Allah subhanahu wa ta`la (exalted is He) has given Himself Names and attributes (siffat) so that we can know Him. What is most amazing and beautiful about Allah’s Names is that through them, you can see how your Creator recognizes the needs of His creation.

We all need sustenance; and He is al-Razzaaq, The Provider. We all need love; and He is al-Wadud, The Most Loving. We all need protection; and Allah is al-Hafidh, The Guardian. What we need the most is the very thing of which Allah (swt) has an unlimited supply.

And so sometimes we are put through things to know Allah (swt). Sometimes it is to open your eyes to your own flaws so that you can change. But whatever it is, if you realize that the answer to any problem is through Him, and that He suffices all your needs, then your relief is already at hand.

Recently, I found myself to be very lost. And this was alarming because I used to be a person who had direction. I thought I knew where I was going and what I was doing. But things started to fall apart, internally. I wasn’t sure anymore. And then I realized I had three choices – to continue to do what I was doing without putting in any extra thought, to give up entirely, or to re-assess and re-orient.

And because this feeling persisted for a while, I realized something else. I came to know Allah’s attribute of Guidance.

Sometimes this feeling of being lost can bring us closer to Allah (swt).

What is the meaning of this problem? Why are we stuck? We need to feel as though we do not know where we are going, because that is when we start searching. And that is precisely when Allah (swt) shows you that He is The Guide (al-Haadi), and how life changes when the Light of God is in it.

Perhaps you started out something with a sense of purpose, but in your journey you were knocked off the path towards the greater goal. You need al-Haadi. Maybe you are having some sort of mid-life crisis. You need al-Haadi. And we cannot for one moment believe that there is no way out and no right path. Allah (swt) says in a hadith qudsi (record of the words of the Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him),

“O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you,” (Muslim).

As Allah (swt) gave Himself the attributes of Guidance and Light, how can we ever believe that we will be in darkness for too long?

Say, for example, you are drowning in a pool. Who will you usually call out for? The lifeguard. The lifeguard is already there, watching out for people, and because that is his job, when you call out to him he’ll jump in there to save you. Now Allah (swt) is over and above any analogy, but as Allah (swt) gave Himself the attribute of guidance, telling you that He is THE Guide and He is THE Light of the heavens and the earth, then how can you be lost for too long? Especially if you seek Him. Are we saying that lifeguards do their job better than Allah (swt)?

So what does it mean to go to Allah al-Haadi? It means to take the first step of realizing that He has this attribute, and having the certainty that Allah (swt) will not turn a seeker away. Secondly, it means to ask Him. Make du`a’ (supplication), pray istikhara (the prayer for guidance) and talk to Him. Thirdly, it means to use the means around us. Re-assess your goals, seek people’s advice and take the steps needed to try to find an answer. When we feel an internal instability, these steps may be hard, but Allah (swt) tells us “And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways […]” (Qur’an, 29:69).

And so we have to strive. We have to search. It will be hard. And there will be moments of confusion. But the Prophet ﷺ taught us: “Know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship,” (Tirmidhi).

One final action is that we cannot let Shaytan (the devil) make us lose hope and make us keep questioning ourselves. There is a point when confusion becomes wiswaas (whispers) – a sort of paranoia from the Devil. Only when we realize that Allah (swt) is the ultimate Guide and we are seeking Him in the proper way, will we gain full trust in Him and know that He will not allow us to be led astray.

“So those who believe in Allah and hold fast to Him – He will admit them to mercy from Himself and bounty and guide them to Himself on a straight path.” (Qur’an, 4:175)

To Those with Time,

You may be not used to this. Always being so busy with work and responsibilities, suddenly you find yourself with a lot of time, as a result of working from home or even not having work during this period.

This might be a stressful time. A confusing time. And it is easy to distract yourself completely with the abundance of social media apps.

Or perhaps, in some way, it is an opportunity. While the pandemic is affecting people differently, you find yourself suddenly having to contend with solitude. You are healthy, thank God, relatively youthful, and with more free time. The Prophet ﷺ reminds us to:

“Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your riches before your poverty, your free time before your work, and your life before your death.” (Sahih)

It is important to take care our mental and emotional health, of course, and part of it can be through different activities, keeping in contact with loved ones, or learning something new. Another even more important priority is strengthening our relationship with God. The Prophet ﷺ said,  “Those in seclusion have raced ahead.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, who are those in seclusion?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “They are men and women who remember Allah often.”

In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said, “They are those absorbed in the remembrance of Allah.” (Muslim)

While this time carries different meanings for different people, perhaps for you in particular, Allah subhanahu wa ta`la (exalted is He) wanted to give you the time you needed to come back to Him. Perhaps you got so distracted with life that you rushed your prayers, were not able to read the Qur’an, and found it hard to wake up for the night prayer or even fajr (the dawn prayer). There was no time for solitude or reflection.

This period might be difficult, but nothing lasts forever. The Qur’an tells us that in numerous places, and we see its proof all around us. We are put in different situations and adapt our faith to what is best at the time. And now is the time to build or re-build that relationship with Allah (swt). Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī said: “Choose solitude over people, for they distract you from worshipping Allah.” Many of us do not choose solitude, at least not for the purpose of connecting to God, and this is a time when we have been given solitude. Ibn Ataillah said, “Nothing serves the heart better than a reclusion (ʿuzla) through which it enters the fray of thought.”

Thus, this is a time to reflect on life, priority and purpose. Allah (swt) tells us,

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Qur’an, 51:56)

We know that the Prophet ﷺ would go to the Cave of Hira to reflect before he received the first revelation. Many righteous people would apportion time for seclusion and reflection. Ahmad Al-Shuqairi wrote a book of forty lessons and reflections on life during a forty-day seclusion exercise, but he recommends that people take out some time every day or every week to be alone with Allah. It may be for a set period during their day, or a few days every so often. These are some things that those of us with extra time can do:

1- Recite Qur’an every morning: “O mankind, there has to come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers.” (Qur’an, 10:57) Particularly with Ramadan coming up, this is an especially good time to reconnect with the Qur’an.

2- Pray and/or reflect in the evening, talking to Allah (swt): God describes the people of understanding as those, “who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” (Qur’an, 3:191) This is an amazing time to establish this practice of reflecting and talking to Allah (swt).

3- Work on your daily prayers: Many of us are guilty of rushing prayers and being unable to truly connect with Allah (swt). This is the time to focus and take each prayer slowly. The Salah series was written for this purpose, and can be found here.

4- Learn: The Prophet ﷺ said, “If anyone pursues a path in search of knowledge, Allah will thenby make easy for him a path to paradise.” (Abu Dawud) Many Islamic institutes have online courses and classes, and there are plenty of beneficial lectures online (this recent one is my favorite). You can also catch up with reading.

5- Limit distractions, but let yourself rest: We all need to take care of our emotional and mental well-being, so we should do what is best for us. We do not need to necessarily cut off social media apps, but ensure that our time is not dominated by them. We can have time for Instagram without going overboard. The Prophet ﷺ said, “time should be devoted (to the worldly affairs) and time should be devoted (to the hereafter)” (Muslim)

6- Set a time for the daily morning/afternoon remembrances, and understand their meanings: Ibn al-Qayyim stated, “In the heart there is hardness which can only be softened by remembrance of Allah. So the slave must treat the hardness of his heart with the remembrance of Allah.”

7- Set a time for seeking forgiveness: The Prophet ﷺ told us: “The one who (regularly) seeks forgiveness, Allah will relieve him of every burden, and make from every discomfort an outlet, and He will provide for him from (sources) he never could imagine.” (Abu Dawud)

These are some of the things that we can do if we find that we have time. Of course, we may also be dealing with other things, and we will discuss them in another letter insha’Allah (God willing). But if we find ourselves with an abundance of time, we can start by returning to Allah (swt).

Yours sincerely,
Someone with (a little more) time

— Sahih Muslim, a beautiful statement of `Umar, approved by the Prophet

Islam is a perfect religion, taught by the most perfect man, revealed by the One Who is Perfect in all ways knowable and unknowable.

This needs to be acknowledged. Drilled into our hearts and minds. Become the foundation of our worldview. The cleansing light of this statement of ‘Umar needs to burn through all the cultural disappointments, alterations, the depressing social media posts, the insecurity, the desire to fit in, belong, and assimilate. The desire to feel comfortable. The disappointment with our cultures, our upbringings, our childhood experiences. The disappointment with our masjid boards.

We carry a message that was sent from the highest realms of existence, carried by the Chief Archangel of God, to the most perfect of human beings, passing through galaxy cluster upon galaxy cluster. Billions of years ago, the trajectories of comets and meteors were precisely calculated and set in motion in order to be in the exact place and exact time to pelt any spirit that might try to eavesdrop on the heavenly revelation as it descended, lest pieces of it end up whispered to some fortune-teller, who would claim that he too was receiving revelation.

Your spiritual and doctrinal ancestors raised a civilization which had a unique achievement unmatched in human history—the parallel development of the natural and the sacred sciences in societies that saw them as complementary. Discovering the world’s physical reality inspired by Revelation’s metaphysical reality.

The Egyptians built the Pyramids before you. The followers of other traditions went to the Moon before you. But only you have a Prophet who stood before the Lote-Tree, bordering the realm of physical existence on The Night Journey, brought back five prayers, and told you: “The salah ((prayer)) is the mi`raj ((ascension)) of the Believer.” Revel in this. Be proud. Then prostrate.

#NoMoreMuslimInsecurity

Part I | Part II

A distant relative found out about my offer and told me, “Man, you should take it! Any girl will accept you [for marriage] with that kind of cash… You can buy her the biggest rock and throw the nicest wedding party.” After thinking about it, I have the following reflections to share.

In Islam, we all know that the man should be financially capable of getting married and able to support a family. However, that does not translate into a dowry or lavish and extravagant wedding that becomes a burden for the couple getting married. There is a lot of pressure from our families and communities to “go all out” on a wedding, spending beyond our limits – an act that displeases Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), especially when we attempt to please others so that they can praise us.

Alhamdulillah (praise be to God), many brothers I know can afford to get married and have a beautiful wedding celebration. They all have great incomes and are content. Brothers in my network always remind each other to make the Prophetic du`a (supplication): “O Allah, we ask you for beneficial knowledge, blessed wealth, and accepted actions.” They do not ask Allah (swt) for more wealth, but ask Him to bless what He gave them and to make them content. They refuse to submit themselves to the marriage industry – materialism and pressure for an overly expensive and complicated marriage process – when Islam has made marriage easy. A man (or couple if they decide) should put on a wedding they can afford, a wedding that will be beautiful and welcoming for their guests.

There is so much pressure and unbelievably unrealistic expectations from our communities and families to put on an extravagant wedding (or if already married, to live outside their means) to the point where some brothers may resort to making money that is haram (impermissible), or if not inherently haram, obtained in a haram way (i.e. lying, cheating, etc.). All this for what? This extracts blessings from a marriage or relationship since there are no blessings in the wealth of the family. In fact, a haram income or the mismanagement of money can cause a family to deteriorate because the center of such a relationship is money and pleasing people, rather than pleasing Allah (swt), and Him alone. Living a financially balanced life within our means is one of the characteristics of `ibaad ar-Rahman – those who worship The Merciful (Qur’an 25:67). Do you not want you and your spouse to have this honor?

Many brothers are more concerned with taking care of their future wife and the family they will raise than with putting on an unaffordable lavish wedding, or living an unsatisfying materialistic lifestyle. Many brothers want to have a nice wedding, but at the same time focus on the marriage. There is a difference.

To my dear sisters – do you want to know a secret that is exceptionally attractive to a man? A content woman, wholeheartedly satisfied with what Allah (swt) provides and with what her husband is working hard to earn, sincerely appreciative of his hard work to take care of her. A real man, attracted to this, will spend even more and happily on her and the family, rather than resentfully, regretfully or hesitantly if the wife is insatiable. This is only natural, because Allah (swt) promises more to those that are sincerely grateful in their hearts.

“And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.'” (Qur’an 14:7)

We often forget what the definition of a man is. The Arabic word for a man is “rajul” and is derived from “rijil”, or leg. By a basic linguistic definition, a man is defined as one who is able to stand up on his own two feet – to be responsible, independent and to support others.

If a couple is starting out their lives together, they should build it together. That relationship is built starting on day one, even before the wedding. As for parental financial support, this is obviously permissible, but I personally believe that the parents’ financial support should be minimal. The man, as long as he is financially stable, will gift a woman with a dowry he can afford and put on a wedding that he can afford, without any help except the help of Allah (swt).

My dear brothers and sisters, if a prospect does not accept you for who you are and is not content with what you have to offer as a person, then you have your answer as to whether this is the right person for you.

May Allah (swt) guide us to what pleases Him, preserve the Muslim relationships, grant all the single people pious spouses, protect us in this world and honor us with Paradise, where the real party is at.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

By Mohamed AbuTaleb

The MSA was one of my first exposures to activism, leadership, and community organization – and some of the experiences I had there would not be repeated for a decade after.  But life looks different as the years pass, and looking back, our 18, 20, and 22 year olds carry a heavy load that many seniors would crumble under.  Here’s a few mistakes to avoid from your older brother that I wish someone told me when I was entrusted with the reins of our MSA:

1.  Spiritual Laziness – With the demands of activism, the meetings, emails, and late conference calls (do you all still do those?) it’s easy to take away from your extra nafl worship or worse, encroach on the obligatory fardh.  Remember that when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) was given extra responsibility by Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), he was commanded to pray more and more, not less.  As an activist you should hold yourself to a higher spiritual standard than those you lead.

2. Untouchable Ego – Chances are, you wouldn’t be in your position if you weren’t ambitious, accomplished, and diligent.  But that doesn’t make you or me perfect.  Select a group of friends where you’re just you – not president, treasurer, or activist – and choose friends who aren’t afraid to be your mirror and give you some tough love when you need it.  I could tell you by name who these people were (and are) in my life, and point to several occasions when they really let me have it (lovingly) when others weren’t courageous enough to give me the advice I needed.  Pick good mentors and teachers as well – if you’re the best person you know, then I don’t know how you plan on improving.

3. Lowering the Guard with the Opposite Gender – A midnight chat message for that upcoming da`wah (outreach) event.  A 10 pm phone call to plan for tomorrow’s meeting.  Text messages back and forth.  Your responsibilities will open the door for sustained and substantial interactions with the opposite gender, whether you seek them or they come to you.  Be conscious of Allah (swt), and also surround yourself with practices that promote the right conduct – including promoting the right behavior when others don’t share your same standards.  Know what time at night you stop replying to messages and taking calls.  Meet in groups and in public places, and avoid isolation.  When you have to email someone one-one-one, cc somebody else who’s related to one of you – they probably won’t read it, but since they might you’ll both think about the language more carefully.  Tips like these help box out the shaytan (Satan), so that it’s not always so tough on you and others to do the right thing.  The decisions and seriousness you approach this with will directly impact the quality and happiness of your future marriage and the spouse Allah (swt) blesses you with.

4. Academic Mediocrity – You are in a period of investment, and it’s called school for a reason.  What you take for granted now will be much tougher to attain later – being surrounded by scholarship, freedom of thought, diverse perspectives, and so much more that makes the college experience.  Work hard in your classes and don’t be like me and take until junior year to learn how useful office hours are.  Remember that Allah (swt) loves those who practice ihsaan (excellence), and that whoever takes a path seeking knowledge, Allah (swt) makes easy for him or her a path to heaven through it.

5. Becoming a Night Owl.  The five prayers give a natural structure to the day, and this ummah (community) is blessed in the time of the early morning hours.  Make a sincere intention to wake up for fajr (the dawn prayer) and stay up, and discipline yourself to structure your day.  To do that, you have to sleep at a reasonable hour.  Don’t start or end your day with emails or texts.  Don’t touch your phone, Facebook, Twitter, or whatever for the first hour – start with spiritual breakfast (prayer/dhikr [remembrance]), exercise, and physical activity.  Remember that to give back to others, you must first be healthy and whole yourself.

I ask Allah (swt) to grant you sincerity, patience, and fulfillment in carrying the trust and responsibility of MSA leadership.  I pray that it is a means of growth and development for you and those you serve, and a joy on the day you meet Allah (swt).

Mohamed AbuTaleb serves as the Imam of the Islamic Association of Raleigh. He is a lifelong student of the Quran and Islamic studies and also shares a love of science and reason, having completed his Ph.D. and Master’s degrees in electrical engineering from MIT along with degrees in physics and mathematics from the University of Maryland.  Mohamed has traveled the United States extensively as a lecturer, trainer, and educator.  His style focuses on enabling audiences to couple transformative understanding with relevance to daily life, and to cut across labels and divisions through scholarship and dialogue.  You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube or on his website. 

Names of Allah Series:

Every time I go back to California, I rent a car. As I drive to Ta’leef in Fremont or WVMA in Saratoga, I always have to use some kind of navigation system, otherwise I am completely lost (despite driving to those places numerous times!) If you were to ask me the way, I would not be able to help you. Thank God for Google Maps!

The first article in this series was about Allah subhanahu wa ta`la (exalted is He) al-Hādī, who is the Guide. Hidāya comes from inclining towards something, which is why one of the words in Arabic for gift is hadiyya, because it makes the hearts of those whom you gift incline towards you. Thus guidance to Allah (swt) is a gift from Him that makes our hearts incline towards Him, and it encompasses all types of guidance. Allah (swt) says:

“He said, ‘Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided [it].’” (Qur’an, 20:50)

Ar-Rashīd: He who Directs us to the Right Path

According to Ibn al-Qayyim and al-Ghazali, ar-Rashīd is one of the Names of Allah (swt). In Lisan al-Arab, it states that “Ar-Rashīd is the one who directs His servants to what is beneficial for them i.e. He guides them and shows them the way.” Thus ar-Rashīd refers to being directed to the right path, knowing what the intended outcome is. Allah (swt) tells us in the Qur’an that our destination is to Him and Paradise, and He shows us the way. The difference between rushd and hidāya is that hidāya is also guidance along the path. Moreover, there are levels to hidāya, which is why we constantly ask Allah (swt) for guidance in Surat al-Fatiha:

“Guide us (ihdinā) to the straight path.” (Qur’an, 1:6)

You can be guided because you are now cognizant of Allah (swt); then you can be guided further to better deeds and closeness to Him; and ultimate guidance comes in following the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) in the most excellent manner. Hidāya is also something that penetrates the heart.

Rushd has two elements to it: One is being able to direct someone, but that needs a prerequisite, which is actually knowing and being able to discern the right way from the wrong way. Al-Ghazali states that ar-Rashīd is the One who directs you without needing signs. If I use Google Maps to direct someone, I cannot say that I have this attribute, because I am seeking help to direct someone to the way.

In the Qur’an, the words rushd or rashīd are used in the following contexts:

“They said, ‘O Shu’ayb, does your prayer command you that we should leave what our fathers worship or not do with our wealth what we please? Indeed, you are the forbearing, the discerning (rashīd)!’” (Qur’an, 11:87)
Allah (swt) also tells us that He has made clear the right path from the wrong one:

“There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course (ar-rushd) has become clear from the wrong.” (Qur’an, 2:256)

So Allah (swt) is the One who directs us to the destination because He is the One who knows the way the best, without needing directions or signs from any other. If you are lost and seeking directions, you would seek it from someone you know who will direct you not simply to the way, but to the best way to the ultimate destination.

Just like we may have downloaded the ‘Waze’ app to guide us to the best route home, we should recite the Qur’an and seek to understand the sunnah to find out which way to Allah (swt) is best!

Allah (swt) directs us to what is best for us in this religion

Allah (swt) has told us that the destination is to Him and to Paradise. He has not only directed us to the ultimate destination but also shown us how to get there. The Qur’an and the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ teach us to pray and how to pray; to speak well; to fast and how to fast; to help others; to give charity and the best way of giving charity; to establish justice; and so on.

We must remember that the Prophet’s ﷺ way was the way of moderation. When some Companions came to the Prophet ﷺ to inform him of their acts of worship – praying all night and not sleeping; fasting every single day without a break; never getting married – the Prophet ﷺ corrected them. Putting effort for the sake of Allah is commendable, but not to the extent where you forget your humanity and do not give your body or your family their due rights.

In Surat al-Kahf, the youth of the cave make the following du`a’ (supplication) to Allah (swt):

“[Mention] when the youths retreated to the cave and said, ‘Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance (rashada).’” (Qur’an, 18:10)

They were being persecuted for their beliefs and had nowhere to turn for refuge but the cave. There, they ask Allah (swt) to show them the best way out of their predicament. In that story, Allah (swt) causes them to sleep for over 300 years, and then shows them that they were on the right path. The tyrant dies and the people were then able to follow their example without fear. Thus, remember that sometimes wisdom and direction are not rewarded or appreciated by people, but the fruits will show later, insha’Allah (God willing).

Be wise, follow the way, and direct others

Ibn al-Qayyim says, “Allah (swt) is rashīd and He loves rushd, and so He makes whom He loves like that [i.e. gives them this quality].” Allah (swt) tells us that He gave the Prophet Abraham `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him) the gift of discernment:

“And We had certainly given Abraham his sound judgement (rushdahu) before, and We were of him well-Knowing.” (Qur’an, 21:51)

The Prophet Abraham (as) was given wisdom and direction, and thus he was able to direct others in the way that suited them best. He knew how to make his people think when he destroyed all of the idols (Qur’an, 21:51-67), and he was able to debate the tyrant in a way that was suitable to him (Qur’an, 2:258). A person can have this quality in its limited human form by asking Allah (swt) and seeking knowledge in order to gain wisdom (and not simply to ‘know a lot’). Sheikh Ratib an-Nabulsi stated that the closer a person is to Allah, the more likely he is to have this attribute of rushd. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

“Allah has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided (rāshidūn). [It is] as bounty from Allah and favor. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.” (Qur’an, 49:7-8)

May ar-Rashīd direct us to the best path to Him, and give us the quality of rushd!

Names of Allah Series:

“On that day Allah will pay them their just due, and they will know that Allah, He is the Truth, the Evident.” (Qur’an, 24:25)

There are some things that are crystal clear and evident to us. According to some scholars, one of Allah’s Names is the Evident—al-Mubīn, as seen in the verse above. Others have looked at this verse and interpreted it as Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) being the Evident Truth (i.e. the word for ‘evident’ is a description of Him being The Truth), but here I will be relying on the opinions of those who see Allah’s Name as al-Mubīn (Sheikh Ratib al-Nabulsi, Sheikh Salman al-Odah, Sheikh Abdulrazzaq al-Bader).

Allah (swt) uses this word in its verb form many times in the Qur’an. Allah (swt) says:

“Thus does Allah make clear (yubayyin) to you His verses that you might use reason.” (Qur’an, 2:242)

Allah then tells us the purpose in this verse and in many others: That we might use reason, that we might reflect, that we might be guided, and that we might be grateful.

The Evident

Sheikh Ratib al-Nabulsi says that Allah’s Name al-Mubīn shows us two things: one is that He is evident in His essence, similar to His Name al-Ẓāhir. Moreover, Allah (swt) makes Himself evident by revealing His Names to us so we may know Him. Whatever misconceptions one may have about God, they are dissipated by Him showing us and making clear to us who He is—and this has been the focal point of this whole series. Whoever may have thought that Allah (swt) has anthropomorphic qualities only has to understand that Allah is al-Quddūs (the Pure); whoever thinks that tyrants have escaped justice only needs to understand that Allah is al-`Adl (the Just) and al-Muqsiṭ (the Equitable); and whoever believes that Allah is far from us, Allah contradicts that by letting us know that He is Near.

Evident in His Actions

The other part to this Name is that He makes things evident. Sheikh Abdulrazzaq al-Bader explains that al-Mubīn comes from the root ba-ya-nun (ن-ي-ب), which means to make something separate. From it comes the word mubīn, which means to make clear. And thus al-Mubīn is the One who makes everything clear, and bayyinah is the clear and evident proof.

We are constantly told to reflect on God’s signs. In the Qur’an, what we translate as a ‘verse’ is actually the word for ‘sign’ – āya. Thus Allah’s signs are His Words (i.e. the Qur’an), as well as what He has created: from the universe, to the sun and the stars, to trees and the mountains, to our very own selves – and all of these require our reflection. Once we ponder over these things, the natural conclusion is to see Allah’s attributes in everything, and internalizing that Allah (swt) is the Evident Truth.

Moreover, Allah makes clear to us the way through His rules. He establishes the rules for justice, the imperative for compassion, how to pray, and our general conduct on this earth. We have been given it all, and more importantly, the way to Him. He has made it all clear through Qur’anic injunctions and the example of the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him), and thus we seek closeness to Him by those means.

He will show you

The verse cited in the beginning of this article shows that Allah (swt) will make everything clear for all those who doubt on the Day of Judgment. There is something else I reflected on. Many times, we may not see the wisdom in a certain action. We might wonder why we did not get what we specifically asked for, or that thing we worked hard for. The wisdom is actually not evident, at least in our limited view.

Knowing Allah is al-Mubīn actually enables us to ask Him to show us. There are times in my life when I felt like I did not understand, and in those moments, I put my trust in Allah (swt) and ask Him to show me the wisdom. So many things have become clear to me, and I end up being more grateful that my life took an unexpected route. Sometimes these things take time, but be certain, Allah will make evident the wisdom, either in this life or the next.

The Prophet’s ﷺ wife Aisha radi
Allahu
`anha
 (may God be pleased with her) was slandered and talked about by her own community. She must have wondered why this was happening to her, what was the wisdom in it, and when people would see the truth. When she was declared innocent, the Qur’an made sure to teach people the lessons from this incident. After admonishing the believers (Qur’an, 24:11-20), Allah says: “And Allah makes clear (yubayyin) to you the verses, and Allah is Knowing and Wise.” (Qur’an, 24:28)

And sometimes the wisdom is for you to take responsibility. Oftentimes we act as though our actions have absolutely no relevance, but Allah teaches us that they do. Yusuf `alayhi as salaam (peace be upon him) had things that were within his control and things that were not. When his brothers threw him in the well, and when he was sold as a slave, there was nothing he could do. These were outside of his control. But when he was in prison, he interpreted the dreams of his cellmates, and then told the one he knew would go free to talk to the King about him. He could have waited in prison and prayed to see God’s wisdom in it, but he did not rely on that solely. He knew that he had to move. And Allah (swt) made clear that all these things—what happened to him and what he made happen—add up. And this is the reality for all of us.

Lessons

1- Reflect: Allah exhorts us in the Qur’an to reflect on His signs. Ponder over Allah’s signs in the universe, and over His Names and their manifestations in the world around us.

2- Ask Allah: Remember that you can—and should—ask al-Mubīn to show you. Allah (swt) says “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” So ask Him to make things clear for you. And remember that it may not be a simple case of “why did this happen to me”; Allah (swt) might show you that your actions have consequences and what happened was as result of what you yourself did. The wisdom in that is the lesson we learn.

3- It will be made clear: Have certainty that the One who makes it all clear will clarify every single thing on the Day of Judgment, leaving no one in doubt. Allah (swt) says: “And He will surely make clear to you on the Day of Resurrection that over which you used to differ.” (Qur’an, 16:92)

“Faith” is a controversial word for me. In the current global culture, “faith” is thrown in with “emotions”, “superstition” and “delusion”. Belief in God nowadays is somehow tantamount to belief in UFO’s and alien abductions, while atheism has rushed to align itself with reason, logic and science. Frustrated, I examine my belief over and over and find it is consistent with everything I know about logic and science. So, where is the problem? Are believers the victims of false propaganda spread forth by other groups? Or are we perhaps responsible for our own unhappy position?

“It’s nothing more than a bunch of common sense,” is how the Qur’an was criticized by some. The first thing you get when you open this book of common sense is a question: are you really interested in finding the truth? Or do you just want to prove you’re right? Because guidance is only for the muttaqeen—those who are God-conscious. Those who contemplate their surroundings and do not simply go through life putting off all the important questions.

There is a desperate need for proper dialogue between believers and atheists, and a lot of hate and anger on both sides, but my bitter conclusion was this: believers are at least as much to blame as anyone else for the stigma attached to belief, if not more.

In the general case, the atheist would pose—perhaps with good intentions—many false arguments against the existence of God. Sometimes they are nice about it, and sometimes not so much so. The believer would either take it personally, or they would give an emotional, dramatic response, citing their own beliefs and their own book, and possibly advising the atheist to revise their position before they meet God and go to hell. And in the end, the most interesting questions are drowned out by a bunch of people shouting at each other in the comments section on YouTube.

This is not to say that all believers are nonsensical, or that all atheists are condescending, but some of them certainly are, and the worst groups are usually the loudest.

Perhaps the problem lies in that the believer has come to abandon the rational, and cling more and more to the emotional—to rituals versus understanding, culture and tradition versus teachings. The emotional aspect of faith is necessary, but it is a natural outcome of having faith, not a way to achieve faith. It is a personal matter that you cannot extend to others. You cannot give someone else how you feel; you can give them evidence, proof, rational arguments.

You would think Muslims would be immune to this kind of hot-headedness. After all, the Qur’an is practically a school for rational dialogue. It cites every argument against the existence of God and gives an intelligent reply, and responds to arguments from people of the book either using logic or their very own books.

And yet, the same person who would boast of the Qur’an’s emphasis on logic and reasoning would feel offended by the suggestion that belief is a matter of the mind and not the heart. They prefer to think of “guidance” as some spark of inspiration from God, and not as the natural result you get when you use your head to find the truth. The same person who would insist that the Qur’an is a book of scientific breakthroughs would be the first one to brush aside scientific evidence as soon as it appears to contradict the Qur’an, like we jump to defend creationism against evolution, as if it were faith’s most evil contender, and not a scientific theory corroborated by evidence.

A Muslim does not have “faith”; they have “belief”. The Arabic word for that is iman, stemming from the root amn, meaning “to secure or confirm”. You secure something by continuously checking up on it, you confirm something through evidence. A Muslim’s belief is something they have confirmed by facts, and secured against counter-arguments through logic and reason. It is not a gut feeling or some whisper from the unseen.

This is not to pick on Muslims alone, but in this kind of dilemma where more than one side is to blame, someone has to concede first. With great power comes great responsibility, and so the responsibility lies on us to recognize our faults and start making some changes.

This may not be easy to hear or admit to, but we have to ask ourselves whether we are sincerely interested in finding the truth, or do we just want to be right? If we want to belong to the first group, we have to be willing to revise our belief without emotion, to determine which elements of it are confirmed by the Qur’an, in which elements we have a high degree of confidence due to hadith (which are interpretations that may or may not be true that we learned to take for granted over the years), and which elements have no foundation at all but put belief in an awkward position where it does not belong.