Ar-raheem

In this video, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi continues to cover the names of Allah that relate to Rahima.
Allah uses the concept of Rahima in 500 verses. 
Ar-Rahman occurs 57 times, never paired with any other name except 6 verses using Ar-Raheem (Al Fatiha being the first example). 

Some interpretations on the differences between Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem are:
-Ar-Rahman (mercy) is for all of His creation, while Ar-Raheem (mercy) is only for the Muslims. 
-Ar-Rahman's mercy is comprehensive, while Ar-Raheem mercy reaches only those He wants to reach. 
-Ar-Rahman is in this world, while Ar-Raheem is in the hereafter. 
-Ar-Rahman describes the nature of Allah, Ar-Raheem describes His actions. 

Ar-Raheem occurs 114 times in the Qur'an. Two most common combinations are Al-Ghafur Ar-Raheem and Al-Azeez Ar-Raheem. 
Al-Azeez Ar-Raheem, the one who has power and mercy, where 3rd meaning is that His Rahma isn't coming from weakness. Typically people of power don't have mercy, and opposite is true. Allah's power does not corrupt his mercy. 

Al-Ghafur Ar-Raheem, the one who forgives because He has mercy. 

What should be the effect of the 5 names derived from Rahima on our hearts? 

1) Increase in our hearts the love of Allah. The heart loves the one who is kind and merciful to it. Allah has given us everything we find comfort in, so we should love Him infinitely. 
Hadith: "Indeed, I swear, Allah has more Rahma for his creation and believers than this lady has for her child" (regarding lady who had lost her child)
2) Our hope in Allah's mercy should be infinite. We need to have good thoughts of Allah. 
Hadith: Allah says "I shall deal with my servants the way they assume I will deal with them"
Hadith: A rich man would lend money and often forgive the debtor. Allah said to this man at his death "I have more right to show mercy to you than you had right to show mercy to those people" and this man was forgiven. 
Hadith: Immoral woman (prostitute) had mercy for a thirsty dog, and Allah forgave her. 
3) To be shy of Allah's mercy. How can we be disobedient to someone who gives us so much? 
Quran: If you were to try to count the blessings of Allah, you would not be able to finish the list. 
4) We should be merciful to others. 
Hadith: A man said "Ya rasul, I have a hard heart." The Prophet (pbuh) said "go and stroke the head of an orphan" 
Hadith: A Bedouin had never even kissed his 10 sons once. The Prophet (pbuh) said "what can I do if Allah has removed Rahma from your heart?" 
5) To use them in Du'a. "Ya Rahman, ya Raheem" etc. Some names are for specific issues, others are general across all issues. Especially when in trouble and physically and emotionally sick, these names should be invoked. Prophet Ayyub used these names when he raised his hands and said "Verily distress has seized me, and you are Arhamur Rahimeen" and Allah took away all his troubles and gave him even more good. So we may make this du'a "Rabbi inni massanir dhur, wa anta arhamur rahimeen"

How do we attain the Rahma of Allah? 

1) Give rahma to others and Allah will give rahma to you. "ArRahimoon, yarhamuhoom arRahman, irhamu man fil ard, yarhamukum man fil samaa" The ones who show mercy, Ar Rahman will have mercy on them. Have mercy on the people in the world, and the one in the heavens will have mercy on you. 
We should be merciful to dogs, every type of creation, the plants, etc. 
When we sell and interact, we should be gentle.
2) Coming to the masjid, praying and listening to Islamic knowledge. 
Hadith: When people come to masjid, recite quran and listen to gathering of knowledge, rahma and sakina descends upon them.
3) Obey Allah and His messenger. 

Quran: "My punnishment shall only reach the people I choose, My Rahma encompasses everything"

Presentation details: June 10, 2016 @ Memphis Islamic Center

Al-Ghafur

In this video, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi discusses the names of Allah related to Maghfirah (the concept/verb). Ghafara means to cover or conceal something, or to overlook what someone has done to you (Mighfar meant a helmet). Over 300 verses mention Maghfira. 

Quran: Know that Allah is strict in punishment, but know Allah is also Ghafur Ar-Raheem.
Quran: Inform my servants, that I am the Al-Ghafur and Ar-Raheem. 

There are at least 7 names derived from Maghfirah: 

1) Al-Ghafur - 91 times mentioned in Qur'an
2) Al-Ghaafir (Al Ghafir Al-Dhanb)
3) Al-Ghaffar
4) Wasi'yal Maghfirah (The one whose forgivness is vast) 
5) Ahlal Maghfirah - The one who has the right to forgive and is characterized with maghfirah
6) Dhul Maghfirah (dhu - owner of, nobody owns it the same way) The owner of maghfirah. He is the one who controls and perfected maghfirah
7) Khayrul Ghaafireen - The best of those who forgive

What is the difference between Ghaafir, Ghafur and Ghaffar?

Ghaafir - simple noun, the one who does forgiveness - the one who forgives. 
Al-Ghafur - emphasizes the power of the verb. Ghaafir means to forgive, Ghafur is the one who has the power to forgive no matter how large the sin. Ghafur is quality. No matter how large, Ghafur can and has power to cover it up. 
Al-Ghaffar - for quantity and frequency, he continuously does maghfirah.

Hadith: A man who would commit sin then ask for forgiveness "faghfirli" and Allah forgives him but after a while, commits sin and asks again for forgiveness again. After several times, Allah calls the angels and says "this servant of mine who is perpetual sinner, I am calling u to testify that I have forgiven him. This was because he has recognized that he has sinned against a Lord and he must continue to ask for forgiveness. 

The true servant never gives up hope. Nor does he lose hope in Allah's forgiveness.

Al-Ghafur Ar-Raheem - one of the most common pairs/combinations. 
Allah says: "Inform my servants that I am Al-Ghafur and Ar-Raheem. 

Al-Azeez Ar-Ghafur: Azeez is the one with power. Typically one forgives out of weakness but despite being Almighty, He chooses to forigve from position of power and majesty, not weakness.

Al-Ghafur Al-Waduud: The one full of generous love
Allah: What will I gain from punishing you, if you believe in me and worship me? 

Al-Ghafur Al-Shakur: He forgives our sins and then increases the reward. 
Shakur occurs in Quran with people of Jannah, who say "We thank Allah He has allowed us to come to Jannah, no harm will touch us, verily Allah is Ghafurun Shakur. They say this because in order to get there Allah must forgive their continuous sins. The hadeeth says: None of you will enter due to his good deeds (alone). 

Shakur : the one who rewards more than you deserve. Allah never gives 1 for 1, rather minimum is 10 for 1, sometimes 700 or more.

How to get Allah's Maghfirah?

1) By asking for Maghfirah. We must ask for it continuously. Allah says "..and I will continuously forgive the one who continually asks for forgiveness.." 

Abu Bakr asked the Prophet (pbuh) to teach him a dua. The Prophet (pbuh) taught him to say "Oh Allah, I have wronged myself many many wrongs and no one forgives my sins other than you, so forgive me a forgiveness coming from u, for u are the Ghafur Ar-raheem. 

Hadeeth: I ask for Allah's forgiveness more than 100 times a day. If the Prophet (pbuh) does this, where do we stand? 
Anas ibn Malik: smtimes I'd count the mouth of the Prophet (pbuh) say Astagfirullah 70 times in a sitting. 

2) We learn to forgive others, who have done us wrong. By forgiving others, Allah will forgive us. 
Seerah: Slander of Ayesha, where the 2nd cousin of Ayesha said the slander. Abu Bakr was giving him money but swore by Allah to never give a penny again. But Allah revealed: Let not the people of stature (fadl) swear to Allah that they will not help out their poor relatives. Don't you want Allah to forgive u? 

Most optimistic verse in the whole Qur'an in Surat Al-Zumr: Say servants who wrong themselves, don't give up hope in Allah's forgiveness, verily Allah forgives all sins, verily He is the Ghafur Ar-Raheem. 

Presentation details: June 11, 2016 @ Memphis Islamic Center 

Al-wadud

In this video, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi discusses the name Al-Wadud.

Wud is a special type of love, where you want to benefit the person you love (nurturing love). Wadda (verb) does not have romantic connotation, while Mahabba is romantic. 

As-Salam

In this video, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi discusses the name Al-Salam (As-Salam). This name only occurs once in the Qur'an.

Salam means peace, but also means the absence of evil and harm. 

For the name of Allah, As-salam means:
1) The all perfect, with no characteristics of imperfection 
2) The source of Salam (peace), and that He grants the most perfect peace. 
3) The one who greets those who believe in Him, with the greeting of Salam. 

As-Salam is also the first word taught to Adam by Allah, where he was asked to say Assalamualaikum Warahmatullah to the angels, and memorize their response of "Walaikum assalam warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu." 

Prophet pbuh also made his first command in Medina to "spread salam." 

Jibril (a) told the Prophet (pbuh) "Allah is sending his Salam to Khadija" to which she responded "Verily Allah is Salam, upon Jibril be Salam and upon you (rasulAllah) be salam" 

So Allah is Salam, and he invites us to Janna (Dar-ul Salam). We get there by following the path of Salam, by submitting ourselves via Islam. Another way to get on path of salam is to spread the salam (greet each other, as per Prophet pbuh's advice in a hadeeth). 

So we are commanded to spread the salam, in order to be on the sabeel (path) of salam, in order to get to Dar-ul Salam. 

When our hearts are going through anxiety, we should call Allah by His name and ask for peace (salam). 

So the ultimate goal for us is to spread the salam, so we are on the path of salam, in order to reach dar-ul salam, where As-Salam will greet us with Salam. No harm can ever come to those to whom Allah sends His salam (peace). 

Presentation details: June 13, 2016 @ Memphis Islamic Center