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The question

Can you explain to me the meaning of Allah's name Al-Khaafid (The Abaser)?

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Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

The proofs for Allah's names and attributes are confined to the Qur'an and Sunnah. What is not explicitly affirmed or denied in them should be suspended.

It is necessary to differentiate between the category of actions, the category of informing, and the category of names. The category of actions is broader than the category of names, and similarly, the category of informing is broader than the category of names.

What is applied to Allah in the category of names and attributes is tawqifi (restricted to divine textual proof), whereas informing about Him is not tawqifi.

Some of Allah's names are only used when paired with their opposites, such as "Al-Khafid, Ar-Rafi'" (The Abaser, The Exalter), because using them individually would imply imperfection.

The name "Al-Khafid" (The Abaser) has only been mentioned in the hadith enumerating the Most Beautiful Names, which has an unauthentic chain of narration. However, its meaning is sound provided it is paired with the name "Ar-Rafi'" (The Exalter).

Al-Khafid, Ar-Rafi': He is the One who abases the tyrants and exalts His allies, who abases and exalts justice, and who abases whom He wills and exalts whom He wills.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported

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Source platform
Ftawy
Original fatwa ID
4459
Imported
Translation status
Source text, unreviewed
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