Allah's Attributes (His favours)

ALLAH’S ATTRIBUTES ( HIS FAVOURS)

2:74 - And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do. 82

See: 2: 85. 140.144.149; 3:99; 11:123.

82 The sinner's heart gets harder and harder. It is even harder than rocks, of which a beautiful poetical allegory is placed before us. In nature we think there is nothing harder than rocks. But there are rocks that weep voluntarily, like repentant hearts that come to God of their own accord; such are the rocks from which rivers and springs flow spontaneously, sometimes in small trickles, sometimes in big volumes. Then there are rocks which have to be split or dug into or blown up with dynamite, and underneath we find abundant waters, as in wells beneath rocky soil. Such are the hearts of a less degree of fineness, which yet melt into tears when some great blow or calamity calls the mind to higher things. And lastly, there are the rocks which slip or sink by geological pressure or in an earthquake, and send forth large spouts of water, as happened, for example, in the Bihar earthquake of 1934; such sinking or quaking may be poetically ascribed to fear. So there are hearts which will come to God by no higher motive than fear, but yet fear will melt them into tears of repentance. But the hardened sinner is worse than all these. His case is worse than that of rocks, for nothing will melt him. (2.74)

2:80 - He never breaks His promise

See: 39:20

2:142 - He guideth whom He will to a Way that is straight. 140 141

140 - -Nas - People, the unthinking multitude that sway to and fro, instead of being firm in God's Way.

2:195 - Allah loveth those who do good. 211

211 Every fight requires the wherewithals for the fight, the "sinews of war". If the war is just and in the cause of God, all who have wealth must spend it freely. That may be their contribution to the Cause, in addition to their personal effort, or if for any reason they are unable to fight. If they hug their wealth, perhaps their own hands are helping in their own self destruction. Or if their wealth is being spent, not in the Cause of God, but in something which pleases their fancy, it may be that the advantage goes to the enemy, and they are by their action helping their own destruction. In all things, their standard should be, not selfishness, but the good of their brethren, for such good is pleasing to God. (2.195)

212 See ii. 158, n. 161. The Hajj is the complete pilgrimage, of which the chief rites are during the first ten days of the month of Zul-hajj. The umra is a less formal pilgrimage at any time of the year. In either case, the intending pilgrim commences by putting on a simple garment of unsewn cloth in two pieces when he is some distance yet from Mecca. The putting on of the pilgrim garb (ihram) is symbolical of his renouncing the vanities of the world. After this and until the end of the pilgrimage he must not wear other clothes, or ornaments, anoint his hair, use perfumes, hunt, or do other prohibited acts. The completion of the pilgrimage is symbolised by the shaving of the head for men, and the cutting off of a few locks of the hair of the head for women, the putting off of the ihram and the resumption of the ordinary dress. (2.196)

2:212 - Allah bestows His abundance without measures on whom He will. 234

234 God's gifts in this world seem unequal, and sometimes those get them who seem to deserve them least. God's bounty is unlimited to the just as well as the unjust. In His wisdom He may give to whomsoever He pleases. The account is not taken now, but will be taken in the end, when the balance will be redressed. (2.212)

2:213 - Allah guides whom He will to a path that is straight.

2:243 - Allah is full of bounty to mankind but most of them are ungrateful. 274

274 We now return to the subject of Jihad, which we left at n. 214-216. We are to be under no illusion about it. If we are not prepared to fight for our faith, with our lives and all our resources, both our lives and our resources will be wiped out by our enemies. As to life, God gave it, and a coward is not likely to save it. It has happened again and again in history that men who tamely submitted to be driven from their homes although they were more numerous than their enemies had the sentence of death pronounced on them for their cowardice, and they deserved it. But God gives further and further chances in His mercy. This is a lesson to every generation. The Commentators differ as to the exact episode referred to, but the wording is perfectly general, and so is the lesson to be learnt from it. (2.243)

2:249 - Allah is with those who steadfastly persevere." 284 285

2:251 - Allah is full of bounty to all the worlds. 286 287 283

288 – Allah’s plan is universal. He loves and protects all His creatures and His bounties are for all worlds (1:2 n.98). To protect one He may have to check another, but we must never lose faith that His love is for all in boundless measure.

2:269- He granteth wisdom to whom He pleaseth;

3:9 - Allah never fails in His promise." 349

349 This is the prayer of those who are firmly grounded in knowledge. The more they know the more they realise how little they know. But they have Faith. The glimpses they get of Truth they wish to hold fast in their hearts, and they pray to Allah to preserve them from deviating even from what light they have got. They are sure of their eventual return to Allah, when all doubts will be solved. (3.9)

3:15 - For in Allah's sight are (all) His servants. 355

3:37 - Allah provides sustenance to whom He pleases without measure." 379

3:108 - Allah means no injustice to any of His creatures.

3:173 - Allah sufficeth and He is the best disposer of affairs."

See: 32:3

3:182 - Allah never harms those who serve Him." 488

4:1 - Allah ever watches over you. 504 505 506

505 All our mutual rights and duties are referred to Allah. We are His creatures: His Will is the standard and measure of Allah; and our duties are measured by our conformity with His Will. "Our wills are ours, to make them Thine," says Tennyson (In Memoriam). Among ourselves (human beings) our mutual rights and duties arise out of Allah's Law, the sense of Right that is implanted in us by Him. (4.1)

4:43 - Allah doth blot out sins and forgive again and again. 562 563

See: 4:99

4:45 - Allah is enough for a protector and Allah is enough for a Helper.

4:79 - Enough is Allah for a witness. 598

See: 4:166

4:81 - Enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs. 600

600 If we trust people who are not true, they are more likely to hinder than to help. But Allah is All-good as well as All-powerful, and all our affairs are best entrusted to His care. He is the best Guardian of all interests. Therefore we should not trust the lip professions of Hypocrites, but trust in Allah. Nor should our confidence in Allah be shaken by any secret plots that enemies hatch against us. We should take all human precautions against them, but having done so, we should put our trust in Allah, Who knows the inner working of events better than any human mind can conceive. (4.81)

4:149 - Allah doth blot out (sins) and hath power (in the judgment of values). 655

655 Qadir.- The root qadara not only implies power, ability, strength, but two other ideas which it is difficult to convey in a single word, viz., the act and power of estimating the true value of a thing or persons, as in vi. 91; and the act and power of regulating something so as to bring it into correspondence with something. "Judgment of values" I think sums up these finer shades of meaning. Allah forgives what is wrong and is able fully to appreciate and judge of the value of our good deeds whether we publish them or conceal them. (4.149)

5:14 - Allah loveth those who are kind. 712 713 714

5:40 - He forgiveth whom He pleaseth:

5:114 - Thou art the best Sustainer (of our needs). 826 827

8:40 - Allah is your protector the best to protect and the best to help.

8:51 - Allah is never unjust to His servants: 1220

1220 The punishment is shown to be due to their own deeds of wrong, because Allah is never unjust to the least of His servants. (8.51)

9:4 - Allah loveth the righteous. 1249

1249 The sacred duty of fulfilling all obligations of every kind, to Muslims and non Muslims, in public as well as private life, is a cardinal feature of Muslim ethics. The question what is to be done with those who abuse this principle by failing in their duty but expect the Muslims to do their part is not to be solved (in the case of treaties) by a general denunciation of treaties but by a careful consideration of the cases where there has been fidelity and not treachery. There we are enjoined to give the strictest fidelity, as it is a part of righteousness and our duty to Allah. (9.4)

9:44 - Allah knoweth well those who do their duty.

13:31 - Allah will not fail in His promise. 1847 1848

1848 Let not the Unbelievers think that if they seem to prosper for a time, that is the end of the matter. They are warned about three things. (1) their ill deeds must carry evil consequences for them all the time, though they may not perceive them for a certain time. (2) Their homes, their places of resort, the circles in which they move, will also be haunted by their ill deeds and their consequences. For evil makes a complex of its environment. The walls of Jericho, when they fall, must bring down all Jericho in its ruins. (3) The ultimate Disaster, the final Reckoning, must come, for Allah never fails in His promise. True values must eventually be restored: the good to the good, and the evil to the evil, The Commentators draw illustrations from the life of the Prophet, his exile from Makkah, and his restoration. A similar miracle works in all history. But the Command is with Allah. (13.31)

22:38 - - Verily Allah will defend (from ill) those who believe: verily Allah loveth not any that is a traitor to faith or shows ingratitude.

34:15 -Lord Oft-Forgiving! 3810 3811

35:28 - Allah is Exalted in Might Oft-Forgiving. 3912 3913

3912 In the physical shapes of human and animal life, also, we see variations in shades and gradations of colours of all kinds. But these variations and gradations, marvellous though they be, are as nothing compared with the variations and differences in the inner or spiritual world. See next note. (35.28)

3913 In outer nature we can, through colours, understand and appreciate the finest shades and gradations. But in the spiritual world that variation or gradation is even more subtle and more comprehensive. Who can truly understand it? Only Allah's servants, who know, i.e., who have the inner knowledge which comes through their acquaintance with the spiritual world,-it is such people who truly appreciate the inner world, and it is they who know that the fear of Allah is the beginning of wisdom. For such fear is akin to appreciation and love,-appreciation of all the marvellous beauties of Allah's outer and inner world ("Allah is Exalted in Might") and love because of His Grace and Kindness ("Oft-Forgiving"). But Allah's forgiveness extends to many who do not truly understand Him. (35.28)

3914 The man of God takes Allah's Revelation ("the Book") to heart, ever seeks to get closer and closer to Allah ("regular Prayer"), and in doing so, is moved more and more to practical Charity for his fellow-creatures. He is not ashamed of his Charity ("openly"), but he does not do it to be seen by men ("secretly"): he just does what is necessary for his fellow-creatures, whether people talk about it or not. (35.29)

35:30 -He is Oft-Forgiving Most Ready to appreciate (service). 3916 3917

3916 No man is perfect. Everyone has his fault. But when a man tries his best in the service of Allah, his faults are blotted out, and he is treated as if he had committed no faults: "for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, and ready to appreciate service". (35.30)

3917 Cf. xiv. 5, and n. 2877 for shakur. Allah is ready to recognise, appreciate, and reward the smallest service, without regard to the defects in that service. His gracious acceptance is compared to "gratitude" among men. (35.30)

38:66 -His will forgiving again and again." 4220 4221

See: 39:5

39:53 -Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. 4324

4324 Forgives all sins: i.e., on sincere repentance and amendment of conduct. (39.53)

4325 The exhortation in brief is: 'Repent and work righteousness, before it becomes too late'. No help will come to you when the Judgment is actually established and you stand before Allah. (39.54)

40:42 -Exalted in Power Who forgives again and again!" 4415

40:44 -Allah (ever) watches over His Servants." 4417

40:61 -Allah is Full of Grace and Bounty to men: yet most men give no thanks. 4435

4435 The succession of Day and Night in our physical life is frequently appealed to, as a symbol to draw our attention to the Mercy and Bounty of Allah. If we viewed these things aright, we should serve Allah and seek Light from Him and Rest from Him, and celebrate His praises with gratitude. (40.61)

42:23 -Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Ready to appreciate (service). 4559 4560 4561

4559 Heaven may be pictured to our minds in various forms. This is one of the highest, and Allah announces it freely to the righteous. (42.23)

4560 No sort of tangible reward does the prophet of Allah ask for proclaiming the Glad Tidings of Allah. But at least he has the right to ask that his kith and kin should not persecute him and put all sorts of obstacles in his way, as did the Quraish against the holy Prophet. (42.23)

49:9 -Allah loves those who are fair (and just). 4927

4927 Individual quarrels are easier to compose than group quarrels, or, in the modern world, national quarrels. But the collective community of Islam should be supreme over groups or nations. It would be expected to act justly and try to compose the quarrel, for peace is better than fighting. But if one party is determined to be the aggressor, the whole force of the community is brought to bear on it. The essential condition of course is that there should be perfect fairness and justice and respect for the highest principles; for Islam takes account of every just and legitimate interest without separating spiritual from temporal matters. The League of Nations failed because these essentials were absent and today the United Nations fails for the same reason. (49.9)

51:58 -Allah is He Who gives (all) Sustenance Lord of Power Steadfast (for ever). 5034

5034 Allah commands all power; therefore any power we seek must be from Him. And His power is steadfast, the same to-day as yesterday, and for ever. Therefore His help is always sure. (51.58)

58:2 -Allah is one that blots out (sins) and forgives (again and again). 5332 5333 5334

5334 Cf. iv. 99 and xxii. 60. Were it not that Allah in His Mercy makes allowances for our weaknesses and the various grades of motives that actuate us, such conduct would be inexpiable. But He prescribes expiation as in the next verse, because He wishes to blot out what is wrong and give us a chance to reform by His forgiveness. (58.2)

60:8 -Allah loveth those who are just. 5421

62:11 - Allah is the Best to provide (for all needs)." 5465

5465 Do not be distracted by the craze for amusement or gain. If you lead a righteous and sober life, Allah will provide for you in all senses, better than any provision you can possibly think of. (62.11)