Al Hayy (The Ever Living) Al Qayyum (The Sustainer, The Self Subsisting)

[Source for the below : Tafseer Ayatul-Kursi - by Shaykh Muhammad Saleh Al Uthaymeen
- From Commentary on Imaam ibn Taymeeyah’s Sharhul ’Aqeedatil-Waasitiyyah ]

Al-Hayy ul-Qayyoom - “The Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists", has confirmed two of His great names.

Al-Hayy - The Ever-Living is He who has a continuous life with no beginning or end. Allah is ascribed with a life that is self-sustaining. It has no external source, unlike the lives of creatures that have been granted to them by the Creator. As He was, together with His attributes, before all else, so shall He remain throughout endless time.

Al-Qayyoom - The One Who sustains and protects all that exists. It is He who sustains the lives of creation and manages all the conditions of the universe. He oversees everything: provides for it, preserves it, watches over it, manages it in the way and for the purpose that He pleases.

These two names "the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists" are among the greatest of Allah's beautiful names. Upon them, the rest of His names are based and around them all their meanings revolve. Allah’s being Alive requires all attributes of perfection, because any lacking of an attribute of perfection originates from the weakness of life. Therefore, if Allah has perfect life, He necessarily has all perfection.

These are two of Allaah’s names which comprise the perfection of Attributes and Actions. The name: { الـحَيُّ } comprises the perfection of Attributes, and { القَيُّوم } the perfection of Actions. The meaning of { الحَيُّ} is the one who possesses the perfect living. This is inferred from the [34] { ال } in { الـحَيُّ} which is grammatically used to denote [amongst other things] [35] the combination of all perfection [in properties and (or) applications in the term that it accompanies (al-istighraaq )].

This is also indicated in as far as existence and none-existence, and perfection and imperfection are concerned. In fact, if we consider man’s life, we find it imperfect because it originates in ‘adam (none-existence) and ends in ‘adam. [36]

It is also imperfect as far as his attributes and actions are concerned. For his hearing, sight, sayings, and actions are all imperfect. As such, man’s life is imperfect from all angles: in existence and ‘adam , and with regard to the inseparable attributes of life itself. However, with respect to Allaah, Most Mighty and Majestic, His life is perfect, neither preceded by ‘adam nor coming to naught. Allaah, Most High, says:

And put your trust and reliance upon the One who is Ever Living, who does not die. [Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Furqaan (25:58)].

He I also said:

Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish, and the Face of Your Rabb , full of Majesty and Honour, will abide forever. [Qur’aan, Soorat Ar-Rahmaan (55:26-27)].

That is why some of the salaf said: “The person should make a connection and not pause [when he recites the word perish in the above verse] because this signifies the right manner of perfection. The true aspect of Allaah’s perfection lies not only in the fact that creation will perish but also in the baqaa’ (endless existence) of Allaah, the Most Mighty and Most Majestic.

In addition, Allaah’s hayaat (Life) is one which is neither accompanied by annihilation nor by ‘adam :

Everything will perish save His Face. [Qur’aan, soorat al-qasaa (28:88)].

Indeed, to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, belongs the eternally- perfect Life.

Furthermore Allaah’s hayaat is characterized by the perfection of Attributes: hearing, sight, knowledge, ability, might and all qualities of perfection. That is why the particle { ال } which denotes al-istighraaq with regard to baqaa’ (endless existence) and al-kamaal (perfection) was introduced.

Regarding [Allaah’s] Saying: { القَيُّوم }: al-Qayyoum , its origin is the word al-qiyaam, and the measure of { القَيُّوم } is fayy’ool and it is a form of intensiveness. The name al-Qayyoum means the One Who is established on His Own, Self-subsisting, by Whom all things subsist. [37] Allaah, the Most High, said:

Is He (Allaah) Who takes charge (guards, maintains, provides, etc.) of every person and know all that he has earned (like any other deities who know nothing)? [Qur’aan, Soorat Ar-Ra’d (13:33)].

Allaah is established on His Own (qaa’im bi-nafsihi ) as He, the Most High, says:

And Allaah is the Rich (Free of all wants), worthy of all praise. [Qur’aan, Soorat At-Taghaabun (64:6)].

So, Allaah is absolutely free of any need from all creation. He is Self-subsisting. He needs not food nor drink, for He is the One Who feeds but is not fed. He needs not a supporter, nor a helper, nor a deputy, nor an advisor. He is established in perfection by Himself.

If someone says, “How do we reconcile the above meaning of al-Qayyoum with the saying of Allaah, the Most High:

O you who believe! If you “help Allaah,” He will help you. [Qur’aan, Soorat Muhammad (47:7)],

and His saying:

Verily Allaah will help those who “help Him”? [Qur’aan, Soorat Al-Hajj (22:40)].

What is meant by His affirmation that He “is being helped”? The answer is that the intended meaning is help in the cause of Allaah’s deen , for He is the One Who is in full charge of all things. So, everything other than Allaah is dependent upon Him in existence, preparation of affairs, and sustenance.

Important Points:

Affirming the sifah (attribute) of hayaat (Life) for Allah, and that His life is one of perfection, neither preceded by non-existence nor coming come to naught nor characterized by imperfection. On the contrary, our life originates in ('adam) non-existence and will come to an end, and it is accompanied by imperfection. In fact, all of our life is imperfect, and that is why Allah described it by Ad-Dunya that which is lower. The Life of Allah, however, is perfect from all angles because of His saying: The Living, where the particle is for al-istighraaq, which comprises all the meanings of the qualities of the perfect life, as if He says, There is no one who is truly living except He. In fact, this is the case because there is none qualified with the life of perfection except Allah, the Most Mighty and most Majestic.

Affirming al-qayyoumiyyah for Allah because He said: Such a description does not apply to the human being. There is not a person who is established on his own nor is there anyone who takes full charge of others by whom they subsist, because there is no human being except that he is in need of others. We need workers, and they need us. We need [our] women and they need us. We need our sons and daughters and they need us. There is no one who is absolutely in full charge (giving them care, maintenance, providing for them, etc.) of others. I may be able to take charge of someone else, but in a limited sense. That is why Allah said: Is He [Allah] Who takes charge (guards, maintains, provides, etc.) of every person and knows all that he has earned (like any other deities who know nothing)? [Qur’aan Sooratur-Ra’d ( 13:33 )]

The aayah contains ismullaahi al-a’tham (Allah’s Most Great Name) affirmed in His saying: Allah, there is no god worthy of worship except He, the one who possesses the perfect living, and Who is established on His Own, Self-subsisting, and by Whom all things subsist. These two Names were mentioned in three places in the Qur’aan, in the two soorahs known as az-zahraawayn [the bright ones] (Al-Baqarah 255 and Aal-‘Imran 2), and in Soorat Taha.[111] - The people of ‘ilm (ahlul ‘ilm) said: The Most Great Name of Allaah is only in these two Names since they comprise the Most Beautiful Names in their entirety, and hence the attribute of Perfection is implied in the Name { الحَيّ } and the attribute of ihsaan (beauty) is entailed in the Name .{ القَيُّوم }

The perfection of Allah’s Life and qayyoumiyyah such that they are free from the slightest imperfection. The evidence is in His saying: Neither slumber, nor sleep overtakes Him. Perfection may be generalized considering what is predominant or more numerous although it may be deficient in certain aspects. However, negation of imperfection means that the perfection is absolute and in every respect is free from deficiency. In this sense the negation occurred in His Saying: Neither slumber, nor sleep overtakes Him.