Article Reference: Muslim Affairs
Ramadan is a very important month for Muslims worldwide, filled with huge blessings and rewards. Many people increase their ibadah by practising various ways to connect with Allah. Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Guides us through some actions we can take to get closer to Allah this Ramadan.
One practice that ICNA in one of their articles firstly mentions is to have adopted is attempting to memorize and understand more of the 99 names of Allah. Starting with Al-Salam, meaning peace, soundness, safety, and security, is one of the first names the author mentioned that she studied. It means perfection and freedom from fault. Allah has created a world with dueling forces of good and evil, but He promises that ultimately it is the good within us that will lead us to Paradise.
Connecting with Allah when you need peace, and it is life circumstances or human beings that have disrupted your peace. In moments when you need to find calm, you turn to Allah. Complaining to Him about your troubles and asking Him to bring you peace of mind and heart always leads to alleviation of stress. One du’a of the Prophet that ICNA suggests making is the following:
“O Allah, I seek refuge with You from worry, grief, incapacity, laziness, miserliness, cowardice, debt, and being overpowered by others.”
Learning more about the names of Allah SWT
Al-Jabbar, meaning The Compeller, is another name I ponder. It means the One who can compel and subdue all His servants, with all of creation submitting to Him; and the One who mends the broken and enriches the poor. As the world currently watches a worsening genocide, it brings comfort to know that Allah will enact control over the oppressors and bring to justice those who have injured, harmed, or murdered the innocent.
Al-Rahman, the Most Merciful, is one of the most well-known names of Allah. Rahmah, meaning tenderness, kindness, care, and compassion, is one of the most well-known names of Allah. According to the Prophet (s), the reward is great for memorizing all of His 99 names. We must strive to understand the meaning and scope of each name and see how each one can connect to and impact our daily lives.
For example, Allah SWT is Ar-Rahman, The Most Merciful, and Ar-Raheem, the Bestower of Mercy. When one has sinned, calling upon Him with sincere repentance and asking for His mercy can bring relief and set things straight. Allah SWT tells us in the Qur’an, “And the most beautiful names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them” (7:180). There is no better time than Ramadan to learn His names, memorize as many as we can, and reflect on their beauty, power, and meaningfulness.
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