There is nothing like Allah, and He possesses the most perfect Names and Attributes. The source of Allah’s Names and Attributes is the Noble Quran and Sunnah; independent opinion and human reasoning have no place in understanding or comprehending them. Therefore, we must limit ourselves to these two sources and speak only based on the Ayat and Hadiths that explain His Names. In this article, we will learn the meanings of Al-Ghaffar (The Ever-Forgiving) and Al-Qahhar (The All-Subduing), and discover how these beautiful Names of Allah strengthen faith, hope, and reliance upon Him.
al-Ghaffar
ٱلْغَفَّارُ
The Forgiver, The Ever-Forgiving, The Most-Forgiving
Allah says in the Holy Quran, in Surah Taha, Ayah 82: “But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance” (وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىٰ).
Al-Ghaffar is the One Who forgives the sins of His servants time and time again. He sees our sins and acts of disobedience, yet He still forgives and accepts the repentance of those who are sincere. He conceals our faults and forgives our sins. The Name Al-Ghaffar indicates that Allah covers both minor and major sins, and when a believer sincerely repents, Allah forgives him in this life and the Hereafter. His forgiveness is limitless, regardless of how great or small the sins may be. He is the Most Forgiving and loves to forgive.
Another important lesson is that it is never too late for a believer to repent. Once a person starts anew and fulfils the conditions of Tawbah correctly, he will find Allah to be the Most Forgiving. When a believer sins, he should repent and strive to correct what needs to be amended. He must have faith that Allah will forgive him if he sincerely seeks forgiveness, and that Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance.
Shaitan tries to convince believers that Allah will not forgive them, causing them to despair of Allah’s mercy because of their sins or because they repeatedly fall into the same sins. However, Allah blesses us with the amazing gift of His mercy and says:
“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.’”
The gates of mercy and forgiveness remain open to mankind whenever they turn to Allah, for He is Al-Ghaffar.
Al-Qahhar
ٱلْقَهَّارُ
The Dominantor, The Irrestible, The Subduer
One of the things that ensures a Muslim’s steadfastness is his belief that there is an endless and limitless power he can turn to when the whole world fights him ruthlessly and relentlessly. Allah is the Subduer, Who possesses perfect power and is never powerless over anything. He is the One Who prevails over all creation. His power can never be overcome or challenged. When you hear this Name, Al-Qahhar, your heart is filled with fear and veneration for Allah.
The Name Al-Qahhar is mentioned six times in the Quran. Allah says in Surah Al-An‘am, Ayah 18: “And He is the Irresistible (Supreme), above His servants, and He is the All-Wise, the Well-Acquainted with (all things)” (وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ).
He has absolute sovereignty over all His creation. He is the Dominator; He has subdued everything, and all tyrants and arrogant people have humbled themselves before Him. All faces shall be humbled before His Might and Grandeur. When everything ends, only Allah will remain forever. He controls all life and death. At that moment, Allah will announce and say: “To whom belongs [all] sovereignty this Day? To Allah, the One, the Prevailing.”
No creature will stand and challenge Allah, for He is Al-Qahhar. In this life, we are surrounded by tyrants, aggressors, transgressors, and corrupters who think they have control over everything around them through power and wealth. However, our belief tells us that no matter how much power and wealth they gain, everything remains under Allah’s control. Allah is above them all; their actions take place by His will, and no one can go against Him.
On the other hand, understanding this meaning brings peace and security to our hearts and makes us feel that everything ultimately returns to Allah.
Generally, the goal of exploring the Names and Attributes of Allah is to get closer to Him. Still, there is another profound purpose: facing the harshness and brutality of this life by turning to Allah. We believe that there is no refuge and no escape except in Allah. Allah is the Refuge of those who have no refuge. May Allah keep us in His Care, where no one can harm us.
