GETTING TO KNOW YOUR LORD THROUGH HIS MOST BEAUTIFUL NAMES

1. GETTING TO KNOW YOUR LORD THROUGH HIS MOST BEAUTIFUL NAMES

2. ALLAH CREATED US SO THAT WE MIGHT KNOW HIM • SO IF WE KNOW HIM WE MIGHT LOVE HIM • AND IF WE LOVE HIM WE MIGHT WORSHIP HIM • AND IF WE WORSHIP HIM WE MIGHT RECEIVE HIS PROMISE AND BE ENTERED INTO PARADISE • …. MAY ALLAH MAKE US OF THEM… AMEEN!

3. IT IS SAID:THOSE WHO KNOW THEIR LORD KNOW ALL THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW,AND THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW THEIR LORD KNOW NOTHING OF WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنْسَاهُمْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ {الحشر: 19 } [ And Don’t be like those who forgot Allah so Allah caused them to forget themselves ] Al-Hashr 19

4. SO LETS GET TO KNOW HIM…

5. TWO WAYS • BY WHAT WE SEE [ BY WHAT HE SHOWS US ] • BY WHAT WE HEAR [ BY WHAT HE TELLS US]

7. In The Qur’an He tells us That He is the possessor of The Best and Most Beautiful Names

8. وَلِلَّـهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا ۖ وَذَرُوا الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ ۚ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ • [7:180] SaheehInternational • And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing.

9. قُلِ ادْعُوا اللَّـهَ أَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمَـٰنَ ۖ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُوا فَلَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ • [17:110] Saheeh International • Say, "Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever [name] you call - to Him belong the best names." And do not recite [too] loudly in your prayer or [too] quietly but seek between that an [intermediate] way.

10. اللَّـهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ لَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ • [20:8] Saheeh International • Allah - there is no deity except Him. To Him belong the best names.

11. هُوَ اللَّـهُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ ۖ لَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ • [59:24] Saheeh International • He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

12. حديث سرد أسماء الله الحسنى هو من رواية الإمام الترمذي – رحمه الله -– ” إن لله تسعة وتسعين اسمًا من قال: قال رسول الله : فعن أبي هريرة » أحصاها دخل الجنة، هو الله الذي لا إله إلا هو الرحمن الرحيم، الملك القدوس، السلام المؤمن، المهيمن، العزيز، الجبَّار، المتكبّر، الخالق البارئ، المصوِّر، الغفَّار، القهَّار، الوهّاب، الرزَّاق، الفتّاح، العليم، القابض الباسط، الخافض الرَّافع، المعز المذلّ، السميع البصير، --- النور، الهادي، البديع، الباقي، الوارث، الرشيد، الصبور • « أخرجه » الترمذي ك/ الدعوات، وابن حبان في صحيحه، والبيهقي في كتاب الأسماء والصفات وهناك رواية ثانية أخرجها الإمام ابن ماجه – رحمه الله في » سننه «

13. Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah, said, "Allah has ninety-nine names. He who 'ahsaha' [enumerates them, believes in them, ponders their meanings, worships Allah by them and supplicates with them, and acts by them according to one's belief in them] will enter Paradise. He is God, other than whom there is no god, the Compassionate, the Merciful, the King, the Holy, the Source of Peace, the Preserver of Security..."The hadith continues to list ninety-nine names of Allah.

14. IF WE ARE ASKING ABOUT HIS NAMES… SHOULDN’T WE FIRST ASK WHO IS HE!INDEED HE IS…

16. ITS HOW HE INTRODUCES HIMSELF • فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِيَ يَا مُوسَىٰ ﴿١١﴾إِنِّي أَنَا رَبُّكَ فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِطُوًى ﴿١٢﴾ وَأَنَا اخْتَرْتُكَ فَاسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَىٰ ﴿١٣﴾إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّـهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي ﴿١٤﴾ • [20:14] Saheeh International • Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.

17. ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّـهُ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَاعْبُدُوهُ ۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكِيلٌ ﴿١٠٢﴾ • [6:102] Saheeh International • That is Allah, your Lord; there is no deity except Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him. And He is Disposer of all things.

18. IT IS HIS GREATEST NAME • A NAME THAT HE HAS CHOSEN FOR HIMSELF AND NOBODY ELSE IS KNOWN BY THIS NAME… رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فَاعْبُدْهُ وَاصْطَبِرْ لِعِبَادَتِهِ ۚ هَلْ تَعْلَمُ لَهُ سَمِيًّا [Allah] The Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in between so worship him and persevere in that worship , Do you know anybody else by that name Maryam: 65 THE DISBELIEVING QURAYSH EVEN TRIED TO NAME ONE OF THEIR IDOLS BY HIS NAME BUT ALLAH PREVENTED THEM AND SO THEY COULD ONLY SAY AL-LAAT

19. SOME SCHOLARS SAY IT IS DERIVED FROM اله يأله إلاهة WHICH MEANS TO BE DIVINE / BE WORTHY OF WORSHIP SO WHEN YOU ADD THE DEFINITE ARTICLE ال IT BECOMES الله THE ONE AND ONLY DIVINE AND THE ONE AND ONLY WORTHY OF WORSHIP. • IT IS THE NAME THAT CONTAINS ALL HIS OTHER NAMES • IT IS THE NAME WHICH IS INDICATIVE OF HIS ESSENCE [ الذات ] THAT ESSENTIALLY EXISTING ESSENCE FOR WHICH NO ONE AND NO THING CAN BE LIKENED TO. • IT IS HIS MOST FAMOUS NAME MENTIONED + - 2698 TIMES IN THE QUR’AN

20. IT IS IN FRONT OF ALL HIS OTHER NAMES { هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ هُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ • IT IS THE NAME WITH WHICH ALL MATTERS ARE COMMENCED بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم The Prophet [SAW] said: All conscious matters that are not commenced with بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم are void of the blessings of Allah • IT IS THE NAME WITH WHICH NO HARM CAN COME IN THE HEAVENS AND ON EARTH In The Name of Allah by which nothing can cause harm with his name in the heavens nor the earth and He is All Hearing and All Seeing بِسْمِ الله الّذِي لا يَضُرّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ في الأرْضِ وَلا في السّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السّمِيعُ العَلِيمُ، The Prophet [SAW] said whoever recites it 3 times in the morning and 3 times in the evening nothing will harm them

21. IT IS THE NAME THAT SIGNIFIES THE PURITY OF THE DIVINE INDIVISIBLE UNITY OF GOD [TAUHEED] قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ   [SAY HE IS ALLAH THE ONE AND ONLY] THE CHAPTER OF PURITY [QUR’AN 112] • IT IS THE NAME WITH WHICH THE DECLARATION OF FAITH IS MADE ‎أشهد أن لا اله الا الله وأشهد ان محمدا رسول الله I BEAR WITNESS THAT NONE IS WORTHY OF WORSHIP BESIDES ALLAH AND I BEAR WITNESS THAT MUHAMMAD IS THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH [SAW]

22. IT IS THE NAME THAT ALL FAVOURS IN THE HEAVENS AND ON EARTH ARE ATTRIBUTED TO وَمَا بِكُمْ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ [THERE IS NOT A SINGLE FAVOUR WITH YOU EXCEPT THAT IT IS FROM ALLAH] [AL-NAHL 53] وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا [IF YOU TRY TO COUNT THE FAVOURS OF ALLAH YOU WILL NEVER ENCOMPASS THEM] • THE UTMOST RESPECT AND REVERENCE IS ASSIGNED TO IT AND IT IS REFERRED TO AS THE UTTERENCE OF MAJESTY- لفظ الجلالة

23. IT IS THE NAME THAT EVERYONE IS COMPELLED TO USE IN A TIME OF NEED • وَإِذَا غَشِيَهُم مَّوْجٌ كَالظُّلَلِ دَعَوُا اللَّـهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ فَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ ۚ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَّا كُلُّ خَتَّارٍ كَفُورٍ ﴿٣٢﴾ • [31:32] Saheeh International • And when waves come over them like canopies, they supplicate Allah, sincere to Him in religion. But when He delivers them to the land, there are [some] of them who are moderate [in faith]. And none rejects Our signs except everyone treacherous and ungrateful.

24. وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فِي الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ كَفُورًا ﴿٦٧﴾ • [17:67] Saheeh International • And when adversity touches you at sea, lost are [all] those you invoke except for Him. But when He delivers you to the land, you turn away [from Him]. And ever is man ungrateful.

25. TWO GREAT BENEFITS IN THE USE OF THIS NAME

26. THE FIRST GREAT BENEFIT IN THE USE OF THIS NAME • 1. DUA – PRAYER WHEN ASKING ALLAH • WHEN WE SAY يا الله “ OH ALLAH “ IN PRAYER WE ADD AمTO THE END OF لفظ الجلالة SO THAT IT BECOMES اللهم

27. THE م GIVES A COLLECTIVE UNDERSTANDING TO THE WORD LIKE THE م IN: الأمة – THE NATION ‘COLLECTION OF BELIEVERS’ الرمان – THE POMEGRANATE ‘COLLECTION OF POMEGRANATE SEEDS’ الإمام – THE COLLECTIVE LEADER IN PRAYER التوأم – A COLLECTION OF TWINS IN THE WOMB OF THE MOTHER

28. THAT’S WHY SHEIKH AL – ATTAAREDY SAYS THAT IN THE م OF اللهمALL 99 NAMES OF ALLAH CAN BE FOUND. • AL-NADR BIN SHUMAIL SAID: WHOEVER SAYS اللهم HAS ASKED ALLAH WITH ALL OF HIS NAMES

29. THE 2ND GREAT BENEFIT IN THE USE OF THIS NAME • 2. IT IS THE FIRST STEP IN GUARENTEEING ONES ENTRY INTO PARADISE إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ (30) نَحْنُ أَوْلِيَاؤُكُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآَخِرَةِ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِي أَنْفُسُكُمْ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ (31) نُزُلاً مِنْ غَفُورٍ رَحِيمٍ (32) Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allah" and then remained on a right course – the angels will descend upon them, [saying], "Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised. 30 We [angels] were your allies in worldly life and [are so] in the Hereafter. And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish] 31 As accommodation from a [who is] Forgiving and Merciful.32“ FUSSILAT 30,31,32