Are al-Daarr (the causer of harm) and al-Naafi’ (the bringer of benefits) names of Allaah?

Firstly: 

There is no
saheeh evidence that al-Daarr is one of the names of Allaah, may He be
exalted. Rather that is mentioned in the famous hadeeth which lists the most
beautiful names, but it is a weak hadeeth, that was narrated by al-Tirmidhi
and others. 

What is
established among the scholars is that the names and attributes of Allaah
are a tawqeefi matter, i.e., none of them can be proven except with saheeh
evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah. 

If there is
no proof for a name, but its meaning is valid, then it is permissible to say
it when speaking of Allaah, so one may say, “Allaah is the causer of harm,
the bringer of good” because speaking of Allaah is broader than the divine
names and attributes. But He should not be worshipped with this name, so one
should not call a child ‘Abd al-Daarr or ‘Abd al-Naafi’, because they are
not proven to be names of Allaah. 

With regard
to the comments of some scholars who call Allaah al-Daarr al-Naafi’, perhaps
they based that on the hadeeth of al-Tirmidhi, which as we have stated above
is a da’eef (weak) hadeeth. What counts is saheeh evidence from the Qur’aan
and Sunnah. 

Secondly: 

The meaning
of al-Daarr (the causer of harm) is the one who decrees harm and causes it
to reach whomever He will among His creation. 

Good and
evil comes from Allaah, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“and We
shall make a trial of you with evil and with good. And to Us you will be
returned”

[al-Anbiya’ 21:35]

“And if
Allaah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches
you with good, then He is Able to do all things”

[al-An’aam 6:17] 

“And
verily, if you ask them: ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’ Surely,
they will say: ‘Allaah (has created them).’ Say: ‘Tell me then, the things
that you invoke besides Allaah
if Allaah intended some harm for me, could they remove His harm? Or if He
(Allaah) intended some mercy for me, could they withhold His Mercy?’ Say :
‘Sufficient for me is Allaah; in Him those who trust (i.e. believers) must
put their trust’”

[al-Zumar
39:38]

al-Tirmidhi
(3388), Abu Dawood (5088) and Ibn Maajah (3869) narrated that ‘Uthmaan ibn
‘Affaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no person who
says, in the morning and evening of every day, Bismillaah illadhi laa
yadurr ma’a ismihi shay’un fi’l-ard wa laa fi’l-samaa’ wa huwa al-samee’
al-‘aleem (In the name of Allaah with Whose name nothing is harmed on
earth or in heaven, and He is the All-Seeing, All-Knowing), three times, and
is then harmed by anything.”

Classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. 

And
al-Tirmidhi (2516) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: I was behind the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) one day
and he said: “O boy, I shall teach you some words. Be mindful Allaah and He
will take care of you. Be mindful of Allaah and He will protect you. If you
ask then ask of Allaah, and if you seek help then seek help from Allaah.
Know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you in some way,
they would not benefit you except in something that Allaah has decreed for
you, and if they were to gather together to harm you in some way, they would
not harm you except in something that Allaah has decreed for you. The pens
have been lifted and the pages have dried.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani
in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. 

Ibn Taymiyah
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This indicates that nothing can really
bring benefit or cause harm but Allaah. 

Thirdly: 

Because
describing Allaah as causing harm may imply some kind of imperfection, the
scholars stated that this should not be mentioned unless it is accompanied
by a statement that He also the bringer of benefit, may He be glorified and
exalted. So one should say al-Daarr al-Naafi’, just as it is also said
al-Qaabid al-Baasit (the Withholder the Bestower) and al-‘Afuw al-Muntaqim
(the Forgiving the Vengeful). 

Ibn
al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Some of His names may be used
alone or in conjunction with others. This applies to most of His names, such
as al-Qadeer (the All-Powerful), al-Samee’ (the All-hearing), al-Baseer (the
All-Seeing), al-‘Azeez (the Almighty), and al-Hakeem the most Wise). One may
call upon him with these names alone or in conjunction with others. So you
may say: Yaa ‘Azeez, Yaa Haleem, Yaa Ghafoor, Yaa Raheem. Each name may be
used on its own. Similarly when praising Him and speaking of Him, they may
be used alone or together. 

And there
are some which may not be used alone, rather they must be used with others
that carry an opposite meaning, such as al-Maani’, al-Darr and al-Muntaqim.
It is not permissible to use these alone without their opposite meanings.
They should be used in conjunction with the names al-Mu’ti, al-Naafi’ and
al-‘Afuw. So He is al-Mu’ti al-Maani’ (the Giver, the Withholder), al-Daarr
al-Naafi’ (the Causer of harm the Bringer of benefit), al-Muntaqim al-‘Afuw
(the Vengeful the Forgiving), al-Mu’izz al-Mudhill (the Honourer the
Abaser), because perfection lies in each of these names being accompanied by
its opposite: giving and withholding, benefiting and harming, forgiving and
wreaking vengeance. What is meant here is that Allaah alone is the Lord and
has control over His creation. As for praising Him by mentioning
withholding, vengeance and harm on their own, this is not right. These
“twin” names are to be regarded as one name that cannot be separated. Hence
they do not appear on their own and cannot be mentioned except in
conjunction with their opposite. If you say: Yaa Mudhill, Yaa Daarr, Yaa
Maani’ and you speak about that, you are not praising Him unless you also
mention the opposite name. End quote from Badaa’i’ al-Fawaa’id
(1/132) 

See also
question no. 20476 

Fourthly: 

It must be
noted that what is required of a person with regard to this matter is to
believe that Allaah is alone in His Lordship over His creation, may He be
glorified, and the power of creation and the command belong to Him alone,
and there is none who can contend with Him in His sovereignty or repel His
command or put back His Judgement. 

Shaykh
al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

The Lord,
may He be glorified, is the Sovereign and Controller, the Giver and the
Withholder, the Causer of harm and the Bringer of benefits, the One who
lowers and the One Who raises, the Honourer and the Abaser. The one who
testifies that the Giver, the Withholder, the Causer of harm, the Bringer of
benefits, the One who lowers, the One Who raises, the Honourer, the Abaser,
is anyone other than Him has associated someone else with Him in His
Lordship (ruboobiyyah). But if he wants to rid himself of this shirk
let him look at the First Giver, and thank Him for the blessings that He has
bestowed upon him, then let him look at one who has done him a favour and
reciprocate in kind, because all blessings come from Allaah as He says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“And
whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allaah”

[al-Nahl
16:53] 

“On each

__
these as well as those __We bestow from the Bounties of your Lord”

[al-Isra’
17:20]

So Allaah is
the true Giver, He is the One Who created provision, decreed it and caused
it to reach whoever He wills of His slaves. The Giver is the One Who gave it
to you and motivated others to give to you. He is the First and the Last.
The same applies to everything that we have mentioned with regard to His
Lordship (ruboobiyyah). 

Whoever
adopts this attitude will free himself from servitude to other creatures and
from looking at them, and he will spare people from his blame and criticism
of them. Tawheed will become established in his heart, his faith will become
stronger and he will find peace of mind and enlightenment. Whoever puts his
trust in Allaah, He is sufficient for him. 

Hence
al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Whoever knows
people as they really are will have peace of mind, meaning – and Allaah
knows best – that they can neither bring benefit nor cause harm. 

And Allaah
knows best.