Al-Jabbar, The Restorer; Restore My Heart

At a brief and casual glance, without a more in-depth study, Allah’s Beautiful Name, Al-Jabbar, may strike you only as exuding sheer power, strength, and might. Search more deeply though, and you will comprehend how the Name, Al-Jabbar, also includes love, mercy, and deliverance. If you truly understand the meaning of this Name, you will find solace in the midst of your loneliness, and perseverance when you thought you were on the brink of breaking.

All of Allah’s Names are beautiful and uplifting.

The most obvious meaning of Al-Jabbar is The Compeller, meaning that Allah forces upon His creation what He has willed. Al-Jabbar is close in meaning to the Names:          Al-`Azeez (The All-Mighty), Al-`Adheem (The Magnificent), and Al-Qahhar (The Subduer).

Al-Jabbar also means the One who is exalted and high above all of His creation. The supreme power, authority, and perfection belong to Him alone.

Which brings us to the third meaning of Al-Jabbar. Look at the root word in Arabic,جَبْر , jabr, which means to restore, to mend, to fix what is broken. A cast or splint placed on your broken bone is called جَبِيرَة , jabeerah. So, Al-Jabbar is the One who mends broken hearts, and heals the wounds of the soul.

When you feel broken on the inside, contemplate Allah’s Name, Al-Jabbar. He will give you the strength to go on, to cope, and to overcome. Allah may send you a friend to stand by your side, or you may read a passage or quote that gives you hope. The hardship will not last forever. As long as you exercise patience and acceptance of Allah’s decree while making sincere duaa to Allah, the outcome will be khair, good. It may not be exactly as you wanted, but in time, you will realize that it is khair.

Have you heard of the story of how Allah mended Umm Salamah’s weeping heart?

Umm Salamah and her husband were among the earliest believers in Islam in Makkah. They were persecuted and suffered a great deal before they set out to migrate to Madinah. Just as they were about to escape from Makkah with their son, her family stopped her and prevented her from migrating with her husband. Abu Salamah was left with no choice but to flee to Madinah. Her husband’s family came and dragged her son away from her protective arms. Umm Salamah tells the story of how she used to walk out every day to that very spot in the desert where she had been separated from her husband and son, and she would cry until nightfall.

After a year, the people of her tribe and her husband’s tribe finally had pity on her. They returned her son to her and allowed her to migrate to Madinah.

Umm Salamah was reunited with her husband whom she loved dearly.

Abu Salamah fought with Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the battles of Badr and Uhud, and he died from wounds that he was dealt at the Battle of Uhud.

Umm Salamah was heartbroken at the death of her husband, but her faith in Allah remained firm. She repeated the duaa which the Prophet (peace be upon him) had taught the Muslims to say whenever calamity befell them.

“Indeed, we belong to Allah and indeed to Him is our return. O Allah recompense me for my affliction and replace it with something better than that.”

Umm Salamah retells her story, saying, “So when my husband, Abu Salamah, died, I said this duaa but could not help thinking, ‘Who is better than Abu Salamah?’ (i.e. none can replace Abu Salamah)”

After Umm Salamah’s grieving period was over, Allah mended this widow’s broken heart. She narrates, “Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself sent me a messenger proposing to me, so Allah blessed me with someone better than Abu Salamah.”

Allah is Al-Jabbar, the mender of broken hearts.

The Name, Al-Jabbar, is mentioned once in the Holy Qur’an in Surah Al-Hashr, verse 23. 

We can draw closer to Allah, Al-Jabbar, by learning the following supplication, which is recommended to be said when sitting between the two prostrations in the prayer.

“O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, console me, grant me health, grant me provision, and elevate my rank.”

"اللهم اغفر لي, و ارحمني, و اهدني, و اجبرني, و عافني, و ارزقني, و ارفعني"

I invite you to use this blog space as a platform to share stories of how Al-Jabbar has helped you heal, recover, and become whole again.