All praise belongs to Allah, who alone possesses the majesty of divinity and is exalted by the greatness of lordship.
All praise belongs to Allah, who is far above any likeness, exalted beyond comparisons, and alone possesses supreme greatness and majesty.
All praise belongs to Allah, worthy of praise and commendation, who favors His servants with grace and giving, leads astray by His justice, guides by His grace, and grants whatever He wills to whomever He wills.
All praise belongs to Allah: the sands glorify Him, the shadows prostrate to Him, and the mountains crumble in awe of Him!
All praise belongs to Allah, who brought every being into existence and originated it, and created and fashioned the heavens, the earth, and all within them. By His power He raised the height of heaven and proportioned it; by His strength He spread out the earth, and brought forth from it its water and pasture!
When we praise You with anything good, You are as we praise You—and above all that we praise.
{ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡۖ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ خَٰلِقُ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ فَٱعۡبُدُوهُۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ وَكِيلٞ} [الأنعام: 102].
He created the human being from sticky clay and dried clay, beautified his form with the finest proportion and most complete balance, guided his heart by His light, and protected him from the perils of error. Then He permitted him to knock at the door of His service and prostrate to Him morning and evening!
Glory be to Him… Glory be to Him!
Glory be to the One who cured doubts with certainty and healed misgivings with the light of clear knowledge. Glory be to Him: in His divinity and lordship He is exalted above any partner or peer; in His absolute oneness and self-sufficiency He is far above any spouse, offspring, or minister; and in His perfect attributes and majestic qualities He is free of any equal, rival, or supporter.
Glory be to the One who rose over the Throne! Glory be to the One who hears and sees! Glory be to the One who created and proportioned, and determined and guided!
Glory be to the Ever-Living who does not die! Glory be to the One who has undertaken to provide sustenance and nourishment! Glory be to the One whose names shine with the noblest praises, whose favors rain down with the most radiant gifts, and whose blessings arrive in unbroken succession!
Rain upon me abundant clouds of Your generosity, and look upon me with mercy, so that I do not drown.
{ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡ فَٱعۡبُدُوهُۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ} [يونس: 3].
There is no deity except Allah, and we worship none but Him. He is holy and free of any likeness; He is exalted and raised above His creation, majestic in His exaltedness.
There is no deity except Allah. He does whatever He wills, originates and brings back, and is the possessor of the glorious Throne and the rightly directed command.
There is no deity except Allah. He accepts what is little, rewards abundantly, and bestows beautiful favor. How great is the majestic Lord!
There is no deity except Allah. Created beings testify to His existence, His workmanship throughout existence speaks of His attributes, innate natures affirm the signs inscribed upon the page of the universe, and intellects acknowledge, through decisive proofs, the perfection of His existence, essence, and acts!
He is too exalted for comparison—majestic is His majesty; His enemies do not escape Him, while He remains unharmed. The matter which is dark is not made firm; nor is the matter already made firm undone.
{فَذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمُ ٱلۡحَقُّۖ فَمَاذَا بَعۡدَ ٱلۡحَقِّ إِلَّا ٱلضَّلَٰلُۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُصۡرَفُونَ} [يونس: 32].
Allah is supremely great! Glory and praise be to Allah morning and evening! Allah is truly, truly the greatest! Allah is the greatest, in worship and servitude! Allah is the greatest, as numerous as the drops of the seas, the leaves of the trees, and the particles of dust!
Allah is the greatest: every care is lifted from the heart of every person who proclaims His greatness and oneness. Allah is the greatest: to Him belong supreme greatness and praise. No heaven veils Him from another heaven; in Him rests hope, and from Him comes bounty.
Allah is the greatest! How forbearing He is toward those who disobey Him; how near He is to those who call upon Him; how severe His grasp is against those who oppose Him! He brought tyrants down from palaces and lodged them in the depths of graves. Their abundant wealth availed them nothing.
{ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡ لَهُ ٱلۡمُلۡكُۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَا يَمۡلِكُونَ مِن قِطۡمِيرٍ} [فاطر: 13].
Allah alone is the One whose help is sought; from Him comes assistance, and upon Him is reliance!
When night and day alternate, time follows time, blessings change, calamities descend, a child is lost, and the land suffers drought, Allah is the One whose help is sought!
Allah is the One whose help is sought when trials follow one another, hardships come in succession, hearts harden, and sins multiply.
Allah, whose help is sought, guides the bewildered, saves the human being, and protects His servants from the evils of humans and jinn.
In my love for You I accept the days’ injustice; the bitterness of time, if it pleases You, is as sweetness.
{ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡ لَهُ ٱلۡمُلۡكُۖ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُصۡرَفُونَ} [الزمر: 6].
There is no might and no strength except through Allah. Those who rely place their trust in Him; those who ask drink deeply from the generosity of His grace; and all creation seeks exposure to His immense giving.
There is no might and no strength except through Allah. Through it every still thing moves; whoever utters it is under Allah’s guarantee; and by His command every fearful one is safe!
There is no might and no strength except through Allah. Needs are fulfilled, gifts descend, distresses are relieved, and the outcome is praiseworthy at all times.
By Your right—and this is the utmost of an oath—You are the Truth, and all besides You is falsehood. Never has a tongue moved within a mouth, nor fingers turned a pen, with anything finer than Your praise.
{ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡ خَٰلِقُ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤۡفَكُونَ} [غافر: 62].
May Allah send prayers, peace, and blessings upon the chosen Prophet, the selected bearer of glad tidings, the illuminating lamp, and the caller who warns.
O Allah, send prayers upon Muḥammad among the earliest generations, upon Muḥammad among the later generations, and upon Muḥammad in the highest assembly until the Day of Judgment, and upon all his family and Companions.
May Allah send prayers upon Muḥammad whenever anyone proclaims Allah’s greatness and calls the adhān; upon Muḥammad whenever anyone raises the call of talbiyah to Allah and declares it aloud; and upon Muḥammad whenever anyone prays to Allah and does so well.
Knowledge, forbearance, and reason called me to You, as did this well-ordered speech and freely scattered bounty.
{ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡۖ فَتَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ} [غافر: 64].
«لَا أُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ، أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ»([1]).
How astonishing that the Deity is disobeyed! How can any denier deny Him? In everything there is a sign of Him, indicating that He is One. For Allah, in every movement and every stillness, there is always a witness.
Glory be to Him… Glory be to Him!
Who spread the broad earth for humankind as bedding, with direction beneath the roof of His heaven? Who made the stars piercing lights, by which He guides those traveling through its darkness? Who brought the sun into the horizon of heaven to run, by a determined measure, across its reaches? Who brought forth the shining moon when night grew dark, making the night resemble morning by its radiance? Who created every creature and sufficed them all with His goodness and giving? Who made the nursing infant’s sustenance flow from his mother, from whom he sucks his wholesome nourishment? Woe to the one who disobeys the Deity, having seen His goodness in His gifts and bounty! ([2])
To proceed:
This discourse is about “Allah”! No one speaks of Allah Most High as Allah Himself does, majestic in His exaltedness! No one truly knows Allah Most High except Allah! The divine name “Allah” is the most definite of names. What, then, has Allah Most High said about Allah?
{ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡحَيُّ ٱلۡقَيُّومُۚ لَا تَأۡخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٞ وَلَا نَوۡمٞۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِي يَشۡفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِهِۦۚ يَعۡلَمُ مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنۡ عِلۡمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَۚ وَسِعَ كُرۡسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَۖ وَلَا ئَُودُهُۥ حِفۡظُهُمَاۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ} [البقرة: 255].
According to the majority of scholars, the divine name “Allah” is Allah’s Greatest Name, because it is the true proper name of the One rightly worshiped. The divine name is the proper name, while the remaining names serve as descriptions of Him!
As Allah Most High said: {هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ عَٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِۖ هُوَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٢٢ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡمَلِكُ ٱلۡقُدُّوسُ ٱلسَّلَٰمُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُ ٱلۡمُهَيۡمِنُ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡجَبَّارُ ٱلۡمُتَكَبِّرُۚ سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ ٢٣ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡخَٰلِقُ ٱلۡبَارِئُ ٱلۡمُصَوِّرُۖ لَهُ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰۚ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُۥ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ٢٤} [الحشر: 22-24].
No one other than Allah has borne the divine name “Allah.” Even those who claimed divinity did not dare to name themselves by it!
Allah has spoken the truth: {رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فَٱعۡبُدۡهُ وَٱصۡطَبِرۡ لِعِبَٰدَتِهِۦۚ هَلۡ تَعۡلَمُ لَهُۥ سَمِيّٗا} [مريم: 65].
Likewise, the idols and images worshiped besides Allah have never borne this most holy name. The name “Allah” therefore has neither a dual nor a plural form, unlike the noun “deity,” which can take both.
The Most High said: {وَقَالَ ٱللَّهُ لَا تَتَّخِذُوٓاْ إِلَٰهَيۡنِ ٱثۡنَيۡنِۖ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞ فَإِيَّٰيَ فَٱرۡهَبُونِ} [النحل: 51].
He, blessed and holy is He, said: {لَوۡ كَانَ فِيهِمَآ ءَالِهَةٌ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَاۚ فَسُبۡحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَرۡشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ} [الأنبياء: 22].
Allah Most High is absolutely unseen. No angel, human, jinn, or any other creature, whoever it may be, has apprehended or encompassed Him.
The Most High said: {لَّا تُدۡرِكُهُ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرُ وَهُوَ يُدۡرِكُ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرَۖ وَهُوَ ٱللَّطِيفُ ٱلۡخَبِيرُ} [الأنعام: 103].
He, exalted is He, said: {وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمٗا} [طه: 110].
Everything unseen other than Allah is only relatively unseen. Some humans have seen the angels, as our Prophet ﷺ saw Gabriel, peace be upon him, and as other prophets and righteous people also did.
Since Allah Most High is absolutely unseen, there is no way to know Him as He loves and commands except through His sacred revelation, the “Qur’an,” and the words of His Prophet, who does not speak from desire—his speech is only revelation revealed—which are the “Sunnah.” Reason then attains a general understanding and proceeds in knowing Allah by following revelation, in its light and under its guidance.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all worlds.
Our Lord made Himself known to creation as the All-Merciful, the Especially Merciful, whose mercy encompasses everything. His mercy preceded His wrath and overcame His anger. He created mercy in His servants’ hearts and sent down His mercies upon the earth, bringing it to life; upon souls, purifying them; upon breasts, opening them; upon minds, illuminating them; and upon humanity through revelation, bringing it happiness and guidance.
He taught His servants that He is the One, the Unique, the Odd, the Solitary, the Self-Sufficient, who neither begets nor was begotten, and to whom no one is equal!
He has no rival, partner, peer, or likeness, and no spouse or child! Allah is far exalted above what the wrongdoers say!
{وَإِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞۖ لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ} [البقرة: 163].
He reminded His servants that He is the Lord, the Creator, the Provider, the Giver of life and death, the Disposer of affairs and Sustainer. Creation is His creation, command His command, and sovereignty His sovereignty. He alone has no partner in creation or command. Blessed is Allah, Lord of all worlds.
Every owner is owned before Him. He, exalted is He, honors and humbles, gives and withholds, pours forth and grants abundance. Good is in His hands, and evil is not attributed to Him! لبيك وسعديك، والخير في يديك، والشر ليس إليك، {قُلِ ٱللَّهُمَّ مَٰلِكَ ٱلۡمُلۡكِ تُؤۡتِي ٱلۡمُلۡكَ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتَنزِعُ ٱلۡمُلۡكَ مِمَّن تَشَآءُ وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَآءُۖ بِيَدِكَ ٱلۡخَيۡرُۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ} [آل عمران: 26].
«إِنَّ اللهَ هُوَ الحَكَمُ، وَإِلَيْهِ الحُكْمُ»([3]).
None can repel His decree, overturn His judgment, prevent His goodness, or withhold His mercy. Judgment belongs to Him; He is the swiftest of reckoners and the best of helpers. He is our support and our helper; through Him we maneuver, through Him we charge, and through Him we fight. Allah is the One whose help is sought.
{بَلِ ٱللَّهُ مَوۡلَىٰكُمۡۖ وَهُوَ خَيۡرُ ٱلنَّٰصِرِينَ} [آل عمران: 150].
He guided His servants to Himself and, through His mercy, directed them toward Himself. He suffices as Guide and Helper. He established the signs of the visible universe and the clear proofs of the written Book, all of which point to Him! Innate natures agree upon His existence, and minds are settled upon His oneness. He called His servants, saying: «يَا عِبَادِي، كُلُّكُمْ ضَالٌّ إِلَّا مَنْ هَدَيْتُهُ، فَاسْتَهْدُونِي أَهْدِكُمْ» ([4])!
O Allah, {ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ}, {وَكَفَىٰ بِرَبِّكَ هَادِيٗا وَنَصِيرٗا} [الفرقان: 31].
His knowledge encompasses and comprehends everything: {وَعِندَهُۥ مَفَاتِحُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ لَا يَعۡلَمُهَآ إِلَّا هُوَۚ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِۚ وَمَا تَسۡقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعۡلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٖ فِي ظُلُمَٰتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا رَطۡبٖ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٖ مُّبِينٖ} [الأنعام: 59].
His knowledge encompasses everything past and future, outward and inward, moving and still, great and insignificant. He is the All-Knowing, the All-Aware. Nothing of His creation is hidden from Him: {وَمَا يَعۡزُبُ عَن رَّبِّكَ مِن مِّثۡقَالِ ذَرَّةٖ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَآ أَصۡغَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكۡبَرَ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٖ مُّبِينٍ} [يونس: 61].
He is the Deity who is worshiped and the Master who is sought. There is no creator other than Him, no lord besides Him, and none rightly worshiped except Him! Everything worshiped besides Him is false, and every kingdom beneath His kingdom will pass away!
{ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ ٱلۡبَٰطِلُ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡكَبِيرُ} [لقمان: 30].
«أَنْتَ الحَقُّ، وَقَوْلُكَ الحَقُّ، وَوَعْدُكَ الحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، والنَّارُ حَقٌّ، والسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ ﷺ حَقٌّ!
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، أَنْتَ المُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ المُؤَخِّرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بالله»([5])!
O Allah, O Truth, guide us by Your permission to the truth concerning that over which people differ. You guide whomever You will to a straight path.
O Allah, we hope for Your mercy. Do not leave us to ourselves for even the blink of an eye. Set right all our affairs; there is no deity except You.
«اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ، وَبِمُعَافَاتِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ، وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ لَا نُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ، أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ»([6]).
([1]) Recorded by Muslim (486).
([2]) Mawārid al-Ẓamʾān (1/347).
([3]) Recorded by Abū Dāwūd (4955).
([4]) Recorded by Muslim (2577).
([5]) Recorded by al-Bukhārī (1120) and Muslim (769).
([6]) Recorded by Muslim (751).