Al-Jameel (The Beautiful)

Abdullah bin Mas’ud (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance, shall not enter Paradise.” A man said, One loves his dress to be nice, and his sandals to be nice.” He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Verily, Allaah is Beautiful and He loves beauty. Arrogance is rejecting the truth and disregarding people.” [Muslim, the Book of Iman 1/93]

THE MEANING OF THIS NAME:

An-Nawawi (Rahimahullaah) said: “All of Allaah’s affairs are good and beautiful. To Him belong the most beautiful Names and most Perfect and Beautiful Attributes.

It is also said that all of Allaah’s Actions are beautiful; they are full of kindness towards His slaves. He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) does not burden them with deeds and He Who enjoins the duties upon His slaves and Who helps to perform them, recompenses them for it and appreciates it for them.“ [Sharh Muslim]

THE IMPACT OF BELIEVING IN THIS NAME:

1. We should believe that Allaah is the Absolute Beautiful One, Whose Beauty cannot be described or resembled to His creation or to anything we know. Nothing is like unto Him in His Beauty or Attributes.

If we suppose that all creatures were beautiful and had the most beautiful image; their inward and outward beauty compared to the beauty of the Lord (Subhana wa Ta’ala) would be like (the weak light of) a lamp compared to (the light of) the sun.

It is sufficient for us to know that if He (Ta’ala) uncovers the veil from His Glorious Face, His Light would burn everything His Sight reaches [as recorded in a narration by Muslim].

If every apparent and manifest beauty in this life and Hereafter is from Him, then what do you the think of the beauty of Him, the Bestower? Allaah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. When He (Ta’ala) will come to judge among men on the Day of Resurrection, the earth will shine with His Light.

ALLAAH’S BEAUTY IS OF FOUR LEVELS:

The beauty of His Essence, the beauty of His Attributes, the beauty of His Actions and the beauty of His Names. All His Names are Beautiful, all His Attributes are perfect, and all His Actions are full of wisdom, justice, mercy and good (for His creation).

As regards the beauty of His Essence, no one can comprehend His Beauty. No one knows how beautiful Allaah is except Him (Subhana wa Ta’ala). No one of the creation knows except whom He has honored from among His slaves (such as the Messengers).

So all praise and thanks are due to Allaah, the Exalted, and none of His creation can praise Him as He deserves, but only as He praises Himself and He deserves to be worshipped, loved and praised. He loves His Attributes and Actions as He loves His Self. All of His Actions are beautiful and precious and there is nothing hateful among His Actions. There is nothing in this universe that is loved and praised except Allaah, the Exalted. Moreover, if whatever is loved other than Him, is loved for the sake of Allaah, this love is lawful, otherwise it is not. And this is the reality of Lordship. The true Lord is the One that is loved and praised. What then if we add to that His favor, mercy, forgiveness and pardon?

The servant should know that none deserves to be worshipped but Allaah, so he would love and praise Him for His Self and for His Perfection; and he should know that there is no one that grants apparent and hidden favors and blessings except Him, so he would love Him for His Compassion and Blessings. As there is nothing similar to Him, loving Him is not like any kind of love; loving with submission is the kind of worship that Allaah created all things for. It is the utmost love with the utmost humility and it cannot be shown except to Allaah. Indeed to show it to other than Him is polytheism, which Allaah does not forgive if the doer dies in that state.

Praising Him includes two matters: being informed about His praiseworthy Acts and His Attributes of perfection, and loving Him because of them. If someone informs another person about their praiseworthy acts without loving him, he is not praising him. And whoever loves him without informing others about his praiseworthy acts, is not praising him until he combines the two matters. Allaah, the Exalted is praising Himself by Himself and praises Himself by the tongues of those who praise Him from among the angels, the Prophets, the Messengers, and the believers. They praise Him according to His wish and by His permission. He is the One Who enables them to praise Him, and all things are done with His permission. All blessings begin and end with Him; they begin with His praise and end with His praise. He inspires His servant to repent and is happy with it while it’s from His favor and generosity, and He inspires His servant to obey, helps him to do that, and then rewards him for it! He is in no need of anything but all things are in dire need of Him at all times. The servant needs Him to help him to achieve his aims. Whatever is not permitted by Him will never be and whatever is not done for His sake is useless. [Ibn al-Qayyim, the book of al-Fawaid]

• Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) is the Beautiful and Bestower of Beauty to whomever He wills of His creation.
• He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) is the One Who adorned the earth with different kinds of gardens, trees, plants, etc., and made it full of beauty and delight such that the one who looks at it feels joy and his breast is opened because of it.

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat an-Naml [27:60]:

اَمَّنۡ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ وَاَنۡزَلَ لَـكُمۡ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً​ ۚ فَاَنۡۢبَتۡنَا بِهٖ حَدَآٮِٕقَ ذَاتَ بَهۡجَةٍ​ ۚ مَا كَانَ لَـكُمۡ اَنۡ تُـنۡۢبِتُوۡا شَجَرَهَا ؕ ءَاِلٰـهٌ مَّعَ اللّٰهِ​ ؕ بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٌ يَّعۡدِلُوۡنَ

“Is not He (better than your gods) Who created the heavens and the earth, and sends down for you water (rain) from the sky, whereby We cause to grow wonderful gardens full of beauty and delight? It is not in your ability to cause the growth of their trees. Is there any ilâh (god) with Allaah? Nay, but they are a people who ascribe equals (to Him)!“

He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) also said in Surat al-Kahf [18:7]:

اِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا مَا عَلَى الۡاَرۡضِ زِيۡنَةً لَّهَا لِنَبۡلُوَهُمۡ اَ يُّهُمۡ اَحۡسَنُ عَمَلًا‏

“Verily! We have made that which is on earth as an adornment for it, in order that We may test them (mankind) as to which of them are best in deeds.“

• Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) created An’am (i.e. camels, cows, sheep, etc.) and subjected them for the benefit of the human being. Their beauty is a kind of adornment in the sight of the people.*

He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) also said in Surat an-Nahl [16:6]:

وَلَكُمۡ فِيۡهَا جَمَالٌ حِيۡنَ تُرِيۡحُوۡنَ وَحِيۡنَ تَسۡرَحُوۡنَ

“And wherein is beauty for you, when you bring them home in the evening, and as you lead them forth to pasture in the morning.“

• Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) is the One Who confers His favor upon the children of Adam in that He has created them in the best stature.

He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) also said in Surat al-Infitaar [82:6-8]:

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الۡاِنۡسَانُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ الۡكَرِيۡمِ

الَّذِىۡ خَلَقَكَ فَسَوّٰٮكَ فَعَدَلَـك

فِىۡۤ اَىِّ صُوۡرَةٍ مَّا شَآءَ رَكَّبَكَ ‏‏

“O man! What has made you careless about your Lord, the Most Generous? Who created you, fashioned you perfectly, and gave you due proportion; In whatever form He willed, He put you together.“

And He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) also said in Surat Teen [95:4]:

لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا الۡاِنۡسَانَ فِىۡۤ اَحۡسَنِ تَقۡوِيۡمٍ

“Verily, We created man in the best stature (mould).“

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) created man in the best form and image and they (men) differ also in their beauty. Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) granted Yusuf (‘Alayhis-salaam) half of the beauty (of the world) as the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said (in a Hadith recorded by Muslim).

When the women (as mentioned in Surat Yusuf) saw him:

أَكبَرنَهُ وَقَطَّعنَ أَيدِيَهُنَّ وَقُلنَ حاشَ لِلَّهِ ما هٰذا بَشَرًا إِن هٰذا إِلّا مَلَكٌ كَريمٌ

“They exalted him (at his beauty) and (in their astonishment) cut their hands. They said: “How perfect is Allaah (or Allaah forbid)! No man is this! This is none other than a noble angel!”” [Yusuf 12:31]

3. Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) granted Prophet Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) the beauty of image and character.

Al-Baraa’ bin Azib (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated: “Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was the most handsome of all the people, and had the best appearance. He was neither very tall nor short.“ [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

He (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) also narrated: “The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was of moderate height, having broad shoulders and (long) hair reaching his ear-lobes. Once I saw him in a red cloak and I had never seen a more handsome person than him.“ [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Al-Baraa’ (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) was asked: “Was the face of Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) (as bright) as a sword?” He (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) said: “No, but (as bright) as a moon.“ [Al-Bukhari]

Rabi’a bin Abi Abdur-Rahman narrated: I heard Anas bin Malik (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) describing the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying, “He was of medium height amongst the people, neither tall nor short; he had a rosy color, neither absolutely white nor deep brown; his hair was neither completely curly nor quite lank. Divine inspiration was revealed to bhim when he was forty years old. He stayed ten years in Makkah receiving the Divine Inspiration, and stayed in Al-Madinah for ten more years. When he expired, he had scarcely twenty white hairs on his head and in his beard.“ [Al-Bukhari]

4. Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) ordered His Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and his Ummah (nation) to adopt every good and beautiful characteristic.

• Prophet Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) had the best character amongst the people. He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was kind, merciful, forgiving, forbearing, generous, courageous, etc. His wife Khadijah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha) described him when she said to him: “You keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and destitute, serve your guests generously, and assist the deserving ones who have been afflicted with a calamity.“ [Al-Bukhari]

Anas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated: “I served Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) for ten years, and he never said, “Uff“ to me, (a minor harsh word denoting impatience) and never blamed me by saying, ‘Why did you do so or why didn’t you do so?‘” [Al-Bukhari]

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu): “The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was neither immoral (one who speaks bad words) nor one who speaks obscene evil words to make people laugh. He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to say, ‘The best among you is the one with best character.'” [Al-Bukhari]

Ar-Raaghib said: “Beauty is of two kinds, one which man is characterized with in his self, his body or his action. The other kind is beauty of conduct with others.“

Since Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) is Beautiful and loves beauty, this indicates that all good comes from Him and He loves the one who is characterized (attributed) with that. Glorified be He Who joined for His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) both the perfect creation and perfect character.

Therefore, we should take him as our good example.

• Allaah commands us to be patient with the harm of the disbelievers.

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat al-Ma’arij [70:5]:

فَاصۡبِرۡ صَبۡرًا جَمِيۡلًا‏

“So be patient with a good patience.“

i.e. a patience without complaint to anyone except to Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) and this in return of mocking of the disbelievers and their disbelief in the message that he (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was calling them to.

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) also said in Surat al-Muzzammil [73:10]:

فَاصۡبِرۡ صَبۡرًا جَمِيۡلًا‏

“And be patient (O Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)) with what they say, and keep away from them in a good way.“

That is, in a way that is not blameworthy.

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) also said in Surat al-Hijr [15:85]:

فَاصۡفَحِ الصَّفۡحَ الۡجَمِيۡلَ

“So overlook, their faults with gracious forgiveness.“

• Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat al-Ahzab [33:49] regarding divorcing of women:

يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِذَا نَكَحۡتُمُ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ ثُمَّ طَلَّقۡتُمُوۡهُنَّ مِنۡ قَبۡلِ اَنۡ تَمَسُّوۡهُنَّ فَمَا لَـكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِنَّ مِنۡ عِدَّةٍ تَعۡتَدُّوۡنَهَا ۚ فَمَتِّعُوۡهُنَّ وَسَرِّحُوۡهُنَّ سَرَاحًا جَمِيۡلًا‏

“O you who believe! When you marry believing women, and then divorce them before you have sexual intercourse with them, no ‘Iddah have you to count in respect of them. So give them a present, and set them free (i.e. divorce), in a handsome manner.“

This means, to divorce them without harm and free of injustice by not giving them their due rights. This is the beautiful (jameel) release which Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) and His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) love and order with.

5. Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) loves beautifying without extravagance or arrogance, as it is mentioned in the Hadith that Allaah is Beautiful and loves beauty, and the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said this as an answer for the one who said to him: “One loves his dress to be nice, and his sandals be nice,“ to indicate that doing that and loving it is not considered to be one of the dispraised pride.

It was recorded by at-Tirmidhi that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Verily, Allaah loves to see the effect of His blessings on His slave.”

Abu al-Ahwas al-Jashami narrated that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saw him while he was wearing rags, so he (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “Do you have any wealth?“ He said, “Yes.“ Then the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) asked, “What kind?” He said, “Allaah granted me camels and sheep.“ He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “Let His blessings and dignity be seen on you.” [An-Nisa’i, Abu Dawoud, Ahmed and al-Hakim]

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) loves to see the effect of His blessings on His slave; it is from the beauty that He loves. It is a way of thanking Him for His blessings, which is an inner beauty, and He loves to see the outer beauty. [The inner beauty is the gratitude and the outer beauty is the blessing such as wealth, etc.]

Because of His (Subhana wa Ta’ala) love for beauty, He bestowed raiments and adoration upon His slaves that beautify their outer appearance, as well as piety that beautifies their inner-selves.

He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat al-A’raf [7:26]:

يٰبَنِىۡۤ اٰدَمَ قَدۡ اَنۡزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ لِبَاسًا يُّوَارِىۡ سَوۡاٰتِكُمۡ وَرِيۡشًا​ ؕ وَلِبَاسُ التَّقۡوٰى ۙ ذٰ لِكَ خَيۡرٌ

“O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves and as an adornment, and the raiment of righteousness, that is better.“

And He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said regarding the people of Paradise in Surat al-Insan [76:11-12]:

وَ لَقّٰٮهُمۡ نَضۡرَةً وَّسُرُوۡرًا

وَجَزٰٮهُمۡ بِمَا صَبَرُوۡا جَنَّةً وَّحَرِيۡرًا

“So Allaah saved them from the evil of that Day, and gave them Nadhrah (a light of beauty) and joy. And their recompense shall be Paradise, and silken garments, because they were patient.“

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) beautifies their outer face by that light, their inner-selves with joy and their bodies with silken garments.

• Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) loves beauty in sayings, actions, clothing, and appearance, and He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) hates ugliness in sayings, actions, clothing and appearance.

He (Subhana wa Ta’ala) hates ugliness and its people and love beauty and its people.

6. Beauty of image, clothing and appearance is of three kinds: some of it is praiseworthy, some is dispraised, and some would be neither praiseworthy nor dispraised.

The praiseworthy beauty is what is done for the sake of Allaah and that which helps in obeying Him, carrying out His orders and responding to His demands.

The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to adorn himself to meet the delegations [as reported by al-Bukhari]; and he (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to wear clothing of war when preparing himself to fight.

Everything he did was praiseworthy as it was done for the sake of Allaah, raising His Word, supporting His religion, and irrigating His enemy [as reported by at-Tabarani that Abu Dujanah narrated that he was walking with pride between the two armies (the Muslims and the disbelievers) on the day of the battle of Uhud. Prophet Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to him, “This way of walking is disliked by Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) and His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) except in this situation.“]

The dispraised beauty is what is done seeking this worldly life, gaining authority, pride and desires, and it is done for the sake of a human being. The majority of people do not have any intention to do it other than for this. It is permissible for the spouses to beautify themselves for each other seeking the pleasure of Allaah.

What is neither praiseworthy nor dispraised is that which is at variance with these two aims and the two descriptions.

7. The first Hadith reported by Muslim (which is mentioned in the beginning of this article) includes two great bases: the first is knowledge and second is behaviour, which is to know Allaah, the Exalted, through His Beauty, which has no resemblance to His creation and to worship Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) through what He loves of beautiful sayings, actions and manners.

Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) loves His slave to beautify his tongue through speaking the truth, his heart through sincerity, repentance, and trust; his body through obeying, and through showing the blessings of Allaah in his clothing by purifying it from all impurities, dirt, ritual impurities, undesired hair, performing circumcision and cutting one’s nails.

*Shaikh ul-Taymiyyah (Rahimahullaah) said in the book atawa masriyyah: If looking at trees, horses and animals is in a manner of desiring the worldly life, wealth, leadership, then this is dispraised because Allaah (Subhana wa Ta’ala) said in Surat Ta-Ha [20:131]:

وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيۡنَيۡكَ اِلٰى مَا مَتَّعۡنَا بِهٖۤ اَزۡوَاجًا مِّنۡهُمۡ زَهۡرَةَ الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا  لِنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِيۡهِ​ ؕ وَرِزۡقُ رَبِّكَ خَيۡرٌ وَّاَبۡقٰى‏

“And strain not your eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to various groups of them, the splendour of the life of this world that We may test them thereby. But the provision of your Lord is better and more lasting.“

If looking at them (trees, animals, etc…) is just to seek the satisfaction (joy) only like looking at the flowers, this is a kind of falsehood which is sought against the truth.

As regards the human being, one may look at a person because he is faithful and pious, bearing in mind that faith is indicated with actions of the heart and limbs, not with an image. One may look at a person because his good creation indicates the perfection of the Creator, and that is good. If lust and desire is accompanying the above mentioned categories then it is (undoubtedly) unlawful for one to look.*

 

Sources:

📚 An-Nahj al-Asma Fii Sharh Asma’ Allaah ul-Husna by Shaikh Muhammad al-Humoud an-Najdi.

📚 Kitab al-Fawa’id by Imam Ibn al-Qayyim.

 

 

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