Introduction of prayer:
This prayer refers to Sayyidna Yousuf (as). The Qur’an states that when Sayyidna Yaqub (as) went to Egypt and left Kn’ana with his sons and all family members. When they entered Egypt Sayyidna Yousuf (as) received them out of the city. He brought them to his palace and his parents sat beside him on the royal throne. They all prostrated before him. At this time Sayyidna Yousuf remembered his childhood dream and said, My father, here is the fulfillment of my early dream,’ that ‘the sun and the moon and eleven stars are prostrating to me,’ and I am grateful that ` my Lord has made it come true.’
Explanation & virtues of prayer:
1- إِنَّ رَبِّى لَطِيفٌۭ لِّمَا يَشَآءُ : Certainly my Lord is Subtle in the fulfilment of His will;
In this verse, Sayyidna Yousuf(as) glorified the name of the Lord by praising Him as “Latif” which means The Subtle One, The Gracious, The One Who is Kind to His servants and endows upon them.
Al-Latif: The Subtle One, The Gracious;
This Bounteous Name of Allah is derived from the root word (ل ط ف) which means, to be delicate, elegant, graceful, kind, subtle, to treat with regard for circumstances, goodness, gentleness, and affection.
Al-Lateef refers to the great attribute of Allah Being so kind to his creatures with His infinite kindness and complete knowledge, with which He bestows gifts and favors on us, taking us gently from one situation to another and causing us to benefit without us even knowing it. Al-Lateef Himself says:
لَّا تُدْرِكُهُ ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرَ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱللَّطِيفُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ
No visual perception can encompass Him, even though He encompasses all visual perception. He is the All-Subtle, the All-Aware. (Al-Qur’an: 6: 103)
Sayyidna Luqman (as) stated the great attributes of Allah Kareem to his son. He said O my son! If it be (anything) equal to the weight of a grain of mustard seed, ) means, if a wrong action or a sin be equal to the size of a grain of mustard seed. He will bring it forth on the Day of Resurrection, when it is placed in the Scales of justice and everyone is rewarded or punished for his actions — if they are good, he will be rewarded and if they are bad he will be punished. His knowledge is subtle, for nothing is hidden from Him, no matter how small, subtle and minute.
يَـٰبُنَىَّ إِنَّهَآ إِن تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍۢ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍۢ فَتَكُن فِى صَخْرَةٍ أَوْ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ أَوْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌۭ ١٦
(Luqman said): “Son, Allah will bring forth everything even if it be as small as the grain of a mustard seed even though it be hidden inside a rock or (anywhere) in the heavens or earth. Allah is the Most Subtle, All-Aware. (Al-Qur’an: 31: 16)
2- إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ: He is All-Knowing, All-Wise;
ٱلْعَلِيمُ: The All-Knowing One, The Ever-Aware
This Beautiful Name of Allah Kareem is derived from the root word (ع ل م) which means to know, be certain, to be aware, thoroughly informed, to find out, gather information, or to be firmly rooted in knowledge, to know the minutiae, to be wise and act according to knowledge.
Allah is Al-‘Aleem because His knowledge is comprehensive and extends to all seen and unseen, apparent or hidden, near and far, miner or major, future or present. Nothing is kept a secret, and nothing can be hidden from His knowledge.
يَعْلَمُ خَآئِنَةَ ٱلْأَعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِى ٱلصُّدُورُ
He knows even the most stealthy glance of the eyes and all the secrets that hearts conceal. (Al-Qur’an: 40: 19)
How beautiful is the feeling that our Lord knows everything yet He wants to listen to His servants and He responds to them when they call Him. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) taught many prayers calling HimAlmighty by His Blessed Name Al-‘Aleem;
” أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ مِنْ هَمْزِهِ وَنَفْخِهِ وَنَفْثِهِ ”
‘I seek refuge in Allah the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from the cursed Shaitan, from his madness, his arrogance, and his poetry.’ (Tirmidhi: 242)
بِسـمِ اللهِ الذي لا يَضُـرُّ مَعَ اسمِـهِ شَيءٌ في الأرْضِ وَلا في السّمـاءِ وَهـوَ السّمـيعُ العَلـيم
In the Name of Allah, Who with His Name nothing can cause harm in the earth nor in the heavens, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. (Tirmidhi: 3388)
ٱلْحَكِيمُ: The Most Judicious, The All-Wise, The Judge of Judges;
This Bounteous Name of Allah has been derived from the root word (ح ك م), which means to prevent or restrain from wrongdoing or corruption, to turn someone back from wrongdoing or ignorance, to be wise, knowing the true nature of things, to pass judgment, to decide.
Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Hakeem (in Arabic: ٱلْحَكِيمُ), the most judicious and the all-wise. He possesses the ability to determine right from wrong and is free from error and misunderstanding. He the Exalted introduces Himself as Al-Hakeem in many verses of the Qur’an.
وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَثَلُ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٦٠
Whereas to Allah belong the finest attributes. And He is the Almighty, All-Wise. (al-Qur’an: 16: 60)
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ إِلَـٰهٌۭ وَفِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَـٰهٌۭ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٨٤
He it is Who is God in the heavens and the earth. He is the Most Wise, the All-Knowing. (Al-Qur’an: 43: 84)
وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ حُكْمًۭا لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُوقِنُونَ
Who could be a better judge than Allah for people of sure faith? (Al-Qur’an: 5: 50)
This name manifests knowledge of right actions and deeds. He who recites this name from time to time will not have difficulties in his work.
