The most beautiful names of our lord - I

Due to His creation’s perfection and superior nature, Allah sustains the life of all creatures, every one of which submits to His supreme intelligence, endless compassion, and mercy. He has given them everything they need to survive in their close proximity, as another indication of His mercy. The Lord is “All-Gentle, Most Merciful” (Surat al-Baqara, 143) towards His creatures:

Do you not see that Allah has made everything on Earth subservient to you, and the ships running upon the sea, by His command? He holds back the heaven, preventing it from falling to Earth – except by His permission. Allah is All-Compassionate to humanity, Most Merciful. (Surat al-Hajj, 65)

He sends down Clear Signs to His servant to bring you out of the darkness to the light. Allah is All-Gentle with you, Most Merciful. (Surat al-Hadid, 9)

The name All-Merciful and Most Merciful has a broad and deep meaning which subsumes numerous names of our Lord mentioned in the Qur’an. For example, He is protective and forgiving in His endless mercy toward human beings and grants them incomparable blessings throughout their lives. Through His abundant grace, He provides physical and spiritual blessings; forgives their errors, accepts their repentance, protects them, covers their sin, and guides them on the straight path.

From the moment of birth, each person can survive only with Allah’s mercy, protection, and help. For example, disasters such as earthquakes, floods,  tornatoes, and volcanic eruptions happen all over the world every single minute. In fact such events can happen anywhere at any chosen time. And anyone can fall sick or experience material hardship. And there is a very basic fact that should never be forgotten in the face of such events; no matter how hard people may try, they cannot avoid any of these calamities, and no one can help them for they are all sent by Allah, and only Allah can remove them, for He, as the All-Merciful, is a person’s sole protector and helper. Allah, if He wishes so, rescues people from every kind of trouble and calamity and also if He wishes so makes them face all kinds of difficulties.

Say: “Who rescues you from the darkness of the land and sea? You call on Him humbly and secretly: ‘If You rescue us from this, we will truly be among the thankful.’ ” Say: “Allah rescues you from it, and from every plight. Then you associate others with Him.” (Surat al-An’am, 63-64)

He [Noah's son] said: “I will take refuge on a mountain; It will protect me from the flood.” He [Noah] said: “There is no protection from Allah’s command today, except for those upon whom He has mercy.” (Surah Hud, 43)

As for those who show disdain and grow arrogant, He will punish them with a painful punishment. They will not find any protector or helper for themselves besides Allah. (Surat an-Nisa, 173)

We can see from these verses that only Allah, out of His endless compassion, removes people’s anxieties and protects them from disaster. Knowing this, believers take refuge in His endless mercy when confronted with sickness, anxiety, and difficulty, for He provides material and spiritual abundance in this world to those who sincerely believe in and obey Him. He makes a way for them out of their difficulties and removes their anxiety:

Is there anyone who will make Allah a generous loan so that He can multiply it for him [or her] many times over? Allah both restricts and expands. And you will be returned to Him. (Surat al-Baqara, 245)

Your Lord expands and restricts the provision of anyone He wills. He is aware of and sees His servants. (Surat al-Isra, 30)

Being eternal goodness, Allah is good to human beings throughout their lives and gives them things of incomparable goodness and beauty: “Beforehand we certainly used to call on Him because He is the All-Good, the Most Merciful” (Surat at-Tur, 28). Everything that exists comes from Him; all beauty and every fine blessing manifest His intelligence. Like all other beings, each person comes into this world, through His will, as a piece of flesh in its mother’s womb, grows and gradually develops a beautiful face, and reflects His wondrous artistry in every detail:

O man! What has deluded you in respect of your Noble Lord? He Who created you and formed you and proportioned you and assembled you in whatever way He willed. (Surat al-Infitar, 6-8)

Recite: In the Name of your Lord Who created, created humanity from clots of blood. Recite: And your Lord is the Most Generous, He Who taught by the pen, taught humanity what it did not know. No indeed! Truly humanity is unbridled, seeing itself as self-sufficient. Truly it is to your Lord that you will return. (Surat al-Alaq, 1-8)

In His endless grace, He has given countless blessings to humanity and, in return, expects them to serve Him. Those who turn to Him have sincere belief, serve Him with all their heart in submission, and worship Him with full sincerity. They will receive a great reward in the Afterlife in return for this virtuous behavior, for His kindness is everlasting:

He has given you everything for which you have asked Him. If you tried to number Allah’s blessings, you could never count them. Humanity is indeed wrongdoing, ungrateful. (Surah Ibrahim, 34)