Importance of studying the names of Allah and His attributes (Part 5) – Sunday Nov. 18th 2012

Before we study any name of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aala) we need to study the rules concerning the names of Allah and their attributes because they indicate your belief.

We discussed that Allah’s names are Tawqifiyyah. Another evidence for this is in Surah Israa’ verse 36:

وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۚ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا

And follow not (O man i.e., say not, or do not or witness not, etc.) that of which you have no knowledge (e.g. one’s saying: “I have seen,” while in fact he has not seen, or “I have heard,” while he has not heard). Verily! The hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those you will be questioned (by Allah).

 

The 5^th rule regarding Allah’s Names and Attributes:

The Names of Allah are not restricted to a certain number.

Evidence: On the Day of Judgement when the people are in severe distress and they will be seeking the intercession of the Prophets, the Prophet Muhammed (Salla-Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) told us that he will be the one to intercede.

He said: “Then I will ask my Lord for permission and He will give me permission, and He will inspire me with words of praise with which I will praise Him, words that I do not know now. So I will praise Him with those words of praise and I will fall down prostrate before Him.”

[Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 7510]

Evidence 2: The Du’aa of the distressed person:

اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّي عَبْـدُكَ ابْنُ عَبْـدِكَ ابْنُ أَمَتِـكَ نَاصِيَتِي بِيَـدِكَ، مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ، عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤكَ أَسْأَلُـكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ سَمَّـيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ أِوْ أَنْزَلْتَـهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ، أَوْ عَلَّمْـتَهُ أَحَداً مِنْ خَلْقِـكَ أَوِ اسْتَـأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الغَيْـبِ عِنْـدَكَ أَنْ تَجْـعَلَ القُرْآنَ رَبِيـعَ قَلْبِـي، وَنورَ صَـدْرِي وجَلَاءَ حُـزْنِي وذَهَابَ هَمِّـي

O Allah, I am Your slave and the son of Your male slave and the son of your female slave . My forehead is in Your Hand (i.e. you have control over me) . Your Judgement upon me is assured and Your Decree concerning me is just . I ask You by every Name that You have named Yourself with , revealed in Your Book , taught any one of Your creation or kept unto Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen that is with You , to make the Qur’an the spring of my heart, and the light of my chest, the banisher of my sadness and the reliever of my distress. [ Ahmad 1/391]

These 99 names have significance – Ibn Qayyim (Rahimahullaah) said “Ihsaa is to know the names from the Qur’an and Sunnah, to understand the meaning of the names,and to call Allah by these names”

We have two kinds of Du’aa:
1) Du’aa Al Mas’ala – You will ask Allah your request with the suitable name. When you seek the cure for your sickness, you will ask Ash-Shafi. When you are in distress and seeking relief you ask Allah Ar-Rahman, etc.

2) Du’aa al ‘Ibaadah – To worship Allah; to perform the acts of worship. Performance of the acts of worship is Du’aa. Whoever performs the acts of worship, whether it is prayer or fasting, he is a Da’yi. He is calling Allah by his state.

For example: You are praying. When you are praying it is as if you are saying, “O Allah I am offering the Salah hoping for the forgiveness of my sins, to attain your love, pleasure, and your paradise.” You didn’t say that but offering the Salah is as if you are asking Allah by your state.

Or you are making Umrah, doing Tawaf and Sa’i. Your action is as if you are saying, ‘O Allah forgive my sins”

To live according to this name in your life is also Du’aa Al ‘Ibaadah. When you wear your proper hijaab you are worshiping Allah  (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aala) by his name Al Hayyiy (The Modest) and Al Maalik (The King). You are wearing hijaab because He is Al Maalik. He is the one who created and gave His command.

If you are seeking lawful earnings you are worshiping Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aala) by the name At-Tayyib. Allah is good and accepts only the good.