“In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful” is very common to every Muslim, it is deep in their marrow, deep in their consciousness and flow in their blood. “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful” is used at the opening of every sermon given by preachers in the mosque, it is repeated by Muslims in their everyday prayers, it is the spiritual encouragement for those who preach God’s way, it also differentiates Muslims from the non-believers. The mentality, thinking, emotion, attitude and quality of a Muslim is governed and moulded by one’s understanding about “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful”. The verse “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful” has been commonly and widely used. The question is: do we really understand the meaning of it?
Instead of concealing the meaning of “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful”, making it so mysterious that most of the Muslims cannot understand and thus, not able to put into practice meaningfully; don’t you think the meaning of this verse should be revealed?
1. “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful” is telling Allah SWT’s character which is ‘The Compassionate, The Merciful.
When we speak and act “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful”, we should be like Allah SWT. We should reveal Allah SWT’s character (compassionate and merciful) in our speech and actions so that people will be able to see and experience it. “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful” is repeated in the beginning of every Surah of Quran as a reminder for us. However, I feel very sad to see this verse has been so commonly and numbly repeated. It is hard for me to imagine when one declares to be a Muslim, when “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful” is so deep and common in his or her life regardless of whether he or she is eating, sleeping, talking to people or preaching for Allah SWT yet has no self-control and can easily throw temper. Why does one have no mercy and being hard on non-believers? How can one ignore those poor, sick and weak people around him? How can one ignore those who suffer spiritually? We will be judged for this. Our life quality does not match with what we declare – “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful”, and due to our talk and actions, we are conveying the wrong concept about Allah SWT, we have dishonoured the name of Allah SWT and His character.
Allah SWT is the Compassionate and the Merciful! Allah SWT’s compassion and mercy become so light when we overemphasize His power and greatness. Do you know what the consequence will be? What is Allah SWT’s compassion and mercy? How can Allah SWT’s compassion and mercy be seen? What have knowing and experiencing Allah SWT’s compassion and mercy to do with moulding a Muslim’s character and spiritual quality? What is the importance of this to a Muslim and to the whole world? This is a lesson that is urgent for us to understand.
2. “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful” in a certain way indicates that a Muslim is the messenger, representative of Allah SWT, is the vicegerent in the earth.
When you are sharing your opinion, making your stand, making decision “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful”, you are talking and acting in the name of Allah SWT, the Compassionate and the Merciful. That is why in the Al-Quran it is said that Muslims are vicegerent in the earth. “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful” is not a slogan but a life quality. Vicegerent in the earth “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful” is not nominal but the essence of religious life. In the <Quran> An-Nur, verse 55 said: “ Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good deeds that He will most surely make them vicegerent in the earth as He made their ancestors before them, and He will ……………….”. How does Allah SWT rule the whole earth? What has made us to be the vicegerent in the earth? How does such noble identity arrive to us? Believe and do good deeds, yearn to be like Allah SWT, compassionate and merciful, righteous and faithful. We have to learn from our ancestors, the previous vicegerent in the earth, the way they ruled the earth as what Allah SWT had taught them. Did they rule the earth with the power of politics? Economy? Gun, bomb, missile, military force, etc? Did they rule the earth with their ability to fight and talk? The answer is NO. They ruled the earth with the power of kindness, mercy, compassion and gentleness from Allah SWT. Prophet Isa had said, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Gospel of Matthew 5: 5).
We will discover a fact by looking back at the history – almost all the fighting or wars took place in the name of God (or Allah SWT). The kingdoms or power built up by using the name of God, the Most High (or Allah SWT) with political, military, economic and diplomatic means would be overthrown and replaced by other kingdoms or power which built with the power of the flesh. There is no exceptional case for this. This had left intense sufferings, disasters, jealousy and hatred which last until now and difficult to dissipate. So, be careful in using the name of Allah SWT. In <Torah> Exodus 20: 7, it is said in the Ten Commandments, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.”
<Quran> Yunus, verses 13 -14, “We have destroyed generations before your time when they adopted unjust attitudes: their Rasools came to them with clear signs but they would not believe! Thus, do We requite the criminals. Then, We made you their successors in the land so that We may observe how you would conduct yourselves.”
How do we, Muslims become the vicegerent in the earth? Are we better than other race that had received revelation before? NO! NO! It is because the previous vicegerent in the earth who had received Allah SWT’s revelation had adopted unjust attitudes and would not even believe the Rasools sent to them with clear signs. Therefore, they were destroyed and then the task as vicegerent in the earth falls on our shoulders. Now, Allah SWT is also testing us: “Then, We made you their successors in the land so that We may observe how you would conduct yourselves.” So why are we so arrogant? While we are travelling on this earth in the name of Allah SWT, do we behave like vicegerent in the earth; live a compassionate, merciful, righteous and honest life? Do we believe and do good deeds? Are we faithful to the revelation? Surely Allah SWT hears all and knows all.
3. Those who are “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful” show that they know Allah SWT, in contact with Allah SWT and establish a close relationship with Him.
People believed in Prophet Muhammad SAW when he was delivering messages and was acting in the name of Allah SWT. This was because of his direct contact with Allah SWT which could be seen. His statements were not hearsay, not the result of speculative mind. His knowledge of Allah SWT was not an abstract concept, but a life experience. He did not need someone to prove to him the existence and greatness of Allah SWT. Only those who do not have contact with Allah SWT need to search continuously for evidence that Allah SWT is great and that He exists. Prophet Muhammad SAW knew the One he had believed. He lived a life that had a living relationship with Allah SWT and had experienced Him; he knew Allah SWT whom Prophet Moses also had experienced as narrated in the book of Psalm 90: 7-12:
For we have been consumed by Your anger And by Your wrath we have been dismayed. You have placed our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your presence. For all our days have declined in Your fury; We have finished our years like a sigh. As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away. Who understands the power of Your anger And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You? So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
He also agreed with Prophet David who knew Allah SWT, as written in the book of Psalm 103: 8-14:
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.
The prophets were humble, gentle, understanding and honest because they always communed with Allah SWT, and knew that Allah SWT would allow those who were not willing to commune with Him to struggle in their cruelty. The prophets knew very well that a person’s relationship with Allah SWT would be revealed in his life character. A prophet knew the One he believed in, he had a close relationship with Allah SWT, he understood Allah SWT’s will and always communed with Him, thus he could speak and act in His name.
You may say that we are just normal beings and none of us can be like the prophets. Then, how can we speak and act in the name of Allah SWT, the Compassionate, the Merciful? If we do not know Allah SWT through our experience, do not have direct contact with Him and do not build a close relationship with Him; how do we speak and act in the name of Allah SWT, the Compassionate, the Merciful? “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful”, we as Allah SWT’s believers should come into contact with Him, know Him and establish a living relationship with Him.
4. “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful”, that is to use the authority contained in the name of Allah SWT.
How do we make use of the authority given to us by Allah SWT? “In the name of Allah SWT, the Compassionate, the Merciful”, what has the vicegerent in the earth done? In the name of Holy Allah, have we performed good deeds and kindness? Do we understand His will? Have we lived our lives according to His will? Do we use Allah SWT’s authority in satisfying our own selfish lust, or do we use it to build up people, to bring blessings and peace to the people and to the earth? We used to hate and look down on those who abused their authority; do we also abuse the holy authority of Allah SWT? How will Allah SWT judge us? Let us examine ourselves before Allah SWT’s judgment.
________________________________________________________________________
Note:
- All Al-Quran verses are sourced from the ‘English Translation of the Meaning of the Al-Quran’ by Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik, with thanks.
- All Bible verses (Torah, Gospel, Psalm) are sourced from New American Standard Bible with Codes (1995), with thanks.