Summary of Allah’s Name Al Warith

Al Warith means the One who remains after all creation passes away. Every living being will die, every owner will lose what he owned, and every kingdom, home, wealth, and possession will return to Allah alone. People may own things in this life, but their ownership is temporary, limited, and only by Allah’s permission. True ownership belongs to Allah at all times.

This name shows Allah’s perfect life, perfect permanence, and complete ownership. He is the Living who never dies, the Lasting One who never comes to an end, and the true Owner of everything in the heavens and the earth. When creation comes to an end, no one will remain as an owner except Him. This is why Allah says that He is the inheritor of the earth and whoever is upon it, and that to Him all will return (Maryam 40).

The name Al Warith also teaches us that wealth and property are not truly ours. They are trusts placed in our hands for a short time. A person eats some of his wealth, wears some of it, gives some of it in charity, and leaves the rest behind for others. So the wise person uses wealth in obedience to Allah before it is taken away from him.

This name also reminds the heart not to be deceived by the comfort of this life. Many towns and nations lived in ease, wealth, and safety, but when they became ungrateful and arrogant, Allah destroyed them and their homes were left behind. Their ownership ended, their power disappeared, and Allah alone remained the inheritor of their homes and wealth (al Qasas 58).

Al Warith also gives comfort to the believer. When Zakariyya عليه السلام asked Allah for a child, he said: “My Lord, do not leave me alone, and You are the best of inheritors” (al Anbiya 89). This shows that Allah is the best One to whom all matters return. Even when a person has no family, no helper, no child, and no worldly support, Allah remains enough for him.

So belief in Al Warith makes a person humble, grateful, generous, and aware of the Hereafter. It removes pride from the heart, because nothing people have will remain with them forever. It encourages spending in the path of Allah, because wealth will either be used for good before death, or left behind after death. It also strengthens tawhid, because the final reality is clear: all creation passes away, all ownership ends, and Allah alone remains, the true Owner, the true King, and the best of inheritors.

End of Summary.

Al Warith, The Inheritor

His Majesty is exalted, and His names are holy.

The Linguistic Meaning

“ورثت الشيء” warithtu al shay means: “I inherited the thing.”

“أرثه” arithuhu means: “I inherit it.”

“ورثا” wirthan, “وراثة” wirathatan, and “إرثا” irthan all carry the meaning of inheritance. The alif in “إرثا” irthan was originally changed from waw.

“ورثة” warathah means: “heirs.” The final ha in this word comes as a replacement for the waw.

It is said: “أورثه الشيء أبوه” awrathahu al shay abuhu, meaning: “His father made him inherit the thing.”

It is also said: “هم ورثة فلان” hum warathatu fulan, meaning: “They are the heirs of so and so.”

It is said: “ورثه توريثا” warrathahu tawrithan, meaning: “He caused him to enter into his wealth among his heirs.”

“توارثوه كابرا عن كابر” tawarathuhu kabiran an kabir means: “They inherited it from one elder after another.”

“الميراث” al mirath means: “inheritance.” Its original form was “موراث” mawrath, then the waw was changed into ya because of the kasrah before it.

“التراث” al turath means: “heritage.” The original letter behind the ta in this word is waw.

The word “inheritance” originally had a waw, then the waw was changed into ya because of the kasrah before it. The word “heritage” also has an original waw where the ta now appears. (al Sihah, al Jawhari, 1/295–296, and Lisan al Arab, Ibn Manzur, 6/4808–4809, entry: waratha)

Al Zajjaj (d. 311AH) said: “Al Warith is everyone who remains after one who has gone. So he is an inheritor.” (Tafsir al Asma, al Zajjaj, p. 65)

Al Zajjaji (d. 337AH) said: “Al Warith is the active participle from waritha, yarithu, so he is warith.” (Ishtiqaq al Asma, al Zajjaji, p. 173)

Its Occurrence in the Qur’an

It occurs three times, all of them in the plural wording. They are:

وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ نُحْيِي وَنُمِيتُ وَنَحْنُ الْوَارِثُونَ

“Indeed, it is We who give life and cause death, and We are the inheritors.” (al Hijr 23)

And His saying:

رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ

“My Lord, do not leave me alone, and You are the best of inheritors.” (al Anbiya 89)

And His saying:

وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ بَطِرَتْ مَعِيشَتَهَا فَتِلْكَ مَسَاكِنُهُمْ لَمْ تُسْكَن مِّن بَعْدِهِمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا وَكُنَّا نَحْنُ الْوَارِثِينَ

“And how many towns We destroyed that became arrogant in their way of living. Those are their dwellings, which were not lived in after them except for a little, and We were the inheritors.” (al Qasas 58)

It occurs once in verb form:

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَرِثُ الْأَرْضَ وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا وَإِلَيْنَا يُرْجَعُونَ

“Indeed, it is We who inherit the earth and whoever is upon it, and to Us they will be returned.” (Maryam 40)

The Meaning of the Name Concerning Allah the Most High

Ibn Jarir (d. 310AH) said about His saying:

وَنَحْنُ الْوَارِثُونَ

“And We are the inheritors.”

He said: “Meaning: We inherit the earth and whoever is upon it by causing all of them to die, so no living being remains besides Us when that appointed time comes.” (Jami al Bayan, Ibn Jarir al Tabari, 16/14)

He also said concerning the verse in al Qasas:

وَكُنَّا نَحْنُ الْوَارِثِينَ

“And We were the inheritors.”

He said: “Meaning: none of them remained as an inheritor over the dwellings We had destroyed. They returned to how they had been before they lived in them, with no owner over them except Allah, the One to whom belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth.” (Jami al Bayan, Ibn Jarir al Tabari, 20/61)

Al Zajjaji said: “Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is the inheritor of all creation, because He remains after them while they perish, as Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said:

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَرِثُ الْأَرْضَ وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا وَإِلَيْنَا يُرْجَعُونَ

“Indeed, it is We who inherit the earth and whoever is upon it, and to Us they will be returned.” (Maryam 40) (Ishtiqaq al Asma, al Zajjaji, p. 173)

Al Khattabi (d. 388AH) said: “Al Warith is the One who remains after the passing away of creation, and the One who takes back their properties and inheritances after their death. Allah has always been remaining, owning the roots of all things. He gives them in inheritance to whom He wills, and He places in charge of them whom He loves.”

He said: “Abu Umar informed me, from Abu al Abbas, who said: Abu Amr ibn al Ala (d. 154AH) said: The first poetry said in the pre Islamic period about zuhd, meaning keeping away from attachment to the worldly life, was the saying of Yazid ibn Khidhaq:

“Take things lightly, and do not become attached through fear,

For our wealth is only for the remaining Inheritor.”

This was in some lines of poetry that he recited to us.” (Shan al Dua, al Khattabi, p. 96–97)

Al Halimi (d. 403AH) said: “Al Warith means the One who remains after the passing away of others. Our Lord, exalted is His praise, has this attribute because He remains after the passing away of the owners whom He gave enjoyment in this worldly life through what He gave them. Their existence and the existence of their properties were through Him, while His existence is not through anyone else.” (al Minhaj, al Halimi, 1/189. He mentioned it among the names connected to affirming the Creator, exalted is His praise, and recognising His existence. Al Bayhaqi also quoted it in al Asma wa al Sifat, al Bayhaqi, p. 13)

The Effects of Belief in This Name

One.

Allah, exalted is His matter, is the One who remains after the passing away of His creation. He is the Living who never dies, the Lasting who never comes to an end. To Him is the return and final end of everything.

When all creation dies, and their ownership passes away from them, Allah the Most High will be the true remaining One, the sole owner of every owned thing. He is the One who will say at that time:

لِمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ

“To whom does the dominion belong today?”

And He will answer Himself:

لِلَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ

“To Allah, the One, the Subduer.” (Ghafir 16)

Many people think they have true ownership. On that Day, the reality of the matter will become clear to them.

“This call expresses the reality that will be made clear to them at that time. As for the people of clear inner sight, they are always witnessing the meaning of this call. They hear it without sound and without letters. They are certain that the dominion belongs to Allah, the One, the Subduer, every day, every hour, and every moment. That is how it was at first, and that is how it will always be.” (al Maqsad al Asna, al Ghazali, p. 95)

Two.

Allah the Most High made clear to His servants that He is the inheritor of what He destroyed from the unjust towns. They had been living in safety, ease, and comfort, until arrogance and ingratitude overtook them. They did not fulfil the right of the blessing, and they did not thank their Lord who had given it to them. Allah, the Exalted, said:

وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ بَطِرَتْ مَعِيشَتَهَا فَتِلْكَ مَسَاكِنُهُمْ لَمْ تُسْكَن مِّن بَعْدِهِمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا وَكُنَّا نَحْنُ الْوَارِثِينَ

“And how many towns We destroyed that became arrogant in their way of living. Those are their dwellings, which were not lived in after them except for a little, and We were the inheritors.” (al Qasas 58)

His saying:

لَمْ تُسْكَن مِّن بَعْدِهِمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

“Not lived in after them except for a little.”

Meaning: except for a short time, since none lived in them except passers by for a day or part of a day. They remained as a witness to the destruction and passing away of their people, and as a lesson for whoever has a heart.

His saying:

وَكُنَّا نَحْنُ الْوَارِثِينَ

“And We were the inheritors.”

Meaning: We were the inheritors from them, since no one remained after them to act as they had acted in their homes and in everything that had been under their control. Rather, Allah alone was the inheritor of their homes and their wealth.

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَرِثُ الْأَرْضَ وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا وَإِلَيْنَا يُرْجَعُونَ

“Indeed, it is We who inherit the earth and whoever is upon it, and to Us they will be returned.” (Maryam 40)

Three.

Allah the Most High urged His believing servants to spend in His path, and reminded them that they are only made trustees over the wealth they have. They are given the right to use it only according to what He has made lawful. They do not own it with true ownership. Allah, the Exalted, said:

آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَأَنفِقُوا مِمَّا جَعَلَكُم مُّسْتَخْلَفِينَ فِيهِ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَأَنفَقُوا لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ

“Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and spend from what He has made you trustees over. Those of you who believe and spend will have a great reward.” (al Hadid 7)

Then He made clear to them that if they do not spend in His path during their lives, then the wealth will return to Allah the Most High when they die, because to Him belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth. Allah, Mighty is the One who speaks, said:

وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تُنفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَاثُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

“And what is the matter with you that you do not spend in the path of Allah, while to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth?” (al Hadid 10)

Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The servant says: My wealth, my wealth. But he only has three things from his wealth: what he eats and finishes, what he wears and wears out, or what he gives and stores for himself. Whatever is besides that will go away, and he will leave it for the people.” (Reported by Muslim, 4/2273. Sahih Muslim 2959a. He also reported it through the hadith of Mutarrif from his father, who said: I came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was reciting the opening of al Takathur. He said: “The son of Adam says: My wealth, my wealth,” with similar wording. Sahih Muslim 2958a)

Four.

Zakariyya عليه السلام called upon his Lord to grant him a child who would be a prophet after him. He had reached extreme old age, and his wife was barren. Allah narrated this in His Book through His saying:

وَزَكَرِيَّا إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ ۝ فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ يَحْيَى وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا وَكَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِينَ

“And Zakariyya, when he called upon his Lord: My Lord, do not leave me alone, and You are the best of inheritors. So We answered him, granted him Yahya, and made his wife fit for him. They used to rush towards good deeds, and they would call upon Us with hope and fear, and they were humble before Us.” (al Anbiya 89–90)

Meaning: grant me an inheritor from the family of Yaqub who will inherit from me.

His saying:

وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ

“And You are the best of inheritors.”

This is a supplication and praise that fits the request. (It was also said that he meant by this to return the matter to Allah, glorified is He, as though he said: “If You do not grant me a child to inherit from me, then You are the best inheritor, so You are enough for me.” This was objected to because it does not fit the place of supplication, since part of the manners of supplication is that one should supplicate with seriousness, effort, and firm resolve. It is authentically reported from the Messenger ﷺ in the two Sahih collections: “When one of you supplicates, he should not say: Allah, forgive me if You will. Have mercy on me if You will. Provide for me if You will. Rather, he should be firm in his request, for Allah the Most High does whatever He wills. There is none who can compel Him.” Sahih al Bukhari 6339. Sahih Muslim 2679. Ruh al Maani, al Alusi, 17/87)

al Nahj al Asma fi Sharh Asma Allah al Husna by Shaykh Dr Muhammad ibn Hamd al Hammud al Najdi pg 2/