rights of) one another, and to the ties of kinship; surely Allah ever watches over you" (Qura'n,
4:1).
"Al-Raqeeb" is one of Allah's Attributes, and He is the Witness Who is never absent from the
scene. In language, a raqeeb is a vigilante, a watchman who stands to protect and guard. In
the army, the raqeeb is the one in the vanguard. Al-Raqeeb is Allah Who safeguards everyone
and everything, the One from Whose knowledge nothing at all can escape. According to one
sacred tradition, the Messenger of Allah has said, "Safeguard Muhammed in his household,"
meaning safeguard his name and honour it. "Raqeeb" also means offspring. The angel who
writes down whatever we do and say is also called "raqeeb": "He does not utter a word except
that there is by him someone watching at hand" (Qura'n, 50:18). Al-Raqeeb, that is, the One
Who truly ever watches over us, is, of course, Allah. One Who is raqeeb regarding Allah is
one who acknowledges that He oversees whatever we do and say, so he observes his duties
towards Him.
Allah, al-Raqeeb, knows our conditions and counts our breath. Al-Raqeeb never laxes nor
forgets, Who is always present and is never absent, Who knows everything and nothing
regarding the conditions of His creation can ever escape His knowledge. He manages the
affairs of His servants, Who knows what they say, Who watches over His servants, Who
observes what they do, Who is familiar with their innermost thoughts.
Narrating the story of Jesus son of Mary, the Almighty quotes Jesus saying, "... but when You
caused me to die, You were the Watcher over them, and You witness all things" (Qura'n,
5:117). He has also said, "... and Allah is Watchful over all things" (Qura'n, 33:52). There are
two viewpoints that explain the meaning of "al-Raqeeb":
One: Linguistically, He safeguards things, Who watches over everyone, Who guards
everyone, Who is free of any oversight or negligence. He takes care of and safeguards
everything. The Almighty has said, "He does not utter a word except that there is by him a
watcher at hand" (Qura'n, 50:18), meaning an angel who records his deeds and takes note of
everything he contemplates, says, or does, while Allah is al-Raqeeb Who looks after His
servants, knows their conditions and whatever they utter.
As regarding observation, it is His saying: "... surely I (Allah) am with you both: I hear, and I
see" (Qura'n, 20:46). Regarding knowledge, it is His saying: "Allah knows what every female
bears, and that of which the wombs fall short of completion, and that in which they
increase" (Qura'n, 13:8). Other such references include:
... and He knows what is in the land and the sea. (6:59) He knows what goes deep down into
the earth and what comes forth out of it. (57:4)
The other viewpoint says that this word is derived from irtiqab, waiting. Allah has said,