ISLAMNA

Al-Maani` (The Preventer)

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Verily Allah raises a people with this Book (Al-Quraan) and makes lowly another. [Al-Bukhaari] The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would say after making the salaam at the end of the prayer and turning towards the people: There is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allah Who is Alone and without partner. For Him is the Sovereignty and for Him is the praise and He is in control of all things. O Allah there is none who can withhold that which You have given and none who can give that which You have withheld. No wealth or majesty can benefit anyone as You are from Who all wealth and majesty come. [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

There is none who can prevent what He gives and none who can give what He prevents. Every thing that can bring goodness or benefit is sought and desired from Him. He is the One Who gives to whomsoever He Wills and prevents from Whosoever He Wills, all of this in accordance to His Wisdom and Mercy.

By the blessing and provision of Allah have we completed this initial work in Jumaada Al-Aakhir 1421.

May Allah reward all those who contributed to this work and protect and forgive us for any errors or shortcomings for indeed He and His Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) and Islam are free therefrom. Any errors are due to the Shaytaan and ourselves and any good is due to the grace and mercy of Allah Most High and Free of All Imperfections.

Al-Mutee (The Giver)

 Allah taaalaa stated: Say: O Allah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give possession to whom You will, and You take possessions from whom You will, and you endue with honor whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily You are able to do all things. [Soorah Aale Imraan, Aayah 26]

Al-Baasit (The Munificent) 

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Verily Allah azza wa jall, does not sleep nor is it fitting that He sleep. He decreases the amount (of provision) and raises it. Every matter of the night is raised to Him before the deeds of the day an the deeds of the day before those of the night. [Muslim]

Al-Qaabid (The Constrictor)

And it is Allah Who decreases or increases your provisions and unto Him you shall return. [Soorah Al-Baqarah, 188]

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Indeed Allah is Al-Musair (The Pricesetter), Al-Baasit, Ar-Raaziq (the Provider) [Ibn Maajah, At-Tirmidhi, Abu dawud, Ahmad, Ad-Daarimi]. He (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also stated: Whoever Allah wants good for He gives him understanding in religion and Allah is Al-Mutee and I am Al-Qaasim [Al-Bukhaari]

Al-Hayee (The Shy)

As-Sitteer (The Coverer)

This is derived from his statement (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam): Verily Allah is Al-Hayee (The Shy). He is shy to let His slave return empty-handed if he outstretches his hands to Him. [Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah] Also is his statement (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam): Verily Allah Mighty and Majestic is Haleem (Forebearing), Hayee (Shy), Sitteer (Covering). He loves modesty and shyness and covering. Therefore when any of you bathe let him cover himself (i.e. from the sight of people). [Abu Dawud, An-Nasaaee, al-Baihaqi, Ahmed, graded as saheeh]

This is from His Mercy, Generosity, and Perfection. His forbearance is in that His slave openly sins although he is intensely dependant upon Him to the degree that it is not even possible for him to disobey if not for the favor of Allah giving him any power. Yet Ar-Rabb (The Ultimate Creator, Sustainer and Provider) is of such complete independence from all of His creation, it is out of His generosity that He is shy to uncover and disgrace him and make lawful the punishment for him, so He covers him through opening means to cover him by. He overlooks and forgives and He shows His love for His slave through His favors, yet they commit sins ful to Him. His good is upon them every moment yet their evil is rising. He is still the Sovereign and Most Generous although their disobedience and every shameful deed goes up to Him. Allah taaalaa is shy to punish the one that tarnishes his Islam as well as to leave the one who outstretches his hands to Him empty handed. He calls upon His slaves to ask Him and He promises to answer them.

He is the Coverer and the Shy Who in turn loves those who possess a sense of shame and who cover faults. Whoever covers the faults of a Muslim, Allah will cover him in this life and in the hereafter. For this reason it is detested that the slave of Allah announces his sin after its commission. Rather the repentance of the slave is between him and his Rabb and not revealed to people. It is the most loathsome of people who commit sin in the night and Allah covers that sin only to remove the covering of Allah in the morning by announcing that sin.

Allah taaalaa said: Verily those who like that (the crime) of illegal ual should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. [Soorah An-Noor, Aayah 19].

All of this is the meaning of His name Al-Haleem (The Forbearing) Whose forbearance encompasses the disbelievers, the sinful and the disobedient. He holds back His punishment from hurriedly descending upon the wrongdoers for He gives them respite in order to repent. However He does not give them unlimited respite if they persist and continue in their tyranny and excesses without repenting.

Ar-Rafeeq (The Gentle)

This is derived from the statement of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) from a authentic hadeeth: Allah is Gentle and loves gentleness and He gives with gentleness to the extent He does not give with harshness nor does He give of anything in equal measure to it. [Muslim]

Allah taaala is gentle in His actions. He created all creation gradually, bit by bit, according to His wisdom and gentleness despite the fact that He was capable of creating it all at one time and in a moment. Whoever considers the creation and thinks about His Laws and how they are brought about gradually, they would attest to the most amazing wonders.

The one who is deliberate and reflective is one who deals with affairs with gentleness, calmness and sobriety following the sunan (ways) of Allah in the creation and following His Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). This is his direction and manner that eases affairs for him especially one who is in need of dealing with the affairs of people and guiding and instructing them. He is then forced to use gentleness and easiness. Likewise, whoever is harmed by the creation with offensive speech and preserves his tongue from vilifying them and defends himself with gentleness and ease, their harm will be pushed away from him in ways not possible through confrontation with them in the manner they speak or act. From confrontation in their manner, just comes the loss of attaining comfort, tranquility, composure, and forbearance.

Allah the Mighty and Majestic sends the rain to His slaves if they appeal to Him, Most Glorified and Perfect is He. It is related by Anas Ibn Malik (radiallahu anhu) that a man entered the masjid on Friday while the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was delivering the sermon and he said, Oh Messenger of Allah. Our possessions are being destroyed and the highways cut off, so please ask Allah to send rain upon us. [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Allah the Mighty and Majestic sends nourishing rain upon His slaves in times of hardship and adversity. It is He who sends rain to all creatures when their circumstances become strained and they fall into a state of distress and hardship. He feeds the hungry and provides clothing for them. He lifts their hardship from them and sends the rains upon them in their time of need. Likewise He answers grievances, i.e. the supplications of those in distress, anxiety and predicament. Who sincerely seeks His relief is being provided. The Quran and the Sunnah both mention His relieving the troubles and removing distress and making ease from hardship over and over.

Al-Jameel (The Beautiful)

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) stated, Verily Allah is Beautiful and He loves beauty. [Muslim] For Allah subhaanahu is beautiful in His Self, His Names, His Attributes and His actions. It is not possible for a created being to express some of His beauty. Even the inhabitants of Al-Jannah -despite what they will have of everlasting ease and bounties, happiness and pleasure that cannot be measured - upon seeing their Rabb and enjoying His beauty, they will forget all that they have been granted of bounties and all that they have of happiness will amount to nothing and they will desire to forever remain in that state (i.e. of looking at Allah). They will acquire from His beauty and light that which adds to their beauty. Their hearts will be perpetually yearning and longing for the sight of their Rabb. They will be overjoyed on Yaum Al-Mazeed with such joy that will cause the hearts to nearly fly.

Likewise, He is beautiful in His names for all of them are beautiful and good. Indeed, they are absolutely the best names and the most beautiful of names.

Allah said, To Allah belong The Most Beautiful Names, therefore call upon Him by them. [Soorah 7 Al-Araaf, Aayah 180]

And He said, Do you know of any who is similar to Him [i.e. in name]? [Soorah 19 Maryam, Aayah 65]

All of that points to the utmost degree of praise, magnificence and perfection. He is not called by any name that is divisible between perfection and other than that.

Likewise, He is beautiful in His attributes. Each and every one of His attributes are attributes of perfection, and qualities of praise and magnificence. They are broader in description and more general and more linked (to His Self). Especially the characteristics of Mercy (Ar-Rahmah), Kindness (Al-Birr), Generosity (Al-Karam), and Liberality (Al-Jood).

Also all of His actions are beautiful. They all revolve around his Actions of Kindness and Goodness for which He is praised and extolled and thanked; and those actions of Justice for which He is praised due to their being in accordance with wisdom and praise. There is nothing useless or wasted or foolish nor vain nor unjust in His actions. All of them are good, all are guidance, mercy, reasonable and fair.

Verily my Rabb is on the Straight Path. [Soorah 11 Hood, Aayah 56]

It is due to His perfection that none can glorify Him enough. All His actions are perfect therefore each of His judgments and rulings are the most perfect of rulings, and that which He produces and makes is the best of creation and production. What He has fashioned is most precise and perfect:

The Work of Allah, Who perfected all things[Soorah 27 An-Naml, Aayah 88]

His has made His creation the best: Who made everything He has created good[Soorah As-Sajdah, Aayah 7]

And Who is better in judgment than Allah for a people who have firm faith? [Soorah 5 Al-Maaidah, Aayah 50]

The Cosmos is composed of many kinds and categories of beauty and that beauty is derived from Allah taaala for He is the one Who covered it with beauty and Who gave it exquisiteness. He indeed is more entitled (of the description of beauty) for the giver of the beauty is more deserving of beauty. Every type of beauty in this life and in the next, whether internal or external is due to Him. Especially that which the Ultimate Lord and Protector (Al-Mawlaa) gives to the inhabitants of Al-Jannah of excessive beauty. For if just one of the Hoorul-Een (Hooris - maidens of Al-Jannah) was to expose her shin to the world it would obliterate the light of the sun and the stars. Is not the One Who endowed them with this beauty and blessed them with such excellence and perfection, indeed more entitled than them to a beauty that has no similitude? This is clear, rational, evidence that is indisputable with regard to this tremendous issue and others relating to His attributes.

Allah taaala stated: And for Allah is the highest description. [Soorah 16 An-Nahl, Aayah 60]

Any perfection found in created things necessarily means there is no shortcoming in its Creator. Indeed the Grantor, Allah, is more deserving than those who are granted, of attributes that are not equally mutual, as there is no connection between their essence and His, or their attributes and His. The One who granted them hearing, sight, life, knowledge, ability, and beauty is far more entitled than them to those attributes. How can one express His beauty when the most knowledgeable of the creation (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said of Him: I am not capable of giving praises and extolling You as You have extolled and given praise upon Yourself. [Muslim] He (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also said: His veil is Light and if He were to lift it the sublime splendor of His Face would incinerate all that would gaze upon it from His creation. [Muslim] Glorified and free of all imperfection is Allah and He is purified and far above the statements of the wrongdoing negators of His Perfection. Their reckoning is odious ful and depraved. They are from attaining knowledge of Him or the delight of His love.

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) stated in an authentic hadeeth: There are none more patient with being harmed by what he hears than Allah. They make for Him a son, nevertheless He overlooks and forgives them and provides for them. [Al-Bukhari]

He (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also stated, as collected by Al-Bukhari:

The son of Adam denies Me when it is not fitting for him to do so. The son of Adam abuses Me when it is not fitting for him to do so. As far as his denial of Me he says: He will not bring me back as He brought me out. Yet his initial creation was no easier than will be returning him. (i.e. both are easy) As far as his abuse of Me is his saying that I have a son. Yet I am Al-Ahad (The Unique and Singular), As-Samad (The One eternally sought by all) Who neither was born nor gives birth and there is none like unto Him.

Allah taaala abundantly gives to His slaves (all creatures) their provision whether they are obedient or disobedient and rebellious. The disobedient yet continue in their denial of Him and His messengers rush to extinguish His Deen. Nevertheless Allah is patient with all they say and do. They follow evil upon evil and He follows with favor upon favor. His Patience is the most perfect and complete patience due to His perfect and complete Ability and Independence from His creation along with perfection and completeness in His Mercy and Kindness. Most blessed is the Most Merciful Provider Who there is none comparable and Who loves the patient and provides for all their needs.

Al-Waasi (The Vast, Extending, Abounding, Far-Reaching, All-Sufficient)

“And Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and Bounty and Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures needs, All-Knowing. [Soorah 2 Al-Baqarah, Aayah 268]

He, subhaanahu wa taaala, is Vast in His attributes, and characteristics and all that is tied to them. None can encompass or bring forth all the praise due to Him. Indeed He is the One Who is most fitting to extol Himself. His Greatness, Authority, and Sovereignty are all extremely extensive as are His Kindness, and Goodness along with greatness of Generosity and Magnanimity.

Al-Kaafi (The Sufficient)

“Is not Allah Sufficient for His slave? [Soorah 39 Az-Zumar, Aayah 36]

He, Who is free from and above all imperfection is the Sufficient for His slaves for all their needs and they are force to depend upon Him. He is the Sufficient to a special extent for whosoever believes in Him and depends upon Him and asks from Him that which he requires for his religion (deen) and his worldy life (ad-dunyaa).

Badeeus-Samaawaati Wal-Ard (The Originating Creator) of the Heavens and the Earth

“The Originator of the heavens and the earth. If He decides a matter He merely says Be and it is. [Soorah 2 Al-Baqarah, Aayah 117]

That is, He created them and originated them from nothing with the utmost perfection and marvelous original creation, as well as with wondrous and precise order.

“And Allah taaala stated: He is the one who originates the creation, then will repeat it (after it has been perished)[Soorah 30 Ar-Room, Aayah 27]

He began their creation to test which of them is the best in deeds, then He returns them (to life in the Hereafter) to reward those who do righteous deeds and to give what is due to those who commit evil for their evil deeds.

Likewise, He brings into existence created things bit by bit and brings them back all the time. Allah taaala also says:

“Verily your Lord is the doer of what He wills. [Soorah 11 Hood, Aayah 107]

“And He Subhaanahu (Who is free from and above any imperfection) said: He does what He wills. [Soorah 85 Al-Burooj, Aayah 16]

This extends from His Perfect Power, and implementation of His Will and His Ability. Every matter that He wants He does and there is nothing that can pose obstruction or resistance to Him. Indeed, if He wants anything He merely says, Be and it is. The fact is that He is the Doer of all He wishes and His Will is according to His Wisdom. Allah is described as Perfect in Power and implementation of Will. He is also characterized as having complete and comprehensive wisdom in all that He has done or does.