Al-Aziz (The All-Mighty)

The Name Al-Aziz has been mentioned in the Qur’an 92 times, such as in Surat al-Baqarah (2:260):

واعْلَم أَنَّ اللهَ عَزيزٌ حَكِيم

“And know that Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.”

And in Surat Aal-Imran (3:4):

واللهُ عَزيزٌ ذُو انتِقام

“And Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Able of Retribution.”

The following statement has been mentioned frequently in Surat ash-Shu’araa’ (Chapter 26):

وإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ العَزيزُ الرَّحيم

“And verily, you Lord! He is truly the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.”

Ibn Kathir said that Al-Aziz means, “He is the Mighty, Dominant over all things.” Therefore, His Majesty is never violated, due to His might, greatness, irresistible power and pride.

Ibn Jarir said Al-Aziz means, the Strong in His retribution, Mighty in His Revenge, no one can overcome Him nor resist Him.

Shaikh as-Sa’di said: “Al-Aziz is the One to Whom belongs might and honour in its entirety, the might and honour of strength, of conquest and of prevention. He has prevented any of His creation from encompassing and grasping Him, He is Omnipotent over everything that is in existence, the whole of creation is subjected and indebted to Him, yielding before His greatness.

Accordingly, Al-Aziz means:

• The One Who is impregnable (unable to be captured), none will prevail against Him
• The Irresistible, Who subdues everything by His Might.
• The Strong and Powerful.
• He (Ta’ala) is Unique, there is nothing like unto Him and nothing is comparable to Him.

The impact of believing in the Name Al-Aziz

1- Believing in Allaah (Ta’ala) One of Whose Names is Al-Aziz, Who is never overpowered or resisted, gives the Muslim courage and great confidence in Him, because this means that His Lord subdues everything, none can prevail against Him nor His matter is returned, whatever He wills it will happen, even if it is against the will of the people, and whatever He wills not, it will not happen or occur even if the people want it.

   Take the story of Pharaoh and Moses (‘alayhis-Salaam) as an example. Pharaoh tried to kill every newborn baby boy, by giving orders to his soldiers to kill all the male babies of Bani Israel, because he knew that a Prophet would come from among them and would take his kingdom from him. But Allaah (Azza wa Jall), Al-Aziz, the All-Mighty, refused except that He completes His Light even though the disbelievers hate it. Allaah’s Will was for Moses (‘alayhis-Salaam) to be born and even to be raised in Pharaoh’s castle and in his house and under his care. When Pharaoh wanted to kill him, Allaah (Ta’ala) drowned him and his minister Hamaan and all his soldiers.

Similarly, the case of Yusuf (‘alayhis-Salaam). When his brothers wanted to kill him in the beginning, they couldn’t do that, because Allaah (Ta’ala) had decreed another matter for him (Yusuf), and that was to be a Prophet of Allaah and to have the authority in the land (Egypt), so Allaah (Azza wa Jall) diverted them from killing him by throwing him in the well, and Allaah has full power and control over His affairs, but most men know not.

Also when the Jews tried to kill Jesus (‘alayhis-Salaam), Allaah (Ta’ala) raised him up (with his body and soul) unto Himself, and Allaah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise.

Similarly, the pagans of the Quraish wanted to kill Prophet Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) or to imprison him or to expel him from his town (Makkah), and tried to prevent the people from embracing Islam by fighting and persecuting them. Furthermore, they tried to urge the Jews and the hypocrites of Madinah to fight him, but all these trials did not prevent Islam from spreading in the Arabian Peninsula, and for the religion of Allaah to be established in it. The decision of a matter, before and after, is only with Allaah (Ta’ala).

2- The powerful, the honourable and the noble in this life and the Hereafter is the one whom Allaah (Azza wa Jall) has endued with honour.

   Allaah (Azza wa Jall) said in Surat Aal-Imran (3:26):

قلِ اللهُمَّ مالِكَ المُلْكِ تُؤْتي المُلْكَ مَن تَشاء وتَنزعُ المُلْكَ مِمَّن تشاء وتُعِزُّ من تشاء وتُذِلُّ مُن تشاء،  بِيَدِكَ الخَيْرُ إِنَّكَ على كُلِّ شَئٍ قَدير

“Say (O Muhammad Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), ‘O Allaah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom you will, and You take the kingdom away from whom You will, and You endue with honour whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things.”

Whoever is seeking the sovereignty, let him ask it from Allaah (Azza wa Jall) the Owner of Sovereignty, as He (Ta’ala) said in Surat Fatir (35:10):

مَن كان يُريد العِزَّةَ فَللَّه العِزَّةُ جَميعاً

“Whoever desires honour (through power) – then to Allaah belongs all honour.”

Therefore, whoever would like to be honoured in this life and the Hereafter then let him obey Allaah (Azza wa Jall), the Owner of this life and the Hereafter and to Him belongs all honour. As the obedience increases, the honour will increase. The most honoured people are the Prophets, next come the believers, the followers of the Prophets.

Accordingly, whoever seeks honour with other than Allaah (Azza wa Jall) and without obeying Allaah and following the way of the believers, then he has shown hostility to Allaah and His Law, and befriended Allaah’s enemies from among the Jews and Christians and other disbelievers, thinking that this is the way of attaining honour.

Allaah (Ta’ala) said in Surat an-Nisaa’ (4:139):

الذين يتَّخِذونَ الكافِرينَ أَوْلِياءَ مِن دونِ المُؤْمِنينَ، أَيَبْتَغونَ عِندَهُمُ العِزَّةَ فَإِنَّ العِزَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَميعاً

“Those who take disbelievers for Awliyaa’ (protectors or helpers or friends) instead of believers, do they seek honour with them? All honour is with Allaah (Alone).”

3- One of the means of attaining honour is through pardoning and humbleness.

   Narrated Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Charity does not diminish the wealth, Allaah enhances the honour of the one who forgives, and one who humbles himself for the sake of Allaah, Allaah exalts him in rank.” [Muslim]

    Whoever pardons or forgives while having the ability to take revenge, will become great in the hearts in this life, and in the Hereafter will attain a great reward, and whoever humbled himself for the sake of Allaah, seeking His pleasure, Allaah will exalt him in rank.

4- Allaah (Ta’ala) called His Book Al-Aziz in His statement in Surat Fussilat (41: 41-42):

إِنَّ الَّذين كَفروا بِالذِّكْرِ لَمَّا جاءَهُم، وإِنَّهُ لَكِتابٌ عَزيز. لاَّ  يَأْتِيهِ الباطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَديْهِ ولا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزيلٌ مِنْ حَكيمٍ حَميد

“Verily, those who disbelieve in the Reminder (i.e. the Qur’an) when it came to them (shall receive the punishment). And verily, it is an Honourable Respected Book (because it is Allaah’s Speech, and He has protected it from corruption, etc.) Falsehood cannot come to it before it or behind it, (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all Praise (Allaah).”

   Qatadah said: “Allaah (Ta’ala) honoured it because it is His Speech. Therefore, He protected it from falsehood and guarded it (from corruption).”

   It is a clear fact that more than 1400 years have elapsed and not a single word of this Qur’an has been changed, although the disbelievers tried their utmost to change it in each and every way, but they failed miserably in their efforts. As it is mentioned in His Holy Verse:

وإِنَّا لَهُ لَحافِظون

“We will guard it.” [Al-Hijr 15:9]

   By Allaah! He has guarded it. On the contrary, all the other Holy Books (the Torah, the Gospel, etc.) have been corrupted in the form of additions or subtractions or alterations in the original text.

Source:

📚 An-Nahjul-Asma fii Sharh Asma’ullahil-Husna, by Shaikh Muhammad Humoud Al-Najdi.

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