servant of His more than one who is preoccupied with trying to earn distinction, prominence,
and prestige for himself. In Surat al-A`raf we read the following verse: "(As for) those who
took the calf (for a god), surely wrath from their Lord and disgrace in the life of this world
shall overtake them" (Qura'n, 7:152). Anyone who looks niggardly at people to see how he
can take advantage of them, who is never satisfied with what he has had, one who is dragged
by his own schemes to elevate himself to prominence while keeping himself in the darkness
of ignorance..., is one whom Allah has surely disgraced and deprived. Such an individual is
implied in verses such as this: "But you caused yourselves to fall into temptation, and you
waited and doubted, and vain desires deceived you, till the threatened punishment of Allah
came while the arch-deceiver [Satan] deceived you about Allah, so today ransom shall not be
accepted from you" (Qura'n, 57:14). This is the lowest degree of humiliation.
Thull, or bringing it about, that is, ithll, comes in many types, shapes and sizes. Allah abases
an oppressor by making him fall a prey to disease, or to his lust for women, or to his greed for
wealth, or by making him in dire need of others. Let us supplicate thus: "Lord! Take us out of
the humiliation of disobedience to the honour of obedience to You, and do not permit any of
those whom You created to disgrace us, and crown us with the crown of Your honour."
Honour is in needing nobody. The absolutely perfect degree of such honour, to be sure,
belongs to none other than Allah Who has said, "Surely all honour is Allah's" (Qura'n, 4:139).
Next in degree of being honoured is one who is closest to the Almighty: "... to Allah belongs
the honour, to His Prophet, and to the believers" (Qura'n, 63:8).
- "Al-Samee`"
Allah has said, "And to Him belongs whatever dwells in the night and in the day, and He is
the Hearing, the Knowing" (Qura'n, 6:13).
Al-Samee' is the Oneand Only OneWho listens to everything in existence without the use
of a faculty for hearing or a hearing aid. Allah hears each and every sound and voice even if it
is hidden from us. His hearing encompasses everything: He hears the pleas of those who are
in distress; He responds to the supplications of those in need; He helps those who are
desperate for help; He hears the praising of those who praise Him, so He rewards them for it,
and the supplication of those who plead to Him, so He responds to them. He hears the sound
of the black ant walking on a solid rock in the darkest night; and He hears what the hearts
contemplate and what scruples penetrate the conscience. His response to the supplication of
one person does not distract Him from responding to another; He knows where the vision
trespasses and what the breasts conceal; He hears every silent plea; He hears you and me.
Nothing on earth or in the heavens can ever be hidden from Him.
"Al-Samee" is derived from "sam". It conveys the fact that Allah, the Most High, realizes the
truth about each and every sound even if it is, to our limited ability, quite silent. He, Glory to
Him, realizes and distinguishes sounds as well as colors just as He realizes and distinguishes