“… Not a leaf does fall
but by His Knowledge.” [6:59]

He is al-Shafi – the Curer.
He heals and cures the sick ones when they fall ill, and He looks after them during their physical weakness. He is al-Shafi Who has sent down for every illness its cure, and has measured out for every sickness its duration. His medicine never fails us nor misses us because He is the Creator and Curer Who knows these bodies of ours very well. He is the only One who can truly heal us, and the only One who can guide us to the persons and places in which He has placed our cure.

الشافي

He is al-Khafidh – the Abaser. And He is al-Rafi’ – the Exalter.
He is al-Mu’izz – the Giver of Honour. And He is al-Mudhill – the Debaser.
He raises whom He Wills and lowers whom He wills. He hands the kingdom to whoever He wishes and seizes it from whoever He wishes. And such are the days that He gives to Mankind; days weighed upon scales that tip according to the Decree of al-Khafidh al-Rafi’, al-Mu’izz al-Mudhill. Don’t you see how civilizations rise only to fall after some time? Don’t you see how the oppressed of yesterday become the leaders of tomorrow? Don’t you see how the famous disappear into anonymity and the unknown one becomes the well-known and remembered? The Scale of Allah tips and so we see extraordinary days, incredible history, and ironic happenings. He is al-Rafi’ al-Mu’izz Who raises His humble Slaves, and He is al-Khafidh al-Mudhill Who lowers every arrogant head. He turns tables as He turns the earth, and He does so with Wisdom in a Supreme Law which cannot be surpassed.

“Say: ‘O Allah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honour whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is all good. Verily, You are Able to do all things.'” [Aal ‘Imran: 26]

الخافض الرافع المعز المذل

He is al-Ra’uf – the Kind.
Not only does His Rahmah (Mercy) surround all things, but His Ra’fah (Kindness) also has a strong presence in the life of the believer. He is al-Ra’uf Who pities the slave and shows him ways out of every difficulty. He is al-Ra’uf Who inspires the slave towards deeds which He then accepts so kindly. He is al-Ra’uf Who gives us more than we deserve and blesses us daily. His Kindness to us is many times greater than the kindness of a mother to her own child. It is what spares us from His Punishment, it is what pushes us towards seeking forgiveness, and it is what saves us when we blindly rush to things that will only ruin and destroy us.

“And indeed, Allah is to you Kind, Merciful.” [al-Hadid: 9]

الروؤف

He is al-Qahhar – The Irresistible and Supreme.
He is the one Whom souls recognise and stand in awe of. His Strength is overpowering and dominating; it breaks and defeats forces you can see and forces you cannot see. He is al-Qahhar who causes the backs of the oppressors to break, the necks of the Mushrikin (polytheists) to lower, and the soul of every Man and Jinn to submit at the time of death. He is al-Qahhar to Whom everything in the heavens and the earth pays heed to, prostrates to, respects and fears so deeply. The King of Kings. The AlMighty and Supreme. Nothing can break away from His Grip when He seizes and nothing can escape His Sight or Knowledge.

“He is the Irresistible, Supreme over His slaves, and He sends guardians over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our Messengers take his soul, and they never neglect their duty.” [al-An’am: 61]

القاهر القهار

He is al-Mubdi’ – the Initiator.
He initiated the creation and began it from nothing. He originated the heavens and the earth when they were non-existent. He is al-Mubdi’ who initiates new things in your life, and creates new circumstances – some as a blessing, some as a test, and some to just bring change into your life and a different direction. He creates you and creates your way and all that you will meet therein.

But just as He is al-Mubdi’, He is also al-Mu’eed – the One who repeats. As He created the first time, He will repeat it. As He constructed existence once, He will repeat it. But also, that smile He once placed on your face, He can certainly repeat that. Those days of joy He caused to take place, He can certainly bring those back. And just as He created certain things in your life, He can certainly repeat them. The Dunya encircles, and comes back on itself, history repeats and comes back on itself, all because of the Hand of al-Mu’eed… will we then be steadfast?

المبدئ المعيد

He is al-Raqib – the Watchful.
You’re never really alone, and you’re never really free to do as you please. The eyes of Mankind may be diverted away from you but the Eyes of Allah never sleep. He is al-Raqib Who watches His servants, each and every one of them; He watches over you and never does He lose sight of you. He watches your actions, and watches what goes on inside you. Blessed is the person who remembers al-Raqib and in turns develops within themselves what is called ‘al-muraqabah’ – to act under the watchful Eye of Allah and constantly be in a state of awareness.

الرقيب