This Is My Lord

This is My Lord
Prepared by
KhāledAl-Khelaiwi
First Edition
Translated by:
1440 A.H. - 2019 A.D.

This is My Lord
Introduction
All praise is due to Allah, and may Allah’s peace and
blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and
all his Companions. To proceed:
One of the most sublime of all spheres of knowledge,
even the greatest of them all, is knowledge of Allah
Almighty and His names and attributes. A fundamentalist
rule says: The honor of knowledge comes from the honor
of the known. Undoubtedly, the most honorable known
entity is Allah Almighty. People’s neglect of this sphere is
clear and common, even though it is the broadest sphere
where one can worship Allah, Exalted and Glorified.
Studying His names and learning their meanings is the
most beneficial for the purification of one’s heart, the
validity of one’s actions and the increase of one’s faith as
well as one’s glorification and love for the Almighty Lord.
Al-Bukhāri and Muslim narrated that the Prophet (may
Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Allah has
ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one; whoever
knows them by heart shall enter Paradise. And Allah is
odd (one) and He loves the odd number.” So, let us pay
due attention to this knowledge and be devoted to
learning it with the aim of winning the reward and
approval of Allah Almighty, and avoiding His punishment.
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This is My Lord
In this regard, I would remind you of two useful books.

The first is “Al-Nahj al-Asmā Fi Sharh Asmā’ Allah al-
Husna”, authored by His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad Al-
Hammūd al-Najdi. The second book is “WaLillāh Al-Asmā’
Al-Husna”, by His Eminence Shaykh Abdulaziz bin Nāsir Al-
Jalīl. May Allah bless them both!
I have prepared this book to explain the meanings of
many names of our Lord. I have also clarified some of the
benefits we reap from studying those beautiful names. I
implore Allah Almighty to accept and bless this work. May
Allah guide us all to what pleases Him and grant us
happiness in this world and in the Hereafter!
Your brother
Khāledibn ‘Abdullāh Al-Khelaiwi
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This is My Lord
This is My Lord
The greatest mission of the prophets is informing
humankind about the Creator, then informing them about
the path leading to Him and to His pleasure, and then
informing them of the end they will come to if they follow
this path and outrun others.
This end is that Allah Almighty will be pleased with
them and will admit them into the gardens of bliss.
***
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Here Are Wishes We Hope That Allah Will Grant and

Bless
1) To set the study of the meanings of the names of
Allah as part of the curricula of schools and universities in
recognition of the right of our Lord upon us and in pursuit
of the effect of this knowledge upon our hearts and
manners. Indeed, it is an area of knowledge needed by
everyone without exception.
2) To consider my book as part of the curricula in the
Qur’an memorization schools as well as non-governmental
schools.
Note: In this book, like other books, you will find some
names of Allah that the scholars held different opinions in
establishing them. So, let not this disagreement distract
you from the information about Allah Almighty, and the
great meanings and benefits contained in the relevant
verses and Hadīths which will illuminate the path for you
in worshiping Allah.
***
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Upon Allah I rely and from Him I seek help!
Allah
This is the name that encompasses all meanings of His
other names and attributes, and to it they all refer. No one
but Him is worthy of worship.
The name “Allah” occurs 2724 times in the Qur’an. An
example of this is what is mentioned in Sūrat Al-Fātihah,
{All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds}, in the
Verse of Al-Kursi, {Allah - there is no god except Him, the
Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence}, and in Sūrat Al-
Ikhlās, {Say, “He is Allah, the only One.}
Some scholars said that it is the ever greatest name of
Allah. In light of this great name, I would say:
1. Know that you will attain happiness only through
your belief in Allah, following His guidance, remembering
Him a lot, showing gratitude to Him and worshiping Him
properly.
2. Remember that Allah Almighty is the Most Beloved
Being ever, and this is due to His perfection and beauty and
the immense favors He bestows upon His creation. Hearts
only enjoy tranquility through remembering Him and souls
only enjoy pleasure by knowing Him. The Prophet (may
Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “There are
three qualities; whoever has them will taste the
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This is My Lord
sweetness of faith: To love Allah and His Messenger more

than anyone else…”1
3. Whoever knows Allah Almighty will possess such
pride and tranquility that prompt him to fear none but
Allah and to seek help only from Him.
4. The worst wrongdoing a person may engage in is to
know that Allah is his Creator and nonetheless worship
someone else, and that Allah is the One Who bestows
favors upon him and nonetheless shows gratitude to
someone else. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and
blessings be upon him) was asked, “Which sin is the
greatest?” He said, “To set up an equal to Allah while He
has created you.”2
***
1
Narrated by Al-Bukhᾱri]
2
Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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This is My Lord
Ar-Rahmān -Ar-Rahīm
The Most Compassionate - the Most Merciful
The Most Compassionate: It is a name denoting the
vast mercy of Allah that encompasses all the creatures.
This name exclusively belongs to Allah Almighty, and we
may not call anyone by it. The name ‘the Most
Compassionate’ occurs 57 times in the Qur’an. For
example: {The Most Compassionate (1) has taught the
Qur’an.}
These also include: {The Most Compassionate rose
over the Throne.} [Sūrat Tāha: 5] The Most Merciful: is the
One who possesses the vast mercy towards His creation.
The believers, the good-doers and the merciful people are
the biggest winners of this mercy. The name ‘the Most
Merciful’ occurs 123 times in the Qur’an. These include:
{And He has been the Most Merciful to the believers.}
[Sūrat Al-Ahzāb: 43] And {“Peace,” a word from the Most
Merciful Lord.} [Sūrat Yāsīn: 58]
In light of these two great names, I would say:
1. Know that when you remember the vastness of the
mercy of Allah Almighty your love for Him and pursuit of
His grace increase.
2. Do not forget the Prophet’s statement, “Show
mercy to those on earth, and the One in the heaven will
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This is My Lord
show mercy to you.”Indeed, this is one of the best means

whereby one can attain the mercy of Allah Almighty.
3. Be one of the good-doers so as to win the promise
of Allah Almighty in Sūrat Al-A‘rāf, Verse 56: {Indeed, the
mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good.}
4. Be smart and pursue in the Book of Allah and the
Sunnah of His Prophet the means that bring you the mercy
of Allah which is exclusively for the believers.
***
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This is My Lord
Ar-Ra’ūf
The All-Kind
It refers to The One with complete kindness. Kindness
is the highest level of mercy. Whoever shows kindness to
people will be shown kindness by Allah Almighty.
The great name ‘the All-Kind’ occurs 10 times in the
Qur’an. An example came in Sūrat Al-Hadīd: {And surely
Allah is indeed All-Kind, Most Merciful to you.} [Sūrat Al-
Hadīd: 9] Another example came in Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān: {And
Allah warns you of Himself, and Allah is All-Kind to (His)
slaves.} [Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān: 30]
The name ‘the Ever-Compassionate’ occurs in
association with the name ‘the Most Merciful’ in eight
verses.
In light of this noble name, I would say:
1. This name instills love for Allah Almighty in one’s
heart and hope for what He has. No one is ever more kind
or merciful than He.
2. Kindness originally comes from Allah Almighty. He
is Compassionate towards His servants. He revealed the
scriptures and sent the messengers to them, made it easy
for them to worship Him and He accepts repentance from
them. Also, His compassion is shown as a result of
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invocation. Allah responds to His servants when they

invoke Him sincerely and earnestly. {And those who came
after them, saying, Our Lord, forgive us and our brethren
who have preceded us in faith, and do not put in our
hearts any rancor towards those who believe, Our Lord,
You are All-Kind, Most Merciful.} [Sūrat Al-Hashr: 10]
3. It is said regarding the difference between kindness
and mercy, as Al-Qurtubi mentioned: Kindness is a blissful
favor from all aspects; whereas mercy may be painful at
the moment, with a blissful outcome later. Hence, Allah
Almighty says about the punishment of the adulterers,
{And do not be taken by kindness for them in the religion
of Allah.} [Sūrat Al-Nūr:2] He does not use the word
‘mercy’ here, for beating sinners on account of their
disobedience is actually a form of mercy towards them, but
not kindness. In fact, if kindness engulfs a person, he
suffers no harm.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Ghani
The Self-Sufficient
He is the One Who needs none from His creation, for
He has the perfect attributes, and all the creation stands in
need of Him.
This noble name ‘the Self-Sufficient’ occurs 18 times in
the Qur’an. For example: {O people, it is you who stand in
need of Allah; as for Allah, He is the Self-Sufficient,
Praiseworthy.} [Sūrat Fātir: 15] And {And whoever turns
away, then Allah is indeed the Self-Sufficient,
Praiseworthy.} [Sūrat Al-Hadīd: 24] And {And whoever is
ungrateful, then surely my Lord is Self-Sufficient,
Honorable.} [Sūrat Al-Naml: 40] In light of this great name,
I would say:
1. Know that you can dispense with everyone save for
Allah Almighty. No created being can ever dispense with
the Almighty Lord, not even for the blink of an eye or less
than that.
2. Remember that no matter what power, status, or
authority you may possess, you will still be in need for your
Lord and His mercy, help, and favors. Allah says, {Allah
wants to lighten your burdens, for man was created
weak.} [Sūrat Al-Nisā’: 28]
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3. Be certain that the more you stand in need for your

Lord, the richer you become.
4. In the sight of Allah, richness lies in the
contentment of a person’s soul. In an authentic Hadīth, the
Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)
said, “Richness does not lie in worldly abundance, but in
contentment of the soul.” 3
The greatest thing that can fill a person’s heart with
contentment is to know Allah Almighty, and to love Him
and believe in Him.
***
3
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This is My Lord
Al-Karīm - Al-Akram
The Generous - The Most Generous
The Generous is a name that refers to the abundance
of Allah’s favors and the greatness of His giving. Indeed,
Allah is Generous and He loves generosity.
The Most Generous: Refers to Allah being better in
generosity than every generous one. He has no equal in
this. Indeed, all good lies in His hands and comes from Him.
This noble name occurs 3 times in the Qur’an. An
example of this is in the verse: {And whoever is ungrateful,
then surely my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Honorable.} [Sūrat
Al-Naml: 40], It is also mentioned in Sūrat Al-Infitār, {O
man, what has deceived you about your Generous Lord.}
[Sūrat Al-Infitār: 6]
As for the name ‘the Most Generous’, it only occurs
once in the Qur’an in the verse that reads, {Recite, and
your Lord is the Most Generous.} [Sūrat Al-‘Alaq: 3]
In light of these great names, I would say:
1. Let us praise a lot our Lord, the Most Generous, for
none loves to be praised more than He does. Therefore, He
praises Himself.
2. Say with me:
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Glory be to the Generous One Whose favors are

innumerable despite the commission of many sins on the
part of His servants!
3. Know that the Generous Lord loves the generous
and bountiful people. Show generosity to others and you
will be shown generosity by Allah, and give to others and
Allah will give you. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and
blessings be upon him) said, "Verily, your Almighty Lord is
Modest and Generous. He is so Modest that He would not
turn down His servant who raises his hands to Him (in
supplication) empty-handed.”4
True is the statement: Show me a miser whose
lifespan was extended due to his miserliness! And tell me
about a generous person who died because of his
generosity!
4. Do not ever limit the areas of generosity to money
and food. Indeed, there are other areas of bounty that are
greater and more valuable. A person may show generosity
through his standing, his knowledge, his time or his life.
Generosity by giving one’s life is the supreme objective
ever.
***
4
Narrated by Ahmad and Al-Tirmidhi]
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This is My Lord
Al-Wahhāb
The Bestower
He is the One Who bestows a lot of favors upon His
servants as grace and benevolence from Him.
example is the verse that says, {Our Lord, let not our
hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from
Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.} [Sūrat Āl-
‘Imrān: 8]
Another example is the verse about Prophet Sulaymān
(Solomon) in which Allah Almighty says,{He said, My Lord,
forgive me and bestow upon me a kingdom such as none
other after me will deserve. Surely You are the
Bestower.} [Sūrat Sād: 25]
1. Belief in Allah and good deeds bring favors from our
Lord, and gratitude for the favors He bestows is a reason
for their continuity, blessing therein and their increase.
2. No one envies another person except because he is
ignorant of this great name and does not recall the many
favors that Allah Almighty has bestowed upon him.
Definitely, the One Who bestowed certain favors upon
someone else will bestow favors upon you if you invoke
Him sincerely.
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3. Do not do wrong to this name by thinking that the

favors of Allah Almighty are only material giving. Rather,
His giving is comprehensive and encompasses material and
moral things. Having children is among the favors of Allah.
Guiding them to the truth and making them steadfast to it
is a great favor from Allah. Knowledge is one of the favors
of Allah Almighty, and loving it and teaching it to others is
also a great favor from Him. Wealth is a favor from Allah,
and possessing it and using it to increase one’s bliss by
spending it on good things - and not being deeply attached
to it or spending it wastefully - is also a great favor from
Him.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Jawād
The Generous
He is the One Who bestows many favors and blessings
upon His servants.
This noble name does not occur in the Qur’an, yet it is
mentioned in the aHadīth reported by Ibn ‘Abbās (may
Allah be pleased with him) in which the Prophet (may
Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Indeed,
Allah is Generous and He loves generosity. He loves lofty
manners and hates low ones.”5
1. Knowing the meaning of the name ‘the Generous’
and recalling the signs of Allah’s generosity increases one’s
love for the Almighty Lord.
2. Since Allah is Generous and Bountiful, a person
should frequently invoke Him and hope for His mercy and
rewards.
3. The generosity of Allah Almighty includes the
following: Forgiveness is dearer to Him than revenge and
mercy is dearer to him than punishment. Grace is dearer
5
Narrated by Al-Bayhaqi]
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to Him than justice. And giving is dearer to Him than

withholding.
4. Be generous and you will win the love and
generosity of the Most Generous.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Wasi‘
The All-Embracing
It is a name that denotes the vastness of His mercy,
knowledge, majesty and all His perfect attributes.
example of this includes: {You will face Allah in whichever
direction you turn your face: Allah is All-Embracing, All-
Knowing.} [Sūrat Al-Baqarah: 115] And {But if the two
separate, Allah will make each dispense with the other
out of His plenty provision. Indeed, Allah is All-Embracing,
All-Wise.} [Sūrat Al-Nisā’: 130]
In light of this great name, I would say:
1. Your knowledge of the vastness of the greatness of
Allah and His mercy, power, knowledge, grace, and giving
instills a sense of reverence and fear in your heart from
Him, as well as love for Him. Think of the words of Allah as
He says, {Our Lord, You have embraced all things in mercy
and knowledge.} [Sūrat Ghāfir: 7]
2. You can couple Allah’s name ‘the All-Embracing’
with all His other names, for nothing in His creation is
hidden from Him as He has all-embracing knowledge;
nothing within His dominion can escape His power, for He
has all-embracing ability, and the preservation of the
heavens and earth does not tire Him; the sins of sinners do
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not trouble Him, for He has all-embracing mercy and

forgiveness; and there is no limit to His giving and rewards,
for He has all-embracing generosity.{The example of those
who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed
[of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a
hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for
whom He wills. And Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.}
[Sūrat Al-Baqarah: 261]
***
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Al-Malik - Al-Maleek
The King - The Almighty King
The King is the One to Whom belongs the dominion of
the heavens and earth and all that is between them, and
He is the Disposer of the affairs of the universe according
to His will and wisdom.
This noble name, ‘the King’, occurs 5 times in the
Qur’an. An example is in the following verse: {So high
[above all] is Allah, the King, the Truth.} [Sūrat Tāha: 114]
And {He is Allah, there is no deity worthy of worship
except Him. He is the King, the Holy One.} [Sūrat Al-Hashr:
23]
‘The Almighty King’ is a name that denotes the
magnificence of the dominion of Allah. It is more powerful
than the name ‘the King’.
Allah’s name ‘the Almighty King’ occurs only once in
the Qur’an in a verse in Sūrat Al-Qamar: {Surely the pious
will dwell amidst Gardens and running streams (54)
where they will be honorably seated in the presence of
an Almighty King, a Supreme Determiner.} [Sūrat Al-
Qamar: 54-55]
In light of these two noble names, I would say:
1. You will have a great sense of awe and reverence
for Allah when you remember the magnificence of His
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dominion and His absolute ability to dispose of all affairs

within His dominion and all existence, for everything
belongs to Him.
2. Knowledge of these excellent names entails that
we should worship Allah Almighty alone, with no partner,
for He alone is worthy of being worshiped, and all other
wrongly worshiped entities are as Allah says,{And those
whom you invoke other than Him do not possess [as
much as] the membrane of a date seed.} [Sūrat Fātir: 13]
3. Do not seek sustenance except from its Possessor,
Glorified is He: {And to Allah belong the treasures of the
heavens and earth, but the hypocrites do not
comprehend.} [Sūrat Al-Munāfiqūn: 7] And {And there is
no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision.}
[Sūrat Hūd: 6]
4. Allah Almighty is the Owner of the worldly life and
the Hereafter. Nonetheless, the verse in Sūrat Al-Fātihah
limits this to the Hereafter only. {The Possessor of the Day
of Judgment.} The reason for this is that there are those in
the world who claim to have power over the dominion and
the affairs of life apart from Allah Almighty, to the extent
that some even claim to be lords. For example, Pharaoh
said, {I am your most exalted lord.} He also said, {Is not
the kingdom of Egypt mine, and are not these rivers
running beneath me?} But in the Hereafter, everyone will
hide and fall silent as the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and
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blessings be upon him) said, “Allah will fold the heavens

on the Day of Judgment and then take them in His right
hand and say, ‘I am the King. Where are the mighty ones?
Where are the arrogant ones?’ Then, He will fold the
earths and take them in His left (hand) and say, ‘I am the
King. Where are the mighty ones? Where are the arrogant
ones?’”6 Similarly, it is revealed in Sūrat Ghāfir that Allah
Almighty will call out, {To whom belongs [all] sovereignty
this Day?}But none will reply to Him. So, Allah will answer
Himself, saying, {To Allah, the One, the Superb
Vanquisher.} [Sūrat Ghāfir: 16]
***
6
Narrated by Muslim]
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Al-Quddoos
The Most Holy
He is the One Exalted far above any deficiency or
defect whatsoever, for He alone possesses the attributes
of absolute perfection.
This noble name occurs twice in the Qur’an. The first
in the verse that reads, {He is Allah, there is no god except
Him; the King, the Holy One.} [Sūrat Al-Hashr: 23] And the
second is in the verse: {All that is in the heavens and all
that is in the earth extols the glory of Allah, the King, the
Holy One, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.} [Sūrat Al-
Jumu‘ah: 1]
1. One of the best means that increases a person’s
love for his Lord is knowing His perfection from all aspects
and the fact that He has no deficiency whatsoever in His
Self or actions.
2. Part of extolling Allah Almighty is to extol His
Shariah and deem it exalted above any deficiency. This
requires that we rule by nothing except His Shariah and
follow nothing but His path, for He alone will ensure our
safety in this world and in the Hereafter.
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3. A Muslim is recommended, after finishing Witr

prayer, to say three times, “Glory be to the King, the Holy
One”, raising his voice in the third one. 7
4. One of the good things said about the association
between Allah’s name ‘the King’ and His name ‘the Holy
One’ is that Allah Almighty is not like the kings in the world
who may commit injustice, mistakes, or unwise acts or
they go through heedlessness and forgetfulness. He is the
Holy King Who is absolutely Perfect and Exalted far above
all defects.
***
7
Narrated by Abu Dāwūd]
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As-Salām
The Source of Peace (and Perfection)
He is the One free from all deficiencies and defects in
His attributes, names, and actions. Every peace in this
world and the Hereafter comes from Him.
This noble name occurs once in the Qur’an in a verse
that says, {He is Allah, there is no god except Him. He is
the King, the Holy One, the Source of Peace.} [Sūrat Al-
Hashr: 23]
And it occurs in the Sunnah, in a Prophetic
supplication to be said after the five obligatory prayers, “O
Allah, You are the Source of Peace and from You is the
peace. Blessed are You, Owner of Majesty and Honor.”8
1. A Muslim should believe that Allah Almighty is safe
from any deficiency or defect in His Self, names, attributes
and actions. So, He is safe from death or sleep. His words
are safe from lying; His promise is safe from being broken
and His threat is safe from being unjust.
2. In order to attain peace and safety from Allah, you
should heed the Prophet’s instruction: “Spread peace
8
Narrated by Muslim]
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amongst you.”9 Spread peace among people through your

words and deeds.
3. Paradise is the abode of peace. Allah Almighty says,
{For them will be the Home of Peace with their Lord.}
[Sūrat Al-An‘ām: 127]
It is the abode of pure bliss. There will be no trouble
or unhappiness therein. Its dwellers will be safe from any
illness that used to disturb them in the worldly life. Peace
will be their greeting in it. So, worship Allah, the Source of
Peace, you will attain paradise, the Home of Peace.
***
9
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
Al-Mu’min
The Giver of Belief (Security)
He is the One Who gives credence to His messengers
and their followers by His testimony that they are truthful
and through the signs and evidence He establishes in
support of their truthfulness. Any security in the worldly
life or the Hereafter is granted by Him. He makes the
believers secure from being unjust to them and from His
punishment and He secures them from the panic on the
Day of Judgment.
This noble name occurs only once in the Qur’an, in a
verse that reads, {He is Allah, there is no god except Him.
He is the King, the Most Holy, the Giver of Peace, the
Giver of Belief (Security), the Guardian over all.} [Sūrat Al-
Hashr: 23] In light of this noble name, I would say:
1. Pondering the meanings of this noble name instills
such tranquility within a believer’s heart. Indeed, Allah, the
Giver of Belief (Security), is the Best One Who promised
goodness and the Most Truthful One Who kept and shall
always keep His promise.
2. A believer will not attain security in this world or in
the Hereafter except through the belief in the Giver of
Belief and following His Shariah and the path of His
Prophet.{They who believe and do not mix their belief
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with injustice – those will have security, and they are

[rightly] guided.}
3. If you want Allah, the Giver of Belief (Security) to
keep His promise for you in this world and in the Hereafter,
be a true believer and heed the statement: “A believer is
the one from whom people’s lives and wealth are safe.”10
***
10
Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi]
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This is My Lord
Al-Muhaymin
The All-Controller
He is the One Who sustains and preserves things,
watches over them and encompasses them.
This is one of the excellent names that occurs only
once in the Qur’an. It occurs in the verse that says, {He is
Allah, there is no god except Him. He is the King, the Most
Holy, the Giver of Peace, the Giver of Belief (Security), the
Supreme Controller.} [Sūrat Al-Hashr: 23] In light of this
great name, I would say:
1. Always remember that Allah Almighty constantly
watches over you. So, if you are engaged in a good act, do
it well, and if you are about to engage in an evil one, turn
away and desist. If it happens that you err, seek
forgiveness and show regret.
2. Knowing the meaning of Allah’s name ‘the Supreme
Controller’ instills a sense of reverence for His Greatness,
for He is Ever-Watchful over His creation and their deeds
and He is the Guardian over every soul in this existence.
3. The Qur’an is described as a guardian in a verse in
Sūrat Al-Mā’idah: {And We have revealed to you the Book
in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the
Scripture and as a guardian over it.}
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The Qur’an is a guardian and judge over the previous

scriptures, and it is the best book revealed by Allah
Almighty. This increases our love for this book, our joy
because of it and our action according to it with all
certitude and assurance.
***
36
This is My Lord
Al-‘Azīz
The All-Mighty
He is the All-Powerful and the Prevailing One Who is
never defeated. He is the Magnificent and Exalted One
Who is free from any humiliation. A servant enjoys as much
honor and high status as he obeys the All-Mighty Lord.
This great name occurs 92 times in the Qur’an. For
example: {Against these they had no grudge except that
they believed in Allah, the All-Mighty, the Praiseworthy.}
[Sūrat Al-Burūj: 8] And {So do not think that Allah will go
back upon His promise to His Messengers. Indeed, Allah
is All-Mighty, Lord of retribution.} [Sūrat Ibrahīm: 47] In
light of this great name, I would say:
1. One of the great means for having peace of heart is
to remember that Allah Whom you worship possesses the
Absolute Might and He is the All-Powerful and All-
Dominant over all things and that everything falls under
His authority.
2. O servant, you will attain as much might and high
status as you believe in the All-Mighty One and follow His
guidance. {And might belongs to Allah, to His Messenger,
and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.}
3. How poor is the one who seeks might and strength
through other than Allah Almighty Who says, {Those who
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This is My Lord
take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do

they seek with them honor [through power]? But indeed,
honor belongs to Allah entirely.} [Sūrat Al-Nisā’: 139]
***
38
This is My Lord
Al-Jabbār
The Compeller
He is the Majestic One Who executes His will over all
creatures through compelling and vanquishing. It also
means the One Who supports the poor by wealth, the sick
by cure, the needy by giving and the distressed by relief.
once in the Qur’an. It occurs in the verse that says, {He is
Allah, there is no god except Him. He is the King, the Most
Holy, the Giver of Peace. the Giver of Belief (Security), the
Compeller, the Supreme.} [Sūrat Al-Hashr: 23]
1. We should extol Allah Almighty and praise Him for
His attributes of superiority, dominance, and mercy.
2. Pondering the meanings of this noble name instills
a sense of modesty in the heart and humiliation in front of
Allah Almighty, as well as hope for His grace.
3. It is authentically reported that the Prophet (may
Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in his
bowing and prostration, “Glory be to the Owner of
Grandeur, Dominion, Superiority and Majesty.” [Narrated
by Ahmad and Abu Dāwūd]
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This is My Lord
4. Keep away from tyrants and their traits, lest you

should be afflicted with what the early tyrants were
afflicted.
Their traits include oppression, arrogance and conceit.
However, the judgment of Allah pursues them wherever
they may be. {They sought Our judgment. And every
obstinate tyrant opposed to the Truth was brought to
naught.} [Sūrat Ibrahīm: 15]
In an authentic Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace
and blessings be upon him) said, “Hell and Paradise fell
into dispute, and Hell said, ‘I have been distinguished by
the arrogant and tyrants.’”11
***
11
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This is My Lord
Al-Mutakabbir
The Supreme
He is the Majestic and Exalted One Who is far above
any deficiency or defect and above treating His servants
unjustly. He vanquishes the tyrants among His servants
and is distinguished by pride; whoever disputes with Him
over that, He will break him and subject him to
punishment.
This great name occurs only once in the Qur’an, in the
verse that says, {He is Allah, there is no deity except Him.
He is the King, the Most Holy, the Giver of Peace, the
Giver of Belief (Security), the All-Controller, the All-
Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme.} [Sūrat Al-Hashr: 23]
1. When we contemplate the majesty of Allah
Almighty, and the weakness of His servants, this instills
within us a feeling of reverence and exaltation for Him and
humility before His Shariah and creation.
2. Allah Almighty is worthy of this name for He is the
One Who has power over all things and is watchful over all
things, and none in existence can escape His authority.
3. No one should be described as ‘the Supreme and
Arrogant’ by way of praise except Allah Almighty.
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This is My Lord
As for people, only modesty befits them. If a person

acts arrogantly by rejecting the truth and despising people,
he will be subject to the stern warning which Allah
Almighty gave in this Divine (Qudsi) Hadīth: “Might is My
garment and Pride is My cloak. Whoever disputes with
Me over them, I will punish him.”12
***
12
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
Al-Kabeer
The Great
He is the Great One in His Self, attributes, and actions.
Nothing is greater than Him. Rather, all things are small
next to His Majesty. This noble name occurs 6 times in the
Qur’an. For example: {[He is] Knower of the unseen and
the witnessed, the Great, the Exalted.} [Sūrat Al-Ra‘d: 9]
And {So the judgment is with Allah, the Most High, the
Great.} [Sūrat Ghāfir: 12] In light of this noble name, I
would say:
1. Let your exaltation of Allah Almighty be greater
than your exaltation for any great human being for He is
Greater than all things, Greater in His Self, attributes,
actions, status, might, and majesty. He commands us to
exalt Him saying,{And say, “All praise is due to Allah Who
has neither taken to Himself a son, nor has He any partner
in His dominion, nor does He need anyone, out of
weakness, to protect Him.” So exalt Him in a manner
worthy of His exaltation.} [Sūrat Al-Isrā’: 111]
2. In light of this noble name and attribute of our Lord,
we were commanded to say Takbīr in many areas of
worship such as when we commence the prayer and when
we move from one position to another in it; during the
Adhān, Tawāf, Sa‘i, the throwing of pebbles at Hajj and
after the prayers.
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This is My Lord
3. When you say Allah is the Most Great, remember

that:
• Allah is Greater with His Self than any other self.

• He is Greater with His safety and relief than any
affliction.
• He is Greater with His forgiveness than any sin.
• He is Greater with His cure than any illness.
• He is Greater with His power than any enemy.
Allah is the Most Great, and all praise is due to Him.

***
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This is My Lord
Ar-Rabb
The Lord
He is the One Who raises His servants through His
favors and makes them grow in a gradual way. And He
raises His pious servants in a way that reforms their hearts.
He is the Creator, the Possessor and the Master.
This noble name occurs more than 900 times in the
Qur’an. For example: {“Peace,” a word from a Most
Merciful Lord.} [Sūrat Yāsīn: 58] And {Eat of the provision
of your Lord, and be grateful to Him; a good land and a
Most Forgiving Lord.} [Sūrat Saba’: 15]
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon
him) said, “The tooth-stick cleans the mouth and pleases
the Lord.”13
Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported
that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon
him) said, “Verily, I was forbidden to recite the Qur’an in
bowing or prostration. As for bowing, glorify the Lord
therein.”In light of this great name, I would say:
1. Know that the prophets and messengers of Allah
would mostly implore Him using His name ‘the Lord’. The
Prophet Muhammad would often make this supplication:
13
Narrated by Al-Bukhāri, Ahmad and Al-Nasā’i]
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This is My Lord
“Our Lord, give us in this world what is good and in the

Hereafter what is good and protect us from the
punishment of the Fire.”14
2. If you know that Allah is your Lord, you must not
worship or invoke other than Him. No one is more merciful
to a servant than his Lord, Who created him, and none is
more worthy of being worshiped than Him.
3. Whoever believes in Allah as a Lord, a Creator and
a Provider must also believe in Him as a Legislator Who
issues commands and prohibitions. {Unquestionably, His
is the creation and the command.} [Sūrat Al-A‘rāf: 45]
Oneness of Lordship entails Oneness of worship. {O
mankind, worship your Lord, Who created you and those
before you, that you may become righteous.} [Sūrat Al-
Baqarah: 21]
4. Some scholars divide Lordship into three types:
• General Lordship for all creation for it is Allah

Almighty, Who created and guided them and bestowed His
provision upon them.
• Special Lordship for the believers represented by

raising their bodies in a lawful manner and cultivating their
hearts through faith.
14
Narrated by Al-Bukhāri; reported by Anas]
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This is My Lord
• More special Lordship for the prophets and

messengers represented by the revelation He sent down
to them and the special favors He bestowed upon them.
***
47
This is My Lord
Al-‘Azeem
The Magnificent
He is the One Who possesses the absolute majesty in
His Self, names and attributes. Hence, it is incumbent upon
His servants to glorify and exalt Him and heed His
commands and prohibitions.
This great name occurs 9 times in the Qur’an. An
example came in Sūrat Al-Baqarah: {And the preservation
of them both tires Him not, and He is the Most High, the
Magnificent.} [Sūrat Al-Baqarah: 255] And {So glorify the
name of your Lord, the Magnificent.} [Sūrat Al-Wāqi‘ah:
96]
It is authentically reported that the Prophet (may
Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would make this
supplication at times of distress: “There is no god but
Allah, the Magnificent, the Forbearing. There is no god
but Allah, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. There is no god
but Allah, the Lord of the heavens, the earth and the
Honorable Throne.”15In light of this great name, I would
say:
15
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This is My Lord
1. One of the best means whereby a person can exalt

the magnificence of his Lord is to ponder His names and
attributes and reflect upon His magnificent creation.
2. Know that one of the greatest signs of a servant’s
exaltation of his Lord is the exaltation of His Law. Allah
Almighty says, {That [is the Command]; and whoever
[constantly] magnifies the rites of Allah, then surely it is
of the piety of the hearts.} [Sūrat Al-Hajj: 32] He also says,
{That [is the Command], and whoever honors the sacred
ordinances of Allah - it is best for him in the sight of his
Lord.} [Sūrat Al-Hajj: 30]
3. When a person recognizes the magnificence of
Allah Almighty, this yields two benefits within his heart:
• Submission to Allah Almighty, and showing humility

to His creation.
• Freeing oneself from fear from created beings for

they are weak. No matter how strong they may appear,
they are nothing compared to the magnificence of Allah
Almighty. {They have not appraised Allah with true
appraisal.} [Sūrat Al-Zumar: 67]So, be with the pious and
the doers of good so that the Magnificent Lord will be with
you. {Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those
who are doers of good.} [Sūrat Al-Nahl: 128]
• Be calm in your prayer and fulfill your bowing and

be careful to glorify your Lord. The Prophet {may Allah’s
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This is My Lord
peace and blessings be upon him) said, “As for bowing,

glorify the Lord therein.”16
***
16
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
Al-Qādir - Al-Qadeer - Al-Muqtadir

The Able - The Most Capable - The Supreme
Determiner
The Able is the One Who can do everything and
nothing escapes His power or will in earth or heaven; and
He determines everything.
Allah’s name ‘the Able’ occurs 12 times in the Qur’an.
Some came in the singular form such as: {Say, “He is the
[one] Able to send upon you affliction from above you.”}
[Sūrat Al-An‘ām: 65] And some in plural form, like:
{Indeed, We are able to show you what We warn them
against.} [Sūrat Al-Mu’minūn: 95]
‘The Ever-Determiner’ has the same sense of the
Able but it carries more praise for Allah Almighty.
This name occurs 45 times in the Qur’an. An example
his includes: {And to each is a direction towards which he
turns, so race with each other for the charitable [deeds].
Wherever you may be, Allah will come up with you
altogether. Indeed, Allah is Most Capable of all things.}
As for the ‘Supreme Determiner’, it is a name that
signifies excessive magnificence of the power of Allah
Almighty. It occurs 4 times in the Qur’an, one of which is in
the plural form: {Or We definitely show you what We
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This is My Lord
promised them. So, surely We are Supreme Determiners

over them.} [Sūrat Al-Zukhruf: 42] And it occurs three
times in the singular form, like: {Indeed, the pious will be
in Gardens and running streams, Where they will be
honorably seated in the presence of a King, a Supreme
Determiner.} [Sūrat Al-Qamar: 54-55]With regard to these
noble names, I would say:
1. A person should frequently praise and extol Allah
Almighty for His absolute power. Nothing on earth or in the
heaven can escape Him.
2. Your knowledge of the power of Allah will inspire
love within your heart for Him and trust in His promise as
well as hope for His support, especially when it comes to
things beyond human power.
3. Imagine that you were Abu Mas‘ūd Al-Badri (may
Allah be pleased with him) when the Prophet (may Allah’s
peace and blessings be upon him) saw him beating one of
his children. Thereupon, he said, “Know, O Abu Mas‘ūd,
that Allah has greater power over you than your power
over this boy!”[Narrated by Muslim]
This knowledge would prevent a sane person from
oppressing anyone no matter how strong he is and how
weak the other person is.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Khāliq - Al-Khallāq
The Creator - The Sublime Creator
The Creator is the One Who Created all creation in an
unprecedented manner.
Allah’s name the Creator occurs 8 times in the
Qur’an. Some of which are in the plural form, like: {Is it you
who create it, or is it We Who are the Creators?} [Sūrat
Al-Wāqi‘ah: 59]
And some come in the singular form, like: {He is
Allah, the Creator, the Initiator, the Supreme Fashioner.
To Him belong the fairest names.} [Sūrat Al-Hashr: 24]
And {O people, remember Allah’s favor upon you. Is there
any creator, apart from Allah who provides you your
sustenance out of the heavens and earth? There is no god
except Him. Whither are you, then, being misdirected?}
[Sūrat Fātir: 3]
As for “the Sublime Creator”, it is a name that
denotes the plenty of creation made by Allah Almighty. He,
the Exalted, continues to create and possess this great
attribute.
This name occurs twice in the Qur’an. The first one is
in the verse that says, {Indeed, your Lord is the Sublime
Creator, All-Knowing.} [Sūrat Al-Hijr: 86]The second time
is in this verse: {Has He Who created the heavens and
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This is My Lord
earth no power to create the likes of them? Yes, indeed,

He is the Sublime Creator, All-Knowing.} [Sūrat Yāsīn:
81]In light of these great names, I would say:
1. Remember that none can count the creation of
Allah but Allah Almighty Himself. If you consider this, you
will develop a sense of reverence and glorification within
your heart for the Almighty Creator.
2. Here we recall the Prophet’s statement to
Juwayriyyah (may Allah be pleased with her): “I recited
four words, after I had left you; if they were to be
weighed against what you have been reciting since
morning, they would outweigh them. These are: Praise
and glory be to Allah, by the amount of His creation and
His pleasure, and by the weight of His throne and the ink
of His words.”17 Always remember and contemplate Him
by thought!
3. Belief that Allah is the Creator entails belief that
He alone is worthy of being worshiped and only His Shariah
should be applied. Allah Almighty says, {Unquestionably,
His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the
Lord of the worlds.} [Sūrat Al-A‘rāf: 54] The lost atheists,
on the other hand, argue that neither the creation nor the
17
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
command belongs to Allah Almighty, for they do not

believe in His existence.
As for the self-contradictory polytheists, they say
that the creation belongs to Him, but not the command.
But the guided believers say what their Lord says,
{Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command.}
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Bāri’
The Initiator
He is the One Who brought the creatures He willed
into existence.
This great name occurs 3 times in the Qur’an. It
occurs once with the definite article in the verse that reads,
{He is Allah, the Creator, the Initiator, the Supreme
Fashioner.} [Sūrat Al-Hashr: 24] And it occurs twice in the
possessive form: {And [remember] when Moses said to
his people, “O my people, indeed you have wronged
yourselves by your taking the calf [for worship]. So repent
to your Initiator and kill yourselves. That is best for [all
of] you in the sight of your Initiator.} [Sūrat Al-Baqarah:
54]
Contemplating what Allah Almighty has created and
initiated which He alone can count, makes a person engage
more in glorification and praise for the Almighty Lord.
***
56
This is My Lord
Al-Musawwir
The Supreme Fashioner
He is the One Who made His creation into the forms
He willed, as per His wisdom, knowledge and mercy.
This great name occurs once in the Qur’an in the
verse that says, {He is Allah, the Creator, the Initiator, the
Supreme Fashioner.} [Sūrat Al-Hashr: 24]In light of this
1. We owe a solemn right to our Almighty Lord Who
created us and gave us good forms. He says, {He created
the heavens and earth in truth and shaped you, giving you
excellent shapes. And to Him is your ultimate return.}
[Sūrat Al-Taghābun: 3]So, let us engage a lot in praise and
gratitude for Him and His countless blessings.
2. Your amazement will not cease as you ponder
only a small part of what Allah Almighty created and
fashioned including humans and animals with their
different sizes, forms and colors. How Glorious are You,
our Creator, and how Excellent a Fashioner You are! {He is
the One Who fashions you in the wombs as He decide.
There is no god except Him, the All-Mighty, the Wise.}
[Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān: 6]
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This is My Lord
3. For the distinction between the Creator, the

Initiator, and the Supreme Fashioner, I say as the author of
Adwā’ Al-Bayān said:
• The Creator: He is the One Who determined the

creation before its existence.
• The Initiator: He is the One Who brought the

creation into existence after determining it.
• The Supreme Fashioner: He is the One Who gave

forms to the creation after its existence.
***
58
This is My Lord
Al-Awwal
The First
He is the One before Whom there was nothing. All
creatures came into existence by His creation. As for Him,
there is no beginning for His existence.
The names ‘the First’ and ‘the Last’ occur in the verse
that says, {He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest
and the Hidden and He is All-Knowing of everything.}
[Sūrat Al-Hadīd: 3]
It also occurs in the Prophet’s Sunnah in a Hadīth
reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
involving a supplication to be said before sleep, “O Allah,
You are the First and there is nothing before You. You are
the Last and there is nothing after You.”18 In light of this
1. Your glorification and love for Allah Almighty will
grow so much when you know that He had always been
and nothing existed before or along with Him, and there is
no beginning for His existence. That is the attribute of the
True God.
2. Know that all things apart from Allah Almighty
were non-existent and He bestowed upon them the favor
18
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
of bringing them into existence in addition to preparing

them and providing them with sustenance. All praise is due
to Him in this Life and in the Hereafter.
3. Your servitude to Allah, the First, means that you
should worship the Almighty Initiator.
This gives you a sense of tranquility and trust in His
promise.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-’Ākhir
The Last
He is the One after Whom there is nothing. He is the
Ever-Lasting and everything on earth will perish and
ultimately return to Him. There is no end to His existence,
Exalted is He. In light of this great name, I would say:
1. Know that everything in existence apart from
Allah Almighty was previously non-existent and then Allah
brought it into existence; and that it is doomed to end and
perish. Anything destined by Allah to endure forever does
only derive this eternity through the grace and will of the
Almighty Lord.
2. Your servitude to Allah, the Last, means that you
worship the Ever-Lasting God Who will not die or perish.
Everything else will come to an end. But Allah is the Last
after Whom there is nothing and to Whom there is no end.
So, let our hearts attach to Him and let our bodies pursue
the proper means to our goals.
***
61
This is My Lord
Az-Zhāhir - Al-Bātin
The Manifest - The Hidden
The Manifest is the One Who is Higher and Above all
things. Nothing is higher than Him. And He is the One Who
Dominates and Encompasses everything.
As for ‘the Hidden’, it means the One Who is more
Subtle than everything else, and nothing is closer to
anything than He is. And He is All-Knowing of all secrets
and hidden things.
These two noble names occur once in the Qur’an in a
verse in Sūrat Al-Hadīd: {He is the First and the Last, and
the Manifest and the Hidden, and He is All-Knowing of
everything.} [Sūrat Al-Hadīd: 3]
They also occur in the Prophet’s Hadīth reported by
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) involving a
supplication to be said before sleep, and it reads, “And You
are the Manifest and nothing is above You. You are the
Hidden and nothing is more subtle than You.”19 In light of
these great names, let me say:
19
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
1. Your knowledge of these two names increases

your recognition of the perfection of Allah Almighty, and
your glorification and love for Him.
2. One of the best means for instilling modesty
within a person’s heart is to consider his own weakness
next to the greatness of his Lord, partially represented by
these two names which indicate that Allah encompasses
all creation in terms of time and place. He is the First, and
everything else was initiated and created by Him; He is the
Last, and everything else will perish and go away; He is the
Manifest, and everything else declines against His
greatness and highness and He is the Hidden, and so He is
close to everything else, no matter how distant or hidden
it may be.
***
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This is My Lord
As-Samee‘
The All-Hearing
He is the One Whose Hearing encompasses all things,
secret and public, and all sounds no matter how loud or
low they maybe; and He is the One Who responds to those
who supplicate to Him.
This noble name occurs 45 times in the Qur’an; one
of which is in the verse that reads, {Indeed, Allah is All-
Hearing, All-Seeing.} [Sūrat Al-Mujādilah: 1]
Another verse says, {And [remember] when
Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and
Ishmael, [saying], “Our Lord, accept [this] from us.
Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.} [Sūrat Al-
Baqarah: 127]In light of this great name, I would say:
1. The approach of Ahl Al-Sunnah Wa Al-Jamā‘ah is
so beautiful and simple in dealing with these excellent
names of Allah Almighty. They say clearly: We affirm what
Allah established for Himself, in His Book or by the tongue
of His Prophet; yet we reject likening Him to anything else;
Allah has hearing that befits His magnificence and
greatness, and the created beings have hearing that befits
their weakness and need. Allah Almighty says about
Himself, {There is nothing like unto Him: He is the All-
Hearing, All-Seeing.} [Sūrat Al-Shūra: 11]And regarding
human beings, He says in Sūrat Al-Nisā’, {Allah wants to
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This is My Lord
lighten your burdens, for man was created weak.} [Sūrat

Al-Nisā’: 28]
2. As you are careful not to let Allah Almighty hear
from you what displeases Him, also be keen to make Him
hear what is pleasing to Him.
3. To everyone in need (and we are all in need), I
say: People may hear your complaint, but they may be
unable to help you. As for Allah Almighty, He hears your
complaint, knows your condition and answers your
supplication as long as you are sincere to Him. Prophet
Ibrahīm is quoted to have said in Sūrat Ibrahīm, {Indeed,
my Lord is the Hearer of supplication.} [Sūrat Ibrahīm: 39]
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Baseer
The All-Seeing
He is the One Whose seeing encompasses all that
exists in the seen and unseen worlds, hidden or manifest,
small or great.
This noble name occurs 42 times in the Qur’an. For
example: “And He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Sūrat
Al-Shūra: 11] And {And Sufficient is your Lord as All-
Knower and All-Seeing of the sins of His servants.} [Sūrat
Al-Isrā’: 17]In light of this great name, I would say:
1. Praise Allah Almighty and extol Him as a form of
worship for His hearing which encompasses everything in
the heavens and earth. {The One to Whom belong the
kingdom of the heavens and earth. And Allah is a Witness
over all things.} [Sūrat Al-Burūj: 9]
2. Be careful to let Allah Almighty see you in
situations pleasing to Him and beware of letting Him see
you in situations that displease Him. And remember His
words to His Prophet, {Who sees you when you rise [to
pray]. And your movements among those who prostrate
themselves. He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.} [Sūrat Al-
Shu‘arā’: 218-220]
3. Follow the path trodden by the righteous
predecessors and Ahl al-Sunnah as it is the right and easy
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This is My Lord
course. So, believe that Allah has vision as He affirmed for

Himself, and it befits Him and His majesty and power.
Vision is one of the attributes of perfection. Prophet
Ibrahīm criticized his father for worshiping what could not
see or hear. {As he said to his father, “O my father, why
do you worship what neither hears nor sees, nor avails
you anything?"} [Sūrat Mariyam: 42]
4. Your knowledge that Allah hears all sounds and
sees everything in this universe inspires tranquility within
your heart which prompts you to hope for the divine relief
for you and your fellow Muslims everywhere and expect
that Allah will inflict His punishment upon tyrants and
oppressors.
***
67
This is My Lord
Al-‘Afoow
The Pardoner
He is the One Who erases and pardons sins and does
not punish the perpetrator, though he deserves it.
example: {If you display a charitable [deed] or conceal it,
or pardon an odious deed, then surely Allah has been
Pardoner, Most Competent.} [Sūrat Al-Nisā’: 149] And
{Indeed, Allah has been Pardoner, All-Forgiving.} [Sūrat
Al-Nisā’: 43]In light of this great name, I would say:
1. When you see how Allah Almighty pardons His
servants and shows clemency towards them, your love for
Him and your hope for His rewards increases.
2. When a person knows the great clemency of
Allah Almighty, no despair can remain in his heart.
3. Whoever sincerely seeks the clemency of Allah
Almighty, deserves to be pardoned by Him especially if he
accompanies that with regret over his past sins and real
resolve to follow the right path.
4. One of the best means whereby you can attain
the pardon of Allah is to be clement yourself towards His
servants, for indeed He is Clement and loves clemency. The
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said, “Allah increases the honor of him who pardons.”20

Referring to the immense reward of those who pardon,
Allah Almighty says,{And the retribution for an evil act is
an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes
reconciliation - his reward is [due] from Allah.} [Sūrat Al-
Shūra: 40]
5. There are cases when the mistake is serious, and
the person at the receiving end finds it difficult to pardon
given the heinousness of the error. In such situation, he
should remember his Lord and how He loves and pardons
those who are clement and the generous reward He has
prepared for them. As a result, his fury and desire for
revenge abates and his anguish turns into pleasure and
peace.
A case in point is Prophet Yūsuf’s conduct towards his
brothers despite all what they did to him. He said without
hesitation, {No blame lies with you today. May Allah
forgive you. He is the Most Merciful of all those that are
merciful.} [Sūrat Yūsuf: 92]
***
20
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
Al-Ghafoor - Al-Ghaffār
The All-Forgiving - The Superb Forgiver
The All-Forgiving is the One Who covers the sin of His
servant and does not expose or punish him for it.
This name occurs 91 times in the Qur’an, most often
in association with Allah’s name the Most Merciful.
For example: {Inform My servants that I am indeed
the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Sūrat Al-Hijr: 49] And
{Say, “O My servants who have been extravagant against
themselves, do not feel despondent of the mercy of
Allah! Indeed, Allah forgives sins all together; He is the
indeed All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Sūrat Al-Zumar: 53]
The Superb Forgiver is a name that denotes the
frequent forgiveness by Allah Almighty of the sins of His
servants who ask for it.
This name occurs 5 times in the Qur’an. For example:
{So I said, “Ask forgiveness of your Lord; surely He has
been a Superb Forgiver.”} [Sūrat Nūh: 10] And {And I am
indeed Superb Forgiver to him who repents and believes
and does good and thereafter is [rightly] guided.} [Sūrat
Tāha: 82]In light of these great names, I would say:
1. Your love for Allah Almighty and your hope for His
bounty will increase if you know and ponder the vastness
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This is My Lord
of His forgiveness towards His servants despite their plenty

of sins. All praise is due to our Lord.
2. Know and teach others about the immense
forgiveness and pardon of Allah Almighty, lest Satan may
penetrate into a sinner’s heart at a moment of
heedlessness and ignorance and make him despair of the
mercy of his Lord Who says,{Inform My servants that I am
the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Sūrat Al-Hijr: 49]
3. Do you remember what the polytheists did to the
Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) as
they harmed him and his Companions? Nonetheless, Allah
Almighty revealed the following to him,{Say to those who
disbelieve, if they refrain, whatever has already passed
will be forgiven for them; and in case they go back, then
the enactment [for] the former people has already gone
by.} [Sūrat Al-Anfāl: 38]
***
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This is My Lord
As-Sitteer
The Concealing
He is the One Who conceals the faults of His servant
and does not publicize his faults among people. And He
loves His servant who conceals his faults and private issues
and faults of others.
This great name does not occur in the Qur’an, but it
does in the Sunnah. Ya‘la ibn Omayyah reported that the
saw a man taking a bath in an open place without a lower
garment. Thereupon, the Prophet ascended the pulpit,
praised Allah, and said, “Indeed, Allah, Exalted and
Glorified, is modest and concealing, and He loves
modesty and concealment. So, when any one of you takes
a bath, let him conceal himself.”21 In light of this great
name, I would say:
1. Contemplating Allah’s name ‘the Concealing’ and
its meaning will increase your love for Him and your hope
for His great bounty. Indeed, a person should frequently
praise Allah Almighty and show gratitude for His favors and
concealment.
21
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This is My Lord
2. Always remember the Prophet’s statement, “And

whoever conceals the fault of a Muslim, Allah will conceal
his fault on the Day of Judgment.”22 Allah Almighty loves
that His servant be concealing with regard to himself and
others so that He will conceal his faults in this world and in
the Hereafter.
3. Beware of violating Allah’s concealment of you or
others. In this regard, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and
blessings be upon him) made an important statement,
“Everyone of my Ummah may be forgiven except those
who commit sins openly.”23
4. Woe to those who fall under this verse: {Indeed,
those who like immorality to spread among those who
believe will have a painful punishment in this world and
the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you do not know.}
[Sūrat Al-Nūr: 19]
***
22
23
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This is My Lord
Al-Haleem
The Forbearing
He is the One Who does not hasten the punishment
for His servants despite His ability to do so. Rather, He
pardons and forgives them if they ask for forgiveness.
example: {A kind word and forbearance is better than
that charity which is followed by insult or injury. Allah is
Self-Sufficient and Forbearing.} [Sūrat Al-Baqarah: 263]
And {If you give Allah a goodly loan, He will increase it for
you several fold and will forgive you. Allah is the Most
Appreciative, Forbearing.} [Sūrat Al-Taghābun: 17]
Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)
used to make this supplication at the time of distress,
“There is no god but Allah, the Majestic, the Forbearing;
there is no god but Allah, the Lord of the heavens and
earth, and the Lord of the Majestic Throne.”In light of this
1. Know that none can be described as forbearing
unless he has the ability to inflict punishment; otherwise,
he should not be labeled as such. No one has power over
anyone like the power that Allah Almighty has over those
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This is My Lord
who disobey Him. Nonetheless, He forgives, pardons and

reprieves them. Praise be to Allah for all this!
2. As you praise Allah Almighty for His forbearance,
you should also beware of His wrath. So, hasten to ask for
His forgiveness and pardon and return to Him quickly. Allah
says in the Qur’an, {So flee to Allah. I am indeed a clear
warner to you from Him.} [Sūrat Al-Dhāriyāt: 50]
3. The Forbearing Lord loves those of His servants
who are forbearing. Indeed, the attribute of forbearance is
one of the greatest favors Allah has bestowed upon His
servants. Prophet Ibrahīm and Prophet Isma‘īl (peace be
upon both of them) won this attribute as it is attested by
Allah Almighty, {Indeed, Abraham was forbearing,
tenderhearted, and oft-turning to Allah.} [Sūrat Hūd: 75]
About Isma‘īl, Allah says,{So We gave him good tidings of
a forbearing boy.} [Sūrat Al-Sāffāt: 101]The Prophet (may
Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to Ashajj
‘Abd Qays, “You possess two qualities which Allah and His
Messenger love: Forbearance and deliberateness.”24
4. Know that there are means that lead to
forbearance. Pursue those means so that you can reach
this noble quality. Meanwhile, remember the Prophet’s
24
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
statement, “Indeed, forbearance can be attained by

acting in a forbearing manner."[Narrated by Al-Tabarāni]
Al-Lateef
The All-Subtle
It is a name that refers to Allah’s knowledge of subtle
matters and that nothing is hidden to Him; and that He
brings good and benefits to His servants through hidden
ways that they themselves do not expect; and that He is
also hidden from His servants in this world; they will only
see Him in Paradise.
example: {No visual perception can encompass Him, even
though He encompasses all visual perception. He is the
All-Subtle, All-Aware.} [Sūrat Al-An‘ām: 103] And {Would
He not know, He Who has created, when He is the All-
Subtle, All-Aware?} [Sūrat Al-Mulk: 14] And {Indeed, my
Lord is Subtle in what He wills. Indeed, it is He who is the
All-Knowing, All-Wise.} [Sūrat Yūsuf: 100] In light of this
1. Glorifying, praising, and loving Allah Almighty is
one of the best benefits reaped from knowing His name
‘the All-Subtle’.
2. If things grow harder for you while you are
obedient to your Lord, expect imminent relief and ample
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This is My Lord
favors from Him. Do not rush to judge things outwardly.

How often a hardship and distress become a source of
affluence and ease! {O you who believe, it is not lawful for
you to become heirs to women against their will. It is not
lawful that you should put constraint upon them that you
may take away anything of what you have given them;
unless they are guilty of brazenly immoral conduct. Live
with your wives in a good manner. If you dislike them in
any manner, it may be that you dislike something in
which Allah has placed much good for you.} [Sūrat Al-
Nisā’: 19]
3. Know that the meanings of subtleness also include
kindness, hospitality and generosity. So, treat those under
your authority and care gently so that Allah may show you
the effects of unimaginable gentleness and subtleness
from Him.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Witr
The Odd
He is the One Who has no partner.
This noble name occurs in the Prophet’s Hadīth that
reads, “Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred
minus one; whoever knows them by heart shall go to
Paradise. And Allah is odd (one) and He loves the odd
number.” It came in another version as: "Whoever
memorizes them."In light of this great name, I would say:
1. A believer should glorify his Lord and praise Him
in a way that is due to Him as He is the Odd One Who has
no partner or equal, neither in His Self nor in His names
and attributes.
2. A believer should also not worship anyone except
this Almighty God, for He alone possesses the absolute
perfection and all others are imperfect. It is for this reason
that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon
him) said to Ibn ‘Abbās, “If you ask for anything, ask for it
from Allah; and if you seek help, seek it from Allah.”25
***
25
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This is My Lord
Al-Jameel
The Beautiful
He is the One Who possesses absolute beauty in His
Self, names, attributes and actions. Any beauty in His
creation comes from Him.
This noble name occurs in the Hadīth in which the
said about his Lord, “Allah is Beautiful and loves
beauty.”26 In light of this noble name, I would say:
1. If a person remembers and recalls the absolute
beauty of his Lord, his love to Allah, longing for meeting
Him and the desire to strive for looking at Him will
increase. Indeed, the believers will be given nothing
greater than looking at Allah Almighty in Paradise.
2. Seek closeness to the Beautiful Lord through the
beautiful words, deeds and manners that are pleasing to
Him. He is Beautiful and He loves that His servants beautify
themselves through purification, outward and inward.
***
26
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
Al-‘Alee - Al-A‘la - Al-Muta‘āl

The High - The Most High - The Exalted
He is the High One in His status, power and Self, and
the Exalted One before Whom all else stand in humiliation.
Nothing is above Him. Everything falls under His power and
authority.
The name ‘the High’ occurs 8 times in the Qur’an. For
example: {And the preservation of both of them tires Him
not, and He is the High, the Magnificent.} [Sūrat Al-
Baqarah: 255] The name ‘the Most High’ occurs in the
verse that says, {Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most
High.} [Sūrat Al-A‘la: 1]
As for the name ‘the Exalted’, it occurs once in the
Qur’an in a verse that reads, {[He is] the Knower of the
unseen and the witnessed, the Great, the Exalted.} [Sūrat
Al-Ra‘d: 9] In light of these sublime names, I would say:
1. Allah Almighty is worthy of being exalted; whereas
it is only appropriate for created beings to submit to their
Lord, accept His Shariah and be humble before His
creation.
2. Always remember that how high you become,
Allah is Higher and has greater power over you. So, let not
your transient and limited highness drive you to oppress
others, for tyrants and oppressors get nothing from Allah
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This is My Lord
Almighty but humiliation and disappointment. {They

sought Our judgment. And every obstinate tyrant
opposed to the Truth was brought to naught.} [Sūrat
Ibrahīm: 15]
3. It is good here to note the meaning of this verse:
{For those who do not believe in the Hereafter is the evil
attributes, whereas for Allah is the highest attributes. He
is the All-Mighty, All-Wise.} [Sūrat Al-Nahl: 60] That is
Allah Almighty Who possesses the best and most perfect
attributes from every aspect. Those who do not believe in
the Hereafter, on the other hand, possess evil attributes
of disbelief, polytheism and ignorance.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Wāhid- Al-Ahad
The One - The Only One
He is the One Who is single and unique in all His
absolute perfections. No one shares them with Him, and
none is like Him.
Allah’s name ‘the Only One’ occurs only once in the
Qur’an in Sūrat Al-Ikhlās: {Say, “He is Allah, the Only
One."} It also occurs in the Sunnah. Buraydah reported
from his father that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and
blessings be upon him) heard a man saying, “O Allah, I
implore You by virtue of my testimony that You are Allah,
there is no god but You, the Only One, the Eternal Refuge,
Who has not begotten and has not been begotten and
none is like Him.” Thereupon, the Prophet said, “You have
implored Allah by the name by which when asked, He
gives, and by which when supplicated, He answers.”27
As for Allah’s name ‘the One’, it occurs in a number
of places in the Qur’an. For example: {They have certainly
disbelieved who say, “Allah is the third of three.” And
there is no god except one God.} [Sūrat Al-Mā’idah: 73]
And {Say, “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the
27
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This is My Lord
One, the Superb Vanquisher.”} [Sūrat Al-Ra‘d: 16]In light

of these two great names, I would say:
1. Since Allah is One and Unique in His Self, attributes
and Lordship, a servant is required to believe and adhere
to His Oneness in terms of belief and deeds; in other
words, he should worship none but Him and not apply any
Shariah except His.
2. Know that your heart will not enjoy happiness or
tranquility except through belief in the Oneness of Allah
with whole devotion to Him. A heart attached to someone
else will find worry and desolation. The most blissful
people ever are those with the best belief in the Oneness
of Allah, namely the prophets and messengers.
3. Allah’s name ‘the One’ is not associated with any
other name in the Qur’an except the name ‘the Superb
Vanquisher’ for indeed it follows from Him being One that
He should be Vanquisher of everything. Al Sa‘di (may Allah
have mercy upon him) said, “The One should necessarily
be Vanquisher, and the Vanquisher should necessarily be
One. So, partnerships are denied from all aspects.”
4. The scholars (may Allah have mercy upon them)
mentioned some differences between the names ‘the One’
and ‘the Only One’. They include the following:
• ‘The Only One’ is more powerful in negating

polytheism than ‘the One’. It is like the difference between
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This is My Lord
‘one’ and ‘anyone’. If it is said, for example, “there is not

one in the house”, this could mean there are two or three.
But if it is said “there is not anyone in the house”, this
means that none whatsoever is in the house.
• The idea suits the names in Arabic; it does not apply

to the English translation.
• The idea suits the names in Arabic; it does not apply

to the English translation.
***
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This is My Lord
As-Samad
The Eternal Refuge
He is the Master with perfect glory; to Whom all
creatures turn for support and fulfillment of all their needs.
He provides all with sustenance, and none provides for
Him.
This great name occurs only once in the Qur’an in
Sūrat Al-Ikhlās: {Say, “He is Allah, the Only One. Allah, the
Eternal Refuge.}
It also occurs in the Sunnah. Buraydah reported from
his father that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and
blessings be upon him) heard a man saying, “O Allah, I
implore You by virtue of my testimony that You are Allah,
there is no god but You, the Only One, the Eternal Refuge,
Who has not begotten and has not been begotten, and
none is like Him.” Thereupon, the Prophet said, “You have
implored Allah by the name by which when asked, He
gives, and by which when supplicated, He answers.”28 In
light of this noble name, I would say:
1. This name denotes the perfection of Allah
Almighty in His glory, wisdom, mercy as well as other
28
[Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi]
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attributes, and this inspires within one’s heart glorification

and love for Him.
2. We should invoke and rely upon none but Allah
Almighty, for only He has the power to fulfill all our needs.
3. Implore Allah Almighty by His name ‘the Eternal
Refuge’, and know that He opens the door and sends
unexpected blessings to those who are sincere to Him.
4. If people realized the meaning of Allah’s name
‘the Eternal Refuge’, we would not see in our Muslim world
people who go around graves and invoke those buried or
seek their intercession. But unfortunately, this happens
because many people are ignorant and there are a few
people who spread ignorance regarding such shrines
because they benefit from them. Meanwhile, they take it
lightly that people associate partners with Allah Almighty
Who addresses the best human being by saying,{and that
mosques belong to Allah, so do not invoke anyone with
Him.} [Sūrat Al-Jinn: 18] He also says, {Say, “Surely neither
it is in my power to hurt you nor to bring you to the Right
Way.} [Sūrat Al-Jinn: 21]
***
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This is My Lord
As-Sayyid
The Master
He is the One with absolute mastery over His
creation. He is their Owner and Lord, and they are His
creation and servants.
This great name does not occur in the Qur’an, but it
does occur in the Sunnah. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace
and blessings be upon him) said, “The Master is Allah.”29In
1. When a person knows the glory and absolute
perfection of Allah Almighty, he feels His glorification and
love for Him and extends a lot of praise to Him.
2. A person should realize that no matter what the
mastery he may reach, it is still deficient and insignificant
compared to the mastery of Allah, the Ever-Lasting Lord.
This realization prompts him to be humble to Allah
Almighty and to treat His creation in a proper manner.
3. Whoever wants real mastery should seek it by
obeying Allah, fearing Him, drawing close to Him and
following His guidance. Hence, the Prophet (may Allah’s
peace and blessings be upon him) said, "I am the master
of the children of Adam, and I am not bragging."[Narrated
29
Narrated by Ahmad]
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by Muslim and Al-Tirmidhi] A real master is a person

established as such by Allah Almighty while He is pleased
with him - not the one made a master by people while
Allah is displeased with him. The Prophet (may Allah’s
peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Do not call the
hypocrite ‘master.’”30 The hypocrites and the enemies of
Allah Almighty are not true masters even if people regard
them as such.
***
30
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This is My Lord
Al-Qāhir - Al-Qahhār
The Vanquisher - The Superb Vanquisher
He is the One Who subjugates and enslaves His
servants, and He is Exalted above them. He is the
Dominant One to Whom all submit. Allah’s name ‘the
Superb Vanquisher’ is an exaggerated form of His name
‘the Vanquisher’.
The Vanquisher occurs twice in the Qur’an, one in the
verse that reads, {And He is the Vanquisher above His
servants, and He is the All-Wise, All-Aware.} [Sūrat Al-
An‘ām: 18] The other one is in the verse that says,{And He
is the Vanquisher above His servants, and He sends
preservers over you till when death comes to any of you,
Our Messengers take him up, and they do not ever
neglect.} [Sūrat Al-An‘ām: 61] As for Allah’s name ‘the
Superb Vanquisher’, it occurs 6 times in the Qur’an
coupled in all of them with the name ‘the One’. Allah
Almighty says, {Say, “Allah is the Creator of all things, and
He is the One, the Superb Vanquisher.”} [Sūrat Al-Ra‘d:
16] In another verse, He says, {Which is far better: many
different lords or Allah, the One, the Superb Vanquisher?}
[Sūrat Yūsuf: 39] In light of these two great names, I would
say:
1. If you believe in Allah Almighty and know that His
names include the Vanquisher and the Superb Vanquisher,
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This is My Lord
your heart will be filled with hope that His religion and
allies will triumph and His enemies will be defeated
regardless of any power they possess.
2. Glorify Allah Almighty and praise Him for He is the
Vanquisher of all else, particularly when you know that the
Superb Vanquisher should only be One. If there were
equals to Him, He would not be a Superb Vanquisher. That
is why His name ‘the One’ is coupled with His name ‘the
Superb Vanquisher’ in all verses.
3. Considering these two magnificent names inspires
within a person’s heart humbleness to the Lord of all the
worlds. Thus, he reveres and trusts His Shariah and treats
people kindly and modestly.
4. Some scholars said: Allah’s name ‘the Superb
Vanquisher’ exclusively belongs to Him. It is not
permissible to call any created being, who is weak and
ignorant by this name. Describing Allah as the Superb
Vanquisher is praise of Him. However, if we describe a
person as such, this is considered as dispraise of him for
this name will necessarily be accompanied by oppression
and tyranny against people. Allah Almighty says about
Pharaoh, {He said, “We will soon massacre their sons and
spare alive their women, and surely we are vanquishers
above them.”} [Sūrat Al-A‘rāf: 127] Addressing His
Prophet, Allah Almighty says, {As for the orphan, do not
subdue [him].} [Sūrat Al-Duha: 9]
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This is My Lord
Al-Haqq
The Truth
He is the Real One in His being and existence and the
Perfect One in His attributes. So, no one is worthy of being
worshiped except Him. Everything worshiped apart from
Him is false god. His speech is true, His actions are true,
and His promise is true.
This noble name occurs in 10 verses in the Qur’an.
For example: {That is Allah, your Lord, the Truth.} [Sūrat
Yūnus: 32] And {So high above all is Allah, the King, the
Truth.} [Sūrat Tāha: 114] The Prophet (may Allah’s peace
and blessings be upon him) used to say during his night
Qunūt, “O Allah, praise is due to You. You are the Truth;
Your speech is true, and the meeting with You is true.”31
1. The most thing you should be glad about is that
you have been guided to the True God and you follow His
true religion, and thus you are subject to His true promise.
In this way, you will live in guidance in this world and in
bliss in the Hereafter. {O mankind, the promise of Allah is
certainly true.} [Sūrat Fātir: 5]
31
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2. You should be completely content with Allah’s

commandments and destiny. Nothing comes from Him but
what is true, good and wise. Allah Almighty commanded
His Prophet to challenge the polytheists, saying, {Say, “Are
there of your ‘partners’ anyone who guides to the truth?”
Say, “Allah guides to the truth. So is He who guides to the
truth more worthy to be followed or he who guides not
unless he is guided? Then what is [wrong] with you - how
do you judge?"} [Sūrat Yūnus: 35]
3. Remember the Prophet’s statement defining
arrogance, "Arrogance is to reject the truth and despise
people."[Narrated by Muslim] Do not reject the truth and
thus incur the wrath of Allah, the Truth.
4. Nothing is more assured than the promise of Allah
Almighty, if we follow His path. He has promised the
believers with victory, empowerment, and a good
outcome. So, they should be reassured and certain that
distress will be relieved and what is usurped will be taken
back.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Mubeen
The Evident
He is the One Who is Evident in His Oneness, wisdom
and mercy; and He is the One Who makes the path to
guidance clear to His servants so that they can follow it,
and makes the path to misguidance clear so that they can
keep away from it.
once in the Qur’an in the verse that says, {That Day, Allah
will pay them in full their deserved recompense, and they
will know that it is Allah Who is the Evident Truth.} [Sūrat
Al-Nūr: 25]In light of this great name, I would say:
1. Knowing the meaning of this name is one of the
great things that show you how vast Allah’s favors and
mercy towards His servants are, especially the Muslim
Ummah, as He sent to us the Evident Book and the Evident
Prophet. In the Qur’an, He says, {Alif, Lam, Ra. Those are
the verses, of the Evident Book.} [Sūrat Yūsuf: 1] He also
says, {However could they have the Reminding, and an
evident Messenger has already come to them.} [Sūrat Al-
Dukhān: 13]
2. This great name prompts all of us to resort to Allah
Almighty, especially when things get complicated and the
truth and falsehood become intertwined. So, we turn to
Him to clarify the truth to us and make us willing to accept
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This is My Lord
and follow it - and to expose the falsehood to us and guide

us to hate it and warn others of it.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Qawī- Al-Mateen
The All-Powerful - The Strong
‘The All-Powerful’ is the One Who possesses absolute
power and ability. No one can resist Him or repel His
decree, and nothing in the heavens or earth can ever
escape His power.
Allah’s name ‘the All-Powerful’ occurs 9 times in the
Qur’an, mostly coupled with His name the All-Mighty. For
example: {Allah is Ever-Kind to His servants; He provides
whomever He wills; and He is the All-Powerful, the All-
Mighty.} [Sūrat Al-Shūra: 19] And {Indeed, Allah is the All-
Powerful, All-Mighty.} [Sūrat Al-Hadīd: 25]
As for the name ‘the Strong’, it refers to His
tremendous strength and power, and that He finds no
difficulty in whatever He does. Allah’s name ‘the Strong’
occurs only once in the Qur’an in a verse that says,
{Indeed, Allah is the Superb Provider, the Owner of
Power, the Strong.} [Sūrat Al-Dhāriyāt: 58] In light of these
two great names, I would say:
1. No matter how much strength you possess, it is
nothing compared to Allah’s strength. Therefore: Be
humble before Allah, the Lord of the Throne, so that you
may be elevated. No servant who submits to the Creator
can ever be disappointed.
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This is My Lord
2. It is incumbent upon all of us to rely on none but

Allah, the All-Powerful, the Strong, for He is always the
strong support when others let us down.
3. We feel such great tranquility and peace of mind
as we know that the One we rely upon is the Strong God
Whose commands and decrees can never be opposed.
What strength can any enemy possibly put up before the
Almighty God, the Strong!
What matters is to know how to gain and deserve
Allah’s assistance and support. {Indeed, Allah will
definitely help those who help Him. Indeed, Allah is
surely All-Powerful, All-Mighty.} [Sūrat Al-Hajj: 40]
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Hayīy
The Modest
He is the One with modesty that befits His majesty
and tremendous power. Indeed, the modesty of Allah
Almighty is one of generosity, kindness, and magnificence.
This name does not occur in the Qur’an, but it does
in the Prophet’s Hadīth, “Indeed, Allah, Exalted and
Glorified, is modest and concealing, and He loves
modesty and concealment. So, when one of you takes a
bath, let him conceal himself.”32
It came in the Hadīth reported by Salmān (may Allah
be pleased with him), “Verily, your Almighty Lord is
Modest and Generous. He is so Modest that He would not
let His servant who raises his hands to Him (in
supplication) be rejected, empty-handed.”33 In light of
this great name, I would say:
1. This name inspires love for Allah Almighty within
our hearts, as well as modesty before Him; and it also
makes us praise Him for His forbearance, generosity,
pardon, and concealment towards His servants as it is
indicated by His name ‘the Modest’.
32
Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Nasā’i]
33
Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Tirmidhi]
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This is My Lord
2. Know that one of the attributes most pleasing to

Allah Almighty in His servants is modesty. Indeed, it is a
part of faith and it prompts people to keep away from all
ugly and inappropriate behaviors and to do what is good.
***
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Al-Hayy - Al-Qayyūm
The Ever-Living - The All-Sustainer
The Ever-Living is the One Who has permanent life
and existence that has no beginning or end; all life in
existence stems from Him, Exalted be He.
This great name occurs 5 times in the Qur’an, most
notably in the Verse of Al-Kursi: {Allah - there is no god
except Him, the Ever-Living, the All-Sustainer.} [Sūrat Al-
Baqarah: 255] Another verse reads, {And rely upon the
Ever-Living who does not die, and exalt [Allah] with His
praise. And sufficient is He to be All-Aware with the sins
of His servants.} [Sūrat Al-Furqān: 58] And it occurs in the
Sunnah in the Prophet’s supplication, “O Allah, the Ever-
Living, the All-Sustainer, I seek relief in Your mercy.”34
And in the Hadīth in which Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be
pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s
peace and blessings be upon him) used to say, “O Allah, I
surrender to You, I believe in You, I rely on You, I return
in repentance to You, I take your opponents as enemies.
I seek refuge with Your Honor, there is no god but You,
that You do not lead me astray. You are the Ever-Living
who never dies, yet the jinn and humans will all die.”
[Narrated by Muslim]
34
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This is My Lord
Al-Qayyūm
As for the name ‘the All-Sustainer’
He is the All-Sustainer, the One Who does not need
any of His creation; and He is sustaining all those in the
heavens and earth who all stand in need of Him.
This noble name occurs 3 times in the Qur’an, most
notably in the Verse of Al-Kursi: {Allah - there is no god
except Him, the Ever-Living, the All-Sustainer.} [Sūrat Al-
Baqarah: 255] And also in the initial verses in Sūrat Āl-
‘Imrān: {Alif, Lam, Meem. Allah - there is no god except
Him, the Ever-Living, the All-Sustainer.} [Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān:
1-2]In light of these two great names, I would say:
1. Always remember that the Greatest One who
deserves praise and loves to be praised is Allah Almighty.
His name ‘the All-Sustainer’ is coupled with the name the
Ever-Living to comprise all the attributes of absolute
perfection, complete self-sufficiency and absolute power.
2. Stand in need of your Lord constantly. You are
innately needy and He is innately Self-Sufficient.
Remember that the more you feel humble and needy
before your Lord, the richer you become.
3. Know that your life and movements entirely
depend on Allah, the Sustainer. So, reform your
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This is My Lord
relationship with Him so that He will give you good health

and guide your steps.
4. Stick to invoking Allah Almighty using His names
‘the Ever-Living’ and ‘the All-Sustainer’ for it is reported in
the Hadīths that this helps get your invocation answered
and your need fulfilled. In a Hadīth reported by Anas, a
man supplicated to Allah Almighty using these two great
names and praising Him. Thereupon, the Prophet (may
Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “He invoked
Allah by His greatest name by which when asked, He
gives, and by which when supplicated, He answers.”35
***
35
Narrated by Al-Nasā’i]
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This is My Lord
Ash-Shākir – Ash-Shakoor
The Appreciative - The Ever-Appreciative
He is the One Who accepts good deeds, however
small, and gives a reward for them, multiplies the reward,
and increases His favors and praise upon His servants. The
Ever-Appreciative is more profound than that.
Allah’s name ‘the Appreciative’ occurs twice in the
Qur’an. One is in Sūrat Al-Baqarah in the verse that says,
{Indeed, Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of
Allah. So whoever makes Hajj to the House or performs
‘Umrah - there is no blame upon him for walking between
them. And whoever volunteers good - then indeed, Allah
is Appreciative, All-Knowing.} [Sūrat Al-Baqarah: 158] And
the other is in the verse that reads, {What would Allah do
with your punishment if you are grateful and believe?
And Allah is ever Appreciative, All-Knowing.} [Sūrat Al-
Nisā’: 147]
As for His name ‘the Ever-Appreciative’, it occurs 4
times in the Qur’an, including: {They will say, All praise is
due to Allah Who has taken away all sorrow from us.
Surely our Lord is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Appreciative.}
[Sūrat Fātir: 34] And {If you give Allah a goodly loan, He
will increase it for you several fold and will forgive you.
Allah is Ever-Appreciative, Forbearing.} [Sūrat Al-
Taghābun: 17]In light of these great names, I would say:
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1. With these two names and knowing their

meanings, love for Allah Almighty grows in our hearts.
2. These two names motivate us to perform a lot of
good deeds and act rightly, knowing that Allah Almighty
appreciates every good act and rewards it generously.
3. How amazing are the favors and generosity of
Allah towards His servants, as He guides them to what is
good in the first place and then appreciates it and rewards
them.
4. As people deal with one another, a person
appreciates any favor done to him. But when you deal with
Allah Almighty, you find that He appreciates the favor you
do to your own self. You pray, give charity, and do good,
while you are the one who benefits from this. {If you do
good, you do good to yourselves.} Nonetheless, Allah
Almighty appreciates it, even though He is in no need for
His creation. All good and endless praise is due to Him.
5. Consider how Allah’s name ‘the Ever-Forgiving’ is
beautifully coupled with His name ‘the Ever-Appreciative’
and you will recognize the great favors of Allah upon His
servants. {They will say, All praise be to Allah Who has
taken away all sorrow from us. Surely our Lord is Ever-
Forgiving, Ever-Appreciative.} (Sūrat Fātir: 34)He forgives
sins, whatever they are great and appreciates good deeds,
whatever they are small.
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6. The Ever-Appreciative God loves the appreciative

among His servants, those who show gratitude to their
Lord and to other people who do good to them. {We
enjoined upon man to be dutiful to his parents. His
mother bore him in weakness upon weakness, and his
weaning lasted two years: Be grateful to Me and to your
parents. To Me is your ultimate return.} [Sūrat Luqmān:
14]
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Fattāh
The Greatest Judge
Al-Fattāh, in Arabic, is the One Who opens the
treasures of His dominion, mercy and provisions to
whomever He wills among His servants according to His
wisdom and knowledge.
It also means the One Who judges between His
servants justly and gives victory to His pious servants over
His enemies.
This great name occurs only once in the Qur’an in the
verse that says, {Say, Our Lord will bring us together and
then He will rightly judge between us. He is the Greatest
Judge, All-Knowing.} [Sūrat Saba’: 26] It occurs in the
plural form in the verse that says, {Our Lord, judge
between us and our people in truth, and You are the best
of those who judge.} [Sūrat Al-A‘rāf: 89]In light of this
noble name, I would say:
1. This name inspires us to love Allah Almighty and
aspire for what He has, for all treasures lie in His hand.
Allah says, {Whatever mercy Allah accords to people,
none can withhold; and whatever He withholds, no other
will be able to release after Him. He is the All-Mighty, All-
Wise.} [Sūrat Fātir: 2]
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2. Whenever you find that your provisions are

restricted and all doors are closed before you, turn to your
Lord, Al-Fattāh, and invoke Him using this great name so
that perhaps He will grant you what you want, for none can
actually do this but Him.
3. Trust your Lord and be reassured about His
promise and by His promise. Indeed, He helps those who
help Him [His religion]. Rather, victory comes only from
Him. In this way, the prophets received victory from the
One Who bestows it. Prophet Nūhis quoted in the Qur’an
to have said, {He said, “My Lord, indeed my people have
denied me. So pass a clear judgment between me and
them and rescue me and the believers with me.”} [Sūrat
Al-Shu‘arā’: 117-118]Prophet Shu‘ayb is quoted as saying,
{Our Lord, judge between us and our people in truth, and
You are the best of those who judge.} [Sūrat Al-A‘rāf: 89]
***
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This is My Lord
Al-‘Aleem – Al-‘Ālim
The All-Knowing - The Knowledgeable
He is the One Whose knowledge encompasses all
things, outward and inward, open and secret, past,
present, and future. Nothing is hidden from Him.
example: {They said, “Exalted are You; we have no
knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is
You who is the All-Knowing, All-Wise."} [Sūrat Al-
Baqarah: 32] And {Indeed, Allah alone has the knowledge
of the Hour. It is He Who sends down the rain and knows
what is in the wombs, although no person knows what he
will earn tomorrow, nor does he know in which land he
will die. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.} [Sūrat
Luqmān: 34] As for Allah’s name ‘the Knowledgeable’, it
occurs in the plural form in two verses in Sūrat Al-Anbiyā’:
{Surely We had bestowed wisdom upon Abraham even
earlier, and We were Knowledgeable of him.} [Sūrat Al-
Anbiyā’: 51] And {And We subdued the strongly raging
wind to Solomon which blew at his command towards
the land We blessed. We are Knowledgeable of
everything.} [Sūrat Al-Anbiyā’: 81]
And it is attached to the Unseen and the Witnessed
or the Unseen only in 13 places in the Qur’an. For example:
{They will excuse themselves to you when you return to
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them. Say, “Do not excuse yourselves; we will never

believe you.” Allah has already fully informed us of (some
of) your tidings; and Allah will soon see your doing, and
His Messenger (will see). Thereafter you will be turned
back to the Knowledgeable of the Unseen and the
Witnessed (and) so He will fully inform you of what you
used to do.} [Sūrat Al-Tawbah: 94] And {He is the
Knowledgeable of the Unseen, and He does not disclose
His Unseen to anyone.} [Sūrat Al-Jinn: 26]
1. When we learn about the knowledge of Allah
Almighty, our glorification and praise for Him and His
perfection grows.
2. And when we also know that Allah is
Knowledgeable of our situation, this should prompt us to
engage in more good deeds and to perform them better;
and this should also prevent us from committing sins.
3. My sure knowledge that Allah, the All-Knowing, is
Watchful over everything in the universe increases my
reassurance and my belief that Allah’s victory and promise
will certainly come true. Hence, one of the best sources of
the Prophet’s solace and comfort is that Allah Almighty
would remind him that He is Knowledgeable of his
condition and the condition of his enemies. {We certainly
know that their statements surely grieve you.} [Sūrat Al-
Hijr: 97]
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4. One of the greatest concerns of a person seeking

help is the probability that his helper does not hear him or
know about his situation. This is not the case when dealing
with Allah Almighty. So, we should trust Him and expect
His relief.
5. How would a person choose for his life a law other
than the Shariah of the All-Knowing and the All-Wise Lord!
This is nothing but ignorance and wrongdoing. Allah
Almighty says, {Do they desire judgment according to the
Law of Ignorance? But for those who have certainty of
belief whose judgment can be better than Allah’s?} [Sūrat
Al-Mā’idah: 50]
6. Allah’s pleasure with any of His servants is based
on His knowledge of him. In fact, this constitutes a slap in
the face of some ugly people who slandered the Prophet’s
Companions and declared them disbelievers even though
Allah Almighty is pleased with them and did please them,
as revealed in Sūrat Al-Fat’h: {Allah was much pleased
with the believers when they swore fealty to you under
the tree. He knew what was in their hearts. So He
bestowed inner peace upon them and rewarded them
with a victory near at hand.} [Sūrat Al-Fat’h: 18]
7. How poor are those criminals who secretly and
cunningly plot against people. Allah Almighty says,
{Whether you speak in secrecy or aloud, (it is all the same
to Allah). He knows the secrets that lie hidden in the
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breasts of people.} [Sūrat Al-Mulk: 13]If they have cunning

plots and schemes, we do have: {And Allah surrounds
them.}
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Hakeem
The All-Wise
He is the One Who puts everything in its proper
place, and His planning is never marred by any defect or
error. Supreme wisdom belongs to Him in what He creates
and does, and His judgments are the best.
example: {All that is in the heavens and earth extols the
glory of Allah. He is the All-Mighty, All-Wise.} [Sūrat Al-
Hadīd: 1]And {As for the thief - male or female - cut off
the hands of them both. This is a recompense for what
they have done as an exemplary punishment from Allah.
Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.} [Sūrat Al-Mā’idah: 38] And
{O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the unbelievers
and the hypocrites. Verily Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.}
[Sūrat Al-Ahzāb: 1]In light of this great name, I would say:
1. We should feel complete reassurance as regards
the religious and fateful rulings of Allah Almighty, for
nothing comes from Him but what is good and right. He is
the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, the All-Aware.
2. We should know that our minds are too deficient
to realize the wisdom of Allah Almighty, behind all that
happens in the universe. It is reasonable to realize that
reason has its limits!
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3. There is nothing wrong if you try to arrive at the

wisdom in the Shariah of Allah Almighty in order to be
more submissive to Him and have deeper reassurance. But
it would be wrong and unreasonable to base your belief
upon knowing the wisdom behind everything. This
reminds us of Prophet Ibrahīm’s statement, {And
[remember] when Abraham said, “My Lord, show me
how You give life to the dead.” [Allah] said, “Have you not
believed?” He said, “Yes, but just to reassure my heart.”}
4. Implore Allah, the All-Wise, to bestow wisdom
upon you. In the Qur’an, He says, {He gives wisdom to
whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has
certainly been given much good.} [Sūrat Al-Baqarah: 269]
***
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Al-Hakam
The Judge
He is the One Who judges between His creation
justly. He does not wrong anyone. And He revealed His
Book as a judge among people.
This noble name occurs in the Prophet’s Hadīth:
“Indeed, Allah is the Judge, and judgment belongs to
Him.”36 In light of this noble name, I would say:
1. Our hearts should be completely reassured about
the worldly rulings of Allah and totally content with His
commandments. No one is wiser, more just or more
merciful than Him. In the Qur’an, He says,{Is not Allah the
most just of judges?} [Sūrat Al-Tīn: 8]
2. It is prohibited to refer for judgment on the earth
of Allah but to His rulings. {Do they desire judgment
according to the Law of Ignorance? But for those who
have certainty of belief, whose judgment can be better
than Allah’s?}
3. It is really unwise for individuals, groups or
countries to abandon the rulings and Shariah of Allah
Almighty, while He is the Creator, the All-Knowing, the All-
Wise, and the Ever-Merciful, and turn to deficient man-
36
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made laws. {You worship not besides Him except [mere]

names you have named them, you and your fathers, for
which Allah has sent down no authority. Verily, judgment
belongs to none except Allah.} [Sūrat Yūsuf: 40]
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Khabeer
The All-Aware
He is the One Whose knowledge encompasses all
inward and hidden things as well as the outward ones.
example: {Indeed, their Lord with them, that Day, is All-
Aware.} [Sūrat Al-‘Ādiyāt: 11] And {And what We have
revealed to you [O Muhammad] of the Book is the truth,
confirming what was before it. Indeed, Allah, of His
servants, is All-Aware, All-Seeing.} [Sūrat Fātir: 31] And
{And He is the Vanquisher above His servants, and He is
the All-Wise, the All-Aware.} [Sūrat Al-An‘ām: 18] In light
of this great name, I would say:
1. Our knowledge of the meaning of this name
increases our glorification and praise for Allah Almighty, as
well as our love for Him.
2. Our belief in the meaning and comprehensiveness
of this great name prompts us to do good deeds and to do
them perfectly and deters us from doing wrong to our Lord
or to His creation. Allah Almighty says, {And how many
have We destroyed from the generations after Noah. And
sufficient is your Lord as All-Aware and All-Seeing of the
sins of His servants.} [Sūrat Al-Isrā’: 17]
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3. A person can possibly deceive people and pretend

to them that he is honest, kind, and religious while he is
inwardly malicious and wicked. But, before Allah Almighty,
all secrets are exposed. {Whether you speak secretly or
loudly, He knows the secrets that lie hidden in the breasts
of people. Does He not know, He Who has created, while
He is the All-Subtle, All-Aware?} [Sūrat Al-Mulk: 13]So, he
can either repent to his Lord and ask Him for pardon and
forgiveness or wait to be exposed and punished, sooner or
later. Allah Almighty says, {And who is a greater wrong-
doer than he who invents a lie against Allah? Such men
will be set forth before their Lord and witnesses will say,
“These are those who lied against their Lord. Lo! Allah’s
curse be upon the wrong-doers.”} [Sūrat Hūd: 18]
4. It is not possible for a person who knew the
meaning of Allah’s name ‘the All-Aware’ to have any doubt
or worry whatsoever regarding the beauty of the Shariah
of Allah and the correctness of His rulings in every time and
place. This should come as no wonder for it is the Shariah
of the All-Wise and All-Aware Lord.
***
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At-Tawwāb
The Accepting of Repentance
He is the One Who returns to His servant with
approval after being angry at him and with forgiveness
after punishing him or the punishment becomes due. And
He is the One Who enables His servant to repent and
accepts his repentance.
example: {Then Adam received from his Lord [some]
words, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed, it is He
Who is the Accepting of Repentance, the Ever-Merciful.}
[Sūrat Al-Baqarah: 37] And {Then exalt [Him] with praise
of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is the
Accepting of repentance.} [Sūrat Al-Nasr: 3]In light of this
1. Always remember that the one who is most
worthy of praise, laudation, and extolment is Allah
Almighty. We cannot extend enough praise to Him; indeed,
He is as He has praised Himself. Praise your Lord for His
acceptance of repentance from His servants and His vast
forgiveness and pardon. {It is He Who accepts repentance
from His servants and forgives sins and knows all what
you do.} [Sūrat Al-Shūra: 25]
2. When we contemplate how Allah Almighty
generously accepts repentance from His servants, we feel
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love for Him and our despair goes away for He is the Most
Beloved One. {And if not for the favor of Allah upon you
and His mercy, and because Allah is accepting of
Repentance, All-Wise.} [Sūrat Al-Nūr: 10]
3. O sinner, and we all do sin, implore Allah Almighty
to make you incline to sincere repentance without delay
and ask Him to accept it from you. Remember Allah’s favor
upon the three persons who lagged behind, as He forgave
them. {And [He also forgave] the three who stayed
behind [and regretted their error] to the point that the
earth became constrained on them in spite of its vastness
and their souls confined them and they were certain that
there is no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He
turned to them so they could repent. Indeed, Allah is the
Accepting of Repentance, Ever-Merciful.} [Sūrat Al-
Tawbah: 118]
4. Consider the Prophet’s statement: “All human
beings are sinners, and the best of sinners are those who
frequently repent.”37 And know that people are of two
types, as revealed in Sūrat Al-Hujūrāt: {And whoever does
not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.} So,
they are either forgiven repentant ones or deprived
wrongdoers.
37
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5. Remember what the scholars rightly said:

Repentance is a trait of the believer accompanying him in
all stages of life and during his entire journey. Indeed, he
will always do wrong things, no matter how pious he may
be. Here is our Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings
be upon him), the dearest person in Allah’s sight, saying,
“O people, repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness.
Verily, I repent to Allah one hundred times a day.” 38
***
38
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
Al-Qareeb
The Near
He is the One close to all His creation, Who
encompasses them and knows their conditions. He is also
close to the believers by supporting and protecting them
and answering their invocations.
example: {And when My servants ask you [O
Muhammad] concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond
to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon
Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and
believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.} [Sūrat
Al-Baqarah: 186] And {And to Thamūd [We sent] their
brother Sālih. He said, “O my people, worship Allah; you
have no god other than Him. He has produced you from
the earth and settled you in it, so ask forgiveness from
Him and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is near and
responsive.”} [Sūrat Hūd: 61]In light of this noble name, I
would say:
1. What a great solace it is when a servant knows
that his Lord is near him! He feels reassured and his hope
and trust increase.
2. As you know that Allah is near you, this should
prompt you to get close to Him by things dear and pleasing
to Him. He says in the Qur’an,{Indeed, the mercy of Allah
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is near to the doers of good.} [Sūrat Al-A‘rāf: 56] He also

said in a Qudsi Hadīth, “My servant does not draw close
to Me through things dearer to Me than what I made
obligatory for him; and My servant continues to draw
close to Me through supererogatory acts until I love
him.”39
3. Remember the Prophet’s statement, “A servant is
nearest to his Lord when he is prostrating himself.”So, be
one of those who prostrate themselves, in obligatory and
supererogatory prayers, and be one of those who
prostrate themselves physically and spiritually within their
hearts.
***
39
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This is My Lord
Al-Mujeeb
The Responsive
He is the One Who answers the call and invocation of
His servants according to His knowledge and wisdom.
This is one of the excellent names that occur only
once in the Qur’an, in the verse that says, {And then
repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is near and responsive.}
[Sūrat Hūd: 61] It occurs in the plural form in the verse that
says, {And Noah had certainly called Us, and [We are] the
best of responders.} [Sūrat Al-Sāffāt: 75]In light of this
1. This name should inspire us to invoke Allah
Almighty and hope for what He has, presenting our
worldly, religious and otherworldly needs to Him.
Whenever a servant is true to his Lord, the Almighty Lord
is true to him. So, stand in need before His ample bounty,
frequently ask from Him, and admit your shortcoming with
regard to His rights. And then expect abundant favors from
Him. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be
upon him) said, “Verily, your Almighty Lord is Modest and
Generous. He is so Modest that He would not let His
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servant who raises his hands to Him (in supplication) be

rejected empty-handed.”40
2. Here is the truth of the matter in brief: “It is a
response in exchange for a response.”This is indicated in
the verse that reads,{And when My servants ask you [O
Muhammad] concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond
to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon
Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and
believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.} [Sūrat
Al-Baqarah: 186]
***
40
Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Tirmidhi]
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This is My Lord
Al-Wadood
The Most Affectionate
He is the Loving One Who loves His pious servants
and shows affection to them through forgiveness and
giving - and they love Him. When Allah Almighty loves
someone, He answers his invocations, protects him from
what he fears, and makes him well accepted by people.
And when a person loves Allah Almighty, he obeys Him and
longs to meet Him.
This noble name occurs twice in the Qur’an. One is in
the verse that says, {And ask forgiveness of your Lord and
then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Most Merciful,
Most Affectionate.} [Sūrat Hūd: 90] The second time is in
the verse that reads, {And He is the All-Forgiving, Most
Affectionate.} [Sūrat Al-Burūj: 14]In light of this noble
name, I would say:
1. We should praise our Lord a lot, especially when
we know that the Lord we worship is the Most
Affectionate. All praise is due to Him.
2. A wise person would pursue every means that
wins him the love of Allah Almighty, such as faith, kindness
to people, drawing close to Him through various kinds of
obligatory and supererogatory acts of worship and
repenting to Him from any shortcoming or mistake. {Surely
Allah loves the ones constantly repenting, and He loves
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the ones constantly purifying themselves.} [Sūrat Al-

Baqarah: 222]
3. Whoever wants to taste the love of Allah Almighty
should get to know the perfect attributes of His majesty
and beauty and reflect upon His great bounty and favors
towards His creation. In the Qur’an, He says, {And
whatever favor you have - it is from Allah. Then when
adversity touches you, to Him you cry for help.} [Sūrat Al-
Nahl: 53]
4. Always remember that one of the clearest signs of
Allah’s love for a person is what He revealed in the verse
that says,{Say [O Muhammad], “If you should love Allah,
then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you
your sins. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”}
5. When a person tastes Allah’s love, life becomes
pleasant in his eyes, good deeds become easy for him and
he enjoys abandonment of sins and misdeeds for the sake
of his Lord. His eagerness shall continue until he sees his
Lord Whose promise is sure to come. {Some faces on that
Day will be fresh and resplendent, looking at their Lord.}
[Sūrat Al-Qiyāmah: 22-23]
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Wali - Al-Mawla
The Guardian - The Protector
The Guardian is the One Who manages the affairs of
His creation and dominion and He is the supporter of His
pious servants.
example: {And Allah is most knowing of your enemies;
and sufficient is Allah as a guardian, and sufficient is Allah
as a helper.} [Sūrat Al-Nisā’: 45] And {And it is He who
sends down the rain after they had despaired and spreads
His mercy. And He is the Guardian, Praiseworthy.} [Sūrat
Al-Shūra: 28]The Protector is the Lord, the King, and the
Master Who supports, helps, and protects His pious
servants. This noble name occurs 12 times in the Qur’an.
For example: {And He is an excellent protector and an
excellent helper.} [Sūrat Al-Hajj: 78] And {He is an
excellent protector and an excellent helper.} [Sūrat Al-
Anfāl: 40]In light of these two great names, I would say:
1. Know that you will gain as much protection from
Allah as your level of faith. So, it is up to you to take much
or little.
2. Remember that when a person takes Allah as a
protector, He protects him, and that the allies of Allah
Almighty are not those who possess supernatural powers,
as alleged by some, but they are the pious believers.
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This is My Lord
{Verily, [for] the allies of Allah there will be no fear on

them, nor will they grieve. Those who believe and fear
Allah.} [Sūrat Yūnus: 62]
3. If you are not one of the allies and close servants
of Allah, be sure at least to love and support them and
strive to imitate them. As long as you belong to them, you
will not be miserable. In the Qur’an, Allah Almighty says,
{The believing men and believing women are allies of one
another.} [Sūrat Al-Tawbah: 71]
4. The protection of Allah is both general and
specific. His general protection encompasses all His
servants, for He is their Master, Creator, and Owner. {Then
they will be returned to Allah, their true Protector.
Unquestionably, His is the judgment, and He is the
swiftest Reckoner.} [Sūrat Al-An‘ām: 62]
Allah’s specific protection is for the believers. He
supports, helps, and protects them. The biggest winner of
these is the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be
upon him). In the Qur’an, Allah Almighty commands him to
say, {My guardian is Allah Who has revealed the Book,
and it is He Who protects the righteous.} [Sūrat Al-A‘rāf:
196]
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Hameed
The Praiseworthy
He is the One Who is praised for His names,
attributes and actions, and He is praised at good and bad
times and in prosperity and adversity.
example: {They were guided to the pure word; they were
guided to the Way of the Praiseworthy.} [Sūrat Al-Hajj: 24]
And {Against these they had no grudge except that they
believed in Allah, the All-Mighty, Praiseworthy.} [Sūrat Al-
Burūj: 8]In light of this great name, I would say:
1. Know that Allah Almighty is praiseworthy for His
perfect attributes, even if His servants do not praise Him.
2. You should also know that one of the greatest
verbal acts of worship is to frequently extend due praise to
Allah. Let your tongue say it, your heart feel it, and your
rank be elevated because of it. The Prophet (may Allah’s
peace and blessings be upon him) said, “And ‘glory be to
Allah’ and ‘praise be to Allah’ fill what is between the
heaven and earth.”41Praise is to describe Allah by the
perfection of His Self, attributes, and actions while feeling
41
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
love and glorification for Him. If love and glorification is not

there, then your praise is not a true one.
3. One of the most sublime things for which Allah
Almighty is praised is His excellent names and attributes.
He is praised for His power and strength, forbearance,
knowledge, majesty, magnificent authority, and His vast
mercy and forgiveness. Then, He is praised for His blessings
and bounty.
4. We should try to know the situations where the
Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is
authentically reported to have engaged in Dhikr
comprising praise for Allah Almighty. For example, Anas
(may Allah be pleased with him) reported that whenever
the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)
went to bed, he would say, “All praise is due to Allah, Who
provided us with both food and drink, protected and
provided us with shelter. There are many who have no
one to protect or shelter them.” [Narrated by Muslim]
5. Let me conclude my speech on this with the words
of Al-Zajjāj (may Allah have mercy upon him), “Allah
Almighty is the One Who is praised by everyone and in
every situation as we say in the supplication, 'All praise is
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This is My Lord
due to Allah, other than Whom none is praised for all

conditions.'"42
Here I’d like to note the lack of accuracy in the
common phrase that says, “All praise is due to Allah, other
than Whom none is praised for unpleasant things.” This
was also noted by the two erudite scholars Ibn ‘Uthaymīn
and Al-Barrāk.
***
42
Tafsīr Al-Asmā’, p 55]
130
This is My Lord
An-Naseer
The Helper
He is the One Who helps and supports whom He
wills. Those He supports cannot be defeated by anyone,
and those He abandons cannot be supported by anyone.
example: {He is an excellent protector and an excellent
helper.} [Sūrat Al-Anfāl: 40] And {And sufficient is Allah as
a guardian, and sufficient is Allah as a helper.} (Sūrat Al-
Nisā’: 45) And {And sufficient is your Lord as a guide and
a helper.} [Sūrat Al-Furqān: 31]In light of this great name,
I would say:
1. Know that victory can only be sought from the One
Who can give it, namely Allah Almighty. {And victory is not
but from Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.}
[Sūrat Al-Anfāl: 10]
2. If you know that none can give you victory but
Allah Almighty, you should also know that if He supports
you, none can defeat you even if all mankind and jinn were
united against you. Allah Almighty says, {If Allah helps you
none shall prevail over you; if He forsakes you then who
can help you? It is in Allah that the believers should put
their trust.} [Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān: 160]
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This is My Lord
3. If you want to know the means whereby you can

get support and victory from your Lord, consider the verse
that says, {O you who believe, if you support Allah, He will
support you and make you stand firm.} He says in another
verse, {And helping the believers is ever incumbent on
Us.} [Sūrat Al-Rūm: 47] He also says, {Surely We shall help
Our Messengers and the believers in the life of this world
and on the Day when witnesses will rise to testify.} [Sūrat
Ghāfir: 51]
4. Commenting on the verse that says,{But Allah is
your protector, and He is the best of helpers}, Al-Tabari
(may Allah have mercy upon him) said, {But Allah is your
protector}: He is your guardian and supporter against His
disbelieving enemies. {and He is the best of helpers} Not
the Jews and disbelievers to whom you rush for help. So,
resort to your helper and protector, the Almighty Lord, and
seek His support, not the support of those who want for
you nothing but evils and misfortunes.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Hafeez – Al-Hāfiz
The All-Preserver - The Preserver
These two noble names point out Allah’s protection
for His servants so that they can lead their life as
predestined for them, and He preserves their deeds, good
and bad. He also protects His pious servants from anything
that may undermine their faith, notably suspicious
matters, vain desires and Satanic insinuations.
Allah’s name the All-Preserving occurs 3 times in the
Qur’an. For example: {Surely my Lord is All-Preserving of
all things.} [Sūrat Hūd: 57] And {And your Lord is All-
Preserving of all things.} [Sūrat Saba’: 21]As for His name
the Preserver, it occurs in a verse that says, {But Allah is
the best Preserver and He is the most Merciful of the
merciful ones.} [Sūrat Yūsuf: 64] And it occurs in another
verse that reads, {Indeed, it is We who sent down the
Reminder, and We will be its Preservers.} [Sūrat Al-Hijr:
9]In light of these two great names, I would say:
1. A person should heed Allah Almighty in all what he
says and does for He preserves the deeds of His servants in
order to hold them accountable for them on the Day of
Judgment. {No! But you deny the Recompense. And
surely there are indeed preservers over you; honorable
writers. They know whatever you do.} (Surat Al-Infitār: 9-
12)
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This is My Lord
2. Contemplating the meaning of this name fills the

heart with extolment of Allah Almighty Who generally
preserves all His creation. {And the preservation of them
both tires Him not, and He is the High, the
Magnificent.}And He particularly preserves His pious
servants. He says, {Indeed, Allah defends those who
believe.} [Sūrat Al-Hajj: 38]
3. The path is clear to whoever wants to gain the
specific preservation of Allah, keeping him away from
suspicious matters and vain desires and preserving him
from his enemies in the world and from the horrors on the
Day of Judgment.
Hence, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings
be upon him) said, “Be mindful of Allah, and He will
preserve you.”43
Be mindful of Allah Almighty, by establishing His
Shariah, performing His obligations and following His
Prophet’s path - and in this way you will gain Allah’s
preservation for you in the worldly life and in the
Hereafter.
***
43
Narrated by Ahmad]
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This is My Lord
Al-Majeed
The Most Glorious
He is the One Who is Glorious in terms of His
excellent names and attributes as well as His bounty and
magnificence.
This great name occurs twice in the Qur’an. One is in
a verse that says, {May the mercy of Allah and His
blessings be upon you, people of the house. Indeed, He is
Praiseworthy, Most Glorious.} [Sūrat Hūd: 73] And the
other one is in a verse saying, {And He is the All-Forgiving,
the Most Affectionate, the Owner of the Throne, the
Ever-Glorious.} [Sūrat Al-Burūj: 14-15]In light of this great
name, I would say:
1. Since Allah Almighty is the Most Glorious and
possesses tremendous magnificence and bounty, then He
alone should be worshiped and turned to for the relief of
distress and the fulfillment of needs.
2. If you seek glory and high status, get close to the
Most Glorious Lord, obeying and praising Him and acting
upon His Glorious Book.
3. Allah Almighty describes His Throne as Most
Glorious, saying, {The Owner of the Most Glorious
Throne.} The Throne is the biggest and most massive of all
the creation known to us. Allah Almighty describes His
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This is My Lord
Book as Most Glorious, saying, {Qāf. By the Most Glorious

Qur’an.} The noble Qur’an is glorious in terms of its
miracles, rulings, and blessings which are inexhaustible.
4. We are required to glorify our Creator by
frequently remembering Him, praising Him, and heeding
His commands and prohibitions. Do not ever remember a
created being or glorify him more than you remember and
glorify the Most Glorious Creator.
***
136
This is My Lord
Ash-Shaheed
The Ever-Witness
He is the One Ever-Watchful over all His creation,
hearing all sounds and seeing all beings.
This noble name occurs 18 times in the Qur’an, one
of which is in the verse that reads, {And You are Ever-
Witness over all things.} [Sūrat Al-Mā’idah: 117]In another
verse, He says, {Allah suffices as a Witness.}In light of this
1. When you know that Allah is Ever-Witness over all
His creation, this gives you reassurance, in case you are
righteous or oppressed, and warning you, if you are a
sinner or oppressor. Allah Almighty says, {Surely Allah is
Ever-Witness over all things.} [Sūrat Al-Hajj: 17]
2. Do not be too worried about the current situation
of Islam and the oppression inflicted upon its followers, for
Allah is the Ever-Witness, the All-Wise, and the Ever-
Merciful. He is watchful over the plots of the disbelievers
and hypocrites and knows well the weakness of Muslims.
{The people of the pit were killed, with fire abounding in
fuel, while they sat around it, and they were witnessing
what they did to the believers. Against these they had no
grudge except that they believed in Allah, the All-Mighty,
the Praiseworthy, Who has the Kingdom of the heavens
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This is My Lord
and earth, and Allah is Ever-Witness over all things.}

[Sūrat Al-Burūj: 4-9]
What matters is your true commitment to this
religion and your keenness to be among the righteous for
whom will be the good outcome, even if they are
powerless.
***
138
This is My Lord
Al-Muqaddim – Al-Mu’akhkhir
The Advancer - The Delayer
He is the One Who advances some of His creatures,
in terms of their creation, and delays others, according to
His will and wisdom; and He is the One Who advances
some of His servants, in terms of merit, and delays others,
in accordance with His will, knowledge and mercy.
These two noble names occur in the Prophet’s Hadīth
comprising the prayer opening invocation during his
Tahajjud at night, “O Allah, to You I surrender and in You
I believe... You are the Advancer, and You are the
Delayer; there is no god but You.”44 Also, ‘Ali bin Abi Tālib
(may Allah be pleased with him), describing the Prophet’s
prayer, reported that he used to say between Tashahhud
and Taslīm, “O Allah, forgive me for what has come to
pass of my sins and what will come to pass, what I have
concealed and what I have declared, what I have done
with excess, and what You know about better than me.
You are the One Who brings forward and You are the One
Who holds back. There is no god but You.”45 In light of
these two great names, I would say:
44
45
Narrated by Muslim]
139
This is My Lord
1. The advance and delay brought about by Allah

Almighty is of two types:
• Universal, like making some creatures better than

human beings in creation. This is all based on His wisdom
and knowledge.
• Shar‘i, like giving precedence to some people over

others in terms of merit. A case in point is the prophets,
who are preferred over other people. This is based on
justice, mercy, and grace.
2. You should know that when Allah Almighty gives
precedence to some of His servants over others, this is not
based on their looks or physical bodies, but on what He
knows of the sincerity, purity, and faith in their hearts, as
well as their righteous words and acts. The Prophet (may
Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Indeed,
Allah does not look at your forms or wealth, but He looks
at your hearts and deeds.”46
3. Those whom Allah brings forward are advanced,
even if people hold them back; and those whom Allah
delays are delayed, even if people bring them forward.
Allah knows while we do not. {Would He not know, He
Who has created, when He is the All-Subtle, the All-
Aware?} [Sūrat Al-Mulk: 14]So, you should care about your
46
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
status in the sight of the Creator before caring about it in

the sight of created beings.
4. Beware of bringing forward those Allah Almighty
wants to delay or delaying those Allah wants to advance.
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be
upon him) said, “People should be led in prayer by the one
who is best in the Qur’an’s recitation. And if they are the
same in the recitation, then they should be led by the
more knowledgeable of the Sunnah.”47
***
47
Narrated by Muslim]
141
This is My Lord
Al-Musa‘ir
The Fixer of Prices
He is the One Who increases or decreases the value,
rank, or influence of things, and so their prices go up or
down according to His wisdom, knowledge, and mercy.
According to the scholars like Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Hazm,
Al-Shawkāni, Ibn Bāz and Al-Albāni, this noble name which
they counted among the excellent names of Allah, occurs
in a Hadīth in which the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and
blessings be upon him) said, “Allah is the One Who fixes
prices, the Holder, the Expander, and the Provider.”48 In
light of this noble name and description, I would say:
1. As we know that the Almighty Lord is the Disposer
of all affairs and the Overturner of the night and day and
all what they contain, this makes us more attached to Him,
and our reliance upon Him and hope for His bounty
increase for He is the One Who expands and increases
provisions and so their prices go down, or He restricts and
decreases them, and so their prices go up.
2. We should have firm belief that if we obey Allah
Almighty, He will give us what He has guaranteed. {Had the
people of those towns believed and been God-fearing,
48
Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi and others; Abu ‘Īsa said: This Hadīth is
sound authentic]
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This is My Lord
We would certainly have opened up to them blessings

from the heavens and earth; but they denied [their
prophets] and so We seized them for their deeds.} [Sūrat
Al-A‘rāf: 96]
***
143
This is My Lord
Al-Qābid - Al-Bāsit
The Holder - The Expander
He is the One Who holds the souls and withholds
provisions from whomever He wills in accordance to His
wisdom and power; and He is the One Who expands
sustenance for His servants according to His generosity
and mercy, testing them thereby, as per His wisdom. And
He is the One Who stretches His hand with forgiveness to
those who sin and repent.
These two noble names do not occur in the Qur’an,
but in a Hadīth reporting that the people said, “O
Messenger of Allah, prices have gone up. So, fix the prices
for us.” He said, “Indeed, Allah is the One Who fixes
prices, the Holder, the Expander, and the Provider.
Indeed, I wish to meet Allah while none of you will have
any claim against me for injustice regarding blood or
property.”49 In light of these two great names, I would say:
1. ‘The Holder’ and ‘the Expander’ are two names
that should not be separated, for absolute perfection
materializes when the two traits are combined. So, we
should praise Allah Almighty for the two attributes
together.
49
Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi and Abu Dāwūd]
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This is My Lord
2. We should rely upon Allah Almighty, entrust our

affairs to Him and hope for what He has, for none can
restrict what Allah expands or expand what Allah restricts.
These issues are not controlled by creatures. They only
proceed according to Allah’s plan. Therefore, we should
feel reassured and be at peace.
3. When Allah Almighty restricts or expands
something, this stems from His wisdom, knowledge, and
mercy. So, be content with what Allah had predestined for
you.
4. Know that the best expanse Allah Almighty may
give to any of His servants is to expand his heart and make
it inclined to belief and goodness. {Is one whose breast
Allah has expanded to Islam and he is upon a light from
his Lord [like one whose heart rejects it]?} [Sūrat Al-
Zumar: 22]
5. Ask Allah Almighty to expand what gives you
happiness in worldly life and in the Hereafter including
lawful sustenance, good health and safety, useful
knowledge, and faith that fills your heart.
6. Bear in mind that when Allah Almighty expands
the provision of any person, this does not necessarily mean
that He is pleased with him. Likewise, when He restricts the
provision for any person, He is not necessarily displeased
with Him. Rather, Allah Almighty afflicts His servants with
prosperity and adversity. Those with whom He is pleased
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This is My Lord
are the people He guides to faith, righteous deeds,

patience and gratitude. In the Qur’an, He says,{Then, as for
man, just when his Lord tries him, so He honors him, and
showers His favors on him, then he says, “My Lord has
honored me.” But when He tries him and restricts his
provision, he says, “My Lord has humiliated me.”} [Sūrat
Al-Fajr: 15-16]
7. In order to have your sustenance expanded, heed
this Hadīth in which the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and
blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever loves to have his
sustenance expanded and his term of life prolonged
should maintain ties of kinship.”50
And also mark these words in the Qudsi Hadīth,
“Spend, O son of Adam, and I will spend on you.”51 So,
stretch your hands with goodness and giving for the sake
of your Lord and expect a great result.
***
50
51
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This is My Lord
Al-Mu‘tee
The Giver
He is the One Who gives whatever He wills from His
treasures to whomever He wills from His servants. No one
can repel His giving. The pious servants of Allah have the
greater share in His giving. He is also the One Who gave
every creature its form.
This noble name occurs in a Hadīth in which the
said, “When Allah wills good for someone, He gives him
proper understanding of religion. Allah is the Giver, and I
am the divider. This Ummah will continue to prevail over
their opponents until the command of Allah comes while
they are prevailing.”52
As for the Qur’an, it occurs therein in verb form. For
example: {And your Lord is going to give you, so you will
be satisfied.} [Sūrat Al-Duha: 5] And {Surely We have
given you the Al-Kauthar (Abundance).} In light of this
1. If a person considers how Allah Almighty gives him
generously, and remembers his shortcoming with regard
to his Lord, this will inspire great love in his heart for Allah
52
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This is My Lord
as well as a sense of shame before Him. A Qudsi Hadīth

reads, “O My servants, if the first of you and the last of
you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all
to stand together in one place and ask of Me, and I were
to give everyone what they asked for, that would not
decrease what I possess, except what is decreased of the
ocean when a needle is dipped into it."
2. Since Allah Almighty is the Generous Giver, be the
upright asker. {If people were to keep firmly to the Right
Way, We would have vouchsafed them abundant rain.}
[Sūrat Al-Jinn: 16]
3. Be giving and generous, for Allah Almighty loves
giving and givers. In the Qur’an, He says, {As for he who
gives and fears Allah and believes in the best [reward],
We will ease him toward ease.} [Sūrat Al-Layl: 5-7]
• Give from your money.
• Give from your intercession.
• Give from your knowledge.
• Give from your advice.
• And expect a good outcome as promised by your

Lord.
4. Allah’s gift surpasses human imagination. In
worldly life, He gives the pious and the wicked, and
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This is My Lord
Muslims and disbelievers. Then on the Day of Judgment,

He only gives to the believers and bestows His favors upon
them. {To each [category] We extend - to these and to
those - from the gift of your Lord. And never has the gift
of your Lord been restricted. Look how We have favored
[in provision] some of them over others. But the
Hereafter is greater in degrees [of difference] and greater
in distinction.} [Sūrat Al-Isrā’: 20-21]
***
149
This is My Lord
Ad-Dayyān
The Recompenser
He is the One Who recompenses His servants for
their deeds. If they are good, He multiplies the reward; and
if they are bad, He punishes them according to His justice
or pardons them.
This noble name only occurs in a lengthy Hadīth in
which the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be
upon him) said, “Then, He - Allah Almighty - will call them
with a voice that will be heard by those distant and those
near, saying, ‘I am the King, I am the Recompenser.’”53 In
1. If the meaning of this name firmly settles in one’s
heart, he will fear his Lord and avoid anything that
displeases Him before standing before Him for the
reckoning and recompense. {And We place the scales of
justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be
treated unjustly at all. And if there is [even] the weight of
a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are
We as Reckoners.} [Sūrat Al-Anbiyā’: 47]
2. This name inspires a great sense of tranquility,
trust and comfort within the hearts of oppressed people as
53
Narrated by Al-Hākim]
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This is My Lord
they know that Allah Almighty will restore their rights to

them and punish the oppressors. {Do not think that Allah
is heedless of the evil deeds that the evil-doers are
engaged in. He is only granting them respite until a Day
when their eyes shall continue to stare in horror.} [Sūrat
Ibrahīm: 42]
3. How Just and Merciful our Lord is! In a Hadīth, the
said, “The claimants shall get their claims on the Day of
Resurrection so much so that the hornless sheep shall get
its claim from the horned sheep.”54
***
54
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
Al-Mannān
The Bestower of Favors
He is the One Who gives generously and bestows lots
of favors and blessings upon His servants.
This name only occurs in the Qur’an in a verb form.
For example, Allah Almighty says,{Certainly did Allah
confer [great] favor upon the believers when He sent
among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to
them His verses and purifying them and teaching them
the Book and wisdom, although they had been before in
manifest error.} [Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān: 164]
It occurs as a name in a Hadīth in which Anas (may
Allah be pleased with him) reported that he was sitting
with the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon
him) while a man was praying and then made this
supplication: O Allah, I implore You by virtue of the fact
that all praise is due to You, there is no god but You, You
are the Bestower of favors, the Creator of the heavens and
the earth, the Owner of majesty and honor, the Ever-
Living, the Sustainer!” Thereupon, the Prophet (may
Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “He has
implored Allah by His greatest name by which when
asked, He gives, and by which when supplicated, He
answers."In light of this noble name, I would say:
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This is My Lord
1. Considering Allah’s name ‘the Bestower of favors’

and pondering His bounty and generosity towards His
servants inspires love within our hearts for Him and makes
it incumbent upon us to give thanks and praise to Him.
2. Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have
mercy upon him) wrote these beautiful words, “The
Bestower of favors is the One Who gives before being
asked.” All praise is due to our Lord in this world and in the
Hereafter.
3. Reminding His servants of His favors is a
praiseworthy attribute of Allah Almighty; but it is bad and
objectionable for a person to remind others of his favors
to them. All blessings people enjoy come from their Lord
as a favor from Him. But how a created being boasts of
favors that do not actually come from him. Moreover,
when a person gives something, he gets a reward for it and
is promised compensation. On the other hand, Allah
Almighty gives His servants as grace from Him, while He
does not need them. Rebuking the nomad Arabs for
counting their conversion to Islam as a favor to the
Prophet, Allah Almighty says, {They count it as a favor to
you that they accepted Islam. Say, Do not regard your
[accepting] Islam as a favor to me; rather, Allah has
bestowed a favor on you by guiding you to faith if you are
truthful.} [Sūrat Al-Hujūrāt: 17]
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This is My Lord
4. Know that Allah Almighty loves that His servants

be aware of His blessings and recognize His favors. This is
a distinguishing trait of the believers. In the story of
Prophet Yūsuf, the Qur’an says, {They exclaimed, “Are you
indeed Joseph?” He said, “Yes, I am Joseph and this is my
brother. Allah has surely been gracious to us. Indeed,
whoever fears Allah and remains patient, Allah does not
allow the reward of such people to go to waste.”} [Sūrat
Yūsuf: 90] And about the dwellers of Paradise, Allah
Almighty says, {And they will approach one another,
inquiring of each other. They will say, “Indeed, we were
previously among our people fearful [of displeasing
Allah]. So Allah conferred favor upon us and protected us
from the punishment of the Scorching Fire. Indeed, we
used to supplicate Him before. Indeed, it is He who is the
Beneficent, Most Merciful.”} [Sūrat Al-Tūr: 25-28]
***
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This is My Lord
Ar-Rāziq - Ar-Razzāq
The Sustainer - The All-Sustainer
The Sustainer is the One Who guarantees the
sustenance for all those in the heavens and earth, be they
pious or wicked, and then He gives special sustenance for
His close servants, increasing them in faith and wisdom
and growing their bodies through lawful earning.
Allah’s name ‘the Sustainer’ occurs 5 times in the
Qur’an. For example: {And provide for us, and You are the
best of providers.} [Sūrat Al-Mā’idah: 114] And {But when
they saw a transaction or a diversion, they rushed to it
and left you standing. Say, “What is with Allah is better
than diversion and than a transaction, and Allah is the
best of providers.”} [Sūrat Al-Jumu‘ah: 11]
The All-Sustainer is a name that denotes the
abundance of the sustenance He gives His servants. He
provides for them before they ask for it, and even provides
for them while they disobey Him.
This great name, The All-Sustainer, occurs only once
in the Qur’an in the verse that says, {Surely Allah is The
All-Sustainer, the Owner of Power, the Strong.} [Sūrat Al-
Dhāriyāt: 58]In light of these two great names, I would say:
1. When a person knows these two names, he feels
love for His Generous Lord. If a disbeliever lives on the
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provision of Allah, then what about the believer! Allah

Almighty says,{And there is no creature on earth but upon
Allah is its provision.} [Sūrat Hūd: 6]The Prophet (may
Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “No one is
more patient over a hurtful thing he has heard than Allah:
They falsely attribute a son to Him, and then He gives
them safety and sustenance.”55
2. Be certain that sustenance lies in the hands of
Allah Almighty. No created being can, independently, bring
sustenance to anyone or keep it away from anyone. This
gives us relief and reassurance. {Whatever mercy Allah
accords to people, none can withhold; and whatever He
withholds, no other will be able to release after Him. He
is All-Mighty, All-Wise.} [Sūrat Fātir: 2]Out of their
ignorance, the hypocrites during the Prophet’s time called
for a dirty economic war against him and his Companions
unaware that sustenance is in the hands of Allah Almighty.
{It is they who say, “Give nothing to those who are with
the Messenger of Allah so that they may disperse.” And
the treasures of the heavens and earth belong to Allah.
But the hypocrites do not understand.} [Sūrat Al-
Munāfiqūn: 7]
3. Know and bear in mind that the provision of Allah
Almighty is too broad to be limited to only food and drink.
55
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This is My Lord
Rather, it is everything good, material or moral, worldly or

otherworldly, that your Lord bestows upon you. The
spoke to ‘Ā’ishah about Khadījah, saying, “Her love was
given to me as a provision (from Allah).”56 If people are
mindless to this broad meaning of provision, then some
may think that they suffer deprivation, given that they
have little wealth, even though Allah has given them good
health, success and love among people.
4. The best means whereby a person can seek
sustenance and blessings is belief in Allah Almighty and
fearing Him. In the Qur’an, He says, {Had the people of
those towns believed and been God-fearing, We would
have certainly opened up to them blessings from the
heavens and earth; but they denied [their prophets], so
We seized them for their deeds.} [Sūrat Al-A‘rāf: 96]
He also says, {And whoever fears Allah - He will
make for him a way out, and will provide for him from
where he does not expect.} [Sūrat Al-Talāq: 2-3]
***
56
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
Al-Wakeel - Al-Kafeel
The Trustee - The Guarantor
He is the One Who manages and directs the affairs of
all beings; and He is the One Who suffices those who resort
to Him and preserves those who seek refuge in Him.
As for His name ‘the Trustee’, it occurs 14 times in
the Qur’an, including: {And rely upon Allah. And sufficient
is Allah as s Trustee.} [Sūrat Al-Ahzāb: 3] And {Allah is the
Creator of all things, and He is Trustee over all things.}
[Sūrat Al-Zumar: 62]Allah’s name ‘the Sponsor’ occurs only
once in the Qur’an in the verse that says, {And fulfill the
covenant of Allah when you have made a pledge, and do
not break the oaths after they have been affirmed. And
you have already made Allah Guarantor over you.} [Sūrat
Al-Nahl: 91]In light of these great names, I would say:
1. We should sincerely rely upon Allah Almighty, for
He is the One Who directs all matters and possesses all
provisions, and He is the One Who has the power to truly
bring about benefit and ward off harm. Hence comes the
command: {And rely upon the Ever-Living who does not
die, and exalt with His praise.} [Sūrat Al-Furqān: 58]
2. If a person properly knows the magnificence of
Allah Almighty, He will rely upon none but Him and seek
help from none but Him. This is how the believers are. {The
true believers are those who, when Allah’s name is
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mentioned, their hearts quake, and when His verses are

recited to them their faith grows, and who rely upon their
Lord.} [Sūrat Al-Anfāl: 2]
3. The most reassured people are those who rely
most upon their Lord. This is because they know Him well
and resort to Him in a sincere manner.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Kāfee
The All-Sufficient
He is the One Who suffices His servants against their
concerns and troubles.
verse that says, {Is not Allah sufficient for His servant.}
[Sūrat Al-Zumar: 36]In light of this noble name, I would say:
1. Allah’s sufficiency for His servants falls under two
categories:
a. General: He suffices all His servants as He provides
for them and manages and reforms their affairs.
b. Specific: He suffices His believing servants by
guiding and supporting them and showing kindness to
them.
2. This name increases a servant’s trust in his Lord
and fills his heart with peace and reliance upon Him, for
Allah Almighty undertakes to provide for His servants and
support His pious ones, and none is more truthful than
Him. Addressing His Prophet, Allah Almighty says, {So if
they believe the same as you believe, then they have
been [rightly] guided; but if they turn away, they are only
in dissension, and Allah will be sufficient for you against
them. And He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.} [Sūrat Al-
Baqarah: 137]
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3. We should frequently praise Allah Almighty for the

favors and sufficiency He bestows upon us. The Prophet
(may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to say
while going to bed, “All praise is due to Allah, Who
provided us with food and drink, protected, and provided
us with shelter. There are many who have no one to
protect or shelter them.”57
4. Scholars who counted ‘the All-Sufficient’ among
the excellent names of Allah Almighty include Ibn Al-‘Arabi
Al-Māliki and Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalāni.
***
57
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
Ar-Raqeeb
The Ever-Watchful
He is the One Who watches over His creation and
records the deeds of His servants. He misses nothing
whatsoever, neither a look nor a thought.
example: {Indeed, Allah is Ever-Watchful over you.} [Sūrat
Al-Nisā’: 1] Another verse quotes Prophet Jesus (peace be
upon him) as saying, {Then when You took me up, You
were indeed the Ever-Watchful over them, and You are
Ever-Witness over all things.} [Sūrat Al-Mā’idah: 117] In
the third verse, Allah Almighty says, {And Allah is Ever-
Watchful over all things.} [Sūrat Al-Ahzāb: 52] In light of
this great name, I would say:
1. Always remember that Allah is ever watchful over
you and your conditions. If you commit any sin, ask Him for
forgiveness. And if you do any good deed, give thanks to
Him. And if you are engaged in a certain endeavor, seek His
help and support.
2. Knowledge of this name explains why many
societies abounds with theft, oppression, betrayal and
deception. This is only due to the lack of heedfulness of
Allah’s watchfulness over us, in public and secret.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Muhsin
The Superb Benevolent
He is the One Who perfected everything He created,
and Who has been good to His servants through His great
favors and blessings.
This name occurs in the Qur’an only in a verb form.
For example, Allah Almighty says, {And do good as Allah
has done good to you.} [Sūrat Al-Qasas: 77] And {Who
perfected everything which He created and began the
creation of man from clay.} [Sūrat Al-Sajdah: 7]
Yet it occurs as a name in a Hadīth in which the
said, “If you judge, judge justly, and if you speak, speak
good; indeed, Allah is Benevolent and He loves
benevolence.”58 In another Hadīth, Shaddād ibn Aws
reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings
be upon him) said, “Indeed, Allah Almighty is Benevolent
and He loves benevolence. So, when you kill, kill
benevolently.” [Narrated by ‘Abd al-Razzāq in his
Musannaf] In light of this great name, I would say:
1. When we remember the benevolence of Allah
Almighty as He perfected His creation and bestows
58
Narrated by Ibn ‘Adyy in Al-Kāmil]
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This is My Lord
abundant favors upon His servants, we feel great love for

Him and find it easy and even enjoyable to do good deeds
and shun sins.
2. Know that as Allah perfected His creation, He also
perfected His law, and as we believe in His words, {So
blessed is Allah, the Best of creators,} we should also
believe in His following words: {But who is better than
Allah in judgment for a people who are certain in faith.}
[Sūrat Al-Mā’idah: 50]
3. Always remember that the Superb Benevolent
Lord loves His benevolent servants. {And do good; indeed,
Allah loves the doers of good.} [Sūrat Al-Baqarah: 195]
4. One of the quickest and best ways for attaining
happiness is doing good to people. Allah Almighty says,
{Can the reward of goodness be any other than
goodness?} [Sūrat Al-Rahmān: 60]
So, be good and perfect your worship to Allah
Almighty as He has perfected your creation and has been
good to all His servants, including you, by endowing them
with favors and blessings.
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Haseeb
The Ever-Reckoner
He is the One Who suffices His servants against all
their concerns and troubles in terms of worldly and
religious affairs. The believers win the greater share of His
sufficiency. And He is the One Who recompenses His
servants for their deeds.
example: {And Allah suffices as Ever-Reckoner.} [Sūrat Al-
Nisā’: 6] And {Surely Allah has been Ever-Reckoner over
everything.} [Sūrat Al-Nisā’: 86] In light of this great name,
I would say:
1. Knowledge of this name prompts a person to heed
Allah Almighty and strive to follow the path dear and
pleasing to Him, for He is the One Who records the deeds
of His servants and recompenses them accordingly on the
Day of Judgment. {Surely Allah has been Ever-Reckoner
over all things.} [Sūrat Al-Nisā’: 86] And He does not wrong
anyone at all. In the Qur’an, He says, {Read your record.
Yourself is sufficient against you this Day as a reckoner.}
[Sūrat Al-Isrā’: 14]
2. A wise person should also remember the Day of
Reckoning, and that ahead of him is a Day when he will be
recompensed for his deeds. No one forgets or disbelieves
in the Day of Recompense except that he feels free to
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This is My Lord
oppress others and act criminally and sinfully. {Indeed,

those who go astray from the way of Allah will have a
severe punishment for having forgotten the Day of
Reckoning.} [Sūrat Sād: 26] In the Qur’an, Prophet Moses
(peace be upon him) is quoted to have said, But Moses
said, “Indeed, I have sought refuge in my Lord and your
Lord from every arrogant one who does not believe in the
Day of Account.” [Sūrat Ghāfir: 27]
3. When the meaning of this name firmly settles in
one’s heart, it gets filled with peace and reassurance, and
he disavows reliance upon anyone but Allah Almighty. He
says in the Qur’an, {And He will provide for him from
where he does not expect.} [Sūrat Al-Talāq: 3]
4. The biggest winners of Allah’s sufficiency and
preservation are the believers in Him and the followers of
His Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
{O Prophet, Allah is sufficient for you and those believers
who follow you.} [Sūrat Al-Anfāl: 64]
***
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This is My Lord
Ash-Shāfi - At-Tabeeb
The Healer - The Curer
He is the One Who heals hearts and bodies from their
illnesses. People can do nothing but apply the medicine
created by their Lord, and then the cure lies in the hands
of Allah Almighty alone with no partner. So, He is the only
Healer, and there is no cure but His cure.
These two noble names do not occur in the Qur’an,
but they do in the Prophet’s Sunnah. As for the name the
Healer, it occurs in a Hadīth in which ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be
pleased with her) reported that whenever the Prophet
(may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) visited an ill
person, he would supplicate, “O Allah, the Lord of people,
remove the trouble and heal, for You are the Healer. No
healing is of any avail but Yours, healing that will leave
behind no ailment!”59
As for His name the Curer, it occurs in a Hadīth in
which Abu Ramthah (may Allah be pleased with him)
reported: My father and I rushed to the Prophet, and my
father said to him, “Show me that thing on your back, for I
am a curer.” He replied, “Allah is the Curer. You are only
59
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This is My Lord
a kind man. The One Who cure it is the One Who created
it.”60In light of these two great names, I would say:
• Maladies that affect people are of two types:

diseases of the body and diseases of the heart. Diseases
that affect hearts and souls are more dangerous. Hence, all
of us should recall this meaning while supplicating Allah
Almighty to cure us from the diseases of our bodies and
hearts. When a heart is hard, this is an illness; when it is
attached to other than Allah, this is also an illness; moral
deviation is an illness; and foul speech is an illness. So, be
careful to seek both kinds of cure.
• Always remember that true cure comes from Allah

Almighty Who says, {If Allah afflicts you with any
hardship, none other than Him can remove it; and if He
wills any good for you, none can avert His bounty. He
bestows good upon whomsoever of His servants He wills.
He is the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Sūrat Yūnus: 107]
Pursue the means of cure materially, but keep your heart
attached to the Almighty Healer. Turn to Allah, trust Him
and expect abundant goodness from Him, for He has the
power to cure you and this is easy for Him.
• Just as Allah Almighty is the Healer, His Shariah is a

source of healing for all people if they embrace and follow
it. The world is full of illnesses in economy, politics, and
60
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This is My Lord
education. The cure for all this lies in the Shariah of the All-
Wise Lord, Who says, {And We send down of the Qur’an
what is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does
not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.} [Sūrat Al-
Isrā’: 82]
***
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This is My Lord
Ar-Rafeeq
The Kind
He is the One Who adopts a gradual approach in
creating and legislating, though He is able to do this all at
once. He is the One Who treats His servants kindly and
gently, not charging them with anything beyond their
capacity.
This noble name does not occur in the Qur’an, yet it
does in a Hadīth in which ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased
with her) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and
blessings be upon him) said, “Allah is Kind and He loves
kindness in all matters.”61 There is a nice story behind this
Hadīth. Read it. In light of this noble name, I would say:
1. Kindness has two meanings: one is better-known
and the other is little-known. The better-known meaning
is: gentleness and adopting what is easier. The little-known
meaning is: adopting gradation.
2. Allah Almighty is Kind to His servants and wants
ease for them; and He is also Kind in the sense that He
adopts a gradual approach in His creation and legislation
which involves apparent facilitation.
61
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This is My Lord
3. This name inspires great love for Allah and a

strong sense of trust in His Shariah. Showing His grace to
His servants, Allah Almighty says, {Allah does not charge
any soul except its capacity.} [Sūrat Al-Baqarah: 286]
‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported,
"Whenever the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and
blessings be upon him) was given a choice between two
things, he would always choose what is easier, unless it
was a sin.” 62
4. Whoever wants to meet a lot of success and little
failure should stick to the attribute of kindness about
which the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be
upon him) beautifully said, “Whoever is deprived of
kindness is deprived of all goodness.” [Narrated by
Muslim] He also said, “Whenever kindness exists in
something, it adorns it; and whenever it is removed from
it, it makes it defective.”63
So, be kind to yourself and others and treat all people
gently. Be gradual in acquiring good traits and advising
people. Do not hasten to pick up the fruits before they are
ripe.
If a person rushes to take something before its due
time, he gets punished by being deprived of it. The Prophet
62
63
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
(may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “When

Allah wills good for a household, He makes kindness exist
amongst them.”64
***
64
Narrated by Ahmad]
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This is My Lord
Al-Muqeet
The All-Nourisher
He is the One Who created subsistence and
sustenance and guaranteed to make them reach His
creatures. Also, He is the Keeper over them and over the
deeds of His servants without any omission.
verse that says, {And Allah is All-Nourisher to all [living]
things.} [Sūrat Al-Nisā’: 85]In light of this noble name, I
would say:
1. When we consider how Allah is gracious to us and
makes our sustenance easy for us since we were embryos,
this makes us feel great love for Him. {And if you should
count the favors of Allah, you will not be able to
enumerate them.} [Sūrat Al-Nahl: 18]
2. We should rely upon Allah Almighty alone for
providing our sustenance. About the creation of the earth,
He says, {He set up firm mountains on it, blessed it and
provided it with sustenance in proportion to the needs of
all who seek sustenance. All this was done in four days.}
[Sūrat Fussilat: 10]
3. As you ask your Lord to give you the provision for
your body and to bless it, do not forget to also ask Him for
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This is My Lord
the provision of hearts and souls. A person’s soul is fed by

spiritual meanings, and not by food or drink.
4. Some scholars differentiated between Allah’s
names ‘the All-Nourisher’ and ‘the All-Sustainer’, saying,
The All-Nourisher is more specific than the All-Sustainer,
for the former is about subsistence only (food and drink),
while the latter encompasses all sustenance, food and
drink as well as other things.
***
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This is My Lord
At-Tayyib
The Good
He is the Pure One Who is free from any deficiency
or defect; and He is the One possessing absolute beauty
and perfection and showing lots of good to His servants.
He only accepts the acts and charity that are good, lawful,
and done sincerely for His sake.
This noble name does not occur in the Qur’an, yet it
does in a Hadīth in which Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be
pleased with him) reported, "The Prophet (may Allah’s
peace and blessings be upon him) said, 'O people, indeed
Allah is good and only accepts what is good; and indeed
Allah commands the believers as He commanded the
messengers. He says, {O you the Messengers, eat of the
good things and do righteousness; surely I am All-
Knowing of whatever you do.}'[Sūrat Al-Mu’minūn: 51] He
also says, {O you who believe, eat from the good things
which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah
if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.} [Sūrat Al-Baqarah:
172] Then he mentioned [the case] of a man who, having
journeyed far, is disheveled and dusty, and who spreads
out his hands to the sky saying “O Lord, O Lord,” while his
food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is
unlawful and he has been nourished unlawfully, so how
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can his supplication be answered?” 65In light of this noble

name, I would say:
1. Your love for Allah Almighty will grow when you
know the meaning of His name ‘the Good’ and that He has
good names, attributes and actions; and nothing but good
comes from Him or goes up to Him; and that His Paradise
is good and only the good servants will be admitted to it;
rather, all good things are not good except because of Him.
2. Always bear in mind that Allah is the Good and
does not accept from His servants except what is good
whether they are beliefs, words, deeds, or manners. Allah
Almighty says, {To Him ascends good speech, and
righteous work raises it.} [Sūrat Fātir: 10] And the Prophet
(may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “He
who gives in charity the value of a date that was lawfully
earned - and Allah only accepts what has been lawfully
earned - Allah will accept it with His right hand and will
nurture it for him, just as one of you nurtures his foal until
it becomes like a mountain.”66
3. Always remember that Allah, the Good, loves His
servants who are good in their hearts, words, deeds, and
manners. So, being good wins you a good life in this world
and in the Hereafter. {Whoever does righteousness,
65
Narrated by Muslim]
66
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This is My Lord
whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will

surely cause him to live a good life.} [Sūrat Al-Nahl: 97]
***
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This is My Lord
Al-Hādi
The Guide
He is the One Who guides His creatures and helps
them pursue their interests and sustenance and avoid
harmful things; and He is the One Who guides His
accountable servants to the path of good and the path of
evil, as well as the path of salvation and the path of ruin;
and He is also the One Who guides, inspires and helps His
servants to follow the right path according to His wisdom
and mercy.
This great name occurs twice in the Qur’an. One is in
a verse that says, {And sufficient is your Lord as a guide
and a helper.} [Sūrat Al-Furqān: 31] And the other came in
a verse saying, {And Allah is indeed a Guide of those who
have believed to a straight path.} [Sūrat Al-Hajj: 54]In light
of this noble name, I would say:
1. All creatures move in this world according to
Allah’s general guidance for them. {He [Pharaoh] said, “So
who is the Lord of you two, O Moses?" He said, “Our Lord
is He Who gave everything its form and then guided it.”}
[Sūrat Tāha: 49-50]Hence, everything guides us and points
to the Almighty Creator Who created, proportioned,
determined, and guided.
2. No one can guide and lead a person to the straight
path but Allah Almighty. So, we should stand in need
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before our Lord and implore Him to guide us to it and help

us hold onto it. In a Qudsi Hadīth, Allah Almighty says, “O
My servants, you are all in misguidance except those I
guide. So, seek My guidance and I will guide you.”67
3. Know that you are constantly in need of guidance
at every moment of your life, so as to be led to what is dear
and pleasing to your Lord - day and night and under all
conditions. We should, therefore, recall the great meaning
of the supplication we repeat in every Rak‘ah of our prayer,
{Guide us to the straight path.}And we should always
remember that we need it.
***
67
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
Al-Barr
The Beneficent
He is the One Who shows superb beneficence
towards His creation. No one can enumerate His blessings.
And He is the One Who always keeps His promise.
verse that says, {Indeed, we used to supplicate Him
before. Indeed, it is He who is the Beneficent, Most
Merciful.} [Sūrat Al-Tūr: 28] In light of this noble name, I
would say:
1. When we observe the beneficence of Allah
Almighty towards His servants, we feel great love for Him.
2. Know that Allah, the Beneficent, loves
beneficence which means giving and good morals. Allah
Almighty says, {You will never attain righteousness until
you spend of whatever you love.} [Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān: 92]
And the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon
him) said, “Beneficence is good character.”68 The more
beneficent you are, the more you receive beneficence
from your Lord.
3. Among the meanings of Allah’s beneficence is that
He always keeps His promise. Rather, none is more true to
68
Narrated by Muslim]
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This is My Lord
his promise than Allah Almighty. About the believers who

found the certain truth, He says,{And they will say, “All
praise is due to Allah, Who has fulfilled for us His promise
and made us inherit the earth [so] we may settle in
Paradise wherever we will. And what an excellent reward
of workers!”} [Sūrat Al-Zumar: 74]
***
181
This is My Lord
As-Subbooh
The All-Glorious
He is the One far exalted above any deficiency or
defect, for He possesses the attributes of absolute beauty
and perfection.
This noble name occurs in the Prophet’s Sunnah, in a
Hadīth in which ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her)
reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings
be upon him) used to say in his bowing and prostration,
“All-Glorious, All-Holy, Lord of the angels and the
Spirit.”In light of this noble name, I would say:
1. A person should know that all creatures in the
heavens and earth glorify and praise their Lord and
Creator, and attest to His Oneness and immense dominion.
{And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by
His praise, but you do not understand their [way of]
exalting.} [Sūrat Al-Isrā’: 44]So, hasten to be among those
who exalt the Almighty Lord!
2. Remember that one of the best acts of worship to
Allah is to glorify Him, and this Dhikr was the means of
salvation for Prophet Yūnus (Jonah) (peace be upon him),
{There is no god but You; Exalted are You. Indeed, I have
been of the wrongdoers.} [Sūrat Al-Anbiyā’: 87]
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3. Do you know that the last Hadīth narrated in Sahīh

Al-Bukhāri relates, as reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah
be pleased with him), that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace
and blessings be upon him) said, “Two phrases are light
for the tongue to utter, heavy in the scales and dear to
the Most Compassionate: ‘Glory and praise be to Allah;
glory be to Allah, the Magnificent.’”69So, be keen to say
them frequently.
***
69
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This is My Lord
Al-Wārith
The Inheritor
He is the One Who will remain after the end of all
creation. All things return to Him after their temporary
owners die, and all what we possess in this world is a trust
that will one day return to its Almighty Owner.
example: {And indeed it is We who give life and cause
death, and We are the Inheritors.} [Sūrat Al-Hijr: 23] And
{And it is We Who were the Inheritors.} [Sūrat Al-Qasas:
58] In light of this noble name, I would say:
1. Allah Almighty is the Ever-Magnificent, the Most
Great. All creation is doomed to perish and only Allah will
remain. Glory be to Him. {All that is on it [earth] will
perish, and there will remain the Face of your Lord,
Owner of Majesty and Honor.} [Sūrat Al-Rahmān: 26-27]
2. Beware of attachment to worldly life, for all of it
will perish and disappear and nothing will endure but
belief in Allah and righteous work. {But the enduring good
deeds are better for your Lord as a reward and better as
a hope.} [Sūrat Al-Kahf: 46] This is all to win the gardens of
bliss, about which Allah Almighty says, {Such is the
Paradise which We shall cause those of Our servants who
were God-fearing to inherit.} [Sūrat Mariyam: 63]
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This is My Lord
3. We should trust Allah’s promise to the believers:

{Surely We wrote in the Psalms, after the exhortation,
that the earth shall be inherited by My righteous
servants.} [Sūrat Al-Anbiyā’: 105]
***
185
This is My Lord
Al-Muheet
The All-Encompassing
He is the One Who encompasses all His creation with
His knowledge and power. Nothing of their conditions is
hidden from Him and they are all under His control and
authority.
Allah’s name ‘the All-Encompassing’ occurs 3 times in
the Qur’an. For example: {But Allah is All-Encompassing of
the disbelievers.} [Sūrat Al-Baqarah: 19] And {And Allah is
All-Encompassing of them on every side.} [Sūrat Al-Burūj:
20]In light of this noble name, I would say:
1. Whoever properly ponders Allah’s name ‘the All-
Encompassing’ will feel fearful and shy of Him.
2. When the meaning of this name firmly settles
within one’s heart, he no longer fears people who are weak
creatures. Allah Almighty says, {If anything good happens
to you, they are grieved; if any misfortune befalls you,
they rejoice at it. But if you remain steadfast and mindful
of Allah, their schemes will not cause you any harm.
Indeed, Allah is All-Encompassing of all what they do.}
This is also true when a person knows that there is no
escape from Allah but to Him. {So flee to Allah. Indeed, I
186
This is My Lord
am a clear warner to you from Him.} [Sūrat Al-Dhāriyāt:

50]
***
187
This is My Lord
Introduction .................................................................................6
This is My Lord ...........................................................................8
Here Are Wishes We Hope That Allah Will Grant and Bless .....9
Ar-Rahmān -Ar-Rahīm ..............................................................12
The Most Compassionate - the Most Merciful ..........................12
The All-Kind ..............................................................................14
The Self-Sufficient ....................................................................16
The Generous - The Most Generous ........................................18
The Bestower ............................................................................20
The Generous ...........................................................................22
The King - The Almighty King ...................................................26
The Most Holy ...........................................................................29
The Source of Peace (and Perfection) .....................................31
The Giver of Belief (Security)....................................................33
The All-Controller ......................................................................35
The All-Mighty ...........................................................................37
The Compeller ..........................................................................39
The Supreme ............................................................................41
The Great ..................................................................................43
The Lord ...................................................................................45
The Magnificent ........................................................................48
The Able - The Most Capable - The Supreme Determiner .......51
The Creator - The Sublime Creator ..........................................53
The Initiator ...............................................................................56
The Supreme Fashioner ...........................................................57
188
This is My Lord
The First ....................................................................................59

The Last ....................................................................................61
The Manifest - The Hidden .......................................................62
The All-Hearing .........................................................................64
The All-Seeing ..........................................................................66
The Pardoner ............................................................................68
The Concealing .........................................................................72
The Forbearing .........................................................................74
The All-Subtle ...........................................................................76
The Odd ....................................................................................78
The Beautiful .............................................................................79
The High - The Most High - The Exalted ..................................80
The One - The Only One ..........................................................82
The Eternal Refuge ...................................................................85
The Master ................................................................................87
The Vanquisher - The Superb Vanquisher ...............................89
The Truth ..................................................................................91
The Evident ...............................................................................93
The All-Powerful - The Strong ..................................................95
The Modest ...............................................................................97
The Ever-Living - The All-Sustainer ..........................................99
As for the name ‘the All-Sustainer’ .........................................100
The Greatest Judge ................................................................105
The All-Knowing - The Knowledgeable ..................................107
The All-Wise ...........................................................................111
189
This is My Lord
The Judge ...............................................................................113

The All-Aware .........................................................................115
The Accepting of Repentance ................................................117
The Near .................................................................................120
The Responsive ......................................................................122
The Most Affectionate .............................................................124
The Guardian - The Protector .................................................126
The Praiseworthy ....................................................................128
The Helper ..............................................................................131
The All-Preserver - The Preserver ..........................................133
The Most Glorious ..................................................................135
The Ever-Witness ...................................................................137
The Advancer - The Delayer ..................................................139
The Fixer of Prices ..................................................................142
The Giver ................................................................................147
The Recompenser ..................................................................150
The Bestower of Favors..........................................................152
The Sustainer - The All-Sustainer ..........................................155
The All-Sufficient .....................................................................160
The Ever-Watchful ..................................................................162
The Superb Benevolent ..........................................................163
The Healer - The Curer...........................................................167
The Kind .................................................................................170
The All-Nourisher ....................................................................173
The Good ................................................................................175
190
This is My Lord
The Guide ...............................................................................178

The Beneficent ........................................................................180
The All-Glorious ......................................................................182
The Inheritor ...........................................................................184
The All-Encompassing ............................................................186
191

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This is My Lord

1440 A.H. - 2019 A.D.

In this regard, I would remind you of two useful books.

Khāledibn ‘Abdullāh Al-Khelaiwi

Here Are Wishes We Hope That Allah Will Grant and

Upon Allah I rely and from Him I seek help!

sweetness of faith: To love Allah and His Messenger more

show mercy to you.”Indeed, this is one of the best means

invocation. Allah responds to His servants when they

3. Be certain that the more you stand in need for your

Glory be to the Generous One Whose favors are

3. Do not do wrong to this name by thinking that the

to Him than justice. And giving is dearer to Him than

not trouble Him, for He has all-embracing mercy and

dominion and His absolute ability to dispose of all affairs

blessings be upon him) said, “Allah will fold the heavens

3. A Muslim is recommended, after finishing Witr

amongst you.”9 Spread peace among people through your

with injustice – those will have security, and they are

The Qur’an is a guardian and judge over the previous

take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do

4. Keep away from tyrants and their traits, lest you

As for people, only modesty befits them. If a person

3. When you say Allah is the Most Great, remember

• Allah is Greater with His Self than any other self.

Allah is the Most Great, and all praise is due to Him.

“Our Lord, give us in this world what is good and in the

• General Lordship for all creation for it is Allah

• Special Lordship for the believers represented by

• More special Lordship for the prophets and

1. One of the best means whereby a person can exalt

• Submission to Allah Almighty, and showing humility

• Freeing oneself from fear from created beings for

• Be calm in your prayer and fulfill your bowing and

peace and blessings be upon him) said, “As for bowing,

Al-Qādir - Al-Qadeer - Al-Muqtadir

promised them. So, surely We are Supreme Determiners

earth no power to create the likes of them? Yes, indeed,

command belongs to Allah Almighty, for they do not

3. For the distinction between the Creator, the

• The Creator: He is the One Who determined the

• The Initiator: He is the One Who brought the

• The Supreme Fashioner: He is the One Who gave

of bringing them into existence in addition to preparing

1. Your knowledge of these two names increases

lighten your burdens, for man was created weak.} [Sūrat

course. So, believe that Allah has vision as He affirmed for

said, “Allah increases the honor of him who pardons.”20

of His forgiveness towards His servants despite their plenty

2. Always remember the Prophet’s statement, “And

who disobey Him. Nonetheless, He forgives, pardons and

statement, “Indeed, forbearance can be attained by

favors from Him. Do not rush to judge things outwardly.

Al-‘Alee - Al-A‘la - Al-Muta‘āl

Almighty but humiliation and disappointment. {They

One, the Superb Vanquisher.”} [Sūrat Al-Ra‘d: 16]In light

• ‘The Only One’ is more powerful in negating

‘one’ and ‘anyone’. If it is said, for example, “there is not

• The idea suits the names in Arabic; it does not apply