Adaptation and Translation by Abul Aamaal Misbaah Olagunju
Bismillaah-ir-Rahmaan-ir-Raheem
Explanation of the Perfect Names and the Lofty Attributes
[07] AL-HALEEM
Allah the exalted said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ
"Verily Allah is Ghaffūr (oft-forgiving) Haleem (forbearing)" - Surah Aale-Imrān: 155
Al-Haleem
Is He who does not hasten to descend punishment upon His slaves, regardless of His capability over punishing them, rather He condones and forgives them whenever they seek His forgiveness
Points from the Exemplary Principles:
Bin Al-Uthaymeen said in qawā'id al-muthlā: "whenever Allah's name does not imply a transitive description, it will comprise of two (2) affairs:
1) An established name for Allaah —the mighty and Sublimest.
2) An established description contained in the meaning of the name for Him —the mighty and Sublimest.
Example of this is: Al-Hayy (The Living), it contains an affirmation of the name Al-Hayy for Allaah and also the attribute of Life for Him —the mighty and Sublimest.
[08] AT-TAWWĀB
Allah the exalted said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
Verily Allah is At-Tawwāb Ar-Raheem" - Surah At-Tawbah:118
At-Tawwāb
He it is who appropriates whoever He wills from His slaves with repentance, and He it is who accepts it from them.
Points from the Exemplary Principles:
Bin Al-Uthaymeen said in qawā'id al-muthlā: "The difference between the Names of Allaah with descriptions which are muta'ad (transitive) and those with descriptions which are lāzim (intransitive) is that:
The muta'ad names have objects which are the direct recipient of the action implied in the transitive attributes of those names, while the lāzim names have no direct objects for the attributes they imply.
Examples of a muta'ad names are Al-Ghaffūr and Ar-Rahman; for both of these names, His creations are the direct object recipients of the actions implied in them which are Forgiveness and Mercy.
On the other hand, Al-Aakhir (The Eternal) and Al-Hayy (The Living) are examples of His names whose meanings are lāzim (intransitive), this is because they have no direct object as recipient for the descriptions implied in them.
[09] AL-GHANĪY
Allah the exalted said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ
"Verily Allah is Al-Ghanīy (the Independent) Al-Hamīd (the One Worthy of Praise)" - Surah Luqmān: 26
Al-Ghanīy
He is the One who is never in want from any of His creations as a result of His absolute perfection and that of His attributes, and the entirety of the creations are in want from Him and paupers for His boon and succor.
Points from the Exemplary Principles:
Bin Al-Uthaymeen said in qawā'id al-muthlā: "The names of Allah are Tawqifiyyah, there is no place for intellectual deductions in them. Due to this, it is obligatory to halt in them upon what has been revealed regarding them in the Book and the Sunnah, and not to surpass or fall short because the intellect is not able to concept what is suitable for Allah in names, then it becomes obligatory to halt in this upon what has came in the text. Due to His statement —the exalted:
وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۚ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا
"And follow not (O man i.e., say not, or do not or witness not, etc.) that of which you have no knowledge. Verily! The hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those you will be questioned." - Al-Isrā':36.
And His statement:
قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَنْ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَنْ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
"Say (O Muhammad): "(But) the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al-Fawahish (great evil sins, every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in worship) with Allah for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge." - Al-Ā'raf:33
At-Tawqifiyyah: are the issues which are halted, regarding which you have no right to speak except with evidence, it is the opposite of At-Tawfiqiyyah which are issues opened to opinions, assessments and personal judgements.
Adapted and Translated from:
Aahkaamu Tahamul Muslim
Sharhu Qawaa'idul Muthlaa'
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