الْغَنِيُّ
One of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah
Al-Ghani
The Self-Sufficient
All others depend on His riches; He depends on no one. Self-Sufficient, Rich, Independent: Al-Ghani is all three. 35:15 holds both sides at once, people in need of Him in every way, as al-Sa'di explains, and Allah alone free of need and worthy of praise.
Key verse
﴿يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ أَنتُمُ ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ﴾O humanity! It is you who stand in need of Allah, but Allah ˹alone˺ is the Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.
The scholar's text
(The Self-Sufficient)
The Rich, The Independent One, The Wealthy.
Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Ghaniyy (in Arabic: ٱلْغَنيُّ), He is The One who is self-sufficient and independent. He does not need anything as He is completely satisfied and free from dependence. Allah is The One whose wealth and riches all others depend on.
In the Qur'an, ("Allah has certainly heard the statement of those [Jews] who said, 'Indeed, Allah is poor, while we are rich.'") Aal-Imran 3:181. In a hadith qudsi, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ related Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ as saying, "[...] O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more than a needle decreases the sea if put into it."
This is how vast Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ wealth is. If every creation, human and jinn, both past, and present, were to ask Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ their innermost desire, and He was to give it to you, it would deplete Him as much as if you were to dip a needle in the ocean and try and remove some water with it. This is how rich Al-Ghaniyy is. His ability to provide is non-diminishable.
When we refer to Al-Ghani as rich, we don't mean in one aspect. But rather, He is abundant in all respects (i.e., knowledge, power, influence, might, time, etc.) In this light, we can see why Al-Ghaniy is often translated as 'The Self-Sufficient.' He is without the need for anything as He has it all. He is independent and entirely satisfied.
قَالَ ٱلَّذِي عِندَهُۥ عِلۡمٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ أَنَا۠ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبۡلَ أَن يَرۡتَدَّ إِلَيۡكَ طَرۡفُكَۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهُ مُسۡتَقِرًّا عِندَهُۥ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِن فَضۡلِ رَبِّي لِيَبۡلُوَنِيٓ ءَأَشۡكُرُ أَمۡ أَكۡفُرُۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشۡكُرُ لِنَفۡسِهِۦۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيّٞ كَرِيمٞ
(But the one who had knowledge of the Scripture said, “I can bring it to you in the blink of an eye.” So when Solomon saw it placed before him, he exclaimed, “This is by the grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful, it is only for their own good. But whoever is ungrateful, surely my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Most Generous.”) An-Naml 27:40
We can call upon Al-Ghani (The Rich) and Al-Mughni (The Enricher) whenever you are in need. Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is unlimited, and we should never fear asking of Him. The balance is that we should be careful to not be ungrateful or unsatisfied with the gifts He has already given us.
(الغني عن كل شيء)
الغني، المستغني، صاحب الثروة.
الله سبحانه وتعالى هو الغني، وهو المستغني بذاته الذي لا يعتمد على أحد. لا يحتاج إلى شيء لأنه الكامل الذي لا حاجة به إلى غيره، والله هو الذي يعتمد كل من سواه على غناه وثروته.
وفي القرآن: ﴿لَّقَدْ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوْلَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ فَقِيرٌ وَنَحْنُ أَغْنِيَآءُ﴾ [يعني اليهود] آل عمران 3: 181. وفي حديث قدسي روى النبي محمد ﷺ عن الله سبحانه وتعالى أنه قال: «يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ قَامُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلُونِي فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مَسْأَلَتَهُ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا عِنْدِي إِلاَّ كَمَا يَنْقُصُ الْمِخْيَطُ إِذَا أُدْخِلَ الْبَحْرَ».
هذا مدى سعة غنى الله سبحانه وتعالى. لو سأل الخلق كلهم الله، إنسهم وجنهم، من مضى منهم ومن حضر، أعمق رغباتهم فأعطاهم إياها، لما نقص ذلك مما عنده إلا كما لو غمست إبرة في المحيط وحاولت أن تخرج بها شيئا من الماء. هذا مدى غنى الغني، وعطاؤه لا ينقص.
وحين نصف الغني بالغنى لا نعني جانبا واحدا، بل هو واسع الغنى من كل وجه (في العلم والقدرة والسلطان والقوة والوقت وغير ذلك). ومن هنا نفهم لماذا يترجم اسم الغني كثيرا بالمستغني بذاته: فهو لا يحتاج إلى شيء لأنه يملك كل شيء، وهو المستغني التام.
(قَالَ ٱلَّذِى عِندَهُۥ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَنَا۠ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِندَهُۥ قَالَ هَـٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّى لِيَبْلُوَنِىٓ ءَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّى غَنِىٌّ كَرِيمٌ) النمل 27: 40
يمكننا أن ندعو الغني والمغني كلما احتجنا، فالله سبحانه وتعالى لا حد لعطائه، ولا ينبغي أن نخاف من سؤاله. والتوازن أن نحذر من كفران ما أعطانا من نعم أو السخط عليها.
It Is You Who Stand in Need of Allah
It is you who stand in need of Allah, 35:15 tells all people, but Allah alone is the Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy. Al-Sa'di takes the second half. His richness is complete in every way. He needs nothing His creatures need, because every attribute of His is perfect. Part of that richness, he adds, is making His creatures rich, in this world and the next. 47:38 puts it where people are asked to spend: Allah is the Self-Sufficient, whereas you stand in need of Him. Whoever holds back, al-Sa'di comments, denies himself Allah's reward and harms Allah not at all; you are the one who needs Him, at every moment and in every matter.
Arabic: أنتم الفقراء إلى الله
تخاطب آية فاطر الناس جميعا: ﴿يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ أَنتُمُ ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ﴾. قال السعدي في الغني: «أي: الذي له الغنى التام من جميع الوجوه، فلا يحتاج إلى ما يحتاج إليه خلقه، ولا يفتقر إلى شيء مما يفتقر إليه الخلق، وذلك لكمال صفاته، وكونها كلها، صفات كمال، ونعوت وجلال»، و«ومن غناه تعالى، أن أغنى الخلق في الدنيا والآخرة». وتقولها آية محمد في سياق الإنفاق: ﴿وَمَن يَبْخَلْ فَإِنَّمَا يَبْخَلُ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْغَنِىُّ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ﴾، قال السعدي في الباخل: «لأنه حرم نفسه ثواب الله تعالى، وفاته خير كثير، ولن يضر الله بترك الإنفاق شيئا»، وقال: «تحتاجون إليه في جميع أوقاتكم، لجميع أموركم».
If Everyone on Earth Were Ungrateful
﴿وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِن تَكْفُرُوٓا۟ أَنتُمْ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ﴾Moses added, “If you along with everyone on earth were to be ungrateful, then ˹know that˺ Allah is indeed Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.”
Musa told his people: if you along with everyone on earth were to be ungrateful, then know that Allah is indeed Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy (14:8). You would not harm Allah in the least, al-Sa'di comments; obedience does not add to His dominion and sins do not take from it. 29:6 makes the same point about effort: whoever strives does so for their own good, and Allah is not in need of His creation. He did not give His commands to gain from them, al-Sa'di says, nor forbid what He forbade out of stinginess.
Arabic: إن تكفروا أنتم ومن في الأرض جميعا
قال موسى لقومه: ﴿إِن تَكْفُرُوٓا۟ أَنتُمْ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ﴾، قال السعدي: «فلن تضروا الله شيئا»، «فالطاعات لا تزيد في ملكه والمعاصي لا تنقصه». وتقول آية العنكبوت: ﴿وَمَن جَـٰهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَـٰهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ﴾، قال السعدي: «لم يأمرهم بما أمرهم به لينتفع به، ولا نهاهم عما نهاهم عنه بُخْلًا عليهم».
Grateful or Ungrateful
﴿قَالَ ٱلَّذِى عِندَهُۥ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَنَا۠ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِندَهُۥ قَالَ هَـٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّى لِيَبْلُوَنِىٓ ءَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّى غَنِىٌّ كَرِيمٌ﴾But the one who had knowledge of the Scripture said, “I can bring it to you in the blink of an eye.” So when Solomon saw it placed before him, he exclaimed, “This is by the grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful, it is only for their own good. But whoever is ungrateful, surely my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Most Generous.”
The verse quoted above is Sulayman's, when the throne of Sheba was set before him in the blink of an eye: this is by the grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful (27:40). Al-Sa'di notes that he was not deceived by his kingdom and power, as ignorant kings are; he knew it for a test and feared falling short in thanks. Luqman was told the same, be grateful to Allah (31:12), and both verses close with the Self-Sufficient. Al-Sa'di explains the pairing in 31:12. His richness belongs to His very being, He is praised in His attributes and in His works, and each of the two is a perfection, so that joining them adds perfection to perfection.
Arabic: أأشكر أم أكفر
والآية المذكورة أعلاه قول سليمان حين رأى عرش ملكة سبأ مستقرا عنده في طرفة عين: ﴿هَـٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّى لِيَبْلُوَنِىٓ ءَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ﴾، قال السعدي: «فلم يغتر عليه السلام بملكه وسلطانه وقدرته كما هو دأب الملوك الجاهلين، بل علم أن ذلك اختبار من ربه فخاف أن لا يقوم بشكر هذه النعمة». وقيل للقمان مثل ذلك: ﴿أَنِ ٱشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ﴾، والآيتان تختمان بالغني، قال السعدي: «فغناه تعالى، من لوازم ذاته، وكونه حميدا في صفات كماله، حميدا في جميل صنعه، من لوازم ذاته، وكل واحد من الوصفين، صفة كمال، واجتماع أحدهما إلى الآخر، زيادة كمال إلى كمال».
Allah Is Poor, They Said
﴿لَّقَدْ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوْلَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ فَقِيرٌ وَنَحْنُ أَغْنِيَآءُ ۘ سَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَالُوا۟ وَقَتْلَهُمُ ٱلْأَنۢبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَنَقُولُ ذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابَ ٱلْحَرِيقِ﴾Indeed, Allah has heard those ˹among the Jews˺ who said, “Allah is poor; we are rich!” We have certainly recorded their slurs and their killing of prophets unjustly. Then We will say, “Taste the torment of burning!
3:181 is Allah's answer to those who said Allah is poor and they are rich. Ibn Kathir reports from Ibn Abbas what gave rise to it: when 2:245 came down, asking who will lend Allah a good loan, some of the Jews said, Muhammad, has your Lord become poor, that He asks His servants for a loan? Against that claim stands the hadith qudsi quoted above, here with its source: “were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have”, no more than a needle takes from the sea when it is dipped in (Sahih Muslim 2577).
Arabic: إن الله فقير ونحن أغنياء
وفي آية آل عمران: ﴿لَّقَدْ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوْلَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ فَقِيرٌ وَنَحْنُ أَغْنِيَآءُ﴾. وروى ابن كثير عن ابن عباس أنه لما نزل قوله: ﴿مَّن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يُقْرِضُ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا﴾ «قالت اليهود: يا محمد، افتقر ربك. يسأل عباده القرض». ويرد على ذلك الحديث القدسي المذكور أعلاه: «يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ قَامُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلُونِي فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مَسْأَلَتَهُ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا عِنْدِي إِلاَّ كَمَا يَنْقُصُ الْمِخْيَطُ إِذَا أُدْخِلَ الْبَحْرَ» (صحيح مسلم 2577).
Kind Words Over Hurtful Charity
﴿قَوْلٌ مَّعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَآ أَذًى ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَنِىٌّ حَلِيمٌ﴾Kind words and forgiveness are better than charity followed by injury. And Allah is Self-Sufficient, Most Forbearing.
Everyday giving gets the Name in 2:263: kind words and forgiveness are better than charity followed by injury, and Allah is Self-Sufficient, Most Forbearing. Every generous word that brings joy to a Muslim's heart counts as a kind word, for al-Sa'di; so does turning away someone who asks, with a good word and a prayer for him. Reminding people of a gift spoils it, because all favour belongs to Allah. Your charity and your obedience bring their benefit back to you, he says, and the Forbearing does not rush to punish the one who disobeys Him, though He is able to.
Arabic: قول معروف ومغفرة
تدخل آية البقرة الاسم في العطاء اليومي: ﴿قَوْلٌ مَّعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَآ أَذًى ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَنِىٌّ حَلِيمٌ﴾. قال السعدي في القول المعروف: «ويدخل في ذلك كل قول كريم فيه إدخال السرور على قلب المسلم، ويدخل فيه رد السائل بالقول الجميل والدعاء له»، وقال: «وإنما كان المنّ بالصدقة مفسدا لها محرما، لأن المنّة لله تعالى وحده، والإحسان كله لله»، و«فصدقتكم وإنفاقكم وطاعاتكم يعود مصلحتها إليكم»، وقال في الحليم: «على من عصاه لا يعاجله بعقوبة مع قدرته عليه».
From the Sunnah
were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have
يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ قَامُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلُونِي فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مَسْأَلَتَهُ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا عِنْدِي
A du'a with this Name
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ الْغَنِيُّ وَنَحْنُ الْفُقَرَاءُ أَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا الْغَيْثَ وَاجْعَلْ مَا أَنْزَلْتَ لَنَا قُوَّةً وَبَلاَغًا إِلَى حِينٍ
O Allah, Thou art Allah, there is no deity but Thou, the Rich, while we are the poor. Send down the rain upon us and make what Thou sendest down a strength and satisfaction for a time
Sunan Abi Dawud 1173, graded hasan by al-Albani: from the Prophet's ﷺ prayer for rain, as Aisha reported
Related Names
Questions about Al-Ghani
What does Al-Ghani mean?
Self-Sufficient, Rich and Independent: Al-Ghani needs nothing, while all others depend on Him.
Where does the Quran call Allah Al-Ghani?
Sulayman calls his Lord Al-Ghani in 27:40: surely my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Most Generous.
Does our worship benefit Allah?
No. Obedience adds nothing to His dominion and sins take nothing from it, al-Sa'di says on 14:8; the good of it comes back to the one who does it (29:6).
Why are kind words better than charity followed by hurt?
2:263 says so, and al-Sa'di gives the reason: every favour is Allah's, so reminding someone of a gift spoils it, while a kind word or forgiveness is good with nothing to spoil it.