the Lectures of , (Session 1649)
The Holy Quran, like a profound ocean, encompasses endless meanings and truths, each of the Divine Names and Attributes serving as a radiant gem guiding the servants towards knowledge and perfection. This treatise, reflecting upon the exalted concepts of Rabb (Lord), Qahhr (All-Subduer), Qhir (Subduer), Allhu Akbar (God is Greatest), and Ilm (Knowledge), endeavours with clear and steadfast language to unveil some subtleties of these Names and their impacts on human spiritual life. This examination, relying on the verses of the Holy Quran and traditions, seeks to provide a profound and coherent understanding of these concepts and to facilitate a better comprehension of the Divine Reality.
The concept of Rabb in the Holy Quran, like a shining sun, manifests a tangible and pervasive presence across all realms of creation. Rabb signifies the Lord and master of the realm of action, whose authority and perceptible presence are evident even in the most inanimate beings, such as stones. This Name, due to its immediate actuality and manifestation, is closer and more tangible to humans than Ilh. Ilh is the general object of worship and a transcendent reality whose comprehension and refuge require profound knowledge and infinite sincerity. Human beings, due to their existential limitations, seek refuge in Rabb, because this Name, like a kind mother, is accessible and near.
Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind, The King of mankind, The God of mankind.
This verse beautifully delineates this distinction by beginning with Rabb, emphasising the tangibility of this Name. Seeking refuge in Rabb is easier for humans, because His authority and presence are comprehensible everywhere, even in a stone. However, Ilh, like a lofty summit, is accessible only to the friends of God who seek refuge in it with knowledge and sincerity. This differentiation indicates Divine wisdom in the arrangement of the Names, moving from the tangible towards the transcendent.
The Divine Names Qahhr and Qhir in the Holy Quran, like two sides of the same coin, display different manifestations of Divine authority. Qahhr is an attribute signifying Gods absolute and independent omnipotence, never accompanied by any other Name, standing alone like a mighty, unmatched mountain. Conversely, Qhir is like a merciful breeze, coupled with wisdom and protection, casting a shadow over His servants.
He is God, the One, the All-Subduer.
This verse introduces Qahhr as a majestic attribute that never coexists with other Names. Yet, in the chapter Al-Anm, Qhir is mentioned alongside mercy and guardianship:
He is the Subduer over His servants, and He sends guardians over you.
Qhir here is accompanied by the sending of Huff (guardians), signifying Divine mercy and care for all creatures, from disbelievers to believers. These guardians act as Divine soldiers protecting every particle of creation. This guardianship is so comprehensive that even a single raindrop is accompanied by an angel, as if God has appointed a legion of guardians for each entity.
Utilising these Names, like a medicinal yet potent remedy, demands caution. Just as excessive consumption of medicine harms the stomach, misuse of Divine Names may lead a person to spiritual turmoil. Qahhr is not employed for repelling enemies or foes, since His might is so immense it could annihilate both sides of a conflict. However, Qhir, accompanied by mercy and wisdom, is more suitable for seeking refuge and repelling evil.
The phrase Allhu Akbar does not appear explicitly in the Holy Quran, because this expression, like an unattainable summit, is exempt from any comparison or diminution. Akbar is a comparative attribute requiring a reference, yet God is so exalted that He cannot be compared to anything. According to a narration from Imam diq (peace be upon him), Allhu Akbar means: God is greater than can be described. This meaning, like a breeze that lifts the veils of ignorance, absolves God from any limitation or human definition.
The pleasure from God is greater.
This verse in Srah At-Tawbah indirectly conveys the concept, regarding Gods pleasure as greater than the blessings of Paradise. However, Allhu Akbar is not explicitly mentioned, as such a notion is overwhelming for the human mind. Uttering Allhu Akbar without an object is like casting a stone towards the infinite sky without imagining its destination. This phrase in the Takbrat al-Irm (the opening declaration in prayer), combined with intention, acts as a key for entering Divine knowledge.
Takbrat al-Irm, like a luminous gate, ushers the human being into the domain of alh (prayer). This Takbr, coupled with purity and intention, constitutes the three foundational elements of entering prayer. Without these three, alh is not realised, as if these elements form the three pillars of a tent, stabilising the edifice of worship. Takbrat al-Irm is a vessel of cognition that guides the person from the material world towards the spiritual realm.
And magnify your Lord.
This verse from Srah Al-Muddaththir beautifully conveys this concept, presenting Takbr as glorification of the Lord. Takbrat al-Irm, like a golden key, opens the doors of worship and directs the human towards Divine knowledge and nearness. From another perspective, alh resembles a natural and spiritual exercise harmonising body and soul. Unlike strenuous professional exercises which sometimes harm the body, this exercise, with a gentle and coordinated rhythm, ensures bodily and spiritual health.
Ilm (knowledge) in the Holy Quran is like a light dispelling the darkness of ignorance and paving the way for righteous deeds and piety. Without knowledge, action leads to ignorance, and piety, like a plant in barren soil, cannot take root. Knowledge creates space for the exercise of piety and guides humanity towards perfection.
Know that there is no deity except God.
This verse from Srah Muhammad clearly introduces knowledge as the foundation of monotheism. Religious knowledge is like a key unlocking the doors of understanding, leading humans to righteous action. However, knowledge without action is like a lamp that is extinguished and cannot illuminate the path. Religious knowledge, if not accompanied by action, does not lead to piety and becomes void of its essence.
The concepts of Rabb, Qahhr, Qhir, Allhu Akbar, and Ilm in the Holy Quran are like stars in the sky of knowledge, guiding humanity towards Divine truth. Rabb, with His authority and tangible presence, invites humans to seek refuge. Qahhr and Qhir manifest Divine majesty and beauty and call for precise understanding in employing the Names. Allhu Akbar, like a cry from the souls depth, affirms Gods transcendence beyond any description or comparison. Takbrat al-Irm is the gateway to the realm of worship, and Ilm is the light enabling piety and righteous action. These concepts, linked like an interconnected chain, reveal Divine wisdom in human guidance and the order of creation, emphasising the necessity of accurate knowledge of Divine Names and Attributes.
