99 Beautiful Names of Allah by Sheikh Muhammmad Al Yaqoubi
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Transcript of 99 Beautiful Names of Allah by Sheikh Muhammmad Al Yaqoubi
The Ninety nine beautiful names of Allah (Mighty and Majestic)
Part one December 2009
By Arfan Shah (Sheikhy Notes)
From the all-Merciful to the Subtle
اللطيف - الرحمن
Sheikh Faisal Abdurrazak
We are commanded with nothing but the love his family
A father treats his sons with love
How would a grandfather treat his grandson? The grandfather would love him and what about the
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) for his grandsons? Hadith,
“Whoever loves him; loves me; whoever hates him; hates me.”
He would prolong his prostrations to not disturb Hassan and Hussain when they used to climbing on
his when he was praying this was out of respect for them
The love for the martyrs of Karbala is a Sunni not a Shia thing
Imam As-Shaf’i (may Allah show him mercy) said, “Love of the family of the prophet is obligatory
according to us.”
Sa’ad once asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) about
the time of the hour. He replied what have you prepared for it? He prepared nothing but love
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
First lesson: day one
"Say: 'Call on Allah or call on the All-Merciful, whichever you call upon, the Most Beautiful Names
are His.''" (17:110)
“Allah! There is no deity except Him! To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names.” Qur'an 20:8
He possesses the most beautiful names so call on by them
This what we will be doing – to know him by his names
This is something that has been given to us
Studying his names is important
The least of which is to respond to the divine command in the Quran
We need to know their meanings
Knowing Allah (the Exalted) is the best type of knowledge – this is the highest knowledge
The study of theology – it means the knowledge of knowing God but it went astray
This is the knowledge of Tahweed
To know what is necessary for the divine being
Allah (the Exalted) is better than everything and you cannot compare him
He is creator we are creation
You cannot compare anything to him
In terms of the order of books Quran, Tafsir, tahweed, hadith, fiqh, usul al-fiqh, philosophy, novels
Knowing Allah (the Exalted) is the noblest thing
We learn the proofs to his omniscience, unmatchless and the incomparable
When we know something in the Dunya we mean something different
We know people in a different way but to know Allah (the Exalted) then it is not similar
Allah (the Exalted) is unlike created beings
Allah (the Exalted) is beyond directions and beyond places
Allah (the Exalted) cannot be contained by a place
The more proofs you know the firmer your faith will be until you derive from everything that he is
one
Reflect on everything on an hourly basis this should bring your attention that there is one creator
That way you’ll see more proofs to the existence of Allah (the Exalted)
Looking in the books of theology you’ll find more proofs
Fakhruddeen Al-Razi knew over 1000 proofs to the existence of Allah (the Exalted)
The church claims that they have 25 proofs to Jesus being god but these are rejected which lead to a
spread atheism in the west
Islam laid down these proofs down, one after another
Thomas Aquinas uses the proofs of the Muslims
Allah (the Exalted) praised the intellect in the Quran
Everyone of us has unlimited proofs all it takes is reflection
If you want to know Allah (the Exalted) then find proofs from your surroundings
Looking at different fruits like the varying names of Allah (the Exalted)
It’s the flowers are arranged together and indicate to a name; the white and black flower the bringer
of live and the bringer of death – there is a contrast between the flowers
Opposite names is the one who takes the lives of oppressors Al-Mumit
If you contrast names from death to live
If you look at Al-Mumit alone and it needs to be looked Al-Muhyi
There is a bright side to every name
These names Allah (the Exalted) revealed for us so that we know him and he wanted us to call upon
him
It is impossible to know the essence (Dhat) of Allah (the Exalted)
We know the way to him – metaphorically - as you cannot reach him by traversing a path.
None of your worship benefits Allah (the Exalted) but it makes a difference to us
The person is affected by the meaning of the name used
Whatever name you call upon him makes no difference to but it makes a difference to you
I allow me proceed by welcoming you and we are warming you up now
We have many freshmen who are here for the first time
We have people who have come from far away USA and china
This is great honour for me to put your trust in me
All my knowledge is from Him (Allah (the Exalted))
The one who trained and taught me is my father read fatiha for him
Unless you are grateful then you won’t get an increase
We ask Allah (the Exalted) to grant us success to complete this course in this cold weather
Learning something is the key to acting upon it
We learn so we can practice more
This is a course on akhira not Dunya
We are not here to boast of what we learnt
Calling on his names increases your faith
Every name presents an example
Someone know Allah (the Exalted) through a particular name
Some people see Allah (the Exalted) as the all knowledge and worship through this
Some know him as the giving and when they have not then do not know
You should know Ar-Razzaq/the provider then you should know Al-Qahir/the compeller
Know Al-Wahab/the giver and know the Al-Manni’/the withholder
This increases your faith and protects you from falling into disbelief or the least stopping from
objecting
Many of you are going through tough times and are those who are not it is strange
When the salaf saw someone who was fit and healthy they would flee from him – as they think that
is something wrong but now we think the opposite
We run from those in tribulations – giving is depriving him from reward
You need to know these names so you can enjoy worship
You know him as the provider and when does not then it is the same
This is a manifestation of divine name
His names are Him not ours
You are not the one who gave him these names he gave names
Allah (the Exalted) gives names
You cannot address with any name you like or attribute a name to him
God is not his name, khuda is not his name, deau is not his name
Is there anyone called Khalid here does it work if I call you immortal?
Sheikh Faisal what does your name mean? Criterion does it mean the same?
When we call Allah (the Exalted) with a translated name then does it work?
There is a way to address Allah (the Exalted) with perfect adab/manners
The word Allah (the Exalted) is his name and He revealed it no one decided to call him this
Allah (the Exalted) taught Adam the names of everything including the big and large pot according to
Ibn Abbas
The Arabic language was revealed – according to the linguistics – other languages were
developments
Kitab means book and taught Adam (upon him peace) the name. Adam then showed them to the
angels.
Allah (the Exalted) commanded the angels to tell him the names but they did not know showing
them the virtue of Adam
Human beings are better than angels. Common believers are better than common angels. The
Prophets and Messenger are better than the angels
If Allah (the Exalted) taught Adam (upon him peace) the names of everything then why do we object
about the knowledge of the Prophet?
How were the names of abstract things like honesty, generosity then showed Adam or generosity
was shown in a certain form
In one hadith your prayer comes as being on the day of judgement as does your charity
Death is shown as a sheep on the day of judgement
Death is something abstract as it is the end of life
Showing those in their respective that they will remain there eternally
Allah (the Exalted) is the name of essence and every other name is an attribute
When you saw Allah (the Exalted) you include every attribute
So when someone knows Allah (the Exalted) is different to knowing his names
When you know Allah (the Exalted) then you are stable and you do not change
Only those on disbelief should be unhappy
I do not want to see anyone unhappy of you because have Allah (the Exalted)
You need to be happy
Don’t be upset when you don’t have a job be happy with Allah (the Exalted)
When you have found Allah (the Exalted) then you have the most important thing
You need to surrender your will to his
There is no way to translate the word Allah – it is matchless
When Pharaoh claimed divinity he did not change his name
Other names might be shared with some conditions.
You can describe someone as being a giver/wahab
Merciful/rahim
Rabb/ Lord belongs to Allah but this can be used as compound noun as Rabb Al-Usra/ Lord of the
family
Al-Rahman is not used for human beings
Musaylamiah the lair called Ar-Rahman Al-Yamama and his lies were revealed and no one else
shares this with him
The first thing that any child utters is Allah, Allah
In Syria they train children to say Ugha which is assyriaic for Allah.
In Morrocco they train children to say Qul Allah
The word Allah is so easy to say
You can breathe the name of Allah
Even your breath should be dhikr
The Awliya breathe worship
Even invest your breath with dhikr
Every part indicates to Allah هللا, Alif means the one – delete the first alif then you getهلل Illah –
removing the first alif means to him له then deleting the second alif then it mean ه huw meaning he.
The circle in the ha symbolises His power – the scholars emphasis writing Allah in this way
You always pause with sukoon when you recite Arabic
Autography is the rules of writing and calligraphy is the way of writing
There are weak narrations that the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him)
ordered Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to make a long ba
This tradition is practiced even though it was weak
The word dhat meaning essence but it also means the feminine of dhu ‘ilmin which means possessor
of knowledge
This is different is a feminine but dhat is not feminine when it refers to Allah – we do not mean a
gender – they even make the ta long to indicate this
The name of Allah has no dots similar to the name Muhammad as dots distinguish one letter from
another
As you do not have veil between you and Allah (the Exalted)
Ayn and ghayn only have a dot as a difference – ayn is the truth and ghayn is the veil
The Sufis say if you want to know Allah remove the dot of the ghayn and the ayn the truth will be
revealed to you
The dotting system was added during the time of hallaj
Half of the letters are dotted and the others are not
Dots were the first things to be added to the Quran
Some scholars used to write without dots until the fourth century
Look at the letters sent to the kings by the prophet
People would know because their vast knowledge of Arabic
Allah and the name of the Messenger has no dots
Allah (the Exalted) loves praise – he loves you to do it but Allah does not benefit
If you praise Allah (the Exalted) after sinning then the punishment is postponed
Shyness is a praiseworthy quality
Would you slander someone who is supporting you? Allah (the Exalted) is giving you – don’t you feel
ashamed when you transgress against him or you have bad thoughts about
He has been giving you even before you learn to ask!
Ibn Abbas did not owe anyone any money but a man claimed that he owed him. The man rushed
then Ibn Abbas told him to say wallah and not wallah Al-Azeem. Then he said wallah al-Azeem then
left the masjid after making the oath then died. They asked him what did he do but he wanted to
praise Allah to delay the punishment. See the impact of praising Allah. The person was a lair
Second lesson
We were talking about the name Allah
We cannot translate the names
The translation of the names of Allah (the Exalted) so we cannot translate the names
It is less obvious with Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem – when we go through the names we shall see that it is
impossible to translate them
The history of the Arabic word is lost
So we cannot give the same meaning or the nuances
Use them as they are in Arabic
It is not about more or less merciful
Translating them literally can give the opposite the meanings which is not recommended as in Bahr
Al-Kalam especially to mutashbiah/verses of ambiguous meaning - this is wrong to state as there is
nothing like Allah - 42:11. We instead go for the interpretation like in the verse which means the
hand of Allah is over their hand we instead say the power of Allah is above their power
When Allah said ‘asa/ عصى Adam it does not mean disobey, as we understand, we say Allah knows
best its meaning as we know that prophets are perfect people
I encourage translators and writers to explain not translate
The names of Allah (the exalted) are revealed
The sources of the names of Allah are the Quran and Sunnah
We have attributes of completion that are impossible for Allah – like getting married is completion
for us not this is impossible for Allah (the Exalted)
We cannot use synonyms like ‘alim for ‘Alieem
We cannot affirm the names of Allah (the Exalted) in other traditions
What may be perfect for us is not perfect for Allah (the Exalted)
Allah (the Exalted) gave these names to himself in a hadith there is a dua about asking Allah (the
Exalted) with all the names he has given himself
Christology has many disagreements about the pronouncements of the name of Allah (the Exalted).
We are blessed that Allah (the Exalted) has allowed us to pronounce his name
Jewish scholars cannot pronounce the name of Allah (the Exalted)
Imagine if we were unable to pronounce his name in the Quran – this is great honour to be able to
say his name
This is a proof of Islam – the word Allah is a treasure
Idoni or asdau are names known in Aramaic
The Quran is a scared language
All Muslims recite the Quran in Arabic – tell me how many Christians can recite their prayers in
Aramaic?
They distorted the name of Allah (the Exalted) with the misunderstands of the letters
The best Jewish works are in Arabic not in Hebrew as it was abandoned then it was developed later
Letters are divided into various natures – some are hot and some are cold. Some are wet and others
are cold
Letters have natures
Sometimes we do not appreciate things until we see the opposite
When Jews recite the name Allah (the Exalted) they cannot pronounce it – they say idoni – imagine if
were forbidden to say Allah (the Exalted)
One important features of Al-Fatiha, I like to ponder why there is this word and not another, some
letters of the Arabic are not in it
There are two verses which contain the twenty eight letters of the Arabic in Sura Al-Anfal, “Thum
anzal ‘alikum gham....” and the second Sura Al-fath, “Muhammad rasulullah waldhina ‘makum...”
We are asking for things with the name Rabb as this means the one who provides
Using the word Allahumma includes all the names as well
There is only one example of the Quran using Allah Rabanna
The Quran says call on Allah or call on Ar-Rahman which means we can make dhikr of him
Six times say ya Allah
When we call someone we say ya
When we say ya Allah it does not mean distance
This is not because he is far from us but we are far from him
As much as you veil yourself from him are you far from him
Ibn Taymiyyah said you cannot say Allah on its own as it is not a sentence – the refutation of this is
by the Prophet Yusuf (upon him peace) who said Ya Allah.
Yusuf originally was Ya Yusuf then the particle was deleted
Imam As-Shadhali said saying Allah is more effective than saying ya Allah alone
Everything perishing but Him (the Exalted)
In court people say wallahi this is an oath
So be careful if you say I swear then it is an oath
When you make dhikr/remembrance of the name Allah then you are giving a different meaning
every time – you are affirming the creator
Each one affirms a different attribute
We are not just repeating
So this the beautiful proofs of reciting the beautiful names
If you recite the name Al-Tawab then you’ll repent even if you do not like it – so if you keep it up
then people will repent at your hand
This is an example of one the names of Allah (the Exalted)
Abu Hurayrah narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon
him), “Allah has ninety names anyone who innumerate’s them enters Paradise.” Al-Bukhari
We praise Allah (the Exalted) for making us Muslims and knowing him
It is a great honour to say Allah (the Exalted)
This is enough of a blessing
We need to embrace their meanings – instead of the word innumerate as there are other definitions
to this word
Al-Qahar/ the oppressor – so how do we benefit from this name. Al-Qahar means the will of him
which is executed above all other wills
It is haram/unlawful to oppress
Some things were are not aware of like the night of power in Ramadan
Umar ibn Al-Khattab did not deviate after he was promised paradise. He continued doing good
actions
Five names of Allah are mentioned in Al-Fatiha: Malik, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, Allah, Rabb
Some words are one word others are two or compound nouns
Next time you read the Quran and reach a name then pause and reflect
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
Day two
Lesson three
We talked about names now we are going to talk about how much we need to call Allah (the
Exalted)
Allah informed us of his names, say Allah is one (112), Allah (the Exalted) is the creator of all things
When you say Allah what do you think of? An apple? A book? You should not envision anything (it is
prohibited)
There is no way that the human mind can visualise anything – you can visualise the divine name
Distractions can be something as small as a fly
If you call upon Allah (the Exalted) for some of his bounties and it does not work because only those
with nothing are given. You claim knowledge then how could you ask for more? You have to leave all
your claims and then ask for more
An increase needs a feeling that you need more
Great Arifeen do five minutes of dhikr which is better than your 10 hours because of their sincerity,
intention, presence of heart etc. You should not be concerned about time but concerned about your
concentration
Do not count the time that you are doing dhikr
One of the Awliya asked are you counting for Allah? He was seen with a tasbih in his hand. No I am
not counting Allah I am counting for myself – I am counting what I present to him
The benefit of the dhikr comes back to you
All secrets are attained through the name Allah
Seekers who make dhikr with the name Allah will be kings of the seekers
Ibn Arabi said Allah is the king of all names أسواء هالك
When you make dhikr you drown in an ocean of what is accessible and what is not accessible
The barzargh is the transition period between death and life – this is unseen to us (the grave)
When you forget about Allah then it might be taken from you
This name burns all lust – maintain dhikr of Allah (the Exalted) to burn it away – do it seven times
every prayer for those who are not in tariqah and see the impact of it on your lusts
The disciples of Imam Abu l’Hassan As-Shadhali (may Allah be pleased with him) would say Allah
from morning to evening, they prayer, they work but they do not speak any unnecessary words.
They say Allah, Allah, Allah
When you can gesture then you do not need to speak
Maintaining the dhikr of Allah replaces and effaces your passions
If there is a disease in your heart then to say Allah (the Exalted) removes it
Make your breaths dhikr Allah – none stop dhikr
In the Guinness book of records someone sang for 18 hours
I should not have any complaints against their partner
One man complained about his wife praying when he came home – her obligation her is to her
husband
Doing the obligation of the time that you are in
Sidi Ahmed Zarruq said that numbers defined in the sacred law have secrets like 33 time subhanullah
and you do not apply the sunnah when do 34.
According to an hadith the Prophet stood at the minbar and told about the events to the end of time
The number seven has a significance seven layers of heaven; seven times we go around the Ka’aba
The Arabic letters contain a secret
The words abjad hawaz not alif, ba , ta
In a weak narration they state that they are names of angels
ابجد هوز حطى كلمن سعفص قرشت ثخذ ضظغ1,2,3,4 -5,6,7 – 8, 9, 10 – 20, 30, 40, 50 – 60, 70, 80, 90 – 100, 200, 300, 400 – 500, 600, 700 – 800,
900, 1000 (its in reverse order)
The numbers allow you to reach a goal
The chess board of the Gnostics is different written by Ibn Arabi – space of nifaq/hypocrisy,
yaqeen/certainty etc
The least of chess is that it is controversial with some conditions
People get promoted and can move faster
After promotion you get struggle
If you do not struggle then there are no words
We reach him when we please him with our servitude towards him
Some scholar played sixty boards without looking
There are names referring to the essence
Allah (the Exalted) is with us always and sometimes different names are manifest but not physically
As there are different attributes at different times
When you ask for something you do not deserve then you are not that is not written for you – just
ask for Allah (the Exalted)
When you want Allah (the Exalted) then he will give you everything
Business people have everything so don’t you think the Awliya have everything – the difference that
business people are scared of losing things
Whatever occurs to you mind you occupy space in the mind of the Wali so he answers
When you opt for Allah (the Exalted) then you get it but you opt for anything else then you will never
be happy with it
Happiness stems from your love of Allah - be a true servant
To be a true servant be in need of Allah
There are people who work for 20 years and get more debt and they accept it
Not all people have this
We shall move on to the rest of the names
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
Day two: second session
الرحمن الرحيمThe most merciful, the most compassionate
These are two names derived from rahima رحن it means mercy and compassion but these are
dissimilar to human traits. In the forms فعيل فعالى
Allah (the Exalted) is beyond perfection
Mercy is an inclination of the heart
Mercy for us is tenderness or softness – in the needs of others who need assistance
We cannot bring our understandings and compare it to his attributes
This is an action of the heart (mercy)
This is not the same for Allah
Ya Arham Ar-Rahmeen الرحويي ارحن يا this is not a name
Ar-Rahman is not shared with anyone – this is attribute of the essence of Allah
Some opinions are Ar-Rahman is for great things and Ar-Raheem is for minor things
Sidi Ahmed Zarruq (may Allah show him mercy) said describes his essence and it shows the need of
all things to him
A fatha on the mem followed by and alif alludes to the vastness of the mercy because the mouth has
be opened
He was the all-merciful before time was created
The throne is absorbed, as well as creation, in his mercy
Ar-Rahman contains secrets to other names
He has prescribed mercy for himself meaning that his mercy it not recorded for him not prescribed –
but nothing can be wajib/necessary for Allah (the Exalted)
The numerical value for Ar-Rahman is 299 – additional letters mean additional meanings
There is transitive and intransitive mercy
A generous is generous even if there is no need for it
Whole works have been written about Bismillah
Ar-Rahman is that he created the world and Ar-Rahim is that he sustains the world
Every name of Allah has impact on you
Part of this mercy is postponement of the punishment to the disbelievers is a sign of the mercy to
them
Belittle the sin is not the same because sinners can repent
You cannot address any non Muslim with Islam by hatred
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings be upon him) used to feel grief
because they did not accept Islam
Cry at home because people have not accepted Islam
Islam has been distorted by Muslims before non Muslim - the distortion of Islam started during the
colonial period
This is why we have not seen mass conversions to Islam
We have changed our understanding of the mercy of Islam
Allah (the Exalted) describes the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) as
merciful and compassionate to the believers
Allah’s mercy is leading you to worship
There is no mercy for unbelievers
We receive mercy in whatever state we are in
We need to show people merciful
Do not look down on the sinner as he may become great men of Allah
We show unbelievers kindness so they become Muslims
You cannot address any non Muslim with hatred
Islam has been promoted wrongly in the west funded by oil money
Even four hundred years ago there were mass conversions because we have changed the core of the
Islam which is mercy
There one part of mercy is present and the rest are with Allah (the Exalted)
O Allah show us this mercy afterlife, to forgive us, leading us to you
الوالكThe King
The absolute ruler or king
They describe part of it but it does not give the full meaning
Malik is the one who owns everything without being in need of everything
Political protocol, emperor, king and president
A king cannot be called a king without kingdom – this does not apply with Allah (the Exalted)
Allah (the Exalted) owns us
Some of the impact and the secrets of this name, if you say ya Malik ninety times then you are given
control over your lusts
You cannot say ya Malik to become a king because they will kick you out of this country
Allah (the Exalted) is not asked what he does but they will be asked
A sale of something you do not own is invalid
We are owned by Allah (the Exalted)
He is the owner of the day of reckoning so should he not be an owner of you in this life?
There will no one who claims anything on the day of judgement
القدوس
The sanctified
It means being beyond similarity and change. He cannot be addressed with any deficient
descriptions
Allah (the Exalted) is no need of anything nor does he change
Sura Al-Ikhlass tells us about him
Change is a sign of contingent beings/hawdith (I.e. Humans)
Each one of his attributes are unchangeable
Kings change in malyaisa every five years they mean sultan
If you do this dhikr you will be purified from darkness
these two are perfect praise of Allah (the Exalted) as they negate imperfection قدوس سبوح
People who do this will purify their hearts
These dhikr prefects any negation on your reputation, people will praise you
السالم
The source of all peace
We do not change Islam according to political times
Islam is a religion of peace
The greeting Salam alikum is not something new
Peace does not mean we surrender our lands, or surrender our resources
Modernists tell a different story as they focus on this but Islam is more than one thing
These people are speechless when someone quotes the Quran about killing disbelievers
You are not allowed to kill anyone in this country
When there is a war between countries when you fight in war under the ruler of a country
Jihad is not untaken by individuals
We do not make ourselves nice for them
They have been killing us but we have nice to them for centuries
Islam is peace, we gave the flowers and they sent flowers
In a poem I wrote
Every religion is a source of peace but they have been distorted
Christianity does not allow fighting
Salam protects between two ends
Enemies who meet in the street and exchange greetings
Salam means peace and safety
There are red lines that people do not cross – saying salam is for Allah (the Exalted) and you do not
turn away. Visit him if he is sick
You people argue in the houses of parliament they look like they are going to kill each other but
tomorrow you’ll see them having dinner
This is balance between other qualities
The name protects against the opposite like anger
This is the middle course of two ends
There are people who do greet each other so when the lesson finishes greet each other for the sake
of Allah (the Exalted)
You cannot tell your wife that she is stupid or insult her or when you disagree with her father. What
has it to do with her?
Salam is safety the best type is safety from sins
This destroys their lust with this
There are actions of Allah (the Exalted) and attributes cannot be derived from them
Salam and Islam are similar but one has no alif at the beginning
Our ancestors had red lines that they never crossed
When you disagree on one thing then that does not mean war between two parties
When you say ya salam then you are accepting the decree of Allah (the Exalted)
We need to make worship natural in our bodies and this should be like breathing
Allah (the Exalted) controls our hearts and this is not done according to our will but to his
So your worship should move against your will
Islam means to submit and surrender to the divine
Hadith, “A Muslim is he who does not harm anyone by his tongue or his hand.” Bukhari and Muslim
We are not tired to eat but we are tired to pray
We struggle to worship Allah (the Exalted)
Your last breath is taken against your will
We pray that Allah (the Exalted) takes us in the best form with the best ending
The slavery system in the west is something totally alien to Islam
You see people who worked as porters cannot rid themselves of the same behaviour because they
are accustomed to it
الوؤهيصدق –آمن
The granter of security
Is the one who gives security and not threat or the source of security
He confirms our true statement of him
The best humans are the Prophets (upon them peace)
Allah (the Exalted) did not task with tomorrows prayers but guaranteed you tomorrow’s provision
There is no suffering without wisdom
Allah (the Exalted) does not breach his promise
You should not be shaken the victory is close
This is statement of the followers not the prophets (When is the victory of Allah?)
No one should doubt the promise of Allah (the Exalted)
Allah (the Exalted) loves us and our relationship with his is not that of an oppressor and the
oppressed
When anything does wrong it due to our behaviour
When they ask why Allah (the Exalted) is allowing suffering
There is mercy in everything done to you
The father gives the child the injection although the father is seeing the child suffering – the mother
flees out of mercy but the father gives the injection
This pain is to prevent a greater pain
In the child unsafe with their parents? Normally parents take care of their children but we are in safe
hands with Allah (the Exalted)
Allah (the Exalted) loves you before you loved him and you did not repent but that he had already
accepted it
Do you think your dua was the cause? Allah (the Exalted) has already decided (to forgive you) before
the worlds were created
May people get happy when they get dua answered but this was decreed before the heavens were
created that he was going to give you what you asked. It is a great blessing to open your hands
This strengths your faith
It grants you safety and the people will believe you if you spoke the truth; as long as it is truth or the
punishment is severe if you are not telling the truth
المهيمن شاهد
The guardian
Allah (the Exalted) is witnessing everything as he is with us by his authority and superiority
It is not like a person who is passing by and witnesses something
This refers to speech and knowledge
Wherever you go you aware that you are being watched
Ibrahim ibn Adam (may Allah be pleased with him) asked for advice to commit a sin somewhere he
told him to go somewhere were someone won’t see him, or eat from other than his provision
Should we not feel embarrassed or ashamed? When he witnesses us
How can you disobey Allah (the Exalted) when he sees you?
You might see something but your eyes might deceive you
One of the ways that our eyes deceive us is when we put a stick into water and it looks as if it bends
Like the stars look so close and so small
Your nafs comes under your control and awareness of Allah (the Exalted)
العزيزThe almighty
Meaning the unreachable and the untouchable
No one can overcome him or overcome his authority
Part of the meaning is power
Everything is under his authority
‘Iz means overcomer and rare
Mighty belongs to Allah (the Exalted) who grants it to his Messenger and the believers
Something that is rare is ‘aziz and ‘aziz can be mighty
A servant of Allah (the Exalted) chooses Dhikr
Someone who recites this won’t be defeated
Every servant take honour from the one they serve so what about the one who are servants to Allah
Allah (the Exalted) called us our servants ‘ibadhi
It is wrong for a Muslim to display arrogance over others
You’ll chose worship over the Dunya
One of the greatest books is by Hakim at-Tirmidhi called Al-farooq – a book of several qualities
One of the companions was showing his power before battle. The Prophet (may Allah bestow peace
and blessings upon him) said this is a walk that Allah dislikes except here. In battle. This is why the
Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) commanded to show their strength when
performing tawaf to show the disbelievers their might
When I landed I told them that I would give each name five minutes then I thought that I would give
ten minutes and now I think that we won’t finish the course!
Someone accepted Islam after this lecture
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
Day three: lesson one
الجبار
The compeller
The one who amends all affairs when they are about to go wrong
Al-Jabbar is the one who comes to broken hearts to mend them
No one can go against him
He amends the broken and forces someone to do something against their will
Filling the hearts of the broken with joy it does not take money
Cheering up a person who has lost a loved one or someone who has a loss of wealth
Hadith, “A good word is charity.”
When you do dhikr of the name you’ll be protected from oppressors
Allah will support you and you benefit from them
You can recite ya jabbar 206 times on the broken bone and it will heal quickly
Imam Ghazali (may Allah show him mercy) said Jabbar is the one who is followed and does not
follow
The Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) took the guidance of earlier
Messengers but not themselves it was from Allah (the Exalted)
He said, “If Musa was alive he would follow me.”
They followed his guidance
He said, “I am the master of the children of Adam without boast.” At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah
المتكبرThe Majestic
This is the one whose authority is untouchable and the one who surrender their command to
It is praiseworthy quality for Allah (the Exalted)
It is an attribute of his essence
It is dissimilar to human pride
This is an attribute of perfection
A person of noble lineage, knowledge and wisdom even if he works in a low job – he will be
honoured
Allah (the Exalted) is beyond all examples
We begin our prayer with the word Allah akbar/ Allah is the greatest
When you raise your hands you are showing that nothing is more important than prayer
When people know that Allah is Mutakabir then they leave this
People have to have full reliance when using this name
When someone needs to have certain conditions when they do this or ask for the quality and they
will be punished
If you are void of good works
رى المصورالق البالخا قدرة إرادة الحكمة
The creator, the Maker, the fashioner of forms
The creator al-Khaliq bring something from non-existence into existence
Allah (the Exalted) created you and your actions
Is the creator similar to creation? No, they are not the same
I recommend using the word create when you create a file on Microsoft file
Creation belongs to Allah (the Exalted)
You are changing something
Cloning does not represent any challenge to our dogma because it is development – it is not creating
something from nothing
They can clone something as we see everything is cloning things as we are accustomed to see things
If you want to challenge the scientist then bring them into an empty room and then put them in
their for a thousand years and ask them to bring a monkey
They might bring a monkey and two people or two or three monkey
Al-Bari prepares everything to take its form and Al-Musawir is the one who gives it form
Al-Bari means to originate
Al-Bari precedes Al-Khaliq
Al-Khaliq refers to decree, Al-Bari to desire and Al-Musawir to wisdom
Look at the perfection of the human form
Look at the eyes of humans, the insects that change colour
Allah (the Exalted) prepared animals in their environments
Fish to breathe in water
Why the camel does not get thirsty due to its water storage
Khalid ibn Walid was in Qadiyyasah and Abu Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) was
in near Damascus. Umar heard that there was a great amount of enemy being prepared for the
battle of Yarmuk. Khalid picked the most courageous fighters and the best horses then made them
thirsty then gave them lots of water. Then did not allow the horses to urinate. No one crossed the
Syrian Desert, not Alexander. They would have to come either south of Syria or in Atlas mountains in
Turkey – this would take too long. They killed some of the camels and horses then they carried the
water from the camels and horses. He arrived and they took the Byzantines by surprise
Who made camels able to bear thirst?
If you have a good voice then chant for us
If you want camels to travel faster then you need to train faster with monochrome
You can recite slowly and then speed up
There was a reciter called Salama was asked to show his skills by Haroon Ar-Rashid. He told him to
bring camels and make them thirst, bring them to me and give them water. They began to drink then
he sang and they stopped to listen to him
I met people who walked to Mauritania to Damascus to go to hajj - they came walking
I met a person Sheikh Muhammad Al-Tibir he walks in Medinah barefoot because of his adab with
the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessing upon him). To show respect to the
land of Medinah. If you do it then you’ll have cuts
Allah created everything with great wisdom – look at the camel
Allah (the Exalted) did not make anything imperfect
Al-Khaliq wa Al-Khallaq is the bringer of something new
Don’t lend your ears to satan he only whispers to those who lend an ear
This gets rid of bad thoughts
Then this develops until it destroys him
Recite Al-Khallaq to remove this
Allah (the Exalted) will bring new character in you
Reciting this bring new thoughts
Al-Bari is from to heal
Recite seven thousand times for two – three years and you’ll gain the power to heal and if you want
to be a healer you have to work
One of my relative studied in Russia for seven years he asked for a dhikr
This is too long, can’t you give something that’ll take a few days
You were patient to study for seven years and you cannot be patient for a few years for Allah
You have to be ready
Some people are turned away
True murids are few and the Awliya a fewer
Some find me the world population in 600, 622, 632
140,000 or thirteen thousand companions
Many people decided not to meet him
When you practice you religion then you’ll meet with lots of opposition
Most people will go against you when you practice your deen
The Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) yearned to see those he called his
brothers because they found no helpers
Would you want to give everything to see him?
We are not far from him; he sees our actions and supplicates for us
Anyone who wanted to practice the religion and they would have lots of support, a hundred years
ago
People who come to a person who fell of the straight path
If you want to taste the pleasure then you have commit yourselves
You cannot pick up what you like and sometimes doing what you do not like
You need a guide and this will help
Try to leave your worries with your shoes
Leave everything behind you and learn how to pray with pleasure
Religion is doing what Allah (the Exalted) likes and not doing what you like
Al-Musawir is for those who want children – a brother was married for seventeen year and after this
dhikr he got twins, someone in California has no children in twelve years and then they had children
that year
One of the jobs of scholars is to give answers
If you do not answer then ask
They will give a prescription
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
Day three: lesson two
First all I would like apologise
You are entitled to a full refund )it’s a free course) – I am not feeling well
الغفارThe ever forgiving
The forgiving it stems from two roots erasing and covering up
Covering is covered in the name Al-Satar
Maghrifah means that the sinner is not responsible for his sin by erasing the consequences
Covering in the world and on the day of judgement
Al-‘Afu is the one who does not punish
Al-Ghafar and Al-Ghafur mean not to open the sin and cover it
Allah (the Exalted) calls sinners my servants even those who are addicted to sins
This is glad tidings for sinners
It is Allah (the Exalted) authority to forgive
There are many verses that talk about sins
Do not think that your sins cannot be forgiven
There are many people who think they are beyond forgiveness and they think that they cannot be
forgiven
This is a trap of satan who makes you think that your sins cannot be forgiven
Allah (the Exalted) says that those who sin should not despair of the mercy of Allah; As Allah (the
Exalted) forgives all sins – for believers
And for mankind in general is that they will be forgiven if they do not commit shirk
People can be weak and they often come back
Nuh commanded his people to repent; rain, provision and male offspring will be given
The scholars say if you want offspring or male children do istighfar and they will have male children. I
have this to a man who had eight girls then he got son and anther because of repentance
When someone sins and repents they are not persisting on a sin
The people of Taqwa repent when they realise the tricks of satan – from the Quran – then they see
everything clearly
This is commentating by Ibn ‘Ataulllah from this verse in the book of illumination
This is not about sinners but people of Taqwa
Ya ‘ibada is an idadfah tashrif/ possession particle of honour
Do not lose your hope in Allah
When he repents he should believe that this is the last time that he is going to commit the sin
We can pardon people begin with family and partners
Getting upset destroys the nervous system
Don’t count each other mistakes
You see each other in the morning and the evening
Smiling takes less energy than frowning
Getting angry destroys your inner being
القهارThe subduer or the oppressor which are inadequate
This is one whose authority who is above everyone else authority
The mutabshibi does not mean that what it literally means when he said he above the throne or
above his servants – these are to show authority and it does not mean physical – this is metaphorical
and beware of anthropomorphisms as this is against the majority of the scholars of Islam
Allah (the Exalted) is unlike created beings
No one is able to rebel against him
Two directions for you
1) Direct yourself to Allah (the Exalted)
2) Taking it and reflecting it onto your nafs not your wife or children
You subdue your nafs
The dhikr of this name should remove the attachment of the Dunya
These are the latif al-Nafs directs to Dunya and Latif al-Rouh is attached to paradise/ substance of
the nafs/ego and substance of the soul
You need to control your nafs
الوهابThe bestower
The who gives without being entitled
Allah (the Exalted) does not have to give but he gives us without being worthy
It’s enough that Allah (the Exalted) created us and made us know him
We do not deserve what is given
Sometimes we see people who have money and are confused
Wealthy people who studied and are very few
When you opt for money knowledge pulls back
When you opt for knowledge then money pulls back
Our solace is that what we do not get here we get in paradise
See Sura Duha the hereafter is better than the first
He gives without reason like the ahl al-bayt
Salman Al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him) had a secret which attaches him to Ahl Al-bayt/ the
Prophetic offspring
He travelled for many years before Islam and he was taken as a slave to Medinah
He is also at the end of some Sufi chains
Ahl Al-Bayt are not sinless which what the Shia believe
Ahl Al-Sunnah do not believe that they have to repent for sins
If we see a sinner who is Ahl Al-Bayt then we still have to love him as his sin is against Allah (the
Exalted) not against us – as he may repent and Allah may forgive him said Ibn Arabi
Ahl Al-Bayt got this honour without doing anything
These are two things that I have not struggled for (lineage and being son of his father)
I believe a stone who had my blessings would speak never mind a human being
Anyone not interested in wealth
You may go to bed in the evening and get up a Wali
Not necessarily today
But one day
You should be grateful to him and look at what you have got
This is new shukr is new bounty
You get more divine gifts and you should give out
If you recite this name it will force you to show gratitude
You are going to give people
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) gave without a reason
Muadthi sent his daughter with some dates and cucumber to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah
bestow peace and blessings upon him) gave her two hand fulls of gold
He did not fear for tomorrow – he kept giving
It is not wrong to keep some for tomorrow because you might be Wali but your wife might not be
The Awliya of the women are more than the men because some women are reviving the religion
It is difficult to teach brothers and sisters because of the liberation movements
We need to be liberated from our nafs/ego
الرزاقThe Provider
I think everyone is worried about provision
He is one who sustains, supports and provides for everything – these are simplest forms
For everything there is rizq/provision
Living things and animate things
Everything has its provision
Bird have their provision had you relied on Allah (the Exalted) truly then you leave your homes
hungry and come back full like birds
Dhul noon al-Misri (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a bird with a broken wing fall on the ground.
Allah is the Provider how is it going to reach him. Two small plates came from the soil, one of water
and one of sesame seeds. This was the beginning of his journey to Allah – he became a great Wali
Thoughts, meanings, words are provision from Allah (the Exalted)
When someone is sincere then provision will come from the Sheikh
From what Allah (the Exalted) is sending to you him
Never worry about your rizq
Some people wish to have private time I apologise because I would have to meet them and have no
time for a class
Any question you have shall be answered in the classes
Many people get their questions answered
I wonder why I speak about some things and then people come up after to say they had this
question
Someone in Damascus had prepared five questions and they were answered then he said there
might be some of you with prepared questions
If you do not get it then you lack sincerity or attention
This does not depend on private meetings
You get your guidance with classes of the sheikh
You got some clarification in the classes
In my public talks I pick up a line then speak about it for an hour
I speak about things that never occurred to me
I was wondering what I was going to speak about because I had two lines and I spoke about an hour
It because of your sincerity
Allah (the Exalted) made me the means for provision
Trust in Allah
People with tight rizq may call upon 1000 times every day for example
الفتاحThe opener I do not like it
The remover of difficulties
It is the one who opens everything without means
He widens what is narrow or open the locked
Would a part of something be an instrument? There is discussion on it
When I speak to non Muslims we do not use much Arabic as this is burden
We have to make it easy for them to speak English
As they may misunderstand it
It opens the door of meaning when it is locked
Say al-Fatha to open the mind and meaning
Al-Fatha is the treaty of huddyabiyyah
Futhat is inspirations and another is Islamic conquests
Islam went from being one phase to another
Then Muslims travelled across Arabia in safety
Not this form of word means does something often
Al-Fathuah means a little bit of money in Morrocco
This quality is under Qudrah قدرة apportioning
I talked about the virtue of silence in New York someone sent a question why are you speaking
about silence with you are speaking
I warned people to use microwaves and someone asked was how can we heat food without
microwaves
العلينThe knower of all
We do not describe ‘Alam Al-Ghuyb/knower of the unseen as a compound noun
Allah’s knowledge is not acquired
Ignorance is imperfection
This is the source of all knowledge
This is the source of all revelation
Many elements in Islamic medicine was inheritance from Islam and Greek sources – it was all from
revelation as was all knowledge
They still study the miracles of the Prophet in universities
Look at the fly that was sank into the drink because one wing had an ailment and the other wing has
a cure
How can he say that without revelation?
Khidr is a Wali not a prophet
Allah (the Exalted) gave preference to those seeking knowledge
Which better? To be rich or poor? Affluence is better because Allah has wealth. Being poor is
something that you can have but not him – taking your attribute is better than his
If you are really poor then you’ll be really rich from Ibn ‘Ataullah
Honour the people of knowledge and a seeker of knowledge for the rest of your life
I have seen people do the least effort and get the best fruits. I have seen people put all efforts in and
get no fruits
Say ya ‘aleem to cure your lack of understanding
Musa said he knew more and then commanded him to follow Khidr (See Sura Al-Kahf)
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
Day four: lesson one
سطاالب القابض
The restrainer, the expander
Al-Basit is the one who gives expansion and the one who gives everyone their portion
Make a special fatiha Sheikh Sharif Al-Yaqoubi – he was the first of mufti of Ummayyad Masjid
Makki Al-Kittani said whoever saw Sheikh Sharif would enter Paradise
I saw a dream one of the Awliya who said if he could he could move the world with his little finger
He was one of my father’s teacher
He was Shadhali Sheikh
Al-Qabid is the one who restrains, puts things in order
Qabid is getting something in the hand in terms of trade
For Allah it is putting things together
Allah ordered Ibrahim to kill four birds and say ya Qabid then the birds came to him
The scholars say if you call a bird it will rest in your hand
Ya Basit removes melancholy
The one who putting things into their places
Makes them happy
It is also means to open
It also refers to opening and closing the fist
General permission is to do say it every now and then in the Quran
To do a specific wird then you need to see your sheikh
فعافض الراالخ The one who makes humble and the raiser
The debaser and the raiser they are together
Someone can use both as a balance
The invocation of these names mean you will not desire to speak to people
The way out is by Salat upon the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings be upon him)
Sheikh Abdussalam asked Jafar Al-Kittani to recite Allah without number and he said that he would
not be able to take because he was ill – if you want to do it in a retreat then you need a lot of
strength
There is not harm in dhikr but there is preparation for its secrets
The last class took a lot of energy because the amount of energy used as I thinking about each word
The brain consumes a quarter of the energy of your body
Al-Khafid debases someone from a high position to a lower position and Al-Rafia’ is the opposite
We only blame people when they do not give us enough
When you are with Allah (the Exalted) then you do not blame human beings
When someone does anything wrong to you and say what wrong did I do to Allah (the Exalted)
You should be happy that you got an alarm and you got it now. As delaying the punishment is worse
All of it is from Allah (the Exalted)
Al-Qabid is the taker of the souls
Why should you fear poverty when Allah (the Exalted) is raising and debasing
المعز المذلThe giver of honour, the giver of disgrace
Mudhil is the one whose authority everyone is under
They come in contrast with each other
Mu’iz the giver of honour – this is about his actions
He gives honour and it can be taken back – it is the meaning of Mudhil
It could be that a minister becomes a servant
All human beings have no rank with Allah (the Exalted)
There is no difference between people as he is their creator and master
When you work for a boss then you need to work and accept in front of your boss
There is nothing wrong with this
There is nothing wrong with this being in front of Allah (the Exalted)
When you asking for power then ask Allah (the Exalted)
We have honour being his servants
السميع البصيرThe all hearing, the all seeing
These are two attributes that come together
He is all seeing and the all hearing
He hears everything present
His vision of you in not limited to a time or place
This is should make you feel ashamed from committing sins
As he can see you in all your states
These two names give you state of realisation of observing oneself
Hearing comes before seeing
As hearing is important that seeing
Like the narration of the hadith is called sama’ – hearing is formed first then eyesight according to
embryologists
Ya Sama’ can help their hearing faculty and those who want to obey Allah more can say this
frequently
We need to improve our hearing so we can obey more
Saying ya basir helps eyesight and understanding
Saying ya sama’ helps your dua’
Done together they can protect any authority for those doing any wrong
الحكمThe judge
The human understanding or comparison is different
Allah (the Exalted) has authority to set rules for human beings
To settle conflicts between his creation
The one who everyone seeks his judgement
We were told to make the Messenger the judge between all of our affairs
A judge that Allah (the Exalted) assigned
Ahl al-dhikr are authorities for us
Knowing that Allah (the Exalted) is only judge and do not seek justice from people
We ask Allah (the Exalted) to establish justice
When the Prophet (may Allah bestow and blessings upon him) submitted his affair at the events of
Ta’if
Do not complain about the things that happen to you
Shakwa is submit your case to Allah (the Exalted)
العدل The just
Justice according to his standard not ours
Sometimes it take ages for us to understand; as in the story of Khidr and Musa rebuilding a wall so
orphans could take the treasure of the grandfather. Anyone would be happier that their reward be
given to their offspring rather than themselves
Sheikh Ibrahim (may Allah show him mercy) was offered a job in Saudi Arabia because he was
concerned about disobeying his great grandfather who went to visit Syria in a time of fitna
He was offered a job of 12,000 dinars which was a lot of money
He told he that I do not leave Syria
My father would not go against my grandfather
He never left Syria only to go to Hajj
I travel around the world giving classes and doing dawah
It is like Allah (the Exalted) is rewarding his father
How can you judge the wisdom in ten thousand years
We do not know the history of the earth
Justice is established but you should not complain
Establish justice in all your affairs to have your share
اللطيفThe gentle one is not a correct
It is kindness or subtlety
The soul is described as subtle substances
You cannot lock an angel in a room because of its subtle form
Allah (the Exalted) gives everything its subtle qualities
A calamity becomes a blessing with this name
Look at the story of Dhul noon Al-Misri
One of the subtleness is hiding things in their opposites
Do not object about what it happening; as long you are you are a believer
Allah (the Exalted) does the best for you all the time
There are many ranks that we cannot reach without calamity
Look at the story of Yusuf (upon him peace) was taken from his family, enslaved, accused, jailed then
he became the governor of Egypt. Anyone without any understanding someone asks why is this
happening
People ask why are Muslims being defeated?
Who are we to disagree?
We should surrender to his will without asking
Allah (the Exalted) does whatever he wants to his creation
We are veiled from the unseen
This is the knowledge of the unseen – we do not have access to the unseen
Imam Tahawai says knowledge is accessible of inaccessible
Yusuf said, “Inna rabbi latiffya bi ma yasha.”
If any prisoner recites this then he will be set free
Brother Muhammad Al-Hassan was in prison about a residency permit his wife came to me and told
him what happened. Can your husband make dhikr ya latif with a certain number. They came to him
and the case was re-opened then he was allowed to stay
There are other examples
End of notes for this part please see next set of notes