Al-Akhir

The Last, who has no end. Allah Almighty says: "He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things, Knowing." (Al-Hadid, 3) When nothing existed Allah existed, and after everything has passed away Allah will exist still. According to the meaning of the verses "Everything will be destroyed except His Face..." (Al-Qasas, 88) and "Everyone upon the earth will perish, and there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honour" (Ar-Rahman, 26-27), all beings go and can go to destruction and annihilation — only He remains. When the causes of their existence are removed, all creatures are in essence destroyed and pass away. Then all affairs are returned to Him. Just as He is before all of them, He is also the aim of all and the end of existence. One should not judge Him to be only the First or only the Last, but should say "the First and the Last." Allah Most High is the Last without end. He is the Last after all things. He is Last in granting guidance and success. At the last, the return is again to Him. Knowing that Allah is Al-Akhir teaches a person not to attach too much importance to secondary causes, not to pin his hopes on them and rely upon them, and not to dwell upon them. It enables him to know that these causes will certainly pass away and come to an end, and that only Allah, who is Al-Akhir, will remain. To become attached to transient beings is to become attached to nothingness. Whereas to become attached to Allah, who is Al-Akhir, is to become attached to the One who will never pass away and will exist eternally. Whoever attaches himself to Him will not pass away and his existence will suffer no interruption. It is not so with attachment to transient things that will perish; when perishable things pass away, those attached to them pass away too. Whoever knows Allah in this way strives to worship Him with greater sincerity. He pins his hopes on nothing besides Him. Understand that turning to Allah alone and relying and trusting in Him is a necessity. Never let slip from your mind that everything will return to Him. Worship Him so that your servanthood may be valid in His sight.

The noble name Al-Akhir is recited 801 times as "Ya Akhir, jalla jalaluhu" to receive divine help and for the destruction of enemies. If the noble name Al-Akhir is recited a hundred times every morning and evening, saying "Ya Akhir, jalla jalaluhu", the heart is made pure and everything other than Allah departs from it.