Who Is Allah?
- Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow
- Oct 21, 2020
- 9 min read
By Sharafa Mohammed, Co-Director of Social Media
In Islam, “Allah” is the name we use for God. Though the word has Arabic roots, it is used in many languages to refer to God, whether the speakers are Muslim or non-Muslim. After mentioning Allah (SWT), we append Subhanahu wa Ta'ala which means “Glorified and Exalted is He” (abbreviated as SWT) or Azza wa Jal which means “the Almighty, the Venerable” (abbreviated as AWJ). Linguists say that the word comes from the Arabic word for god or deity ilah (إله) prefixed with the definite article al (ال). The result is the word “al-ilah” (الإله) which means “The God.” In the Qur’an, “Allah” is written as الله, probably a contraction of al-ilah. Allah (SWT) has no gender and is singular. We use the pronouns He and Him when discussing Him because He has used the Arabic pronoun “huwa,” which is the third person singular masculine pronoun, since there is no gender-neutral pronoun in Arabic. In addition, the male gender form in Arabic is inclusive of the female, so Allah (SWT) cannot be distinguished as either. Some linguists say that “Allah” comes from the Arabic word waliha which means “to love, to be loved,” and this is a brilliant manifestation of human nature (Helwa).
There are 99 names of Allah (SWT), but these are not His personal names. Rather, these are descriptions of all His qualities. Jump to the end of this article to see a list of all His names. When translating many of these names, we attribute adjectives to Allah (SWT). But what we must also realize is that Allah (SWT) is the only being who can embody these qualities to the fullest. He possesses these qualities not only in His actions, but in their very existence, for he is the Creator.
Allah (SWT) is Malik al-Mulk, the Lord of the Worlds. He is Al-Khaliq, The Creator. There is not one thing that occurs without His divine knowledge. He is Al-‘Alim (The Omniscient), As-Sami’ (The All-Hearing), Al-Basir (The All-Seeing), and Al-Khabir (The All-Aware, The Knower of Reality). He is everything, for everything that exists begins from Him (Al-Awwal) and everything, including us, will return to Him (Al-Akhir). He is everything because even in duality, we can see His singularity. He is the Master of both the unseen realm, the Hereafter, and the seen realm, this dunya (world). Therefore, He is a bridge between two fundamentally different things, uniting their essence (Helwa). He is Al-Wahid, The One, The Manifestation of Unity. As the Master of the unseen and seen realms, He is Al-Batin, The Invisible, and Az-Zahir, The Revealed.
Though He has created the world which we live in, namely the seen realm, we still cannot understand Him. After all, to what extent can the creation understand the Creator? So, there is a veil between Him and us. The human’s mind is finite, meaning that Allah (SWT) is only what we can comprehend Him to be. He is Al-Baqi, The Eternal, The Ever-Present, but we cannot even fathom what eternal means. Allah (SWT) transcends us. As the Qur’an says, “And if all the trees in the earth were pens and the sea with seven more seas to help it were ink the words of Allah (SWT) could not be exhausted. Allah (SWT) is Exalted in Might and Wise” (Surah Luqman 27). We humans cannot comprehend Allah (SWT)’s Majesty, but there are many of His qualities that we can reflect.
Two of Allah (SWT)’s divine dames are Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim. Both come from the Arabic verb rahima which means “being merciful, loving, and caring in a way that benefits the object of affection” (Helwa). Ar-Rahman means “The Most Merciful” while Ar-Rahim means “The Specifically Merciful” as it is “a specialized form of mercy that is given to those who open their hearts to God” (Helwa). Both names elucidate Allah (SWT)’s quality of being merciful, but beyond that, He is mercy itself. The word Rahman describes an intense and infinite mercy that is happening in the present. In other words, we are experiencing His mercy in each and every aspect of our lives, for within His mercy is love and care. Not only does He bestow mercy, but as mentioned, He embodies mercy itself by being so loving, by being The Most Loving, Al-Wudud. His mercy is so great that we cannot even fathom it.
Allah (SWT) created human beings with a core to their existence. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat 56). Our purpose is to worship Allah (SWT); it is the core of our existence. He created us with a hole in our hearts. This is not a physical hole that we can observe with our eyes. Rather, it is a spiritual hole that we experience until we have found Him (SWT). The human always chases after something. In terms of this dunya, a human wants something that will make him feel less “empty.” Sometimes, this can money or the approval of others, as we wish to be loved by others. But there is no worldly thing that can make us feel whole. A. Helwa says it best in her book Secrets of Divine Love, “Where Allah is metaphorically whole, we are nothing but holes. We are made of atoms, which are 99.99999 made of empty space.…Nothing in this world can fill us because everything in existence is also made of empty atoms.”
When we look beyond this dunya, beyond our worldly matters, we find Allah (SWT). The reality is that what makes us feel complete transcends this world, for only Allah (SWT) has this power. When we run towards Allah (SWT) SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah (SWT)! How free of imperfections is He (SWT)!), we find something that can fill the hole in our hearts. When we chase after Allah (SWT), when we make our pursuit of Him our priority, when we make Him the focus of our lives, we find happiness. Though there are many joys in this dunya, happiness, or the state of being content with our lives, can be difficult to find. The reason for this is only Allah (SWT) can provide this happiness to us. By growing close to Him and by learning to love Him, we find contentment. Note that this is not contentment with the dunya. Rather, it is contentment with the Creator, particularly our relationship with our Creator, and the realization that He is always with us, for Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an, “And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein” (Surah Qaf 16).
Humans were made to reach for Allah (SWT). Reaching for anything else is like reaching for emptiness (Helwa). This is our connection with Allah (SWT), and there are many other things which we can relate back to Him. Yasmin Mogahed beautifully articulates how we can find Allah (SWT) in each and every thing in this world. In Reclaim Your Heart, she says:
We must study the stars, the trees, the snow-capped mountains in order to read the message behind them.…But what is that message, stuck inside the intensity of stars? There is a sign—but of what? These signs are a pointer to Him, to His greatness, His majesty, His beauty. A pointer to His might and His power. Study, reflect, absorb the beauty and majesty of what’s created…consider that if the creation is that majestic, that great, that beautiful, how majestic and great and beautiful must be the Creator.
In this dunya, we can find many qualities of Allah (SWT) since this entire dunya is His creation. One who looks at the wonders of this world will seek its Creator. Imam Ali once said, “God is outside of things, but not in the sense of being alien to them; and He is inside of things, but not in the sense of being identical with them.” Within every aspect of our lives, within every moment, we can find Allah (SWT). We can relate at least one of His 99 divine names to any situation in our lives. The creation reflects the Creator. For example, reading a book can tell us a lot about its author. Similarly, this dunya tells us a lot about Allah (SWT). When we see the favor of Allah (SWT) upon others, we are reminded that He is Al-Wahhab, The Supreme Bestower. When we see that Allah (SWT) has prevented a calamity upon someone, we are reminded that He is Al-Muhaymin, The Guardian, and Al-Waliy, The Protecting Friend. When we see that a child has been born, we are reminded that Allah (SWT) is Al-Muhyi, The Giver of Life. When we have been given what we have longed for and prayed for, we are reminded that Allah (SWT) is Al-Karim, The Generous, and Al-Barr, The Source of Goodness. When we find out that someone has passed away and returned to Allah (SWT), we are reminded that He is Al-Mumit, The Taker of Life, and Al-Akhir, The End. The list goes on and on.
Allah (SWT) can be found in everything. But most importantly, we can find Him, namely His qualities, in ourselves. Our hearts were made to reflect the Divine. Earlier, we determined that Allah (SWT) is mercy itself, Ar-Rahman. We humans can also be merciful, which is a divine quality. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, “Be merciful to those on the earth and the One in the heavens will have mercy upon you” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1924). By reflecting the mercy of Allah (SWT), we can attain His mercy. How beautiful is that! Allah (SWT) is Al-Wudud, The Most Loving. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) also said “None of you will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself” (Sunan an-Nasa'i 5017). By showing our love for others and wishing for their good, by reflecting this quality of Allah (SWT), we can attain true faith, we can get closer to Allah (SWT), and we can attain Allah (SWT)’s love. SubhanAllah!
Allah (SWT) is everything. Allah (SWT) is the Beginning. He is the Creator and the Lord of Majesty and Honor. Allah (SWT) is the End. He is our ultimate goal. We hope to meet Him in the Hereafter, in Jannah (Paradise), InshaAllah (if Allah (SWT) wills). May Allah (SWT) guide us all and keep us on the straight path, one of righteousness. May we learn to develop an unbreakable connection with Allah (SWT) that will grant us happiness. May Allah (SWT) bless us with knowledge, increased Iman, and a deep understanding. May Allah (SWT) make us more perceptive and aware of the dunya. May Allah (SWT) become the focus of each and every one of our lives. May Allah (SWT) grant us the ability to understand the message of His creation and what He bestows upon each of us. May Allah (SWT) better us as we get engulfed in His pursuit. May Allah (SWT) grant us and our parents Jannat-ul Firdaus, the highest level of Paradise. Ameen, Ya Rabbul Alameen.
The 99 Divine Names of Allah
(From Secrets of Divine Love, Helwa)
Ar-Rahman — The Most Merciful, The Lord of Mercy
Ar-Rahim — The Specifically Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Al-Malik — The Eternal Lord, The King
Al-Quddus — The Most Holy, The Most Pure
As-Salam — Source of Peace
Al-Mu’min — The Source of Faith, The Remover of Fear
Al-Muhaymin — The Guardian, The Preserver of Safety
Al-‘Aziz — The Mighty, The Honorable
Al-Jabbar — The All-Compelling, The Restorer
Al-Mutakabbir — The Dominant One, The Greatest
Al-Khaliq — The Creator
Al-Bari’ — The Evolver, The Maker from Nothing
Al-Musawwir — Shaper of Beauty, The Fashioner
Al-Ghaffar — The All-Forgiving, The Continually Forgiving
Al-Qahhar — The Prevailer, The Conqueror
Al-Wahhab — The Supreme Bestower, The Giver of Gifts
Ar-Razzaq — The Provider, The Sustainer
Al-Fattah — The Opener, The One Who Reveals
Al-‘Alim — All-Knowing, The Omniscient
Al-Qabid — The Constrictor, The Withholder
Al-Basit — The Expander, The Releaser
Al-Khafid — The Humbler, The One Who Softens
Ar-Rafi’ — The Uplifter, The Exalter
Al-Mu'izz — The Honorer, The Strengthener
Al-Mudhil — The Dishonorer, The One Who Humiliates
As-Sami’ — The All-Hearing
Al-Basir — The All-Seeing, The All-Perceiving
Al-Hakam — The Judge
Al-‘Adl — The Just
Al-Latif — The Subtle, The Refined
Al-Khabir — The All-Aware, The Knower of Reality
Al-Halim — The Clement, The Gentle
Al-‘Azim — The Magnificent
Al-Ghaffur — The Great Forgiver, The Hider of Faults
Ash-Shakur — The Most Grateful, The Appreciative
Al-‘Aliy — The Most High, The Sublime
Al-Kabir — The Greatest
Al-Hafiz — The Guardian, The Preserver
Al-Muqit — The Sustainer, The Nourisher
Al-Hasib — The Accountant, The Reckoner
Al-Jalil — The Majestic, The Glorious One
Al-Karim — The Generous, The Bountiful One
Al-Raqib — The Watchful
Al-Mujib — The Responsive, The Answerer of Prayers
Al-Wasi’ — The All-Embracing, The Boundless
Al-Hakim — The Perfectly Wise
Al-Wadud — The Most Loving, The Origin of Love
Al-Majid — The Glorious, The Magnificent
Al-Ba’ith — The Awakener, The Resurrector
Ash-Shahid — The Witness, The Testifier
Al-Haqq — The Truth, The Reality
Al-Wakil — The Trustee, The Advocate
Al-Qawiy — The Supremely Strong
Al-Matin — The Firm, The Resolute, The Unshakable
Al-Waliy — The Protecting Friend, The Loving Defender
Al-Hamid — The Praiseworthy
Al-Muhsi — The Appraiser, The One Who Records
Al-Mubdi’ — The Originator, The Initiator
Al-Mu'id — The Restorer, The Reviver
Al-Muhyi — The Giver of Life
Al-Mumit — The Taker of Life
Al-Hayy — The Living
Al-Qayyum — The Self-Subsisting
Al-Wajid — The Finder, The All-Perceiving
Al-Majid — The Glorious, The Noble
Al-Wahid — The One, The Manifestation of Unity
Al-Ahad — The One and Only, The Indivisible
As-Samad — The Eternal, The Satisfier of All Needs
Al-Qadir — The All-Powerful, The All-Capable
Al-Muqtadir — The All-Authoritative
Al-Muqaddim — The Expediter, The One Who Accelerates
Al-Mu'akhkhir — The Postponer, The Delayer
Al-Awwal — The First, The Pre-Existing
Al-Akhir — The Last, The End, The Ultimate
Az-Zahir — Tie Manifest, The Revealed
Al-Batin — The Hidden, The Invisible, The Inward
Al-Wali — The Governor, The Patron
Al-Muta'ali — The Extremely Exalted One, The Supreme
Al-Barr — The Source of Goodness
At-Tawwab — The Acceptor of Repentance
Al-Muntaqim — The Avenger, The One Who Repays Justly
Al-‘Afuw — The Eraser of Sins, The Pardoner
Ar-Ra’uf — The Most Kind, The Clement
Malik al-Mulk — The Lord of the Worlds, The Owner of All
Dhul-Jalali Wal-lkram — The Lord of Majesty and Honor
Al-Muqsit — The Most Equitable, The Just
Al-Jami’ — The Gatherer, The Uniter, The Collector
Al-Ghaniy — The Rich, The Self-Sufficient
Al-Mughni — The Enricher, The Fulfiller of Needs
Al-Mani’ — The Preventer, The One Who Averts Harm
Ad-Darr — The Corrector, The Afflicter
An-Nafi’ — The Creator of Good, The Beneficial
An-Nur — The Light, The Illuminator
Al-Hadi — The Guide, The Leader
Al-Badi’ — The Originator, The Absolute Cause
Al-Baqi — The Eternal, The Ever-Present
Al-Warith — The Inheritor of All
Ar-Rashid — The Guide, The Appointer of the Right Path
As-Sabur — The Most Patient
Sources
Helwa, A. Secrets of Divine Love. Naulit Publishing House, 2020.
Mogahed, Yasmin. Reclaim Your Heart: Personal insights on breaking free from life's shackles. 2nd ed., 2015.
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