Anas said that when he was sitting with the Prophet in the mosque a man who was praying said, “O God, I ask Thee by virtue of the fact that praise is due to Thee than whom there is no god, who showest favour and beneficence, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, O Lord of Majesty and Splendour, O Living One; O Eternal One, I ask of Thee.” The Prophet then said, “He has supplicated God using His greatest name, when supplicated by which He answers and when asked by which He gives.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.
The Excellence of the Greatest Name of Allah
This narration from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) demonstrates the profound wisdom in knowing and utilizing Allah's most magnificent names in supplication. The Prophet's recognition that this companion had invoked Allah by His greatest name indicates the spiritual elevation achieved through proper understanding of divine attributes.
Analysis of the Supplication's Components
The supplication contains several of Allah's beautiful names: Al-Hamid (The Praiseworthy), Al-Wahid (The Unique), Al-Mannan (The Benefactor), Badi' as-samawat wal-ard (The Originator of heavens and earth), Dhu al-Jalal wal-Ikram (Possessor of Majesty and Honor), Al-Hayy (The Ever-Living), and Al-Qayyum (The Self-Sustaining).
Scholars note that the combination of these names, particularly Al-Hayy al-Qayyum (The Ever-Living, The Self-Sustaining), constitutes the "Ism al-A'zam" - the greatest name of Allah. This name encompasses all perfect attributes and signifies Allah's complete independence and eternal sustenance of all creation.
Scholarly Commentary on the Narration
Imam al-Tirmidhi classified this hadith as hasan sahih (good and authentic), while other traditionists including Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah recorded it with strong chains of transmission.
The phrase "when supplicated by which He answers and when asked by which He gives" indicates the special efficacy of this invocation. Scholars explain that this doesn't mean other supplications are unanswered, but rather that this particular method carries greater certainty of response due to its comprehensive acknowledgment of Allah's perfect attributes.
Practical Implementation in Worship
The learned approach is to incorporate these divine names in our supplications, especially during times of need and in the latter part of the night (tahajjud). However, one should maintain sincerity and avoid treating this as mere ritualistic repetition.
The setting in the mosque further teaches us that places of worship are particularly conducive to such elevated spiritual states and accepted supplications. The companion's spontaneous prayer demonstrates how deep understanding of Allah's attributes naturally flows into heartfelt invocation.