Source:
- An-Nahjul Asmaa fee Sharh Asmaa’ Allaahul-Husnaa
By Shaikh Muhammad an-Najdi
The Name, Al-Muheet is mentioned eight times in the Noble Qur’an.
Allaah (Ta’ala) says Surat al-Baqarah (2:19):
“But Allaah ever encompasses the disbelievers (i.e. Allaah will gather them all together).”
Allaah (Ta’ala) also says in Surat Aal-‘Imran (3:120):
“Surely, Allaah is encompassing all that they do.”
Allaah (Ta’ala) also says in Surat an-Nisaa’ (4:126):
“Allaah is ever encompassing all things.”
In Surat Fussilat (41:54), Allaah (Ta’ala) says:
“Unquestionably, they are in doubt about the meeting with their Lord. Unquestionably He is of all things, encompassing.”
In Surat al-Buruj (85:20), Allaah (Ta’ala) says:
“While Allaah encompasses them from behind.”
The meaning of the Name
Ibn Jarir (Rahimahullaah) said: “’But Allaah ever encompasses the disbelievers,’ means He will gather them all together and inflict them with His punishment.” [Jami’ul-Bayaan]
He (Ibn Jarir Rahimahullaah) said in regards to Allaah’s Statement (interpretation of the meaning) ‘Surely, Allaah is encompassing all that they do,’ “Allaah, His Praise is Exalted, He is encompassing all what those disbelievers are doing to His servants in the towns, of mischief, hindering people from Allaah’s Way and showing enmity to the people of His religion and other than that of sins. He is recording and keeping all what they do. Nothing is hidden from Him or absent from Him or escapes from His Knowledge but He will give them their recompense in full for all that they do and will make them to taste His punishment for it.” [Jami’ul Bayaan]
He (Rahimahullaah) also said regarding Allaah’s Statement (interpretation of the meaning) ‘Unquestionably, He is of all things, encompassing,’ “Allaah, the Exalted, says: ‘Unquestionably, indeed, Allaah is encompassing everything of what He has created with His Knowledge and Ability over them. Nothing escapes His Knowledge; rather, He has the power over it and knows its place.’” [Jami’ul Bayaan]
Az-Zajjaji said: “Allaah (Azza wa Jall) encompasses everything because they (the disbelievers) are under His Ability, they cannot escape His Will in them and nothing can turn Him down or make Him fail.
Allaah (Ta’ala) indeed said in Surat at-Talaaq (65:12):
“Allaah has encompassed all things in (His) Knowledge.”
i.e. He knows the reality of everything, by all its descriptions, without any of it escaping from His Knowledge.
Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat al-Baqarah (2:19):
“Allaah ever encompasses the disbelievers.”
The interpreters said: “This means that Allaah is destroying the disbelievers, and its reality that they cannot make Him fail, nor can they escape from Him – He is encompassing them.” Then they (the interpreters) said: “The reality of the encompassment of the thing is by gathering all its sides and putting them in the middle, like the encompassment of the house of its dwellers and the vessels of what is inside them ….,”[Ishtiqaq al-Asmaa’]
Al-Khattaabi said: “Al-Muheet is the One Whose Ability encompasses all His creation and He surrounds (comprehends) all things in (His) Knowledge and He keeps count of all things (i.e. He knows the exact number of everything).” [Sha’n ad-Du’a]
Al-Hulaimee said: “Al-Muheet means the One from Whom none can escape, and truly this attribute is not fit except for Allaah, the Highly praised. And this is due to His Perfect Knowledge and Ability, and due to negation of heedlessness and incapacity of Him.” [Al-Minhaaj]
Shaikh as-Sa’dee (Rahimahullaah) said: “Al-Muheet is the One Who has Knowledge of everything and Power over everything; His Mercy encompasses everything and He is dominant over everything.” [Tayseer al-Kareem]
Impact of believing in this Name
1- Verily, Allaah (Ta’ala) is Muheet (encompassing) His servants; they are unable to escape Him or flee from Him. Rather, there is no shelter from Him except to Him, as the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to say in the Du’aa of the Witr prayer and others. Everything you are afraid of, you run away from except Allaah (Ta’ala); you run to Him. Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat adh-Dhaariyaat (51:50):
“So flee to Allaah (from His Torment to His Mercy-Islamic Monotheism), verily, I [Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)] am a plain warner to you from Him.”
And that is because of His perfect and complete Ability.
Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat al-Isra’ (17:60):
“And (remember) when We told you: ‘Verily! Your Lord has encompassed mankind (i.e. they are in His Grip).’”
Ibn Katheer (Rahimahullaah) said that Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat ar-Rahmaan (55:33):
“O assembly of Jinn and Men! If you have power to pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass (them). But you will never be able to pass them except with authority (from Allaah).”
i.e. you will be unable to escape from the Command of Allaah and His Power, because He is Muheet (encompassing) you. You will never be able to avoid or avert His Decision and Judgment over you; wherever you may be, He is encompassing you. This is also about the gathering (on the Day of Resurrection), when the angels will be surrounding the creation, seven rows in every direction. None of the creatures will be able to escape on that Day except with authority from Allaah, i.e. by Allaah’s Command.
On that Day:
“On that Day man will say: ‘Where (is the refuge) to flee?’
No! There is no refuge!
Unto your Lord (Alone) will be the place of rest that Day.”
[Surat al-Qiyaamah 75:10-12]
Allaah (Ta’ala) also says in Surat Yunus (10:27):
“And those who have earned evil deeds, the recompense of an evil deed is the like thereof, and humiliating disgrace will cover them (their faces). No defender will they have from Allaah. Their faces will be covered, as it were, with pieces from the darkness of the night. They are dwellers of the Fire, they will abide therein forever.”
Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) says in Surat az-Zumar (39:67):
“They made not a just estimate of Allaah such as is due to Him. And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified be He, and High is He above all that they associate as partners with Him.”
Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allaah will grasp the whole (planet) earth (by His Hand), and roll all the heavens up with His Right Hand, and then He will say: ‘I am the King; where are the kings of the earth?’” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
2- Nothing escapes His Knowledge whether it be a small or big thing, whether it is apparent or hidden. He is as He (Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala) described His Noble Self in Surat Fussilat (41:54):
“Unquestionably, He is of all things, encompassing.”
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