Al-Awwal -Al-Ākhir -Al-Zhāhir -Al-Bātin (The First -The Last -The Outward -The Inward) -Exalted be He
Allah Almighty praises His Sublime Self, saying:
{He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden; and He is All - Knowing of everything.}
[Surat al - H adīd: 3]
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“Allāhumma rabb as-samāwāti wa rabb al-ard wa rabb al- ‘arsh al-‘azhīm rabbana wa rabba kulli shay’ fāliq al-habbi wa an-nawa wa munzil al-tawrāh wa al-injil wa al-furqān a‘udhu bika min sharri kulli shay’in anta ākhidhun binasiyatih (O Allah, the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the Magnificent Throne. Our Lord and the Lord of everything, the Splitter of the grain and the date-stone, the Revealer of the Torah, the Gospel, and the Furqān (the Qur’an), I seek refuge in You from the evil of everything that You seize by the forelock.)Allāhumma anta al-awwalu fa laysa qablaka shay’ wa anta al-ākhiru fa laysa ba‘daka shay’ wa anta al-zhāhiru fa laysa fawqaka shay’ waanta al-bātinu fa laysa dūnaka shay’ iqdi ‘annaad-dayn wa aghnina min al-faqr (O Allah, You are the First; nothing was before you. You are the Last; nothing will be after You. You are the Outward; nothing is above You. You are the Inward; nothing is below You. Remove our debts from us and enrich us against poverty!)”
[Narrated by Muslim ]
{He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden; and He is All - Knowing of everything.}
[Surat al - Hadīd: 3]
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“All āhumma rabb as - samāwāti wa rabb al - ard wa rabb al - ‘arsh al - ‘az hīm rabbana wa rabba kulli shay’ fāliq al - habbi wa an - nawa wa munzil al - tawrāh wa al - injil wa al - furqān a‘udhu bika min sharri kulli shay’in anta ākhidhun binasiyatih (O Allah, the Lord of the s even heavens and the Lord of the Magnificent Throne. Our Lord and the Lord of everything, the Splitter of the grain and the date - stone, the Revealer of the Torah, the Gospel, and the Furqān (the Qur’an), I seek refuge in You from the evil of everything that You seize by the forelock.) Allāhumma anta al - awwalu fa lays a qablaka shay’ wa anta al - ākhiru fa laysa ba‘daka shay’ wa anta al - zhāhiru fa laysa fawqaka shay’ wa anta al - bātinu fa laysa dūnaka shay’ iqdi ‘anna ad - dayn wa aghnina min al - faqr (O Allah, You are the First; nothing was before you. You are the Last; noth ing will be after You. You are the Outward; nothing is above You. You are the Inward; nothing is below You. Remove our debts from us and enrich us against poverty!)”
[Narrated by Muslim]
He is the First, before Whom there was nothing.
He is the Last, after Whom there will be nothing.
He is the Manifest, above Whom there is nothing.
He is the Hidden, below Whom there is nothing.
All these names revolve around the meaning that Allah Almighty encompasses His creation in terms of time and place.
The Names "the First and the Last" indicate that He is Encompassing in time, for there is nothing before Him; all things came into existence after Him, and He preceded them all.
And there is not hing after Him. He is the Ever-Lasting and will remain after all His creation perish.
Allah’s Names "the Outward and the Inward" indicate that He encompasses His creation in terms of place. He is above everything, and nothing is higher than Him. He is High above the Throne, and the Throne is the highest among created things. And Allah Almighty is High and Exalted in terms of His Self, status, attributes, and vanquishing power.
And nothing is below Allah Almighty, the Inward. This means that He encompasses all things and is nearer to them than their own selves. He watches over all consciences and knows the innermost thoughts and feelings.
Although He is Exalted and High above the Throne and over the heavens, He is near to His servants and watchful over their outward and inward aspects.
{And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.}
[Surat Qāf: 16]
{Say: “Whether you conceal what is in your hearts or reveal it, Allah knows it.”}
[Surat Ᾱ l - ‘Imrān: 29]
{And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.}
[Surat Qāf: 16]
{Say: “Whether you conceal what is in your hearts or reveal it, Allah knows it.”}
[Surat Ᾱ l - ‘Imrān: 29]
