This name is also found in the following sermon of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): The Prophet, standing at the pulpit, recited the verse: “No just estimate have they made of Allah, such as is due to Him. The whole Earth shall be in His grip on the Day of Resurrection and the heavens rolled up in His right hand. Glory be to Him, and may He be exalted above what they associate with Him.” [Sūrah al-Zumar: 67]
The he said: “Allah glorifies Himself, saying: ‘I am the Compeller. I am the Supreme. I am the King. I am the Most High.’” Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) then kept repeating this until the pulpit started to shudder with it. We thought that the pulpit was going to split apart. [Sūrah al-Nasā’ī al-Kubrā (7696) and Sahīh Ibn Hibbān (7327)]
The name al-Kabīr (the Great) appears six times in the Qur’an. For instance, we find: “The Most High, the Great.” [Sūrah al-Hājj: 62] and: “Indeed Allah is Most High, Great.” [Sūrah al-Nisā: 34]
Allah’s greatness encompassed all things. He is great in His essence, His attributes, His names, and His actions. This is why a Muslim proclaims in prayer Allahu akbar! – Allah is the Greatest.
Once a desert dweller came to prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and said: “Teach me something that I can recite.”
The Prophet instructed him to say: “There is no God besides Allah alone, without partner. Allah is truly the Greatest and most bountiful is His praise.” [Sahīh Muslim (2696)]
Allah is the possessor of greatness and grandeur: “His is all grandeur in the heavens and on Earth.” [Sūrah al-Jāthiyah: 37]
Allah is Supreme; transcendent above every limitation and deficiency that is inherent in created beings. He is exalted in glory, to whom every overbearing tyrant on Earth must ultimately bow.
Allah alone is possessed of such greatness. His is the glory. Any created being who presumes to aspire to it is arrogant and blameworthy. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) tells us that Allah says: “Grandeur is my cloak and greatness is my robe. Whoever seeks to rival me in either I shall consign to the Fire.” [Sahīh Muslim (2620)]
Allah teaches His devotees to be humble and prohibits them from domineering, tyrannical and aggressive behavior. Allah alone has the divine right to rule over His creation. His alone is all grandeur and greatness. He alone possesses omnipotent and irresistible power. Humanity’s place is one of humble submission.
The greatest strength that human beings can attain is to place their reliance in Allah and seek His support. The highest level of greatness they can attain is to show humility to their Lord and defer to His honor.
The transgression that people perpetrate against their fellow human beings, the powerful preying on the week and coercing them with their might occurs at the hands of tyrants whose hearts are bereft of faith in Allah. Likewise, those who are downtrodden on Earth, when they lose faith in Allah, willingly submit to the oppression and injustices of their overlords.
The artifacts left behind by the civilizations of the Pharaohs, Caesars, and others like them attest to this fact. This is why Moses (peace be upon him) said: “I seek refuge with Him who is my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant person who denies the day of reckoning.” [Sūrah Ghāfir: 27]
We should consider Prophet Muhammad’s words: “No one shall enter Paradise whose heart contains an atom’s weight of arrogance.” This is a forcefully clear call to be humble and to show respect to others, though they may possess less knowledge, wealth, fame, or prestige. Humility is the opposite of arrogance. Prophet Muhammad was quite willing to roll up his sleeves, put on his boots, and engage in manual work. He did his own chores carried his own provisions. He treated everyone with respect. This is a lesson in humility for all those who profess to follow his example.
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