Ar Raafi'
The Exalter
The Exalter, the Elevator, the Raiser.
Ar-Raafi is the One who lowers whoever He wills and raises whoever He wills. He honors certain individuals, like the Prophets (peace be upon them), all still revered to this day, while others have been disgraced, like Abu Lahab, the uncle of the Prophet ﷺ, who has an entire surah debasing him (Surah al-Masad). Whoever He chooses will be raised in rank, in every way.
Like Al-Khaafid, Ar-Raafi is among the names some scholars, including Ibn Uthaymeen, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn Hajar, exclude from the official list, though it is commonly recognized in most books of Asmaul Husna, and the raising it describes fills the Quran.
Mentions of Ar Raafi'
From the Quran & Hadith
From the root ra-fa-ayn (ر ف ع), which carries the classical Arabic connotations of raising or elevating something, uplifting and taking up; making high, exalted, honorable, and eminent; and bringing a thing near. Ar-Raafi is contrasted with Al-Khaafid, the Reducer: the same wisdom that lowers also raises.
Whom He raises
The Quran shows His raising across every register. Of Ibrahim: 'That was Our conclusive argument which We gave Abraham against his people. We raise by degrees whom We will; indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing' (Quran 6:83). Of the believers in every gathering: 'Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees' (Quran 58:11). And of His own majesty: 'He is the Exalted above all degrees, Owner of the Throne' (Quran 40:15). Rank with Allah is not seized; it is granted, and the currencies He honors are iman and knowledge.
He raised the rank of Muhammad ﷺ
In Surah ash-Sharh, Allah comforts the Prophet ﷺ with the words: 'And raised high for you your repute' (Quran 94:4). Remember that this was an early Makkan surah, revealed when the Prophet was relatively unknown, with few followers. Today his name is mentioned in the adhan and the tashahhud on every continent, every hour of every day. No promotion any power on earth could grant compares to the raising Ar-Raafi decreed for His Messenger from a position of obscurity.
The story of Iblees
The story of Iblees encapsulates Al-Khaafid and Ar-Raafi perfectly. Iblees was not an angel but among the jinn, as Surah al-Kahf makes explicit: 'he was of the jinn and departed from the command of his Lord' (Quran 18:50); angels do not disobey, for they 'do not disobey Allah in what He commands of them' (Quran 66:6), and the Prophet ﷺ taught that angels were created from light, jinn from smokeless fire (Sahih Muslim 2996). Yet Iblees had been raised: privileged to be among the angels' company for his devotion. When Allah commanded prostration to Adam, he refused out of arrogance: 'I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay' (Quran 38:76). So the one who had been elevated was cast down: raised by obedience, debased by pride. The mechanism has not changed since.
Yā ayyuha-lladhīna āmanū idhā qīla lakum tafassaḥū fi-l-majālisi fa-fsaḥū yafsaḥi-llāhu lakum. Wa idhā qīla-nshuzū fa-nshuzū yarfaʿi-llāhu-lladhīna āmanū minkum wa-lladhīna ūtu-l-ʿilma darajāt. Wa-llāhu bimā taʿmalūna khabīr.
“O you who have believed, when you are told, Space yourselves in assemblies, then make space; Allah will make space for you. And when you are told, Arise, then arise; Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.”
Wa tilka ḥujjatunā ātaynāhā Ibrāhīma ʿalā qawmih. Narfaʿu darajātin man nashā'. Inna rabbaka Ḥakīmun ʿAlīm.
“And that was Our conclusive argument which We gave Abraham against his people. We raise by degrees whom We will. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing.”
Wa rafaʿnā laka dhikrak.
“And raised high for you your repute.”
Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Angels were created from light, jinn were created from a smokeless flame of fire, and Adam was created from that which you have been told.'
The believer benefits from this Name by re-affirming where raising truly comes from: Ar-Raafi is the one to rely upon, so whatever you wish to be increased, call upon this Name. Only Allah can increase your ranks; there is no other. And guard the seeking itself. Avoid making elevation the goal, because chasing status creates a trap: what happens when you do not feel your rank rising? Do you lose hope and stop worshipping? Imam Zarruq counsels that whoever comes to understand He is Al-Khaafid Ar-Raafi does not place his trust in any of his own states or actions, and desires neither a lowering nor an uplifting, since neither is gained except through Him. Worship because He is worthy of worship, in success or in poverty, whatever the emotional weather. Imam al-Ghazali adds the active part: man's share in this Name is exalting the truth, supporting those who are right, and opposing falsehood.
Yā Rāfiʿ, irfaʿnī bi-l-īmāni wa-l-ʿilmi darajāt
O Ar-Raafi, raise me by degrees through faith and knowledge.
- Sahih Muslim 2996
- Quran 18:50
- Quran 38:76-78
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