Name 45
الْوَاسِع
Al-Wasi'
The All-Encompassing; the One whose mercy, knowledge and bounty embrace everything.
About
Al-Wasi' comes from the root w-s-', which conveys vastness, abundance and the capacity to contain. Related words include wus' (capacity, means) and tawsi' (to widen or expand).
Al-Wasi' is the One whose knowledge encompasses everything, whose mercy and bounty cannot be confined, and whose treasures never diminish no matter how much He gives. His vastness is not a matter of physical space; it is limitlessness in knowledge, generosity, forgiveness and the room He gives His creation.
In the Quran the name is most often paired with "Alim" (the All-Knowing). In Surah Al-Baqarah it closes the reminder that the east and the west belong to Allah and that wherever you turn, He is there. In Surah Al-A'raf, Allah declares that His mercy encompasses all things, highlighting the mercy at the heart of this vastness.
From the Qur'an
And to Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face of Allah. Indeed, Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.
Reflection
When you feel cornered, the world seems to shrink: options narrow and doors close. Remembering Al-Wasi' means knowing that the limits you see are not His limits. That awareness guards you against despair, and also against narrow-mindedness toward others. As your heart widens, you will find it has more room for other people's mistakes too.
Today's practice
Today, listen to an opinion you disagree with all the way to the end before responding.
- Dhikr
- 137times
- The abjad value of the Name
For these feelings
- Calm · Focused
- Hopeful · Surrendered
One Name every day, with a reminder
Inner Hunt brings you one Name each day; over 99 days every Name comes once. A daily reminder calls you back to the Name of the day at the time you choose. Pick how you feel, and it shows a Name suited to that feeling.
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