Quranic Wonders: ‘You are the Independent and ‘Ḥamīd’’

Another amazing choice of wording I came across today was in the following āyah of Sūrat Luqmān:

وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا لُقۡمَـٰنَ ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ أَنِ ٱشۡكُرۡ لِلَّهِ‌ۚ وَمَن يَشۡكُرۡ فَإِنَّمَا يَشۡكُرُ لِنَفۡسِهِۦ ‌ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ (31:12)

Allāh narrates the wisdom of Luqmān, and in doing so states that whoever is grateful to Allāh benefits only himself, and as for the one who is ungrateful, Allāh is independent and ‘Ḥamīd’.

The word Ḥamīd is generally translated as ‘Worthy of Praise’, or ‘Praiseworthy’. Fellow students of the Arabic language will know that any word coming on the scale of ‘فَعِيْلٌ’ can portray the meaning of ‘فاعل’ or ‘مفعول’. Hence, the word حَمِيْدٌ can either mean حَامِدٌ – the One who praises, or مَحْمُودٌ – the Praiseworthy. Allāh however, is both, in that He praises His righteous servants, and those who do good in general, and He is also praised excessively by His creation.

In the āyah quoted above, Allāh mentions that as for those who are ungrateful to Him, Allāh is independent; He is not in need of their gratitude as their gratitude or ingratitude does not benefit Him in the slightest. He is Ḥamīd: deserving of all praise that the rest of the creation continue to praise Him with, yet He also acknowledges and praises those who praise Him and are grateful to Him. The attribute Ḥamīd here can express both meanings, and Allāh chose to praise Himself at this point in the āyah with this very attribute, which again expresses the brilliant choice of words used!

May Allāh grant us all the ability to show true gratitude to Him, and we seek His refuge from ingratitude.

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