Al-`Alim
Allah is Al-Alim, Allah’s knowledge is comprehensive and extends to all that is seen and unseen, apparent and hidden, present and future, near and far. His knowledge precedes and he is intuitively aware of all things, even before they happen. He is the is the knower of all details and nothing goes unnoticed or unrecorded. Truly, He is the Omniscient One.
From the root ‘a-l-m which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to have knowledge, be cognizant, be certain to be aware, thoroughly informed to be find out, gather information to have intuitive knowledge to have firmly rooted knowledge of the minute particulars to act according to knowledge.
Indeed, as-Safa and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah . So whoever makes Hajj to the House or performs ‘umrah – there is no blame upon him for walking between them. And whoever volunteers good – then indeed, Allah is appreciative and Knowing. (Quran 2:158)
Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love. And whatever you spend – indeed, Allah is Knowing of it. (Quran 3:92)
Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and last of the prophets. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing. (Quran 33:40)
Do you not see that Allah is exalted by whomever is within the heavens and the earth and [by] the birds with wings spread [in flight]? Each [of them] has known his [means of] prayer and exalting [Him], and Allah is Knowing of what they do. (Quran 24:41)
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Name: |
Al-Alim (The Knower) |
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Al-Alim in Arabic: |
العليم |
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Arabic root: |
(ع ل م) |
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Al-Alim meaning in English: |
The All-Knowing, The Knowledgeable, The Omniscient One, The Knower |
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Al-Alim meaning in Urdu: |
ہمہ دان ، علام الغیوب |
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Appearance in the Quran: |
157 times |
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Tasbeeh: |
Recite Al-Alim anytime during the day to incorporate remembrance of Allah into your daily routine. |
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Asma-Ul-Husna with similar meaning: |
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“Al-Alim” is one of the 99 Asma-ul-Husna (the Most Beautiful Names), which are Names or Attributes of Allah. The Name “Al-Aleem” literally translates to “The All-Knowing” or “The Knower.”
Al-Alim has its root in Arabic, ayn-laam-mim, and is derived from the Arabic term ilm, which means knowledge; hence, the name itself means "knower." This word encompasses the attributes of Allah that describe how He is the only one with complete knowledge of everything that exists. It means that only Allah has knowledge of the seen and the unseen, the beginning, the present, the end, and everything in between. Al-Alim also summarizes how nothing remains hidden from Allah, nor does anything go unnoticed by Him, which is also why He is the Omniscient.
This knowledge extends to events in the world and includes our intentions and actions. That is to say that He is always acutely aware of what is in our hearts, even when we do not share it with anyone. It reiterates that nothing can be hidden from The Almighty, for He is the All-Knowing. Such a name signifies the extent of Allah's power.
This beautiful Name appears 157 times in the Holy Quran in pairs with other Names of Allah that have a similar meaning, such as Al-Hakeem (The All-Wise). One of the mentions of this Name in the Quran is in Surah Al-Ma’ida in the following verse:
يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَآ أُجِبْتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّـٰمُ ٱلْغُيُوبِ
˹Consider˺ the Day Allah will gather the messengers and say, “What response did you receive?” They will reply, “We have no knowledge compared to You!” You ˹alone˺ are indeed the Knower of all unseen.” (Surah Al Maida, 5:109).
Another mention of Al-Alim is in Surah Al-An’am in the verse:
وَإِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ءَايَةٌۭ قَالُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ حَتَّىٰ نُؤْتَىٰ مِثْلَ مَآ أُوتِىَ رُسُلُ ٱللَّهِ ۘ ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُۥ ۗ سَيُصِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا۟ صَغَارٌ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَعَذَابٌۭ شَدِيدٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَمْكُرُونَ
Whenever a sign comes to them, they say, “We will never believe until we receive what Allah’s messengers received.” Allah knows best where to place His message. The wicked will soon be overwhelmed by humiliation from Allah and a severe punishment for their evil plots.(Surah Anam, 6:124)
Thus, Al-Alim provides an idea of Allah's power, Knowledge, and perfection in all things, seen or unseen.
The name "Al-Alim" emphasizes Allah's absolute and perfect knowledge. Recitation of this Name of Allah can help believers remember how nothing is concealed before Allah, which can assist in keeping our intentions and actions in check. It can motivate us to strive for wisdom and knowledge by asking for it from our Lord. It also reiterates complete dependence on Allah, how nothing can happen without His Will, and how humans depend entirely on His Guidance.
The Attribute also signifies how any judgment from Allah will be fair and just since He is All-Knowing and free of mistakes or negligence. His mercy may also extend from this comprehensive and inclusive knowledge since He knows humans have limited capacities and are prone to making mistakes in their dealings.
Besides simply being a reminder of Allah and His Power, Knowledge, Wisdom, and Omniscience, Al-Alim also encourages contemplation of the Universe in believers. It helps the believers recognize how the Best of Planners planned the workings of worldly affairs and how the All-Knowing has woven every minute detail in everything around us into its place. This further assists in us accepting the happenings around us and trusting in what has been decreed for us.
Al-Alim also reiterates how Allah, His Knowledge, His Power, and His Wisdom are incomparable. No other being can know things that Allah does, for nothing can be concealed from The Knower. With the infusion of Al-Alim in our daily lives, we will better understand how He is the One Who knows what has happened in the previous generations, what is happening right now down to the most intricate details, and what is to come.
Only He knows the Unknown, the knowledge of the Day of Judgement, the Knowledge about when the rain will fall, and what is hidden in our hearts, except nothing is hidden from Him. He also knows about every atom in the world and the heavens. This helps believers submit to Allah only and remember His Power and Wisdom in all our dealings. It also makes a believer humble in his affairs.
Knowing Al-Alim has created you and has decreed everything through His Knowledge and Wisdom can help you accept any discouraging events, disappointments, and pain you go through in the world, for there is always something falling into its place as decreed by The Almighty.
Remind yourself of this to get closer to Him, especially during trials, and incorporate the recitation of Al-Alim in your daily supplications. There is no compulsion to recite it several times during the day. However, a tasbeeh of this Asma-Ul-Husna will bring you goodness, peace, and patience.
While the name is attributed to Allah only, some scholars believe only the word “Alim” can be used to name children. Some scholars disagree, so there is no definite ruling on this aspect; however, using a part of the name for children signifies parents’ aspirations for their child – to be knowledgeable. It is true that there is no other being in existence with Utmost Knowledge besides Allah, which is described as Al-Aleem, whereby the term “AL” signifies its sole attribution to Allah.
The word "Al-Alim" is a divine attribute of Allah and is often paired with other Divine attributes of Al-Hakeem (The All-Wise). This Name refers to Allah having the greatest wisdom and cannot be compared to His knowledge. He knows what to give his servants, when to give it, and to whom. He knows the true workings of the world and all things in between and the way everything will fall into place like a puzzle, something only one with all the knowledge can do. Al-Hakeem is mentioned alongside Al-Alim in Surah At-Tahrim,
قَدْ فَرَضَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ تَحِلَّةَ أَيْمَـٰنِكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ مَوْلَىٰكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
“Allah has already ordained for you ˹believers˺ the way to absolve yourselves from your oaths.1 For Allah is your Guardian. And He is the All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (Surah At-Tahrim, 66:2)
The use of this pair signifies how Allah has all the knowledge and wisdom to drive a believer’s life; hence, having faith in Allah's plan is the way to be a believer. It highlights how whatever He has decreed for us is the best of all plans since He makes no mistakes. Even if something doesn’t go as we wish, there is something more beautiful in store for us for which we will have to wait and trust in Him in the meantime. There may be times when a believer cannot see the reasons for certain events taking place as they did, but He knows, and His wisdom and Knowledge know no bounds.
In the Quran, the name Al-Alim is beautifully highlighted in verses other than in Surah Al-Ma’ida and Surah Al-An’am, further highlighting the Divine attribute of unparalleled knowledge that The Almighty possesses.
In Surah Al-Baqarah (2:115) Allah declares,
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“Surely Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:115)
This verse highlights how Allah truly knows everything there is to know about all things worldly and otherwise. Another mention of this in the Quran is in Surah Al-Nahl,
وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تُسِرُّونَ وَمَا تُعۡلِنُونَ
“And Allah knows what you conceal and what you reveal.” (Surah Al-Nahl, 16:19)
Hence, the Quran continuously reiterates how nothing can be hidden from Allah, for He is the Creator, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing. Other than frequent mentions in the Holy Quran, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) has been reported to say that anyone who supplicates in the morning by reciting the following thrice shall not be afflicted by any sudden calamity till the evening. And for whoever supplicates in the evening, he will not be afflicted by any sudden calamity till daybreak,
“In the Name of Allah, with Whose Name nothing is harmed on earth nor in heaven, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.”
These Quranic verses and Hadith highlight Allah's infinite Knowledge, which is important for believers to have faith in. Reciting these verses, or simply al-Alim on beads, can help believers remember Allah throughout the day and surrender to His plans and wisdom.