Adaptation and Translation by Abul Aamaal Misbaah Olagunju
Bismillaah-ir-Rahmaan-ir-Raheem
Explanation of the Perfect Names and the Lofty Attributes
[04] AL-GHAFFĀR
Allah the exalted said:
رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ
"The Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, Al-Azeez (the All-Mighty), Al-Ghaffār (the Continuously-Forgiving)." - Surah Sad:66
Al-Ghaffār
A name indicative of the ampleness of Allah's forgiveness for His repeatedly sinning slave who constantly seeks (His) forgiveness
Points from the Exemplary Principles:
Ash-Shaykh Al-Uthaymeen said in qawā'id al-muthlā: "If the Names of Allaah —the exalted— imply a transitive description, then it comprises of three (3) affairs:
1) An established Name for Allah the Mighty and Sublimest
2) An established description contained in the meaning of the Name for Him the Mighty and Sublimest—
3) An established ruling (from the particular name) and its requisites.
[05] Al-GHAFŪR
Allah the exalted said:
وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُودُ
He is Al-Ghafūr (The oft-Forgiving) Al-Wadūd (the affectionate) - surah Al-Burūj:14
Al-Ghafūr
He is the one who covers the wrongdoing on its doer without exposing him nor punishing him for it.
Points from the Exemplary Principles:
Bin Al-Uthaymeen said in qawā'id al-muthlā: "An example of this (when Allah's Name implies a transitive description) is As-Samee': it includes the affirmation of the name As-Samee' for Allah the Most High, and an affirmation of the attribute of hearing for Him and also the affirmation of the ruling requisited by the name, which is that; He —the exalted— hears the secret as well as the intimate discourse. As evident in His statement:
وَاللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ
And Allah hears the argument between you both. Verily, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Seer. - Al-Mujādilah:01
[06] AR-RA'ŪF
Allah the exalted said:
وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ
"And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, (He would have hastened the punishment upon you). And that Allah is Ar-Raūf (full of kindness), Most Merciful." - Surah An-Nūr:20
Ar-Ra'ūf
It is from clemency, and it is the zenith of mercy and its intensiveness. It is expansive for all the creations in this worldly life, and exclusive for a section of them in the hereafter; and this group are His (the mighty and sublime's) affectionates, the true believers.
Points from the Exemplary Principles:
Bin Al-Uthaymeen said in qawā'id al-muthlā: by way of this (principle that Allah's names are both titles and descriptions) again; we know that ad-Dahr is not from the names of Allah, this is because it is an inactive name with no relative description which qualifies it to be from among the beautiful names, and because it is a name for time and period. Allah said regarding those who deny resurrection:
وَقَالُوا مَا هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَا إِلَّا الدَّهْرُ
"And they say: "There is nothing but our life of this world, we die and we live and nothing destroys us except Ad-Dahr (the time)." - Al-Jathiyah:24.
They intended (by dahr) the passing of night and day.
As for the saying of the messenger —Allah raise his rank and grant him peace—: "Allah the mighty and sublime said: the son of Adam wrong me, he absuses ad-dahr, and I am the dhar, the affairs of alternating the night and day are in my hands" - (agreed upon)
This does not imply that ad-dahr is from the names of Allah, and this is so because those who abuses the time intended the period which is the subject of conversation, they do not intend Allah. This is why His statement "I am Dahr" was explained in what came after it: "the affairs of alternating the night and day are in my hands" . He is the most glorified, free from all imperfections, the creator of the time and what happens in it, and it has became clear that He alternates the night and the day and both of them are Dahr.
Adapted and Translated from:
Aahkaamu Tahamul Muslim
Sharhu Qawaa'idul Muthlaa'
