In Thy name, we live

Episode 8: Al-Jabbar (The Superb Comforter- The Superb Potentate)[1]

In the name of Allah[2] (God), The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful, all praises be to Allah, the Lord of the universe. All Prayers and Blessings of Allah be upon Allah's Messenger.

I hope this program is helping its viewers spend Ramadan with the essence of The Most Beautiful Names of Allah (SWT)[3].  The moral of our program is to use The Most beautiful Names of Allah (SWT) to reform our lives.  Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, " Surely I am making in the earth a successor” (TMQ[4], 2:30) and “So know that there is no god except Allah…"  (TMQ, 47:19). 

As for today's Name, it encompasses all the meanings of mercy, compassion and tenderness.  Today's Name is Al-Jabbar “The Superb Comforter-The Superb Potentate”.  This name is more known for its association with the Names The Avenger and The Superb Vanquisher to severely punish the tyrants and oppressive people.  However, it also encompasses all the meanings of mercy and compassion.

It is mentioned only once in the Qur'an. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as “He is Allah, (other than Whom) there is no god except He.  He is The King, The Superb Holy, The Peace, (i.e., The Giver of Peace) The Supreme Believer, (i.e., The Giver of Belief) The Supremely Hegemonic, The Ever-Mighty, The Superb Comforter-The Superb Potentate, The Supremely Proud. (i.e., The Justly Proud) All Extolment be to Allah above whatever they associate (with Him)” (TMQ, 59:23).

Hence, the Name Al-Jabbar, meaning "The Superb Comforter", is the One Who solaces and comforts the oppressed.  This Name is the refuge of the distressed, the oppressed, the orphans and humiliated people.  The Name “Al-Jabbar” has the same root as the word “Al-Jabeera” which means, the splint, which is used to set the broken bones.  Similarly Allah (SWT), The Almighty, sets the broken hearts of the oppressed and humiliated people.  Allah (SWT) called Himself the Superb Comforter, promising to comfort those who seek refuge in Him from their distresses.

The Prophet (SAWS)[5] used to supplicate Allah (SWT) saying, "O Allah, you are the only One Who solaces the distressed."  He (SAWS) said that the weak and the terrified are in the shelter of The Superb Comforter-The superb Potentate.  Did you ever reflect on the meaning of this Name in this way?

Therefore, trust in him and go to Him to relieve your distress.  He is the Lord of this Kingdom.  Never ask anyone other than Him.  In this regard, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "Is not He (Most Charitable) Who answers the constrained person when he invokes Him…"  (TMQ, 27:62).  So, take this as a general rule in your life.

A good example is the mother of Musa (AS) (Moses).  The story is mentioned in Surat Al-Qasas (The Narrative).  The Surah narrates the story of the severe conflict between the children of Israel and the tyrant Pharaoh.  The latter was killing all the newborn baby boys at that time.  Musa’s mother was worried about her son, therefore Allah (SWT) said what can be translated as, “And We revealed to M‍usa’s mother, (saying), “Suckle him; so, when you fear for him, then cast him in the main; and do not fear, nor grieve. Surely We will turn him back to you, and will make him one of the Emissaries.”  (TMQ, 28:7). " And the heart-sight of M‍usa’s mother became empty, (and) decidedly she indeed almost declared him, had We not braced her heart, that she might be of the believers." TMQ, 28:10).

I would like you to reflect on the beginning of the Surah, as Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Surely Firaawn had exalted himself in the land and made its population into sects, deeming a section of them weak, constantly slaying their sons and (sparing) alive their women. Surely he was one of the corruptors. And We are willing to be bounteous to the ones who were deemed weak in the land, and make them leaders, and make them the inheritors, And to establish them in the land, and to show Firaawn and Haman and their hosts the (very things) against which they were wary." (TMQ, 28:4-6).

The Surah deals with the conflict between the children of Israel and Pharaoh.  However, Allah (SWT) draws your attention to that weak woman who was worried about her son.  The Superb Comforter comforts her distress as mentioned in the Surah, “And We had prohibited to him earlier wet-nurses. So she said, “Shall I indicate to you the family of a house who will sponsor him for you and advisably look after him?” So We turned him back to his mother so that she might comfort her eye and not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true; but most of them do not know." (TMQ, 28:12-13).

Hence, I call upon all those who are humiliated and distressed, as well as the nation of Muhammad in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine to take refuge in The Superb Comforter-The Superb Potentate. 

Let us remember what happened to the Prophet (SAWS) when he went to Taiyef.  People threw stones and mud at him and called him names.  He was hurt and humiliated. Imagine that happening to your own father.  The Prophet’s legs started bleeding but he kept running with Zaid Ibn-Haritha (RA) to find a safe place to hide.  Who would he turn to now but The Superb Comforter-The Superb Potentate?  He did not ask Allah (SWT) for anything that day, he was simply complaining to Him and telling him how badly he was hurt and how weak he felt.  How did Allah (SWT) mend the Prophet’s heart on that day?  A little boy, Addas, approached him, listened to him, believed in him, and kissed his bleeding feet.  Allah (SWT) may mend your heart through the affection of those around you, like your son, for example.  Allah (SWT) later comforted the Prophet’s heart with the miracle of al-israa and al-mi’raj [6] which elevated the status of our dear Prophet (SAWS) eternally.

Unlike Allah’s name Al-Muntaqim (The Avenger), Allah’s name Al-Jabbar has two meanings: The Superb Comforter and The Superb Potentate; He is comforting to the oppressed and firm with the unjust as He punishes them for their injustice.  Be kind to the underprivileged so that you escape Allah’s avengement when they resort to the Superb Potentate.  This name has a special meaning for the heavy-hearted.

The Superb Comforter- The Superb Potentate has another meaning as well.  Sometimes we treat people unjustly, undergo Allah’s punishment, feel broken, and hence resort to Allah (SWT) for help.  Allah transforms our punishment into a blessing which reminds us of the ayah, translated as, “Say, “O Allah, Possessor of the Kingship, You bring the kingship to whomever You decide, and You draw the kingship from whomever You decide, and You render mighty whomever You decide, and You humiliate whomever You decide. In Your Hand is (the) Charity; surely You are Ever-Determiner over everything” (TMQ, 3: 26).   Prophet Musa (AS) (Moses) was broken when he left his city, but he became a prophet ten years later.  I know a man who used to love making fun of others.  One day he made fun of a blind man and thus was sentenced to Allah’s punishment for hurting the poor man’s feelings.  That man’s wife gave birth to a blind baby which really broke the man apart.  Since he could not handle that punishment, he distanced himself from this child until one day he found himself alone with him and the child asked him to take him to the mosque for Friday prayer.  That man wept profusely as his son recited Surat al-Kahf and decided to repent and return to the Right Path.

Imagine when you face The Superb Potentate on the Day of Judgement, where people are either oppressors or oppressed.  Who will be more fearful?

AmrKhaled.net © جميع حقوق النشر محفوظة
This Article may be published and duplicated freely for private purposes, as long as the original source is mentioned. For all other purposes you need to obtain the prior written approval of the website administration. For info: dar_altarjama@amrkhaled.net