Allah draws still nearer to him.
“The Near, the Responsive”: He, exalted is He, is near to everyone. His nearness is of two kinds: a general nearness to everyone through His knowledge, intimate awareness, watchfulness, witnessing, and all-encompassing knowledge; and a special nearness to those who worship Him, beseech Him, and love Him. The true nature of this nearness cannot be grasped; it is known only through its effects—His gentleness toward His servant, His care for him, and His granting him success and directing him aright. Among its effects are His answering those who call upon Him and the worshippers’ turning to Him (1). He responds in a general way to all who call upon Him, whoever they may be, wherever they may be, and whatever their circumstances, just as He promised them without qualification. He responds in a special way to those who answer His call and submit to His law. He also answers those in dire need whose hopes in created beings have been severed and whose attachment to Him has grown strong, filled with longing, hope, and fear.
“The One Who Suffices”: He suffices all His servants in everything they need and cannot do without. He grants a special sufficiency to those who believe in Him, rely upon Him, and seek His aid in fulfilling the needs of their religion and worldly life.
“The First, the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden.”
The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—explained these names comprehensively and clearly, saying: “You are the First, and there is nothing before You. You are the Last, and there is nothing after You. You are the Manifest, and there is nothing above You. You are the Hidden, and there is nothing nearer than You.”
“The All-Encompassing”: His attributes, descriptions, and all that pertains to them are boundless. No one can fully enumerate His praise; rather, He is as He has praised Himself. Boundless are His majesty, authority, and dominion; boundless are His grace and beneficence; and immense are His generosity and munificence.
“The Guide, the One Who Directs to the Right Way”: He guides and directs His servants to every benefit and to warding off every harm. He teaches them what they do not know, grants them the guidance of success and right direction, inspires them with piety, and makes their hearts turn penitently to Him and submit to His command.
“The One Who Directs to the Right Way” also bears a meaning akin to “the All-Wise.” He is right and wise in His words and deeds; all His revealed laws are goodness, sound guidance, and wisdom, and His created works are imbued with soundness and wise order.
“The Truth”: He is true in His essence and attributes. His existence is necessary, and His attributes and descriptions are perfect. His existence is intrinsic to His essence, and nothing whatsoever exists except through Him. He has always been and will always be characterized by majesty, beauty, and perfection, and He has always been and will always be known for beneficence.
His word is true, His deed is true, the meeting with Him is true, His messengers are true, His Books are true, and His religion is the truth. Worshipping Him alone, without partner, is the truth, and everything ascribed to Him is true. “That is because Allah is the Truth, while what they invoke besides Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Great.”
“Say, ‘The truth is from your Lord. So whoever wills—let him believe; and whoever wills—let him disbelieve.’” “What is there beyond the truth except error?” “Say, ‘The truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Surely falsehood is ever bound to vanish.’”
All praise belongs to Allah, by whose grace righteous deeds are brought to completion. May Allah bless Muhammad and grant him peace, along with his family, his Companions, and all who follow them until the Day of Judgment.
This was stated and written by the servant in need of his Lord, Abd al-Rahmān ibn Nāsir ibn Abd Allāh ibn Nāsir al-Sa'dī. May Allah forgive him, his parents, his teachers, those dear to him, and all Muslims. Amen.