الْمُؤْمِنُ
One of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah
Al-Mu'min
The Affirmer of Truth
Al-Mu'min is explained through a double witness: Allah bore witness to His own oneness, and bore witness that His believers are true in their faith in it. Ibn Abbas, in Ibn Kathir, adds the meaning of safety, that no one need fear a wrong from Him. The Name is in 59:23.
Key verse
﴿هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْقُدُّوسُ ٱلسَّلَـٰمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُ ٱلْمُهَيْمِنُ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْجَبَّارُ ٱلْمُتَكَبِّرُ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ﴾He is Allah: there is no god except Him: the King, the Most Holy, the All-Perfect, the Source of Serenity, the Watcher ˹of all˺, the Almighty, the Supreme in Might, the Majestic. Glorified is Allah far above what they associate with Him ˹in worship˺!
The scholar's text
The One who witnessed for Himself that no one is God but Him. And He witnessed for His believers that they are truthful in their belief that no one is God but Him
﴿هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلَامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ ۚ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴾ الحشر 59: 23
(He is Allah than Whom there is La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He) the King, the Holy, the One Free from all defects, the Giver of security, the Watcher over His creatures, the All-Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme. Glory be to Allah! (High is He) above all that they associate as partners with Him.) Al-Hashr 59: 23
It is mentioned 1 time in the Holy Quran
الذي شهد لنفسه أنه لا إله إلا هو، وشهد لعباده المؤمنين أنهم صادقون في إيمانهم بأنه لا إله إلا هو
﴿هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْقُدُّوسُ ٱلسَّلَـٰمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُ ٱلْمُهَيْمِنُ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْجَبَّارُ ٱلْمُتَكَبِّرُ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ﴾ الحشر 59: 23
ورد في القرآن الكريم مرة واحدة.
His Witness, and Theirs
﴿شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمِ قَآئِمًۢا بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ﴾Allah ˹Himself˺ is a Witness that there is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him: and so are the angels and people of knowledge. He is the Maintainer of justice. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him: the Almighty, All-Wise.
The definition above rests on 3:18: Allah is a Witness that there is no god but Him, and so are the angels and people of knowledge. Al-Sa'di explains how Allah bears that witness, through the proofs He set up for His oneness, in the horizons and in the souls. A witness, he adds, comes only from knowledge and certainty, as sight comes from seeing. The second half of the gloss is Ibn Zayd's reading, which Ibn Kathir reports: He confirmed His believing servants in their faith in Him.
Arabic: شهد الله أنه لا إله إلا هو
يقوم التعريف أعلاه على قوله تعالى: ﴿شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمِ﴾. قال السعدي: «أما شهادته تعالى فيما أقامه من الحجج والبراهين القاطعة على توحيده، وأنه لا إله إلا هو، فنوع الأدلة في الآفاق والأنفس على هذا الأصل العظيم»، وقال: «والشهادة لا تكون إلا عن علم ويقين، بمنزلة المشاهدة للبصر». والشطر الثاني من التعريف قول ابن زيد، نقله ابن كثير: «وقال ابن زيد: صدق عباده المؤمنين في إيمانهم به».
Safe From Any Wrong From Him
﴿ٱلَّذِىٓ أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ وَءَامَنَهُم مِّنْ خَوْفٍۭ﴾Who has fed them against hunger and made them secure against fear.
Ibn Abbas, in al-Baghawi's report, takes the Name from aman, safety, the opposite of fear: He made people safe from any injustice from Him, and made those who believe in Him safe from His punishment. Al-Baghawi points to 106:4, where Quraysh were made secure against fear. Al-Sa'di counts that security, with ample provision, among the greatest blessings of this world, and says it calls for thanking Allah.
Arabic: آمن خلقه من أن يظلمهم
قال البغوي: «قال ابن عباس: هو الذي أمن الناس من ظلمه وأمن من آمن به من عذابه هو من الأمان الذي هو ضد التخويف»، كما قال: ﴿ٱلَّذِىٓ أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ وَءَامَنَهُم مِّنْ خَوْفٍۭ﴾ (قريش 106: 4). قال السعدي: «فرغد الرزق والأمن من المخاوف، من أكبر النعم الدنيوية، الموجبة لشكر الله تعالى».
He Confirms His Messengers
Al-Sa'di gives one meaning only, on 59:23: the One who confirms His messengers and prophets in what they brought, with clear signs, decisive proofs and plain arguments. Al-Baghawi adds the miracles, and a confirming of a different kind: He holds true to the believers the reward He promised them, and to the disbelievers the punishment He warned them of. For Qatada, in Ibn Kathir, He affirmed by His own word that it is the truth.
Arabic: المصدق لرسله
لم يذكر السعدي في الاسم إلا معنى واحدا: «المصدق لرسله وأنبيائه بما جاءوا به، بالآيات البينات، والبراهين القاطعات، والحجج الواضحات». وقال البغوي: «وقيل: معناه المصدق لرسله بإظهار المعجزات والمصدق للمؤمنين بما وعدهم من الثواب وللكافرين بما أوعدهم من العقاب». ونقل ابن كثير عن قتادة: «وقال قتادة: أمن بقوله: إنه حق».
Security for Faith Kept Clean
﴿ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوٓا۟ إِيمَـٰنَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ﴾It is ˹only˺ those who are faithful and do not tarnish their faith with falsehood who are guaranteed security and are ˹rightly˺ guided.
6:82 promises security to the faithful who do not tarnish their faith with wrong. The companions found that hard: “Who amongst us does not do wrong to himself?” The Prophet ﷺ told them the wrong meant is shirk and recalled Luqman's advice to his son in 31:13 (Sahih al-Bukhari 3429). Al-Sa'di draws the degrees from it. Faith kept clear of every wrong, shirk and sins alike, has complete security and guidance; faith free of shirk but with bad deeds has the root of both, not their fullness.
Arabic: أولئك لهم الأمن
تعد آية الأنعام بالأمن: ﴿ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوٓا۟ إِيمَـٰنَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ﴾. فشق ذلك على الصحابة وقالوا: «أَيُّنَا لاَ يَظْلِمُ نَفْسَهُ»، فقال النبي ﷺ: «لَيْسَ ذَلِكَ، إِنَّمَا هُوَ الشِّرْكُ»، وذكر قول لقمان لابنه (لقمان 31: 13) (صحيح البخاري 3429). قال السعدي: «فإن كانوا لم يلبسوا إيمانهم بظلم مطلقا، لا بشرك، ولا بمعاص، حصل لهم الأمن التام، والهداية التامة. وإن كانوا لم يلبسوا إيمانهم بالشرك وحده، ولكنهم يعملون السيئات، حصل لهم أصل الهداية، وأصل الأمن، وإن لم يحصل لهم كمالها».
Fear Changed Into Security
﴿وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ كَمَا ٱسْتَخْلَفَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى ٱرْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِى لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِى شَيْـًٔا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ﴾Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good that He will certainly make them successors in the land, as He did with those before them; and will surely establish for them their faith which He has chosen for them; and will indeed change their fear into security: ˹provided that˺ they worship Me, associating nothing with Me. But whoever disbelieves after this ˹promise˺, it is they who will be the rebellious.
24:55 promised the believers who do good that their fear would be changed into security. Al-Sa'di describes what was promised, complete security, so that they worship Allah, associate nothing with Him and fear no one but Him. The Prophet ﷺ counted the same gift in a single day: “Whoever among you wakes up in the morning secured in his dwelling, healthy in his body, having his food for the day,then it is as if the world has been gathered for him” (Jami at-Tirmidhi 2346, graded hasan by al-Albani).
Arabic: وليبدلنهم من بعد خوفهم أمنا
وعدت آية النور المؤمنين الذين يعملون الصالحات: ﴿وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا﴾، قال السعدي: «والأمن التام، بحيث يعبدون الله ولا يشركون به شيئا، ولا يخافون أحدا إلا الله». وقال النبي ﷺ: «مَنْ أَصْبَحَ مِنْكُمْ آمِنًا فِي سِرْبِهِ مُعَافًى فِي جَسَدِهِ عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا حِيزَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا» (جامع الترمذي 2346، حسنه الألباني).
From the Sunnah
When the Verse:-- 'Those who believe and mix not their belief with wrong.' was revealed, the Muslims felt it very hard on them and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Who amongst us does not do wrong to himself?" He replied, "The Verse does not mean this. But that (wrong) means to associate others in worship to Allah: Don't you listen to what Luqman said to his son when he was advising him," O my son! Join not others in worship with Allah. Verily joining others in worship with Allah is a great wrong indeed
لَمَّا نَزَلَتِ { الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ } شَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَيُّنَا لاَ يَظْلِمُ نَفْسَهُ قَالَ لَيْسَ ذَلِكَ، إِنَّمَا هُوَ الشِّرْكُ، أَلَمْ تَسْمَعُوا مَا قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لاِبْنِهِ وَهْوَ يَعِظُهُ { يَا بُنَىَّ لاَ تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ
Whoever among you wakes up in the morning secured in his dwelling, healthy in his body, having his food for the day,then it is as if the world has been gathered for him
مَنْ أَصْبَحَ مِنْكُمْ آمِنًا فِي سِرْبِهِ مُعَافًى فِي جَسَدِهِ عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا حِيزَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا
A du'a with this Name
اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي
O Allah, conceal my faults, calm my fears
Sunan Ibn Majah 3871, graded sahih by al-Albani: from the du'a the Prophet ﷺ never left, morning and evening
Related Names
Questions about Al-Mu'min
What does Al-Mu'min mean?
Al-Mu'min is the One who witnessed for Himself that there is no god but Him; He also witnessed for His believers that they are truthful in their belief that there is no god but Him. Ibn Abbas adds: He made His creation safe from any wrong from Him.
Where is Al-Mu'min in the Quran?
Al-Mu'min is mentioned once in the Quran, in 59:23, between as-Salam and al-Muhaymin.
Who is promised security in the Quran?
Those whose faith is not tarnished with wrong (6:82), and the Prophet ﷺ explained that this wrong is shirk (Sahih al-Bukhari 3429).
Is there a du'a for safety from fear?
Yes, from the Prophet's ﷺ morning and evening du'a: “O Allah, conceal my faults, calm my fears” (Sunan Ibn Majah 3871, graded sahih by al-Albani).