Lesson 8

( )-Al Fattah
The grantor of Openings.
Al-Alim
The provider
Allah swt is the true provider- both material and spiritual
For bodies, minds, hearts, and souls
- In order to characterizes themselves with these qualities of the name,
one must be someone who provides benefit to others in their deen and
in dunya.
- Our lord will bring us together and then He will judge between us in
truth. And He is the knowing judge (Grantor of openings and the all
knowing).
Ghazali: def. Al-Fattah
- He is the one through whose concern every matter that is closest is
opened.
Imam Ahmad Zarruq: def. AL-Fattah:
- is the One who benefits by manifesting the good and plentitude after
difficulty and hardship. Out of His bounty manifests good.
- Doors closed for bodies (material) or ruh (soul- spiritual)- doors open
from fath, giving a way out from difficulties.
Ghazali: dfferent types of difficulties and openings.
- He opens for prophets against enemies; unexpected successes ( a
manifest opening)
Opening was the prevention of ummrah; that step was the for
manifestation of the opening. By the right resolve and right action, the
opening will be manifest.
- When you make the dua, that is the time of the opening. (Manifest in
due time up to Allah swt)
How does one characterize themselves with the qualities of al-fattah?
- One should seek openings so one can draw closer to Allah swt.
- What is the point of the acts of worship/submission? To be closer to
Allah swt
- By being someone who is a means of openings in others lives; by
granting others openings; by teaching, directing or supporting worthy
projects.

In their dunya, by facilitating someone; taking someone out of

hardship; enable someone to support themselves
Zarruq: Someone who knows that Allah swt is the Grantor of openings
then they would draw close to Allah swt by having complete trust in Him
in each point in life. He placed you in the difficulty and He will take you
out.
- Have we not expanded your chest; with difficulty comes ease.
In the hardship, He grants us openings. In ease there are also
openings: you ascribe the blessing to Allah swt; by drawng closer to
the name of al-fattah.
- My Lord indeed knows His servants: trust in Him; Whoever places their
trust in Allah swt, Allah swt is their sufficiency.
- To be abdul Fattah (servant of Grantor of Openings): as you are with
Allahs creations, so should you find with Allah swt. If you grant ease,
thats how Allah swt will deal with you.
- Asking in dua with this particular name, it will evoke the characteristic
Al-Alim: The One who knows
- Actively all-knowing
- Someone who is alim: someone who knows things
- Perfection of knowledge: knowing and hidden knowledge, of all from
beginning to end, with complete awareness.
- This is the difference between our knowledge and Allahs: Allahs
knowledge is absolute and complete.
- Describes the attribute of ilm (knowledge): its an eternal attribute that
Allah knows absolutely EVERYTHING in absolutely EVERY WAY.
- NOT only that He knows everything that exists: thinking only this would
be ignorant.
- Allah knows everything that is possible; the things that come into
existence are only a small subset of what is possible.
- Complete knowledge: not only in existence, but all possibilities at all
moments. (different features in physically attributes of yourself
height, time of birth, etc etc.)
- Alah swt also knows all that is NECESSARY: Himself and His own
attributes
- He knows all that is IMPOSSIBLE: in an absolute sense
- His knowledge is absolute, encompassing and it is NOT acquired.
- Not acquired: He knows everything without ever having Not known it;
He never had to learn it. (People: learn this is a book, now they know
this is a book; Allah does not need this acquisition)
- Allah swt exists beyond time and that is why He is not affected by time
and learning knowledge. No comparison between people and this type
of knowledge.

Fahani: explained that when there is an attribute ascribed to Allah swt

and the same attribute is ascribed to people (creation, all that is
shared is the word and there is no comparison between the meaning.
Descriptor is shared but that is all. (Allahs knowledge is absolute, ours
is finite and contingent, partial.)
Because of the process of acquiring, our knowledge is always limited.
We could be mistaken when learning something because there is
barrier to absolute knowledge.
Realizing Allahs attribute al-Alim: know the Greatness and have a
sense of modesty.

Drawing closer to Allah swt through this name:

Ghazali: The basis of honor of a human being is through knowledge.
- One is able to pursue the means of honor, worldly or spiritual.
- Value and honor in knowledge is in accordance of that which is known
through that knowledge.
The greatness of what is known through it.
What is it a means to knowing?
The greatest point of knowledge is to know the Greatness of Allah swt.
The reality of the Oneness of Allah swt; in the true realities of knowing
it.
Higher than just knowing: acceptance and consciousness regarding
that truth.
Haqu al yakin: realize what it means for that to be true.
Aynu al yakin: realization being realized in that truth, you become
realized in that truth.
Ex. As a child, you hear about Medina. (ilmu al yakin). Learn more
about it, more consciously. Youre in Medina: acceptance of and
realization of truth.
Turning to Allah swt, then consciousness turns into active awareness
(ma-arifa) is when these points of knowledge become actual realities=
True seeing. To see things as they are.
Creation- created- Creator. In reality, it is in opposite order. We tend to
see creation first, then think of the created and then realize the
Creator. But reality is that the Creator comes first. (We are closer to
him than their very life blood)
Knowledge- acceptance- consciousness- Beholding (the greatest of
knowledge.)
In virtue:
#1 Knowledge of Allah swt Himself
#2 is Knowing the way to be closer to Allah swt in order to reach the
beholding of Allah swt
#3 KNOWING ABOUT THE MEANS you take on the way to Allah swt
(religious means and worldly means- needs and duties in order to stay
alive)

Zarruq: If one knows that Allah knows all things, then one finds sufficiency of
Allahs knowledge of oneself from anyone elses knowledge of oneself. One
does not care what others think of him, because he realizes that Allah swt
knows what you did and why you did it. No one elses opinion matters unless
it has been given consequence by Allh swt.
- Ones parents opinion matters because they have been given rights
over you, but Allahs knowledge still surpasses that.
- In fulfilling everyones rights, is what is pleasing to Allah swt.
- Make the intention to guide to closeness to Allah, then take the means
of getting there or helping others get there, then dont worry about the
outcome. What is the most pleasing to Allah swt, that is all that
matters.
- One of the highest in spiritual qualities: Finding sufficiency in Allahs
knowledge of you
- Complete confidence in Allah swt in everything.
Ibn Ata Illah:
- If it ever pains you that people arent turning to you, or that they dont
pay attention to you or they direct their blame at you, return to Allahs
knowledge of you.
- If you dont find yourself content with Allahs knowledge of you, then
your sinfulness with not being content with Allah is far greater than
any difficulty that is coming to you from people.
Am I doing the right thing, in the right way, for the right reasons?
= If you are, then you should not worry about peoples opinion. Your
intention and goal and action are true= sufficiency from Allah swt.
Zarruq: In characterisizng oneself with the attribute of al-alim, it is by
acquiring knowledge and to benefit in those who need it.
Hadith: Whomever Allah wishes well for, He grants deep understanding of
religion.
The best of you are those who learn the Quran and who teach it.
Intention to teach others will break any showing off that one may be doing.
We ask that you grant us knowledge, both acquiring it and conveying it and
we ask you, through your bounty that you increase us in knowledge, action
and sincerity and in drawing close to you, O All-knowing.
Lesson 8b
Al Qabid and al- Basit
The constrictor and the expander: Meanings in pairs that could mean the
opposites, Allah possesses both meanings.
Al Qabid:


The constrainer, qabd= grasp (constricting the space, squeezing; in control,
limiting it)
Zarruq: applied meaning as ascribed to Allah swt.
- HE is the one who constricts for whomever He wills whatever He wills.
However He wills.
- Why? Because Allah swt is in complete control. The Master can dispose
of his dominion as He wishes.
- Can do anything that is possible if He wills and He can leave it if He
wills.
- There is nothing that is incumbent on Him, that He must do this or
that.
- All limits relate to the creation, not the Creator.
Some ratioanlists say God must do the good = error in thinking
There is nothing that is intrinsically good or bad= Nothing limits God.
Good relates to the choices made by those morally responsible
Those choices are good when they are in accordance to the pleasure of
Allah swt
The bad are the choices made by morally responsible when they entail
the displeasure of Allah swt
He can constrain however He wishes for whoever, whenever.
-

Constriction could be physical, material, in relationships, spiritual.

Al Basit:

The One who makes ample and plentiful all that is needed. The One who
expands and amplifies all abundance.
Zarruq: One who widens that which constriction narrowed for whomever, for
whatever He will, Whenever He wills, however He wills.
Both Constriction and expansion are from Allah swt
- They manifest the power of Allah swt; they tell you Who your Lord is
and that you are the servant
- One is not attached solely through one attribute; One knows Allah
through both matters.
- Knowing only one part is partial ignorance.
- Transactional relationship with Allah (one only based on Basd
expansion) can spoil you
- Your Rabb raises you and if you only got what you wanted, youd be
spoiled. You can become ungrateful. Discipline by not giving someone
everything.

Qabd: gathered by the middle, or the edge or from the beginning. Basd is
to spread it out.
These 2 names convey the meaning: encompassingness of Allahs power.
Convey the meaning of movement and creating.
Surah al Baqarah: (2:245): Allah is One who constricts and expands.
Zarruq:
- Restricts and expands in everything
- In ones traits (temperament)
- In ones provision
- In ones body
- In ones soul
When He constraints, the is no ability, when He expands, the is no
neediness.
And it is All from Him and to Him, Glorified and Exalted is He.
Physical, metarial, spiritual etc; mutakalim- always changing.
States are always changing, states of ease and difficulty. They all remind us
that it is all from Him. The point is to turn to Allah swt, to know Him both in
ease and difficulty.
NO attachment to ease or difficulty; attachment to the one who creates it.
Ex. Thinking about the weather wont change it; you just respond to it, act
appropriately in reaction to it.
In a state of constriction- one recognizes his neediness to Allah swt but in
that state has appreciation and gratefulness for all that one has. Constriction
makes one recognize what one has. However bad things are, you have faith,
guidance, concern, what you have is far greater than what you have lost.
What He has promised you is far batter- If you remain true, that promise will
be fulfilled for you.
Just as it came, it can go. Do not lose yourself in the expansiveness.
Ghazali:
- Qabd- to take something
- HE is the One who takes souls fomr bodies upon death and He is the
One who spreads out the soul into the body at the time of life.
- He is the One who takes charity from the rich; and He is the One who
spreads out provision for the weak/ and the rich until no neediness
remains.
- Constrains provision for the needy until no ability remains. He is the
One who takes hearts and makes them feel constraint with what He
manifests to them of His complete unconcern, majesty, exaltedness
( He has no need for you).
- You have no claim upon Him.

He grants expansiveness also. Of what He draws close to people. His

gentleness, beauty.
How does one characterize himself with the meaning of these and draw
closer to Allah swt?
Zarruq:
Whoever knows that it is Allah who constraints and expands any one of
creation because He is the One who can do that; will not censure (criticize)
others
One does not despair from others with this knowledge
Self-direction- when you try to control outcomes in your life
Ghazali: One who has marvelous wisdom, speech that is of true benefit;
Sometimes He constrains the hearts of others by what He reminds that of the
majesty of Allah swt.
In warning us, Allah swt helps us keep a balance and walk the straight path.
Prophet: saw that people were in such awe of Allah swt that they could not
worship as a result; the Porphet eleated them saying: Rejoice, for by the
One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, that amongst people with the
distinguishing mark amongst Gods creation, I call to Allah. With insight.
Sometimes you need to caution and warn and sometimes you need to elate.
Zarruq:
How one draws closer:
- By attaching oneself to Allah swt in the constriction and the expansion;
by feeling alienated from creation towards Him.
- He granted you constriction so that you dont remain with
expansiveness, and He granted you expansiveness so you dont remain
with constriction.
- Constriction is spiritually enriching.
The coming of times of need are the festival days of seekers. The
coming of times of distress are the days of festival.
- Seeking Allah swt by both matters of being constrained or expanded in
blessings.
The Most radiant of Names;