The Divine Algorithm
How Four Sacred Names hold the Master Key to Unlocking Human Transformation
"Whatever is in the heavens and earth glorifies Allah: Al-Malik (The King), Al-Quddus (The Pure), Al-Aziz (The Mighty), Al-Hakim (The Wise)." — Qur’an 62:1
This verse has been recited millions of times across fourteen centuries.
Does anything stand out for you at all? Read it again.
Would you believe me if I told you that in this verse there is a secret code?
Hidden within these four sacred names lies a blueprint, a divine algorithm for human transformation that explains why some people completely reinvent themselves and reach the very peak of their powers while others remain forever trapped in their potential.
Malcolm X experienced this sequence on the cold floor of a prison cell. Muhammad Ali went through it when they stripped away his heavyweight crown. Imam Ghazali uncovered it when he abandoned the prestige of Baghdad for a decade-long spiritual retreat.
Different men. Different eras. But the exact same code for human transformation.
The sequence is precise and clear. Skip a stage, and you crash.
But follow it faithfully, and you become who you were created to be.
Most guidance today leaves you exactly where it found you - comforted perhaps, but fundamentally unchanged.
But what if the answer to fulfilling human potential has been encoded in revelation all along?
The Hidden Code
Before we start, some context.
A few months ago, I was struggling. Slightly burnt out. So I decided to take a few hours to myself for self-care, away from work, family and the stresses of the world. I was on my iPad browsing and noticed the Bayyinah app - which I hadn’t used in months. I went on it and flicked through randomly. There was so much I wanted to go through but so little time to invest in starting a new series. So I just picked something at complete random - knowing it was 60 minutes in total - something I could definitely commit to completing in this sitting.
So I did. And it blew my mind.
Rizq is not just found in wealth. And it is not distributed randomly. Sometimes Allah provides rizq by giving you what you need to learn, at the right time.
Anyway, back to the code.
In Surah Al-Jumu'ah, Allah introduces Himself with these four attributes that may appear random. But nothing, as we know, is random, it is deliberately sequenced.
These names - in precisely this order - reveal the transformation algorithm encoded within revelation that aligns perfectly with how change actually occurs, both neurologically and spiritually.
Imam Al-Ghazali recognised this in the 99 names centuries ago, understanding that the divine attributes weren't merely theological concepts but also practical guides for becoming who Allah created you to be.
1. Al-Malik — Submission
Al Malik represents the King, the Sovereign, the One to whom we must submit to.
Every transformation begins with dethronement. The ego must surrender because the self cannot be king and servant simultaneously.
Malcolm X discovered this when in prison.
He had to prostrate on that prison floor before anything else - which he admits he found extremely difficult.
“The hardest test I ever faced in my life was praying.” - Malcolm X
With that act of submission, his old gangster persona of Detroit Red died there and then.
Prayer replaced swagger. Books replaced wickedness. The hustler who thought he answered to no one had to die before the iconic leader could be born.
Ali discovered it when he refused the Vietnam draft. His titles, livelihood, crown - all gone. What remained was dignity in submission to Allah's command. The boxer became a symbol of principled resistance.
This principle contradicts the fundamental assumption of modern self-development, which places the autonomous self as highest authority. "You're the author of your own story!" proclaim bestselling books. "Design your destiny!" insist motivational speakers and gurus.
Islam takes a radically different position - true agency paradoxically begins with submission.
The word "Islam" itself means submission. Transformation begins not with self-assertion but with surrendering to the One who designed you in the first place.
“La howla wa la quwwuta illah billah hil aliyal azeem” - there is no power EXCEPT with Allah, we recite.
The one who is a sincere slave to Allah is not a slave to anything or anyone else, as a result - whether that is society, culture, media, peers or even parents.
This ‘enslavement’ to Him actually frees him from all other chains.
Dr. Andrew Newberg's groundbreaking neuroscience research demonstrates this also. Using brain imaging during prayer and meditation, his team discovered that transcendent experiences occur when the brain region maintaining ego boundaries shows decreased activity. Essentially, to become your best self, you must first transcend your limited self through submission to something greater.
This principle actually appears across all lasting change:
Recovery programs begin with admitting powerlessness
Therapy starts with accepting external reality
Mindfulness involves submission to the present moment
Submission is actually the most powerful thing you can do.
Otherwise we would spend our every moment worrying about outcomes that are out of our control. Your ego isn't actually protecting you - it's imprisoning you.
There’s a reason we’re told to bow and prostrate five times daily.
Muhammad Ali said it perfectly:
"I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be who I want."
That freedom wasn't arrogance. It was submission to no authority EXCEPT Him and Him alone.
Submission is not weakness. It is the paradox of real strength.
2. Al-Quddus — Purification
Submission opens the door. But purification clears the path.
Al-Quddus means The Pure. Purity demands subtraction before addition, cleansing before building.
A poisoned cup cannot hold clean water. A rotten foundation cannot carry a noble house. Before something greater can live, something false must die.
This is why so much of modern self-improvement fails. Affirmations on top of addictions. Productivity hacks on top of broken patterns. New goals on top of old wounds.
Without proper purification, progress is unsustainable and collapse is inevitable.
Addition without subtraction is a flawed, faulty strategy.
Malcolm didn't add Islamic practices to Detroit Red. He burned the Detroit Red character to the ground first. He eliminated everything that didn't align with who he was becoming - his diet, his speech, his associations, even his surname. He replaced "Little" with X, symbolising the unknown identity that slavery had stolen.
When was the last time you killed something that was killing you?
Dr. Lisa Miller's research at Columbia University demonstrates that contemplative practices focused on "letting go" correlate with dramatically improved mental health outcomes. The psychological principle this shows us is releasing what no longer serves you creates space for what does.
Traditional Japanese martial arts require years of purification before real power emerges. Students spend months learning to sit properly, bow correctly, and empty their minds of preconceptions. Only after this purification do the devastating techniques become accessible.
Rumi captured the state of purification very well:
Whatever purifies you is the right path, I will not try to define it."
Purification can sometimes feel like death. But it is the only soil from which resurrection grows.
3. Al-Aziz — Empowerment
Only after submission and purification does empowerment arrive.
Notice the sequence. Power is third, not first. This isn't accidental.
Power without proper foundation becomes corruption. Strength without character becomes tyranny. Capability without wisdom destroys the very purpose it was meant to serve.
Al-Aziz means the Mighty, the Strong, the Honoured. This is where dormant gifts awaken, where your authentic self becomes powerful.
"The Quran reveals this pattern:
“'And you see the earth barren, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and swells and produces of every kind of beautiful growth.” (22:5)
This is exactly what happens after purification - dormant gifts suddenly come alive.
Modern culture reverses the order. It promises empowerment first, purification later - if ever. That's why so many rise fast but fall faster.
Talent without the correct foundation cannot last.
Your gifts aren't for you. They're through you. The moment you use talents to serve yourself, they become curses. The moment you use them to serve creation, they become superpowers.
This is why talented people often struggle more than average people. Misused gifts create misery faster than no gifts at all.
Stop asking "What am I good at?"
Start asking "What does the world need that I can serve?"
Malcolm's purified self unlocked a speaking power so electric that thousands hung on every word.
Ali's purified self became a global symbol of courage that transcended boxing.
Their transformation became a force for justice.
Harvard's Robert Kegan spent decades studying adult development. His research confirms that sustainable empowerment emerges when personal capabilities align with transcendent purpose.
Capability without proper orientation produces what researchers call "the competence trap" - high ability paired with low fulfilment.
Olympic athletes demonstrate this physically. Peak performance emerges only after years of submitting to coaching, purifying technique, then expressing natural ability through perfected form. Those who try to access power without proper preparation inevitably burn out.
This is where your unique abilities activate with supernatural potency. Not because you learned new techniques, but because the internal obstacles blocking your authentic self have been cleared.
When human effort aligns with divine design through proper submission and purification, capabilities emerge that seem to exceed natural limitations.
Empowerment is never first. It is always third. And when it arrives, it comes with barakah - effectiveness beyond explanation.
4. Al-Hakim — Wisdom
Wisdom is the capstone. The stage where you don't just know who you are - you become it completely.
Al-Hakim means the One who places everything in its rightful place. Wisdom is not information. It is integration - knowledge, strength, and struggle harmonised into clarity.
At the wisdom stage, something remarkable happens. You stop asking "Who am I meant to be?" and start being it naturally. You see patterns others miss. You make decisions that feel effortless yet profound.
Islam distinguishes between 'ilm (knowledge) and hikmah (wisdom). Knowledge can be downloaded. Wisdom must be earned through the journey.
Wisdom isn't just knowing what to do. It's also knowing what not to do. In a world drowning in information, the wise person knows which ninety-nine percent to ignore.
Malcolm found wisdom after Hajj. He saw Muslims of every colour worshipping together and wrote: "Islam is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem." This wasn't a fact. It was wisdom - the ability to see beyond ideology to universal truth.
Ali carried wisdom in his later years. Parkinson's slowed his fists, but his humour, patience, and dignity became a different kind of power. He had become completely himself.
Neuroscience research confirms that wisdom corresponds to integration across brain regions - emotional, rational, and transcendent systems working in harmony.
In Robert Kegan’s 5 stage model of human development, his stage 5 (the self-transforming mind) correlates with wisdom.
Wisdom is not knowledge in the head. It is harmony in the whole being.
Ghazali said:
"Knowledge without action is insanity, and action without knowledge is vanity."
Wisdom is the fusion that redeems both.
This is Nature’s Blueprint
This transformation sequence repeats itself throughout in creation.
A caterpillar doesn't simply grow wings. It has to submit to this process of creating a cocoon, not knowing what is in store inside. Complete death before new life. Submission first.
Inside the chrysalis, specialised cells release enzymes that break down most of the caterpillar's body. Everything that made it a caterpillar must die before the butterfly can emerge.
What emerges isn't an improved caterpillar but a butterfly - a being with vision, flight, and purpose the old self could never imagine. Transformation and the highest self achieved.
This sequence works at every scale.
Weight loss (or overcoming any addiction) follows the same pattern: admit you have a problem (submission), eliminate toxic patterns (purification), build strength through discipline (empowerment), develop intuitive understanding of your body (wisdom). Try to skip to the gym without admitting the problem and you'll fail, every single time.
In forest ecosystems where old trees fall, then they decompose (which then enriches the soil). That leads to new growth exploding and eventually, the mature forest develops complex wisdom in its ecosystem.
The divine algorithm is how transformation works throughout creation.
Even ancient healing systems follow this blueprint.
Over the last 18 months or so, I’ve been having a few health issues, primarily related to stress. As such, I have been learning more about holistic wellness and the way Chinese medicine works in particular.
I now realise traditional Chinese Medicine operates on the same principles as the divine algorithm. First, acknowledging imbalance exists (submission to reality). Then, clearing blockages and toxins from the system (purification). Building strength through proper energy flow (empowerment). Finally, achieving harmonious balance where the body naturally maintains optimal health (wisdom).
The methodology focuses on root causes rather than symptoms - exactly what the divine algorithm teaches us about all transformation.
The Prophetic Model
The Quran in the very next verse reveals this isn't coincidence:
"He sent among them a Messenger: reciting His verses (submission), purifying them (purification), teaching them the Book (empowerment), and teaching them wisdom (wisdom)." (62:2)
The Prophet's methodology maps perfectly to the divine names.
This is the sequence the Prophet (saw) lived by and guided others through, too.
Because it is THE formula for success and achieving your potential.
The early Muslim community experienced collective transformation following the same stages.
In Makkah, initially submission to Allah's authority. Then years of purification - abandoning jahiliyyah practices and tribal prejudices.
In Medina: empowerment through political authority and military strength. Finally, wisdom as they became leaders who guided nations.
Every Islamic revival follows this pattern.
Every collapse comes from skipping or reversing it.
The Transformation Paradox
You see, you don't become who you're meant to be by trying harder, or by doing a million and one different life hacks.
Just keep it simple and follow the divine sequence.
Submission opens the heart.
Purification clears the space.
Empowerment awakens your gifts.
Wisdom integrates everything into your authentic self.
The Prophet (saw) said: "Every child is born upon the fitrah."
The blueprint is how you peel back the layers and return to who you were always meant to be.
This is more important than ever. AI is reshaping work (and the world as we know it) faster than most realise.
When job titles that defined people for decades disappear, millions will face an identity crisis of unprecedented scale. This shift is accelerating and will be here before the end of the decade.
The people building this foundation now - to discover who they are beyond what they do - will thrive in the post-job world. Those waiting will face unnecessary turbulence and get caught up in this existential epidemic.
Over to you - the choice is yours
So, where are you in the sequence?
Still resisting submission, clutching the illusion of control?
Or are you in the fire of purification, shedding what no longer serves?
Are you feeling empowerment emerging as obstacles start to clear?
Or are you finally approaching wisdom, on the way to becoming your authentic self?
The divine names are more than just descriptions of Allah. They're also doors to becoming who you were created to be.
You now know the secret code. Use this knowledge wisely.
Malcolm X walked this path. Muhammad Ali lived it. Imam Ghazali embodied it. The Prophet (saw) perfected it.
So there you have it. The divine algorithm.
Science validates it. Nature mirrors it. History confirms it.
So what's it going to be, dear reader?
Another year of impressive randomness?
Or are you finally ready to follow this sacred sequence and become who you were designed to be?
Ready to Begin your Transformation?
The transformation we deliver inside the Know Your Purpose Program follows this exact divine blueprint. Over 40 days, we guide you through each sacred stage - from submission to wisdom - helping you become who Allah created you to be.
The next cohort starts soon. Limited spots available.
Apply here if you're ready to stop living randomly and start building according to your divine design - or comment ALGORITHM below to get started.
If you want to see what stage you’re at, you can check out the purpose scorecard here



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![Surat Al-Jumu`ah [62:2] - The Noble Qur'an - القرآن الكريم Surat Al-Jumu`ah [62:2] - The Noble Qur'an - القرآن الكريم](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_HUD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F05abe12d-3b16-4686-ae94-d7e3e31f8a57_1350x251.png)
Alhumdulillah, I have read and contemplated the prophetic model of revolution many times. In the same sequence.. but the way you have extended this to personal transformation and tied it back to the verses of surah jumah is mind blowing. Verily, Allah guides whoever he wants. Jazakallah for sharing..
Interesting read, can really appreciate the effort that went into this