The name Haleem is derived from the root h-l-m (حِلم) (with kasra under the letter (حِ) (h) that has the following classical Arabic connotations: forbearance, leniency, clemency, gentleness, deliberate, moderation.

With these meanings of the term “Hilm”, we can appreciate that “Hilm” is a very noble attribute, so much so that it has been said:

• “Hilm is the master of all good characters.” (الحلم سيد الأخلاق)
• “The one who is haleem can almost be a prophet.” (كاد الحليم أن يكون نبياً)

“Haleem” is commonly translated as “Forbearing”. In other words, it is the attribute that gets one to delay the punishment to give the wrongdoer a chance for correcting the wrong. The attribute of Hilm is not forgiveness or overlooking the transgression.  It may lead to eventually imposing the punishment but not hastily.

To further clarify the attribute of being “Haleem”, let us look at what Haleen is not:

1/ The “Haleem” does not intentionally delay imposing the punishment on the person who commits wrong to encourage him to continue in his transgressions to impose on him severer punishment.

2/ The “Haleem” does not delay imposing the punishment because he has no power to punish the wrongdoer and hopes that he may get the power in the future to impose the punishment.

Allah’s name Haleem (Forbearing) came in the Quran 11.  In all cases it is paired with other names to provide better understanding of the name. It is mentioned 6 times with the Forgiver (غَفُور), 3 times with the All-Knowing (عَلِيمً), one time with the Self-Sufficient (غَنِيٌّ) and one time with the Appreciative (شَكُورٌ).  Examples of the Ayat that includes Allah’s attribute of Hilm (forbearance) include:

لَّا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا كَسَبَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ )البقرة(

“Allah does not call you to account for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He will call you to account for what your hearts have earned, and Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing.”  (Al-Baqara 2:225)

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُ ۚ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ )البقرة(

“And know that Allah knows what is in your hearts, so beware of Him, and know that Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing.” (Al-Baqara 2:235)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا مِنكُمْ يَوْمَ الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَانِ إِنَّمَا اسْتَزَلَّهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ بِبَعْضِ مَا كَسَبُوا ۖ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ ) آل عمران(

“Surely, those of you who turned back on the day when the two armies met, it was Satan who caused them to slip because of some of that they have earned. Now Allah has forgiven them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing.” (Al-Imran 3:155)

تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ ۚ وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا )الإسراء(

“The seven heavens and the earth and all those who are in them declare His glory, and there is not a single thing but glorifies and praises Him, but you do not understand their glorifying; surely He is Forbearing, Forgiving” (Al-Isra 17:44)

لَيُدْخِلَنَّهُم مُّدْخَلًا يَرْضَوْنَهُ ۗ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَلِيمٌ حَلِيمٌ )الحج(

“Verily He will admit them (the martyrs among the immigrants) to a place with which they shall be well pleased: for Allah is All-Knowing, Forbearing. (Al-Hajj 22:59)

وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَلِيمًا )الأحزاب(

“And Allah knows (all) that is in your hearts: and Allah is All-Knowing Forbearing.” (Al-Ahzab 33:51)

قَوْلٌ مَّعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَا أَذًى ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَلِيمٌ ) البقرة(

“A kind word and forgiveness are better than charity followed by causing harm. And Allah is Rich (Free of all needs) and Forbearing” [Al-Baqarah 2:263]

إِن تُقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا يُضَاعِفْهُ لَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۚ وَاللَّهُ شَكُورٌ حَلِيمٌ )التغابن(

‘If you advance a good loan to Allah, He will multiply it for you and will forgive you, for Allah is Appreciative, Forbearing.” (Al-Taghabun 64:17)

Allah, Al-Haleen, has full awareness of all people, those who reject Him and those who obey Him.  He has the full capability to impose immediate punishment on those who reject Him, but He delays their punishment to give them chances to repent in order to forgive them.  In the meantime, Allah, Al-Haleem, continues to support all people, even those who reject Him.  Thus, the delayed punishment of Allah, Al-Haleem, will only be imposed on those who really deserve it.

Why Allah’s attribute of “Hilm” Forbearance is very important for us.  All of us are daily recipients of His Hilm because all of us make mistakes and sometime suffer from heedlessness. Allah, Al-Haleem allows us the opportunity to rectify our wrong deeds and regain our closeness to Him.

Allah’s forbearance is manifested in Him ignoring the wishes of the foolish among the transgressors who ask for the quick punishment of Allah.   Allah does not respond to their stupidity and still gives them a chance to change and repent and throughout history many have done that.

وَإِذْ قَالُواْ اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ (الأنفال)

“And they said: O Allah! If this is indeed the truth from you, then rain down stones on us or bring upon us a painful punishment.” (Al-Anfal 8:32)

وَلَوۡ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِظُلۡمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيۡہَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ۬ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمۡ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ۬ مُّسَمًّ۬ى‌ۖ)  النحل(

“If Allah were to punish the people on account of their wrongdoing, He would not have left on earth a single creature. But He gives them respite for a stated Term.” (Al-Nahl16:61)

However, Allah’s forbearance does not mean delayed punishment for everyone, because there are situations when the punishment cannot be delayed for those who will be uncontrolled if they left without punishment.

In the Quran Allah described Prophet Ibrahim with the attribute of being Haleem and his son Ismael too.

إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لَحَلِيمٌ أَوَّاهٌ مُّنِيبٌ )هود(

“Most surely Abraham was forbearing, tender-hearted, oft returning (to Allah)” (Hud 11:75).

فَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِغُلَامٍ حَلِيمٍ )الصافات(

“So, We gave him (Ibrahim) the glad tidings of a boy [Ishmael] forbearing.” (Al-Saffat 3:101)

 The Prophet (PBUH) used to invoke Allah’s name Al-Haleen in his supplication when he is in a state of distress.  He used to say:

عن ابن عباس:   أنَّ نبيَّ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يقولُ عند الكربِ :لا إله إلا الله العظيمُ الحليمُ، لا إله إلا الله ربُّ العرشِ العظيمُ، لا إله إلا اللهُ ربُّ السماواتِ وربُّ الأرضِ وربُّ العرشِ الكريمُ

There is no god but Allah, the Majestic, the Forbearing.  There is no god by Allah, the Lord of the grand throne.  There is no god by Allah, the Lord of the Heavens, the Lord of the earth and the Lord of the honorable throne. (Bukhari)

Like knowledge, forbearance is something that can be developed in one’s character.  The Prophet (PBUH) said:

عن أبي الدرداء قال،قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إنما العلم بالتعلم وإنما الحلم بالتحلم. )رواه الطبراني وغيره(

“Verily, knowledge only comes by learning and forbearance only comes by cultivating forbearance.”

 

Forbearance is a character that Allah loves and thus we need to develop it in our character The Prophet (PBUH) said to one of his companions “Al-Ashajj Abdul-Qays (الأشج عبد القيس):

عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لأشجِّ عبدالقيس: “إن فيك خَصلتينِ يُحِبُّهما الله: الحِلمُ، والأناة”؛ رواه مسلم.

“You have two qualities that are beloved to Allah. They are forbearance and deliberate judgment.”    

Forbearance (Hilm) is one of those attributes with which we should beautify our characters. It involves patience, self-control, and self-confidence.  We should always ensure that our reaction to any wrong is always reasonable and measured and that we should challenge our ego and lean more towards mercy by giving the wrongdoers a chance to change.

Forbearance allows us also to show mercy towards the ignorant who just don’t know. It has been said: the most compelling reason for forbearance is mercy towards the ignorant.  Forbearance reflects self-honor by having the ability of not giving any weight to those who wrong you when you can punish them.

The life of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is exemplary in demonstrating the character Him (Forbearance) for us.  One of the examples is that account of his return from Al-Taif to which he travelled to inform them about Islam and seek the support of the leadership of the tribe of Thaqif. He made this trip on the 10th year of his mission when the people of Mecca made it impossible for him to deliver the message of Allah.  But he (PBUH) was ridiculed by the chiefs of Thaqif.  And, as he was leaving the city, the chiefs sent a mob of their slaves and youth to pursue him insulting and throwing stones at him and his companion Zayd ibn Haritha.   Blood flowed down both the prophet’s legs; and Zaid, endeavoring to shield him, was wounded in the head. The mob did not desist until they had chased him over two miles outside the city.

 

Heart-broken and grieved, the prophet (PBUH) set out on the way of Mecca.  He was heedless of anything around him until he suddenly looked up and saw a cloud casting its shade on him and saw Gabriel in it.  He stopped and Gabriel addressed him saying: Allah has heard the response of your people and He sent with me the angel of mountains so you can order him with whatever you wish.

 The angel of the mountains greeted the Prophet (PBUH) and said:

يَا مُحَمَّدُ، إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ سَمِعَ قَوْلَ قَوْمِكَ لَكَ، وَأَنَا مَلَكُ الْجِبَالِ وَقَدْ بَعَثَنِي رَبُّكَ إِلَيْكَ لِتَأْمُرَنِي بِأَمْرِكَ، فَمَا شِئْتَ، إِنْ شِئْتَ أَنْ أُطْبِقَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَخْشَبَيْنِ

O Mohammad, Allah has heard the response of your people and sent me to do whatever you want.  If you wish I can bury them under the two mountains Akhshabain (الأخشبين) [Abu Qubais (أبو قُبَيْس) and Qu‘ayqa‘an (قُعَيْقِعَان) mountains].

Do those people deserve swift punishment for the harm they did to the Prophet (PBUH). The answer is yes.  But here the Prophet’s character of Him (forbearance) is clearly demonstrated.  Instead of looking at the moment, the Prophet (PBUH) looked at the future and responded to the angel of the mountains saying:

فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : بَلْ أَرْجُو أَنْ يُخْرِجَ اللهُ مِنْ أَصْلَابِهِمْ مَنْ يَعْبُدُ اللهَ وَحْدَهُ لَا يُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا ).

“No, I hope that Allah will bring from their loins those who will worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him.

 Here the Prophet (PBUH) did not want an immediate punishment but wanted it delayed in the hope that they would have children who become good believers and they also may change and become believers.  In a fact this is what happened and later the people of Al-Taif became Muslims and committed ones and played major roles in Muslims’ battles against the Persian and Roman empires.  Because the high literacy among the tribe of Thaqif, many of them served in important administrative positions in the Muslims states.

 Elements of Allah’s name Al-Haleem to Adopt in our Character.

1. We should learn not to react out of anger nor to be hasty in punishing. This is so important when it comes to family members.
2. We should always give a grace period to the wrongdoer to know his wrong and correct it.
3. Be forbearing because no one likes a harsh, unforgiving person who is quick to judge and punish.
4. Give people the chance to realize their mistakes and take steps to mend their actions before holding them accountable.
5. When you see someone making a mistake, do not shame him/her. Treat people gently when they do something wrong. They will appreciate your forbearance.
6. Understanding how forbearance makes us feel and its effect on others should encourage us to extend it to all.