The Messenger of Allah used to say the following after finishing each of the prescribed daily
prayers: "There is no god but Allah, the One and only God; His is the Kingdom; His is the
Praise, and He can do everything. Lord! None can prohibit what You grant, nor can anyone
grant what You withhold, and none is capable of stopping the implementation of Your will."
- "Al-Darr"
Allah has said, Say: I do not control for myself any harm, nor can I benefit myself in aught
except what Allah pleases. (10:49)
Both al-Darr and al-Nafi` are among the Attributes of Allah.
Most references wherein these Attributes are discussed have combined both Attributes
together. Combining both of these Attributes is better: it conveys a stronger meaning of the
Almighty's Power to do whatever He wills, however He wills; none benefits nor harms others
besides Him.
Language says that darr, harm, is the opposite of nafi`, benefit or advantage. Allah is al-Darr,
that is, the One Who can harm anyone He wants in any way He wishes; He impoverishes
some of His servants or causes them to fall prey to sickness according to His wisdom; so, He
determines everything, and He alone facilitates the means of harm as a trial from Him
whereby He purges the sins or subjects one of His servants to a test in order to raise his status.
He decrees harm to some of His servants and effects His decree through certain means. He is
the Wise One in whatever He does, the most Merciful in His judgment. If He decrees some
harm, it is only for the sake of the general good, and if He decrees an ailment, it is but the
useful medicine in the life of this world and the life hereafter.
Allah has said, "If Allah touches you with affliction, there is none to remove it but
He..." (Qura'n, 6:17).
Prophet Moses once complained to his Lord about a tooth-ache, so the Almighty instructed
him to apply a certain type of herb on the area of his pain, which he did, and the aching
stopped. A few days later, the same pain came back to him, so he went and took the same
herb and applied it, but this time his pain intensified many times more. He complained to
Allah saying, "Lord! Did You not order me to apply this type of herb and tell me where I
could find it?" The Almighty inspired him, "O Moses! I am the One Who heals and Who
grants good health; I am the One Who causes harm and Who benefits. You came to Me the
first time, so I removed the cause of your ailment, whereas this time you went to the plant (on
their own) instead and did not come to Me."
The Messenger of Allah has said, "Anyone who claims that Allah commends the doing of
wrong deeds and of sins tells lies about Allah. And anyone who claims that goodness and evil