﷽ Al-Asmaa ul-Husna : Benefits of reciting Ya Aakhir (يا أخر)

Name

الأخر
Al-Aakhir

Meaning

The Last
The Endless

Explanation

The One who remains after all of creation has passed away. The One who is the last, the conclusion, the ultimate. The One who is behind all of creation. The One beyond whom there is nothing.

Quran

هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things, Knowing. (57:3)

وَلَا تَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ ۘ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ ۚ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

And do not invoke with Allah another deity. There is no deity except Him. Everything will be destroyed except His Face. His is the judgement, and to Him you will be returned. (28:88)

كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ

وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ

Everyone that is thereon will pass away.
And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor. (55:26-27)

Hadith

1. It was narrated that Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) said: "Fatimah (رضي الله عنها) came to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to ask him for a servant, and he said: 'I do not have anything to give you.' So she went back, but after that he came to her and said: 'Is what you asked for dearer to you, or something better than that?' 'Ali said to her: 'Say: something better than that.' So she said it. He said: 'Say:

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ رَبَّنَا وَرَبَّ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مُنْزِلَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالإِنْجِيلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ الْعَظِيمِ أَنْتَ الأَوَّلُ فَلَيْسَ قَبْلَكَ شَىْءٌ وَأَنْتَ الآخِرُ فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ شَىْءٌ وَأَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ فَوْقَكَ شَىْءٌ وَأَنْتَ الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ دُونَكَ شَىْءٌ اقْضِ عَنَّا الدَّيْنَ وَأَغْنِنَا مِنَ الْفَقْرِ

O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the Mighty Throne, Our Lord, and the Lord of Everything, Revealer of the Tawrah, the Injil and the Magnificent Qur'an. You are the First and there is nothing after You; You are the Last and there is nothing after You. You are the Most High, and there is nothing above You, and You are the Most Near and there is nothing nearer than You. Settle our debts and make us free of want.'"

(Sunan Ibn Majah 3831)

2. Al-Hasan (رضي الله عنه) narrated that: Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) said: “Once when the Prophet of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was sitting with his Companions, a cloud came above them, so the Prophet of Allah said:

‘Do you know what this is?’ They said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.’ He said: ‘These are the clouds that are to drench the earth, which Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) dispatches to people who are not grateful to Him, nor supplicate to Him.’ Then he said: ‘Do you know what is above you?’ They said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.’ He said: ‘Indeed it is a preserved canopy of the firmament whose surge is restrained.’ Then he said: ‘Do you know how much is between you and between it?’ They said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.’ He said: ‘Between you and it [is the distance] of five-hundred year.’

Then he said: ‘Do you know what is above that.’ They said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.’ He said: ‘Verily, above that are two Heavens, between the two of them there is a distance of five-hundred years’ – until he enumerated seven Heavens – ‘What is between each of the two Heavens is what is between the heavens and the earth.’ Then he said: ‘Do you know what is above that?’ They said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.’ He said: ‘Verily, above that is the Throne between it and the heavens is a distance [like] what is between two of the heavens.’

Then he said: ‘Do you know what is under you?’ They said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.’ He said: ‘Indeed it is the earth.’ Then he said: ‘Do you know what is under that?’ They said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.’ He said: ‘Verily, below it is another earth, between the two of which is a distance of five-hundred years.’ Until he enumerated seven earths: ‘Between every two earths is a distance of five-hundred years.’ Then he said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad! If you were to send [a man] down with a rope to the lowest earth, then he would descend upon Allah.’ Then he recited:

هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things, Knowing." (57:3)

(Jami` at-Tirmidhi Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 3298)

3. ‘Aisha (رضي الله عنها) narrated: "Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said:

'When one eats and has forgotten to recite 'Bismillah', then when one remembers while eating, one should recite

بِسْمِ اللهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ‏

In the Name of Allah at the beginning and at the end'.

(Shama'il Muhammadiyah Book 27, Hadith 180)

4. It was narrated that ‘Aisha (رضي الله عنها) said: “The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was eating food with six of his Companions when a Bedouin came and ate it all in two bites. The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: ‘If he had said Bismillah, it would have sufficed you (all). When any one of you eats food, let him say Bismillah, and if he forgets to say Bismillah at the beginning, let him say

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ فِي أَوَّلِهِ وَآخِرِهِ

In the Name of Allah at the beginning and at the end.’”

(Sunan Ibn Majah Vol. 4, Book 29, Hadith 3264)

5. Suwaid bin A’laqamah (رحمه الله‎) narrated: “Hunger affected Ali (رضي الله عنه), so he said to Fatimah (رضي الله عنها), “If you can go to Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and ask him for something.” So Nabi (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said “If you want I can give you five female goats, and if you want I can teach you five sentences, which Jibrail (عليه السلام) has taught me.” She replied, “Teach me what he has taught you”. He replied: Say,

يا أول الأولين ويا آخر الآخرين ويا ذا القوة المتين ويا راحم المساكين ويا أرحم الراحمين

“O the First of the first! O the Last of the last! O Possessor of Mighty Strength! O the One Who shows Mercy to the poor! O the Most Merciful!”

Then Fatima (رضي الله عنها) left. Ali (رضي الله عنه) asked her, “What is behind you?” She replied, “I went to ask for Dunya, I have returned with Aakhirah”.

(Mu’jam Shuyukh Adh-Dhahabi 2/258)

6. Shaykh Jawad Al-Qayyumi (رحمه الله‎) writes that Imam Ali (عليه السلام) used to make the following Dua for fulfillment of needs,

يا أول الأولين، ويا اخر الآخرين، ويا ذا القوة المتين، ويا ارحم الراحمين، أغننا واقض حاجتنا

“O the First of the first! O the Last of the last! O Possessor of Mighty Strength! O the Most Merciful! Enrich us and meet our needs”

[Sahifah az-Zahra (عليها السلام) p120]

7. It is narrated that Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (عليه السلام) used to ask Dua as,

يا نور يا قدوس يا أول الأولين ويا آخر الآخرين يا رحمن يا رحيم اغفر لي الذنوب التي تغير النعم واغفر لي الذنوب التي تحل النقم واغفر لي الذنوبالتي تهتك العصم واغفر لي الذنوب التي تنزل البلاء واغفر لي الذنوب التي تديل الأعداء واغفر لي الذنوب التي تعجل الفناء واغفر لي الذنوب التي تقطع الرجاء واغفر لي الذنوب التي تظلم الهواء واغفر لي الذنوب التي تكشف الغطاء واغفر لي الذنوب التي ترد الدعاء واغفر لي الذنوب التي ترد غيث السماء

“O the Illuminator, O the Holy, O the First of the first, O the Last of the last, O the Beneficent, O the Merciful, forgive my such sins that change the bounties, forgive my such sins that bring in misfortunes, forgive my such sins that crush the protections, forgive my such sins that send down evil conditions, forgive my such sins that assist the enemy, forgive my such sins that hasten destruction, forgive my such sins that cut off hope, forgive my such sins that darken the space, forgive my such sins that remove the cover and grace, forgive my such sins that repulse the prayer and forgive my such sins that turn away the rain from the sky.”

(Al-Kafi Vol. II, Hadith 29)

8. It is reported that Uthman bin Affan (رضي الله عنه) requested details about Allah (سبحانه و تعالى)’s statement of ‘Maqaleed as-Samawati wal Ard’ (the keys of the treasures of the heavens and the earth) as mentioned in the Qur’an:

له مقاليد السماوات والأرض والذين كفروا بآيات الله أولئك هم الخاسرون

To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. And they who disbelieve in the verses of Allah – it is those who are the losers. (Surah Az-Zumar 39:63)

له مقاليد السماوات والأرض يبسط الرزق لمن يشاء ويقدر إنه بكل شيء عليم

To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. He extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. Indeed He is, of all things, Knowing. (Surah Ash-Shuraa 42:12).

Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said to him, “You have inquired of me something which nobody has ever asked me before.” The keys of the treasures of the heavens and the earth are:

لا إله إلا الله والله أكبر وسبحان الله والحمد لله واستغفر الله الذي لا إله إلا هو الأول والآخر والظاهر والباطن يحيى ويميت وهو حي لا يموت بيده الخير وهو على كل شيء قدير

There is none worthy of worship except Allah. Allah the Almighty is the greatest Allah is the glorious and praiseworthy. And I ask Allah for forgiveness. There is no power to do good and no strength to be saved from evil except with the grace of Allah. He is the First and the Last He is the Apparent and the Hidden. He is the Ever-living who never dies. He imparts and takes away life. There is blessing with Allah the Almighty. He is the Ruler over everything.

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) continued, “O Uthman, whoever recites it 100 times (in some narrations 10 times morning and evening) every day will be rewarded ten graces:

1. All his previous sins will be forgiven.

2. His suffering from hellfire will be written off.

3. Two angels are appointed to guard him day and night from his sufferings and diseases.

4. He is granted a treasure of blessings.

5. He will reap much blessings as someone who would have set free 100 slaves from the offspring of the Prophet Ismael (عليه السلام).

6. He would be rewarded of blessings as if he had read the entire Quran, the Zabur (Psalms), the Torah and the Injil (Bible).

7. A house will be constructed for him in the heaven.

8. He will be married to a pious heavenly maiden.

9. He will be honored with a crown of honor in the company of Prophet Ibraheem (عليه السلام)

10. His recommendation for forgiveness of 70 of his relatives will be accepted.

O Uthman, if you were strong enough, you would not miss this remembrance on any day. You will be one of the successful ones and you will surpass everybody before and after you.”

(Tafsir Dur al-Manthur of Imam Suyuti 5/927-928)

Benefits of invoking (Ya Allahu) Ya Aakhiru frequently