Month: August 2019

المعز

Al-Mu’izz

It is derived from the word izzah which gives 3 meanings i.e. honor, dominance and power all of which are in the HANDS of Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala. Allah Almighty said in surah Aali-Imran verse 26 (its English translation is):

26. Say (O Muhammad SAW): “O Allah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honour whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things.
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Also Allah said in the Holy Quraan:

“Man kaana yureedul izzata, fa lillahi-al-izzatu jamee’aa”

“Anyone who wants honor (must know) that all honor belongs to Allah.”

(Therefore he must seek it from Allah.)
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It is a part of the verse 10 of surah Faatir. The English translation of complete verse 10 is:

1. Whosoever desires honour, power and glory then to Allah belongs all honour, power and glory [and one can get honour, power and glory only by obeying and worshipping Allah (Alone)]. To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it (the goodly words i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allah unless and until they are followed by good deeds), but those who plot evils, theirs will be severe torment. And the plotting of such will perish.
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If Allah has given someone izzah, which includes honor, dominance and power, then he must use it for the Deen of Allah to support it, to convey its message and to establish it.

In surah Al-Munaafiqoon, Allah said in verse 8 (its English translation is):

8. They say, “If we return to Al-Madinah, the more honored [for power] will surely expel therefrom the more humble.” And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.
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This verse was revealed when Abdullah bin Ubayyah had said the words given in the first part of this verse. Allah Almighty answered his words in the second /last part of the same verse saying:

“And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.”

The hypocrites had some power, wealth and support from the kaafirs, so they thought that they were the owners of honor, but Allah told them the fact that indeed real honor and dignity belongs to Allah and Allah has given it to HIS Prophet (Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him) and to the believers. Allah can deprive the kaafirs and munafiqeen from that honor any time.

There is a good saying of Ali ibn.Husain rAa as he said:

“Man araada izzah bila asheera, wa hebatin bila sultaan wa ghina bila maalin fal yakhruj min dhulli-ma’siyyati ilaizzi-ita-ati.”

Translation

“Whoever wants honor without tribe, awe/ reverence without ruling authority and riches without wealth, then he must come out from the humiliation of disobedience to the dignity of obedience (to Allah and Allah’s Messenger salla Allaho alaihi wa sallam)”
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Thus, if you leave sin and obey Allah and HIS Prophet (Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him), you will have that honor and dignity.

الرافع

 

الرافع
Al-Raafi’ (read as Ar-Raafi’):

(The Exalter)
Its meaning is opposite to that of Al-Khaafidh. It is only Allah Who can raise, elevate and exalt a person or a nation. Allah said in surah Al-An’aam verse 83:

(6:83) That was Our argument which We gave to Abraham against his people. We raise in ranks whom We will. Truly your lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing. 
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You can read the story of the Prophet Ibraheem alaihi salaam in the verses 74—83 of surah Al-An’aam at tafheem.net. There it is at “Towards understanding Quraan”. You will find it with exp. notes. A short statement is here:

Ibraheem alaihi salaam was brought up in an idolater society. All people used to worship idols as well as stars, moon and the sun. Ibraheem alaihi salaam had no source of knowledge except his wisdom and conscience. He tried to advise his people against idolatry. He tried in different ways to make them understand. His methods of preaching are revealed in different surahs. Here he considered star, moon and the sun in the light of his wisdom and conscience and proved that these could not be god. Then he said:

(6:79). Surely I have directed my face to Him Who originated (i.e., created) the heavens and the earth, unswervingly upright, (i.e., by nature upright) and in no way am I one of the associators.” (i.e., those who associate others with Allah)

(Surah Al-An’aam 79)

The other translation is:

 

(6:79).Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allah .”

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He was thrown in to a huge fire made by his nation. But Allah miraculously, made the fire cool and safe for him. And Allah raised him in ranks as Allah said in the verse 83 (given above).

Similarly, Allah said about Yousuf alaihi salaam in verse 76 of surah yousuf : ………WE raise in degrees whomever WE will…..
(translation)
Allah said about surah yousuf that it is the best story. You can read it with full explanation at tafheem.net. You will see how his step brothers were against him. Then they threw him in a dry well. Then, how did Allah Almighty manage his transfer from Shaam to Egypt. There he passed through many hard tests. He remained in the fear of Allah everywhere. Finally, Allah made him the Ruler of Egypt, and the same brothers came to him in need of wheat. Then they found their brother, whom they had thrown in a well, sitting at the position of a great ruler. Allah can do whatever Allah wants.

Allah promised in the Holy Quraan that Allah will elevate in rank those who have knowledge (that is the knowledge of the Holy Quraan and Sunnah).

Also there is a hadeeth about this world:

The Prophet (Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him) said, “ Inna Allaha yarfa’u bi-hadha Al-Quraani aqwaaman wa yakhfidu al-aakhareen” (Surely, Allah raises nations by this Quraan and abases others).
Now we are the last Ummah. Prophet-hud has come to its end. We are now given the job of the Prophets alaihim salaam. We have to convey the message of Islam and this is a job at a high position. Our duty is to understand Quraan, follow it in accordance with the Sunnah and then convey it to others. The Prophet (Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him) has informed us about great awliyaa in his Ummah due to whom thousands of people will enter the fold of Islam.

Such Muslims with the knowledge and practices of the Quraan and Sunnah are the Muslims of high rank. Allah said in surah al-Waqi’ah verse 10-11 (there translation is):

(56:10). And the forerunners, the forerunners –

(56:11). Those are the ones brought near [to Allah ]

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الخافض

Al-Khaafid:

Allah Almighty is The One Who lowers and abases a person from a high position to a very low or even the lowest position and this power belongs to Allah alone. Then Allah abases a person with full justice. So a person is caught in humiliation only due to his sins. Allah is The All-Knowing and Just. Someone at a very high status may be busy in action against the Will and Command of Allah like killing and torturing innocent people. So only one Command of Allah (kun = be) will bring that person to a very low position, and he will be humiliated among his people. This is the matter of this world and the worldly positions, but that will be a rule in the Hereafter. Allah said in surah Al-Waqiyah verses 1—3

(56:1) When the Event will come to pass 

(56:2) – and then there will be no one to deny its occurrence1 – 

خَافِضَةٌ رَّافِعَةٌ ۙ‏ 

3. It will bring low (some); (and others) it will exalt;

Another translation with its exp. note is:

(56:3) (a calamitous Event) that shall turn things upside down:2

Exp. Note 2

 

  1. Literally: That which causes something or somebody to rise and to fall. Its one meaning can be that it will upset every order and it will turn things upside-down. Another meaning can also be that it will exalt the lowly and bring low the high and mighty; that is, on its advent the decision as to who is noble and who is ignoble among the people will be made on quite a different basis. Those who posed as honorable people in the world would become contemptible and those who were considered contemptible would become honorable.
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    In the Hereafter Allah will elevate believers in Paradise and will humiliate the unbelievers and rejecters of Islam in Hell.

    Allah said in surah Al-Hajj verse 18:

  2. See you not that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the trees, and Ad-Dawab (moving living creatures, beasts, etc.), and many of mankind? But there are many (men) on whom the punishment is justified. And whomsoever Allah disgraces, none can honour him. Verily! Allah does what He wills.
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Allah promised in the Holy Quraan that Allah will elevate in rank those who have knowledge (that is the knowledge of the Holy Quraan and Sunnah).

Also there is a hadeeth about this world:

The Prophet (Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him) said, “ Inna Allaha yarfa’u bi-hadha Al-Quraani aqwaaman wa yakhfidu al-aakhareen” (Surely, Allah raises nations by this Quraan and abases others).

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According to this Hadeeth of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him), the standard of honor for our Ummah is the Holy Quraan. If some Muslims hold fast to it, Allah will exalt them in ranks while those who throw it behind their backs, will be abased.

At the present time, the sufferings of our Ummah are because of their leaving the Quraan and Sunnah. Therefore the only solution is to turn back to the Holy Quraan.