Meaning & Explanation
Al-Barr is the One who is the source of all goodness and kindness. He treats His creation with pure benevolence, giving far more than deserved. His goodness is comprehensive - He is good to the obedient and the disobedient, showering blessings on all.
Quran References
1 versesContext: The believers in Paradise acknowledging Allah's goodness
إِنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبْلُ نَدْعُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْبَرُّ الرَّحِيمُ
“Indeed, we used to supplicate Him before. Indeed, it is He who is the Beneficent, the Merciful”
Exemplifying Story
hadithThe Goodness to Parents
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim
A man asked the Prophet ﷺ: "Who among people is most deserving of my good treatment?" He said: "Your mother." The man asked: "Then who?" He said: "Your mother." The man asked: "Then who?" He said: "Your mother." The man asked: "Then who?" He said: "Your father." The word for good treatment to parents is "birr" - from the same root as Al-Barr. Just as Allah is the ultimate source of goodness, He commands us to be good especially to those who raised us. A mother's love reflects a fraction of Al-Barr's goodness to us.
Al-Barr is the source of all goodness. We reflect this name best through kindness to parents, for their goodness to us mirrors a fraction of His goodness to all creation.