Topics and Rules Concerning the Names and Attributes Under This Section
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The Shaykh : There are studies in this section.
First: What does a name indicate? We say: Every name among the names of Allah indicates two things: the Sacred Essence, and the attribute from which it is derived. So the word "Allah" indicates the Lord (Mighty and Majestic) and the attribute from which it is derived, which is divinity (al-uluhiyyah).
"Al-Rahman" indicates the Essence of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and the attribute from which it is derived, which is mercy. This is a rule: Every name among the names of Allah indicates two things: first, the Essence, and second, the attribute from which the name is derived. If you wish, you may call it the description from which this name is derived. Does it indicate more than that? The answer is: Yes. It may indicate more than one attribute by necessity, not by inclusion. An example of this is His saying (Blessed and Exalted is He):[Al-Hashr 59:24] "Al-Khaliq" (The Creator) indicates the Essence of Allah, and His description as the Creator, and it indicates His knowledge and His power.
How does it indicate His knowledge and His power, when it contains neither knowledge nor power? We say: Because the necessary consequence of creation is knowledge and power, for with ignorance, one cannot create, and with inability, one cannot create. So every name among the names of Allah includes two things: first, the Essence, and second, the description from which that name is derived. Then it may indicate a second, third, or fourth attribute through necessity.
Second: All the names of Allah are the Most Beautiful. For this reason, Allah said:[Al-Isra 17:110]. "Al-Husna" (The Most Beautiful) is a superlative noun; its masculine counterpart is "Ahsan." One says "a man is Ahsan" and "a woman is Husna." Here it is said "Al-Husna," making the description feminine, because "names" is a plural, and a plural is described with the feminine, except for the plural of rational beings, which is described according to what the meaning requires: if it is a sound masculine plural for males, or a sound feminine plural for females. As for non-rational beings, they are pluralized and described with the feminine plural. Therefore, all the names of Allah the Exalted are the Most Beautiful. "Al-Husna" means that which contains the most perfect forms of beauty; they are the Most Beautiful, with no deficiency in any way. It is understood from this rule that there is no name among the names of Allah that carries two meanings: a beautiful meaning and an unbeautiful meaning. Pay attention to this: All the names of Allah must be the Most Beautiful, meaning they reach the peak of beauty. It is not possible for a name to carry two meanings, a beautiful one and an unbeautiful one. For this reason, "Al-Mutakallim" (The Speaker) is not among the names of Allah, nor is "Al-Murid" (The Willer), even though He is a Speaker and a Willer. The scholars said: Because "Al-Mutakallim" is one in whom speech resides, and speech may be good or bad. The same applies to will. Therefore, it is not correct to call Allah (Mighty and Majestic) "Al-Mutakallim," nor to call Him "Al-Murid." But He is described as a Speaker and as a Willer, because the domain of reporting (khabar) is broader than the domain of naming (insha'). Naming is an act of creation; it creates a name for the thing you wish to name. But reporting is merely a report, not an act of creation. Therefore, they said: Reporting is broader than naming. One may report about a thing without the thing being named by that report, such as "Al-Mutakallim." In that case, we can divide what is attributed to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) into four categories:
What includes the perfection of beauty: this is among His names. And what is beautiful from one aspect but not from another: this is reported about Him, but He is not named by it.
And what is praiseworthy in one state but not in another: this is used to describe Him in the state in which it is praiseworthy, but He is not named by it absolutely. For example, "Makr" (stratagem), "Khad'" (deception), "Istihza'" (mockery), and "Kayd" (scheming). These are descriptions that, if mentioned in contrast to one who is dealt with by these descriptions, become praiseworthy descriptions, and Allah is described with them; otherwise, they are not. For example, "Makr": Allah described Himself as one who employs stratagem, but the description is restricted to those against whom He employs it. He said:[Al-Anfal 8:30]. So it is not correct to say: "Allah is a schemer." This is the difference between this and our saying: "Allah is a Speaker," because it is permissible to say: "Allah is a Speaker" absolutely. But it is not permissible to say: "Allah is a schemer" unless you restrict it to those against whom He schemes, because stratagem is not praise except where it is in contrast to another stratagem, so that it becomes clear that the power of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is stronger than the power of that schemer. Similarly, we say regarding deception: [An-Nisa 4:142]. So it is not correct to describe Allah as a deceiver or one who deceives absolutely. Say: "He deceives those who deceive Him. You deceive Allah, and He deceives them." Similarly, "Al-Mustahzi'" (The Mocking One): it is not correct to say this absolutely, but rather we say: "One who mocks those who are mocked." And similarly, "Kayd" (scheming): We say: "Allah does not scheme against anyone except those who scheme against Him" [At-Tariq 86:15-16].
The fourth category: What is not correct to attribute to Allah absolutely, which is what includes absolute deficiency. This is not correct to attribute to Allah absolutely, such as "Al-Khain" (The Traitor), refuge with Allah. It is not possible to describe Allah with this absolutely. And the saying of the common people: "Allah betrays those who betray," is a grave error and a mistake. For this reason, when Allah mentioned the betrayal of His enemies, He did not mention His betrayal of them. He said:[Al-Anfal 8:71], and He did not say "He betrayed them." But regarding deception, He said: [An-Nisa 4:142].
So if someone asks: What is the difference between betrayal and deception? We say: The difference between them is apparent. Betrayal is that you betray the trust of one who trusted you. Deception is that you deceive one who deceives you. And the difference between them becomes clear by example. It is said that war is deception, and armed robbery is in contrast to one who wants to deceive you. If you deceive him, this is praise. But betrayal: you cannot betray one who trusted you. If you betray him, you have done something that discredits you, because the one who trusted you does not intend harm to you, unlike the warrior. For this reason, it is forbidden for us if one of the disbelievers seeks our safety; it is forbidden for us to betray his trust, rather it is obligatory for us to protect him. It is mentioned that 'Ali ibn Abi Talib intended to duel 'Amr ibn Wad. You know what a duel is: when the two lines meet for war, the brave men in both groups request that some of them come out to face each other. The benefit of a duel is that if one kills the other, this becomes a source of strength and encouragement for the companions of the killer, and a cause of defeat for the companions of the one killed. For this reason, they used this in war. When 'Amr ibn Wad came out to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), he called out to him and said: "I did not come out to duel two men." Is this true or not? He did not come out to duel two men, so 'Amr ibn Wad thought that another man had caught up with him to follow him. So he turned around, and 'Ali struck him until he severed his head from his body. This is deception, but is it permissible deception or not? Because 'Amr ibn Wad came out to kill 'Ali, so he deceived him. This deception is considered praise and commendation. So these hypocrites who deceive Allah, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) deceived them. This deception is considered praise. But betrayal is not praise, because betrayal is deception in the place of trust, and this is blame, so it is not permissible for Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
First: What does a name indicate? We say: Every name among the names of Allah indicates two things: the Sacred Essence, and the attribute from which it is derived. So the word "Allah" indicates the Lord (Mighty and Majestic) and the attribute from which it is derived, which is divinity (al-uluhiyyah).
"Al-Rahman" indicates the Essence of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and the attribute from which it is derived, which is mercy. This is a rule: Every name among the names of Allah indicates two things: first, the Essence, and second, the attribute from which the name is derived. If you wish, you may call it the description from which this name is derived. Does it indicate more than that? The answer is: Yes. It may indicate more than one attribute by necessity, not by inclusion. An example of this is His saying (Blessed and Exalted is He):
He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor
هو الله الخالق البارئHow does it indicate His knowledge and His power, when it contains neither knowledge nor power? We say: Because the necessary consequence of creation is knowledge and power, for with ignorance, one cannot create, and with inability, one cannot create. So every name among the names of Allah includes two things: first, the Essence, and second, the description from which that name is derived. Then it may indicate a second, third, or fourth attribute through necessity.
Second: All the names of Allah are the Most Beautiful. For this reason, Allah said:
to Him belong the best names
فله الأسماء الحسنىWhat includes the perfection of beauty: this is among His names. And what is beautiful from one aspect but not from another: this is reported about Him, but He is not named by it.
And what is praiseworthy in one state but not in another: this is used to describe Him in the state in which it is praiseworthy, but He is not named by it absolutely. For example, "Makr" (stratagem), "Khad'" (deception), "Istihza'" (mockery), and "Kayd" (scheming). These are descriptions that, if mentioned in contrast to one who is dealt with by these descriptions, become praiseworthy descriptions, and Allah is described with them; otherwise, they are not. For example, "Makr": Allah described Himself as one who employs stratagem, but the description is restricted to those against whom He employs it. He said:
But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners.
ويمكرون ويمكر الله والله خير الماكرين[think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them
يخادعون الله وهو خادعهم(15) Indeed, they are planning a plan, (16) But I am planning a plan.
إنهم يكيدون كيدا وأكيد كيداThe fourth category: What is not correct to attribute to Allah absolutely, which is what includes absolute deficiency. This is not correct to attribute to Allah absolutely, such as "Al-Khain" (The Traitor), refuge with Allah. It is not possible to describe Allah with this absolutely. And the saying of the common people: "Allah betrays those who betray," is a grave error and a mistake. For this reason, when Allah mentioned the betrayal of His enemies, He did not mention His betrayal of them. He said:
then they have already betrayed Allah before, and He empowered [you] over them
ذلك بأنهم خانوا الله من قبل فأمكن منهم[think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them
يخادعون الله وهو خادعهمSo if someone asks: What is the difference between betrayal and deception? We say: The difference between them is apparent. Betrayal is that you betray the trust of one who trusted you. Deception is that you deceive one who deceives you. And the difference between them becomes clear by example. It is said that war is deception, and armed robbery is in contrast to one who wants to deceive you. If you deceive him, this is praise. But betrayal: you cannot betray one who trusted you. If you betray him, you have done something that discredits you, because the one who trusted you does not intend harm to you, unlike the warrior. For this reason, it is forbidden for us if one of the disbelievers seeks our safety; it is forbidden for us to betray his trust, rather it is obligatory for us to protect him. It is mentioned that 'Ali ibn Abi Talib intended to duel 'Amr ibn Wad. You know what a duel is: when the two lines meet for war, the brave men in both groups request that some of them come out to face each other. The benefit of a duel is that if one kills the other, this becomes a source of strength and encouragement for the companions of the killer, and a cause of defeat for the companions of the one killed. For this reason, they used this in war. When 'Amr ibn Wad came out to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), he called out to him and said: "I did not come out to duel two men." Is this true or not? He did not come out to duel two men, so 'Amr ibn Wad thought that another man had caught up with him to follow him. So he turned around, and 'Ali struck him until he severed his head from his body. This is deception, but is it permissible deception or not? Because 'Amr ibn Wad came out to kill 'Ali, so he deceived him. This deception is considered praise and commendation. So these hypocrites who deceive Allah, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) deceived them. This deception is considered praise. But betrayal is not praise, because betrayal is deception in the place of trust, and this is blame, so it is not permissible for Allah (Mighty and Majestic).