Sources:
- An-Nahj al-Asmaa
- Tafseer Ibn Katheer
This Noble Name is mentioned twice in the Qur’an.
Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat ar-Rahmaan (55:26-27):
“Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish.
And the Face of your Lord, the Owner of Majesty and Honor will remain forever.”
He (Ta’ala) also says in the same Surah (55:78):
“Blessed is the Name of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.”
The meaning of the Name:
Al-Farraa’ said: “Allaah’s statement, ‘And the Face of your Lord, the Owner of Majesty and Honor will remain forever,’ the word “Dhi” at the end of the Surah (in verse 78) refers to the Attribute of your Lord, the Exalted. And in the verse (verse 27) the word “Dhu” refers to the Attribute of the Face of your Lord the Exalted.” [Ma’ani al-Qur’an]
Ibn Jarir said: “‘Tabaaraka Ismu Rabbika (Blessed is the Name of your Lord)’ means Blessed is the remembrance of your Lord O Muhammad!
‘Dhil-Jalaali’ means the Owner of Grandeur (Majesty).
‘Wal-Ikraam’ means He Who is honored by all His Creation.” [Jami-ul-Bayan]
Az-Zajjaj said: “Dhul Jalaal means He Who deserves to be Honored and Magnified.” [Tafseer al-Asmaa’]
Al-Khattabi said: “Dhul-Jalaali wal-Ikraam,” al-Jalaal is the infinitive of Jaleel and Jaleel means Majestic whose Majesty is evident and manifest.
Wal-Ikraam is the infinitive of the word Akrama, Yukrim, Ikraaman, and it means that Allaah (Azza wa Jall) deserves to be revered and honored and thus not be denied or disbelieved in. It can also means that He is the One Who honors His believing chosen slaves, elevates their ranks by guiding them to His obedience in this world, and honors them by accepting their deeds and elevating their ranks in Paradise (in the Hereafter).
Accordingly, it means one of two matters, i.e. Al-Jalaal is added to Allaah as an Attribute for Him and the other matter (i.e. Al-Ikraam) is added (pertaining) to the slave, which means the action of the slave (towards Allaah). As Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat al-Muddaththir (74:56):
“He is worthy to be feared and He is the One Who forgives.”
So the forgiveness is directed to Allaah and the matter of Taqwa is directed to the slaves. And Allaah knows best.” [Sha’n ad-Du’a]
Al-Hulaimee said: “Dhul-Jalaali wal-Ikraam means the One Who deserves to be feared due to His Majesty and Power, to be praised with what befits His Highness.
This affirms the meaning that the creation has a Lord Who deserves to be magnified and honored. On the other hand it affirms the Tawheed which means that this truth applies only to the one who deserves it (i.e. Allaah Azza wa Jall).” [Al-Minhaj]
He also said in “al-Maqsad”: Dhul-Jalaali wal-Ikraam is that there is no majesty or perfection except for Him, and no honor or dignity except from Him. Accordingly, al-Jalaal is in His Essence and al-Karaamah is His Bounty bestowed upon His creation. His Ikraam (honor) for his creation is almost infinite. This is indicated by His statement in Surat al-Israa’ (17:70):
“And We have certainly honored the children of Adam.”
[End quote]
Al-Qurtubi said: “The meaning of His Jalaal is He Who deserves the Attribute of Majesty and Exaltedness; He Who is Exalted and glorified above the attributes of all existing things. Therefore, His Jalaal is an Attribute which He deserves due to His Essence.” [Al-Kitab al-Asna]
Shaikh as-Sa’dee (Rahimahullaah) said: “Dhul Jalaali wal-Ikraam, the One possessing Majesty and Honor, means the One possessing Greatness and Grandeur, possessing Mercy and Generosity. The One Who shows beneficence in both its general and specific aspects. The One Who honors His Awliyaa’ (friends) and close ones- those who glorify, exalt and love Him.” [Tayseer al-Kareem]
Ibn Katheer (Rahimahullaah) said, concerning the verse “Blessed be the Name of your Lord (Allaah) Dhil-Jalaali wal-Ikraam”, Allaah states that He is worthy of always being obeyed and honored; thus, He deserves to be worshipped, appreciated and never unappreciated, remembered and never forgotten. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]
The impact of believing in this Noble Name
- Allaah (Ta’ala) is indeed the only One Who deserves to be honored, and to be freed from all defects, and magnified for His Dhaat (His Essence), Attributes and Names. There is no one in existence who has this attribute except Him (Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala) the Majestic.
Al-Asma’ie said: “Al-Jalaal is not said to anyone except to Allaah (Azza wa Jall).”
- Allaah (Ta’ala) honors His Awliyaa’ (close believing slaves). Ikraam (honoring) is close to In’aam (beneficence, gift, conferment-bestowal of favors), but it is more specific. For every Ikraam is In’aam, i.e. every honor is a conferment, but not every In’aam is an honor.
Al-Qurtubi said: “Ikraam which is the infinitive form of the word Akram (to honor) includes the meaning of In’aam (conferment of a blessing). However, Ikraam is more specific than the word In’aam (conferment), because In’aam implies bestowing a gift, out of His Grace, upon someone who is not even noble or generous or honored by Him (Ta’ala).
Indeed, He (Ta’ala) confers His favors upon the sinners and those opposing Him. Therefore, His In’aam is not considered Ikraam (an honor).
However, if the Beneficent (the bestower) confers His favors upon whom is honored with Him and whom He has love for, it is said that He has honored him (Akramahu).
This is why the miracles that are given to the Awliyaa’ are called Karamaat al-Awliyaa’, because of their status and position with Allaah. He (Ta’ala) bestows favors upon whom He honors and whom He does not honor; but He does not honor except upon whom He bestows and confers (favors and blessings) in the Hereafter.
Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat al-Fajr (89:15-16):
“As for man, when his Lord tries him and (thus) is generous to him and favors him, he says: ‘My Lord has honored me.’
But when He tries him and restricts his provision, he says: ‘My Lord has humiliated me.’”
This means that if his Lord grants him a favor in this worldly life, he says this is a proof of honoring me, and if He (Ta’ala) restricts his provision, he says that this is an evidence for humiliating me! And this is not the case! Never does a worldly blessing indicate blessing in the Hereafter, nor does worldly constriction and humiliation signify constriction and humiliation in the Hereafter. His (Ta’ala) honors for the slave is hastened for him in this world or postponed till the Hereafter.” [Al-Kitab al-Asna]
- The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) exhorted his Ummah (nation) to invoke Allaah by these two Names, saying:
“Alidhdhu (ألظوا) [persist (in invoking Allaah)] with, ‘Yaa Dhal-Jalaali wal-Ikraam (O Owner of Greatness and Honor).’” [Reported by Ahmad, al-Bukhaari in the Book at-Taarikh and authenticated by al-Albaani who graded it Saheeh]
Alidhdhu means invoke Allaah with this Du’aa persistently and profusely; say this statement continuously in your Du’aa and when asking your Lord, the Exalted.
The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) heard a man supplicating in the Masjid saying:
اللهمّ إنِّي أسالُك بأنّ لك الحمدُ لا إله إلا أنت (وحدكَ لا شريك لك)، المنَّان، بديعُ السماوات والأرضِ، يا ذا الجلال والإكْرام، يا حَيُّ يا قيُّوم
“O Allaah! Indeed I ask You, by the fact that to You belongs all praise; there is no one who deserves to be worshiped except You, [You Alone, You have no partners]; Bestower of Favors; Originator of the heavens and earth; O One that is Full of Majesty and Honor; O Living One, O Eternal One…”
So the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to his Companions: “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, he has supplicated Allaah with His Mightiest Name, with which if He is supplicated, He answers and with which if He is asked, He gives.” [Abu Dawoud, an-Nasaa’i, Ahmad, al-Bukhaari in al-Adab al-Mufrad and authenticated by al-Albaani]
- When the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would say the salaam after completing the prayer, he would seek forgiveness three times and say:
اللهمَّ أنت السَّلام ومنك السَّلام، تباركتَ يا ذا الجلالِ والإكْرام
“O Allaah! You are As-Salaam, and peace comes from You. Blessed be You Yaa Dhal-Jalaali wal-Ikraam (O Owner of Majesty and Honor).” [Muslim on authority of Thawban (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu)]
Muslim also reported the same narration on the authority of ‘Aishah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha) in which she narrated: “When the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would say the Salaam after completing the Salaat, he would only sit as long as it would take him to say:
اللهمَّ أنت السَّلام ومنك السَّلام، تباركتَ يا ذا الجلالِ والإكْرام
‘O Allaah! You are As-Salaam, and peace comes from you. Blessed be You Yaa Dhal-Jalaali wal-Ikraam (O Owner of Majesty and Honor).’”
- Prophet Muhammed (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Verily, among the acts of venerating Allaah, are honoring the elderly Muslims, the one in authority, and the carrier (memorizer) of the Qur’an who avoids extremism and laziness with it.” [Abu Dawoud]
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