AL-MUHYI MEANING - 99 NAMES OF ALLAH:

60.

Al-Muhyi

(The Maintainer of Life)

Al-Muhyi Meaning:

The Giver of Life, Bestower of life, The Reviver.

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Muhyi (in Arabic:ٱلْمُحْيِى), the One who took out a living human from semen that does not have a soul. He gives life by giving the souls back and regenerating our bodies on the resurrection day. He is The One who makes the hearts alive by the light of knowledge.

Mentions of Al-Muhyi:
From Quran & Hadith

Arabic Root:
From the root ha-ya-ya (ح ي ي), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to live, to be living, to become apparent, distinct from animating, from reviving to vitalize, to call into being to be whole, sound to call, summon, invite, hasten.

Among the disputed names:
As we've mentioned in previous names, different scholars have different criteria for what qualifies as a name of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. Of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly mentioned in the Qur'an. Therefore, there is not one agreed-upon list for the remaining 18 names. Al-Muhyi is one of those names which is not included by certain scholars. This list includes Ibn al-Wazir, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn al-Uthaymeen, among others. However, others, such as Ibn Arabi, Imam al-Bayhaqi, and al-Ghazali, have included this name in their lists.

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is THE living, the one who is eternal, or ever-lasting. His essence is to be alive, never deteriorating, and not derived from any source. The name Al-Muhyi describes His nature of not only being the living but the one who gives life to His creation so that they may glorify and praise Him.

No verse in the Qur'an mentions this name, but there are close derivatives and other verses that describe this attribute:

كَيۡفَ تَكۡفُرُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَكُنتُمۡ أَمۡوَٰتٗا فَأَحۡيَٰكُمۡۖ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمۡ ثُمَّ يُحۡيِيكُمۡ ثُمَّ إِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ

Kaifa takfuroona billaahi wa kuntum amwaatan fa ahyaakum summa yumeetukum summa yuhyeekum summaa ilaihi turja’oon

English Translation:
"How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him you will be returned." — (Qur'an 2:28)

قُلۡ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيۡكُمۡ جَمِيعًا ٱلَّذِي لَهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحۡيِۦ وَيُمِيتُۖ فَـَٔامِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ٱلنَّبِيِّ ٱلۡأُمِّيِّ ٱلَّذِي يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَٱتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَهۡتَدُونَ

Qul yaaa aiyuhan naasu innee Rasoolul laahi ilaikum jamee’anil lazee lahoo mulkus samaawaati wal ardi laaa ilaaha illaa Huwa yuhyee wa yumeetu fa aaminoo billaahi wa Rasoolihin Nabiyyil ummiy yil lazee yu’minu billaahi wa Kalimaatihee wattabi’oohu la’allakum tahtadoon

English Translation:
"Say, [O Muhammad], “O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.” So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided." — (Qur'an 7:158)

هُوَ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

Huwa yuhyee wa yumeetu wa ilaihi turja’oon

English Translation:
"He gives life and causes death, and to Him you will be returned" — (Qur'an 10:56)

Miracle of Prophet Isa (as):
There is also one verse in the Qur'an where it mentions how Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ gave permission to one of His servants with the ability to raise someone from the dead and bring them life. This person was none other than Isa (as):

إِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ٱذْكُرْ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَتِكَ إِذْ أَيَّدتُّكَ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ تُكَلِّمُ ٱلنَّاسَ فِى ٱلْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًۭا ۖ وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ ۖ وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيْـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِى فَتَنفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيْرًۢا بِإِذْنِى ۖ وَتُبْرِئُ ٱلْأَكْمَهَ وَٱلْأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِى ۖ وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِى ۖ وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ عَنكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ فَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ

Iz qaalal laahu yaa ‘Eesab-na-Maryamaz kur ni’matee ‘alaika wa ‘alaa waalidatika; iz aiyattuka bi Roohil Qudusi tukallimun naasa fil mahdi wa kahlanw wa iz ‘allamtukal kitaaba wal Hikmata wa Tawraata wal Injeela wa iz Takhluqu minat teeni kahai ‘atit tairi bi iznee fatanfukhu feeha fatakoonu tairam bi iznee wa tubri’ul akmaha wal abrasa bi iznee wa iz tukhrijul mawtaa bi iznee wa iz kafaftu Baneee Israaa’eela ‘anka iz ji’tahum bil baiyinaati fa qaalal lazeena kafaroo minhum in haazaaa illaa sihrum mubeen

English Translation:
"[The Day] when Allah will say, 'O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and when you designed from clay [what was] like the form of a bird with My permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird with My permission; and you healed the blind and the leper with My permission; and when you brought forth the dead with My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when you came to them with clear proofs and those who disbelieved among them said, “This is not but obvious magic.'" — (Qur'an 5:110)

Reflection:
The believer benefits from knowing that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Muhyi. It reminds us that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ chooses you to be alive. He gave us all the gifts of life to enjoy its ups and downs. Nothing He creates is by accident or mistake. He is Ahsanul Khaliqeen, the best of creators. He also did not create us aimlessly; He provided His book for guidance so that we may choose Him, just as He chose us.

Yes, no doubt every person will face many kinds of fitnahs (i.e., tests or adversities), fitnah of the heart, money, and in our families. For some, these trials will be small and private. For others, they may be big and public. But rest assured, "Allah does not burden any human being with a responsibility heavier than he can bear." (Qur'an 2:286) Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ gifted us with strength and intellect. He's given us the ability to think and reason, to seek and find. So whatever you fear facing, know that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ has made you capable and equipped to handle all of life's various challenges. Just like the last big problem you faced and no longer worry about, this too will fade with time.

Narrated Anas: The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Allah! There is no life worth living except the life of the Hereafter, so (please) make righteous the Ansar and the Emigrants." [1]

A beautiful du'a which asks for the best in this life and the next.

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي اَلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً, وَفِي اَلْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً, وَقِنَا عَذَابَ اَلنَّارِ

Rabbana atina fid dunya hasanatan wa fil Aakhirati hasanatan waqina ‘adhaban-nar

English Translation:
"Anas (ra) narrated, The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to supplicate frequently: 'O our Lord, grants us the best in this life and the best in the next life, and protects us from the punishment of the Fire.' Agreed upon." [2]

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 6413
[2] Bulugh al-Maram Book 16, Hadith 1562

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