ALLAH
THE GLORIFIED AND THE EXALTED
By: Aibah Khan

Laa ilaha Illallahu Muhammad-ur-Rasulullah
None is worthy of worship except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
This is the first Kalima - Kalimah Tayyibah. Tayyibah means "pure". This Kalima declares the Oneness of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala).

We worship only Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala). We pray five times a day to worship Him. And in Prayer we face in the direction of the Ka‘ba in Makkah.

Now we come to the translation of Surah Ikhlas from the Holy Qur’an.
Say: He is Allah, the One and Only. Allah the Eternal, Absolute. He begetteth not. Nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him. (112:1-4)

Surah Ikhlas from the Holy Qur’an reveals that He (Allah) is One and Only. We cannot compare Him with others because there is none like unto Him. This is just one Surah from the Holy Qur’an which was revealed by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) to Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam). Allah revealed four books which are the Zabur, Tawrat, Injeel and the Qur’an.

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) also sent Prophets (‘Alayhimussalam) for the guidance of mankind. The well-known Prophets are Sayyidina Adam, Sayyidina Nuh, Sayyidina Ibrahim, Sayyidina Ismail, Sayyidina Yusuf, Sayyidina Dawud, Sayyidina Sulaiman, Sayyidina Musa, Sayyidina Isa and Sayyidina Muhammad (‘Alayhimussalam). All the Prophets (‘Alayhimussalam) taught the people to obey Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) and not to commit any sin.

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) created everything. The first man Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) created was Sayyidina Adam (‘Alayhissalam). The first women Allah (Subhanahu  wa Ta‘ala) created was Sayyidatina Hawwa’ (‘Alayhassalam).
Angels are also a creation of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala). The angels are always busy in the worship of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala). They obey every order that they receive from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala). The well known angels are Hadrat Jibreel, Hadrat Mikaeel, Hadrat Izra‘eel and Hadrat Israfeel (‘Alayhimussalam).

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. He is All-Knowing, All-Wise. He is the Affectionate, Loving, Kind, Oft-Returning to mercy, Multiplier of rewards, Author of peace, and Granter of security. He made the sun, the moon and the stars. He made everything for our benefit. Not even the smallest flower or the tiniest bird is ever out of God’s sight. He is the Creator. He is the Almighty. He is closer to us than our main vein. His promises are always fulfilled. Allah is forever.

We learn in the following verse of the Holy Qur’an to call upon Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) by His Most Beautiful Names.

Say: Call upon Allah, or call upon Ar-Rahman: by whatever name you call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. (17:110)

We all praise Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) and ask His blessings for His kind Messenger Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam), for the true knowledge of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) and His attributes have come to us through him. He taught us that Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) is the only One God, Who has ninety-nine Most Beautiful Names, as we learn from this Hadith.

Hadrat Abu Hurairah (Rady Allahu Anhu) reported Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam) as saying: “There are ninety-nine names of Allah; he who enumerates them will get into Paradise”. (Bukhari)

We learn from the following verse that Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) is the Most Merciful.

Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins; for He is the Oft- Forgiving, the Most Merciful. (39:53)

Power is another glorious Attribute of Allah Almighty. His Decrees are unchangeable and His Commands unalterable. He uttered the word kun (“Be”) and they came to life and everything came into existence.

There is all perfection in God. In Him is absolute fullness. The source of all life is God. All Wisdom is in God. He is the Wise. All purity is in God. All righteousness is in God.

His name is Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) and we can call on Him by other sacred names also with great benefits and blessings. Nevertheless, He must be remembered, or called upon only with one of the names by which the last Prophet and Guide, Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam) is known to have remembered or called on Him. The reason for this is simple. Allah Almighty is beyond human comprehension and, therefore, to call on Him by names out of one’s own imagination may be unbecoming to His Greatness.

Remembrance of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala)

Islam has greatly stressed on its followers the need of remembering Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala), as it is the soul of the true life of man both in this world and in the Hereafter.

The Qur’an and Ahadith are full of instructions which insist on the faithful to see that their heart is always in the remembrance of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala).

Remembrance of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) is the cure for the diseased condition of our hearts. The more we remember Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) the better will be the condition of our hearts. Remembrance of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) is an act which brings Divine blessings and also great reward, as we learn from the following verses of the Holy Qur’an:

Therefore remember Me, I will remember you; and be grateful unto Me and be you not ungrateful (towards Me). (2:152)
Those who believe and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: For without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction. (13:28)
And remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt. (29:45)

The above verses clearly teach the Faithful to remember Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala). Among the benefits that we obtain from this deed is contentment, blessings, piety and strengthening of Faith and keeping away from evils and vices.
 
The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam) again and again instructed and advised his Companions (Rady Allahu Anhum) to keep their hearts always illuminated with the remembrance of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala).

The Messenger of Allah said that everything has a polish and the polish of the heart is the remembrance of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala).
In short, the remembrance of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) is the happiest and also the wisest of deeds. Its blessings can never be counted and the satisfaction it brings cannot be measured. We should always keep ourselves busy in the remembrance of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala), even while we work. The act of remembering Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) will save us from bad thoughts and vices and improve both our spiritual and worldly life.