Al-Muta`ali is above the falsehood of the conceited, by necessity is Lofty and Sublime. His
rank is the Most High; He has the authority all of it. He is Proud and Great. His Glory is too
High to be comprehended or conceived by His creation.
One who keeps remembering the Attribute "al-Mutaali" ought to fashion his conduct according to it by his determination to worship none but Allah. One who adorns his manners as such will then remember the persecuted and the downtrodden and does his best to help them, so their condition will hopefully improve. According to one tradition, "A wretch indeed is a servant of Allah who fancied himself and became conceited, forgetting the Great One, al- Mutaali."
Our second Imam, al-Hasan ibn `Ali, says that his grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, had
taught him a few supplications to recite during his witr prayers such as this one:
Lord! I plead to You to guide me among those whom You have guided, to grant me good
health among those whom You have granted, to befriend me among those whom You have
befriended! I further implore You to bless what You have granted me, to shun from me the
evil of what You have decreed in my regard, for You decree while none can force his decree
on You! Surely none can humiliate those whom You have befriended; Blessed, Lord, are You
and Exalted exceedingly.
- "Al-Barr"
Allah has said, "Surely He is the Benign One, the Merciful" (Qura'n, 52:28).
Al-Barr is one of Allah's Attributes derived from barr, the doer of goodness; birr means the
doing of benevolent deeds. "Al-Barr," then, is an inclusive word containing all attributes of
goodness, benevolence and charity. One who is barr to his parents is very gracious and
benevolent to them. Those who are barr are those from whom deeds of goodness are
expected. Birr also means ties, links, or connections. A person who is barr regarding his kin
means he maintains good ties with them. The Holy Qura'n states this verse in Surat al-
Mumtaana: "Allah does not forbid you regarding those who have not made war against you
on account of (your) religion and have not driven you out of your homes that you show them
kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of justice" (Qura'n, 60:8).
And in Surat Ali-`Imran, we read, "By no means shall you attain righteousness until you
spend (benevolently) out of what you love" (Qura'n, 3:92). A pilgrimage that is blessed and
free of any prohibited acts is called "hajj mabroor" the reward for which is no less than
Paradise according to hadith. Birr also means piety, which in turn means the doing of