الْمُهَيْمِنُ
One of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah
Al-Muhaymin
The Watcher of All
Al-Muhaymin is mentioned once in the Quran: in 59:23, as the Watcher over His creatures, it follows al-Mu'min. The early scholars Ibn Kathir cites took it as the One who sees every deed of His creation. And 5:48 calls the Quran a supreme authority on the Scriptures before it.
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
﴿هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلَامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ ۚ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴾ الحشر 59: 23
(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
﴿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.
Witness Over Every Deed
﴿أَفَمَنْ هُوَ قَآئِمٌ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ ۗ وَجَعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ قُلْ سَمُّوهُمْ ۚ أَمْ تُنَبِّـُٔونَهُۥ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَم بِظَـٰهِرٍ مِّنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ ۗ بَلْ زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مَكْرُهُمْ وَصُدُّوا۟ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۗ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْ هَادٍ﴾Is ˹there any equal to˺ the Vigilant One Who knows what every soul commits? Yet the pagans have associated others with Allah ˹in worship˺. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Name them! Or do you ˹mean to˺ inform Him of something He does not know on the earth? Or are these ˹gods˺ just empty words?” In fact, the disbelievers’ falsehood has been made so appealing to them that they have been turned away from the Path. And whoever Allah leaves to stray will be left with no guide.
The Watcher over His creatures, the translation above, is what the early explanation says too. In the report Ibn Kathir gives from Ibn Abbas and others, al-Muhaymin is the witness over His creation and their deeds, the One who watches over them; Mujahid, Qatada, al-Suddi and Muqatil said it too, in al-Baghawi's list. Beside it Ibn Kathir puts 13:33, the One who stands over every soul and what it earns. That standing, for al-Sa'di, is repayment: every soul is repaid, now and later, with justice and fairness.
Arabic: الشاهد على خلقه بأعمالهم
والرقيب على خلقه، كما في الترجمة أعلاه، هو تفسير السلف. قال ابن كثير: «قال ابن عباس وغير واحد: أي الشاهد على خلقه بأعمالهم، بمعنى: هو رقيب عليهم»، وذكر البغوي هذا القول عن ابن عباس ومجاهد وقتادة والسدي ومقاتل. واستشهد ابن كثير بقوله: ﴿أَفَمَنْ هُوَ قَآئِمٌ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ﴾ (الرعد 13: 33)، قال السعدي: «بالجزاء العاجل والآجل، بالعدل والقسط».
What the Word Holds
Al-Baghawi gathers what the word was taken to mean. Haymana is said of one who watches over a thing. Some held that it began as mu'aymin, from the root of trust, its hamza turned into a ha', so that it means al-Mu'min. For al-Hasan it is the Trustworthy, for al-Khalil the Watcher who keeps, for Ibn Zayd the One who confirms, and for Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib and al-Dahhak the Judge. Ibn Kaysan stopped there: it is a Name of Allah in the earlier Books, he said, and Allah knows its interpretation best.
Arabic: أقوال العلماء في معناه
جمع البغوي ما قيل في معنى الكلمة: «يقال: هيمن يهيمن فهو مهيمن إذا كان رقيبا على الشيء وقيل: هو في الأصل مؤيمن قلبت الهمزة هاء كقولهم: أرقت وهرقت ومعناه المؤمن. وقال الحسن: الأمين. وقال الخليل: هو الرقيب الحافظ. وقال ابن زيد: المصدق. وقال سعيد بن المسيب والضحاك: القاضي. وقال ابن كيسان: هو اسم من أسماء الله تعالى في الكتب والله أعلم بتأويله».
Over the Books Before It
﴿وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ ۖ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۖ فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ ۚ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ﴾We have revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ this Book with the truth, as a confirmation of previous Scriptures and a supreme authority on them. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires over the truth that has come to you. To each of you We have ordained a code of law and a way of life. If Allah had willed, He would have made you one community, but His Will is to test you with what He has given ˹each of˺ you. So compete with one another in doing good. To Allah you will all return, then He will inform you ˹of the truth˺ regarding your differences.
5:48 calls the Quran a supreme authority on the Scriptures before it. Trustee, witness and judge were the early explanations, and Ibn Kathir finds them close in meaning, since muhaymin holds all three. So what the Quran confirms of the earlier Books is accepted, al-Sa'di says, and what it rejects has been altered and changed. And Allah Himself undertook to preserve it, in 15:9, which Ibn Kathir cites at this point.
Arabic: ومهيمنا عليه
وقال تعالى في القرآن: ﴿مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ﴾. قال ابن كثير: «وهذه الأقوال كلها متقاربة المعنى، فإن اسم المهيمن يتضمن هذا كله، فهو أمين وشاهد وحاكم على كل كتاب قبله». وقال السعدي: «فما شهد له بالصدق فهو المقبول، وما شهد له بالرد فهو مردود، قد دخله التحريف والتبديل». ثم ذكر ابن كثير أن الله تكفل بحفظه: ﴿إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا ٱلذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَ﴾ (الحجر 15: 9).
Not an Atom's Weight
﴿وَمَا تَكُونُ فِى شَأْنٍ وَمَا تَتْلُوا۟ مِنْهُ مِن قُرْءَانٍ وَلَا تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ إِلَّا كُنَّا عَلَيْكُمْ شُهُودًا إِذْ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ ۚ وَمَا يَعْزُبُ عَن رَّبِّكَ مِن مِّثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَآ أَصْغَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكْبَرَ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍ مُّبِينٍ﴾There is no activity you may be engaged in ˹O Prophet˺ or portion of the Quran you may be reciting, nor any deed you ˹all˺ may be doing except that We are a Witness over you while doing it. Not ˹even˺ an atom’s weight is hidden from your Lord on earth or in heaven; nor anything smaller or larger than that, but is ˹written˺ in a perfect Record.
10:61 tells the Prophet ﷺ that whatever he does, and whatever anyone does, Allah is a Witness over it as it is done. Al-Sa'di turns it into a duty: watch Allah in your deeds, do them sincerely and with effort, and keep away from what He dislikes, for He sees you and knows what you show and what you hide. Ibn Kathir argues from the small to the great. If He knows the movement of trees and animals, how much more the movements of those commanded to worship. And 58:7 brings the watch into a private talk: if three converse in secret, He is their fourth, which al-Sa'di explains as His knowledge of all they whispered.
Arabic: وما يعزب عن ربك من مثقال ذرة
تخبر آية يونس أن الله شاهد على كل عمل حين يعمل: ﴿إِلَّا كُنَّا عَلَيْكُمْ شُهُودًا إِذْ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ﴾، قال السعدي: «فراقبوا الله في أعمالكم، وأدوها على وجه النصيحة، والاجتهاد فيها، وإياكم، وما يكره الله تعالى، فإنه مطلع عليكم، عالم بظواهركم وبواطنكم». وذكر ابن كثير علمه بحركة الأشجار والدواب، ثم قال: «وإذا كان هذا علمه بحركات هذه الأشياء، فكيف بعلمه بحركات المكلفين المأمورين بالعبادة». وفي آية المجادلة: ﴿مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجْوَىٰ ثَلَـٰثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ﴾، قال السعدي: «والمراد بهذه المعية معية العلم والإحاطة بما تناجوا به وأسروه فيما بينهم».
From the Sunnah
We were in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) when he smiled, and said: Do you know why I laughed? We said: Allah and His Messenger, know best. Thereupon he said: It was because (there came to my mind the) talk which the servant would have with his Lord (on the Day of judgment). He would say: My Lord, have you not guaranteed me protection against injustice? He would say: Yes. Then the servant would say: I do not deem valid any witness against me but my own self, and He would say: Well, enough would be the witness of your self against you and that of the two angels who had been appointed to record your deeds. Then the seal would be set upon his mouth and it would be said to his hands and feet to speak and they would speak of his deeds
كُنَّا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَضَحِكَ فَقَالَ هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مِمَّ أَضْحَكُ . قَالَ قُلْنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ . قَالَ مِنْ مُخَاطَبَةِ الْعَبْدِ رَبَّهُ يَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ أَلَمْ تُجِرْنِي مِنَ الظُّلْمِ قَالَ يَقُولُ بَلَى . قَالَ فَيَقُولُ فَإِنِّي لاَ أُجِيزُ عَلَى نَفْسِي إِلاَّ شَاهِدًا مِنِّي قَالَ فَيَقُولُ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ شَهِيدًا وَبِالْكِرَامِ الْكَاتِبِينَ شُهُودًا - قَالَ - فَيُخْتَمُ عَلَى فِيهِ فَيُقَالُ لأَرْكَانِهِ انْطِقِي . قَالَ فَتَنْطِقُ بِأَعْمَالِهِ
A du'a with this Name
اللَّهُمَّ وَأَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ
O Allah, cause me to fear You in secret and in public
Sunan an-Nasa'i 1305, graded sahih by al-Albani: part of the du'a Ammar ibn Yasir said he heard from the Prophet ﷺ and recited in a short prayer
Related Names
Questions about Al-Muhaymin
What does Al-Muhaymin mean?
Al-Muhaymin is the Watcher over His creatures. Ibn Abbas said: the One who witnesses what His creation does (Ibn Kathir on 59:23).
Where is Al-Muhaymin in the Quran?
Al-Muhaymin is mentioned once in the Quran: 59:23, among the Names at the end of Surah al-Hashr.
Why is the Quran called muhaymin?
Because it is trustee, witness and judge over the Books before it, Ibn Kathir says on 5:48. What it confirms of them is accepted; what it rejects was altered.
How should a Muslim live with this Name?
Keep Him in mind in every deed, al-Sa'di says on 10:61, and do it well, since He sees what is shown and what is hidden.