Alhamdulillah we are in the blessed ten days of dhul hijjah.
Thought of compiling the explanations of beautiful names of our Rabb, in which I have cited the example or lessons from our father Ibrahim (a.s), and his blessed family (peace be upon them all).
Ar-Rasheed
Meaning – The One Who guides to righteousness, sound judgment.
We find the word rushdahu in the following ayah from the same root word of rasheed.
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ رُشْدَهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِۦ عَـٰلِمِينَ
“And indeed, We had granted Abraham [Ibrahim a.s] sound judgment [rushda] early on, for We knew him well.”
SubhanAllah! I am writing the explanation of this beautiful attribute of Allah – Ar Rasheed in the blessed ten days of dhul hijjah, the ninth day of which is yaumul ‘arafah, and the tenth day is eid ul adha, commemorating the sacrifice of Ibrahim (a.s) and Ismail (a.s).
Allah Ar Rasheed had blessed Ibrahim (a.s) with sound judgment (rushd). Ibrahim (a.s) intellectually debated with his people on false deities (idol worship), but his people didn’t want to leave the religion of their forefathers, and thus they got angry on the monotheistic preaching of Ibrahim (a.s). They prepared for him (a.s) a blazing fire, and the fire was so huge that they had to prepare a catapult in order to throw him (a.s) into it. SubhanAllah! Allah Ar Rasheed (Who has given Ibrahim (a.s) the sound judgement/the understanding of right and wrong) made the fire a coolness and safety for Ibrahim (a.s).
Alhamdulillah, guidance and sound judgment to judge between right and wrong is indeed a beautiful blessing from Allah Ar Rasheed, but along with it comes the great trials. It would not have been easy for Ibrahim (a.s) when he was about to be thrown into that blazing fire by his very own people!
Indeed! It is never easy for all those who are blessed with rushd (righteousness, guidance) by Allah Ar Rasheed, as they are belittled, mocked and even persecuted by the tyrants, but we need to know that this is the sunnah of our father Ibrahim (a.s) and the legacy of all Prophets (peace be upon them all) and especially of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to stand against the taghoot (false deities, false gods, false ideologies, false systems) of the times and have belief in Allah Al Ahad alone.
We all know Surah Baqarah ayah 256 of the Holy Qur’an
لَآ إِكْرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَىِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“There shall be no compulsion in deen. The right course (rushdu) has become distinct from the wrong (ghayy). So whoever disbelieves in ṭaghoot and believes in Allāh has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.”
Allah Ar Rasheed has clearly separated rushd (right course) from ghayy (wrong course). The deen is clear, and there is no compulsion in it, and whosoever rejects taghoot are actually the ones who are guided by Allah Ar Rasheed, as they are blessed enough to recognise the false deities of the times in the form of false systems which make laws made by man on majority appeasement, laws other than Allah’s law, commanding what is evil and forbidding what is good depending upon the majority’s whim. It is important to reject taghoot even before belief in Allah, as we can’t accept Allah as our Rabb (master, lord) if we have already other ilah (rabb) to submit to!
We need to learn our lessons from our father Ibrahim (a.s) who was given rushd by Allah Ar Rasheed.
We need to remind ourselves that during these blessed ten days of dhul hijjah comes the ninth day, also known as yaumul arafah which is the day when the ayah was revealed –
ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمَ دِينًۭا ۚ
“Today, I have perfected your deen for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your deen [way of living life covering all aspects].”
We need to ask Allah Ar Rasheed to bless us with that rushd (sound judgment) that we can judge WHY Islam which is termed as an ihsaan, a favour from Allah in the above ayat, which is nowadays considered by many today as a burden. We need to ask Allah Ar Rasheed to bless us with the guidance that we can understand HOW it all happened that Islam which is a deen, a complete favour upon us from Allah Ar Rasheed is reduced to only few individualistic rituals and WHY it all happend and HOW we can reclaim back Islam again as deen from taghoot all around!
May Allah Ar Rasheed bless us with rushd and may we be able to axe down all the fallacy of our times like our father Ibrahim (a.s) did.
Ameen.
———-
Beautiful names of our Rabb
Al-Wakeel
Meaning – The Disposer of all affairs.
“Those to whom hypocrites said, ‘Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.’ But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, ‘Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.’”
(Holy Qur’an, 3:173)
SubhanAllah!
Allahu Akbar!
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was thrown into the fire, he said: “Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us, and, He is the Best Disposer of affairs.” So did Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him), when he was told: “A great army of the pagans had gathered against him, so fear them”. But this (warning) only increased them in Faith and they said: “Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us, and He is The Best Disposer of affairs (for us).”
As an ummah, we too feel like the enemies have gathered together against us with all their might and mains, but we need to trust this beautiful attribute of Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala that He is Al Wakeel – The Best Disposer of all affairs.
What we see are evil plots and what we feel is fear but we need to understand that we should do what our father Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had done, he (peace be upon him) trusted Allah as Al Wakeel even though he was being thrown into the big fire whose flames were so high that a very special catapult was made to throw him into that fire.
But what Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) did?
He (peace be upon him) trusted Allah as Al Wakeel and the fire became coolness and security for him by Allah Al Wakeel’s will.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the believers too were threatened of the large army of pagans against them but it only increased them in faith!
We need to remember Allah with this beautiful attribute often as it will give us strength to fight the fears and to overcome all the heat of the fire which has been flamed with evil plots all across the globe against us.
We as the slaves of Allah Al Wakeel, need to strive to the best of our capabilities to stand and preach the truth, and even if we are dragged to the catapult to be thrown into the fire or to the big army against us, we need to remember our Rabb with this beautiful attribute so that no fire and no large numbers of armies can burn our faith in the One who is The Best Disposer of all affairs, Allah Al Wakeel!
In times of anxiety and fear always recite – Hasbunallahu Wa’nimal Wakeel!
——
Beautiful names of our Rabb
As-Sami’
Meaning – The All-Hearing.
“And (mention) when Ibrahim (Abraham) was raising the foundations of the House and (with him) Ismael, (saying), “Our Lord, accept (this) from us. Indeed You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.”
(Holy Quran: 2:127)
Even when they were raising the foundations of Kaaba (House of Allah), both Prophet Ibrahim and Ismael (peace be upon them) prayed to Allah – As Sami’, The All-Hearing to accept it from them.
SubhanAllah! They were the chosen ones who were raising the foundations of Kaaba, a blessed and an honourable work but then too they made the supplication (dua) that may Allah – As Sami’ accept it from them.
SubhanAllah!
Allah – As Sami’ – The All-Hearing has heard their supplication and has mentioned it in the Holy Quran for us as an inspiration so that we also remember Allah and invoke Him with His beautiful attributes like As Sami’ and Al Aleem (The All-Hearing and All-Knowing) to accept the good works from us.
Allah is As Sami’ – The All Hearing is also mentioned in the following ayat –
“There shall be no compulsion in (acceptance of) the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut (false gods) and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is All-Hearing and All-Knowing.
(Holy Quran 2:256)
We know that life is a roller coaster ride, the ups and downs are a part of life.
What we all desperately need is the grasp of the strong and trustworthy handhold that never breaks – The Most Trustworthy handhold is of Allah Who is As Sami’ and Al Aleem – The All Hearing and All Knowing but we can get a hold of it only by rejecting taghut and believing in One Allah.
Disbelief in taghoot (false gods which interestingly evolves from time to time, like today’s common (false) god is “whatever the majority decides” like if the majority says drinking alcohol after the age of 18 is right then it becomes permissible, alright and if the majority says homosexuality/ paedophilia, bestiality is okay then it becomes accepted and permissible.
We need to reject the taghut (false gods) and believe in Allah and whosoever has done so has achieved the most trustworthy handhold that will never break – the strong handhold of
Al Aleem – The All knowing,
As Sami’ – The All Hearing Who hears everything from what is said to what is left unsaid.
——-
Beautiful names of our Rabb
Al-Maajid
Meaning – The Glorious.
“Lord of the Throne, Glorious.”
(Holy Qur’an, 85:15)
SubhanAllah! My son was reading the story of Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) from a book, he narrated that Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) was saved from the blazing fire and it was made coolness and safety for him by Allah Al Maajid – The Glorious One.
Interestingly! We all have heard the story of Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) a lot of times but this time, a thought struck in my head that why Allah (swt) doesn’t save the ordinary believing people when the heavy trials of burning and choking them to death are inflicted upon them by the tyrants of the times just because of their belief?
I sought refuge in Allah from such thoughts as I know and believe that we can’t decode Allah’s wisdom behind the events and I thought I will rather focus on the next beautiful name of Allah (swt) rather than thinking on these lines.
As I was researching about where the beautiful attribute Al Majeed or the root word of it is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, I came across that Allah Al Maajid has mentioned His Throne as Glorious in Surah al Buruj (Surah 85, verse 15) with same root words of Al Majeed.
As we read this Surah, we will see that Allah swt says in one of its verses –
“Have you heard the story of the hosts, of Pharaoh and
Thamud?”
(Holy Qur’an 85:17-18)
Actually! This is a reference to two long stories that have been mentioned several times in the Holy Qur’an.
Both stories are different manifestations of The Divine will.
Interestingly! These two different stories are mentioned along with the third one which is mentioned in the opening verses of the Surah al Buruj which points out the pit event.
The big pit was made by the tyrants to burn the true believers in the blazing fire.
In the same Surah (Surah Al Buruj) references to the heavens and the constellations (which translates to buruj) are referred to as the witnesses of the horrendous burning of the believers in the pit. The mention of the promised day (the judgement day) altogether imparts an aura of seriousness, concern, attention and manner in which the pit event was referred to highlighting the wrath of Allah – The Supreme, The All Powerful.
In the same Surah where Allah Al Majeed has mentioned the horrendous event of burning of believers in the pit by the tyrants, He has pointed the two different stories of Pharoah and Thamud.
-In the case of story of Pharoah,
the tyrant Pharaoh and his army
were eliminated, the Children of Israel (the believers) were saved by Allah (swt) and Allah (swt) gave them power to rule for a certain period.
-As for the Thamud, Allah (swt) exterminated them and saved Prophet Salih (pbuh) along with his few followers. The believers in this instance did not establish a state of their own; they
were merely saved from corrupt enemies.
-In the story of pit the believers were neither saved nor they established a state, only their undying faith lived and they died upon their belief as shaheed (martyrs) and the whole constellation (buruj), the heavens and the earth became the witness of their faith and firmness and they will be given justice on the promised day of the judgement.
SubhanAllah!
Isn’t it amazing how Allah The Glorious, Al Majeed directs our concerns through His Glorious Quran, Quran Majeed!
- Believers can be saved and they may witness the established land (like in case children of Bani Israel, they got authority).
- Believers can merely be saved and they won’t be able to see anything as a state of established Islam (like in case of Thamud and Prophet Salih who didn’t have a state)
-And believers might not be saved, they may be burn to death but the atrocities they endure are witnessed by the heavens and the earth and the constellations (al buruj) and they will become the witnesses to testify against the tyrants on the day of judgement! (Like in case of the believers who were thrown into the blazing fire pit and burned to ashes).
Three different stories pointed by Allah Al Majeed in one Surah, the same Surah which says that Allah is The Lord of the Glorious Throne.
Allah Al Majeed says in Surah Ibrahim –
“Do not think that Allah is unaware of what the oppressors do. He only delays them until a Day when (their) eyes will stare in horror.”
(Holy Qur’an 14:42)
Indeed! Insignificant becomes all glittering attractions of the world, meagre becomes all sufferings, and trivial becomes the treasured materials when the pleasure of the loving Lord of the Glorious Throne is desired!
May Allah Al Majeed allow us to be near His Glorious Throne in the hereafter.
Ameen