Names of Allah Series:

The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) said: ‘Indeed, Allah is the Arbitrator (al-Ḥakam) and to Him is the judgment.’ (Abu Dawud)

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) is al-Ḥakam. The root of this word is the three-letter root ḥ-k-m (م – ك – ح), which also gives rise to His name al-Ḥakeem. The root means ‘to prevent’ or ‘to restrain’ (المنع), and it is linked to preventing oppression; ḥikma (wisdom) also means ‘the prevention of ignorance’ (maqayis al-lugha).

Ḥukm is not only knowledge, but understanding and execution of that knowledge; it can therefore mean ‘decree’ or ‘judgment’. In Arabic, the referee in a sports match is called a ḥakam, and a ḥākim is a ruler.

Thus, Allah’s (swt) Name al-Ḥakam means that He is the ultimate arbitrator and judge, Whose rulings no one can overturn, as al-Ghazali points out.

Al-Ḥakam in this world

On Decree

The Prophet ﷺ said in a hadith (narration):

‘The reality of faith is knowing that what has passed you by was not going to befall you; and that what has befallen you was not going to pass you by.’ (Tabarani)

He ﷺ also said:

‘Know that if the whole world were to gather together in order to help you, they would not be able to help you except if Allah had written so. And if the whole world were to gather together in order to harm you, they would not harm you except if Allah had written so. The pens have been lifted, and the pages are dry.’ (Tirmidhi)

One of the basic tenets of our faith is belief in “qadar (predestination), both in its good and in its evil aspects” (hadith reported by Muslim). But what does qadar mean and how do we balance it with planning and action?

Allah has decreed certain things, and those things cannot be overturned. He has also decreed other things which He allows to be changed, as the Prophet ﷺ told us: “Nothing can change the Divine decree except du`a’ (prayer),” (Ahmad). Moreover, he ﷺ also tells us “Du`a’ is beneficial with regard to what has been decreed and what has not been decreed. The du`a’ meets the calamity that has been decreed and wrestles with it, until the Day of Resurrection.” (Tabarani)

The truth is that we do not know Allah’s (swt) decree – those things that cannot be overturned – and we will not be asked about His decree. We will be asked about our responsibilities. Allah (swt) teaches us this through the example of the Prophet ﷺ. The Quraysh tribe was plotting to assassinate the Prophet ﷺ so he planned with `Ali and Abu Bakr radi Allahu `anhumaa (may God be pleased with them both). `Ali (ra) would take the Prophet’s ﷺ place in his bed to buy time, while the Prophet ﷺ escaped with Abu Bakr (ra).

At the same time, the would-be assassins planned too. They all planned to attack the Prophet ﷺ in his bed at the same time and murder him, so that the blame would be shared equally between all the tribes, and no one individual would be responsible. Allah (swt) says of this in the Qur’an:

‘And [remember, O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or evict you [from Makkah]. But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners.’ (8:30)

In the end, it was Allah’s (swt) plan that won; indeed, it is always His plan that wins: the Prophet ﷺ escaped safely to Medina.

We forget that the point of Islam is submission to Allah. Part of submission is working with the means – because we have been commanded to do so and given certain means – as well as understanding that He ultimately decides what He allows to pass. We make the mistake of seeing planning and relying on Allah as opposites, whereas they are complementary when viewed under the umbrella of submission to Him.

Sometimes, Allah (swt) shows us the larger picture through the everyday and the mundane. We all have days in which things seem to be going according to plan, yet somehow they get messed up. You might leave the house early enough to get to work, then remember that you forgot something important and have to go back. You might then get into your car and find that traffic is terrible, or get on the train and find that there are delays.

Throughout it all, you are annoyed, wondering why this is happening to you—especially since you put effort into being on time—and wondering what you could have done differently. Yet somehow, you find that you make it just in time; or maybe you do end up being late, but your boss is too, so everything is fine. Or perhaps you are late, and you are reprimanded by your boss.

Delays and detours are an inevitable part of life, both literally and metaphorically. Many times, our planning ahead helps us, but there may be times when it does not. Yet Allah (swt) shows you that He will always get you where you need to be, thought it may not be where you want to be at that time. It may not happen how you envisaged it, but there is always a lesson to be learned from the Most Wise. Focus on what you can control, and leave what you cannot.

We should learn from these daily lessons and have trust in the Most High. What is best will come, whenever He wills. Allah (swt) tells us:

‘…Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.’ (65:3)

On His rulings

According to Sheikh Abdulrazzaq al-Badr, Allah’s (swt) rulings and decrees are part of is His ḥukm. Allah says:

‘Then is it the judgment of [the time of] ignorance they desire? But who is better than Allah in judgment for a people who are certain [in faith].’ (5:50)

Allah (swt) has put upon us certain responsibilities. We are commanded to commit to the pillars of Islam: testimony of faith, prayer, fasting in Ramadan, zakat (almsgiving) and Hajj (pilgrimage). We must strive to perfect our character, work for justice and remove oppression; we are commanded to invite people to the beauty of our religion and to seek knowledge—all in submission to the Most High.

Part of believing in Allah as al-Ḥakam is to know that these rulings came from the Most Wise and the Most Just, committing to them to the best of our ability even when we do not understand them or when we feel down. It is easy to say ‘I am not feeling my prayer’ and succumb to the urge not to pray; it is easy to think, ‘I am in love with someone, but we can’t get married right now. Why should we deny ourselves things when are in love?’; yet we must strive to uphold His rulings.

Of course, this does not mean that we do not seek to understand Allah’s (swt) rulings, nor am I speaking about matters in which there is a considerable difference of opinion and there is more than one possible ruling to take. Rather, I am speaking here about the established responsibilities Allah (swt) has decreed upon us.

Al-Ḥakam on the Day of Judgment

‘Say, “O Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, You will judge (taḥkumu) between your servants concerning that over which they used to differ”.’ (39:46)

We all know that we will return to Allah (swt). On the Day of Judgment, He will be the ultimate Judge. He will judge between us regarding that upon which we used to differ, and everyone will receive their just reward. Knowing this should inspire hope and vigilance – hope, because we know that Allah (swt) will rule according to wisdom, justice and mercy; and vigilance, because we will be asked about what we used to do, and so we should ensure that we take care of our responsibilities and avoid oppressing others. Allah (swt) reminds us:

‘And Allah decides; there is no adjuster of His decision.’ (13:41)

Connecting to al-Ḥakam  

• Lessons, not regrets

The Prophet ﷺ reminded us:

‘If something befalls you, do not say, ‘If only I had done otherwise,’ but rather say, ‘Allah’s Will be done,’ for ‘if only’ opens the door to Satan’s mischief.’ (Bukhari)

Our duty is to work to the best of our ability, utilizing the means around us and ultimately having trust in Allah (swt). Sometimes this will require us to pursue something and never give up, and sometimes it will require us to take a different route. How do we know which is the ‘correct’ way?

Sometimes there is no way to know, and there is no point in beating yourself up about what you assume ‘could have’ or ‘would have’ been. Allah (swt) will not ask us about the unseen world, which only He knows. We judge things according to our limited ability, do the best we can, and ultimately leave the outcome to Allah (swt).

And sometimes Allah addresses this mentality in the things that happen to us. I recently signed up for something that I thought would be beneficial. When I weighed the pros and cons, what pushed me to sign up was the thought: ‘What if I regret not doing it?’ The experience turned out to be terrible. However, had I not signed up, I would have assumed that I would have benefited, and regretted my decision!

This does not mean that our actions have no effect. Allah (swt) wills that that our actions, or inactions, have a certain consequence. So, deciding not to study for an exam because ‘Allah’s decree will pass’ will most likely cause us to fail. Allah (swt) has created certain laws in this universe which link causes and effects.

If we find that we were in fact lacking in effort or lacking in our actions, we must take those lessons and apply them to future experiences, but not regret the past. Knowing that Allah (swt) is al-Ḥakam is to know that His decree cannot be overturned.

• How should you judge?

‘Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing.’ (4:58)

In a famous story, when the great companion and nephew of the Prophet ﷺ, `Ali ibn Abi Talib, was the Caliph, a non-Muslim man stole `Ali’s armor. `Ali took the matter to Shurayh, the judge. As the non-Muslim man had the armor in his hands, the burden of proof was on `Ali; Shurayh asked `Ali if he had a witness to the theft, but `Ali only had his son al-Husayn. Shurayh therefore ruled in favor of the non-Muslim, because a son cannot be a witness in favor of his father.

The Prophet ﷺ also taught us that our state matters when we are making a judgment: ‘A judge should not judge between two persons while he is in an angry mood,’ (Bukhari). He reminds us that emotions influence our judgments.

Finally, we should ask: how would we like Allah (swt) to judge us? The mercy and understanding that we hope from Allah (swt) is what we should give to other people when making a judgment.

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).