Name 21 of 99
الْبَاسِطُ
Al-Basit – The Extender, the Expander
- Transliteration
- Al-Basit
- Meaning
- The Extender, the Expander
- Arabic root
- ب س ط
- Theme
- Provision and generosity
Meaning of Al-Basit
Al-Basit is the One who expands and extends: He widens provision, opens hearts with ease and joy, and spreads His mercy. The Quran pairs His extending with His withholding, showing that both happen by His knowledge and wisdom.
Many scholars point out that this name is best mentioned together with its complementary name, so that the meaning is understood as part of Allah's perfect wisdom rather than in isolation.
Paired name: Al-Basit is often mentioned together with Al-Qabid (The Withholder).
Al-Basit in the Quran
The exact form Al-Basit is not used in the Quran, but its meaning is affirmed through a related word from the same root:
Related verse
مَّن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يُقْرِضُ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًۭا فَيُضَٰعِفَهُۥ لَهُۥٓ أَضْعَافًۭا كَثِيرَةًۭ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْصُۜطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
Who is it that will lend unto Allah a goodly loan, so that He may give it increase manifold? Allah straiteneth and enlargeth. Unto Him ye will return.
Related verse
ٱللَّهُ يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ ۚ وَفَرِحُوا۟ بِٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ إِلَّا مَتَٰعٌۭ
Allah enlargeth livelihood for whom He will, and straiteneth (it for whom He will); and they rejoice in the life of the world, whereas the life of the world is but brief comfort as compared with the Hereafter.
Reflection
When blessings expand, gratitude keeps them in their proper place.
Related names: provision and generosity
Frequently asked questions
What does Al-Basit mean?
Al-Basit (الْبَاسِطُ) means "The Extender, the Expander". Al-Basit is the One who expands and extends: He widens provision, opens hearts with ease and joy, and spreads His mercy. The Quran pairs His extending with His withholding, showing that both happen by His knowledge and wisdom.
Is Al-Basit mentioned in the Quran?
Al-Basit does not appear in exactly this form, but its meaning is affirmed in the Quran through a related word from the same root, for example in Surah Al-Baqarah 2:245 and Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:26.
The list of 99 names follows the order of the narration in Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3507, without the name “Allah”, and adds Al-Ahad from Sunan Ibn Majah 3861. The hadith that Allah has ninety-nine names is in Sahih al-Bukhari 2736 and Sahih Muslim 2677. Quran text: Tanzil (Uthmani); translation: Marmaduke Pickthall (1930, public domain).