99 Names Of Allah : 1 Al-Illah

By Shamsiya Noorul Quloob

Introduction | Al-Illah | Al-Akram | Al-Ahad | Al-Witr | Al-Wahid | Al-Musawwir

Bismillah 

I hope you have your pens and diaries ready! If you do not know what I am talking about please read the Introduction (click it). The first blessed name of Allah that I will be writing about from 99 “Al Asma Al Husna” is “Al-Illah” which means The Only One Deserving of worship. Before getting into the details of the name itself lets understand “Al Asma Al Husna”.

Why Are The Names Of Allah Called “Al-Asma Al-Husna”?

Asma means Names and Al Husna means most beautiful. One may ask why are they beautiful? Here are a few reasons:

1. These names explain us the attributes of perfection that exist in Allah alone, in other words they refer to the divine.

2. They are beautiful because the reward one gets for memorizing them is beautiful – JANNAH!!

3. The knowledge of knowing them and acting upon them is most beloved to Allah.
4. They are named after the most noblest – ALLAH Himself.

There Are Other Ways Of Earning Jannah – Why Memorize 99 Names?

Notice how I used “earning” jannah and not “getting” jannah. You will have to put some effort in earning it, sinning left and right and hoping for Allah’s mercy and putting all your talents in the trashcan is definitely not a path towards it. As we discussed above the knowing and acting upon Allah’s name is most beloved and dear to Allah, it is one of the most exalted, noblest and greatest of knowledge, most importantly it is also the origin of all knowledge. All other branches of knowledge are its subsidiaries and are dependent on it for their very existence. Knowledge of Allah is therefore the origin and basis of every other type of knowledge. In simple terms it means the one who knows Allah will be able to know other than Allah, and whoever is ignorant about it, then he in fact possesses greater ignorance of everything else besides Allah.

And be not like those who forgot Allah , so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient. (Al-Hashr 59:19) 

Al Illah – The Only One Deserving Of Worship.

Ready?
Make your intentions sincere and pure!
Pledge now! that after reading about this name from this very moment you will try “your best” to implement it in your life and live by it.
                       

Al-Illah means Allah is our “ebada” – the only prime entity that we need to worship. Al-Illah takes various forms, Al Illah al ma’loob and ta’laoho el kholoob which means our hearts ache, long and love to be with Allah alone. Lets bring this name into our real lives, your favorite tv serial for which you delay salaah, the tons of money you spend on your favorite holiday destination instead of giving charity, the message from a friend asking for help that you ignore etc. Do you see a pattern there? The pattern is “self,I,me”. You are feeding your nafs, entertainment is more important, enjoying on a holiday takes precedence, not spoiling your own mood by ignoring your friends message. And the funny and very wise thing here is even though you are satisfying self to its maximum you are still not happy! What does that tells you?? Ahaaa! Now the name of Allah – Al-Illah comes in * I see some of you smiling at your screens *. Do not get me wrong. We need to understand that Islam allows us to enjoy life, to entertain ourselves and to travel but in moderation and whilst keeping a balance in our deen and our duniya.

“Contentment is the greatest door that one enters to Allah, it is the source of tranquility for the worshiper and paradise on earth. Whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise in the Hereafter.” - Ibn Taymiyyah 

Therefore, do not be greedy to find your contentment in worshipping, dedicating and humbling yourself to Allah alone. The problem arises when the nafs starts controlling you instead of you controlling the nafs. The tv serial can wait – you need Al-Illah first so go offer your salaah. Because by our very fitrah and essence of being we were born to love Allah. Want to test your fitrah? Think of those days when nobody understood you or when you experienced a big failure, who did you turn to? Who did you cry and beg in front of whilst making sajda, sometimes properly and some times by just hugging and sleeping on your prayer mat till there were no tears left.

Okay Okay Give Me Some Direct Steps To Implement This Name In My Life.

There are countless ways in which you can live by Al-Illah in your life. I will share 3 ways – please note it down in your diaries or print it and stick it at a place where you can see it and hence will be reminded.

1. Wake Up For Fajr On Time : Al-Illah is more important than the comfort of a little more sleep (to make this easy go to bed on time by 10 or 11pm sharp).

2. Perfect Your Hijab : The earnings that peak out from the lobes of your ears or the bangs that make you look a little more beautiful are less important than fulfilling the command of Allah and humbling yourself before him.

3. Join Dawah Bandwagon : You have a talent. Everyone does. Recognize it and dedicate some part of it in the way of Allah. It can be sharing a hadith on your wall daily, writing articles for an Islamic organization, volunteering in charity fundraisers, gifting Qur’an to a non muslim friend, making inspirational youtube videos – its totally your call.

                         

Through the above 3 ways you will be worshipping, humbling and dedicating yourself to Allah which is the what the name Al-Illah stands for. You can start with these 3 and as the time goes by you can modify and add more things. Remember the heart is void of any life, comfort, happiness, security and tranquility without knowing its Lord, Deity and Creator, and without Allah being more beloved to it than anything else.

I would love to hear your stories. Was it easy living by Al-Illah? Did it give you comfort? Did you achieve tranquility? Share your stories :)

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