One God Many Names | Al-Qarīb (The Near)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24

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Overcoming loneliness is one thing, but overcoming loneliness that is the product of betrayal is another. Have you experienced this before? Have you ever felt at odds with some of the dearest of people to you, then become let down by the nearest of them all? Have you experienced situations that have left you gasping for a pillar to lean on, an attentive ear to hear you out, or a nearby shoulder to weep on? Perhaps you have harbored thoughts we all have had before: no one has time for you, and no one understands your challenges – even if they did, none of them can truly help.

If any of the above scenarios have crossed paths with you, then contemplate the following suggestion: cast aside every weak and helpless mortal and instead cast your eyes towards the Maker of them all – the One Who has time, Who understands you better than you yourself, Who was aware of your current dilemma before it even came into existence, and on top of this all, is able to resolve all things.

He is Allāh. He is Al-Qarīb, the Near.

1 – The linguistic meaning of His name Al-Qarīb

The term qurb (nearness) is the opposite of bu’d (distance). Examples of this linguistic usage in action includes terms like qurbān, which commonly refers to the animal that is sacrificed for Allāh, as nearness to Allāh is sought through its sacrifice. Similarly, the pregnant woman who is in labour is described as being muqrib, as her delivery has neared. Likewise, family members are described as qarāba due to their nearness in lineage. The commonality between all these words is the concept of qurb.

So, who is Allāh Al-Qarīb? He is the One nearest to His creation with respect to His power over them. There is nothing standing between His will over them and the execution of His power. He is also the One nearest to His creation with respect to His knowledge of them. Nothing in the least veils His hearing, seeing, and awareness of their every thought. Around the clock, you remain within the reach of the command of Al-Qarīb and within the domain of His knowledge, encompassed wholly by His awareness and power. None is nearer to you than Al-Qarīb.

2 – Is there a contradiction between Him being both above the heavens and near?

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim clarifies the matter in the most eloquent of ways:

وَهُوَ سُبْحَانَهُ قَرِيبٌ فِي عُلُوِّهِ عَالٍ فِي قُرْبِهِ، كَمَا فِي الْحَدِيثِ الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيِّ قَالَ: «كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي سَفَرٍ فَارْتَفَعَتْ أَصْوَاتُنَا بِالتَّكْبِيرِ فَقَالَ ” أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَرْبِعُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَإِنَّكُمْ لَا تَدْعُونَ أَصَمَّ وَلَا غَائِبًا، إِنَّ الَّذِي تَدْعُونَهُ سَمِيعٌ قَرِيبٌ، أَقْرَبُ إِلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ عُنُقِ رَاحِلَتِهِ»

“He, Allāh, is Near in His Highness, yet High in His Nearness, as is found in the authentic hadīth that Abu Musa narrates: ‘We were with the Prophet Muhammad (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) during a journey and we raised our voices in takbīr (saying Allāhu Akbar). So he said: ‘O people, take it easy on yourselves, for you are not calling upon someone who is deaf or absent, but you are calling upon One Who Hears and is Near. He is closer to you than the neck of your animal.’[1]

فَأَخْبَرَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ الْخَلْقِ بِهِ أَنَّهُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ عُنُقِ رَاحِلَتِهِ، وَأَخْبَرَ أَنَّهُ فَوْقَ سَمَاوَاتِهِ عَلَى عَرْشِهِ مُطَّلِعٌ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ يَرَى أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي بُطُونِهِمْ، وَهَذَا حَقٌّ لَا يُنَاقِضُ أَحَدُهُمَا الْآخَرَ

Thus the Prophet (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) told them, whilst knowing Allāh the most – that He is closer to them than the neck of their animals, whilst also informing them that He is, at the same time, above the heavens, above His Throne, observing His creation, and seeing their actions and inward states. All of this is truth that does not contradict.

الَّذِي يُسَهِّلُ عَلَيْكَ فَهْمَ هَذَا: مَعْرِفَةُ عَظَمَةِ الرَّبِّ وَإِحَاطَتِهِ بِخَلْقِهِ وَأَنَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعَ فِي يَدِهِ كَخَرْدَلَةٍ فِي يَدِ الْعَبْدِ، وَأَنَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ يَقْبِضُ السَّمَاوَاتِ بِيَدِهِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِيَدِهِ الْأُخْرَى ثُمَّ يَهُزُّهُنَّ، فَكَيْفَ يَسْتَحِيلُ فِي حَقِّ مَنْ هَذَا بَعْضُ عَظَمَتِهِ. أَنْ يَكُونَ فَوْقَ عَرْشِهِ وَيَقْرُبُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ كَيْفَ شَاءَ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ؟

Furthermore, appreciating the majesty of Allāh eases one’s understanding of this matter, for Allāh is All-Encompassing of His creation, and the seven heavens are in His Hand like a mustard seed in ours. Allāh will gather the heavens in one of His Hands (on the Day of Reckoning) and the Earth in His other (Hand), then He will shake them. So, bearing this in mind, how then can it be deemed impossible for a Lord Whose Majesty is only part of this to be above His Throne whilst, at the same time, drawing near to His creation in whatever way He wills?”[2]

Far from dwelling in His creation, as posited by some, Allāh is High above His Throne. At the same time, He is near to His creation with respect to His knowledge of them and power over them.

As Shaykh al-Sa’di writes, the nearness to Allāh is of two types:

قرب عام من كل أحد بعلمه، وخبرته، ومراقبته ومشاهدته، وإحاطته، وهو أقرب إلى الإنسان من حبل الوريد.

“The first: A general nearness that applies to all people, which entails knowledge, awareness, overseeing, and an encompassing of everything, for He is closer to a person than his very jugular vein.

وقرب خاص من عابديه، وسائليه، ومجيبيه، وهو قرب يقتضي المحبة، والنصرة، والتأييد في الحركات، والسكنات، والإجابة للداعين، والقبول، والإثابة

The second: A specific nearness that applies to His worshippers, and those who ask of Him and love Him. This nearness entails love, victory, support in their every movement and stillness, His response to du’ā, His acceptance, and His reward.”[3]

3 – The effects of believing in this name

To call upon Al-Qarīb

Something that stands out in the Qur’ān is that almost every time the nearness of Allāh is mentioned, it happens to be in the context of du’ā.

Allāh said:

إِنَّ رَبِّي قَرِيبٌ مُجِيبٌ

“My Lord is Near and Answering.”[4]

Allāh said:

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ

“And when My servant asks you about Me, then indeed, I am Near. I answer the du’ā of the supplicant when he calls upon Me…”[5]

The same theme is found in the Sunnah, where the Prophet (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“The servant is nearest to his Lord during prostration, so increase your du’ā during it.” [6]

Ascending to the top floor of a building requires the use of stairs. Rising to the top floor of a skyscraper requires an elevator. Reaching the clouds requires an aeroplane. Landing on the moon requires a rocket. The further the objective is, the more sophisticated the equipment required in order to reach it. With that said, what is required to reach العلي (the High), Allāh, Whose Throne is above the very heavens? Well, no apparatus at all. All that is needed is for you to simply lower your heart in humility, then raise your hands in du’ā, and you will have arrived at the ultimate destination, where the Highest is also the Nearest.

Allāh said:

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ

“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, I am Near – I respond to the call of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.”[7]

Interestingly, a second glance at the format of the Ayah above reveals something profound; never has such a format appeared in the Qur’ān with the exception to this Ayah which has appears in the context of du’ā.

There were many questions that people had asked the Messenger (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to which the Qur’ān offered answers via the Prophet Muhammad (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam). These examples can be seen in the Qur’ān where Allāh says, “They ask you about…” and Allāh responds with the common phrase of “Say to them…” Consider the following examples:

Allāh said:

يَسْأَلونَكَ عَنِ الْأَهِلَّةِ قُلْ هِيَ مَوَاقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَالْحَجِّ

“They ask you concerning the new moon. Say: They are times appointed for (the benefit of) men, and (for) the pilgrimage.”[8]

Allāh said:

وَيَسْأَلونَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ

“And they ask you as to what they should spend. Say: What you can spare.”[9]

Allāh said:

يَسْأَلونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ قُلْ قِتَالٌ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ

“They ask you concerning the sacred month about fighting in it. Say: Fighting in it is a grave matter.”[10]

Allāh said:

يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ

“They ask you what is allowed for them. Say: The good things are allowed for you.”[11]

Allāh said:

يَسْأَلونَكَ عَنِ الْأَنْفَالِ قُلِ الْأَنْفَالُ لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ

“They ask you about the spoils of war. Say: The spoils are for Allāh and the Messenger.”[12]

Allāh said:

يَسْأَلُكَ النَّاسُ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ

“People ask you concerning the Hour. Say: The knowledge of it is with Allāh alone.”[13]

However, when the Qur’ān relayed the question pertaining to du’ā, the answer was not introduced with “say”. Read the verse again:

“And when My servant asks you about Me, then indeed, I am Near.”

This is a subtle indication that there is absolutely no middleman that stands between you and Al-Qarīb when you call upon Him. So direct and personal is this relationship, and so near is the Lord who is called upon, that even the statement of “say to them” is not required.

In fact, Allāh said:

من ذكرَني في نفسِهِ ذكرتُهُ في نفسي ، ومن ذكرَني في ملإٍ ذكرتُهُ في ملإٍ خيرٍ منه

“If man remembers Me in himself, I will remember him in My Self, and if he remembers Me in an assembly, I will remember him in a better assembly (in the assembly of angels).”[14]

A Lord Who is aware of when the hearts of men remember Him is a Lord Who is Near. How comforting a reality it is to know that, at this very second, should you remember Allāh inwardly, the King of Kings will remember you in a similar fashion. Should you remember Him in a gathering, your name will be mentioned at that very second by the King of Kings, Who will say: “Such and such has made mention of Me.”

This is a nearness to be celebrated and capitalised upon, a nearness that reassures man that he is not in any need of raising his voice in du’ā like we do when calling those far away. Prophet Zakariyya was one such person who was aware of this, and so Allāh said in praise of his du’ā:

إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ نِدَاءً خَفِيًّا

“When he cried to his Lord in secret.”[15]

A renewal of hope and great expectations of Allāh

To know Al-Qarīb is to realise that queues, appointments, reservations, and waiting lists are non-existent between you and Him. This should hopefully inspire an immediate urge to drop all your worries at His doorstep at the very moment of their arrival; there is no need to wait. As a consequence of this, the positivity, optimism, and hope in the release of your grief grow in ways to which words are unable to give justice.

Time and time again, Allāh repeats this very point in the Qur’ān. All of man’s needs have been brought very near to Him should He choose to do what it takes for their access.

إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

“Indeed, the mercy of Allāh is near to the doers of good.”[16]

أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ

“Surely the victory of Allāh is near.”[17]

إِنَّ رَبِّي قَرِيبٌ مُجِيبٌ

“Indeed, my Lord is Near, Answering.”[18]

Shyness of Him

When texting one another, people are bold in their conversations, yet they are much shyer during a phone call. Similarly, people can be bold during phone calls but, again, are shyer when speaking in person. The idea here is that nearness to someone brings about greater levels of shyness and becomes a stronger cause for careful treading. What, then, of Al-Qarīb, Who Hears our words before we even utter them, is Aware of our crimes before we have planned them, and is Nearer to us than the blood that flows within us? Knowing this is to have a mighty repellent from sins and a powerful driving force towards all that which pleases Him, underpinned by the immense shyness towards Allāh.

Consider the moment when a loosely clad member of the opposite gender walks past you as you stand with a friend. At that moment, many will first assess their friend’s nearness of them; will the friend notice the intended lust-filled glance? The person may even await a cough, sneeze, or blink from the friend to then catch a treacherous glimpse in a desperate attempt to satisfy the raging hunger of inquisitiveness. This may be a familiar situation, but it is a situation that can only occur in the life of one who has not appreciated the nearness of Al-Qarīb:

ولقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ

“And certainly We created man, and We know what his soul whispers to him, and We are Nearer to him than his jugular vein.”[19]

In his du’ā of travelling, the Prophet (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would say:

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِي الْأَهْلِ

“O Allāh, you are the Companion during travel, and the Carer of our families whom we have left behind.”[20]

A Lord who is Near to both the traveller as he traverses the earth and, at the same time, to the traveller’s family left behind is truly a Mighty Lord, truly Near and truly deserving of our utmost shyness.

A yearning to draw closer to Him

We mentioned earlier that Allāh’s Nearness is of two types: a general one that applies to all people, and a specific one that applies to the believer. The believer lives in the shade of this latter form of nearness: the nearness of mercy, support, gentleness, and answering of du’ā. This, in turn, sparks an inner yearning to be close to Allāh, finding all comfort, companionship, and warmth with Him.

The Prophet (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said that Allāh said:

إِذَا تَقَربَ العَبْدُ إلَيَّ شِبْرًا تَقَربْتُ إِلَيْه ذِرَاعًا، وَإِذَا تَقَرَّبَ إلَيَّ ذِرَاعًا تَقَربْتُ مِنهُ بَاعًا، وِإذَا أتَانِي يَمشي أتَيْتُهُ هَرْوَلَةً

“When a servant of Mine draws near to Me a handspan, I draw near to him an arm span. If he draws near to Me an arm span, I draw near to him a fathom. If he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.”[21]

Think about the hadīth above. As Imam Ibn Taymiyya mentions in his commentary, drawing closer to an object means that the object is nearing to the person even though the object itself is not moving. This is like one’s nearing to Mecca or to the walls of the Ka’ba; they become closer to the one moving towards them even though they are both stationary. Ibn Taymiyya also mentions the scenario when both matters are actively drawing closer to one another, like a person who walks towards another person who is also drawing closer to him. This is precisely what is suggested in the hadīth above: man draws closer to Allāh, and Allāh, in His Divine Self, also actively draws closer to His worshipper.[22]

Why should one yearn for nearness to Al-Qarīb?

Because it yields a joy like none other.

Drawing nearer to that which you love is one experience, but drawing nearer to one who is also actively drawing nearer to you is altogether a different experience. Ask those who have experienced that nearness to Al-Qarīb, “Tell me about that life; what does it feel like?” The beaming joy that radiates from their faces suffices as their response.

A pious predecessor—Ibrahīm b. Ad’ham—described this life by saying:

لو يعلم الملوك وأبناء الملوك ما نحن فيه من النعيم لجالدونا عليه بالسيوف

“If the kings and the sons of the kings knew of the joy that we are experiencing, they would fight us over it with their swords.” [23]

Another pious predecessor said:

إنه ليمر بي أوقات أقول فيها إن كان أهلُ الجنة في مثل هذا إنهم لفي عيش طيب

“There are moments that my heart experience where I say to myself: If the people of Paradise are experiencing what I am experiencing, then they are living a good life.”[24]

Why else should one yearn for the nearness to Al-Qarīb?

Because a moment of it is sufficient to dissipate the most insurmountable challenges of life.

Consider Imam Ibn Taymiyya’s experience of nearness to Al-Qarīb. Despite his well-documented and lifelong suffering and imprisonment, Imam Ibn Taymiyya said:

إن في الدنيا جنة من لم يدخلها لا يدخل جنة الآخرة

“In this world, there is a paradise; whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter.”

Which worldly paradise is this other than the paradise of knowing Allāh and the blissful warmth of feeling near to Him?

Ibn al-Qayyim, the faithful student of Ibn Taymiyya, captured this in the following words:

ويحمد الله على ما منّ به عليه ويقول : المحبوس من حبِس قلبه عن ربه ، والمأسور من أسره هواه

“He (Ibn Taymiyya) would always praise Allāh for His blessings, and would say, ‘The true prisoner is he whose heart has been imprisoned from his Lord, and the true detainee is the one who has been detained by his desires.’”[25]

According to Ibn al-Qayyim, there is no such thing as confinement if one is enjoying the liberating bliss of divine nearness. Similarly, there can be no real liberation if one has been held back from this blissful nearness.

Why else should one yearn for the nearness to Al-Qarīb?

Because being near to Him today means nearness to Him tomorrow.

In the Qur’ān, Allāh has divided humanity into three groups:

• 1) As-hāb al-shimāl: the people of the left, who are the people of Hell
• 2) As-hāb al-yamīn: the people of the right, who are the people of Paradise
• 3) Al-muqarrabūn: the people who are drawn near, and they are the finest of those to enter Paradise.

Just read what Allāh has to say about the reward in Paradise for those in the category of al-muqarrabūn:

عَلَى سُرُرٍ مَوْضُونَةٍ (15) مُتَّكِئِينَ عَلَيْهَا مُتَقَابِلِينَ (16) يَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَانٌ مُخَلَّدُونَ (17) بِأَكْوَابٍ وَأَبَارِيقَ وَكَأْسٍ مِنْ مَعِينٍ (18) لَا يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنْهَا وَلَا يُنْزِفُونَ (19) وَفَاكِهَةٍ مِمَّا يَتَخَيَّرُونَ (20) وَلَحْمِ طَيْرٍ مِمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ (21) وَحُورٌ عِينٌ (22) كَأَمْثَالِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُونِ (23) جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (24) لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا تَأْثِيمًا (25) إِلَّا قِيلًا سَلَامًا سَلَامًا

“They will be upon jeweled thrones, reclining on them, facing each other. There will circulate among them young boys made eternal, with cups, pitchers, and a drink [of pure wine] from a flowing stream, that will cause them neither headache nor intoxication. [They will also be served] any fruit they choose, and meat from any bird they desire, and there shall be wide-eyed maidens, like pristine pearls, as reward for what they used to do. They will hear no idle or sinful talk there, only clean and wholesome speech.”[26]

Whilst other inhabitants of Paradise enjoy drinks that have been mixed with Tasnīm (the highest spring in Paradise and the most favoured drink of its inhabitants), the muqarrabūn (“those drawn near to Allāh”) will drink from Tasnīm directly. When speaking about this fountain, Allāh said:

عَيْنًا يَشْرَبُ بِهَا الْمُقَرَّبُونَ

“A spring from which those nearest will drink.”[27]

With all of the above said, it is now imperative to ask: how does one draw nearer to Allāh? Below are a few suggestions:

By maximising one’s prostration

Allāh instructed His Messenger Muhammad (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to draw closer to Him through prostration. Allāh said:

وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ

“Prostrate and draw near.”[28]

Similarly, the Prophet (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

أَقربُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ رَبَّهِ وَهُوَ سَاجدٌ فأكثروا الدُّعَاءَ

“The nearest that one can be to his Lord is during his prostration, so maximise your du’ā (in that state).”[29]

By giving due attention to the perfection of the obligations of Islam

The Prophet (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said that Allāh said:

وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إليَّ عَبْدي بِشَيء أَحَبَّ إليَّ مما افترضتُ عليه، وما يزالُ عبدي يَتَقربُ إليَّ بالنَّوافل حتى أُحبَّهُ

“My servant cannot draw closer to Me through anything that I love more than the obligations. He also continues to draw closer to Me through the voluntary acts of worship until I love him.”[30]

By exerting one’s self during the day of ‘Arafa

When speaking about the day of ‘Arafa, the 9^th day of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijja, the Prophet (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

ما من يومٍ أكثرَ من أن يُعتِقَ اللهُ فيهِ عبدًا من النارِ من يومِ عرفةَ وإنَّهُ ليدنو ثم يُباهي بهم الملائكةُ فيقول: ما أراد هؤلاءِ

“There is no day in the year wherein Allāh frees more people from the Fire than on the day of ‘Arafa. On that day, Allāh draws near and praises them to the angels, saying: ‘What do they want?’”[31]

By exerting one’s self during the latter parts of the night

The Prophet (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الربُّ منَ الْعَبْد في جوف الليل الآخر فَإنِ استطعتَ أَنْ تَكُون ممن يذْكُر الله في تلك الساعة فكن

“The closest that the Lord is to a worshipper is during the last part of the night, so if you are able to be of those who remember Allāh in that hour, then do so.”[32]

In short, to unwaveringly believe that Allāh Al-Qarīb is Near is the greatest cause for persistence upon the path of Islam, self-restraint during sinful impulses, serenity and contentment during times of fear, solace when feeling abandoned, and the quickest route to the enjoyment of Islam, the sweetness of īmān, and the entrance to ihsān  (excellence).

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Source: www.islam21c.com

Notes:

[1] Al-Bukhāri and Muslim

[2] Al-Sawā’iq Al-Mursala

[3] Tafsīr Al-Sa’di

[4] Al-Qur’ān, 11:61

[5] Al-Qur’ān, 2:186

[6] Muslim, on the authority of Abu Huraira

[7] Al-Qur’ān, 2:186

[8] Al-Qur’ān, 2:189

[9] Al-Qur’ān, 2:219

[10] Al-Qur’ān, 2:217

[11] Al-Qur’ān, 5:4

[12] Al-Qur’ān, 8:1

[13] Al-Qur’ān, 33:63

[14] Al-Bukhāri and Muslim, on the authority of Abu Huraira

[15] Al-Qur’ān, 19:3

[16] Al-Qur’ān, 7:56

[17] Al-Qur’ān, 2:214

[18] Al-Qur’ān, 11:61

[19] Al-Qur’ān, 50:16-18

[20] Abu Dāwūd, on the authority of Abu Huraira

[21] Al-Bukhāri, on the authority of Anas

[22] Adapted from his Majmū’ Al-Fatāwa

[23] Tārīkh Dimashq

[24] Majmū’ Rasā’il Ibn Rajab

[25] Al-Wābil Al-Sayyib

[26] Al-Qur’ān, 56:15-26

[27] Al-Qur’ān, 83:28

[28] Al-Qur’ān, 96:19

[29] Muslim, on the authority of Abu Huraira

[30] Al-Bukhāri, on the authority of Abu Huraira

[31] Muslim, on the authority of ‘Aisha

[32] Al-Tirmidhi, on the authority of ‘Amr b. ‘Abasa