https://www.khutbah.info/knowing-allah-through-his-names-and-attributes/ The foundation, origin and basis of belief is the knowledge of Allah Mighty and Sublime through knowing His Names and Attributes. What a great station, honorable standing and a high rank when the created knows His Creator, His Lord, His Master, His Protector. So he recognizes His greatness, majesty, beauty and pride. And he learns His most Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes in light of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ. And the Book of Allah the Exalted has numerous verses inviting to know Allah, His Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes. And an explanation of the beneficial effects of this knowledge and the sound conclusion and the good results. Allah said: Al Araf (7) 180: And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing. And Allah said: Al Isra (17) 110: Say, “Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful [ar-Raḥmān]. Whichever [name] you call – to Him belong the best names.” Rather, there are clear verses in the Noble Quran calling to learn the Names and Attributes and to know them, and to know Allah Most High. There are almost 30 verses in the Noble Quran calling to learn the Names and Attributes of Allah. Allah says:
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ , وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ , وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ , وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102
Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.
Oh people:
The foundation, origin and basis of belief is the knowledge of Allah Mighty and Sublime through knowing His Names and Attributes.
What a great station, honorable standing and a high rank when the created knows His Creator, His Lord, His Master, His Protector. So he recognizes His greatness, majesty, beauty and pride. And he learns His most Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes in light of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ.
And the Book of Allah the Exalted has numerous verses inviting to know Allah, His Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes. And an explanation of the beneficial effects of this knowledge and the sound conclusion and the good results. Allah said:
وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا وَذَرُوا الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ-الأعراف 180
Al Araf (7) 180: And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing.
And Allah says:
قُلِ ادْعُوا اللَّهَ أَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمَنَ أَيًّا مَا تَدْعُوا فَلَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى-الإسراء:110
Al Isra (17) 110: Say, “Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful [ar-Raḥmān]. Whichever [name] you call – to Him belong the best names.”
Rather, there are clear verses in the Noble Quran calling to learn the Names and Attributes and to know them, and to know Allah Most High. There are almost 30 verses in the Noble Quran calling to learn the Names and Attributes of Allah. Allah says:
فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ-البقرة:209
Al Baqarah (2) 209: Then know that Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Also Allah said:
اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ وَأَنَّ اللهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ-المائدة:98
Al Maedah (5) 98: Know that Allah is severe in penalty and that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
And Allah said:
وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ-البقرة:267
Al Baqarah (2) 267: And know that Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.
Indeed knowing Allah the Exalted and knowing His Most Beautiful Names and Great Attributes is an honorable door of knowledge. It has a profound effect on those who nurture and understand it. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
إنَّ لله تسعةً وتسعين اسماً, مائة إلا واحدا, مَن أحصاها دخل الجنة.
Indeed Allah has ninety-nine Names, one hundred less one, whoever retains them shall enter Paradise. [Bukhari 2736, Muslim 2677b]
Ponder on this great impact and the good conclusion of the one who retains 99 names from the Names of Allah. He is destined- Allah willing – to enter paradise.
Retaining the Names of Allah in this hadith does not mean to memorize their words only without knowing their meanings and implications and without fulfilling their requirements and obligations. Rather what is required in retaining is to learn the meanings of the Names of Allah with memorization, understanding and fulfilling their requirements. Therefore, there are three ranks: memorizing, understanding the meanings and performing the act of servitude specific to each Name.
And that means that there is no Name from the Names of Allah the Exalted and Majestic except that it has a particular act of servitude. And it is from the requirements of the knowledge of that Name. Rather many names have multiple acts of servitude. So how great it is to strive in the knowledge of Allah and the knowledge of His Names and Attributes as mentioned in His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ.
Let us consider some examples. Allah the Exalted says:
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ-الشورى:11
As Shuraa (42) 11: There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
In this great verse the Almighty informed about Himself that He is the Hearing, the Seeing. And these two great names came in many verses. So if someone knows that the Hearing is one of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah the Exalted, then they should know the Great Attribute indicated by this Great Name. Namely, that Allah the Mighty is Hearing of all sounds and hears all sounds high and low. And there is no sound that is hidden from Him the Exalted.
Rather if all the people from the time of Adam to our current time to all future generations all stood in one plain and asked Allah the Exalted at the same instant, each one making their own specific request, in different languages and different dialects, Allah the Exalted would hear all the distinct voices without one voice interfering with another voice, or one request interfering with another request or one language interfering with another language.
And this is indicated in the Hadith Qudsi in which Allah said:
يا عبادي, لو أن أولكم وآخركم, وإنسكم وجنكم, قاموا في صعيد واحد فسألوني فأعطيت كل واحد منكم مسألته ما نقص ذلك من ملكي شيئاً .
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to stand in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what they requested that would not diminish My dominion at all. [Muslim 2577a]
A companion had a disagreement with her husband and went to the Prophet’s ﷺhouse seeking his opinion, pleading her case and directing her complaint to Allah. She was talking in such a low tone that Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who was in the house at the time said: I could hear some of her words and some I could not hear. The woman barely finished pleading her case and Allah’s words were revealed:
قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ
Al Mujadilah (58) 1: Certainly has Allah heard the statement of the one who argues [i.e., pleads] with you, [O Muḥammad], concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allah. And Allah hears your dialogue; indeed, Allah is Hearing and Seeing.
Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: How perfect is the One Whose Hearing encompasses all sounds.
If someone believes that Allah the Exalted hears their voice, hears their words, how does it suit them that their Lord – Blessed and Exalted be He – hears speech from them that is not befitting, inappropriate or false? Why do they not instead busy their tongues with the remembrance of Allah, reciting a verse, praising Him, glorifying Him and Exalting Him? Then He the Exalted would only hear from them decent speech and beneficial words. Why do they not safeguard their tongue and monitor their words? Do they not realize that Allah the Exalted hears their words, sees their situation and knows their condition?
Likewise, if someone believes that Allah Almighty sees and that one of His names is the Seeing, then they should believe in the attribute indicated by this name. And that Allah Almighty is Seeing of all. He the Exalted sees everything. He sees all the creation and all the beings. Above seven heavens He sees the black ant crawling on the dull rock in the darkness of the night. He the Exalted sees the blood flowing in the ant’s veins. And He the Almighty sees each of the ants parts. He the Almighty sees that from above seven heavens. And if a person was near to this ant in its state and description, they would not see it. So how great is the sight of Allah the Exalted!
So if someone believes that Allah sees them, are they not ashamed from Allah that He sees them living in His grace, bestowal and dominion, and then they commit sins, disobedience and misdeeds? Do they not know that Allah sees them and nothing is hidden from him?
And likewise with the rest of Allah’s Most Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes. It is necessary for us be aware of them with understanding and reflection. And after that establish their rights and requirements from being mindful of Allah and fearing and venerating Him and turning to Him and desiring to obey Him. And some of the righteous predecessors said: Whoever is more knowledgeable of Allah fears Him more. And aspires more to obey Him and is farther away from sin. And this meaning is in the Quran. Allah said:
إِنَّما يَخْشَى اللهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ العُلَمَاءُ-فاطر:28
Fatir (35) 28: Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge.
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: That is the knowledgeable that Allah is over all things competent.
So if one learns this great knowledge, knows Allah’s Names and the ability of Allah, it would greatly impact their life. For it has countless benefits, impacts and fruits that cannot be counted or enumerated.
أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
Oh Muslims:
It was narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim that:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent a man on a campaign, and he used to lead his companions in prayer and conclude his recitation with Surah Al Ikhlas. And he used to do this in every rakah (unit) of every prayer. When they returned, they told the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about that. He said: “Ask him why he did that.” So they asked him and he said: “Because it is a description of the Most Merciful, and I love the Most Merciful.” So they returned to the Prophet ﷺand informed him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Tell him that your love of Him admitted you into paradise.” And in another narration: “ Tell him that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, loves him.” [Bukhari 7375, Muslim 813]
Love of the names of Allah and His lofty attributes admits into Paradise because this love stirs the hearts to turn to Allah Almighty, to fulfill the servitude to Him, to realize the obedience of Him and to avoid His prohibitions.
We Ask Allah Almighty to enlighten us with the His Most Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes and illuminate our hearts with Iman (faith) and fill our balances with righteous deeds. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering.
هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ
I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا
O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good
عِبَادَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة
Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.
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