45 - الْحَكِيمُ

[Bint e Aisha]

الْحَكِيمُ

 

الْحَكِيمُ is translated as The Perfectly Wise and The Most Judicious. It comes from حِكْمة which means wisdom. 

 

Definition

It is that Being Who has solid planning and strategizing with no obstacles in the way. 

 

Ibn Katheer (Rahimahullah) says it is The One Who has  حِكْمة in all of His acts and words. Everything is placed correctly according to His ‘Ilm, Himah and Justice. 

 

It means there is wisdom behind everything He does and commands. It is The One Who always does the right thing and in this respect, only Allah ta’ala can be الْحَكِيمُ. 

 

In the Qur’an

It is mentioned 91 times in the Qur’an and never on its own. It is paired 47 times with العزیز, 

32 times with العلیم,

4 times with الخبیر

and a couple of times with الحمید، الواسع التواب.

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ  
 

He is the Supreme Authority over His servants; and He is the Wise, the Aware. [Surah An’aam: 18]

 

وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ - and He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. [Surah Hashr: 24]

 

حِكْمة in His creation

The commentary discusses the universe and nature saying there is wisdom behind everything Allah ta’ala created. Be it the body or the system of the universe or nature, we see that there is a function and a purpose and benefit in everything even though we cannot see it. It is easy when we see some purpose or benefit in something however the hard part is when we do not see it. For example, if we did not have lizards then there would be an over population of flies and mosquitoes. Problems are created when people meddle with the natural order of Allah ta’ala’s system. Therefore even if we do not see the wisdom behind things we should realise that Allah ta’ala is   الْحَكِيمُ and there is wisdom and purpose behind everything and we may see it later or not see it at all. This point is demonstrated in the following anecdotes.

 

Anecdote - The fly on the King’s Nose

A fly came and sat on the nose of a king with pomp and royalty status. He waved it away but the fly kept returning. Annoyed at this he said he didn’t understand the purpose of the creation of flies and someone replied, “Maybe Allah ta’ala made this fly so people like you will realise there are certain things they cannot control despite their might and power and therefore keep your arrogance in check.”

 

Anecdote – The Muslim Fisherman

A story is related by Imam Ahmed bin Hambal (Rahimahullah) regarding two fishermen, one a Muslim and the other, a non-believer. As they put their fishing rods out at sea the Muslim would recite “Bismillah” however he did not catch any fish while his partner caught many. When he finally did catch one, it slipped away and he lost it. He was down about it as he felt he was taking the name of Allah ta’ala and he did not catch any fish while the non-believer was catching so many and he did not even believe in Allah ta’ala.

 

One of the angels on his shoulder asked Allah ta’ala regarding this and Allah ta’ala showed the angel the beautiful house which the Muslim would get in the Aakhirah and the place of punishment of the non-believer. How much would not catching fish in the Dunya hurt the Muslim when he saw his abode in the Aakhirah?

 

Therefore when these thoughts come in our minds, we should know that Allah ta’ala will reward us with a better return in the Aakhirah. 

 

Anecdote – The Scorpion and the Tortoise

Imam Raazi rahmatullahi alayhi has written a story narrated by a pious person. The person narrated, “One evening I was walking along the riverbank, suddenly my eyes fell upon a scorpion walking in front of me. A thought occurred to me that this is also the Creation of Allah ta’ala and Allah ta’ala has created it out of some wisdom and reason. I did not know where it was coming from and where it was going to, or where its home was. I thought in my heart that I have got time; I have come out for a walk, so I will follow this scorpion. Therefore, I followed it. The scorpion stopped at one point on the riverbank and I stood near it.

 

After a short while I saw a tortoise swimming towards the scorpion. To my surprise, the scorpion jumped on to the back of the tortoise and mounted itself on it. As this was an extraordinary occurrence, I was determined to see where the scorpion would go. I also tagged along to see what happens. 

 

The scorpion jumped off the tortoise's back at the other side of the riverbank and hurried along in a certain direction. Further on I saw a man sleeping under a tree. I thought to myself that the scorpion might bite the man; therefore, I should quickly awaken him. Just as I reached him, I saw a poisonous snake with its mouth wide-open standing by the head of the man. Suddenly the scorpion confronted the snake and stung it so decisively, that the snake fell onto the ground helpless.

As this amazing incident unfolded before me, I thought to myself that this must be a very pious man. I approached him to request for duaas but was astonished to find him in a state of drunkenness. Just then the man woke up, and I narrated to him the incident that had just taken place. The man was very touched by what he heard and immediately repented. Allah's Mercy is always directed towards His bondsmen, only if we were to turn towards him.” (Riyadul Jannah – December 2002) – Ending slightly different to what Sobia Aapa mentioned – Aapa did not mention regarding sleeping man being a drunkard. 

 

Looking at the anecdote symbolically, we see that sometimes something appears bad and we get angry and upset however it is actually saving us from something else, something bigger or worse. That is why some Scholars say nothing is bad. We learn from the anecdote that everything has a purpose. Even Shaytaan has a purpose because the more we fight him the more reward we are getting. Therefore Allah ta’ala being الحکیم is behind things we may think are bad.

 

Anecdote – The King and the Wazeer 

A king had  a Wazeer (Minister) who, under all circumstances would say, “My king, do not be worry, because Allah ta’ala has put Khayr in it.”

 

One day the king cut his finger and was his habit, the Wazeer said, “My king, do not be worry, because Allah ta’ala has put Khayr in it.” Enraged, the king had him arrested and jailed and again the Wazeer said the same thing. 

 

Later, the king left for a hunting trip and got separated from the party and tired decided to rest under a tree. As he was resting an animal appeared and would have attacked him had the animal not turned away from the smell of the blood from the King’s wound. Eventually the king found his party and on returning he ordered the release of the Wazeer and happily related to him what had happened and said that he had been right. The King said to the Wazeer that he did not understand why the Wazeer was put in jail as he had not been in any danger. 

 

The Wazeer replied that had he been with the king then he would have been devoured by the animal as there as he did not have any wound so Allah ta’ala had put Khayr in everything. 

 

Counsel

To be a person of Hikmah is something we are all trying to be. It is not something anyone is born with. It is experience so we should make Du’a to be a person of Hikmah. In Surah Baqarah (Verse 269), Allah ta’ala says,

 

يُؤْتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
 

He grants wisdom to whom He pleases; and whoever is granted wisdom is indeed given a great wealth, yet none except people of understanding learn a lesson from it.

 

Having Hikmah is a “great wealth.” Luqman AS was famous as Luqmaan-al-Hakeem. Allah ta’ala granted him Hikmah to do Shukr therefore a person with Hikmah will have the wisdom to do Shukr, Sabr, Tawakkul etc. and so Hikmah is a Majmu’ah (Collection) of many characteristics.

 

In any situation, in any worst case scenario, like the Wazeer in the story, we should think there must be  Hikmah of Allah ta’ala in it even if we cannot see it. If we truly believe Allah ta’ala is الْحَكِيمُ then we will know there is wisdom behind every situation and that we will see it later or be rewarded in the Aakhirah. This will bring tranquillity in the heart. 

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