Al-`Azîz: The Incomparable

"...the Incomparable (Al-`Azîz ).." (59:23).

Allah is the Incomparable in terms of importance, usefulness and inaccessibility. Whatever lacks any of these three qualities (importance, usefulness, and inaccessibility) cannot be described by the name of the incomparable (`Azîz). Being incomparable means being rare, very precious, and difficult to obtain. Allah is so rare that He is absolutely unique, so necessary that nothing would exist without Him, so inaccessible that Allah alone can know Himself. There are many things in the universe of which it can be said that their usefulness is limited. They cannot be cincomparable (`Azîz). There are many things which have great importance, abundant usefulness, and are incomparable in this world. If approaching it is not difficult, however, one still cannot call it incomparable. An example of this is the sun which has no equal. This is also true of the earth. The usefulness of and need for each of them is great, to say the least. Yet the fact remains that they cannot be characterized in terms of incomparability since it is easy to observe them. That is, they are not unapproachable. Therefore, it is necessary that these three characteristics be combined before one can refer to something as being incomparable. Our absolute need exists for Allah alone. No one really knows Allah except Allah.