Al-Basit (الباسط): Meaning of Allah’s Name

The One Who takes the provisions and souls, the One Who gives provisions freely and gives (life to) the hearts - all of this in compliance to His Wisdom and Mercy.

"Who will lend to Allaah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it for him many times? And it is Allaah Who takes and increases (your provisions) and unto Him you shall return." (2:245)

"And they made not a just estimate of Allaah such as is due to Him. On the Day of Resurrection His Hand will grasp the whole of the earth and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified be He, High is He above all that they associate as partners with Him!" (39:67)

P.B.U.H. said: “God is Al-Musaeer, Al-Qabedd, Al-Basett.”

The Linguistic Meaning:

Al-Qabdd is tightfistedness as God has grasped in His Hand the heavens and the earth. Al-Basett is abundance and ease. Therefore, Al-Qabedd is opposite of Al-Basett.

God, the Praiseworthy, is Al-Qabedd, Al-Basett: He holds tight sustenance, giving it in tiny quantities, and He gives it in abundance. He grasps the souls during death (takes the souls away), and also puts the souls inside the bodies to give life. He receives charity from the rich and gives sustenance to the weak.

He, the Exalted, with His Two Glorious Hands, grasps the truth as He does with the heavens and the earth, He the Exalted, said: “And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand.” (Az-Zumar: 67). With His Hand, He eases repentance for whoever committed a sin.

The Grandeur of Al-Qabedd and Al-Basett

No one can estimate the Glory of these two Names except our Lord, for they are related to the benefits in this life and the Hereafter. They require perfect knowledge of creatures’ benefits. God All-Mighty manages all the creation for the benefit of all the creatures.