Allah’s Name: Al Qaadir, Al Qadeer , Al Muqtadir (Part 12) – 22nd April 2012

Last week’s post, we mentioned  3 stories in which the impact of Allah’s Ability can be seen. There are two more stories in Surat al Baqarah, which show Allah’s Great Ability:

• Bani Israel asked Musa (‘alayhisalaam) boldly to see Allah face to face. Allah caused them to die to show them His Ability and then gave life to them again. This is one event in which Allah showed His Great Ability to the Israelites.
• A group of people ran out of fear of death from a plague. Allah caused them to die and gave life to them once again. This event tells us that no precautions can prevent the Qadar of Allah; no matter what you do, if Allah wills something to happen it will happen.

Fruits of Believing in the Name Al Qaadir, Al Qadeer and Al Muqtadir:

1- Belief in the Qadar strengthens your reliance and Tawakkul.

On the authority of Abu ‘Abbas, ‘Abdullah the son of ‘Abbaas (radhia Allaahu ‘anhu), who said: “One day I was behind the Prophet (salla Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) [riding on the same mount] and he said to me:

“Young man, I shall teach you some of words [of advice]. Be mindful of Allaah, and Allaah will protect you. Be mindful of Allaah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allaah. If you seek help, seek help of Allaah. Know that if the Nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you only with something that Allaah had already prescribed for you, and that if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something Allaah had already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.” -related by at-Tirmidhi, who said it was a good and sound Hadith.

When you know this, you will be at rest, you will not fear people.  It will make you confident in Allah and you will have faith that everything is in Allah’s hands.

 2-  Believing in Al Qadr perfects your patience and makes you pleased with Allah’s actions.

Sometimes when the Qadar of Allah befalls us we are patient in the beginning, but when the calamity is prolonged and we don’t see any relief, very few remain patient. For you to remain patient, you need to strengthen your faith in the  Qadaa’ wa al Qadar.  

The latter state in the above hadith will be the state of the person who would never be satisfied, and would be running for this life. He would always be looking to what people have and not being content at what he has. This is a person who does not believe that Allah has written the Rizq (provision) for everyone.

Sisters and brothers in Islam, It is important for us to be able to differentiate between Allah’s Qadar and the Decreed Matter (The Maqdoor).

Allah’s Qadar is His Actions, His Will, while the Decreed matter is sickness, misguidance, failure, provision, etc.

Notice that there is evil in the matters that have been decreed. It may  be whispered to you by the Shaytaan how Allah can hate something and yet He Wills it?

 Bear in mind that Allah decrees disliked matters for great purposes, for great wisdoms – which our minds cannot comprehend.  Allah has decreed Kufr (disbelief) and no Muslims likes Kufr for themselves. It is permissible for us  not to like the Maqdoor (The Decreed matter) such as sicknesses and misguidance. Had it not been for disbelief, faith would never be known. Had it not been for its existence, we would not appreciate guidance. Had it not been for disbelief, the creation of Hell Fire would be in vain. Had it not been for disbelief, some of the acts of worship such as repentance would have no use. So Allah has decrees disliked matters for great wisdoms.

If we take sickness as an example, we hate being sick but Allah willed it for His slaves.  If we were to be always healthy, we would  end up being unaware of Allah and not invoking him. This will lead to ungratefulness and feeling of self sufficiency.  Allah decrees a sickness in order to bring you back to the right path.

Allah’s Decrees are perfect but He may decree things which He dislikes, and it is permissible for us to dislike it. We are even allowed to repel the disliked decrees such as sicknesses; we repel it by taking the means of healing.

Bear in mind that  the actions of Allah are obligatory upon us to be pleased with but you can either love or hate the decreed matter.  

When we become sick we take medicine though we hate it, because we know there is good in it. We may do something we do not like but we know there is a good in it. And to Allah belongs the best example. He wills things though He dislikes it, but there is good in it for the slave.

You should now apply this to everything you dislike in this life. Whenever Allah has decreed something you dislike you have to know that this is the Qadr of Allah and behind it is great wisdom, which you will realize on the Day of Judgment.

Remember dear sisters and brothers, Allah’s actions are good. You have to be pleased with Allah because everything He Decrees is for a good reason.  Think good, expect good and you will certainly receive good.

3- Another impact of the believing in the Qadar is that it purifies the heart from hatred, envy, jealousy.

The one who  believes in the Qadaa wal Qadar believes Allah has decreed everything, and He has distributed the rizq according to His Wisdom and Knowledge. So in this  life he will not envy people for what they have. He has trust in Allah that He has given everyone the best. Allah gives whomever He wills and He deprives whomever He wills according his wisdom. You may ask, How come Allah has given so and so and He hasn’t given me? Allah tells  you in  Surah Ash Shuraa, Verse 19 :

“Allah is Subtle (kind) with His servants; He gives provisions to whom He wills. And He is the Powerful, the Exalted in Might.”

Allah is Kind (Lateef) to everyone and the impact of His kindness is that He gives whomever He wills.  Allah is strong (Al Qawiyy) and He is able to give you.  No one can prevent Allah from giving you what you wan,t even if the people tried.

and then He answers you in Verse 27:

“And if Allah had extended [excessively] provision for His servants, they would have committed tyranny throughout the earth. But He sends [it] down in an amount which He wills. Indeed He is, of His servants, Acquainted and Seeing.”

Allah knows that if you were to be given provision, you may deviate from the right way. Thus Allah sends provision with measure, according to what suits you best. He does not give you more than what you need, nor does he give you less.

Note: Rizq can be anything; it does not necessarily have to be money. It can be knowledge, health, children, love; it can even be a smile!

Allah is aware of your inner self and the secrets of your heart. He knows what suits you, and he gives you what is the best. Dear brothers and sisters, let us not stretch our eyes to what people have.

Let us use what Allah has granted us, because in that there is great blessing and great benefit . That thing which you do not have and you are asking for could be the reason for your destruction.

When Zakariyyah (‘alayhisalaam) saw Maryam (‘alayha-as Salaam) with the provision of the summer fruits during winter time, and the provision of winter fruits during summer time,  he asked her from where did she get this. Maryam (‘alayha-as Salaam) replied to him saying that Allah gives provision without measure. On the spot, when Zakariyyah heard this he asked Allah to grant him an offspring.

The scholars concluded from the above incident that whenever you see that Allah has granted provision to someone, then on the spot, ask Allah to grant you whatever you want.  

Sister and brothers in Islam, Whenever Allah deprives you from a provision, He wants to hear your Du’a. Ask Him! He loves hearing your voice. Ask Him and He will certainly give it you if it is good for you. Allah is Al Lateef.  He may deprive you of something because there is evil in what you are asking for.