Day: July 24, 2019

المتكبر

Al-Mutakabbir (The Ever Supreme)

This name of Allah All-Mighty came in the verse 23 of the surah Al-Hashr, its translation and the explanation of Al-Mutakabbir are:

 
(59:23) He is Allah: there is no god but He: the King,36 the Holy,37 the All-Peace,39 the Giver of security,38 the Overseer,40 the Most Mighty,41 the Overpowering,42 the All-Great.43 Exalted is He from whatever they associate with Him.


Exp. note 43:

43. The word Al-Mutakabbir has two meanings. 

(1) The one who is not actually great but poses as great. 

(2) The one who is actually great and sets himself up as such. 

Whether it is man or Satan, or some other creature, since greatness does not, in fact, belong to it, its posing itself as great and claiming superiority over others is, a false claim and a vice. Contrary to this, Allah Almighty is truly Great and greatness actually belongs to Him, and everything in the universe is low and insignificant as against Him. Therefore, His being Great and setting Himself up as Great is no false claim but reality; it is not an evil quality but a virtue and excellence, which no one else has but Allah. 
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This attribute of Allah indicates the greatness of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala and the letter “ta” in Al-Mutakabbir shows its speciality and uniqueness. So this type of greatness is the quality of Allah alone, none else but only Allah has that level of Greatnesss. Severe punishment is announced for those who pretend to be Mutakabbir i.e. who show takabbur (greatness).

Qatadah said, He, Allah, is the One Whose Greatness is very high above any evil and any bad action. So from Him only good and righteousness come down. No example can be set for Him, He is very High above the qualities of the creations/creatures. Allah is very High above any defect or demerits. Thus this name of Allah proves Allah’s perfection in all of His names, qualities, Attributes and His actions.

This name of Allah does not deserve any from the creation because only Allah is the King / Sovereign while all others are the subjects.  Only Allah is the Lord, the Cherisher while all others are the needies cherished ones. Allah is the only One Creator while all others are the creations and creatures.

Allah is the only One Unique Owner of all Attributes, Beauty, Greatness and Honor. As the Allah’s Messenger salla Allaho alayhi wa sallam used to say during bowing and prostration:

سبحان ذي الجبروت والملكوت والكبرياء والعظمة      

Allah, the Lord of Glory is the Owner of all power, kingdom and Highness. So the One Who is high above any defect and to Whom belong the kingdom, planning and management and Whose names, Attributes and functions/ acts are all very great, that One is the Al-Mutakabbir. The Al-Mutakabbir is the only One without any partner or any associate. That God is the one, Single, and Unique.

As far as the creation and creatures are concerned, their status is that of the servants and slaves who are low and must stay humble before the Lord of the worlds. They must be in the worship and obedience of the Lord and they must remember Him, bow and prostrate to Him. They must say Allaho-Akbar while going down and up in the state of rukoo’ (bowing) and sujood (prostration). In fact, in the daily prayers every act starts with the saying “Allaho-Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest)        

As Takabbur is only the quality of Allah, it deserves none else but Allah, therefore, if any human or jinny or any other creature shows takabbar, then God will punish him/her with severe punishment here and in the here-after. Allah mentioned in Allah’s mighty Book (the Holy Quraan), at many places, the chastisement given to the al-mustakbireen (the proud and arrogant) for e.g. in the surah Ghaafir (Al-Mu’min) verse 60 (its translation is):

 (40:60) Your82 Lord said: “Pray to Me, and I will accept your prayers.83 Surely those who wax too proud to worship Me shall enter Hell, utterly abased.”84

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Surah Al-Zumar (Az-Zumar) verse 60 and 72 (translation only):

(39:60). And on the Day of Resurrection you will see those who lied about Allah [with] their faces blackened. Is there not in Hell a residence for the arrogant?

(39:72). [To them] it will be said, “Enter the gates of Hell to abide eternally therein, and wretched is the residence of the arrogant.”

الجبار

Al-Jabbaar (The Enforcer of HIS decrees):

Exp-note 42 (of the verse 23 of surah Al-Hashar):

42. The word Al-Jabbaar as used in the original is derived from jabr which means setting something right by use of power, reforming something by force. Allah has been called Al-Jabbaar in the sense that He sets the system of His universe right by the use of power and enforces His will, which is entirely based on wisdom. Moreover, the word Jabber also contains the meaning of greatness and glory. Thus, a palm-tree which is too tall for the people to pluck its fruit is called jabber in Arabic. Likewise, an act which is grand and glorious is called amal jabbar. 

The other meanings of Jabbaar as given in the light of the Quraanic verses are:

  1. Overpowering;

          All things are low and subjected to Allah, everything and everyone is in submission to Allah willfully or unwillfully. None has power to resist the All-Mighty God. Thus the upper world (the heavens) as well as the lower world (the earth, mountains and the oceans ) and all that which is in them surrender to Allah in their state of motion and rest. All are under the rule and management of Allah. They have no status of command. All Command and Rule belongs only to Allah.

The Command of Allah encompasses all rules of religion, fortune, and recompense. None is Haakim except Allah. None is Lord or God except Allah.

It does not mean that a person/servant is obliged in his/her personal actions. No! This is not the case because All-Mighty God has given him/her freedom of choice in his/her personal actions. So Allah said in surah Al-Kahf verse 29 and surah Al-Shams (pronounced as Ash-Shams) verses 7-10, here is their translation:

 (18:29) And say, “This is the truth from your Lord, so whoever wills – let him believe; and whoever wills – let him disbelieve.” Indeed, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire whose walls will surround them. And if they call for relief, they will be relieved with water, like murky oil, which scalds [their] faces. How dreadful is the drink and how evil is the resting place!

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This verse clearly informs that the truth of Tawheed (absolute Oneness of God) is very clear.Now the mankind is left with freedom to choose what way they like, whether the way of belief or the way of disbelief. But they must understand that the Haq (the Truth about God and the Accounting and Judgement Day will not be compromised. So those who willfully choose the wrong way (the way of Satan + their lust) will be punished in Hell with severe chastisement while those who will choose the right way will be rewarded in Paradise (see the next verse i.e verse 30 for their reward in Paradise).Surah Al-Shams (Ash-Shams) verses 7—10 (translation only):

(91:7). And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it

(91:8). And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness,

(91:9). He has succeeded who purifies it,

(91:10). And he has failed who instills it [with corruption].

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Here again Allah the All-Mighty God makes it clear that mankind is given freedom to choose the way of life they want. But they will be accounted and recompensed according to their faith and deeds.

The second meaning of Al-Jabbaar includes Allah’s Kindess and Mercy. According to this meaning, Allah makes someone poor and forces him/her to be patient. Then Allah gives him great reward for his poverty and sufferings. Similarly, a sick person is obliged to be patient on his illness and suffering. Then Allah gives him patience and relieves his/her pain, thus his/her sins are washed away. Those who fear Allah a lot and their hearts are remembering Allah, they are obliged by special Jabar. So they feel more and more greatness of Allah. If they by mistake are getting near a sinful thing, their hearts get fear and are warned in different way to be protected from the sins. The more a Muslim fears Allah, the greater he/she will be near Allah and will feel Allah’s attributes to stay away from sins. So their hearts are getting guided more and more in accordance with Quran and Sunnah. There is a du’aa “Allahumma ajbirnee” (meaning, “O Allah force me / compel me”). The meaning of this du’aa is the same type of Jabar , merciful jabar for protection from sins. It comes in the Al-Tirhmidhi and Ibn Maajah in a hadeeth narrated by Ibn Abbas RAA that the Prophet (Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him) صلى الله عليه و سلم used to say between the two prostrations in salaat:

 الهم اغفرلي  وارحمني و اجبرني و اهدني ارزقني

It means: “O Allah, forgive me, do mercy on me, compel me and guide me, and give me sustenance”.

The third meaning of Al-Jabbaar is the Highness of Allah over and above all the creations. And this Al-Jabaroot is only for one Allah. According to a hadeeth shareef given here the Prophet (Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him) صلى الله عليه و سلم   used to say in his rukoo (bowing down in prayer) and sujood (prostration):

سبحان ذي الجبروت و الملكوت و الكبرياء و العظمة

If anyone from the creation practices jabar so he/she will face the anger of Allah. Allah has promised for such a one severe punishment. Allah said in the verse 35 of Surah Ghaafir (Al-Mu’min) its translation is:

(40:35). Those who dispute concerning the signs of Allah without an authority having come to them – great is hatred [of them] in the sight of Allah and in the sight of those who have believed. Thus does Allah seal over every heart [belonging to] an arrogant tyrant.

Also Allah said in Surah Ibraheem verses 15-17 (translation only):

(14:15) They sought Our judgement. And every obstinate tyrant opposed to the Truth was brought to naught

(14:16). Before him is Hell, and he will be given a drink of purulent water.

(14:17). He will gulp it but will hardly [be able to] swallow it. And death will come to him from everywhere, but he is not to die. And before him is a massive punishment.

It came in Ahmad and Al-Tirmidhee from Abu Hurairah RAA, he said that Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم   said:

On the Day of Resurrection, a neck will come out of the Fire (of Hell). It has two eyes to see with, two ears to hear with, and a tongue that it will speak with. It will say: surely, I am appointed upon three: 1. Al-Jabbaarin Aneed (stubborn tyrants), 2) all those who associate other parteners with Allah, and 3) upon the picture makers.

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May Allah protect us from the Fire and from the Anger of Al-Jabbaar (God) and also we seek the refuge of Allah Subhaanahu from the evils of character, and from lust desires and moral illnesses.