Al-‘Adheem (The Most Great)

The Name of Allaah, Al-‘Adheem, has been mentioned nine times in the Qur’an, such as:

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat al-Baqarah (2:255):

وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

“And He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.”

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) also said in Surat at-Tawbah (9:129):

عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ

“In Him I put my trust and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.”

In Surat al-Waqi’ah (56:96), Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said:

فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ

“So glorify with praises the Name of your Lord, the Most Great.”

The Meaning of this Mighty Name

Ibn Jarir said: “Al-‘Adheem is the One Whose creation magnifies, glorifies and fears Him. He is the Owner of Magnificence and Grandeur. ” Others said: “He is the Most Great Who attributed Himself with Greatness.” [Jami-ul-Bayan]

Az-Zujaji said: “Al-‘Adheem is the Possessor of total Power, Sovereignty, Magnificence and Grandeur.” [Ishtiqaq Asmau’ Allaah]

Al-Asbahani said: “Greatness is one of Allaah’s Attributes which the creation cannot bear. Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) created superiority and greatness among the creation by which they magnify each other. There are among people those who are magnified because of their wealth, others because of their grace. Some are magnified because of their knowledge, others because of their rank and nobility, and so forth. However, Allaah (‘Azza wa Jall) is magnified and glorified in all states. 

It is incumbent upon him who truly knows the greatness of Allaah, not to utter a word that Allaah hates, nor commit a sin which displeases Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala), Who takes charge (guards, maintains, etc.) of every person and knows all that he has earned.” [Al-Hujjah Fil-Mahajjah]

Ibn al-Atheer said: “He Whose Greatness exceeds the limit of minds to an extent that no mind is able to encompass it and know its reality.” [An-Nihayah]

Shaikh as-Sa’dee (Rahimahullaah) said: “He is described with the Attributes of Glory, Grandeur, Greatness and Magnificence. He is the One Who is greater, more exalted and magnificent than anything. He is glorified and magnified in the hearts of His allies and close ones. Their hearts overflow in exalting and magnifying Him, submitting to Him and humbling themselves before His Grandeur.” [Tayseer al-Kareem]

The Impact of Believing in this Name

1- Indeed, Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) is the Absolute Most Great. He is great in His Self, in all His Names and Attributes. He is great in His Hearing, Seeing, Power, Knowledge, etc. It is not permissible to restrict His Greatness in one thing to the exclusion of the other, because this is from what Allaah has forbidden us to do.

Out of Allaah’s Greatness in His Knowledge and Ability is that He feels no fatigue in guarding the seven heavens and the seven earths, and what is therein, as He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat al-Baqarah (2:255):

وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

“And He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.”

The creature could be great in a state other than another state, and in a time other than other times. One might be great in his youth and not when he becomes old. One might be a king or a wealthy person who is honored and magnified by his people but if his kingdom or riches perish, his greatness is lost as well, and his people might abandon him. However, Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) is the Ever Most Great.

Al-Halimee said: “The one who is great among his people is disposing their affairs. They don’t oppose him or contradict his commands except when failure or incapacity befalls him. That would weaken him, and his people would overpower him. However, Allaah (‘Azza wa Jall) is Able, nothing can prevent or resist Him. He is the True Great One.” [Al-Minhaj]

3- It is obligatory upon the Muslim to magnify Allaah as He truly deserves to be magnified and to give Him His due estimate. Although this is difficult to attain, the Muslim should exert his utmost with all his ability to reach that.

How to magnify Allaah (‘Azza wa Jall)?

First: By attributing to Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) what suits His Majesty and with what He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) has attributed Himself with of Perfect Attributes, believing in them, affirming them to Him without giving resemblance, or denying them, or giving them a description. Whoever resembled Allaah with His creation, or denied any of Allaah’s Attributes, or interpreted any of Allaah’s Attributes or gave them a description, then he did not magnify Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) as He should be magnified.

Second: By remembering Allaah profusely in all times and states. Commencing every task with His Name, praising and extolling Him with what suits Him, glorifying Him with Tahlil and Takbir (i.e. to say La ilaha illa Allaah and Allaahu-Akbar).

Third: By obeying His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat an-Nisa’ (4:64):

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ

“We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by Allaah’s Leave.”

Whoever obeyed the Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), then he has obeyed the One Who has sent him.

مَنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ

“He who obeys the Messenger [(Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)], has indeed obeyed Allaah.” (4:80)

And whoever disobeyed the Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has indeed disobeyed Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala).

Fourth: By respecting and venerating the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat at-Fat-h (48:9):

لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُعَزِّرُوهُ وَتُوَقِّرُوهُ

“In order that you (O mankind) may believe in Allaah and His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), and that you assist, and honor him (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).”

One way to venerate the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is to honor and respect his Companions (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhum), and the Muslim scholars, Ahl-Assunnah (the real followers of the Sunnah). We can do this by loving them, defending them and by mentioning their merits, knowledge and their Jihad.

Another way to venerate the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is not to precede or forward anyone’s talk or opinion over his (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) talk or decision, no matter what his position is.

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat al-Hujurat (49:1):

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا لَا تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ

“O you who believe! Do not put (yourselves) before Allaah and His Messenger and fear Allaah” [rather, wait for instruction and follow the way of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)].

I.e. hasten not to decide in matters of war or religion before Allaah and His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), that you may decide contrary to what Allaah and His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) may decide.

Fifth: By believing in the Book of Allaah; that it is His Speech that should be judged with on earth because it is His law which He has legislated for all mankind and which He is pleased with. Whoever does not do that, then he did not magnify Allaah (‘Azza wa Jall); but rather, he resembled the Jews who cast the Book of Allaah away behind their backs and followed the devils among Jinn and mankind.

Sixth: By magnifying the religious symbols of Allaah such as the Salat, Zakat, Siyam, Hajj, ‘Umrah, etc. [by honoring, respecting and fulfilling their pillars].

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat al-Hajj (22:32):

ذَلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ

“And whoever honors the symbols of Allaah then it is truly from the piety of the heart.”

Seventh: By refraining from Allaah’s prohibitions which He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) has forbidden in His Book or what His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has forbidden in authentic traditions.

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat al-Hajj (22:30):

ذَلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ حُرُمَاتِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ

“And whoever honors the sacred ordinances of Allaah, then that is better for him in the Sight of his Lord.”

One of the greatest matters which Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) prohibited is all kinds of Shirk. A Muslim is ordered to act upon the Commands of Allaah which He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ordered, and the greatest Command is Tawheed and worshipping Allaah Alone without associates.

4- There is no one more mislead than the person who refuses to worship Allaah Alone and who insists on associating with Allaah in worship that which has no power to give him provision and that possess neither harm nor benefit for him such as graves, stones, idols, trees, dead people (who have become crumbled bones). How can these fulfill one’s needs? or cure a sick person? or bring back an absentee?

This mislead person is trapped within blindness and manifestly astray, and in the Hereafter he will be in a severe torment.

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat al-Haqqah (69:30-33):

خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ ، ثُمَّ الْجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُ ، ثُمَّ فِي سِلْسِلَةٍ ذَرْعُهَا سَبْعُونَ ذِرَاعًا فَاسْلُكُوهُ ، إِنّهُ كَانَ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ

“It will be said: ‘Seize him and fetter him, then throw him in the blazing Fire. Then fasten him with a chain whereof the length is seventy cubits. Verily, he used not to believe in Allaah, the Most Great.”

When he did not magnify Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) as He should be magnified, he would be punished with great punishment. This is concerning the polytheists who believed in their Creator and the Creator of the heavens and earth, Who sends down the rain and gives life to the dead land; then what about the atheists who completely deny their Creator, Sustainer and Disposer of their affairs? What will be their state on the Day of Resurrection?!

 
5- The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ordered us to glorify Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) by this Name in the Ruku’ (bowing) during the Salat. He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “…. Verily, I have been forbidden to recite the Qur’an during bowing and prostration. As for Ruku’, magnify in it the Rabb (the Lord), the Exalted, the Blessed; and as for the prostration, be earnest in supplication, for it is fitting that your supplications be answered.” [Muslim]

Source

📚 An-Nahj Al-Asma Fii Sharh Asma’ Allaah ul-Husna, by Shaikh Muhammad Al-Humoud An-Najdi

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