Al-Wasi (الواسع): Meaning of Allah’s Name

He is the One Who is vast with respect to His Attributes and qualities and those things linked to them - this from the point of view that none can enumerate His praise as He deserves, rather He is as He has praised Himself. Vast in grandeur, authority and dominion, Vast in bestowing grace and good and Vast in Goodness and Nobility.

"The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allaah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allaah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases. Allaah is the Vast, the All-Knowing." (2:261)

"O you who believe! Whoever from amongst you turns back from his religion, Allaah will bring about a people whom He will Love, and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the Way of Allaah and never afraid of the blame of the blamers. That is the Grace of Allaah which He bestows on whom He Wills. Allaah is the Vast, the All-Knowing." (5:54)

The Exalted said: “Surely! Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing”. (Al-Baqrah: 115)

The Linguistic Meaning:

Al-Wasee: Described as huge and wide, and also the generous whose provision is vast enough to accommodate everything.

He is the Rich, His Richness is so huge that it can enrich all poor slaves, and His Sustenance is wide enough to reach every creature. He is also the Ultimate Vast: In His Essence, Names, Attributes, Actions, Kingdom, and Power. He has limitless knowledge that even the seas would be limited if they were an ink to His Words, and His Mercy is without an end, He, the Exalted said: “ And My Mercy embraces all things. ” (Al-Araf: 156). His Forgiveness is bigger and wider than the sins, He said: “Verily, your Lord is of Vast Forgiveness” (An-Najm: 32). He is Vast in His Perfect Names, that none is more sublime than Them. He is Vast in His Dominion and Power, for all worlds are for Him, the Praiseworthy, as He said: “ And to Allah belong the east and the west, so wherever you turn (yourselves or your faces) there is the Face of Allah (and He is High above, over His Throne). Surely! Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing ” (Al-Baqarah: 115). In spite of the vastness of these worlds, God had created a creation that is bigger and greater and that is Al-Kursi, He said: “His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth.” (Al-Baqarah: 255), Al-Kursi is literally a footstool or chair and sometimes wrongly explained as the Throne. The Throne is much bigger and no one can estimate Its size, for His Throne is so great and vast, P.B.U.H. said: “The Kursi compared to the Arsh (the Throne) is nothing but like a ring thrown out upon open space of the desert.”

The Grandeur of Al-Wasee

There is no end to His Vast Attributes and Descriptions, to the extent that no one can count enough compliments on Him, yet only He can praise Himself, as He actually did.