Allah (swt)
Allah (swt) is most Gracious - The Dispenser of Grace
Surah Az-Zumar, 39:53
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
The first Holy Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) says that there is no greater verse of God’s grace and His mercy than this verse in the whole of the Qur’an. It is Islam and no other religion in the world which introduces God to His creation, not as a mere merciless just judge whose decisions are based only on law and facts without any concern of any grace or mercy in it, but as the Independent - the Beneficent - the Oft-Pardoning - the most Gracious - the Dispenser of Grace, who deals with His creation as He pleases, and whose justice is ever tempered with mercy.
His infinite mercy is ever in the waiting to receive repentance from his offenders. He has made mercy incumbent on Himself (Surah al-An’aam, 6:12 and 6:54). He Himself enjoins upon the sinners to seek His pardon (Surah an-Nisaa, 4:106). He bestows His mercy on whomsoever He pleases, and also entitles him to rewards. He is such a merciful judge that He does not wait to punish but to pardon. Hence before the matter comes to be tried, He invites repentance and even encourages the sinners to make haste in seeking His pardon. He never wants any sinner to be dejected and go hopeless of His mercy. But, the pardon is granted only when it is asked in time.
It is said that ‘Wahshi’ the assassin of Hazrat Hamza (p) at the Battle of Ohad, got hopeless of being forgiven by God and hence did not embrace Islam but when he came to know of this verse, he joined the ranks of the faithful.
In Hadith al-Qudsi, Allah (swt) says:
“It were not for ‘Ruku’ (kneeling) of elders, suckling babies, grazing animals, humble youths, indeed I would have made the sky of steel, the earth of copper and the mud of pebbles. I would have not sent a single drop of water from the sky and grown a single grain from the earth. I would have poured on you My worst wrath.”
He also says:
“O Son of Adam! If people know what I know about you, not one of My creatures will say Salaam to you. If your brother just smells your sin, he will never sit beside you. Your sins are increasing everyday and your life is decreasing. Don’t waste your life in falsehood and carelessness. If you want more, then be in the company of the generous. Seek refuge from the worldly people and mix with the deprived.”
Allah (swt) is Omniscient (Knowing Everything)
Surah Yunus, 10:61
وَمَا تَكُونُ فِي شَأْنٍ وَمَا تَتْلُو مِنْهُ مِن قُرْآنٍ وَلاَ تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ إِلاَّ كُنَّا عَلَيْكُمْ شُهُودًا إِذْ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ وَمَا يَعْزُبُ عَن رَّبِّكَ مِن مِّثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي السَّمَاء وَلاَ أَصْغَرَ مِن ذَلِكَ وَلا أَكْبَرَ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
This verse makes it clearly understood that the Book of God mentioned here is not the one in any written or printed form but the Sacred Tablet (the Lauhe-Mahfooz) in which is secured the knowledge of everything in the Universe and the Will of the Lord.
Allah (swt) is Omnipotent and Omnipresent (Having infinite power and being present everywhere)
Surah Qaaf, 50:16
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ
Man has been created by God. God knows everything, even the innermost, i.e. the most latent endowments of the feelings and thoughts of each individual. The life-vein i.e. the jugular vein which is the big trunk vein, running on each side of the neck which brings the blood back from the head to the heart, which is considered so near to the life of an individual is cited here just to illustrate that God is nearer to the very existence of the individual than the very vein on which his life depends.
Declaration of Allah’s (swt) Perfection and Absolute Oneness
Surah Ikhlas, 112:1-4
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
This chapter with all its brevity is considered to contain the gist or the spirit of the Absolute Unity of God which is the fundamentals of the faith, Islam. It is considered that one third of the Qur’an is revealed as an explanation of this Synthesis. It is said that the Holy Prophet (p) was asked to give the idea of godhead that he preached and this Chapter was revealed.
Attributes of Allah (swt)
Surah al-Hashr, 59:22-24
هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ هُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ
هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلَامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
هُوَ اللَّهُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ لَهُ الْأَسْمَاء الْحُسْنَى يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
These verses contain the most beautiful of God’s names using which in his supplication any sincere believer can invoke the infinite mercy of the Lord for the blessings desired by the adorer. None of the divine attributes of His, in any way or any extent resemble the qualities in any of His creatures. Thus He is the unique unit in all respects in the Absolute sense of the term.
Allah’s (swt) Justice (‘Adil)
Surah Ali `Imran, 3:182
ذَلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَأَنَّ اللّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلاَّمٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِ
Here the infidels are warned saying: ‘do not think that your evil deeds end here and have no echo in your life hereafter. God is All-Just every evil doer shall be duly punished.’
The following verses also make reference to Allah’s (swt) justice:
Surah Fussilat, 41:46
“Whoso does what is just and right, does so for his own good; and whoever does evil, does so to his own hurt: and never does God do the least wrong to His creatures.”
Surah az-Zalzal, 99:7-8
“And so, he who shall have done an atom’s weight of good, shall behold it; and he who shall have done an atom’s weight of evil, shall behold it.”
Surah an-Nisa, 4:40
إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ وَإِن تَكُ حَسَنَةً يُضَاعِفْهَا وَيُؤْتِ مِن لَّدُنْهُ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
Surah an-Nisa, 4:49
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ بَلِ اللّهُ يُزَكِّي مَن يَشَاء وَلاَ يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلاً
A Supplication for Allah’s (swt) Unlimited Mercy
Surah al-Baqarah, 2:286
لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
The Innumerous Blessings of Allah (swt) Bestowed upon Mankind
Surah an-Nahl, 16:66-69
وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِي الأَنْعَامِ لَعِبْرَةً نُّسْقِيكُم مِّمَّا فِي بُطُونِهِ مِن بَيْنِ فَرْثٍ وَدَمٍ لَّبَنًا خَالِصًا سَآئِغًا لِلشَّارِبِينَ
وَمِن ثَمَرَاتِ النَّخِيلِ وَالأَعْنَابِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِنْهُ سَكَرًا وَرِزْقًا حَسَنًا إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
وَأَوْحَى رَبُّكَ إِلَى النَّحْلِ أَنِ اتَّخِذِي مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا وَمِنَ الشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعْرِشُونَ
ثُمَّ كُلِي مِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ فَاسْلُكِي سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلاً يَخْرُجُ مِن بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ فِيهِ شِفَاء لِلنَّاسِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
How to earn Allah’s (swt) Mercy
Surah An-Nur, 24:56
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
Certain Knowledge is only with Allah (swt)
Surah Luqman, 31:34
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْأَرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
Taking Refuge With The Almighty
Surah Al–Falaq, 113:1-5
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ
مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ
وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ
وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ
Surah An–Nas, 114:1-6
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ
مَلِكِ النَّاسِ
إِلَهِ النَّاسِ
مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ
الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ
مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَ النَّاسِ
- 1. A reference to the heavy burden of rituals imposed by the Law of Moses upon the children of Israel, as well as the world-renunciation recommended by Jesus to his followers.
- 2. Some commentators thought that this passage was revealed before the prohibition of intoxicating liquor but the passage has nothing to do with the permissibility or the prohibition of liquor. It states the various usage of the product of the fruits.
- 3. This relates not merely to the problem of the sex of the as yet unborn embryo, but also to the question of whether it will be born at all, and if so, what its natural endowments and its character will be, as well as what role it will be able to play in life.