In this journey through Allah’s Names, we have learned about both His attributes of Beauty and of Majesty. The intention is to inspire fear, hope and, ultimately, love. If we misunderstand Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), we may not see the wisdom behind the things that happen in the world or in our personal lives. We might not understand how Allah (swt) fits into our life. We may also find it difficult to love Him, because how can you love someone – deeply love someone – you do not know?

Thus it is hoped that these Names have increased our knowledge of our Creator, and have made apparent how Allah (swt) is with us in every moment.

Today’s Name should inspire in us ‘khashya’ and ‘hayba’. These words are sometimes both translated as ‘fear’, thus removing the important distinctions between the two words. In the ‘Sweetness of Prayer’ series, we explained the difference between the different types of fear:

‘Khawf’ is to flee from the thing that you fear, and requires no knowledge of that which is feared. You can be afraid, or have ‘khawf’, of the dark. ‘Khashya’, on the other hand, is fear with knowledge. The more a servant has knowledge of his Lord, the more ‘khawf’ turns to ‘khashya’. As Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

“Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge” (35:28).

‘Hayba’ is fear associated with respect, awe and glorification. You could, for example, fear fire. But the reason for your fear is that the fire may harm you, so fire earns no ‘hayba’; you do not glorify it. However, you could have a certain ‘hayba’ of your father; you could be afraid to do something wrong in front of him, but that fear is out of respect.

Al-Qahhar: The Dominator

Allah’s Name al-Qahhar comes from the Arabic root qaf-haa-ra (ق-ه-ر). It means ‘to dominate over’ or ‘to subdue from above’. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an in Surat al-An`aam;

“And He is the subjugator (al-qaahiru) over His servants. And He is the Wise (al-Hakeem), the Acquainted [with all] (al-Khabeer). (6:18)

Someone with this attribute might be considered a tyrant, which is why Allah (swt) tells us that this attribute is possessed by the One who is also the Most Wise and the One who is Best Acquainted with everything. This reference is also for the benefit of those who doubt this attribute, and might ask “why has Allah not overpowered the tyrants of today, of whom there are many?” Allah (swt) is reminding us that there is ultimate wisdom in whom He chooses to subdue at any point in time. This is where our understanding of the holistic nature of Allah’s Names should come in: we spoke before about how Allah (swt) is Forbearing and Patient, and He gives people – even tyrants – the opportunity to turn back.

Thus we see in the Qur’an that Allah sends Moses and Aaron `alayhimaa as-salaam (may Allah’s peace be upon them both) to Pharaoh – and calling Pharaoh ‘oppressive’ would be an understatement! – telling them initially to speak to him gently. Pharaoh rejects them. Moses then shows him proof of his prophethood. Pharaoh rejects him again, insisting on enslaving the Children of Israel. Finally, Allah (swt) overpowers him by drowning him, using someone from the very people that Pharaoh was oppressing, who grew up in his own house. Such is the way of al-Qahhar, who manifests His power by subduing tyrants through the objects of their tyranny.

This is why Imam al-Ghazali describes al-Qahhar in this way: “The Dominator is the one who breaks the back of the powerful among His enemies… Indeed there is no existing thing that is not subject to the domination of His power, and powerlessness in His grasp. That is all.”
Therefore, when we look at events today and wonder “where is al-Qahhar?”, we should remember the story of Moses. Remember that Moses prevailed. Remember that Pharaoh was overpowered.

Our role is to strive against this oppression, knowing that ultimately this is what we will be asked about, and everything is subjected to the Will of Allah (swt). Indeed, so many tyrannical powers eventually come crashing down, bowing to the will of al-Qahhar. Unfortunately, we may not attribute it to Him, but as Allah (swt) tells us:

“The Day they come forth nothing concerning them will be concealed from Allah. To whom belongs [all] sovereignty this Day? To Allah, the One, the Prevailing (al-Qahhar).” (40:16)

On that Day, all will be apparent. All those who oppressed, in both seemingly small and big ways, will be before Allah, al-Qahhar. Then, there will be no ambiguity.
Living with these Names

1 – Balance fear and hope

Today’s Name might cause us to be afraid. This is not a subject we like to talk to about, because it is so much more reassuring to focus on those attributes that enable us to relax. But remembering that Allah (swt) has attributes of Majesty should instill in us the ‘khashya’ and ‘hayba’ described earlier. Moreover, Allah’s Names are to be looked at holistically. He is al-Qahhar and He is also al-Lateef (the subtle, the most kind).

2 – Dominate your lower desires
In previous articles, we talked about how we should emulate the attributes of Beauty. But what about attributes of Majesty? How do we apply them? Al-Ghazali counseled: “The dominator amongst men is the one who subdues his enemies. The greatest enemy of man is his soul, which is within him. This soul is more of an enemy to him than Satan, of whose enmity he is wary. Whoever conquers his passions conquers Satan, since Satan lures him to ruin by means of his passions.”

3 – Use that fear to stop at least one sin

To know that Allah is al-Qahhar is to burn the desire for sin in the heart. Because Allah (swt) is the Dominator, we should fear that perhaps al-Qahhar, al-Mumeet (the Life-Taker) might take our soul as we are committing the sin. This should alert us that despite it seeming as though we are being allowed to oppress our souls, we may still face the fate mentioned in this verse:

“So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair.” (Qur’an, 6:44)

These people used the gifts of Allah (swt) in the opposite manner to that for which they were intended, and then they were seized. In another chapter, Allah (swt) describes to us the people of the garden, who took an oath that they would reap all of their fruits and leave nothing for the poor. Allah (swt) caused their garden to be completely burned to the ground, but the owners of that garden understood the lesson. They willed something, but Allah (swt) overpowered their will, and so they turned back to Him.

Hence, this fear should not paralyze us from doing good, but it should paralyze us from doing bad. We should try to choose at least one thing – like backbiting or lying – and do our best to use this Name to help us stop it.

4 – Do not oppress others

The surest way to earn the wrath of al-Qahhar is to oppress others. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an: “So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him] (fa laa taqhar)” (93:9). The word ‘taqhar’ comes from the same root of the name al-Qahhar. We should understand that oppression is not simply for unjust leaders or cruel human traffickers. We may also be oppressing others in more subtle ways, and thus we should be diligent to avoid this.

Names of Allah Series:  

Today’s Name is one that has been expressed over 95 times in the Qur’an. It is a Name that gives us strength. Today’s Name is al-‘Azeez.

To be truthful, I had difficulty writing an article on this Name. It’s one of these Names that has to be felt rather than explained. Of course this is true for all of Allah’s Names, and this is the purpose of the series- to understand, feel and live by these Names. But because this Name denotes power, dignity and uniqueness, I felt that I could explain it best through stories. I pray that everyone who reads this article truly internalizes the meaning of this Name, and may Allah forgive me for my mistakes and shortcomings in getting the meanings across.

The Meanings

العَزِيزُ: من صفات الله عز وجل وأَسمائه الحسنى؛ قال الزجاج: هو الممتنع فلا يغلبه شيء، وقال غيره: هو القوي الغالب كل شيء، وقيل: هو الذي ليس كمثله شيء.
ومن أَسمائه عز وجل المُعِزُّ، وهو الذي يَهَبُ العِزَّ لمن يشاء من عباده.
والعِزُّ: خلاف الذُّلِّ.

In Lisaan al-Arab, al-Azeez is defined as: From the attributes of Allah and His Glorious Names; al-Zajaaj said: He is the Invincible that no one can overpower, and others said: He is the All-Powerful who is able to overpower everything, and it is also said: There is nothing like Him. And of His Names are al-Mu’izz, meaning He gives ‘izza to whomever He wishes. And ‘izz is the opposite of humiliation.

Sheikh Ratib an-Nabulsi states that because Allah is al-Azeez, He gives honor, dignity and strength to whomever He wills.

The Servants of al’-Azeez

The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) taught us the concept of ‘izza. He said:
اطلبوا الحوائج بعزة الأنفس فإن الأمور تجري بالمقادير
“Seek the things you need with self-respect and dignity (bi ‘izzati anfus), for all matters run according to Divine Ordainment.” ((Collected by Ibn `Asakir and related by `Abdullah bin Bisr. The chain has been censured by al-Suyuti))

The true servants of al-‘Azeez are those who derive their dignity from Him, and thus respect themselves and have an inner strength. One such person was Asmaa bint Abu Bakr.

When Asmaa radi Allahu anha (may God be pleased with her) was young, she protected the Prophet ﷺ and her father when they had escaped to go to Madina. As they hid in the cave from Quriesh, who wanted the Prophet ﷺ killed, she took food to them. Abu Jahl, who was so angered and frustrated that they had not caught them, asked Asmaa where her father and the Prophet ﷺ were. She did not tell him. He then slapped her so hard that she bled, but still she did not tell him. Abu Sufyan even came later to her to apologize. She carried this trait with her even when she was old. Her son, Abdullah bin az-Zubayr (ra), was being besieged in Makkah by al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf. So Abdullah (ra) said to his mother “I am afraid that they will mutilate my body after I die”, to which she responded, “And what difference does it make to a sheep that its skin is taken off after it is killed?” And Abdullah bin az-Zubayr (ra) was indeed martyred. Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf went to Asmaa bin Abu Bakr after her son’s death and said sneeringly “Did you see what I did to your son?” And she replied, “Yes. I see that you ruined for him his dunya (the physical universe), but he ruined for you your akhira (Hereafter).”

Another example is the scholar al-‘Izz bin ‘Abdelsalaam. He said to the ruler of Cairo, “Fear Allah with regards to your flock and rule them with justice,” to which he responded “Yes O ‘Izz, we will do that”. Later, the daughter of al-‘Izz said to him “Weren’t you afraid when you said that to him?” and he said, “When I thought of the might of God he seemed like a kitten to me.”

Allah is al-‘Azeez, and so He gives ‘izza to His righteous servants. In the Qur’an, we are told of the two Prophets who were sent to a people in Surat Yaseen:

“When We sent to them two but they denied them, so We strengthened them with a third, and they said, “Indeed, we are messengers to you” (Qur’an, 36:14).

The word for strengthened that is used is “‘azazna”, from the same root of Allah’s Name al-‘Azeez. When you do something for Allah, and you behave with dignity and strength, then Allah strengthens you. He gives you ‘izza, because only He can. He is the Invincible. During the Battle of Badr, when the Muslims were a mere 313 against 1000 of their enemies, Allah recounts to us how He helped the Muslims:
“And already had Allah given you victory at [the battle of] Badr while you were few in number. Then fear Allah ; perhaps you will be grateful. [Remember] when you said to the believers, “Is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should reinforce you with three thousand angels sent down?. Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah and the enemy come upon you [attacking] in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels having marks [of distinction]. And Allah made it not except as [a sign of] good tidings for you and to reassure your hearts thereby. And victory is not except from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise” (Qur’an, 3:123-126).

The verse ends by telling us that Allah is the One Exalted in Might (al-‘Azeez) and the Wise (al-Hakeem). Al-‘Azeez always comes with either Allah’s Names al-Hakeem (the Wise) or ar-Raheem (the Merciful), because some people might interpret ‘izza to simply be defiance- whether justified or not. But ‘izza is always tempered by wisdom and mercy. And thus when we attempt to be servants of al-‘Azeez, we must remember that it is Allah who gives strength, and that can be internal or external. For us to have ‘izza, it should not turn into arrogance or harshness, rather it should be accompanied by wisdom and mercy.

Amr Khaled gives some points on how to live by Allah’s Name al-Azeez:

1—    Strengthen people:

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever a believer is humiliated before him and he does not help him when he is able to do so, Allah will humiliate him before the creation on the day of judgment” (Reported by Ahmad).

2—    Go to Allah with humility:

Because He is al-‘Azeez and true ‘izza belongs to Him. A man was once walking around the ka’ba saying “O Allah, my clothes are simple as you can see. My daughter is weak as you can see. My wife is poor as you can see. O You who sees what is in us and cannot be seen!” A scholar heard this and tried to give the man money. The man was surprised and said, “No no, I am wealthy, I own this and that, I come from so-and –so place.” So the scholar asked, “So why do you say what you say?” And he replied, “O Imam, God loves those who go to Him in humility”.

3—    Be dignified and give something for Islam

Anyone who truly feels this Name will want to give something for Islam, because he is confident in Himself and in his Lord. As humans, we sometimes derive our strength and dignity from material things such as wealth, status or even ethnicity/nationality. But if we do that, those are the things that we will pursue, and without them, we will feel a sense of inferiority. Yet Allah is the One who strengthens. True dignity comes in servitude to Him. When our pursuits become in the Name of Him, we will feel an empowerment that cannot come when our sense of worth comes from solely from worldly things. And that is when we will surprise even ourselves, because we do not hold back based on a limited perception of the difficulties around us. Remember that the Prophet ﷺ said with confidence to Suraqa bin Malik – as he was being hunted down by him!- “What about a day when you will be wearing the bracelets of Kisra?” ((Kisra was the ruler of the powerful Persian empire at the time.))  At that point when, from the outside, he could be seen that he was at his lowest point- he was, after all, being chased by a bounty hunter and wanted by an entire city- he had absolutely no doubt in what was to come from God. ‘Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) sums this up in this oft-quoted statement, “We were indeed a very lowly people. Allah raised us to honor and greatness through Islam. If we forget who we are and wish other than Islam, which elevated us, the One who raised us surely will debase us.” So our role is to strive, with dignity, and Allah will give us the strength needed.

4—    Fear only Allah, and derive your strength from Him

Allah cannot be overpowered. We sometimes fear people because of what we perceive to be their strength over us. But Allah is al-‘Azeez, and we should always remember this when we are faced with tyrants. When the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr were hiding in the cave of Thawr, and all that the disbelievers had to do was look down and they would see them, Allah sent down His tranquility upon them:

“If you do not aid the Prophet – Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, “Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.” And Allah sent down his tranquility upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah – that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might (al-‘Azeez) and Wise (al-Hakeem).” (Qur’an, 9:40)

We do not necessarily need to be afraid in order to recognize danger. Just like the Prophet ﷺ knew that the disbelievers would be able to see them if they looked down- that was a real danger- he also knew that al-‘Azeez was with them.

May Allah make us true servants of al-‘Azeez.

Names of Allah Series:  Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV | Part XXVI | Part XXVII | Part XXVIII | Part XXIX | Part XXX |Part XXXI | Part XXXII | Part XXXIII | Part XXXIV | Part XXXV | Part XXXVI |Part XXXVII | Part XXXVIII | Part XXXIX | Part XXXX | Part XXXXI | Part XXXXII | Part XXXXIII

Allah’s subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) attributes are awe-inspiring. What we have described in the previous articles are simply glimpses of His Names and their manifestations in our lives. After understanding some ways that Allah’s Names manifest, we gain greater clarity into our own lives and we realize that Allah is always with us—He is always giving us peace and tranquility (as-Salaam), mending our broken hearts (al-Jabbar), responding to our du`a’s (al-Mujeeb), giving us subtle and gentle signs (al-Lateef), opening up doors we never knew existed (al-Fattah) and in many other ways.

Bringing Things Together

If we open our senses, we cannot help but be amazed at the way that Allah (swt) has brought things together: the way our bodies contain blood, water, and other substances and how perfectly they work together; the way that Allah has also brought opposites together, such as hot and cold in one being (we can be feeling cold on the outside but our insides are warm); and how things that are similar yet dissimilar are brought together on this earth, such as different kinds of trees, animals and landscapes. Allah illustrates this when He says:

“And indeed, for you in grazing livestock is a lesson. We give you drink from what is in their bellies – between excretion and blood – pure milk, palatable to drinkers.” [Qur’an, 16:66]

This is one of the ways that Allah al-Jaami` manifests His Name to us.

Linguistically, jam` (the root of al-Jaami`) means to bring something together, as opposed to dividing or taking something apart: yajma`uh (he brings it together), jam`an (a congregation), jamma`ah (he collected them together) and so on. So Friday, for example, is youm al-jumu`ah: the day that brings people together or the day that people come together on. When we talk about scholarly consensus in Islam, the word for that is i’jmaa`.

So in what ways can we see that Allah is al-Jaami`? Al-Ghazali stated that one of the meanings of al-Jaami` is the One “who combines similar things, dissimilar things, and opposites.” In addition to this, Allah brings together people on the Day of Judgment, and He also brings together the hearts.

The Day of Judgment

Allah (swt) mentions His attribute of jam` (bringing together) many times in the Qur’an, most frequently with the Day of Judgment. When we think of bringing things together, what we have mentioned previously can be seen or felt or experienced. We can see the different trees, flowers and plants in this world—so this affirms Allah’s attribute in a tangible sense. Yet what we do not see is how Allah can bring everyone, from the beginning of time until the end of time, together in one place at one time. This is one of the reasons why this Name is so great, and this is why His ‘bringing together’ is divine and different to any way that we bring things together. A human being can claim to bring together different things (although these things have been provided by Allah), yet no one can claim to bring together everyone in the manner that we will be brought together on the Day of Judgment. Allah (swt) tells us in the Qur’an:

“This is the Day of Judgment; We will have assembled you (jama`naakum) and the former peoples.” [Qur’an, 77:38]

He also says:

“Allah – there is no deity except Him. He will surely assemble [layajma`annakum] you for [account on] the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. And who is more truthful than Allah in statement.” [Qur’an, 4:87]

This should inspire in us some serious reflection. We are going to be brought together after we are dead, after our bones have disintegrated and after the world has forgotten us. So who do we want to be brought together with? The Pharoahs of the past, present and future, or the righteous and beloved to Allah (swt)?

Bringing the Hearts Together

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together [jamee`an] and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you – when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.” [Qur’an, 3:103]

In the verse above, Allah (swt) tells the Muslims to support one another, and hence Allah tells the Muslims to hold firmly to the rope of Allah “all together” [jamee`an]. This way the hearts are strengthened. Sometimes trying to improve ourselves is a lonely and difficult process. Just like a predator can more easily attack the lone sheep, Satan can make things seem a lot more difficult than they are if we are simply trying to rely on ourselves. But when Muslims support each other and hold onto the rope of Allah together, the hearts are more easily able to be firm. Even if we have our differences, we can still hold each other up.

Another way Allah (swt) brings together on a spiritual, internal level is by bringing the hearts together. A different word is used: allafa. Allafa connotes a gentleness and love. When the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) migrated to Madina, the two main tribes at the time, al-Aws and al-Khazraj, were enemies. Their history was one of blood and vendettas, and Allah brought their hearts together. Those two tribes, from absolutely hating each other, became brothers. Allah (swt) tells us in another verse:

“And brought together their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have brought their hearts together; but Allah brought them together. Indeed, He is Exalted in Might and Wise.” [Qur’an, 8:63]

And Allah reminds the Prophet ﷺ and us that, were we to spend everything on earth, we would not have been able to bring their hearts together. Yet Allah united them upon guidance. There were, at times, instances full of tensions, but those instances teach us patience and perseverance – and the end result is unity.

When we feel that our hearts are divided sometimes, we should know that Allah is al-Jaami`. Just like He brought the hearts of the companions together,  Allah can bring our hearts together too if we truly work at being sincere. So, for example, if we feel that there is tension between us and a family member, we should ask Allah to soften our hearts and unite us At the very least, we should consciously work to minimize any external divisions.

Coming Alive with Allah’s Name

Reflect on how Allah brings everything together in this world, and reflect how He will bring us all together in the next.

On the one hand, reflecting on how Allah (swt) brings things together should inspire in us a sense of awe. Reflecting is a process of taking it in slowly, opening our senses and really contemplating the world around us.

On the other hand, the biggest ‘bringing together’ is on the Day of Judgment. It is real, and we need to be prepared. When Allah will bring all the human beings in one place, where do we want to be? We are told in the Qur’an:

“Our Lord, surely You will gather (innaka jaami`) the people for a Day about which there is no doubt. Indeed, Allah does not fail in His promise.” [Qur’an, 3:9]

Allah (swt) tells us that on this day, there are 7 categories of people who are given shade under His shade when there is no shade but His shade:

“… a just ruler; a youth who grew up in the worship of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic; a person whose heart is attached to the mosques; two people who love each other for Allah’s sake, meeting for that and parting upon that; a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position [for illegal intercourse], but be says: ‘I fear Allah’, a person who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity; and a person who remembered Allah in private and so his eyes shed tears.” [Bukhari]

This is a reminder—have certainty that you will be brought together with everyone else, and therefore think of which group you want to be a part of. Who do we want to be brought together with? Those whom Allah shades or those outside of His shade?

Be a person that brings together what is in his heart and what is on his limbs.

Following on from whom we want to be resurrected with, one way of being resurrected and brought together with the righteous is by uniting our hearts and limbs. Al-Ghazali states, “among men the one who unites is one who integrates the external behavior of his limbs with the inner realities of his heart”. Be a person who prays at night and also has mercy with people. Be a person who polishes his heart from the diseases and is also active with the community. Be a person who avoids suspicion and negative assumptions in his heart and also speaks well and brings benefit with his words.

Be a person that brings people together.

The Prophet ﷺ tells us “Allah’s Hand is with the jama`a (congregation)” [Tirmidhi], meaning that Allah’s care and protection is with people who stick together or are united. Sometimes it can be tempting to constantly want to be alone and away from others, yet Allah’s blessing comes with the bringing together of people. There is more reward in praying in congregation. Mending between two people who are in conflict is better than praying voluntary prayers and giving extra charity. Allah loves the congregation, and as we have seen, He hates division and discord. To clarify, unity does not mean that there are no differences. For the most part, the companions radi Allahu `anhum (may Allah be pleased with them) were united in their hearts even though they sometimes differed in strategy, opinion and manner. So the lessons for us are two-fold: first, bring people together. Whether it is for prayers, support, or even a family gathering, be a person that brings people together for good. Secondly, do not be a person of petty arguments and discord. You may disagree with someone, but there is no need to get nasty. You can still maintain love and respect, even if a person tests your patience. As Allah says:

“And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” [Qur’an 8:46]

Finally, don’t lose hope. When we say that Allah is al-Jaami`, it implies that things were divided or scattered, and so Allah is bringing together what was separate and divided to begin with, and uniting it. When you lose something, remember that it is Allah who can bring it back and unite you with it. As Allah says,

“And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them.” [Qur’an, 7:180]

According to Shaykh Jamaal Zarabozo, the statement in the hadith “man ahsaaha” means “whoever enumerates them, believes in them, ponders their meanings, worships Allah by them and supplicates with them, and acts by them according to one’s belief in them.”

Many scholars state that one of the best ways to increase one’s iman (faith) is to learn the Names and Attributes of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (glorifed and exalted is He). In an effort to introduce readers to the beauty of His Names and to increase us in our faith and humility, this article will go through one of the Names of Allah. It will provide the meanings of this Name how we can worship Allah through this Name and how we can act upon this Name as well.

Al-Jabbaar is one of the authentic Names of Allah (swt) and it means ‘one who compels or restores.’ Al-Jabbaar, like the majority of the Names of Allah, is of an intensified form so Al-Jabbar not only means ‘one who restores,’ but “the One who restores completely.’

Jabbaar is from the root jabr (ج ب ر or جبر), and this root has several meanings:

a) The first meaning is ‘to pressurize, to compel and force someone to do something.’ From this, it is understood to mean ‘to tyrannize someone and be tyrannical.’ We learn from the Qur’an that:

“And when you strike, you strike as tyrants.” (Qur’an, 26:130)

Similarly in Surat al-Maryam, Prophet `Isa `alayhi salaam says:

“And He has not made me a wretched tyrant.” (Qur’an, 19:32)

b) Secondly, jabr means ‘to be strong, tall and great.’ ‘Nakhlatun Jabbaarah’ is used to describe a tall date palm tree that is very strong and gives a lot of fruit. Also in the Qur’an, when Bani Isra’eel (the children of the tribe of Isra’eel) were told to enter the city of Jerusalem, they said:

“Indeed within it is a people of tyrannical strength.” (Qur’an, 5:22)

c) The third meaning of jabr is ‘to repair the broken, fix and reform something.’ When something is incomplete and you complete it, that act is called jabr. Furthermore, when there is a deficiency and you make up for it that is called jabr. (Interesting fact: from the same root is the word ‘algebra:’ you ‘fix’ the equation.  The word ‘jabeerah’ is also used for a splint, to help broken bones.)

Proof for this Name

The word ‘Jabbaar’ appears 10 times in the Qur’an, but only once for Allah (swt). This word is used nine times for people who are strong, oppressive, or commit dhulm (injustice), who compel and force others. The last time it is used in the Qur’an in Surat al-Hashr (verse 23) is for Allah (swt).

If Allah is Jabbaar, what does it mean?

a)      According to al Khattaabi, it means: “He is the One who forces His creation upon what He commands and upon what He has forbidden. In other words, whatever Allah wills, His will is executed.” The first meaning of Jabbaar is ‘Compeller,’ so whatever He wills is what happens. He is the One who implements His will.

b)     Secondly, it means ‘al ‘Aali fawqa khalqihi’, the One who is Exalted and High above His creation. In other words, He is the Greatest One. We said ‘nakhlatun jabbaarah’ is the tallest tree in the orchard. Allaah (swt) being al-Jabbaar is the Greatest and there is no one else who is greater than Him. He is the One who is Qawwiy, A’dheem (The Most Strong, The Most Great). He is the One who has ‘tawl’: He owns a lot and can give a lot. The Supreme Power and Authority belongs to Him Alone.

c)      Thirdly, Jabbaar means ‘Al Muslih, the One who Reforms, the One who fixes the situation for His creation. When we find our resources to be incomplete, Allah (swt) completes them. When we are unable to reach our goals, Allah (swt) assists us. He is the One who amends the affairs of His creation. It means if a slave is unable to reach His goal, Al-Jabbaar will enable Him and provide Him with the sources to reach this goal.

Difference when Jabbaar is used for Allah and for people

When Jabbaar is used for people, it is in a negative sense, because they have no right to be tyrannical and oppress others. If Jabbaar is used for humans as ‘one who restores,’ it is negative again because they use their oppressive nature to fix things. When Allah (swt) fixes things, it is not oppressive – it is positive. Jabr does not befit or suit human beings because they are supposed to be servants.

If Allah is Al-Jabbaar, what are we supposed to do?

1)      We must know that He is Al Jabbaar alone, and we cannot imitate Him. For many Names of Allah, we must act upon them in a way most suitable for us. Allah is Ar-Rahman (The Entirely Merciful) so we should have mercy on others. However, because Allah is Al-Jabbaar it does not mean we become jabbaar. Why? Because He has told us to not be jabbaar and He does not like those who are arrogant.

From Surat Ibrahim we learn:

“And they requested victory from Allah, and disappointed, [therefore], was every obstinate tyrant.” (Qur’an, 14:15)

Similarly, Allah says:

‘Thus does Allah seal over every heart [belonging to] an arrogant tyrant.” (Qur’an, 40:35)

So whoever is jabbaar, it leads to their heart being sealed and his ultimate loss in this life and the next.

From a hadith in Sahih Bukhari, we learn that hellfire is for the jabbaareen, those who are jabbaar, Hellfire said: ‘I have been given the privilege of receiving the arrogant and the tyrants.’

We may think that we are not oppressive, and that such a title only belongs to the rulers who kill people and commit injustice, but we are also jabbaar sometimes. In the context of Isa (as), it is said he was righteous towards his mother and he was not a jabbaar (disobedient). So jabbaar means ‘one who is forceful against his parents’ in this context; i.e., when parents tell their child to do something and the child doesn’t listen. Jabbaar is not just a mighty tyrannical ruler, but jabbaar can be any person who refuses to obey, harms and hurts other people and does not listen to the authority. The first lesson for us is that we are ‘ebaad (servants) and we should recognize ourselves as ‘ebaadAllah (servants of Allah).

2)      The second lesson we learn is that if someone is unable to reach their goals, they find constriction in time and ability. We should ask Al-Jabbaar to fix our deficiencies. When we are unable to achieve a goal and find ourselves weak and when we find ourselves in a mess, we should ask for the help of Al-Jabbaar who will make up all of the deficiencies.

Du`a’s with this Name

a)      In between the two sajdahs, there is the du`a’:

Allahumma-ighfirlee warhamnee wahdini warhamnee wajburnee wa ‘aafinee warzuqnee warfa’nee,
‘O Allah, forgive me, have mercy upon me, guide me, enrich me, give me health, grant me sustenance and raise my rank.’

Jabr in this duaa does not mean to compel, but rather it means ‘fix my situation’, in the meaning of muslih (reformer).

b)     There is a sahih hadith in Abu Dawood that mentions a du`a’ that the Prophet ﷺ would recite in sujood and ruku’:

Subhana dhil jabaroot wal malakoot wal kibriyaa’i wal ‘athamah.

Glorified is the the One who possesses jabaroot- which means greatness and power here, wal malakoot is all of His dominion, wal kibriyaa’ and the greatness, wal ‘athamah, and the grandness. (‘How perfect He is, The Possessor of total power, sovereignty, magnificence and grandeur.’)

We should write these du`a’s down and memorize them, so we may benefit from them.

Why are these du`a’s mentioned in sajdah? We are most close to Allah in sujood and mentioning His Greatness expresses our humility.

So Allah (swt) is Al-Jabbaar: The One who Compels, The One who Reforms and The One who is Great.

It was just one of those days that make you want to crawl back into bed, put your covers over your head, and sleep until things just fix themselves. But I crawled out of bed, got dressed and moved on with my life. Why? Why didn’t I just sulk in my unhappy state? Because I knew – al-Lateef was doing ihsaan upon me.

What does going through a hard time, lutf and ihsaan have to do with one another? Aren’t these three different things? To answer that, let’s take a moment and look at someone from the past who knew more about Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala – exalted is He – than any one of us. Let’s take a look at the life of Prophet Yusuf (`alayhi assalam – may Allah’s peace be upon him).

Yusuf (as) went through many trials – so many that we are often reminded to read Surat Yusuf when we too are going through difficult times. He was thrown into a well, taken into slavery, and seduced by a wealthy woman. After all of this, he was also thrown in jail for a deed he didn’t commit, was all the while separated from his beloved father and brother. Despite these trying times let’s take a look at the way Yusuf (as) reacted:

And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they bowed to him in prostration. And he said, “O my father, this is the explanation of my vision of before. My Lord has made it reality. And He had Ihsaan with me when He took me out of prison and brought you [here] from bedouin life after Satan had induced [estrangement] between me and my brothers. Indeed, my Lord is Lateef in what He wills. Indeed, it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise. [Qur’an, 12:100]

Here Yusuf (as) is talking about what happened to him. He says “qad ahsana bi” and then later in the ayah he said that his lord is “Lateefu-lee maa ya shaa’.” So we see here that Yusuf (as) too made the connection between hard times, ihsaan and lutf. But is that connection clear?

To simplify this, Allah had a plan, and as we know the plan of Allah always prevails. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala, from the very beginning, knew that Yusuf (as) would be raised in status, that he would be reunited with his family, and that the severed ties between him and his brothers would be restored.

Now take a moment and ponder.

In reality we see that each and every one of the hardships that he went through led to this success. But while examining each of the hardships Yusuf (as) went through individually, could we have even fathomed that success would be the outcome?

The truth is, had he not been thrown in the well, he would not have been taken into slavery. Had he not been taken into slavery, he would not have been seduced by the wife of Al-Aziz. Had he not been seduced by the wife of Al-Aziz, he would not have been wrongfully sent to prison. Had he not been sent to prison, he would not have been known as a dream interpreter. Had he not been known as a dream interpreter, he would have never made it out of jail and into the high rank that the king had placed him in. Had he not been given this high rank, he would not have met his brothers. Had he not met his brothers, he would have not been reunited with his beloved family. If we were in any of these situations, even in our wildest imaginations we would have not seen such a happy ending coming. And that is where lutf comes in.

Shaikh As-Sa’di describes this name of Allah – al-Lateef – with grace and beauty. He says:

“From His beautiful and excellent Names is the Ever-Discreetly Gentle (al-Lateef). He is the One who is discreet in His actions that he discerns the hidden and secret, and what the hearts are filled with. He also perceives what is in the lands, of enclosed grains and seeds. He is Ever-Gentle with His devoted slaves and makes things easy for them and keeps them away from difficulties. He makes the path to His pleasure and generosity easy for them. He protects them from anything that may lead to His anger. This is through means that they may perceive as well as means that they do not perceive. He also decrees matters for them that they dislike in order for them to be granted what they love. He is gentle with respect to their own souls as He guides them with respect to matters that are external to them with every goodness and with righteousness. The name al-Lateef is close in meaning to al-Khabeer (the Well-Acquainted with all things), ar-Ra’oof (the Clement) and al-Kareem (the Generous).” ¹

To reiterate the point that Shaikh As-Sa’di made—Allah subhanAhu wa ta`ala knows all and decrees matters for us that we dislike so that we can be granted what we love. That is precisely when Allah is doing ihsaan upon his slave. As-Sa’idi says concerning the name al-Lateef in connection with ihsaan,

“Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala bestows his ihsaan upon his `abd in ways that he (the `abd) does not even realize. He raises his status in ways that he may hate.” ²

It is in those trying times when we feel like the world is turning inside out, when everything seems to be going in directions we do not want them to, it is those times that we have to realize that al-Khabeer, al-Ra’oof, al-Kareem, al-Lateef is doing what is best for us – taking away those “good times” so we can have better, not allowing us what we want so we can have what we need.

But if we do not come to this realization, if we don’t have the proper sabr when we should, then we are simply digging our selves deeper into trouble. We are setting ourselves up for more pain and more unhappiness. Except this time, it’s eternal.

So the next time you get the urge to cover yourself up with your covers and let out a sigh of “Why me?” toughen up. Be patient. And realize that al-Lateef, subhanahu wa ta’la, is doing ihsaan upon you.