The Definition and Classification of Luṭf (Grace) In the lexicon...

The Definition and Classification of Luṭf (Grace) In the lexicon, the word luṭf is used to mean kindness and compassion, closeness and proximity, intricacy and subtlety, secrecy and concealment, softness and openness, and in the science of tajwīd ,[^4] talaṭṭaf means deflection ( imālah ).[^5] In the theological parlance, luṭf is one of the Attributes of Action of God; that is, the Actions which are related to those who are obliged ( mukallifīn ) and it means that God does for those who are obliged whatever draws them to obedience [to Him] and keeps them away from sin.

Once he benefits from it and performs his obligation under the auspices of the said grace, it is called ‘actualizing’ ( muḥaṣṣil ) grace; that is, the grace which reaches the stage of materialization and actualization. Whenever the obliged person does not make use of it, that grace is called ‘near-stationed’ ( muqarrib ) grace because its role is only to pave the ground for guidance.

In reality, it brings the obliged person closer to obedience [to God] although this may not be realized on account of a contrary choice of action in the obliged person. The sum of these two divisions is encouragement and motivation. As Sayyid Murtaḍā has said, “ Luṭf has two types: one is that through its agency the obliged person chooses to perform the act of obedience [to God] and without this luṭf he will not choose so.

Another [type] is that through its agency the obliged person gets closer to the performance of the act of obedience, and the sum of these two is that they play the role of motivator.”[^6] Some have considered the difference between the muqarrib and muḥaṣṣil grace in that the latter is measured with the motive behind the obligation while the former is measured with the motive behind the creation.[^7] However, first of all, this distinction cannot be found in the utterances of the justice-oriented theologians.