Sunday, 25 April 2010

Project 99', the story thus far...

Earlier this month I mentioned that there was a project which I have taken up on Allahs Names and Attributes - which I have named Project 99' (which is befitting for 99 names in 99 Days). This Insha'Allah, has the aims for me to learn, understand and gain much closeness to our Rabb, The All Mighty, The All Merciful.

Here is a good link and source which I have used to gain further information for Project 99': http://www.tayyibaat.com/names-of-allah/. I have been receiving daily texts, a Asma wa Sifaat each day, Subhan'Allah, Jazak Allah Khayr to Allahs most deserving of Abds.

12 Days into the Project 99', I have covered the following:

Day 1: Ismul Jalaalah, The Grand Name: Allah الله.

This is Allah’s Personal Name. His Identifying Name. This Name only belongs to Allah, no one else can have besides Allah. Allah is the Title, the Name, of the One True Ilaah. The Name of Allah, you cannot play around with: there is no plural, there is no feminine. The Name Allah appears over 3000 times in the Qur’an.

When we mentioned the Name “Allah” linguistically, we don’t say “the word Allah” or “the Name Allah” because it is not appropriate. It is only for Allah ta’ala, so we say: Lafdhul Jalaalah, لفظ الجلالة، the word that is Grand.

Day 2: Ar-Rahman - The One who has extensive and Great Mercy (Believers and Non Believers)

Day 3: Ar-Raheem- The One who has extensive and Great Mercy but He expresses it on the ones whom He chooses (Believers)

Both of the names Rahman and Raheem come from the root Ra-ha-meem (ر ح م), these names are similar so they require a parallel explanation. What is Rahmah? Rahmah is mercy. In the dictionary it means: ar-rifqa wa ta’attuf, compassion, kindness and gentleness, when a person is kind, compassionate and tenderhearted towards the other. So Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem: The One who has a lot of Rahmah, The One who shows a lot of rahmah, He expresses a lot of Rahmah. There are two Names of Allah with the same root, to emphasize that Allah is really the MOST Merciful, there is no one else who is more merciful than Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.

Ar-Rahman is structure of fa’laan, Ar-Raheem is structure of fa’eel. They both have mubaalaghah (intensification). What is the difference? Rahman has more mubaalagah (intensification) than Raheem.

So ar Rahmaan indicates the One who has extensive and great mercy.
So who is Ar Raheem then? He is the One who has extensive and great mercy but He expresses it on the ones whom He chooses. So Ar-Rahman extends to all of His creation including disbelievers, and Ar-Raheem extends to Allah’s special mercy only for the believers.

Examples from the Qur’an

Surah 20: 5: Ar Rahman ‘alal ‘arsh istawaa’. The Most Merciful, upon the throne He rose. He established His throne and showed Mercy towards all His creation.

Surah 55:1-5: Ar Rahman, Who is He? ‘alamal Qur’an, He taught the Qur’an, khalaqal insaan and He created mankind. This mercy is not just for the believers, but for everyone (insaan).

Raheem only to the believers: Surah 33:43: wa kaana bil mu’mineena raheema. One who is especially merciful to the believers.

Surah 2:37: Innahu huwa at-Tawwaabur Raheem. Indeed He is the Greatest Acceptor of Repentance, the especially Merciful. Tawwaab is for those who turn to Allah, i.e to the believers.

Combinations of these Names:
These Names appear many times together. First example, the basmalah, and second verse of Fatihah. They appear together to express a lot of Mercy, Allah is the One who is THE MOST Merciful.

Day 4: Al-Malik - The King and Owner of Dominion

Allah has three Names that are similar to Malik: Maleek (مليك) and Maalik (مالك). The meaning for all three names is: One who possesses the attribute of Mulk. What is Mulk? Kingdom, dominion, power, authority. Mulk has three meanings:

1)Possession and ownership (لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ To Him belongs the Ownership of the heavens and earth 2:107)

2)Control and authority (لَكُمُ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ For you in the authority this day 40:29)

3)Ability and power (لاَ يَمْلِكُونَ They do not possess ability 13:16)

Duaas with these Names:
There is a hadeeth in Bukhari and Muslim, whoever says: la ilaha il Allahu waHadu, la shareeka lahu, lahul Mulk, wa lahul Hamdu, wa huwa ‘alaa kuli shayyin Qadeer,
‘None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone, without partner, to Him belongs all sovereignty and praise, and He is over all things omnipotent.’
100times he will receive the reward of freeing ten slaves. There are many variations of this duaa that we learn from the sunnah.

Day 5: Al-Quddus - The Holy One, The One who is free from blemishes

The One who is Very Pure, Absolutely Pure, He is far and above anything that does not befit Him.

Al-Quddus is from the root qaaf-daal-seen (ق د س), Al-Quddus has two meanings linguistically. It is on the structure of fu’ool, a form of mubaalagah/intensification.

1. First meaning of Qaf-daal-seen (ق د س), quds, is taharah (cleanliness). The verb qadasa is from the same root and it is used for the movement of a bucket. Why is it called qadasa? Because from the bucket that has water, you will obtain purity and cleanliness. Taqdees (تقديس) means taTheer (تطهير), to purify and wash. taTheer is the highest form of cleanliness. There are three levels of cleanliness (as shown in the sunnah duaa):
‘O Allah, distance me from my sins just as You have distanced The East from The West, O Allah, purify me of my sins as a white robe is purified of filth, O Allah, cleanse me of my sins with snow, water, and ice.’

2. The second meaning of this root is Barakah, a lot of goodness. Ardhul Muqaddasah (The Land that is Pure) also means Ardhul Mubaarakah (The Land that is Blessed). Allah says in the first ayah of Suratul Israa: إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed. So with this meaning, Al Quddoos means: The One who is Blessed, the One who is the Source of All Good, The One with a lot of Khayr. This root means to be or go far away. So Allah ta’ala is far from any impurity or imperfection.

Day 6: As-Salaam - The Perfection and Giver of Peace

There are two meanings of the Name As-Salaam:

a) The Perfection.

b) The Giver of Peace and Security.

Linguistically, salaam and salaamah mean baraa’ah: immunity, to be free of something and to be unblemished. According to ibn Al Arabi, salaamah means ‘aafiyah: well being, to be safe and good. We see in the Qur’an that a quality of ebaadur Rahmaan (slaves of The Most Merciful) is: وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا “and when the ignorant address them, they reply with words of peace” (25:63). They say “salaama” to the ignorant, meaning they don’t want anything to do with their conversation. Also, Jannah is called Dar us Salaam (10:25), it is free of all grief, death, worries, tensions, fatigues, enmities, hatred, and it is a place of safety. Also when we say “assalaamu alaykum”, it means, you are safe from me and you will not receive any sharr (evil) from me.

Day 7: Al-Mu'min - The Giver of Peace
Day 8: Al-Muhaymin - The Giver of Protection
Day 9: Al-Azeez - The Majestic, The Mighty One
Day 10: Al-Jabbar - The Overpowering Lord
Day 11: Al Mutakabbir - The Self-Glorious
Day 12: Al Khaliq - The Creator

Insha'Allah, there is much to be to learn and write on this significant topic of each Name and Attribute of Allah (swt), definitelty not enough for a Blogg post. May Allah provide us All with Ilm about His Divinity, so we may better equip ourselves to His Servititude, always Day and Night. Insha'Allah I shall keep you posted on the next batch.

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