Sharh Al-Aqeedat-il-Wasitiyah (Islamic book) -A muslims foundation of beliefs

5. Description of Hamd and Madh

All praise is for Allah Who sent His Messenger with guidance and True Religion so as to give it supremacy over all other religions. And Allah is enough as a witness.

 Hamd means praising orally a grace regardless of being benefited by it, be it a favour or anything else, such as a statement that 'I did Hamd of a certain person in connection with the prize he had been awarded or for his feat of boldness.' Shukr (thanking) is that praise which is done orally or emotionally or by any other organ of the body in lieu of some favour. This shows that the word Hamd is commonly used in one situation and the Shukr in another situation.

Describing the mutual difference between Hamd and Madh (praise) Ibn Al-Qaiyim writes that Hamd denotes stating qualities with love and respect; and Madh denotes only declaration of the quality, it does not necessarily imply love and respect. That is why the connotation of Hamd is of a special nature and that of Madh a general.

In the word Al-Hamdu, the prefix Al has been used comprehensiveness meaning that it includes all forms of Hamd. Some people have described it as a generic noun and have maintained that perfect Hamd is affirmed only for Allah. This word shows that Allah has all the Attributes of perfection and beauty.

Lexicologically the word Rasool (Messenger) means a person who has been sent with a message. In the technical terms of the Shari'ah, Rasool is that free man to whom Allah's revelations come and he is commanded to convey them to others. If he is not commanded to convey to others he is called a Nabi.

Thus every Rasool is a Nabi but every Nabi is not a Rasool (Prophet). The word Rasool signifies here the personality of Muhammad (peace be upon him). The meaning of Hidayah is to describe, and to guide. The Quran says:

"And as for Thamud, We showed and made clear to them the Path of Truth (Islamic Monotheism) through our Messenger (i.e. showed them the way of success), but they preferred blindness to guidance." (V. 41:7)

In this Quranic verse Hidayah means to guide. This meaning of Hidayah is common for all. It is in this sense that the Quran and Prophet (peace be upon him) are called Haadi (the guide). Hidayah also means favour and revelation. In this sense it is specially used for those whom Allah gives Hidayah. Here it means all the true information, right faith, profitable knowledge and good deeds which were brought by the Prophet (peace be upon him).

The word Deen has several meanings such as judgment, as has occurred in the Quran (the Owner of the Day of Judgment); it also means modesty and obedience. The Arabic phrase Daana lahu means submission and meekness.

Deen here means all commandments and laws which were sent to the Prophet (peace be upon him), by Allah, whether they are related to ,belief, statement, or deed. The word Haq means that which is proved and is real; its antonym is Baatil which means a thing which has no reality.

It has been stated in a Quranic verse that Allah will make Islam dominant over all other religions through reasons and arguments. The sentence mentioned in the passage quoted above means that all the Attributes denoting perfection are proved for Allah in the highest degree. Allah is praised on account of those favors which He has bestowed upon mankind and which are beyond our comprehension. His greatest favour is that He sent Muhammad (peace be upon him) with the real religion and made it dominant over other religions on rational grounds. To bear witness in favour of Allah means that He helped His Messenger with His assistance, miracles and various evidences.