The Bestower

https://www.khutbah.info/al-wahab-the-bestower/ Knowing Allah Almighty through His Names and Attributes brings a person closer to his Lord and increases him in love of his Master and Creator. Indeed the human soul loves those who do good towards them. And from Allah’s Most Beautiful Names is Al Wahab, The Bestower, which appeared three times in the Quran.  Al Wahab gives and grants continually without being asked. He bestows upon his servants from His great favor and grants them bounties and provides them His great graces. And only in His Hands are the repositories of everything and the realm of the heavens and the earth and control of the affairs. Saad (38) 9: Or do they have the depositories of the mercy of your Lord, the Exalted in Might, the Bestower? Al Wahab dispenses His dominion as He wills. So whatever He wills is and whatever He does not will is not. He grants to whom He wills. And withholds from whom He wills. There is no withholder for what He grants. And no granter for He withholds. For He Most Glorified bestows to whom He wills whatever He wills.  And His bestowals are constant from the time that the clot forms in the uterus. Al Wahab nurtures the fetus in the best fashion until his mother gives birth to him and then he basks in the graces of Allah his entire life. And if his life is upon Iman (faith) this is the biggest bestowal. And if he dies on Iman (faith), he will be granted many fold of what he had in this world from what Allah Almighty has prepared for his righteous servants of what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived.

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:

Knowing Allah Almighty through His Names and Attributes brings a person closer to his Lord and increases him in love of his Master and Creator. Indeed the human soul loves those who do good towards them.

And from Allah’s Most Beautiful Names is Al Wahab, The Bestower, which appeared three times in the Quran. 

Al Wahab gives and grants continually without being asked. He bestows upon his servants from His great favor and grants them bounties and provides them His great graces. And only in His Hands are the repositories of everything and the realm of the heavens and the earth and control of the affairs. 

أَمْ عِنْدَهُمْ خَزَائِنُ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّكَ الْعَزِيزِ الْوَهَّابِ-ص: 9

Saad (38) 9: Or do they have the depositories of the mercy of your Lord, the Exalted in Might, the Bestower?

Al Wahab dispenses His dominion as He wills. So whatever He wills is and whatever He does not will is not. He grants to whom He wills. And withholds from whom He wills. There is no withholder for what He grants. And no granter for He withholds. For He Most Glorified bestows to whom He wills whatever He wills.  And His bestowals are constant from the time that the clot forms in the uterus. Al Wahab nurtures the fetus in the best fashion until his mother gives birth to him and then he basks in the graces of Allah his entire life. And if his life is upon Iman (faith) this is the biggest bestowal. And if he dies on Iman (faith), he will be granted many fold of what he had in this world from what Allah Almighty has prepared for his righteous servants of what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived.

And the name Al Wahab can only refer to Allah Almighty. His granting is beyond comprehension.  And He grants at all times and in all places and every situation and His granting includes all creation. In contrast to creation that can only grant little and in a limited fashion. They may give wealth or gifts in some cases and not in other cases. And they cannot give but to a limited number of recipients. And their giving is temporary and does not last. And what they can grant is limited. They cannot grant guidance to the deviated. And they cannot cure the ill. And they cannot grant a child to the barren. Nor can they grant life to the deceased. Allah alone is capable of that and Allah alone is the true Bestower and Allah alone is worthy of our worship. 

Allah is abundant in bestowing and does not wait for a benefit in return. And if this was the case, He would have stopped His bestowals. For creation does not give anything and He is in no need of them. Allah bestows upon those whom believe in Him and those who deny Him. Al Wahab bestows upon the pious and the wicked. For His bestowals are not an indication of His pleasure or displeasure. Otherwise, He would have ceased His bestowals upon those who disbelieve in Him and associate others with Him. He bestows upon them wealth, provision, children, knowledge and strength so that they may worship Him alone. However, they did not worship Him. Al Wahab gives without anything in return because they are His creation and perhaps some of them will repent. For He reprieves but is not inattentive. Allah said: 

فَمَهِّلِ الْكَافِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْدًا-الطارق: 17

At Tariq (86) 17: So allow time for the disbelievers. Leave them a while.

Indeed, it is not the abundance of wealth, status and children that brings one closer or further to Allah. So the wicked should not be deceived by the abundance of Allah’s bestowals to them. And a person should not think ill of his Lord because of the lack of Allah’s bestowals upon him. Allah Almighty said: 

وَمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ بِالَّتِي تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِنْدَنَا زُلْفَى إِلَّا مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَأُولَئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَاءُ الضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَهُمْ فِي الْغُرُفَاتِ آمِنُونَ-سبأ: 37

Saba (34) 37: And it is not your wealth or your children that bring you nearer to Us in position, but it is [by being] one who has believed and done righteousness. For them there will be the double reward for what they did, and they will be in the upper chambers [of Paradise], safe [and secure].

The bestowals of Al Wahab are immeasurable and innumerable. All that is in existence is a bounty from Allah to His creation. Allah is the Creator of all provisions and bounties. He grants wisdom, authority, knowledge, provision to whom He wills. And if Allah wills to give His servant something, all mankind and the jinn and all powers cannot prevent, decrease or delay it. 

And when the Prophet Suleiman made his request he called Allah Almighty Al Wahab, The Bestower:

قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ-ص: 35

Saad (38) 35: He said, “My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower.”

And Ibrahim’s wife was barren. So reflect upon Allah’s words:

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِي ذُرِّيَّتِهِ النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَابَ وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَجْرَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ-العنكبوت: 27

Al Ankabot (29)  27: And We gave to him Isaac and Jacob and placed in his descendants prophethood and scripture. And We gave him his reward in this world, and indeed, he is in the Hereafter among the righteous.

Allah gave him Ishaq and in addition to that bestowal, Jacob followed. And he placed in his progeny prophethood and scripture. 

And Allah Most Glorified granted Musa his request and made his brother Haroon a prophet.  Allah Almighty said: 

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ مِنْ رَحْمَتِنَا أَخَاهُ هَارُونَ نَبِيًّا-مريم: 53

Maryam (29)  53: And We gave him out of Our mercy his brother Aaron as a prophet.

And Allah bestowed Yahya to Zakariah even though his wife was barren. Allah Almighty said:

فَنَادَتۡهُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَآئِمٞ يُصَلِّي فِي ٱلۡمِحۡرَابِ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحۡيَىٰ مُصَدِّقَۢا بِكَلِمَةٖ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَسَيِّدٗا وَحَصُورٗا وَنَبِيّٗا مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ   

Al Imran (3) 39: So the angels called him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber, “Indeed, Allah gives you good tidings of Yahya, confirming a word from Allah and [who will be] honorable, abstaining [from women], and a prophet from among the righteous.”

Allah’s bestowals are varied and not limited to wealth. Allah bestows health, well-being and offspring. And safety and physical soundness. So one should not limit their understanding of the bestowals of Allah. For how many wealthy people would wish to spend all their wealth to regain their health or to be able to have a relaxing sleep? 

And Allah bestows success upon His servants to perform acts of religious obedience such as voluntary prayers and fasting.  These bestowals are worth more than the treasures of the earth and all that the world contains. 

The greatest matter that Allah bestows is Iman (faith) in the correct creed. So a person should ask his Lord to safeguard that for him. And among the greatest supplications is: 

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ-آل عمران: 8

Al Imran (3) 8: Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.

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:

Iman (faith) in Allah’s name Al Wahab bears many fruits and leads to tranquility in the heart, conscious, conduct and expression. 

Among the fruits it that it results in one having firm belief in the self-sufficiency of the Creator and the need of the creation. 

Allah Almighty said: 

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنْتُمُ الْفُقَرَاءُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ-فاطر:15

Fater (35) 15: O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.

And Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 

يد الله ملأى لا يغيضها نفقة, سحاء الليل والنهار, وقال: أرأيتم ما أنفق منذ خلق السموات والأرض, فإنه لم يغض ما في يده” (متفق عليه)

Allah’s Hand is full, never affected by the continuous spending, night and day. And he said: ‘Do you not see how much He has spent since He created the heavens and the earth, yet it has not decreased what is in His Hand. [Bukhari 7411, Muslim]

As for people, Allah said to them:

مَا عِنْدَكُمْ يَنْفَدُ وَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ بَاقٍ-النحل:96

An Nahl (16) 96: Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is lasting. 

And from the fruits of believing in Allah’s name Al Wahab is asking Allah alone for one’s needs. So if a person supplicates, he does so to Allah alone. And if he has a need, he turns to Allah alone. Because he knows that Allah alone is the Bestower. And it is what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded when he said: 

إذا سألت فاسأل الله, وإذا استعنت فاستعن بالله, واعلم أن الأمة لو اجتمعت على أن ينفعوك بشيء لم ينفعوك إلا بشيء قد كتبه الله لك, ولو اجتمعوا على أن يضروك بشيء لم يضروك إلا بشيء قد كتبه الله عليك, رفعت الأقلام وجفت الصحف-الترمذي

When you ask, ask Allah, and when you seek aid, seek Allah’s aid. Know that if the entire creation were to gather together to do something to benefit you- you would never get any benefit except that Allah had written for you. And if they were to gather to do something to harm you- you would never be harmed except that Allah had written for you. The pens are lifted and the pages are dried. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2516]

And from the fruits of faith in Allah’s name Al Wahab is having dignity. So long as a person knows that Allah- the Most High – is the Bestower, alone and exclusively, how can he lower his head to a created servant similar to him who does not possess benefit nor harm for himself. Rather he lives with dignity with his head high and does not bow it to anyone other than Allah, firmly believing: 

وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ وَإِنْ يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلَا رَادَّ لِفَضْلِهِ يُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ-يونس:107

Yunus (10) 107: And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him; and if He intends for you good, then there is no repeller of His bounty. He causes it to reach whom He wills of His servants. 

Also from the fruits is that a person gives others with humility. And why would the donor be proud if he realizes that all he did was transfer Allah’s grace and bounty to the recipient? And the donor is but a means for delivering the bestowal of the Bestower to the recipient. For the real Bestower is Allah alone. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 

وإن الله أوحى إلي أن تواضعوا حتى لا يفخر أحد على أحد-أخرجه مسلم

And Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble towards one another so that none of you boasts to another. [Muslim 2865d]

And from the fruits is having patience during adversity and being grateful during prosperity. So if a person is given, he firmly believes that Allah Almighty gave him through His Mercy. And if he is not given, he firmly believes that that the Almighty withheld through His wisdom. For this and that is from the decree of Allah. Because He alone is Al Wahab. So if He wills, He bestows and if He wills, He does not bestow. Thus, if a person knows that the adversity is the decree of Allah – the Most High – he is pleased; for patience upon the Divine decree is an obligation. And if he receives something, he knows that it is from Al Wahab, so he is grateful. And the Prophet ﷺ said: 

عجبا لأمر المؤمن, إن أمره كله خير, وليس ذاك لأحد إلا للمؤمن, إن أصابته سراء شكر, فكان خيرًا له, وإن أصابته ضراء, صبر فكان خيرًا له-مسلم

How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him. [Muslim 2999] 

And expressing gratitude to Allah is a bestowal in itself which requires expressing gratitude. As Ibn Abee Dunya said that person who says Al HamduliLah (all praise is due to Allah) should be grateful for that bestowal by saying Al HamduliLah and so on. And the graces of Allah Almighty do not run out.

So it is incumbent upon a person when he asks, to only ask Allah alone and when he gives, to give only for the sake of Allah alone. And to praise his Lord plentifully for what He has given him of bounties. So turn to Al Wahab in all your situations and at all times. And supplicate to your Lord for a sincere intention, guidance, steadfastness and righteous offspring. For if a person supplicates his Lord with certainty in the response, Allah will give him more than what he asked.

Oh Allah bestow upon us Iman (faith) and guidance. And bestow upon us having gratitude for Your countless gifts and bestowals. Indeed You are Al Wahab. 

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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