Islam | Allah (SWT) | Muhammad (PBUH) | Resource Links



About Allah (SWT)

It is a known fact that every language has one or more terms that are used in reference to God and sometimes to lesser deities. This is not the case with Allah. Allah is the personal name of the One true God. Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has no plural or gender. This shows its uniqueness when compared with the word God which can be made plural, Gods, or feminine, Goddess. It is interesting to notice that Allah is the personal name of God in Aramaic, the language of Jesus and a sister language of Arabic.


The One true God is a reflection of the unique concept that Islam associates with God. To a Muslim, Allah is the Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to nothing and nothing is comparable to Allah. The Prophet Muhammad was asked by his contemporaries about Allah; the answer came directly from Allah Himself in the form of a short chapter of the Quran, which is considered the essence of the unity or the motto of monotheism. This is chapter 112 which reads:


"In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Say (O Muhammad) Allah is God the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone."


Some non-Muslims allege that God in Islam is a stern and cruel God who demands to be obeyed fully. He is not loving and kind. Nothing can be farther from truth than this allegation. It is enough to know that, with the exception of one, each of the 114 chapters of the Quran begins with the verse: "In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate." In one of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) we are told that "God is more loving and kinder than a mother to her dear child."


But God is also Just. Hence evildoers and sinners must have their share of punishment and the virtuous, His bounties and favors. Actually God's attribute of Mercy has full manifestation in His attribute of Justice. People suffering throughout their lives for His sake and people oppressing and exploiting other people all their lives should not receive similar treatment from their Lord. Expecting similar treatment for them will amount to negating the very belief in the accountability of man in the Hereafter and thereby negating all the incentives for a moral and virtuous life in this world. The following Quranic verses are very clear and straightforward in this respect:


"Verily, for the Righteous are gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord. Shall We then treat the people of Faith like the people of Sin? What is the matter with you? How judge you?" (68:34-36)


Islam rejects characterizing God in any human form or depicting Him as favoring certain individuals or nations on the basis of wealth, power or race. He created the human beings as equals. They may distinguish themselves and get His favor through virtue and piety only.


The concept that God rested in the seventh day of creation, that God wrestled with one of His soldiers, that God is an envious plotter against mankind, or that God is incarnate in any human being are considered blasphemy from the Islamic point of view.


The unique usage of Allah as a personal name of God is a reflection of Islam's emphasis on the purity of the belief in God which is the essence of the message of all God's messengers. Because of this, Islam considers associating any deity or personality with God as a deadly sin which God will never forgive, despite the fact He may forgive all other sins.


[Note that what is meant above applies ONLY to those people who die in a state wherein they are associating others with God. The repentance of those who yet live is acceptable to God if He wills. - MSA of USC]


The Creator must be of a different nature from the things created because if he is of the same nature as they are, he will be temporal and will therefore need a maker. It follows that nothing is like Him. If the maker is not temporal, then he must be eternal. But if he is eternal, he cannot be caused, and if nothing outside him causes him to continue to exist, which means that he must be self-sufficient. And if the does not depend on anything for the continuance of his own existence, then this existence can have no end. The Creator is therefore eternal and everlasting: "He is the First and the Last."


He is Self-Sufficient or Self-Subsistent or, to use a Quranic term, Al-Qayyum. The Creator does not create only in the sense of bringing things into being, He also preserves them and takes them out of existence and is the ultimate cause of whatever happens to them.


"God is the Creator of everything. God is the guardian over everything. Unto Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth." (39:62, 63)


"No creature is there crawling on the earth, but its provision rests on God. He knows its lodging place and it repository." (11:6)


God's Attributes:

If the Creator is Eternal and Everlasting, then His attributes must also be eternal and everlasting. He should not lose any of His attributes nor acquire new ones. If this is so, then His attributes are absolute. Can there be more than one Creator with such absolute attributes? Can there be for example, two absolutely powerful Creators? A moment's thought shows that this is not feasible.


The Quran summarizes this argument in the following verses:


"God has not taken to Himself any son, nor is there any God with Him: For then each God would have taken of that which he created and some of them would have risen up over others." (23:91)


And Why, were there Gods in earth and heaven other than God, they (heaven and earth) would surely go to ruin." (21:22)


The Oneness of God:

The Quran reminds us of the falsity of all alleged Gods. To the worshippers of man-made objects, it asks:


"Do you worship what you have carved yourself?" (37:95)


"Or have you taken unto you others beside Him to be your protectors, even such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves?" (13:16)


To the worshippers of heavenly bodies it cites the story of Abraham:


"When night outspread over him he saw a star and said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he said, 'I love not the setters.' When he saw the moon rising, he said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he said, 'If my Lord does not guide me I shall surely be of the people gone astray.' When he saw the sun rising, he said, 'This is my Lord; this is greater.' But when it set he said, 'O my people, surely I quit that which you associate, I have turned my face to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth; a man of pure faith, I am not of the idolaters.'" (6:76-79)


The Believer's Attitude:

In order to be a Muslim, i.e., to surrender oneself to God, it is necessary to believe in the oneness of God, in the sense of His being the only Creator, Preserver, Nourisher, etc. But this belief - later on called "Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah" - is not enough. Many of the idolaters knew and believed that only the Supreme God could do all this, but that was not enough to make them Muslims. To tawhid ar-rububiyyah one must add tawhid al'uluhiyyah, i.e., one acknowledges the fact that is God alone Who deserves to be worshipped, and thus abstains from worshipping any other thing or being.


Having achieved this knowledge of the one true God, man should constantly have faith in Him, and should allow nothing to induce him to deny truth.


When faith enters a person's heart, it causes certain mental states which result in certain actions. Taken together these mental states and actions are the proof for the true faith. The Prophet said, "Faith is that which resides firmly in the heart and which is proved by deeds." Foremost among those mental states is the feeling of gratitude towards God which could be said to be the essence of 'ibada' (worship).


The feeling of gratitude is so important that a non-believer is called 'kafir' which means 'one who denies a truth' and also 'one who is ungrateful.'


A believer loves, and is grateful to God for the bounties He bestowed upon him, but being aware of the fact that his good deeds, whether mental or physical, are far from being commensurate with Divine favors, he is always anxious lest God should punish him, here or in the Hereafter. He, therefore, fears Him, surrenders himself to Him and serves Him with great humility. One cannot be in such a mental state without being almost all the time mindful of God. Remembering God is thus the life force of faith, without which it fades and withers away.


The Quran tries to promote this feeling of gratitude by repeating the attributes of God very frequently. We find most of these attributes mentioned together in the following verses of the Quran:


"Allah is God; there is no God but Allah, Allah is the Knower of the unseen and the visible; Allah is the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. Allah is the King, the All-Holy, the All-Peace, the Guardian of Faith, the All-Preserver, the All-Mighty, the All-Compeller, the All-Sublime. Glory be to God, above that they associate! Allah is God the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. To Allah belong the Names Most Beautiful. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Allah; Allah is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise." (59:22-24)


"There is no God but Allah, the Living, the Everlasting. To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Allah knows what lies before them and what is after them. His throne comprises the heavens and earth; the preserving of them oppresses Him not; Allah is the All-High, the All-Glorious." (2:255)


"People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say not as to God but the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not, 'Three.' Refrain; better is it for you. God is only one God. Glory be to Him. He is above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs." (4:171)




Source: www.momin.com

Asma-ul-Husna - The Beautiful Names of Allah (SWT)

Note: To view the english translation of a name, move the mouse over the name.

Allah has said "Ask from Me through mentioning My names" - (Hadith Qudsi)

Al-Malik // The King, The Sovereign Lord, The One with the complete Dominion, the One Whose Dominion is clear from imperfection. Al-Raheem // The Merciful, The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers. Ar-Rahman // The Compassionate, The Beneficient, The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers and the blasphemers in this world and especially for the believers in the hereafter. Allah // Allah, He who has the Godhood which is the power to create the entities.
Al-Malik Al-Raheem Al-Rahman Allah
Al-Muhaymin // The Protector, The One who witnesses the saying and deeds of His creatures. Al-Mumin // Guardian of Faith, The One who witnessed for Himself that no one is God but Him. And He witnessed for His believers that they are truthful in their belief that no one is God but Him. As-Salaam // The Source of Peace, The One who is free from every imperfection. Al-Qudduus // The Holy, The One who is pure from any imperfection and clear from children and adversaries.
Al-Muhaymin Al-Mumin As-Salaam Al-Qudduus
Al-Khaaliq // The Creator, The One who brings everything from non-existence to existence. Al-Mutakabbir // The Majestic, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures and from resembling them. Al-Jabbaar // The Compeller, The One that nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He willed. Al-Aziz // The Mighty, The Strong, The Defeater who is not defeated.
Al-Khaaliq Al-Mutakabbir Al-Jabbaar Al-Aziz
Al-Qahhaar // The Subduer, The Dominant, The One who has the perfect Power and is not unable over anything. Al-Ghaffaar // The Great Forgiver, The Forgiver, The One who forgives the sins of His slaves time and time again. Al-Musawwir // The Fashioner, The One who forms His creatures in different pictures. Al-Baari // The Evolver, The Maker, The Creator who has the Power to turn the entities.
Al-Qahhaar Al-Ghaffaar Al-Musawwir Al-Baari
Al-Aleem // The All-knowing, The Knowledgeable; The One nothing is absent from His knowledge. Al-Fattah // The Opener, The Reliever, The Judge, The One who opens for His slaves the closed worldy and religious matters. Ar-Razzaq // The Sustainer, The Provider. Al-Wahhab // The Bestower, The One who is Generous in giving plenty without any return. He is everything that benefits whether Halal or Haram.
Al-Aleem Al-Fattah Ar-Razzaq Al-Wahhab
Ar-Raafey // The Exalter, The Elevator, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment. Al-Khaafidh // The Abaser, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment. Al-Baasit // The Expander, The Englarger, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdomand expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy. Al-Qaabidh // The Constricter, The Retainer, The Withholder, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdomand expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy.
Ar-Raafey Al-Khaafidh Al-Baasit Al-Qaabidh
Al-Baseer // The All-Seeing, The One who Sees all things that are seen by His Eternal Seeing without a pupil or any other instrument. As-Samii // The All-Hearing, The Hearer, The One who Hears all things that are heard by His Eternal Hearing without an ear, instrument or organ. Al-Muthill - The Dishonorer, The Humiliator, He gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degrades whoever He willed, hence there is no one to give Him esteem. Al-Muizz // The Honorer, He gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degrades whoever He willed, hence there is no one to give Him esteem.
Al-Baseer As-Samii Al-Muthill Al-Muizz
Al-Khabeer // The Aware, The One who knows the truth of things. Al-Lateef // The Subtle One, The Gracious, The One who is kind to His slaves and endows upon them. Al-Adl // The Just, The One who is entitled to do what He does. Al-Hakam // The Judge, He is the Ruler and His judgment is His Word.
Al-Khabeer Al-Lateef Al-Adl Al-Hakam
As-Shakur // The Grateful, The Appreciative, The One who gives a lot of reward for a little obedience. Al-Ghafoor // The All-Forgiving, The Forgiving, The One who forgives a lot. Al-Adheem // The Great One, The Mighty, The One deserving the attributes of Exaltment, Glory, Extolement,and Purity from all imperfection. Al-Haleem // The Forebearing, The Clement, The One who delays the punishment for those who deserve it and then He might forgive them.
As-Shakur Al-Ghafoor Al-Adheem Al-Haleem
Al-Muqeet // The Maintainer, The Guardian, The Feeder, The Sustainer, The One who has the Power. Al-Hafeeth // The Preserver, The Protector, The One who protects whatever and whoever He willed to protect. Al-Kabeer // The Most Great, The Great, The One who is greater than everything in status. Al-Ali // The Most High, The Sublime, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures.
Al-Muqeet Al-Hafeeth Al-Kabeer Al-Ali
Ar-Raqeeb // The Watcher, The Watchful, The One that nothing is absent from Him. Hence it's meaning is related to the attribute of Knowledge. Al-Kareem // The Generous One, The Bountiful, The Gracious, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status. Al-Jaleel // The Sublime One, The Beneficent, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status. Al-Haseeb // The Reckoner, The One who gives the satisfaction.
Ar-Raqeeb Al-Kareem Al-Jaleel Al-Haseeb
Al-Waduud // The Loving, The One who loves His believing slaves and His believing slaves love Him. His love to His slaves is His Will to be merciful to them and praise them:Hence it's meaning is related to the attributes of the Will and Kalam (His attribute with which He orders and forbids and spoke to Muhammad and Musa -peace be upon them- . It is not a sound nor a language nor a letter.). Al-Hakeem // The Wise, The Judge of Judges, The One who is correct in His doings. Al-Waasey // The Vast, The All-Embracing, The Knowledgeable. Al-Mujeeb // The Responsive, The Hearkener, The One who answers the one in need if he asks Him and rescues the yearner if he calls upon Him.
Al-Waduud Al-Hakeem Al-Waasey Al-Mujeeb
Al-Haq // The Truth, The True, The One who truly exists. As-Shaheed // The Witness, The One who nothing is absent from Him. Al-Baaith // The Reserrector, The Raiser (from death), The One who resurrects His slaves after death for reward and/or punishment. Al-Majeed // The Most Glorious One, The Glorious, The One who is with perfect Power, High Status, Compassion, Generosity and Kindness.
Al-Haq As-Shaheed Al-Baaith Al-Majeed
Al-Wali // The Protecting Friend, The Supporter. Al-Mateen // The Firm One, The One with extreme Power which is un-interrupted and He does not get tired. Al-Qawi // The Most Strong, The Strong, The One with the complete Power. Al-Wakeel // The Trustee, The One who gives the satisfaction and is relied upon.
Al-Wali Al-Mateen Al-Qawi Al-Wakeel
Al-Mueed // The Reproducer, The One who brings back the creatures after death. Al-Mubdi // The Originator, The One who started the human being. That is, He created him. Al-Muhsi // The Counter, The Reckoner, The One who the count of things are known to him. Al-Hameed // The Praiseworthy, The praised One who deserves to be praised.
Al-Mueed Al-Mubdi Al-Muhsi Al-Hameed
Al-Qayyum // The Self-Subsisting, The One who remains and does not end. Al-Hai // The Alive, The One attributed with a life that is unlike our life and is not that of a combination of soul, flesh or blood. Al-Mumeet // The Creator of Death, The Destroyer, The One who renders the living dead. Al-Muhyi // The Restorer, The Giver of Life, The One who took out a living human from semen that does not have a soul. He gives life by giving the souls back to the worn out bodies on the resurrection day and He makes the hearts alive by the light of knowledge.
Al-Qayyum Al-Hai Al-Mumeet Al-Muhyi
Al-Ahad // The One. Al-Waahid // The Unique, The One, The One without a partner. Al-Maajid // The Glorious. Al-Waajid // The Perceiver, The Finder, The Rich who is never poor. Al-Wajd is Richness.
Al-Ahad Al-Waahid Al-Maajid Al-Waajid
Al-Muqaddim // The Expediter, The Promoter, The One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills. Al-Muqtadir // The Powerful, The Dominant, The One with the perfect Power that nothing is withheld from Him. Al-Qaadir // The Able, The Capable, The One attributed with Power. Al-Samad // The Eternal, The Independent, The Master who is relied upon in matters and reverted to in ones needs.
Al-Muqaddim Al-Muqtadir Al-Qaadir Al-Samad
Adh-Dhaahir // The Manifest, The One that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath Him, hence He exists without a place. He, The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributes of bodies. Al-Aakhir // The Last, The One whose Existence is without an end. Al-Awwal // The First, The One whose Existence is without a beginning. Al-Muakkhir // The Delayer, the Retarder, The One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills.
Adh-Dhaahir Al-Aakhir Al-Awwal Al-Muakkhir
Al-Barr // The Source of All Goodness, The Righteous, The One who is kind to His creatures, who covered them with His sustenance and specified whoever He willed among them by His support, protection, and special mercy. Al-Muta-aali // The Most Exalted, The High Exalted, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creation. Al-Waali // The Governor, The One who owns things and manages them. Al-Baatin // The Hidden, The One that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath Him, hence He exists without a place. He, The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributes of bodies.
Al-Barr Al-Muta-aali Al-Waali Al-Baatin
Ar-Ra-uf // The Compassionate, The One with extreme Mercy. The Mercy of Allah is His will to endow upon whoever He willed among His creatures. Al-Afuw // The Pardoner, The Forgiver, The One with wide forgiveness. Al-Muntaqim // The Avenger, The One who victoriously prevails over His enemies and punishes them for their sins. It may mean the One who destroys them. At-Tawwaab // The Acceptor of Repentance, The Relenting, The One who grants repentance to whoever He willed among His creatures and accepts his repentance.
Ar-Ra-uf Al-Afuw Al-Muntaqim At-Tawwaab
Al-Muqsit // The Equitable, The One who is Just in His judgment. Dhul-Jalaali wal Ikraam // The Lord of Majesty and Bounty, The One who deserves to be Exalted and not denied. Maalik-ul-Mulk // The Eternal Owner of Sovereignty, The One who controls the Dominion and gives dominion to whoever He willed.
Al-Muqsit Dhul-Jalaali wal Ikraam Maalik-ul-Mulk
Al-Maaney // The Preventer, The Withholder. Al-Mughni // The Enricher, The One who satisfies the necessities of the creatures. Al-Ghani // The Self-Sufficient, The One who does not need the creation. Al-Jaamey // The Gatherer, The One who gathers the creatures on a day that there is no doubt about, that is the Day of Judgment.
Al-Maaney Al-Mughni Al-Ghani Al-Jaamey
Al-Haadi // The Guide, The One whom with His Guidance His belivers were guided, and with His Guidance the living beings have been guided to what is beneficial for them and protected from what is harmful to them. An-Nur // The Light, The One who guides An-Naafey // The Propitious, The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed. Adh-Dhaarr // The Distresser, The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed.
Al-Haadi An-Nur An-Naafey Adh-Dhaarr
As-Sabur // The Patient, The One who does not quickly punish the sinners Ar-Rasheed // The Guide to the Right Path, The One who guides. Al-Waarith // The Supreme Inheritor, The Heir, The One whose Existence remains. Al-Baaqi // The Everlasting, The One that th state of non-existence is impossible for Him.
As-Sabur Ar-Rasheed Al-Waarith Al-Baaqi

Verses from the Quran


    Al-Huda Academy
    Full-time Islamic School
    Pre-school thru 4rd grade More..

     

    Sunday School
    Weekend Islamic School
    Pre-KG thru 10th grade Schedule...