Eternal Light

Amn+Amanah=? September 4, 2009

I’ve recently become obsessed interested in the name/word “Ameen” أمين. The reason for that being-well, a short story that out of my love and sympathy I shall spare you from reading.  So anyway I looked for the word “Ameen” أمين as mentioned in the Quran and Hadeeth…..I hope you enjoy what I found as much as I enjoyed reading about it…

Defined
The word “Ameen” is the child of two root words: “Amn” أمن  which means safety, and “Amanah”  أمانة which means trust.  For example, this Deen is an Amanah upon us.  So..Amn+Amanah=Ameen
Ameen itself means to be trustworthy, secure, and safe.  It is the opposite of betrayal.

Trustworthy Prophets and Messengers:

• Prophet Mohammad had a reputation of being “Al-Sadiq Al-Ameen” (The Truthful and The Trustworthy) in Meccah even before prophethood.
• Nuh, Hud, Saleh, Lut, Shuaayb are all Prophets that told their people: “I am a trustworthy messenger for you”.  The verses of them saying this is identical for all of them in Surat Al-Shuaara’  verses 107, 125, 143, 162, 178.
• Hud in Surat Al-Araaf (68) says to his people ”I am a trustworthy advisor for you”.
• Musa also says “I am a trustworthy messenger for you” to Bani Israeel in Surat AlDukhan (18).  He is described as trustworthy by the daughter of his father-in-law (so either his wife or his sister-in-law..the ayah doesn’t disclose which one) when she advises her father: “O Father hire him, the best person to hire is the Strong, the Trustworthy” in Surat AlQasas (26).  The girl knew his trustworthiness through Musa’s aid for them at the well-he helped them without interacting in an imperssible way.
• The King of Egypt tells Yusuf when he hires him that he is “makeen, ameen” (expert, trustworthy) in Surat Yusuf (54).  The trustworthiness of Yusuf here also encompasses his proved innocence from sinning with the King’s wife.
• The Angel Jibreel was twice in the Quran described to be trustworthy.  Once in Surat AlShuraa’ (193) where the Quran is said to have came down with “Al-Rooh Al Ameen” (The Trustworthy Soul, Angel Jibreel).  The other time is in Surat AlTakweer(21) where Jibreel is described as “Obeyed and Trustworthy”.

Two Others

• In Surat AlNaml(39) when Prophet Sulayaman asks his servants who can get the Throne of Queen Balqees, one of the Jinn offers to get it and says that he is “Strong, Trustworthy”.  (Strong enough to carry the throne, trustworthy enough not to steal its gems).  There is also an opinion in the tafseer that the Jinn was trustworthy regarding the fact that this was a WOMAN’S throne, and so he would not approach her in an impermissible manner.
• Last but certaintly not least,  The Prophet said, “Every Ummah has an Ameen (Trustworthy man), and the Ameen of this Ummah is Abu Ubaidah bin AlJarah.” Abu Ubaidah bin AlJarah, may Allah be pleased with him, is one of the ten sahabah that have been  given the glad tidings of Jannah…

So What??

Okay, so I’ve listed all the people and situations where the word was used.  So what?  Well, you tell me.  When so many of the best Prophets and people are described as being “Trustworthy”…what does that tell us about the nobility and importance of this quality?? Where do we stand, as individuals and as an Ummah, regarding trustworthiness??

Coupled Qualities

I noticed that the word “Ameen” is usually coupled with other qualities, such as:

• Messenger & Ameen. A prerequiste to being a Messenger is being Trustworthy.
• Strong & Ameen. This is my favorite! In general, people with any strength, whether it is literally being buff, or influencial, or powerful, tend to abuse their strength and power.  But the “best” are those who are trustworthy and strong, and those are the best to hire or employ.  Also, strenth is one of the many things that Allah may bestow someone with as a type of Amanah, a trust.  How do we treat this trust?
• Expert & Ameen. Yusuf presented the King with a plan for the famine to come.  That proved his expertise.
• Advisor & Ameen. As Hud described himself to the people. There are tons of people out there willing to share their “advice”-but are they trustworthy?  Remember the Story of Adam and Hawwa? When the Shaytaan whispers to them, he tells them that he is among the advisors for them.  Whose advice are we listening to?

The Two Trustworthy Places
Sigh..I can’t wait to share this one…

The two places described as “Ameen” in the Quran are:
Makkah and The JANNAH

There is so much discussion around these two verses that I could make an entire separate post about them! But I will only mention some points here…Makkah is of course the most secure and safe city in the world.  You feel the security just by walking in the streets. As for the Jannah, nowhere in the ayah do you see the word “Jannah”…But the “position of security” refers to Jannah-and the ayahs following it in the Surah are a beautiful description of Jannah…Notice three things.

1. It is the “Mutaqeen”, the righteous, those who have taqwah, those who try to protect themselves and stay SAFE from shirk, they are the ones to be in Jannah, the SAFE position.  Safe, secure, and luxurious.  May Allah make us among those who are in “al-maqam al-ameen”…and in “jannat al-firdous”, inshAllah!
2. It is safe from all aspects…for example, you can eat anything you want and you are safe from all health risks! You are safe from negative feelings…your are safe from danger…you are safe from hellfire… Also, remeber ameen is the opposite of betrayal, and if you are in a scary place, in a sense, it betrays you.
3. They are “fi almaqam alameen”= “in a secure a position”….notice it is not “will be”… implying that those who have taqwah are in a position of security NOW, with a certain jannah within their hearts…

Let’s-Apply-Together:

• Practice being “Ameen”/ “Ameenah”-feminine version !
• One practical example I can think of for being Ameen/Ameenah is lowering the gaze.   Musa, Yusuf, and possibly the Jinn that worked for Sulayman are examples.  Improper interaction with the opposite gender leads to corruption in society, and the state of society is something we are entrusted with.  Remember how strength is mentioned with trustworthiness?  Society may mock someone who lowers their gaze or doesn’t “mix” as being “shy”  or “unconfident”-but it is actually the opposite- it takes strength to overcome desires and temptations.
• DON’T name your child Ameen..I think I’m saving it for mine inshAllah

And Allah Knows Best