Ar-Rafi’
The Sublime
Exalted and Glorious
He is Allah, Owner of High Ranks and Degrees, the Owner of the Throne. He sends the revelation by His Command to any of His slaves He wills, that he may warn of the Day of Mutual Meeting. (40:15)
This name is an attribute of Allah which means the Sublime. Allah is above any rank or degree which we can imagine.
He who repeats this name 100 times, day and night, Allah will elevate him higher as far as honor, richness and merit are concerned.
Al-Khafid Al-Rafi’ is the One who abases everyone who is haughty and mighty, and goes beyond the limits of Allah’s law, and is in rebellion. He is the One Who raises His believing slaves through acts of obedience; He is the One Who raises the heavens and the clouds. So have humility, and do not be arrogant. Raise what Allah has raised by following His commands, and abase what Allah has abased by following His prohibitions.
Allah Allah Allah
From: The Meanings of the Names of Our Lord by Shaykh Muhammad Sa’id al-Jamal ar-Rifa’i Head of the Higher Sufi Council in Jerusalem and the Holy Land Teacher at the Dome of the Rock (al-Aqsa)
AL-KHAFID AR-RAFI’
He is the Abaser and the Exalter.
Allah Most High is the one who raises His creatures to honor and fame, and who can cast them down to be the lowest of the low. Often this action of the Creator is manifested in the states of those who do not recognize Allah, refuse to obey His rules, and exalt themselves in arrogance, becoming tyrants who dismiss the rights of others. The one abased by Allah can only be raised by Him. Allah is merciful. Such treatment may shake the heedless out of their sleep. Then, although painful, the state of abasement at the hand of al-Khafid becomes a great gift for the one who wakes up and sees the hand that raises and the hand that lowers.
Know that although it is Allah who exalts and abases, the reason is always you. In His mercy, He delays His harsh lessons so that you may realize yourself and change your ways. Do not feel secure, for your state, your actions both material and spiritual, unmistakably will always result in the terrible and abasement or the rewarding exaltation.
Allah exalts those who have the conduct of angels, who have sweet tongues, who prefer to give rather than receive, who hide the faults of others instead of criticizing, who build instead of destroying, who are strong yet gentle. He exalts them, enlightening their hearts with faith, knowledge and truth, and makes His creatures love and respect them. As long as they persist in their enlightened way, Allah further heightens their state.
But those who refuse to acknowledge the purpose of their creation, letting their egos ride them and lead them astray into lies and cheating, setting traps for each other, fighting each other shamelessly – these are the unfaithful ones who are like animals dressed up in the fine clothes of kings. They make a lot of noise and raise a lot of dust; in that they attract attention, but they are no more than dogs fighting for a bone.
Allah the Abaser strips them of their fine clothes and shows their real shape. It is hoped they will learn; it is hoped they will serve as lessons to others.
‘Abd al-Khafid protects himself and others from abasement. The protection of Allah’s servant from influences that cause degradation is an opportunity to see the Truth. Such a person exalts the truth, abases the lie, supports the right and fights the wrong. Allah says in a divine tradition, “Your piety in this life is for your own peace and comfort; your worship, prayer, and calling on Me is for the honor you receive in acknowledging Me. Have you done anything for My sake alone: have you supported the ones who were right, have you fought against the ones who did wrong?”
The numerical value according to mnemonic formula (abjad) of ya Khafid is 889. Whoever recites this Name 889 times at the appropriate time will appear invincible to all enemies.
If a group threatened by an enemy fasts for three days and gathers on the fourth day to recite 70,000 ya Khafid divided into shares according to their number, Allah will protect them and abase their enemy.
‘Abd ar-Rafi’ sees the magnificence of the Creator in the created, including himself. With this vision he rises into high levels of consciousness, coming closer to Allah. Such a person is exalted, yet humble, and he exalts others who are worthy in turn. The Prophet (pbuh) says, “Allah exalts the humble and abases the arrogant.” Whoever tires to rise only does so through wishing and begging to reach Allah’s Beneficence. Thus a person in whom the name ar-Rafi’, the Exalter, is manifest, also receives the expression of Allah’s attribute of ar-Rahim, the Compassionate; beneficence comes through him to all around him.
If someone who wishes to become exalted among people only in order to help them and lead them to the right way recites ya Rafi’ 100 times, daily and nightly, the necessary high position and power may arrive.
From: The Name & the Named by Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti