49. Al-Ba'ith — The All-Resurrecting
This page explains the meaning of Allah's name Al-Ba'ith, that is, the One who sends the messengers and resurrects mankind from death on the Day of Resurrection.
He is the One who sends the messengers to mankind, who arouses the will (aspiration) to rise level by level in the field of tawhid, and who resurrects those who are in the grave.
It is said that Al-Ba'its is the One who raises everything that exists from the darkness of non-existence into the light of existence. There is also an opinion that the meaning of Al Ba'its is the One who gives life to all creation on the Day of Resurrection (the Day of Judgement) and who knows what is hidden in the breast.
Al-Ba'its means resurrection in the hereafter. Knowledge of this ism depends on knowledge of the reality of resurrection itself, which is why it is among the most intricate branches of knowledge. Most people are in doubt about it. Most of them imagine that death is annihilation and that resurrection after non-existence is like the first creation. The assumption that death is annihilation and that the second bringing-into-being is like the first is a very mistaken assumption. So Imam Al-Ghazali explains. As for their assumption that death is the same as annihilation, it is wrong, for death is nothing but a transfer, and the realm of the grave is part of the beginning of the hereafter, and it may be either a pit of Hell or a garden of Paradise. Among those who die, some are blessed; and these in fact are not dead, as Allah's words state:
"Do not think of those who are slain in the way of Allah as dead; rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision." (Qs. Ali 'Imran: 169)
As for the wretched, they too are alive. That is why the Messenger of Allah saw. called out to the disbelieving Quraysh who were killed in the Battle of Badr:
"I have found what my Lord promised me to be true; so have you too found what your lord promised you to be true?"
Then it was said: "O Messenger of Allah, how can you speak to a people who have become corpses?"
He replied:
"By Allah, you do not hear what I say better than they do; it is only that they cannot give an answer!"
This is the basis for the recitation of talqin for the deceased in the madhhab of Imam Syafi'i ra. And as for the inner witnessing, according to what Imam Al Ghazali said: "The foremost among the people of bashirah (those who see with the inner eye) show that man is created eternally and there is no way for him to be annihilated. Indeed, sometimes a person's control over himself is cut off, and this is called death. And sometimes his control over himself is restored, and in that case it is said that he has been brought back to life or resurrected. He expressed this from the knowledge of true reality, which we cannot present in full within this summary.
As for their assumption that resurrection is a second creation, the same as the first creation, that is not correct. What is correct is that resurrection is another creation entirely different from the first creation. And man undergoes creation many times over. In this connection, Allah SWT says:
"...and creates you later (in the hereafter) in a form you do not know." (QS. Al-Waqi'ah: 61)
And another word of Allah:
"... Then We made him into another form of creation. So blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators." (QS Al Mu'minun: 14)
Allah SWT has a chain of formation in shaping man. Among them is the spirit (ruh), which is a subtle divine substance, knowledge of which lies in the hand of the Lord who created it, of which we know but little. Then, after the creation of the spirit, the faculty of sensation is created. Then the faculty of discernment, which only appears after the age of seven. Then reason, after reaching the age of fifteen. And so it continues.
To embody this ism requires you to rouse yourself in accordance with what Allah wants from you, both in word and in deed. You must direct and channel both of these towards drawing near to Allah, rising level by level on its ladder and drawing near to perfection by Allah's permission.
Its Benefits Whoever places his hand on his chest while sleeping and recites this ism a hundred times, Allah will surely illuminate his heart and grant him knowledge and wisdom.
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