Al-Mannān (The Bestower of favors)
The favors of Allah Almighty are countless and numberless. How often He removes our afflictions and cures our diseases! And how often He brings us relief from our grief and distress!
The greatest favor a person hopes to attain in the Hereafter is the forgiveness of his sins. This is to be achieved through faith and righteous deeds, even if little.
A case in point is ‘Amr ibn Thābit. He embraced Islam during the Battle of Uhud and got killedin it, without even offering a single prayer. They mentioned him to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace andblessings be upon him), who said:“
He is among the people of Paradise.”
[Narrated by Ahmad; Sahīh (authentic); Al - Haythami said in Al - Majma‘: Its narrator s are reliable]
Another example is the man who killed a hundred persons. Allah Almighty saw his sincere repentance and forgave him.
The greatest favor to be bestowed upon any person in this life is guidance.
{...Rather, it is Allah Who has done you a favor by guiding you to faith, if you are truthful.}
[Surat al - Hujurāt: 17]
One of the names by which Allah praised Himself is “Al-Mannān”. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he was sitting with the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) while a manwas praying and then made this supplication: “Allāhumma inni as’aluka bi’anna laka al-hamd, lā ilāha illa ant Al-Mannān, Badī‘ as-samāwāti wa al-ard, yā Dhal-Jalāl wa al-Ikrām, yā Hayy yā Qayyūm (O Allah, I implore You by virtue of the fact that all praise is due to You, there is no god but You, You are the Bestower of Favors, the Originator of the heavens and earth, the Owner of majesty and honor, the Ever-Living, the All-Sustainer).”
Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“He has implored Allah by His greatest name by which when supplicated, He answers, and by which when asked, He gives.”
[Narrated by Al - Nasā’i, Al - Tirmidhi, Abu Dāwūd, and Ibn Mājah; Sahīh (authen tic)]
Our Lord, Exalted be He, is the Generous Bestower of gifts, blessings, and favors. He gives before being asked and grants us more than we hope and wish.
Since He bestows all favors upon His servants, He has the right to remind them of His favors, but they do Him no favor. Among His greatest favors is that He gives us life, the mind, the tongue, the shape, and everything we possess. His giving is indeed generous.
One of His best favors upon His servants is that He sent them the messengers as bringers of glad tidings and warners, saving the believers from Hellfire and guiding them to the straight path.
{Allah has conferred favor on the believers when He sent them a messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His verses, purifying them, and teaching them the Book and Wisdom, although before that they we re clearly misguided.}
[Surat Ᾱ l ‘Imrān: 164 ]
{...Rather, it is Allah Who has done you a favor by guiding you to faith, if you are truthful.}
[Surat al - Hujurāt: 17]
Among His favors is that He saves the weak and vulnerable in all times from tyrants and wicked people and grants them security and power:
{ But We wanted to bestow favor upon those who were oppressed in the land, and make them leaders and inheritors [of the land].}
[Surat al - Qasas: 5] [Surat Ᾱ l ‘Imrān: 164]
{...Rather, it is Allah Who has done you a favor by guiding you to faith, if you are truthful.}
[Surat a l - Hujurāt: 17]
Among His favors is that He saves the weak and vulnerable in all times from tyrants and wicked people and grants them security and power:
{But We wanted to bestow favor upon those who were oppressed in the land, and make them leaders and inheritors [of the land].}
[Surat al - Qasas: 5]
