Al-Hasib
The Reckoner
Exalted and Glorious
Whoever (of the guardians of orphans) is rich, he should take no wages, but if he is poor let him have for himself what is just and reasonable. And when you release their property to them, take witness in their presence; and Allah is All-Sufficient in taking account. (4:6)
When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or at least return it equally. Certainly, Allah is Ever Careful Account Taker of all things. (4:86)
(It will be said to him): “Read your book. You yourself are sufficient as a reckoner against this Day.” (17:14)
Those who convey the Message of Allah and fear Him, and fear none save Allah. And Sufficient is Allah as a Reckoner. (33:39)
This name is an attribute of Allah meaning, the Reckoner on the Day of Judgment. All our deeds are recorded and we will be rewarded or punished accordingly.
If one is afraid of being robbed, or is afraid of the jealousy of an envious one, or is afraid of being harmed or wronged, he may begin on a Thursday to repeat this name 70 times a day and night for 7 days, and at the 71st time, if he says, “Allah is my Reckoner, “ he will be free of his fears, if Allah, the Most High wills.
Al-Hasib is the Sufficient (al-Kafi) Who suffices His creation. He is the One Whom we rely upon. He is the One Who is sufficient for His creation by His overflowing generosity, and Who takes care of troubles. So be certain in your certainty of Allah that Allah is sufficient for you and is very complete for you. Turn your face to Allah and put your reliance upon Him.
From: The Meanings of the Names of Our Lord by Shaykh Muhammad Sa’id al-Jamal ar-Rifa’i Head of the Higher Sufi Council in Jerusalem and the Holy Land Teacher at the Dome of the Rock (al-Aqsa)
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He is the one who takes account of all and everything that His creation does or undergoes.
Certain affairs and concepts are best expressed numbers. To reach a conclusion, certain calculations are necessary. In fact, the conclusion of most affairs in this created universe necessitates such calculation. But Allah knows the result of all these calculation without any need for performing such operations, because His knowledge does not depend on any causes or means, nor upon any analysis or thought.
On the Day of Judgment people will have to present their accounting to Allah: that is why that day is also called the Day of Reckoning. We will have to give the accounting of all that we have received and how we have spent it. Billions and billions of others like us will appear on the same day. Allah is such an accountant that He knows even the number of breaths taken from the first person He created to the last person whom He will take unto Himself. On that day, we will have to give our own accounting of all the capital Allah has lent us.
The greatest capital He has lent us is our life. Whatever we will gain, we will gain with that. Our capital is being spent day by day, hour by hour. With each breath, the time of the final accounting is closer, when we must return to the capital of this temporary life to its owner. Then we will be rewarded for the gains and be responsible for the losses. Some of us will have gone bankrupt: the nonbelievers who have squandered Allah’s capital.
Know that every minute that passes without benefit, every hour you are not working for Allah’s sake, caring for His creation, or remembering Him, thanking Him, praising Him, watching what you are doing is a loss. You have no hope of ever regaining that loss: you cannot buy back yesterday, even if you spend the rest of your life. Know the value of your life! Don’t squander it in laziness, heedlessness, and dreams. Make your calculations now before you have to present your accounting to Allah al-Hasib.
‘Abd al-Hasib watches over the good use of life, means, sustenance, and everything else that Allah has given to His creation in limited amounts. He sees to the good management of Allah’s bounties upon His creatures.
If there is reason to fear any enemy, a mean neighbor, an envious person, or to keep one’s house from being broken into, it is believed that if one recites Hasbi Allah al-Hasib 70 times, day and night, for seven days, starting on a Thursday night, one will be safe.
If one writes this Name on a bottle and feeds a colicky baby from it, his crying may stop.
From: The Name & the Named, by Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti
