Names of Allah: AL-'ADL - KHABEER

AL-'ADL (The Just, The Equitable)

Allah is the most just judge. As His order encompasses the universe, He will show His justice to His servants both in this world and beyond. All the acts of Allah, Who is All-Seeing, All-Knowing, and All-Aware, are for a divine purpose and are just.

Allah will judge all of each person's deeds according to His justice. Allah informs us that those who engage in violence will be punished and that even a single good word will be rewarded. He will manifest His infinite justice in the Hereafter.

The difficulties that unbelievers make for Prophets and believers, as well as their slanderous accusations and sins, will not remain unanswered. All of these difficulties, which raise believers' ranks in Paradise, lead unbelievers to the lowest level of the Fire. On the Day of Judgment, Allah will set up the Just Balance, and no soul will be wronged in any way. Allah will call them to account by ending the time that He has granted them. Given that Allah, the All-Knowing, keeps His promise, all people will see the consequences of their wrong actions in the Hereafter. Thus, unbelievers will be punished severely, while those who remained true to Allah will be rewarded most bountifully. In one verse, Allah states the following:

There is an important point to consider here: While pondering over His justice, do not compare it with the human concept of justice, for a faithless person, while passing judgment, may well comply with his whims and desires, remain under the influence of his feelings, or forget what has been done. Most importantly, one never knows what is in the other party's mind. But Allah, Who never errs or forgets, has assigned angels for every person in order to observe and record each of their acts and thoughts. In brief, Allah holds each person's soul in His hand. The Qur'an also reveals that our Lord, Who gives the best judgment, is infinitely just:

In the Hereafter, Allah will pay back all of the wrongdoing and plots hatched against believers. In this life, He may grant the unbelievers many blessings (e.g., wealth and possessions), yet these will only lead them to more evil. In the Qur'an, Allah states that believers must not be attracted to such blessings, for when compared with what awaits them in the Hereafter, the benefits of this short life are insignificant, especially when the infinite punishment of Hell awaits unbelievers.

In the Hereafter, each person's real abode, every soul will find itself confronted with all of its good deeds. Allah will manifest His justice in Hell and Paradise for all eternity. Ultimately, Allah will separate those who believe in Him from those who do not.

Allah commands believers to be just as follows:

Allah does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you in the religion or driven you from your homes, or from being just toward them. Allah loves those who are just. (Surat al-Mumtahana, 60:8)

AL-'AFUW (The Pardoner)

People are fallible beings who may at any time think erroneously, make a wrong decision, or display a flawed attitude. But Allah, Who created humanity and is fully aware of these mistakes, forgives them. If He were not so forgiving, no soul would ever attain Paradise. Indeed, Allah calls attention to this fact, as follows:

Yet we need to remember that Allah only forgives His sincere servants who turn to Him in repentance. Thus, those desiring His forgiveness must be sincere and resolute in their repentance. Allah makes it clear that He will not forgive those who repent but then return to their former ways without feeling any true regret. In one verse, Allah states the following:

AL-AKHIR (The Last; The One Who Exists After Everything Else Perishes )

Allah created the universe from nothing and, ultimately, will return it to its initial state and destroy it. Nothing is immortal, for all living beings come into existence for a predetermined period of time and then die—everything, that is, except Allah, Who is the First and the Last and therefore without beginning or end.

Allah, the Creator of life and time, is not affected by any of matter's characteristics. Given that He is infinite, He will exist for all eternity, existed in the infinite past, and is unaffected by time and space. This fact is stressed in the Qur'an, as follows:

AHKAM AL-HAKIMEEN (The Most Just Judge )

Allah passes judgment on each matter and concludes them. All events evolve and develop upon His command and wish. Each of His judgments contains many hidden divine purposes. However, most people do not really understand His commands, for, given their limited intelligence, their ability to do so is also limited. Furthermore, Allah is infinitely wise, exalted above time and space, and the One Who created and bound humanity to these concepts. A person can never know what will happen the next day or even in an hour. When Allah gives a command, however, He has total knowledge of all of its consequences, regardless of time or place. Consequently, Allah creates everything in compliance with His plan and for a divine purpose.

But unbelievers can never understand Allah's purposes, for they base their worldview on certain causes and then think that everything evolves randomly and coincidentally. Therefore, they fail to understand that Allah controls everything. Believers, however, strive to grasp the divine purposes in Allah's judgments and comprehend that He gives the best judgments. In the Qur'an, Allah commands the following:

AL-'ALEEM (The All-Knowing)

After people begin to think, they start to learn and, over time, accumulate more and more knowledge. Some specialize in certain fields, such as physics, philosophy, or history. All of this knowledge relates to the verb "to know," as we understand it. However, this verb also has a dimension that is far beyond humanity's grasp: how Allah knows things.

Allah, being the Creator, holds the knowledge of the heavens, Earth, and every being in between, as well as of all the laws regulating the universe and anything that happens, regardless of time or place. Moreover, His knowledge is boundless, for He knows the names of all new-born babies at any moment, every leaf falling from every tree, what will happen to each star in each galaxy, whatever happens in space at any moment, what is hidden in every living thing's DNA, and an infinite number of other things.

We must always keep the following fact in mind: In addition to what has been mentioned above, Allah knows all of our thoughts and our most secret acts. We assume that we alone are aware of our feelings, thoughts, or distress. But this is a delusion, for Allah, Who holds complete control over every point of the universe, knows what is in each person's mind and everything else. Indeed, the Qur'an informs us about Allah's infinite knowledge:

AL-'ALEE (The Most High )

Allah introduces Himself to us: Allah, the Creator of all the worlds and the sole Sovereign of the universe, is the Most High and the Possessor of the heavens, Earth, and everything in between. There is no deity but Him. High is He, Exalted above all that they associate (with Him). He is the Sovereign, the All-Powerful, and the Lord of the Ways of Ascent. Allah is Self-Sufficient, above all need.

All of the beautiful names belong to Allah, for He is the Owner of infinite beauty and infinite sublimity. A person can know Him only to the extent that He introduces Himself, and can appreciate Him through the verses of the Qur'an. In one verse, Allah describes this name in the following terms:

AL-'ASIM (The Protector )

People, all of whom are inherently feeble, can encounter all sorts of difficulties at any time, such as an earthquake, flood, hurricane, or volcanic eruption. In addition, people are vulnerable to mental distress. In the face of these unfavorable events, they must consider the following: Regardless of their effort or strength, they can never avoid a threat unless Allah wills this. Allah, the most Compassionate, is the only Protector, as the Qur'an relates in the following verses:

People remember Allah when they are left alone, when they realize that neither material wealth nor powerful people can help them, or when they fall sick. Yet after these situations pass, they forget what happened to them and become ungrateful toward Allah. Such people, who insist upon ungratefulness despite Allah's protection, will see the truth when they face infinite punishment in Hell. Their situation is related, as follows:

AL-'ADHEEM (The All-Glorious)

Allah's might and grandeur is surely beyond humanity's grasp. Yet, within the limits of their wisdom, people can still see and grasp His might. Indeed, the entire universe abounds with countless examples that indicate His greatness. A closer look at our own planet will make people feel His sublimity.

The heavens carrying clouds that weigh many tons, mountains rising thousands of meters in the air, oceans harboring millions of living beings, a lightening flash and the noise of thunder following it, and billions of living beings that have submitted to Allah—all of these and countless other details are clear signs of Allah's existence.

To have a better grasp of our Lord's grandeur, let's move beyond the limits of our world and think: We live in an unbounded space, the universe, which contains billions of galaxies with countless billions of stars. We live in one of these galaxies on a planet called Earth, which rotates about its axis at a velocity of about 1.670 kilometers an hour. Just thinking on these vast figures make us realize that our existence in the universe is as insignificant as the existence of a dust particle on Earth.

As this example also reveals, people given to sincere contemplation can grasp the majesty of their Lord, Who creates billions of galaxies and holds all of them in His hand. In one verse, Allah informs us about His beautiful names:

AL-‘AZEEZ (The Almighty )

This name of Allah expresses that He will always triumph and that He can never be refuted, for only He has true power. Allah created the universe's order, all of its laws (both known and unknown), and all beings on Earth. In the face of Allah's infinite power, which clearly manifests itself in the universe, the feebleness of every created being and thing is obvious. All that is created can only exist, survive, and act if He commands so.

No doubt, this feeling of feebleness also holds true for humanity. No matter how well-off, strong, and powerful people may be, each person is weak and helpless in Allah's sight. No possessions, money, or status can protect them from Allah's punishment; only those who surrender to Him, live by His orders, and strive to earn His consent will be protected. In the Qur'an, Allah promises to grant superiority to His loyal servants.

A bedouin once said to the Prophet (saas): "Teach me something to say." The Prophet (saas) replied: "Say: 'There is no god but Allah, the One with no partner. Allah is the Greatest by far; much praise be to Him. The Lord of the Worlds be praised; and there is no power and no strength save in Allah the Almighty, the All-Wise.'" (Sahih Muslim)

AL-BA'ITH (The Resurrector)

All people who have or will ever live are mortal. Everyone dies and is buried. Despite this obvious fact, however, most people avoid thinking about death and their subsequent resurrection. The Qur'an describes their situation, as follows:

The Qur'an provides the most explicit answer to this popular delusion by proclaiming:

As these verses indicate, Allah created humanity and granted different qualities to everyone. Indeed, down to his or her fingerprints, each person has unique characteristics. As our Creator, He can re-create each person in the very same manner as many times as He wills. Allah displays this coming resurrection each autumn, when nature begins to "die" and then actually experience a type of "death" during winter. Yet when spring comes, we see dry branches blossoming, nature being revived and becoming green all over. Furthermore, this "resurrection" has been happening without any interruption since time began. For Allah, resurrecting each person is as easy as this. The parallel features of these two resurrections are stated in several verses, as follows:

Another meaning of the beautiful name Al-Ba‘ith is “sending out Prophets.” Allah sent Messengers to warn their people and bring good news in order to call them to the right path. He revealed books to some of his Messengers so that they could bring people out of the darkness of ignorance and into the light of true knowledge. No doubt, this is a great blessing of Allah to His servants. In the Qur’an, Allah relates that:

AL-BAQI (The Everlasting )

All of creation has an end. People are born, live for a certain period of time, and then die. This is also true of plants and animals. For instance, a tree may live for hundreds of years and then fulfill its destiny by dying at its appointed time. Similarly, non-living things also will meet their end, for time wears them all out. In addition, what remains of ancient nations is only their ruins. Allah calls our attention to this fact: "How many wrongdoing cities We destroyed, and now all their roofs and walls are fallen in; how many abandoned wells and stuccoed palaces!" (Surat al-Hajj, 22:45)

The universe also has an end. All of the meteors, stars, and suns hurtling through space will one day exhaust their energy and disappear. Or, for another reason, Allah will destroy this universe and keep His promise regarding the Day of Judgment. He can do this, for He is the Creator and sole Owner of infinity, as the Qur'an reveals:

AL-BARI' (The Maker)

The universe is based upon equilibrium and harmony. As scientific developments reveal more of its mysteries, we learn more about this equilibrium and harmony. It is apparent that each system in the universe has been designed by a superior intelligence that created everything in an amazing way. For billions of years, this great harmony and order has existed among an infinite number of living and non-living beings.

When we examine life on Earth, we come across amazing details. Whether we recognize it or not, we are surrounded with countless signs of creation. For instance, the ratio of different gases in the atmosphere are ideal for the survival of all living beings. Human beings and animals inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Although this process continues without interruption, the amount of oxygen never decreases and the amount of carbon dioxide never increases. Moreover, this amazing equilibrium is never disturbed, because contrary to human beings and animals, plants inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen. Thus, the oxygen consumed by people and animals is replaced by plants, a process that preserves this equilibrium.

This example is only one of the countless signs of creation on Earth. Both the micro- and macro-universes abound with similar examples. The universe, and thus life on Earth, exists only because our Lord creates things in conformity with one another. One verse reads:

AL-BASEER (The All-Seeing)

Our human faculty of sight is limited. With the naked eye, we can see for only a few kilometers. But to achieve this, we need clear weather and to be standing on a high place. Yet no matter how convenient the conditions may be, we can see only a hazy image.

In some situations, and especially when people are alone, they assume that nobody sees them. Assuming that they will not have to account for their deeds, they feel encouraged to do whatever they wish. Furthermore, they think they will never suffer any consequence for their wrongdoing. But this is a great delusion, for Allah sees even the smallest act. While our eyesight is limited, Allah sees the room in which a person remains, the rooms surrounding that room, the entire house, the city and country that harbor that house, the continent in which that country is located, the entire Earth, all planets, space, and all other dimensions beyond it. In the Qur'an, Allah informs us that He is aware of everything:

AL- BASIT (The Expander)

Allah grants spiritual and material abundance to those who believe in Him and who obey Him wholeheartedly. He removes the difficulties they face. Upon encountering any hardship, trouble, or sickness, believers take refuge only in Allah. As a reward for this, Allah eases their tasks while making things difficult for unbelievers.

The Qur'an provides many examples about this issue. For instance, Prophet Musa (as) and the Children of Israel were forced to leave Egypt due to Pharaoh's violence. However, Pharaoh followed them. During this flight, the Children of Israel, who were caught between Pharaoh's army and the sea, thought that they were finished. Yet, Allah answered Prophet Musa's (as) call, divided the waters, and made a dry path so they could escape. Allah also destroyed Pharaoh and his army, and made the Children of Israel their inheritors.

This was also a manifestation of the following situation: "Those who make pilgrimage in the Way of Allah will find many places of refuge on Earth and ample sustenance. If anyone leaves his home, making pilgrimage to Allah and His Messenger, and death catches up with him, Allah will reward him. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surat an-Nisa', 4:100) No doubt, Allah's promise has always been true—and will remain so—for His faithful servants. One verse reads:

AL-BATIN (The Inward; The Hidden )

Look around your room. Everything you see has been designed and made by someone: the door, the CD-player, a picture hanging on the wall, the window, and so on. Now look through the window at the trees, the Sun, the sky, flying birds, and other people. If it is nighttime, you can watch the stars and the Moon. Knowing that everything in your room has been made, is it not clear that everything around you also has been designed?

The truth of this assertion is apparent. If you cannot claim that a picture hanging on the wall was made by coincidence, then you also cannot claim that the Sun, stars, and the Moon are the result of coincidence. Everything you see on Earth and in the sky has a designer, producer, and creator. Our Lord, Who created everything with great artistry, introduces Himself to us through His creation.

When you look through the window you cannot see Him. However, Allah's existence, power, and artistry is clearly seen in His creation. This is the meaning that al-Batin conveys to us. His existence and control is clear in every corner of the universe, yet no one can see Him unless He wills otherwise:

AL- BADEE' (The Originator; the Innovative Creator)

No matter how competent and intelligent people may be, any innovation or new idea is limited to their background and what they see around themselves. We enjoy five senses and cannot imagine a sixth sense. Moreover, we can use these senses only to a certain extent. For instance, we are utterly ignorant of what we cannot perceive. Accordingly, we cannot think, discover, or exercise our wisdom about something that does not exist on Earth, or in the universe as far as we know it.

Indeed, scientists develop some of their projects by imitating animals in nature and their flawless systems. For example, the dolphin’s snout served as a model for the bows of modern ships, while radar works on the principle used by bats, namely, emitting very high frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to compensate for their poor eyesight. Such examples are legion. (For further reference, please see, Harun Yahya, For Men of Understanding, 3rd ed., [London: Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd., April 2003])

Allah's knowledge is unbounded. Everything that exists, whether visible or not to the naked eye, is the product of Allah's innovative creation. At a time when there was nothing, no universe, galaxies, planets, living beings, or even a single cell, He decided to create a flawless system consisting of atoms, molecules, cells, living beings, planets, stars, and galaxies. Upon His command "Be," the universe and all of its contents came into being based upon no model other than what He willed to be. From the micro-world, of which the humanity became aware after thousands of years, to the celestial bodies discovered during the twentieth century, all of these systems were designed by Allah and function according to His laws. This is related in the Qur'an, as follows:

AL-BARR (The Beneficent; The All-Good)

Allah created all people and placed them in a setting that is perfectly suitable for human life and that was designed to serve them. In Surat an-Nahl, Allah informs us about some of these blessings:

No doubt, one can never bring into being, possess, or attain any of the blessings mentioned above by his own efforts. However, Allah has granted all of these beauties to humanity as blessings to indicate His vast generosity toward His servants. In return for such goodness, what does He expect? In the remaining part of the sura, Allah answers that He expects humanity to heed and serve Him, as follows:

AL-JAMI' (The Gatherer )

This attribute of Allah expresses His control over all systems in the universe. As the Creator of all that exists, He has the power to make all the living and non-living beings obey Him and so can gather them wherever He wishes. In the Qur'an, Allah promises that He will gather believers together in this world:

However, the actual gathering will take place on the Day of Judgment, when all believers will enter His presence. Allah, Who knows the unbelievers who reject Him and His messengers, as well as their actions, will collect everyone who has ever lived by causing the Trumpet to be blown. Allah will gather all unbelievers to account for their deeds, and then will order them to be cast headlong into Hell, where they will be repaid in full for what they did.

In Paradise, Allah will reward His followers also in crowds. On that Day, He will gather His servants and their leaders to His presence. With their light streaming out in front of them and to their right, they will attain Paradise due to His grace and mercy. Meanwhile, just as in this world, He will keep the unbelievers in Hell together and let them argue with one another. Their impious spouses and idols will remain together and be repaid in a narrow corner of Hell. The unbelievers will be consumed with the pain of being driven to Hell along with their irreligious spouses and friends, upon whom they had relied so much. In the verse below, Allah informs us that He will gather Satan's followers together and herd them into Hell.

AL-JABBAR (The Irresistible; The Compeller)

Unbelievers show their arrogance and rejection of Allah by claiming that they exist apart from and are independent of Allah, and by attributing some of His characteristics to themselves. However, if they would stop and think seriously about this claim for just a second, they would easily comprehend that they did not will themselves into existence, cannot know when they will die, and had no say in the formation of their physical traits. They would realize that whatever they possess, including their own bodies, are temporary and will ultimately disappear. All of this makes it obvious that humanity is weak and can neither possess nor control anything. Further contemplation will surely provide more evidence of this truth.

In the face of all these facts, one can readily see that being arrogant toward our Lord, the Creator, is both foolish and dangerous. In fact, a person needs to comprehend that Allah is All-Mighty and that He created everything from nothing, grants every person's characteristics and meets their needs, can take them all when He wills, and that all living beings will die while He alone will exist for all eternity. Once all of this is understood, people need to submit to their Owner, for Allah has the power to make all who rebel and turn against Him bow to Him whenever He wills.

Allah relates the example of the Companions of the Garden as a lesson to believers. One of these men, who had been spoiled by his prosperity and achievements, later recognized his weakness, thanks to the name of al-Jabbar, and confessed his wrongdoing. What happened to this man, who swore to himself that he would harvest in the morning, is related in the Qur'an, as follows:

AD-DA'I (The Caller)

People assume that they can take the best care of themselves and thus make the best decisions, set principles for themselves, and believe that their lives will be good if they adhere to these principles. But this is a great delusion, for Allah created humanity and is nearer to each person than his or her own jugular vein. A person may not know many things about himself; however, Allah encompasses everything about him, for He holds complete control over his seen and unseen features, his most inner thoughts, and his subconscious. Furthermore, a person can never know what she will face the next moment or may well forget some of her past experiences. But Allah, Who never forgets or errs, knows all that has happened—and ever will happen—in every person's life. For these very reasons, only Allah knows what is best for each person.

Indeed, Allah draws attention to this fact:

For this reason, a person needs to respond to Allah and comply with the "path that will bring him to life." Allah made this path clear through the Qur'an, which He revealed to our Prophet (saas). In every verse, Allah gives a detailed account of how a person must conduct himself or herself in order to attain salvation.

AD-DAFI` (The Remover of Tribulations)

Allah, Who protects believers against all material and spiritual dangers, also grants them irrefutable power against all unbelievers, hypocrites, and idolaters. While unbelievers plan and plot, Allah moves against them. Driving their harm away, He makes the plotters suffer the consequences of their own plots.

Meanwhile, Allah divides unbelievers, makes them fight each another, and thereby causes them to lose their strength. Furthermore, He keeps those who hate Muslims apart from them and afflicts them with many disasters. The Qur'an relates this divine protection for believers, as follows:

This aside, only Allah can repel all varieties of difficulty, disease, misgiving, Satan's promptings to evil, and many other disasters from believers. No doubt, each one of these represents Allah's overt and hidden help to humanity. He is very compassionate toward His servants, to those who take refuge in Him and seek His help and forgiveness.

AD-DARR (The Afflictor)

A sudden death, an unexpected disease, a crop-destroying hurricane, an earthquake leveling an entire city, fears for the future, a traffic accident, stress, loss of possessions, jealousy, ageing… Such events are sources of grief, fear, and despair for those who are unaware of the Hereafter's existence and consider this worldly life to be their real life. No one is immune to such events, any one of which may be encountered at any time and completely change one's life.

Since we know that Allah is infinitely compassionate, what is the divine purpose for such ordeals? Allah sends hardship and trouble so that a person can grow spiritually. A person who has difficulty breathing can hardly be arrogant or humiliate others. Meanwhile, one who recovers from being bed-ridden or a financial loss fully understands the value of the restored health and possessions. Through difficulty and ease, Allah makes each person better appreciate His generous blessings.

One point deserves special mention here. If the person being tested has faith and knows that the life in the Hereafter is one's real abode, he knows that every difficulty is from Allah and thus meets it with patience. Meanwhile, he seeks help only from Allah, for he knows that only Allah can remove this trouble. This way, Allah causes His servants to draw nearer to Him and raise their ranks in the Hereafter.

However, the truth is otherwise for those who have no faith in the Hereafter. Allah will display His name ad-Darr in Hell especially to these people. Yet compared to what they will go through in Hell, whatever causes grief here will remain insignificant, for all mundane pains are temporary.

In Hell, where unbelievers will roast in fire, every time their skins are burned off, Allah will give them new skins so that they can taste the punishment again and again. Their only food will be a bitter thorny bush, and their only drink will be boiling water that tears their intestines. They will face death, but will never die. Instead, they will suffer severe and eternal pain. Beaten with iron cudgels and covered with beds of fire, they will be cast into the narrowest and darkest corner of Hell, where they will only be able to groan.

Unbelievers will ask Hell's custodians to ask their Lord to let them out and lessen their punishment for just one day. While punishing them and denying them any escape, Allah will make them see the blessings and bounty being enjoyed by the believers in Paradise. In one verse, Allah commands:

AR-RAHMAN AR-RAHEEM (The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful)

As is the case with all other beings, we also exist in a state of need. Our existence depends on many conditions: oxygen to breathe, water and nutrients for our bodies' physical functions, for example. The list is endless, for an infinite number of details are essential for maintaining each person's physical existence.

However, all people can survive without giving much thought to meeting their needs. Everything they need for their bodies and their survival has already been provided and put to use. The first example that comes to mind is breathing. Oxygen is essential for survival, but who provides the right ratio of oxygen in the atmosphere? Or, who places the system that takes in this oxygen and processes it so that it can be conveyed to each cell? None of these can be attributed to anyone, for no one has any part in forming the atmosphere or one's respiration system.

This vital need being the foremost, every detail is designed in its most perfect and feasible form. At this point, we encounter a superior wisdom that designs all details and the infinite compassion that the Owner of this wisdom—Allah, the Most Merciful—shows to us.

Allah's mercy is not limited to meeting people's physical needs. Allah created people, placed them in the most suitable place, and, in return, only asked them to serve Him. He also told people how to do this and sent down books and Prophets for this very purpose. This way, Allah made Himself known and called them to religion and moral excellence. These are obvious signs of our Lord's infinite mercy.

AL-AWWAL (The First )

Does the universe have a beginning? This question has occupied the minds of people for centuries. People who understand that the universe must have an owner believe that it must have a beginning. However, other people do not want to accept the Creator's existence and thus claim that the universe has no beginning. They assert that the universe has existed forever and will exist for all eternity. However, modern science proves that such an assertion is a great delusion.

Although many theses have been put forward for the universe's existence, scientific circles have reached the following consensus: In 1929, Edwin Hubble revealed that the universe is in a state of constant expansion. Following this, scientists deduced that if we reverse the concept of time, we can think of the expanding universe as a closely pressing system, like a shrinking giant star, for instance. In this case, we conclude that a universe that shrinks according to the concept of time ultimately reaches a point of oneness. That is, the universe came into existence when a single point expanded by means of a big explosion.

Given this, we can conclude that our universe has a beginning. Since such a flawless system has a beginning, it must have a designer. This means that the One Who designed the universe is the First and the Last, for He existed before everything and will continue to exist after everything else has ceased to exist. The Owner of this eternal power is Allah, for His name "The First" indicates that He existed before all living beings, planets, galaxies, the universe, and even time itself.

AL-FALIQ (The Opener, The Splitter )

Our planet contains many kinds of plants, each of which has seeds unique to itself. If you keep dry seeds in a room, they may remain unchanged for years. Yet once they are buried in the ground or another suitable place, they start to sprout and, one day, grow into a rose bush or a giant plane tree.

While it is amazing to see such variety coming from a "dry seed," even more amazing is the formation of a living being. For a tree to exist, its seed has to collect the necessary materials from the soil and begin to grow. But a seed cannot determine the amount of minerals and water it needs, nor can it decide to grow into a green plant or a fruit tree.

If we claim that a seed can make such decisions, then we have to accept that the seed is "talented." But we cannot seriously assert that any seed has such faculties. As the verses above inform us, only Allah "splits the seed and kernel." By His will, countless trees and plants come into existence. Indeed, another verse relates that Allah creates everything:

AL-FASIL (He Who Distinguishes (in the best way))

Some people seek mundane goals all their lives. Forgetting about the Hereafter, they strive for those goals they deem to be good. While doing this, however, they forget their real responsibility: to serve Allah. In order to please and thereby to earn the good pleasure of the deities they associate with Allah, they put forth a lot of effort and think that they benefit themselves and others.

Some people, on the other hand, devote their lives to Allah by using all of the means and blessings He grants them to earn His good pleasure. They seek to attain the straight path, please Allah, and display the moral excellence He demands from His servants.

The Qur'an states that the situation of these two people will not be the same, as follows:

On the Day of Judgment, Allah will distinguish between these people who adhere to differing paths and make them aware of their situation. On that Day, everyone will be fully repaid for what they did, and He will manifest His infinite justice:

AL-FATIR ( The Creator; The Originator)

Earth has a special design that supports life. Its location in space and its special structure, which meets the needs of all living beings, make it clear that this planet is the product of a superior wisdom. Our planet's living beings show that an astonishing design is inherent in all of them. Gifted with an appropriate bodily structure, every living being lives in a suitable setting.

This aside, as we focus more on the details of their formation, the fact of creation appears more clearly. Each cell, the basic unit of every living being, has a perfect system and such a flawless order that it is a clear refutation of the unbelievers' claim that life somehow created itself or is the result of a series of coincidence.

All that we see around us carries traces of an intelligent and purposeful design—a design that belongs to our Creator: Allah. Our Lord's artistry is visible in any detail. Allah relates His system's inherent perfection, as follows:

AL- FATTAH (The Opener)

As the Opener, Allah tests people with hardship. However, He does not impose an unbearable burden on anyone. When Allah sends difficulty to His sincere servants, He also opens a way out. Moreover, after each test He sends ease. Indeed, Allah cites the hardships that our Prophet (saas) encountered, as follows:

Allah gives many examples of the help He offers to believers. For example, He supported Prophet Musa (as) during his troubles and eased his way. When he asked Allah to let his brother Harun (as) accompany him on his mission to Pharaoh, Allah granted his request.

This is only one example of Allah's continuous support and help for believers. He eventually removes their hardships, even those that seem impossible to overcome. Yet, He makes the unbelievers' hearts narrow and constricted and withholds His blessings from them. No power can restore these blessings, for only Allah can grant them.

This aside, Allah opens the gates of torment for unbelievers, as follows:

AL-GHAFFAR (The Forgiving)

Allah's forgiveness is infinite. He gives all of His servants countless opportunities to repent and thereby purify themselves. People can save themselves from the punishment of Hell by repenting for what they did in ignorance. If they turn sincerely to the Qur'an and scrupulously adhere to Allah's commands, they will find our Lord ever forgiving and most merciful, as stated below:

In fact, even ungrateful people who are ignorant of religion may enjoy many blessings because of His forgiveness and compassion, for:

Allah grants enough time for anyone who is willing to receive admonition. He sends Messengers who warn and inform them about what is allowed and what is prohibited. Those who insist on denial, despite His revelations, will surely be repaid.

AL-GHANI (The Self-Sufficient, The Rich Beyond Need)

Throughout history, insolent and arrogant people have displayed one common characteristic: their power and wealth. These people grew arrogant toward Allah, due to the blessings He granted to them, and turned their faces away from Him. Forgetting that Allah is the real owner of everything, they attempted to claim ownership over what He granted them out of His great kindness. They grew rebellious, directed pressure and violence against believers, and met His Messengers with great hostility. Ultimately, Allah seized them with an unbearable torment. For example, He caused some of them to be swallowed up by an earthquake and showed others that He is Rich Beyond Need. In one verse, Allah relates the situation of such nations, as follows:

These arrogant and unbelieving people fail to remember or grasp that only Allah, the sole Owner, actually owns all that exists. Allah informs us of this fact, as follows:

The Qur'an informs us that these people, because they were well-off, had grown arrogant and thus had turned away from worshipping Allah and adhering to His Messengers. Prophet Musa (as) responded to them in the following manner:

As Allah informs us in many other verses, He is the real Owner of power and wealth. He is Rich Beyond Need of any being, but everything and everyone is in need of Him, as the Qur'an reveals below:

AL-KHABEER (The All-Aware )

Humanity, bounded by time and space, can be aware of only what is visible. Our inability to step outside of these boundaries is one of our greatest weaknesses.

Allah, Who created humanity as well as space and time, is not bound by these concepts. Allah, Who is exalted above anything, naturally is aware of all that takes place in the universe, regardless of time or location. He knows how many stars are in a galaxy located millions of light years away, each celestial body's orbit as well as the information hidden inside a seed lying underground.

Allah also knows everything about people's lives: their actions, where they were born and where they will die, and for what purpose they strove. He even knows such small details as when they cried or laughed, as well as their most secret thoughts, for He created them. The Qur'an states: