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)

It just couldn’t be.

Rage, disbelief and anguish flooded through his veins.

‘He’s dead!’ he heard someone say.

No. That was impossible.

“DON’T YOU DARE SAY IT,” he raged, “IT’S A LIE! IF ANYONE DARES TO SAY HE DIED, I WILL CUT OFF HIS HEAD”

He was serious. Breathing heavily, he took his sword out of its sheath. He didn’t want to believe it. He refused to. He numbed whatever pain he felt in his throbbing chest.

“Umar!” He heard the stern yet gentle voice of his dear friend, Abu Bakr radi Allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him) with the soft heart. Then he heard the recitation of the words that he himself had read numerous times, but it felt like he was hearing them for the first time.

“Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.” [Qur’an, 3:144]

In that moment, ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab – known for his strength and conviction – who only a moment ago was threatening to kill whoever dared to confirm that their beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) had died, fell to his knees and wept like a child.

—

Love with all of your heart, but depend only on Allah.

Umar was reminded – the Prophet ﷺ was sent as a mercy and a guide, but he was human. The Qur’an asks a remarkable question, will you turn away? Meaning, is your faith dependent on the Messenger, or on the One who sent the Messenger?

There are many manifestations of this. We rely on the gift instead of the Gift-Giver. Our faith is weakened when we lose our wealth or someone close. But this incident with ‘Umar (ra), and the question asked in the Qur’an, speaks to many conditions when our faith becomes reliant not on God, but on His creation. ((Of course, with ‘Umar (ra) it was momentary, and out of his love for the Prophet ﷺ. ‘Umar went on to be the second of the rightly guided caliphs. He spread justice as ruler and spread Islam. The important thing is the question that the ayah (verse) asks.))
We all have people we look up to. These people confirm and sometimes validate our faith. But what happens when the halaqa leader is leading a double life? Or even worse, when the Qur’an instructor molests a child? When the Imam is physically abusing his wife at home? When the pious community activist is caught soliciting a prostitute?

These things might anger us. They should. It should cause us to spring to action to protect those who are abused, to offer counseling, and to work on strategies so these things never happen again.

But do these things make us lose faith?

If they do, we need to change that. As Muslims, our primary relationship is with Allah.

People are not the Divine. Allah gifted us with free will. Some people make mistakes. Others are battling their own demons and still others are human demons. The Qur’an warns us of those people, so it should not come as a surprise. Remember Qarun who was of the people of Musa `alayhi salatu wa salaam (peace and blessings be upon him), yet he betrayed his own people for wealth and power. Bani Israel were mesmerized by what he was given. But because he transgressed, sold out, and abused his own people, he was destroyed. But he made the choice himself.

Some people are weak, some are sick. So many amazing people in history had their own transgressions because no human is perfect. Moreover, we know that many people who abuse were abused themselves. It doesn’t excuse it, but it also means that we as a community should deal with these things so that they do not happen again. The Prophet ﷺ taught us to search for cures for our illnesses, “because every disease has a cure” [Abu Dawud].

But our relationship with Allah should not be contingent on what people do or do not do. If the whole world were to betray their trust, that is their choice. That is what free will is for. Allah tells us, “so whoever wills – let him believe; and whoever wills – let him disbelieve.” It should not shake us permanently, because those people are not God.

So pray to Allah and pray for Him. Make yourself a better person by Him. Read about the seerah of the Prophet ﷺ. Love people, look up to them, be inspired by them – but depend only on Allah. Know that humans have flaws, so be forgiving. Make excuses for them. And some are criminals. Deal with them. Don’t be the masjid that harbors the unjust board member, or worse.

Remember, Allah does not change a people unless we change ourselves.

This isn’t to say that there won’t be tests. The Prophet ﷺ was pelted with stones at Taif. The Prophet’s ﷺ uncle passed away without accepting Islam. These things hurt. And we think to ourselves “but I did everything“. But that’s why this life isn’t simply about life. And even though it isn’t, Allah makes with every hardship at least two eases. So the Prophet ﷺ was attacked at Taif—but he got Madina. His uncle Abu Talib never accepted Islam, but his other uncles (Al-Abbas, Hamza) and cousins (Ali bin abi Talib, Jafar bin abi Talib) did.

Once, a cab driver in London asked me: “Where is God?” when a little girl is attacked and all sorts of horrible things are done to her by some sick man. “Where is God?” in that situation. And my answer was, “Where were you?” The bad in the world doesn’t make me lose faith in God because Allah tells us that the bad is because of what our own hands have wrought. And it’s true—why do some masajid protect pedophiles and perverts? How can someone with religious authority be so abusive to other people? Why do people rape and pillage? We are the ones that are not living according to the rules God set. Allah says in the Qur’an to protect ourselves from the fitna (trials and tribulations) that will not befall only the oppressive ((“And fear a trial [fitna] which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in penalty.” [Qur’an, 8:25])) —the fitna will get us all because we allow it to continue. May Allah protect us!

Surat al-Kahf tells us about Musa’s (as) encounter with al-Khidr. Al-Khidr does things that baffle Musa (as). He damages the boat of people who were poor (who helped them no less!), he kills a child and then he restores a wall in a village where the people would not help them. From the outside, none of it makes sense. Musa (as) himself kept questioning and protesting the actions of al-Khidr. This is only natural on the part of Musa (as)—we must detest the evil around us. But al-Khidr shows Musa (as) that sometimes something seems bad but it actually averts a greater evil. Damaging the poor people’s boat for example, resulted in the oppressive king not seizing it since he would only confiscate boats that were in good condition.

So strive for justice. Strive for good. Be a source of light for people because God is Light and He gives His Light to whomever He wishes. The solution is to rely wholeheartedly on Allah. Learn about Allah. Beseech Him by His Names. We are human, and we have issues sometimes. But remember that there is so much beauty. Let that beauty remind you of God and the good He gives. There is some ugliness too. Let that move you to seek justice. At the very least detest the evil around you so that you do not become numb, but remember that it is higher to speak up about it and even higher to do something about it within the boundaries that are set.

Ask yourself what your faith is dependent upon. Then ask yourself, if there was a possibility that that were to be taken away, will you turn away?

May Allah make us firm.

Ramadan is upon us. It’s the most amazing time of the year where Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) makes it so easy for us to get infinite blessings. It’s a time when it’s easier to work on our nafs (self), create good habits, and put intense effort into du`a’s (supplications). Allah is the Most-Merciful all year round, and Ramadan simply opens us up to more mercy.

So what better time to get acquainted with Allah (swt) and another one of His Names?

The Meanings

Allah is al-Fattah. We need to know al-Fattah when we feel that things are impossible or too difficult because Allah (swt) necessarily invites you to know Him by this Name in those circumstances. Al-Fattah comes from the 3-letter root f-t-h (ف-ت-ح). Some words are known by their opposites, and the opposite of fath is for something to be closed. Thus fath is to open. Al-Ghazali tells us about al-Fattah, “He is the One by Whose concern everything that is closed is opened.” If I tell you to open the door, it must mean that the door is closed. If it is already open you would probably give me a funny look. So what does this mean? Allah al-Fattah opens the things that are closed. Those things that seem impossible, those things that you cannot understand how they even work. A door has to be closed in order for someone to open it. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Whatever mercy Allah opens for mankind, then none can be holding it back; and whatever He holds back, then none can be sending it forth after Him; And He is The Ever-Mighty, The Ever-Wise” (Qur’an, 35:2)

The second related meaning is to understand that Allah is al-Fattah when you embark on something new and the journey is unknown to you. What is unknown to you is ‘closed’ in that sense. So when you are embarking on a new journey, ask Allah (swt) to open the doors for you so that you do not encounter unanticipated difficulties. This could be with marriage, a new job, or even the start of Ramadan.

These two meanings relate to Ramadan. If you feel that you haven’t been too great concerning your relationship with Allah (swt), then Ramadan is the time to rectify that. Ramadan is the month of openings. Ask Allah to open your heart to Him. Take steps towards Him. Allah has opened hearts that are harder than yours. If there is something that you feel is too difficult, Ramadan is the month Allah answers du`a’s most. He responds and He opens that which is closed. So ask Allah during this month to open those doors that you felt were closed to you.

Finally, al-Fattah also relates to justice. In the Qur’an, we see that those who are accused unjustly make this du`a’:

“Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give decision.” [Qur’an: 7:89]

‘Iftah’ has been translated as decide, because Allah’s just decision is also an opening.

How to open the doors?

We have to remember that knowing Allah is al-Fattah means working hard to achieve the result that we want. Allah decides when to open those doors, and He may delay the solutions to test our sincerity and trust, so we should never lose hope. Imagine if the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) had given up after being attacked with stones at Ta’if? No matter how many times you knock on Allah’s door, it will eventually open, so don’t give up. Umar bin Abdel Azeez knew that Allah is the ultimate opener. He said, “I have an aspiring soul. Whenever it is given something in this world, it aspires to that which is better. My soul aspired to marry my cousin Fatima bint AbdelMalik, and I married her. My soul then aspired to be the Amir, and I was the Amir. Then my soul aspired the Caliphate, and I was given it. And now my soul longed for what is better, meaning Paradise, and I hope to be from its inhabitants.” This is a person that knows nothing is really impossible because Allah is al-Fattah.

Also, Al-Fattah sends solutions when we least expect it.  Some matters may seem like dilemmas at first. Yusuf `alayhi sallatu wa sallam (may Allah send His peace and blessings on him) was imprisoned. But it was through the imprisonment that he was shown to be innocent to everyone, and then he was given the guardianship over the food rations. Remember that the Prophet ﷺ was not allowed to make `umrah (the lesser pilgrimage) even though he embarked to do so, and instead signed a treaty at Hudaybiya. This verse was then revealed, “Surely We have given you an evident conquest,” (Qur’an, 48:1). Umar radi Allahu `anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) was astounded. How could the treaty’s terms be a victory or an opening? They were disadvantageous to the Muslims and they were not allowed to go on `umrah that year! However, the number of people who embraced Islam shortly after the treaty of Hudaybiya was great, and the following year gave them the conquest of Makkah. So remember that openings can come through things that look like problems to begin with.

Remember that Allah’s attributes are holistic, so He is al-Fattah and He is also the All-Knowing and the Most Wise. His opening for you will be one that is best for you, even if to you it does not seem like an opening.

Amr Khaled mentions that the simplest of things could lead to solutions, such as a simple word, a tear or even an ayah (verse).  We sometimes recite an ayah we’ve read a hundred times in the Qur’an, and one day we hear or read that ayah from a totally different perspective and that becomes an opening or a solution.

Finally, when Allah sends us a solution, He gives us that which exceeds our expectations. When Hajar (as) was running between Safa and Marwa, all she hoped for was some nourishment for her baby, or to see people who could help. And she didn’t give up, going back and forth 7 times. So Allah did not just give her nourishment for the day or week or month – He gave her the well of zamzam, which we still drink from today. Zamzam brought people to settle in the area. That is an opening from Allah!

Living with this Name

1. Have great hope in Allah’s victory, and in the fact that there will be opening.
2. Work towards that opening if you can.
3. Be a source of good for others. Help to open the doors for other people so that Allah (swt) will open the doors for you.

This article is largely based on a lecture by Amr Khaled.

Names of Allah Series:  

Sometimes we just don’t know where to turn. We have needs and we also have aspirations, wants and hopes. We get confused. Sometimes we just need someone to talk to. Sometimes we need shelter from the storm. And this is why Allah is as-Samad (the Eternal).

Some Names of Allah contain meanings that acknowledge His other attributes. For example, when we say Allah is al-Mujeeb (the One who responds), it is implicit that He is as-Samee` (the all-Hearing), al-Baseer (the all-Seeing) and al-Qawiyy (the Strong). Other Names seem to be very similar in meaning, but the context reveals the nuances. For example, al-Ghafur (the Forgiving) and at-Tawwab (the One who accepts repentance): They both have to do with repentance. Al-Ghafur refers to Allah covering up our sin and forgiving the sin, whereas at-Tawwab is more. He is the One that accepts the servant when he turns back. He listens to our excuses and reasons and still accepts us.

Today’s Name is similar in that regard. As-Samad has many meanings but what it is important is how we relate to Him. Al-Ghazali states that as-Samad is “the One to whom one turns to in need and the One who one is intended in our desires, for ultimate dominion culminates in Him.”

In the dictionary Samad is defined as the eternal; to remain unaffected or unchanged; to intend or turn to; something that is solid, with no holes or emptiness inside; and the ultimate Master who is obeyed. We say sumood (from the same root s-m-d), which is to remain firm and steadfast. Ali bin Abi Talib radi allahu `anhu (may God be please with him) said:

فصمدا صمدا حتى يَتَجلى لكم عمود الحق

“So stay firm, stay firm (samdan samdan) so that you may reach the pillars of truth.”

Thus Allah is the One who we turn to for both our needs and desires and who is our ultimate goal, because fundamentally He is the Master, the Eternal, the One who remains firm and unchanged – so who else can we turn to?

This Name has been mentioned in the Qur’an once, in Surat al-Ikhlas:

Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One,

Allah, the Eternal Refuge.

He neither begets nor is born,

Nor is there to Him any equivalent.”

Surat al-Ikhlas was revealed when the people of Mecca asked the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) to describe to them His Lord. This Surah answers their question and tells them (and us) about Allah. So when the people of Mecca were being told who Allah was, His being as-Samad was mentioned. Why would this be mentioned out of all His attributes? Because essentially what you need to know is that Allah is One and Unique (Ahad), and also that He is as-Samad, the Eternal Refuge, that One who is our means and our end. We go to Him for our desires but we should also ultimately desire Him—this is sincerity (ikhlas). The Prophet ﷺ told us that Surat al-Ikhlas is equal to the a third of the Qur’an (Muslim). And the reason is that if you want to know Allah, Surat al-Ikhlas summarizes His attributes. Thus knowing that He is as-Samad is crucial.

We all have hopes—marriage, sustenance, good kids, peace of mind. And we ask Allah for them. We turn to Him in good and bad, for needs and for desires. And don’t think that the One who has named himself as-Samad will let you down. At Ta’if, when the Prophet ﷺ went to seek refuge with the people, they pelted him with rocks in return. So he turned to Allah as-Samad for his needs—even if it was just for Allah to provide him with some peace at that moment. “If you are not angry with me, I do not care,” he ﷺ said, “only that Your favor is a more expansive relief to me.” When the Prophet ﷺ migrated to Medina with the companions, they were not used to the conditions there. Many companions (ra) fell ill. Bilal (ra) even recited poetry about returning to valley of Mecca. And the Prophet ﷺ turned to Allah for that need, and indeed Medina became as beloved as Mecca, if not more.

When we think of du`a’ (supplication), we tend to think of material or physical things that we need or want. “I want a house, I want a car, I want a job, I want to be healthy…” and so we ask al-Mujeeb, the One who responds to His servants. But as-Samad is slightly different because you turn to Him with all the needs of your heart, body and soul. And you can, because as-Samad is unshakeable. You can be confident and assured, because the One you are turning to is the Master, unaffected by the changes around us. Sheikh Ratib an-Nabulsi gives an example for this. In fiqh (jurisprudence), the child of a wealthy person is not eligible for zakaat. While he may be technically in need and poor in that he does not possess anything himself, his parents are wealthy and so he is regarded as being wealthy because he is taken care of by them. Now switch this to our relationship with Allah. We may be in need, but in actual fact, because we have Allah to turn to for our needs, we are not really in need at all (in terms of in this dunya). Rest assured because you have as-Samad.

There are many sayings of the Prophet ﷺ that encourage us to turn to Allah for all of our needs. The Prophet ﷺ said: “You should ask Allah for all of your needs, even if the strap of your sandal breaks,” [Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibban]. Sheikh Ratib an-Nabulsi says that implicit in this is that Allah wants you to turn to Him for your needs. He quotes al-Ghazali who said that Allah has chosen this Name so that His servants would turn to Him, because they know that He is the One who does not waver and is there for His servants to turn to, for ALL of their needs. Indeed, the Prophet ﷺ said that “Allah descends during the last third of the night asking: ‘Is there a person asking, or a person turning back, or a person seeking forgiveness from sin?’ And this continues until the sun rises.” [Muslim] A beautiful verse of poetry reads:

Do not ask the son of Adam for your needs

But ask the One whose doors do not close

Allah is angry when you do not ask

And the son of Adam, if asked, is angry

We need both dunya (this life) and akhirah (the hereafter), so we shouldn’t be ashamed when we feel we have worldly needs. The Prophet ﷺ makes a beautiful du`a’ where he asks for both dunya and akhirah:

اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَادِي

وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ

Allahumma aṣliḥ lī dīn al-lathi huwa `iṣmatu amrī, wa aṣliḥ lī dunya-ya al-lati fīhā ma`āshī, wa aṣlih lī ākhirati al-lati fīhā ma`ādī, wa-j`al al-ḥayāta ziyādatan lī fī kuli khayr, wa-j`al al-mawta rāḥatan lī min kuli sharr.

“O God, set right for me my religion which is the safeguard of my affairs. And set right for me the affairs of my world wherein is my living. And set right for me my Hereafter to which is my return. And make the life for me (a source) of abundance for every good and make my death a source of comfort for me protecting me against every evil.” [Muslim] ((Translation and transliteration can be found here: http://www.tayyibaat.com/2011/08/25/ramadan-supplication-series-deen-dunya-and-akhirah/))

So we need to ask, what is our relationship to as-Samad? Do we really turn to Him for all of our needs?

A final point with regards to as-Samad—some may ask whether turning to Allah with all our needs negates striving and using the physical means around us. This is obviously not true because Allah commands us to strive. But turning to as-Samad is recognizing where all these physical means come from, and that they can only work with the help of God. When Musa `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him) felt that he couldn’t go to Pharoah because he wasn’t as eloquent as his brother Harun (as), he went to Allah first and said, “And appoint for me a minister from my family—Aaron, my brother. Increase through him my strength and let him share my task,” [Qur’an, 30:29-32]. So he asked Allah for his need to have someone with him, and ultimately he was reliant on Allah, not his brother.

Being with As-Samad

First, go to Allah with every need. Rely on Him only. Don’t ever think that a need or a want is too small or too great to go to Allah with. As the Prophet ﷺ said, go to Him even if the strap of your sandal breaks.

Secondly, be there for people. Allow people to turn to you and offer them your help. The Prophet ﷺ told us that “The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind,” [Tabarani]; and “If Allah wants good for a person then He uses him,” [Ahmad]. Al-Ghazali says: “The one whom God has appointed to be a model for His servants in fulfilling their worldly and religious duties, and who secures the needs of His creatures by his word and action—to that one God bestows a share in His attribute. But the absolutely eternal is the One to whom one turns to in every need, and He is God—may He be praised and exalted.”

May we always turn to as-Samad for all of our needs.

“Whosoever relieves from a believer some grief pertaining to this world, Allah will relieve from him some grief pertaining to the Hereafter. Whosoever alleviates the difficulties of a needy person who cannot pay his debt, Allah will alleviate his difficulties in both this world and the Hereafter. Whosoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. Allah will aid a servant (of His) so long as the servant aids his brother.” [Muslim]

Reading this hadith (saying of the Prophet  ﷺ) always humbles me. We are given so much for doing things that we should be doing anyway, at the very least out of thanks because of all that we have been given. When we think of the concept of appreciation, what should immediately come to mind is that we should be appreciative and grateful for the blessings that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) has bestowed upon us—everything from the material, to our friends and family, to the spiritual.

But do we realize that Allah has given Himself the Name ash-Shakoor?

Shukr is defined as recognizing and appreciating when good is done. Shakoor in Arabic is also used to describe an animal that is given little food but gives back much. So it revolves around receiving something, even if small, and giving back much because of it.

Allah is ash-Shakoor, which we will translate here as the Most Appreciative. Al-Ghazali tells us that ash-Shakoor is “the one who rewards the practice of a few pious deeds many-fold, and in response to the action of a few days, gives limitless happiness in the life to come. The one who rewards a good deed many-fold is said to be grateful for that deed, while whoever commends the one who does a good deed is also said to be grateful. Yet if you consider the multiplication factor in reward, only God—great and glorious—is absolutely grateful because His multiplication of the reward is unrestricted and unlimited; for there is no end to the happiness of Paradise.”

Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

لِيُوَفِّيَهُمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزِيدَهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِ إِنَّهُ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ

“That He may give them in full their rewards and increase for them of His bounty. Indeed, He is Forgiving and Appreciative.” (Qur’an, 35:30)

We might think—what does Allah have to be appreciative for? Everything we have is from Him anyway! But that is why He, the Most High, is ash-Shakoor: The Most-Appreciative. In this form, it means He appreciates the smallest of deeds, He appreciates the deeds all the time, and His appreciation is unlimited.

وَمَنْ يَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِيهَا حُسْنًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ

“…And whoever commits a good deed — We will increase for him good therein. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Appreciative.” (Qur’an, 42:23)

The Prophet ﷺ urged us to do good deeds no matter how small, as he said that we should protect ourselves from the Fire by giving even half of a date in charity [Bukhari]. Now imagine if you give even more?

This is why the Prophet ﷺ reminds us, “Do not belittle any good deed, even meeting your brother with a cheerful face,” [Muslim]. Allah appreciates the deeds that are done to all creatures, not simply humans. The Prophet ﷺ narrates to us a story of a man who was extremely thirsty, and found a well, which he climbed down to fetch water to quench his thirst. He then saw a dog which was panting out of thirst. Recognizing that the dog felt the exact same thing he was a few minutes ago, he climbed back down the well in order to give the dog some water. Allah appreciated his action (fashakara Allahu lahu) and forgave his sins [Bukhari and Muslim].

Simple acts like glorifying Allah (saying subhan’Allah – glory be to God) 100 times grants you 1000 good deeds.

Allah (swt) even appreciates our intention. The Prophet ﷺ describes two men: one man whom Allah has bestowed upon wealth and knowledge, and he acts upon that knowledge and gives from his wealth; and another man whom Allah has given knowledge but no wealth, and that man says, “If I had the wealth he had, I would do the same”. The Prophet ﷺ said “And they are rewarded the same”. [Ibn Majah]

Go out of your way to help someone, not expecting anything in return, and someone along the road will do that for you as a reward from Allah (swt). I remember someone telling my father and me about a time he was severely in debt. Only halfway through the month he was counting the little money that he had, not sure how he would feed his family for the next few weeks. He told us that as he was thinking about what he should do, a man who had borrowed money from him 10 years ago when he was a student called him and said he had the money to pay him back. Nothing we ever do is lost. Allah (swt) kept that money for him for when he needed it the most. And this man, may Allah bless him, had a habit of never asking for money back when he loaned it to people. It worked to his detriment sometimes, but Allah (swt) appreciated his selfless deed and returned the money to him when it was worth so much more. The Prophet ﷺ exemplified this and always gave people, so much that a Bedouin exclaimed, “O my people! Embrace Islam, for Muhammad gives away like the one who does not fear poverty.” [Muslim]

Other names of Allah relating to Ash-Shakoor

The Qur’an is a book full of virtues and benefits. At the end of certain ayat (verses), Allah pairs two of His Names together – “Al-’aleem al-Hakeem (the All-knowing, the Wise),” for example. This is not random or by accident. Allah shows us the relationship between the two attributes. With ash-Shakoor this is particularly amazing. Amr Khaled explained the relationship between ash-Shakoor and the other Names it is paired with in the Qur’an:

When it comes to doing good, some of us are hesitant. ‘I am such a sinner!’ We may think, ‘Will Allah really appreciate the pathetic deeds that I do when I commit such horribly bad deeds?’  Allah (swt) says, “Surely our Lord is indeed Ever-Forgiving, Appreciative”(Qur’an, 35:34), and  “He is most forgiving, most appreciative.” (Qur’an, 35:30).   This gives us the reassurance that even if we commit sinful deeds, we can return to Allah and He will, insha’Allah (God willing) forgive us, while rewarding us for the good.

Secondly, many of us crave recognition. We do good in secret and a part of us wishes that the person we have done good for knows. Or at other times, we may intend to do something good but everything goes wrong—and no one knew that your intention was to do good. To this effect, Allah (swt) tells us, “And ever is Allah Appreciative and Knowing,” (Qur’an, 4:147).  Allah (swt) rewards and appreciates the things that people may overlook.

Remember that with Allah (swt) the cycle is never ending. When we deal with human beings, you could give them a gift and they respond with a thanks or a gift in return, but it ends there. With Allah (swt), He tells us that when we thank, He gives us more. So it is a cycle of increase and encouragement for you to be grateful and constantly doing good.

Being aware of ash-Shakoor

Awareness of ash-Shakoor should inspire in us the following things:

1. Give as much as you can, be there for people and help where you can. Treat people as you like Allah (swt) to treat you. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Walking with a brother in order to fulfill his needs is better for me than fasting and remaining in devotional seclusion in my mosque for a whole month.” [Tabarani] Allah rewards for the tiniest things we do, so imagine if we start doing great things?
2. Worship Allah (swt) in the best way that you can. Try to improve the devotion in your prayers, reflect over the Qur’an, fast voluntarily if you can—you will see the effect both in this life and the next insha’Allah! Also, adding a small amount that is continuous is better that doing so much and then burning out, so remember to do what you can bear.
3. Sometimes Allah (swt) postpones the signs of His appreciation – and this is to build sincerity. Are you going to give up because you don’t see the immediate fruits? Do it for Allah (swt), because you know He is ash-Shakoor in this life and the next, and ask Him to grant you beautiful patience. Remember that the Prophet ﷺ was kind and forbearing and was not treated with the same in Makkah, but Allah (swt) gave him great companions and finally refuge in Madina.
4. Appreciate people. The Prophet ﷺ taught us that “The one who does not thank people had not thanked God.” [Abu Dawud]
5. Finally, be grateful for what you have been given by Allah (swt). Al-Ghazali states, “The best way of manifesting thankfulness for the blessings of God Most High is to make use of these blessings in obeying, and not disobeying, Him.”

Allah (swt) says:

“Is the reward for good [anything] but good?

[Qur’an, 55:60]

May Allah enable us to be thankful and appreciative servants of the Most-Appreciative.

“Tell me about ihsan.”

The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) replied: “It is to worship Allah as though you see Him, and though you do not see Him, you know that He sees you” (Bukhari).

Many of the Names that we discussed previously seem to be situation-specific; if you are worried about sustenance, know He is al-Razzaq (The Provider). When you feel lost, know He is al-Haadi (The Guide). Yet Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) is with us always, in the good and bad, as well as the mundane and ordinary. So how can we engage with Allah on an everyday level?

By knowing that Allah is ar-Raqeeb (the all-Observant).

Linguistically, ra-qa-ba (the three letter root of Raqeeb) means to be erect in order to care for something. A marqab is a high place that the watcher stands on to observe what is beneath him. And from this comes ar-raqaba, which is the neck, because it is erect, and one must be upright when he is observing.

And from this root comes ar-Raqeeb. Al-Ghazali states that the All-Observant “is one who knows and protects. For whoever cares for something to the point of never forgetting it, and observes it with a constant and persistent gaze.”

So Allah (swt) is watching over us, all the time, out of His care for us. And this should have a profound effect on the way we live. Allah tells us,

“Does he not know that Allah sees?” (Qur’an, 96:14)

One could say, ‘Of course we know Allah watches over everything. That’s the most obvious thing.’ Yet, there is a huge difference between knowing Allah is Ar-Raqeeb, and living with the effect of that knowledge. In a lecture on this name, Amr Khaled said that `Umar bin al-Khattab radi allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him) admired those who knew Allah is ar-Raqeeb, and told two stories from the life of ‘Umar.

There is a well-known story of the milk seller. While `Umar (ra) was walking at night as he usually did to check on the people, he heard a mother ordering her daughter to dilute the milk they were going to sell with water.  The daughter replied, “Do you not know that `Umar the commander of the believers has forbidden that?”  The mother said, “Well, `Umar does not see us now.”  She replied, “If `Umar does not see us, his Lord sees us.”

`Umar (ra) was so impressed by this young woman and her certainty that Allah is All-Observant, that his son ‘Asem married her. ‘Umar Ibn Abdul-Azeez, the well-known and just ruler who is also regarded as one of the rightly guided caliphs, is descended from this woman.

There is another incident that concerns ‘Umar (ra). He wanted to check up on his people. So he found a shepherd taking care of some sheep, and asked if the boy would sell him one. The boy replied that it was not his. `Umar wanted to see how the boy would react if he was presented with an offer. He said to him “If your master asks you, tell him that the sheep was eaten by a wolf.”  He looked at him and said, “And what would I say to Him (i.e. Allah)?”  `Umar cried and said, “By Allah, you are right.  What would you say to Him?”

The milk-seller and the shepherd were regular people. They were people who were presented with a temptation, but their faith that Allah is All-Observant, meaning He both sees and cares for His servants, prevented them from being blinded. They were mindful that Allah (swt) is All-Observant, and thus they were observant over their own selves.

Knowing Allah is the All-Observant

You are never alone

One of things that should warm our hearts when we know Allah is ar-Raqeeb is that we are never, ever alone. When we are up late at night working on an essay, or awake in the early hours of the morning getting ready for work, Allah is with us.

Watch yourself

Al-Ghazali states, “The attribute of watchfulness is only praiseworthy in man if his watchfulness is directed to his Lord and his heart”. Just like the milk-seller and the shepherd, we should also be watchful over ourselves.

Desire to impress

This Name should also make us want to impress Allah (swt). When we know our parents or someone we love is watching us, we try to do better—so we should be like that when we know Ar-Raqeeb. The All-Observant does not only see our bad deeds, but also our good deeds. Let’s give more charity because we know He is watching; let’s be good to people despite the fact that we may not be feeling it at the moment, all for Allah because we know He sees all.

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]

“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things.” [Qur’an, 24:35]

Light is one of those words that we use to describe a multitude of things, from rays of the sun to a person having ‘light’. It is abstract, it is intangible, but instinctively we know what it means. Light is good—it illuminates.

So I wanted to know Allah’s Name, Al-Nur (Light). I could only imagine it to be beautiful and deep. And it is. Al-Ghazali said about Allah’s Name: “Al-Nur is the visible One by whom everything is made visible, for what is visible in itself and makes others visible is called ‘light’.” It is related to Al-Dhaahir—the Manifest.

In the dictionary it is described as illumination, or rays or anything that gives off a light. Ibn al-Atheer said about Allah’s Name al-Nur: He is the One whom the blind see by His light, and the astray are guided by His guidance.

Abu al-Mansoor said in his tafseer (exegesis) of the abovementioned verse that the example of His Light of guidance in the heart of a believer is like a niche within which is a lamp. The light of Allah subahanhu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) is the lamp that illuminates the heart of the believer.

We all know what light is, and we recognize it when we see it. But the meaning of Allah’s Name al-Nur becomes more apparent when we understand that light, as al-Ghazali said, is making the invisible, visible.

Read that again—what is invisible, is made visible.

This is why light is related to guidance. When a person is astray, he is within darkness—meaning he is lost, he does not know where to go, he is uncertain about everything. But with light, and specifically the Light of Allah, everything becomes clear. It is all visible now. There is understanding. There is clarity. And with that comes certainty. Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu `anhu  (may God be pleased with him)said: “Light is Allah, the Guide, Who guides with His Divine Guidance whomsoever He wills by showing him the truth and inspiring him to follow it.”

In the Qur’an Allah says:

“There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book.” [Qur’an, 5:15]

The light in this verse is the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and he is sent from Allah (swt). This is why reading the seerah (story) and understanding the sunnah (traditions) of the Prophet ﷺ is so important—because everything is made clear by it. We have the best example in him, and through him, Allah (swt) makes many things clear for us.

Sheikh Ratib an-Nabulsi, in describing this Name, said, “Allah, All Mighty, is Light, so if you get connected with Him, you derive from His Divine Spiritual Light spiritual comfort and peacefulness, your vision of things and matters is rightly guided.”

This can help us understand the hadith (sayings of the Prophet ﷺ) when Allah (swt) describes what happens when He loves a servant:

“When I love him, I shall be his hearing with which he shall hear, his sight with which he shall see, his hands with which he shall hold, and his feet with which he shall walk. And if he asks (something) of Me, I shall surely give it to him, and if he takes refuge in Me, I shall certainly grant him it.” (Bukhari)

Another aspect to the meaning of this Name is described by an-Nabulsi: “A person may sometimes face a problem that seems to be unsolvable. In this case, the person is, as it were, in darkness in regards to such problem. But then all of a sudden, an idea flashes in his mind and enables him to solve the problem.” This is a spiritual light.

There are two beautiful du`a’s (supplications) in this regard, one from the Qur’an and one from the sunnah:

يقولون ربنا أتمم لنا نورنا واغفر لنا إنك على كل شيء قدير

“They will say: ‘Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all things competent.’” [Qur’an, 66:8]

And:

 اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا وَفِي بَصَرِي نُورًا وَفِي سَمْعِي نُورًا وَفِي لِسَانِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَسَارِي نُورًا, اللَّهُمَّ وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ فَوْقِي نُورًا وَمِنْ تَحْتِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ أَمَامِي نُورًا وَمِنْ  خَلْفِي نُورً

اللَّهُمَّ وَأَعْظِمْ لِي نُورًا

“O Allah! Make for me Light in my heart, Light in my vision, Light in my hearing, Light on my right, Light on my left, Light above me, Light under me, Light in front of me, Light behind me, Light in my hair, Light in my skin, Light in my flesh, Light in my blood, and Light in my bones. O Allah Grant me Light!” [Tirmidhi]

May we truly seek the Light of Allah and may our path be illuminated by none other than His Light. Ameen.

When learning Allah’s Names, it is important to understand that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) is not just one attribute at a time. Just like if we describe our friend as firm and kind, it doesn’t mean that she is sometimes firm and sometimes kind. She is both at the same time. One attribute does not cancel out the other; rather they work in harmony. So it is important not to compartmentalize Allah’s Names and attributes in that way, but rather to understand Him in a holistic sense.

Today’s two Names are important in that regard, because we can truly better our relationship with Allah (swt) when we understand how these Names relate to His other Names.

The first Name is Al-`aleem– the All-Knowing: what is and what could be, what was and what could have been. Al-Ghazali says, “Its perfection lies in comprehending everything by knowledge—manifest and hidden, small and large, first and last, inception and outcome.”

Sheikh Ratib an-Nabulsi teaches that the difference between Allah’s knowledge and human knowledge is that we must necessarily acquire our knowledge by what we see and experience around us. On the other hand, Allah’s knowledge has no beginning or end, and is not based on trial and error. Allah (swt) tells us in the Qur’an:

“And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record,” (Qur’an, 6:59)

The all-Knower even knows every leaf that falls. He knows what our souls whisper to us and He is closer to us “than the jugular vein”. So He knows what you are going through, what you are feeling. Your Lord does not forget either; so do not think that anything you have done has gone to waste. He knows when you prevented yourself from doing bad for His sake, so just because you didn’t see the result of your choice immediately, don’t think that it went unnoticed. But some things need patience, and Allah (swt) teaches us with time. Allah (swt) tells us:

“But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.” (Qur’an, 2:216)

The second Name is al-Hakeem which is related to hakam, to judge. According to al-Ghazali, al-Hakeem is “the One who possesses wisdom, and wisdom consists of the knowledge of the most excellent things gathered through the instrumentality of the most excellent branch of knowledge.” Similarly in order to judge, you need to have the knowledge with which to do so.

One is knowing, and the other is acting with this knowledge. Allah (swt) is both the All-Knowing and the Most-Wise—He possesses all the knowledge, and as an-Nabulsi states, He “does the proper thing in the proper way in the proper place and the proper time.”

So crucially, we talk about Allah being al-Mujeeb (the One who responds), al-Wakeel (the Trustee) and al-Fattah (the Supreme Opener). So sometimes we work hard and have absolute certainty that the Possessor of these attributes will help us. Then, the result is not as we wanted. So some of us may come away with our faith shaken, others may feel betrayed or abandoned. But that is because we missed out on something—He is the Most-Wise, and He is the all-Knowing. He didn’t give it to you because He knows what is best for your dunya (this life) and your akhira (the hereafter). We sometimes think we know, but we do not possess all of the knowledge. And understanding that He knows what the best result should be is true tawakul (total trust in God).

Can we imagine being in the position of the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him), when he seeks protection from the people of Ta’if? He must have thought, “Surely, Allah will respond.” And he goes to Ta’if, yet is rejected in a brutal, demeaning way. But he never doubts Allah (swt), not for a second. His du`a’ (supplication) consists of saying to Allah, “If you are not angry with me, then I do not care.” So he never doubts. He continues working. And it is because Medina was better for him—and the lesson for us is no matter what the people do to us, if we are on the path to truth, Allah (swt) is always with us.

So whenever things do not go our way or as we assumed they would, we need to put our trust in the One who truly knows what is best. I once prayed istikhara (prayer for guidance) for a job I really didn’t want to take, and everything was pushing me to take it. It was not a job I would want to do in the long term, but at that time it was the only thing available and all the signs seemed to be pointing for me to take it. I was not too happy, but tried to be content. Subhan’Allah (glory to God), it was through that job that the doors to what I actually wanted to do opened up—and I learned that truly Allah knows, and I do not. I’m sure that many of us have gone through this!

Coming Alive with Allah’s Names

The first lesson is that understanding these Names should increase our faith in Allah, and especially in His other Names and attributes. They are all related, and once we truly understand them and try to live by them, our faith in Allah (swt) should increase as we see the manifestations of His Name in our lives.

The second lesson is one of humility. When Abu Bakr radi Allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him) was praised, he would pray:

“O Allah! You know me more than I know myself; and I know myself more than they know me. O Allah! Make me better than they say, forgive me what they do not know about me, and do not take me to account for that which they say about me.” (Ibn Atheer)

We all know our faults better than others, and there are some faults that we do not notice that Allah (swt) knows. It is important to keep ourselves grounded, that no matter how good we become, Allah is All-Knowing and we can always improve. The du`a’ of the Angels in the Qur’an is beautiful in this regard:

“They said, “Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise.” (Qur’an, 2:32)

It is important to always attribute the good to Allah (swt), because truly all good is from Him. And as we know, whoever is grateful, Allah (swt) increases them in favor.

Finally, the best knowledge is knowledge of Allah (swt). Al-Ghazali, says, “He who knows all things but fails to know Allah is not called ‘a wise person’.” We are encouraged to increase in knowledge, as Allah (swt) instructs us in the Qur’an:

“… and say, ‘My Lord, increase me in knowledge.’” (Qur’an, 20:114)

Moreover, knowledge is praised. Allah (swt) also tells us:

“… whoever is given wisdom is given a great good,” (Qur’an, 2:269)

So it is important to keep learning in general in order to better ourselves in this dunya, but it is equally if not more important to keep up our religious knowledge and knowledge of Allah (swt), because that also helps us to put this dunya into context.

We ask Allah to increase us in beneficial knowledge and in iman (faith).

Names of Allah Series:

Al-Khaafidh (the Abaser) comes from the root kh-f-dh. It was used to refer to the camel when he lowers his head. When referring to Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), Ibn Atheer said, “It is He who lowers the oppressors and humiliates them.”

When we look around, the signs of Allah (swt) are apparent. Look at Hitler who was unbelievably powerful at his time, who, despite all odds, was able to make his country a world power. But his power was based on oppression. He was humiliated, brought down, and debased—he ended up committing suicide. And we have more recent examples. The Arab Spring in Egypt saw Mubarak—who had a hold on power for 30 years and profited from his position while the people lived in poverty—removed from his place. There is a beautiful verse in the Qur’an:

“And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people so that Allah may make evident those who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs – and Allah does not like the wrongdoers.” [Qur’an, 3:140]

This is the sunnah (path) of life. At times we see tyrants with so much power, but slowly they are toppled down. And this is not just for rulers who are oppressive. When Iblees said:

“I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.” [Qur’an, 38:76]

Allah (swt) expelled him from Paradise.

When Pharoah said, “I am your most exalted lord.” [Qur’an, 79:24]

He was drowned.

And this should scare us. We may not have the worldly status of Pharoah, but how many of us have a little Pharoah in us, or a little Iblees, justifying our arrogance? So the lesson for us is to be humble before Allah (swt) lowers us. As the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) told us:

من تواضع رفعه الله

“Whoever humbles himself to God, Allah will raise him.” (Muslim)

And this brings us to Allah ar-Raafi`—He who raises and exalts. Allah (swt) says to the Prophet ﷺ in the Qur’an:

“And We raised high (rafa`na) for you your repute.” [Qur’an, 94:4]

He says that He has exalted the Prophet ﷺ. And this is important for us to remember during these times when vicious lies are being spread about the Prophet ﷺ. It is not so different to what was being said about him when he started inviting people to Islam. However, Allah (swt) said that He raised high his repute; so no matter how many cartoons or films are made about him, Allah (swt) has raised him and no one can humiliate him. While some people will do disrespectful things out of ignorance, some people use it as an opportunity to spread light. The 1 Billion Salawat initiative was launched on November 4^th in which Muslims all over the world pledged to send prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ. As of today, the pledge count is 80 million—subhan Allah (glory be to God). More than 1400 years after his death, people are still exalting his remembrance.

And when it comes to us, we must remember that there is a never a moment when we are obeying Allah (swt) except that we are elevated, and this should comfort us when we encounter opposition from other people. However, sometimes people act in a contradictory way. Their obedience to Allah (swt) causes them to be arrogant—is this a person that Allah (swt) raises? Remember that we are told that a person will not enter Paradise if he has an atom’s worth of arrogance in his heart. So even our obedience to God should come with humility and a feeling of gratefulness. This is perfectly illustrated in the words of the people of Paradise:

“Praise to Allah, who has guided us to this; and we would never have been guided if Allah had not guided us.” [Qur’an, 7:43]

So understanding that Allah’s Names, al-Khaafidh ar-Raafi`, relate to us greatly is crucial. By humbling ourselves before Allah (swt) and striving to serve Him and help His creation, we are elevated to the rank of the Angels. Al-Ghazaali states:

“Whoever elevates his vision above tangible and imagined things, and his intention above blameworthy desires, God has raised him to the horizon of the angels close to Him [muqarrabun]; while whoever restricts his vision to tangible things and his aspiration to the passions the beasts share with him, God will reduce him to the lowest of ranks. None but God most high does this, for He is the Abaser and the Exalter.”

May Allah make us of those whom He loves and elevates!

Our Internal States

Allah’s Names al-Khaafidh ar-Raafi` also have to do with our internal state. When we do something wrong, we sometimes feel debased, uncomfortable, and down. But when we do good, we feel uplifted. And that is Allah (swt) raising our spirits. So we should even understand these feelings as signs from Allah (swt), and we should turn to Him as a cure.

Relationship to Other Names

Another pair of Allah’s Names has a very similar meaning—Al-Mu’izz al-Muthil, the Honorer, He who humbles. While I will not be expanding on these Names too much here, I will say that they are related to dominion; He is the One who gives dominion to whomever He wills and removes it from whomever He wills. These Names are also related to dignity—that it is Allah (swt) who honors and dignifies, and it is He who humbles and shames. As al-Ghazali states, “true dominion consists in deliverance from the shame of need, the dominance of passion, and the disgrace of ignorance.” May we all be of those whom Allah elevates.