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الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ"The Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all."al-Baqarah 2:255, sentence 2

Al-Hayy al-Qayyum in the Qur'an

The two names come together in three places, and al-Qayyum never comes alone.

Arabic	Surah	Place
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ	al-Baqarah	2:255
الم ۝ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ	Al 'Imran	3:1-2
وَعَنَتِ الْوُجُوهُ لِلْحَيِّ الْقَيُّومِ	Taha	20:111

The Greatest Name

"The Greatest Name of Allah is in these two ayat: 'And your God is one God; there is no god except Him, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful' (2:163), and the opening of Al 'Imran: 'Alif Lam Mim. Allah, there is no god except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer' (3:1-2)."Asma' bint Yazid; Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah

"The Greatest Name of Allah, by which, if He is called, He answers, is in three surahs: al-Baqarah, Al 'Imran and Taha."Abu Umamah; Ibn Majah 3856

What these places share is al-Hayy al-Qayyum, so many 'ulama concluded that it is the Greatest Name.

Al-Hayy, the Ever-Living

His life is not preceded by non-existence and has no end.
It includes every attribute of perfection: hearing, seeing, knowledge, power. Ibn al-Qayyim calls life the root of all the attributes.
So rely on Him alone: everything else will pass away, and He remains.

وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ"And rely upon the Ever-Living who does not die."al-Furqan 25:58

Al-Qayyum, the Self-Sustaining

The One who subsists by Himself and sustains His creation. All the attributes of action go back to this name.

al-Hayy

The root of the attributes of His essence: life, hearing, seeing, knowledge, power.

al-Qayyum

The root of the attributes of His actions: creating, providing, giving life and death, managing every affair.

O people, you are the ones in need of Allah, and Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.Fatir 35:15

The "al" in al-Hayy gathers every perfection of life (istighraq). Human life is imperfect from every angle: it begins after non-existence, ends in death, and its hearing, sight and actions are all limited. Allah's life has no beginning and no end, and is perfect in every attribute.

Al-Qayyum is from qiyam, on the pattern fay'ul, an intensive form: the One established by Himself, by whom everything else is established. He feeds and is not fed; He needs no helper, deputy or advisor.

If al-Qayyum needs no helper, what does "if you help Allah, He will help you" (Muhammad 47:7) mean? Ibn 'Uthaymeen answers: it means helping His religion. He is in full charge of everything, and everything else depends on Him.

Conclusion of sentences 1-2

Why call upon anything besides the One who is ever-living and sustains you?

They own nothingNot even a qitmir, the thin membrane of a date seed

They do not hearIf you call them, they do not hear your call

They cannot answerIf they heard, they would not respond

They will disown youOn the Day of Resurrection they will deny your shirk

From Fatir 35:13-14

Key points

Al-Hayy al-Qayyum come together in al-Baqarah, Al 'Imran and Taha; many 'ulama hold it is the Greatest Name.
Al-Hayy: perfect life with no beginning and no end, the root of the attributes of essence.
Al-Qayyum: self-sustaining and sustaining all, the root of the attributes of action.
Rely on the Ever-Living who does not die (25:58).
Those called upon besides Him own not even a qitmir (35:13-14).

Video Lesson

Al-Hayy al-Qayyum: The Ever-Living, the Sustainer