Khutba: “The Beautiful Names of Allah” (14.04.17)

All praise belongs to Allah.
We take refuge in Allah from the evil that is in our ego and from what our evil deeds can generate.
I testify that there is no other divinity except Allah, the One, without associates.
I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
We ask Allaah to bless Muhammad, his family, his companions and all those who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment.
Brothers and sisters in Islam!
I commend you, and myself, to have “tagua” fear of Allah.
Know that Islam is the Deen that embraces all dimensions and aspects of life, there is no separation between the practices of worship “ibadat” and daily behavior “suluk“, nor between knowledge and action (theory and practice).
The goal of “ibadat” worships is to cleanse and purify the soul “nafs
” and to strengthen the Muslim’s connection with his Creator and to strengthen the bond with his Muslim brothers. This can be perceived in all the rites and practices of the precepts of Islam. Muslims: It is known that the graces, blessings and blessings that Allah gives us are so many and so diverse, that we could not recognize each and every one of them, and that sometimes, as He knows, we forget to remember Him when we enjoy them, so He was merciful to us when He said to us in the Qur’an: “If you try to enumerate the gifts of Allah you will not be able to count them. It is true that Allah is Forgiving, Compassionate (Surah Alnahl the Bee 16:18). The process of cleansing the heart and keeping the mind healthy and clear is dhikrullah (remembrance of Allah). Allah, may He be praised, says in Surat al-Baqara: “fadhkuruni adhkurkum” Remember me—that I will remember you. Therefore if we remain alert and remember Him, reciting His Beautiful Names, He will remember us and help us. With the remembrance of Allah emanating from the heart and, if He wills, one gains in good deeds “hasanat” and absolution in life and the Ajrah. Allah says in Surat (al-Raad “the thunder”28): Those who believe and quiet their hearts through the remembrance of Allah. Allah, may He be praised, is remembered by His beautiful names which He made known to us in His generous and noble Qur’an. Allah, may He be praised, says: Say: Call Allah or call the Merciful, however you call upon Him. He has the most beautiful names. And do not raise your voice in your prayer or silence it, but seek a middle way. (Surah Al-Israel 110) The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah possesses ninety-nine Beautiful Names by means of which we have been commanded to turn to Him and supplicate Him. Whoever learns them by heart and recites them constantly will enter the Garden.” Memorizing the ninety-nine Names of Allah is for one’s own benefit, however, the ultimate purpose is not to know them by heart but to find and deepen their meaning, to know their qualities and attributes in short, to know Him being the Merciful; The Compassionate One; The Sovereign; The Giver of Peace; The Guardian of the Faith; The Protector; The Powerful; The Glorious; The Creator; The Shape Designer; The Provider and so on until He completes His ninety-nine names. The remembrance of Allah must be done with good intentions, dedication and maximum concentration. These ninety-nine names are the ones that Allah wanted us to know, but this does not mean that He only has these names, but many others that we do not know. In a Hadith, our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked Allah through his known names that he sent down in the Qur’an and those that he kept hidden in the invisible “Al ghaib” and that we do not know.
ALLAH “Allah” is “al-ism al-a’zam”, the Most Magnificent Name, the one that contains all the divine and beautiful attributes, it is the sign of the Essence and the cause of all existence.
There is nothing else that can at all assume this name or share it.
As it is said in the Qur’an: “Hal ta’lamu lahu samiyan – “Do you know anyone who is his namesake?” ( Maryam Surah 65) .
Allah has no resemblance in any way to anything in His creation as He has five qualities that are not in anything of creation such as: “Al qidam” He is before the beginning of everything that happened in the past, before the above, His essence and existence are before Time and are not related to Time, for He is Time.
He was not created, his existence has no beginning.
-“Al bagá” Permanence or eternity: He will remain after all end, HE is Eternal; He will always be.
Its existence has no end. “Wahdániyyah” Individuality or singularity: He is unique, without partners or co-sharers, without resemblance, the cause of everything. Everything created was made by his own and unique will. He did everything and is done by His command: “Be!” and He has died by His command. “Mukhalafatuhu lil-hawádith” He is different from everything that happened and created by Him.
He is the Creator, without contracting any resemblance to what is created or existing. “Qiyaam bi-nafsihi”
Self-sufficiency. He is self-existent, self-sufficient, lacking needs.
He doesn’t need anything or anyone.
Allah is perfection.
The extent of its perfection is infinite. He is the One whose will is mercy and goodness for all creation, He gives prosperity, in all ages, to all beings without any distinction between the good and the bad, the faithful and the rebellious, the loved and the hated.
He pours infinite bounty upon all creation.
The proof is in the Qur’an:

“wa rahmati wasi’at kulla shay”: “My mercy covers everything” (Surah A’raf, 7:156)

AR-RAHIMTHE MERCIFUL He is the source of infinite mercy and benevolence, who rewards with eternal gifts those who use His rewards and benefits for good. This is mentioned in the Qur’an:

“wa kaana bil-mu’miniina Rahiimaa” “He is compassionate and beneficent to the believers” (Surah Ahzab, 33:43)

“Ar-Raheim” indicates benefits for those who possess will and choice, and they use them in accordance with the will of Allah and for His pleasure. So: “Rahman” provides sustenance in this world. “Rahim” grants eternal salvation in the Hereafter (Ájira). —————————————————————————– Praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds; and peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, who believed in the promise of Allah and is trustworthy. O Allah! We know only what you have taught us; You are the All-Knowing and the All-Wise. O Allah! Teach us what is useful to us, and help us to profit by what you have taught us; grant us more wisdom; reveal the truth to us, and help us to safeguard it; reveal evil to us and help us to avoid it. Make us people who apply the best of Your teachings, and admit us by Your mercy in the company of Your noble servants. Praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds; and peace and blessings of Allaah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, who believed in the promise of Allaah and is trustworthy. Muslims!….. Mercy is an innate component (fitra) that is born with the human being but, in Islamic thought, it becomes an essential behavior and rises to take on a character of worship of Allah. Mercy is a concept of central character in Islam by which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent. Majestic Allah says: “And We have sent you only as a mercy to all the worlds” (The Prophets, 107). So the behavior of the believer will reflect how much he has understood and assimilated the meaning of the beautiful names of Allah: Rahman and Rahim that adorn his relationships with all races, species and creatures and makes him aware of his existence as a Muslim: an individual who is characterized by being merciful to all that Allah has created. As for those who receive compassion and affection, they should be grateful to their benefactors and kindly remind them at all times, because “Whoever cannot be thankful to man, cannot be thankful to Allah.” That said; I ask Allah to grant us all His mercy and forgiveness for our faults. So ask Him that He will answer and grant you. O Allah! We know only what you have taught us; You are the All-Knowing and the All-Wise, O Allah! Teach us what is useful to us, and help us to profit by what you have taught us; grant us wisdom and Maarifa to know you, obey you and remember you in the best way and to follow the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him); reveal the truth to us, and help us to safeguard it; reveal evil to us and help us to avoid it. Make us people who apply the best of Your teachings, and admit us by Your mercy in the company of Your noble servants. We ask Allah to bring down His mercy to all of us and to all Muslims in all parts of the world; as well as Hidaya and Paz to the inhabitants of this city. We ask Allah to help the Amir of this mosque in his tasks and to show him the right path for the good of the Muslims of this city and to make him have the means, Himma and strength to attain what is by and for Allah….. Amin.
Dr. Fawaz’s Jutba April 14, 2017, Seville.