6. Al-Mumin, Trustworthy, The Guardian of Faith

 I have selected a granite background for the name to suggest the rock-solid quality of Allah's faithfulness that is implied in this name.

The root here, which is apparently ا م ن  a-m-n  has the meanings

to be secure, safe, free from fear
to be quiet, tranquil
to grant protection, safeguard
to be trusted, trustworthy
to believe in

It seems like most commentators on this name have focused on the aspect of protection, while I have focused on the aspect of faithfulness.  But it is in being faithful to us and to His word that God does protect us.

As I thought about this name, a song came.

Al-Mu'min

Al-Mu'min, you are faithful

Al-Mu'min, you are true

True to your word and true to your people

We can depend on you

Al-Mu'min

Al-Mu'min, make us faithful

Al-Mu'min, make us true

True to your word and true to your people

Completely dependent on you

Al-Mu'min

Listen to the Song

Let me say something about this song. I do not really understand what happens when I write a song.  It usually begins with looking for a song.  In this case, I was searching for words and a melody that would reflect what I had learned by reading about the meaning of this name.  But then what happens is that lines of the song come to me with a melody, which I hear in different ways.  Over time, as I sing the song to myself, it grows gradually, until it finally settles down and becomes one tune and one set of words.  I wake up singing it, I sing it over and over throughout my day.

As I have thought about this song, and as I have engaged in singing it, it seems to me that the structure of the song as well as the words tells me something about the faithfulness of God.  Because this song is almost like breathing, it can be sung (and I find myself singing it) almost like a chant, that continues on and on without a break.  And that is the way it is with the steadfast faithfulness and protective love of God--it continues on and on like the waves of the ocean.  Like our breath, it is there even when we are unaware of it.

In considering this name, I have been greatly helped by this website, and its associated links, in which a Jordanian man using the pen name Nuruddin Zangi describes his explorations into living with this name.