6 - الْمُؤْمِنُ

[ummtaalib]

الْمُؤْمِنُ

 

Translation

الْمُؤْمِنُ is translated in English as The Remover of fear and The Giver of Tranquility which sounds similar to As-Salaam however it is more in terms of preservation and also has the meaning of peace/tranquility. الْمُؤْمِنُ also has the meaning of “Faith” though it is not in the translation. 

 

Definition

In terms of understanding “Faith”

According to Shaykh Sa’di (رحمه الله) it is that Being Who due to the Kamaal of His attributes and Kamaal of His Jamaal (Beauty) and Jalaal (Anger/wrath) that He has sent His Prophets and His Books with clear evidences and signs and each of these evidences and signs affirm the Prophets who themselves are evidences and signs. Therefore the Bringer/Keeper of Imaan (Faith)

 

Allah ta’ala fulfills His promises & removes Hopelessness
 

Another understanding/ definition of this name is that Allah ta’ala fulfills His promises to His servants in the Dunya and Aakhirah. He also fulfills what they think of Him and does not make them hopeless.

 

These are different ways Scholars have described this name. He is the Giver of tranquility i.e. fulfilling promises, removing hopelessness and bringing signs which affirm a person’s Imaan. 

 

In the Qur’an

It is mentioned once in the Qur’an, verse 23 in Surah Hashr.

 

 

Difference between As-Salaam and Al-Mu’min

Many things are mentioned in the commentary of this name which are also mentioned in the explanation of the name As-Salaam. One of the ways we can understand the difference between the two names is that As-Salaam is to bring peace more on a personal level i.e. feelings, emotions, family, children, finances etc. and Al-Mu’min is more on a deeper level in terms of peace in the world and in terms of our Imaan. 

 

 

 

Aman (Peace / Tranquility)
 

Allah ta’ala can grant Aman and he can also retract it due to some reason and His wisdom. When this Sifat is decreased, the Sifaat of Al-Jabbaar and Al-Qahhaar take effect as they are opposite. Some of the Sifaat are opposite to each other and if one is decreased then the other will increase and vice versa. 

 

 

Aman in the Body

Allah ta’ala removes fear and gives tranquility in terms of our worldly problems and also in terms of our body. He puts to work different body parts i.e. blood (which is liquid), bones (which are hard), skin (which is not liquid or hard), enzymes, cells etc. with some parts opposing to each other and balances them out. Allah ta’ala uses contradictions in order to bring Aman (peace / tranquility). This trait is used in opposition or complementation with the traits of Jabbaar and Qahhaar. 

 

Allah ta’ala mentions in the Qur’an,

وَفِي الْأَرْضِ آيَاتٌ لِلْمُوقِنِينَ

In the earth, there are signs for the firm believers,

 

وَفِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ ۚ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ

and also in your own selves; can you not see? [Surah Dhaariyaat: 20-21]

 

Many Scholars have talked about this in detail that our body parts are Aalami asghar, a smaller, microcosm of the bigger picture. The world has potentially harmful elements and similarly on a micro level, the body has some harmful substances i.e. bacteria, cancer cells etc. which can cause harm and Allah ta’ala protects us and grants us security from this potential harm because He is الْمُؤْمِنُ

 

Aman in the face of Fasaad

Allah ta’ala also grants Aman (Peace / tranquility) in the face of Fasaad, adversity, difficulty etc. though the biggest deterrent to our own development is our own selves through injustice caused by corrupt people. Even then Allah ta’ala gives Makhlooq peace. He has put a control on these factors which can hinder peace on earth so that despite all the evil which is done in the world which we know about, He protects us from being so affected by it so much that maybe we could not have been able to live.  Had Allah ta’ala not controlled the nature of humans to make Fasaad on the earth, the world would have ended a long time ago. Allah ta’ala being الْمُؤْمِنُ  is able to bring peace in this way. 

 

 

Aman in Cities

Peace where we live is also a great Ne’mat because without peace it would be very difficult to prosper and no work can be done be it worldly or religious, despite there being other Nemat of people who can do the work and other resources available. We see this in places which have educated people and resources however due to war situations or corrupt governments there is no worldly or religious prosperity. 

 

There is wisdom in the words of the Ambiyaa AS and especially the Du’a of Ibraheem AS when he made Du’a for Makkah Mukarramah:

 

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ

 

“Remember when Ibrahim (Abraham) said: “My Rabb! Make this city a city of peace and save me and my sons from the worship of idols.” [Surah Ibraheem:35]

 

آمِنًا – peace. This was before Makkah Mukarramah was established as a city. Because there was peace, the city of Makkah prospered as a commercial centre. Therefore peace is essential for prosperity. 

 

In Surah Teen, Allah swears by the “Peaceful city” - وَهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِينِ  “and by this city of peace”

 

Aman in the Home

Similarly if there is no peace in a home then despite having everything else, the people will not prosper. We should make Du’a Allah ta’ala grants us peace in our homes, communities and cities. 

 

 

Aman in Rizq

According to Shaykh Abd Al-Ghafoor Al-Mirsi, read Surah Quraysh eleven times after Fajr and Maghrib Salaah for Aman in Rizq and safety from enemies. In the Tafseer of Surah some Scholars recommend reading Surah Quraysh when in fear of any enemy or adversity. 

 

 

Aman – Concept of Peace & Protection from Fear

Aman has the concept of peace as well as being protected from fear. 

 

When Yusuf AS invited his family to Misr he said, 

 

وَقَالَ ادْخُلُوا مِصْرَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ آمِنِينَ 

“and said: “Now enter the city. Allah willing, you will live here in peace.” [Surah Yusuf:99]

 

In Surah Quraysh, Allah ta’ala mentions the great favour bestowed upon the Quraysh,

 

الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُمْ مِنْ جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُمْ مِنْ خَوْفٍ 
 

 “Who provided them food in the days of famine and made them secure against fear”

Allah ta’ala protected them from hunger and fear. They had freedom from hunger and from the fear of being attacked by others. 

 

The point Allah ta’ala makes to the Quraysh in this Surah is that you get Aman due to living near the Baitullah. How much more Aman would you get if you became the servants of The One Who owns the Baitullah? We understand that when a person becomes a servant of Allah ta’ala they will have peace in their hearts and peace of not having to live in fear. Many times people live in fear but it is not due to living in a violent community or country. It is fear due to anxiety, phobias, paranoia etc. Allah ta’ala protect us from these fears (Aameen) and that is what الْمُؤْمِنُ  means – The One Who gives tranquility and security from fear. 

 

How is Aman Manifested?
 

In the Qur’an Allah ta’ala mentions some episodes regarding when He sends Aman and when He takes it away. 

 

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ
 

“Those who believe and do not taint their faith with wrongdoings will feel more secure and will be better guided.” [Surah Al-An’aam: 82]

 

“do not taint their faith with wrongdoings” means, they do not mix their good deeds with major bad deeds or with injustice. Some Scholars say it means, they do not mix Imaan with Shirk and they are the ones who will have Aman and will be rightly guided. 

 

When this verse was revealed, the Sahaba RA worried and asked Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam if they would not be protected since everyone commits some Dhulm. He replied that Dhulm is Shirk (In the Dhaat of Allah ta’ala and in His Sifaat.) “Dhulm” is translated here as “Shirk”
 
 

Therefore one of the ways to acquire tranquillity and remove fear is that we do not taint our Imaan with Shirk and there is logic in this. The more Imaan we have and the more we believe in the power of Allah ta’ala, the more He will protect us from fearing others.  This verse shows that there is possibility that people can have Imaan and Shirk mixed together. Shirk is not just idol worship. It can have different variations, forms and dimensions. Shirk is giving the attributes of Allah ta’ala to anyone else, humans, Prophets, Angels or society. For example when we fear what society thinks of us more than we fear Allah ta’ala, this is a form of minor Shirk and we live in a type of fear of being judged and it is very destructive. When we get over this complex then we will progress in life and do well. 

 

In another verse of the Qur’an Allah ta’ala gives the example of a village which was peaceful and secure with Rizq coming from all sides and they had no fear from external enemies however due to their ingratitude and not showing appreciation for the Ne’mat, they were deprived of the Aman and Itminaan. 

 

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ
 

“Allah gives you an example of a town which was enjoying security and peace, receiving its provisions in abundance from every quarter, but it became ungrateful to the favors of Allah. As a result, Allah made its residents taste the consequences of their doings, through inflicting upon them misfortunes of hunger and fear.” [Surah An-Nahl: 112]

 

How to Attain Aman

Allah ta'ala is the Sabab (means) of bringing Aman and Sukoon in people’s lives and we see from these two verses that if we want Aman in our lives then we should firstly stay away from Dhulm (sin/Shirk) and secondly, show gratitude and not be ungrateful as ingratitude causes anguish and showing gratitude increases the Ne’mah. If we make Shukr for the Ne’mat of Imaan then Allah ta’ala will increase it and if we make Shukr for peace then He will increase the peace. 

 

Imaan

الْمُؤْمِنُ comes from Imaan. So He is The One Who gives Imaan and Allah ta’ala also protects our Imaan. 
The way to have our Imaan protected is:

 

• To show Shukr for this Ne’mat of Imaan. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam has shown us a Du’a with which we should fill our hearts and Allah ta’ala will protect our Imaan:

 

رَضِيْتُ بِاللهِ رَبّاً وَّبِالْاِسْلَامِ دِينًا وَّبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَّسُوْلًا
 

“I am happy with Allah as my Rabb, with Islam as my Deen and with Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam as my Nabi.” 
 

• Not to hate any aspect of Deen. If we find we do not like certain people of Deen in terms of their personality or compatibility or any reason even then we should not hate them. Instead we should make Du’a for protection and the ability to love people of Deen.  
 

 

Being Faithful

Allah ta’ala is the Haqeeqee Mu’min and He protects from all Sharr (Evil). We have Sharr within our own selves as well and we should make Du’a from protection against it.

 

It is mentioned in a Hadith that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said three times, وَاللَّهِ لَا يُؤْمِنُ 

“By Allah, he does not have faith!” It was said, “Who is it, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “He whose neighbor is not safe from his harm.”

 

Therefore when we do not protect others from our own bad habits, evil and even being bad neighbours by showing lack of consideration then it shows we do not have proper Imaan.  

 

There is a connection between Imaan and Aman and when a person is protective of other people and protect themselves from their own Shirr and they protect themselves from Shirk and stays away from sin then it helps their Imaan. The Prophet sallalaahu ‘alayhi wasallam says a person does not have true Imaan when he does not protect other people (Mentioning neighbours specifically in this Hadith). In another Hadith it is mentioned, 

 

الْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ
 

“The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe.” [Bukhari]

 

Therefore a Mu’min is one from whom others are safe and keeping other people safe from our own actions (of the tongue, hands etc.) is being faithful to them. Al-Mu’min means Allah ta’ala is Faithful to us as He gives us tranquility and removes fear from us and we should also try to do the same for others.  

 

Use in Du’a
 

Allah ta’ala is The One Who gives true Aman. We should use this name in Du’a and ask for Aman in the Dunya and Aakhirah. We are weak by nature and only Allah ta’ala can protect us. 

 

We try to find people who are loyal and faithful in the Dunya but Allah ta’ala is the True Protecting Friend. 

 

Who is our Al-Mu’min?

Imam Ghazali (رحمه الله) gives an example of a man who is alone and pursued by his enemy. He falls down and is unable to move or defend himself without help or weapons. Then someone comes and attends to his need providing him with soldiers, weapons and a secure fortress. Now for this person who provided all the help and security, it would be fitting to call him his Al-Mu’min. 

 

In the same way Allah ta’ala gives us humans who are weak by nature so much physically, spiritually and emotionally and He makes us strong. He is Al-Mu’min. He protects our Deen and Dunya and will insha-allah give salvation in the Aakhirah. 

 

Allah ta’ala says in a Hadith Qudsi,

لا اله إلا الله حصني فمن قالها دخل حصني ومن دخل حصني أمن من عذابي
 

‘La ilaha illa Allah hisni wa man dakhala fi hisni amina min adhaabi' 

 

“The words ‘la ilaha illa Allah’ is my fortress, so whoever says it enters my fortress and whoever enters my fortress is safe from my punishment.”
 

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