Name 43 of 99

الرَّقِيبُ

Ar-Raqib – The Ever-Watchful

Transliteration
Ar-Raqib
Meaning
The Ever-Watchful
Arabic root
ر ق ب
Theme
Knowledge and awareness

Meaning of Ar-Raqib

Ar-Raqib is the One who watches over everything constantly, never absent or inattentive. He observes every action and thought. The opening verse of Surah an-Nisa, which speaks of the bonds of kinship, ends by reminding people that Allah is ever watchful over them.

Ar-Raqib in the Quran

Ar-Raqib appears in the Quran as a name or description of Allah. Two of the verses where it occurs:

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍۢ وَٰحِدَةٍۢ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًۭا كَثِيرًۭا وَنِسَآءًۭ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًۭا

O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom ye claim (your rights) of one another, and toward the wombs (that bare you). Lo! Allah hath been a watcher over you.

Quran Surah An-Nisa 4:1 · Translation: Pickthall

مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلَّا مَآ أَمَرْتَنِى بِهِۦٓ أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمْ ۚ وَكُنتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًۭا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِى كُنتَ أَنتَ ٱلرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ شَهِيدٌ

I spake unto them only that which Thou commandedst me, (saying): Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. I was a witness of them while I dwelt among them, and when Thou tookest me Thou wast the Watcher over them. Thou art Witness over all things.

Quran Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:117 · Translation: Pickthall

Reflection

Awareness of Allah's watchfulness (muraqabah) helps a person behave well in private as in public.

Related names: knowledge and awareness

Frequently asked questions

What does Ar-Raqib mean?

Ar-Raqib (الرَّقِيبُ) means "The Ever-Watchful". Ar-Raqib is the One who watches over everything constantly, never absent or inattentive. He observes every action and thought. The opening verse of Surah an-Nisa, which speaks of the bonds of kinship, ends by reminding people that Allah is ever watchful over them.

Is Ar-Raqib mentioned in the Quran?

Yes. Ar-Raqib is mentioned as a name or description of Allah in Surah An-Nisa 4:1 and Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:117.

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).