How Islam Introduces God: 1
Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful) : He is Merciful alike to all His creations. Whether they are believers or non-believers, atheists, people who engage in blasphemy and take His name in disrespect.., whoever they are, He shows them Mercy indiscriminately. The earth created and proportioned with pure air, water, beautiful terrains, rains, all factors necessary for the mental and physical well being of His creations, are signs of His Mercy. He is the Creator, but He doesn't just create and leave. He cares about His creations from ants, to bees, to spiders and insects and birds and fish to flowers and fruits to human beings. A beautiful sunrise that cheers.. A sunset that calms and relaxes.. Night and day, rain and clear skies, chirping birds, breeze, summer, winter, spring, autumn, seasons, the way our body functions and how our heart beats through the night even when we are sleeping.. the order of the orbits, the rhythm of seasons and celestial planets.. all of it reflect His indiscriminate Mercy. The love and tenderness felt by a ferocious tigress for its cub, the physical health and well being of a cold-blooded murderer.. all of these are examples of His indiscriminate and all-encompassing Mercy. He answers the worldly prayers of believers and non-believers alike and attends to their worldly needs.
Ar-Raheem(The Most Compassionate): This attribute is also one of Mercy. But it is different from Ar-Rahman, because this Mercy is specific to the believers. This is the Mercy He shows to people that care about Him and who wish to do the right thing in life and please Him through their lives and actions. These are people who could have slept through the night into the morning, but choose to wake up to pray before dawn for the love of Him. This is about His Mercy and response to people who acknowledge that wealth, water, resources are owned by God only and that man is only a guardian of wealth and therefore should spend it as God approves it. These people care about how they earn their wealth, which is only through permissible, legitimate means and who acknowledge the claim of Zakat (2% of their earnings to lesser-privileged people) because that's what they have been commanded to do. These people show love, respect, consideration, fairness and patience to their parents, spouses, children, neighbours, co-workers, under privileged people for the love of God. And how does God show Mercy to them? He blesses them and rewards their every single good deed and thought more eagerly and generously than He would respond to their wrongs.
Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
Al-Ghaffar (The Forgiving): God knows every deed that His creation does. In the case of man, He sees not only their actions, but also their intentions. There is nothing that is hidden from Him. He sees their hearts and He knows their imperfections and the moments when they violated themselves. Had our partners, or parents or any loved one witnessed the foolish, vain, selfish thoughts that cross our mind every now and then, they could have felt repulsed or distanced or judgmental towards us. But, God does not wish to write people off. Infact, He is eager to forgive them and to connect with them and waits for them to repent their wrongs sincerely and to come back to Him. There is no other place that promises complete acceptance with our shortcomings and our baggage, as with Him.
Prophet Muhammad (May peace and blessings be upon him) said : Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala said:
I am as My servant thinks (expects) I am. I am with him when he mentions Me.
If he mentions Me to himself, I mention him to Myself;
and if he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly greater than it.
If he draws near to Me a hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length.
And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.’” -(Sahih Bukhari)
Al-Malik (The Monarch): All the power and abilities belong to Him. He is the Supreme, Sovereign Monarch. He decides, plans, designs, executes. He doesn't consult anyone or depend on anyone for anything. He owns the universe and everything within it and beyond it, both known and inconceivable to man. We do not have absolute control over the heart that beats within us, the joints and muscles in our anatomy. We do not have absolute control on the world politics, economy, climate. If we have enough honesty within ourselves, then its very easy to acknowledge that we have limited control on life or anything that we imagine to own. In contrast, God has absolute power and control over everything. He knows and respects the pain of an ant when it is cruelly dissected. He knows and sees the chaos that ensues when masses of people are oppressed and treated unfairly. Having that power, He does not treat His creations whimsically or intervene until He chooses. As far as I have learned, I believe He acts only after people stand up for right and act responsibly for themselves first.
Note: In Surah Fatiha, the names Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, Al-Malik are used. Muslims say this at least 17 times a day. So, through repetitions, God is reinforcing the idea and reminding believers that He is Merciful, Compassionate and Powerful or In-control. It is a very hopeful message, if you think about it. Lost your job? Lost a loved person? Feeling low? You are reminded that there is nothing to despair of... because God is Compassionate and Merciful and He is in control, even if you are not. So, He is saying that whatever that you are going through currently, is probably good for you and so hold on, be patient. And for me, the message of Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, Al-Ghaffar, Al-Malik is that of infinite hope. People are becoming right-winged? There is islamophobia in the world? People are getting racist? There is a lot of hatred in the world? People look at your hijab condescendingly? Don't despair. God sees it all. He is Merciful, Compassionate, Forgiving and In-Control. So hold him tight and be at peace, be in control of your emotions and practice Mercy, Compassion, Forgiveness to all around you. Spread peace, warmth, understanding and love. May God reward us all! Amen!
Ar-Raheem(The Most Compassionate): This attribute is also one of Mercy. But it is different from Ar-Rahman, because this Mercy is specific to the believers. This is the Mercy He shows to people that care about Him and who wish to do the right thing in life and please Him through their lives and actions. These are people who could have slept through the night into the morning, but choose to wake up to pray before dawn for the love of Him. This is about His Mercy and response to people who acknowledge that wealth, water, resources are owned by God only and that man is only a guardian of wealth and therefore should spend it as God approves it. These people care about how they earn their wealth, which is only through permissible, legitimate means and who acknowledge the claim of Zakat (2% of their earnings to lesser-privileged people) because that's what they have been commanded to do. These people show love, respect, consideration, fairness and patience to their parents, spouses, children, neighbours, co-workers, under privileged people for the love of God. And how does God show Mercy to them? He blesses them and rewards their every single good deed and thought more eagerly and generously than He would respond to their wrongs.
Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
Verily, Allah has recorded good and bad deeds and He made them clear. Whoever intends to perform a good deed but does not do it, then Allah will record it as a complete good deed. If he intends to do it and does so, then Allah the Exalted will record it as ten good deeds up to seven hundred times as much or even more. If he intends to do a bad deed and does not do it, then Allah will record for him one complete good deed. If he does it then Allah will record for him a single bad deed.
Al-Ghaffar (The Forgiving): God knows every deed that His creation does. In the case of man, He sees not only their actions, but also their intentions. There is nothing that is hidden from Him. He sees their hearts and He knows their imperfections and the moments when they violated themselves. Had our partners, or parents or any loved one witnessed the foolish, vain, selfish thoughts that cross our mind every now and then, they could have felt repulsed or distanced or judgmental towards us. But, God does not wish to write people off. Infact, He is eager to forgive them and to connect with them and waits for them to repent their wrongs sincerely and to come back to Him. There is no other place that promises complete acceptance with our shortcomings and our baggage, as with Him.
Prophet Muhammad (May peace and blessings be upon him) said : Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala said:
I am as My servant thinks (expects) I am. I am with him when he mentions Me.
If he mentions Me to himself, I mention him to Myself;
and if he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly greater than it.
If he draws near to Me a hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length.
And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.’” -(Sahih Bukhari)
Al-Malik (The Monarch): All the power and abilities belong to Him. He is the Supreme, Sovereign Monarch. He decides, plans, designs, executes. He doesn't consult anyone or depend on anyone for anything. He owns the universe and everything within it and beyond it, both known and inconceivable to man. We do not have absolute control over the heart that beats within us, the joints and muscles in our anatomy. We do not have absolute control on the world politics, economy, climate. If we have enough honesty within ourselves, then its very easy to acknowledge that we have limited control on life or anything that we imagine to own. In contrast, God has absolute power and control over everything. He knows and respects the pain of an ant when it is cruelly dissected. He knows and sees the chaos that ensues when masses of people are oppressed and treated unfairly. Having that power, He does not treat His creations whimsically or intervene until He chooses. As far as I have learned, I believe He acts only after people stand up for right and act responsibly for themselves first.
Note: In Surah Fatiha, the names Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, Al-Malik are used. Muslims say this at least 17 times a day. So, through repetitions, God is reinforcing the idea and reminding believers that He is Merciful, Compassionate and Powerful or In-control. It is a very hopeful message, if you think about it. Lost your job? Lost a loved person? Feeling low? You are reminded that there is nothing to despair of... because God is Compassionate and Merciful and He is in control, even if you are not. So, He is saying that whatever that you are going through currently, is probably good for you and so hold on, be patient. And for me, the message of Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, Al-Ghaffar, Al-Malik is that of infinite hope. People are becoming right-winged? There is islamophobia in the world? People are getting racist? There is a lot of hatred in the world? People look at your hijab condescendingly? Don't despair. God sees it all. He is Merciful, Compassionate, Forgiving and In-Control. So hold him tight and be at peace, be in control of your emotions and practice Mercy, Compassion, Forgiveness to all around you. Spread peace, warmth, understanding and love. May God reward us all! Amen!
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