Al-Aleem, The All-Knowing

The calligraphy is courtesy of vecteezy.com

I guess when I think of omniscience, the image that springs to mind, willy-nilly, is a microscope.  But God is not peering down at us from the sky like some sort of cosmic scientist.  Instead, God just knows, intimately and in detail, all of Creation from the inside out.  The marvel is that God not only knows, but loves.  I have a song about that, written quite some time ago.

My desire with this blog, however, is not just to dredge up pertinent thoughts from the past, but to ponder anew what it means to call God omniscient.  

With many of the names, reading through the Quranic uses of the name is not terribly helpful.  The names are used just once and the verse does not shed much light on the meaning.  This name is different.  There are several usages, and I was struck by several things.  Some of the verses were about God being aware of good deeds.  

"You shall not attain righteousness until you spend out of what you love (in the way of Allah).  Allah knows whatever you spend." (Surah 3:92, Abul Ala Maududi)

"And if any one obeyeth his own impulse to good, – be sure that Allah is He Who recogniseth and knoweth." (Surah 2:158b, Yusuf Ali)

This is in contrast to the popular Christian idea of the all-knowing aspect of God being primarily something to be feared, as though God is a cosmic version of the "elf on the shelf", as in the song for little kids "Oh be careful little hands what you do...For the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little hands what you do."  I suppose that song could be understood as meaning that we should do good things because God will see and recognize those good things.  But I've always heard it, despite the aspect of "looking down in love" as "Don't be naughty–God is watching."

The surah that I particularly enjoy in connection with this name is Surah 24:41.  In the Clear Quran it reads:

"Do you not realize that God is glorified by whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and even by the birds in formation?  Each knows its prayer and its manner of praise.  God knows well what they do."  

I love this picture of the birds praising God, and of God being fully aware of that praise, either of their formation, or as other translations have it of each wing being stretched out in praise.

It makes me think of Jesus saying that God knows every sparrow that falls and that the hairs on our head are numbered.  God is fully of all that goes on in this vast universe, a degree of omniscience that is beyond our ability to comprehend, but that is wonderful nonetheless.  I am reminded of one time when I saw myself from the perspective of the Infinite God as being like a little dust mote shuttling back and forth, and instantly heard in my heart, "beloved dust mote."  We are minute in the vast universe but that does not mean that we are not individually known and loved.

All-Knowing, All-Knower

 Lord, You know all things that can be known, 

For You set all things in motion.

Every feather on every sparrow's wing

Every wave upon the ocean.

Every hair on my brother's head.

Every act of deep devotion.

You see every good deed being done.

Every step about to falter

You see all the joy and hope expressed

By each couple at each altar

You hear every anguished cry of grief

From each soul that pleads to alter.

You know all our anger and our fear

Every grieving mother's sorrow

You know all our hidden shame and lies

Every desperate hope to borrow.

Lord You know all things that can be known.

You're the One who is all knowing.

You hold all our futures, all our pasts

All today and all tomorrow.

 

Al-Fattah, The Opener

Calligraphy and image from vecteezy.com

I selected this image because to me it suggests the richness of possibilities that are opened by God.

The Islamic understanding of this name is a bit puzzling to me.  It occurs only once in the Quran, 34:26, and in all of the translations I have seen, the name that in almost all of the lists of the name is translated "The Opener", is translated in this surah as the "Judge".  

Say, "Our Lord will bring us together; then He will judge between us in truth.  And He is the Knowing Judge." (Sahih International) 

Say, "Our Lord will bring us together; then He will judge between us equitably.  He is the All-Knowing  Judge." (ClearQuran) 

The best sense I can make of this is that the sense is that God will judge in this situation by opening up the truth of what is going on between the two groups that are in conflict.

In the book of Revelation, Jesus identifies himself in the vision given to John, "These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David.  What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open...See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. (Revelation 3:7-8 NIV).

What is it that God opens up for us?  Well, clearly for Christians, Jesus' death on the cross opens up the door to salvation.  The Muslim meditations on this name talk about God opening up understanding, opening up provisions, opening up truth.  

This is what I came up with as I pondered this name and God's role as the Opener in my life.

Opener

Open, open, what doors do You open?

What doors do You open for me?

Open the door to eternal life

So I can walk on the path of light.

Open my prison of sin and shame

So I can walk freely and feel no blame.

Open my ears to your Holy book

Open up the way with Your shepherd's crook. 

Open my heart, open up my mind

Open my eyes so I won't be blind.

Open my heart to my neighbor's need.

So that I can love both in word and deed.

Open Your throne room high above

So I can find mercy and know your love.

Open, open what doors have You opened?

What doors have You opened for me?

 

Ar Razzaq, The Provider

 

The Arabic calligraphy here is from vecteezy.com.  I liked it because of the playful colors, which speak to me of the many varied and surprising ways that God, the Provider, provides for us.

This name is (though not the sound of it) is comfortable for enjoyers of contemporary Christian music.  Jehovah Jireh, My Provider is for many of us a familiar song.  In fact, when I got to looking, I found several songs that focus on the Hebrew Jireh, meaning provider.

I have my own song along these lines, written long ago.  This tells the story of Abraham, at the time when he was called to sacrifice Isaac (or Ishmael according to Islamic teaching).  God stopped him from doing it at the last minute and provided a ram caught by his horns in a thicket for Abraham to sacrifice instead of his son.  There have been two occasions in my life when I felt like I had to hold something dear to my heart loosely, in case God would require me to lay it down, times when I felt I was identifying with Abraham.  The first time came when I was waiting for my husband-to-be to propose.  The second time came as I was considering going to seminary.  This song grew out of those times.

On the Mountain of the Lord

On the mountain of the Lord

It will be provided

All that You want me to give

On the mountain of the Lord

It will be provided

The strength and the courage to live.

I'll go walking up that mountain

With my hopes and my dreams in my hand.

I'll go walking up that mountain

Knowing You will allow me to stand.

Isaac was Abraham's deep delight, 

A hope that was too good to lose

And God spoke to Abraham in the night

Saying, "Come to the mountain I choose.

Will you lay down your son there?

Will you hand the child over to me?

Will you give up his life there,

As a sign that you're trusting in me?

Abraham left for the mountain that day

Leading his son by the hand.

I think tears filled his eyes as he tried to pray,

As he watched his dreams crumble to sand.

He took wood and he took fire,

And he carefully guarded the knife.

And he wondered how he'd do it.

Would you ask him to take his son's life?

Abraham knew that he had to do it –

Whatever You asked him to do.

And somehow he knew You would see him through it

And still make Your promises true.

He bound Isaac to the altar

He was ready to go all the way.

And then You sent an angel.

You provided the ram there that day.

Now by faith, we're the children of Abraham.

And sometimes we'll walk in his shoes.

I believe there are times

We will hear Your voice calling

To come to the mountain You choose

To lay down there what we cherish

Without knowing just what we'll get back.

We must trust that You are faithful

And that You will supply every lack.

On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided

All that You want me to give

On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided

The strength and the courage to live

I'll go walking up that mountain

with my hopes and my dreams in my hand

I'll go walking up that mountain

Knowing You will allow me to stand.

As I read about this name on the My Islam website,  I was struck by the distinction that they made between the action of God as the Giver, and the action of God as Provider.  They explained that while gifts are free, provision requires action on our part, whether the action of work for physical provisions, or prayer for spiritual provision.  I was reminded of God's provision of manna, and how the people had to gather it and prepare it and follow the rules (gather more the day before Sabbath).  

I was reminded of the words of a friend of mine, who in teaching gratitude, likes to say that the universe (or God) has always provided all that he truly needed (though not always all that he wanted).  He likes to say that he knows that because he is still here, he is still breathing.

I am disheartened this morning because of the political situation in the United States. Hard times are ahead.   I am reminded of several verses in the Bible.

 "Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance.  And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope.  And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us." Romans 5:3-5 (TPT).

"My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up in you the power of endurance.  And then as your endurance grows even stronger, it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking." James 1:3-4 (TPT)›

Provider

You have always provided

All that I need

I know that because I am breathing.

Through sorrow and joy

You have cared for us all

Through winter and summer and springtime and fall.

You have been there.

You surround us with care

Through hardship and even disaster.

Through rich times and poor times

You hold out Your hand.

And through trials our faith will grow faster.

You have always provided

All that we need

We know that because we are breathing.

Through sorrow and joy

You have cared for us all

Through winter and summer and springtime and fall.

You have been there.

You surround us with care

Through hardship and even disaster.

Through rich times and poor times

You hold out Your hand

God, help us be true

And to fully trust You

And to know in our hearts

You're the Master.