Vibrant Nights 17 16 th July 2014 18 th Ramadan Al Waasi We are learning about Allah, and this is duaa al ibaadah. We are worshipping Allah by knowing about Him more in the Quran. To remember Allah is the best type of ibaadah. Alhamdulillah we are remembering Him in a group at this special time. Today we will do Allah s name Al Waasi. He is the most vast in everything. By himself. No one is greater than Him. The ocean is so vast, the universe is so vast. But they are nothing compared to the kursi of Allah, and to the throne of Allah. The throne is vaster than the kursi. Imagine the one who rose over the throne! That s why He is: 1. Waasi fee thaatihi (personally, by Himself). No one is more vast than Him. There are no boundaries for Allah. 2. He is Waasi fee sifaatihi. Allah is vast by His names. Every name is so vast. If you learn one name, you can t encompass and surround this name. If you study about one name of Allah your whole life, you still will never finish. 3. He is Waasi fee afaalihi. He is vast in His actions. When Allah moves one person from one place to another, even one grain, this action is so vast. You can learn so much from this action. Imagine His creation. He is vast in His creation. There are no boundaries in His creation. We haven t reached so much of Allah s creation. He is vast in His kingship. He is vast in His mercy. He is so vast in his forgiveness. He is so vast in His Opening. Knowing this name makes you think vast. You will not be narrow minded. When you don t know Allah, we tend to be narrow minded. All your actions, your thinking will be very vast. You will then not look at anyone in a narrow way. Allah s commands are very vast. There are many ayaat in Surah Baqarah about Allah s name Al Waasi. There are many commands in this surah also. Surah Baqarah: 115 2:115 to top Sahih International
And to Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face of Allah. Indeed, Allah is all-encompassing and Knowing. This ayah came after the Qiblah was changed. Allah commanded the believers while they were in prayer to change the Qiblah from Bait Al Maqdis to Bait Allah Al Haram. The Qiblah is for unity and submission. Actually Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam always had a desire and love to face Bait Allah Al Haram, so he was looking at the sky waiting for Allah s command. The believers changed the direction while they were praying. And the hypocrites and Jews objected to this change. Allah says, to Him belongs the east and the west. Also the north and the south. All directions belong to Him. People when they think of only one direction, they are just being narrow minded. Allah tells them not to be narrow minded. Whether you turn to any direction, there is the Face of Allah. When you turn your face and stand in prayer, Allah places His Face in front of yours, not physically, but in a manner that suits His Majesty. We don t know how, but we believe. His Face is full of Majesty and full of Honor. To Allah belongs the best and highest example. We can understand this very well because through technology, e.g. Skype, we can face someone who is not physically with us. If a person is travelling and he doesn t know the direction, or if someone is sick, he can pray in any direction. Allah is so vast and all knowing. He knows your hearts, your motives. When Allah prescribed the changing of the Qiblah, this command was so vast. Allah s vastness is associated with His knowledge. This name makes you think about the vastness of Allah s commands. The religion of Allah is not narrow. If a person can t pray standing, he prays sitting. If he can t, then he prays lying down. For e.g. in the travelling Salah, you have so many opinions. This shows the vastness of Allah. Allah knows if you are taking an opinion because the religion is easy, or because you want ease for yourself, or if you are taking it because you are taking it too lightly. Surah Baqarah: 247
Sahih International And their prophet said to them, "Indeed, Allah has sent to you Saul as a king." They said, "How can he have kingship over us while we are more worthy of kingship than him and he has not been given any measure of wealth?" He said, "Indeed, Allah has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allah gives His sovereignty to whom He wills. And Allah is all-encompassing [in favor] and Knowing." This ayah is about when Allah selected Taalut as a king over Bani Israaeel. The Bani Israaeel said that Taalut doesn t have money, so we will not accept him as our king. But their prophet said that Allah has chosen him over you and has increased him in knowledge and power. These two things are qualifications for his leadership. No one was more suited than him. Allah gives kingdom to whomever He wills, so He is vast in His favor. People are very narrow minded. They think only the wealthy are qualified for kingship. But Allah knows who is more worthy. So He is so vast in His favors. Allah is the All Knower. He is vast in His favor, vast in His generosity. E.g. Some people see a big house and then see the owner of the house, and object and say, this person was given this house? People object to leaders and rulers. We don t know who is suited to this position. Only Allah knows. Surah Baqarah: 261 2:261
Sahih International The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-encompassing and Knowing. This ayah is about sadaqah and increment in the reward. Those people who spend their wealth for the sake of Allah, it s like one grain which will grow seven ears, and in each ear there are hundred grains. So one becomes equal to 700 or even more than that. So the reward also multiplies, but Allah multiplies for whomever He wills. 2 people are praying but Allah will give one person one reward and the other person a different reward. Someone will get 10, some will get 700, some 1. He is the Vast. In his multiplication and giving, in His reward. When you do any ibaadah, do little but have hope that Allah will multiply it for you. E.g. you smile, remove something from the path. It s not a matter of what you did. Don t think you will get to paradise because I did this. No, anything you did is nothing. Don t look at the deed itself. Look at the vastness of Allah. To Allah belongs the highest example. E.g. If someone works for a rich person, even if it is just giving him a drink, he will expect great reward from him. Don t be proud, arrogant about your good deeds, because you will deprive yourself from Allah s rewards and favors. Allah gave you from His vastness and His favors based on His knowledge. He knows who really deserves the reward. No one is more richer than Allah. So whatever He gives, it is nothing for Him. He is so vast, He can keep giving more and more. To Allah is the highest example. E.g. a rich person buys something expensive. Once you see what he has, you will think, he has so much, this spending is actually nothing for him. Always ask Allah for the best. Allahumma innee asalukal firdaus al Alaa. Give us the best of provision. Give us the best in dunya. Allah loves it when you ask Him too much. Don t treat Allah as if He doesn t have anything. Allah doesn t like if you don t make dua. When you ask Allah, ask big. Allah gives from His vastness but we are the one who are narrow minded. When we will attach to His vastness, then Allah will give us more vastness.
Those who know Allah are not the same as those who don t know Allah. To make dua, we need to have belief. Your duas change after you know Allah. It is a blessing from Allah that He has taught us this name. May every ayah increase us in faith in Allah. Ameen. Surah Baqarah: 268 2:268 Sahih International Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty. And Allah is all-encompassing and Knowing. This name Al Waasi makes us fly, to think very vast and to have vast hope from Allah. Nothing with Allah is too tight, everything is vast. Who wants us to be narrow minded? Shaytaan. He wants us to be narrow-minded in giving charity. He threatens us with poverty. He tell us, if you don t take it now, you will lose this opportunity. If you don t eat this food, others will eat it. He commands us to commit immorality and sin. He wants us to drown in the dunya. If you obey him, you will not be vast in giving. You will think negative all the time. He will tell you, why do you want to pray 13 rakah? Why don t you pray 1 rakah? Why do you want to read one juz? Just read one ayah! Why do you want to give 100 dirhams, just give 1. If you will be vast in your ibaadah, in your giving, Allah promises forgiveness and a great favor. So who do you want to deal with? Obviously Allah. All greed is from Shaytaan. He is a big liar full of false promises. Allah is very vast, listen to Him, and believe in Him. He is the All Knower, He knows and He is vast in His giving. He knows what your intentions are. This name makes you fly. We are the one who puts obstacles. May Allah open for us the vastness of the worship and knowledge, and of the forgiveness and the mercy, and give us a vast reward. Ameen. We might change the time of the class for the last 10 nights. Maybe 11pm. We will also have a class about Laylatul Qadr on Thursday InshALlah.