Al-Qareeb (The Close, The Nigh, The One Who Is Near)
Al-Mujeeb (The Responsive,The Answerer)
He, Exalted is He, is close to everybody, this closeness being of two types:
1. The general closeness which means His being close to everyone with respect to His Knowledge, Awareness, Seeing, Witnessing and Encompassing.
2. The specific closeness which is specific to His worshippers, those who ask of Him, and those who love Him. The reality of this type of closeness cannot be comprehended all we can see is its resultant effects - His kindness to His servants, His care of them and His making them to be firm upon the Straight Path.
From the consequences of this closeness is His answering those who supplicate to Him and His granting them the ability to be penitent. He is the One Who answers, in a general sense, those who supplicate to Him whomsoever them may be and wheresoever they may be and whatever condition they may be in as He has promised them. He is the One Who answers, in a specific sense, those who love Him, those who imitate and follow His Sharee`ah. He is also the One Who answers the one in dire need and those who have given up all hope of being answered by the creation and therefore their connection to Him has been strengthened in terms of love, hope and fear.
"And when My slaves ask you concerning Me, I am indeed near to them. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when He calls upon Me. So let them obey Me and believe in Me so that they may be led aright." (2:186)
"And to the Thamud We sent their brother Saalih saying: O my people! Worship Allaah besides whom there is no other deity. He brought you forth from the earth and settled you therein, then ask forgiveness of Him, and turn to Him in repentance. Certainly My Lord is Near, Responsive." (11:61)
Al-Qareeb
The One who is Close to His servants, in the sense that He rewards obedience, and answers their supplications. He is close to whoever is sincere in worship and who repents for his or her sins.
Saheeh Bukhaari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 502: Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (saas) said, "Allaah says: 'I am just as My slave thinks I am, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can do for him) and I am with him if He remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.' "
We created man and know what his own self whispers to him. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. (Surat al-Qaf, 50:16)
When two people are talking, the third is Allah; when three people are talking, the fourth is Allah. If one whispers, Allah hears it; if one moves a little, Allah sees it. Allah, Who knows all of a person's thoughts, is with each person while he or she is sitting, walking, or speaking. While engaging in all of these, people cannot see Allah, but He sees them. ... So ask His forgiveness and then repent to Him. My Lord is close and Quick to Respond. (Surah Hud, 11:61)
Say: “If I am misguided, it is only to my detriment. But if I am guided, it is by what my Lord reveals to me. He is All-Hearing, close -at-hand.” (Surah Saba, 34:50)
Al-Mujeeb:
The One who answers and accepts the worship and supplications of His servants. To avoid confusion, the scholars often quote the following ahadeeth in the context of this particular name:
Saheeh Muslim, Number 2214:
...He [the Prophet (saas)] then made mention of "a person who travels widely, his hair dishevelled and covered with dust. He lifts his hand toward the sky (and thus makes his supplication): 'O Lord, O Lord,' whereas his diet is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothes are unlawful, and his nourishment is unlawful. How, then, can his supplication be accepted?"
Saheeh Muslim, Number 6595:
Abu Huraira reported Allaah's Messenger (saas) as saying: The supplication of a servant is granted in case he does not supplicate for sin or for severing the ties of blood, or he does not become impatient. It was said: Allaah Messenger, what does: "If he does not grow impatient" imply? He said: That he should say like this: I supplicated and I supplicated but I did not find it being responded, and then he becomes frustrated and abandons supplication.
