of Nokounam, (Session 1710)
The Holy Quran, like an infinite ocean, encompasses divine knowledge and manifests the Asm al-usn as brilliant gems within its verses. These names, reflecting the attributes of Divine perfection, serve as a guide to comprehend the exalted Essence of the Truth and to lead humanity towards knowledge and proximity to Him. The present treatise, by delving profoundly into the Quranic verses and contemplating the meanings of the Divine Names, seeks to elucidate the dimensions of these attributes through the prism of Quranic wisdom and authentic narrations. Its objective is to open a clear path towards understanding the Divine Reality and avoiding epistemological deviations. This work, with a coherent structure, examines the application of the Asm al-usn, their distinction from imperfect human attributes, and their role in guidance and cognition, illuminating the path of spiritual elevation like a shining lamp.
The Asm al-usn reflect the perfections of the Essence of the Exalted Creator like mirrors. These Names, introduced in the Holy Quran with unparalleled grandeur, constitute a universal invitation to knowledge and proximity to the Divine Essence. A noble verse revealing this truth is as follows:
قُلِ ادْعُوا اللَّهَ أَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمَنَ أَيًّا مَا تَدْعُوا فَلَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى
Say: Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful; whichever name you call upon, to Him belong the best names.
This verse, with the phrase أَيًّا مَا تَدْعُوا (whichever you call), emphasises the unrestricted invitation towards the Truth. Such universality opens the door to calling God by any attribute of perfection. Attributes such as knowledge and power, which in humans appear as incomplete good qualities, are elevated in the Divine Essence to the utmost degree due to necessity and universality. Human knowledge is like a limited drop, whereas Divine knowledge resembles a boundless oceanmost excellent and complete. Human power is accompanied by limitation and deficiency, but Divine power, by essential necessity, is at the pinnacle of perfection.
Key point: The universal application of the Asm al-usn in the verse Say: Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful indicates the believers freedom to invoke God by any attribute of perfection, provided that such an attribute is free from human deficiencies.
This universality not only negates any restriction on the Names but also invites the recognition of God through the attributes of perfection. Religious knowledge must impart this truth to students and believers to avoid limited or anthropomorphic interpretations that taint Divine attributes with human imperfections.
The Asm al-usn, like stars in the firmament of knowledge, guide the believers towards the Truth. The noble verse, inviting to call upon God by every attribute of perfection, confirms the universality of these Names and rejects any limitation upon them. This section, by clarifying the concept of universality, paves the way for a deeper understanding of Divine attributes.
The invitation to the Asm al-usn is not merely a path towards nearness but also a barrier against deviation and misinterpretation of Divine attributes. The Holy Quran, by forbidding wrongful distortion of the Names, guides the believers towards pure cognition:
وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا وَذَرُوا الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ
And for Allah are the best names, so call upon Him by them and leave those who distort His names.
Deviation in the Names implies a departure from the true meaning of these attributes by ascribing to the Divine Essence incomplete human connotations. This verse, as a firm safeguard, requires believers to invoke God solely by the attributes of perfection and to avoid anthropomorphic analogies. All Divine Names, due to their connection with the Necessary Being, are supreme and none is superior to another, since all are united in the absolute perfection of the Divine Essence.
Key point: Deviation in the Divine Names results from ignorance of the attributes of perfection. The invitation to call upon God by the Asm al-usn serves as a path to avoid deviation and attain pure knowledge.
Religious knowledge must elucidate this truth to prevent epistemological deviations and to guide believers towards a profound understanding of Divine attributes. Such education is akin to a seed planted in the hearts of believers, growing into a robust tree of knowledge and piety.
The prohibition of deviation in Divine Names is an invitation to pure, undefiled cognition. This section, by emphasising the necessity of invoking God by attributes of perfection, clarifies the path to avoid epistemological deviation and stresses the role of religious knowledge in this regard.
The renowned narration that God has ninety-nine Names although mentioned in traditional sources, does not imply exclusivity. The Holy Quran and narrations introduce Divine Names beyond this number:
وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا
And for Allah are the best names, so call upon Him by them.
This verse, referring to the Asm al-usn, does not specify any limitation on the number of Names. The narration of ninety-nine names points to particular, manifest Names, not an exhaustive limit. Examination of the Quranic verses indicates more than 110 to 120 explicit Names mentioned. Additionally, various narrations, with different arrangements, enumerate non-repetitive Names beyond this count. This diversity, like the branches of a fruitful tree, demonstrates the comprehensiveness of Divine Names.
Key point: The narration of ninety-nine Names is not restrictive; the Divine Names, by virtue of Quranic universality, surpass any particular number.
Religious
