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 creeps up on you, sometimes—knowing that you’ve changed. You didn’t realize, you still don’t know, how it happened. And the scary thing is that this change was a fundamental part of you. It was all of who you thought you were. It was your destination and your journey. But you lost it. Now, you feel distant from God, Who was at one point your only purpose.

The loss of a connection to God is the scariest thing that can happen to a person. You can remember what it felt like to go to sleep remembering God and to wake up thinking of Him. He was your Best Friend. You remember how you molded your character to be something that He loves. You remember when every cell of your body was energized, ready to work hard for His sake. And most of all, you remember the tranquility. You didn’t worry. You knew al-Wakeel (the Trustee) would take care of you.

But right now, you’re in such a different place. You don’t even recognize yourself anymore. You want to be in that place you were before so much, and you want to know how you didn’t even notice the gradual fall. Can you even go back?

Ask the one who was trapped in the belly of a whale. Ask him how he felt about that fall from grace. The guilt, the humility, the longing that can all be summed up in the phrase he repeated over and over:

“[…] There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” (Qur’an 21:87)

And what was the result? God tells us, “And had he not been of those who exalt Allah, he would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are resurrected.” (Qur’an 37:143-144)

So Prophet Yunus (Jonah) `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him), the companion of the whale, was saved. He was saved because he turned to Allah and never gave up. We can remain in darkness, if we choose to. It is those, and only those, who believe that there is no way back who never return.

To those that say, “I used to be religious,” or even, “I was never religious”, there is always a way back. When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) tells us, “Allah is happier about the repentance of one His slaves, than one of you would be about finding your camel which had strayed away from you in the middle of the desert,” (agreed upon). He ﷺ is also talking to those of us who have strayed. Tawba is to return. It is not simply to repent after committing a hideous sin, although that is a big part of it. He is also talking to those of us who wonder if we can ever recover or achieve that zeal and energy and purpose. We need to return.

So don’t give up. Don’t give in to that feeling that tells you to do the bare minimum. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) would not create you to be a useless addition to this world. You can be something special—something special to Him—if you don’t give up. If you take that step. Why are we reminded by the Prophet ﷺ in so many sayings that Allah (swt) accepts the servant who returns? Why are we told when we come one step closer to Allah (swt), He comes to us at speed? It is to remind us that Allah (swt) wants us to reach our potential, to take that first step despite the fact that the first step might be the hardest.

If you haven’t woken up for fajr (the pre-dawn prayer) for years, set five alarms today. Make a sincere du`a’ (supplication) to Allah (swt) before you sleep. Do it over and over again. Seek forgiveness and plead with Him to let you pray. You will not be disappointed. If you once had a big dream for your community but were dejected by people telling you to “be real,” pick up where you left off. Even if they are right and you never make it, because your intention was for Him, you already made it. Any achievement in this dunya (worldly life) is temporary, but “[…] indeed, the home of the Hereafter – that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew.” (Qur’an 29:64)

Don’t give in. “[…] Despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.” (Qur’an 12:87)

Reconstructing Beauty Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI

In an enlightening hadith (prophetic narration), the Prophet ﷺ tells us that no one with an ounce of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise. In seeking to understand what arrogance means, the companions asked “O Prophet of Allah, what if a person likes to dress well?” The Prophet ﷺ responded, “Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance is rejecting truth and looking down on people” [Muslim]

Allah is Beautiful

Let us first think about Allah’s Beauty. None of us have seen Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), so how can we even begin to contemplate His magnificence?

Allah (swt) gives us clues. He calls the sun, the moon, the stars, the skies, and the mountains ‘signs’. And what is a sign except something that leads us to something greater—to a logical conclusion, to the source of that sign?

Instead of writing, I want to just post some breathtaking pictures and videos of the universe. I can describe their beauty all I want, but there is nothing like experiencing something for yourself. If you are able to take a few moments to reflect in nature, please do.

Ibn Al-Qayyim said, “And it is enough to realize Allah’s Beauty when we know that every internal and external beauty in this life and the next are created by Him, so what of the beauty of their Creator?”

Our faith in Allah’s beauty should strengthen our connection with our Lord. It increases our love for Him and our longing to return to Him—to be able to see just a glimpse of Him. The Prophet ﷺ made the following du`a’ (supplication): “I ask of You the joy of looking on Your noble countenance and of my longing to be with You.” [Nisa’i]

Another aspect of Allah’s Beauty is in His actions. Allah is Beautiful in His Mercy, and His Mercy is manifested in the mercy He has bestowed upon people in terms of what he has proved for them, but also in the mercy that His creation show to each other. Look at a mother’s ability to forget the pains of childbirth as soon as she holds her newborn in her arms. A father’s patient answering of the same question his child asks for the 60th time. A stranger who helps an elderly person cross the street.

This is all part of Allah’s Beauty – so how can we not long to meet Him on the Day of Judgment?

He loves Beauty

The One who is the Most-Beautiful, and who is the source of all Beauty, surely knows what true beauty is. So what is the beauty that Allah (swt) loves? Ibn Al-Qayyim said that it pertains to two things: Firstly beautifying ourselves outwardly, and secondly beautifying ourselves inwardly.

Contrary to what some might think, outward beauty is important in Islam. At the very basic level is cleanliness. We are told “Cleanliness is half of faith” [Muslim]. Moreover, people are discouraged from attending the mosque if they have eaten garlic or onion because the odor may bother other people.

At the aesthetic level, we are encouraged to be well-dressed and presentable. As the hadith showed us, dressing well is not considered showing off, unless it is done for that purpose or to show that one is better than others. But dressing well is a sign of dignity. The Prophet ﷺ said “Allah loves to see the affects of His grace upon His servant.” [Tirmidhi] All of this pertains to outward beauty. We all incline towards that kind of beauty, in one way or another.

But if what we consider beautiful is touched by what doesn’t please Allah (swt), it ceases to be beautiful. It is just hawa (our own whims) which are affected by the messages that bombard us everyday in advertisements, magazines and movies. Allah tells us about the hypocrites “And when you see them, their forms please you, and if they speak, you listen to their speech.” [Qur’an, 63:4] They looked a certain way that was pleasing to other people, and they were charismatic when they spoke—but they were hypocrites. Their outward form did not make up for what was missing in their hearts. The Prophet ﷺ also says “Allah does not look at your appearance or your possessions; but He looks at your heart and your deeds.” [Muslim] So beautifying ourselves outwardly, while commendable and can take different forms in different cultures, is tempered by what is beautiful to Allah. No matter how elegant a shirt is, if it does not cover our ‘awra (parts of the body that must be covered), it is not beautiful to Allah (swt). Once a companion was wearing a gold ring, presumably because he did not know that it was prohibited for men. When he heard the Prophet ﷺ say it is forbidden, he immediately removed it and threw it away. It may have been a beautiful ring, it may have been an expensive ring, but in his eyes it was nothing because it was not beautiful to the Creator of beauty.

The real beauty that is evident to anyone is inner beauty. If the inside is beautiful, it beautifies what is outside. How many of us have met people whose inner light shines through? The Prophet ﷺ describes a “seemingly disheveled, dusty, negligible person, but if he would swear to God, He would respond to him,” (Tirmidhi). These are the people of true beauty to Allah (swt) because of the beauty in their hearts. They are a people who love to spend time with Allah, and if they are with people, they are in their service.

Look at the inner beauty of the Prophet ﷺ. There was an old woman who detested the Prophet ﷺ even though she had never met him. One day the Prophet ﷺ saw that she needed help and he proceeded to help her. So she thought she would give him advice, and the ‘advice’ was to warn him against the Prophet ﷺ. He simply smiled and listened to what she said. She later found out that he was the Prophet ﷺ. You cannot help but love someone with that kind of inner light.

And if Allah loves your inner beauty, what happens? Allah tells us in a hadith Qudsi:

“When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it.” [Bukhari]

So let us beautify ourselves outwardly for His sake by being clean and presentable ambassadors of His religion, and let us beautify ourselves inwardly by adorning ourselves with God-consciousness and good manners.

Names of Allah Series:

All of us become ill. We may be inflicted yearly with the flu, get a fever or infection from time to time, or suffer from something more serious and/or more frequently, may Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), protect us all and ease the suffering of those who are ill. We are suddenly confronted with how weak we can be, and, sometimes without being conscious of it, plead with Allah (swt) to heal us. Indeed, as the Prophet Abraham, `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him), said:

“And when I am ill, it is He who cures me (yashfeen).” (Qur’an, 26:80)

Aisha, radi Allahu `anha (may God be pleased with her), narrated that when she or any of the Prophet’s ﷺ (peace be unto him) wives would become ill, he would put his right hand over the place of ailment and say:

“O Allah, the Lord of the people! Remove the trouble, for You are the Healer (al-Shāfī). No healing is of any avail but Yours; healing that will leave behind no ailment.” (Bukhari)

This du`a’ (supplication) teaches that it is Allah (swt) who is the Healer: He is al-Shāfī.

Sheikh Abdulrazzaq al-Bader said that the meaning of Allah al-Shāfī is that He is the healer of the diseases of the body and He is the healer of the diseases of the heart—such as rancor, envy, and hatred. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“… and [Allah will] heal the hearts of a believing people.” (Qur’an, 9:14)

The Healing of the Body

When we become ill, there are some of us who will grab a pill or visit the doctor. Others of us may try to figure out what the du`a’s of the Prophet ﷺ were in a similar situation.

Which one of the two groups believes with certainty that Allah is al-Shāfī?

The answer is: both, depending on the state of their heart. The Prophet ﷺ taught us that, “Every disease has a cure. So if the treatment is applied to the disease, the disease is cured by the Will of Allah.” (Muslim) The Prophet ﷺ set up a make-shift hospital in the form of a tent in Madina and appointed a woman named Rufaydah al-Aslamiyah (ra) to run it. Aisha (ra) stated that the companion Sa’ad bin Mu’ath was injured during the Battle of the Trench, and it was Rufaydah who tended to him (Muslim). Moreover, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani praised Rufaydah’s skill and wisdom, as she realized that the arrow that had hit Sa’ad (ra) was too deep to pull out, and so she worked on stopping the bleeding instead.

Al-Shāfī is the source of all cure and healing. Allah (swt) created this world and its laws. He decreed that when a chemical reaction at a certain temperature occurs between oxygen and a fuel, the result would be fire. He also decreed that water would put out (most) fire. Similarly, the laws dictate that when certain things happen—injury, infection, an unhealthy lifestyle or particular genes—we become ill. And those same laws provide for us a prevention from or cure for disease.

Seeking these cures (or making use of the prevention) and making du`a’ are complimentary when we understand that al-Shāfī is the source. He heals us through the laws that He created in the universe—which is why we are commanded to seek cures for our illnesses—and through our asking for His healing. Indeed, the Prophet Ayyoub (as) (Job) prayed to Allah (swt):

“Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.” (Qur’an, 21:83)

And Allah (swt) healed him.

We must remember though that we can cause our own illnesses. Think of a person who is a heavy smoker and is then afflicted with diseases in his lungs and throat. Indeed Allah is al-Shāfī, and He can cure whom He wills, but we must also take responsibility for our actions. We cannot be resigned and say, “Well, Allah willed it,” as an excuse to avoid accountability. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

“…do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction.” (Qur’an, 2:195)

This verse is in specific reference to withholding charity, but mufasiroon (commentators on the Qur’an) such as Tabari stated that the general meaning is also applicable to doing the things that may bring about your own destruction.

Illnesses, whether self-inflicted or not, also provide us with opportunities:

1. Realizing our need for Allah

There is nothing like illness that reminds us of our weakness and how much we need Allah (swt). It is important to be a worshipper of Allah (swt) in all circumstances, whether things are good or bad.

2. Purifying us

The Prophet ﷺ told us that, “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that,” (Bukhari). In another narration, a companion visited the Prophet ﷺ when he was ill. The Prophet ﷺ told him: “No Muslim is afflicted with any harm but that Allah will remove his sins as the leaves of a tree fall down,”  (Bukhari).

3. Raising our station

Allah says in the Qur’an: “Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.” (Qur’an, 39:10)

When we strive to be patient and steadfast through our illness—meaning here we continue in our trust in Him, pray to Allah (swt) and persevere with treatment if we have it—we have to understand that Allah (swt) gets it. He knows what we are going through. And nothing that you go through is wasted. The verse cited tells us that those who are patient will be given their reward without having to go through the meezan (scale) on the Day of Judgment (Tabari). So rest assured that your patience and perseverance has not gone unnoticed.

The Healing of the Hearts

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children, But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.” (Qur’an, 26:88-89)

While a person may be rewarded during their physical illness and forgiven for sins, there is no such reward for the diseases of the heart. The reward for the disease of the heart is in the effort put into its removal.

Allah (swt) tells us about a beautiful du`a’ in the Qur’an:

“And [there is a share for] those who came after them, saying, ‘Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.’” (Qur’an, 59:10)

Allah (swt) talks to us about those who come after the muhajiroon (people who emigrated from Mecca) and the ansar (the helpers), and the beautiful du`a’ that they make. They ask Allah (swt) to not allow any resentment in their hearts towards others. Knowing that Allah (swt) is al-Shāfī is turning to Him first in our quest to purify our hearts.

Many scholars have enumerated the diseases of the heart, and to go through that would entail a whole separate series. ((Sheikh Hamza Yusuf’s The Purification of the Heart is a must-read for the diseases of the heart and their cures.)) The diseases of the heart can manifest themselves in many ways, such as arrogance, envy, following base desires, miserliness, ostentation, heedlessness and others. The cure is in seeking knowledge – because knowledge empowers us to identify these diseases; remembering and returning to Allah (swt) frequently – as that connects us to Him, reminding us of our love for and fear of Him; and finally obeying Allah (swt) and good deeds – as they give us a spiritual light and teach us discipline.

What is beautiful is that there is a relationship between the healing of the hearts and the healing of the body. Related to following desires and discipline, for example, an article in the Journal of Personality found that exerting self-control can make you happier both in the long-term and in the moment, because disciplined people are able to avoid situations of temptation. Indeed, the Prophet ﷺ taught us:

“There lies within the body a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the whole body is sound; and if it is corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Verily this piece is the heart.” (Bukhari)

Healing Body and Soul

1. Seek cures for your illnesses.

Pay attention to both the diseases of the heart and the body, and seek the appropriate cure.

2. Pray to Allah for healing.

Remember that He is the al-Shāfī and that healing starts with Him.

3. Remember the du`a’s of the Prophet ﷺ.

In addition to what was mentioned above:

i) When visiting a sick person:

أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ

“I ask Allah the Mighty, Lord of the Mighty Throne that He cures you.” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi)

ii) Reciting Surat al-Fatiha seven times. (Tirmidhi)

iii) Aishah (ra) said, “When a member of the Prophet’s family got ill, the Prophet would blow over his body by reciting the two protective surahs (Al-Falaq [113] and An-Nas [114]) and would rub him with his hand.” (Muslim)

iv) A`udhu bi `izzati Allahi wa qudratihi mimma ajidu wa uhadhir.

“I seek refuge and protection in the august might and power of Allah from the pain and illness I am suffering from and I am afraid of.” (Ibn Majah)

4. The Qur’an is a healing.

Allah (swt) says about the Qur’an:

“And We send down of the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers…” (Qur’an, 17:82)

The Qur’an is a physical healing and is an ultimate spiritual healing for our hearts.

May Allah al-Shāfī heal our hearts and bodies. Ameen (Amen).

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 XL|Part XLI|Part XLII | Part XLIII | Part XLIV | Part XLV | Part XLVI | Part XLVII | Part XLVIII| Part XLIX | Part L | Part LI | Part LII | Part LIII | Part LIV | Part LV | Part LVI

The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) said: “Any matter of importance which is not begun with ‘bismillah’ (in the name of Allah) remains defective.” [Ibn Hibban]

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?

That you need coffee?

The things you have to do that day?

Facebook? Your emails?

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He)?

They say that if you want to know what your priorities are, reflect on the first thing you think of in the morning. That thing (or things) which are foremost in your mind not only set the tone for your day, they also determine your destination. A person who wakes up thinking about money (whether it is because he is in financial difficulty or because he wants to become rich) will then seek out and prioritize those things that lead him to money. A person who wakes up thinking of a loved one will probably talk to him or her first thing in the morning and be connected all day if they can. Allah (swt) tells us:

“He is the First (al-Awwal) and the Last (al-ākhir), the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things, Knowing.” (Qur’an 57:3)

Al-Ghazali explains these two Names beautifully, saying: “When you ponder the order of existence and consider the ordered chain of beings, God the most high is first with respect to it… Whenever you ponder the order of wayfaring and observe the states attained by those journeying towards Him, He is the last, for He is the final point to which the levels of the ‘knowers’ ascend…. the first beginning was from Him; and to Him is the return and destination.”

Allah (swt) is, quite literally, the First. He was before anything was. He is also the Last because He is our destination and He remains when everything else goes away. There are deeper meanings here too. We prioritize things before Allah (swt), and then we wonder why we feel a spiritual void. We may wonder why bad things happen, why we cannot seem to get something right or why nothing satisfies us despite our pursuit of material means. To know that Allah (swt) is al-Awwal (the First) is to see Allah (swt) before seeing anything else, because even the physical means start with Him.

This is why, for example, we do not simply drive to a destination, but we start with the du`a’ (supplication) for travel. Living the reality of this Name is to seek Allah (swt) first even before we seek the means, because the means can only work with His blessing. This is one of the reasons for the du`a’ of istikhara (seeking good); we are asking Allah for the best choice when embarking on something. As Ibn al-Qayyim says, worshipping Allah (swt) by this Name is to realize our complete need for Him, because we realize that He came before everything and He created the means.

And this leads us to His being al-ākhir (the Last), because as Ibn Ata’illah said: “He who is illumined at the beginning is illumined at the end.” Allah (swt) is the destination. We start with Him in everything that we do so that we can end up with Him. We praise Him at the end of every matter and seek forgiveness from Him for any shortcomings. Ibn al-Qayyim says that worshipping Allah (swt) by His Name al-ākhir is to be unattached to results, and rather to be attached to Allah (swt), Who remains no matter the results. If our intention starts with Him, then no matter the outcome, our efforts are recorded by Him and are appreciated because they were for Him. In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) asks, “So where are you going?” (Qur’an, 81:26)

So we need to ask ourselves – where are we going?

Everything leads to Him

As believers, it may be easy to conceptualize that Allah (swt) is the beginning of everything and the end. However, if we consider the example at the beginning of the article, about the first thing we think of when we wake up, living this Name requires more than just knowing.

For you to begin thinking of someone like this, every morning when you wake, there has to be something in your heart. There has to be love. Many of us may know someone who has been in love: that person talks to her beloved in the morning and the beloved is the last person she speaks to at night. Simply connecting to the beloved sets the tone for her whole day. Do we have that kind of relationship with Allah (swt), and if we do not, then how can we start one?

The secret is living the knowledge that Allah (swt) is al-Awwal and al-ākhir. It is making a conscious effort to remember Allah (swt) at the beginning and at the end of everything. The fruits of this will be immediate. Allah (swt) tells us in the Qur’an:

“Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.” (Qur’an, 13:28)

And:

“So remember Me; I will remember you.” (Qur’an, 2:152)

The Prophet ﷺ tells us:

“Remember Allah during times of ease and He will remember you during times of difficulty.” (Tirmidhi)

Just like a person who is in love finds comfort in the mention of his beloved, imagine the effect on your heart of remembering the absolute Source of love and peace before you do anything. Putting into practice Allah’s (swt) attributes as the First and Last brings us back to our ultimate purpose, until the meanings of these Names are truly etched into our hearts and we are confronted with true reality. We then become the person in love, and for us, Allah (swt) is the First in our hearts and the Last in our journeys.

A very famous song contains these lyrics:

“You’re my first, my last, my everything.”

Little did the songwriter know that Muslims would hear this and think of God, because truly whoever understands that God is the First and the Last, knows that Allah (swt) is everything.

Connect to Allah (swt)

• Start with Him, end with Him

Remember Allah (swt) at the beginning of everything, and praise Him and seek forgiveness at the end. This will ensure that you are always in remembrance of Him and that, for you, He is the First and the Last in all your endeavors.

• Memorize the du`a’ (supplication) for the start of a matter and its end, then incorporate them into your every day routine

This is related to the first point, but it entails memorizing those things from the Qur’an and the sunnah (tradition of the Prophet ﷺ), such as supplications for:

– The start and end of your day

– Starting a journey

– The beginning and end of a meal

– The conclusion of prayers

Many of these supplications can be found in the book Huṣn al-Muslim (Fortress of a Muslim).

• Memorize this supplication that contain Allah’s (swt) Names ‘the First’ and ‘the Last’

“اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، رَبَّنَا وَرَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَالِقَ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَى، وَمُنْزِلَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنجِيلِ، وَالْفُرْقَانِ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ أّنْتَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتهِ. اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الأَوَّلُ فَلَيْسَ قَبْلَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الْآخِرُ فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ فَوْقَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ دُونَكَ شَيْءٌ، اقْضِ عَنَّا الدَّيْنَ وَأَغْنِنَا مِنَ الْفَقْرِ”

‘O Allah! Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the Magnificent Throne. Our Lord and the Lord of everything; Splitter of the grain and the date-stone; Revealer of the Torah and the Gospel and the Furqan (the Qur’an), I seek refuge in You from the evil of everything that You shall seize by the forelock. O Allah, You are the First and nothing has come before You, and You are the Last, and nothing may come after You. You are the Most High, nothing is above You and You are the Most Near and nothing is nearer than You. Remove our debts from us and enrich us against poverty.’ (Muslim)

Names of Allah Series:

We all have moments when we look at a seemingly insurmountable obstacle and think to ourselves: ‘How can it be overcome? It does not seem possible.’

A prophet once thought the same thing. He stood in front of a barren land to which he was sent, and asked the question, “How can Allah bring this back to life after its death?”

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) showed him how He could. When the Prophet `Uzayr saw the town that was once razed to the ground, then a mere hundred years later filled with people and homes and markets, he exclaimed, “I know that Allah is over all things competent (qadīr)!” (Qur’an, 2:259)

Even before going into the linguistics of this name, many of us are at least theoretically aware of this attribute of Allah (swt). He is able to do all things, and we see this everyday in our very own existence. We read the Qur’an and know that Allah (swt) created this world from nothing, and He has the power to make it disappear.

For others among us, this attribute is not just an abstract notion. The knowledge that Allah (swt) is able to do anything and everything is precisely why we call on Him with so much certainty in our du`a’ (supplication). We might not call on Him with these Names specifically, but we ask Him because we know that He has the ability and power to respond to us and give us more.

Wa mā qadarū Allaha ḥaqqa qadrihi: And they did not appraise Allah with true appraisal.

Allah (swt) is al-Qādir (the Most Able), al-Qadīr (the Omnipotent) and al-Muqtadir (the Perfect in Ability), all from the root q-d-r (ق-د-ر). This root can mean ‘to measure something’ or ‘to make manifest the measure of something’, and thus gives rise to meanings such as ‘appraising’ and ‘power’ and ‘ability’. The horse that is aqdar is the one whose back-hoof falls exactly where his front-hoof was when running, as though perfectly measured and executed.

And thus it brings us to Allah (swt) who has the ability to decree and carry out His decree. When we talk about Laylat al-Qadr (The Night of Qadr), scholars disagree over whether it means the Night of Power or the Night of Decree, because the root may give rise to both meanings.

As Names of Allah (swt), all three words are found in the Qu’ran. Allah (swt) says:

“Do they not see that Allah, who created the heavens and earth, is [the one] Able (Qādir) to create the likes of them? And He has appointed for them a term, about which there is no doubt. But the wrongdoers refuse [anything] except disbelief.” (Qur’an, 17:99)

“And it is He who has created from water a human being and made him [a relative by] lineage and marriage. And ever is your Lord competent (Qadīr).” (Qur’an, 25:54)

“Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and rivers, in a seat of honor near a Sovereign, Perfect in Ability (Muqtadir).” (Qur’an, 54:54-55)

Sheikh Abulrazzaq al-Badr explains the nuances between these Names. Al-Qādir is the One who is able to do everything, from causing things to exist to ceasing their existence, or causing them to change or to return them to what they were. Al-Ghazālī adds that, “God is all-powerful in that He could bring about the resurrection now, and He would bring it about were He to will it.” Al-Qadīr is the One who does what He pleases based on His decreed wisdom. Finally, Al-Muqtadir is an intensive form of the root which adds the element of absolute power that no one can stop or oppose.

I know God is capable of all things, I just know that I am not.

There are two ways of looking at these attributes of Allah (swt). We can view them in an abstract way, perhaps feeling great awe (which is a good thing) and then sit back. Sure, Allah (swt) is capable of all things, but we humans are limited.

Then there is another way of looking at these Names. Allah (swt) is able to do all things, and so whatever difficulty we face, we can overcome it if we seek strength from Him. At times, we are our own worst enemies. We stop ourselves from attempting something because of the belief that ‘there is no way this could happen’. We close doors that may have been open to us.

When you believe that Allah (swt) is capable of all things, you are open to more possibilities. It is not simply about positive thinking or hoping something will materialize out of thin air. It is knowing that because Allah (swt) is able, and He has revealed this attribute to you, you can derive strength from Allah (swt) and you have possibilities. Have you ever pondered over the du`a’ of istikhara (guidance)?

“If one of you feels inclined to do something then let that one pray two units of optional prayer, then say: ‘O Allah! I seek Your guidance by virtue of Your knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power; I have none. And You know; I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things. O Allah! If in Your knowledge, (this matter*) is good for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs, immediate and in the future, then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge, (this matter*) is bad for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs, immediate and in the future, then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it. And ordain for me the good wherever it may be, and make me content with it.’” (Bukhari)

We say to Allah (swt), “I seek ability (أستقدرك) by virtue of Your power (بقدرتك).” We recognize that we have no power, but that does not debilitate us.

If we go back to the story of `Uzayr, Allah (swt) shows His power to both us and His prophet by bringing a dead town back to life. He showed us possibility where we could only perceive impossibility. Allah (swt) teaches us that He is able, and this has consequences for the way that we perceive things. We do not limit ourselves to one interpretation of reality, but realize that there could be multiple paths. This affects our actions.

Take the example of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him). If you had asked anyone in Makkah in the first couple of years of revelation whether they could imagine that the religion taught by the Prophet ﷺ would span the lands between China and Spain, they would have called you called crazy and delusional. You would probably have understood why – it seemed impossible at the time. But the Prophet ﷺ knew who Allah (swt) was. He was reminded in verse after verse about Allah’s (swt) ability, and he derived strength from that.

When something got difficult, he never saw the dead-end in front of him. He was able to see the whole picture and take alternative routes. When he was persecuted in Makkah, and knew it would get worse after his uncle passed away, he did not despair; he made plans to leave. When he was rejected in Ta’if, he did not tell himself that there was no use; he used the Hajj season, when all the tribes would congregate in Makkah, to seek help. When they were in Madina and an attack by the Meccans was imminent, he did not freeze up; he was open to the idea of building a trench. When the Meccans proposed a peace treaty and negotiated terms that appeared to be disadvantageous to the Muslims at the time, he did not concentrate on those terms; he focused on what this peace treaty would enable the Muslims to do.

This is the secret of all of the Prophets and the righteous. When Musa (peace be upon him) was being hunted down by Pharoah and his army, he said, “Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me.” (Qur’an, 26:62). The army of Talut, when faced with the much larger army of Goliath, said: “How many a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allah . And Allah is with the patient.” (Qur’an, 2:249) When Hajar (peace be upon her) was left in the desert with her infant son, she ran back and forth between the mountains of Safa and Marwa. A person might have seen her and thought, “What is the use?” But when you believe that Allah (swt) is capable of all things, you are able to be open to different possibilities and alternative paths. And Hajar was given the well of Zamzam.

Connecting to al-Qadīr

• Recognize that Allah (swt) is capable of all things.
• When you supplicate, have certainty because you know that Allah (swt) is al-Qadīr
• Be open to possibilities.
• Pray istikhara before starting matters of importance.

“And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.” [Qur’an 50:16]

Some relationships change with distance. Sometimes those people who are supposed to be close to us don’t know us at all. And some relationships are temporary.

Sometimes you want to tell someone something, but the words get stuck in your throat. They might misunderstand. They might not know where you are coming from. They might get mad.

At other times, the fear of being hurt prevents us from being close to people. We have been hurt and disappointed before, so why should this time be any different?

Is there anyone to whom we can be close– truly close?

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) says in the Qur’an:

“And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am Qareeb [near].” [2:186]

For all those times you have wondered whether Allah (swt) is near or far, Allah doesn’t use an intermediary to answer this question. He does not tell the Prophet (ﷺ), “tell them”. He answers you directly in the verse above: “I am near.”

For all those times you have wondered whether Allah (swt) hears you, He answers: “Indeed, He is Hearing and near,” [34:50].

For all those times you have wondered if He has heard the silent du`a’ (supplication) of your heart, He answers: “Indeed, my Lord is near and responsive,” [11:61].

Sometimes even our best friend does not understand what we are going through. Allah (swt) is so close to us He hears our thoughts, our reflections, our unuttered questions and our secret du`a’. There may even be times when we have thought of something we want, but never ask for it. And somehow, Allah (swt) gives it to us. There may be times when we do not even know what we want, and yet somehow we get that thing we need, sent by the Most High.

Because is He is near – al-Qareeb.

Allah (swt) is with you

One of the fruits of being close to someone is feeling safe and understood. And if you have ever felt lonely, Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an, “and He is with you wherever you are,” [57:4].

We might all know this on a theoretical level, but it is hard to actually manifest that understanding. And we are not alone in this. The Prophet Moses `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him) knew how close Allah is – he even spoke to Allah (swt) – but it took him a while to get to the point of acting in accordance with that knowledge. When Allah (swt) first told Moses (as) to throw his staff and it turned into a snake, Moses (as) was so freaked out that “he turned in flight and did not return,” [27:10].

Next, when Moses (as) challenged the magicians, they threw their sticks; when the sticks started to move, he felt afraid and “sensed within himself apprehension,” [20:67]. He was stronger than before, and did not run away, but he still did not feel 100% safe.

Finally, Moses (as) encountered his most dangerous situation. He fled from Pharaoh and his army with the Bani Israel, who despaired and said, “Indeed, we are to be overtaken!” But Moses (as) replied with certainty, “No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me,” [2:62].

It was a journey, but Moses (as) got there. So do not despair if you feel unsure of Allah’s (swt) closeness, but be like Moses (as) and build your relationship with Him. The One who named Himself al-Qareeb is inviting you to be close to Him, and He does not close that door to the servants who seek Him.

Al-Qareeb and Ramadan

Imam Suhaib once said, “If you feel far from Allah (swt), ask yourself: who moved?”

Ramadan comes to quench our thirst. It does not matter how far you have been. It does not even matter if you have never felt that closeness to Him; Allah (swt) tells us that He is near because He wants you to learn to feel that. He gives us Ramadan so that we can recharge and reconnect – so make use of this month for that purpose.

Gaining nearness to the One who is Near

Sheikh Abdulrazzaq al-Badr said that Allah (swt) is near to everyone, but there are those who are special and seek His nearness. How can we be of those who strive towards His nearness?

1— Understand His Names

One of the best ways to come close to Allah (swt) is to know Him, and the best way to know Him is to understand His Names and attributes, which are in and of themselves an invitation to closeness.

You can only be close to people whom you know really well and who know you in return. Often, when you tell people about yourself, it is because you want them to know you and therefore become close. Allah (swt) wants you to know that He is close, so He tells you this and many other things about Himself. Re-read some of the Names in this series and get re-acquainted with Allah.

2— Prayer

The root of the word salah, the Arabic word which is translated as ‘prayer’, is to turn completely towards something with all your being.

Prayer was given as a gift to us so that we can connect with Allah (swt) and be with Him. If you do not know how to connect through your prayer, read over the ‘Sweetness of Prayer’ series.

3— Ask Him

In the verse in which Allah (swt) tells us that He is close, He follows it with: “I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.” [2:186]

So ask Him for closeness.

4— Be there for people

Being close to Allah (swt) does not mean being disconnected from His creation, but rather the opposite. We are told in a hadith (narration of the Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him):

“Allah will say on the Day of Judgment, ‘Son of Adam, I was sick but you did not visit Me.’

‘My Lord, How could I visit You when You are the Lord of the Worlds?’

‘Did you not know that one of My servants was sick and you didn’t visit him? If you had visited him you would have found Me there.’

Then Allah will say, ‘Son of Adam, I needed food but you did not feed Me.’

‘My Lord, How could I feed You when You are the Lord of the Worlds?’

‘Did you not know that one of My servants was hungry but you did not feed him? If you had fed him you would have found its reward with Me.’

‘Son of Adam, I was thirsty, but you did not give Me something to drink.’

‘My Lord, How could I give a drink when You are the Lord of the Worlds?’

‘Did you not know that one of My servants was thirsty but you did not give him a drink? If you had given him a drink, you would have found its reward with Me.’” (Bukhari)

Notice the wording. For most of the acts listed, Allah (swt) says that we will find the reward with Him—but for visiting the sick, He says ‘if you had visited him, you would have found Me there.’

Look after people. Visit the sick. Stand in solidarity with the oppressed. You will find nearness to Him.

May Allah (swt) make us of those who are close to Him and allow us to reap the rewards of the month of Ramadan.

There is a story in the Qur’an that we are seldom told about. Before revealing the ayah (verse), let us understand the context in which it was revealed. The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) had lived in Madina for about two years before this incident occurred. The situation in Madina was very different to Makkah, as were the demographics. There were two tribes—al-Aws and al-Khazraj—as well as hypocrites, and three Jewish tribes. Al-Aws and al-Khazraj had a troubled history. Though they accepted Islam, tensions sometimes flared between them.

A man from al-Aws named Rafa’ bin Nu’man was awarded a shield of armor from a battle in which they were victorious. Armor was considered precious at that time as not many people were able to acquire it. But two days later, his armor was stolen. Rafa’s cousin, Qatada, said that he saw a man named Ta’ma bin Ubayriq steal the armor. Ta’ma was from Khazraj, and he was a new Muslim.

To ascertain the truth, the Prophet ﷺ sent people to look in Ta’ma’s house. The armor was not there. People from the tribe of Khazraj said that it was a Jewish man who stole the armor. So they went and checked in his house, and found it buried in the backyard. The Prophet ﷺ was mad at Qatada. How could he accuse someone, and a Muslim no less, of theft?

In any case it seemed that the matter was solved. The Muslims prayed `Isha (evening prayer) together.

But something happened. Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala, sent the Angel Gabriel to the Prophetﷺ to declare that the Jewish man was innocent, and it was indeed Ta’ma who stole the armor. Allah (swt) revealed in the Qur’an:

“Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth so you may judge between the people by that which Allah has shown you. And do not be for the deceitful an advocate.

And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.

And do not argue on behalf of those who deceive themselves. Indeed, Allah loves not one who is a habitually sinful deceiver.

They conceal [their evil intentions and deeds] from the people, but they cannot conceal [them] from Allah , and He is with them [in His knowledge] when they spend the night in such as He does not accept of speech. And ever is Allah, of what they do, encompassing.

Here you are – those who argue on their behalf in [this] worldly life – but who will argue with Allah for them on the Day of Resurrection, or who will [then] be their representative?

And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful.

And whoever commits a sin only earns it against himself. And Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.

But whoever earns an offense or a sin and then blames it on an innocent [person] has taken upon himself a slander and manifest sin.

And if it was not for the favor of Allah upon you, [O Muhammad], and His mercy, a group of them would have determined to mislead you. But they do not mislead except themselves, and they will not harm you at all. And Allah has revealed to you the Book and wisdom and has taught you that which you did not know. And ever has the favor of Allah upon you been great.” (Qur’an, 4:105-113)

Ta’ma had stolen the armor. He told some of his relatives, and they all conspired with him to protect him. But Allah (swt) knows all. And Allah, al-`Adl, revealed these verses before fajr (morning prayer) so that the Prophet ﷺ could declare it after prayers.

The Jewish man did not accept Islam. This is important to point out. Allah is al-`Adl, and He is the Most Just. He commands us to be just for the sake of it, not for the reason to convert people to Islam. Da`wah (inviting people to Islam) is important, but justice is established because Allah (swt) commands us to do so.

Allah is al-`Adl

This story highlights to us Allah’s justice. The issue was not about tribes, or Muslims vs. non-Muslims. Allah’s justice is true justice; it does not favor any ‘group’—only the group that establishes His justice. Indeed, this is why one of Allah’s Names is al-`Adl, and according to an-Nabulsi, it is a Name that the entire ummah (Muslim community) agrees upon. While we touched briefly upon this Name in a previous article, we will go into detail here. `Adl comes from the root `a-d-l (ع-د-ل) which means to make something upright; it is the opposite of transgression.  Al-Ghazali explains to us Al-`Adl means “one who is Just, and He is one from whom just action emanates, the opposite of injustice and oppression.”

We see manifestations of Allah’s justice both in this world and the Next. That said, not everything will see the justice that we expect in this world, or in the time that we want. We might live to see the demise of the Pharoah, and we might not. But at the same time, while it might seem that the person committing the injustice has ‘won’, we need to look beyond the superficial. We do not know what Allah (swt) has written for the unjust after he dies, nor do we know what spiritual nourishment this person has been denied because of his transgressions. Moreover, when it comes to injustice, we need to reflect inwardly. We sometimes fail to uphold our covenant to Him. Allah (swt) has commanded us to be just, but we do not act in such a way. We allow those small transgressions in our daily lives, and only complain when something affects us. This can even be at the lowest of levels; do we believe rumors about people without being absolutely certain about the evidence? Do you give people the chance to explain themselves?

A Muslims, as servants of al-`Adl, we can never ever give up on striving for justice on all levels. Allah (swt) in the Qur’an says:

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” (Qur’an, 5:8)

Ibn Taymiya is even reported to have said that Allah (swt) will protect a just nation even if it were not Muslim, and He would bring down an unjust nation even if it were Muslim. So crucial is the principle of justice to our faith that Allah (swt) also says:

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.”  (Qur’an, 4:135)

Allah tells us to uphold justice even if it were against our families or even our own selves. When we understand that Allah (swt) has Named Himself the Most Just, it should reassure our hearts that even if we do not see justice now, there will be justice eventually. Moreover, it should push us to strive to establish justice, because we are servants of the Most Just.

Connecting to this Name

1—Commit yourself to justice

Justice is at many levels, and true submission to the Most Just is to work for justice at all levels:

• With yourself: Al-Ghazali states that justice concerning yourself means to put your “passion and anger under the guidance of reason and religion; for as soon as he puts reason in the service of passion and anger, he will certainly commit injustice.” Every time we transgress—by crossing the limits of Allah—we harm ourselves. Even if we do not see the immediate effects, these things affect us spiritually. So be just with yourself.
• With your family: We know that charity starts at home, but so does justice. We cannot be unjust to our siblings, abusive towards our spouse, or unfair in the treatment of our children, and claim to be servants of the Most Just.
• With your community: The Prophet ﷺ told us, “The believer who mixes with people and patiently bears their annoyance will have a greater reward than the believer who does not mix with people and patiently bear their annoyance,” (Tirmidhi). It may sometimes be disheartening to deal with a community that only gives lip service to the principles of justice, but this is Islam: to strive for justice when it is most difficult; to continually improve; and be just not only to humans, but to the environment and to the animals. It applies as much to the rejection of gossip as it does to establish equitable mosques where all members of the congregation are respected.
• With the wider society: As we have heard many times, justice is not “just us”. The Prophet ﷺ stood with the oppressed in his society before they became Muslim. He ﷺ was witness to a treaty when he was young that guaranteed the rights of the weak, and said that if Quraish had offered to sign such a treaty with him, he would accept.
• For Allah (swt): Being committed to justice at all these levels for the sake of Allah (swt) means that we cannot transgress. We do not choose our ‘group’ over others. Allah is the Truth and the Most Just, and thus we need to seek Truth and Justice in all our interactions, even if it were against ourselves.

2—Always remain hopeful

When you see a situation that is unjust and feel helpless to change it, remember that Allah (swt) is the source of justice. Nothing passes without His knowledge and there will be ultimate justice.

3—Be certain that He is the Most Just

Al-Ghazali says, “Man’s religious gain from his believing that God—great and glorious—is just lies in not taking objection to Him in His plan, His decree and all of His actions, whether they correspond to his will or not. For all that is just: it is as it should be and how it should be.” Al-Ghazali reminds us that sometimes we do not know the alternative to what seems to be a big injustice. Indeed, He (swt) knows the unseen.

4- Be Merciful

Just like, when it comes to our sins, we like for Allah (swt) to deal with us with His Mercy rather than justice, so should we be merciful with people’s slights against us and in covering their sins, as long as they are not harming others.

May we be of those who stand for justice for all, even if it were against our own selves.

“Say, ‘O Allah , Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent.’” (Qur’an, 3:26)

The beautiful poem in the video above by Brother Ammar al-Shukri reminds us of Allah Maalik al-Mulk. We will explore these meanings today.

Recently, we were all shocked to hear the news of the tragic murder of three beautiful souls: Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha and Razan Abu-Salha. For many of us, this violence was, and still is, hard to process. Perhaps what made it more infuriating was some of the media coverage: some giving ample airtime to the wife of the man who committed the murders while others used it to talk about how to calmly get parking space. In Canada, a dear brother, Mustafa Mattan, was also shot and killed, but the media coverage was almost non-existent. We look around and the world seems to be overtaken by tyrants and oppressors. And those people act as though they are kings or possessors of other people, acting how they will with the lives of innocents.

But who is ultimately in control?

Al-Ghazali stated about Allah, al-Malik, that “everything other than He is subject in its essence and its attributes, while He is independent of everything—and this is what it is to be king absolutely.”

At the end of it all, even if it seems that people are able to act in unjust ways, they are all subject to Allah, who is both al-Malik and al-Maalik; He is both the King and the Ultimate Possessor. When we recite Surat al-Fatiha, we say, “Maaliki youm ad-deen” or “Maliki youm ad-deen”  (“Sovereign of the Day of Recompense”) depending on the type of recitation. They both come from the same root, m-l-k (م-ل-ك), which means to have power over, to possess, and to have kingship.

Maalik means a possessor, while Malik means that you have sovereignty over something and can do with it as you wish. And Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala (exalted is He) is both Maalik and Malik. He fully controls and has ownership over the Day of Judgment and what occurs therein. He is also Maalik al-Mulk, to emphasize and intensify these meanings, that He is the Sovereign over all worlds. And this is something we seldom reflect upon; there will be a day when we will be face to face with the One who has true sovereignty over everything.

Allah tells us that He is “Maaliki youm ad-deen” after He tells as that He is Lord of the worlds. If He is the Lord of the worlds, then He must also be the Lord on the Day of Judgment. But to specifically single out the Day of Judgment is for all of us, who either behave in unethical ways or wonder how others are allowed to behave in such ways. But Allah reminds us that the innocent lives lost are not lost forever. Power will fade. And we will all be before Allah, al-Malik al-Maalik.

Ultimate Justice

While the above Names speak of the reality of who is truly in control, we need to be acquainted with another Name of Allah to understand how Allah exercises His power. We know that “Indeed, Allah does what He intends,” (Qur’an, 22:14). We are also told that on the Day of Judgment:

“And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, ‘Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?’ And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one,” (Qur’an, 18:49).

We are also told in a beautiful hadith (narration):

“O my servants, I have forbidden oppression for myself and I have made it forbidden among you, so do not oppress one another. ” (Muslim)

Allah is al-`Adl. This word comes from the root `a-d-l (ع-د-ل) which is the opposite of transgression, and thus means to act justly and fairly. Allah has no desires and so His judgment is never clouded, and thus He is able to apply true justice. Al-Ghazali states that to know Allah is Most Just enables us to feel tranquility and prevents us from objecting to God’s judgment or cursing Fate. We know that He is the Most-Merciful as well as the Most-Just.

Connecting to these Names

Al-Malik

Al-Ghazali recounts a story where one person said “to a certain shaykh: ‘Advise me’, and he said to him: ‘Be a king in this world and you will be a king in the next.’ When he said: ‘How might I do that?’ The shaykh answered: ‘Renounce this world and you will be a king in the next.’ He meant: detach your needs and your passions from this world, for kingship lies in being free and able to dispense with everything.”

Al-`Adl

In knowing that Allah is just, we must seriously consider whether we apply justice in our own lives. Are we just to our souls, in ensuring that we have connected to Allah? Are we just to our relatives? And are we just to animals?

Allah (swt) tells us that He has forbidden oppression for Himself and made it forbidden for us. So we should be vigilant over our souls and actions.

In the end, we must know with certainty that Allah is the Ultimate Possessor of everything, and this will be made apparent on the Day of Judgment. We are reminded of this everyday when we recite Surat al-Fatiha so that we never lose sight of that, even when tyrants act like they run the world And Allah, the Possessor and the Most Just, will surely make justice prevail.

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.