Al-Qabid القابض (The Restrainer, The Constrictor)

This Name of Allah azawajal can be seen in the Qur’an:

‘Who is the one who would give Allah a good loan so that Allah multiplies it for him many times? Allah withholds and extends, and to Him you are to be returned. ’ [2:245]

Al-Qabid is specifically translated here as Allah ‘witholding’. Looking into the tafseer of the Ayah, the first part of the loan mentions a metaphor. For example, when you spend for the sake of Allah azawajal. But you know that everything belongs to Allah azawajal. The fact that you give in Allah’s cause can mean that what you have given can increase or can decrease. But you must know that Allah azawajal can give you the ultimate prize of Jannat-al-firdous.

The root word involving Qaf-Ba-Daad can apply to more means which are:

To take with hand by actual touch/feel

To close

To grasp

To clutch

To seize

To contract/draw/collect together

To take possession

To contract the heart

This can be in reference to birds to contract their wings and take quick flight. There is also reference to life and death, light and darkness and abundance of rain which Allah provides to the earth.

In what language can you find translation and meaning that can all be applied which makes sense? The beauty of the language of the Qur’an alone is Allah’s miracles. All these translations can be applied and we can understand Allah azawajal more than ever.

Who better can give other than Allah?

Who better is a reply on giving and withholding when you’re in need of it more other than Allah?

It is truly none other than Allah azawajal

Personally, I know personally people are going through things in their live.

i.                     A broken heart. Allah holds your heart in His azawajal Hands. If you leave Him in your heart then anything in the world can be taken from you but your heart can never be broken again. Your belongs to Allah my beloved Ukhti and with Allah watching over it, I am sure that Allah will make your heart whole again.

ii.                    All the hardships at once.  My dear Ukhti, you may be going through so much at once right this minute but know that Allah will never put so much strain in your heart that you cannot bear. Trust in Allah, for Allah is always mending our hearts and healing our hearts through the constrictions. Allah has the ability to protect you from falling into the traps of the dunya. Allah provides you confidence that His azawajal Mercy is greater so don’t despair for Allah controls everything. Wouldn’t you want the Best of Planners to oversee all your affairs? So seek Al-Qabid

iii.                  Only wanted this one thing in this dunya. My dear beloved uhkti, Allah is Al-Qabid and He azawajal has truely withheld but the reason may be to protect you, the reason could be something better come along or it can mean your path into Jannat al fridous for your patience and diligence on the path of Allah azawajal. If you continue down this road, Allah azawajal will direct you to where you are supposed to be and what He azawajal has planned for you. So don’t give up, keep seeking and try all things. Because Allah is the Ever-Watchful and guiding you this very minute for your success in this world and hereafter. Be content with Allah’s decision and you shall have the richest heart in the world that has Allah as the only occupant of your heart,

Practical applications

a.       Give to charity for Allah provides you means and wealth.

b.       This name can be extended to Allah is protecting you from withholding something from you that may be wrong so seek Allah’s protection so trust in Allah azawajal

c.        Become a person who helps others to unconstraint their hearts. Remind them of Allah azawajal and show that Allah is already providing for them and that there is always a reward from having something withheld from them and for feeling the constriction in the heart.

There is much more to this name of Allah azawajal so keep researching, keep seeking and learn cradle to the grave. Aim to become beloved to Allah azawajal because it is Him azawajal that we shall return to.

Reference:

1.        http://wahiduddin.net/words/99_pages/qabid_20.htm

2.        http://www.onislam.net/english/reading-islam/understanding-islam/belief/allah/449808-al-qabid-al-bassit-the-withholder-the-extender.html

3.        http://www.suhaibwebb.com/relationships/withthedivine/al-qaabid-al-baasit/

(image created by Art Malik, app can be downloaded)

Unshakable

As-salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa baraktuh,

SubhanAllah, FOSIS (http://fosis.org.uk/) held an incredible dinner today called 'UNSHAKABLE'

When you are going through hardship and your about to give up because your struggling I want you to think about this...

in the case of a believer, there is always going to be struggles. The Prophets (peace be upon them all) struggled: Prophet Ayub AS lost his wealth, his children and his health. Yet he remained patient and said 'Alhamduillah'. Ibrahim AS was put to great tests by Allah when asked to leave his family in the desert, when he was to slaughter his own son and even when they threw him into the blazing fire. Yet, he trusted in Allah azawajal and passed the test of faith. Yusuf AS was thrown into prison for false allegations for years and his own brothers left him to die in the desert because they were jealous. Yet it was to Yusuf AS was freed from all false allegations and given a lofty position. His brothers came to seek provisions from him during the famine and his family was returned to him.  Nuh AS struggled when no one listened and including his own son. Yet Allah gave him better family and children who believed in Allah azawajal. Muhammad SAWS was an orphan and faced loss of loved ones year after year. He was persecuted for years for his pure belief. He has to leave his beloved home and faced great trials that no other mankind has faced. Subhan’Allah, I cannot even begin to convey the struggled faced by our beloved prophet Muhammad SAWS and so I highly suggest that you read the Seerah of the Prophet SAWS).

What do they all have in common?  

These Prophets (peace be upon them all) had an unshakable connection, unshakable emaan, unshakable faith, unshakable trust, unshakable believe in Allah and the hereafter.
Everything a believer does is beneficial and is never wasted. The sweetness of the struggle and outcome may be felt straight away or you may wait until the hereafter. Remain upon the truth and become unshakable and in return you are promised Jannah. So you might be thinking... ‘‘but these amazing people are Prophets (peace be upon them) and who am I compared to them?’’

However, everyone has the potential to be untouchable just make your connection with Allah azawajal strong and firm.

Let me give you a story of slave who became untouchable and unshakable:

Bilal (RA) was a slave who came to the belief of Allah (for more detailed story: http://www.sln.org.uk/storyboard/stories/i3.htm ). For his belief in Islam, Bilal (RA) was punished severely; he was dragged across Makkah, he was starved, beaten, he was stretched, he was placed under all torture methods that people could think of and finally he was placed under a rock and left there during the high heat of the entire day. The continued to torture his until he denounced his faith from Islam but even under the most extreme torture condition Bilal remained in his words ‘Ahad-one Allah’.

Many Muslims at this time was tortured and the Prophet SAWS told them that it was permissible to denounce Islam under conditions that threatened there life as long as the emaan was alive in their heart. Yet Bilal was never to be broken. For his struggle and his unshakable belief, the Prophet SAWS asked Bilal RA to give the call to prayer, the Azan. The Azan is the Sunnah of Bilal RA and when the Muslims had won the conquest of Makkah, Bilal (RA) was told to get on top of the Kaba and give the call!

SubhanAllah, in the sight of Allah azawajal look at this beautiful outcome. Bilal was a slave and the stone was placed on top of him, yet look with his unshakable emaan he was on top of the Kabaah calling all the Muslims.

Life is a test and we all live in difficulty. The more you practise Islam, the more difficult your life will become. The most tested were The Anbya (Prophets) peace be upon them. We should not move away from the difficulty or away from Allah. W should become closer to Allah, become unshakable, become untouchables and receive the rewarded from Allah azawajal.

Finally be patient as our ultimate goal is Janaah (Heaven)!

 

Practical Application:

Studying Islam gives us the solutions we need.

1)    Read the Qur’an frequently

2)    Be aware of the ayats in the Qur’an

3)    Attach yourself to the Book of Allah

4)    And never forget: Every single human on this earth will have to face the reality of death. If we forget then we may go astray. So it’s important to hold firm and remember death frequently as it strikes a balance.

Insha’Allah this beautiful reminder and event from FOSIS is beneficial to you as it has been to me Al’hamduillah.

JazakaAllah khayr.

Fi’amanillah