Names of Allah: AL-MUGHNEE - ZAHIR

AL-MUGHNEE (The Enricher)

Allah, the true Owner of all wealth, tests some people with wealth and others with poverty. In His capacity of al-Warith (the Inheritor), Allah is the sole inheritor of everything. When people die, they leave behind all of their possessions. As for those who take pride in their possessions and wealth and thus fail to remember Allah, the Qur’an relates the following:

Allah may reward whomever He wills with great wealth. The Qur’an calls attention to the great wealth granted to such Messengers as Prophet Ibrahim (as), Prophet Muhammad (saas), Prophet Dawud (as), and Prophet Yusuf (as). Prophet Sulayman (as), on the other hand, asked for unprecedented wealth, and Allah answered his prayer.

One point deserves special mention here: Allah’s Messengers used their wealth to attain His good pleasure by doing good deeds. However, unbelievers take pride in their wealth and forget its real owner.

The Qur’an gives a detailed account of the wealth that a few people, who deserve to earn Allah’s good pleasure and thereby attain Paradise, will enjoy in the Hereafter. This glory is depicted in the following verses:

AN-NASIR (The Helper; The Supporter)

Allah is our sole helper and guardian. In all difficulties and situations, believers ask for His help and He accepts their call. In order to establish justice, acquire property and recover from an illness so that they could pursue Allah’s good pleasure, the Prophets turned to Allah alone. In return, He answered their sincere calls and guided them at all times. Allah promises the following in His book:

In “... it is Our duty to help the believers” (Surat ar-Rum, 30:47), Allah states that He will help His believing servants. However, among the most important prerequisites for earning Allah’s good pleasure is to help His religion, observe His limits meticulously, and strive for this cause. In return, He always helps them. As Allah promises, victory belongs only to those who believe in our Lord and struggle to attain His good pleasure and consent. One verse reads:

Allah does not leave believers alone and helpless in this world. Rather, He promises to help them both in this world and beyond. And, as He states, He keeps His promises:

AN-NUR (The Light)

Allah, the Light of the heavens and Earth, manifests this attribute upon people. As a blessing, He illuminates His servants who believe in Him, recognize and appreciate His greatness, turn to Islam (the only just religion), and live by its morality:

For the unbelievers, however, there is not a single source of “illumination.” Moreover, they cannot find a way out of the darkness in which they exist. Allah describes this darkness in the following terms:

While Allah leaves unbelievers in this darkness, He guides His faithful servants to the light. The following verse reveals that these two groups are mirror opposites and believers are absolutely superior, for:

Allah sends down warnings to believers in order to guide them to the light. His Messengers and the just Books that they bring are all sources of “light.” Those who comply with the divine message attain the true path and are illuminated. The Qur’an proclaims:

Allah’s true servants will live happily until they die, and will be recognized by their light. Unbelievers, on the other hand, will remain in infinite darkness in the Hereafter as well, and will ask believers for some of their light. As the Qur’an states:

Prophet Muhammad (saas) advises believers to say the following in their prayers:

“Allahumma: Put light in my heart, light in my tongue, light in my sight, light in my hearing, light on my right, light on my left, light above me, light beneath me, light in front of me, and light behind me. Put light in my soul, and give me great light.” (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

RABB AL-`ALIMEEN (Lord of All the Worlds)

Our universe contains many other worlds of which humanity is utterly ignorant. For example, each plant and animal species contains numerous subspecies. Even such inanimate objects as winds and clouds have many different types. Just like people, all things might be said to live in universes of their own.

This aside, Allah created the invisible world of atoms, cells with glorious systems that form our body, and hundreds of other microscopic living beings. He is the Lord of a coral colony in the depths of the ocean, just as He controls the infinite number of micro-universes of invisible organisms, to the macro-universes of celestial bodies. He feeds all of their inhabitants and causes them to survive. The Qur’an, which proclaims that Allah is the Lord of all the worlds, states:

People who ponder over the oceans and its inhabitants, their lives and food, the symbiosis they experience, the delicate balance, their reproduction and continued existence, appreciate Allah’s infinite power.

Allah, the Lord of the universes as well as of the jinn and angels that exist in an utterly different time and space, created all of these beings and made them submit to Him. These universes, all works of His artistry and infinite power, are far beyond our wisdom and imagination. Faced with this greatness, we are obliged to turn to Allah, as Prophet Ibrahim (as) did. When Allah called him to submit, he said: “... I am a Muslim who has submitted to the Lord of all the worlds.” (Surat al-Baqara, 2:131)

After that, we should strive to devote our lives to earning His good pleasure, for:

AR-RAFI‘ (The Exalter; The Raiser)

People who are ignorant of religion lead a life that is far from Allah. Therefore, they neither observe His commands and prohibitions nor appreciate the countless blessings He grants out of His favor. Unable to think or exercise spiritual intelligence, they cannot appreciate Allah’s glory.

Throughout history, Allah has sent Messengers to all societies to convey His commands, prohibitions, and recommendations. In this way, He calls upon people who are far from religion to abandon their ignorance and lack of knowledge and then grants them another opportunity to follow the straight path. These Messengers were members of the nations to which they were sent, and were known for their moral excellence, wisdom, and superior conscience. As the Qur’an states many times, Messengers are people chosen by Allah to warn their people. They are distinguished from their fellows by being the first to notice Allah’s existence and greatness, and the nearness of the Hereafter. These features reveal their superiority.

After being granted prophethood, the Messengers called their people to the right path and warned them of the punishment of Hell. The difficulties that they faced, the hardships that the insolent unbelievers placed in their paths, and even the attempts on their lives never diverted them from the right path. On the contrary, such events deepened their faith. At times, Messengers met people who said: “We are Muslims submitted to our Lord,” but then suddenly deserted them when they encountered some difficulty. But they persevered, for these chosen servants of Allah were “on a sure footing with the Lord” (Surah Yunus, 10:2) and wholly submitted to Him.

In return for their sincerity and trust, Allah made them distinguished both in this world and in the Hereafter. The related verses read:

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

Allah, the Most Gracious, manifests His infinite mercy and favor upon whatever He wills. We can survive only through this influx of visible and invisible blessings, all of which are submissive to Allah.

Allah encompasses His creation every day through His blessings. He causes millions of seeds to sprout, covers the earth's core with a temperature of 4,500° Celsius (8,132° Fahrenheit) with this fertile earth, pours down tons of clear water upon Earth’s surface, simultaneously feeds countless living beings all over the world, creates the oxygen that circulates in our lungs, and sends countless other blessings that give life.

Allah creates every one of the 100 trillion cells that make up the human body and then teaches every one of them their individual tasks; places DNA, which comprises information that would fill a million pages, in the cell; makes this system operate through protein, fat, and water molecules that He puts in a cube far smaller than 1 millimeter (0.03 inch); and gives each person a soul and keeps them alive until He wills otherwise.

From their birth to their death, each person receives and lives with Allah’s blessings. Some see these blessings, grasp the purpose of their existence, and thereby devote themselves to Allah. Others do not, and so remain ungrateful and reject serving Him. Despite this, however, Allah manifests His graciousness upon all people, regardless of whether they are unbelievers, hypocrites, or polytheists. For example, He provides all people with air to breathe, water to drink, houses to live in, children, health, beauty, and many other blessings. This manifests His name “the Most Gracious.”

Prophet Muhammad (saas) says in a hadith:

“Allah is more merciful to His servants than a mother is to her child.” (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

In this life, Allah also grants blessings so that people may turn to religion, think, use their intellect, and thank Him. Those who turn away have only a short time, as short as the blink of an eye, to take advantage of these blessings. In the Hereafter, however, all blessings belong to believers who strove to draw near to Allah and earn His good pleasure while in this arena of testing. They give thanks to our Lord, for Allah is the Most Gracious and gives the good news of Paradise only to His faithful servants.

AR-RAQEEB (The Watchful)

Allah protects and watches all beings; controls, watches, witnesses, and supervises everything from the stars and solar systems to atmospheric events and to the societies and plants covering this planet, and from the human body’s complex and complicated systems to the micro- and macro-universes that are invisible to the naked eye.

People may think that they are not responsible to anyone, and thus may live without a purpose. But regardless of what they are doing, Allah sees them, for nothing can be hidden from His Sight. Allah repays anything done with justice, for He has comprehensive knowledge. Many people think that Allah created the universe and then left it to its own devices. Yet this is only a delusion and an assumption.

Allah knows every invisible cell down to its minute details. While functioning in perfect harmony with the trillions of other cells in the body, one day a cell can no longer control its replication and thus causes cancer. We have no control over such developments, but Allah knows all of this and controls every phase. Just as a person cannot take a step without Allah’s will, that cell cannot function without His will. Given that He is the Creator, Allah knows everything and is the sole source of all knowledge. No being can do anything without Him knowing it. One verse reads:

AR-RA‘UF (The Gentle)

All beings owe their existence to Allah’s superior creation and the ensuing complex structures. This is one sign of our Lord’s mercy and compassion, since no living being is responsible for its own survival but must submit to Allah’s Will. Allah has already given every being whatever it needs. For instance, all living beings have various means of self-defense, such as a startling appearance, poisonous or flammable gasses, high levels of alertness and the ability to outrun their enemies, strong shields, camouflage, or the ability to play dead.

Living beings did not acquire these features coincidentally or by themselves. Allah, Who creates everything flawlessly and with great knowledge, reveals His compassion by endowing them with attributes that enable them to lead their lives comfortably.

Aside from these attributes, one notices that whatever has been created to serve humanity is also superior. Indeed, people who ponder over the material and spiritual attributes they enjoy readily notice that they live in a world that was created especially for them. The fact that our survival is assured is one of the greatest signs of Allah’s mercy. However, apart from our five senses, Allah has enabled us to think, an ability that makes us superior to all other living beings. Allah relates His attribute of ar-Rauf in the verses below, as follows:

AR-RAZZAQ (The All-Provider)

Imagine that you open your eyes in a world without mountains or oceans; with black, very dry and barren land; without animals or food for human beings, except for grass; and with infertile soil and water located hundreds of kilometers away. In order to survive, you would eat only that bitter grass and walk hundreds of kilometers to drink water. And, after a life of hardship, you would die. Interestingly, you would never ask: “Why can’t we grow juicy, delicious fruits, vegetables, and various other crops in this land?” because you would not even be aware that the land could yield such crops.

Allah, Who is very compassionate and merciful toward His servants, places people on fertile lands that yield countless blessings. Indeed, even without tilling them, lands yield green crops and clusters of flowers. Yellow, red, green, and orange fruits and vegetables come out of the soil, and the blue oceans abound with tasty fish. These aside, Allah places the meat of most animals and birds at our service, and gives them pure milk and honey. All of these are all blessings from Allah.

As Allah informs us in “Who is there who could provide for you if He withholds His provision? Yet still they obstinately persist in insolence and evasion” (Surat al-Mulk, 67:21), if He wills, lands do not yield crops, rain does not fall, and soil turns barren. But since Allah is Most Gracious, Most Merciful, it is impossible to number His blessings. He commands in the Qur’an, as follows:

These blessings, which are granted in this world, have perfect counterparts in the Hereafter, as the Qur’an tells us:

The inhabitants of Hell, on the other hand, will have nothing to eat and drink but the tree of az-Zaqqum, boiling water, and bitter thorny bush for all eternity.

AS-SAMAD (The Everlasting Refuge and Sustainer)

In the entire universe, all power belongs to Allah, the only One Who can remove a person’s troubles and difficulties, and meet his needs. Sometimes people forget our Lord and take other guardians for themselves, who they believe can provide them with power, honor, and help. But this is a delusion, for there is no other deity other than Allah. Unless He wills otherwise, no one can help or harm anyone else. This fact is related in the Qur’an, as follows:

Our only refuge from distress is Allah, the Lord of power and honor, for He answers all of His servants’ prayers and eases, or fully removes, what is causing them hardship. Allah describes this, as follows:

This verse states that some people fail to recognize or forget Allah’s compassion and mercy and become ungrateful. However, as Allah states in “Say: ‘Allah rescues you from it, and from every plight’…” (Surat al-An‘am, 6:64), only He saves us from every distress. In return, He expects us to notice this answer, ponder over its importance, submit to Him, and become His grateful servant.

The Prophet (saas) advises believers to take refuge only in Allah:

"When you ask, ask from Allah; when you seek help, seek it of Allah.” (Hadith at-Tirmidhi)

AS-SADIQ (The True; The Keeper of His Word)

Allah created humanity and sent Messengers to enjoin good and forbid evil. He also sent Books to guide humanity to the straight path. The Qur’an, the last of these just Books, guides us from the darkness to the light, to the right path.

In the Qur’an, Allah makes promises to both believers and unbelievers. Unless He wills otherwise, unbelievers are promised a stressful life in this world and an eternal punishment in Hell. But because they have no faith in this promise, they assume that they will never be punished. Allah addresses these deluded people in the following terms:

Meanwhile, Allah promises believers a blissful life both in this world and in the next, as the following verses state:

AS-SA’IQ (The Driver; He Who Drives to Hell)

Humanity was created to serve Allah and has been placed here to be tested. Allah meets all of our needs and has granted us various blessings. Despite this, however, some people forget the purpose of their existence, become ungrateful, and rebel against Allah. Such rebellion has to be punished, for Allah is infinitely just. In the Qur’an, He reveals the end of those who grow arrogant, as follows:

Although granted countless opportunities and given many warnings to turn to the straight path, they insisted upon turning away and becoming arrogant. Thus, on the Day of Judgment,

This situation manifests Allah’s infinite justice. In one verse, Allah relates that every person will receive whatever he or she deserves, as follows:

As a requisite of this superior justice, Allah will host believers in infinite gardens abounding in unprecedented blessings. Allah gives this good news to believers who devote their lives to our Lord:

AS-SANI‘ (The Artificer; The Maker)

Every being, whether living or non-living, teems with signs of a superior wisdom and an infinite knowledge. No doubt, these manifest Allah’s attribute of al-‘Aleem. They also have another very important feature: a very delicate artistry. This attribute manifests itself in the form of an extraordinary appearance, flawlessness, a delicate and unique artistry, harmony, and design.

For instance, we can see the human body’s flawless design. All organs are placed in the most appropriate place. For instance, the places of the eyes and the heart, the latter of which is protected by the sternum, are entrusted with many divine purposes. The body’s symmetry, which is designed according to the “golden ratio” used by painters, is also strikingly beautiful. Indeed, each person’s eyes, nose, and mouth are put into their individual places with great delicacy.

In many living beings, Allah created certain details to manifest His attribute of as-Sani‘. As a result, every living being is unique. A tropical bird’s wings or a flower’s petals are dominated by phosphorous colors, whereas a butterfly’s wings contain several colors. Similarly, a reptile, a bird, and a marine animal are totally different from each other.

This infinite artistry is also visible in the plant world. As “And also the things of varying colors He has created for you in the land. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who pay heed” (Surat an-Nahl, 16:13) tells us, Allah created millions of different plants and flowers with various odors, smell, colors, and symmetry. For example, an orchid has hundreds of different appearances and colors. Similarly, a rose has many colors of varying tones. Such uniqueness is a clear sign of His artistry.

Allah manifests this attribute by presenting all of these aesthetic living beings to humanity. He could have created just one type of every living being. But by creating many species, He has displayed an amazing artistry that mere words cannot describe with full justice. Moreover, the examples of His artistry are wherever we look and are perfect.

AS-SALAM (The All-Peace)

Allah gave the good news of an eternal Paradise to His believing servants. Yet one point is often missed here: These servants are rewarded with a beautiful life not only in the Hereafter but in this world as well, as the following verse reveals:

No doubt, the blissful life in both worlds manifests Allah’s attribute of as-Salam upon His faithful servants. A believer who is devoted to Allah and does good deeds to attain His good pleasure will return to His Lord “...well pleasing and well pleased” (Surat al-Fajr, 89:28). Allah describes what such servants will find in the Hereafter, as follows:

Allah’s attribute of as-Salam is also His greeting to those who enter Paradise. In Surah Ya Sin 36:58 Allah states: “‘Peace!’ A word from a Merciful Lord.” This greeting is the greatest reward that believers will ever receive, for:

AS-SAMEE‘ (The All-Hearing)

As well as seeing everything, Allah, Who is closer to us than our jugular veins, hears every noise in the universe. For example, He hears each noise made by all of the galaxies, planets, and celestial bodies; those made by the billions of invisible living beings living in the micro-universe, for He created them; and the noise made by a splitting seed, a flash of lightening, or a flying bird’s wings. This fact is related in the following verse:

One sign of Allah’s greatness and power is His hearing every noise made by all living and non-living beings. He hears—and answers—the prayers of all people who secretly turn to Him and call upon Him. Indeed, in another verse Allah states: “If My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls upon Me...” (Surat al-Baqara, 2:186). This is quite easy for Allah, for He is everywhere at the same moment.

In addition, Allah also hears the rebels’ most delicate plots, for He encompasses all things in His knowledge. No person has ever uttered a single word without Him knowing it. They will be confronted by all of their words in the Hereafter, as the Qur’an reveals:

ASH-SHAFEE (The Affectionate; The Healer)

Allah uses illness to force people to realize just how feeble they are and how much help they really need. Thus, the hundreds of diseases in our world are created for both bodily and spiritual purposes. For example, they are signs of a purposeful and superior creation and of His power, for how else can one explain the existence of microscopic viruses?

Only Allah can remove an illness, for He is the One Who created it. As a manifestation of ash-Shafee, Allah removes a disease whenever He wills. If He does not will this, no doctor, advanced technology, or innovative medication can help or cure the patient, for all medicine is only means of recovery. Each illness is sent so that we may ponder upon it, eventually see our Lord’s infinite power next to our own feebleness, and seek His help whenever we are in distress. Believers have to be aware that Allah is their only guardian and helper.

The Qur’an praises Prophet Ayyub (as) for his submission to Allah. The moral excellence, patience, and trust he displayed in the face of devastating distress has become an example for all believers. The related verse is as follows:

Allah answered his call and removed his distress, and Prophet Ayyub (as) earned the rewards of being patient and turning solely to Allah.

ASH-SHAFI‘ (The Intercessor)

Those who have faith in Allah and yet associate partners with Him assume that these partners will intercede for them on the Day of Judgment. According to their belief, such “guardians” will take responsibility for their followers or purify them. And so they undertake strenuous efforts to earn their approval and constantly think of them. But this is no more than a huge delusion, for Allah states that He will be the only Protector on the Day of Judgment, as follows:

On that Day, no one will befriend another or bear someone’s sins. As Allah informs us, only those who please Him will be allowed to intercede, and this person will surely say the truth. Unbelievers will find no guardian or intercessor on that Day, and no support, protection, or intercession, for Allah is the only Guardian and Intercessor:

ASH-SHARIH (The Opener)

The existence of Allah and the Hereafter is obvious. Despite this, however, the majority of people have no faith. A person attains true faith only when Allah “opens one’s breast to Islam.” This acquisition of faith is the greatest blessing from Allah, for if Allah had no mercy and favor upon His sincere servants, none of them would attain salvation. While creating humanity, Allah gave every soul a lower self that would tempt each man and woman toward evil. However, He also ensured that His sincere servants could attain the straight path by both overcoming and avoiding such temptations.

This right path, which is attained by following one’s conscience, is a blessing granted to sincere believers. As Allah informs us:

Those who forget how they were created and insist on unbelief, despite all of the signs surrounding them, who follow the dictates of their lower selves and do not exercise their conscience, will experience the following:

ASH-SHAHEED (The Witness)

Allah has no beginning and no end, is the sole absolute Being, and is not bound by such human concepts as time or space. Therefore, everything that ever happens, regardless of whether it happened in the past, the present, or the future, are the same in—and are fully known to—His Sight.

He knows everything, whether it is done in secret or in public, in darkness or in light, while alone or while in a crowd. Being ignorant, people assume that what they do at night might conceal their sins and hide them as well. But such hopes are futile, for the Qur’an states:

Allah is fully knowledgeable of everyone’s intentions, thoughts, and deeds at every one moment. Each of us will be called to account for all of these on the Day of Judgment. People who deny these truths will understand their mistake on the Day of Judgment. As “On the Day Allah raises up all of them together, He will inform them of what they did. Allah has recorded it while they have forgotten it. Allah is a Witness of all things” (Surat al-Mujadala, 58:6) maintains, in the Hereafter we will be repaid for each one of our deeds:

ASH-SHAKUR (The Appreciative; He Who Is Responsive to Gratitude)

Allah gives countless blessings to us and only asks each of us to be a grateful servant. Allah draws our attention to the importance of being grateful in Surah Ibrahim 14:7: "...And when your Lord announced: 'If you are grateful, I will certainly give you increase; but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is severe.'”

One who does not give thanks for all of these blessings will be repaid in the Hereafter, for Allah’s infinite justice requires this. However, Allah is very compassionate toward His servants, as the Qur’an states:

Whoever does a good deed for Allah’s cause will be rewarded with what is better on the Day of Judgment.

AT-TAWWAB (The Acceptor of Repentance)

As stated earlier, humanity was created ignorant and ungrateful, and therefore is vulnerable to sins, mistakes, and weaknesses. This aside, Satan constantly tempts people and strives to plant vain desires and deviance in them. Yet, no matter how great one's mistakes and sins are, there is always a way out: sincere repentance and His ensuing forgiveness. For this reason, we should never lose hope, regardless of what we have done. In the Qur’an, Allah states:

Meanwhile, there is a very important point we need to keep in mind:

Clearly, Allah accepts the repentance of His sincere servants, for their regret and commitment to abandon their sinful behavior is real. Even clearer is the fact that the death-bed repentance of an unbeliever is meaningless. The Qur’an gives the example of the Pharaoh’s insincere repentance:

AL-WAHID (The One)

For centuries, people who have failed to grasp Allah’s greatness have worshipped what they considered to be “superior” and “powerful” beings, such as the Sun or stars. Furthermore, despite all their feebleness, some people even dared to declare themselves as deities. In the Qur’an, Allah gives the example of a man who argued with Prophet Ibrahim (as) about Allah’s unity and power. Prophet Ibrahim (as) responded in the following terms:

Setting up any other deity with Allah is not unique to previous peoples, for we see it even in our own time. While modern people do not worship the Sun, particular stars, or similar items, they worship people who are just as helpless as themselves or such concepts as beauty, wealth, and power. They devote their lives to acquiring wealth and never once wonder if Allah is pleased with them. They consider people, other beings, or particular objects as equal to Allah and so clearly associate partners with Him.

Given that Allah is the Creator, no one can make the Sun rise from the West, stop the universe from expanding, hold the heavens and Earth, or create a human being from nothing. Allah is the only God, for nothing that exists can be equal to the Creator. The Qur’an describes the weakness of those who associate partners with Allah, as follows:

AL-WARITH (The Inheritor)

Throughout their lives, such people strive to accumulate more wealth. Some people are so committed to this end that this goal takes over their lives and leaves them no time to wonder why they exist. However, there is one fact these people disregard:

Indeed, until their last breath, they strive for a vain purpose. Yet one day, at a totally unexpected moment, they will face the angels of death. Wrapped in a simple shroud, these people, who were widely admired because of their wealth, will be buried in the ground and thus leave everything behind. All they can take with them into their graves is their naked body, their fear, and their closeness to Allah.

Allah is the sole Inheritor of Earth, and His sincere servants are made wealthy by His favor. As we mentioned above, all wealth, status, and respect enjoyed in this world is temporary. Allah, Who grants all of these blessings, takes each person’s soul whenever He wills. The Qur’an reveals how each person will be brought before Allah’s presence:

AL-WASI‘ (The All-Embracing; The Boundless)

Allah encompasses all universes. As the Creator of everything Who is not bound by place, He is above all places. In many societies, people commonly believe that Allah resides in the heavens. Thus, while calling upon him, they turn their faces to the heavens. The fact is, however, that “Both East and West belong to Allah, so wherever you turn, the Face of Allah is there. Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.”(Surat al-Baqara, 2:115)

Allah informs us that He is the Lord of the heavens and Earth. Given this, He clearly settled Himself everywhere and owns everything that exists. His blessings never end, His mercy is boundless, His forgiveness is vast, and His mercy and compassion are infinite. Allah’s attribute of al-Wasi manifests itself especially on believers. As His mercy and compassion are vast, He encompasses His faithful servants with His mercy and protects them. For instance, some unbelievers seek to harm religion by imposing hardships, such as by saying, “... Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah, so that they may go away...” (Surat al-Munafiqun, 63:7). But all of these efforts are futile, for Allah gives His unbounded mercy and wealth to whomever He wills, for He owns the treasures of the heavens and Earth. One verse mentions that He is All-Encompassing:

AL-WADUD (The Loving)

Those people who understand that Allah created humanity to serve Him remain sincere to Him until they die, while others deny His existence. Allah is very close to His loyal servants. He hears and answers their prayers, is with them whenever they encounter a difficulty, and supports them at every stage of their lives.

One of the greatest blessings that people may attain in this life is Allah’s love and friendship. Allah’s beloved servants lead honorable and distinguished lives, and their moral perfection always earns great admiration and appreciation. He admits His beloved servants into His mercy and lets them enter Paradise. Prophets and sincere believers are very valuable people who have earned Allah’s love, love Allah, and lead their lives only to earn His good pleasure.

AL-WAHHAB (The All-Giving)

Allah promised a life of infinite happiness in Paradise, which starts here in this world, for He also promised a beautiful life in this world. This is why sincere believers see no limits when asking their Lord to meet their needs. They can ask their Lord for anything that will draw them nearer to Him. Allah answers these calls as He wills, and His answer is always the best. One example is Prophet Sulayman’s (as) prayer: “Truly do I love the love of good, with a view to the glory of my Lord” (Surah Sad, 38:32) and continued:

Prophet Sulayman (as) prayed for such a kingdom because he knew that Allah rewards His sincere servants both in this world and in the Hereafter. One verse reads:

AL-WAKEEL (The Guardian)

Allah wants His sincere and faithful servants to trust Him in every circumstance. Indeed, all Prophets encountered many difficulties and much enmity while spreading Allah’s message within their unbelieving communities. And yet they always maintained their brave and resolute attitude for, seeking only Allah’s good pleasure, they took refuge in Allah.

Allah informs us that He helps those who help His religion. There will always be people who fight believers and follow Satan. They may hatch plots to harm believers and strive to break their zeal with offensive words and slanders. Yet they can never attain their goals, for their plans are feeble next to Allah’s infinite power and wisdom. Allah, Who knows and sees all the details of every plot, helps the patient and resolute believers who befriend Him and enables them to attain the best. This metaphysical phenomenon is incomprehensible to unbelievers. In this way, believers who trust in Allah attain great spiritual and physical strength. Allah mentions this in the following verses:

AL-WALEE (The Protector)

Both in this world and in the next, people have only one real friend. This friend never abandons them, is next to them, and helps them in the face of every difficulty. From the day they are born until they die, He is always with them and protects them against their enemies. He is more reliable than anyone else, and always rewards them without expecting anything in return. This friend, of course, is our Lord, the believers’ most intimate friend, Who purifies all those who place their trust in Him and promise them a distinguished life here and eternal wealth in the Hereafter.

Throughout their lives, people seek someone more powerful or wealthier upon whom they can rely in all circumstances. Yet while seeking such people, they totally forget our All-Mighty Lord, Who created them and meets all of their needs. They take Satan, who only leads them toward sin and hinders them from attaining Paradise, as their friend. This is the beginning of a gloomy world.

People who have faith and sincere faith in Allah, on the other hand, enjoy a good and honorable life. In this life, there is no room for failure, because Allah grants victory to believers as long as they remain committed to their religion and their words. Meanwhile, the actual reward is waiting for them in the Hereafter. Allah is the sole real protector of believers both in this world and beyond. His attribute of al-Walee is described in the following verses:

DHU AL-JALAL WA AL-IKRAM (Master of Majesty and Generosity)

People enjoy countless blessings, for Allah has adorned this world with many details that are pleasing to His servants. However, Allah will show His infinite generosity in Paradise.

One of the most telling attributes of the Paradise is that believers will have all that their hearts desire, without any limit. There will be gardens with rivers flowing underneath and cool, refreshing shade. By the grace of Allah, devout believers will be amid shaded gardens with spreading branched, flowing springs, and whatever kind of fruit and meat they desire. In addition, they will have high-ceilinged halls with rivers flowing underneath, where they will recline on couches ranged in rows and take pleasure from the surrounding beauty. Circulating among them will be youths like hidden pearls, passing among them vessels of silver and goblets of pure crystal. Meanwhile, “... they will be adorned with gold bracelets and pearls, and where their clothing will be of silk.” (Surat al-Hajj, 22:23)

No doubt, the Qur’an’s descriptions of Paradise are far more elaborate than what we could convey above. The verses below give a detailed description of Allah’s infinite generosity in Paradise:

AZ-ZAHIR (The Evident; The Outward)

The signs of Allah’s existence, which are spread throughout the universe, are evident for all people of understanding. Grasping Allah’s existence demands no more than a careful scrutiny into one’s surroundings, for the universe abounds with signs of creation. From the simplest to the most complex ones, all systems reveal a network of miracles that present even more mysteries as one makes an in-depth analysis. In the Qur’an, Allah gives the following examples of these miracles:

No doubt, these are just a few examples. Elsewhere, Allah reminds His servants of His existence through many examples. One of their most telling attributes is that they ponder over everything they see and gradually comprehend Allah’s existence and greatness. As we mentioned above, each detail in our universe makes us feel that we were created.

People of intelligence who recognize Allah’s greatness and power surely feel an inner awe toward our Creator, Who will call each one of them to account for their deeds in the Hereafter. Therefore, they spend their lives striving to earn His good pleasure. In one verse, Allah says the following: