Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, and all his Companions. To proceed:
There is no authentic evidence establishing that “The Harm-Bringer” or “The Benefactor” are among the Names of Allah تعالى.
They are mentioned in the well-known hadith that lists a number of the Beautiful Names of Allah, but this hadith is not authentic and cannot be used as evidence for establishing Names of Allah.
The principle among scholars is that the Names and Attributes of Allah are established only by revelation; therefore, nothing may be affirmed as one of His Names or Attributes unless there is authentic evidence from the Qur’an or Sunnah.
However, there is a distinction between naming Allah and informing about Allah تعالى. The latter is broader than the former.
Therefore, it is permissible when speaking about Allah تعالى to say: “Allah is the One who benefits and causes harm” or “Allah تعالى brings benefit and harm,” if the intention is to explain that He alone controls benefit and harm. But this does not establish “The Harm-Bringer” or “The Benefactor” as one of His Beautiful Names.
Accordingly, it is not correct to derive names for people from these expressions on the assumption that they are Names of Allah. Thus, one should not say, for example, “Servant of the Harm-Bringer” or “Servant of the Benefactor” on the basis of considering these to be Names of Allah.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى controls His creation, and no harm or benefit occurs except by His permission and decree.
Allah تعالى says:
﴿وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ﴾ [Al-Anbiya’: 35]
“We test you with evil and good as a trial, and to Us you will be returned.”
And He says:
﴿وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾ [Al-An‘am: 17]
“If Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it except Him; and if He touches you with good, then He is over all things competent.”
And He تعالى says:
﴿قُلْ أَفَرَأَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِيَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَاشِفَاتُ ضُرِّهِ أَوْ أَرَادَنِي بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَاتُ رَحْمَتِهِ﴾ [Az-Zumar: 38]
“Say: Have you considered those whom you invoke besides Allah? If Allah intended harm for me, could they remove His harm? Or if He intended mercy for me, could they withhold His mercy?”
Allah تعالى is the One who decrees harm and benefit. No one can repel harm from a person or bring him benefit except through what Allah has decreed and permitted.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما:
“Know that if the entire nation were to gather together to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you except with something that Allah had already written for you; and if they gathered together to harm you with something, they would not harm you except with something that Allah had already written against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.” Narrated by At-Tirmidhi.
This establishes that true benefit and harm are in the hand of Allah and occur according to His decree.
Even if the term “The Harm-Bringer” is used when informing about Allah تعالى, scholars have pointed out that it should not ordinarily be mentioned by itself, because when separated from its counterpart, the expression could imply a deficiency.
Therefore, it is mentioned together with its opposite, such as:
“The Harm-Bringer, The Benefactor,”
“The Giver, The Withholder,”
“The Honorer, The Humiliator,”
and
“The Avenger, The Pardoner.”
Ibn Al-Qayyim رحمه الله mentioned that some names should not be applied to Allah تعالى individually but should be mentioned together with their counterpart, because perfection appears through the combination of the two meanings. Withholding may be for a wise reason, harm may be accompanied by benefit, and taking retribution may be accompanied by forgiveness.
Thus, the purpose is not merely to describe Allah تعالى as causing harm or withholding, but to demonstrate the perfection of His Lordship, His management, and His control over His creation.
The believer should know that Allah تعالى alone is the Owner and Controller, and nothing occurs in the universe except through His knowledge, will, and decree.
Allah تعالى says:
﴿وَمَا بِكُم مِّن نِّعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ﴾ [An-Nahl: 53]
“Whatever blessing you have is from Allah.”
A human being may be a means of benefiting another person, such as a doctor treating a patient or someone giving money to a person in need. But benefit ultimately remains within Allah’s decree. He created the causes, created our ability to make use of them, and permitted their effects to occur.
Likewise, harm may occur through some created being, but this does not fall outside Allah’s will and decree.
For this reason, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله stated that the Lord سبحانه is the Giver and Withholder, the One who causes harm and benefit, the One who lowers and raises, and the One who honors and humiliates. Whoever believes that someone independently possesses these powers apart from Allah has undermined the foundation of Tawhid ar-Rububiyyah.
Taking means, thanking those who do good to us, and seeking help from created beings in matters they are capable of doing do not contradict Tawhid, because Allah is the Creator of the means and the One who causes their effects.
When a servant becomes certain that benefit and harm are in the hand of Allah تعالى, his heart becomes attached to Allah, and he does not make a created being his ultimate goal or the source of his hope and fear.
When he receives a benefit, he knows that Allah is the true Bestower of blessings, so he thanks Him and also thanks the person through whom the blessing reached him.
When harm befalls him, he knows that everything is in Allah’s hand, so he turns to Him and asks Him to remove the harm and repel the affliction.
This strengthens the servant’s reliance upon Allah and frees him from excessive dependence upon created beings.
There is no authentic evidence establishing “The Harm-Bringer” or “The Benefactor” as Names of Allah.
The Names of Allah are established by revelation, so a Name cannot be affirmed without authentic evidence.
It is permissible to say that Allah benefits and causes harm, because the category of informing about Allah is broader than the category of His Names and Attributes.
Allah تعالى alone truly controls harm and benefit, and neither occurs except by His decree and will.
If “The Harm-Bringer” is used when informing about Allah, it is preferable to mention it together with its counterpart and say “The Harm-Bringer, The Benefactor,” rather than mentioning it alone.
The servant should attach his heart to Allah and know that created beings are merely means, while Allah alone is the Owner and Controller of everything.
And Allah knows best.