When in distress - call out to Allah with His beautiful Attributes

Allah, God to some, created this entire universe for man to ponder over His infinite Lordship - unparalleled and unmatched by any  other deity. He first created the universe, and then provisioned our earth with unimaginable means of sustenance, and then created man so he could liv

e thanking Him for all the good He has done for us. 

And for this favour for us, we should always be thanking Him and seeking His blessings using many attributes associated with His name, each depicting a particular trait of His Lordship. 

While we should be thanking Allah all the time, as the nature of human being is, he only returns to his Creator when struck against the fall or in a frail position when nothing seems to in one's favour. We have selected some of the attributes of Allah which we must use to call out to His Lordship to redress our grievances and help us out of our miseries and difficulties.  

Let us mention some of the attributes as a referral, the details of which can be accessed from one of our posts which can be accessed for detailed understanding so that address Him befitting His particular attribute - The Link:  99 Attributes of Allāh (Reference Page).

1. Al-Mujib (المجيب) - The Fulfiller of Prayers, The Responsive: 

The doors of Allah are never shut. Whosoever approaches Him, he should be rest assured that He is the most Responsive to His servants vows and will always fulfill their prayers.

2. Al-Hafiz (الحفيظ) - The Preserver, The Protector: When a believer, who has complete faith in Allah, is in a state when everyone around is hellbent to destroy him, he should call out to the Al-Hafiz (الحفيظ) - The Preserver, The Protector, for there is no better protector than Allah. And when He is approached, He can nullify the negativities surrounding his servant and protect him from any harm.

3. Al-Wadud (الودود) - The Most Affectionate: when one finds him all alone with no one caring for his difficulties, that one should call out to the Al-Wadud (الودود) - The Most Affectionate, for no one is more affectionate than He. It is said that love and affection of seventy times the love and affection of one's mother.  

4. At-Tawwab (التواب) - The Acceptor of Repentance: Each one of us is prone to committing sins or actions unbecoming. A true believer should immediately feel ashamed of his negative act and repent earnestly. And none other Allah is At-Tawwab (التواب) - The Acceptor of Repentance who would surely accept the repentance of His servant and assure him to bank on him.

5. 5. Al-Ghafur (الغفور) - The Forgiving, The Pardoner:: Having repented for one's sins, one should call out to Al-Ghafur (الغفور) - The Forgiving, The Pardoner for no one other than He who is the ultimate forgiver and pardoners. A true believer knows that wordily deities who are themselves dependent on forgiveness of Allah, cannot be their pardoners or forgivers.

6. As-Sami (السميع) - The Hearer of invocation: One of the beautiful attributes of Allah is that he the only Hearer of invocations, As-Sami (السميع), of his servants. SO always turn to Allah when in distress and be rest assured that He WILL listen to our invocations and bless us.

7. Al-Wahhab (الوهاب) - The Liberal Bestower, The Giver of Gifts: This is one of the beautiful attributes of Allah. It is He alone when He listens to the invocation of His servants, bring them good tidings from none other He is so liberal in bestowing blessings and gifting us with His bounties. For sure He is Al-Wahhab (الوهاب) - The Liberal Bestower, The Giver of Gifts.

8. Al-Fattah (الفتاح) - The Opener, The Revealer:  When one is surrounded by people who do not want to listen to his viewpoint, one should call out to Al Fattah - The Opener and the Revealer. It is only Allah alone Who can untie the knotted hearts and minds to allow a man to get audience and listening minds, thus the justice.

9. Ar-Razzaq (الرزاق) - The Supplier, The Provider: AS we mentioned in the premise of this post, it is Allah who has provisioned this world with means of sustenance of man. Therefore, when one is unemployed or poverty has overtaken him to an extent that it is unable for him to sustain himself, he should call out to Ar Razzaq - The Supplier, the Provider and the Sustainer.

For now, these are some of the important attributes of Allah one should never forget and more often than not call out to Allah for his well being and sutenance.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

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For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A. You may also refer to our refference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on important issue related to Islam to know more about Islam.

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Reward of remembering 99 Attributes of Allah (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Allah, the Creator of the entire universe can be remembered by His 99 attributes. In fact, each of His attribute is unique and explains one particular quality of our Creator, which no one else can share or qualify to possess, even the best of the prophets and messengers that Allah specially chose to convey His Divine wisdom to the mankind. 

While about 35 attributes of Allah have been mentioned directly by Allah in the Qur'an, the remaining attributes have been derived from various verses from Qur'an and qualities of Allah by Muslim scholars over a period of time. These attributes are generally used while making a supplication and selecting a particular attribute which goes by the need of a supplicatory. For example, if someone seeks repentance and forgiveness, he supplicates using attribute Al-Ghafur (الغفور) - The Forgiving, The Pardoner and Ar Rahim (الرحيم) - The Most Merciful. 

Our readers may visit our post: 99 Attributes of Allah, to get to know the entire list of 99 Attributes of Allah and their meaning/explanation.

Even otherwise, many Muslim scholars believe that reciting the 99 Names can bring peace and spiritual fulfillment, while also helping to build a stronger relationship between believers and their creator. Therefore, it is important for Muslims to understand their meanings and significance when engaging in prayer or contemplation. And this is the very theme of a Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is mentioned in This Hadith is mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī  (Book 80 - Invocations /  كتاب الدعوات / Chapter 68: Allah has one hundred Names less one / باب لِلَّهِ مِائَةُ اسْمٍ غَيْرَ وَاحِدٍ ) as Hadith 6410, given herein under:

Narrated by Abu Huraira: Allah has ninety-nine Names, i.e., one hundred minus one, and whoever believes in their meanings and acts accordingly, will enter Paradise; and Allah is witr (one) and loves 'the witr' (i.e., odd numbers).

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ حَفِظْنَاهُ مِنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، رِوَايَةً قَالَ ‏ "‏ لِلَّهِ تِسْعَةٌ وَتِسْعُونَ اسْمًا، مِائَةٌ إِلاَّ وَاحِدًا، لاَ يَحْفَظُهَا أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ، وَهْوَ وَتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوَتْرَ ‏"‏‏.‏

Thus, by reflecting on the attributes attributed to Allah through these Names, we, our dear brothers and sisters in Islam, can draw closer to Him and further appreciate His mercy, love and wisdom.

In fact, these 99 Attributes of Allah provide us with insights into Allah’s divine qualities and how these effect our lives. And as advised by the Prophet in above quoted Hadith, one should not only remember these 99 attributes, but also understand the meaning of each attribute. This would solidify our faith in Allah by knowing His immense grasp over our lives which is exhibited by each of His attributes.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may visit our post: Collections of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Rewards for more Hadiths on specific subject of Rewards.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo / Symbols: Pixabay | Source of Hadith

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Allah, there is no god but He - The Knower of the Unseen

Many non Muslims are of the view that their God and Allah of Muslims are two different entities just to play a low on Muslims. Some even call Him the moon-god Allah. What they forget is that there has always been One True God all along since the eternity, Who is Living and Will never Die Out. The only difference is that Allah is the name of God in Arabic. Even in the Arabic translations of Bible, God is translated as Allah.

In the last verses of Surah 59. Al Hashr, Allah Himself explains Who is He. There are about thirty five attributes of Allah which Allah Himself explains. We will share these verses one by one so that our readers may know Who really Allah is - His attributes cannot be equated with any deities that people may worship. This series of posts should be read in conjunction with our earlier series of posts on 99 Attributes of Allah.

هُوَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِىۡ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ​ ۚ عٰلِمُ الۡغَيۡبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ​ ۚ هُوَ الرَّحۡمٰنُ الرَّحِيۡمُ‏ 

( 59: 22 )   He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed. He is the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

These verses explain what kind of God He is, and what are His attributes, Who has sent this Qur'an to you, Who has placed these responsibilities on you, and before Whom you have to render an account of your deeds in the end. This mention of the Divine attributes immediately after the above theme automatically gives man the feeling that he has not to deal with an ordinary being but with Almighty Allah Who has such and such attributes. Here, one should also understand that although in the Qur'an the attributes of Allah Almighty have been stated in a unique way, which gives a clear concept of the Divine Bing there are two places where the attributes of Allah have been mentioned in a most comprehensive way, in the Verse of the Throne (Al-Baqarah: 255) and in these verses of Surah Al-Hashr. 

" Allah: there is no god but He " That is, He is the One besides Whom none else has the rank, position, attributes and powers of Godhead so that he may be worshiped and served as god.

" the Knower of the unseen and the manifest " That is, He knows whatever is hidden from the creatures as well as whatever is known and visible to them. Nothing of this universe is unknown to Him. He directly knows whatever has happened in the past, whatever exists at present and whatever will happen in the future : He does not stand in need of any means or medium of knowledge. 

" He is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate " That is, He alone is the Being Whose mercy is limitless, which covers the whole universe and blesses and benefits everything a it. None else in the world is the bearer of such all-pervading, infinite mercy. The mercy of every other being, characterized by the ability of mercy, is partial and limited, and that quality too is not essentially its own, but bestowed by the Creator for a specific need and purpose. He has created the quality of mercy for some other creature. He has created it in order to make one creature a-means for the development and well-being of the other creature. This by itself is a proof that Allah's Mercy is infinite.

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: 

Here follows a passage of great sublimity, summing up the attributes of Allah. In this verse, we have the general attributes, which give us the fundamental basis on which we can form some idea of Allah. We start with the proposition that there is nothing else like Him. We think of His Unity; all the varying and conflicting forces in Creation are controlled by Him and look to Him, and we can never get a true idea of Him unless we understand the meaning of Unity. His knowledge extends to everything seen and unseen, present and future, near and far, in being and not in being: in fact these contrasts, which apply to our knowledge, do not apply to Him. His Grace and His Mercy are unbounded: see i. 1, and n. 19; and unless we realise these, we can have no true conception of our position in the working of His Will and Plan.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

The term ash-shahadah (lit., "that which is [or "can be"] witnessed") is used in this and similar contexts as the exact antithesis of al-ghayb ("that which is beyond the reach of a created being's perception"). Thus, it circumscribes those aspects of reality which can be sensually or conceptually grasped by a created being.

Qur'an Wiki:

The rest of the surah is devoted to a long glorification of God, citing a number of His names and attributes. This serves as an aspect of the influence of the Qur'an on the universe. It is as if we see the universe as a person expressing this glorification with his mouth, and a vast kingdom echoing it in every corner. These attributes of God have clear effects on the very nature of the universe, its phenomena and interactions. As it offers this glorification, it testifies to the truth of these attributes and their effects.

"He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity," This imprints on our consciousness the truth of God's oneness in belief, worship, action and life conduct from the beginning of creation to its final end. On the basis of this oneness a whole code of living is based, regulating our way of thinking, feeling, behaviour, relations with the universe and its living creatures, as well as relations with people.

"Knower of the unseen and the witnessed." This divine attribute makes us clearly conscious of God's knowledge of everything, apparent or hidden. This awakes in our consciences the need to watch out, keeping God always in our thoughts, public and private. Thus, man will go about his life feeling that he is being watched by God and that he himself is on the watch for God's sake, realizing that he does not live alone, not even when he is in seclusion or locked alone with one other in private conversation. His actions will be coloured by this feeling that keeps him always on guard.

"He is the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful." Now a feeling of reassurance spreads within man's conscience as he feels the air of God's mercy spread over him. Feelings of awe and hope, fear and reassurance are well balanced within him. In the believer's concept, God does not chase His creatures, but watches them; He does not wish them harm, but loves that they should adhere to His guidance; He does not abandon them to struggle against evil without providing help for them.

Please listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Qur'ān officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of  other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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99 Attributes of Allah: Al-ʿAzīz - The Exalted in Might and Power

Allāh in His al might is the Al-ʿAzīz " ٱلْعَزِيزُ " - The Exalted in Might and Power, The Almighty, and The Mighty - The Most Dignified and the Most Powerful.

The attribute means the Almighty the Exalted One. When addressing the Prophet Musa (Moses peace be upon him), Allah proclaims His Might in [Al Qur'an, Surah An Naml 27:9]:

يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنَّهُ أَنَا اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

O Moses, indeed it is I - Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise." 

Al-`Aziz is the One Who Alone has all honour; He is never humiliated, nor is He ever wronged; neither imagination nor intellect can ever conceive Him. The root word of this Attribute is `izz, which means might, power, strength, victory, elevation, non-submission. 

وَلَهُ الۡكِبۡرِيَآءُ فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ وَهُوَ الۡعَزِيۡزُ الۡحَكِيۡمُ‏  

"And to Him belongs greatness in the heavens and in the earth, and He is the Mighty, the Wise" (Quran, 45:37)

Al-ʿAzīz, the One who has created the entire universe, the heavens and the earth and has complete control over all of His creation. In fact He is incomparable and unparalleled. No one can stand in His way nor no one is like Him or wield power as He does. The One to Whom belongs might and honour in its entirety:

وَلِلّٰهِ جُنُوۡدُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ وَكَانَ اللّٰهُ عَزِيۡزًا حَكِيۡمًا‏  

(48:7) To Allah belong the legions of the heavens and the earth. Allah is Most Mighty, Most Wise.

The above said verse wields the utmost power of Allah for He has all the legions of heaven and earth and can unleash those against those who disbelieve Him and ridicule His messengers and prophets. And this power of strength has been exhibited many times in the history when powerful people like Ad and Thamud vanished, leaving behind the traces of their mighty empires so that the coming generations may learn a lesson and be grateful to Allah, the Most Mighty.

Thus, Al-ʿAzīz is He Who cannot be overcome or in any way harmed, the One Who has no peer nor a similitude, Who is very much needed, Who is victorious and is never vanquished, the Mighty, the Omnipotent Who can never be reached.

And on the Day of Judgement, when fathers will disown their sons and friends disown their friend and when worldly deities whom one revered in their earthly life will disown them, then one will be standing all but himself in front of the most powerful and the Mightiest to be handed over his dossier. That will be the day when no one could save the sinners but Allah Himself whom the sinners denied in their lives. It would be Allah, the Al-ʿAzīz, whose mercy they will be seeking and who else could show mercy to them except Allah::

اِلَّا مَنۡ رَّحِمَ اللّٰهُ​ؕ اِنَّهٗ هُوَ الۡعَزِيۡزُ الرَّحِيۡمُ

(44:42) except those to whom Allah shows mercy. He is the Most Mighty, the Most Compassionate.

The above said verse of Surah 44. Ad Dukhan, portray the nature of the court that will be established on the Day of Decision. It will be a court where nobody’s help or support will help rescue any culprit nor have his sentence reduced. All powers will rest with the real Sovereign Whose decisions cannot be withheld from being enforced nor influenced by any power. It will entirely depend on His own discretion whether He forgives somebody mercifully, or awards him a lesser punishment. It indeed behooves Him to exercise justice mercifully and not mercilessly, but whatever decision He gives in any case, will be enforced entirely and completely. After this portrayal of the nature of the divine court, in the following few sentences it has been stated what will be the fate of those who will be found guilty in that court, and what will be conferred on those about whom it will be established that they had been refraining from Allah’s disobedience in the world out of fear of Him.

Often repeated at the end of the Quranic verses: {And He is Al-‘Aziz (the All-Mighty), the All-Wise}. God’s divine name “Al-‘Aziz” occurs in many Quranic verses, such as when Jesus said in the Quran: {If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily, You, only You, are Al-Aziz (the All-Mighty), the All-Wise.} (Al-Ma’idah 5: 118)

Another verse is: {And His (Alone) is the Majesty in the heavens and the earth, and He (Alone) is Al-Aziz (the All-Mighty), the All-Wise.} (Al-Jathiyah 45: 37) And a third verse is: {They (the hypocrites) say: ‘If we return to Madinah, indeed the mightier will expel from it the less mighty.’ But ‘Izah (might, honor and power) belongs to Allah, to His Messenger and to the believers, but the hypocrites know not.} (Al-Munafiqun 63: 8)

May Allah forgive us and let us help other when we are in some sort of authoritative position and show mercy for we too seek mercy when we sin and err. May Allah help us all. Ameen.

You may refer to our post "99 Attributes of Allāh" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran

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If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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99 Attributes of Allah: Al-Muqsiṭ - The Equitable, The Requiter

Justice is the hallmark of any society and unless just and fair justice prevails, there would be chaos and usurping the rights of the weak and the poor. We always admire those judges who are fair and impartial in their decisions and it is they who are remembered. That is talking of just a society . But when it comes the the managing the affairs of the whole world, thee has to be am extreme degree of fairness and equity for if it is not there, the entire social system of the world would collapse.

It is none other than Allāh, the Al-Muqsiṭ   " ٱلْمُقْسِطُ " - The Equitable, The Requiter, The Just, who maintains that fairness and balanced justice. Although, the attribute Al-Muqsiṭ does not appear as such in he Qur'an, it has been derided from many verse like the one herein under form Surah 3. Al-i'Imran , verse 18: 

شَهِدَ اللّٰهُ اَنَّهٗ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَۙ وَالۡمَلٰٓـئِكَةُ وَاُولُوا الۡعِلۡمِ قَآئِمًا ۢ بِالۡقِسۡطِ​ؕ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ الۡعَزِيۡزُ الۡحَكِيۡمُؕ‏

Allah [Himself] proffers evidence - and [so do] the angels and all who are endowed with knowledge - that there is no deity save Him, the Upholder of Equity: there is no deity save Him, the Almighty, the Truly Wise.

Here in this verse, there is a  testimony of the angels, based on their own observations, is that the Will of God alone reigns supreme in the universe, and they turn to Him alone in the governance of the heavens and the earth. Moreover, all creatures possessing knowledge of reality have testified, unanimously, that no one except the One True God reigns and rules over the universe, and that He reins the universe with balanced justice for everyone. 

That is it is Allāh, the Al-Muqsiṭ, Who deals with everyone according to a system. He rescues the oppressed and imparts justice so that they cannot be oppressed anymore. Glory to Him, Who has said,"... and if you judge, then judge between them with equity; surely Allah loves those who judge equitably" (Qur’an, 5:42).

This attribute is from the root q-s-t  which in classical Arabic means: (1) to act justly, equitably, (2) to do away with injustice, (3) to establish an equitable balance.

Meanings of variations of this Attribute's root word is qist, equity or fairness, are as follows: qasata means implemented justice; qasata means became inequitable or unfair; qasit is an unfair or inequitable person, an oppressor; muqsit is one who is fair in his judgment or decision, and qist means share, lot, or portion of something. Qasitoon is plural: they are those who deviate from justice and about whom the Almighty says, "As to the deviators, they are the fuel of hell" (Qur’an, 72:15).

Qist means the implementing of justice by taking what one unlawfully has acquired and giving it back to its lawful owner. Iqsat means that one is given his own lawful share which someone else has unlawfully taken [forcefully or otherwise]; it is also called insaf, carrying out equity. Qasata means someone became inequitable, and aqsata means that he became fair and just. [3]

In verse 42, Surah Surah 5. Al-Maida, the upholding of justice has been stressed by Allah and that He loves who are just:

سَمّٰعُوۡنَ لِلۡكَذِبِ اَ كّٰلُوۡنَ لِلسُّحۡتِ​ؕ فَاِنۡ جَآءُوۡكَ فَاحۡكُمۡ بَيۡنَهُمۡ اَوۡ اَعۡرِضۡ عَنۡهُمۡ​ ۚ وَاِنۡ تُعۡرِضۡ عَنۡهُمۡ فَلَنۡ يَّضُرُّوۡكَ شَيۡـئًـا​ ؕ وَاِنۡ حَكَمۡتَ فَاحۡكُمۡ بَيۡنَهُمۡ بِالۡقِسۡطِ​ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُحِبُّ الۡمُقۡسِطِيۡنَ‏ 

They are listeners of falsehood and greedy devourers of unlawful earnings.69 If they come to you you may either judge between them or turn away from them. And were you to turn away from them they shall not be able to harm you; and were you to judge between them judge with justice. Surely Allah loves the just.

In the verse above is the pointed reference made to judges and jurisconsults who accept false evidence and invent reports in order to issue verdicts contrary to justice and in favour of either those who bribe them or with whom their illegitimate interests lie.

Thus we see it is the justice which has been stressed even when own kith and kin may be at fault. For Allah, the Al-Muqsit Himself is fair and equitable in all His decisions and decrees, Who deals with everyone according to a system. He ensures a balanced approach to deal with the mankind and His administration of the universe. There are people who argue that if He is just then why there are disharmony in the world? Why one place gets more rain and keep the lands futile, while many other places turn barren and into deserts as these are deprived of even a droplet of rain. For them the simple answer is that this is Allah's way of keeping a balance to test those in hardships whether they still remain steadfast or the ones who have His bounties. Many thriving empires faded away when they did injustices and witnesses lied for a few pennies. But at the same time, many small dwellers rose to power for they remained steadfast and did not transgress. 

Alhamdolillah " الحمد لله ", with this post, the entire series of posts on 99 Attributes of Allah stands completed today. May Allah help us to seek guidance rom His many attributes and to emulate these qualities while dealing with others. For example, if Allah ensures a balanced justice and commands His prophets and servants to uphold justice, we should too be fair in our dealings and let not any man grieves by our unjust behavior. We should specially be watchful for our dealings with respect to the rights of the orphans and if made their guardians must ensure that all that had been left by their fathers are given back to them. Tis also goes without saying that our leaders should respect the public money and resources and not squander these away for personal growth, lust and for opposing their opponents. 

You may refer to our post "99 Attributes of Allāh" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran

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99 Attributes of Allāh: Al-Mu'īd: The Restorer, The Re-Creator

Allāh is the Creator - The Al Khaliq (الخالق) and Al-Mubdi' (المبدئ - the Starter) of the entire universe and humanity. But all that He has created is time barred for a day will come when every living being will perish and lost in the dust. And then on the Day of Resurrections, He with His infinite powers will resurrect and restore all the living beings to be answerable for their deeds in their earthly life - for He is The  Al-Mu'īd "ٱلْمُعِيدُ " - The Restorer, The Re-Creator: The One Who Brings Back All.

Although, the attribute The  Al-Mu'īd "ٱلْمُعِيدُ "  has not been specifically mentioned in the Qur'an, it has been derived from many verses of Qur'an wherein Allah says that IF He has the capability to create a thing, isn't it easier for Him to recreate the same or restore it after has disintegrated. Herein under are some examples from Qur'an:

Surah 10. Yunus verse 34: 

قُلۡ هَلۡ مِنۡ شُرَكَآئِكُمۡ مَّنۡ يَّبۡدَؤُا الۡخَـلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيۡدُهٗ​ ؕ قُلِ اللّٰهُ يَـبۡدَؤُا الۡخَـلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيۡدُهٗ​ؕ فَاَنّٰى تُؤۡفَكُوۡنَ‏ 

Ask them: 'Is there any among those whom you associate with Allah in His divinity who brings about the creation of all beings in the first instance and will then repeat it?' Tell them: 'It is Allah Who brings about the creation of all beings and will then repeat it. How are you, then, being misled?

 This question has been posed to bring home to them the folly of the doctrine of shirk. The argument is this: When Allah originates the creation and has the power to bring it back again, where do the gods you have set up come in? If you think a little, you yourselves will realize that there is no room for anyone in the universe for any claim or title to your reverence or worship or servitude.

Surah 27. An-Naml verse 64:

اَمَّنۡ يَّبۡدَؤُا الۡخَـلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيۡدُهٗ وَمَنۡ يَّرۡزُقُكُمۡ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ ءَاِلٰـهٌ مَّعَ اللّٰهِ​ؕ قُلۡ هَاتُوۡا بُرۡهَانَكُمۡ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ صٰدِقِيۡنَ‏ 

Who is it Who creates in the first instance and then repeats it? Who is it Who provides you with sustenance from the heavens and the earth?81 Is there any god associated with Allah (in these tasks)? Say: "Bring forth your evidence, if you are truthful.

Surah 29. Al-Ankabut verse 19:

اَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡا كَيۡفَ يُبۡدِئُ اللّٰهُ الۡخَـلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيۡدُهٗ ؕ اِنَّ ذٰ لِكَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ يَسِيۡرٌ‏ 

Have they never observed how Allah creates for the first time and then repeats it? Indeed (to repeat the creation of a thing) is even easier for Allah (than creating it for the first time).

Surah 85. Al-Buruj verse 13:

اِنَّهٗ هُوَ يُبۡدِئُ وَيُعِيۡدُ​ ۚ‏ 

He it is Who creates for the first time and He it is Who will create again,

Linguistically, the root word of this Attribute means: to return, to go back. We supplicate thus: "Lord! We plead to You to grant us a return to Your House," that is, to go back to the Ka`ba after having visited it or after having been there.

As mentioned before in the beginning, Al-Mubdi' (the Beginner) and Al-Mu'īd (the Restorer) are two opposite attributes. That is He is the one Who initially bestows the existence of everything, specially the living beings, and when this origination is not preceded by something like it, it is called a beginning; but when it is preceded by something like it, then it is called restoration - that is all things began with Him and are restored to Him; began in Him and in Him are restored.

You may refer to our post "99 Attributes of Allāh" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran

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99 Attributes of Allah: Al-Mudhill - The Degrader

Most of the attributes of Allāh are expressive of His infinite mercy and benevolence to the mankind, for He loves His creations and ensures everyone gets a fare share of His love and mercy. HE gives to those who believe in Him and even to those who do not believe in Him.. But when theose who transgress the limits of disobedience, Allāh in His al might is the Al-Mudhill " ٱلْمُذِلُّ " - The Degrader, The Humiliator, The Giver of Dishonor, the Giver of Disgrace

قُلِ اللّٰهُمَّ مٰلِكَ الۡمُلۡكِ تُؤۡتِى الۡمُلۡكَ مَنۡ تَشَآءُ وَتَنۡزِعُ الۡمُلۡكَ مِمَّنۡ تَشَآءُ وَتُعِزُّ مَنۡ تَشَآءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَنۡ تَشَآءُ​ ؕ بِيَدِكَ الۡخَيۡرُ​ؕ اِنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيۡرٌ‏ 

(3:26) Say: 'O Allah, Lord of all dominion! You give dominion to whom You will, and take away dominion from whom You will, and You exalt whom You will, and abase whom You will. In Your Hand is all good. Surely You are All-Powerful.

Although the attribute  Mudhill is not specifically used as one of the attributes of  Allāh in the Qur'ān, it has been derived from the 26th verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran quoted above. The word is from the root dh-l-l which  classical Arabic means to be inglorious, abased, humble. According to Classical Arabic definitions, Mudhill is an intensive epithet which denotes exceeding lowness or baseness.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحَادُّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُولَٰئِكَ فِي الْأَذَلِّينَ 

"Those who oppose Allah and His Prophet shall be (herded) among the most abased" (Quran, 58:20).

As long as His mercy prevails, all goes well, but when people  do not listen to His prophets who have been given Divine guidance to show the path of eternal truth, and humiliates them, then Allah's wisdom produces circumstances of humiliation and disgrace. Remember what happened to people of Prophet Lut (Lot, peace be upon him) when they transgressed and openly resorted to homosexuality and were even after the two beautiful guests (in fact angels sent as the last test for them). And when despite Prophet Lut's efforts to spare his guests, the wrath of Allah befell on them, saving the prophet and a few of his followers. Even Prophet Lut's wife also burnt alive for she secretly sided with her people.

In Surat al-A`raf it is mentioned: "(As for) those who took the calf (for a god), surely wrath from their Lord and disgrace in the life of this world shall overtake them" (Quran, 7:152).

The ruins of people of Ad and Thamud are but few reminders for the mankind as long as this world lives of the fate of the disbelievers and transgressors upon whom wrath of Allah befell and they obliterated forever.

Mudhill (degrader) is similar to, but much more intensive and unpleasant than, Al-Khafid (الخافض) (humbler). And Mudhill (dishonorer) is the opposite of Al-Mu'izz (المعز) (honourer).

May Allāh save us from His wrath and let us not be ever humiliated by disobeying Him. Aameen

You may refer to our post "99 Attributes of Allāh" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran

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99 Attributes of Allah: Al-Muḥṣī - The Accounter, The Reckoner

Allāh is Al-Muḥṣī " ٱلْمُحْصِيُ " - The Accounter, The Reckoner, for He keeps an strict watch over every movement and keeps them under checked. Unless He does that, this universe would be a chaos for there are countless starts and planets in the rather fathomless universe that are constantly on the move. Unless these movements are accounted for, these may become uncontrollable.

In fact Allah, the Al-Muḥṣī, has worked out every tiny movement in detail at the time of their creation.  And He alone knows how much is needed and where. He knows where it is to rain and where it is not to rain. How many people and other living beings to abound in a given space and place and for how long. 

Same is true for the Divine revelations sent down to His prophets. Every verse is numbered and no prophet has the authority to change even a dot. Allah says in Surah 72. Al-Jinn: 28:

 لِّيَـعۡلَمَ اَنۡ قَدۡ اَبۡلَغُوۡا رِسٰلٰتِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَاَحَاطَ بِمَا لَدَيۡهِمۡ وَاَحۡصٰى كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ عَدَدًا

"so that He may know that they have delivered the messages of their Lord. He encompasses in His knowledge their surroundings and keeps a count of all things.”

The verse clearly means that Allah’s power so encompasses the Messenger (peace be upon him) as well as the angels that if they swerve even a little from His will, they can be detected immediately. Moreover, a complete record has been kept of each letter of the messages sent down by Allah. The Messengers (peace be upon him) and the angels cannot dare add or subtract even a letter from them.

In Surah 19 Maryam, verse 94 the attribute of being Accounter has been made very clear: 

لَـقَدۡ اَحۡصٰٮهُمۡ وَعَدَّهُمۡ عَدًّا‏

Verily He encompasses them and has counted them all.

That is He knows their number from the time He created them, until the Day of Resurrection, male and female, both the small and the large of them.  Everyone of them, however humble, is individually marked before His Throne of Justice and Mercy, and will stand before Him on his own deserts.

The root word of "Al-Muhsi" is ihsa' which means: counting or computing, to register or record something, or to take an account of something. Linguistically, it also means to tolerate or to be able to handle. It is also used to describe a tract of land where there is a large quantity of pebbles or stones.

Talking of the people, it is said again in 29th verse of Surah 78. An-Nabaa:

وَكُلَّ شَىۡءٍ اَحۡصَيۡنٰهُ كِتٰبًا ۙ‏ 

And everything have We recorded in a Book.

That is, We were continuously preparing a complete record of their sayings and doings, their movements and occupations, even of their intentions, thoughts and aims in life and nothing was being left un-recorded, whereas the foolish people in their heedlessness thought that they were living in a lawless kingdom where they were free to do whatever they pleased and desired, and there was no power to call them to account.

Ibn Kathir notes that verse means: `Surely We know the deeds of all of the creatures, and We have written these deeds for them. We will reward them based upon this.' If their deeds were good then their reward will be good, and if their deeds were evil their reward will be evil.

Although, this attribute has not been specifically mentioned in the Quran, yet it has been derived from many verses as referred to above and others like  the ones that exist in several places in Quran; "Certainly He has a comprehensive knowledge of them, and He has numbered them a (comprehensive) numbering." (19:94) "Surely We shall give life (back) to the dead, and We record what they have sent forth before and what they leave behind, and of all things have We taken account in a clear Book." (36:12) "And We have recorded everything in a book." (78:29)

يَوۡمَ يَبۡعَثُهُمُ اللّٰهُ جَمِيۡعًا فَيُنَبِّئُهُمۡ بِمَا عَمِلُوۡا​ ؕ اَحۡصٰٮهُ اللّٰهُ وَنَسُوۡهُ​ ؕ وَاللّٰهُ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ شَهِيۡدٌ​‏ 

"a chastisement that shall come upon them on the Day when Allah will raise them all to a new life and will inform them of their deeds. Allah has recorded it all while they have forgotten it. Allah is a witness over everything. (Surah 58. Al-Mujadila:6)

That is, their having forgotten their own attitude and conduct does not mean that it is dead and forgotten altogether. For them the disobedience of God and resistance to His commands may be an ordinary matter which they may forget easily once they have indulged in it and may not even regard it as anything objectionable, which they should have avoided, yet in the sight of God it is no ordinary matter at all. With Him every misdeed of theirs has been noted down, His register contains a full record of every deed done by a person, when and where it was done, what was his own reaction to it, what were its consequences and how far and in what forms did they appear and spread in the world.

So let no man get away with this notion that he is not being watch and that his actions are not being accounted for. There are two angels deputed to record actions of each man which will be presented to their Lord on the Day of Judgement in the form of a dossier and then man will wish that he had listened to the prophets and had not sinned, for which he surely will be accounted for.

So time is now to be watchful of our movements and acts and repent if we have erred and sinned, for these have been recorded and can only be expunged if we sincerely ask for forgiveness of Allah. May Allah help us follow His commandments so that we don't have to be sorry for what we have been doing.

You may refer to our post "99 Attributes of Allāh" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran

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99 Attributes of Allāh: 'Al-Mubdi’ - The Originator, The Initiator

Allāh - The 'Al-Mubdi’ " ٱلْمُبْدِئُ  " - The Originator, The Initiator : He Who has created everything from nothing without any model for the first time. Now look around and imagine who trillions of stars, planets, living beings have been created from nothing. It is 'Al-Mubdi’ who planned and created and then shaped them beautifully everything that exists in the entire universe. and He alone is the producer, none can claim to be his co-producer or His equal.

This just our Solar System out of countless billions and trillions such systems of the universe- each planet different in colour and shape. It is only 'Al-Mubdi’ Who can originate, shape and produce such awesome creations [Photo: Pixabay]

Although 'Al-Mubdi’ is not specifically mentioned in the Quran as an attribute of Allah, it has been derived from many verses which mean creativity of Allah:

قُلۡ هَلۡ مِنۡ شُرَكَآئِكُمۡ مَّنۡ يَّبۡدَؤُا الۡخَـلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيۡدُهٗ​ ؕ قُلِ اللّٰهُ يَـبۡدَؤُا الۡخَـلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيۡدُهٗ​ؕ فَاَنّٰى تُؤۡفَكُوۡنَ‏ 

Ask them: 'Is there any among those whom you associate with Allah in His divinity Who brings about the creation of all beings in the first instance and will then repeat it?' Tell them: 'It is Allah Who brings about the creation of all beings and will then repeat it. How are you, then, being misled? [Surah 10 Yunus :34)

As can be seen from the above verse, the attribute is from the root b-d-' " بۡدَ "which in classical Arabic means: (1) to begin, create, make something new, (2) to make something be first, have precedence, (3) to contrive a new thing, (4) to invent, to do first, (5) to commence, start, at the beginning. 

اَمَّنۡ يَّبۡدَؤُا الۡخَـلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيۡدُهٗ وَمَنۡ يَّرۡزُقُكُمۡ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ ءَاِلٰـهٌ مَّعَ اللّٰهِ​ؕ قُلۡ هَاتُوۡا بُرۡهَانَكُمۡ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ صٰدِقِيۡنَ‏ 

Who is it Who creates in the first instance and then repeats it? Who is it Who provides you with sustenance from the heavens and the earth? Is there any god associated with Allah (in these tasks)? Say: "Bring forth your evidence, if you are truthful." [Surah 27. An-Naml:64] 

And the same theme is repeated again:

اَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡا كَيۡفَ يُبۡدِئُ اللّٰهُ الۡخَـلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيۡدُهٗ ؕ اِنَّ ذٰ لِكَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ يَسِيۡرٌ‏ 

Have they never observed how Allah creates for the first time and then repeats it? Indeed (to repeat the creation of a thing) is even easier for Allah (than creating it for the first time). [Surah 29. Al-Ankabut: 19]

In fact this attribute 'Al-Mubdi’ is embodiment of many other attributes of Allah:

• Al Khaliq (The Planner) is the One Who originally creates and has the power to change things from one state to another, in and out of existence.
• Once  Allah creates a thing it is the Al Mussawar (The Fashioner) attribute of Allah that arranges forms and colors, and shapes objects and livings beings to give them beauty. Seen with the Al Khaliq attributes, for instance a lion is created, then it is the Al Mussawar that gives it a unique shape, colour and add tones to add to its beauty.
• Al Bāri' (The Evolver) creates from existing matter, making and evolving that which is free and clear of imperfections, free and clear of any other thing.
• Al Badi (The Originator) creates amazingly original ways that have no precedent whatsoever.
• In order to restore and add perfection it is Al Mu'īd Who repeats and revives that which had been previously invented. In 13th verse of Surat 85. al-Buruj, it is said: "Surely He it is Who originates and reproduces." 

The two attributes 'Al-Mubdi’ (the Originator) Al-Mu'īd (the Restorer) - have a thin line difference. When a thing is originated which had no precedence it is called a beginning. And when that creation is no more, like a man dies and is buried, it is Allah alone who would restore him on the Day of Resurrection and made answerable to their deeds.

You may refer to our post "99 Attributes of Allāh" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran

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If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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