Wijhah Initiative Podcast

Allah was before there was anything else, and He will remain after everything is gone. There is no life before Him or without Him. When we call upon Allah al-Hayy, we are recognizing Him as the absolute source of life and thus the source of all perfect qualities. Al-Qayyum is the One by whom all things are eternally managed aright. He is the source of everything needed by the worshiper, from the O...

‘Verily, God the Almighty and Majestic is Modest and Concealing; and He loves modesty and concealment.” (Abu Dawud) In the hadith above, the Prophet ﷺ tells us that Allah is ‘gracious/shy,’ bearing in mind that His haya comes from a place of honour, generosity, and majesty, not meekness or submissiveness. He is also al-Sittir, the One Who conceals the faults and shortcomings of His servants, and H...

Allah is great and high in His essence, His attributes, and His actions. The name al-’Aliyy emphasizes to us that whatever we see as elevated, or whatever we choose to elevate - even our own selves - Allah is far, far above that.

God’s name al-Hakam means that He is the ultimate arbitrator and judge, whose rulings and decrees no one can overturn. On the Day of Judgment, He will be the ultimate Judge. He will judge between us regarding that which we used to differ, and everyone will receive their just reward. Remembering that we will be judged by al-Hakam can help to make the trials of this world easier. He sees our struggl...

Allah emphasizes His knowledge of the different realms, as He tells us, “That is the Knower of the seen and unseen—the Almighty, Most Merciful.” (32:6) For this reason, we need to take a step back when we assume that we know all there is to know and make a judgment based on that. This is especially so when things don’t go our way. Allah tells us, “Perhaps you dislike something which is good for yo...

Many of us have felt disheartened because we messed up in our relationships with Allah. We may have committed sins, mistakes, and missteps. Perhaps we messed up too many times to count. And maybe we messed up in the worst of ways, leading us to experience shame and unworthiness. And this results in us feeling that we cannot turn back to God; indeed, a feeling that we cannot even have a relationshi...

Sometimes, we reach a point in life where we realize we’ve strayed from our destination. Such a realization leads one to want to return. But to be able to return, there must be something to which to return, and it is vital that you know what that is. Allah tells us that He is al-Tawwab; He is the One to whom we return when we’ve lost our way.

In Surah al-Ikhlas, we are told that Allah is al-Ahad and al-Samad. The surah summarizes Allah’s attributes, which means that knowing Allah is al-Samad is crucial.

At the core of Islam is the central truth that God is One; He is al-Wahid (the One) and al-Ahad (the Unique). This negates any other supposed divine entity. And since God is One, He needs to be one in our hearts as well

We all desire to be treated with gentleness and kindness. Gentleness does not need to be some grand gesture, but can be displayed in simple daily acts. Gentleness manifests in the smile of a stranger when we’re feeling down or a phone call from a friend who wants to know how we’re doing. It can even be in the correcting of a mistake in a kind way, rather than harshly. We all appreciate this type o...

99 names of Allah series - Al Khaliq 

In this world, it may often feel that there are many issues that are bigger than us which we cannot affect, or which are too big to overcome by ourselves. The problems of the world and our personal troubles often feel burdensome and overwhelming. It can be all-consuming. Yet part of the reason why Allah reveals His names to us is for reassurance. By internalizing the names al-Kabir (the Most Great...

A universal concern of humans is freedom from fear. We deal with uncertainties and unknowns all the time; these situations can easily lead to fear. Allah is Al-Mu’min, the Granter of Security. He strengthens the hearts and gives freedom from fear.

As humans, we constantly desire serenity. We desire this peace because the soul craves the divine. The soul’s desire for peace, in essence, is leading us to Allah because only He can truly bestow peace. This world is a creation of Al-Salam, and He has created means of peace within it. Knowing Al-Salam simply means that we recognize that the source of this peace is Allah Himself.

One of the greatest mistakes humans can make in relation to their understanding of Allah is to filter our understanding of Him through our experiences with His creation, incorrectly attributing those characteristics to Him. Thus, it is important for us to recognize and understand Allah’s transcendence. The name Al-Quddus tells us that Allah is pure from any defect and purified from anything blamew...

As humans, we want to know that our actions matter, that they hold significance. Sometimes, other people don’t seem to show us the appreciation that we so desperately desire. That never happens with Allah, because He is ash-Shakur. He appreciates all good deeds, no matter how small, and rewards generously for them.

One of Allah’s names is al-’Adl, the One who only acts with justice, who made oppression forbidden for Him and forbade it for others. The injustice that we see around us is a call for us to end oppression and establish justice.

The name al-Wahhab reminds us that everything that we possess has been given to us as a gift. While the giving of gifts requires us to be grateful, it also contains a deeper message: care.

The name al-Razzaq refers to the One who is constantly providing His servants with that which benefits them physically and spiritually. However, humans can panic and forget about Him in moments of financial and spiritual distress. Reflecting on this name helps ground the humans in the reality that it is Allah alone who is “the Provider, the firm possessor of strength.” (51:58)

Allah’s names inspire awe, reverence, love, and hope. The name “al-Malik” reminds us that Allah is the King of all kings and deserves to be venerated and respected as such. Our love for Him should drive us to increase in obedience to Him and to not neglect His commands.

We are introduced to the names al-Rahmān and al-Rahīm at the very beginning of the Quran. It is how Allah chose to introduce Himself; this tells us a lot about who He is and how we ought to understand our relationship with Him.

Allah Most High introduces himself as ‘al-Rabb’ in the very first verse of Surah Fatihah. This name is then repeated over 900 times throughout the Quran. What is it that Allah Most High is trying to tell us about Himself through this name?

When we want to reach a destination, we usually rely on a guide. We might use Google maps or ask someone who knows where we want to get to to show us the way. We ask our guides not only to show us a way, but the best way. And if we get lost or veer off path due to some distraction, we return to our guides to help get us back on track. One of Allah’s names is al-Hādi, the Guide.

When in need, a believer is never left without someone to turn to. Allah says in the Quran: “Allah has the Most Beautiful Names. So call upon Him by them.” (7:180) Thus, we are commanded to seek our needs from Allah by calling Him with His most beautiful names. Each name reflects something unique and magnificent about who Allah is, and how He can help us.

The essence of human beings, the ‘heart’, is veiled with improper desires and vices, so that its true function, which is to mirror the light of Heaven, is damaged. The 'heart' is more than a piece of flesh, it is the seat of the soul, and holds the key to the intimate relationship which exists between soul and body. Each heart, according to this traditional wisdom accumulated over centuries of spi...