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then
surely I am very near: I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me; therefore,
they should answer My call and believe in Me so that they will be rightly guided. (2:186)

The Attribute '' al-Rasheed' is derived from Rushd, its root word, which means: guidance,
righteousness, and uprightness, the antithesis of straying and crookedness. Its derivation
accepts two possibilities: one is al-Rasheed, which means the same as al-Rashid, the Wise
One, so Wise is He that there is nothing among His deeds that can be regarded as wasteful or
wrong. The other is that it may mean the same as al-Badee\ and Allah's irshad, that is. His
leading His servants to the right path, is due to His hidaya, guidance. Al-Rasheed is the One
Whose management of all affairs achieves its objectives without anyone else besides Him
directing or assisting it. Who is none but Allah, Glory to Him. Al-Rasheed pleases whoever
He wills by providing him with His guidance, making whoever He wills miserable by
distancing him from His guidance. He is the One in Whose management there is no lapse, and
in Whose assessment there is no fault.

Al-Rasheed is characterized by complete perfection, great wisdom, ultimate guidance. He is
the One Whose management of all affairs reaches its ultimate goal and success. He guides His
creatures and leads them to what is best for them. He guides them through His wisdom
towards the attainment of their well-being in the life of this world and in the life to come. Al-
Rasheed has made those with whom He is pleased happy. Who guided His friends to Him;
there is no negligence in His management of the affairs nor in His assessment, and He is
known for His justice and favours.

Al-Rasheed is al-Murshid, the One Who inspires right guidance for those who obey Him, and
He has led all beings to His guidance, the One Whose rope is strong. Whose command is
wise. In Surat al-Kahaf, we read the following verse, "Lord! Grant us mercy from You, and
provide for us a right course in our affairs" (Qura'n, 18:10), and, "... whomsoever He causes
to err, you shall not find for him any friend to lead (him) rightly" (Qura'n, 18:17).

If a servant of Allah wishes to be on the right track, his guidance will be proportionate with
his terse management in the attainment of his secular and religious objectives. One must deal
with his Lord, al-Rasheed, in a way whereby he properly relies on his Lord to guide him. His
Lord will then lead him to reform his own self first, to refer all his affairs to Him, and to seek
refuge with Him whenever evil touches him and pray for His help whenever he is afflicted,
just as Allah has told Moses to do: "And when he (Moses) turned his face towards Midyan, he
said: Maybe my Lord will guide me to a course nearer to the right path than this" (Qura'n,
18:24). Thus ought a servant of Allah behave: when he wakes up, he should rely on his Lord,
and whatever matter faces him, he should seek Allah's help in its regard then await what
signal his heart will respond thereto. He will then help him do whatever he needs to do and
will suffice him regarding all his affairs. If he does contrary to what Allah guides him. He will
then reprimand him so that he would know that his Lord found him to be insolent, hence he
abandons his self-reliance and forsakes following his own mind and trickery. A servant of
Allah ought to quite often remember the Attribute '' al-Rasheed' and cling to its meaning so
that he may be led to the commendable conduct, and Allah will then grant him wisdom and
bestow His blessings upon him.

99. "Al-Saboor''

The Praised and Glorified One has said, ... nor did they weaken, nor did they abase
themselves, and Allah loves those who are patient. (3:146)

'Al-Saboof is an Attribute of Allah linguistically derived from the noun sabr which means:
withholding one's self from expressing its overwhelming grief. Al-Saboor is most patient.
Whose patience is greater than anyone else's. The month of Raman is called the month of
patience and perseverance: during its days, the believer withholds himself/herself from
yielding to the desires.

Al-Saboor, Glory to Him, is the Clement One Who does not surprise those who disobey Him
by suddenly inflicting His penalty on them; rather, He forgives and postpones His carrying
out of such a penalty. Al-Saboor does not rush to do anything too early; rather. He manages
the affairs according to a measure; He conducts them according to a well-defined plan of His;
He does not delay them from reaching their destined courses out of laziness or laxation, nor
does He advance their execution. Rather, He does everything exactly at its right time, in the
best way, as it ought to be. All of this He does without facing hardship which may frustrate
His will. Al-Saboor gives you and is true to you even when you are rude to Him. He comes to
you forgiving even when you shun Him and revolt against Him.

Al-Saboor does not rush to penalize those who disobey Him or to chastise those who sin. He
does not do anything except when it is most opportune due to His wisdom, honour, and
sublimity. He is not harmed by those who commit sins. He takes the guilty by the forelocks.
Al-Saboor commands and respites those to whom He issues His command; He observes and
does not rush, nor does He do anything prematurely. He commands and His command is
according to a certain measure. He cancels the penalty even after it becomes due. Al-Saboor
inspires patience and perseverance for all His creatures. The meaning of the Attribute "a/-
Saboor'' is very close to that of the other Attribute ''al-aleem'\ The difference between the
first and the latter is that with al-Saboor, nobody can feel safe against His penalty, as is the
case with al-aleem.

In Surat Ali-"Imran, the Almighty says, "O you who believe! Be patient, excel in patience,
and remain steadfast" (Qura'n, 3:200), that is, be patient while obeying Allah, make your
hearts accustomed tolerating affliction in the cause of Allah, and train your innermost
conscience to be eager for Allah. It also means: Be patient for the sake of Allah; persevere
while seeking Allah's Pleasure; remain in Allah's camp. Patience regarding what Allah
decrees is a trial, and patience for the sake of Allah is a hardship, while patience with Allah is
loyalty [to Him]. The Messenger of Allah has said, "None is more patient regarding the pain
of what he hears than Allah: they ascribe sons to Him even as He grants them good health and
sustenance." [11]

One of the manifestations of a believer's good conduct in deriving a moral code from the
inspiration of the Attribute '' al-Saboof is that he keeps in mind its beautiful meanings, so he
is patient under all circumstances. One who examines how Allah treats His servants, how He
is patient in the face of their rudeness and disobedience, while He keeps giving them one
respite after another, will learn how to treat people applying Allah's manners to the best of his
ability. Whenever patience is repeated by a servant of Allah, it becomes a habit, and he will
then be following its guiding light. Such is the status of those who persevere in the sight of
Allah, Glory and Praise to Him, as explained in the text of the Holy Qura'n. We are told that
the group of those who were patient will be advanced before others by the token of the verse
saying, "Those who are patient, and the truthful, and the obedient, and those who spend
(benevolently) and those who ask forgiveness in the morning..." (Qura'n, 3:17). Thus, such a
group will have a higher status than that of other groups of His servants. The Praised One has

said, "If there are twenty patient ones among you, they shall overcome two hundred, and if
there are a hundred, they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve" (Qura'n, 8:65).
This is victory with regard to prowess and number granted by Allah whereby He blesses those
from among His servants who persevere. "Lord! Pour down upon us patience, and make our
steps firm, and assist us against the unbelieving people" (Qura'n, 2:250), "Lord! Pour upon us
patience and cause us to die as Muslims" (Qura'n, 7:126).

[I] This tradition is recorded on p. 12, "Kitab al-Adab," Vol. 8 of al-Bul<liari's Sahih.

[2] The word "lucl<y" is used here only because the Holy Qura'n states in 41:35 that the

residents of Paradise will surely be the very lucl<y ones. The Almighty's use of this word is quite
different from that of humans. It is humans' use of this word that we reject.

[3] Muslim, Sahih. It also is stated on page 260 of his "Book of Athkar."
[4] Abu Dawud, Al-Athkar, p. 81.

[5] Notice that the word "heavens" is used throughout this book as singular due to its

reference to one: the sky. If it is at all used in the plural, it will then be referring to the seven
layers or spheres of the sky. As for the word "heaven," it is often used by non-Muslims to refer
to Paradise. Non-Muslims' concept of Paradise is certainly different from that of Muslims.

[6] Abu Dawud, yam/^ al-Fawa'id, Vol. 2, p. 410.

[7] al-Tirmithi, Sunan, Vol. 4, p. 379.

[8] Muslim, sahih, Vol. 4, traditions 33 and 35.

[9] The people of ' Ad were Arabs who lived in upper Hijaz near the area where the people of
Thamud, also Arabs, used to live. Prophet Hud was sent to them; they did not heed his
warning, so they were annihilated. As for the people of Thamud, these used to live in Wadi al-
Qura in the 8th century B.C.

[10] These are: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammed.

[II] al-Bukhari, Sahih, Vol. 9, p. 206.

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Whenever the Messenger of Allah prostrated, he used to say, "Lord! To You have I
prostrated, in You have I believed, and to You have I submitted! My countenance has
prostrated to the One Who created it and shaped it. Who created hearing and vision for it; so,
blessed is Allah, the best of creators!"

Among the supplications of the Messenger of Allah when he prostrated is this one: "My face
has submitted to the One Who created and formed it and Who made its form good." The Holy
Qura'n has informed us a good deal about al-Musawwir, Allah. In Surat al-A"raf, for example,
we read the following: "And certainly We created you then fashioned you" (Qura'n, 7:11). In
Surat al-Taghabun, we read, "He has created the heavens and the earth in just proportions, and
He has given you shape and made your shapes beautiful, and to Him is the final
resort" (Qura'n, 64:3). In Surat Ghafir, we read, "Allah is He Who made the earth a resting-
place for you and the heavens a canopy, and He formed you then made your forms good, and
He provided you with good things; that is Allah, your Lord; blessed then is Allah, the Lord of
the worlds" (Qura'n, 40:64). In Surat Ali-"Imran, we read, "He it is Who shapes you in the
wombs as He pleases; there is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise" (Qura'n, 3:6). In Surat al-
Infitar, we read, "O man! What has beguiled you from your Lord, the Gracious One Who
created you then made you complete, then He made you symmetrical? Into whatever form He
pleased He constituted you" (Qura'n, 82:6-8). And in Surat al-Hashr we read, "He is Allah the
Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of forms (or colors). To Him belong the Attributes; all
those in the heavens and on earth declare His Praises and Glory, and He is Exalted in Might,
Wise" (Qura'n, 59:24).

Allah Almighty has said, "And He created pairs, the male and the female, from the small seed
when it is adapted, and upon Him is its bringing forth a second time" (Qura'n, 53:45-47).

15. "Al-Ghaffar"

Allah has said, "Surely I am most Forgiving to whoever repents and believes and does good
deeds" (Qura'n, 20:82).

Al-Ghaffar is one of Allah's Attributes derived from ghufr and ghufran, both nouns which
convey the meaning of: veiling, hiding, concealing. Allah's maghifra, forgiveness, is His
veiling of one's sins, and His forgiveness by granting him His favour and mercy. Al-Ghaffar
is the One Who has manifested what is beautiful and veiled what is ugly in the life of this
world and Who does not inflict His penalty on him in the life hereafter. He is the One Who
forgives sins, veils the shortcomings, wipes out the sins by accepting one's repentance. He

accepts His servants' repentance and is pleased thereby, and the One Who forgives the sins
and turns them into good deeds by His great favour. He is the One Who forgives the sins
though they may be great, and He veils them though they may be numerous.

The words derived from forgiveness have mostly been associated with Allah. One of them is
al-Ghafir as in this verse: "The One Who forgives the sins" (Qura'n, 40:3). The second is al-
Ghafur\ He has said, "... then [if he] asks forgiveness of Allah, he shall find Allah Forgiving,
Merciful" (Qura'n, 4:1 10). A third is al-Ghajfar as in: "And surely I am most Forgiving to one
who repents and believes and does good deeds" (Qura'n, 20:82), "... seek forgiveness of your
Lord; surely He is the most Forgiving" (Qura'n, 71:10), and "... surely He is the Mighty, the
great Forgiver" (Qura'n, 39:5). It is proven, by making a reference to the Holy Qura'n, that all
these Attributes, which are derived from forgiveness, are applied only to Allah, the Most
Exalted One. Having killed a Copt, Moses implored his Lord thus: "Lord! Surely I have
harmed my own self; so, forgive me" (Qura'n, 28:16). He first admitted his sin then sought
His forgiveness. Allah also revealed the fault of David then said, "So We forgave him this
(lapse)" (Qura'n, 38:25). He addressed Muhammed saying, "So that Allah may forgive your
past and future faults" (Qura'n, 48:2). Has He not in these examples exposed a sin then
forgiven it? In one of his supplications. Prophet Muhammed says, "Lord! I implore You to
forgive me an apparent forgiveness and a concealed one, and to forgive open and secret sins."

The meanings of maghfira, the root word of al-Ghajfar, al-Ghaafir, and al-Ghafur are clear
in the verse saying: "The One Who forgives the sins and accepts the repentance, the One Who
is severe in punishment, the Lord of bounty; there is no god but He; to Him is the eventual
return" (Qura'n, 40:3).

Al-Ghajfar is the One Who very often veils [the sins and faults of His servants], so much so
that He does not propagate one's sins in the life of this world nor in the life hereafter. One of
the companions of the Messenger of Allah was asked once, "What did you hear the
Messenger of Allah say with regard to one's silent supplication?" He answered by saying that
he had heard the Messenger of Allah say, "Allah, the most Honoured, the Most Great, will
touch His servant who believes in Him with His mercy by veiling his sin from the public in
the life of this world, and in the life hereafter He will ask him about each and every sin and
fault he had committed. Once he admits all of them and realizes that he is going to perish on
their account, the Almighty will say, "I have veiled your sins in the past short life, and in this
one I am going to forgive them.' Then he will be handed the book of his good deeds." All this
happens to those who believe in Him; as regarding those who do not, and the hypocrites. He
will deal with them quite differently.

16. "Al-Qahhar"

Allah has said, "Say: Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the
Supreme" (Qura'n, 13:16).

Linguistically, '' al-Qahhaf' is derived from qahr, conquest, subduing, vanquishing, winning a
victory. It means the overtaking of something or someone with the intention to humiliate him.
One who takes another by way of qahr is one who takes him against his will. ''Al-Qahhaf' is
a superlative of '' al-Qahir'\ the Victor or Subduer. Allah, indeed, is the One Who, by His
Might, has subdued everything He created to His Authority and Power, using His creatures as
He pleases, whether they like it or not. Al-Qahir is the One Who has the upper hand over all
creation; "... and Allah is the master of His affair" (Qura'n, 12:21).

Al-Qahhar is the One Whose vengeance nobody can withstand. He humiliates oppressors,
splits the spine of kings and emperors. He is the One besides Whose Might all creation is
powerless, without Whose Power all beings are helpless. If we submit to Him, He will satisfy
our needs, but if we do not. He will make us suffer as we try to achieve our objectives. He is
the One Who splits the spine of the tyrants and oppressors from among His foes, subduing
them by taking their lives away, and by humiliating them, while there is nothing in existence
that can escape His Might and Power: everyone and everything is helpless in His grip.

Al-Qahhar effects His will with regard to His creatures, whether they like it or not, whether
they are willing or unwilling. He has subdued the souls of the worshippers by instilling in the
hearts the fear of His retribution, and the hearts of those who are endowed with knowledge
with the Might of nearness to Him, and the souls of those who love Him by unveiling the
truth about Him to them. He has subdued all beings by death, so none is safe from Him, not
even an angel who enjoys a special status with Him, nor a prophet, nor a messenger. Allah
will make even the angel of death, Israel, taste of death; so, when his soul is taken out, the
angel of death will say, "By Your Honour do I swear that had I known the taste of death to be
like this, I would never have taken away anyone's soul at all!" It is to such a meaning that the
word qahr, upon the taking of the souls of all beings, conveys as implied in the verse saying,
"To whom does the kingdom belong this day? To Allah, the One, the Subduer (of
all)" (Qura'n, 40:16).

If one who believes in Allah desires to personify within him the meanings embedded in this
Attribute, he has to subdue his own self, his nafs, and control his evil desires, by not plotting
in cooperation with Satan, and by returning to Allah, submitting to His will in all matters. The
path whereby man derives light from the Attribute '' al-Qahhaf' is that one should view his
nafs, which is ever present within him, as the worst of his enemies, so he subdues it and
strangles it, doing exactly the opposite of what it tells him to do, so much so that it will have
no choice except to submit to divine commandments. Then he will have to subdue his
stubborn opponent, i.e. Satan, staying on his guard against his evil suggestions, blocking his
avenues. Then he will have to subdue his carnal desires and insinuations by not following
what they inspire him to do.

17. "Al-Wahhab"

Allah, the Most Exalted, the Most High, has said, "Lord! Do not let our hearts deviate after
having guided us, but grant us mercy from Your own Presence, for You are the Grantor of
bounties without measure" (Qura'n, 3:8).

''Al-Wahhab'' is derived from the proper noun hibah the verb of which, yahib, means: to make
someone else the owner of what the giver, the first party (the doer), rightfully owns without
asking the second party for any compensation in return. It is the gift which is free from any
recompense or gain for the giver. If someone gives out such gifts quite often, he will earn the
titles of jawad and wahhab, the generous one, the oft-giving, respectively. Allah Almighty is
described as the Most Generous, the Most Giving, i.e. al-Wahhab, simply because He gives
everyone according to his means. Among Allah's Attributes are al-Wahhab and al-Wahib,
The latter Attribute means: the giver, whereas the first is a superlative of the latter. One who
is wahab is one who grants many gifts.

Al-Wahhab is the One Who gives away without a compensation; He bestows His favours
upon His servants without a selfish end; He grants even without being asked; He is the One
Who initiates giving, and He is the oft-Giver. Allah is surely al-Wahhab because He is the
Most Munificent, the Most Giving, the One Who ever tries to get closer to His servants. Who
graciously bestows His favours upon them. Who gives them even before they ask Him, the
ever-Giver Who gives everyone what he needs. Al-Wahhab bestows His blessings upon His
servants, and this indicates His inclusion of everyone as He continuously gives. He does not
give painstakingly, nor does He seek a benefit, or an advantage, for Himself by doing so. Al-
Wahhab showers you with His blessings without having to have a reason or a means to do so.
Al-Wahhab gives away without being compensated for what He gives, and He causes all
beings to die without a particular purpose He seeks to achieve for Himself. According to
Surat al-Shura, "He bestows (children), male or female, according to His Will (and
Plan)" (Qura'n, 42:49).

Whenever the Messenger of Allah used to wake up during the night, he would supplicate
thus: "Lord! There is no god but You! Glory to You! Lord! I seek Your forgiveness for my
sins, and I plead to You, by Your mercy, O Lord, to increase my share of knowledge, not to
permit my heart to deviate after having guided it, and to grant me, from You, a mercy, for
surely You are al-Wahhab, ,y [4]

18. "Al-Razzaq"

'Al-Razzaq'' is derived from rizq, sustenance, or anything of any benefit to man, animals,
plants, etc., whereby the latter are sustained or are helped in their growth. Rain is also called
rizq', it helps sustain every living being on our planet. In 51:58, we read: "Surely Allah is the
One Who bestows sustenance, the Lord of Power, the Strong One." Another verse referring to
our sustenance is this: "And in the heavens is your sustenance and what you are threatened
with" (Qura'n, 51:22). "In the heavens is your sustenance" may be a reference to the rain that

descends from the heavens, the sky [5]. As to the phrase "and what you are threatened with,"
this may be a clue that the end of life on this earth will be terminated by a collision of an
asteroid or a large size cosmic debri with the earth, but this is not the place to discuss such
interpretations or speculations. If Allah so wills, I intend to write a complete tafsr, an
exegesis, of the Holy Qura'n that will contain such interpretations and speculations the like of
which has never been written in English before. If the reader wishes to see such a book
published, he is requested to pray the Almighty to make it happen. Prayers go a long way, had
people only known. Allah listens to each and every supplication no matter who the supplicant
is so long as the latter is a true believer in Him.

The word rizq may be used for means of income, livelihood, sustenance, money, wealth..., or
for the earning of something good, be it during the life of this world or in the life to come, or
it may be applied to one's lot or fortune, or even to anything eaten. '' Al-Razzaq'' is a
superlative of '' al-Raziq,'' the One Who provides rizq. Al-Razzaq is applied to none other than
Allah. There are two types of rizq\ one sustains the body, such as food and drink, while the
other sustains the soul, which is knowledge and true inspiration. The latter is the best type of
sustenance simply because what sustains the soul lasts forever, while what sustains the body
has a temporary duration.

Al-Razzaq is the One Who creates all types of sustenance. Who extends His favour to cover
making such sustenance attainable to His creatures. Who provides means for getting them to
attain their sustenance. He sustains all His creation by whatever means needed to keep them
alive. He sustains the minds with knowledge, the hearts with understanding, the souls with
manifestations, the bodies with food, and so on. Only He can do so. Anyone who realizes this
fact will recognize the fact that his own sustenance, and that of everyone and everything else,
is controlled by none other than Allah.

References to rizq have been made in several Qura'nic verses such as these:

... Allah provides means of subsistence to whomsoever He pleases without a measure. (2:212)
Allah is Benignant to His servants; He gives sustenance to whomsoever He pleases, and He is
the Strong, the Mighty One. (42:19) ... and whoever fears Allah, He will make an outlet for
him and give him sustenance from whence he does not expect. (65:2-3) ... these are the
believers truly; they shall have forgiveness and an honourable provision. (8:74) ... and the
sustenance (provided) by your Lord is better and more abiding. (20:131) Most surely this is
Our sustenance: it shall never deplete. (38:54)

Say: The (blessing) from the presence of Allah is better than any amusement or bargain.
(62:11) ... surely the things you worship besides Allah cannot sustain you. (29:17)
There is no creature moving on earth except that its sustenance depends on Allah. (1 1:6)

One of the Islamic manners inspired by the Attribute '' al-Razzaq'' is that a servant of Allah
becomes convinced that there is no partner with his Lord in providing sustenance, just as He

has no partner in creating everything. He, therefore, pleads to Him for anything small or big.
He also feels satisfied with what al-Razzaq has allotted for him, just as He has said, "And
they are the ones who, when spending, are neither extravagant nor parsimonious but keep the
just means between these [extremes]" (Qura'n, 25:67), and also, "Those who, when spending,
are neither extravagant nor niggardly but hold a just (balance) between these
(extremes)" (Qura'n, 17:29).

The abundance of Allah's sustenance is without a limit. He is the One Who says the following
in Surat Hud: "There is no creature moving on earth except that its sustenance depends on
Allah: He knows the time and place of its definite abode and its temporary deposit: all is in a
clear record" (Qura'n, 11:6).

19. ''Al-Fattah''

The Almighty has said, "Say: Our Lord will gather us together and will in the end decide the
matter between us (and you) in truth and justice, and He is the One to decide, the One Who
knows everything" (Qura'n, 34:26).

In Arabic, /ato/za, the verb, means "opened," and muftah means key, whereas /af/z means
victory or conquest. Path also means flowing water, a creak, or a river. It also means: to
arbitrate between two opponents. ''IstiftaK' means: seeking help or achieving victory. Both al-
Fatih and al-Fattah are among the Attributes of Allah. They exist within the text of the Holy
Qura'n. ''Al-Fattah'' is a superlative of al-fath. To say that Allah is al-Fattah is to say that He
is the One Who judges between those whom He creates. His servants, the obedient ones and
the rebellious. It is derived from fath which means, in such usage, arbitration or decision-
making. It exists in this meaning in the verse saying, "Lord! Decide between us and our
people with truth, and You are the best of those who decide" (Qura'n, 7:89). It also means: the
One Who grants victory as in this verse of Surat al-Anfal: "If you pray for victory, then
indeed victory has come to you" (Qura'n, 8:19).

Al-Fattah is the One Who opens deadlocked matters and issues. Who reveals the truth. Who
simplifies whatever seems to be complicated. Who controls the affairs of the heavens and the
earth: "And with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures: none knows them but He, and He
knows what is in the land and in the sea" (Qura'n, 6:59). So He is the One Who opens what is
closed and Who has the keys to everything. Who widely opens the gates of sustenance and
brings down rain whereby He brings life back to dead lands. Who grants victory and support
for His prophets whom He sends to various lands so that the light of the truth may shine
therein, and so that He may purge their souls from evil intentions. He opens the closed hearts
and fills them with His light, so they become tranquil, and they enjoy the feeling of success.

The Attribute "al-Fattah" inspires good manners which ought to be followed by anyone who
correctly grasps the meanings it implies, who deeply contemplates upon it, who sincerely

desires to be blessed by it. Among such manners is that one should maintain an attitude of
beautiful anticipation of the Grace of Allah, continuously expecting to receive His favours,
always looking forward to earning His blessings. He abandons haste, feels satisfied with his
lot and with whatever his Lord has decreed for him. "Contentment is a treasure that never
depletes," says an Arabic axiom. How true!

20. "Al- Aleem"

Allah has said, "... and trust in Allah; surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing" (Qura'n, 8:61).

''Al-^Aleem'' is derived from '//m, knowledge, which results from comprehending the truth
about something and from the sure conviction which agrees with reality. ''Al-^Aleem,'' when
applied to the Almighty, is the One Who is most Knowing; surely His knowledge
encompasses everything in existence even before anything begins to exist. Nothing at all can
escape His knowledge. He is the One Whose knowledge is inclusive, be it apparent or hidden,
minute or magnanimous. He knows its beginning and its end, what is above or underneath it,
and what results therefrom. Al-^Aleem is also the One Who knows what has happened and
what will. The knowledge of the unknown is with Him, and so is the knowledge of the Hour;
He knows what the wombs bear, when the rain falls, what every soul earns, what evil
intentions one harbors, what worldly desires he/she conceals, when and where anyone will
die. Al-^Aleem is the One Who knows the details of all things, the particulars of things, what
one's conscience and soul hide. Nothing at all, not even the weight of an atom in the earth or
in the heavens, can ever escape His knowledge. From the word ^ilm have many other words
been derived. Al-^lim is one. It occurs in Surat al-Ma'ida in this verse: "... surely You are the
great One Who knows the unseen" (Qura'n, 5:109). Another is al-A^lam which occurs in Surat
al-Ana"m: "Allah best knows where He places His message" (Qura'n, 6:124). Al-^Aleem is a
superlative of al-^alim.

The Holy Qura'n contains the following verses which demonstrate the various meanings and
types of knowledge:

He knows that there is weakness in you. (8:66) He knows that there will be sick ones among
you. (73:20) And surely We know that your breast straitens at what they say. (15:97) Allah
knows what every female bears. (13:8)

'Al-^Aleem,'' one of the ninety-nine Attributes of Allah, occurs in many Qura'nic verses such
as:

... that is the ordinance of the Mighty, the Knowing. (36:38) The revelation of the Book is
from Allah, the Mighty, the Knowing. (40:2) ... surely He knows what is in the breasts.
(11:5) ... We have no knowledge except what You have taught us; surely You are the

Knowing, the Wise. (2:32) And the sun runs [its course] to a term appointed for it; that is the
ordinance of the Mighty, the Knowing. (36:38)

This word is coined as a superlative derived from a verb meaning: "to know or to be familiar
with." The Messenger of Allah is quoted saying that one who supplicates in the morning by
thrice repeating, "In the Name of Allah with Whose Name nothing at all, be it in the earth or
in the heavens, can ever harm, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing," will not be afflicted by
any sudden calamity till evening time, and if he says so in the evening, he will not be afflicted
by any sudden calamity till daybreak.

21. ''Al-Qabid"

Allah has said the following in the Holy Qura'n: "... and Allah straitens and
amplifies..." (Qura'n, 2:245).

Linguistically, qabd, root verb of '' al-Qabid,'' means: to take, hold, seize, grip, catch, handle,
and the like. It is the holding of something with the hand such as a sword's handle, etc. It is
meant as a way to forcefully take control of something or someone. Allah Almighty has said
the following in this sense: "... and Allah straitens and amplifies..." (Qura'n, 2:245), meaning
He straitens, withholds. His sustenance of some while amplifying it for others.

''Al-Qabid' means: "the One Who takes hold of the souls by subduing them, the spirits by
effecting justice in their regard, the means of sustenance by His wisdom, and the hearts by
making them fear His Glory." Al-Qabid is the One Who causes the souls to be taken away
from their bodies, their temporary homes, at the time of death. The angel who takes the souls
away (i.e. the qabid) is called in Islam "Israel." Al-Qabid is the One Who takes hold of the
hearts. Who controls them. Who isolates them through their lack of knowledge, through their
own oversights. He takes hold of some hearts, so He unveils to them His Greatness and Glory.
He pleases other hearts through the means whereby He gets closer to them out of His own
Kindness, Munificence, and Beauty. Al-Qabid is the One Who unveils His Glory to you, so
He protects you; He is the One Who makes you dread being distanced from Him.

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''Thul-Jalali wal Ikram'' means: the One Who has all Greatness. There is no distinction, nor
glory, nor prominence, except if Allah permits it; in all reality, it is His, from Him, and by
Him. Glory and Exaltation are His, the One Who is the source and fountainhead of all glory,
perfection, honour, dignity and greatness. There is neither greatness nor favour nor bliss nor
goodness except that it springs from His ocean.

Ma'ath ibn Jabal is quoted saying that the Messenger of Allah once passed by a man who was
repeating "O One with the Glory and Honours!" so he said to him, "Your plea will be
honoured; so, proceed and state it."

The Messenger of Allah has said, "Uphold Thul-Jalali wal Ikram,'' that is: "follow His path
and remain steadfast in doing so and repeat this Attribute of His in your supplications." If a
servant of Allah keeps repeating this Attribute, and its light will eventually shine in his
innermost, he will become highly regarded among the nations. Whoever realizes the
Greatness of Allah will become very humble before Him.

One of the signs of the good conduct of a servant of Allah is that he seeks nearness to Him by
attaching himself to Him, by becoming very humble, by expressing his humility before Allah.
He must realize that all Greatness and perfection belong to Him, and that He honours His
servants by granting them His favours.

86. "Al-Muqsit"

Allah, Glory and Exaltation are due to Him, has said, Allah testifies that there is no god but
He, and (so do) the angels and those who have knowledge, maintaining His creation with
justice. (3:18)

Meanings of variations of this Attribute's root word is qist, equity or fairness, are as follows:
qasata means implemented justice; qasata means became inequitable or unfair; qasit is an
unfair or inequitable person, an oppressor; muqsit is one who is fair in his judgment or
decision, and qist means share, lot, or portion of something. Qasitoon is plural: they are those
who deviate from justice and about whom the Almighty says, "As to the deviators, they are
the fuel of hell" (Qura'n, 72:15).

Qist means the implementing of justice by taking what one unlawfully has acquired and
giving it back to its lawful owner. Iqsat means that one is given his own lawful share which
someone else has unlawfully taken [forcefully or otherwise]; it is also called insaf, carrying

out equity. Qasata means someone became inequitable, and aqsata means that he became fair
and just. Al-Muqsit is the Almighty Who is fair and equitable in all His decisions and decrees,
Who deals with everyone according to a system. Al-Muqsit comes to the rescue of the
oppressed and brings about justice. The perfection in His doing so is the fact that He adds to
pleasing the oppressed His own pleasing of the oppressors as well, which is the ultimate end
of equity, something which nobody can do other than Allah, Glory to Him, Who has said, "...
and if you judge, then judge between them with equity; surely Allah loves those who judge
equitably" (Qura'n, 5:42).

According to a Qudsi tradition, while the Prophet was sitting once, he smiled to the extent
that his molar teeth showed. One of his companions said to him, "May both my parents be
sacrificed for your sake, O Messenger of Allah! What has made you smile like that?!" He
answered, "Two men of my nation were brought before the judgment of the Lord of Dignity.
One of them said, "Lord! I plead to You to effect justice on my behalf from this man.' Allah,
the Honoured and the Great, said, "Be fair to your brother and give him what is his.' The man
said, "Lord! None of my good deeds is left to effect it thereby.' The Glorified and the
Honoured One said to the first man, "What are you going to do to your brother since he has
none of his good deeds left with him?' The man answered, "Then, Lord, let him bear some of
my own burdens.'" It was then that the eyes of the Messenger of Allah over-flooded with
tears. "That, indeed," he continued, "is a momentous Day when men will need others to bear
their own burdens." After a pause, the Messenger of Allah continued to say, "Allah, the
Honoured and the Glorified One, said to the wronged one, "Raise your eyes and cast a look at
the Gardens of Bliss.' The man said, "Lord! I see whole cities made of silver and huge houses
of gold bedecked with pearls; for which siddeeq or martyr are they?' The Almighty said,
"They are for the one who pays the price.' The man said, "Lord! Who can have their price?' He
said, "You can.' "For what. Lord?' he asked the Almighty. "For forgiving your brother,' the
Lord said. The man said, "Lord! I do forgive him.' The Almighty then said, "Take your
brother by the hand and lead him the way to Paradise.'" Then the Messenger of Allah said,
"Fear Allah; fear Allah, and mend your relations, for Allah will implement justice on the Day
of Judgment among the believers."

87. "Al-Jami"

Allah has said. Lord! Surely You are the One Who gathers men on a Day about which there is
no doubt; surely Allah will not fail His promise. (3:9)

Al-JamV is an Attribute of Allah derived from jam/", its root word, which means: to gather,
assemble, horde, or combine. The Day of Gathering is the Day of Judgment. It is called so
because Allah will gather on it the early generations of His creation and the last ones, the
jinns and mankind, all the residents of the heavens and the earth, each and every servant of
Allah and his deeds, every oppressor and those whom he oppressed, and every prophet and
those to whom he was sent. He will also combine between the rewards of those who obeyed
Him and the penalty of those who disobeyed Him.

The subject of jami\ gathering or combining, is referred to in several verses of the Holy
Qura'n such as the following:

Allah: there is no god but He; He will most certainly gather you together on the Resurrection
Day; there is no doubt about it. (4:87) He has ordained mercy on Himself; most surely He will
gather you on the Day of Resurrection, there is no doubt about it. (6:12) And on that Day, We
will leave some of them in conflict with others, and the trumpet will be blown, so We will
gather them all together. (18:99) Say: Our Lord will gather us together, then will He judge
between us with the truth, and He is the greatest Judge, the all-Knowing. (34:26) Say: Allah
gives you life, then He causes you to die, then He will gather you to the Day of Resurrection
wherein there is no doubt... (45:26)

And one of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and what He has spread forth
in both of them of living beings, and when He pleases. He is all-Powerful to gather them
together. (42:29) On the Day when He gathers you for the Day of Gathering, that is the Day
of loss and gain: whoever believes in Allah and does good. He will remove from him his evil
and cause him to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow to abide therein forever; that is the
great achievement. (64:9)

One whose knowledge is perfected and whose conduct is good deserves to be called jam/ \
For this reason, a perfect person is one who does not put out the light of his piety by the light
of his knowledge; so is one who combines perfect vision with foresight.

88. "Al-Ghaniyy"

Allah has said, O men! You are the ones who stand in need of Allah while Allah is self-
Sufficient, Praiseworthy. (35:15)

Both ''al-Ghaniyy and ''al-Mughnr are among the Attributes of Allah.

Linguistically, ghina, the root word of '' al-Ghaniyy\ means: independence by virtue of
having self-sufficiency. It is the opposite of faqr, poverty, want, indigence, need, and the like.
Independence or self-sufficiency is of various types: one is the absence of need, and none is
independent of needing anyone or anything other than Allah. This meaning is implied in the
verse saying, "His is whatever in the heavens and in the earth, and most surely Allah is the
self- Sufficient, the Praised" (Qura'n, 22:64). The other is the small or limited number of one's
needs, which is pointed out in this verse: "And found you in want and made you free from
want" (Qura'n, 93:8). A third is what is mentioned by a few ignorant folks among the
unbelievers who claimed that Allah was poor while they were rich, whereupon the One Who
has all the Glory and Honours responded by telling them that "Allah has certainly heard the

statement of those who said: Allah is poor and we are rich" (Qura'n, 3:181). They had said so
upon hearing the verse saying, "Who will loan Allah a beautiful loan...?" The Almighty
answered them by saying, "O men! You are the ones who stand in need of Allah while Allah
is self- Sufficient, Praiseworthy" (Qura'n, 35:15). The Almighty emphasized the same fact in
another verse: "... and whoever disbelieves, then surely Allah is self- Sufficient, above any
need of the worlds" (Qura'n, 3:97).

Al-Ghaniyy has no need, within Himself or in His Attributes or deeds, for anything or anyone
at all. He needs none while everything and everyone need Him. Al-Ghaniyy is the Perfect One
due to what He has and what is with Him. Our Lord, the Most Praiseworthy, is referred to as
such because need is a deficiency, and the needy person is incapable of attaining what he
desires or aspires for. The one who is needed has an advantage, because of what he has, over
the one who is in need of him. Deficiency is out of the question in the case of the Absolute al-
Ghaniyy, and incapacitation cannot be attributed to Him, Praise to Him, nor can anyone do
Him a favour, for everything is His own creation and invention; He formed and created it, and
it is totally dependent on Him in everything. Everything is exactly what the Creator wants it
to be.

Everyone else besides Allah is needy while He, al-Ghaniyy, does not need anyone. The Holy
Prophet is quoted saying, "Wealth is not abundance of availability; rather, it is the richness of
one's own soul." The highest degree of wealth is satisfaction, contentment, with what is
available with you; therefore, there is, indeed, no wealth like the feeling of contentment. A
man may be very poor, yet he tries his best to look good in the eyes of the people. Notice
what the Almighty says about such persons: "... the ignorant man perceives them rich on
account of their abstaining (from begging)" (Qura'n, 2:273).

The Almighty exists by virtue of the necessity for His existence, on His own merits; therefore.
He needs none besides Himself. Everything and everyone besides Him may exist, yet its
existence comes about when He creates it; so. He, and He alone. Praise to Him, is al-
Ghaniyy.

89. ''Al-Mughni''

Allah, al-Mughni, has said, ... and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you out of His grace
if He pleases; surely Allah is Knowing, Wise. (9:28)

Al-Mughni has granted His favours to His servants abundantly and facilitated for them the
achievement of their goals and objectives, and the meeting of their everyday needs. There is
no independence nor self-sufficiency except that He caused it to exist. He enriches His friends
from the treasures of His lights, facilitates for those who live in the universe to access the
means of their livelihood and sustenance by His decree. He enriches every truth which He
provides in a measure, for He, and only He, knows its secrets, what is hidden of it and what is

apparent.

Allah is the Enricher, yet a servant of His whom He has enriched cannot be thought at all as
being absolutely independent. The least of his affairs proves that he needs al-Mughni\
therefore, he is never independent; rather, he may be independent of anyone except Allah
Who provides him with what he needs while not jeopardizing the causes for his needs. The
true independent person is one who does not need anyone at all. One who needs and finds
what he needs is independent only by way of analogy, which is the most that can be said
about anyone besides Allah. As regarding the lack of need, this is out of the question for
anyone besides Him. But if one needs none save Allah, then he will be called ghaniyy. Had he
had no need at all, the verse saying "... and Allah is self-Sufficient while you have need (of
Him)" (Qura'n, 47:38) would not have been accurate. Had there been any possibility at all that
Allah could in any way be regarded as in need of anything, there would have been no need for
the Almighty to be al-Mughni, the Enricher.

Al-Mughni makes whomsoever from among His servants self-sufficient. He grants
independence and self-sufficiency to His servants, and He can be regarded as granting them
self-sufficiency. And Allah also makes some of His servants independent of others, for all
needs are in reality met by Him: His creatures cannot do anything for themselves without His
help; so, how can they be thought to help others when they themselves need to be helped? He
grants independence and self-sufficiency to whomsoever He pleases from among His servants
according to His wisdom and will; He says the following in Surat h: "... Our Lord gave
everything its creation then guided" (Qura'n, 20:50).

About Himself, al-Mughni has said.

... if they are needy, Allah will make them free from want by His grace. (24:32) And that He
enriches and Who withholds. (53:48) And He found you in want and made you free from
want. (93:8)

One of the ways to derive a code of ethics from al-Ghaniyy and al-Mughni is that one realizes
that he needs Him constantly, and that he trusts in what Allah has more than he does in what
he himself has, and to be good in conducting generosity and benevolence towards other
servants of Allah. One of the norms of conduct of a believer with regard to the Attribute "a/-
Mughnr is that once he realizes Him to be the One and only One Who is Independent of any
need, the One Who satisfies all the needs of His servants, he will rely on Him in everything
and refer to Him in every matter.

90. "Al-Mani "

Allah, Glory and Praise are due to Him, and only to Him, has said. Or do they have gods who

can defend them against Us? (21:43)

Al-ManV is one of Allah's Attributes and is derived from man\ the opposite of giving or
granting. It also means: to protect, to stop one thing from harming another or one group of
people from annihilating another. It is used to describe the defense of a house, a fortified
fortress, etc, against an enemy. It means: to protect and support. It means He has the power to
stop the causes of annihilation or deficiency in both creeds and bodies. He wards off evil to
protect and safeguard; He stops giving to whomsoever He pleases in order to try or to protect
them. He gives life to whomsoever He loves or does not love, but He does not grant the bliss
of the hereafter except to those whom He loves.

Al-ManV protects and supports those who obey Him, and He stops some of His servants from
doing what He does not want them to do while giving them what they want. He wards off the
causes of perdition and diminution in matters related to creeds and nations due to what He
creates of causes prepared for their preservation. Obstruction from the causes of annihilation,
and the preservation of what is guarded against extinction, are the objectives of man' and are
the ultimate goal. If man\ prohibition, is needed for the purpose of preservation, and the latter
is not needed for the sake of the first, then every protector defends and protects. Not everyone
who prohibits protects except that he prohibits the causes of annihilation and diminution.

Al-ManV prohibits affliction from reaching His friends, or the complete abstention from
giving to whomsoever He pleases. If He prohibits affliction from reaching His friends, this is
due to His beautiful Grace, and if He stops giving to them, it will still be a great favour from
Him. ■>-^?- ':■^;^■> h:Or

Allah grants the pleasures of the life in this world to those whom He loves and to those whom
He does not, but He does not protect the heart of a servant of His except when the latter is one
of His close friends.

Al-ManV wards off the causes of annihilation and diminution of creed and body by creating
the means which protect it against annihilation and diminution. So, He creates some causes
and prohibits others; He gives everything what serves its interests and prohibits what causes
its damage. He makes some wealthy by giving them, and He stops giving to whomsoever He
pleases to try them by affliction. He enriches and impoverishes; He makes some happy and
some miserable; He grants some and withholds from others; He grants some and deprives
others; so. He is both al-Mu^ti, the Giver, and al-Mani\ the One Who withholds. And He
withholds giving from whomsoever He pleases, and His withholding may contain giving in
disguise. He may withhold giving one of His servants abundant wealth and instead give him
accomplishments and beauty. He may deprive one of His servants from enjoying good health
and make him pleased with His decree. Al-ManV is also al-Mut'i: for within the withholding
there may be giving, and within the giving there may be withholding.

The Messenger of Allah used to say the following after finishing each of the prescribed daily
prayers: "There is no god but Allah, the One and only God; His is the Kingdom; His is the
Praise, and He can do everything. Lord! None can prohibit what You grant, nor can anyone
grant what You withhold, and none is capable of stopping the implementation of Your will."

91. "Al-Darr"

Allah has said. Say: I do not control for myself any harm, nor can I benefit myself in aught
except what Allah pleases. (10:49)

Both al-Darr and al-NafV are among the Attributes of Allah.

Most references wherein these Attributes are discussed have combined both Attributes
together. Combining both of these Attributes is better: it conveys a stronger meaning of the
Almighty's Power to do whatever He wills, however He wills; none benefits nor harms others
besides Him.

Language says that darr, harm, is the opposite of nafi\ benefit or advantage. Allah is al-Darr,
that is, the One Who can harm anyone He wants in any way He wishes; He impoverishes
some of His servants or causes them to fall prey to sickness according to His wisdom; so. He
determines everything, and He alone facilitates the means of harm as a trial from Him
whereby He purges the sins or subjects one of His servants to a test in order to raise his status.
He decrees harm to some of His servants and effects His decree through certain means. He is
the Wise One in whatever He does, the most Merciful in His judgment. If He decrees some
harm, it is only for the sake of the general good, and if He decrees an ailment, it is but the
useful medicine in the life of this world and the life hereafter.

Allah has said, "If Allah touches you with affliction, there is none to remove it but
He..."(Qura'n, 6:17).

Prophet Moses once complained to his Lord about a tooth-ache, so the Almighty instructed
him to apply a certain type of herb on the area of his pain, which he did, and the aching
stopped. A few days later, the same pain came back to him, so he went and took the same
herb and applied it, but this time his pain intensified many times more. He complained to
Allah saying, "Lord! Did You not order me to apply this type of herb and tell me where I
could find it?" The Almighty inspired him, "O Moses! I am the One Who heals and Who
grants good health; I am the One Who causes harm and Who benefits. You came to Me the
first time, so I removed the cause of your ailment, whereas this time you went to the plant (on
their own) instead and did not come to Me."

The Messenger of Allah has said, "Anyone who claims that Allah commends the doing of
wrong deeds and of sins tells lies about Allah. And anyone who claims that goodness and evil

are possible without the will of Allah strips Allah of His Authority. And anyone who claims
that sins are committed without Allah's Might tells a lie about Allah, and whoever tells lies
about Allah, He will lodge him into the fire." In this tradition, by goodness and evil he means
health and sickness respectively due to this verse: "... and We try you by evil and by good by
way of probation" (Qura'n, 21:35).

Imam al-Baqir is quoted saying, "Allah, the Exalted and the Great, is more compassionate
towards His creation than forcing them to commit sins then penalizing them for doing so, and
Allah is more Mighty than willing to do something and it does not take place." He was asked
once whether there was a distance between compulsion and destiny, and his answer was,
"Yes! One more spacious than that between the heavens and the earth!" He has also said,
"There should neither be compulsion nor an unrestricted freedom; the best course is a middle
one." When he was asked about the middle course, he said, "Let me give you an example:
You may see a man committing a sin, and you may try to stop him from doing so but he
refuses to desist, whereupon you leave him to commit that sin. When he does not listen to you
but insists on sinning, it does not mean that you yourself have encouraged him to commit that
sin."

92. "Al-Nafi ''

As regarding the Attribute ''al-NafV'\ Allah subhanahu wa ta^la has said, "Whatever benefit
comes to you (O man!), it is from Allah, and whatever misfortune befalls you, it is from your
own self" (Qura'n, 4:79).

Al-NafV is the source of any benefit and goodness for the life in this world and for the creed.
He alone grants good health, wealth, happiness, authority, guidance and piety. He enables all
His creatures to receive the benefits He creates for them. He has facilitated the path leading to
Him for those who aspire to tread it. Who benefitted the souls through His prophets. Who
nourished the bodies through food. Who warded off disease through medicine. Who kept
affliction away through favours and goodness, and Who has benefitted everyone, be he an
angel, a human, or a jinn.

Ibn "Abbas says, "I was sitting once behind the Messenger of Allah so he said to me, "Young
man! I would like to teach you a few words [of wisdom]: If you safeguard your rights towards
Allah, He will protect you. If you remain mindful of Allah's rights on you, you will find Him
looking after you. If you have a plea, then plead to Him; if you seek help, seek it from Him,
and bear in mind that if all people gather to benefit you in anything, they will not be able to
do so except in what He has already allotted for you, and if they all gather together to harm
you in any way, they will never be able to do so except if He has already decreed it on you;
the ink has dried, and the tablets have been removed.'"

Al-Darr al-NafV is the One from Whom everything good or bad ensues; all is attributed to

Allah and is affected either through the angels, mankind, inanimate objects, or by other
means; so, do not think that poison, for example, kills by itself, or that food by itself satisfies
hunger. Angels, mankind, demons, or anything else in existence, such as planets, stars, or
other things, are all under His control; they do not do anything except what He has made them
do. Their totality, in addition to the eternal Power, is like a pen in the hand of the writer as
conceived by an illiterate. If a ruler signs the order to penalize or reward someone, the pen
whereby he signs such an order cannot tell the difference between one order and another, or
between what harm it is causing or what benefit, or even the difference between one of its
users and the other. This is the case with all means and causes.

Both al-Darr and al-NafV are referred to in various places in the Holy Qura'n; among them
are:

Say: I do not control any benefit nor any harm for my own soul except as Allah pleases; had I
known the unknown, I would have had much of good and no harm would have touched me; I
am only a warner and giver of glad tidings to people who believe. (7:188) Say: I do not
control for myself any harm, nor any benefit, except whatever Allah pleases; every nation has
a term; when their term comes, they shall not remain behind for an hour, nor can they go
before (their time). (10:49) Yet when He removes the evil from you, lo! A party from among
you associates others with their Lord. (16:54) And when We make people taste of mercy, they
rejoice in it, and if evil befalls them for what their hands have done, lo! They despair. (30:36)

The portion a servant of Allah may obtain of the inspiration of these Attributes is that he
becomes "harmful" towards the enemies of Allah while benefitting the friends of Allah. In
Surat al-Ma'ida, the Almighty describes the faithful as "... lowly before the believers, mighty
against the unbelievers" (Qura'n, 5:54). Such a believer does not plead to anyone, nor does he
fear anyone except his Lord; he relies wholly on Allah. One who fully realizes that his Lord,
the Most Exalted One, is the One and only Who creates and makes things available. Who
alone brings new things into existence, he will then submit to Him and rely on Him regarding
all his affairs; he will then live enjoying a peaceful mind; he will be secure from people, and
he will provide counsel for everyone. His heart will have no room for deception nor
treachery.

It is good to combine both of these Attributes, al-Darr and al-Nafi\ together, for at them it is
said that all Attributes end; He, Glory to Him, controls the means for people's harm and
benefit, and none can harm anyone nor benefit anyone besides Him; "... and suffices your
Lord for a Guide and a Helper" (Qura'n, 25:31). One who remembers both of these Attributes
will submit totally to Allah and will always feel that everything is from Him and returns to
Him.

93. "Al-Noor"

The Almighty has said, Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light
is a niche wherein there is a lamp; the lamp is in a glass, and the glass is as if it were a
brightly shining star lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof
almost emanates light though fire does not touch it: light upon light; Allah guides
whomsoever He pleases to His light, and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is
Cognizant of all things. (24:35)

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There are many derivations from this word in various places throughout the Holy Qura'n.
Among Allah's judgment with regard to His servants is that everyone will receive the rewards
of what he earns, and that his endeavor will be witnessed, noted, recorded, preserved; those
who do good deeds will receive eternal bliss, whereas those who sin will receive eternal
damnation. He makes righteousness the path to heaven and sinning the path to hell. Shurayh
ibn Hani has said that his father Hani ibn Yazid said, "I came to see the Messenger of Allah
once and he heard people calling me "Abu [father of] al-Hakam.' He said to them, "Al-Hakam
is Allah! Why are you named like that?!' I said to him, "Whenever my people dispute with
one another, I judge between them to the satisfaction of both disputing parties.' The Prophet
then asked me if I had any sons. "Yes. They are: Shuray, AbduUh and Muslim, sons of Hani.'
"Who is their oldest?' the Messenger of Allah asked me. I told him it was Shuray. He then
said, "You are Abu Shuray,' then he invoked Allah to bless me and my sons." [6]

30. "Al-Adl"

Allah has said, "Surely Allah enjoins the doing of justice and of good deeds (to others) and
the giving to the kindred, and He forbids indecency, evil, and rebellion; He admonishes you
so that you may be mindful" (Qura'n, 16:90).

^Adl means moderation; al-^adl is above oppressing or being inequitable to anyone in His
decrees and actions. Rather, He grants everyone what is due to him; He puts everything in its
right place; nothing ensues from Him except justice. He does whatever He pleases, and His
decree regarding His servants is carried out.

In Surat al-Ana"m, the Almighty says, "And the word of your Lord has been accomplished
truly and justly; none can change His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing" (Qura'n,
6:115). He enjoins justice and equity and says the following in Surat al-Nisa' (Women):
"When you judge between people, you should judge with justice; surely Allah admonishes
you with what is excellent; surely Allah is Seeing, Hearing" (Qura'n, 4:58).

There are many traditions narrated about the Messenger of Allah pointing out to ^adl and
highlighting the status of those who act upon it. One of them is his saying, "There are seven
types of people whom Allah will shade on a Day when there will be no shade except His: a
just imam, a young man who grows up adoring Allah, a man whose heart is always attached
to mosques, two men who love one another for the sake of Allah: they meet and they part
only accordingly, a man sought by a woman of prominence and beauty [for illicit sex] and to
whom he says, "I fear Allah,' a man who pays charity and hides his action, so much so that his

left hand does not know what his right hand gives away, and a man who mentions the Name
of Allah for the sake of remembering Him while his tears overflow." This tradition is
recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim and is quoted on pp. 164-165, Vol. 3, of A/ Targheeb wal
tarheeb, and on p. 30 of Qabasat min hadi al nubuwwah,

31. "Al-Lateef '

Allah has said, "... surely my Lord is benignant to whomsoever He pleases; surely He is the
Knowing, the Wise" (Qura'n, 12:100).

''Al-Lateef is one of Allah's Attributes derived from extreme kindness and compassion in a
way which no human faculty can ever fathom. A /-La/^^^/ continuously pours His blessings
unto His servants; His actions are good and beautiful. This Attribute also means: the One
Who cannot be sensed by human senses or those of all other beings. Who knows hidden and
minute matters. Al-Lateef\\di^ combined in Him terse and wise compassion as well as minute
and detailed knowledge of all affairs and of the means to make them reach whomsoever He
pleases from among His creation.

Al-Lateef pleases His servants when He removes the clouds of His wrath away from them, the
One Who is compassionate towards His servants even in matters related to His decree; He
knows all hidden matters. He is the One Whose knowledge encompasses everything minute
regarding all facts. His will is carried out, the will whereby He protects His creatures. He
knows the most intricate of details relevant to interests and their obscurities; He gently makes
them reach their destinations. He is Most Kind and Compassionate to His servants even when
they are not aware of it; He manages their affairs and wishes everything good for His
servants. He desires their ease and makes for them the means of righteousness and goodness
attainable. He eases everything difficult. Who joins everything broken. Allah has said, "Does
He not know, being the One Who created (everything and everyone)?! He knows the
subtleties, the One Who is ever- Aware (of everything)" (Qura'n, 67:14).

One of the signs of His kindness towards His servants is that He has given them more than
enough and required them to do less than what they can, thus making the achievement of
eternal happiness attainable by easy endeavor during a short period of time, i.e. one's life-
span, which is too short to be compared with the eternity of the hereafter.

Al-Lateefhas conceived everything within the framework of its own antithesis. Allah, for
example, hid for prophet Joseph the prominence of authority in the garb of slavery till he
himself eventually came to say: "... surely my Lord is benignant to whomsoever He pleases;
surely He is the Knowing, the Wise" (Qura'n, 12:100). A man was taken once to prison
although he was innocent of the charge, so he kept repeating Joseph's invocation saying, "...
surely my Lord is benignant to whomsoever He pleases; surely He is the Knowing, the
Wise" (Qura'n, 12:100). A young man came to him during one night and said to him, "Stand

up so that I may get you out of your jail." The man asked the youth how he could get out
since the doors were all locked, but the youth ordered him for the second time to stand up. He
walked with the young man till he got out of town, then he said to him, "Recite: "Surely my
Lord is benignant to whomsoever He pleases; surely He is the Knowing, the Wise" (Qura'n,
12:100).

32. "Al-Khabeer"

The Most Exalted One has said, "Vision does not comprehend Him, while He comprehends
all vision, and He knows the subtleties, and He is the Aware" (Qura'n, 6:103).

Al-Khabeer is one of the Attributes of Allah, and it means: the One Who knows everything
and from Whose knowledge nothing at all escapes. He knows the essence of everything and is
acquainted with the truth in its regard. Al-Khabeer is familiar with the most intricate matters;
He knows the ailment and its remedy.

Al-Khabeer knows the innermost of everything; nothing takes place in His domain without
His knowledge; no atom moves nor stands still, nor a soul is upset or eased, except that He
knows about it. He is the One from Whose knowledge nothing in the earth or in the heavens is
hidden; nothing moves in the heavens or in the earth except that He knows about its final
resting point or destination.

Scholars have distinguished between al-Khabeer and al-^Aleem. The first connotes
knowledge, but when knowledge is applied to hidden matters, it is then called khibra, and the
One Who knows it is called al-Khabeer.

The Almighty has said, "What?! Do you think that you will be left alone while Allah has not
yet ascertained those of you who have struggled hard and have not taken anyone as an
adherent besides Allah and His Prophet and the believers?! Allah is Aware of all what you
do" (Qura'n, 9:16). Anyone who has a certain need about which he likes to ask Allah for
something should recite the verse saying "Does He not know, the One Who created?! He
knows the subtleties, and He is the Aware" (Qura'n, 67:14) repeatedly till he falls asleep.

33. "Al-Haleem''

Allah has said, "... certainly Allah has pardoned them; surely Allah is Forgiving,
Forbearing" (Qura'n, 3:155).

'Al-Haleem'' is an Attribute of the Almighty derived from the root word hilm which means:
taking the time to do something. It also means care, attention, and sensibility. Allah's hilm is
His postponement of chastising those who deserve to be chastised, so He delays the penalty of
some of those who deserve it. After that. He may penalize them or overlook their faults. Or

He may swiftly penalize some of them. He witnesses the transgression of transgressors and
the disobedience of those who disobey Him without being provoked by anger or
overwhelmed by wrath, and He does not rush to penalize despite His ability to do so. Allah
has said, "Had Allah destroyed men on account of their iniquity. He would not have left on
earth a single creature" (Qura'n, 16:61).

Al-Haleem does not bring about a swift vengeance; had He intended to effect revenge at a
later time. He would have been called spiteful, vengeful, and if He does not intend to seek
revenge at all, then surely He is Forgiving. He can also be called al-Haleem if He does not
intend to seek revenge at all provided He does not declare His intention. If He does declare it.
He then is called Forgiving. Al-Haleem quite often overlooks sins and covers up
shortcomings. He forgives after having covered up. He safeguards His affection for His
servants. His promise is good. He fulfills His promise. Al-Haleem shields those who indulge
in sins with His forgiveness. Who pardons those who violate His laws. Who is not slighted by
the rebellion of the rebellious, and no oppression of any oppressor can ever provoke Him.

The Holy Qura'n has described some of Allah's messengers as Haleem; for example,
Abraham, the Friend of Allah, is described as, "... most surely Abraham was very tender-
hearted, forbearing" (Qura'n, 9:114), and in Sural Hud, he is praised likewise: "Most surely
Abraham was forbearing, tender-hearted, oft-returning (to Allah)" (Qura'n, 11:75). The Holy
Qura'n states the following in Sural al-Saffat about Ishmael "So We gave him the glad tidings
of a boy [Ishmael] possessing forbearance" (Qura'n, 3:101). ilm is a gracious and a noble
attribute, so much so that one tradition recorded in Al-Athir cites the Messenger of Allah
saying, ''Hilm is the master of all good conduct." It also records another such tradition saying,
"One who is Haleem is almost on the same footing with Allah's prophets." Hilm enjoys a high
status and esteem despite the abundance of one's sins and the repetition of one's repentance.

Allah has said, "Allah does not call you to account for what is vain of your oaths, but He will

call you to account for what your hearts have earned, and Allah is Forgiving,

Forbearing" (Qura'n, 2:225). He has also said, "The seven heavens declare His glory and the

earth, too, and those who are in them, and there is not a single thing but glorifies and praises

Him, but you do not understand their glorifying; surely He is Forbearing, Forgiving" (Qura'n,

17:44).

A forbearing and munificent person, then, is one who often forgives the sins and conceals the
shortcomings. He is the one who forgives after shielding one's sins, who safeguards his
compassion, who is true to his word, who forgives those who break his law, who is not stirred
by the rebellion of transgressors, nor is he provoked by oppression. Allah's Munificence
regarding the sinners is great: "... and He is the Most High, the Great" (Qura'n, 2:255).

It is narrated that Abraham saw a man committing a sin, so he prayed Allah to cause him to
perish, and so it happened. He saw a second and a third, and he repeated his plea, and they.

too, perished. Then he saw a fourth and invoked Allah likewise to annihilate him. It was then
that Allah inspired him, "O Abraham! Stop! If We were to annihilate each one of Our
servants who commits a sin, then only a small number will survive; but if one sins. We give
him a respite; if he repents. We accept his repentance, and if he persists. We postpone his
penalty knowing that he cannot escape from Our domain."

It is also narrated that a young man used to commit many sins, and he used to persist in
sinning; nay, he even used to repent and immediately go back to sinning. Having done so
quite often, he was addressed by Satan thus, "For how long will you keep sinning and
repenting?" Satan wished that Allah would cause that man to lose hope in His mercy and
become despondent. When night came, the man performed his ablution and offered two
reka^ts, then he raised his eyes to the heavens and said, "O You Who protects the righteous
against sinning. Who safeguards those who are protected from sinning. Who makes the
righteous what they are! If You neglect me. You will find me losing heart; my forelock is in
Your hand; my debts are before You! O You Who changes the hearts! I invoke You to keep
my heart firm on following Your creed!" Allah, thereupon, said to His angels, "O angels of
Mine! Have you all heard his statement? Bear witness, then, that I have forgiven all his past
sins and safeguarded him against sinning for the rest of his life."

34. "Al- Azeem''

The Almighty has said, "So glorify the Name of your Lord, the Great" (Qura'n, 56:96). "Al-
" Azeem" is a superlative derived from the noun ^izam, greatness, magnanimity, dignity,
honour, esteem, pride... The Absolute Azeem is the One Whose greatness cannot be grasped
by vision; it is beyond all limits, so much so that no human intellect can ever absorb it. Allah
has said, "He is the Most High, the Great" (Qura'n, 2:255).

The most prominent person in a town is called its greatest. This is the meaning of what the
unbelievers say as the Holy Qura'n quotes them: "... to a man great in both towns..." (Qura'n,
43:31). Allah has said, "... and the great Qura'n" (Qura'n, 15:87). When the Messenger of
Allah wrote a letter to Heraclius (which will be discussed later in this book Insha-Allah), he
addressed him as "the azeem man of Rome," that is, the greatest dignitary in Rome. Heraclius,
who ruled from 610 - 641 A.D., was a Byzantine emperor, ruler of the Eastern Roman empire,
was involved in many wars with the Persians from 634 - 642 A.D. He did not accept Islam;
his armies were eventually conquered by Islamic troops, so he lost Syria, Palestine and
Mesopotamia (upper Iraq) as well as Egypt, one after the other.

If you consider the greatness of al-Az"eem, you will come to know that anyone besides Him
is insignificant. The human being, no matter how knowledgeable, is limited in the scope and
content of his knowledge. How can you compare such a limited amount of knowledge with
that of the Almighty? An example of His might exists in 31:28: "Neither your creation nor
your raising (baVth, the reunion between the soul and the recreated body) is only like (that of)

a single soul" (Qura'n, 31:28). To the Almighty, the creation of the entire cosmos is as easy as
the creation of one single soul: "Our word for a thing when We intend it is only to say to it:
Be, and it is" (Qura'n, 16:40). Allah has required us to revere His signs; He says, "That (shall
be so), and whoever respects the signs of Allah, it surely is (the sign) of the piety of the
hearts" (Qura'n, 22:32). One who highly regards the signs of Allah, respects religious rites,
holds in high esteem anything related to Allah, is surely held in high esteem by both Allah
and His servants.

The Messenger of Allah, Muhammed, has conveyed the following glad tidings: "One who
learns then becomes fully knowledgeable then acts upon what he has learned is called great in
the kingdom of the heavens."

Ibn "Abbas quotes the Messenger of Allah saying, "If someone enters a room to visit a sick
person on the brink of death and he repeats seven times the saying of: "I plead to Allah the
Great, Lord of the Great Throne, to heal you,' that sick person will be healed by the Will of
Allah."

35. "Al-Ghafoor''

Allah has said, "... surely Allah forgives the faults all of them; surely He is the Forgiving, the
Merciful" (Qura'n, 39:53).

''Al-Ghafoof' is derived from the root word ghafr, veiling or covering. He is al-Ghafoor
because He quite often veils the sins and forgives those who commit them. He does not
dispute about them with His servants. Maghfira means the covering and the forgiving of sins.
Allah's forgiveness means His protection of a servant of His against His torment. Its verb
means: to openly overlook his sins.

Al-Ghafoor is the Master Whose power is perfect; He may unconditionally forgive due to the
favours He bestows upon His servants, and to His benevolence.

The Holy Qura'n has referred quite often to forgiveness, and Allah has diversified it so that
the hearts of those who disobey Him may not lose hope of His mercy, and so that no criminal
will despond of the mercy of Allah. He forgives the sins and accepts the repentance. In Surat
Ghfir, we recite this verse: "The One Who forgives the faults and Who accepts repentance.
Who is Severe in punishing, the Lord of bounty" (Qura'n, 40:3). Other such references are as
follows:

... so forgive us and have mercy on us; You are the best of those who forgive. (7:155) Most
surely I am the most Forgiving to one who repents and believes and does good deeds then
continues to follow the right guidance. (20:82) He has created the heavens and the earth with
the truth; He makes the night cover the day and the day overtake the night, and He has made

the sun and the moon subservient (to His will): each runs to an assigned term; surely He is the
Mighty, the oft-Forgiving. (39:5)

As regarding the verse saying, "Inform My servants that I am the Forgiving, the
Merciful" (Qura'n, 15:49), some companions of the Prophet were once indulged in laughter as
the Messenger of Allah passed by. He greeted them then said to them, "Do you laugh while
the fire is before you?" They regretted and felt extremely depressed. He soon went back to
them and said, "Gabriel has just come to me and said that Allah asked why I caused some of
His servants to lose hope in His mercy," then he repeated 39:5 quoted above.

The lot of one who wishes to personify the Attribute '' al-Ghafoor'' is that he constantly seeks
His forgiveness; he forgives His servants time and over again. This is the key to obtaining the
forgiveness of Allah as referred to in 24:22: "Do not let those among you who possess grace
and abundance swear against giving to the near of kin and the poor and those who have fled
in Allah's way; they should pardon and overlook. Do not you love that Allah would forgive
you? Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."

36. "Al-Shakoor"

Allah has said, "So that He may pay them back their rewards in full and give them more out
of His grace: surely He is the Forgiving, the One Who multiplies the rewards" (Qura'n,
35:30). Linguistically, '' al- Shako of' is derived from the root word shukr which conveys the
meaning of: an increase. Arabs describe a land as such if its plants are abundant. They
describe an animal as such if it is fattened. Plants sustained by a little amount of water are
called shakoor. Al-Shakoor thanks quite often. Who appreciates acts of righteousness, charity
and kindness. A servant of Allah who is shakoor is one who perseveres to thank his Lord by
obeying Him and by carrying out the obligations which He has mandated on him. Shukr is
recognition and propagation of goodness.

Al-Shakoor, Allah, appreciates even the few good deeds His servants do, doubling His
rewards for them. His way of thanking them is by giving them of His bounties though He was
the One Who enabled them to do such good deeds in the first place. He planted in their hearts
the desire to do them, then He provided for them all the means to carry them out. He enables
His servants to be grateful for the blessings which He bestows upon them, so He rewards
them even for small acts of obedience to Him with an abundance of His good things. He
grants for a few days' endeavor a bliss in the hereafter that never ends.

Al- Shakoor accepts the little and Who gives a lot. Allah has called Himself al- Shakoor in
order to tell us that He rewards His servants for thanking Him; hence, the reward for such
gratitude is called shukr, just as the penalty for a bad deed is called bad; He has said, "And the
recompense of evil is a like punishment" (Qura'n, 42:40).

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One of the tokens of accepting one's expression of appreciation is that he receives an increase
of Allah's blessings according to 14:7: "If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more, and
if you are ungrateful. My chastisement is truly severe." The truth about appreciation is not
related to the qualities of Allah: appreciation comes from people; it is simply the expending of
the blessings granted by Allah in the way for which He created them. Linguistically,
appreciation is coupled with blessing, grace, gratitude. Nobody can do Allah a favour for
which He has to thank him; therefore. His appreciation must be understood metaphorically
according to Tafsir al-Manar. Allah's gratitude means that He is capable of rewarding the
doers of good, that He does not permit the deeds of such doers to be wasted or unrewarded. It
is in this sense that rewarding the doer of good with what he deserves is called appreciation,
and Allah has thus called Himself appreciative. Allah has also promised those who appreciate
His blessings to increase His blessings upon them; so, such gratitude also falls under the same
type of appreciation. The most Appreciative One has said, "... and whoever does good
spontaneously, surely Allah is Grateful, Knowing" (Qura'n, 2:158). Thus do we come to know
that Allah, Glory to Him, has a conduct which is surely the most perfect one when He called
Himself appreciative of the worlds although whatever good they do neither benefits Him nor
harms Him in the least; rather, its benefit is surely for our own good. It is, in reality, a sign of
His own blessings upon us that He guides and enables us to do it; so, it does not beseem any
sensible person to observe the great favour bestowed upon him by Allah without thanking
Him for it, or without obeying Him.

Allah also says, "Therefore remember Me, so I will remember you, too, and be thankful to
Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me" (Qura'n, 2:152). In this verse, Allah teaches His servants
to be appreciative, ordering them to remember the blessings which He has bestowed upon
them by their hearts, tongues and senses. Their reward for it is that He reminds them of His
permission to continue to enjoy such blessings, and to increase them, ordering them to praise
Him by His Attributes, to discuss His countless blessings, to glorify Him openly and secretly,
so that He may mention them in His high company and mention His being pleased with them.
In a qudsi tradition, the Messenger of Allah quotes the Almighty saying, "I am as My servant
thinks of Me: I am with him; if he mentions Me silently, I shall mention him likewise, and if
He mentions My Name before a crowd of people, I shall mention him before a better crowd;
if he gets closer to Me as much as a span, I shall get closer to him as much as a yard; if he
gets closer to Me as much as a yard, I will get closer to him more than twice that much. If he
comes to Me walking, I shall come to him running." Allah commands His servants to be
grateful to Him and not to deny the blessings which He has bestowed upon them. This is a
warning for this nation against that wherein previous nations had fallen due to the latter's
denial of the blessings which the Almighty had showered upon them. He granted them the
powers of reason, emotion, judgment, and other such blessings.

A servant of Allah should never tire of thanking and praising Him, incessantly and
unhesitatingly. In a supplications by the Messenger of Allah, he says, "Lord! I am incapable
of praising You enough; You are as You have praised Yourself." Praising Allah and thanking
Him as He really deserves is not within the human capacity. A servant of Allah, therefore,
must leave it to the One Who can do so: Allah, Praise is due to Him, and ONLY to Him. How
can man acquire perfection in such an area while he contemplates upon some blessings
bestowed upon him by Allah and says to himself: "I was mere naught and Allah caused me to
be, then He granted me the beautiful outward appearance, and the power of reason which is
the very best of my inner qualities, then He granted me hearing and vision and guided me to
know Him, then He made His great rewards attainable and even praised me in his Great
Book"? If you move your tongue and say: Alamdu-lillh (Praise to Allah), thinking that mere
saying so is sufficient to express gratitude for all the great favours He has bestowed upon you,
then you surely have taken leave of absence from your sanity, for you surely will not have
thanked Him at all. "Talk is cheap," says an axiom, whereas "actions speak louder than
words." Express your gratitude towards your Maker by actions, not only by words. A
servant's true expression of gratitude is his own admission that he simply is incapable of
sufficiently express his gratitude to His Maker, Sustainer, and Benefactor.

Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari has quoted the Messenger of Allah saying, "If one is given
something while being capable of finding a way to likewise give, let him do so, but if he is
not, then let him praise the giver, for one who remains silent and says nothing commits kufr,
apostasy. And if one were to put on clothes which he was not given, he would then be like
one who wears two outfits of forgery." [7]

37. ''Al- Aliyy"

Allah has said, "... what they call upon besides Him is falsehood; Allah is the High, the
Great" (Qura'n, 22:61).

''Al-^Aliyy is one of Allah's Attributes, and it is derived from uluww, height, sublimity, or
loftiness versus lowliness. The height referred to here is that of status. Al-^Aliyy is High, so
High that He can never be conceived nor visualized. Minds are at a loss regarding His
Greatness; intellects are incapable of conceiving His perfection. According to Al-Mufradat,
one who is ^aliyy is a prominent person, a man of distinction. When applied to the Almighty,
as in 22:61 cited above, the implied meaning is that He is above being described by anyone or
truly known by anyone, and He is above what anyone says about Him.

He is the One above Whose status there is none at all, and everything in existence is under
His control. Allah has said, "He is the Most High, the Great" (Qura'n, 2:255), "... judgment
belongs to Allah, the High, the Great" (Qura'n, 40:12), and, "... the Great, the Most
High" (Qura'n, 13:9).

"High" and "low" may be applied both to tangible as well as intangible things. As regarding
the tangible ones, the ^Arsh (Throne) is said to be higher than the Kursi (the Seat of
Authority), and the heavens is higher than the earth. Such words are applied only to tangible
things, things which have dimensions. Since the Almighty is above having dimensions. His
being al-^Aliyy is above being as such.

The One Who is al-^Aliyy is above being conceived by any intellect, and Whose Attributes
are too great to be described. He is the One in Whose Greatness minds are puzzled, and in
trying to realize His Essence the intellects fall short.

Among the good manners adorning a believer are: humbleness and submissiveness before the
Glory of the Almighty. It is only then that He exalts his status. Al-Qushayri has reported
saying that Allah inspired Moses to go near a mountain so that He would address him. Every
mountain there vied with the others in the hope of being the one near which such a divine
address would take place. Mount Sinai thought very humbly of itself saying, "Since when do I
deserve the honour of being the site worthy of the status of Moses when addressed by his
Lord?" For this reason, Allah inspired Moses to go near Mount Sinai due to the latter's
humility.

According to Al-Asma' wal sifat, where a qudsi tradition is quoted, the Messenger of Allah
heard during the Night of Isra (the night journey to Jerusalem) a praising in the high heavens
saying: Subhan al-^Aliyy al-Ala, Subnahu wa Ta^ala, that is, "Glory to the Most High, Glory
to Him and Exaltation." lyas ibn Salmah has quoted his father saying that he had heard the
Messenger of Allah starting every supplication by saying, ''Subhana al-A^la al-Wahhab,''
"Glory to the Most High, the ever-Giving."

38. "Al-Kabeer"

We read the following in the Holy Qura'n: "They shall say: What is it that your Lord said?
They shall say: The truth. And He is the Most High, the Great" (Qura'n, 34:23).

Linguistically, one who is kabeer is a great person, a dignitary, a distinguished personality.
Allah, Glorified and Exalted is His Name, is greater than everything and everyone, and He is
the Absolutely Great One, the One Who is Great on His own merits, in His qualities and
Essence, above being in any way like any of His creatures; "There is nothing like Him," the
One Who is superior to the praise of any of those who praise, glorify, or attempt to describe
Him. He is the most perfect of anything in existence, the One Who has all the Glory, the
Greatness, the Honour and the Sublimity. He is above what the beings He has created
conceive Him to be. He is too Great to be described or His actions to be comprehended. The
Almighty has said.

He is the High, the Great. (40:12)Proclaim His greatness magnifying (Him). (17:111) And

your Lord do magnify. (74:3). To Him belongs greatness in the heavens and the earth.

(45:37)

The Almighty has been lauded with characteristics of this sort:

One is al-Kabeer, The other is al-Mutakabbir, the explanation of which has already been

dealt with. The third is al-Akbar as in 9:72: "... and best of all is Allah's goodly

pleasure" (Qura'n, 9:72), and in 29:45: "... certainly the remembrance of Allah is the greatest."

But it has not been used in the Holy Qura'n as a reference to the Almighty, yet it occurs as an

Attribute of His in the Sunnah such as our saying: Allahu Akbar! The fourth is al-Kibriya';

Allah has said, "And to Him belongs greatness..." (Qura'n, 45:37). So, let us discuss these

Attributes:

As regarding al-Akbar, there are two ways to look at it: First, He is greater than anything else
in existence. It is possible to view the "Allahu Akbar!" which Muslims pronounce audibly
when saying their prayers in the same light, meaning that Allah is greater than anyone or
anything else; hence, one's mind will not be occupied by anyone or anything else besides
Him, nor is his heart attached to anyone or anything else besides Him.

"Allahu Akbar!" is a statement derived from '' al-Kabeef' and is pronounced to initiate the
obligatory prayers, during the time of rukoo\ sujood or qiyam, that is, when bowing,
prostrating or standing during the performance of obligatory prayers. It is called takbeer.
Glorification of al-Kabeer, the Great One, the Most Great. Takbeer is required on several
occasions such as the athan, iqama, prayers, both feasts, funeral prayers, upon seeing the
Ka'ba, throwing the stones [during the pilgrimage], and announcing the time for jihad, holy
war. The Messenger of Allah is said to initiate anything of significance with "Allahu Akbar!"

Ibn "Abbas is quoted saying that the Messenger of Allah used to teach his companions a
supplication whereby they could shun all ailments and types of fever which said, "In the
Name of Allah al-Kabeer\ we seek refuge with Allah al- Azeem from the evil of any feverish
vein, and from the inferno of hellfire."

The Attribute ''al-Kabeer'' is repeated five times throughout the text of the Holy Qura'n.

39. "Al-Hafeez"

The Almighty has said in the Holy Qura'n, "And he has no authority over them, but so that
We may distinguish the one who believes in the hereafter from the one who is in doubt
concerning it, and your Lord preserves all things" (Qura'n, 34:21).

'Al-Hafeez'' is derived from the root word if, safeguarding something or someone. Its
antithesis is sahu, forgetfulness, negligence, inattentiveness. Women who safeguard the

property of their husbands when the latter are absent are described in the Holy Qura'n as
fhafizatin lil ghayb. A book is called afee because its contents safeguard records of actions
and statements from being lost (from people's memory, etc.).

Al-Hafeez very much maintains the existence of everything that exists, Who safeguards
contradictory elements against overwhelming one another such as what is hot and what is
cold, what is moist and what is dry, qualities which Allah has created, making them inherent
in our creation as well as in that of all animals and plants. Had He not thus safeguarded them,
by neutralizing them once and by increasing the amount of what diminishes thereof another,
they would not have coexisted with one another, their mixing would have been annulled, their
composition would have diminished, and their ability to be composed or amalgamated would
have disappeared. Al-Hafeez carries a stronger meaning than that of al-Hafiz^ Al-Hafeez has
two meanings: One is the opposite of oversight or forgetfulness, and its meaning is derived
from knowing. When we say that the Almighty safeguards things, we mean that He knows
them in all their quantities and intricacies, and that such knowledge is not altered by
diminution, oversight, negligence, or forgetfulness. The other is that al-Hafeez safeguards
things against loss: He guards them, and all His characteristics and perfection are above
extinction. He has also said: "Attend constantly to prayers and to the middle prayers, and
stand up truly obedient to Allah" (Qura'n, 2:238), and, "... the preservation of them both does
not tire Him" (Qura'n, 2:255). He protects His Divine statements, i.e. the Holy Qura'n, hence
the verse, "We have revealed the Reminder, and We are its Guardian" (Qura'n, 15:9),
meaning Protectors against alteration, distortion, or any tampering with its sacred text, applied
here particularly to the text of the Holy Qura'n.

Despite the greatness of his status, the Friend of Allah Abraham supplicated thus: "Lord!
Grant me wisdom and join me with the righteous" (Qura'n, 26:83), and, "Lord! Make us both
submitting to You" (Qura'n, 2:128). Moses, who spoke to the Almighty, also supplicated
saying, "Lord! Expand my breast for me" (Qura'n, 20:25). The Almighty has said the
following to His Prophet and Messenger Muhammed: "... had it not been that We had already
established you..." (Qura'n, 17:74), and, "... Allah will protect you from people" (Qura'n,
5:67). He admonished the believers to pray by saying, "Lord! Do not make our hearts deviate
after You have guided us aright" (Qura'n, 3:8).

One who contemplates on the meanings of al-Hafeez and eagerly longs for Him with all his
heart is one in whose heart the love for His Lord is borne, the Lord Who protects His servant
even when the latter is disobedient to Him, falling short of worshipping Him, lagging behind
in adoring Him. He reawakens his heart from its inattentiveness. It is then that Allah makes
his heart like a preserved treasure of secrets, so he takes courageous stands, safeguarding his
senses against committing sins, protecting his heart against spiritually harmful insinuations.

40. "Al-Muqeet"

In the Holy Qura'n, we read: "Whoever joins himself (to another) in a good cause shall have a
share thereof, and whoever joins himself (to another) in an evil cause shall be responsible for
it, and Allah controls all things" (Qura'n, 4:85).

''Al-Muqeef is derived from the root noun qoot, sustenance, the food that sustains the human
body. Ibn "Abbas has said that al-Muqeet is al-Muqtadir, the Omnipotent. Al-Muqeet creates
all beings, creating likewise the means for their sustenance. He provides ways for them to
have access to such means of sustenance; He has made accessible to them what is necessary
and what is a luxury. He sustains the bodies and the souls. He has taken upon Himself to
sustain His creation. Al-Muqeet hears the silent supplication and responds to it and knows the
affliction and removes it. 'Al-Muqeef conveys the same meaning as that of '' al-Hafeez,'' the
Protector; so. He protects and sustains the living beings.

Reference to qoot exists throughout the Holy Qura'n. For example, Allah has said the
following in Surat Fussilat: "And He made in it mountains above its surface, and He blessed
therein and made therein its foods, in four periods: alike for the seekers" (Qura'n, 41:10). He
sustains the hearts through knowledge, so He is al-Razzaq but in a more specific way, for
sustenance includes both food and non-food items. Qoot is food sufficient to keep someone's
body alive. It may also mean the One Who takes full control over something or someone.
Who is Capable of managing his/her affairs. Al-Muqeet Alone is Capable and Knowledgeable
of everything. One of the good manners inspired by this Attribute is that when food is brought
to you, you must recognize al-Muqeet Whose sustenance is quite spacious and encompassing,
through Whose Grace are you provided with food. Such a recognition will cause the light of
this Attribute to lift you spiritually. God will then make you the treasure-house for His
servants, enabling you to sustain others, teach them knowledge, and lead them to the ever-
Living, the Sustainer.

Do not seek the achievement of all your wishes and desires except from Allah, for He surely
holds the keys to the treasures of His sustenance. According to one qudsi tradition, Allah said
to Moses, "O Moses! Ask Me with regard to everything, including your shoe strings and the
salt for your pot."

41. "Al-Haseeb"

Allah has said in the Holy Qura'n, "... those who deliver the messages of Allah and fear Him
and not fear anyone save Allah, and Allah suffices for taking account (of
everything)" (Qura'n, 33:39).

Al-Haseeb is one of Allah's Attributes, and it is often explained as the One Who rewards. Its
meaning may also be understood as the One Who provides sufficiently. Who grants whatever
His servants need; He is the Master upon Whom all rely; there is no haseeb besides Him, and
all His creation are in need of His help and support. It is also said that al-haseeb is the One to

Whom everything honourable is referred, and with Him does every glory end. He calls His
servants to account for their deeds, Who tries those who obey Him and rewards them for such
obedience. Who calls those who disobey Him to account and penalizes them for their
disobedience; He, and only He, tries everyone.

Things are connected to one another, and in the end they are connected to Allah Who has
said, "O Prophet! Allah suffices you and the believers who follow you" (Qura'n, 8:64). If we
look at this great cosmos, which is fixed and unaffected by external effects since millions of
years, we will conclude that there is a complex accounting system for it which is spontaneous.
It makes cosmic criteria fixed in order to guarantee the preservation of human life on earth in
the best way so that man may be able to perform the function for which Allah created him,
that is, to worship Him. The number of computations required to run such a tremendous
cosmos can never be conceived by any human mind; so, how can one imagine the
spontaneous alterations of some while the rest remain the same?! It is the Great al-haseeh, the
computing One, the Great, the most swift of all those who compute. It truly is an Attribute
which deserves a close look. If a thinking person were to remain thinking all life, he will
never be able to compute except very, very little indeed. Yet I like through these simple
statements to give the reader an idea that may provide him with a glimpse of the greatness of
this miraculous Attribute:

The verb ''hasaba'' means: counted, computed, calculated, deducted a total, etc. ''hisab''
means: counting, computing, calculating, or accounting, and it is accomplished by adding,
subtracting, and such related steps. The science of \\isab is arithmetics from which more
advanced sciences: algebra, mathematics, and calculus, are derived. The Holy Qura'n contains
references to al-haseeb and the derivatives of its root word in verses such as these:

... and though there may be the weight of a grain of mustard seed. We will (still) bring it, and
sufficient are We to take account. (21:47) Then are they sent back to Allah, their Master, the
True One; now surely His is the judgment, and He is the swiftest in taking account. (6:62)
They shall have (their) portion of what they have earned, and Allah is swift in reckoning.
(2:202) There is none to repeal His decree, and He is swift to take account. (13:41) ... there he
finds Allah, so He pays him back his reckoning in full, and Allah is swift in reckoning.
(24:39)

In order to be acquainted with the secret of Allah's Power as embedded in His Attribute "a/-
haseeb'\ as it manifests itself upon His creation, let us take a look at the chemical,
physiological and astronomical balance existing in the cosmos. We will see that there is a
high computing power too great to be conceived, one capable of conducting such
computations and controlled by One Who is fully knowledgeable of the cosmos in its entirety,
of the smallest atom in it up to the largest planet. Had it not been so, its cosmic computations
would not have remained fixed. In order to form an idea about the complexity of such
computations, we have to provide an example:

Were we to think for one moment about the number of computations which take place inside
our bodies, we will surely be unable to calculate them. So, how can man conceive the number
of computations in the whole cosmos from the smallest atom to the largest planet in their
various types, orbits, and environments? The mind, no matter how great, can never do so, and
it will definitely recognize Allah and His Absolute Power, and that He is the only capable al-
haseeb Who can make such computations; so, let us contemplate on this Attribute so that we
may honour and thank Him. Allah has pointed out in the text of the Holy Qura'n the
calculation according to which the cosmos is arranged in accordance with places very well
computed in their locations, orbits and speeds: "Surely We have created everything according
to a measure. And Our command is but one, as (swift as) the twinkling of an eye" (Qura'n,
54:49-50). He has also said.

But nay! I swear by the falling of the stars, and most surely it is a very great oath, if you only
know... (56:75-76) The sun and the moon follow a reckoning. (55:5) (As for) the moon. We
have ordained for it stages till it becomes again like an old dry palm branch. (36:39) ... and
ordained for it mansions so that you may know the computation of years and the reckoning.
(10:5) He causes the dawn to break, and he has made the night for (you to) rest, and the sun
and the moon for reckoning. (6:96)

As a matter of fact, there is hardly any verse which does not contain one indication or more
about the computed system of the cosmos or of the human body, but the Holy Qura'n
highlights a specific significance for a different type of calculations: the calculations of the
sustenance of Allah's servants according to the wisdom of Allah, some of which are according
to a measure, and some coming from whence a servant of Allah does not know: "... and Allah
gives means of subsistence to whomsoever He pleases without measure" (Qura'n, 2:212).
Such is usually the sustenance of the righteous whom Allah sustains from whence they do not
know or expect: "... and whoever is careful of (his duty to) Allah, He will make an outlet for
him and give him sustenance from whence he does not expect" (Qura'n, 65:2-3). Also, Allah's
giving is great, so great that its true value can never be conceived or computed. There is still a
greater calculation: the calculation of the deeds and the intentions behind them, their
recording as well as the rewards for them in the life of this world or in the one to come, or in
both, for the Almighty says the following in this regard:

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The Holy Qura'n has indicated that Allah's knowledge is vast and endless; in Surat al-Ana"m,
the Almighty says, "And his people disputed with him. He said: Do you dispute with me
regarding Allah, and He has, indeed, guided me? And I do not fear in any way those that you
set up with Him unless my Lord pleases; my Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge;
will you not then mind" (Qura'n, 6:80)? The Holy Qura'n has described Allah's mercy as vast;
in Surat al-A"raf it is stated that, "And ordain for us good in this world's life and in the life
hereafter, for surely we turn to You. He said: (As for) My chastisement, I will afflict with it
whomsoever I please, and My mercy encompasses all things; so I will ordain it (especially)
for those who guard (themselves against evil) and pay the zakat and those who believe in Our
signs" (Qura'n, 7:156). In Surat Taha, His knowledge is described as vast: "Your only God is
Allah; there is no god but He; He comprehends all things in (His) knowledge" (Qura'n,
20:98). Other references to the vastness of His knowledge, to His mercy and might, are as
follows: f''-':Z '■:

Our Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge; in Allah do we trust: Lord! Decide
between us and our people with the truth, and You are the best of those who decide. (7:89)
Those who bear the Throne and those around Him celebrate the praise of their Lord and
believe in Him and ask protection for those who believe (saying): Lord! You encompass all
things in mercy and knowledge; therefore, grant protection to those who turn (to You) and
follow Your way, and save them from the punishment of hell. (40:7) And the heavens We
raised high with power, and most surely We make things ample. (51:47)

We ought to ponder on Allah's vast knowledge, for He is the Absolute al-WasV Whose Grace
has encompassed everything in existence, in fact, even prior to their existence, and even
before the existence of time itself, since He has always been for all eternity. His knowledge
encompasses everything. Nothing He knows distracts Him from knowing something else. His
might overwhelms everything; no issue distracts Him from another. His Hearing encompasses
everything; no person's supplication can distract Him from hearing the supplication of
another. His benevolence includes all His creation; His helping one particular needy person
does not prohibit Him from helping another.

One of the ways for learning a code of ethics derived from this Attribute, ''al-Wasi\'' is that
you should include all servants of Allah in your good treatment and kindness at all times; be
gracious to all people. Help them when they seek your help, and treat all of them with the best
treatment. A servant of Allah ought to remember and seek wisdom from the conduct of the
Messenger of Allah who was saying his prayers once when he overheard a bedouin
supplicating to his Lord saying, "O Allah! Have mercy on me and on Muhammed, and do not
be merciful to anyone else besides us." The Prophet said to him, "You have prayed Him to

limit what is limitless," meaning the mercy of Allah. The Messenger of Allah has also said,
"If Allah grants you an increase [of His blessings], do give your own self an increase."

47. "Al-Hakeem"

Allah has said, "... and if You forgive them, then surely You are the Mighty, the
Wise" (Qura'n, 5:118). --^^^'

"Hakeem" is a superlative form, a form for the glorification of the One Who has all the
wisdom; hence, al-Hakeem is the very greatest in His wisdom. Allah is the most wise in
creating everything and in perfecting such a creation. His wisdom means His prior knowledge
of everything and His bringing everything into existence most wisely and most perfectly.

Wisdom means: the best way of knowing something utilizing the very best of means. "Al-
Hakeem" carries the same meaning as that of ''al-^Aleemy Nobody knows Allah except Allah;
therefore, al-Hakeem cannot be anyone but Allah: He knows the origins of all things through
His eternal and perpetual knowledge which nobody can ever conceive as being liable to
extinction.

''Al-Hakeem'' may also mean His being Holy, too Holy to do anything which does not beseem
Him. In Surat al-Mominoon, Allah says, "What?! Did you then think that We had created you
in vain and that you will not be returned to Us?!" (Qura'n, 23:115). Some scholars have said
that al-Hakeem is equitable in His assessment, benevolent in His management of affairs, the
One Who has determined the measure of everything, the One Whose wisdom is the very
ultimate end, the One Who places everything in its right place. Nobody can really appreciate
Allah's wisdom other than Allah Himself.

Al-Hakeem is free from seeking any self-interest, nor can anyone object to anything He does.
Al-Hakeem is adorned with wisdom, and wisdom is knowing the best of things through the
best means. The best of everything is Allah; so. He is the Absolute al-Hakeem; He knows
everything by the very best means of eternal and everlasting knowledge, the knowledge
which nobody can conceive as ever coming to naught, nor can there be any doubt about it,
and nobody can be described as such except Allah.

Some scholars say that wisdom means getting to know the truth for its own sake, and to know
goodness in order to act upon it. A servant of Allah, though his portion of knowledge and
potential may be little, such a shortcoming is evident in him when compared to Allah's
knowledge and might and to the knowledge and ability of the angels. Yet whatever amount
human beings have been given is quite significant by the token that Allah Himself has
deemed it great when he said, "... and whoever is granted wisdom is indeed granted a great
deal of goodness" (Qura'n, 2:269). Abraham prayed his Lord for wisdom saying, "Lord! Grant
me wisdom" (Qura'n, 26:83). Allah said the following about David (prophet David): "We

granted him wisdom and a clear judgment" (Qura'n, 38:20). Scholars have said that wisdom
means knowledge.

Knowledge may either be knowing what can exist without our choice or doing, which is
theoretical knowledge, or it may be knowledge of what can happen by our choice and doing,
which is practical knowledge. Theoretical knowledge may either be the means towards an
end, or it may be an end by itself. The means, for example, may be the science of logic the
deduction of which is determined by what concepts and assertions mankind can conceive in a
way which does not permit except a very rare margin of error.

As regarding what is considered as the ultimate end, be informed that things may be classified
into three categories: They may either comprise a form, or they actually are not supposed to
exist in a certain form, or either case may be applicable to them. What is supposed to be in a
form should either be in a particular one, and the science which researches such portion of
what exists is called natural science or physics. What ought not be a particular form and ought
to be in some other form, the science that researches it is called the science of mathematics.
As regarding the other category which is not supposed to be in a particular form at all, the
science that researches it is called theology.

As regarding the third kind, the one which may be in a particular form or may not, the science
researching it is called the inclusive science, and it is like the knowledge of the unit, the
multiplicity, the causation, the deduction, the completion or the deficiency. All of this falls
under the category of theoretical knowledge.

Practical knowledge may either be the researching of the conditions of man regarding his own
body, which is called the science of physiology, or his conditions with members of his
household, which is called the science of domestic management, or his conditions (ties to,
relationship...) with the rest of the world, which is called political science.

The person who personified wisdom in his everyday conduct among people is the Messenger
of Allah by the token of this verse of Surat Ali-"Imran: "Certainly Allah conferred a benefit
upon the believers when He raised among them a Messenger from among themselves reciting
to them His signs and purifying them and teaching them the Book and the wisdom although
before then they were surely in manifest error" (Qura'n, 3:164).

The wisdom in as far as the servants of Allah are concerned is to say and to do what is right as
much as it is humanly possible. Allah says in Surat al-Baqarah, "He grants wisdom to
whomsoever He pleases, and whoever is granted wisdom is indeed granted a great deal of
good and none but men of understanding mind" (Qura'n, 2:269). A wise person among people
is one who precisely calculates intricate things; he masters them and skillfully executes them.
Wisdom is the greatest knowledge, and its greatness depends on the greatness of what is
known, and surely there is nothing greater than Allah. Anyone who gets to know Allah is

wise even if his share of all other secular branches of knowledge is most modest. The ratio of
the wisdom of any of Allah's servants to that of Allah is like the ratio of such servant's
knowledge to that of Allah, and what a vast difference it is ! And what a vast distance it is
between both norms of knowledge! Yet despite the huge gap between both matters, wisdom is
regarded as the most precious of all types of knowledge and the most fruitful, and anyone
who is endowed with wisdom is surely granted a great deal of good.

To derive a good conduct from the attribute al-Hakeem requires a servant of Allah to be wise,
that is, to do his best in whatever good deeds he does, and that his condition is pleasing to
others, that is, based on following the commandments of Allah and distancing himself from
whatever He has enjoined us to be distant from. He takes extreme care in performing his
religious obligations, distancing himself from following his own whims and desires, staying
away from any doubtful matter.

The Messenger of Allah has said, "The apex of wisdom is fearing Allah." A wise person is
one who indicts his own self and who learns about what will come after death. A feeble
person is one who follows his own desires and still wants even more from Allah. The
Messenger of Allah has made many wise statements in this regard. A bedouin once came to
the Messenger of Allah and asked him to teach him something good to say. He told him to
say, "There is no god except Allah, the One and only God Who has no partner; Allah is Great,
Greater than everything; Praise, a great deal indeed of Praise, is due to Allah; Glory to Allah,
Lord of the Worlds; there is no power nor might except in Allah, the Honoured One, the
Wise." The bedouin said, "All this is for my Lord; what about something for my own self?!"
The Messenger of Allah taught him to say, "Lord! I invoke You to forgive me, to have mercy
on me, to grant me guidance, to grant me good health, and to grant me an increase in
sustenance." [8]

As regarding what some people consider as having "wisdom," anyone who knows
"everything" without knowing Allah is not worthy of being called wise because he has missed
the knowledge of the best and the most significant of everything. One who knows Allah is a
wise person even if his share of all other branches of knowledge is very shallow, even if he
stutters or is unable to absorb them. One who knows Allah is one whose speech will sound
different from that of anyone else, one who seldom indulges in frivolous matters. On the
contrary, his speech will be inclusive, and he does not seek any vanishing interest.

48. "Al-Wadood"

The Most Glorified and Exalted One has said, "And He is the Forgiving, the Loving" (Qura'n,
85:14).

''Al-Wadood' is an Attribute derived from the Arabic word "wudd" which conveys the
meaning of love and friendship, and it applies to all avenues of goodness. Allah is "a/-

Wadood' because He loves His servants and they love Him; He says the following in Surat al-
Ma'ida: "O you who believe! Whoever among you turns back from his religion, Allah will
bring people whom He loves and who love Him, who are humble before the believers and
mighty against the unbelievers...." (Qura'n, 5:54).

The condition of true love is that it does not increase on account of loyalty, nor does it
decrease on account of aversion. Al-Wadood ever tries to show His love for His friends by
manifesting His knowledge to them. The ''wadood' person is one who prefers you over all
others, who removes from your heart any desire to notice or to love anyone else but him. Al-
Wadood very much loves His servants. Who tries to be loved even by the sinners through His
forgiveness, and by all His creation by sustaining them and granting them sufficiently. Allah's
righteous servants love Him due to their knowledge of His perfection and the perfection of
His qualities, and due to His readiness to forgive.

For all these reasons, al-Wadood is the Loving and the Beloved One. If a servant of Allah
dives deeply into the depths of the knowledge of Allah's perfection, the perfection which
causes a servant of Allah to love his Lord more and more, his knowledge will be crystallized,
and he will find a great deal of contentment while worshipping Him accordingly. His
knowledge of Him will then bear good fruits, and he, the servant of Allah, will turn to be the
one who loves Him. He may also be understood to be the One Who loves His servants and the
love for Whom bears good fruits according to the degree of love in the heart of each one of
those who love Him. If someone sees through his heart his Lord to be self- Sufficient,
Gracious, Honoured, Omnipotent, everyone is in need of Him while He does not need anyone
or anything, yet He loves His servants and wishes the best for them and even tries to get
closer to them by granting them His favours..., such a person will surely have been blessed
with true vision and a clear sight.

One who tries to fashion his conduct according to the inspiration of this Attribute ought to
know that he should love all those whom Allah loves such as the prophets, successors of the
prophets, and the scholars. He should love everything Allah loves and with which He is
pleased such as acts of righteousness, piety, good deeds and exemplary conduct with others.

Such a person should be compassionate towards all people: He loves to see the disobedient
returning to their Lord obediently, the righteous remaining firm in their righteousness. He
becomes compassionate towards all servants of Allah, forgiving those who abuse them, being
kind to all people especially his family and kin. It is recorded that the holy Prophet has said to
Imam " Ali, "If you wish to surpass those who are close to Allah, then join your ties with those
who have cut them off from you, grant those who deprived you, and forgive those who wrong
you." The attribute ''al-Wadood'' deserves from the servants of Allah that they wish one
another what they wish for their own selves, and even more so! They should prefer others
over their own selves. A righteous man once said, "I wish to be a bridge over the fire
whereupon people pass [to heaven] unharmed."

The perfection of such following is that anger, grudge, or harm received do not stop anyone
who exemplifies this Attribute in his conduct from favouring others over himself and from
being good to them; thus are we taught by our master the Messenger of Allah. Four of his
teeth were once broken, and his face was bleeding, yet all of that uncalled for abuse to which
he was exposed at the hands of the infidels did not stop him from praying for them or from
wishing them good. Ibn "Abbas is quoted saying that he had heard the Messenger of Allah,
who had just finished his prayers, supplicating thus: "Lord! I plead to You for mercy from
You whereby You guide my heart, manage my affairs, unite my kinsfolk, and bring reform to
those who are absent from among my kin. I plead to You for security on the Promised Day,
for Paradise on the Day of Eternity, in the company of the witnesses who are near to You,
those who bow down and prostrate, who fulfill their promise..., for surely You are the Most
Merciful One, the Compassionate."

Regarding the explanation of the verse saying, "... for them will Allah bring about
love" (Qura'n, 19:96), the "love" referred to here means that Allah will make His creation
love them, that is. He will make His servants experience love and affection on their own
account. Supporting this explanation is a tradition wherein the Messenger of Allah says, "If
Allah loves one of His servants. He calls upon Gabriel to tell him so, whereupon Gabriel
loves that person, so he calls upon the residents of the heavens saying, "Allah loves so-and-so;
therefore, you, too, should love him,' whereupon the residents of the heavens respond to him
in the affirmative. Love for him will thus be disseminated among the residents of the earth."

49. "Al-Majeed"

Allah has said, "The mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, O Ahl al-Bayt (People of
the Prophet's House); surely He is Praised, Glorified" (Qura'n, 11:73).

In language, majd is glory; when combined with good deeds, a person's own prestige will be
enhanced, so he will be called glorious. It also conveys the meanings of manliness,
generosity, open-handedness, and gracious conduct.

''Al-Majeed' connotes general honour or abundance of wealth. A man who is majeed is
extremely generous. Al-Majeed is Glorified to the utmost extent of Glorification due to His
own merits, qualities, and actions. He is also Great in His attributes, beautiful in His power
and authority. Al-Majeed has the utmost limit of glory; His benevolence is great. Al-Majeed is
the great One, the One Whose status is Sublime, Who is most Benevolent. His status is
tremendous. Whose Benevolence is great. He is Honoured, Whose actions are beautiful. Who
is generous in giving. Al-Majeed grants His favours to all others. Who is Glorified because of
His actions. Who is Praised by His creation due to His greatness. He alone has the perfect
Honour, the vast kingdom since time immemorial, the One Who does not disappoint anyone.
Whose will is always carried out. Whose Honour is not earned. Whose actions are never
abhorred. Whose benevolence is beautiful. Who gives most generously...

All meanings of perfect and inclusive glory are always rendered to Allah, and all of them
combined are but a drop in the ocean of His Glory. Glory is also attached to His prophets, to
the successors of the latter, and to the mujahidin,

Allah has described the Holy Qura'n as majeed, saying, "Qaf. I swear by al-Qura'n al-
majeed..y (Qura'n, 50:1). The Holy Qura'n is mo/^^J because of the abundance of wealth of
knowledge, ethics, and sublime objectives it contains and due to the benefits it contains; so, it
is beneficial for man both in the life of this world and in the life to come.

One who personifies in his conduct the essence of this attribute ought to be gracious in all
circumstances and most cultured.

50. "Al-Ba ith"

Allah has said, "And the hour is coming; there is no doubt about it, and Allah shall resurrect
those who are in the graves" (Qura'n, 22:7).

''Al-Ba^itK' is an attributes linguistically derived from baVth which means: exciting or
stimulating action, something stirring someone to action, sending someone somewhere, going
out seeking revenge, or simply waking up someone. It also means sending a soldier to war:
baVth means army. It also means to bring life back to the dead.

The word ''al-Ba^itK' conveys more than one meaning: 1) the Almighty will bring His
creation back to life on the Day of Judgment as stated in Surat al-Hajj quoted above. 2) He
sends messengers to His servants: In Surat al-Nahl, He says, "And certainly We raised in
every nation an prophet" (Qura'n, 16:36). 3) He commissions His servants to perform specific
tasks by creating the impulses and motivations in them. 4) He sends aid to His servants who
need it and helps the sinners by accepting their repentance.

Al-Ba^ith resurrects those in the graves, stirs things into motion, causes determination,
manifests the knowledge of the unknown, brings His servants back to life, resurrects His
creation on the Day of Judgment, Who records what the breasts conceal. Ba^th is the life
hereafter. One who knows the real meaning of resurrection knows the real meaning of this
Attribute. Most people have numerous general misconceptions and ambiguous presumptions
about it. They imagine that death is the end of everything, and that resurrection starts a new
creation from nothing, just as the first creation was started. Their belief that death is the end
of everything is surely erroneous, for we have come to learn from studying the Sunnah that
the grave is either a pit of fire or a piece of Paradise. The dead are either happy or miserable.
The happy ones, such as the martyrs, are not dead; rather, Allah says the following about
them in Surat Ali-"Imran (the Family of Amram): "And do not reckon those who are killed in
the way of Allah as dead; nay! They are alive receiving sustenance from their Lord, rejoicing
in what Allah has given them out of His grace, and they rejoice for the sake of those who.

(being left) behind them, have not yet joined them, that they shall have no fear, nor shall they
grieve" (Qura'n, 3:169-170). The miserable, too, are living, leading a miserable life. For this
reason, the Messenger of Allah once addressed the latter in the aftermath of the Battle of Badr
saying, "I have found what my Lord has promised me to be the truth; so, have you found what
your Lord promised you to be true?" He was asked, "How can you address people who have
turned into a stink?" He answered by saying, "You do not hear me better than they, except
that they cannot answer me back."

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Al-Ba^ith is also the One Who inspires determination in the heart of people to undertake lofty
objectives on the battlefields of jihad, and to purify themselves. Al-Ba^ith plants the will to
rise up to lofty endeavors, Who removes from your heart the evil whisperings, Who purges
the innermost conscience from scruples and purifies the deeds from filthiness. He sends His
messengers to convey His commandments: "Allah raised prophets as bearers of glad tidings
and as warners" (Qura'n, 2:213). He brings the dead back to life: "Then We resurrected you
after your death..." (Qura'n, 2:56). He wakes up those who sleep by reawakening their bodies:
"He it is Who takes your souls at night (while asleep), and He knows what you acquire during
the day, then He raises you up therein so that an appointed term may be fulfilled, then to Him
is your return, then will He inform you of what you were doing" (Qura'n, 6:60). Glory, then,
to Him for resurrecting the dead and recording what the breasts conceal.

The subject of baVth is referred to in numerous places of the Holy Qura'n; these are some of
them:

Certainly We raised in every nation an prophet saying: Worship Allah and shun Satan. So
there were some of them whom Allah guided, and there were others against whom error was
due; therefore, travel in the land and witness what the end of those who rejected [Our signs]
was. (16:36) And during part of the night pray Tahajjud beyond what is incumbent upon you
so that your Lord may raise you to a position of great glory. (17:79) Then We raised them up
so that We might ascertain which of the two parties was best able to compute the time during
which they remained (asleep). (18:12) Those who disbelieve think they shall never be
resurrected. Say: Aye! By my Lord! You shall most certainly be resurrected, then you shall
most certainly be informed of what you did, and that is easy for Allah. (64:7)

The portion of inspiration a servant of Allah may be able to derive from the attribute al-Ba^ith
is his knowledge that a soul first has no knowledge of anything, just like the body. Allah says
the following in Surat al-Ana"m: "Is he who was dead then We brought him back to life and
made for him a light whereby he walks among people like one who is in utter darkness from
which he can never come forth? Thus what they did was made fair-seeming to the
unbelievers" (Qura'n, 6:122), and in Surat al-Nahl He says, "He sends the angels with the
inspiration by His command to whomsoever He pleases of His servants saying: Give the
warning that there is no god but I; therefore, be careful (of your duty) to Me" (Qura'n, 16:2).
If a servant of Allah strives hard to learn, he will be as though he has instilled a new life in his
soul after its death, and if he strives to teach the ignorant ones, he will be as though he
brought their souls back to life after their death.

51. "Al-Shaheed"

Allah has said, "Is it not sufficient as regarding your Lord that He is Witness over all
things?" (Qura'n, 41:53).

According to Mu^jam maqayees al lugha by Ibn Paris, the topic of the verb shahida, saw,
witnessed, or testified, indicates, linguistically, presence, knowledge, and the dissemination of
such knowledge. The attribute '' al-Shaheed' is derived from shuhood, [eye] witnesses, and it
requires knowledge by observation: Allah is al-Shaheed because He is present and observes
all beings whom He has created and whom He will create at any time and in any place, and
He is fully aware of such beings; "... and He is with you wherever you may be." Al-Shaheed is
a superlative of al-Shahid, the Witness. In his work Taj al-Aroos, al-Zubaidi has indicated
that al-Shaheed is one of Allah's Attributes meaning: "the One Who is faithful in His witness
and from Whose knowledge nothing at all escapes." His knowledge is the very ultimate
regarding all apparent matters, all things to observe and to witness. The Holy Qura'n states the
following in Surat Ali-"Imran: "Allah bears witness that there is no god but He" (Qura'n,
3:18). Al-Shahid knows and manifests the knowledge of what He knows to a select group
from among His most sincere and loyal servants. Allah has proven His being One through all
what He has created. Al-Shaheed is ever-present; from His kingdom nothing at all can be
absent; everything is included within the realm of His kingdom.

Addressing the Messenger, Allah says the following in Surat al-Nisa': "... and We have sent
you (O Muhammed!) to mankind as an Prophet, and Allah suffices as Witness (to
that)" (Qura'n, 4:79). That is, Allah suffices as Witness to all people regarding the truth of
your message: He testifies that you are His Messenger who does not have full control over
His servants. In Surat al-Ana"m, He says, "Say: What is the weightiest in testimony? Say:
Allah is Witness between you and me" (Qura'n, 6:19), that is, were we to paraphrase it, "Ask
them: What is the greatest witness? Say: Allah testifies with regard to you and to me." Allah
ordered His Messenger to ask the disbelievers, "Whose testimony is the greatest and the most
accurate?" Then He ordered him to tell them that the greatest is the testimony of the One
Whose statement does not permit any room for lying or erring. The testimony, that is,
shahada, of the Almighty is of three types: 1) His own telling people in His Book that He has
sent the Prophet as His Messenger; 2) His own support for His Messenger in numerous ways
the greatest of which is the Holy Qura'n, which is the everlasting scholarly and rational
miracle. It has been practically proven that all people put together are incapable of producing
a chapter or a verse like it; 3) the testimony of previously revealed divine books and the fact
that messengers before him had already brought the glad tidings of his Prophethood.

In Surat Younus, the Great Qura'n says, "Allah, therefore, suffices as Witness between us and
you that we were quite unaware of your worship (of us)" (Qura'n, 10:29). It may be
paraphrased thus: Allah suffices as Witness, O polytheists, and as Judge between us and you,
for He is fully knowledgeable of our condition and yours, and we were not happy with your
own associating partners with Him. In Surat al-Tawbah, the Almighty says, "... Allah and His
Prophet will witness your deeds, then you shall be brought back to the One Who knows the

unseen and the seen, then He will inform you of what you did" (Qura'n, 9:94), that is. He
knows what you hide or manifest, what you conceal or reveal.

The Almighty has repeated the phrase ''^Alim al ghayb wal shahada,'' the One Who knows the
unseen and the seen, about ten times; among such references are the following:

... His is the kingdom on the Day when the trumpet is blown, [and He is] the One Who knows
the unseen and the seen, and He is the Wise, the Aware. (6:73) The One Who knows the
unseen and the seen, the Great, the Most High (is He). (13:9) The One Who knows the unseen
and the seen, so may He be exalted above what they associate (with Him). (23:92) Such
knows the unseen and the seen, the Mighty, the Merciful. (32:6) Say: O Allah! Originator of
the heavens and the earth Who knows the unseen and the seen! You judge between Your
servants as to that wherein they differ. (39:46) He is Allah besides Whom there is no other
god, the One Who knows the unseen and the seen; He is the Beneficent, the Merciful. (59:22)
Say: (As for) the death from which you flee, it will surely overtake you, then you shall be sent
back to the One Who knows the unseen and the seen, and He will (then) inform you of
whatever you did. (62:8)

The believing nation, the nation that believes in Muhammed as the Messenger of Allah,
always remembers that its Lord, Allah, is the Witness over it, and it is also the nation of
testimony in every field. Its Lord has said the following about it: "Thus have We made you a
medium (just) nation so that you may be the bearers of witness to people, and so that the
Messenger may be a bearer of witness to you" (Qura'n, 2:143).

52. "Al-Haqq"

Allah has said: Allah is the Truth, and He gives life to the dead, and He has power over all
things. (22:6)

One of the attributes Allah is ''al-Haqq'\ the Truth. His existence is proven to be true and so
is His Divinity. He makes the truth manifest by the power of His words. Who supports those
whom He loves by His signs. Allah is the Truth, al-Haqq, who is worthy of being adored.
Who is always there and Who never disappears. Whose presence is proven to have always
been, since time immemorial, and forever — even before time and above time. His presence is
a reality standing on its own merits, and there is no existence except through Him, and by
Him, and He never moves and is above motion or anything physical or material. He permits
the truth to manifest itself. He creates everything as His wisdom dictates. He is present in a
way which permits no room for Him to be absent, nor different, nor extinct. Everything that
exists is from Him, and to Him is its ultimate end.

''Al-Haqq'' is the antithesis of falsehood. According to one tradition, the Messenger of Allah

has said, ''Labbayka Haqqan Haqqar that is, "Here I am, O Truth, O Truthful One, here I am,
in obedience to You! Here I am, O antithesis of falsehood!" Surely He is the truth beyond any
doubt. Allah has said, "Then are they sent back to Allah, their Master, the true One" (Qura'n,
6:62). He has also said.

This is so because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon besides Him is falsehood.
(31:30) And Allah will show the truth to be true by His words. (10:82)

His promise is the very truth; He has said in this regard: Surely the promise of Allah is true.
(31:33)

Whenever the Prophet made tahajjud during the night, he would say, "Lord! All Praise is due
to You! You are the Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in them! All Praise is
due to You! You are the One Who sustains the heavens and the earth and everything in them!
You are the Truth; Your speech is the truth; Your promise is the truth; meeting with You is
the truth; Paradise is the truth; Hell is the truth; the Hour [of Judgment] is the truth! Lord! To
You have I submitted myself; in You have I believed; upon You have I relied; to You have I
returned; for Your sake have I disputed with others, based upon Your truth have I arbitrated;
so, I implore You to forgive my past faults and my future ones, what I have concealed and
what I have manifested! You are my Lord! There is no god but You!"

53. "Al- Waked"

Allah has said, "... and trust in Allah, and Allah suffices as Protector" (Qura'n, 4:81, 33:3).

''Al-Wakeer is one of the Attributes of Allah, these Attributes which link whoever repeats
them quite often, being aware of their meanings, to the gardens of Allah, the Truth, Who has
all the beauty, perfection, and glory. Al-Wakeel is the Sustainer, the One Who has taken upon
Himself to provide sustenance for His servants. He, and only He, takes charge of all the
affairs of those who are in His custody, under His care. According to linguists, ''al-WakeeV is
the One to Whom all affairs are entrusted to manage. Who provides His servants with
everything they need. In other words. He takes charge of everything. Al-Wakeel benevolently
looks after His pious servants. He is the One to Whom all affairs are referred. Who makes the
truth manifest; so, whoever relies on Him will be self-sufficient, and whoever seeks
sufficiency from Him will be independent and pleased.

The servants of Allah have entrusted their affairs to Him and relied on His benevolence due to
their inability to attain what they wish to attain versus His own ability to do so: He takes
charge of the conditions of His servants. Who manages them as He pleases. Those who
recognize Him will entrust Him to fare with their own affairs. He surely is the only One Who
truly fares with His servants as He pleases. If one of His servants entrusts Him to fare with his

own affairs, He will beautifully save him the hardship of any task and will grant him more
than He grants others; He gives sufficiently to those who rely on Him. He takes care of the
affairs of His servants. He initiated the giving to man without the latter having asked Him,
and He gave man everything he needed. Whenever man pleads to Him, He directs His
attention to him and beautifully looks after him. If he remains on the straight path. He will
seal his deeds with the beauty of His guardianship.

Linguistically, a wakeel is one upon whom one relies; so, this is why it is said that one who
relies on Allah will come to know that Allah suffices him in as far as his sustenance and
affairs are concerned, so he relies on Him and only Him and depends on none but Him. The
wakeel of someone else is the person who efficiently represents him or does on his behalf
what he is incapable of doing.

In Surat Hud, Allah addresses His Messenger Muhammed saying, "You are only a warner,
and Allah is Custodian over all things" (Qura'n, 11:12), that is, "Your responsibility is simply
to convey the Message, to warn against the dire consequences of rejecting it, to invite people
to accept it, while Allah manages the affairs of His servants and watches over them,
something which you do not have to do, since it is the responsibility of the Creator towards
His creatures, and it is not a subject to be taught or conveyed."

Narrating the tale of Ya'qoob (Jacob) and his sons, the Almighty says in Surat Yousuf
(Joseph), "And when they gave him their pledge, he said: Allah is the One in Whom trust is
placed as regarding what we say" (Qura'n, 12:66). In Surat al-Ahzab, the Almighty addresses
His Messenger Muhammed saying, "The Lord of the east and the west; there is no god but
He; therefore, take Him for Protector" (Qura'n, 73:9). The address here is repeated twice to
the Messenger of Allah; therefore, the Messenger of Allah used to quite often remember his
Lord, al-Wakeel al-Hafiz, reminding his companions and followers never to neglect
mentioning this Gracious Attribute during the time of trouble, hardship and affliction. The
Messenger of Allah once said, "How can I feel happy knowing that the one charged with
blowing the horn (i.e. archangel Israfil) has picked the horn and bent his forehead listening to
the order to blow it?" His companions asked him, "Then what are we supposed to say, O
Messenger of Allah?" He said, "Say: ^ Hasbuna Allah wa nVmal-Wakeel (Allah suffices us,
and Great is the Guardian)!'"

The Messenger of Allah used to plead to his Lord, al-Wakeel, on every occasion, saying,
"Lord! I implore You not to permit me to rely on my own self even for the twinkling of an
eye else I should surely perish." According to one qudsi tradition, the Almighty, addressing
His Messenger, says, "You are My servant and Messenger, and I have named you al-
Mutawakkil [one who trusts in and relies on his Lord];" therefore, the Messenger of Allah was
ordered by his Lord to do so; i.e. to always rely on Him. In Surat Ali-"Imran, He says, "... so
once you have made up your mind, place your trust in Allah; surely Allah loves those who
trust (in Him)" (Qura'n, 3:159), that is, "Having consulted your companions regarding a
matter, you must rely on Allah in effecting it, and have confidence in His assistance and help.

for He is al-Wakeel, and He is your Guardian." Allah loves His servants who turn to Him and
rely on Him provided they exert some effort and exhaust the means available to them.

Allah has made His Messenger a role model to emulate in the reliance upon his Lord, for
Allah has ordered His believing servants to be among those who rely on Him. In Surat
Yousuf, He says, "Judgment is only Allah's; on Him do I rely, and on Him let those who are
reliant rely" (Qura'n, 12:67). In another verse of the same chapter. He says, "And what reason
do we have not to rely on Allah, and He has, indeed, guided us in our ways? And certainly we
would bear with patience your persecution of us, and on Allah should the reliant
rely" (Qura'n, 14:12). In 39:38 we read, "Say: Allah suffices me; on Him do the reliant
rely" (Qura'n, 39:38).

One who chooses Allah as his Guardian is one who has also to guard Allah's interest in his
own self by observing His rights and obligations and whatever He has required him to do, so
he should be the opponent of his own evil-insinuating self day and night, without laxing for a
moment, nor falling short even for the twinkling of an eye.

54. "Al-Qawiyy'' and 55. "Al-Mateen"

The Almighty has said, "Surely Allah bestows sustenance, the Lord of Power, the Strong
One" (Qura'n, 51:58).

''Al-Qawiyy and '' al-Mateen'' are two of Allah's Attributes and are mentioned in such an
order. They share the same basic meaning.

Linguistically, '' al-Qawiyy is derived from quwwa, strength, power, might, ability, etc. It is
in lexicons indicative of strength versus weakness. Strength in this sense describes a complete
and perfect might. Since He is very Strong, Allah has the most perfect and absolute might and
perfection; He has said, "... surely your Lord is the Strong, the Mighty" (Qura'n, 11:66). "A/-
Qawiyy means: the One Whose strength is unlimited and before Whom the strength of His
foe dwarves, and so does the greatness of anyone held as great. Allah has granted the angels a
mighty power whereby one angel, for example, can uproot a mountain or turn cities upside
down. Yet such an angel, or his like, fears Allah and His Might, shakes in awe for fear of His
Greatness. Al-Qawiyy is the One Whose Might and Greatness are perfect: He subdues and is
not subdued; He helps and is not helped; His Might is superior to the might of anyone else. It
is also said that He never suffers any weakness in Himself, in His qualities, or in His actions,
and His strength is indicative of His complete Might.

There are many Qura'nic verses that describe Allah as the Strong One; among them are the
following,

O had only those who are unjust seen when they witness the chastisement that power is

wholly Allah's, and that Allah is severe in requiting (evil)! (2:165) And wherefore did you not
say, when you entered your garden: "It is as Allah has pleased; there is no power save in
Allah"? (18:39)

As regarding "Ad [9] , they were unjustly proud in the land, and they said: "Who is mightier
than we are?" Did they not see that Allah Who created them is mightier than them, and that
they denied Our signs? (41:15)

When we discern the previously quoted glorious verses, we will find the Attribute "a/-
Qawiyy existing in 8:52 and 40:22 as the One Who is severe in requiting evil. Seven times
has the Attribute '' al-Qawiyy'' been combined with the Attribute "a/-'Az^^z"; strength is not
suited except for those who are honourable. Might is accompanied by severity.

The root word, matana, connotes solidness with expansion and extension. It may be applied
to a solid rock, or to a distance traversed. Al-Mateen is al-Qawiyy, the Strong One, Who can
do whatever He pleases. Who does not need an army to enforce His authority. He needs no
help, nor supporters, nor assistants. Rest your hope on none besides Him. Al-Mateen is the
One Whose Might is perfect; nothing in the heavens nor on earth can stand in His way. He is
Allah Who affects His will. Whose Might is eternal; He affects everything yet nothing can
affect Him.

56. "Al-Waliyy''

Allah has said, "Allah is the Guardian {al-Waliyy) of those who believe" (Qura'n, 2:257). Al-
Waliyy connotes closeness, nearness, one who may be an ally, a neighbor, a guardian, a
relative, etc. It also means the supporter, the beloved one.

Allah has said, "Allah is the Guardian of those who believe" (Qura'n, 2:257). Quoting Yousuf,
He has said, "You are my Guardian in this life and in the life hereafter" (Qura'n, 12:101).
Quoting the believers. He has said, "You are our Patron; so, help us against the unbelieving
people" (Qura'n, 2:286), and, "Then are they sent back to Allah, their Master, the True
One" (Qura'n, 6:62). He has also said, "That is so because Allah is the Protector of those who
believe, and because the unbelievers shall have no protector" (Qura'n, 47:11).

Allah is the Guardian of His servants. A good servant of Allah is also a friend of His. The
Exalted One has said, "Surely the friends of Allah shall have no fear, nor shall they
grieve" (Qura'n, 10:62). The word ''waliyy simultaneously conveys the meanings of a master
and a slave, a supporter, a neighbor, a cousin, an ally, a guardian... The common denominator
in the meaning of all these connotations is nearness. A ''waliyy is one who is near to
someone else physically and figuratively. The Almighty has said, 'Awla lakafa
awla'' (Qura'n, 75:34): Nearer to you (is the destruction) and nearer, a clear warning meaning:
"It (destruction) has come close to you, and that against which I have warned you has almost

reached you; therefore, beware!"

This proves that the root word of this Attribute is derived from nearness, and this meaning is
met in the case of a slave, a supporter, a cousin, an ally, or a guardian. In all these cases, there
are situations which necessitate nearness required for proximity and communication. If this is
proven. His being ai-Waliyy of His servants is indicative of His being near to them. The
Almighty has said, "... and He is with you wherever you are" (Qura'n, 57:4). He has also said,

... and We are nearer to him than his life-vein. (50:16) Nowhere is there a secret counsel
between three persons except that He is their fourth. (58:7)

Whoever repeats this Attribute, realizing its great meanings, must be a friend of Allah. Any
friend of Allah is also a friend of people, Allah's servants. He looks after them, managing
their affairs, and so on. Allah says, "Believing men and women are guardians of one
another" (Qura'n, 9:71). Whoever aspires to be close to the Almighty will find Him willing to
be his friend too, and whoever turns away from Allah, Allah will turn away from him, and
Satan will welcome him with open arms.

57. "Al-Hameed"

The Almighty has said, "O people! You are the ones who stand in need of Allah, while Allah
is the self- Sufficient, the Praised One" (Qura'n, 35:15).

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This Attribute instills in the hearts of the faithful the sincere desire to treat others with
forgiveness, clemency, and patience. One should speak kindly to them, smile to them, and
remove the dissension from among them. He should spend his wealth for the good of the
poor, and he should be humble and kind to the weak among them. He should treat all people
as though they were his own family members and brethren.

67. "Al- Wahid"

Allah has said, "And your Lord is One (and Only) Lord! There is no god but He" (Qura'n,
2:163). He has also said, "Say: He, Allah, is One" (Qura'n, 112:1).

Linguistically, ''al-Wahid' means: the One Who does not socialize with people nor keeps
them company. To believe in Tahweed is to believe that there is no partner at all with Allah in
His authority, and that being One is a quality of His which nobody else shares with Him.

Tahweed means recognition of the Unity of the One Who alone manages the affairs of His
servants. None creates, nor sustains, nor grants, nor withholds, nor brings back to life, nor
causes death, nor manages the affairs of the domain outwardly or inwardly, except Allah.
Whatever He wills comes to be, and whatever He does not never will. Not even an atom
moves without His knowledge; nothing takes place without His will. No leaf falls down
without His knowledge. Nothing escapes His knowledge, not even as much as the weight of
an atom in the heavens or the earth, nor smaller than that nor bigger: His knowledge
encompasses everything. His might overwhelms everything. His will is effected regarding
everything. His wisdom dominates everything.

Tawhid, then, means that whatever comes to your mind of how He may be or anything which
you think is appropriate for Him..., He is contrary to and above it. Glory to Him.

The subject of Tawhid is beyond anyone's description, for if you discuss the Almighty, there
are too many views about Him to discuss, and there are too many ways to discuss Him
through Him [i.e. through His statements]. Reason recognizes Him, yet the tongue can never
describe Him.

Tawhids meaning shatters any image and confuses all branches of knowledge, while Allah
remains just as He has always been and will always be. Glory to the One Who has made no
means for His creatures to really know Him except by proving to them that they can never
know Him. One who falls into the seas of Tawhid will day after day feel more and more

thirsty. Tawd is a prerogative, a privilege, of the Truth (the Almighty), yet His creatures are
simply curious. Among people are those whose actions portray their belief in Tawhid; they
look at everything that happens through Him. And there are those who, when the truth is
unveiled before their eyes, feel less and less concerned about anyone besides Him; they see
everyone to be as one secret within another...

Muhammed, the Messenger of Allah, has said, "Allah is One, and He loves oneness." This
tradition indicates that He loves the heart that is solely dedicated to Him, Glory and
Exaltation are His.

Al-Wahid, the One and Only God, protects you, the individual that you are, against the group,
a number of individuals, whereas the latter cannot protect you against Him. Al-Wahid cannot
be counted. He Alone is the source of all knowledge, the Only One Who reveals what is
hidden. His existence has neither a duration nor a limit, nor can anyone carry out a decision
against Him, nor can His Essence ever suffer any decrease or increase whatever.

68. "Al-Samad"

Allah, Glory and Exaltation are His, has said, "Say: He, Allah, is One. Allah is He on Whom
all depend" (Qura'n, 112:1-2).

Al-Samad is an Attribute of Allah whose linguistic meanings include the following: the
ultimate goal, the obeyed Master without Whose command nothing can happen, the Support
of those who need to be supported, the One to Whom all matters are referred, the One to
Whom all issues are rendered and regarding which nobody else decides, the One to Whom
pleas are directed. A-Samad is approached to grant the pleas and is pleaded to make wishes
come true. He is the Master sought during the time of need. Arabs describe a household as
Samad if people go there in the hope of fulfilling their worldly needs. God is the final
destination, the ultimate goal. The one whom Allah enables to be sought to satisfy people's
needs, particularly those relevant to their creed, as well as those of every day life, the one who
serves their interests by word and by means is truly one upon whom Allah has bestowed a
great deal of goodness. It is goodness inspired by this Attribute.

Whoever recognizes Allah as the ever-Lasting Who never dies will turn away from the
adornments of this fleeting life and will have no desire for its material things... One of the
good manners of a believer inspired by this Attribute is that he does not seek help from
anyone besides Allah to help him meet his worldly needs, nor does he rely on anyone else
besides Him. He fashions his conduct after Him and becomes the one sought by people for the
fulfillment of their needs. According to one hadith, the Messenger of Allah has said, "One
who is most loved among people is the one who benefits them most."

69. "Al-Qadir"

In the Holy Qura'n, we read, "Say: He has the power to send on you a chastisement from
above you, or from beneath your feet, or throw you into confusion, (making you) different
parties, and making some of you taste the fighting of others. See how We repeat the signs so
that they may understand" (Qura'n, 6:65).

Both al-Qadeer and al-Qadir are among Allah's characteristics. They may be derived from
taqdeer, estimation or assessment, or from qudra, might, power, or ability. Al-Qadeer does
whatever He does according to the requirement of wisdom, no more, nor less. Al-Qadeer is
not among Allah's ninety-nine Attributes although it is repeated more than thirty times
throughout the text of the Holy Qura'n.

The root word of ''al-Qadir'' is the noun "qudra", might, power, prowess, ability, etc. Laylat
al-Qadr, the Night of Power or of Destiny, is surely the Night of the great honour. In the Holy
Qura'n, we read the following verse in Surat al-Ana"m: "And they do not honour Allah the
Great Honour due to Him" (Qura'n, 6:91), that is, they do not honour Him as He ought to be
honoured. The word "qadr" means that Allah is capable of doing anything without tackling it
or using any means, etc.; therefore, it does not exert or exhaust Him to do whatever He wants.
It means authority and power, that is, the complete dealing with the entire universe, the
cosmos, without being opposed by an opponent. Who can oppose Him or escape His grip?
His command is that whenever He decrees anything, he says to it: "Be!" and it is. It means the
One Who has the Complete power. Who is not frustrated by anything at all. He needs no
means to do anything. He measures His decree. Who manages the universe with might and
wisdom: "So We proportion it: how well We are at proportioning (things)!" (Qura'n, 77:23)
and also, "Surely We have created everything according to a measure" (Qura'n, 54:49). The
qadar is what Allah, the Most Honoured and Glorified, decrees and decides.

A servant of Allah has a measure of power to do a number of things, but it is deficient, for his
ability is limited. Allah, on the other hand, makes His servants capable of doing what they do
through His might. A servant of Allah has power to do a number of things, but he cannot do
everything. He cannot create things out of nothing. Only Allah can.

70. "Al-Muqtadir"

As regarding the Attribute " al-Muqtadir" , the Almighty has said, "They rejected all Our signs,
so We overtook them after the manner of a Mighty, Powerful One" (Qura'n, 54:42).

" Al-Muqtadir" is a superlative of "al-Qadir" which enhances the prestige and awe inspired by
the latter. Al-Muqtadir controls everything through His might which encompasses all His
creation. His might is endless. Who manages all affairs. Who manifests His might to the souls
through the light of His Attribute al-Muqtadir and thus grants them serenity and security.
They recognize and venerate His might in the late hours of the night and at both ends of the
day. The meaning it suggests is: "the One Whose Might is Great, Who, through His

overwhelming Power, controls all His creatures; He subdues everyone and everything in His
domain. He decreed, so existence came to be as a manifestation of His might: \.. and Allah
holds power over all things'" (Qura'n, 18:45).

One of the signs of the good manners of a believer in as far as al-Muqtadir is concerned is
that this Attribute will always fill his heart, and he always remembers it, so much so that a
glimpse of its light will shine upon him and will always surround him. The following is a
tradition related by Jabir ibn Abdullah al- Salami:

The Messenger of Allah used to teach his companions to follow istikhara in all matters just as
he used to teach them the text of the Holy Qura'n. He used to always repeat saying, "If one of
you decides to do something, let him prostrate twice besides what is incumbent upon him then
say: "Lord! I seek Your istikhara and Your help to enable me to achieve what I aspire to
achieve! I plead to You to grant me of Your favours, for You can and I cannot, and You know
and I do not, and You know the unknown. Lord! If You know that this matter (and here you
indicate what it is) is good for me sooner or later, or good for my creed or sustenance, or for
the ultimately good end of my affairs, then decree it for me and ease it for me, then bless it for
me. Lord! If You know that it is evil for me regarding my creed or the ultimate end of my
affairs, or regarding my matter sooner or later, then take me away from it and enable me to
acquire goodness wherever it may be, then make me pleased therewith.'"

The Attribute '' al-Muqtadif\ Praised and Glorified is He, is mentioned verbatim in two verses
of the Holy Qura'n: in verses 42 and 55 of Surat al-Qamar, and once in verse 45 of Surat al-
Kahaf.

71. "Al-Muqaddim"

Allah has said, "... so that Allah may forgive your past faults and your faults to come, to
complete His favour unto you, and to guide you on the right path" (Qura'n, 48:2).

Linguistically, taqdeem, the root word of this Attribute, means advancing, promoting, or
preferring; "al-Muqaddim'' means: the One Who presents things and places them in their right
place. Whoever deserves to be advanced, preferred or favoured over others, the Almighty, al-
Muqaddim, advances his rank or status. And He advances the living, each according to his
sincerity of worshipping Him, protecting them against falling into disobedience of Him. Al-
Muqaddim since the beginning of time advanced those whom He loves and made them happy
through accurate comprehension and sound judgment. He prefers those who know over those
who do not. He opens the gates of true conviction (iman) for everyone. He prefers humans
over all others, making them Imams. And He advances, prefers, favours scholars over
ignorant folks, making the first party like stars guiding others to righteousness. He has
advanced the Messenger of Allah from the very beginning and will advance him at the very
end, in the Hereafter. He took a covenant from all those whom He sent into this world that:

"... when a Messenger comes to you verifying that which is with you, you must believe in
him, and you must support him" (Qura'n, 3:81). He also advanced him on Laylatul-Isra', the
Night Journey. Muhammed led all other Prophets in congregational prayers.

The Holy Qura'n states the following: "Do not dispute in My presence, and indeed I warned
you beforehand" (Qura'n, 50:28). Muhammed, the most honoured of all prophets, as Muslims
regard him, enjoys a status that tops all those of other " t//i//-'Azm" prophets[ 10], peace be
upon all of them. Next in status are awliya\ the friends of Allah, whose status is less only than
that of the prophets.

Al-Muqaddim, therefore, advances whoever He pleases on account of one's piety and
frequency of returning to Him, to His path, making them truthful; He responds favourably to
their pleas. And al-Muqaddim advances the living who worship Him in ranks (in this life as
well as in the one to come), protecting them against disobeying or displeasing Him.

72. ''Al-Mu'akhkhir"

The Almighty has said, "Man shall on that Day be informed of what he had sent forth before
and of what he had put off" (Qura'n, 75:13).

Al-Mu'akhkhir causes the polytheists to lag behind while raising the ranks of the believers. He
delays the disobedient ones and grants His guidance to those who obey Him. He postpones
the penalty of the oppressor because He is Compassionate and Merciful. Whenever your heart
is exposed to a glimpse of the light of His Attribute ''al-Mu'akhkhir,'' you will be managing
your affairs very well, postponing what the Legislator has decided must be postponed, and
looking down at what the Wise Lord has Himself looked down upon. In Surat Ibrahim
(Abraham), we read the following verse: "And do not think that Allah is heedless of what the
unjust ones do; He only grants them a respite till a Day on which the eyes shall be fixedly
staring (being horrified)" (Qura'n, 14:42). He has forewarned people regarding the Day when
His chastisement will approach them, so those who have wronged their own souls will plead
to thus: "Lord! Grant us a respite till a near term so that we may answer Your call and follow
the messengers" (Qura'n, 14:44) but they will be told: "Did you not swear before now that
there would be no passing away for you?!" (Qura'n, 14:44).

The Messenger of Allah used to supplicate by saying, "Lord! I plead to You to forgive my
sins, my ignorance, my extravagance, and to grant me that which You know to be better for
me. Lord! I plead to You to forgive my (unintentional) sins, my deliberate sins, my ignorance,
when I am serious and when I am not, and I am guilty of all of that. Lord! I plead to You to
forgive what I have advanced and what I have postponed, what I have revealed and what I
have declared, for You are al-Muqaddim, and You are al-Mu'akhkhir, and surely You can do
whatever You please." Both Attributes ''al-Muqaddim'' and "al-Mu'akhkhir" are not
mentioned in the text of the Holy. The discussion of advancing something and postponing

something else has been dealt with in the Holy Qura'n with reference to mankind in verses
such as these:

Man shall on that Day be informed of what he sent forth before and what he put off. (75:13)
Surely We know those of you who have gone before and We certainly know those who shall
come later. (15:24) And We do not delay it except till an appointed term (1 1:104).

One of the signs of a believer's good conduct with regard to both of these Attributes is that he
should take a middle course between fear and excessive hope, and to always be on his alert.

73. "Al-Awwal"

Allah has said, "He is the First (al-Awwal) and the Last (al-Akhir) and the Ascendant (over
all) and the One Who knows hidden things, and He is Cognizant of all things" (Qura'n, 57:3).

The Attribute ''al-Awwar means: the One upon Whom all others rely, the One Who advances
all others. Applied to the Almighty, it means: He was never preceded in existence by anyone
at all; He does not need anyone else at all; He is Independent of everything and everyone.

A bedouin once asked the Messenger of Allah, "Where was Allah before creation?" He
answered him by saying, "Allah was and there was nothing with Him." The bedouin asked
him again, "How about now?" He answered him by saying, "He is now just as He has always
been." The Attribute ''al-AwwaF exists in Sural al-adeed: "He is the First and the Last, the
Ascendant (over all), the One Who knows hidden things, and He is Cognizant of all
things" (Qura'n, 57:3). And He is referred to by implication in this verse: "We have ordained
death among you and We are not preceded in doing so by anyone else" (Qura'n, 56:60).

'Al-AwwaF is the first of anything different from Him. He has the upper hand over His foes,
an advancement due neither to time nor to place nor to anything else that can be conceived by
mind nor acquired by knowledge. 'Al-Awwar means the timeless, the perpetual, the One
Who has neither a beginning nor an end. He is the First without a beginning; He exists on His
own even before His creatures were ever there.

He is the Eternal One Who has always been and Who is never preceded by anyone at all.
Allah has said, "We have ordained death among you, and We are not preceded in doing so by
anyone else" (Qura'n, 56:60). This verse indicates that He, and Only He, has such power to
effect death upon His servants, and He is the First to do so without anyone preceding Him.

74. "Al-Akhir"

Allah Almighty has said, "He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant (over all), the One Who

knows all hidden things, and He is Cognizant of all things" (Qura'n, 57:3).

Al-Akhir is the Last without having to have a first, the Last in His Attribute of eternity and
perpetuity; He postpones anything that is to come later. He is the Last by virtue of being
above any adjectives whereby He may be described, the Last above extinction. He is the Last
without anyone having delayed Him and made Him so, and He is the Last due to His
sustaining us. He is the Last according to the rule of necessity: He is the First to grant
guidance; He is the Last to look after those whom He guides.

Allah permits the rewards to reach those who earn them and the penalty to afflict those who
deserve it; so, just as He was the first since time immemorial, when there was nothing with
Him at all, so will He remain the Last One and nothing will be with Him at all.

Among the good manners of a believer with respect to this Attribute is that he keeps
remembering it quite often so that its light may manifest itself unto his heart, and so that he
should escape this vanishing abode and look forward for the lasting one; he flees from his
own self seeking Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the earth.

75. "Al-Zahir"

Allah has said, "... the One Who knows the unseen! So He does not reveal His secrets to
any..." (Qura'n, 72:26).

Linguistically speaking, ''al-Zahir'' is derived from ''zuhoor,'' manifestation, appearance,
sighting, etc. It means something hidden coming to appearance. It also conveys the meaning
of "victor." This meaning occurs in this verse: "... and they became the uppermost" (Qura'n,
61:14), that is, in a higher status and rank, "za/zr" also means back, the opposite of "/?an,"
stomach or belly; so, what is zahir is the opposite of what is batin. It also means: animals
used to transport people and luggage on their backs, their hrs, that is, beasts of burden,
whether it is used as a figure of speech or literally. Something zaheer is very strong.
According to hadith, "There is no verse in the Holy Qura'n except that it has an apparent
meaning and a hidden one." What is apparent may be the wording, and what is hidden may is
the meaning, or it may mean recitation or reading versus comprehension and learning.

The meaning of the Attribute of the Almighty "a/-Za/z/r" permits more than one
interpretation:

1) He subdues His creation. 2) He knows everything apparent, just as the Attribute ''al-Batin''
means He knows everything hidden. 3) He is al-Zahir due to the abundance of dazzling
proofs and the enlightening evidence testifying to His Glory.

Suppose someone says that if He is al-Zahir, the Apparent or the Evident One, the One about

Whom there can be no doubt entertained, well, most people seem to doubt His existence
nevertheless; so, how can He still be Apparent or Evident?

Allah is al-Batin, the Obscure, if sought through the senses and the imagination. He is al-
Zahir, the Apparent One, if sought by the treasure of reason by way of deduction. His being
obscure to many minds, despite His being so Apparent, is due to the intensity of such
evidence. His being Evident is the reason why He is Obscure, and His light is the same that
obscures His glow: whatever exceeds its limit turns into its own antithesis. He is Obscure if
one seeks to know Him by applying his own physical senses. The senses are related to what is
apparent, such as one's complexion, physique, etc.. In fact, a person is a human being not only
on account of his complexion, for even if such complexion or the rest of his parts are altered,
he still remains one and the same. Actually, a person's parts at the time when he ages are not
the same when he was young. They would have suffered a great deal of change due to the
passage of time and were replaced by ones similar to them through food intake. His identity,
nevertheless, has not changed. Such an identity is obscure from the senses, quite clear to the
mind by way of deduction.

76. "Al-Batin"

Allah has said, "He is the First and the Last and the Ascendant (over all) and the One Who
knows all hidden things, and He is Cognizant of all things" (Qura'n, 57:3).

''Al-Batin'' means: the One Who is obscured from the eyes of His creatures due to the
intensity of His appearance, the Hidden One due to His Essence that defies the minds and
intellects.

The Messenger of Allah has supplicated thus:

Lord! O God of the heavens and of the great Throne! Our Lord and the Lord of everything!
The One Who splits the seed and the date- stone! The one Who has revealed the Torah, the
Gospel, and the Holy Qura'n! I seek refuge with You against the evil of every being whose
forelock is in Your Hands! Lord! You are the First; there is nothing before You! And You are
the Last; there is nothing after You. You are the Apparent; there is nothing beyond You, and
You are the Hidden One; there is nothing that can reach You! I plead to You to pay our debts
on our behalf, and to save us from [the humiliation of] want.

He is al-Zahir through sufficiency, al-Batin by objectivity, al-Zahir due to His bounties, al-
Batin through His mercy. He is the Apparent One Who subdues everything, the Hidden One
Who knows the truth about everything, the One Who is Apparent for everything by way of
convincing proofs, the One Who is Hidden from any physical appearance. Glory, then, to the
One Who has obscured Himself from all creation by His light. Who is Hidden from them
because of the intensity of His appearance.

The Almighty has said, "... and made His favours to you complete outwardly and
inwardly" (Qura'n, 31:20). Apparent are the ones we can observe, see, witness, notice, while
hidden are the things with which we are not familiar. He has also pointed out to the fact that
"And if you were to count Allah's favours, you will not be able to count them" (Qura'n, 16:18
and 14:34). They are apparent to the senses, defying our intellect.

Man is a manifestation of the Attribute "^/-Za/z/r" and, at the same time, is also a
manifestation of the other Attribute ''al-Batin.'' Man, physically, is a manifestation of the
Apparent Light, and spiritually a manifestation of the Hidden One, al-Batin. Whenever a
servant of Allah repeats the Attribute ''al-Batin'\ his soul will feel submissive to its Creator,
and he will realize that he on his own is really incapable of doing anything at all; so, it is then
that the Truth will be Merciful unto him and will grant him purity of both body and soul.

77. "Al-Wali"

Allah has said, "For his sake there are angels following one another, before him and behind
him, who guard him by Allah's commandment; surely Allah does not change the condition of
people until they change their own conditions, and if Allah intends evil to anyone, there is
none to avert it, and besides Him they have no protector" (Qura'n, 13:11).

Al-Wali is the Owner of everything; He deals with everything as He pleases. The mawla is
also a supporter or a helper.

Al-Wali manages the affairs of all creation. He initiates whatever improves the condition of
His creatures. In other words. He is the Absolute and undisputed Ruler. Al-Wali is the One
and only One Who manages all affairs. Who does everything, and there is no continuity nor
existence without His permission; everything happens according to His judgment and by His
command. Al-Wali gives graciously by halting the advent of mishaps and calamities.

Among the characteristics of al-Wali is that He manages, is capable and is the doer of ^><'.: <
whatever He pleases. Unless all these attributes are found in someone, he will not be called
wali, and there is no wali for our affairs except Allah. He, and only He, single-handedly
manages them first and foremost and safeguards their continuity and existence. It is also
possible to attach to the wali the meaning of: One Who gives abundantly. Who wards off
evil.

78. "Al-Muta ali"

Allah has said, "[He is] the One Who knows the unseen and the seen, the Great, the Most
High" (Qura'n, 13:9).

The root word of ''al-Muta^air is ^uluww, height, sublimity, loftiness. Its verb also means one
who feels proud, or even arrogant, with regard to someone else, and this usage is for humans.
We have already discussed the Attribute ''al-^Aliyy'\ which is also derived from the same root
word. Al-Muta^ali is Exalted in His Greatness and Honours, an Exaltation which nobody
reaches besides Him. His Honour is above what any of His creation can conceive or
comprehend, above what His creation describe, measure, compute, or define. Al-Muta^ali is
Sublime and is above everything due to His might or perfection. He, Glory to Him, is Most
High due to His Greatness. It also means He is high above deficiencies or shortcomings, or
above being conceived by anyone's imagination. He is very, very High above all His
creatures. He does not need any of what He creates or what He did not create; He created
them out of His Munificence. His Compassionate Attribute is surely gloriously manifesting
itself to all what He has created. He does not need the worship of those who worship Him; He
makes His grace available to all those who strive to attain it.

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Al-Qabid is the One Who controls the entire cosmos; in the following verse, He makes a
reference to His control over the earth: "... and the whole earth shall be in His grip on the Day
of Resurrection and the heavens rolled up in His right hand" (Qura'n, 39:67). The Almighty
has neither a right nor a left hand; He has no hands at all; this is only a figure of speech
denoting His total control over the heavens and the earth and everything in them. The
expansion of the earth is done by Him during the life of this world; says He, "Have We not
made the earth an even expanse?" (Qura'n, 78:6) meaning spread like a carpet. On the Day of
Judgment, the earth shall also be there, but it will look quite different from its present
appearance...; everything about how it will look and what will happen above and underneath
it is detailed in books of hadith, in traditions that will, God willing, see the light for the first
time in English..., but let us not digress here by borrowing from another book of mine soon,
Insha- Allah, to be written!

Al-Qabid receives the knowledge of and appreciates acts of charity; to be charitable is to be a
true servant of His, a blessed one. He says, "... Allah accepts repentance from His servants
and takes the alms" (Qura'n, 9:104). He straitens the hearts, that is, places heavy burdens on
them, burdens of woes and worries, of fears or of aspiration, and He also eases them.

22. "Al-Basit"

Linguistically, ''al-Basif means: one who stretches his hand, be it as a gesture of good will
(in order to shake hands with someone else), or otherwise (to harm someone else, be it by
inflicting a physical harm on it, or by causing damage to his property or his own self). It may
be applied literally or metaphorically. The Almighty, for example, has quoted Cain son of
Adam saying the following to his brother Able: "If you stretch forth your hand towards me to
slay me..., etc." (Qura'n, 5:28). It also means: to please. According to one tradition, the
Messenger of Allah has said, "Fatima is part of me; whatever pleases her pleases me, and
whatever displeases her displeases me, too." Literally, it means: to relax the facial muscles in
order to express pleasure and happiness, elation or excitement; all other meanings branch out
of that. Inbisat, its noun, means, among other things, abandoning modesty. 'Al-baseeta'' is the
outstretched tract of land, and ''basf is: expansion or propagation.

Al-Basit is the One Who pleases the souls by making them happy and delighted. He is the
One Who plants the seeds of life in the bodies to signal the beginning of life therein. He, at
the advent of resurrection, brings life back to them in order to show people, in the life
hereafter, what they used to do during their temporary life in this world.

The Attribute "al-Basit" does not exist in the text of the Holy Qura'n, yet its derivatives
certainly do; these are examples where such derivatives exist:

Nay! His hands are spread out; He expends as He pleases. (5:64) Allah has made for you the
earth a wide expanse. (71:19) Allah is the One Who sends forth the winds, so they raise a
cloud, then He spreads it forth in the sky as He pleases, and He breaks it up, so you see rain
coming forth from it; when He causes it to pour upon whomsoever He pleases of His servants,
lo, they rejoice! (30:48)

The Holy Qura'n speaks of decorating the bodies with strength: "... and increased you in
excellence in respect of physique" (Qura'n, 7:69). And it speaks of pleasing through both
knowledge and excellence of physique when it says, "... and He has increased him abundantly
in knowledge and in physique" (Qura'n, 2:247).

We have to point out here that we ought to mention both divine Attributes of al-Qabid and al-
Basit together in order to convey the meanings of might and wisdom. The Almighty is a/-
Qabid ]ust as He is al-Basit,

23. ''Al-Khafid"

Some scholars say that both Attributes al-Khafid and al-RafV ought to be used
simultaneously. If applied to our Islamic creed, both Attributes connote misguidance and
guidance respectively. If applied to knowledge or obedience to Allah, they imply the highest
and the lowest of ranks respectively; it is in this sense that they occur in this verse: "Abasing
(one party), exalting (the other)" (Qura'n, 56:3), meaning abasing the unbelievers who occupy
the lowest ranks of hell while exalting the believers to the highest ranks of Paradise.

Allah has said, "And be kind to him who follows you from among the believers" (Qura'n,
26:215). Khafd is the opposite of raf\ the first implies vanquishing, lowering the status of,
abasing, insulting, humiliating. The Hour is sometimes described as such in 56:3: "Abasing
(one party), exalting (the other)" (Qura'n, 56:3), meaning abasing some people because of
their transgression, hurling them into the pit of hellfire. In Surat al-Hijr, we read more about
the khafd: "... be kind to the believers" (Qura'n, 15:88), and in Surat al-Isra' we read: "Be
submissively gentle to them, compassionate" (Qura'n, 17:24).

Al-Khafid is the One Who humiliates the oppressors and tyrants, lowering their ranks and
insulting them. He abases at will. Al-Khafid is the One Who lowers, through humiliation, all
those who think of themselves as being great, the arrogant and the conceited. He lowers entire
nations. He lowers falsehood. Al-Khafid is the One Who lowers the rank of all those who
disobey Him, Who humiliates those upon whom His wrath descends. Who lowers the ranks of
those who deserve to be treated as such. He humiliates the unbelievers by exposing them to
misery. His foes by distancing them from Him, and by exposing them to perdition.

Al-Khafid is the One Who has lowered the status of those who do not beheve in Him, of those
who are arrogant, of the Hars, and of those who swerve away from His Path, the Path of
Islam, His final Word of truth.

24. ''Al-Rafi "

The Holy Qura'n states the following: "Allah will exalt those of you who believe, and those
who are granted knowledge, to high degrees" (Qura'n, 58:11).

Al-RafV is one of the Attributes of Allah whose root word is raf, lifting, raising, exalting,
elevating, and the like. It can be used for objects as in 2:63: "... and lifted the mountain over
you," and in 13:2: "Allah is the One Who raised the heavens without any pillars so that you
may see [His might] and He is firm in power." It can also be used for raising the structure of a
building as is the case in the verse saying, "And when Abraham and Ishmael raised the
foundations of the House..." (Qura'n, 2:127). It is also used for exalting or revering someone's
status as in this verse: "... and exalted your esteem" (Qura'n, 94:4). It is also used to exalt the
status or degree of someone honoured as in the verse saying, "... and We have exalted some of
them above others in degrees" (Qura'n, 43:32), and also, "... and exalted thrones..." (Qura'n,
56:34), that is, thrones the status of which is exalted by nearness to Him.

Al-RafV is Allah Who exalts the status of His friends, granting them victory over their foes
and His, and that of the righteous, to the highest degrees. He exalts the truth; He exalts the
believers by granting them happiness; He exalts His friends from among the believers by
getting closer to them; He exalts the status of His friends by granting them the upper hand,
and He exalts the status of those who befriend Him in truth and in equity. Al-RafV raised the
heavens without pillars, raised the clouds over the winds, raised the birds in the air: "Have
they not seen the birds above them expanding (their wings) and contracting (them)? Who
withholds them save the Beneficent God? Surely He sees everything" (Qura'n, 67:19).

Al-RafV has raised the status of His friends in the life of this world by making the believers
humble themselves before them, and by making people pay homage and respect to them even
if they do not wield any power, even if they have no wealth at all: "Now surely the friends of
Allah shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. Those who believed and guarded (themselves
against evil) shall have glad tidings in the life of this world as well as in the life hereafter;
there is no alteration to the words of Allah; that is the mighty achievement" (10:62-65). Al-
RafV exalts the reputation of those who are regarded as weaklings among their own people,
supporting the wronged against those who wrong them.

In Surat al-Baqarah, the Almighty says, "We have made some prophets excel over others;
among them are those to whom Allah spoke, and some of them He exalted by (many degrees
of) rank" (Qura'n, 2:253). In Surat al-Ana"m, He says, "And this was Our argument which We
gave to Abraham against his people; We exalt in dignity whomsoever We please; surely your

Lord is Wise, Knowing" (Qura'n, 6:83). In the same chapter, the Almighty tells us that "He it
is Who has made you successors in the land and raised some of you above others by (various)
degrees so that He may try you by what He gives you; surely your Lord is quick to requite
(evil), and He is most surely the Forgiving, the Merciful" (Qura'n, 6:165). Other references
occur in the following verses:

Allah said: O Jesus! I am going to terminate the period of your stay (on earth) and cause you

to ascend to Me, to purify you from those who disbelieve, and to make those who follow you

above those who disbelieve till the Day of Resurrection; then to Me shall be your return, so I

will decide among you concerning that in which you differed. (3:55)

And mention Idris (Enoch) in the Book; surely he was a truthful man, a prophet, and We

raised him high in heaven. (19:56-57) And the heavens He raised and established the balance.

(55:7)

One who is granted a blessing through the inspiration of this Attribute of Allah is one who
rises above his abominable desires and inclinations; such a person will be exalted by Allah to
a status as high as that enjoyed by the angels with Him or even higher...

25. "Al-Mu izz''

Allah has said. Whoever desires honour, to Allah belongs the honour all of it. To Him do the
good words ascend, and the good deeds He raises; (as for) those who plan an evil plan, they
shall have a severe chastisement, (as for) their plan, it shall surely perish. (35:10)

He has also said in Surat Ali-"Imran:

Say: O Allah, Master of the kingdom! You bestow the kingdom upon whomsoever You
please and take the kingdom away from whomsoever You please, and You exalt whomsoever
You please and abase whomsoever You please; in Your hand is the good (all of it); surely
You have power over all things. (3:26)

Allah has said, "Those who take the unbelievers for guardians rather than the believers: do
they seek honour from them? Surely all honour is Allah's" (Qura'n, 4:139).

"A/-Mi/'/zz" conveys the meaning of: the One Who honours whomsoever He pleases from
among His servants. Linguistically, ma^azza, the noun derived from the verb yu^izz, means
power, strength, might. Allah is surely al- ^Aziz, the Mighty One Who subdues and is never
subdued. Who strengthens His friends by His favour, protecting them against sinning,
forgiving their faults, permitting them to reside in Paradise, the abode of His Munificence.
Then He honours them by permitting them to witness His manifestations and see His signs.
He is the One Who empowers His prophets by protecting them against erring, granting them

victory, protecting them, raising their status among their people. He honours one who obeys
Him even if poverty is his lot, and He raises the status of a pious servant of His even if he
were an Abyssinian slave. Allah, God, The Truth, Praised and Glorified is His Name, is
referred to as such in various verses of His Book, the Holy Qura'n. Among such references
are the following:

Do not let their speech grieve you; surely might is wholly Allah's; He is the Hearing, the
Knowing. (10:65) Glory to your Lord, the Lord of Honour, above what they describe.
(37:180) To Allah belongs the might, and to His Prophet, and the believers, but the hypocrites
do not know. (63:8)

Imam " Ali ibn al-Husain Zayn al-"abidin is quoted saying, "If one desires to be honoured even
though his tribe is not distinguished, or to be held in high esteem even though he has no
authority, or to be a man whose wealth does not diminish, he should get out of the humiliation
of disobedience and enter into the honour of obeying his Lord."

Essentially, the way how God honours His servants is by making them feel satisfied,
contented, for humiliation lies in one being greedy. Had it not been for false hopes, no free
man would have ever been enslaved by anything which, in all truth, is insignificant. The
Almighty places one who persists in praising His Name in the center of honour, instilling love
and respect for him in people's hearts. A servant of Allah who aspires to earn a good share of
personifying this Glorified Name has to honour the Messenger of Allah and those who are
knowledgeable among his own contemporaries, showing respect and humility to them.

26. "Al-MuthiU"

The Almighty has said, "Those who oppose Allah and His Prophet shall be (herded) among
the most abased" (Qura'n, 58:20). ''Al-Muthiir is one of the Attributes of Allah derived from
the noun thull, whatever results from subduing, vanquishing, overcoming, conquering,
someone. The Almighty says, "... walk in the ways of your Lord submissively," (Qura'n,
16:69), that is, freely. He has also said, "... its fruits shall be made accessible (to them),
always easy to reach" (Qura'n, 76:14). Al-Muthill is the One Who abases or humiliates
whomsoever He pleases, depriving them of all prestige. He is the One Who justly abases His
foes when they disobey Him and rebel against His commandments. He insults them and
dismisses them, causing them to be hurled into the abode of His chastisement, the inferno of
hell. Al-Muthill is the One Who abases His foes by depriving them of knowing Him, enabling
them to have their way and to go against His injunctions. He will then have them transported
to the abode of His chastisement, insulting them by dismissing and cursing them.

Al-Muthill is the One Who abases the unbelievers through the power of the truth. Who
subdues whomsoever He pleases. Allah has not honoured any servant of His more than He
has to one who abases his own evil-insinuating self, his nafs, and He has not abased any

servant of His more than one who is preoccupied with trying to earn distinction, prominence,
and prestige for himself. In Surat al-A"raf we read the following verse: "(As for) those who
took the calf (for a god), surely wrath from their Lord and disgrace in the life of this world
shall overtake them" (Qura'n, 7:152). Anyone who looks niggardly at people to see how he
can take advantage of them, who is never satisfied with what he has had, one who is dragged
by his own schemes to elevate himself to prominence while keeping himself in the darkness
of ignorance..., is one whom Allah has surely disgraced and deprived. Such an individual is
implied in verses such as this: "But you caused yourselves to fall into temptation, and you
waited and doubted, and vain desires deceived you, till the threatened punishment of Allah
came while the arch-deceiver [Satan] deceived you about Allah, so today ransom shall not be
accepted from you" (Qura'n, 57:14). This is the lowest degree of humiliation.

Thull, or bringing it about, that is, ithll, comes in many types, shapes and sizes. Allah abases
an oppressor by making him fall a prey to disease, or to his lust for women, or to his greed for
wealth, or by making him in dire need of others. Let us supplicate thus: "Lord! Take us out of
the humiliation of disobedience to the honour of obedience to You, and do not permit any of
those whom You created to disgrace us, and crown us with the crown of Your honour."
Honour is in needing nobody. The absolutely perfect degree of such honour, to be sure,
belongs to none other than Allah Who has said, "Surely all honour is Allah's" (Qura'n, 4:139).
Next in degree of being honoured is one who is closest to the Almighty: "... to Allah belongs
the honour, to His Prophet, and to the believers" (Qura'n, 63:8).

27. "Al-Samee "

Allah has said, "And to Him belongs whatever dwells in the night and in the day, and He is
the Hearing, the Knowing" (Qura'n, 6:13).

Al-Samee' is the One— and Only One— Who listens to everything in existence without the use
of a faculty for hearing or a hearing aid. Allah hears each and every sound and voice even if it
is hidden from us. His hearing encompasses everything: He hears the pleas of those who are
in distress; He responds to the supplications of those in need; He helps those who are
desperate for help; He hears the praising of those who praise Him, so He rewards them for it,
and the supplication of those who plead to Him, so He responds to them. He hears the sound
of the black ant walking on a solid rock in the darkest night; and He hears what the hearts
contemplate and what scruples penetrate the conscience. His response to the supplication of
one person does not distract Him from responding to another; He knows where the vision
trespasses and what the breasts conceal; He hears every silent plea; He hears you and me.
Nothing on earth or in the heavens can ever be hidden from Him.

''Al-Samee^'' is derived from ''sam^'\ It conveys the fact that Allah, the Most High, realizes the
truth about each and every sound even if it is, to our limited ability, quite silent. He, Glory to
Him, realizes and distinguishes sounds as well as colors just as He realizes and distinguishes

everything else.

''Sam^'' may mean: acceptance of and a favourable response to. It exists, for example, in a
tradition wherein the Messenger of Allah says, "Lord! I seek refuge with You against a
statement which is not heard," meaning a supplication which does not receive His favourable
response. It is also similar to one Muslims pronounce during their obligatory daily prayers:
''SamVaAllahu liman amidah,'' that is, Allah responds favourably to the pleas of those who
praise Him.

The Almighty has said.

Surely I am with you both: I do hear and see. (20:46) Or do they think that We do not hear
what they conceal and their secret discourses? Aye! And Our messengers (angels) are with
them writing (everything) down. (43:80) Allah has indeed heard the plea of the [woman] who
pleads to you about her husband. (58:1) And if they resolve to divorce, Allah is surely
Hearing, Knowing. (2:227)

One who comes to realize that Allah knows everything will safeguard his tongue against
uttering falsehood. He will always say what is right. One who realizes that Allah hears even
our thoughts will adopt the manners of one who watches over his conduct and who always
holds himself accountable for what he contemplates, says, or does. A servant of Allah ought
to know that Allah did not create the hearing faculty for him except so that he would listen to
the speech of Allah which He revealed unto His Prophet in order to benefit from it and to be
guided by it. If a servant of Allah seeks to be close to his Lord by offering nawfil (optional
acts of adoration), he will be loved by Allah Who will then pour over his hearing of His
divine light, thus making his insight very sharp, so much so that such a person will be able to
see beyond the world of matter. If a servant of Allah remains straightforward in his worship
of Allah, continuously seeking to please Him, Allah will surely provide him with goodness
from Him and with divine light.

28. "Al-Baseer"

Allah has said, "He is with you wherever you are, and Allah sees whatever you do" (Qura'n,
57:4). In language, seeing is achieved through the faculty of vision; it is the reflection of light
on what can be seen and its impression on the eyes. Seeing is also an insight, a discretion, an
innermost conviction. One who is baseer is one who sees deeply, who is knowledgeable, who
is an expert. Also, to "see" means not to rush, but to contemplate, to be acquainted with
things, and to be firm in adhering to the creed.

Al-Baseer sees everything, the apparent and the hidden, without using the faculty of vision.
When applied to the Almighty, Glory to Him, vision receives the perfection whereby the
qualities of anything that can be seen are realized. Al-Baseer fully knows every visible thing.

and to Him the truth in their regard is apparent, evident. He knows where vision trespasses
and what the breasts conceal. He sees and oversees; nothing in the high heavens nor in the
earth, nor in what is between them both, nor what is under the ground, can ever be concealed
from His vision, and He is the ever-Present Who is never absent.

One who realizes that Allah has such an attribute will be disciplined by constantly keeping a
vigil on his conduct, by being precise when holding his soul to account. One who safeguards
his hearing and vision against incurring the wrath of the Almighty, not committing anything
that does not beseem him or is not commendable, is loved by Allah, and he will be blessed
with hearing and vision as indicated in sacred traditions.

29. ''Al-Hakam''

The Almighty has said, "The judgment is only Allah's; He relates the truth and He is the best
of those who decide" (Qura'n, 6:57).

Both ''al-Hakam'' and ''al-Hakim'' convey the same meaning; the origin of the first means the
same as that of man\ prohibition, from which a word such as hakama, an iron rein piece used
to restrain horses, is derived.

''Al-Hakam'' means: the One Whose word is final in determining what is right and what is
wrong, in distinguishing between acts of righteousness and those of sinning. He rewards each
soul according to what it earns. Who decides between His servants as He pleases. Who
distinguishes between the wretch and the lucky, tormenting the first and rewarding the latter.
Al-Hakam is the precise Arbitrator, the absolutely correct Judge Whose decision none can
overturn, nor can anyone repeal His decree.

Al-Hakam is the One in Whose promise there should be no doubt at all, in Whose action there
is no fault at all; He has decreed that the hearts must be contented and pleased with Him, that
the souls must be submissive, obedient, to Him. He separates the truth from falsehood. In
Surat al-Ana"m, we read: "Shall I then seek a judge other than Allah? He it is Who has
revealed to you the Book (which is) made clear" (Qura'n, 6:114). In Surat Younus we read:
"Follow what is revealed to you and persevere till Allah gives His judgment, and He is the
best of judges" (Qura'n, 10:109). Other such references are:

Then who calls you a liar with regard to the judgment after this? Is not Allah the best of
judges? (95:7-8) Judgment is only Allah's; on Him do I rely, and on Him let those who are
reliant rely. (12:67)

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Al-Muta^ali is above the falsehood of the conceited, by necessity is Lofty and Subhme. His
rank is the Most High; He has the authority all of it. He is Proud and Great. His Glory is too
High to be comprehended or conceived by His creation.

One who keeps remembering the Attribute ''al-Muta^air ought to fashion his conduct
according to it by his determination to worship none but Allah. One who adorns his manners
as such will then remember the persecuted and the downtrodden and does his best to help
them, so their condition will hopefully improve. According to one tradition, "A wretch indeed
is a servant of Allah who fancied himself and became conceited, forgetting the Great One, al-
Muta^aliy

Our second Imam, al-Hasan ibn " Ali, says that his grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, had
taught him a few supplications to recite during his witr prayers such as this one:
Lord! I plead to You to guide me among those whom You have guided, to grant me good
health among those whom You have granted, to befriend me among those whom You have
befriended! I further implore You to bless what You have granted me, to shun from me the
evil of what You have decreed in my regard, for You decree while none can force his decree
on You! Surely none can humiliate those whom You have befriended; Blessed, Lord, are You
and Exalted exceedingly.

79. "Al-Barr''

Allah has said, "Surely He is the Benign One, the Merciful" (Qura'n, 52:28).

Al-Barr is one of Allah's Attributes derived from barr, the doer of goodness; birr means the
doing of benevolent deeds. ''Al-Barr,'' then, is an inclusive word containing all attributes of
goodness, benevolence and charity. One who is barr to his parents is very gracious and
benevolent to them. Those who are barr are those from whom deeds of goodness are
expected. Birr also means ties, links, or connections. A person who is barr regarding his kin
means he maintains good ties with them. The Holy Qura'n states this verse in Surat al-
Mumtaana: "Allah does not forbid you regarding those who have not made war against you
on account of (your) religion and have not driven you out of your homes that you show them
kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of justice" (Qura'n, 60:8).
And in Surat Ali-"Imran, we read, "By no means shall you attain righteousness until you
spend (benevolently) out of what you love" (Qura'n, 3:92). A pilgrimage that is blessed and
free of any prohibited acts is called "ho/j mabroor" the reward for which is no less than
Paradise according to hadith. Birr also means piety, which in turn means the doing of

whatever brings one closer to Allah, a word that combines qualities very highly commendable
and praiseworthy.

The birr is the best of what is in the life of this world and that of the hereafter. The best of this
life is whatever Allah makes available to any of His servants such as guidance, bounties, and
enjoyable things. The best of the life to come is the eternal bliss which is residence in
Paradise; may Allah enable us to enjoy both blessings by His mercy and grace, Allahomma
ameen. The Messenger of Allah has said, "Uphold telling the truth, for it shall lead you to
birr^

Birr means goodness, a word which combines all good attributes. It implies whatever good
deeds bring one closer to Allah, the Honoured One, the Most Exalted. The well of Zamzam is
called barra due to the abundance of its benefits and of its water.

Al-Barr does not do anything ugly or abominable. He has been Gracious unto those who seek
His pleasure by showing them the way how to, and unto the worshippers by His Favours and
the granting of success to them. Al-Barr is kind unto those who seek His benevolence and His
giving, unto the worshippers by beautifully rewarding them. He never ceases giving
benevolently because of one's disobedience to Him.

A servant of Allah may be described as barr, A servant of Allah can be barr according to the
extent of his deeds of righteousness, to his being the first and the foremost to observe the right
of his parents, teachers, and mentors.

One of the ways wherein a servant of Allah can fashion his conduct after following the light
of this Attribute is to befriend the believers who are sincere in their belief, who are acquainted
with the secrets of belief. When someone mentions this Attribute quite often, his conduct will
then personify it, and love for all servants of Allah will then be planted in his heart, and all
people will love him with sincerity.

Allah has combined all the aspects of birr in one of the verses of Surat al-Baqarah when He
said:

It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the east and the west, but
righteousness is this: that one should believe in Allah and the last day and the angels and the
book and the prophets and give away wealth out of love for His sake to those near in kin, to
the orphans, the needy, the wayfarer, the beggars, and for (the emancipation of) the slaves,
and keep up prayers and pay the zakat, and those who fulfill their promise when they promise,
and those who persevere when in distress and affliction and during the time of conflict: these
are they who are true (to themselves), and these are they who guard (themselves against evil)
(2:177).

One to whom Allah is barr will be protected from committing what displeases Allah, and He,
in turn, will please him with many beautiful things; He will make his path in life full of
success; He will make his objectives always good. He will make him independent through
Favours from Him, and He will protect him against committing anything which He deems
unlawful.

80. "Al-Tawwab"

The Glorified and Exalted One has said, ... except those who repent and amend and make (the
truth) manifest: to these do I turn (mercifully), and I am the oft-Returning (to mercy), the
Most Merciful. (2:160)

''Al-Tawwab'' is an Attribute whose root word is tawbah, repentance, which means: returning
to Allah. It means that He accepts His servants' repentance, that is. He resumes bestowing His
grace upon them, enabling them to repent, making it easy for them to do so. Al-Tawwab, then,
accepts repentance. He says in the Holy Qura'n, "... then He turned to them (mercifully) so
that they might turn (to Him); surely Allah is oft-Returning (to mercy), the Most
Merciful" (Qura'n, 9:118). It is known, hence, that if Allah does not accept the repentance of
one of His servants, the latter is not considered repentant, for the initiation of repentance in all
reality is from Allah Who concludes it with His acceptance thereof.

Al-Tawwab facilitates repentance for His servants, time and over again, by the Signs which
He manifests for them, and the warning whereby He warns them; so, when they become
familiar with the penalty of their sins, they become frightened, and they return to repentance,
and Allah's favour returns to them when He accepts their repentance.

Al-Tawwab accepts the repentance of His servants and forgives their sins. He accepts the
repentance of one who disobeys Him then returns to obeying Him. And if he commits a sin
then returns to Him, He welcomes him back. He forgives the one who slips from the right
path then apologizes to Him and overlooks his sin. As long as the servant of Allah seeks
tawbah, the Lord remains Forgiving.

The light inspired by this Attribute is that one who accepts the apologies of criminals as well
as friends and relatives time and over again derives his conduct from this Attribute. So that
we may model our conduct after it, we ought to repent and seek His acceptance of our
repentance; we should go to Him in every circumstance. Also, repetition of repentance
prepares a servant of Allah for Allah's love for him, which is the greatest honour and status,
for repentance is admission of one's deficiency and shortcoming, and the standing at the
threshold of the Most Knowing most humbly. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah used to
repent quite often in order to show us the path to happiness. It is also one of the good manners
of a believer who repeats this Attribute quite often to forgive those who wrong him, to be
benevolent to those who mistreat him, and to accept the apologies of others.

The Messenger of Allah has desired very much that those who believe in him should always
seek Allah's forgiveness. He once said, "By Allah! I seek forgiveness of Allah, and I repent to
Him, every day more than seventy times." Allah has forgiven all the faults of our master
Muhammed, yet he seeks His forgiveness and repents to Him more than seventy times a day,
nay, even a hundred times a day! So, what can we say about how often should Muslims repent
to Him and seek His forgiveness?

Anas ibn Malik has said that he had heard the Messenger of Allah quoting his Lord saying,
"O son of Adam! So long as you invoke Me and place all your hope on Me, I shall forgive
you, and I do not mind. O son of Adam! Even if your sins were to pile up and reach the skies,
then you seek My forgiveness, I shall forgive you. O son of Adam! If you come to Me after
having committed as many sins as would fill the earth, believing in Me, associating no
partners with Me, I shall grant you their equal in forgiveness."

81. "Al-Muntaqim"

Allah, subhanahu wa ta^ala, has said, "Therefore do not think Allah (to be One) failing in His
promise to His prophets; surely Allah is Mighty, Lord of retribution" (Qura'n, 14:47).

Al-Muntaqim, the Avenger, splits the spines of those who deviate from His path. Who
increases the penalty of those who oppress in the land, after alerting them and repeatedly
warning them, and after enabling them to amend, giving them a respite. It implies a much
more severe penalty than merely an immediate one.

The word '' al-Muntaqim'' is derived from the noun intiqam, avenging or seeking revenge
against someone. A penalty is not called as such unless the following conditions are met:

1. Clemency reaches the limit of extreme outrage. Allah has said, "On the Day when We seize
them with the most violent of seizing; surely We will (then) inflict retribution" (Qura'n,
44:16).

2. A punishment is affected after a period of respite. The Glorified and Exalted One has said,
"... and whoever returns to (committing) it, Allah will inflict retribution on him, and Allah is
the Mighty, the Lord of Retribution" (Qura'n, 5:95).

3. Such a punishment must require a sort of feeling of spiteful gratification upon seeing one
being hurt, something which never happens in the case of the Creator, but it does happen in
the case of vicious and spiteful humans. The intiqam, revenge, of a servant of Allah is held
commendable only if it is inflicted on His foes (those who deny or disbelieve in Him). The
worst of all foes of mankind are their own insinuating selves, the nafs, which is within each
and every one of us. There is no doubt that he has to seek revenge against such nafs.

The Attribute '' al-Muntaqim'' manifests itself in the body: in the means for its natural defense
system when a germ violates the sanctity of the body. These means will then kill the germ as
a penalty for such a violation, and they will then purge the body from it. Al-Muntaqim, then,
facilitates getting rid of what is bad, harmful, or dangerous.

The discussion of "revenge" occurs in the Holy Qura'n: In Surat al-Ma'ida we read: "O you
who believe! Do not kill (any) game while you are on pilgrimage, and whoever among you
kills it unintentionally, the compensation (for it) is the like of what he killed from the cattle,
as two just persons among you shall judge, as an offering to be brought to the Ka'ba, or the
expiation (of it) is the feeding of the poor or the equivalent in fasting, so that he may taste the
unwholesome result of his deed; Allah has pardoned what is gone by, and whoever returns (to
it), Allah will inflict retribution on him, and Allah is the Mighty, the Lord of
Retribution" (Qura'n, 5:95).

The "We" in the phrase "We inflicted retribution" is meant, of course, as a reference to Allah
Almighty. It also occurs in several other places throughout the text of the Holy Qura'n such as
the following:

We, therefore, inflicted retribution on them and drowned them in the sea... (7:136) So We
inflicted retribution on them, and they are both, indeed, on an open road (still) pursued.
(15:79) ... then We punished those who were guilty, and helping the believers is ever
incumbent upon Us. (30:47) So We inflicted retribution on them, then see how the end of
those who rejected was. (43:25) Then when they displeased Us, We inflicted retribution on
them. (43:55) He has revealed to you the Book with the truth, verifying what is before it, and
He revealed the Torah and the Gospel aforetime, a guidance for people, and He sent the
Furqan (Qura'n). Surely those who disbelieve in the signs of Allah shall have a severe
chastisement, and Allah is the Mighty, the Lord of retribution. (3:3-4) ... and Allah is the
Mighty, the Lord of retribution. (5:95) Do not, therefore, think Allah (to be) failing in His
promise to His Messengers; surely Allah is the Mighty, the Lord of Retribution. (14:47) And
whoever Allah guides, there is none that can lead him astray; is not Allah the Mighty, the
Lord of Retribution? (39:37) And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the signs
of his Lord then he turns away from them? Surely We will punish the guilty. (32:22) But if
We should take you away, still We shall inflict retribution on them. (43:41) On the Day when
We seize them with the most violent of seizing, surely We will (then) inflict retribution.
(44:16)

Al-Muntaqim intensifies His penalty against the oppressors, causing the criminals to be
subjected to His retribution. He sends His messengers supported by His signs and miracles to
warn people; so, if warning does not benefit someone. He will surely then inflict His penalty
and revenge against him.

Once a person comes to realize that there is nothing small nor big except that there is a

penalty for it equal in size and kind, he will certainly fear his Lord and remain alert regarding
his wishes and desires for fear of falling into transgression.

82. "Al- Afuww"

Allah has said, It may be that Allah will pardon them, and Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving.
(4:99)

''Al-^Afuww'' is derived from the root word ''^afuw'' and permits several meanings: When used
as a verb, it means to go somewhere to receive something, to give without being asked, to
increase, to wipe out something. As a noun, it means the wiping out of sins in their entirety.
One may supplicate and say, "Lord! I implore You to grant me ^afuw and y/ya," that is, not to
punish me for my sins, and to make me safe and secure with regard to Your torment. As an
adjective, it means what is halal, lawful.

Al-^Afuww has removed, by His Mercy, from the souls the darkness of slipping away from the
right path, and of the loneliness of forgetfulness from the hearts through His Greatness. It is
also said that He removes the sins from the records and replaces loneliness with beautiful
things from Him.

Al-^Afuww wipes out the traces of sins, removing them by the winds of His forgiveness. He
wipes out the sins from the records kept by His guardian angels. He even wipes them out
from their (angels') memory and the memory of those who committed them. He abandons
punishing the sinners. Who does not remind you of your shortcomings; He is Gracious when
He forgives. He protects the heart of the doer of evil against loneliness, sparing him the
feeling of shame, and He does not remind him of the evil of what he had done.

We notice that in the text of the Holy Qura'n, the Attribute [indeed a Most Beautiful one] al-
^Afuww occurs side by side with another Attribute which is al-Ghafoor as many as four times,
and once side by side with the Attribute '' al-Qadeer'' as the following verses demonstrate:

... surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving. (4:43) It may be that Allah will pardon them, and
Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving. (4:99) ... most surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving. (22:60,
58:2) If you do good openly or secretly or pardon an evil act, then surely Allah is Pardoning,
Powerful. (4:149)

The Messenger of Allah has always enjoined us to wipe out our evil deeds with good ones,
saying, "Fear Allah wherever you may be, and follow your evil deed with a good one in order
to wipe out the first, and treat people in the best conduct." He addressed one of his uncles
once saying, "O "Abbas, uncle of the Messenger of Allah! Plead to Allah for ^afuw and yiya
in the life of this world and in the life to come." The Commander of the Faithful Imam " Ali
ibn Abu Talib called upon one of his slaves once but he did not respond. He repeated his call.

and the slave again neglected to respond. Then he repeated it a third time, and no response
was there either, so he stood up and looked for him and found him lying down. He asked him,
"Did you hear me calling you?" He answered, "Yes, I did." The Imam asked him, "Then what
stopped you from responding?" He answered, "My confidence in your clemency and my
reliance on your forgiveness," whereupon the Imam said, "Then I set you free seeking the
Pleasure of Allah." The Imam did so on account of the firm conviction on the part of that
slave.

One who wishes to receive a glimpse of the light inspired by this Attribute should first forgive
those who have committed a wrong deed against him or dealt with him unjustly. One who
remembers this Attribute ought to wipe out from his heart any ill feeling towards anyone who
has wronged him, and to treat beautifully those who mistreated him.

83. "Al-Ra'oof '

Allah, the Glorified and the Exalted One, has said, ... so that He may bring you out of utter
darkness and into the light. (57:9)

Linguistically, this Attribute is derived from raja, intense mercy or compassion which is the
ultimate limit of rahma. When applied to the Almighty, it means His warding off all types of
evil.

The Attribute ''al-Ra'oof refers to the One Who does not cease being kind and compassionate
to the sinners by accepting their repentance, and to His friends by protecting them from
committing sins. It conveys the same meaning conveyed by the Attribute ''al-Rahim'' with an
intensification of the meaning embedded in the latter. Among the manifestations of His mercy
towards His servants is that He protects them against committing what incurs His penalty.
Such a protection from slipping from the right path carries a stronger sense of mercy than His
forgiveness for sins already committed. He may be Merciful unto one of His servants by
outwardly exposing him to hardship, but inwardly there may be a great deal of bliss and
blessing hidden for him in such hardship, while he does not know it. How often has a servant
of Allah been pitied by people for the harm from which he suffers, the harm of poverty, want,
and misery, while in reality he is enjoying a blessing for which the angels envy him?

The Most Exalted One has advanced the Attribute ''al-Ra'oof over that of ''al-Rahim,''
preferring ''ra'fah'' over ''rahmaK' and giving precedence to the first over the latter in the
following glorious verses:

Most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful, to people. (2:143) ... and We put in the hearts of
those who followed him kindness and mercy. (57:27) ... to the believers he is compassionate,
merciful. (9:128)

This Attribute is derived from "mercy" and "compassion." This requires us to distinguish
between both of these words. Also, whenever the Almighty uses both of these words, He
mentions the Attribute ''al-Ra'oof before ''al-Rahim;'' therefore, we have to explain the
difference between both of them and the reason for such a preference.

The Messenger of Allah was travelling once as he happened to pass by a woman baking
bread. Her young son was with her. She was told that the Messenger of Allah was passing by,
so she came to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah! It has come to my knowledge that you
have said, "Allah is more Compassionate towards His servants than a mother towards her son.'
Is this the correct statement which you have spoken?" He answered her in the affirmative,
whereupon she said, "A mother does not hurl her son in an oven like this one." Having heard
her say so, the Messenger of Allah wept, then he said, "Allah does not torment anyone by the
fire [of hell] except one who is too arrogant to bear witness that there is no god but He."

If a servant of Allah wishes to model his conduct after the inspiration of this Attribute, he has
first to remember and mention it quite often, hence the light of al-Ra'oof will manifest itself to
his heart, so much so that he will become compassionate towards all people, the commoners
as well as the elite, always remembering the saying of the Messenger of Allah, "Be merciful
unto the people of the earth so that the people of the heavens may be merciful to you."

84. "Malikul-Mulk''

Allah has said: Say: O Allah, Master of the Kingdom! You give the kingdom to whomsoever
You please and take the kingdom away from whomsoever You please, and You exalt
whomsoever You please and abase whomsoever You please; in Your hand is goodness; surely
You have power over all things. (3:26)

Malikul-Mulk affects His will in His kingdom however He pleases, letting some live and
others perish. The mulk in this context means the kingdom, and the Malik is the Omnipotent,
the Most Powerful. All things in existence are included in His kingdom, so His is one
kingdom because all things in it are somehow connected to one another. Although they may
be regarded as many, they constitute one entity, one kingdom.

Malikul-Mulk fares with His kingdom as He pleases, and none can revoke His judgment, nor
can anyone appeal or repeal it. All things in existence, in all their degrees and levels,
constitute one kingdom owned by One: Allah, the Most Exalted.

Malikul-Mulk is the true King Who deals with His kingdom as He pleases, bringing things
into existence in it or ending the existence of some of its beings, chastising some and
accepting the repentance of others, without anyone sharing the authority with Him or
prohibiting Him from doing whatever He pleases.

''Malikul-MuW occurs in the original Arabic text of this verse: "Say: O Allah, Master of the
Kingdom!" (Qura'n, 3:26). Another derivative is '' al-malakoof which exists in "Glory to the
One in Whose hand is the kingdom of all things, and to Him you shall be brought
back" (Qura'n, 36:83).

... and a hard Day shall it be for the unbelievers. (25:26) To Whom does the kingdom belong
this Day? To Allah, the One, the One Who subdues (all). (40:16) And Allah's is the kingdom
of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah is the eventual return. (24:42)

The Messenger of Allah is quoted saying that Allah's Greatest Name, the one because of
which He will respond if thereby invoked, exists in the verse saying, "Say: O Allah, Master of
the Kingdom!" (Qura'n, 3:26).

The Commander of the Faithful Imam " Ali ibn Abu lib was asked once by Ababah ibn Rab'i
al-Asdi about "ability." The Commander of the Faithful asked Abadah, "Do you have it
without Allah or with Him?" Ababah could not answer, so he told him to say something.
"What shall I say, O Commander of the Faithful?!" asked Ababah. He answered, "You should
say that you have it by permission of Allah Who has full control over it without your help. If
He opts to grant it to you, then it is a boon which He gives you. And if He takes it away, it is a
trial from Him. He is the real Owner of what you own, and the One Who owns what He
enables you to possess. Have you not heard about seeking His help and might by saying,
"Surely there is no help nor might except through Allah'?" The man asked him, "And what
does it mean, O Commander of the faithful?" He said, "It means: We do not stay away from
committing acts of disobedience to Allah except if He protects us against disobeying Him,
and we have no strength to obey Him except if He grants us His help," whereupon the man
leaped and kissed his hands and feet.

The kingdom of each and every servant of Allah is his own body. If it affects his will
regarding his heart and senses, he will then be the owner of his kingdom according to the
extent of his control over it.

85. "Thul-Jalali wal Ikram"

Allah has said: Blessed is the name of your Lord, the Lord of Glory and Honour! (55:78)
Thul-Jalali wal Ikram is a glorious Attribute that combines glory and beauty, for there is an
awesome Glory and Beauty of the Almighty; no servant of Allah can achieve knowledge
except if he becomes familiar with Thul-Jalali wal Ikram. This Attribute surely combines in it
anticipation, awe, hope and fear.

The Almighty monopolizes the qualities of jail, greatness, and ikrm, honour. All greatness is
His, and honour is from Him; Glory to Him; there is no glory except that He is its
fountainhead, while honour is always His. Glory has originated from Him and overwhelmed

His creation, and the norms of His honouring His creation are countless, immeasurable;
therefore. He, and only He, is worthy of being Glorified by His creatures. They should
express their respect for His Greatness, show appreciation for His favours and grace, and
recognize His signs and bounties.

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... only the delivery of the message is (incumbent) on you, while calling (them) to account is
Ours. (13:40) So that Allah may requite each soul (according to) what it has earned; surely
Allah is swift in reckoning. (14:51) ... so We called it to account severely and We chastised it
with a stern chastisement. (65:8) Surely to Us is their return, then surely upon Us is the taking
of their account. (88:25-26) ... surely Allah takes account of all things. (4:86) "Whoever
brings a good deed," says the Almighty in the Holy Qura'n as He refers to the Day of
Judgment, "he shall have ten like it, and whoever brings an evil deed, he shall be
recompensed only with the like thereof, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly" (Qura'n,
6:160). People on the Day of Judgment will be simultaneously judged just as they are being
judged in the life of this world. Their sustenance will be forwarded to them at once, and Allah
is never diverted by anything from another: "So that Allah may requite each soul (according
to) what it has earned; surely Allah is swift in reckoning" (Qura'n, 14:51). Those who are
endowed with understanding know the precision of the Divine computation from their own
dealing with Him, for He has said, "... and whether you manifest what is in your minds or
hide it, Allah will call you to account according to it, then He will forgive whomsoever He
pleases and chastise whomsoever He pleases, and Allah has power over all things" (Qura'n,
2:284). God's management of the affairs goes on forever and ever. Our master Muhammed
has said, "Call your own selves to account before you yourselves are called upon to account
for them."

42. ''Al-Jaleer'

Allah has said, "And the person of your Lord will forever endure, the Lord of glory and
honour" (Qura'n, 55:27), and also, "Blessed be the Name of your Lord, the Lord of Glory and

Honour" (Qura'n, 55:78)

Linguistically, the verb ''yujiir means: to magnify or glorify someone or deem him great. The
Attribute ''al-JaleeV is derived from honour, dignity, and greatness. He is too Great to do
anything which does not fit His Honour, Who purifies the heart by manifesting the qualities
of His Glory to it. Who reveals what is hidden by the attributes of His beauty and what is in
the world, all of it, of glory, perfection, goodness and magnificence by the lights of His
Essence and the effects of His qualities. Al-Jaleel is worthy of bidding and forbidding;
besides Him, every great person is not great at all, and every gigantic thing is dwarfed. He
grants glory to those who approach Him and humiliation to those whom He dismisses from
His presence.

The Absolute al-Jaleel is Allah. The Attribute ''al-Kabeer'' describes the perfection of the
Self, whereas ''al-JaleeV describes the perfection of His qualities. ''Al-^Azeem'' refers to the

perfection of the Self. All qualities of His are referred to according to the extent one can
conceive; so, He exhausts the mind and is not exhausted; He can never be seen by anyone, yet
He sees everyone. When the qualities of glory are attributed to a reasoning mind capable of
conceiving them, they are called beauty, and the one they describe is called beautiful.
Originally, the Attribute ''al-JameeV was linguistically applied to a picture which can be
discerned by the eyes no matter what it represents, one which suits and agrees with the vision.
Then it was applied to an inner picture which may be conceived by the mind such as one may
talk about "a beautiful conduct," for it is conceived by the mind rather than the eyesight. Inner
pictures, then, if harmonious and combining the qualities of perfection that suit them, just as
they ought to be, convey an inner beauty just as they convey to whoever discerns and
conceives them a visual pleasure, and their inner beauty is more intense than their outward
one.

The share a servant of Allah may derive from the inspiration of this Attribute is that he adorns
himself with beauty and bears in mind that it is He Who has bestowed upon him the blessings
of beauty, be it the beauty of a visible image or of the inner self. The inner beauty of the soul
is surely higher and greater than that of the beauty of the body. The Messenger of Allah used
to thus supplicate after his prayers: ''Allahomma anta as-Salam wa minka as-salam; tabrakta
wa ta^alayta ya thaljalali wal ikram,'' that is, "Lord! You are the Peace and the source of
peace; Glory to You, You are the One with all the Greatness and Honour!"

The Messenger of Allah has also said, "Hold Allah in high esteem so that He may forgive
you," that is to say. Glorify Him by obeying Him and by distancing yourselves from
committing any disobedience of Him, and seek nearness to Him, Glory to Him, by performing
what He has enjoined you to perform.

43. ''Al-Kareem''

Allah has said, "... whoever is grateful, he is grateful only for (the good of) his own soul, and
whoever is ungrateful, surely my Lord is self-Sufficient, Honoured" (Qura'n, 27:40). Scholars
say that anything regarded as good, precious, of great importance, is kareem. Linguistically, a
person who is out-giving is also called kareem, generous. Anything held in its own category
in high esteem is called kareem, Allah is called ''al-Kareem,'' an Attribute that describes His
benevolence and beneficence. Allah has always been Generous, and He will always be so. He
is high above any lowliness; He gives abundantly, and He gives beautifully.

Al-Kareem forgives though He is capable of inflicting the most severe of punishment; He
fulfills His promise; He gives more than what one pleads to Him for; He does not mind how
much He gives and to whom; He does not permit anyone who seeks refuge with Him to suffer
loss; He does not need means to do what He does. One Who can combine in Him all these
qualities is the Absolute al-Kareem; none other than Allah is as such.

The Almighty has said, "O man! What has beguiled you from your Lord, the Gracious
One...?" (Qura'n, 82:6), and, "Read and your Lord is the Most Honourable" (Qura'n, 96:3).

Arabs are used to calling anything kareem if it has a commendable merit or quality.
Muhammed, the Messenger of Allah, has said, "Yousuf is the most kareem of people,"
meaning in lineage and descent. They may describe something the presence of which can be
identified by one of the physical senses as kareem. For example, the Egyptian women, upon
seeing Yousuf said, "... this is but a noble angel" (Qura'n, 12:31). Describing Paradise, the
Almighty says it is a "... noble place" (Qura'n, 44:26). This word may also be applied to
anything honourable; the Almighty has said, "... surely the most honourable of you with Allah
is the one who is most careful (of his duty towards Allah)" (Qura'n, 49:13).

Arabs may also apply it to something that has many benefits or advantages, such as what is
implied in this verse which narrates the story of prophet Solomon: "Surely an honourable
letter has been delivered to me" (Qura'n, 27:29). According to exegesis, kareem in this verse
means quite significant and weighty, containing very good statements.

One of the signs of His greatness and generosity is that He provides His bounties even to
those who do not deserve them. He doles out His benevolence even without being asked. If a
suppliant prays Him for forgiveness, one of the signs of His greatness is that He will erase
that suppliant's sin if he truly repents, and He records a good deed for him in its place. Allah
has said, "The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like the parable
of a grain growing seven ears (with) a hundred grains in each, and Allah multiplies for
whomsoever he pleases, and Allah is ample-Giving, Knowing" (Qura'n, 2:261). Among the
signs of His greatness is that in the life of this world He covers the sins of the sinners and hide
their shortcomings.

In one incident, the Messenger of Allah has narrated a story about the forgiveness of the
Almighty which is thought-provoking. He said, "I know the last person who will enter
Paradise and the last one to get out of hellfire. He is a man who will be approached and it will
be said, "Show him his minor sins and suspend the major ones,' whereupon he will be shown
his minor sins. He will then be asked if on such-and-such a day he did such-and-such, and he
will answer in the affirmative, fearing the penalty from his major sins. He will be told, "In
place of each of your sins, you will be granted a good deed,' whereupon he will say, "Lord!
But... I have committed other sins which I do not see here among them!'" The narrator of the
anecdote says that he saw the Messenger of Allah smile at that juncture of the story till his
front teeth became visible.

Allah is ''al-Kareem mutaghafiW' that is, the Great One Who deliberately and quite often
overlooks. One of the signs of His Greatness is that He forgives whenever He is prayed for
forgiveness; Allah has said, "Ask forgiveness of your Lord; surely He is the most
Forgiving" (Qura'n, 71:10). And among the signs of His Greatness is that He forgives without

reminding those whom He forgives of the types of sins and ugly things they had committed.

And among the signs of His Greatness is that if they come to Him after having obeyed Him
only a little, He will grant them quite a generous reward and will honour them by praising
them beautifully. Among the signs of His Greatness is that He includes them in His Covenant;
He has said, "... fulfill (your) covenant with Me, I will fulfill (My) covenant with
you" (Qura'n, 2:40). He even makes them worthy of His love: "... He shall love them and they
shall love Him" (Qura'n, 5:54).

Among the other signs of His Greatness is that He has made this world the loaned property of
His servants saying, "He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth" (Qura'n, 2:29), and
the hereafter as well, "... and a Garden, the extensiveness of which is like the heavens and the
earth, prepared for those who guard (themselves against evil)" (Qura'n, 3:133).

Also among the signs of His Greatness and generosity is that He has made everything in the
heavens and the earth subservient to man: "And He has made whatever in the heavens and in
the earth, all of it, subservient to you, [a gift] from Him" (Qura'n, 45:13). One of the signs of a
believer's good conduct in as far as the Attribute '' al-Kareem'' is concerned is that he directs
himself wholeheartedly towards His Lord. He makes it his habit to feed and clothe the
orphans and be good to his kith and kin. In order to attract the attention of the Muslims to this
weighty matter. Prophet Muhammed has said, "If someone held in high esteem by his folks
comes to you, be generous to him." He has also said, "Your Lord, Honour and Glory belong
to Him, is ever-Living, Generous, too shy to disappoint any of His servants who plead to
Him."

It is a sign of good manners to habitually forgive the doers of evil deeds, including repeated
offenders, and to cover the faults of your brethren in all circumstances. Such generosity of
manners is surely more precious than any materialistic generosity, for the latter preserves the
body whereas the first sustains the soul. The Messenger of Allah has said, "You will not be
able to please all people with your wealth; so, do please them with your good manners." He
has also said, "Allah, Honoured is His Name, is Generous, and He loves good manners and
hates a lowly conduct." The Messenger of Allah has said, "The generous one is close to Allah,
close to [the hearts of] people, close to Paradise, distant from the fire. A miser is distant from
Allah, distant from people, distant from Paradise, close to the fire."

As for "a/-A/:ram," i.e. the most Generous, surely it is Allah, the Most Generous of all those
who are generous. This Attribute may also bear the same meaning embedded in that of "a/-
Kareemy

44. "Al-Raqeeb"

Allah has said, "... and be careful of (your duty to) Allah through Whom you demand (your

rights of) one another, and to the ties of kinship; surely Allah ever watches over you" (Qura'n,
4:1).

''Al-Raqeeb'' is one of Allah's Attributes, and He is the Witness Who is never absent from the
scene. In language, a raqeeb is a vigilante, a watchman who stands to protect and guard. In
the army, the raqeeb is the one in the vanguard. Al-Raqeeb is Allah Who safeguards everyone
and everything, the One from Whose knowledge nothing at all can escape. According to one
sacred tradition, the Messenger of Allah has said, "Safeguard Muhammed in his household,"
meaning safeguard his name and honour it. ''Raqeeb'' also means offspring. The angel who
writes down whatever we do and say is also called "raqeeb": "He does not utter a word except
that there is by him someone watching at hand" (Qura'n, 50:18). Al-Raqeeb, that is, the One
Who truly ever watches over us, is, of course, Allah. One Who is raqeeb regarding Allah is
one who acknowledges that He oversees whatever we do and say, so he observes his duties
towards Him.

Allah, di\-Raqeeb, knows our conditions and counts our breath. A\-Raqeeb never laxes nor
forgets. Who is always present and is never absent. Who knows everything and nothing
regarding the conditions of His creation can ever escape His knowledge. He manages the
affairs of His servants. Who knows what they say. Who watches over His servants. Who
observes what they do. Who is familiar with their innermost thoughts.

Narrating the story of Jesus son of Mary, the Almighty quotes Jesus saying, "... but when You
caused me to die. You were the Watcher over them, and You witness all things" (Qura'n,
5:117). He has also said, "... and Allah is Watchful over all things" (Qura'n, 33:52). There are
two viewpoints that explain the meaning of "al-Raqeeb":

One: Linguistically, He safeguards things. Who watches over everyone. Who guards
everyone. Who is free of any oversight or negligence. He takes care of and safeguards
everything. The Almighty has said, "He does not utter a word except that there is by him a
watcher at hand" (Qura'n, 50:18), meaning an angel who records his deeds and takes note of
everything he contemplates, says, or does, while Allah is al-Raqeeb Who looks after His
servants, knows their conditions and whatever they utter.

As regarding observation, it is His saying: "... surely I (Allah) am with you both: I hear, and I
see" (Qura'n, 20:46). Regarding knowledge, it is His saying: "Allah knows what every female
bears, and that of which the wombs fall short of completion, and that in which they
increase" (Qura'n, 13:8). Other such references include:

... and He knows what is in the land and the sea. (6:59) He knows what goes deep down into
the earth and what comes forth out of it. (57:4)

The other viewpoint says that this word is derived from irtiqab, waiting. Allah has said.

"Wait, therefore; surely they (too) are waiting" (Qura'n, 44:59). Such a viewpoint is
impossible to accept; therefore, it is rejected on the ground that one who waits for something
needs to reach its commencement, desiring to find out its outcome. The correct meaning of
this latter verse is that Allah wants His servants to reach out to Him, to make Him the goal of
their adoration, submission and humility.

Al-Raqeeb, then, is the Witness Who is never absent. The virtues of one who watches himself
is implied in a tradition wherein the Messenger of Allah Muhammed says, ''Ihsan (goodness)
is that you worship Allah as though you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He surely sees
you."

It is narrated that a man once passed by a young slave tending sheep and pointed to an ewe
and said, "Sell me this ewe, young shepherd!" The young slave told him that it was not his;
therefore, he could not sell it, whereupon the man said, "Where is your brilliance?! Can't you
tell its owner that a wolf ate one of his sheep?" He answered him by saying, "Then where is
Allah?!" The man was very impressed by his answer, so he bought the young slave and set
him free, then he bought the herd and gave it to him as a gift. Since then, that man kept
repeating "Then where is Allah?!" quite often. It is, therefore, one of the good manners of a
believer towards Allah, al-Raqeeb, to keep in mind that Allah ever watches over him and sees
whatever he does. He knows that his self, that is, his nafs, is his enemy, and that the accursed
Satan, too, is another, and that they both seize every opportunity to make him lax and disobey
his Lord; therefore, he must always be on his guard. He must close all the pitfalls in which he
may fall and block all the avenues from which Satan may approach him. It is also one of the
signs of good manners of a believer in this regard to watch himself and his senses, to keep
vigil, and to make whatever he does solely for the achievement of the Pleasure of his Lord in
a pure intention, to observe his obligations towards his Muslim brother, and not to expose the
latter' s faults to others.

45. "Al-Mujeeb"

Allah has said, "And to Thamud (We sent) their brother Salih. He said: O my people!
Worship Allah; you have no other god besides Him; He brought you into being from the earth
and made you dwell in it; therefore, ask forgiveness of Him, then turn to Him; surely my Lord
is Nigh; he ever answers" (Qura'n, 11:61).

Linguistically speaking, both nouns ijaba and istijaba mean basically the same, and "^Z-
Mujeeb'' has two meanings: One is: the One Who answers the pleas. The other is: the One
Who grants what He is pleaded for.

Al-Mujeeb, Allah, responds to the plea of those who plead to Him and helps them. Who
favourably answers the supplication of those who supplicate to Him, Who removes the need
of those in need and gives them sufficiently. He even gives prior to being asked and accepts

even prior to being pleaded. He knows the need of those who are in need before they pray
Him, and He since eternity knows all their needs, so He has provided them with means to
satisfy all their needs: He creates foods and all types of sustenance for them; He creates the
tools and the means to get such tools to the hands of those who need them. Al-Mujeeb
responds to the pleas of those who plead to Him. Since time immemorial. He knew in
advance what they needed. He goes to the rescue of those who are in dire need of help, and
He does not disappoint anyone who pleads to Him.

This theme recurs quite often throughout the Holy Qura'n. Examples are:

And Noah called upon Us, and most excellent are We to answer the prayer. (37:75)
So their Lord accepted their prayer: That I will not waste the deed of one who does a good
deed among you, whether male or female, each one of you being from the other. (3:195) And
Job (Ayyub) cried out to his Lord: Harm has afflicted me, and You are the most Merciful of
the merciful. So We responded to him and removed the harm from him, and We gave him his
family and the like (number) of them in addition: a mercy from Us and a reminder to the
worshippers. (21:83-84) Or Who answers the [prayer of] the distressed one when he calls
upon Him and removes the evil, and Who will make you successors in the earth? Is there a
god with Allah? Little is it that you mind! (27:62) ... you sought aid from your Lord, so He
answered you: I will assist you with a thousand of the angels following one another. (8:9)
When My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of
the suppliant when he calls on Me. (2:186)

And your Lord says: Call upon Me, I will answer you; surely those who are too proud to
worship Me shall soon enter hell abased. (40:60) For those who respond to their Lord there is
goodness, and those who do not respond to Him, had they had all that is in the earth and the
like thereof with it, they would certainly have offered it for a ransom. (As for) those (latter
ones), an evil reckoning shall be theirs, and their abode is hell, and evil, indeed, is the resting-
place. (13:18) O you who believe! Answer (the call of) Allah and His Prophet when he invites
you to that which gives you life, and be informed that Allah intervenes between man and his
heart, and that to Him you shall be gathered. (8:24)

Allah is capable of responding in various ways. When some of His friends are in need of
something. He satisfies their need, and He may even make some circumstances deliberately
hard for them only to test them and raise their status due to their perseverance, and to their
thanking Him during the time of ease as well as the time of hardship. So when they almost
lose hope. He comes to their rescue with beautiful rewards and with indications of His being
pleased with them. Allah guarantees for His servant that He will respond favourably to his
supplication in the way which He knows to be in his best interest, and at the time He chooses,
rather than the time chosen by His servant; so, do not lose hope because of His delay in
answering your plea, for such a delay may prove to be better for you. Allah May even opt to
grant you better than what you ask Him for; so, plead to Him as one convinced of His
favourable response.

The Messenger of Allah used to say, "Plead to Allah, being convinced of His answer to your
pleas, and be advised that Allah does not respond to the pleas of one who is inattentive,
indifferent." This tradition has been recorded by al-Tirmithi. He has also said, "No Muslim
pleads to Allah a plea wherein there is no desire for committing a sin nor the severing of the
ties of kinship except that Allah will grant him one of three good rewards: He will either grant
him an immediate response, or He may save the rewards for him in the life hereafter, or He
may keep its equivalent of evil away from him." His companions said, "Then we will plead to
Him a great deal, indeed." He said, "Surely Allah is greater still!"

The Messenger of Allah has said, "When you have a plea, plead to Allah, and whenever you
need help, seek help from Allah." In another tradition, he says, "Allah is too shy to disappoint
any of His servants who pleads to Him for something good."

46. ''Al-Wasi "

The Most Exalted and Glorified One has said, "... whither you turn, there is Allah's purpose;
surely Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing" (Qura'n, 2:115).

''Al-WasV' is one of Allah's Attributes, and its root word is derived from sVa, spaciousness,
expanse, capacity, abundance, plentitude, etc. One may have an abundance of knowledge if
he is acquainted with a good deal of it, or he may have an abundance of means. In his book Al-
Nihaya, Ibn al-Atheer, who discusses Allah's Attributes, says that al-WasV can enrich
everyone who is indigent. Whose mercy encompasses everything. His authority never ends;
His benevolence is unlimited; His domain is endless. He never stops giving; He is never
distracted by knowing something from knowing another, nor by one issue from taking care of
another. His knowledge encompasses everything. His knowledge encompasses everything;
His might suffices everything. His mercy is spacious; He is independent; His authority is
above everything; His knowledge, might, and benevolence are the greatest. He is the One for
the meanings of Whose Attributes there can be no limit. Whose knowledge is spacious, and so
are His mercy and forgiveness; His domain is tremendous.

The Absolute al-WasV is Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. There is no shore for the
spacious ocean of His knowledge. Had the seas been ink, they would have been consumed
before His words can ever be exhausted. There is no end for what He is capable of giving and
blessing.

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The root word of "al-Hameed' is hamJ which means: praise, something more general than
thanking. Al-Hameed is also al-Mamood, the Praised One. Allah is al-Hameed due to praising
His own Self since time immemorial, and also due to His servants praising Him. His qualities,
such as His being Glorified and Exalted, are due to the fact that those who mention His
Attribute glorify and exalt it. Hamd in this context means enumerating or the attempt to
enumerate the qualities of perfection conceived by those who praise Him. Al-Hameed grants
you success and compliments you for it; He wipes out your sins and does not embarrass you
by exposing them. He is Praised due to His merits.

One whose beliefs, conduct, speech and action are praiseworthy is called hameed. Such a
description fits only the Messenger of Allah and those whose ranks are close to his from
among Allah's prophets as well as others such as the friends of Allah, and the scholars. Each
one of these is hameed with regard to his beliefs, conduct, deeds and statements.

58. "Al-Muhsi"

Allah has said, "So that He may ascertain that they have truly delivered the messages of their
Lord, and He encompasses what is with them, and He records the number of all
things" (Qura'n, 72:28). ^-'■■"^'

The root word of 'Al-Muhsr is ihsa' which means: counting or computing. Linguistically, it
also means to tolerate or to be able to handle. It is also used to describe a tract of land where
there is a large quantity of pebbles or stones.

Allah is al-Muhsi Who counts what we do and readies it for the Day when we meet Him, that
is, the Day of Judgment, the day of hisab, accounting or reckoning, the day of reward or
punishment. Al-Muhsi knows all precise and minute matters, the secrets of what is decreed;
He sees what is apparent and is fully knowledgeable of what is hidden. He counts the acts of
obedience to Him, knows everything, counts our breath, and is acquainted with our
insinuations. His knowledgeable of all beings in existence, when they move around or when
they are still, and with all their affairs and deeds.

This Attribute's meaning and derivations exist in several places; here are some examples:

Certainly He has a comprehensive knowledge of them, and He has numbered them a
(comprehensive) numbering. (19:94) Surely We shall give life (back) to the dead, and We
record what they have sent forth before and what they leave behind, and of all things have We

taken account in a clear Book. (36:12) And We have recorded everything in a book. (78:29)

59. "Al-Mubdi"

Allah, Glory and Exaltation are His, has said, "... as We originated the first creation, so shall
We reproduce it, a promise (binding on Us); We shall surely bring it about" (Qura'n, 21:104).
Both ''al-Mubdr and ''al-Mu^eed' are among Allah's Attributes, and most of those who have
discussed them have dealt with them jointly.

In Sural al-A"raf, we read the following: "Say: My Lord has enjoined justice, and set your
faces upright at every time of the prayers and call upon Him, being sincere to Him in
obedience; just as He brought you forth in the beginning, so shall you also return (to
Us)" (Qura'n, 7:29). And in Sural al-Naml, we read: "Or Who originates the creation then
reproduces it, and Who gives you sustenance from the heavens and from the earth? Is there a
god with Allah? Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful" (Qura'n, 27:64). In Sural al-
"Ankabut, we read this verse: "Say: Traverse the earth and see how He makes the first
creation, then Allah creates the latter creation; surely Allah has power over all
things" (Qura'n, 29:20). Sural al-Room mentions these Attributes in two places:

Allah originates creation, then He reproduces it, then to Him you shall be brought back.
(30:11) He it is Who originates the creation then reproduces it, and it is easy for Him, and His
are the most exalted Attributes in the heavens and the earth, and He is the Mighty, the Wise.
(30:27)

In Sural al-Buruj, we read: "Surely He it is Who originates and reproduces" (Qura'n, 85:13).

Linguistically, the root word of this Attribute means to start, begin, initiate, and the like.
Allah starts, begins, initiates, the creation of all beings and Who brings them into existence. In
Sural Saba', we read the following: "... falsehood shall vanish and shall not come
back" (Qura'n, 34:49). This verse may be paraphrased thus: "What can falsehood initiate, and
what can it bring back?"

Al-Mubdi has brought the cosmos into being without a prior model. Who created all the
worlds in a perfect manner. Who initiates the giving to and the assistance of His servants,
proving Himself as the best to rely on.

One who remembers the Attribute ''al-Mubdr ought to seek His forgiveness whenever he
remembers it and to always stay attentive while supplicating to Him.

60. "Al-Mu eed"

Allah has said, "Surely He it is Who originates and reproduces, and He is the Forgiving, the

Loving" (Qura'n, 85:13-14).

Linguistically, the root word of this Attribute means: to return, to go back. We supplicate
thus: "Lord! We plead to You to grant us a return to Your House," that is, to go back to the
Ka'ba after having visited it or after having been there. A man who is mueed is one who is
knowledgeable of certain issues/topics, etc. Al-mad means: the Day of Judgment. According
to one particular tradition, the Messenger of Allah has supplicated saying, "... and make my
abode in the hereafter good, for to it shall I return." It is narrated that Gabriel asked the
Messenger of Allah once, "O Muhammed! Do you have a nostalgic feeling for your place of
birth, to your homeland?!" He answered him in the affirmative, whereupon Gabriel quoted the
Qura'nic verse saying, "Most surely He Who has made the Qura'n binding on you will bring
you back to the destination" (Qura'n, 28:85).

Al-Mueed brings life back to the dead. He gathers all beings for the Judgment Day together,
lifting the veils from them and rewarding or punishing them, each according to what he/she
had said and done. He tries them about how they fared with the blessings He bestowed upon
them. Allah will cause all things (beings as well as inanimate objects) to come to naught, then
He will bring them back again into existence: "Say: The One Who brought them into
existence at first will give life [back] to them, and He is Cognizant of all creation" (Qura'n,
36:79).

We ought to return to Allah regarding everything, and we have to bear in mind that Allah
created us when we were nothing at all; He determines our destiny.

61. "Al-Muhyi"

Allah has said, "Allah gives life and causes death, and Allah witnesses whatever you
do" (Qura'n, 3:156).

Allah surely brings life to the bodies when He rejoins their souls to them. Al-Muhyi creates
life and grants it to whomsoever He pleases. He creates people out of nothing, then He brings
them back to life when the Day of Judgment approaches after their death. He brings life into
the heart of those who know through the light of His knowledge: "Is he who was dead then
We raised him to life and made for him a light whereby he walks among people like him
whose likeness is that of one who is in utter darkness from which he cannot come
out?" (Qura'n, 6:122). Allah gives life to the sperm and to the leech-like clot. He causes rain
to pour out of the clouds in order to bring life thereby to a dead land.

References to Allah bringing life back to the dead are numerous throughout the Holy Qura'n;
here are some of them:

So We said: Strike him (the dead corpse) with part of it (the sacrificed cow); thus does Allah

bring the dead to life, and He shows you His signs so that you may understand. (2:73) Allah
gives life and causes death, and Allah sees whatever you do. (3:156) Say: O people! Surely I
am the Messenger of Allah to you all, [the Messenger] of Him to Whom the kingdom of the
heavens and the earth belongs; there is no god but He; He brings (beings/things) to life and
causes death; therefore, believe in Allah and in His Messenger, the ummi Prophet who
believes in Allah and in His words, and follow him, so that you may walk in the right
way" (Qura'n, 7:158). Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; besides Allah you
have no guardian nor helper. (2:107) He gives life and causes death, and to Him you shall be
brought back. (10:56) He it is Who gives life and causes death, and in His (control) is the
alternation of the night and the day; do you not then understand? (3:80) He brings forth the
living from the dead and the dead from the living and gives life to the earth after its death;
thus shall you be brought forth. (30:19) One of His signs is that He shows you the lightning
for fear and for hope and sends down water from the clouds, then He gives life therewith to a
land after its death (barrenness); most surely there are signs in this for people who
understand" (Qura'n, 30:24). He it is Who gives life and causes death; so, when He decrees an
affair. He only says to it: Be, and it is. (40:68) Or have they taken guardians besides Him? But
Allah is the Guardian, and He gives life to the dead, and He has power over all things. (42:9)
There is no god but He; it is He Who gives life and causes death, the Lord and Cherisher of
yourselves and of your earlier ancestors. (44:8)

A believer ought to adorn his conduct by remembering this Attribute quite often so that Allah
may bring light into his heart through knowledge. His soul will then glow with the mysteries
of manifestation. He should particularly remember Him as such in the depth of the night.

62. "Al-Mumeef'

Allah has said, "He it is Who makes (men) laugh and makes (them) weep, and He it is Who
causes death and gives life" (Qura'n, 53:43-44).

Death is the antithesis of life. A wind dies when it stands still. A human dies when he sleeps;
sleep is called death by way of analogy: it causes the faculties of reason and almost all other
bodily movements to stop. The mawt is the land which was never tilled. One whose heart dies
is dumb, stupid, idiotic, the warmth of his reason cooled down and died out.

Al-Mumeet, the Almighty, decrees death for whomsoever He pleases; none causes death
except He. He has subdued His servants by death, causing them to go back to the earth from
which He had created them and to be covered with dust...

Al-Mumeet has caused the heart of sinners to die because of going against His will. He is the
Creator of death. He has caused the tyrants to die out of His mercy for the living. He causes
the oppressors to die on account of their disrespect for Him. He causes the land to die.

rendering it barren, free from vegetation, then He brings it back to life when it produces. He
brings to Hfe His Sunnah by causing His prophets to inherit it from their predecessors, and He
causes the death of innovations through the Hfe of knowledge. ■ "" '^■'''

Once the Messenger of Allah performed the hajj then stood over the safa, overlooking the
House, the Ka'ba. Then he made three takbeers saying, "There is no god except Allah, the
One and only God; there is no partner with Him; His is the kingdom; to Him is all Praise due;
He brings to life and causes death; in His hand is all goodness, and He can do anything at
all."

Abu Tharr al-Ghifari, may Allah be pleased with him, is quoted as saying that whenever the
Messenger of Allah was ready to go to bed at night, he would say, "In Your Name do we die
and live," and whenever he woke up, he would say, "All Praise is due to Allah Who has
brought us back to life after having caused us to die, and to Him is our final return."

63. "Al-Hayy"

The Almighty has said, "... as for the next abode, that most surely is the (real) life, had they
only known!" (Qura'n, 29:64). He has also said, "And rely on the ever-Living Who never
dies" (Qura'n, 25:58). .^^^,

• r._-'

Life is the antithesis of death. Allah brings life back to a "dead" land: He causes vegetation to
grow in it; He brings it life through rain. When we discuss it as an Attribute of the Almighty,
it means that He is the ever-Living Who is self-Sustaining since time immemorial and will
continue to be so forever. Every living being besides Him is not alive on its own; it does not
by itself sustain its life; rather, its life is sustained by al-Hayy, Al-Hayy never dies. The Holy
Qura'n states the following in Surat al-Zumar: "Surely you shall die, and so shall
they" (Qura'n, 39:30).

Al-Hayy is the Doer, the Aware; any deed without an origin or an awareness is dead. The least
degrees of awareness is awareness of one's own self. Anything which is not aware by itself is
a dead inanimate object. Allah is the Absolute Living One, and everyone and everything that
live besides Him is alive according to the extent of its awareness.

Anas ibn Malik has said, "I was once sitting with the Messenger of Allah in our circle when a
man was still performing his prayers. After having bowed down, prostrated and made the
tashahhud, he supplicated to his Lord saying, "Lord! I plead to You by the very fact that to
You is all Praise due; there is no god but You; You are the One Who gives without reminding
the takers. Who created the heavens and the earth; O You Who has all the Honour and all the
Glory! O ever-Living One, O Sustainer! I plead to You...' whereupon the Prophet said, "He
surely has invoked Allah by His Greatest Attribute: He answers favourably when He is asked
thereby, and He gives when invoked.'"

Al-Mumeet causes your heart to die when you fail to remember Him, and your soul to die
when you continuously permit yourself to slip away from His right path, and your mind to die
when you permit your desires to take control of you. Al-Muhyi brings life to the hearts of
those who know and who willingly submit to Him, while al-Mumeet causes the [spiritual]
death of those who go against His will.

64. "Al-Qayyum''

Allah has said, " Alif, Lam, Mim. Allah, (there is) no god but He, the ever-Living, the self-
Subsisting, the One through Whom all things subsist" (Qura'n, 3:1-2).

One who is qayyim is a master and organizer of affairs. The ''qayyim creed" is the Hanafi
faith. The day of qiyama is the Day when everyone will stand before Allah, Lord of the
Worlds, for judgment. Al-Qayyum is never created. Who manages all affairs.

Al-Qayyum exists absolutely on His own, not through others, while every being exists through
Him and because of Him. Nothing, no life whatever, can ever be sustained without Him. Al-
Qayyum is the ever-Lasting, the Eternal Who never suffers extinction. He effects justice and
equity. Who is self-Sustaining, Who never sleeps.

According to Abdullah ibn "Abbas, whenever the Messenger of Allah used to stand up to
perform his night prayers, he would say, "Lord! All Praise is due to You! You are the Lord of
the heavens and the earth! All Praise is due to You! You are the Qayyum of the heavens and
the earth and everything in them; all Praise is due to You! You are the Light of the heavens
and the earth; all Praise is due to You! You are the King in the heavens and the earth; all
Praise is due to You! You are the Truth; Your promise is true, the meeting with You is true.
Your speech is the truth; Paradise is true; the fire is true; the prophets are truthful;
Muhammed is truthful, and the Hour is true! Lord! To You have I submitted; in You have I
believed; upon You have I relied; to You is my return; for Your sake do I dispute; Your
judgment do I seek; so, I implore You to forgive my sins, the ones I have committed and the
ones I may commit in the future, what I have concealed and what I have declared, for You are
the One Who advances and Who postpones; there is no god but You, and there is no strength
nor might except in Allah."

According to another tradition, he has invoked His Maker saying, "O Hayyl O Qayyuml We
solicit Your help by Your mercy! Lord! I invoke You to mend my affairs, all of them, and not
to permit me to rely on my own self even for a twinkling of the eye, nor for a shorter time, nor
on anyone from among Your creation."

Imam " Ali has said, "During the Battle of Badr, I participated in the battle for some time, then
I came to the Messenger of Allah to see what he was doing, and I found him making sajdah
while repeating, "O Hayy! O QayyumV So I went back to the battle-field, then I came back to

him and I saw that he was still repeating the same words. I kept going there and coming back
to him, and he was still doing exactly the same thing till Allah granted us victory."

Abdullah ibn "Abbas is quoted as saying that the Greatest of all Attributes of Allah is al-Hayy
al-Qayyum. Anyone who truly realizes that He, Glory to Him, is the Qa'im, Qayyim, Qiyam
and Qayyum will never detach his heart from loving the Creator.

Al-Qayyum connotes His independence and the dependence of all others on Him, that He does
not need anyone while everyone is in need of Him.

Allah, Glory to Him, is the Only al-Hayy al- Qayyum: He exists on His own, whereas
everything that exists depends on Him to continue existing. So rely on al- Qayyum besides
Whom you need no other supporter, nor is there anyone else besides Him who can sustain
you, nor can anyone else teach you whatever you need to know.

65. "Al-Wajid"

Allah has said, "And whoever does evil or acts unjustly against his own soul then asks
forgiveness of Allah, he shall find Allah Forgiving, Merciful" (Qura'n, 4:110). The root word
of ''al-Wajid' is ''Jidda,'' abundance and independence. Al-Wajid is the most Knowing: "And
[did He not] find you lost and guide you?" (Qura'n, 93:7); "... and there he finds Allah, so He
pays him back his reckoning in full" (Qura'n, 24:39). The phrase "he finds Allah" means "he
finds out that Allah..." Al-Wajid has everything; He lacks nothing; He is never incapable of
doing whatever He pleases. Al-Wajid is the One from Whose knowledge nothing at all
escapes; He does not overlook anything at all. He is the opposite of one who has lost
everything. Al-Wajid lacks neither necessary things nor any of the requirements related to
Divinity and its perfection; He is none but Allah, the Most Exalted One. In such sense. He,
and He alone, is the Absolute al-Wajid. Anyone besides Him who may have some of the
attributes of perfection while still lacking a few things is not called wajid at all.

Al-Wajid has with Him everything He wants and desires; He can affect His decree; He knows
everything and He determines everything; He is capable of doing everything; nothing is
beyond His reach or might; His status is Sublime. He is the Most Honoured; His Might is the
most perfect; He gives abundantly and generously.

The root word of this Attribute has many other meanings such as: finding out something
through the power of the senses, the reaching of a point or a goal, the existence of something,
the mental realization.

66. "Al-Majid"

The Almighty has said, "... the handiwork of Allah Who has made everything

thoroughly" (Qura'n, 27:88).

The root word of this Attribute is ''majd,'' a noun meaning glory and honours. A man may be
said to be majid if he has descended from parents known to have established a deeply rooted
reputation of glory and honours. A majid person is very highly distinguished; he quite often
showers others with his favours.

The Attribute ''al-Majid' means absolute perfection and dazzling glory; He is Beautiful in His
qualities and actions, Who treats His servants most graciously, most generously, manifesting
His Greatness to them through the light of His compassion for them. Among our supplications
is this one:

Lord! You are al-Majid al-Majid, the Doer of whatever pleases You! We plead to You to
grant us security on the Promised Day; Glory to the One Who has been Gracious unto His
servants through His Glory and Honours and is distinguished thereby! Glory to the One Who
is Great, Whose Honour is Great, Whose Generosity is vast!

The Attribute ''al-Majid' underscores the meaning of the Attribute "al-Wajid'\ thus stressing
their common meaning of independence. Abu Tharr al-Ghifari, may Allah be pleased with
him, has quoted the Messenger of Allah quoting, in turn, his Lord saying, "O servants of
Mine! You are all sinners except those whom I have healed from sinning; therefore, seek My
forgiveness so that I may forgive you by My might. Whoever among you comes to know that
I am capable of forgiving, and he seeks My forgiveness, I shall forgive his sins and overlook
them. You are all to perish except those whom I guide; therefore, seek My guidance so that I
may guide you. You are all poor except those whom I enrich; therefore, ask Me so that I may
grant you sustenance. O servants of Mine! If the first of you and the last, whatever is moist
with you and whatever is dry, the living among you and the dead, should ever unanimously
become as pious as the most pious person among My servants, it will not increase My domain
as much as the wing of a mosquito. And if they all become as wretched as the worst wretch
among My servants, it will not decrease My domain as much as the wing of a mosquito. If the
first of you and the last, the moist with you and the dry, the living and the dead, were to ask
Me, it will not decrease what is with Me in anything at all just as any of you may pass by a
sea shore and immerse a needle therein then takes it out. This is so because I am al-Majid; I
do whatever I please; My giving is only a word: Whenever I desire something, I say to it "Be!'
audit is."

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