Al-Hamid

The One who is praised and extolled, who is worthy of all praise. Allah Almighty says: "And it is He who sends down the rain after they had despaired and spreads His mercy. And He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy." (Ash-Shura, 28) Al-Hamid is the One who deserves to be praised and is worthy of praise. For He existed, and He brought all beings and the human being into existence from nothing. Then He gathered in the human being two supreme blessings: reason and life. Then He gave him countless blessings and made him superior to all beings. He granted him permission to work. Who then besides Him deserves to be praised? Who is as worthy of praise as He? No — all praise and all commendation belong to Him alone and to no other. All these favours and gifts are from Him alone and from no other. All the plants and animals living in the universe live in the way Allah has placed them upon the earth. In this way they glorify and exalt Allah. A fish living in the depths of the sea and a cactus growing in the desert both continue their lives in great submission. That they live in the manner Allah has decreed for them and never disrupt the order He has established shows that all living things glorify Allah. Everything in the heavens and on the earth — seas formed by the gathering of tons of water, mountains stretching thousands of metres, clouds drifting across the sky, lightning and thunder striking one after another — also glorify and exalt Allah. They display to people His infinite knowledge and power. But those who do not believe cannot grasp their glorification. Those who believe, however, grasp Allah's exaltedness and greatness, glorify our Lord, and thank Allah for the blessings He has bestowed upon them — for all that is asked of them in return for every blessing given is that they be grateful, praising servants. Praise requires both extolling and loving the one praised. Whoever loves Him but does not extol Him has not praised Him. Every Muslim should know that absolute praise and commendation belong to Allah alone. He is the only being who deserves all praise and is worthy of every commendation. We praise Him for all the blessings He has given us. And even if He gave no blessing, we would still praise Him in every circumstance with every praise known and unknown. By knowing this name the Muslim should acquire conduct that is praised by Allah, should strive and adopt noble character, should abandon behaviour that contradicts this, and should avoid what is meaningless and without benefit.

The noble name Al-Hamid is recited 62 times as "Ya Hamid, jalla jalaluhu" in order to possess beautiful character and good deeds and to be praised by people. Whoever persists in the remembrance of the noble name Al-Hamid, saying "Ya Hamid, jalla jalaluhu", becomes rich. Whoever persists in the remembrance of the noble name Al-Hamid after the dawn prayer, saying "Ya Hamid, jalla jalaluhu", becomes rich. If the noble name Al-Hamid is recited 66 times after the sunset and dawn prayers, saying "Ya Hamid, jalla jalaluhu", one becomes among those who are praised.