Adaptation and Translation: Abul Aamaal Misbaah Olagunju (@Bin_Uthmaan)
Bismillaah-ir-Rahmaan-ir-Raheem
Explanation of the Perfect Names and the Lofty Attributes (cont'd).
[10] AL-KAREEM
Allah the exalted said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنْسَانُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ الْكَرِيمِ
"O man! What has made you careless concerning your Lord, Al-Kareem (The Most Generous)?" Surah Al-Infitār: 6
Al-Kareem
Plentiful in goodness, robust in kindness and in giving, He gives whatever He likes unto whoever He desires however He wills with and without request, and He obliterates (his slaves) of wrongdoings and conceals (their) imperfections.
Points from the Exemplary Principles:
Bin Al-Uthaymeen said in Qawā'id al-Muthlā: "The Names of Allaah —the Most High— are not restricted to a specific number; according to his statement —may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace– in a popular narration: "I beseech You with all the names that are Yours, those which You have named Yourself by, or those which You have revealed in Your book, or those which You have taught to any of Your creations, or those which You have made exclusive to the concealed knowledge with You... (till the end of the hadith)" narrated by Ahmad, Ibn Hiban, Al-Hakim, and it is authentic.
And those (Names) which Allah have concealed in the hidden knowledge, it is impossible for anyone to enumerate them or encompass their extent."
[11] AL-AKRAM
Allah the exalted said:
اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ
"Read! and your Lord is Al-Akram (The Exceedingly Generous)" - Surah Al-Alaq: 3
Al-Akram
The tremendously and utmostly generous, surely there can't ever be any like Him in this, for all goodness are from Him; He rewards the believers by His superfluous bounty and grants respite to those who turn away and then take them to account upon His justice.
Points from the Exemplary Principles:
Bin Al-Uthaymeen said in Qawā'id al-Muthlā: As for his statement –Allah raise his rank and grant him peace–: "Verily Allah have ninety nine (99) names, one shy of a hundred, whoever enumerates them (memorize, comprehend and act by their implicative meanings) shall enter paradise". This does not indicate a restriction on the Names of Allaah to this number (99), if this statement was intended to be a confinement, then it would have been: "Verily the names of Allah are ninety nine (99) names, whoever enumerates them shall enter paradise" or something similar to that. Therefore the meaning of the narration is: "The number (of names) stated, in its context, whoever enumerates them shall enter paradise. So upon this interpretation, his statement 'whoever enumerates them shall enter paradise' will be a complementary statement for what preceded it, not autonomous. An analogy of this is to say: 'I have with me a hundred (100) dirham (money denomination) that I have set aside for sadaqah', this statement does not nullify the possibility of you having other dirhams (apart from the 100) which you did not set aside for sadaqah."
[12] AL-WAHHAAB
Allah the exalted said:
أَمْ عِنْدَهُمْ خَزَائِنُ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّكَ الْعَزِيزِ الْوَهَّابِ
"Or do they have with them the treasure chest to the mercy of your Lord Al-Azeez (the mighty) Al-Wahhaab ("the bestower)" –Surah Sad:9
Al-Wahhaab
Plentiful in bestowal, He gives without asking for returns, and grants without purpose, and blesses without request.
Points from the Exemplary Principles:
Bin Al-Uthaymeen said in Qawā'id al-Muthlā: And itemizing these (99) names was not authentically reported from the Prophet –Allah raise his rank and grant him peace–, and the hadith that was said to be related from him on the itemization of these 99 names is weak.
Shaykhul Islam bin Taymiyyah said in Vol:6, page: 383 of 'Al-Fatawa', from the compilation of Ibn Qaasim: "Their listing (of the 99 names) is not from the statement of the Prophet —Allah raise his rank and grant him peace– as agreed by those who are knowledgeable regarding his narrations, before that, he said on page 379: Al-Waalid related it (the list of names) from some of his teachers in Shaam, as was detailed in some of the routes of its narration.
Adapted and Translated from:
Aahkaamu Tahamul Muslim
Sharhu Qawaa'idul Muthlaa'
In the past series:
