When Mentioning His Name

“As Muslims, we have to instill ourselves with the best possible manners towards Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) in all situations and circumstances. When we mention His name, speak of Him, or anything sacred, which He has graciously granted us the knowledge of, we should hear what comes out of our mouths not only with our ears but also with our hearts.”

In real life, we utter some words casually without thinking about what they mean and the weight behind them. Through overuse and continuous circulation, such words have all but lost that gravity in our minds which helps us associate them with their true meaning, causing us to pause before we use them.

For example, in order to convince the people we speak to, we use expressions such as “by Allah, wallahi, billahi, tallahi” very often without considering the meaning. It doesn't occur to most who say this that they swear too great an oath. And those who hear it will not take it as an oath. The one who says it and the one who listens think more often than not that these are just a series of ordinary words. By using such expressions, one can say that we are remembering Allah, which, by extension, may be deemed commendable. However, this is a grave misconception! Nowadays, the statements that randomly pour out of our mouths about the holy names, times, and places reflect how numb we have become to the depreciative attitude hidden in such carefree remarks.

Words as the heart’s mirror

The religious phrases we use becoming commonplace to the point of being considered banal, the lack of respect and reverence in the mentioning of Allah, the Qur'an and everything we hold sacred, and especially seeking to exploit such values for personal benefit are clear signs that the reverence born of iman is waning fast from our hearts. Such a crisis creeps up on our hearts, the sanctuary that houses our iman. This is undeniably a cause for alarm, yet it often goes unaddressed, or worse, unnoticed.

When a person loses respect for someone, they deem them ordinary in their mind and even begin to see them as simple and lowly. The case of those who utter the name of Allah irreverently is similar to this. However, even when people talk about their superiors and teachers, they try to use beautiful expressions, albeit out of kindness. They are careful to address them with honorific titles such as “Ustad,” “Sayyid,” or, at the very least, “Mr.” or “Mrs.” to retain a respectful relationship. It should be noted that when a person requires assistance from someone in a position of authority, they often do not speak without adding “sir” or “madam” to the beginning of each sentence. Therefore, it is particularly worth contemplating what it means to use Allah’s name tactlessly, to inanely treat the greatest, most revered name like a filler for our day-to-day conversations and idle chatter, and especially to affix His holy name to the lies we tell to serve our own ends.

The fact that a person mentions the name of Allah the Most High so lightly also gives a hint about their life. It is clear from the irreverence in their speech that the name of Allah and the awe of his greatness have not found their much-deserved place in their heart. How can a person who does not carry His majesty in his heart uphold the commandments of Allah in worshipping Him and avoiding what He forbids?

With the consciousness of worship

During the times when Islamic values were approached with sensitivity and our perception of what is holy was not eroded, the names of Allah, the Qur'an, and other names Muslims held sacred were not mentioned with such impertinent undertones as today. Allah, The Almighty Lord of the Worlds, used to be remembered with reverence by us, befitting our status as His servants. His supreme name would not be used recklessly. It was more commonly known that the expressions “by Allah,” “wallahi,” “billahi,” and “tallahi” constitute an oath sworn by the name of Allah, and were to be used only when necessary and with the utmost solemnity. Believers used to approach the concept of an oath as a confirmation of their faith and would make sure that what they did or said by swearing by His name was the truth. If what was said in an oath turned out to be untrue, there would be criminal penalties in accordance with the provisions of Islamic law. These matters are discussed extensively in our fiqh books.

Remembrance of Allah the Exalted requires respect and glorification for His name. The name of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) should not be taken to fill between words to instill a sense of trust in the people we conduct business with. The observance of adab and the necessary respect and awe when saying His name are among the things that believers should be most sensitive to uphold.

Allah commands in the Qur’an that He be remembered with respect and that the work that is required to realize this remembrance be implemented. In translation, it is commanded as follows:

“They remember Allah while they are standing, sitting and lying on their sides, and they reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth. And ‘Our Lord! You did not create it in vain, You are the almighty, protect us from the torment of the fire,’ they say.” (Al-Imran, 191)

 “The remembrance of Allah is, of course, the greatest worship.” (Al-Ankabut, 45)

“You who believe! Remember Allah much.” (Al-Ahzab, 41)

It is indicated in this verse that the heart should tremble when Allah (jalla jalaluhu) is mentioned:

“Certainly, the believers are those whose hearts are filled with awe when (the name of) Allah is mentioned; and when His verses are recited to them, it makes them more developed in faith; and in their Lord they place their trust. (Al-Anfal, 2)

It is a great act of worship to remember Him and mention His name, and as such, it should be accompanied by a mindful consciousness matching it.

Taking false oaths

There are many people who, despite knowing that they are telling lies, try to convince others of contentious matters by saying “wallahi billahi,” let alone refrain from taking the name of Allah with a lack of respect and reverence. These people have little fear of Allah. It’s unsettling to imagine that such individuals say that Allah is their witness despite having full awareness that their words reflect no part of the truth. Allah knows they are lying. Despite this, they have the audacity to associate Allah the Exalted with their lies. Can a person who does this truly fear Allah?

Our Lord has given severe and definite warnings about those who dare to do this in the Qur’an:

“As for those who exchange their promises and oaths of Allah for a small reward, they have no share in the hereafter. Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He look at them, nor will He purify them. For them is a painful punishment.” (Al-Imran, 77)

In other verses, it is stated that perjury is a characteristic of the disbelievers and hypocrites. It is said:

“Have you not seen those who have friendship with a people with whom Allah is angry. They are neither of you nor of them... They swear a lie on purpose. Allah has prepared for them a severe punishment. How evil is what they used to do! They have made their oaths a shield and prevented people from the religion of Allah. For this, they will have a humiliating punishment.” (Al-Mujadila, 14-16)

There is detailed information about this oath, called the “gamus oath,” in our fiqh books.

Can he who doesn’t feel shame before his Rabb feel shame at all?

Using Allah’s name carelessly and without giving much thought to its divine grandeur can ultimately lead a person to swear by a lie using His name. Such people are likely prone to lies in their everyday conversations. A person using the name of Allah as a shield for a lie that he tells will never hesitate to lie to His servants because he no longer has anyone to fear or be afraid of offending. Is it possible for him who does not fear Allah to fear His servant? Can those who have no passion for Allah be expected to respect His servants? Such people submit only to harshness and intimidation, and when they have the upper hand, they show the cruelty of subjecting others to similar treatment to oppress them. It is futile to expect such people to be predisposed to humaneness when they are weak in their relationship with the Rabbu’l-Alamin.

The spread of the negative behavior that we have described regarding uttering the name of Allah the Most High heedlessly and in an unworshipful way is a disaster that also affects our entire society. Such behavior, which compromises the society's view of sacred values, causes distrust to spread over time. This is because when people who say or show that they are the people of faith disrespect sacred values, especially the name of Almighty Allah, these values are reduced to petty matters in the eyes of others. At some point, the oath holds no weight, nor can the concepts of “iman” and “aman” preserve the inherent relation between them, born from their very nature.

In fact, the most severe oaths, such as “wallahi,” have suffered this fate in many societies. These days, when these words leave people’s mouths, they have almost no effect on the person they are meant for, and they are even perceived as words that cover up a lie. As believers, we have a duty not only to apply a soothing balm to this wound in our social structure but also to prevent it from becoming a recurring ailment. But what can be done to ensure this?

First of all, as Muslims, we have to instill ourselves with the best possible manners towards Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) in all situations and circumstances. When we mention His name, speak of Him, or anything sacred, which He has graciously granted us the knowledge of, we should hear what comes out of our mouths not only with our ears but also with our hearts. We need to know and apply the measures of adab in matters such as the Qur'an, the Sunnah, the Prophet, righteous people, mosques, adhan, imams, and Islamic sciences, which are called “Shaairi’l-Islam”(principles of Islam) and symbolize religion. We should sooner let our wealth and trade wither and be reduced to dust than associate the sacred values of our faith with personal interest. We must prevent the obscene attempts that cross the line, demeaning any element of Islam or making it a subject of humor.

In short, I will leave you with this brief but valuable dua that our grandfathers committed to picture frames and plaques and hung up on the walls of their homes: “Adab ya hu”

Abdullah Yavuz