Some of the Names of Allaah and their meanings.

Names and Attributes of Allah, - can you give all the meanings of
attributes of allah, including its literal and technical meaning and
where it is mentioned in the quran or sunnah
Praise be to Allaah.
This is a question which needs a very long answer, but we will
summarize it as follows:
Firstly, the names of Allaah are not limited to any specific number.
We know some of them and do not know others, as isindicated by the
hadeeth of 'Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him),
who said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: 'There is no one among you who, when he is stricken
with distress and grief, says, "Allaahumma inni 'abduka wabnu 'abdika
wabnu amatika naasiyati bi yadika maadin fiyya hukmuka, 'adlun fiyya
qadaa'uka. As'aluka bi kull ismin huwa laka sammayti bihinafsaka aw
allamtahu ahadan min khalqika awanzaltahu fi kitaabika aw asta'tharta
bihi fi 'ilmil-ghayb 'indaka an taj'alal-Qur'aana rabee'a qalbi wa
noora sadri wa jilaa'a huzni wa dhahaaba hammi [O Allaah, I am Your
slave, sone of Your slave and son of Your maidservant,my forelock is
in Your hand. Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree
over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You which You
named Yourself with, or You taught to any of Your creation, or
revealed in Your Book, or You have preserved inthe knowledge of the
Unseen with You, that You nmake the Qur'aan the life of my heart and
the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release
for my anxiety]" – but Allaahwill remove his distress and his grief,
and will give him joy instead…" (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 3582; it is
a saheeh hadeeth).
Secondly, The names of Allaah are all husnaa [Most Beautiful], as He
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so call on Him
by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter
impious speech against) His Names. They will be requited for what they
used to do."
[al-A'raaf 7:180]
The meaning of al-husnaa implies the utmost beauty, and that each name
includes the quality of perfection.
Al-'Allaamah 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Naasir ibn Sa'di (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said:Many of the names of Allaah have been mentioned in
the Qur'aan, according to the context, but we also need to point out
their broader meanings, so we say:
The name Rabb (Lord, Cherisher) is repeated in many aayaat. The Rabb
is the One Who guides and cares for all of His slaves by managing
theiraffairs and bestowing different kinds of blessings. In a more
specific sense, He cares for and guides His friends (devoted slaves)
by reforming and settingstraight their hearts and souls and attitudes.
For this reason, many of their du'aa's or prayers to Him address Him
by this glorious Name, because they are asking Him for this specific
kindof care.
The name Allaah refers to the One Who is adored and worshipped,the One
Who possesses the attributes of divinity and to whom all His creation
is enslaved. The attributes of divinity with which He describes
Himself are the attributes of perfection.
Al-Malik (the Sovereign), al-Maalik (the Possessor),Alladhi
lahu'l-Mulk (the One to Whom Dominion belongs). Allaah is the One Who
is described with the attributes of sovereignty and dominion, which
are thequalities of might and pride, subjugation and control. He is
the One Who is in absolute control of creation, Who issues commands
and Who rewards or punishes. The entire Universe, high and low,
belongs to Him. All of them are His servants and slaves, and are
utterly dependent on Him.
Al-Waahid (the One), al-Ahad (the Unique). He is the One Who is
uniquely and utterly andperfectly One, with no partners in His
Uniqueness. His slaves are obliged to believe in His Oneness, in
belief and word and deed, by recognizing that He is absolutely perfect
and is unique in His oneness, and by directing all kinds of worship to
Him Alone.
Al-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He
neither eats nor drinks). He is the Oneto Whom all of creation turns
for all of their needs, for He is in and ofHimself absolutely perfect,
in His Names and Attributes and Deeds.
Al-'Aleem (the All-Knowing), al-Khabeer(the Aware). He is the One
Whose Knowledge encompasses all things, seen and unseen, secret and
open, everything that is inevitable or impossible or possible, in
heaven and on earth, the past, the present andthe future. Nothing
whatsoever is hidden from Him.
Al-Hakeem (the Wise). Heis the One Who has ultimate wisdom, in His
creation and in His commands. He is the OneWho created everything
well.
"… And who is better in judgement than Allaah for a people who have
firm Faith." [al-Maa'idah 5:50 – interpretation of the meaning].
He does not create anything in vain, or legislate anything in jest.He
is the One Who has Dominion in this world and the next. His ruling
applies in three major spheres, in which none else has any share with
Him: He judges between His slaves by means of His Law, His decree and
His reward/punishment.
Wisdom: He puts things in their rightful places and gives them their
rightful status.
Al-Rahman (the Most Gracious), al-Raheem (the Most Merciful), al-Barr
(the Source of Goodness), al-Kareem (the Most Generous), al-Jawaad
(the Generous), al-Ra'oof (theCompassionate), al-Wahhaab (the
Bestower). These names are all close in meaning, and they all indicate
thatthe Rabb is characterized by mercy, goodness, and generosity. They
testify to the vastness of His mercy and other attributes, with which
He encompasses all of Hiscreation to the extent that His wisdom
decrees,although the greater share is bestowed upon the believers in
particular. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"… My Mercy encompasses all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for
those who are the Muttaqoon (pious)…"
[al-A'raaf 7:156]
Blessings and goodness are all traces of His Mercyand Generosity. The
good things of this world and the next are all traces of His Mercy.
Al-Samee' (the All-Hearing). He hears all voices, in all the different
languages, no matter how many and how varied, when they call on Him
for their needs.
Al-Baseer (the All-Seeing)Who has insight into all things, not matter
how small. He can see a black ant walking across the face of a rock on
the darkest night. He can seewhat is below the seven levels of the
earth and what is above the seven heavens. He is the All-Hearing and
All-Seeing, Who knows who is deserving of reward or punishment
according to His Wisdom.
Al-Hameed (the Praiseworthy), Who is inherently deserving of praise,
by His Names, Attributes and deeds. He has the Most Beautiful Names,
the most perfect attributes and the most perfect and beautiful deeds.
His actions alwaysrevolve around munificence and justice.
Al-Majeed (the Most Glorious), al-Kabeer (the Most Great), al-'Azeem
(the Most Great), al-Jaleel(the Sublime One). TheseNames describe
Allaah with attributes of glory, pride, greatness and majesty. He is
greater than everything, more mighty, more majestic and more exalted.
To Him belong glorification and exaltation in the hearts of His close
friends and devoted slaves, whose hearts are filled with veneration of
His might and humble submission to His glory.
Al-'Afuw (the Pardoner), al-'Ghafoor (the Forgiver), al-Ghaffaar (the
All-Forgiving), Who has always been and willalways be known for His
pardon and forgiveness towards His slaves. Everyone is in need of His
pardon and forgiveness, as they are in need of His mercy
andgenerosity. He has promised to forgive and pardon whoever
followsthe appropriate means. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My
Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous
good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them (till his death)."
[Ta-Ha 20:82]
Al-Tawwaab (the Acceptor of Repentance).He always accepts the
repentance of those who repent and forgivesthe sins of those who
commit sin. Allaah accepts the repentance of everyone who repents to
Him sincerely. He is the One Who forgives those who repent, firstly by
helpingthem to repent and causing their hearts to turn towards Him.
After they repent, He turns to them and accepts their repentance,
pardoning their sins.
Al-Quddoos (the Holy) and al-Salaam (the One Free from all defects).
Allaah is far above any attribute of imperfection, and He is above
being likened to any of His creation.
"… There is nothing like unto Him…"
[al-Shoora 42:11]
"And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him."
[al-Ikhlaas 112:4]
"… Do you know of any who is similar to Him?…"
[Maryam 19:65]
"… Then do not set up rivals unto Allaah (in worship)…"
[al-Baqarah 2:22]
The names al-Quddoos and al-Salaam reject the idea that He could be
lacking in any way, and they imply that He is absolutely perfect in
all aspects, because once the idea of imperfection is rejected, this
is proof of total perfection.
Al-'Aliyy (the Exalted), al-A'laa (the Most High). He is the One Who
is completely exalted in all aspects, in His essence, inHis status, in
His attributes and in His dominion. He is the One Who rose over the
Throne and Who dominates all things. In all the attributes of might,
pride, glory and beauty that are ascribed to Him, He reaches the
ultimate level.
Al-'Azeez (the Almighty), to whom belong all might and power, the
power of strength, the power of dominion, the power of invincibility.
None of His creatures can harm Him. He has subjugated all that exists,
and the whole of creation is under His control and is subject to His
might.
Al-Qawiy (the Most Strong), al-Mateen (the Firm One). The meaningsof
these Names are similar to the meaning of al-'Azeez.
Al-Jabbaar (the Compeller). This Names includes the meanings
ofal-'Aliyy, al-A'laa and al-Qahhaar.
Al-Ra'oof (the Compassionate) means the One Who consoles broken hearts
and supports the weak and those who seek His help and turn to Him.
Al-Mutakabbir (the Majestic) is the One Who is above all bad
qualities, shortcomings and faults, because of His might and pride.
Al-Khaaliq (the Creator), al-Baari' (the Inventor ofall things),
al-Musawwir (the Bestower of forms). He is the One Who has created
from nothing all that exists, and formed itby His wisdom, praise beto
Him. He has always been and will always be known by this mighty
attribute.
Al-Mu'min (the Guardian of Faith), Who is praised for His own sake by
His perfect attributes, and by the perfection of His majesty and
beauty. He sent His Messengers and revealed His Books with signs and
proofs, and confirmed His Messengers with signs and proofs, to confirm
the truth of the message they brought.
Al-Muhaymin (the Watcher over His creatures) Who is aware of
everything that is hidden and concealed, and Whose knowledge
encompasses all things.
Al-Qadeer (the Powerful), Whose poweris perfect. By His power He
created all things thatexist, by His power He is controlling all
things andby His power He formed them and perfected them. By His power
He gives life and death, andwill resurrect His slaves to receive their
reward or punishment, so that those who have done well will be
rewarded with good, and those who have done evil will be punished.
When Allaah wills a thing, He merely says "Be!" and it is. By His
power He controls people's hearts, and He directs them as He wills.
Al-Lateef (the Most Subtle and Courteous), Whose knowledge encompasses
everything that is hidden and concealed. He knows everything that is
secret and understands the most subtle things. He is Kind to His
believing slaves and takes care of their interests by His benevolence
and grace, in many ways that they are not even aware of. This Name
also shares the meanings of al-Khabeer and al-Ra'oof.
Al-Haseeb (the One Who takes account). He is the One Who is
All-Knowing about His slaves. He is Sufficient for those who put their
trust in Him, and He rewards or punishes His slaves for good and evil,
accordingto His wisdom. He knowsabout all their deeds, major and
minor.
Al-Raqeeb (the Watchful). He is the One Who watches what is hidden in
people's hearts. "… He Who takes charge of every person and knows all
that he has earned" [al-Ra'd 13:33 – interpretation of the meaning].
He protected His creation and set it in motion, running according to
the most perfect system and controls.
Al-Hafeez (the Preserver). He is the One Who protects what He has
created and encompasses it with His knowledge. He protects His close
friends from falling into sin and destruction, and gently protects
them when theyare active and when they are at rest. He counts the
deeds of His slaves and rewards or punishes them accordingly.
Al-Muheet (the Encompasser). He is the One Who encompasses all things
with His knowledge, power, mercy and dominion.
Al-Qahhaar (the Subduer). He is the Subduer of all things, to Whom all
of creation submits because of His power and strength and the
perfection of His Might.
Al-Muqeet (the Provider of sustenance). He gives provision to
everything that exists and directs the affairs of all as He wills.
Al-Wakeel (the Trustee). He is the One Who is in a position to run the
affairs of His creation, byHis knowledge and the perfection of His
power and His encompassing wisdom. He is the One Who is taking care of
Hisclose friends, making theright way easy for them and causing them
to steer clear of the wrong way. He is taking care of all their
affairs, and whoever puts his trust inHim will find that He is
Sufficient for him.
"Allaah is the Walee (Protector or Guardian) of those who believe.
Hebrings them out from darkness into light…" [al-Baqarah 2:257 –
interpretation of the meaning].
Dhoo'l-Jalaali wa'l-Ikraam (Possessor of Majesty and Honour), i.e.,
the Possessor of Might and Pride, the Possessor of Mercy and
Generosity, Who is kind to everyone and to specific individuals. He
honours His close friendsand devoted worshippers who glorifyHim, extol
His greatness and love Him.
Al-Wudood (the Loving). He loves His Prophets and Messengers and their
followers, and theylove Him. He is dearer to them than everything
else. He has filled their hearts with love for Him and their tongues
utter words of praise to Him. Their hearts are drawn to Him in love
and sincerity and they turn in repentance to Him at all times.
Al-Fattaah (the Opener). He judges between His slaves according to His
laws, His decrees and His decisions concerning reward and
punishment.By His Grace He opens the eyes of those who are sincere,
and opens their hearts to know Him, love Him and turn to Him in
repentance. Heopens the door to all kinds of mercy and provision for
His slaves, and generates the causes by means of which they can earn
good things in this world and the next.
"Whatever of mercy (i.e.,good) Allaah may grant to mankind, none can
withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it
thereafter…" Faatir 35:2 – interpretation of the meaning]
Al-Razzaaq (the Provider), Who provides for all His slaves. There is
no living creature on earth, but Allaah provides for it.
His provision for His slaves is of two types:
General provision, whichinclude the righteous and immoral, the first
and the last. This is the provision of physical needs.
Specific provision, whichis provision for the heartwhich is nourished
with knowledge and faith, and the halaal provision which helps a
person to adhere to religion. This provision is specifically for the
believers, and is given to varying degreesaccording to His wisdom and
mercy.
Al-Hakam (the Judge), al-'Adl (the Just). He judges between His slaves
in this world and the next, with His justice and fairness. He does
notoppress anyone in the slightest, and no one is made to bear the
burden of another person's sin. He does notpunish a person more than
he deserves for his sin, he restores to people their rights and does
not leave anyone without restoring what is his right. He is just in
His running of the universe and in His decision making.
"… Verily, My Lord is on aStraight Path (the truth)…"
[Hood 11:56 – interpretation of the meaning].
Jaami' al-Naas (Gatherer of the People). He will gather all of mankind
onthe Day concerning which there is no doubt. He has comprehensive
knowledge of their deeds and their provision, and there is nothing,
major or minor,that He is not aware of. He will gather every particle
of their bodies that has disappeared or been changed into something
else, of all thepeople who have died from the earliest times until the
latest times, by the perfection of His power and the vastness of His
knowledge.
Al-Hayy (the Ever-Living),al-Qayyoom (the Self-Sustaining). He is
completely alive and sustains Himself, and He sustains and cares for
the people of heaven and earth. He controls their affairs and provides
for them. The name al-Hayy encompasses all the qualities of His
essence and the name al-Qayyoom encompasses all the qualities of His
deeds.
Al-Noor (the Light). He is the Light of the heavens and of the earth,
who enlightens the hearts of the 'aarifeen (those whohave proper
knowledge of Him) with knowledge of Him and fills their hearts with
the light of His guidance. He is the One Who illuminates the heavens
and the earth with the lights that He has placed therein. His veil is
Light and if it were to be removed, everything of His creation as far
as He can see would be burnt, mayHe be glorified.
Badee' al-Samawaati wa'l-Ard (Originator of the heavens and the
earth). He is the One Who created them and formed them with the utmost
beauty and with the most magnificent system of organization.
Al-Qaabid (the Constrictor), al-Baasit (the Expander). He is the One
Who takes people's souls, and Who provides them with ample provision
and expands their hearts. All of this is in accordance with His Wisdom
and Mercy.
Al-Mu'ti (the Giver), al-Maani' (the Withholder). No-one canwithhold
what He gives, and no one can give what He withholds. All interests
and benefits are sought from Him, and the needs of all are addressed
to Him. He is the One Who gives them to whomever He wills and
withholds them from whomever He wills,by His Wisdom and Mercy.
Al-Shaheed (the Witness). He is the One Who watches over all things
and hears all voices, loud and soft. He sees all that exists, great
and small alike. His knowledge encompassesall things, and He is the
Witness Who sees all the deeds of His slaves, goodand bad alike.
Al-Mubdi' (the Originator), al-Mu'eed (the Restorer). Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And it is He Who originates the creation, then will repeat (after it
has perished)…"
[al-Room 30:27]
He initiated their creation, in order to test them as to which of them
would be best in deeds, then He will re-create them in order to reward
with good those who did well, and punish those who did evil.
He is the One Who initiated His creation in stages, and Who is
constantly renewing it.
Al-Fa''aal lima yureed (the One Who does whatever He wants). Thishas
to do with the perfection of His power and the strength of His will
and ability. Everything He wants, He does, with nothing to stop Him
and no one to oppose Him, and with nosupport or help, no matter what
it is. If He wants something, all he has to do is say "Be!" and it is.
Although He can do whatever He wants, His will operates in conjunction
with His Wisdom, may He be praised, so He is described as being
completely Able and being Strong of will, but also as being completely
Wise in all that He has done and will do.
Al-Ghaniy (the Self-Sufficient), al-Mughni (the Enricher).He is
independent in andof Himself, and is completely Independent in all
aspects, because of His perfection and the perfection of His
attributes. Nothing can undermine His perfection and make Him
imperfect in any way whatsoever. He cannot be anything but
Self-Sufficient, because this self-sufficiency is one of His essential
qualities, just as He cannot be anything but the Creator, the Able,
theProvider, the Kind, Who does not need anyone else at all.
He is the Self-Sufficient in Whose hands are the treasures of the
heavens and the earth, the treasures of this world and of the
Hereafter. He gives His creation enough in general termsso that they
do not have to seek help of anyone else, and He gives to specific
people of the divine knowledge and realities of faith with which He
has filled their hearts.
Al-Haleem (the Forbearing One). He is the One Who showers His creation
with blessings both apparent and hidden, in spite of their sins and
many mistakes. He is Forbearing and does notpunish sinners straight
away for their sins. He rebukes them so that they will repent, and
gives them time to turn to Him in repentance.
Al-Shaakir (the Grateful),al-Shakoor (the Appreciative). He is the One
Who appreciates thesmallest deed, and forgives the greatest mistakes.
He multiplies beyond measure the deeds of those who are sincere; He
appreciates those who give thanks to Him, and He remembers those who
remember Him. Whoeverdraws near to Him with something of righteous
deeds, He draws near to him by more than that.
Al-Qareeb (the Ever-Near), al-Mujeeb (the Responsive). Allaah, may He
be glorified, is near to everyone, and His nearness is of two types:
His nearness to everyonein a general sense, through His knowledge,
watching, awareness and witnessing, which encompass all things.
His nearness in a specificsense, to His slaves, thosewho ask help of
Him andthose who love Him. The true nature of this closeness cannot be
understood, but its effects may be seen in His kindness towards His
slave, and His care, support and help of him.Another of its effects is
His response to those who call on Him and His acceptance of the
repentance of those who worship Him. He is also the One Who responds
in a specific way to those who respond to Him and follow His religion.
He also responds to those who are in need and to those who no longer
have any hope in any of His creation, and who put their trust in Him,
hoping for His pleasure and fearing His wrath.
Al-Kaafi (the Sufficient). He is the One Who gives His slaves all that
they need. More specifically, He is Sufficient for the one who
believes in Him and puts his trust in Him and asks Him for all that he
needs in worldly and spiritual terms.
Al-Awwal (the First), al-Aakhir (the Last); al-Zaahir (the Manifest),
al-Baatin (the Hidden). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) explained thisin a clear and comprehensive fashion when he
said, addressing his Lord: "You are the First, and there is nothing
before You; You are the Last, and there is nothing after You. You are
the Manifest and there is nothing above You; You are the Hidden and
there is nothing beneathYou."
Al-Waasi' (the All-Encompassing). His attributes and qualities, and
everything that has to do with Him, are all-encompassing in sucha way
that no one can praise Him as He deserves, but He is as He praised
Himself, vast in power, might and dominion, and vast in grace and
kindness, and vast in generosity and munificence.
Al-Haadi (the Guide), al-Rasheed (the Guide to the Right Path). He is
the One Who guides His slaves and shows them the way to all that will
benefit them, and protects them from all that will harm them. He
teaches them what they do not know, and guidesthem to the true
guidance which will help them and set them straight. He fills them
with taqwa (piety) and causes their hearts to turn to Him, in response
to His command.
The name al-Rasheed has a meaning akin to that of al-Hakeem: He is
Wise in word and deed, and all His laws are goodand wise. His creation
testifies to His wisdom.
Al-Haqq (the Truth). He istrue in and of Himself and in His
attributes. His existence is undeniable, and His attributes are
perfect. His existence is one of His essential qualities (He cannot
but exist), and nothing else can exist except throughHim. He is the
One Who has always been and willalways be described with attributes of
majesty, beauty and perfection. He has always been and will always be
known for His Kindness. His words are truth; the meeting with Him is
truth; His Messengers are truth; HisBooks are truth; His religion is
the Truth; the worship of Him Alone, with no partners or associates,
is the Truth; everything that has to do with Him is truth. Allaah is
the Truth and whatever else they claimto be divine besides Him is
false. Allaah is the MostHigh, the Most Great, as He says
(interpretation of the meanings):
"And say: 'The Truth is from your Lord.' Then whosoever wills, let him
believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve…"
[al-Isra' 18:29].
"… So, after the truth, what else can there be, save error?…"
[Yoonus 10:32]
"And say: 'Truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Surely,
falsehood is ever bound to vanish.'"[al-Isra' 17:81]

Many of the Names of Allaah may be found at the end of numerous aayaat of the Qur'aan.

So far I have learned 33 of the 99 Arabic names for Allah (SWT), I
don't have a list of the rest. Where can I find it on the internet, or
perhaps you know them?
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah has many names, all of which are indicative of His Greatness,
Perfection and Majesty, may He be glorified and exalted. Hehas told us
some of theseNames in His Book and through the Sunnah of His Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him); He also has other Names
which are known only to Him, as is indicated in the hadeeth of
'Abdullah ibnMas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said:
"The Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: 'There is nobody who is afflicted with distress or grief and
whosays: "Allaahumma inni 'abduka wa ibn 'abdika wa ibn amatika,
naasiyati bi yadika maadin fiyya hukmuka 'adlun fiyya qadaa'uka,
as'aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw 'allamtahu
ahadan min khalqika aw anzaltahu fikitaabika aw asta'tharta bihi fi
'ilmi al-ghaybi 'indaka an taj'al al-Qur'aana rabee'a qalbi wa noor
sadri wa jilaa'a huzni wa dhihaaba hammi (O Allaah, I am Your slave,
son of Your slave, son of Your maidservant, my forelock is in Your
hand, Your command over me is ever executed and Your decree over me is
just. I ask You by every name belonging to You which You have named
Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your
creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the Unseen with
You, that You make the Qur'aan the life of my heart and the light of
my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my
anxiety," - but Allaah will take away his distress and grief, and
replace it with ease.' He was asked, 'O Messenger of Allaah, should we
not learn it?' He said, 'Of course, whoever hears itshould learn it.'"
(Reported by Imaam Ahmad; this is a saheeh hadeeth).
The Names of Allaah mentioned in the Qur'aan and Sunnah number over
one hundred, as several scholars have agreed (see Al-Qawaa'id
al-Muthlaa fi Sifaat Allaahi wa Asmaa'ihi by Shaykh Muhammad ibn
Saalih ibn 'Uthaymeen).
Among these are ninety-nine names which, if one learns them and actsin
accordance with them, will bring a great reward, as is indicated in
the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him),
in which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "Allaah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one;
whoever learns them will enter Paradise." (Reported by al-Bukhaari,
al-Fath, no. 2736)
The learning referred to in the hadeeth includes the following:
Memorizing them.
Understanding their meanings.
Acting upon them: so if aperson learns that Allaahis al-Ahad (the One
and Only), he will not associate anything else with Him; if he learns
that He is al-Razzaaq (theProvider), he will not seek provision from
anyone else; if he learns that He is al-Raheem (theMost Merciful), he
will not despair of His Mercy, and so on.
Calling upon Allaah by these Names, as He says (interpretation of the
meaning): "And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so
call on Him by them…" [al-A'raaf 7:180] - so one might say "Yaa
Rahmaanarhamni (O Most Merciful, have mercy on me)," "Yaa Ghafoor
ighfir li (O All-Forgiving, forgive me)," "Yaa Tawwaab, tubb 'alayya
(O Accepter of Repentance, turn towards me in forgiveness)," and so
on.
If you pay attention to the endings of many aayaat, you will find many
of the names of Allah mentioned there. And Allaah knows best.

Names and Attributes of Allah, - Can Allaah be described as forgetting? .

Can Allaah be described as forgetting?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Forgetting can mean two things:
1 – Overlooking something that is known, as in the verses
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Punish us not if we forget or fall into error"
[al-Baqarah 2:286]
"And indeed We made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We
found on his part no firm will power"
[Ta-Ha 20:115]
- according to one of thetwo scholarly opinions.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "I
am only human, I forget as you forget, so if I forget then remind me."
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever
sleeps and misses a prayer or forgets it, let him pray it when he
remembers it."
This kind of forgetfulness cannot be attributed to Allaah, on the
basis of two kinds of evidence, textual and rational.
The textual evidence is the verse in which He says of Moosa
(interpretation of the meaning):
"[Moosa (Moses)] said: 'The knowledge thereof is with my Lord, in a
Record. My Lord neither errs nor He forgets'"
[Ta-Ha 20:52]
The rational evidence is the fact that forgetting is a fault or
shortcoming,and Allaah is far above having any shortcomings. He is
described as perfect, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"and for Allaah is the highest description. And He is the All-Mighty,
the All-Wise"
[al-Nahl 16:60]
Based on this it is not permissible to describe Allaah as forgetting
in this sense, under any circumstances.
The second meaning of forgetting is deliberatelyand knowingly
neglecting something, asin the verses (interpretation of the meaning):
"So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded,
We opened for them the gates of every (pleasant) thing"
[al-An'am 6:44]
"And indeed We made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We
found on his part no firm will power"
[Ta-Ha 20:115]
- this is according to the other scholarly opinion concerning the
meaningof this verse.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said
concerning the categories of those who own horses:
"… and a man who keeps them [horses] for earning his living so as not
to ask of others, but he does not forget Allaah's rights (i.e., zakaah
on the wealth heearns through using them in trading etc) and does not
overburden them"
This kind of "forgetting" is ascribed to Allaah as He says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Then taste you (the torment of the Fire) because of your forgetting
the Meeting of this Day of yours. Surely, We too will forget you"
[al-Sajdah 32:14]
And Allaah says concerning the hypocrites:
"They have forgotten Allaah, so He has forgotten them. Verily, the
hypocrites are the Faasiqoon (rebellious, disobedient to Allaah)"
[al-Tawbah 9:67]
And in Saheeh Muslim, inKitaab al-Zuhd wa'l-Raqaa'iq it is narrated
that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: They said: "O
Messenger of Allaah, will we see ourLord on the Day of Resurrection?"
… and in this hadeeth its says: "Allaah will meet His [disbelieving]
slave and will say: 'Did you think that you would meet Me?' He will
say, 'No.' He will say: 'I will forget youas you forgot Me.'"
Allaah's leaving or forgetting something is one of His actions that
happen by His will and in accordance with His wisdom. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"and left them in darkness. (So) they couldnot see"
[al-Baqarah 2:17]
"We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another"
[al-Kahf 18:99]
"And indeed We have left thereof an evident Ayah (a lesson and a
warning and a sign)"
[al-'Ankaboot 29:35]
There are many well-known texts which confirm that Allaah leaves or
forsakes thingsand also confirm His other actions that have to do with
His will. This is indicative of the perfection of His power and might,
and the way in which He does these actions is not like the way in
which His creation does things, even though they share the same basic
meaning,as is well known among Ahl al-Sunnah.

Removing the Obstacle

A qualified medical worker from India emigrated to Canada to live a
better life. This Muslim brother had a beard. He applied to many
different places for a job and was called for interviews. Though he
was highly qualified for the jobs, the interviewers hesitated to hire
him because of his beard. One by one, he was rejected from all the
companies. One interviewer actually mentioned to him indirectly that
his beard was an obstacle to getting the job. Truly, it was a big test
for him from Allah. Hopeless and exhausted, the brother decided to
remove the obstacle, which was to shave off his beard. Thenhe returned
to that company and requested for another interview. When the
interviewer saw him without a beard this time, he refused to give him
the job again. The brother became confused and asked to know the
reason. The interviewer said "If you are not faithful to your God, how
will you be faithful to us?"
This true incident was narrated to us by a friend who personally knows
this brother, however, his identity will remain private. In reality,
obeying the commandments of Allah does not bring failure. Inthe
beginning, we may face various problems, but the end results will be
very sweet. Prophet of Allah (SAW) also faced many problems in the
beginning, but in the end, he saw how hundreds and thousandsof people
turned towards Allah for his steadfastness. Ibn 'Umar,may God be
pleased with him, said: "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him
and give him peace, ordered us totrim closely the mustache and leave
the beard as it is (that is grow the beard)." (Reported in Sahih
al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.)

For the Peoples whom celibirates GOOD FRIDAY - - The Light that guides our path. The Love that fills our heart. The Sacrifice that strengthens our Soul. To that power, we say Praise the Lord. Happy Good Friday!!

Miracles of The Quran About the Sun

One of the things that prove that Quran is the words of Allah, is that
it informs us of scientific facts that no one could have possibly
known aboutwhen Quran was sent 1400 years ago. The information
provided in Quran about the Sun is just one of these amazing miracles.
http://www.miraclesofthequran.com/scientific_110.html
HE HELIO-CENTRIC SYSTEM
He created the heavens and the Earthwith truth. He wraps the night
around the day and wraps the day around the night, and has made the
Sunand Moon subservient, each one running for a specified term. Is He
not indeed the Almighty, the Endlessly Forgiving? ( Surat az-Zumar, 5)
In the above verse themovement of the Earth is described by the word
"yukawwiru," which comes from root verb "takwir," meaning "tocover up
a spherical body," in the way thatthe rotation of the Earth gives rise
to night and day, like the winding of a turban. In addition to the
spherical shape ofthe Earth the word is also the most
accurateexpression of its movement around theSun. Because of the
Earth's spherical shape and its movement around theSun, the Sun always
illuminates one side of the Earth while the other is in darkness. The
side in shadow is shrouded by the darkness of night, to be replaced by
the brightness of day when the Sun rises. The positions of the Sun and
Earth are revealed as follows in Surah Ya Sin:
And the Sun runs to itsresting place. That is the decree of the
Almighty, the All-Knowing. And We have decreed set phases for the
Moon, until it ends up looking like an old palm spathe. It is not for
the Sun to overtake the Moon nor for the night to outstrip the day;
each one is swimming in a sphere. (Surah Ya Sin, 38-40)
The movements of theSun and Moon in verse 40 of Surah Ya Sin are
described by the Arabic word"yasbahoon a ," meaning "flowing, passing
or swimming." This wordrefers to an action performed by someone on
their own. Someone acting according to this verb continues to perform
it alone, with no intervention from anyone else. The above verses may
therefore be referringto the Sun's independent movement in the
universe, independent of any other celestial body. (Allah knows the
truth.) It is impossible for us to see or follow the movement of the
Sun with our own eyes. It is only possible to determine that movement
using special technological equipment. As stated in verse 39 of Surah
Ya Sin, in addition to rotating around its own axis once every 26
days, the Sun also moves through its own course.
The verse also reports that the Sun is not allowed to "overtake the
Moon," and the Qur'an thus states thatthe Sun and Moon do not revolve
around the same body, as astronomers put it. At the same time, the
verse makes it clear that there is no connection between the motion
responsible for night and day and the movement of the Sun and Moon.
(Allah knows the truth.)
Until the 16th century it was thought that the Earth was the center of
the universe. This view is known as the "geo-centric model," from the
Greek words geo (Earth) and centron (center). This belief was
questionedby the famous astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus in 1543 in his
book De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (Ofthe Revolutions of
Heavenly Spheres), in which he suggested that the Earth and the other
planets revolve around the Sun. But as a result of observations using
a telescope performed by Galileo Galilei in 1610, it was
scientifically established that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
Since it had hitherto been thought that the Sun revolved around the
Earth, most scholars ofthe time rejected Copernicus' theory. The
famous astronomer Johannes Kepler's views setting out the movements
ofthe planets confirmedthe helio-centric model in the 16th and17th
centuries. In this model, whose name comes from the words Helios
(Sun) and centron (center), the Sun is the center of the universe,
rather than the Earth. Other heavenly bodies also revolve around the
Sun. Yet this was all revealed 1400 years ago in the Qur'an.
By saying that the Earth was the center of the universe, the ancient
Greek astronomer Ptolemy was responsible for the geo-centric idea of
the universe that prevailed for hundreds of years. Forthat reason, at
the time of the revelation of the Qur'an, nobody knew that the
Earth-centered model that accounted for the formation of day and night
in terms of the movement of the Sun was incorrect. On the contrary,
all the stars and planets were regarded as revolvingaround the Earth.
Despite these prevalent errors of the time, the Qur'an contains many
expressions that agree with the scientific facts regarding day and
night:
By the Sun and its morning brightness, and the moon when itfollows it,
and the daywhen it displays it, and the night when it conceals it
(Surat ash-Shams, 1-4)
As set out in the above verse, day, the brightness of the Sun, is the
result of the movement of the Earth. It is not the movement of the Sun
that is responsible for night and day. In other words, the Sun is
immobile in terms of night and day. The information in the Qur'an
refutes the thesis that the Earth isfixed while the Sun revolves
around it. The Qur'an is clearly descended from the presence of our
Lord, He Who is unfettered by space and time. As science and
technology advance more and more examples of the compatibility between
the Qur'an and science are coming to light. This isset out in another
verse from the Qur'an:
There is instruction in their stories for people of intelligence.This
is not a narration which has been invented but confirmation of all
that came before, a clarification of everything, and a guidance and a
mercyfor people who believe. (Surah Yusuf, 111)
http://www.miraclesofthequran.com/
THE SUN WILL EVENTUALLY EXPIRE
And the Sun runs to itsresting place . That is the decree of the
Almighty, the All-Knowing. (Surah Ya Sin, 38)
The Sun has been emitting heat for around 5 billion years as a result
of the constant chemical reactions taking placeon its surface. At a
moment determined by Allah in the future, these reactions will
eventually come to anend, and the Sun will lose all its energy and
finally go out. In that context, the above verse may be a reference to
the Sun's energy one day coming to an end. (Allah knows the truth.)
The Arabic word"limustaqarrin" in the verse refers to a particular
place or time. The word"tajree" translated as"runs," bears such
meanings as "to move, to act swiftly, to move about, to flow." It
appears fromthe meanings of the words that the Sun will continue in
its course in time and space, but that this motion will continue until
a specific, predetermined time. The verse "When the sun is compacted
in blackness," (Surat at-Takwir, 1) which appears in descriptions of
Doomsday, tells us that such a time will be coming. The specific
timing is known only to Allah.
The Arabic word"taqdeeru," translatedas "decree" in the verse,
includes such meanings as "to appoint, to determinethe destiny of
something, to measure." By this expression in verse 38of Surah Ya Sin,
we are told that the life span of the Sun is limited to a specific
period, one ordained by Allah. Other verses of the Qur'an on the
subject read:
Allah is He Who raised up the heavens without any support –you can see
that – andthen established Himself firmly on the Throne. He made the
Sun and Moon subservient, each running for a specified term . He
directs the whole affair. He makes the Signs clear so that hopefully
you will be certain about the meeting with your Lord. (Surat ar-
Ra'd, 2 )
He makes night mergeinto day and day merge into night, andHe has made
the Sun and Moon subservient, each one running until a specified
time . That is Allah, your Lord. The Kingdom is His. Those you call on
besides Him have no power over even the smallestspeck. (Surah Fatir,
13)
He created the heavens and the earthwith truth. He wraps the night
around the day and wraps the day around the night, and has made the
Sunand Moon subservient, each one running for a specified term . Is
He not indeed the Almighty, the Endlessly Forgiving? (Surah az-Zumar,
5)
The use of the word"musamman" in the above verses shows that the life
span of the Sun will run for a"specified term." Scientific analysis
regarding the end of the Sun describes it asconsuming 4 million tons
of matter a second, and says that the Sun will die when that fuel has
all been consumed . 1 The heatand light emitted from the Sun is the
energy released whenmatter is consumed ashydrogen nuclei turn into
helium in the nuclear fusion process. The Sun's energy, and
thereforeits life, will thus come to an end once this fuel has been
used up.(Allah knows the truth.) A report titled"The Death of the Sun"
by the BBC News Science Department says:
... The Sun will gradually die. As a star's core crashes inwards, it
eventually becomes hot enough to ignite another of its constituent
atoms, helium. Helium atoms fuse together to form carbon. When the
helium supply runs out, the centre collapses again and the atmosphere
inflates. The Sun isn't massive enough to fully re-ignite its core for
a third time. So it goes on expanding, shedding its atmosphere in a
series of bursts... The dying core eventually forms a white dwarf - a
spherical diamond the size of the Earth, made of carbon and oxygen.
From this point on the Sun will gradually fade away, becoming dimmer
and dimmer until its light is finally snuffed out. 2
A documentary, also called "The Death of the Sun," broadcast by
National Geographic TV, provides the following description:
It (the Sun) generates heat and sustains life on our planet. But
likehumans, the Sun has alimited lifespan. As our star ages, it will
become hotter and expand, evaporating all of our oceans and killing
all life on planet Earth... The Sunwill get hotter as it ages and
burns fuel faster. Temperatures will increase, eventually wiping
outanimal life, evaporating our oceans and killing all plant life...
the Sun will swell and becomea red giant star, swallowing up the
nearest planets. Its gravitational pull will lessen and perhaps allow
Earth to escape. By the end, it will shrink into a white dwarf star,
emitting a week glow for hundreds of billions of years. 3
Scientists have only recently unravelled the structure of the Sun and
discovered what goes on inside it. Before that, nobody knew how the
Sun obtained its energy or how it emitted heat and light. The way that
such a giant mass of energy would one day consume all its energy and
expire was revealed 1400 years ago in the Qur'an shows the presence of
a sublime knowledge. That knowledge belongs toour Lord, Whose
knowledge enfolds allthings. Another verse of the Qur'an reveals:
... My Lord encompasses all things in His knowledge so will you not
pay heed? (Surat Al-An'am, 80)
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/stars/death/index.shtml;
3. "Death of the Sun", National Geographic Channel, 20 Mart
2006,director: Rabinder Minhas, bölüm no. 25, sezon no. 3.

Mistakes are part of destiny

No one wants to make a mistake and do himself or others mischief.
However, making mistakes is animportant part of our trial in the life
of this world. Allah created our trial in the life of this world in
this way.Anyone can make a mistake but what is important is that he
repents after his mistake and strive notto repeat this mistake.
Allah reveals in the verses of the Qur'an that human beings are weak
creatures who can forget and be mistaken. A personcan make a mistake
when he does not think something through, ignores something, does not
take the necessary precautions, is overwhelmed by his weak points,
forgets or is mistaken. This is very natural. Howeverthe important
thing ishow the person reactsafter this, rather than the mistake
itself. However big the mistake is, as soon as the person decides to
resign himself and begins to show the attitude hoped to please Allah,
that mistake disappears -by Allah's leave. Almighty Allah reveals as
such in Surah Al- Imran:
" Those who, when they act indecently or wrong themselves, remember
Allah and ask forgiveness for their bad actions (andwho can forgive
bad actions except Allah?) and do not knowinglypersist in what they
were doing." (Surah Al 'Imran, 135)
Allah Creates Everything We Do
Everything a person lives throughout his or her life, everything they
do, every situation they face, allof them are created by Allah with
all of thepros and cons. In the verses it is revealed that not even a
single leaf falls without the knowledge of Allah. (Surah al-An'am,
59). In Surat al-Qalam, it is revealed "Everything they did is in the
Books. Everything is recorded, big or small." (Surat al-Qamar, 52-53).
This means that the personmakes that mistake because Allah wills him
to do so; it is in his destiny to make that mistake. When heacts
according to the Qur'an, something good will happen after that
mistake.
For example, a personmay break a vase when walking by it because he is
not careful enough or does not look ahead. Or he can bump into adinner
plate preparedwith great effort and knock it off a table. Hemay cause
the people waiting for him to delay their jobs because he fell
asleep.Now in all these there is a variety of reasons created by
Allah. Allah is the One Who breaksthat object. Maybe that object would
have caused a conflictbetween its owners or broken in a dangerous way
that would harm someone.Maybe Allah will makea much more beautiful one
to be purchased instead. In the same way, Allah is the One Who makes
the food spill on the floor. Maybe there is an bad ingredient inside
that food and itwould have made someone ill. Maybe that food would
have prevented that personfrom eating something healthier. Also Allah
is the One Who does not wake a person who is late for a job because he
fell asleep because maybehis friends waiting forhim need to be late
aswell. Maybe this will protect them from some danger or maybe bring
the means to carry out a more important job.
If one does not realizethese facts, when he makes a mistake he would
panic and feel anxiety and sorrow. He would feet unease and dismay.
His sadness would increase even becauseof the effect of this situation
on other people and his troubles increase day by day. However, it is
not in line with the moral values of the Qur'an to feel sad, dismay
and troubled because of a mistake, which took place in his destiny by
Allah's will. Muslims overthrow their discomort and anxieties as a
result oftheir mistakes again by turning to Allah and acting according
to the moral values of the Qur'an. They do not fall into depression
like people who do not live by the morality of religion. They do not
feel sadness, sorrow or hopelessness by evaluating their mistakes with
an emotional state of mind. They only experinece a very deep and
strong sense of regret. However this is not anevil kind of regret; it
is a Muslim kind of regret because this feeling of regret helpsthem
hold onto the Qur'an even more strongly. They pray to Allah even more
deeply. Their religiousenthusiasm, determination to live by the moral
values ofthe Qur'an, submission to Allah, faith in the hereafter and
fear of Allah increase tremendaously. They take very sincere decisions
to become better in every way and become more enthusiastic and
energetic by striving more in this way. They know that even if they
could take the time back, they wouldstill make the same mistakes. When
they criticize themselves and feel regret for their actions, they do
not forget that all things have occured according to destiny.
Therefore they do not"live in a sense of guilt" as irreligious people
do. Allah revealed in the Qur'anas such:
"Everything they did is in the Books. Everything is
recorded, big or small.(Surat al-Qamar, 52-53)

It is impossible to claim that a person will never make any mistakes
throughout his life and is complete and flawlessbecause human beings
are created as weak creatures who can make mistakes. Our Almighty Lord
is the One Who is forgiving and accepts repentance. Therefore, a
believer needs to take lessons from the mistakes he made knowingly or
unknowingly or because he followed his inner self. What heneeds to do
is to regret it and follow the truth and submit to our Lord and strive
not to repeat that mistake. Of course he needs to be very careful
about not making any mistakes and commit any further sins and
protecting the boundaries of our Lord. But even if he makes a mistake
it is avery good quality of faith to ask for forgiveness from Allah.
The names of Allah as "The Acceptor of Repentance" (At-Tawwab), "The
All-Forgiving" (Al-Ghaffar), "The All-Merciful" (Ar-Rahman) are
manifested on the believers who regret their mistakes, ask
forforgiveness and turn to Allah.
Believers Take LessonsFrom Their Mistakes
As a result of their faith and fear of Allah,mistakes help believers
become more clean morally. Maybe they make a mistake on one thing, but
they remember that mistake all their lives and avoid making a similar
mistake by taking lessons from it.
However, Allah created human beingsespecially in a character so that
they can use their conscience, feel regret and repent, turn to Him and
ask for His forgiveness and take decisions not to repeat that mistake.
A person must do all he can not to make a mistake; and strive to act
in a very moral way by using his mind, will and conscience to the
end.But when there is a mistake, he needs to act in the way as
described in the Qur'an.
If that mistake has helped the person to better understand his
weakness in the face of Allah's infinite power and his need for Allah,
then this shows that person's sincere faith and fear of Allah. If he
regrets his mistake and fears to be held responsiblein the Day of
Judgment, and if he submits to Allah's mercy and forgiveness, then he
isabiding by the moral values of the Qur'an by Allah's leave. Such a
person prays sincerely so Allah accepts his repentance and forgives
him. He promises to Allah witha true heart not to repeat that mistake.
In one verse, our Lord heralds that He will accept the repentanceof
his sincere servants:
"But if anyone makes repentance after his wrongdoing and puts things
right, Allah will turn towards him. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most
Merciful." (Surat al-Ma'ida, 39)
The Qur'an is the only measure for believers,so their approach to
aperson who makes a mistake is always in line with the moral values of
the Qur'an. Abeliever knows that every person is a human being who is
weak and who can make a mistake easily.He does not forget that Allah
is the One Who creates everything –by Allah's leave- and he can
distinguish a sincere mistake from a deliberate one. When a person is
sincere, hislove or respect would not change because of a single
mistake - by Allah's leave.

Repentance is a blessing that givesrelief to the heart

One of the most important characteristics that distinguishes
unbelievers from believers is that believers repent oftenas an act of
worship. As unbelievers consider themselves faultless and sinless,
they do not feel the need to repent. Believers, on the other hand, do
not want to commit any sins against Allah. However, by their nature,
people can sintemporarily by following their inner selves. They can be
laxin carrying out Allah's commands. But in the end they regret and
turn to Allah and ask for our Lord's forgiveness.
Allah created people as very weak beings. People indulge in negligence
due to ignorance or unawareness; they can be mistaken forgetting even
the subjects they know best, they can think ina wrong or mistaken way,
take the wrong decisions, or act in an unsound manner knowingly or
unknowingly. This is because people have a vicious enemy like satan
who is trying to drag them into rebellion and divert them from the
true path by giving them suggestions. The inner self also commands
evil all the time. People can earn the good pleasure of Allah to the
extent that they can protect themselves from thesetwo negative Powers.
His Highness Master Bediuzzaman says, "Inthese times of distortion and
misery where this world has many captivating attributes, our basic
action point must be to dismiss evil and abandon sins". However no
matter what happens, Allah always guides people to make up for their
mistakes; this guidance is repentance.
It Is a Great Blessing That Our Lord is All-Merciful,
All-Compassionate andKind and Protective toHis Servants
Allah always gives people the opportunity to ask forforgiveness and
repent for their mistakes and sins. A person who sincerely abandons
his mistakes and repents to Allah can hope that Allah will forgive
him. Allah reveals in many verses of the Qur'an that He is
"Forgiving", "Merciful", the "Protector" and "Compassionate". Allah's
names of "At-Tawwab" meaning "The One Who Accepts Repentance" and
"Al-Gaffar" meaning "All-Forgiving" and "Ar-Rahman"
meaning"All-Merciful" manifeston all those who regret and repent. In
one verse Allah heralds His servants by saying, " Tell My servants
that I am the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful." (Surat al-Hijr,
49).
It is impossible to claim that a person has not made any mistakes and
been faultless and perfect throughout his entire life, because people
are created as beings capable of making mistakes. Our Almighty Lord is
the One Who is All-Forgiving and All-Merciful. Therefore, believers
have to take notice of their mistakes, which they made knowingly or
unknowingly by falling into negligence or listening to their inner
selves. They have to regret their mistakes and direct themselves to
the right path and turn toour Lord as soon as possible and strive not
to make that mistake again. Of course a person has tobe careful not to
make mistakes and commit sins and protect the boundaries of our Lord;
but when he makes a mistake in spite of this, it is a great
characteristic ofa believer to ask forgiveness from Allah. Our Lord's
names "The One Who Accepts Repentance" (At-Tawwab), "All-Forgiving"
(Al-Gaffar), "All-Merciful" (Ar-Rahman) manifest on believers who
regret their mistakes, repent and turn to Allah.
Repenting Very Often Is an Important Believer Characteristic
Repenting frequently is a sign of the believer's humility and
awareness of his weakness in the face of Allah. It is a behavior that
pleasesAllah. In return for this act of worship, Allah gives relief
to, lifts the burdens on and opens the minds of those who repent
often.
With Repentance AllahWants People to LearnLessons and Notice Their Mistakes
One of the wisdoms ofrepentance is that thebeliever experiences real
regret and turns to Allah without wasting any time and strives not to
repeat that mistake. Therefore, he repents in a true and sincere
manner. He repents and keeps his word that he will remain onthe right
path until the end of his life. In the Qur'an, the point of view of
someone who sincerely repentsis described in the verse, " Allah only
accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and then
quickly make repentance after doing it. Allah turns towards such
people. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise..." (Surat an-Nisa', 17) In
another verse, Allah reveals how a believer should behave, " Those
who, when they act indecently or wrong themselves, remember Allah and
ask forgiveness for their bad actions (andwho can forgive bad actions
except Allah?) and do not knowinglypersist in what they were doing."
(Surah Al 'Imran Suresi, 135).
Submitting to Allah right after making mistakes and not delaying
repentance is an important point. This is because as Master
Bediuzzaman describes, "(If mistakes) are not erased with repentance,
they turn into a poisonous snake that bites the heart. Once the heart
is stained it becomes open to further stains.So man falls into a
(corrupt) circle. Every sin brings a new one; not only this but also
it destroys the feelings of repentance and regret (jealousy). In the
end the secret behind the verse "Their hearts have rusted" (Surat
al-Mutaffifin, 14) becomes visible."
Of course, even if a person who experiences true regret carefully
strivesnot to repeat that mistake or sin, he can still fall into the
same mistake. This situationshould not lead to thisperson losing his
self-confidence. For every person there is an opportunity to repent
and sincerely submit to Allah until death.
However a person should not be mistaken for the time he has been
given. He should not behave in a ways to abuse Allah's mercy,
forgivingness, grace. He should use the time Allah grants him and find
guidance by repentance and asking for forgivenesswhile there is still
time. This is because faith and repentance at the moment of death may
not be accepted in the sight of Allah. Therefore he needs to behave
like he will die any moment and strive to edify.
It should not be forgotten that a person can make small or big
mistakes throughout his life, but as long as he repents and submits to
Allah Who forgives and accepts repentance and turns evil into good
with a sincere heart, he can hope that his mistakeswill be forgiven.
Allah always answers for repentance. Allah forgives his mistakes and
turns them into good and rewards his good deeds with the best.
Every Mistake Is Created for a Reason
Allah's merciful name is one of the greatest blessings and
conveniences our Lord bestowed on people. It is an ill conjecture that
people fall into hopelessness and think that they will never recover
from their mistakes. A person who ignores Allah's mercy, compassion,
forgivingness torments himself and acts in a way not in line with the
morality of the Qur'an. Mistakes increase the degrees of believers,
who immediately abandons their mistakes and compensates for theseby
displaying the right attitude in line with the Qur'an, in the
hereafter; make them more mature and help His servants better
understand their weaknesses and helplessness. The important thing is
to regret and repent without insisting on one's sins. In the verses,
our Lord reveals that He will forgive those who do good deeds, pay
alms and live the moral values of the Qur'an and take them under His
grace:
"But I am Ever-Forgiving to anyone who makes tawba and has faith and
acts rightly and then is guided." (Surah Ta Ha, 82)
One of the reasons that distract people from the morality of religion
is to see themselves as people "who are compulsive and will never get
better" as a result of guilt due to their sins. Satan constantly
provokes these people who forget the Ar-rahman and Ar-Rahim names of
Allah and that Allah is the One Who accepts repentance and has
infinite mercy and suggests them the idea "you are already a sinner,
it is impossible for you to recover, accept it as it is." Then satan
pulls them into a greater mire with deceptions like "you have sinned
once, it is okay to do it again". He uses the feeling of embarrassment
a person feels in the face of Allah because of his sin and abuses this
feeling to draw that person away from Allah completely.But this
practice is weak like satan's every trick, because when a person sins
it does not mean that this person will not find the right path from
now on. Allah reveals in the Qur'an that He will forgive allwho
sincerely repentsfor their sins, ask for forgiveness and strivenot to
commit that sinagain as such: "But if anyone makes tawba after his
wrongdoing and puts things right, Allah will turn towards him. Allah
is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surat al-Ma'ida, 39)

The collection and compilation of the Quran

Part 1: During the Lifetime of the Prophet .
A study of the compilation of textmust begin with the character of the
book itself as it was handed down by Muhammad to his Companions during
his lifetime. It was not delivered or revealed all at once.
The Noble Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad piecemeal over a
period of twenty-three years from the timewhen he began to preach the
Message of Islam in Makkah in 610 CE until his death at Madeenah in
632 CE. The Quran itself declares that Allaah addressed Prophet
Muhammad with what means: "…And We have spaced it distinctly." [Quran
25:32]
Furthermore, no chronological record of the sequence of passages was
kept by Muhammad himself or his Companions so that, as each of these
began to be collected into an actual Soorah (chapter), no thought was
given as to theme, order of deliverance or chronological sequence. It
is acknowledged by all Muslim writers that most of the chapters,
especially the longer ones, are composite texts containing various
passages not necessarily linked to each other in the sequence in which
they were given. As time went on Muhammad would say words to the
effect of: "Put this passagein the chapter in which so-and-sois
mentioned", or: "Put it in such and such a place." [As-Suyooti,
Al-Itqaan fee 'Uloom Al-Quran, p.141] Thus, passages were added to
compilations of other passages already collected together until each
of these became a distinct chapter. The evidence that a number of
these chapters already had their recognised titles during the lifetime
of Muhammad . is thefollowing two Prophetic narrations: "Anyone who
recites the last two verses of Soorah Al-Baqarah (The Cow, chapter 2)
at night, they will suffice him." [Al-Bukhaari] And: "If anyone learns
by heart the first ten verses of the Soorah Al-Kahf (the Cave, No.
18), he will be protectedfrom the Dajjaal (Antichrist)." [Muslim]
At the same time, there is also reason to believe that there wereother
chapters to which titles were not necessarily given by Prophet
Muhammad . An example of this is Soorah Al-Ikhlaas [Chapter 112], for
although the Prophet spoke at some length about it and said it was
equal to one-third of the whole Quran, he did not mention it by name.
[Muslim]
As the Quran developed, the Prophet's Companions took portions of it
down in writing and also committed its passages to memory. It appears
that the memorisation of the text was theforemost method of recording
itscontents as the very word Quran means 'recitation'. From the very
first word delivered to Muhammad by the angel Jibreel (Gabriel) on
Mount Hiraa', namely Iqra' – 'Recite!' [Chapter 96:1], we can see that
the verbal recitation of its passages was very highly esteemed and
consistently practiced. Nevertheless, it is to actual written records
of its text that the Quran itself bears witness in the following verse
(which means): "[It is recorded] in honoured sheets. Exalted and
purified. [Carried] by the hands ofmessenger-angels. Noble and
dutiful." [Quran: 80:13-16]
Furthermore, there is evidence that even during the early days
ofProphet Muhammad in Makkah, portions of the Quran as then delivered
were being written down. When 'Umar was still a pagan, he one day
struck his sister when he heard her reading a portion of the Quran.
Upon seeing blood on her cheek, however, he relented and said: "Give
me this sheet which I heard you reading just now so that I may see
what Muhammad has brought." [Ibn Is-Haaq, SeeratRasoolullaah, p.156].
On reading the portion of the twentieth chapter (of the Quran) which
she had been reading, he became a Muslim.
Nonetheless, it appears that rightup to the end of the life of
Muhammad the practice of memorisation predominated over the writing
down of the Quran and was regarded as more important.
In the Hadeeth (narrations) records, we read that the angel Jibreel is
said to have checked therecitation of the Quran every Ramadhaan with
Prophet Muhammad and, in his (the Prophet ) final year, he (Jibreel)
checked it with him twice. Faatimah said: "The Prophet, sallallaahu
alayhi wa sallam, told me, 'Jibreel used to recite the Quran to me and
I to him once a year, but this year he recited the whole Quran with me
twice. I think that my death is approaching.'" [Al-Bukhaari]
Some of the closest Companions of the Prophet devoted themselves to
learning the text of the Quran by heart. These included Ubayy Ibn
Ka'b, Mu'aath Ibn Jabal, Zayd Ibn Thaabit, Abu Zayd and Abu Ad-Dardaa'
. Abdullaah Ibn Mas'ood collected more than ninety of theone hundred
and fourteen chapters by himself, learning the remaining chapters from
other Companions.
Regarding the written materials, there are no records as to exactlyhow
much of the Quran was written down during the lifetime of Prophet
Muhammad . There is no evidence to suggest that anyone actually
compiled the whole text of the Quran into a single manuscript, whether
directly under the authority of Prophet Muhammad or otherwise.
With the death of Prophet Muhammad in 632 CE, the revelation stopped,
as the Quran had become complete. There could be no further revelation
once its chosen recipient had passed away. While he lived, however,
there was always the possibility that new passages could be added and
it hardly seemed appropriate, therefore, to contemplate codifying the
textinto one harmonious whole. Thus, it is not surprising to find that
the book was widely scattered in the memories of men and in writing on
various different materials at the time of the death of the Prophet .
There were only a few disputes among the Companions about the text of
the Quran while the Prophet was alive, unlike those which arose soon
after his death. All these factors explain the absence of an official
codifiedtext at the time of his death. Imaam As-Suyooti stated that
the Quran, as sent down from Allaah in separate stages, had been
completely written down and carefully preserved, but that it had not
been assembled into one single location during the lifetime of Prophet
Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, [Ibn Is-haaq, Seerat
Rasoolullaah, p.96]
All of it was said to have been available in principle, for the
Companions had absorbed it in their memories and it had been written
down on separate materials. The final order of the various verses and
chapters is also presumed to have been defined by the Prophet while he
was still alive.

The history of the Noble Quran

The Quran is the backbone of Islam. On this Sacred Book of Allaah
depends the Islamic call, state, society and the civilisation of
theMuslim world. It is the last Divine revelation, which was sent down
to Prophet Muhammad , the last and final of all Prophets, may Allaah
exalt their mention. His task was to convey the message of worshipping
the One God, Allaah, without ascribing any partners to Him. The Noble
Quran, which is thesource of guidance and mercy to mankind, is divided
into one hundred and fourteen (114) Soorahs (chapters) of varying
lengths. Ninety-three chapters were revealed in Makkah, while the
remaining twenty-one were revealed in Madeenah.
The first revelation that the Prophet received was Soorat Al-'Alaq,
which was in Makkah where Soorat An-Najm was to later became the first
to be recited openly to the people. In Madeenah, Soorat Al-Mutaffifeen
was the first one revealed after the Hijrah (migration). The Prophet
had to flee to Madeenah to save his own life and the lives of his
followers, upon thecommand of Allaah.
The last verse sent down to the Prophet was thesaying of Allaah which
means: "…This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed
My favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion..."
[Quran: 5:3]
Some chapters in the Quran focus on the call toIslam as guidance for
humanity. They focus upon monotheism and the fight against polytheism
and idolatry. Thus, stress is laid on all that is related to faith. In
other chapters, attention is given to legislation, acts of worship,
relationships among people and the laws that regulate matters within
the Muslim community, government, and family.
A number of chapters inform about Resurrection, the Hereafter and the
unseen; others relate the stories of various prophets and their calls
to their people to return to Allaah. We see how theprevious nations
were severely punished when they disobeyed Allaah and denied the
messagesof previous prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention.
In addition, several chapters focus on the story of creation and the
development of human life. In fact, Makkan revelations made the
Muslims' faith in Allaah firmly established. On theother hand,
Madeenan revelations were meant to translate the faith into action and
give details ofthe Divine Law.
Allaah will forever preserve the Quran against all attempts to destroy
or corrupt it. Being guarded by Allaah, it will always remain pure.
There does not exist a single copy with any variation from the
recognised text.
Any attempt of alteration has resulted in failure.
Upon the command of the Prophet his Companions would write down what
was revealedof the Noble Quran. They used, for this purpose, palm
branches stripped of leaves, parchments, shoulder bones, stone
tablets, etc. About forty people were involved in this task. Among
them was Zayd Ibn Thaabit who showed his work to the Prophet . Thus,
theQuran was correctly arranged during the Prophet's life, but it was
not yet compiled into one book. In the meantime, most of the Prophet's
Companions memorised the Quran.
When Abu Bakr became Caliph after the Prophet died, a large number of
the Companions were killed during the War of Apostasy. 'Umar Ibn
Al-Khattaab went to the Caliph and discussed the idea of compiling
theQuran into one volume. He was disturbed, as most of those who
memorised it had died. Then, Abu Bakr called for Zayd and commissioned
him to collect the Quran into one book, which became known as the
'Mus-haf.'
After Zayd accomplished this great task and organized the Quran into
one book, he submitted the precious collection to Abu Bakr who kept it
in his possession until the end of his life. During the caliphate of
'Umar it was kept with his daughter Hafsah who was also a wife of the
Prophet .
During the Caliphate of 'Uthmaan Islam reached many countries, and
readers began to recite the Quran in different ways (dialects).
'Uthmaan then had various copies made and sent them out to the
different Muslim lands, lest these dialects would cause alterations to
the Quran, and kept the original copy with Hafsah . Thus, the Quran
remained preserved and the Caliph was very muchpleased with his
achievement.
Today, every copy of the Quran conforms with the standard copy of
'Uthmaan . In fact, Muslims over the ages excelled in producing
thebest manuscripts of the Noble Quran in the most wonderful
handwriting. With the introduction of printing, more and more editions
of the Noble Quran became available all over the world.

Consistency between the Quran and modern science –I

Cosmology
These theories involve a lot of very sophisticated mathematics for a
full understanding. Basically,they concern the laws of motion under
high speeds approaching the speed of light (special relativity) and
the impact of strong gravitational fields (general relativity) applied
to the explanation of cosmological phenomena. What is a wonder and an
indication of the universality of Islam is that several of the key
scientific findings in modern cosmology, according to some scientists,
seem to be reflected in the Noble Quran, revealed by Allaah to the
Prophet Muhammad , more than 1400 years ago.
These findings are: (a) the 'big bang theory' of how the universe
began; (b) the expansion of the universe and (c) relativityof time.
The Big Bang Theory and the Unity of Creation
Most cosmologists today have accepted the Big Bang Theory in
describing the origin of the universe. This theory states that the
universe began at a single hot, dense point, or 'singularity'. Out of
this point developed what is often referred to as 'cosmic soup', a
constant interchange between matter and energy with no separation
between stars and planets or the heavens and the Earth as we recognise
them.
The Noble Quran appears to be consistent with this theory; Allaah Says
(what means): "Have those who disbelieved not considered that the
heavens and the earth were ajoined entity, and We separated them..."
[Quran 21:30] This verse clearly describes the initial unity of all
creation and subsequent division of the universe into the phenomena we
observe. Abdullaah Yusuf Ali, in the notes to his English translation
of the twenty first Quranic chapter, points out, that as man acquires
more knowledge about the physical world, he is also bound to expand
his awareness of the overriding unity in the cosmos. As an example, he
cites the discovery of the direct correlation between measurements of
sunspot activity and changes in the Earth's magnetic field. There are
many other examples in our daily life, including the influence of the
moon on the tides and women's monthly cycle, the influence of the
Earth's magnetic field on the migration of birds, gravitational and
centrifugal forces that keep the solar system bound together in
harmony, preventing planets from flying away and crashing into each
other.
In essence, the initial unity of creation continues to exist, not in
the form of a singularity, but through various bonding relationships
that allow multiple forms of creation to maintain their linkage to the
initial'oneness' of the universe.
The Expansion and Structure of the Universe
The Quran points to the continued expansion of the universe in the
verse (which means): "And the heaven We constructed with strength, and
indeed, We are [its]expander." [Quran 51:47] In 1929, American
astronomer Edwin Hubble discovered that the farther a galaxy was from
the Earth, the greater the speed of its outward movement. In fact, he
found the movement of a galaxy to be directly proportional to its
distance. This means that if a galaxy is ten times as far away as
another galaxy, it is moving at ten times the speed.
Based on this discovery, and other observations, scientists have
concludedthat the universe is expanding. Furthermore, Dr. Haruk
Nurbaki, in his book 'Verses of the Koranand Facts of Science', states
that the Quran alsosuggests a structure of the universe which
corresponds to modern scientific findings. The Quran states (what
means): "[It is Allaah] who created the seven heavens in layers. "
[Quran 67: 3]
Dr. Nurbaki correlates thereference to the seven heavens with the
descriptions of cosmic regions by modern scientists. He states that
when one looks at space from Earth, he is surrounded by seven magnetic
fields extending into the infinity of space. These fields consist of
(i) the spatial field occupied by Earth and the rest of the solar
system; (ii) the spatial field of the Earth'sgalaxy, the Milky Way;
(iii) the spatial field occupied by a 'local cluster' of galaxies to
which the Milky Way belongs; (iv) the central magnetic field of the
universe represented by a collectivity of clustered galaxies; (v) the
band represented by quasars, which serve as 'star hatcheries'; (vi)
the field of the expanding universe, represented by the receding
galaxies; and (vii) the outermost field of space representing
infinity.
The Relativity of Time
Dr. Mansour Hassab-Elnaby, in a paper entitled: 'A New Astronomical
Quranic Method for the Determination of the Greatest Speed C', asserts
that the Quran establishes a time/space reference system, which is
indicative of the relativity of time and the constancy of the speed
oflight (represented by 'C' in scientific notation). Albert Einstein
used theseconcepts to establish his well-known 'field equations' which
providethe mathematical explanation for the interaction of matter,
energy, space and time inthe universe. The basis ofDr. Hassab-Elnaby's
paperis the Quranic verse (which means): "He arranges[each] matter
from the heaven tothe earth; then it will ascend to Him in a Day, the
extent of which is a thousand years of those which you count." [Quran
32:5]
Thus, the Quran suggests that time is not absolute in the universe, a
discovery made only in the early part of the twentieth century. The
abovementioned Quranicverse, according to Dr. Hassab-Elnaby, implies a
'cosmic affair' of extremely high speed, making it possible to travel,
in one day, the distance the moon travelsaround the Earth over a
period of 1,000 years. The use of the lunar calendar in reckoning
Earth time is explicitly stated in the following verse (which means):
"…[It is Allaah who made] the moon a derived light and determined for
it phases – that you may know the number of years and account [of
time]…" [Quran 10:5]
Furthermore, Dr. Hassab-Elnaby uses the mathematical relationship
given in this verse – one day of 'cosmic reckoning' equal to a
thousand years of 'Earth reckoning' – along with established
scientific data on the movements of the Earth and the moon to
calculate the speed which provides a linkage between the two systemsof
reckoning time. The resulting speed, he points out, is
299,792.458kilometres per second, which is exactly, to the decimal
point, the speed of light recorded by the United States National
Bureau of Standards.
The Quran as Part of Universal Order
The correlation between the findings of science in the past century
and the Quran highlights the importance of preservingthe written word,
emphasised in Islam because it bridges space and time, providing
inspiration and verification for those separated from direct contact
with the Prophet Muhammad and his companions . It has also led some
scientists totake a closer look at the Quran.
Dr. Maurice Bucaille of the French Academy of Science, author of 'The
Bible, the Koran and Science' , states that "…It comes as no surprise
to learn that religion and science have always beenconsidered to be
twin sisters by Islam and that today, at a time when science has taken
such great strides, they continue to be associated. Furthermore,
certain scientific data areused for a better understanding of the
Quranic text. What is more, in a century wherefor many scientific
truth has dealt a deathblow to religious belief, it is precisely the
discoveries of science that, in an objective examination of the
Islamic Revelation, have highlighted the supernatural character
ofcertain aspects of the revelation." Islam encourages man's search
for knowledge to both enhance appreciation of the cosmic order and
augment his capability toserve as a representative of Allaah in
governing the affairs of the Earth. The Quran seems to call attention
to the importance of observing the heavens in this search. It states
(what means): " And We made the skya protected ceiling, but they, from
its signs, turned away." [Quran 21:32]
Thus, important evidenceseems to be emerging in the modern world that
the Quran contains revelation which transcends space and time, forming
a part of the cosmic order to guidethe path of mankind and strengthen
the bond between religion and science.

How can we understand the divine descent during the night in different countries?.

Names and Attributes of Allah, -
It is narrated in the hadeeth that "Allaah descends every night to the
lowest heaven during the last third of the night..." When does the last
third of the night begin, and when does it end? And how does Allaah
descend in different countries?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There are mutawaatir ahaadeeth from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) which prove that Allaah descends. The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Our Lord
descends to the lowest heaven every night when the last third of the
night remains, and He says, 'Who will call upon Me, that I may answer
him? Who will ask of Me, that Imay give him? Who will ask Me for
forgiveness, that I may forgive him?'"
Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah are unanimously agreed that Allaah
descends in amanner that befits Him, and that He is not like His
creation at all in any of His attributes, as He says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad): He is Allaah, (the) One.
Allaah-us-Samad [Allaah -- the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all
creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)].
He begets not, nor was He begotten.
And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him"
[al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4]
"There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer"
[al-Shoora 42:11]
According to Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah, we must accept the verses
and ahaadeeth that speak of the attributes of Allaah as they are,
without distorting them, denyingany of His attributes, trying to
imagine how they are or trying to liken Him to any of His creation; at
the same time we must believe in them and believe that what is said in
these texts is true, without likening Allaah to His creation or
discussing the nature of His attributes. Rather their view concerning
His attributes is like their view concerning His essence: Ahl
al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah affirm theEssence of Allaah without discussing
how it is, or likening Him to any of His creation, and thus we must
also affirm His attributes without discussing how they are,or likening
these attributes to the attributes of any of His creation. The descent
of Allaah happens in every country in a manner thatbefits Allaah,
because the descent of Allaah cannot be likened to the descent of any
of His creation. He is described as descending in the last part of the
night in all parts of the world in a manner that befits His Majesty,
may He be exalted. No one can know how He descends just as no one can
know how His Essence is, except Him.
"There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer"
[al-Shoora 42:11 - interpretation of the meaning]
"So put not forward similitudes for Allaah (as there is nothing
similar to Him, nor He resemblesanything). Truly, Allaah knows and you
know not"
[al-Nahl 16:74 - interpretation of the meaning]
The first and last third ofthe night differ according to the season.
If the night is nine hourslong then the time of descent begins at the
onset of the seventh hour, until dawn comes. If the night is twelve
hours long then the last third begins at the beginning of the ninth
hour until dawn comes, and so on, depending onhow long or short the
night is in each place. And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah by Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn
'Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 4, p. 420

The meaning of Allaah’s name al-Haafiz .

Names and Attributes of Allah, -
Can you give me an explanation of the beautiful names of Allah: Al Hafiz ?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The name al-Haafiz is mentioned in the verse in which Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"He said: 'Can I entrust him to you except as I entrusted his brother
[Yoosuf (Joseph)] to you aforetime? But Allaah is the Best to guard
(Haafiz), and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy'"
[Yoosuf 12:64]
Allaah also calls Himself al-Hafeez in several places in the Qur'aan.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Surely, my Lord is Guardian over all things (Hafeez)"
[Hood 11:57]
al-Khattaabi said in Sha'n al-Du'aa' (67-68): "Al-Hafeez means
al-Haafiz. Both are activeparticiples but the form Hafeez carries a
more intensive meaning, as in the words al-Qadeer (All-powerful) and
al-'Aleem (All-knowing). He guards or keeps the heavens and the earth
and everything therein, so that they will remain for as long as they
are toremain, and will not disappear. This is like the verses
(interpretation of the meaning):
'and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them'
[al-Baqarah 2:255]
'And to guard against every rebellious devil'
[al-Saffaat 37:7]
He is the One Who protects His slaves from destruction and calamityand
disaster, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"For him (each person), there are angels in succession, before and
behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allaah"
[al-Ra'd 13:11]
He keeps the records of His slaves' deeds, and he keeps a record of
what they say; He knows their intentions and what is intheir hearts.
Nothing is hidden from Him.
He protects His close friends (awliya') from falling into sin, and he
guards them against the plots of the Shaytaan so that they will be
safe from his evil and his temptation."
Al-Sa'di said in his Tafseer (18): "Al-Hafeez is the One who protects
that which He has created, and Whose knowledge encompassesthat which
He has brought into existence. He protects His slaves from falling
into sin and disaster, and He takes care of them in all situations. He
records the deeds of His slaves and the reward or punishment for
that.".