A devotional exploration by one Christian woman of the 99 beautiful names of Allah.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things" (Philippians 4:8).
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.
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.
This image is made from components taken from vecteezy.com. I wanted to display the bounty of the concept of Al-Wahhab, the Giver
When people think of God as a giver, and think of actually praying for specific things, this is sometimes derided as reducing God to a heavenly vending machine. You pop in prayer, and he pops out stuff, and if the stuff doesn't arrive, then maybe it's a stuck vending machine, or you didn't add enough faith or something like that.
We think of the old Janis Joplin song, "O God, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz? My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends. O God, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?" And we are (rightfully, I think) scornful of the materialism derided in that song. But it is not the case that the only good prayers are exclusively spiritual. We are commanded to ask for our daily bread. And Jesus expected tax money to be given to him, and provided miraculous catches of fish.
When I started meditating on some of these scriptures, I was startled to find that the verse I was familiar with as "Every good and perfect gift is from above..." was actually about giving as well as gifts. In time, that yielded a song.
"All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message. of truth, that we would be a kind of first fruits of all creation." (James 1:17-8 NET)
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11 NIV)
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:11-13 NIV)
All Good Gifts
All good gifts and all good giving
Come down from the Father of lights
All good gifts and all good giving
Come down from the Father of lights.
He gave us new birth by the word of his truth
So we could be first fruits of all creation
First fruits are his; they are given to God
He gave us as gifts to himself.
All good gifts and all good giving
Come down from the Father of lights
All good gifts and all good giving
Come down from the Father of lights.
If you who are evil know how to give
Good gifts to the kids you adore.
How much more will your Heavenly Father
Give to his children so much more?
All good gifts and all good giving
Come down from the Father of lights
All good gifts and all good giving
Come down from the Father of lights.
If your child asks for bread, you won't give them a stone
This picture is taken straight from vecteezy.com but the austere gold and black seemed appropriate to the meanings of this word.
Grappling with this name has been a struggle that has taken months. I set myself a goal of a new name each week, and now months have gone by since my last post. That has not all been getting busy with other aspects of my life, but wrestling with what to do with this name in a Christian context.
The root of this word is ق ه ر and according to the myislam.com website, it has root meanings which include to subjugate, to overpower, to compel against one's wishes. Two names al-Qaahhar and al-Qaahhir are based on this word, and of the two, al-Qaahhar is the most emphatic. So this emphasizes the idea that God is completely overpowering. Basically, that if you try to fight against God, you haven't got a chance.
Jacob did wrestle against God (or at least against the angel of God and "prevailed" and thereby won the approving name Israel. Genesis 32:28 NIV "Then the man said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome." Jacob calls the place where he fought, Peniel, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared." (Genesis 32:30).
I think no one questions that God had the power to quash Jacob in this encounter. He did dislocate his hip. God allowed him to win, and blessed his endeavor.
Still, as Christians, we believe that God has said, "As surely as I live, every tongue will acknowledge God" (Romans 14:11 quoting Isaiah 45:23). Isaiah 45:24 goes on to say that "Every tongue that has raged against him (clearly God in context) will come to him and be put to shame." All of which makes it seem to me that there will be a time when God will compel assent to Himself. We also have the similar statement in Philippians God gave Jesus "the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:8-11)
I must acknowledge that God is not always "a gentleman, who will not force me against my will" (as some popular sayings suggest that He is.)
Still, when will that day of God's forcefulness come? In the book of 2 Peter, we read that, "in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, 'Where is this 'coming' he promised. Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. (2 Peter 3:3-4 NIV). The author goes on to say, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9 NIV). In other words, the day will when God will come as the Irresistible, the Prevailer, when God forces everyone to submit, whether they want to or not--but God is in no hurry to get there. He would rather draw us patiently into submitting willingly to his rule.
As I considered this name, I was also strongly reminded about the story of Jesus calming the winds and waves of the storm. (Mark 4:35-41 and Luke 8:22-25). In both tellings of the story, the disciples are amazed. "Who is this, that even the winds and waves obey him?" Why is this so amazing to them? I think when people are healed or delivered there is always some lingering doubt that perhaps this is merely a psychological phenomenon. Not that it is totally a placebo effect, but maybe when the human spirit is set right with God, then the body can heal itself. But the winds and the waves? No. They are purely physical. It takes someone special to control them. And that someone was Jesus.
So where do I find myself in the midst of these considerations? Right now, I am struggling with what I suppose I must acknowledge has become an addiction to computer games. Challenged to lay them aside for a season, my own selfish desires are rising up like a storm of winds and waves in my soul. I haven't yielded yet, but it's been an awfully near thing. And I found myself singing, "O Subduer, come subdue me." And perhaps I am getting a glimpse of what devout Muslims understand to be the "greater jihaad" the struggle against evil in ourselves.
Al-Qaahhar
I have no question, not a shred of doubt.
If we fight against You can take us all out.
Just a flick of Your finger, a puff of Your breath
We'd be flat on the floor at the gateway of death.
You've got the power, You've got the might.
You could wipe out our wills with a flash of Your light –
But You don't.
You wait
You are longing for folks to come in
To acknowledge your Kingship,
and turn from our sin.
To be rescued from death and be blessed with Your life
This word comes from the arabic root letterغ ف ر, ">which carries the meaning of covering something, concealing it, pardoning, forgiving, setting aright. There are three related terms, al-Ghaffar, al-Ghaffur, and al-Ghaffir. Of these three, al-Ghaffar implies the quantity and repetition of forgiveness. Al-Ghaffur focuses on the magnitude of what is forgiven. I don't know about al-Ghaffir. It just gets translated the forgiver.
In making the picture, I used the picture of a wave because waves keep coming. I used red text, because red speaks of blood. and for Christians, it is understood that Jesus died on the cross so that we might be forgiven.
In the gospels, there is a story that Peter came to Jesus, who was teaching the people to forgive each other, and asked "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" and Jesus answered "I do not say to you seven times but seventy-seven times (or seventy times seven)" (Matthew 18: 21-22). God enjoins us to be freely and repeatedly forgiving.
One might wonder, if God keeps on forgiving us, do we make any progress at all? It is true that sometimes we seem to make no progress, but I think if we keep seeking to improve, we find that God does give us victory but also shows us subtler sins. At any rate, this song represents an aspect of my experience as I struggle to walk with God in integrity and faithfulness.
I started this blog back in 2011. I had been teaching an introductory course in Great World Religions at Temple University as part of my Ph.D. studies at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. I was working at giving students, many of whom started with a tendency to see Islam in a very negative light, some insight into the positive side of that religion. I do not believe that all religions are equal. I disagree with Islam in some very important ways. But I do believe that the better we understand all of the people in the world, including their faith, the more equipped we are to love those people and to share with them the things that we believe are important. As I was looking for ways to teach my students about positive aspects of Islam, I found the 99 beautiful names of Allah, particularly in this Nasheed:
I have personally been captivated by the many ways that God describes God's self in the Bible. I have many biblical self-descriptions of God painted on the walls of my house, and I love the verse that says "The name of the LORD is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and is safe." (Proverbs 18:10 ESV). In my understanding, to run into the name of the LORD is to run into the nature of God. I thought that the above Nasheed was beautiful and it seemed to me that it would be an interesting and valuable devotional exercise for myself to spend time with each of these names of Allah, pondering them and understanding them better and seeing whether I could see them reflected in the Bible. My goal was to understand how the words were understood by Arabic speakers, and by their usage in the Quran, and then to look at them from a Christian perspective.
As I began writing my Ph.D. dissertation, I felt that I had to cut back on activities that did not directly feed into that arduous process. After a bunch of years, two different approved topics and a lot of fruitless effort, I decided to abandon my attempt to get a Ph.D. in historical theology, and proceed with my life as an A.B.D. (All but dissertation). I had by this time completely forgotten about this blog.
Recently, I reconnected with a childhood friend, and she asked me whether I had any resources that would help her learn more about world religions. Ha! An assignment I would really enjoy! As I began looking through what I had gathered over the years, I found not only the 99 names nasheed, but rediscovered this blog. All of the links to pictures and songs were broken, but as I looked through the writing I had done back in 2011, I found that I still liked the work I had done. Although I have recently taken on some new responsibilities, it seemed like the time has come to take this up again.
My new responsibilities are that I have been ordained and installed as a copastor at a small "dinner church".
Who is my audience, and what is my purpose for doing this? First and foremost, I am doing this for myself and for God. That does not mean that I am not going to share it with people (I'm a pretty open person--if you know me, I am likely to share whatever is uppermost in my heart and mind at the time). I would love it if the work I am doing here would come in time to bless other people. But the first thing I am doing is coming before God to love and worship Him.
If it ministers to other Christians, I will rejoice. If it allows me to share my faith with Muslims and other non-Christians, I will rejoice in that as well. If these songs and thoughts and poems are valuable at some point for Arabic-speaking Christians that would also be great. But my primary purpose in doing this is to worship God, and to grow in my own faith and love.
Over the past 3-4 weeks, as I have rewritten and re-recorded the songs that were on the blog, and fixed the broken links, I find that this work has given me a renewed appreciation for the awesomeness of God. And so my plan at this point is to pick up the work where I left off, and to attempt to deal with one new name each week or so.
I tried to use people who are such public figures that they wouldn't mind the use of their images.
Al-Musawwir, the Bestower of forms (and some say colors), the Shaper. When I thought about this name, the image that first came to my mind was diatoms, the miniscule organisms whose skeletons make the diatomaceous earth that is white dust in swimming pool filters:
Picture courtesy of Wikicommons
Don't they look like buttons or beads? I love the amazing variety. God is an awesome designer.
The connotations of the root of this word: s - w - r ض و ر according to the Wahiduddin Web are
to make something incline, lean or bend towards
to form, fashion, sculpt, imagine or picture something
to have an inclination or desire towards something
This is supposed to be the most specific of the three names that have to do with God as creator, and as I thought about that I found myself thinking particularly about the way God has made each and every person unique. Of course, this applies not just to our bodies but also to our hearts and minds and spirits. And of course, Allah has shaped many many things other than people. Lots of things to celebrate.
Al-Musawwir
Al-Musawwir
You give the shape to everything that's shaped
And everything is shaped
Al-Musawwir.
Every little snowflake that drifts from the sky
Has a form and fashion that you did supply.
Every person's body and each person's face,
Bears a special signature that You stamped in place.
The path of every river that flows
The shape of every flower that grows
Fancy guppy tails and the swirling shells of snails
