Series of 99 Names is Completed After 2 1/2 Years

by Malik Shaar

Alhamdulillah for the benefit of this class. I have attended almost every one of the 99 names of Allah dars, and what makes this class especially unique from other classes is the closeness it brings to Allah subhaana wa ta’aala. I learned from Sh Kifah as well as many other Imams that if one wants to inquire about who is Allah, they would know Him through defining His names, and we can’t love Him unless we know Him. Yet Subhan Allah, what amazed me even more was that I once learned from a college professor who was non-Muslim that the knowledge of knowing God could be obtained through His attributes. This amazed me in the sense that even those without a basic understanding of Islam could realize and search for the one and only God through His attributes.

Many times we find ourselves getting repetitive in a certain action because of how habitual it is in our daily lives, therefore we don’t pay attention to it as much as we used to, especially Salat. I remember learning Allah’s name Al Kabeer, The Most Great, and we were reminded that every time we pronounce the takbir in Salat it shouldn’t have the same reaction on us as a doorbell does, which triggers an action. But every time we make a transition within every movement in Salat we say Allahu Akbar, and we must reflect upon it, and remember that Allah is greater that every aspect of our lives. Many of us in our Salat think about what we’re going to do next, or something that happened to us earlier that day, or something that may be stressing us out, or a certain person on our mind, or whatever it may be. But the person who realizes Allahu Akbar, he or she accepts in his or her heart that Allah is greater, more important than any of those things, and this is the key to tranquility and khushoo  (concentration, humility) in our Salat. I remember my Salat Al I’shaa after that dars was one of the best prayers of my life, simply because I thought of Allahu Akbar every time it was said in the prayer.

Out of every name of Allah that Sh. Kifah covered there’s one specifically that sticks out in my mind, that was Allah’s name Malik Al Mulk, the Owner of the Dominion. I remember an example was put forth by a companion of the Prophet (PBUH). The companion was asked to whom this camel belonged, and it was rightfully his, but out of humbleness he replied “It is for Allah, but it is only in my hands.” Alhamdulillah by the end of the dars I felt that nothing was mine, and this is the reality of the situation. And as human beings, especially Muslims, if we all accepted this it would cause us to be more humble. We feel so shy and careful when we use somebody’s phone, stay at somebody’s house, borrow their car. We’d hate to have something happen to what we’re borrowing because it’s a trust. Yet everything belongs to Allah, but when it comes to a blessing that Allah gave to us, we abuse it and we become careless of it. And moreover it’s known that we commit sins day and night, and if those sins were to be exposed to people we’d be ashamed eternally.  Just the thought of them finding out about the sins we commit would scare us. Yet we forget that Allah is Al Baseer, He is ever watchful of what we do, so why don’t we feel shy or scared if we commit sins in His presence?

Similarly when we remember Allah’s name As-Sattaar, The Protector, we remember Allah loves to hide our faults. We’re so grateful to people who ever saved us at one point or another from an embarrassing or humiliating moment, and we’d ask them repeatedly for help. Yet too many times we sin and we forget to ask Allah to protect us, even though exposing us or protecting us is His ultimate decision, subhaana wa ta’aala.

Alhamdulillah these were just some examples of how Allah’s names reflect on how we act in our daily lives if we think about them, and how piety is achieved this way. And lastly we remember Allah informed us in the Quran in Surat Al A’raaf, verse 180 “The most beautiful names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them.” Therefore to be more sincere and closer to Allah in our Du’aa, and for those of us who want to increase the likelihood of their Du’aa being accepted, we need to educate ourselves on His names, subhaana wa ta’aala.