07-04-2004, 04:51 AM
21. Al-Bâsit: The Expander
"...Allah constricts and expands..." (2:245).
The Constrictor-Expander are qualities of Allah that takes the souls of people at the time of death and places souls in human bodies at the time of the inception of life. The Constrictor withholds the means of subsistence and of other things from his servants by His graciousness and wisdom. It takes the souls at the time of death. The Expander, on the other hand, is that quality which amplifies or makes plentiful the means of subsistence to whomsoever Allah wills through Allah's liberality and mercy and who breathes the souls in the bodies at the time of their being given life. The Constrictor-Expander takes alms from the rich and gives sustenance to those without resources. The Constrictor oppresses human hearts and makes them heavy by revealing to them how unconcerned, exalted and majestic Allah is. The Expander then delights them with charitable gifts, kindness, and beauty.