WEBVTT

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Summary of the concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah.

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The meaning of divinity and the name Allah.

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The letters hamza, lam, and ha.

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"Ilah" is a single root indicating worship.

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And "ilah" means the one worshipped.

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Meaning the one worshipped, whom creation worships and adores.

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And the name Allah is derived, according to many scholars,

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from "ilah," with the definite article "al-" prefixed.

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So the hamza was dropped, like "anas" (people).

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When "al-" was prefixed to it,

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the hamza was dropped, and the word became

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"al-nas." So Allah, Glorified is He, is the one worshipped,

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meaning the one uniquely deserving of worship.

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It has also been said that the name Allah is a proper noun, not derived.

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However, the more likely view is its derivation from "ilah," as we previously mentioned,

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due to its indication of the attributes of divinity.

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Meaning the attributes of the one worthy of worship.

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And the name Allah is the comprehensive name encompassing all the Beautiful Names.

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This is why all the Beautiful Names are attributed to Him.

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As Allah, the Exalted, said:

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"And to Allah belong the most beautiful names."

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And He is not attributed to them.

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We do not say:

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"The Merciful, the Compassionate, the Pure,"

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and so on, from the Beautiful Names of Allah, the Exalted.

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Nor do we say:

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"Allah is from the names of the Merciful, for example,"

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"or from the names of the Almighty."

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So it is known that the name Allah necessitates all the Beautiful Names and their meanings,

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and indicates them in a general sense.

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The Beautiful Names are a detailed explanation and clarification of the divine attributes

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from which the name Allah is derived.

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The difference between the names:

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Allah, the Lord, and the Merciful.

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The names of Allah, the Lord, and the Merciful

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all refer to the Divine Being uniquely deserving of worship and absolute obedience.

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These are names to which the rule applies:

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"When they are separate, they are united."

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"And when they are united, they are separate."

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Meaning, if these names are mentioned separately,

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and each name is mentioned individually, apart from the others,

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then it indicates and encompasses the meaning of the other two names.

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However, if the names are mentioned together in discourse, or two of them are mentioned together,

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and they are mentioned in one place,

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then the names become distinct in their meanings,

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and each name is specialized with an independent and intended meaning.

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So the name Allah is specific to the Divine Being, the one worshipped and adored,

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whom servants must unify in their actions.

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Therefore, the attributes of majesty, beauty, and greatness are most specific to this glorious name.

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And the name "Rabb" (Lord) refers to the Owner, the Controller,

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the Capable, the Creator, the Sustainer,

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the Giver of life, the Causer of death.

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Therefore, most of the attributes of action specific to the Lord

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are most specific to this name, the Wise.

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And the name "Ar-Rahman" (the Merciful) is most closely associated with the attributes of benevolence, generosity, and kindness,

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and affection, and favor, and compassion,

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and all that implies mercy.

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The Greatest Name of Allah.

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It is narrated in a hadith that the Greatest Name of Allah, if invoked with it, He responds,

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and if asked with it, He gives.

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Narrated by Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi.

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There are several opinions regarding its specific identity.

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Perhaps the most likely are two opinions.

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First, that this Greatest Name is "Allah."

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It is the greatest and most comprehensive of names.

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And no one else besides Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has taken this name.

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Therefore, it is not dualized or pluralized.

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And it is one interpretation of Allah's saying:

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"Do you know of a namesake for Him?"

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Meaning, do you know of anyone who is named "Allah"?

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It is the name of the true Divine Being,

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encompassing all attributes of divinity,

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described with the characteristics of Lordship,

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the true unique one,

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"There is no god but He."

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This opinion is supported by several factors:

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Among them is that it is mentioned in the hadith referring to

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the one who invokes Him and his prayer is answered.

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The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, heard

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one of the Companions say:

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"O Allah, I ask You by my bearing witness

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that You are Allah,

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“And (mention) Dhu'n-Nun, when he went off in anger and deemed that We had no power over him, but he cried out in the darkness, saying: There is no Allah save Thee. Be Thou Glorified! Lo! I have been a wrong-doer.” (21:87)

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the One, the Self-Sufficient Master,

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who has not begotten, nor was begotten,

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“And there is none comparable unto Him.” (112:4)

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So the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

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"He has asked Allah by His Greatest Name,

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which if He is asked by it, He gives,

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and if He is invoked by it, He answers."

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Narrated by Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi.

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Among them is its frequent mention in the Noble Qur'an.

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It has been mentioned 2724 times.

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Among them is the attribution of all the Beautiful Names to Him,

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and not the reverse.

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They function with the name Allah as attributes do.

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So we say, among the attributes of Allah:

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The All-Knowing,

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the Wise,

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the Almighty,

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and so on.

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And we do not say, among the attributes of the All-Knowing:

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"Allah."

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And among them is that Allah, the Exalted,

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introduced Himself to Moses, peace be upon him, with this name.

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Allah, the Exalted, said:

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“And I have chosen thee, so hearken unto that which is inspired.” (20:13)

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“Lo! I, even I, am Allah, There is no Allah save Me. So serve Me and establish worship for My remembrance.” (20:14)

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"So worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance."

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And similarly, He introduced Himself, Glorified is He, to His servants

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in the greatest verse of His Book,

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which is the Verse of the Throne (Ayat al-Kursi),

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beginning with this name.

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So Allah, the Exalted, said:

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"Allah! There is no god but He,

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the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all."

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And among them:

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Allah is frequently invoked with the word

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"O Allah" (Allahumma).

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And its meaning is

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"O Allah."

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For this reason, the word

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"O Allah" (Allahumma)

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is only used in supplication.

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One does not say:

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"O Allah, Forgiver, Merciful."

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Rather, one says:

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"O Allah, forgive me and have mercy on me."

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So it is the name by which He is frequently invoked,

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and by which He is frequently asked.

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Thus, it is fitting that the Prophet's saying, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, applies to it:

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"If He is asked by it, He gives,"

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"and if He is invoked by it, He answers."

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The second opinion:

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That all of Allah's names are beautiful,

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and each one of them is great.

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However, the Greatest Name among them

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is any singular name, or one combined with others,

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if it indicates all of Allah's inherent and active attributes,

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or if it indicates the meanings of all the divine attributes.

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Such as:

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"Allah,"

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because it encompasses all the meanings of divinity.

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"Al-Hamid" (the Praiseworthy) and "Al-Majid" (the Glorious).

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For "Al-Hamid" indicates all praises and perfections due to Allah, the Exalted.

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And "Al-Majid" indicates the descriptions of greatness and majesty.

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And close to this also are the names:

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"Al-Jalil" (the Majestic),

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"Al-Jamil" (the Beautiful),

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"Al-Ghani" (the Rich),

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"Al-Karim" (the Generous).

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And "Al-Ghani Al-Hamid" (the Rich, the Praiseworthy),

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and "Al-Hayy Al-Qayyum" (the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all).

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For "Al-Hayy" indicates the one who possesses complete and immense life,

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encompassing all inherent attributes.

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And "Al-Qayyum" indicates His self-sufficiency,

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His independence from all His creation,

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and the sustenance of all existents by Him, Glorified is He.

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Thus, all active attributes are included within it.

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And like the saying:

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"O Possessor of Majesty and Honor."

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For "Al-Jalil" indicates the attributes of greatness, might, and various perfections.

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And "Al-Ikram" indicates His worthiness, Glorified is He,

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of the utmost love from His servants,

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and their utmost humility towards Him.

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So the summary of this opinion is:

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that the Greatest Name

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is every generic name that indicates all of Allah's inherent and active attributes,

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Glorified is He.

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From the effects of the Tawhid of Uluhiyyah (Oneness of Divinity).

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The Tawhid of Uluhiyyah has great effects on the believing servant and his heart,

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the most important of which are:

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First:

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Loving Allah with immense love,

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which takes precedence over the love of self, family, and children,

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and all beloved things in this world and the hereafter.

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Because Allah, the one worshipped and adored,

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is the sole Bestower and Granter of all these beloved things.

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He is the origin and source of all love.

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This necessitates loving Him with the greatest love,

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and loving those whom He loves and what He loves,

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and hating those whom He hates and what He hates,

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and loyalty and enmity for His sake.

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Through this, one tastes the sweetness of faith,

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as the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

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"Three qualities, if present in a person, he will find the sweetness of faith:

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that Allah and His Messenger be dearer to him than anything else;

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that he loves a person and loves him only for the sake of Allah;

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and that he hates to return to disbelief

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after Allah has saved him from it, as much as he hates to be thrown into the Fire."

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Agreed upon.

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Second:

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Exalting Allah, the Mighty and Majestic,

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and dedicating worship to Him alone,

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including prayer, fasting, sacrifice, vows, supplication,

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and other acts of worship of the heart.

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For all acts of worship are not permissible to direct

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except to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.

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Third:

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Honor through affiliation with Him and reliance upon Him,

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and the absence of fear and awe of creation and attachment to them.

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Thus, the believer derives honor and seeks refuge

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except by Allah the Almighty.

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and no one should rely except on Him alone,

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as Allah the Exalted says:

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“And trust thou in the Living One Who dieth not, and hymn His praise. He sufficeth as the Knower of His bondmen's sins,” (25:58)

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Fourth,

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the tranquility and companionship of the heart with Allah, Mighty and Majestic.

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Allah the Exalted says:

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“Who have believed and whose hearts have rest in the remembrance of Allah. Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest!” (13:28)

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Fifth,

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since the term for Allah,

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Allah,

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necessitates all of His other names and attributes,

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then every effect of Allah's names and attributes

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is but an effect of this Great Name.

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And from its implications,

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Sixth,

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singling out Allah the Exalted for judgment and arbitration,

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as Allah the Exalted says:

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“Shall I seek other than Allah for judge, when He it is Who hath revealed unto you (this) Scripture, fully explained? Those unto whom We gave the Scripture (aforetime) know that it is revealed from thy Lord in truth. So be not thou (O Muhammad) of the waverers.” (6:114)

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The essence of the concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah.