بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم
5-3-1438H
One of the Noble Names of Allah is العليم; which Allah mentioned in over 150 verses in the Qur'an. This Name implies the Attribute of العلم (Knowledge) which is a صفة ذاتية (Intrinsic Attribute); Allah has always been attributed with Knowledge, and will always be attributed with it. It is an eternal attribute which never stops at any moment or any time.
Allah created the creation, and He Knows about His creation. In Surah Al-Baqarah [2:29]:
"He it is Who created for you all that is on earth. Then He Istawa (rose over) towards the heaven and made them seven heavens and He is the All-Knower of everything."
As As-Sa'di mentioned: In many verses in the Qur'an, Allah connected His Creation with His Knowledge, to emphasize that He Created everything and knows about everything He Created. It is impossible that Allah created something and does not know about it. He Knows what benefits His Creation, what suits them, what is good them. Accordingly, He set laws for us. How can we judge Allah, His Actions and Laws with our deficient minds? This is due to lack of belief in Allah's Name العليم, and this is what is happening nowadays.
Belief should affect our behaviour.
E.g. When we offer Salaat, why do we not remember that Allah is talking to us and we are talking to Him?
The Prophet ﷺ said:
يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَسَمْتُ الصَّلاَةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ فَنِصْفُهَا لِي وَنِصْفُهَا لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ " . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اقْرَءُوا يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ } يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَمِدَنِي عَبْدِي . يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ } يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَثْنَى عَلَىَّ عَبْدِي . يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ } يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَجَّدَنِي عَبْدِي . يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ } فَهَذِهِ الآيَةُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ . يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ * صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ } فَهَؤُلاَءِ لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ "
"Allah says: "I have divided prayer between Myself and My slave into two halves, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.'" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Recite, for when the slave says: All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists, Allah says: 'My slave has praised Me.' And when he says: The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, Allah says: 'My slave has extolled Me.' And when he says: The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection), Allah says: 'My slave has glorified Me' . And when he says: You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help (for each and everything), He says: 'This is between Me and My slave, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.' And when he says: 'Guide us to the straight way, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray, He says: 'This is for My slave, and My slave shall have what he asked for.'" [An-Nasaa'i #909]
Where is our heart when we recite these verses? Our lack of faith in Allah has this effect on us. Lack of feelings indicate lack of belief that Allah is Hearing, Seeing, Knows about our State, etc.
Allah knows if we are truly and sincerely asking for help when we say "إياك نعبد و إياك نستعين". But we say these verses without any feeling. الغفلة (Heedlesness) is covering our hearts, therefore we need to renew our belief, and that is by learning about Allah and His Perfect Attributes.
In Surah Ibrahim [14:24]:
"See you not how Allah sets forth a parable? - A goodly word as a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the sky (i.e. very high)."
Allah sets a parable of a goodly tree, which resembles faith in the heart of the believer. The firmer these roots are fixed, the higher the branches extend in the sky. If لا اله الا الله is fixed firmly in our hearts, and we fulfill all the conditions, the branches of our faith (which are our deeds) will raise up to Allah. Allah will then accordingly accept these deeds and give us the fruit. Ask yourself: Where are the fruits and benefits of that tree in our lives? Allah promised us that there will be fruits, if the deeds are accepted by Allah. This means we have to work hard on our Faith.
Impacts of Believing in the Name of Allah العليم
Shaykh Abdul-Razaq Al-Badr mentioned his book Fiqh AlAsmaa:
And there has come in the Qur'an vast explanations on the Knowledge of Allah, and that it extends to everything, and that Allah has encompassed everything in Knowledge.
Then he mentioned examples:
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1) Surah Al-An'am [6:80]:
"His people disputed with him. He said: "Do you dispute with me concerning Allah while He has guided me, and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship. (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord (Allah) wills something. My Lord comprehends in His Knowledge all things. Will you not then remember?"
This is regarding Ibrahim عليه السلام.
"وسع ربي كل شيء علما" - "My Lord comprehends in His Knowledge all things."
Why did Ibrahim عليه السلام use this particular Attribute of Allah when disputing with his people who were Idolaters? To Emphasize: Who deserves to be worshipped? The Idols or Allah? Do your Idols know everything? Even if they know, does their knowledge encompass everything? This is proof that Allah deserves التأليه (Deification); because His Knowledge encompasses everything. The One who deserves to be feared and worshipped is the One whose Knowledge is vast.
In other words: You and me are humans, and we are always in need, whether they are tangible or sensible needs. We need money, love, guidance, peace of mind, etc.
If my guardian has no knowledge of what I need, feel, and want, then how will he dispose my affairs? How will he nurture me? How will he fulfill my needs? Why will I waste my time with him? While My Lord, is The All-Knower. He knows what I feel, even if I do not speak. He knows what is good for me and what is not good for me. He knows what I need. This is why I have hope in Him and am attached to Him. These idols do not know what I want, need, and feel. So who deserves my hearts attachment?
Allah knows about all the billions of creations. Your idols do not know even the person in front of them, so what about the rest of the creation? The Attribute of the True مدبر is that He has vast Knowledge.
In this way, Ibrahim عليه السلام refuted his people; By mentioning the Knowledge of Allah.
2) Surah Ghafir [40:7]:
"Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allah) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah) (saying): "Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your Way, and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire!"
Before the Angels ask Allah, they praise Him first. And this is the manner of making دعاء.
"ربنا وسعت كل شيء رحمة و علما" - "Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge"
What is the wisdom of using this particular Attribute of Allah along with Forgiveness? Allah Knows what we have committed of sins, He Knows what state we committed the sin in, and when we committed it. We forget, but Allah never forgets. He Knows what we have done in detail.
Because Allah knows our state and what we committed, they ask Allah by His Knowledge and Mercy.
If you want forgiveness of all your sins, then ask Allah by His Vast Knowledge. - O Allah you know what I did in the past, even if I forgot. Forgive all my sins, the minor and the major, the open and the secret, etc.
3) Surah Ta-Ha [20:98]:
"Your Ilah (God) is only Allah, the One (La ilaha illa Huwa) (none has the right to be worshipped but He). He has full knowledge of all things."
This verse is mentioned after the story of As-Samiri.
Allah mentioned the punishment of Samiri, "لا مساس" - to not be touched; which is a strange punishment. This is because Samiri touched what he should not have touched. He took a handful of the sand from the hoofprint of Jibreel عليه السلام and threw it in the fire which the ornaments of the People of Pharoah were in, then took out a calf, claiming it was God.
The Scholars have three opinions with regards to "لا مساس":
1) If anyone touched him, both Samiri and that person would be sick from a fever. This is the preponderant opinion.
2) He was forbidden from associating with people. This is not a strong opinion.
3) His offspring will be cut off; he cannot touch any woman. This is also a weak opinion.
Samiri was totally isolated, and this teaches us we should abandon the sinner, especially those who commit Shirk and Bid'ah.
After Allah mentioned the punishment of Samiri, He mentioned the above verse.
What is the connection between the previous story/ Uloohiyah and Allah's Knowledge comprehending all things? Bani Israeel worshipped the calf besides Allah which is why Allah emphasizes again who deserves to be worshipped - the One whose Knowledge comprehends all things. This is the second verse we have come across where the Uloohiyah of Allah is connected with His Knowledge. How can they worship the calf and leave Allah, whose Knowledge encompasses everything?
When you believe that Allah Knows about your state, deeds, sins, you would hope, fear, and expect from Him. But when you worship something which does not know what you did, want, and feel, does he deserve that you put your needs at his gate? You put your needs at the gate of the one who knows.
What makes you practice your fear, love, Tawakkul, hope, although they are hidden actions of the heart? When you know Allah's Knowledge encompasses everything. He Knows about your love, hope, fear, reliance. This is the relationship between the slave and his God.
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