of Nokounam, (Session 1709)
The Holy Qur'an, like a shining light in the firmament of knowledge, serves as humanitys guide towards absolute truth. Among its luminous gems are the concepts of the Transcendent and the Divine Names (Asm Allh), which manifest the essence and attributes of God before the eyes of the believers. This writing endeavours, through reflection upon the verses related to these two concepts, to present the profound meanings of these verses in a clear, dignified, coherent, and scholarly manner. The focus of this study lies in the analysis of verses from Surahs Al-Isra, Ta-Ha, Al-Hashr, Al-Araf, and other chapters that elucidate the concept of the Transcendent, the Most Beautiful Names (Asm al-usn), and the distinction between the Divine Names and the impure names. The aim is not only to attain a precise understanding of these verses but also to link them to divine knowledge and its role in guidance and nearness to the Almighty Truth.
The concept of the Transcendent in the Holy Qur'an stands like a lofty summit, sanctifying the Divine Essence from any imperfection, polytheism, or likening to creatures. This concept, which appears in numerous verses with phrases such as Subnah wa-Tal and Fa-Tal Allh, emphasises the intrinsic reality of God that transcends all human description and imagination. This section, through the examination of relevant verses, explicates this concept and its place within divine knowledge.
The Holy Qur'an, in several verses, describes God with the attribute Transcendent and purifies Him from all that creatures attribute to Him. These verses, like a clear mirror, reflect the truth of the Divine Essence and negate any defect or resemblance to creatures within His sacred domain.
Subnah wa-Tal amm yaifn
He is pure and exalted above what they describe. (Surah Al-Anm: 100)
Fa-Tal Allh al-Malik al-aqq amm yushrikn
So exalted is God, the Sovereign, the Truth, above what they associate with Him. (Surah Al-Muminn: 92)
Wa-l yaqlna ulwan kabran
And they do not utter an excessive boastful word. (Surah Al-Isr: 43)
These verses, like blazing torches, purify the Divine Essence from all forms of polytheism, idolatry, and false descriptions. The concept of Transcendence, whether in the verbal form (tal) or nominal form (mutalin), is a positive existential container that indicates the external reality of God. In these verses, the attributes Subn and Tal are introduced as positive attributes that not only remove imperfections from the Divine Essence but also manifest His existential reality as an objective truth, not imaginary or mental. According to the Holy Qur'an, God is not only free from what the polytheists assert, but also beyond any mistaken descriptions that the human mind might attribute to Him.
One of the epistemological difficulties in understanding divine attributes lies in distinguishing between positive (thubt) and negative (salb) attributes. Positive attributes, such as life and knowledge, refer directly to the reality of the Divine Essence but are often more difficult for the human intellect to grasp due to their depth and gravity. Conversely, negative attributes, such as free from impurity or not dead, are easier to comprehend because they refer to tangible imperfections. For instance, when it is said that God is pure (hir), the mind readily understands the concept of freedom from impurity, yet understanding the reality of pure as a positive attribute requires deeper contemplation. This challenge accentuates the necessity to focus on positive attributes in the teaching of divine knowledge, so as to avoid fanciful or anthropomorphic interpretations.
The concept of the Transcendent in the Holy Qur'an, like a precious gate, sanctifies the Divine Essence from any defect or likening. The related verses, emphasising positive attributes such as Subn and Tal, present God as an objective reality rather than an imaginary entity. This concept negates polytheism and idolatry while guiding believers towards a deeper knowledge of the Divine Essence. Teaching these concepts in scholarly domains requires attention to the distinction between positive and negative attributes to prevent epistemological deviations.
The Most Beautiful Names (Asm al-usn), like a treasury of the noble attributes of God, are introduced in the Holy Qur'an as means of supplication and approach towards the Divine. This section, through examination of related verses, elucidates the status of these Names and their role in the knowledge and guidance of the believers.
The Holy Qur'an, in several verses, invites the believers to invoke God by the Most Beautiful Names and introduces them as noble Divine attributes. These verses, like clear springs, display the truth of the Divine Essence.
Qul id Allha aw id ar-Ramn ayy m tad falahu al-asmu al-usn
Say: Call upon God or call upon the Merciful; whichever you call upon, to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. (Surah Al-Isr: 110)
Allhu l ilha ill huwa lahu al-asmu al-usn
Godthere is no deity except Him; to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. (Surah Th: 8)
Huwa Allhu alladh l ilha ill huwa al-Malik al-Qudds as-Salm... lahu al-asmu al-usn
He is God; there is no deity except Him, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Source of Peace... to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. (Surah Al-ashr: 22-24)
Wa-lillhi al-asmu al-usn fa-udhu bih wa-dhar alladhna yulidna f asmihi
And to God belong the Most Beautiful Names, so invoke Him by them and leave those who practise deviation concerning His Names. (Surah Al-Arf: 180)
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