The Second In The Book Of Tawhid: Dissertation In The Names Of Allah, Praised And Exalted Is He

In the Name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings with His near servants, particularly Muhammad (peace be with him) and his Purified Progeny.

We have indicated in the tawhid dissertation that some meanings of tawhid explain themselves by themselves; some are noun relevant while others are verb relevant. As for the tawhid where the meaning is self-explanatory, it is outside the range of description and the cycle of clarification.

As for the nouns and verbs, if we have not already indicated sufficient explanations, we here would like to provide some explanation about the noun and provide some details by combining it with the rational proof as well as explanatory quotations in a way suitable for the taste of these dissertations.

As for the complete details of these researches, this is something rendered to detailed books of the folks, may Allah be pleased with them, i.e. the books which combine taste with evidence, deriving judgment from reason and quotations.

As for the books which can put forth simple issues in which common people can practice their own understanding, through propositions, then they are subjected to debates a great deal, we are not interested in referring to them, nor relying on them, nor do these researches touch upon them at all, nor do we have anything to do with anyone who is thus concerned and who thus seeks, and surely Allah is our Supporter.

Chapter 1

You have come to know in the tawhid dissertation that Allah, Praised is He, is the absolute existence to whom every perfect existence is rendered.

Anything proposed besides Him reverts to Him; so, He alone has the characteristic besides which it is impossible to propose a second for Him: There is neither numbering, nor variation, nor definition in order to give the sense of limitation by a proposed limit, nor is there any credibility or a concept; rather, anything understood as a proposition or evidence lags behind this proposed stage.

Due to His inclusion of the facts of all perfections in existence, He incorporates them all; He is addressed by them; they are His Names, for a name has nothing but the self itself referred to by some of its attributes. He, in Himself, through Himself, Praise to Him, incorporates them all, is named after them, and their concepts are derived from Him and by Him.

If superfluous existent things are noticed besides Him, resulting from Him, between these and His own Names, Great are indeed His Names, appear relationships linking each other, not to Him, He, in this case is clear of any assigned names or relations, as you already have come to know. As a whole, other attributes appear, and other concepts are extracted, which all are referred to the first category.

These includes creation, sustenance, mercy, generosity, kindness, recreation, initiation, bringing back to life or causing death, resurrection, gathering, bringing life back to the dead and many others. These are nouns for verbs which lad behind the Self and its names and are extracted from the verb.

Here, one thing remains which is: When these nouns are derived from the verb, they are derived from it based on some relationship of sort and some linkage between Him and the Self; otherwise, these names cannot be applied to the Self at all. In the latter case, an attribute is rendered to a cause, that is, if we suppose the Self created something,

He is its Creator, and we supposed He sustained someone; He is his Sustainer, and so on. So, the path of verbal nouns is the path of the nouns of the Self in the sense that they all are present for the Self as a fact. Yes, the nouns describing the Self do not need for their derivation more than the Self Himself, whereas the verbal nouns need in the stage of derivation an actual verb beyond them.

You know that the perfections of existence, since they exist for the Self which is above null shortcomings, there will be negative attributes styled after the positive attributes, but since they are null, they are not actuated. Rather, they are extracted from those other than Him, and their connotation is the negative of what is already negative, and the reason is proving what exists.

From all the above, it becomes clear that His Names, Praised is He, the numerous that they are, can be divided into: first: Names relevant to the Self and to His actions; second: Names that are fixed and negative, and so on, up to particular and general Names.

Chapter 2

Transmitting, too, proves what has already been stated. As regarding the connotations of names of self, action, evidence and negativity, it is not necessary that we should list them here due to their abundance in the Qur’an and the Sunnah more than can be counted, though some of them, by the will of Allah, will be mentioned in the context of the coming chapters.

Chapter 3

You have come to know from the first chapter His Holy Self, one of absolution and of generality, far above any comprehensible specificity and credibility even from absolution itself... Since this by itself is specific, obliterating what is specific, folding what is countable, it also is the first of the names, and the first of definitions: It is the one granted the position of Oneness.

Then He manifests proving what is specific, the first of which is proof itself, since He is identified as He. Then the rest of specific names are manifested. Since this complete fact is present by itself, necessitating its presence, knowledge becomes a must; it appears from the ability to learn, to identify life.

Then what else is specific appear through the simplicity of their togetherness, for it has become evident that there is an order among the names. This order necessitates they branch out of each other.

Then we can say in explaining His Names, Glory to Him, that you have come to know that the existence is the external truth alone, while others, such as what things are, are matters derived through intellect, having nothing external about them except manifesting their presence.

As when one takes his mind away from them, they have no existence, to the eyes they are nothing. Such is the external truth. It dismisses what is null by itself, yet what is null does not apply to it because both contradictions cannot be simultaneously present; so, it by itself necessitates its existence.

From here, it appears that the truth existence has a unity and an absolution because of which there can be no second guess; it is its oneness, as has been indicated, it is His Uniqueness, having no partner with Him. From here, supposing a force or the probability of enabling, altering, or changing becomes impossible.

Due to His being the Absolute, He incorporates in Him each and every perfection of existence by necessity, for His actions are clear, and His existence is by itself a must. He has to exist from all aspects. You have to bear in mind that this explanation applies to existence by necessity, by what is absolutely self-independent, rather than the existence by possibility.

As for the latter, due to its cause, it is connected to something else. It is impossible to judge Him as “probably existing” or something like that. This is juxtaposed with what we see in existence: we see the true necessitating existence in as much as this existence stands by itself. This is the meaning of our saying that its existence is possible.

It all depends on the extent of such a possibility. And it explains our saying that the presence of what can be manifested depends on the extent of what necessitates its presence. As for the possibility of what appears by obligation, by necessity, it is the noor itself.

From all of this, it seems that any probability with a percentage equaling existence and non-existence depends in proving itself to be in need of the One Who brings it into existence, Glory to Him, on His self-evidence, on His actions.

He is the One Who provides it with whatever it needs when the mind looks at it and rules it is in need of Him, for He is the Provider [of what it needs]. Just like the number 4: It is a number that needs Him in its existence; it is a couple of pairs, twice the two, and it has a root.

So are all things which He, Glory to Him, has created. They all are in need of Him; such is the principle of the existence of anything that can exist. Such is the necessitating force, for force means the soundness of the action or inaction, that is, both situations are impossible to occur simultaneously in as far as He, Glory to Him, is concerned.

He, then, is the One Who begins every existent thing that requires an action to exist. And He is the One Who starts the same force, the same ability, so He manifests His evidences through everything in existence, through the blessings of their appearance and manifestation.

From here, it also appears that His essence is present for Him; there is no veil between Him and His essence. All existing perfections are rendered to Him; He is knowledgeable of His essence, of His attributes, of all things in existence that have come up through Him; such is the self- knowledge.

Also, everything in existence is present through Him, Glory to Him, in however He manifests it. He displays His presence, Glory to Him, and through his noor, everything shines.

He, Glory to Him, manifests to them His Exaltation, His Holy Self, by Himself, in His own rank, showing them in their external existence and in their real places; nay, everything in its circumstance and place; such is knowledge through action. Yet every branch of knowledge which manifests itself to the existent things is also rendered to Him.

Since it has been proven that knowledge and ability have been fixed for Him, so has life, for the One Who gives life is the One Who realizes everything, Who does everything (He wills).

Since it has been proven that His brining existent things into existence is through manifesting them in their places, in the circumstances of their identities, it also is proven that everything perfect, beautiful and good is rendered to Him, Glory to Him.

Through Him are these qualities fixed: goodness, beaut, and the perfection of anything. These are His manifestations. He, Glory to Him, is characterized by each and every quality that is good and beautiful.

Since every shortcoming, defect, limitation, ugliness, badness, disintegration, were one to deeply ponder on it, is rendered to the absence of a desired perfection, and it has no way to nonexistence, the shortcomings which can absolutely occur, and everything which spoils things, are due to possible causes, requirements, outcomes,

He, Glory to Him is pure from any filth, holy above any shortcoming and defect; He incorporates in Him all the attributes of beauty and greatness.

Thus, the alliance and congregation between the attributes of beauty and greatness is the requirement for existent things to exist, for the noor to shine, for its spread in these dark places.

Had it not been for the attributes of greatness, there would have been no existence at all, and had there been no attributes of beauty, there could be no comparison.

These Most Beautiful Names and supreme attributes, though numerous in their meanings, has only one truth to convey: the Holy Self. For it is impossible, as you have come to know, to suppose duality. The most Exalted One is present since He is knowledgeable, able by Himself, living through His own Power; thus, He is One by Himself, Glory to Him, Unique.

From all what has been stated, it becomes obvious that He, Glory to Him, through His Oneness, obliterate any possibility of many (gods besides Him). Then He manifests Himself on the names, despite their unity, so He provides many concepts, then He manifests Himself to the ranks of the existent things, to whaeever can be, providing them with their appearances, demonstrating what they hide. It is then that many facts become clear.

As an example for that, if you refer to your own characteristics, you will find out that you have knowledge, and you are as you are, and you have power, and you are as you are, and you head, see, taste, smell and touch, and you are as you are; so, none of your characteristics is absent; none of them separates itself from you.

Such is the oneness of your own characteristics in yourself. Then if you refer to your own self, you will find out that there is only you although you have many characteristics, but these have been exhausted, obliterated, in this phase; such is the position of oneness in you.

Then if you go beyond that and imagined in your broad imagination your partial images, then portions of what you imagine, then you descend upon your actions and regard yourself despite them that all are standing through you; they cannot be emptied from you.

If you discern deeply and contemplate skillfully in this example, you will find the intellectual proofs of the evidence which we have already provided as rational.

Chapter 4

Transmission agrees with reason in as far as the meanings which we have stated are concerned, and in order to explain this in general terms we would like to put forth the following researches:

First Research

The Attributes specifically mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and which provides the descriptive meaning are:

a. One God, the first and the last, the most Exalted One, the most knowledgeable, the most merciful of those who show mercy, the most wise, the best of creators, the One Who ought to be feared, the One from Whom forgiveness is sought.

b. the One Who initiates creation, the Initiator, the kind, the seeing, the One Who perfects what He does.

c. the One Who accepts repentance

d. the Great One, the One in Whom all good Attributes are combined

e. Wise, clement, living, the truth, the praiseworthy, the One Who holds everyone to account, Who protects everyone, Who surrounds everyone with His kindness

f. He knows everything; He creates everything; He perfects His creation; He is the best of all planners; He sustains the best; He is the best to separate (what is good from what is bad), the best of judges, the best of conquerors, the best in forgiveness, the best of heirs, the best mercy giver

g. The One Who has the Arsh, Who spreads His power over everything, Who seeks revenge against His foes, Who has the great favor [over His servants], the One known for His mercy, for His power, for His Greatness, for His generosity

h. The One Who is merciful, Who grants mercy, the most Kind, a God Whose stations are lofty, Who sustains, Who ever-watches

i. He hears; He is the peace; He is swift in reckoning; He is swift in His retribution.

j. He witnesses; He appreciates; He expresses gratitude; He is tough when punishing, Mighty.

k. He is self-sustaining;

l. He manifests Himself;

m. He is all-knowledgeable, most Exalted, forgives, Sublime, Great, knows the unknown, the One knowledgeable of the unknown, of the witness;

n. He is rich; He forgives; He subdues; He forgives the sins; He quite often forgives;

o. He splits the morning, the seed, the date-stone; He determines he nature of things, Who initiates;

p. He is Strong, Holy, Sustainer, Conqueror, near [to His servants], Able, Capable, accepts repentance;

q. Generous, Great

r. Munificent

s. the King, the Believer, the One Who control everything, the Proud, the One Who gives everything its shape, Who is Glorified, Who listens to pleas, Who explains everything; the Master, the One Whose knowledge encompasses everything, the most Exalted One, the One Who grants life, the omni-Potent, the One Whose help is always sought;

t. the One Who supports, the Light

u. the ever-Giver, the One, the Master, the Broad One, the Reliant, the Gentle.

These are the attributes recorded in the Divine Book as descriptive, and they count one hundred and seventeen names. Below are citations in meanings close to the above:

“And we shall take every care of him.” (Qur’an, 12:12)

“If it had been Our wish to take (just) a pastime, We would surely have taken it from the things nearest to Us, if We would do (such a thing)!” (Qur’an, 21:17)

“They will dwell in it for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord wills, for your Lord is the (sure) Accomplisher of what He plans.” (Qur’an, 11:107)

“There is no God but He: As witnessed by Allah, His angels and those endowed with knowledge, standing firm on justice. There is no God but He, the Exalted in power, the Wise.” (Qur’an, 3:18)

“We shall record it in his favor.” (Qur’an, 21:94)

“And truly, it is We Who grant life and death: It is We Who remain the inheritors (after all passes away).” (Qur’an, 15:23)

“One Day We shall seize you with a mighty onslaught. We will indeed exact retribution!” (Qur’an, 44:16)

“It is Allah Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all between them, in six days, and He is firmly established on the throne (of authority): You have none, besides Him, to protect or intercede (for you): will you then not receive admonishment?” (Qur’an, 32:4)

“Alif Lam Mim Ra. These are the Signs (or verses) of the Book: What has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, but most men do not believe.” (Qur’an, 13:1)

“It is He Who gives life and death, and the alternation of night and day (is due) to Him: Then will you not understand?” (Qur’an, 23:80)

“It is He Who gives life and death, and when He decides an affair, He says to it, ‘Be!,’ and it is.” (Qur’an, 40:68)

Perhaps the attributes of the Protector, the Doer, the One Who does Whatever He Wills, the One Who Stands for what is Right, the Scribe, the Heir, the Avenger, the Master, the One Who causes death, the One Who removes the harm, etc. from these verses. As for those coming in a verbal form, they are quite a few.

As for the traditions, Al-Tawhid and Al-Kisal rely on the authority of Sulayman ibn Mahran who quotes Ja’far ibn Muhammad quoting his forefather quoting Ali (peace be with him) saying that the Messenger of Allah said, “Allah has ninety-nine Names: a hundred save one; whoever counts them enters Paradise.

They are: Allah, the One God, the Only One, the Self-Sustaining, the First, the Last, the Hearing, the Seeing, the omni-Potent, the One Who subdues (His foes), the Sublime, the High, the ever-Present, the One Who initiates creation, Who makes things, the most Great, the Evident, the Hidden, the Living, the Wide, the all-Knowing, the Clement, the Protector, the Truth, the One Who holds others to account, the most Praiseworthy, the One Whose knowledge encompasses everything, the Lord, the most Gracious, the most Merciful.

The One Who creates the atom, Who sustains, Who ever-watches, Who is Kind, Who sees, the Peace, the Believer, the One in Control, the most Exalted, the most Great, the Proud, the Master, the One Who is often praised, the Witness, the One Who says the truth, the Maker, the Pure, the Fair, the Overlooking, the often- Forgiving, the Rich, the One Who responds to the call for help, Who starts the creation, the Unique, the Initiator, the One Who splits, the ancient, the King, the Holy One, the Strong, the Near, the One Who Sustains creation, the One Who contracts, Who releases, Who takes care of the needs of the needy, Who is ever Glorified, the Master, the One Whose favors overehelm, Whose knowledge encompasses everything, the Evident.

The One Who feeds, Who fashions, the Generous One, the Great, the One Who suffices, the One having no peer, the ever-Giving, the Supporter, the Faithful One, the One Who is trusted, the Heir, the Kind, the One Who brings the dead back to life, Who accepts repentance, the Great, the Generous One, the fully Knowledgeable, the best of supporters, Who effects His creed, Who thanks, the Great One, the most Kind, the Healer, the all-Goodness.”

Al-Sadiq (peace be with him) says in his Kisal that this transmission is narrated through various venues and in different wording.

In Al-Tawhid, with isnad to al-Harawi from al-Rida (peace be with him) who quotes his forefathers quoting Ali (peace be with him) saying that the Messenger of Allah has said, “Allah has ninety-nine Names; whoever calls upon Allah through them will have his plea answered, and whoever counts them enters Paradise.”

Also in Al-Tawhid through isnad to Abu Hurayrah, it is indicated that the Messenger of Allah said, “For Allah, the most Praiseworthy, the most Exalted One, there are ninety-nine Names, a hundred save one. He is singular and loves singularity. Whoever counts them enters Paradise.” The author goes on to say that more than a scholar has said that the first of these Names (Attributes) starts with:

“There is no god save Allah, One having no partner in His domain; to Him belongs all Praise. In his hand is all goodness, and He can do anything at all. There is no god except Allah; His are the most beautiful Names.

Allah is the One, the self-sustaining, the first, the last, the evident, the hidden, the creator, the One Who initiates creation, Who fashions, the King, the holy One, the peace, the believer, the One Who controls everything, the most Exalted One, the Great, the kind, the Lofty, the most great, the beautiful, the living, the One Who sustains (everyone and everything), the Able, the Conqueror, the wise, the near, the One Who responds, the rich, the giver, the kind One, the appreciative, the One worthy of all praise, the Unique, the master, the guide to what is right, the forgiving, the clement, the One Who accepts repentance, the Praised Lord, the Praiseworthy, the Faithful ( ), the Mighty, the One Who harms and Who benefits.

The One Who suffices, Who protects, Who raises, Who contracts, Who eases, Who exalts, Who humiliates, Who sustains, the Strong, the Powerful, the ever-Standing [for everything right], the defender, the fair, the inclusive, the giver, the One Who chooses, Who gives life, Who causes death, Who suffices, the Calm One, the Eternal, the truthful, the Noor, the perpetual, the truth, the unique, the singular, the broad, the One Who counts, the Capable One, the One Who advances and Who postpones, the One Who does well whatever He does,” up to the end of the tradition.

Let me say that both narrative counting His Names, the most Exalted One that He is, have included Names that are not mentioned in the Qur’an such as the Master, the Doer, the Beautiful, the Eternal, etc.

And they have neglected to mention some Names which have been stated in the Qur’an such as the One having all Greatness and Exaltation, the Grantor of favors, the most Sublime. They also contain a difference in the counted names. This is one thing.

The other is that the Name of the Almighty [Allah] in the second and others in the first, completes the hundred.

Thirdly, the apparent meaning of the second tradition is that counting the Names is outside the tradition, and it is not improbable that the first narrative gives the impression that it is excluded from the narrative.

As for the Prophet’s statement that for Allah are ninety-nine Names; whoever counts them enters Paradise, this is included in many traditions and has been narrated by the Shi’ites and the Sunnis, but it is not for the restrictive count as we will see; therefore, we have restricted our discussion to the text of the Holy Qur’an although others are explained when their meanings are explained and their structures clarified.

Second Research

The meanings in which these honorable Names have been used in the Holy Qur’an are inevitably followed by the other uses, and there is no doubt that they agree with the meanings relevant to them.

There is no doub that the Truth, Glory to Him, has perfections and Attributes actually in existence which He revealed, or revealed some of hem, in these uranic verses which include these names once through exclusion and once through specific meanings, all though complete speech sentences and compositions.

All this fall in the category of praising and glorifying Him, showing His perfections. This has also been interpreted as denying any shortcomings in Him. It requires rendering every perfection to Him, to His Self, with abundance of evidences. These Names are indicative of positive, not negative, proving meanings.

Moreover, these meanings are not restricted to only the category of meanings which we understand and comprehend as some people have stated, sticking tot he notion that these Names, all of them, are either individual metaphors or metaphoric similitudes.

For what we understand when we say, “Zaid knew” that we know that Zaid has certain knowledge; it is through the mental image that he possesses and that Allah, Glory to Him, is impossible to have the same, for in His case there is no brain, and this is only specificity of application and does not necessitate an alteration in the meaning by necessity.

So, the concept is one, as for what is specific, it is not included in this concept at all, and this is the truth advocated by the truthful ones. The entire criterion in interpreting His Names, Glory to Him, and His Attributes is to empty their concepts from the specificity of application, in other words, from the non-existent areas, from any shortcoming.

This is what appears from the interpretations provided by the Imam s, peace be upon them, in their sermons and explanatory statements. Al-Tawhid and Nahjul-Balagha quote Ali (peace be with him) saying, “My Lord is Munificent; yet He is not described by it. He is great in His Greatness; yet He is not described by greatness.”

He is great in His Pride; yet He is not characterized by pride. He is great in His greatness; yet he is not described as rough. There is nothing before Him; nothing can be said as having preceded Him. He is after everything; yet nothing can be named after him. It is neither through the determination of someone who realizes nor through trickery is He in all things: mixed in them, not differentiated from them.

He is Evident but not like one saying, He started appearing and He manifests Himself but not through vision. He is Obvious not through a distance, near not through coming close to Him. He is Munificent; He does not take the shape of any existing thing, neither through inaction, nor through a destined necessity, nor through a movement.

He hears but not through a tool; He sees but through a medium” up to the end of the sermon. The explanations of the Imams are filled with this type of interpretation. Many reports ban making similitudes to Him.

Third Research

You have already come to know that His characteristics, Glory to Him, imply looking for every existing perfection as a fact; as for the characteristics of others, since His Self is present along the expanse of His presence, so are His characteristics. Every true quality empty of shortcoming belongs to Him, Glory to Him, exclusively, and any attribute in others is only casual.

This becomes evident from most places where His Names exist in the Holy Qur’an such as the following:

“He is the Supreme, (watching) over His worshippers, and He is the Wise One; He is acquainted with all things” '(Qur’an, 6:18)

“For Allah is He Who gives (all) sustenance Lord of Power steadfast (forever).” (Qur’an, 51:58)

“Glory to (Allah) Who took His servant for a journey by night from the sacred mosque to the farthest mosque whose precincts We blessed so that We might show him some of Our Signs, for He is the One who hears and sees (all things).” (Qur’an, 17:1)

“And your God is One God: There is no God but He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.” (Qur’an, 2:163)

“It is Allah Who created you in a state of (helpless) weakness, then gave (you) strength after weakness, then, after strength, will grant (you) weakness and a hoary head: He creates as He wills, and it is He Who has all knowledge and power.” (Qur’an, 30:54)

“He is the Supreme, (watching) over His worshippers, and He is the Wise One; He is acquainted with all things.” (Qur’an, 6:18)

“It is Allah Who created you in a state of (helpless) weakness, then gave (you) strength after eakness, then, after strength, will grant (you) weakness and a hoary head: He creates as He wills, and it is He Who has all knowledge and power.” (Qur’an, 30:54)

“Allah! There is no God but He the Living, the Self-Subsisting, the Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. All things in the heavens and on earth are His. Who is there who can intercede in His presence except as He permits? He knows what (appears to his creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they grasp anything of His knowledge except as He wills. His throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He never tires in guarding and preserving them, for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).” (Qur’an, 2:255)

“Yes, (and as for) those who take unbelievers for friends rather than believers: Do they seek honor among them? No all honor is with Allah.” (Qur’an, 4:139)

“Apostles who gave good news as well as warnings, (so) that mankind, after (the coming) of the Apostles, should have no plea against Allah, for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise.” (Qur’an, 2:165)

“Do not contend on behalf of those who betray their own souls, for Allah does not love those given to treachery and crime.” (Qur’an, 2:107)

Then He, Glory to Him, explained the ownership of these Names, I mean the truly existing perfections, saying, “Say: ‘O Allah! Lord of power (and Judgment)’” (Qur’an, 3:26),

and He has also said, “That it is He Who grants laughter and tears; That it is He Who grants death and life; that He did create in pairs male and female, from a seed when lodged (in its place); that He has promised a second creation (the raising of the dead); that it is He Who gives wealth and satisfaction” (Qur’an, 53:43-48)

“Your Lord creates and chooses as He pleases: They have no choice (in the matter): Glory to Allah! And He is far above the partners they ascribe (to Him)!” (Qur’an, 28:68)

The evidence that He fixes in these verses the facts of such meanings as specifically referring to Him in particular and to others by sequence is that the most Exalted One applies these same meanings to others in other verses such as this verse: “You created (made) the figure of a bird out of clay” (Qur’an, 5:113)

and “Moses chose...” (Qur’an, 7:155).

Even more evident than that is what the most Praised One explains in verses referring to the Day of Gathering where He says, “They would see the penalty, and all relations between them would be cut off” (Qur’an, 2:166)

where He shows how on that Day the relations will be cut off, removed, and when relations are cut off and the ties are useless, there will be no issue about an existing perfection benefitting from others as is thought to be the case now; nothing will then remain except Allah Alone; no relationship will there be except with Him.

Other relations will be null and void. He thus nullified the truth of their perfections, proving these are subject to Him, saying,

“The Day on which they will (all) come forth: Not a single thing concerning them is hidden from Allah. Whose will be the dominion that Day? Allah's, the One, the Supreme!” (Qur’an, 40:16).

He also said, “... the command, that Day, will be (wholly) with Allah” (Qur’an, 82:19)

and also the following:

“Then those who are followed would rid themselves of those who follow (them): They would see the penalty, and all relations between them would be cut off.” (Qur’an, 2:166)

“‘... In derogation of Allah?’ They will reply, ‘They have abandoned us: Nay, in the past we did not invoke anything (that had real existence).’ Thus does Allah leave the unbelievers to stray.” (Qur’an, 40:74)

“There, every soul will prove (the fruits of) the deeds it sent before: They will be brought back to Allah, their rightful Lord, and their invented falsehoods will abandon them.” (Qur’an, 10:30)

“A Day when you turn your backs and flee: You will have no defender against Allah: Any whom Allah leaves to stray, there is none to guide...” (Qur’an, 40:33)

“One Day We shall gather them all together. Then We shall say to those who joined Allahs (with Us), ‘To your place! You and those you joined as partners.”’We shall separate them, and their partners shall say, ‘It was not us whom you worshiped!” (Qur’an, 10:28)

Those against whom the charge will be proven, will say,

“Our Lord! These are the ones whom we led astray: We led them astray, as we were astray ourselves: We free ourselves (from them) in Your presence! It was not us they worshiped.” (Qur’an, 28:63)

All this explains the perfections of Names are in Him, Glory to Him, independently, while in others, they simply are relative.

Yes, the most Praised One may make a comparison between describing Himself and describing His creation out of what He has over-oured over them, coning that one description undoubtedly intended for a general and more inclusive meaning due to what each of independence and dependence imply,

that is, in the superlative form in fourteen Names in the Qur’an which are: Higher, more Generous, more Knowledgeable, more Merciful, more Wise than all the wise, the best to settle, the best to rule, the best to conquer, the best to forgive, the best of heirs, the best to bestow mercy.

But He, Praise to Him, has proven they are attributes of His own Self, His own privilege; for he, Praise to Him, explains to His creation that these attributes, being independently His and dependently to others, He, Praise to Him, is more worthy of Elevation, of Knowledge, of Generosity, more Mercify, more Truthful in His Judgement, better faring with His creation, better Planning, etc., unlike others.

These attributes in them are casual, shaky, tinted with the shortcomings of disappearance, laced with the possibility of being or not being. This meaning can be comprehended as a hint to commonality regarding what happens to the Names when they come in the superlative form in ten Attributes: the One who accepts repentance, the Great, the One Who often creates, Who sustains, Who knows the unknown, Who forgives, the Holy, the Sustainer, the Conqueror, the Giver.

Others which may be counted among them are Attributes such as the Appreciative, the Forgiving, the Able, the most Exalted One, the Mercy-giving, by referring to the intensity of these Attributes in Him, Praise to Him, and their inclusion of all things in existence.

As for the rest of the Names, they are eighty-eight Names which come in the single form or added to something else. But eighteen of them are added and almost seventy come in the singular form. There are descriptive meanings constructed through speech sentences such as:

“There is nothing whatever like unto Him” (Qur’an, 42:11) and

“He does not beget, nor is He begotten, and there is none like unto Him” (Qur’an, 112:3-4)

as well as this verse: “He has no consort” (Qur’an, 6:101).

Fourth Research

Most of these Names contain proving meanings, but there is an order among them, as we have indicated in general terms. The most Exalted One, since His Holy Self is not composed of parts that can be conceived or imagined or are external, He is Simple in Himself, Unique.
This expression cannot be used except in proving without adding anything except in Him, Praise to Him. The most Exalted One has said,

“Say: ‘He is Allah, the One and Only’” (Qur’an, 112:1).

Here, there is no room to imagine two or more, unlike what you see on your own. It is then that the one, two, or the group are out of place, unlike when you yourself see one person, for in this case, only one person is seen, not two, not a group. Linguistically, it appears the word “Ahad” does not mind joining the group, unlike the “Wahid” which is conditional.

The “Ahad” is a pure unit; neither two nor more can be compared to it; it is simple in itself; therefore, its application in proving is sound only when it comes to Him, Glory to Him, due to His Presence, simplicity, to His causing others to exist. Thus, the “Ahad” is perfectly fitting.

Since the Praised One has no partner, nor a consort, nor a son, and since all His Names are one which is the Self though its concepts may be many, for He is One and Only One. His Self is fixed by Him, in Him, it according to all assessments is the truth.

He, the most Exalted One, in as far as the presence of Himself for Himself, His manifestation to Him, the presence of what exists with Him, is most knowledgeable. And He is always present there as a Witness. And if one renders Him to the knowledge of the Unknown, He knows the unknown. And were one to identify Him with the unknown as the witness thereto, He knows the unknown and to it He testifies.

And if one were to render Him to whatever can be seen, He sees, or to whatever can hear, he hears, or to what is heard, He hears.

With regard to what He safeguards, He is he ever watchful, protective. He is Knowledgeable with regard to the information that can be tracked, accounting them fully, knowing all the minute details, perfect in His knowledge, Wise. He, the most Exalted One, in as far as his initiation of other things, His presence remains one and the same, starting from Himself and ending thereto, Omnipotent on everything else.

He is the Omnipotent whose brings about existence without help from anyone, without assistance; He is the most Merdiful. He starts the essence of others, begins their creation, Creator of everything, all Alone, by Himself. He is Merciful; His mercy brings happiness, felicity.

He is the most Affectionate, over-pouring His affection on everything and anything. He is Kind, Munificent, Affectionate with regard to anything to which His mercy attaches itself; He is most Kind. Withe regard to His unexpected mercy, He is generous, giving, rewarding whoever lauds Him with what is beautiful, thankful, appreciative.

Since He does not [immediately] penalize one who wrongs Him by swiftly inflicting him with His penalty, He is Clement. Since He veils what obstructs His outpouring [of mercy], He is forgiving by all standards. Since He accepts, without hesitation, one who thus wrongs Him and who still reverts to Him, accepting his repentance, always ready to wipe out the sin.

He responds to others who ask Him, who plead to Him. He is the able Creator: Anything that can come to exist, it exists through Him, and He is fully knowledgeable of it, close to it; nothing escapes from His knowledge. From Him the first starts and to Him it ends. He is manifest: Through Him does appear anything that can appear.

He is Hidden; He maintains anything, everything. He is the capable Creator whose knowledge encompasses everything. Anything that can be imagined as resisting Him, He obliterates it. His power is never exhausted, nor does it disappear, nor does His full control: He is the Victor, the Vanquisher, the Strong One by all standards.

All this does not even describe Him fairly. Insignificant is anyone compared to Him, for He is the Great, the Grand, high above what is attributed to him, Exalted. Were one to imagine someone being able to resist, only He empowers; only He encompasses everything. Were He to punish, He is the Vengeful, yet all this still does not describe Him, for He is the Gracious One.

If His description of Himself reflects upon Him, He is the Proud One. If the most Capable Creator, the most Merciful One Who brings everyone to its/his perfection through His mercy, He is the God. And the God He is with regard to starting existence from nothing, its initiator.
The matter about Him is the most wonderful of all, for He is the most Magnificent, He is the One Who splits the seed, the date-stone, the morning, every morning when it shines.

And He over-pour security over the loneliness of the darkness of void, over every imperfection, over everything shunned; He grants security. Since He over-pours nothing bad, He is all peace. Since what He grants is a gift without a purpose behind it, He is the giver. Since what He gives does not cause diminution, He is broad.

Since He postpones what He does give, He [nonetheless] sustains. Since the greatest praise of Him comes out of His own mercy, He is the Praiseworthy. Since He mends everything broken, completes everything with a shortcoming in its creation, He is Great.

Since He strengthens everyone vanquished, He is the supporter. Since He looks after His creature which has no ability, nor can it be of any benefit or harm to itself, nor life nor death nor resurrection, He is the Master, the caretaker from each and every aspect. And since He holds life in His grip, He is the One Who grants life [and Who causes death].

Since He fashions, He is the Fashioner, and since doing all this comes out of His own Kindness, He is the truly Kind One. Since it is through the Lord that anything in existence comes up through the Lord, He is the Light, He is the Manifest One.

Since He has everything, and He manages everything, He is a King on His Throne. Since with Him is everything with everyone, and not the contrary, He is the most Exalted One. Since He has no need for anything, He is the Rich. Since the Lord, the King on the Throne, is none but Him, He is the most wise of all the wise ones, the best to decide, to judge, to open the doors.

Since the Lord remains independent while His slaves refer to Him with regard to their needs, He is the self-Subsisting One. And self-Subsisting He is due to all others going to Him for all their needs, for all help, so He is the One Whose help is sought. And the Lord He is since everyone directs himself/itself to Him to adore as the Lord.

The Attributes listed above, save three, that is, the One God, the Only God, the Truth, fall under the two Attributes: the Omnipotent, the Able. When applied together to someone, the latter would be self-subsisting; so, they fall under the Attribute of the Subsisting One. Since the most Exalted One is knowledgeable, able by Himself, He is ever-living.

The control of the Attributes of the ever Living and the Subsisting One falls upon all fixed Attributes save one; the Almighty has said,

“Allah! There is no God but He the Living, the Self-Subsisting” (Qur’an, 2:255).

Through unity as referred to in the verse, it becomes inclusive of all fixed Attributes.

As regarding the negativity, the absence of shortcomings, and that of void, they are incorporated in the Attribute “Holy”. All of them, I mean all the Attributes which fix or negate as well as those of greatness, beauty, self and action, in the attribute

“the Lord of full of majesty, of bounty and honor” (Qur’an, 55:78).

Such is the [study of] the Attributes and how each branches out of the other, how they are arranged, organized, and perhaps you can through contemplation and deduction find among them occasions for other meanings besides what we have stated which necessitate other branching out.

Take as a demonstration of what has been stated above a drawn tree [diagram published on p. 45 of the original Arabic text; perhaps it can be scanned and included in the translation].

A narrative which combines in it the meanings of the previous researches exists in Al-Kafi with isnad to Ibr h m son of ‘Umar who quotes Imam al-Sadiq (as) saying that Allah, the most Praised, the most Exalted, created a name [Attribute] without using alphabets, without articulating anything, through Himself without taking a body, through similitude without description, through color without paint, areas do not apply to him, nor do limits.

Obstructed He is from the senses of anyone who has senses, veiled without a curtain; so, He made it a perfect word on four parts together; none of them stands before the other. He manifested three due to the need of His creatures for them, obstructing the other, which is the treasured one, the one implied by all these three which are manifest.

The manifest ones are: Allah, Tabarak [Blessed], and Subhan [Praised]. For each of these Attributes there are four corners. Then He created for each corner thirty noun verbs relevant to them. So, He is the most merciful One, the mercy giving, the King, the Holy, the Creator,

The One Who initiates creation, the One Who fashions, the ever-Living, the One Who Sustains; neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him, and He is the all-Knowledgeable, the all-Hearing, the al-Seeing, the most Exalted, the most Great, the most Proud, the most Sublime, the most Capable, the most Able, the Peace, the one Who grants security,

Who overwhelms, Whose work is most magnificent, the most Sublime, the most Great, the most Generous, the One Who sustains, Who brings life back to the dead and death to the living, Who gathers all for account, Who inherits everything.

These Attributes plus the Most Beautiful Attributes [al-Asmaa al-Husna] make up 360 Attributes. They all branched out of the three above stated Attributes. These three Attributes are cornerstones and definitions for the one Hidden Name treasures in the three:

“Say: Call upon Allah, or call upon the Rahman: By whatever name you call upon Him, (it is well:) For the most beautiful names belong to Him” (Qur’an, 17:10).

It is one of the most precious traditions despite its brevity. It is brief when it explains the truth about names, how some names appear through others or remain hidden, on how names multiply, how the specific names multiply according to the general ones, how the creation are in dire need for them; it is their inherent need for them, their standing through them. Yet this order, this descending, is something real, not just linguistic.

When he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny, says, “Allah created a Name…, etc.,” he intends by so saying to be specific, to take the first descending step away from absolution where ever name and shape, everything, obliterates, and it is the only source in which we found where “creation” is applied in a stage of names, and it is meant what you have already come to know.

He testifies that he, peace be with him, counted the Name of the Creator at the end of the tradition among the branch names.

It also becomes clear from it that what is meant by the One Hidden Name is the status of His Unity, for He is hidden through these three Names: Allah, Tabarak and Subhan which carry the identity, beauty and greatness, for the creation need them to confirm their own selves, their attributes, their deeds, they need to refer to these three directions of identity, of the attributes of confirmation, and of the negative attributes as well.

But if the creation are observed with relevance to the status of His Unity, it then implies the height of their status with regard to what is witnessed, to what is evident, as is quite clear. He, peace be with him, started his statement about Him, Praise to Him, with these three Names, too, saying, “Allah, tabaraka wa taala,” Allah, the most Blessed, the most Exalted, then he, peace be with him, explained the verse saying,

“Say: Call upon Allah, or call upon the Rahman: By whatever name you call upon Him, (it is well:) For the most beautiful names belong to Him” (Qur’an, 17:10)

through what he had mentioned of the hiding of the One Name through the three Names and the branching of the rest of Names from the three that are hidden.

It is obvious that the portion of the verse saying “the most beautiful names belong to Him” is on account of this treasured hidden Name. that is, it is due to Him, Praise to Him, since He is identified by such Unity; the supplication is one’s own intention towards someone, and it cannot be except to a specified one.

The most Praised One has explained that all the most Beautiful Names belong to Him; whenever He is called upon by any of them, the call implies all the Names which they identify, and the One called upon is the Self, since calling Him by any of these Names stands on His Self, and the “self” has no relevance except through some specifying, and what is specified in the aspect of supplication is pre-supposed.

Nothing, then, remains except the essence of absolution which is the status of His Unity: to Him do those who march end after treading the states of the Names, and at Him is the end of the journey. To this does he, peace be with him, refer in some of his supplications when he says, “It is through your treasured hidden Name, they Living, the self-subsisting.”

If you contemplate on what has been said, you will be able to derive other meanings from this sacred tradition, and surely, Allah is the One Who guides.

Fifth Research

You have come to know that His Self, Praise be to Him, is the true “identity” because of which anything that can be seen is identified. Hence, the three Names used for address, speech and the absent person, that is, “You, I and He”, are fixed for Him, the most Exalted One, Names for identification on account any address and speech cannot be free from them; the most Praised One has said,

“There is no god but You: Glory to You: I was truly wrong!” (Qur’an, 21:87).

And the most Exalted One has also said,

“There is no god but I; therefore worship and serve Me. (Qur’an, 21:25)”

and

“Allah! There is no God but He” (Qur’an, 2:255)

and

“You do we worship, and Your aid do we seek” (Qur’an, 1:5).

And the most Exalted One has also said,

“… and to Him you will return” (Qur’an, 2:245).

As for the demonstrative and relative pronouns, these come in the absolute sense:

“That is Allah, your Lord!” (Qur’an, 6:102),

“Allah! There is no God but He the Living, the Self- Subsisting, the Eternal” (Qur'an, 2:255)

and

“Or Who listens to the distressed (soul) when it calls upon Him, and Who relieves its suffering, and makes you (mankind) inheritors of the earth?” (Qur'an, 27:62).

Sixth Research

It is quite often said that Allah’s “most beautiful Names” stop one in his tracks (forcing him to contemplate on them). This has been taken for granted. What is meant by the “Name” here is not its own reality derived by some description for the lack of reference to a meaning derived. Rather, what is meant by the Name articulated as the name of a fact.

What is meant, then, by such stopping is to obtain a legislated or personal permission; hence, the basis can be seen in two ways: One of them is that the meaning of what is articulated by one who articulates it is what we all understand, for these articulations are not free of shortcomings or absolution, though they are different in these directions, too, such as temptation, treachery, trickery, misleading, and like large, bulky, and the like.

We our minds do not suffice to conceive what is suitable for His Holy Self, for Himself, for distinguishing him from what is not suitable. Hence, a need rises for special “charms”, for a “license”, and due to our intellects being too weak to explain and detail in every source. It is for these reasons that every [such] Name is sued [only] for Him, the most Exalted One.

The other is that it is so, but only when applying the principle when the most Exalted One says,

“The most beautiful names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them, but shun such men as use profanity in His names, for what they do, they will soon be requited” (Qur'an, 7:180).

Suffices in the process of learning to warn against applying the absolute in what does not suit His Holy field according to the understood meanings of words circulated in our languages.
These are two different aspects according to the calculation of the result.

According to the first, it is not permissible to use the name in the absolute unless the Shari’a permits it even if we know it is free of shortcoming and absolution.

Based upon the second, this cannot be permitted whether it specifically is included in the Shari’a or not.

Apparently, the goal of most of those who uphold this principle is the first meaning, which is the explanation of the verse saying,

“The most beautiful names belong to Allah” (Qur'an, 7:180),

the verse saying,

“Allah! There is no god but He! The most beautiful names belong to Him” (Qur'an, 20:8),

the verse saying, “Say:

“Call upon Allah, or call upon the Rahman: By whatever name you call upon Him, (it is well:) For the Most Beautiful Names belong to Him” (Qur’an, 17:110)

and other verses the citing of which defies an in-depth mental comprehension; rather, their outer meaning blames our species, addressing all. It thus requires contemplation. Any Name which is better than all others belongs to Him, the most Exalted One.

Understanding it has already passed in the previous chapters although the requirement of citing obligates one to stop and contemplate on every meaning articulated either about Him, the most Exalted One, in the most general sense, rather than in the specific individual sense, in attributing a Name to him, or in describing Him, or in speaking generally, or in making a full statement…

As regarding narratives saying that there are ninety-nine Names for Allah, as we have already cited, these cannot be counted. A testimony to this fact is that the Names included in them are, according to two narratives, are different from each other, and many of the Names in existence in the Qur'an are not included in them.

This, too, is attested by another narrative in Al-Kafi in reference to creating the previously cited Names which prove that among Allah’s Most Beautiful Names are three hundred and sixty. Rather, the evident meaning of the narrative is that these Names are not restricted to what connotes naming, such as “Al-Rahman, Al-Raheem, Al-Malik, etc.”

Instead, this includes the statements which in their totality connote meanings about the most Exalted One. These are counted among these Names such as: “Tabarak”, “Subhan”, “no slumber overtakes Him nor sleep”, etc.

If it is right to count such statements among the most Beautiful Names, it will be appropriate to likewise include among these Names all statements in reference to Him, the most Praised One, whether in narratives, sermons, admonishments or supplications.

These, despite their various sources, no researcher will dispute using them in the absolute as being restrictive to a particular limitation whatsoever. Rather, what obligates in their sources is their being free of shortcomings and imperfections.

Chapter 5

You have come to know that the Names exist as perfect facts, that they branch out from each other. Apparently, a name from which another name originates is of a broader circle, a greater in status, weightier. This sequence and ascendance to eternity does not reach what all names reach: the greatest of all Names to which all effects in existence end.

Chapter 6

Reports from authentic statements and supplications made by them, peace be upon them, are consecutively reported regarding the existence of the Greatest Name (Al-Ism al-Aazam). These, despite their being numerous, do not need to be cited in this brief paragraph.

What is important, though, is to explain something else, which is: If you contemplate on narratives and supplications and the evidence in them about the existence of the Greatest Name, you will come to know that it is the Name from which every imagined effect originates, be it creation or annihilation, beginning or repetition, sustaining, bringing life or causing death, resurrecting and gathering, assembling or separating, etc.

As a whole, it is every transformation or partial alteration, or a total one. It is obvious that these effects are not dependent on a pronounced name, a heard sound, a casual one, one that is articulated by the mouth. Rather, they come from the side of meaning. In such a sense, too, it is not effective since it is an imaginary mental picture.

For example, it by necessity is similar to a pronouncement: it disappears in the outside world. Whatever causes this effect influences its own existence.

It is impossible to enter such an existence in any mentality, for the Name that is inscribed is only a true external name, and it is the Self-identified by a description, one of the levels of describing the Holy One. Yes, it is the loftiest of all of them, the highest. Such is the meaning of “Allah’s Greatest Name” to which many statements refer.

In Al-Basaair, through the isnad of Ammar al-Sabati, the latter said, “I said to the father of Abdullah (peace be with him), ‘May I be your sacrifice, could you please tell me about Allah’s Greatest name?’ He said, ‘You are not strong enough for it.’

But when I kept insisting, the Imam put his hand on the ground. I looked and saw the house turning around with me. I was tremendously shaken, and I almost perished. The Imam, peace be with him, smiled, so I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for your sake, enough! I do not want to!’”

Also in Al-Basaair, a similar incident involved Umar ibn Hanzalah and Imam Jaafar (al- Sadiq), peace be with him. It is also narrated in Al-Basaair through isnad to Jabir from Abu Jaafar, peace be with him, saying, “Allah’s Greatest Name falls into seventy-three letters.

Aasif [ibn Barkhia, scribe of Prophet Sulayman, Solomon] had one letter of them. He pronounced it, causing the earth to shrink between him and the throne of Bilqees [Queen of Sheba], so he held the throne by his hand, then the earth returned as it had been during less than the twinkling of an eye.

We [Ahl al-Bayt] have of the Name seventy-two letters, and one remains with Allah Who preferred to keep it among the knowledge of the unknown [to humans and other beings]; so, there is no power nor might except in Allah, the most Sublime, the most Great.”

In Al-Basaair, too, through isnad to al-Barqi, rendering it to Abu Abdullah, peace be with him, saying, “Allah made His Greatest Name in seventy-three letters of which He gave Adam twenty-five, Ibrahim [Abraham] eight, Moses four and Jesus two whereby he used to bring life back to the dead and heal the dumb and the leprous.

And He gave Muhammad seventy-two letters, veiling one letter so nobody could come to know what He hides while He knows what is in the inner self of all creation.”

Having come to know that the human self becomes distinct in one of the stages of the self and nothing remains then except that stage. One you know that, you will also come to know the meaning of these narratives. Had there been in reality a pronouncement, it would have been on par with all pronounced supplications in as far as answering the plea is concerned.

From here, it becomes evident that the letters referred to in the narrative is not an alphabetical letter, and it is absolutely so, for veiling will then be meaningless. This is supported by the narrative stating that the letters of the Greatest Name are scattered throughout the Qur'an, and the imam gathers them and uses them to supplicate for what is good.

In Al-Uyoon as well as in al-Ayyashi’s Tafsir, “Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Raheem” (in the Name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful) is closer to Allah’s Greatest Name than one’s whiteness of the eye to the rest. Thus, it becomes evident from the meaning provided by the Imams from among Ahl al-Bayt that they, peace be upon them, knew Allah’s Greatest Name, that they themselves are Allah’s Greatest Name.

This becomes evident from the previously cited narration in Al-Kafi. If you remember that narrative and the narratives of the veils, you will come to know that veiling the Greatest Name and keeping it in the knowledge of the unknown is due to its lack of specifying; no hands can reach it except with regard to annihilation and creation.

The domain will then belong to Allah. Perhaps this is meant by the one letters being monopolized, and Allah knows best.

Statements now conclude; praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace be upon Muhammad and all his Progeny.

Completed during the last ten days of the month of Muharram of 361 A.H.