Knowing Our Rabb (Part-3)

 Sources:

•  The Names and Attributes of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) According to the doctrine of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal Jama’ah, by Shaikh ‘Umar Sulaiman Al-Ashqar.

• An-Nahj al-Asmaa Fii Sharh Asmaa’ Allah-ul-Husna, by Shaikh Muhammad Al-Humood.

• Al-Qawa’id al-Muthlaa Fii Sifat Allah wa Asma’ihil-Husna, by Shaikh Muhammad bin Salih al-‘Uthaimeen.

Narrated Abu Hurairah  (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) that Allah’s Messenger  (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Allah has ninety-nine Names, one-hundred less one; and he who Ahsaaha (memorized them all by heart, believed in their meanings, and acted accordingly) will enter Paradise.” Something similar has been narrated by Muslim.

Ibn al-Qayyim (Rahimahullaah) may Allah be merciful to him, categorized & explained the meaning of Ahsaaha as follows:

The first grade (rank): To count the names and memorize them.

The second grade: To understand their meanings.

The third grade: To worship Allah accordingly, by believing in their meanings, acting upon them by calling on Allah by them. e.g., when one is seeking mercy then he will call Allah with His Names Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, when asking for sustenance then one calls on Him by His Names Ar-Raziq and Ar-Razzaq and so on. This is called “Du’aa al-Mas’alah”. Whereas “Du’aa al-‘Ebaadah” is to worship Allah according to these Names e.g., one will return unto Allah in repentance because Allah is At-Tawwab (All-Forgiving, accepts repentance), one remembers Allah, because He is As-Sami’ (All-Hearing), one fears Allah in secret, because He is Al-Latif (Most Kind and Courteous), Al-Khabir (Well-Acquainted with all things), and so on. [Al-Qawa’id al-Muthla Fii Sifat Allah Ta’alaa, by Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen]

The following Hadith indicates that Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) has more than 99 Names but only 99 Names are known to us. As reported by Ahmed Ibn Hibban and al-Hakim with correct Isnad, and narrated by Ibn Masud (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) that the Messenger of Allah  (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Let one who is afflicted and distressed utter this supplication. No slave of Allah ever said this supplication but Allah took away his grief and granted him ease instead: –

اللهم إِنَِي عَبدُك، وَابْنُ عَبدِك، وَابْنُ أَمَتِك، نَاصيتي بِيَدِك، مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُك، عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضاؤُك، أسأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَك، سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَك، أَوْ أَنزَلْتَهُ في كِتَابِك، أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَداً مِن خَلقك، أَو اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ في عِلْمِ الغَيْبِ عِنْدَك، أَن تَجْعَلَ القُرآن رَبيعَ قَلْبي، وَنُورَ صَدْري، وَجَلاء حُزْني، وَذَهابَ هَمِّي.

Allah-humma innni abduka wabnu abdika, wabnu amatik. Nasiati bi-yadik. Maadin fiyya Hukmuk. Adlun fiyya Qadaa’uk. As-Aluka bikulli esmin howa lak, sammyta bihi nafsak, Aow Anzaltahu fi kitabik, Aow Allamtahu ahadan min khalqik, Aow – Esta’tharta bihi fii ilmil-ghaibi ‘Eindak. An Taj’alal – Quran Rabi’a Qalbi, wa noora sadri, wa jalaa-a huzni wa dhahaba hammi.

Oh Allah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your maidservant, my forelock is in Your Hand. Your command over me is forever and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every Name belonging to You which You named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your creation or You have preserved in the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make the Qur’an the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and departure of my sorrow and a release of my anxiety.”

This Hadith indicates that there are Names belonging to Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala), which He did not reveal in His Book. He concealed them from His creation and did now show them to anyone.

There are a number of Ahadith, which actually mention the ninety-nine names, for example, those by at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah. In at-Tirmidhi it is narrated from Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Allah has ninety-nine Names, whoever memorizes and comprehends them (Ahsaaha) enters Paradise,” and then it mentions ninety-nine Names ascribed to Allah .

The scholars of Ahadith, (for example Ibn Hajr, Ibn Hazm, Ibn ‘Atiyyah and Ibn Taymiyyah), have judged these Ahadith which specify the ninety-nine Names of Allah, to be weak.

• The chains of narrators are weak because of the weakness of some narrators;
• The contents of the Ahadith are weak because of contradiction and variations in them.

When we compare the Hadith as mentioned in Ibn Majah, with the Hadith as mentioned in at-Tirmidhi, the Names vary. It is possible that the addition of the ninety-nine Names ascribed to Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) were included in the Hadith by one of the narrators of the Hadith, (for example al-Waleed ibn Muslim), according to his personal opinion, because these names are not related by Bukhari or Muslim.

• Another proof that the Hadith is weak is that it doesn’t include many Names, which are mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah, while; on the other hand it includes names, which are neither mentioned in the Qur’an nor the Sunnah.

• There is no authentic Hadith reported from the Prophet that specifies the ninety-nine Names of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala).

Therefore, scholars have tried to discover and list these Names from the Qur’an and the Sunnah. When adding up all the Names which the scholars consider to be the Names of Allah, we can list at least 291. Of these, some have been agreed upon by the scholars, others are the subject of disagreement, and this issue needs more verification insha-Allah.

And Allah knows best.

 Explanation of the Beautiful and Perfect Names of Allah: Allah

Ibn al-Qayyim (Rahimahullaah) may Allah have mercy on him said that the Name “Allah” is derived from Al-Ilah, which means the deity.

Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) is the One and Only Deity, the One who deserves to be worshipped alone with the utmost love and fear associated with hope, dignity and honor. Accordingly, one is the slave of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) and worships Him, according to what His Name comprise of God- ship, which cannot be given to other than Him.

Many narrations have mentioned the greatest Name of the Lord, the Blessed, the Exalted:

1-   The Prophet Muhammad  (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) heard a man saying in his Tashahhud:

اللهم إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يا اللهُ (الوَاحِد) الأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَم يَلِد وَلَم يُولَد وَلَم يَكُن لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَد، أَن تَغْفِر لِي ذُنُوبِي، إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيم.

“Allahumma inni As’Aluka Ya Allah [Al-Wahid] Al-Ahad As-Samad Allathi Lam Yalid walam Yoolad walam ya kullahu Kufuwan Ahad. An Tagh firli Thunoobi– Innaka Antal-ghafoor-ur-Raheem.

“O Allah! Indeed I ask of You, O Allah (in one narration: by Allah), the One, the Only, the Absolute, who begets not nor is begotten, and there is none like Him, (I ask) that You forgive me my sins; indeed You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

On this the Prophet  (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “You asked Allah by the Name with which if He is asked, He will grant and if He is invoked with, He will respond.”

In another version, he said, “He has been forgiven, he has been forgiven.” [Abu Dawood, an-Nasaai, Ahmed and Ibn Khuzaimah with Sahih Isnad]

2- Narrated Anas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) : I was sitting with the Prophet in the mosque and a man was praying. The man said (in his prayer): –

اللهم إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنَّ لَكَ الحَمْدُ، لا إِلهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ (وَحْدَكَ لا شَرِيكَ لَكَ)، (المَنَّان)، (يا) بَدِيعُ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ، يا ذَا الجَلالِ وَالإِكْرامِ، يا حَيُّ يا قَيُّوم (إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ) (الجَنَّةَ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّار).

“Allahumma inni As’Aluka Bi-Anna Lakal-Hamdu Laa Ilaaha Illa Anta [Wahdaka laa Sharika Laka], [Al-Mannan] [Yaa] Badie’us-Samawati wal Ardh, Yaa Dhal-jalaali wal Ikram, Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum, [Inni As’aluka] [Al-Jannata wa A’oudhu Bika Minan-Naar].”

O Allah! Indeed, I ask of You, by the fact that to You belongs all praise; there is no (true) God except You, [You alone, You have no partners;] the Bestower of Favors; [O] Originator of the Heavens and the Earth; O One that is Full of Majesty and Honor; O living One, O Eternal One; [indeed I ask of You] [the Garden, and I seek refuge with You from the Fire].”

The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “He has supplicated Allah with His Mightiest Name, with which if He is supplicated, He answers, and with which if He is asked, He gives.” [Ahmed, Abu Dawood, an-Nasai, Ibn Hibban and al-Hakim]

3- Narrated Abu Umamah that Allah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The Mightiest Name of Allah is (mentioned) in three Surahs (chapters) of the Qur’an, al-Baqarah (chapter 2), Aal Imran (chapter 3), and Surat Taha (chapter 20).” [Ibn Majah, at-Tahawi and at-Tabarani]

It is noted that the Name that is repeated in the earlier mentioned narrations, is “Allah”. In the second Hadith is quoted as “Allahumma” which is basically “Yaa Allah” but when Yaa is deleted from the beginning of the word and the meem has been added to its end, one will get the same meaning which is in “Yaa Allah”. [At-Tafseer al Qayyim pp. 202]

In the three Surahs: – The Name Allah is mentioned in Ayatul-Kursi (2:255) as:

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ

“Allahu laa ilaha illa Howal-Hayyul-Qayyum”;

and in Surat Aal-Imran (3:2):

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ

“Allahu laa ilaha illa Howal-Hayyul-Qayyum”;

in Surat Ta-Ha (20: 8):

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ لَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ

“Allahu laa ilaha illa howa lahul-asmaau’l-husna”;

Note: –

It is not prescribed to remember Allah  (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) with His Name “Allah” alone. Some Muslim sects made for themselves certain remembrances in which they repeat the Name “Allah” with certain numbers such as a thousand times or two thousand or more. Sometimes, they gather in circles (sitting or standing) and repeating the word Ho, Ho, Ho or Ah, Ah, Ah, claiming that (with this Bid’ah) they are remembering Allah  (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala). Actually, all the remembrances which Prophet Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) legislated for us were not in this (denial) form. But all the correct remembrances which are affirmed by him do not contain the Name “Allah” alone. For example, He said: “Whoever says, ‘Subhan Allahi wa Bihamdihi’ one hundred times a day, all his sins will be forgiven even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.” [Agreed Upon]

Also his statement: “(There are) two words (expressions or sayings) which are dear to the Most Beneficent (Allah), and very easy for the tongue to say, but very heavy in the balance. They are: “Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi and Subhan-Allahil-Atheem.” [Agreed Upon]

And so on with the rest of the remembrances.

• The most beloved names to Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) are ‘Abdullah and ‘Abdur-Rahman, because of what these two Names of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) comprises of most Beautiful Attributes to Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala). This is why adding servitude to the Name (Allah) and (Ar-Rahman) are more beloved to Him than adding (joining) to other than them like Al-Qahir or Al-Qadir.