Meaning & Explanation
Al-Ghani is the One who is absolutely self-sufficient and free from any need. He needs nothing from His creation while all creation needs Him. Our worship does not benefit Him, and our disobedience does not harm Him. He is Rich beyond measure.
Quran References
2 versesContext: Mankind's need vs Allah's sufficiency
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَاءُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ
“O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy”
Context: Contrast between Allah and creation
وَاللَّهُ الْغَنِيُّ وَأَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَاءُ
“And Allah is the Free of need, while you are the needy”
Exemplifying Story
hadithAllah's Self-Sufficiency
Reference: Sahih Muslim (Hadith Qudsi)
Allah says in a Hadith Qudsi: "O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and you will not attain benefiting Me so as to benefit Me. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you, to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you, to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything."
Al-Ghani is completely self-sufficient. Our obedience does not enrich Him, our disobedience does not harm Him. We worship because we need Him, not because He needs our worship.
How to Live By This Name
- 1Seek sufficiency from Allah alone
- 2Be content and feel rich through gratitude
- 3Give freely, knowing that true richness is with Allah
- 4Do not let poverty make you desperate or wealth make you arrogant
Du'a: Ya Ghani, enrich me with Your sufficiency and make me independent of others.