perfection of the Self. All qualities of His are referred to according to the extent one can
conceive; so, He exhausts the mind and is not exhausted; He can never be seen by anyone, yet
He sees everyone. When the qualities of glory are attributed to a reasoning mind capable of
conceiving them, they are called beauty, and the one they describe is called beautiful.
Originally, the Attribute "al-Jameel" was linguistically applied to a picture which can be
discerned by the eyes no matter what it represents, one which suits and agrees with the vision.
Then it was applied to an inner picture which may be conceived by the mind such as one may
talk about "a beautiful conduct," for it is conceived by the mind rather than the eyesight. Inner
pictures, then, if harmonious and combining the qualities of perfection that suit them, just as
they ought to be, convey an inner beauty just as they convey to whoever discerns and
conceives them a visual pleasure, and their inner beauty is more intense than their outward
one.
The share a servant of Allah may derive from the inspiration of this Attribute is that he adorns
himself with beauty and bears in mind that it is He Who has bestowed upon him the blessings
of beauty, be it the beauty of a visible image or of the inner self. The inner beauty of the soul
is surely higher and greater than that of the beauty of the body. The Messenger of Allah used
to thus supplicate after his prayers: "Allahomma anta as-Salam wa minka as-salam; tabrakta
wa ta`alayta ya thal jalali wal ikram," that is, "Lord! You are the Peace and the source of
peace; Glory to You, You are the One with all the Greatness and Honour!"
The Messenger of Allah has also said, "Hold Allah in high esteem so that He may forgive
you," that is to say, Glorify Him by obeying Him and by distancing yourselves from
committing any disobedience of Him, and seek nearness to Him, Glory to Him, by performing
what He has enjoined you to perform.
- "Al-Kareem"
Allah has said, "... whoever is grateful, he is grateful only for (the good of) his own soul, and
whoever is ungrateful, surely my Lord is self-Sufficient, Honoured" (Qura'n, 27:40). Scholars
say that anything regarded as good, precious, of great importance, is kareem. Linguistically, a
person who is out-giving is also called kareem, generous. Anything held in its own category
in high esteem is called kareem. Allah is called "al-Kareem," an Attribute that describes His
benevolence and beneficence. Allah has always been Generous, and He will always be so. He
is high above any lowliness; He gives abundantly, and He gives beautifully.
Al-Kareem forgives though He is capable of inflicting the most severe of punishment; He
fulfills His promise; He gives more than what one pleads to Him for; He does not mind how
much He gives and to whom; He does not permit anyone who seeks refuge with Him to suffer
loss; He does not need means to do what He does. One Who can combine in Him all these
qualities is the Absolute al-Kareem; none other than Allah is as such.