As-Sami
Allah is As-Sami. He hears everything and sees everything. He pays attention to every supplication, invocation, listening to all who reach out to him. Whether we speak loudly or in secrecy he hears every word.
From the root s-m-‘ which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to hear, to listen to accept, to receive, to be told to pay attention to, pay regard to understand the meaning.
And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], “Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing. (Quran 2:127)
There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. (Quran 2:256)
And you did not kill them, but it was Allah who killed them. And you threw not, [O Muhammad], when you threw, but it was Allah who threw that He might test the believers with a good test. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing. (Quran 8:17)
O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah . Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing. (Quran 49:1)
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Name |
As-Sami |
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As-Sami in Arabic |
ٱلْسَّمِيعُ |
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Arabic root |
س م ع |
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As-Sami meaning in English |
The Hearing, the Ever-Listening, Who listens/hears |
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As-Sami meaning in Urdu |
ذِلّبہت سننے وال |
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As-Sami root appearance in the Quran |
185 times |
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Tasbeeh |
Should be recited 500 times after every prayer or 50 times on Thursday after offering the Duhr prayer for acceptance of prayers |
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Asma Ul Husna with a similar meaning |
Al-Mujeeb, Al-Jabbar |
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Al-Mudhill Pronunciation |
As S-a-m-i |
As-Sami is the One who listens, ever-listening, ever-hearing. Wherever one may be, whatever time, circumstances, and conditions one may be experiencing, Allah listens and hears the plea of his creation whenever he calls out to Him. No matter what language and who calls upon Him, Allah is As-Sami and is there to listen.
The name originates from the Arabic root sin-mim-ayn, which is related to the connotation of hearing, listening, understanding, paying regard to, or granting attention to. Therefore, the name basically serves as a reminder to a believer in distress or otherwise that Allah is there, listening, hearing, and understanding whatever His creation is communicating to Him and has not left them idle or alone.
However, listening and hearing Allah are not similar to listening to the believer. Allah, the ultimate Supreme authority, listens without organs, ears, or limbs. Moreover, unlike humans, His hearing and listening ability is free from ambiguity, accident, or error. Like every other of His attributes, Allah’s attribute of listening and hearing is flawless.
Allah says in the Quran:
"Say, 'If I should err, I would only err against myself. But if I am guided, it is by what my Lord reveals to me. Indeed, He is Hearing and near.'" – (34:50)
Moreover, Allah also says:
"And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me" (2:186)
The name should also serve as a reminder to the believers that they should never despair or hesitate to ask their Lord for anything – should always ensure to pray whenever they are in need and if not, should also thank Him for whatever blessings He has bestowed upon them as Allah is always there to listen to them.
The Shaytan has a habit of deceiving the believers. Often, when we don’t get whatever we want, he deceives us through ways to get us to believe our prayers have not been heard and, therefore, will not be answered. However, this is baseless and false. Whatever as ask Allah for, he listens. However, our prayers may not always get answered immediately. Instead, Allah will answer it at the right place and time. But we must not despair.
Allah reminds us in the Quran:
“Perhaps you dislike something which is good for you and like something which is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know.” (2:216)
Another verse in the Quran that emphasizes Allah’s attribute of being As-Sami is as follows:
"And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], “Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed, you are the Hearing, the Knowing." (2:127)
As-Sami helps a believer reflect on Allah's countless perfect attributes. Moreover, the dhikr of the flawless name can help in the acceptance of prayers. Every one of Allah's creations needs Him to listen to and respond to their supplications. Therefore, reciting the name 500 times after every individual prayer and 50 times after duhr can be highly beneficial.
One can include dhikr into their daily routine to get blessings from Allah. However, it's crucial to remember to establish a consistent dhikr routine, especially by reciting it at the same time, which can lead to regularity and prevent laziness. The root of the name has been mentioned in the Quran 185 times, so it is important.
Although the preferable time to recite the name is after the five daily prayers or after the Duhr prayer on a Thursday, it is not harmful to recite it daily in the morning and evening. Since dhikr is a convenient form of worship, it can and should be practiced whenever one has the time and opportunity.
Sami, an Arabic origin name for boys, is also derived from As-Sami, meaning elevated or ever-listening.
Some names of Allah with similar meanings include Al-Mujeeb and Al-Jabbar.
Al-Mujeeb is the one who responds and answers to the prayer of the believer. Allah has clearly stated in the Quran that He listens whenever a believer calls upon Him. Therefore, Al-Mujeeb reminds the believers that their prayer will be answered as nothing escapes Allah.
AL-Jabbar, on the other hand, is the One who restores and the One who repairs. Allah is the supreme and ultimate authority, the creator of the universe and mankind. Only the creator has the ability to restore and repair something when it is in need. Therefore, Allah is the One to restore and repair the brokenhearted, the weak, the sick, and anything else that may need to be fixed. This also reminds one to call upon Allah only during times of distress.
Allah says in the Quran:
"He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him." (59:23)