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Bismillah AR RAHMAN AR RAHEEM
AlRahman -The Almighty
When writing AlRahman, one would use Alif and Laam, but
when we recite it, the Laam is silent and is pronounced Ar-Rahman. This is
due to the Ra being shams ( a sun letter, but I will go into that another
time)
There has been some concern of the use of this name, and
its meaning. ALone AlRahman is ALLAH, who is ALMIGHTY in every sense of the
word. HE is Uncomprensible. This WORD, This NAME, This ATTRIBUTE, Is not a
subject that I can easily speak about. It is very difficult to explain it as
I understand, May Allah (swt) forgive my sins.
This name AlRahman, is of a greater and higher POWER.
ALL POWERFUL, ALL-MIGHTY. This NAME, is truly one in which we bend willingly
or not, to the WILL of ALLAH!
The name Al-Rahman is not derived from an adjective that can refer to
anything or anyone else than the Almighty, ALLAH.
Al-The, definite, The Only One
Rahman- one of the many attributes to Allah, The
Almighty
The Surah named Al-Rahman is one of the most powerful in the Quran.
In Surah AlRahman, Allah(swt) is describing in detail His creation in this
world and the next, that creation being clear evidence of His Power as the
Creator. In that Surah,AlRahman is mentioned only once, in the first ayah. And
when you read it, it actually forms the entire ayah. This fact alone
emphasizes the importance of this name.
AlRaheem- The Compassionate, The Most Merciful
Al-The, definite, The Only One, The One
Raheem- Most Merciful
This name AlRaheem has a root word, RAHM -- this word rahm means womb, or a
place of origin. This very name tells us the Mercy from Allah is upon
humanity, not just the Muslims but all of mankind.
We are from the womb, a place that Allah (swt) has allowed his creation to be
born. SubhanaALLAH ( GLory to ALLAH, Free from all Imperfections!)
A place in which the ties to its mother is strong. A place in which your
family bloodline lie. A strong bond. In the womb,
*Allah
sends an angel to write four words: He writes his deeds, time of his death,
means of his livelihood, and whether he will be wretched or blessed (in
religion). Then the soul is breathed into his body. How Merciful is
Allah?
*The
Prophet said, "Allah created the creations, and when He finished from His
creations, Ar-Rahm i.e., womb said, "(O Allah) at this place I seek refuge with
You from all those who sever me (i.e. sever the ties of Kith and kin). Allah
said, 'Yes, won't you be pleased that I will keep good relations with the one
who will keep good relations with you, and I will sever the relation with the
one who will sever the relations with you.' It said, 'Yes, O my Lord.' Allah
said, 'Then that is for you ' " Allah's Apostle added. "Read (in the Qur'an) if
you wish, the Statement of Allah: 'Would you then, if you were given the
authority, do mischief in the land and sever your ties of kinship?' (47.22)
In this word AlRaheem, it shows us an obligation we have upon
others, especially family, to be merciful, and NEVER to sever the ties, no
matter what. Those who are Kind (show mercy) to others, Allah (swt) will show
this kindness and mercy to you, InshaAllah. Allahualim
When we say, AlRahman AlRaheem, it is a special pair.
- It shows us How Mighty and Powerful Allah (swt) is
- His compassion
- It opens for us the doors to repentence
- Showers of Mercy from Allah (swt) upon us.
One is usually with the other. In the many Surahs of Quran, one will find in
the beginning of each surah, all except one- Al Taubah (9), this very special
pair of words.
We should fear the Power and Might of ALLAH (swt), yet he is Compassionate
and Showers His Mercy upon us, as we obey and worship HIM.
These two attributes, Al Rahman, Al Raheem, is ALLAH, the One who is to be
obeyed and worshipped. Allah is the one who moves and completely controls the
World, and all in it. Al Rahman Al Raheem forms a balance, unique to none other
than ALLAH. One who encompasses these two attributes, so perfectly, can only
be SUPREME.
I am sure this part of the lesson is confusing to some if not most. I can
not explain in words what I feel in my heart, what Allah (swt) has allowed me to
understand.
I pray that Allah (swt) has given you, your own special understanding. The
Truth.
Once again, I ask ALLAH (swt) to forgive my errors, for ALLAHUALIM of all
things.
Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, ash hadu an la ilaha illah Anta,
astghfiruka wa atoobu ilaika.
Glory is to You , Oh ALLAH, and praise is to You. I bear witness that
thereis no One worthy of Worship but You. I seek your forgiveness and return
to you ameen
*saheeh bukhari Volume 8, Book
73, Number 16
IN THE NAME OF GOD,
THE MERCIFUL, THE
COMPASSIONATE
And from Him
do we seek help.
All
praise be to God, the Sustainer of All the Worlds,
and blessings
and peace be upon our master Muhammad,
and on all
his Family and Companions.
[Brother! You wanted a few
words of advice from me, so listen to a few truths included in eight short
stories, which since you are a soldier, are in the form of comparisons of a
military nature. I consider my own soul to need advice more than anyone, and
at one time I addressed my soul at some length with Eight Words inspired by
eight verses of the Qur’an from which I had benefited. Now I shall address my
soul with these same Words, but briefly and in the language of ordinary
people. Whoever wishes may listen together with me.]
The First Word
Bismillah, “In the Name
of God,” is the start of all things good. We too shall start with it. Know, O
my soul! Just as this blessed phrase is a mark of Islam, so too it is
constantly recited by all beings through their tongues of disposition. If you
want to know what an inexhaustible strength, what an unending source of bounty
is Bismillah, listen to the following story which is in the form of a
comparison. It goes like this:
Someone who makes a journey
through the deserts of Arabia has to travel in the name of a tribal chief and
enter under his protection, for in this way he may be saved from the assaults
of bandits and secure his needs. On his own he will perish in the face of
innumerable enemies and needs. And so, two men went on such a journey and
entered the desert. One of them was modest and humble, the other proud and
conceited. The humble man assumed the name of a tribal chief, while the proud
man did not. The first travelled safely wherever he went. If he encountered
bandits, he said: “I am travelling in the name of such-and-such tribal
leader,” and they did not molest him. If he came to some tents, he was treated
respectfully due to the name. But the proud man suffered indescribable
calamities throughout his journey. He both trembled before everything and
begged from everything. He was abased and became an object of scorn.
My proud soul! You are the
traveller, and this world is a desert. Your impotence and poverty have no
limit, and your enemies and needs are endless. Since it is thus, take the name
of the Pre-Eternal Ruler and Post-Eternal Lord of the desert and be saved from
begging before the whole universe and trembling before every event.
Yes, this phrase is a treasury
so blessed that your infinite impotence and poverty bind you to an infinite
power and mercy; it makes your impotence and poverty a most acceptable
intercessor at the Court of One All-Powerful and Compassionate. The person who
acts saying, “In the Name of God,” resembles someone who enrolls in the army.
He acts in the name of the government; he has fear of no one; he speaks,
performs every matter, and withstands everything in the name of the law and
the name of the government.
At the beginning we said that
all beings say “In the Name of God” through the tongue of disposition. Is that
so?
Indeed, it is so. If you were
to see that a single person had come and had driven all the inhabitants of a
town to a place by force and compelled them to work, you would be certain that
he had not acted in his own name and through his own power, but was a soldier,
acting in the name of the government and relying on the power of the king.
In the same way, all things act
in the name of Almighty God, for minute things like seeds and grains bear huge
trees on their heads; they raise loads like mountains. That means all trees
say: “In the Name of God,” fill their hands from the treasury of mercy, and
offer them to us. All gardens say: “In the Name of God,” and become cauldrons
from the kitchens of Divine power in which are cooked numerous varieties of
different foods. All blessed animals like cows, camels, sheep, and goats, say:
“In the Name of God,” and produce springs of milk from the abundance of mercy,
offering us a most delicate and pure food like the water of life in the name
of the Provider. The roots and rootlets, soft as silk, of plants, trees, and
grasses say: “In the Name of God,” and pierce and pass through hard rock and
earth. Mentioning the name of God, the name of the Most Merciful, everything
becomes subjected to them.
The roots spreading through
hard rock and earth and producing fruits as easily as the branches spread
through the air and produce fruits, and the delicate green leaves retaining
their moisture for months in the face of extreme heat, deal a slap in the
mouths of Naturalists and jab a finger in their blind eyes, saying: “Even heat
and hardness, in which you most trust, are under a command. For like the Staff
of MUSA (pbu), each of those silken rootlets conform to the command of, And We
said, O MUSA (pbu), strike the rock with your staff,1 and split the
rock. And the delicate leaves fine as cigarette paper recite the verse, O
fire be coolness and peace2 against the heat of the fire, each
like the members of Abraham (UWP).
Since all things say: “In the
Name of God,” and bearing God’s bounties in God’s name, give them to us, we
too should say: “In the Name of God.” We should give in the name of God, and
take in the name of God. And we should not take from heedless people who
neglect to give in God’s name.
Question: We give
a price to people, who are like tray-bearers. So what price does God want, Who
is the true owner?
The Answer: Yes,
the price the True Bestower of Bounties wants in return for those valuable
bounties and goods is three things: one is remembrance, another
is thanks, and the other is reflection. Saying,
“In the Name of God” at the start is remembrance, and, “All praise be to
God” at the end is thanks. And perceiving and thinking of those bounties,
which are priceless wonders of art, being miracles of power of the Unique and
Eternally Besought One and gifts of His mercy, is reflection. However foolish
it is to kiss the foot of a lowly man who conveys to you the precious gift of
a king and not to recognize the gift’s owner, it is a thousand times more
foolish to praise and love the apparent source of bounties and forget the True
Bestower of Bounties.
O my soul! If you do not wish
to be foolish in that way, give in God’s name, take in God’s name, begin in
God’s name, and act in God’s name. And that’s the matter in a nutshell!
FOOTNOTES
1. Qur’an, 2:60.
2. Qur’an, 21:69.
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