Ya Qayyum: Power in Surrender

DAILYREFLECTION

In Arabic, the root of Qayyum means “to stand.”

But standing here is more than just being upright.

It’s a posture of vigilance, responsibility, and care.

Think of a security guard.

If he’s sitting, maybe he’s still on duty.

But when he’s standing, alert and watchful, you know he’s truly guarding.

Al-Qayyum carries that same sense of unwavering watchfulness, except Allah’s watch is perfect, unending, and without a trace of fatigue.

There is a certain power and confidence that comes from truly internalizing this Name.

In it lies the root of tawakkul.

It allows you to stand with strength, to remain firm, to move forward knowing you are being upheld by Perfection itself.

On the day of Badr, the Muslims were outnumbered, exhausted, and facing the threat of complete annihilation.

If they fell that day, Islam itself would have been wiped from the earth.

One of the companions describes what he saw:

“I went forward into the battle, fighting left and right. Then I returned to check on the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I found him in sujood, and all he was saying was: Ya Hayy, Ya Qayyum… Ya Hayy, Ya Qayyum.”

No long supplication.

No detailed request.

Just these two Names.

Because within them is every prayer, every need, every cry for help.

And what happened?

The angels descended.

Victory was granted.

Many scholars have spoken of the special Names of Allah that, if called upon, He does not refuse.

Some, including Imam al-Ghazali, have pointed to these very Names — Al-Hayy and Al-Qayyum — as the Ism al-A’zam, the Greatest Name of Allah.

Perhaps this is why the Prophet ﷺ himself turned to them on the most critical day of his life.

When you call on Al-Hayy, you remember that He is always alive, always present, never absent.

When you call on Al-Qayyum, you remember that He is the One constantly holding you up, never letting you fall.

When you feel overwhelmed, whisper the words the Prophet ﷺ whispered in his greatest moment of need:

“Ya Hayy, Ya Qayyum.”

And know, with certainty, that you are never unsupported.

Al-Qayyum is the One who never stops holding you up.

Trust Him.

Lean on Him.

And walk with the confidence of someone who knows they are being carried by Perfection.

REFLECT ON THIS:

When in my life have I felt like I was “holding everything up” on my own?

How does remembering Al-Qayyum shift that perspective?

^{Share your reflections in the poll at the end of the email.}

WATERMELONWATCH

• Israeli military intensified its assault on Gaza City, bombing high-rise buildings after urging residents to evacuate south to designated humanitarian zones—a move that has resulted in dozens of civilian casualties amid claims of militant use of those towers.

• Egyptian Foreign Minister denounced Israeli claims that Palestinian displacement is “voluntary” as outright “nonsense,” emphasizing that coercive conditions—such as famine—force Palestinians off their land, while urging renewed ceasefire efforts.

• UNICEF reported more than 7,000 children under five entered malnutrition recovery programs in just two weeks in August, with projected totals exceeding 15,000—over seven times higher than February—amid a deepening famine in Gaza.

QURANCORNER

Each day you’ll be introduced to one of the 300 most common Qur’anic words. The Qur’an has about 77,430 words in total, all built on just 2,000 root words. By learning these frequently recurring ones, you’ll recognize 70–80% of the Qur’an’s vocabulary and begin connecting more deeply as you read.

Al-Ḥamd (ٱلْـحَـمْد) - All Praise

Al-Ḥamd isn’t just thanks; it’s praise that comes from love, recognition, and awe. It’s what the angels say, what the Prophets live, and what the believer begins every prayer with. To say Al-Ḥamd is to place beauty where it belongs, back with the One who gave it.