الْكَرِيمُ
One of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah
Al-Kareem
The Most Generous
Al-Kareem is the Generous One, the Gracious, described with great power and a glorious standing, and The Clear Quran calls Him the Most Generous. His good reaches the grateful and the ungrateful alike, al-Sa'di says, and thanking Him for His blessings only brings more of them.
Key verse
﴿يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ ٱلْكَرِيمِ﴾O humanity! What has emboldened you against your Lord, the Most Generous,
The scholar's text
The Generous One, The Gracious, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status.
(يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ ٱلْكَرِيمِ) الانفطار 82: 6
(O humanity! What has emboldened you against your Lord, the Most Generous) Al-Infitar 82: 6
It is mentioned 3 times in the Holy Quran
الجواد، المتفضل، الموصوف بعظيم القدرة ورفعة الشأن.
(يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ ٱلْكَرِيمِ) الانفطار 82: 6
ورد في القرآن الكريم 3 مرات.
What Has Emboldened You?
The Name comes in a question put to every human being (82:6). Some read the Name as a hint at the answer, as if His generosity is what made us bold. Ibn Kathir rejects that: the verse is a threat, and its meaning is: what deceived you, son of Adam, about your Lord al-Kareem, meaning the Great, until you dared to disobey Him? When Umar heard a man recite it, he said: ignorance. Al-Sa'di puts the question in three parts: was it taking His rights lightly, thinking little of His punishment, or not believing in His recompense? The next verse answers with His gifts: “Who created you, fashioned you, and perfected your design” (82:7).
Arabic: ما غرك بربك الكريم؟
في الآية سؤال لكل إنسان: ﴿يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ ٱلْكَرِيمِ﴾ (الانفطار 82: 6). قال ابن كثير: «هذا تهديد لا كما يتوهمه بعض الناس من أنه إرشاد إلى الجواب»، «بل المعنى في هذه الآية ما غرك يا ابن آدم بربك الكريم»، «أي العظيم حتى أقدمت على معصيته وقابلته بما لا يليق»، وسمع عمر رجلا يقرؤها فقال: «الجهل». وقال السعدي: «أتهاونا منك في حقوقه؟ أم احتقارا منك لعذابه؟ أم عدم إيمان منك بجزائه؟»، وتجيب الآية بعدها بنعمه: ﴿ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكَ فَسَوَّىٰكَ فَعَدَلَكَ﴾، قال السعدي: «فهل يليق بك أن تكفر نعمة المنعم، أو تجحد إحسان المحسن؟».
Needing Nothing, Giving Still
﴿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.”
When Sulayman saw the Queen's throne set before him, he called it a favour from his Lord to test whether he would be grateful, and he closed with two Names together: Self-Sufficient, Most Generous (27:40). Al-Sa'di explains the pair. Gratitude does not benefit Allah; its benefit returns to the one who gives it. He has no need of anyone's deeds, and He is generous with abundant good that reaches the grateful and the ungrateful alike, yet thanking Him for His blessings calls more of them, and denying them calls them away.
Arabic: غني كريم
لما رأى سليمان عرش الملكة مستقرا عنده قال: ﴿هَـٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّى لِيَبْلُوَنِىٓ ءَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ﴾، وختم باسمين: ﴿فَإِنَّ رَبِّى غَنِىٌّ كَرِيمٌ﴾ (النمل 27: 40). قال السعدي في ﴿وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ﴾: «ثم بين أن هذا الشكر لا ينتفع الله به وإنما يرجع نفعه إلى صاحبه»، «غني عن أعماله كريم كثير الخير يعم به الشاكر والكافر، إلا أن شكر نعمه داع للمزيد منها وكفرها داع لزوالها».
The Most Generous, Who Taught by the Pen
﴿ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ﴾Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous,
Generosity was in the first revelation the Prophet ﷺ received, in the cave: “Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3). The verses go on: “Who taught by the pen”, “taught humanity what they knew not” (96:4-5). Al-Sa'di calls al-Akram abundant in generosity and goodness and wide in giving, and says that teaching knowledge is part of that generosity. Then he praises Allah, who blessed His servants with gifts they can neither repay nor thank enough.
Arabic: الأكرم الذي علم بالقلم
في أول ما نزل على النبي ﷺ في الغار (صحيح البخاري 3) قوله تعالى: ﴿ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ﴾ (العلق 96: 3)، ثم ﴿ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ﴾ ﴿عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ﴾. قال السعدي: «كثير الصفات واسعها، كثير الكرم والإحسان، واسع الجود»، «الذي من كرمه أن علم بالعلم»، «فلله الحمد والمنة، الذي أنعم على عباده بهذه النعم التي لا يقدرون لها على جزاء ولا شكور».
Honoured by His Generosity
﴿وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ وَحَمَلْنَـٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَـٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ وَفَضَّلْنَـٰهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا﴾Indeed, We have dignified the children of Adam, carried them on land and sea, granted them good and lawful provisions, and privileged them far above many of Our creatures.
Allah dignified the children of Adam (17:70). Al-Sa'di counts this among His generosity: He honoured them in every way, with knowledge and reason, with messengers and revealed books. The honour that counts with Him, though, is earned: “Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you” (49:13). Al-Sa'di says nobility is by taqwa, the most obedient and most restrained from sin, not the one with the most relatives or the highest lineage. The Prophet ﷺ joined both in Yusuf: “The honorable is the son of the honorable”, meaning Yusuf, son of Ya'qub, son of Ishaq, son of Ibrahim (Sahih al-Bukhari 3382).
Arabic: ولقد كرمنا بني آدم
قال السعدي في قوله تعالى: ﴿وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ﴾: «وهذا من كرمه عليهم وإحسانه الذي لا يقادر قدره حيث كرم بني آدم بجميع وجوه الإكرام، فكرمهم بالعلم والعقل وإرسال الرسل وإنزال الكتب». وقال تعالى: ﴿إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ﴾ (الحجرات 49: 13)، قال السعدي: «ولكن الكرم بالتقوى، فأكرمهم عند الله، أتقاهم، وهو أكثرهم طاعة وانكفافًا عن المعاصي، لا أكثرهم قرابة وقومًا، ولا أشرفهم نسبًا». وجمع النبي ﷺ الأمرين في يوسف عليه السلام فقال: «الْكَرِيمُ ابْنُ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنِ الْكَرِيمِ ابْنِ الْكَرِيمِ يُوسُفُ ابْنُ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ» (صحيح البخاري 3382).
Too Generous to Return Empty Hands
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Your Lord is munificent and generous, and is ashamed to turn away empty the hands of His servant when he raises them to Him” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1488, graded sahih by al-Albani). His generosity shows in how deeds are written too: a good deed only intended is written as a full good deed, and one that is done is written from ten to seven hundred times and more (Sahih al-Bukhari 6491). That generosity is not a licence. The Prophet ﷺ described a traveller raising his hands, O Lord, O Lord, while his food, drink and clothing were unlawful, and asked: “How can then his supplication be accepted?” (Sahih Muslim 1015).
Arabic: حيي كريم
قال النبي ﷺ: «إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى حَيِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ يَسْتَحْيِي مِنْ عَبْدِهِ إِذَا رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يَرُدَّهُمَا صِفْرًا» (سنن أبي داود 1488، صححه الألباني). وفي الحديث القدسي: «فَمَنْ هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ حَسَنَةً كَامِلَةً، فَإِنْ هُوَ هَمَّ بِهَا فَعَمِلَهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ عَشْرَ حَسَنَاتٍ إِلَى سَبْعِمِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ إِلَى أَضْعَافٍ كَثِيرَةٍ» (صحيح البخاري 6491). وهذا الكرم ليس رخصة، فقد ذكر ﷺ «الرَّجُلَ يُطِيلُ السَّفَرَ أَشْعَثَ أَغْبَرَ يَمُدُّ يَدَيْهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ يَا رَبِّ يَا رَبِّ وَمَطْعَمُهُ حَرَامٌ وَمَشْرَبُهُ حَرَامٌ وَمَلْبَسُهُ حَرَامٌ وَغُذِيَ بِالْحَرَامِ فَأَنَّى يُسْتَجَابُ لِذَلِكَ» (صحيح مسلم 1015).
From the Sunnah
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Your Lord is munificent and generous, and is ashamed to turn away empty the hands of His servant when he raises them to Him
إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى حَيِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ يَسْتَحْيِي مِنْ عَبْدِهِ إِذَا رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يَرُدَّهُمَا صِفْرًا
Allah ordered (the appointed angels over you) that the good and the bad deeds be written, and He then showed (the way) how (to write). If somebody intends to do a good deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write for him a full good deed (in his account with Him); and if he intends to do a good deed and actually did it, then Allah will write for him (in his account) with Him (its reward equal) from ten to seven hundred times to many more times
إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الْحَسَنَاتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ، ثُمَّ بَيَّنَ ذَلِكَ فَمَنْ هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ حَسَنَةً كَامِلَةً، فَإِنْ هُوَ هَمَّ بِهَا فَعَمِلَهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ عَشْرَ حَسَنَاتٍ إِلَى سَبْعِمِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ إِلَى أَضْعَافٍ كَثِيرَةٍ،
A du'a with this Name
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ
O Allah! forgive him, have mercy upon him, give him peace and absolve him. Receive him with honour and make his grave spacious
Sahih Muslim 963: from the Prophet's ﷺ du'a in the funeral prayer
Related Names
Questions about Al-Kareem
What does Al-Kareem mean?
Al-Kareem is the Generous One, the Gracious, the One described with great power and a glorious standing. The Clear Quran renders it the Most Generous (82:6 and 27:40), and in al-Sa'di's explanation His abundant good covers those who thank Him and those who do not.
How many times is Al-Kareem mentioned in the Quran?
Al-Kareem is mentioned 3 times in the Quran.
What does "Allah Kareem" mean?
That Allah is Generous, using this Name. The Prophet ﷺ described Him the same way when he said that your Lord is munificent and generous and ashamed to turn back empty the hands raised to Him (Abu Dawud 1488, which al-Albani graded sahih).
Does His generosity mean sins do not matter?
No. Ibn Kathir says 82:6 is a threat, not a hint that His generosity excuses us, and al-Sa'di, on 27:40, says denying His blessings calls them away.
Will Al-Kareem answer every du'a?
He is too generous to return raised hands empty (Sunan Abi Dawud 1488, sahih in al-Albani's grading), but the Prophet ﷺ also named what blocks a du'a: unlawful food, drink and clothing (Sahih Muslim 1015).
good and profound explanation of Allah’s name, Al Kareem
August 27, 2024 at 7:27 pmjazzaky Allah khairan
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