The Name of Allah Al-Mateen (المتين) - (22/10/17)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

2/2/1439

اسم الله المتين

The Name of Allah Al-Mateen

The Meaning of the Name:

Linguistically, المتين (Al-Mateen) comes from the root متن, which means:

1) Strength

2) Firmness

3) Vastness

There are spaces between the atoms in gases and spaces between the atoms in liquids, but there is no space between the atoms in solids. Unlike water and gas, nothing can change what is solid,

E.g. Your children want something and cry for it. In the beginning you say no, but they cry and cry until in the end you give it to them. The person who does that is not متين (Mateen).

When you are متين (Mateen), no one can find your weak points and work on it. The person who is متين is firm and solid; he does not take the shape of anything else, and cannot get influenced. But although the متين is firm, he is vast in all goodness. There are people who are firm, but are mean in their firmness.

Where the Name is mentioned in the Qur'an and its Meaning with regards to Allah:

#1 - Surah Adh-Dhariyat [51:58]: 

"Verily, Allah is the All-Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong."

The theme of Surah Adh-Dhariyat is الرزق (Provision).

In the same Surah, Verse 22:

"And in the heaven is your provision, and that which you are promised."

Your provision is up in the sky. Allah said in Surah Al-Hijr [15:21]:

"And there is not a thing, but with Us are the stores thereof. And We send it not down except in a known measure."

"و إن من شيء إلا عندنا خزائنه"

Whatever you have on earth is not only what Allah has. Whatever you have is little in comparison to what is preserved in the treasures of Allah. Yet: 

"و ما ننزله إلا بقدر معلوم"

Allah only descends it with a known estimation. 

Why?

In Surah ash-Shura [42:27]:

"And if Allah were to enlarge the provision for His slaves, they would surely rebel in the earth, but He sends down by measure as He wills. Verily! He is in respect of His slaves, the Well-Aware, the All-Seer (of things that benefit them)."

Out of Allah's mercy, He does not expand the provision for us. If He stretched His hand to give His treasures, we would exceed the bounds. You waste when you have more. Allah knows the human being.

If you give children everything they ask for it will spoil them. If you give everything with قدر (estimation), there will be no transgression.

In the previous verses, Verses 56 and 57, Allah says: 

"And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone)."

"I seek not any provision from them (i.e. provision for themselves or for My creatures) nor do I ask that they should feed Me (i.e. feed themselves or My creatures)."

This is your purpose. Worship Allah, but Allah does not need anything from you. People who worship idols provide for, dress, and polish their idols.

Then He says: 

"Verily, Allah is the All-Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong."

This verse is an evidence that المتين (Al-Mateen) is a name of Allah.

Allah connected this name to His رزق (Provision). Allah is firm when He gives the provision. There are no holes, faults, or influence which will affect Allah to deprive you from even one Dirham. No one can change what wants to give or deprive. When Allah gives you it is a provision and when He does not give you it is also a provision, because He knows what is the best for you and when it is the best for you. Sometimes someone will work for something very hard and never get it, while others work normally and get it. Don't be stressed with your provision, because everyone will get what Allah decreed. Allah says regarding provision in Surah Al-Mulk [67:15]:

"He it is, Who has made the earth subservient to you (i.e. easy for you to walk, to live and to do agriculture on it, etc.), so walk in the path thereof and eat of His provision, and to Him will be the Resurrection."

"فامشوا" - Walk

You will get all what Allah decreed for you. When you have something it is for a reason, and when you do not have it it is also for a reason. 

Though Allah is الحليم، الرحيم، الرفيق، الودود (Al-Haleem, Ar-Raheem, Ar-Rafeeq, Al-Wadud), He knows if what you are asking is not good for you. He is المتين (Al-Mateen). Allah has all the Beautiful Names and attributes. He is المتين (Al-Mateen) in provision. He is strong to give you the provision even if it is in the middle of the sea, and He is firm in giving it to you, and He is vast. He will never get tired or feel difficulty because He is المتين. He knows what is best for people. And there are no faults in Allah.

#2 - Surah al-A'raf [7:182-183]:

"Those who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), We shall gradually seize them with punishment in ways they perceive not."

"And I respite them; certainly My Plan is strong."

#3 - Surah Al-Qalam [68:44-45]:

"Then leave Me Alone with such as belie this Quran. We shall punish them gradually from directions they perceive not."

"And I will grant them a respite. Verily, My Plan is strong."

This is mentioned twice in the Quran in the context of Allah's plan against the disbelievers.

استدراج = Taking them step by step into destruction without them feeling it.

When people persist in sin, Allah will open it for them until they can do the sin easier then before. In the sinners mind he will feels like it is a good sign, so he indulges in the sin more. He sees his life as good and nothing bad happening to him so he thinks Allah loves him. This is Allah's plan against the one who persists in the sin. In the beginning Allah nurtures him and makes it difficult to commit the sin, but when he persists, Allah will leave him and he will go down and down, like steps going down. In the beginning he may have had a little guilt, but now he he feels nothing.

When someone plots his plot should be so perfect that the one who is plotted against cannot find a hole inside. Allah's plan is متين (Mateen). They never figure it out because it is a perfect, strong, firm plan.

Allah's كيد (plot) is perfect and is restricted to the one who deserves it. And no one can avoid it, stop it, nor change it. No one can spoil Allah's plot. 

This consoles the believers. You see the disbelievers enjoying in this world, but it is استدراج (Step by step destruction).

How do I apply this in my life? 

#1 - Be firm and ask Allah to keep you firm. Don't do things to weaken your faith or befriend people who will weaken your faith. Say:

يا مقلب القلوب ثبت قلبي على دينك

O Turner of Hearts, keep my heart firm on Your Religion

#2- Hold fast on the rope of المتين

But remember, when you are strong and firm in your Religion, you also need to be gentle and kind. Allah is المتين (Al-Mateen), but He is also also الرحمن، الرحيم, (Ar-Rahman, Ar-Raheem), etc. Be firm with mercy and gentleness.

The Religion is متين (Mateen) so when you come to it come to it slowly slowly. Some people try to do everything at once when they first convert, then get tired. The Religion is firm so come to it slowly, then you will be stable.