23 & 24 - الْخَافِضُ الرَّافِعُ

[Bint e Aisha]

الرَّافِعُ  الْخَافِضُ 

 

 

Translation

الرَّافِعُ is translated as The Exalter and The Uplifter andالْخَافِضُ  is translated as The Humbler and The One Who Softens.

 

Definition

If we look at these two names together then it is that Being Who raises the scale of justice and lowers it and The One Who lowers/abases the disbeliever and raises the Believer in respect. It is The One Who grants His friends Qurb (Closeness) and sends His enemies far away.

 

Therefore exaltation and abasement comes from Allah ta’ala and whoever He chooses, He exalts and whoever He chooses, He abases. 

This is something Allah ta’ala shows us in His signs in the world and in nature.

 

From Imam Ghazali’s book:

Whoever elevates his vision above tangible and imagined things, and his intention above blameworthy desires, God has raised him to the horizon of the angels close to Him [Muqarrabun]; while whoever restricts his vision to tangible things and his aspiration to the passions the beasts share with him, God will reduce him to the lowest of ranks. None but God most high does this, for He is the Abaser and the Exalter.

 

Types of Ranks (Fadheelah)

Allah ta’ala grants ranks and there are two types which Allah ta’ala grants in this world:

 

• Ghayr Ikhtiyaari: this is when a person’s ranks are raised not due to his own effort, but through the selection of Allah ta’ala.

 

In Jannah there are different levels and Jannatul Firdaws is chosen to be the highest level. Angels are many but Jibrail, Mikaeel, Israfeel are special. There were many Prophets and they were chosen. They did not strive or choose to become Prophets. They had no choice in the matter. Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam had the highest rank among all humankind and the Quraysh had Fadheelah over other tribes. Some people were chosen to be the Sahaba RA (companions of Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) and others were not. Therefore these are ranks chosen by Allah ta’ala. 

 

 

• Ikhtiyaari: this is when a person’s ranks are raised due to his effort i.e. he does good deeds and attains good Akhlaaq.

 

We should not waste time and wish to get those Fadheelah which are Ghayr Ikhtiyaari and not in our control. We should instead work at things which are in our control.

 

وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۚ لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا اكْتَسَبُوا ۖ وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ ۚ وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا
 

Do not envy that Allah has given some of you more than the others. Men will be rewarded according to their deeds and women will be rewarded according to theirs. Ask Allah for His grace. Surely Allah has perfect knowledge of everything. [Surah Nisaa’: 32]

 

In this verse Allah ta’ala is prohibiting us from wishing for what Allah ta’ala has given to others and are not in your Ikhtiyaar. It is His Fadhl and he chooses whoever He wants.

 

When a person keeps wishing for things they cannot have or for situations they cannot change then it makes them envy others and that is the minimum effect as then it leads to jealousy when the person wishes the Ne’mah taken away from the other person.

 

Many things cannot be obtained through our own effort but at the same time the Qur’an and Hadith mention that a person should make effort and then Allah ta’ala says at the end of the verse to “Ask for His Fadhl.” There are certain things in which we should compete with one another; as Allah ta’ala says,

 

 فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ - Vie, therefore, with one another in doing good works. [part of verse 148: Surah Baqarah]

                                       

And so the effort will bring the Fadhl of Allah ta’ala. The second part of the verse is referring to that, that man or woman will get a part of what they have earned. Therefore making effort to attain Fadheelah in this world will not be wasted. For things we can change we should make Du’a and put in effort and for what we cannot change we have to learn to accept it and not to be negative. The problem is we wish for the Ghayr Ikhtiyaari i.e. looks, ranks etc. and this is something we cannot change and it spoils relationships. On the other side people do not want to try and make effort and then say it is fate, Qismat. This verse explains that we have to make effort and ask Allah ta’ala for His Fadhl in Ikhtiyaari matters and it will have an effect and in Ghayr Ikhtiyaari matters, to accept your Qismat. Therefore if someone has some good which is Ikhtiyaari, we should want it and make effort for it and also make Du’a to Allah ta’ala for His Fadhl.

 

Allah ta'ala exalts or humbles people by the Qur'an

 

One day while ‘Umar RA was on a tour of Makkah, he came across Nafi RA in Afsar, a place close to the holy city. ‘Umar asked him: “Who did you appoint as ruler over the inhabitants of Makkah?”

Nafi replied: “Ibn Abza”

‘Umar asked, “Who is Ibn Abza?”

Nafi replied: “One of my freed slaves.”

‘Umar exclaimed in wonder saying, “You appointed a freed slave over them?”

Nafi replied: “He can recite the Qur’an very well. Moreover, he is an expert in Islamic laws of inheritance.”

‘Umar was obviously satisfied with the decision and said: “The Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam said: “Allah elevates a nation by the Qur’an and degrades them by it.” 

 

*~~*~~*