The Holy Qura'n has indicated that Allah's knowledge is vast and endless; in Surat al-Anam, the Almighty says, "And his people disputed with him. He said: Do you dispute with me regarding Allah, and He has, indeed, guided me? And I do not fear in any way those that you set up with Him unless my Lord pleases; my Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge; will you not then mind" (Qura'n, 6:80)? The Holy Qura'n has described Allah's mercy as vast; in Surat al-Araf it is stated that, "And ordain for us good in this world's life and in the life
hereafter, for surely we turn to You. He said: (As for) My chastisement, I will afflict with it
whomsoever I please, and My mercy encompasses all things; so I will ordain it (especially)
for those who guard (themselves against evil) and pay the zakat and those who believe in Our
signs" (Qura'n, 7:156). In Surat Taha, His knowledge is described as vast: "Your only God is
Allah; there is no god but He; He comprehends all things in (His) knowledge" (Qura'n,
20:98). Other references to the vastness of His knowledge, to His mercy and might, are as
follows:
Our Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge; in Allah do we trust: Lord! Decide
between us and our people with the truth, and You are the best of those who decide. (7:89)
Those who bear the Throne and those around Him celebrate the praise of their Lord and
believe in Him and ask protection for those who believe (saying): Lord! You encompass all
things in mercy and knowledge; therefore, grant protection to those who turn (to You) and
follow Your way, and save them from the punishment of hell. (40:7) And the heavens We
raised high with power, and most surely We make things ample. (51:47)
We ought to ponder on Allah's vast knowledge, for He is the Absolute al-Wasi` Whose Grace
has encompassed everything in existence, in fact, even prior to their existence, and even
before the existence of time itself, since He has always been for all eternity. His knowledge
encompasses everything. Nothing He knows distracts Him from knowing something else. His
might overwhelms everything; no issue distracts Him from another. His Hearing encompasses
everything; no person's supplication can distract Him from hearing the supplication of
another. His benevolence includes all His creation; His helping one particular needy person
does not prohibit Him from helping another.
One of the ways for learning a code of ethics derived from this Attribute, "al-Wasi`," is that
you should include all servants of Allah in your good treatment and kindness at all times; be
gracious to all people. Help them when they seek your help, and treat all of them with the best
treatment. A servant of Allah ought to remember and seek wisdom from the conduct of the
Messenger of Allah who was saying his prayers once when he overheard a bedouin
supplicating to his Lord saying, "O Allah! Have mercy on me and on Muhammed, and do not
be merciful to anyone else besides us." The Prophet said to him, "You have prayed Him to