Al-Azim

The One of infinite grandeur, the greatest and most sublime — so great that the nature of His essence and attributes cannot be comprehended; so infinite, immense and majestic that the mind and imagination cannot conceive Him and the eye cannot see Him. Allah Almighty says: "And He is the Most High, the Most Great." (Al-Baqarah, 255) "To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great." (Ash-Shura, 4) Allah Almighty is Magnificent, but His grandeur is known only to Himself. Servants cannot fully comprehend His greatness. At the end of Ayat al-Kursi, which we recite before the glorifications after every prayer, we say: "Wa huwa al-'Aliyy al-'Azim." Here we must reflect upon Allah's grandeur and how infinite His greatness is. The great one of a community is he who cannot be opposed and upon whose commands people act. Yet even so, a time comes when such a person weakens for various reasons, becomes helpless, is defeated, and no trace remains of the authority he held. Allah Most High, however, possesses absolute power, and nothing can render Him weak or helpless. He cannot be opposed and defeated. He is the truly Great One. The use of this name for others is metaphorical; true greatness belongs to Allah alone. He is greater than every great one, and for this reason no mind can grasp His greatness. Even if all created beings learned many sciences from Him, that knowledge would remain limited and finite. How exalted is Allah, whose infinite light minds are powerless to grasp and in the brilliance of whose might all understanding is lost. Everything is as nothing beside Allah's exaltedness, greatness and perfection. His grandeur has no beginning and His exaltedness no end. Allah is in need of nothing, and it is possible to see His greatness in everything He has created. The person who reflects on Allah's grandeur is delivered from heedlessness before His greatness, his faith grows strong, and he understands his own weakness and shortcomings. Whoever considers the order of the world, the purpose of creation, the blessings and beauties granted, the transience of this world, the marvel within milk-giving animals, and the alternation of night and day, comes to grasp Allah's greatness in the face of how He has furnished His servants with infinite bounty. Greatness and majesty belong to Allah alone. Just as their realities cannot be grasped, neither can their nature be reached. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Allah Most High says: 'Greatness is My cloak and majesty is My garment. Whoever contends with Me over either of them, I shall punish him.'"

The noble name Al-Azim is recited 1,020 times as "Ya Azim, jalla jalaluhu" in order to be protected from forbidden things and to be loved and respected by people. Whoever fears any person in authority or any oppressor, if he recites the noble name Al-Azim 12 times, saying "Ya Azim, jalla jalaluhu", and then breathes it over himself, he is kept safe from that person and finds kindness. Whoever persists in reciting the noble name Al-Azim often, saying "Ya Azim, jalla jalaluhu", finds honour and healing.