desires to be blessed by it. Among such manners is that one should maintain an attitude of
beautiful anticipation of the Grace of Allah, continuously expecting to receive His favours,
always looking forward to earning His blessings. He abandons haste, feels satisfied with his
lot and with whatever his Lord has decreed for him. "Contentment is a treasure that never
depletes," says an Arabic axiom. How true!
- "Al-`Aleem"
Allah has said, "... and trust in Allah; surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing" (Qura'n, 8:61).
"Al-Aleem" is derived fromilm, knowledge, which results from comprehending the truth
about something and from the sure conviction which agrees with reality. "Al-Aleem," when applied to the Almighty, is the One Who is most Knowing; surely His knowledge encompasses everything in existence even before anything begins to exist. Nothing at all can escape His knowledge. He is the One Whose knowledge is inclusive, be it apparent or hidden, minute or magnanimous. He knows its beginning and its end, what is above or underneath it, and what results therefrom. Al-Aleem is also the One Who knows what has happened and
what will. The knowledge of the unknown is with Him, and so is the knowledge of the Hour;
He knows what the wombs bear, when the rain falls, what every soul earns, what evil
intentions one harbors, what worldly desires he/she conceals, when and where anyone will
die. Al-Aleem is the One Who knows the details of all things, the particulars of things, what one's conscience and soul hide. Nothing at all, not even the weight of an atom in the earth or in the heavens, can ever escape His knowledge. From the wordilm have many other words
been derived. Al-lim is one. It occurs in Surat al-Ma'ida in this verse: "... surely You are the great One Who knows the unseen" (Qura'n, 5:109). Another is al-Alam which occurs in Surat
al-Anam: "Allah best knows where He places His message" (Qura'n, 6:124). Al-Aleem is a
superlative of al-`alim.
The Holy Qura'n contains the following verses which demonstrate the various meanings and
types of knowledge:
He knows that there is weakness in you. (8:66) He knows that there will be sick ones among
you. (73:20) And surely We know that your breast straitens at what they say. (15:97) Allah
knows what every female bears. (13:8)
"Al-`Aleem," one of the ninety-nine Attributes of Allah, occurs in many Qura'nic verses such
as:
... that is the ordinance of the Mighty, the Knowing. (36:38) The revelation of the Book is
from Allah, the Mighty, the Knowing. (40:2) ... surely He knows what is in the breasts.
(11:5) ... We have no knowledge except what You have taught us; surely You are the