الْبَاسِطُ
One of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah
Al-Baasit
The Enlarger
Al-Baasit is the Enlarger: provision is narrowed by His wisdom and widened by His generosity and mercy. It is not in the Quran as a Name; it is in the hadith where the Prophet ﷺ named Allah the One who withholds and gives lavishly, when people asked him to fix prices.
Key verse
﴿مَّن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يُقْرِضُ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَـٰعِفَهُۥ لَهُۥٓ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْصُۜطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ﴾Who will lend to Allah a good loan which Allah will multiply many times over? It is Allah ˹alone˺ who decreases and increases ˹wealth˺. And to Him you will ˹all˺ be returned.
The scholar's text
The Enlarger, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdom and expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy.
It is mentioned 0 times in the Holy Quran, but it was mentioned in the Hadith
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا ثَابِتٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، وَقَتَادَةُ، وَحُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّاسُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ غَلاَ السِّعْرُ فَسَعِّرْ لَنَا . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمُسَعِّرُ الْقَابِضُ الْبَاسِطُ الرَّازِقُ وَإِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ أَلْقَى اللَّهَ وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ يُطَالِبُنِي بِمَظْلَمَةٍ فِي دَمٍ وَلاَ مَالٍ " .
Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
The people said: Messenger of Allah, prices have shot up, so fix prices for us. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Allah is the one Who fixes prices, Who withholds, gives lavishly and provides, and I hope that when I meet Allah, none of you will have any claim on me for an injustice regarding blood or property.
Sahih Al-Albani
الباسط، الذي يقبض الرزق بحكمته، ويبسطه ويوسعه بجوده ورحمته.
ورد في القرآن الكريم 0 مرة، لكنه ورد في الحديث.
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا ثَابِتٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، وَقَتَادَةُ، وَحُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّاسُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ غَلاَ السِّعْرُ فَسَعِّرْ لَنَا . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمُسَعِّرُ الْقَابِضُ الْبَاسِطُ الرَّازِقُ وَإِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ أَلْقَى اللَّهَ وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ يُطَالِبُنِي بِمَظْلَمَةٍ فِي دَمٍ وَلاَ مَالٍ " .
صححه الألباني.
He Withholds and He Gives Lavishly
The Name comes in a hadith. Prices rose and people asked the Prophet ﷺ to fix them, and he answered: “Allah is the one Who fixes prices, Who withholds, gives lavishly and provides, and I hope that when I meet Allah, none of you will have any claim on me for an injustice regarding blood or property” (Sunan Abi Dawud 3451, graded sahih by al-Albani). He named Al-Baasit beside its pair, the One who withholds, and said he hoped to meet Allah with no one holding a claim of injustice against him.
Arabic: القابض الباسط
جاء الاسم في الحديث: غلا السعر فسأل الناس النبي ﷺ أن يسعر لهم، فقال: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمُسَعِّرُ الْقَابِضُ الْبَاسِطُ الرَّازِقُ وَإِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ أَلْقَى اللَّهَ وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ يُطَالِبُنِي بِمَظْلَمَةٍ فِي دَمٍ وَلاَ مَالٍ» (سنن أبي داود 3451، صححه الألباني). فذكر الباسط مع مقابله القابض، ورجا أن يلقى الله وليس أحد يطالبه بمظلمة.
Holding Back Does Not Widen It
In 2:245 the call to lend Allah a good loan is followed by: it is Allah alone who decreases and increases wealth. Al-Sa'di draws the lesson for the one who hesitates to spend: all disposal is in His hands, so holding back does not widen provision and spending does not narrow it, and what is spent is not lost but found again, complete and multiplied. Al-Baghawi lists other explanations of the pair, among them giving and withholding provision, accepting charity and replacing it, and giving death or lengthening life.
Arabic: والله يقبض ويبسط
وفي آية البقرة بعد الدعوة إلى القرض الحسن: ﴿وَٱللَّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْصُۜطُ﴾، وخاطب السعدي من يتوهم أن الإنفاق يفقره، فقال: «أي: يوسع الرزق على من يشاء ويقبضه عمن يشاء، فالتصرف كله بيديه ومدار الأمور راجع إليه، فالإمساك لا يبسط الرزق، والإنفاق لا يقبضه، ومع ذلك فالإنفاق غير ضائع على أهله، بل لهم يوم يجدون ما قدموه كاملا موفرا مضاعفا». وذكر البغوي أقوالا أخرى: «قيل يقبض بإمساك الرزق والنفس والتقتير ويبسط بالتوسيع وقيل يقبض بقبول التوبة والصدقة ويبسط بالخلف والثواب وقيل هو الإحياء والإماتة فمن أماته فقد قبضه ومن مد له في عمره فقد بسط له».
In Perfect Measure
﴿وَلَوْ بَسَطَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِۦ لَبَغَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَـٰكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَّا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِعِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرٌۢ بَصِيرٌ﴾Had Allah given abundant provisions to ˹all˺ His servants, they would have certainly transgressed throughout the land. But He sends down whatever He wills in perfect measure. He is truly All-Aware, All-Seeing of His servants.
42:27 explains why provision is not widened for everyone: had Allah given abundant provision to all His servants, they would have transgressed in the land. Al-Sa'di describes that transgression: they would neglect obeying Allah and turn to the pleasures of this world, even where it meant sin and wrongdoing. So He sends down what He wills in measure, he says, as His kindness and wisdom require.
Arabic: ولكن ينزل بقدر ما يشاء
تبين آية الشورى لماذا لا يبسط الرزق للجميع: ﴿وَلَوْ بَسَطَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِۦ لَبَغَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ﴾، قال السعدي: «أي: لغفلوا عن طاعة الله، وأقبلوا على التمتع بشهوات الدنيا، فأوجبت لهم الإكباب على ما تشتهيه نفوسهم، ولو كان معصية وظلما». ﴿وَلَـٰكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَّا يَشَآءُ﴾: «بحسب ما اقتضاه لطفه وحكمته».
Not a Measure of His Pleasure
﴿قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّى يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Surely ˹it is˺ my Lord ˹Who˺ gives abundant or limited provisions to whoever He wills. But most people do not know.”
The wealthy who rejected the prophets said their wealth and children meant they would never be punished (34:35), and 34:36 answers: my Lord gives abundant or limited provisions to whoever He wills. Al-Sa'di states the rule. Widening and narrowing provision is no proof of what they claimed, because provision is under His will. On 13:26 he weighs this world against the next: a small thing enjoyed for a little while, which leaves its people behind.
Arabic: ليس دليلا على الرضا
احتج المترفون الذين كذبوا الرسل بكثرة أموالهم وأولادهم على أنهم لن يعذبوا (سبأ 34: 35)، فجاء الجواب: ﴿قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّى يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ﴾، قال السعدي: «بأن بسط الرزق وتضييقه، ليس دليلا على ما زعمتم، فإن الرزق تحت مشيئة اللّه، إن شاء بسطه لعبده، وإن شاء ضيقه». وقال في آية الرعد عن الدنيا: «أي: شيء حقير يتمتع به قليلا ويفارق أهله وأصحابه ويعقبهم ويلا طويلا».
Both His Hands Are Outstretched
﴿وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ يَدُ ٱللَّهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ ۚ غُلَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُعِنُوا۟ بِمَا قَالُوا۟ ۘ بَلْ يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَآءُ ۚ وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم مَّآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَـٰنًا وَكُفْرًا ۚ وَأَلْقَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ كُلَّمَآ أَوْقَدُوا۟ نَارًا لِّلْحَرْبِ أَطْفَأَهَا ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ﴾˹Some among˺ the Jews said, “Allah is tight-fisted.” May their fists be tied and they be condemned for what they said. Rather, He is open-handed, giving freely as He pleases. That which has been revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ from your Lord will only cause many of them to increase in wickedness and disbelief. We have stirred among them hostility and hatred until the Day of Judgment. Whenever they kindle the fire of war, Allah puts it out. And they strive to spread corruption in the land. And Allah does not like corruptors.
5:64 answers those who called Allah tight-fisted: rather, He is open-handed, giving freely as He pleases. Al-Sa'di explains that nothing restrains Him from what He wills. He has spread His favour in religion and in this world, and He commands His servants to seek His gifts and not to shut the doors of His goodness on themselves by their sins. The Prophet ﷺ named one door himself: “Whoever loves that he be granted more wealth and that his lease of life be prolonged then he should keep good relations with his Kith and kin” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5986).
Arabic: بل يداه مبسوطتان
تجيب آية المائدة من وصفوا الله بالبخل: ﴿بَلْ يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَآءُ﴾، قال السعدي: «لا حجر عليه، ولا مانع يمنعه مما أراد، فإنه تعالى قد بسط فضله وإحسانه الديني والدنيوي، وأمر العباد أن يتعرضوا لنفحات جوده، وأن لا يسدوا على أنفسهم أبواب إحسانه بمعاصيهم». وذكر النبي ﷺ بابا منها: «مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُبْسَطَ لَهُ فِي رِزْقِهِ، وَيُنْسَأَ لَهُ فِي أَثَرِهِ، فَلْيَصِلْ رَحِمَهُ» (صحيح البخاري 5986).
From the Sunnah
The people said: Messenger of Allah , prices have shot up, so fix prices for us. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Allah is the one Who fixes prices, Who withholds, gives lavishly and provides, and I hope that when I meet Allah, none of you will have any claim on me for an injustice regarding blood or property
قَالَ النَّاسُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ غَلاَ السِّعْرُ فَسَعِّرْ لَنَا . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمُسَعِّرُ الْقَابِضُ الْبَاسِطُ الرَّازِقُ وَإِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ أَلْقَى اللَّهَ وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ يُطَالِبُنِي بِمَظْلَمَةٍ فِي دَمٍ وَلاَ مَالٍ
Whoever loves that he be granted more wealth and that his lease of life be prolonged then he should keep good relations with his Kith and kin
مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُبْسَطَ لَهُ فِي رِزْقِهِ، وَيُنْسَأَ لَهُ فِي أَثَرِهِ، فَلْيَصِلْ رَحِمَهُ
A du'a with this Name
اللَّهُمَّ لاَ مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَلاَ مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ،
O Allah! Nobody can hold back what you gave, nobody can give what You held back
Sahih al-Bukhari 844: from what the Prophet ﷺ said after every obligatory prayer
Related Names
Questions about Al-Baasit
What does Al-Baasit mean?
Al-Baasit is the Enlarger: He constricts provision by His wisdom and widens it by His generosity and mercy.
Is Al-Baasit in the Quran?
Not as a Name. Al-Baasit is in the hadith (Sunan Abi Dawud 3451, graded sahih by al-Albani), and 2:245 says it is Allah alone who decreases and increases wealth.
Does spending make a person poorer?
No. Spending does not narrow provision, al-Sa'di says on 2:245, nor does holding back make it wider; what is spent comes back multiplied.
Is wealth a sign that Allah is pleased with someone?
No, 34:36 says. Al-Sa'di: provision is under His will, so its widening proves nothing about His pleasure.