✨Knowing Allah through His Names and Attributes
The foundation, origin and basis of belief is the knowledge of Allah Mighty and Sublime through knowing His Names and Attributes.
What a great station, honorable standing and a high rank when the created knows His Creator, His Lord, His Master, His Protector. So he recognizes His greatness, majesty, beauty and pride. And he learns His most Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes in light of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ.
And the Book of Allah the Exalted has numerous verses inviting to know Allah, His Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes. And an explanation of the beneficial effects of this knowledge and the sound conclusion and the good results. Allah said:
Al Araf (7) 180: And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing.
And Allah says:
Al Isra (17) 110: Say, “Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful [ar-Raḥmān]. Whichever [name] you call – to Him belong the best names.”
Rather, there are clear verses in the Noble Quran calling to learn the Names and Attributes and to know them, and to know Allah Most High. There are almost 30 verses in the Noble Quran calling to learn the Names and Attributes of Allah. Allah says:
Al Baqarah (2) 209: Then know that Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Also Allah said:
Al Maedah (5) 98: Know that Allah is severe in penalty and that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
And Allah said:
Al Baqarah (2) 267: And know that Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.
Indeed knowing Allah the Exalted and knowing His Most Beautiful Names and Great Attributes is an honorable door of knowledge. It has a profound effect on those who nurture and understand it. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
Indeed Allah has ninety-nine Names, one hundred less one, whoever retains them shall enter Paradise. [Bukhari 2736, Muslim 2677b]
Ponder on this great impact and the good conclusion of the one who retains 99 names from the Names of Allah. He is destined- Allah willing – to enter paradise.
Retaining the Names of Allah in this hadith does not mean to memorize their words only without knowing their meanings and implications and without fulfilling their requirements and obligations. Rather what is required in retaining is to learn the meanings of the Names of Allah with memorization, understanding and fulfilling their requirements. Therefore, there are three ranks: memorizing, understanding the meanings and performing the act of servitude specific to each Name.
And that means that there is no Name from the Names of Allah the Exalted and Majestic except that it has a particular act of servitude. And it is from the requirements of the knowledge of that Name. Rather many names have multiple acts of servitude. So how great it is to strive in the knowledge of Allah and the knowledge of His Names and Attributes as mentioned in His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ.
Let us consider some examples. Allah the Exalted says:
As Shuraa (42) 11: There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
In this great verse the Almighty informed about Himself that He is the Hearing, the Seeing. And these two great names came in many verses. So if someone knows that the Hearing is one of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah the Exalted, then they should know the Great Attribute indicated by this Great Name. Namely, that Allah the Mighty is Hearing of all sounds and hears all sounds high and low. And there is no sound that is hidden from Him the Exalted.
Rather if all the people from the time of Adam to our current time to all future generations all stood in one plain and asked Allah the Exalted at the same instant, each one making their own specific request, in different languages and different dialects, Allah the Exalted would hear all the distinct voices without one voice interfering with another voice, or one request interfering with another request or one language interfering with another language.
And this is indicated in the Hadith Qudsi in which Allah said:
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to stand in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what they requested that would not diminish My dominion at all. [Muslim 2577a]
A companion had a disagreement with her husband and went to the Prophet’s ﷺhouse seeking his opinion, pleading her case and directing her complaint to Allah. She was talking in such a low tone that Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who was in the house at the time said: I could hear some of her words and some I could not hear. The woman barely finished pleading her case and Allah’s words were revealed:
Al Mujadilah (58) 1: Certainly has Allah heard the statement of the one who argues [i.e., pleads] with you, [O Muḥammad], concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allah. And Allah hears your dialogue; indeed, Allah is Hearing and Seeing.
Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: How perfect is the One Whose Hearing encompasses all sounds.
If someone believes that Allah the Exalted hears their voice, hears their words, how does it suit them that their Lord – Blessed and Exalted be He – hears speech from them that is not befitting, inappropriate or false? Why do they not instead busy their tongues with the remembrance of Allah, reciting a verse, praising Him, glorifying Him and Exalting Him? Then He the Exalted would only hear from them decent speech and beneficial words. Why do they not safeguard their tongue and monitor their words? Do they not realize that Allah the Exalted hears their words, sees their situation and knows their condition?
Likewise, if someone believes that Allah Almighty sees and that one of His names is the Seeing, then they should believe in the attribute indicated by this name. And that Allah Almighty is Seeing of all. He the Exalted sees everything. He sees all the creation and all the beings. Above seven heavens He sees the black ant crawling on the dull rock in the darkness of the night. He the Exalted sees the blood flowing in the ant’s veins. And He the Almighty sees each of the ants parts. He the Almighty sees that from above seven heavens. And if a person was near to this ant in its state and description, they would not see it. So how great is the sight of Allah the Exalted!
So if someone believes that Allah sees them, are they not ashamed from Allah that He sees them living in His grace, bestowal and dominion, and then they commit sins, disobedience and misdeeds? Do they not know that Allah sees them and nothing is hidden from him?
And likewise with the rest of Allah’s Most Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes. It is necessary for us be aware of them with understanding and reflection. And after that establish their rights and requirements from being mindful of Allah and fearing and venerating Him and turning to Him and desiring to obey Him. And some of the righteous predecessors said: Whoever is more knowledgeable of Allah fears Him more. And aspires more to obey Him and is farther away from sin. And this meaning is in the Quran. Allah said:
Fatir (35) 28: Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge.
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: That is the knowledgeable that Allah is over all things competent.
So if one learns this great knowledge, knows Allah’s Names and the ability of Allah, it would greatly impact their life. For it has countless benefits, impacts and fruits that cannot be counted or enumerated.
Oh Muslims: It was narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim that:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent a man on a campaign, and he used to lead his companions in prayer and conclude his recitation with Surah Al Ikhlas. And he used to do this in every rakah (unit) of every prayer. When they returned, they told the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about that. He said: “Ask him why he did that.” So they asked him and he said: “Because it is a description of the Most Merciful, and I love the Most Merciful.” So they returned to the Prophet ﷺand informed him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Tell him that your love of Him admitted you into paradise.” And in another narration: “ Tell him that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, loves him.” [Bukhari 7375, Muslim 813]
Love of the names of Allah and His lofty attributes admits into Paradise because this love stirs the hearts to turn to Allah Almighty, to fulfill the servitude to Him, to realize the obedience of Him and to avoid His prohibitions.
We Ask Allah Almighty to enlighten us with the His Most Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes and illuminate our hearts with Iman (faith) and fill our balances with righteous deeds. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering.
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