Al kareem

One of 99 beautiful names of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala

1. Introduction Kareem is one of the 99 names of Allah SWT. It is derived from root “ Kaaf-Raa-Meem ” This root appears 47 times in Quran with 8 derivatives such as Al- Akram [ most generous ] , Al- Akram [ honor ] , Kareemun [noble], Kiraaman [dignified ones] Al- Mukrameen [the honored ones] The two main meanings of this root word are: to be generous, giving, and beneficent to be highly esteemed, honored and valued

2. Imam al- Ghazali , in his explanation of Allah’s Names, stated that  al-Kareem  is “one who forgives if he has the power, follows through when he promises, and exceeds the limits one could hope for when he gives; nor is he concerned with how much he gives or to whom .” Maqayees al- lugha , that karam can refer to something that intrinsically has honor in and of and itself .

3. Related to other Names Al-Kareem

4. The name Al-Kareem is strongly related to various other Asmaa was- Sifaat of Allah ‘ azza wajal . Al-Kareem is related to Al- Wahhaab (The Giver) and Ar-Razzaaq (The Provider) in the sense that He initiates favors to His slaves, beyond what we deserve B rought us into existence even though He was not obliged to do so . G ives us the whole world, as He tells us: “ It is He Who created for you all that is in the earth”. Quran 2 : 29 The Quran , is not only an instruction but also a cure. Our prayers are not only rituals, but also treasure chests of multiple rewards. Our food is not just one kind, but an amazing variety of tastes, structures and flavors; this is the giving of Al-Kareem!

5. Al-Kareem is related to Al-‘ Afuw (The Pardoner ) because When you sin and forget about it, Allah deals with you generously and makes you live comfortably. He who covers your sins and when you turn to Him out of His amazing generosity. He doesn’t just forgive but completely erases your bad deeds and on top of this turns them into good deeds. He is At- Tawwaab . What a generous Lord!

6. Al-Kareem is also related to Al-Haleem (the Forebearing ) Whenever He gives He gives most generously When He is disobeyed, He forgives most forbearingly He has the most generous and gracious way of forgiving . Al-Kareem is related in meaning to Al- Wadood (The Loving); We being worthy of His divine love is truly a generosity Al-Kareem says: “Verily , those who believe and work deeds of righteousness: the Most Gracious shall bestow love upon them” [Quran , 19: 96]

7. How is Allah al-Kareem? Allah (SWT) in His essence is Kareem because of His perfection, His Oneness and His uniqueness. He is also Kareem in His dealings with His creation . As A l- Ghazali’s definition shows, Allah (SWT) always goes over and beyond what is needed, when He does not have to. He forgives, He follows through and He gives. Why? Because He is ultimately al-Kareem . We can illustrate with a few examples Prayers Food Forgiveness Paradise

8. Prayers Prayers are fascinating. We were created to worship . It includes many different acts, and it would be sufficient that it is a command from Allah ( swt ). Yet Allah ( swt ) provides so many spiritual cures in prayers, and He makes it something that is beloved in the heart of the believers . When we pray, the veil between us and Allah ( swt ) is lifted, as the Prophet (PBUH) tells us: “ Allah faces the servant during prayer as long as he does not turn away.” (Abu Dawud ) We are forgiven for sins, as we are told: “When a slave stands and prays, all his sins are brought and placed on his head and shoulders. Every time he bows or prostrates, some of them fall from him.” ( Bayhaqi )

9. We are rewarded even when we are waiting for prayer, as the Prophet said: “A person is considered in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer.” (Bukhari, Muslim ) Finally we are given the gift of  du`a ’  (supplication) when we are closest to Allah (SWT), in sujood  (prostration). The Prophet tells us: “The closest that a servant is to his Lord is when he is in prostration.” ( Muslim ) All of this to exemplify this attribute of Allah (SWT) He gives and gives, for such a simple act in order to bring us closer.

10. FOOD Allah has created a variety of eatables for us. Our food is not just of one kind, but an amazing variety of tastes, structures and flavors; this is the giving of Al-Kareem! Allah says in surah Ibrahim Verse 34 وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ ﴿٣٤ ﴾ “And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favor of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful .” ‏‏ فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ إِلَى طَعَامِهِ أَنَّا صَبَبْنَا الْمَاء صَبًّا ثُمَّ شَقَقْنَا الْأَرْضَ شَقًّا فَأَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا حَبًّا وَعِنَبًا وَقَضْبًا وَزَيْتُونًا وَنَخْلًا وَحَدَائِقَ غُلْبًا وَفَاكِهَةً وَأَبًّا مَّتَاعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَامِكُمْ‏} ‏ [ ‏عبس‏:‏ 24 ـ 32‏ ] ‏‏ ” Then let mankind look at his food. How We poured down water in torrents. Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts ], And caused to grow within it grain, And grapes and herbage, And olive and palm trees, And gardens of dense shrubbery, And fruit and grass, [As] enjoyment for you and your grazing livestock. ‏ ”

11. Forgiveness Even in Allah’s forgiveness of our sins, His Generosity is manifest. When we spoke about Allah at- Tawwaab , we recounted how Allah ( swt ) not only cancels your sin, but that sin may even be turned into a good deed in your books. Yet Allah’s generosity knows no bounds . Sheikh Ratib an- Nabulsi , in explaining Allah’s Name al-Kareem, quotes the following : “If a believer returns to Allah with true sincere repentance, Allah makes him, the angels and the whole world, forget his sins and misdeeds.”

12. Paradise Paradise is the ultimate manifestation of Allah’s generosity. It will removes the memory of whatever we were afflicted with in the world. It is a place that we cannot even imagine where everyone will have what he wishes, and everyday is more fascinating than the previous. In Surah Yaseen Allah explains the people of Jannah as إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ الْيَوْمَ فِي شُغُلٍ فَاكِهُونَ ﴿٥٥﴾ هُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُمْ فِي ظِلَالٍ عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ مُتَّكِئُونَ ﴿٥٦﴾ لَهُمْ فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَلَهُم مَّا يَدَّعُونَ ﴿٥٧﴾ سَلَامٌ قَوْلًا مِّن رَّبٍّ رَّحِيمٍ ﴿٥٨ ﴾ “Indeed the companions of Paradise, that Day, will be amused in [joyful] occupation .They and their spouses - in shade, reclining on adorned couches. For them therein is fruit, and for them is whatever they request [or wish ]. [And ] "Peace," a word from a Merciful Lord .”

13. Al Kareem in Quran

14. Surah I nfitar يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنسَانُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ الْكَرِيمِ ﴿٦ ﴾ “O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous” Maulana M odudi in explanation of this ayah says “In the first place, the bounty and favor of your Beneficent Sustainer required that you should have acknowledged his bounties and become an obedient servant and should have felt shy of disobeying Him, but you were deluded into thinking that you have become whatever you are by your own effort, and you never thought that you should acknowledge that favor of Him Who gave you life. Secondly, it is your Lord's bounty and kindness that you can freely do whatever you like in the world and it never so happens that whenever you happen to commit an error, He should punish you with paralysis, or blind your eyes, or cause lightning to strike you. But you took His bountifulness for weakness and were beguiled into thinking that the Kingdom of your God was devoid of justice "

15. Surah Naml ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ ﴿٤٠ ﴾ “And whoever is grateful - his gratitude is only for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever is ungrateful - then indeed, my Lord is Free of need and Generous .” Ibn e kather in tafseer of this Verse states: " وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيّ كَرِيم " أَيْ هُوَ غَنِيّ عَنْ الْعِبَاد وَعِبَادَتهمْ كَرِيم أَيْ كَرِيم فِي نَفْسه فَإِنْ لَمْ يَعْبُدهُ أَحَد فَإِنَّ عَظَمَته لَيْسَتْ مُفْتَقِرَة إِلَى أَحَد وَهَذَا كَمَا قَالَ مُوسَى " إِنْ تَكْفُرُوا أَنْتُمْ وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْض جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ اللَّه لَغَنِيّ حَمِيد “ وَفِي صَحِيح مُسْلِم " يَقُول اللَّه تَعَالَى : يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلكُمْ وَآخِركُمْ وَإِنْسكُمْ وَجِنّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَتْقَى قَلْب رَجُل مِنْكُمْ مَا زَادَ ذَلِكَ فِي مُلْكِي شَيْئًا يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلكُمْ وَآخِركُمْ وَإِنْسكُمْ وَجِنّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَر قَلْب رَجُل مِنْكُمْ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّمَا هِيَ أَعْمَالكُمْ أُحْصِيهَا لَكُمْ ثُمَّ أُوَفِّيكُمْ إِيَّاهَا فَمَنْ وَجَدَ خَيْرًا فَلْيَحْمَدْ اللَّه وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْر ذَلِكَ فَلَا يَلُومَنَّ إِلَّا نَفْسه ".

16. Surah Bani Israel وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا ﴿٧٠﴾ “And We have honored the children of Adam, blessed them with conveyances on land and sea, provided them with good and pure things and exalted them above many of Our creatures .” The word used for honored is karram-na , from the same root karam . Allah ( swt ) has given the human being a sense of honor and dignity in being human. He has preferred the human over other creation. Iblis (Satan) even recognizes this, saying: “Do You see this one whom You have honored [ karram -ta] above me? If You delay me until the Day of Resurrection, I will surely destroy his descendants, except for a few.” (Qur’an 17:62 )

17. Surah Alaq اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ “Recite , and your Lord is the most Generous” We see Allah describes the lowly origin of man, then He describes Himself as the Most Noble. Karam in arabic is something which should be respected for what it is. So us being a lowly clot of blood is not honorable, but Allah is truly honorable. It is Allah who honored us . “And We have certainly honored the children of Adam ” [ Israa ' 17:70 ]

18. Surah Muminoon In Surah Muminoon verse 116, Allah says: فَتَعَالَى اللَّـهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ ۖ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ ﴿١١٦ ﴾ “So exalted is Allah , the Sovereign, the Truth; there is no deity except Him, Lord of the Noble Throne .”

19. Recognize al-Kareem

20. Allah has Honored Human Firstly , recognize the worth that Allah ( swt ) has given you in being a human being, with intellect and a capacity to choose and Had made us “ Asharf-ul-Makhloqaat ” This dignity was given by God; and as people, we must act in ways that are dignified. We dishonor ourselves by lying, cheating, being rude, and ignoring injustice . We should not indulge in such activities which are against the standards of human being

21. Recognize Allah’s Generosity Secondly, recognize Allah’s generosity in His dealings with you, and that everything good we have is a result of Allah’s generosity . Reflect upon how Allah’s generosity exceeds all expectations . It is important to contemplate over what we have, and realize that what we have is truly over and above our basic needs. All that is from the generosity of al-Kareem.

22. Be Generous To People Thirdly, be generous to people, knowing that Allah ( swt ) compensates His servants because He is the ultimate in Generosity . Not simply in money, but in time and simple generosity in attitude. The Prophet ﷺ would never say “no” when he was asked for something [Agreed upon]. The Prophet ﷺ also said: “The generous one is close to Allah, close to people, far from the fire; a stingy person is far from Allah, far from people, far from Paradise; and the generous ignorant person is more beloved to Allah than a stingy worshipper.” (Tirmidhi)