Al-A’la: The Most High

Verses from the Quran:

“Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High.” (Qur’an 87:1)
“But only seeking the countenance of His Lord, Most High.” (Qur’an 92:20)

Explanation:

• Allah is the Most High in all of His names and attributes, and the
  most Exalted and Supreme. He is high above everyone and everything in
  His power and status.
• He is the Most High, One who is above all others. There is no one who
  is equal or even comparable to Him. He is also free from any supposed
  evil, and from what heretics and disbelievers may say about Him.

Application:

• Knowing that Allah is the Most High infuses Muslims with awe and
  admiration of Allah.
• It can bring a sense of subservience to Allah, in
  all of His greatness, and inspire true submission through faith and
  devotion.

Al-Akram: The Most Generous

 

Verse from the Quran:

“Recite, and Your Lord is the Most Generous.” (Qur’an 96:3)

Explanation: 

• Allah is the Most Generous towards His servants in many ways, one of which is teaching human beings all the things that they did not know, including the names of everything, reading and writing, and the means of livelihood.
• Al-Akram is: the superlative form of ‘kareem‘ which means noble-hearted, magnanimous, and generous (i.e. ‘The Most Noble-hearted’). Some have said that it is specifically referring to the understanding, patience, and disregard – all traits of the noble-hearted – which Allah shows towards the ignorance of His servants.

Application:

• Knowing that Allah is the Most Generous instills love for Him in the hearts of Muslims. His generosity towards humankind, in the face of disobedience and disbelief, is so great that the heart becomes full of admiration, awe, and respect. Love increases for the Most Generous One.
• This can also be a means of inspiration to be generous towards others, as it is indeed an excellent trait to possess. Although we cannot reach the level of greatness of Allah’s generosity, we can exhibit as much generosity as is within our ability.

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Al-Akhir: The Last

Verse from the Qur’an:
“He is the First and the Last, and the Outward and the Inward; and He is Knower of all things.” (Qur’an 57:3)

Explanation:

• Allah is the Last; there is nothing that will come after Him or exist after Him, for He will exist always and for eternity, while everything else will eventually perish. Allah says:

  “…Everything else will be destroyed except His Face…” (Qur’an 28:88)

• In the verse from Surah 57 (al-Hadeed), Allah puts four of His names together: The First, the Last, the Outward and the Inward. These four names in conjunction show the vastness of His knowledge, and they indicate that there can be no escaping or hiding from Him. Everything is known by Allah, for He is the First, the Last, the Outward and the Inward. Ibn Kathir mentions that Ibn Abbas recommended reciting this verse when one has doubts in his or her heart.

Application:

• Knowing that Allah is the Last compels the hearts of the believers to sense and comprehend Allah’s greatness and eminence.
• This knowledge encourages them to put their own existence into perspective.
• With the short life spans of human beings, and the lack of control over the length of such life spans, the fact that Allah is and always will be, even after everything else perishes, is most compelling to the heart.

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Al-Ahd: The One

 

Verses From The Qur’an:

“Say [O Muhammad]: He is Allah, (the) One.” (Qur’an 112:1)

Explanation:

• Allah is the One Who has no equal or partner.
• He is singled out in all forms of perfection. No one shares in His qualities of perfection.
• Ibn Katheer commented: “He is the One, the Singular, who has no peer, no assistant, no rival, no equal and none comparable to Him. This word (Al-Ahad) cannot be used for anyone in affirmation except Allah the Mighty and Majestic, because He is perfect in all of His attributes and actions.”
• Aishah said that the Prophet (SAW) sent (an army unit) under the command of a man who used to lead his companions in the prayers, and he would finish his recitation with “Say [O Muhammad]: He is Allah, The One.“ (Qur’an 112:1). When they returned (from the battle), they mentioned that to the Prophet (SAW). He said to them: “Ask him why he does so.” They asked him, and he replied: “I do so because it mentions the qualities of the Most Gracious, and I love to recite it (in my prayer).” The Prophet (SAW) said: “Tell him that Allah loves him.” (Bukhari)
• Abu Saeed al Khudri narrated that a man heard another man reciting (in the prayers): “Say [O Muhammad]: He is Allah, (the) One.“ (Qur’an 112:1), and he recited it repeatedly. When it was morning, he (the first man) went to the Prophet (SAW) and informed him about that, as if he considered that the recitation of that Surah by itself was not enough. Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said: “By Him in Whose hand my life is, it is equal to one-third of the Quran.” (Bukhari)

Application:

• Knowing that Allah is the One and Only can inspire the servants of Allah to dedicate all of their worship solely to Allah and no other.
• By understanding this attribute of His, the worshippers of Allah are motivated to pray directly to Allah without including intercessors or associates, for verily Allah has no equal or partner, as He is the One.

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Al-‘Afuww: The Pardoning

Verses from the Quran:

“That [is so]. And whoever responds [to injustice] with the equivalent of that which he was harmed and then is tyrannised – Allah will surely aid him. Indeed, Allah is Pardoning and Forgiving.” (Quran 22:60)

“Those of you who pronounce dhihar [to separate] from their wives – they are not [consequently] their mothers. Their mothers are none but those who give birth to them. And indeed, they are saying an objectionable statement and a falsehood. But indeed, Allah is Pardoning and Forgiving.” (Quran 58:2)

Explanation:

• Allah is the Pardoning and the One Who covers sins.
• When individuals accept Islam,  He forgives all of the sins that they committed previously.
• He is the One Who forgives and pardons.
• Al-Qurtubi indicates that this quality is also idicative of Allah being easy on His creation.

Application:

• Knowing that Allah is the Pardoning inspires the servants of Allah to turn constantly to Him in repentance.
• They are encouraged to hope through the knowledge that Allah loves to forgive and pardon.
• Hope that they will be forgiven, hope for paradise, hope to be saved from hell -all grow in the hearts via this knowledge.
• The servants of Allah know they can never be perfect, but that Allah will be merciful and pardon them if they turn to Allah in repentance.

Al-Adheem: The Most Great

Verses from the Quran:

“His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.” (Quran 2:255)

“To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.” (Quran 42:4)

“So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.” (Quran 56:74 , 69:52)

Explanation:

• Allah is greater than everything.
• He is the Almighty, and none is even close to possessing such might and power.
• He is the only Lord, the Most High, and Most Great. Nothing can compare to His greatness.

Application:

• Knowing that Allah is the Most Great gives the servants of Allah a sense of need to serve Allah.
• Their hearts are filled with humbleness and submission towards Allah.
• Indeed, nothing is worthy of being worshipped except the Most Great One.

Allah: He Who Deserves To Be Worshipped

Name Found In The Qur’an:

“All praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (Qur’an 1:2)

“Indeed, Allah is over all things competant.” (Qur’an 2:20)

“That is Allah, your Lord; there is no deity except Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him. And He is Disposer of all things.” (Qur’an 6:102)

Tafseer: 

In the Qur’an, Allah defines Himself as:

“He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed. He is the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted Is Allah above whatever they associate with Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (Qur’an 59: 22-24)

At-Tabari said in his tafsir:

“The interpretation of Allah is, according to the meaning narrated to us from Abdullah ibn Abbas: He is the One Whom everything takes as its god, Whom all creatures worship. Allah is He Who possesses the attributes of divinity and of being worshipped with respect to all His creatures.”

In al-Qurtubi’s tafsir, we gather the following points.

• Nothing else has this name. It is not found in male or female form.
• Some scholars say this is His greatest and most complete name.
• It further has three meanings. The One who deserves to be worshipped, the One whose existence is a must, and the Unique One.

In Our Daily Lives:

1. Knowing that He is the Only Deity worthy of worship should inspire us as Muslims to direct all our hopes, dreams, prayers and intentions towards Allah.
2. There is no sense in worshipping anything else since they can neither hear nor accept our supplications.
3. Allah alone can answer our prayers, and give us relief from our hardships,
4. He Alone deserves our gratitude and devotion.

Supplications:

Reported by Abu Usayd: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “When any one of you enters the masjid, he should say “O Allah! Open for me the door of Your mercy; when he steps out, he should say, ‘O Allah! I beg from You Your Grace.” (Muslim)

“O Allah! Grant me an easy reckoning.” (Ahmad. Declared authentic)

“O Allah! I ask of You guidance, piety and chastity and to be free of depending upon anyone (except You).” (Muslim)

The Messenger of Allah said, “If any amongst you makes a perfect ablution, then supplicates, ‘O Allah! Make me among those who turn to You in repentance, and make me among those who are purified.” Allah opens unto him the eight gates of the Garden (Paradise), that he may enter at which he chooses.” (Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi)