Isms of Allah-azwj is only for Allah-azwj

Summary:

We only know Allah^-azwj the way, He^-azwj Introduces Himself^-azwj, i.e., ‘Raheem’, ‘Kareem’, ‘Hakeem’, ‘Baseer’, at other places, Allah^-azwj also Mentions His^-azwj ‘Ism’ (name) in the form of a noun, i.e., ‘Rahman’, ‘Jabbar’, ‘Kahhar’, in all these names, His^-azwj qualities are praised and reflected.  However, He^-azwj has Names (Isms), which refer to His-Self^-azwj e.g., as ‘Howa’, ‘Allah’ – the Names which are exclusively for His-Self^-azwj and are Forbidden for other than Him^-azwj.

قَالَ ع‏ ثُمَّ قَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ:يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنِي مَا مَعْنَى‏ «بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ» فَقَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع: حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ أَخِيهِ، عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَامَ إِلَيْهِ- فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ‏ بِسْمِ «اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ» مَا مَعْنَاهُ فَقَالَ ع: إِنَّ قَوْلَكَ: «اللَّهِ» أَعْظَمُ الْأَسْمَاءِ^[1] مِنْ أَسْمَاءِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى- وَ هُوَ الِاسْمُ الَّذِي لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَتَسَمَّى بِهِ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ، وَ لَمْ‏ يَتَسَمَ‏ بِهِ‏ مَخْلُوقٌ‏.

Imam^-asws (Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir^-asws) replied, when one person said, ‘O son of the messenger of Allah^-azwj, inform me what is the meaning of ‘بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم’ ‘In the Name of Allah^-azwj the Beneficent the Merciful?’ (Imam) Ali^-asws bin Al-Husayn^‑asws said: ‘My father^-asws narrated to me from his brother^-asws, who from the Commander of the Faithful^-asws that a man stood up and asked, ‘O Commander of the Faithful^-asws, inform me about ‘In the Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful, what is the meaning of it?’  He^-asws replied: ‘The Word ‘Allah’ is the Greatest of the Names of Allah^-azwj and it is a Name which is not for anyone other than Allah^‑azwj, and cannot be for any of the creatures.’^[2]

In another Hadith, Amir Al-Momineen^-asws explains:

فَقَالَ ع وَ أَمَّا قَوْلُهُ‏ هَلْ تَعْلَمُ لَهُ سَمِيًّا فَإِنَّ تَأْوِيلَهُ هَلْ تَعْلَمُ لَهُ أَحَداً اسْمُهُ اللَّهُ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى فَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُفَسِّرَ الْقُرْآنَ بِرَأْيِكَ حَتَّى‏ تَفْقَهَهُ عَنِ الْعُلَمَاءِ

He^-asws said: ‘And as for His^-azwj Words: Do you know for Him a (similar) Name? [19:65]. Its interpretation is, ‘Do you know of anyone whose name is ‘Allah’ apart from Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted?’ Therefore, beware of interpreting the Quran by your opinions until you understanding it from the Scholars^-asws!

فَإِنَّهُ رُبَّ تَنْزِيلٍ يُشْبِهُ بِكَلَامِ الْبَشَرِ وَ هُوَ كَلَامُ اللَّهِ وَ تَأْوِيلُهُ لَا يُشْبِهُ كَلَامَ الْبَشَرِ كَمَا لَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ يُشْبِهُهُ كَذَلِكَ لَا يُشْبِهُ فِعْلُهُ تَعَالَى شَيْئاً مِنْ أَفْعَالِ الْبَشَرِ وَ لَا يُشْبِهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنْ كَلَامِهِ بِكَلَامِ الْبَشَرِ

Sometimes the Revelation resembles with speech of the ‘الْبَشَرِ’ people, but it is Speech of Allah^-azwj, and its interpretation does not resemble speech of the people, just as there isn’t anything from His^-azwj creation resembling Him^-azwj, like nothing from Actions of the Exalted resembles actions of the people, nor does anything from His^-azwj Speech resembles with speech of the people. (An extract)[3]

How to recognise Allah^-azwj? There are several Ahadith, for example, Imam Al-Sadiq^‑asws has explained:

قَالَ الْإِمَامُ ع‏ وَ هُوَ مَا قَالَ رَجُلٌ لِلصَّادِقِ ع: يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ دُلَّنِي عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا هُوَ فَقَدْ أَكْثَرَ الْمُجَادِلُونَ عَلَيَّ وَ حَيَّرُونِي. فَقَالَ [لَهُ‏]: يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ هَلْ رَكِبْتَ سَفِينَةً قَطُّ قَالَ: بَلَى.

The Imam^-asws said: ‘And it is what a man said to Al-Sadiq^-asws, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww, point me to Allah^-azwj. What is He^-azwj? The disputers have frequented upon me and confused me’. So, he^-asws said to him: ‘O Abdullah! Have you ever sailed a ship at all?’ He said, ‘Yes’.

فَقَالَ: هَلْ كُسِرَتْ بِكَ- حَيْثُ لَا سَفِينَةَ تُنْجِيكَ وَ لَا سِبَاحَةَ تُغْنِيكَ‏ قَالَ: بَلَى.

So, he^-asws said: ‘Has it ever capsized with you where there was neither a (another) ship to rescue you nor could swimming (to the shore) have availed you?’ He said, ‘Yes’.

قَالَ: فَهَلْ تَعَلَّقَ قَلْبُكَ هُنَالِكَ- أَنَّ شَيْئاً مِنَ الْأَشْيَاءِ قَادِرٌ عَلَى أَنْ يُخَلِّصَكَ مِنْ وَرْطَتِكَ قَالَ: بَلَى.

He^-asws said: ‘So did your heart feel during that state that there is something from the things which is able upon finishing you off from your predicament?’ He said, ‘Yes’.

قَالَ الصَّادِقُ ع: فَذَلِكَ الشَّيْ‏ءُ هُوَ اللَّهُ- الْقَادِرُ عَلَى الْإِنْجَاءِ حِينَ لَا مُنْجِيَ، وَ عَلَى الْإِغَاثَةِ حِينَ لَا مُغِيثَ‏.

Al-Sadiq^-asws said: ‘So that is the thing. He^-azwj is Allah^-azwj, the One^-azwj Able upon the rescuing where there is no rescuer, and upon Helping where there is no helper’.[4]

Introduction:

We can never understand our Creator, Allah^-azwj, those who try to describe Allah^-azwj through analogies or through their own interpretation of Holy Verse and Ahadith, claiming to have solved the mysteries of the hidden and esoteric knowledge, end up falling more into the unchartered waters of the dark oceans.

The speech of Allah^-azwj (Holy Verses) is not like the speech of Human beings, as Amir ul-Momineen Ali^-asws Ibn Abi Talib^-asws explained to a man:

الزِّنْدِيقِ الْمُدَّعِي لِلتَّنَاقُضِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‏ إِيَّاكَ‏ أَنْ‏ تُفَسِّرَ الْقُرْآنَ‏ بِرَأْيِكَ‏ حَتَّى‏ تَفْقَهَهُ‏ عَنِ‏ الْعُلَمَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ رُبَّ تَنْزِيلٍ يُشْبِهُ بِكَلَامِ الْبَشَرِ وَ هُوَ كَلَامُ اللَّهِ وَ تَأْوِيلُهُ لَا يُشْبِهُ كَلَامَ الْبَشَرِ كَمَا لَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ يُشْبِهُهُ

 ‘(In a reply to) a heretic claiming contradiction in the Quran, Amir Al-Momineen Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws said to him: ‘Beware of interpreting the Quran by your opinion until you understand it from the knowledgeable ones^‑asws, for it is such that the Lord^-azwj Revealed it in a Speech of the humans, and it is the Speech of Allah^-azwj. And its explanation cannot be resembled with the speech of the humans just as there isn’t anything from His^-azwj creatures resembling Him^-azwj (an extract).^[5]

‘Similarly, interpretation by opinion is Absolutely Forbidden, as there is no leeway for people to interpret the Holy Verses as per their opinion and understandings (Tafseer Bil Ra’yi) but to seek the meanings of the Quran as well as Ahadith through the Ahadith:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الرَّيَّانِ بْنِ الصَّلْتِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضَا عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ آبَائِهِ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ‏ مَا آمَنَ‏ بِي‏ مَنْ‏ فَسَّرَ بِرَأْيِهِ‏ كَلَامِي‏ وَ مَا عَرَفَنِي مَنْ شَبَّهَنِي بِخَلْقِي وَ مَا عَلَى دِينِي مَنِ اسْتَعْمَلَ الْقِيَاسَ فِي دَيْنِي.

Muhammad Bin Musa Bin Al Mutawakkal, from Ali Bin Ibrahim Ibn Hashim, from his father, from Al Rayan Bin Al Salt, from;

Ali^-asws Bin Musa Al-Reza^-asws, from his^-asws forefathers^-asws, from Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, who says: ‘Allah^-azwj Said: “He has not believed in Me^-azwj, the one who interprets My^-azwj Speech by his opinion, and he has not recognised Me^‑azwj the one who resembles Me^-azwj with My^-azwj creatures, and he is not upon My^-azwj Religion, the one who utilises the analogy in My^-azwj Religion”’.^[6]

Also, Quranic Verses cannot be interpreted through other Quranic Verses but through Ahadith, e.g.,

عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ قَالَ أَبِي ع‏ مَا ضَرَبَ‏ رَجُلٌ‏ الْقُرْآنَ‏ بَعْضَهُ‏ بِبَعْضٍ‏ إِلَّا كَفَرَ.

From Al Qasim Bin Suleyman,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘My^-asws father^-asws said: ‘A man will not strike the Quran, part of it with a part (explaining one Verse by the other), except he has disbelieved’’.[7]

Ghulat’s Interpretation of the ‘أسمائه الحسنى’ (Beautiful Names) of Allah^-azwj’s:

Some of Allah^-azwj‘s names, in the meanings of His^-azwj qualities (adjective) are also used by His^-azwj creation but in different meanings. Imam Ali Al-Reza^-asws says: Allah^-azwj has given some of His^-azwj names to His^-azwj creation so that they understand His^-azwj Commands, but the meanings of these names are different.  The meaning of the same ‘Ism’ is different for Him^‑azwj as compared to the ones which are applied to His^‑azwj servants, even though the ‘Ism’ is the same. (Full text of the Hadith is given in Appendix I).

Imam Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza^-asws says:

فَلَمَّا رَأَى‏ ذَلِكَ‏ مِنْ‏ أَسْمَائِهِ‏ الْغَالُونَ‏ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ‏ وَ قَدْ سَمِعُونَا نُحَدِّثُ عَنِ اللَّهِ أَنَّهُ لَا شَيْ‏ءَ مِثْلُهُ وَ لَا شَيْ‏ءَ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ فِي حَالِهِ قَالُوا أَخْبِرُونَا إِذْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُ لَا مِثْلَ لِلَّهِ وَ لَا شِبْهَ لَهُ كَيْفَ شَارَكْتُمُوهُ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ الْحُسْنَى فَتَسَمَّيْتُمْ بِجَمِيعِهَا فَإِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ دَلِيلًا عَلَى أَنَّكُمْ مِثْلُهُ فِي حَالاتِهِ كُلِّهَا أَوْ فِي بَعْضِهَا دُونَ بَعْضٍ إِذْ قَدْ جَمَعَتْكُمُ الْأَسْمَاءُ

So, when ‘الغالون’ (Ghulat – the exaggerators) as well as the beliers saw that from His^-azwj Names, and they had heard us^-asws narrating about Allah^-azwj that there is nothing like Him^‑azwj, and there is nothing from the creation in His^-azwj State, they said, ‘Inform us, when you^-asws claim that there is no example for Allah^-azwj, nor is there any resemblance for Him^‑azwj.

Then how come you^-asws participate (share) in His^-azwj ‘أسمائه الحسنى’ (Beautiful Names), so you^‑asws were called by all of them (أسمائه الحسنى)? Surely, in that there is evidence that you^-asws are like Him^-azwj in all of His^-azwj states or in some of them without the others (أسمائه الحسنى), since^-asws good names are gathered for you^-asws.

الطَّيِّبَةُ قِيلَ لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَلْزَمَ الْعِبَادَ أَسْمَاءً مِنْ أَسْمَائِهِ عَلَى اخْتِلَافِ الْمَعَانِي وَ ذَلِكَ كَمَا يَجْمَعُ الِاسْمُ الْوَاحِدُ مَعْنَيَيْنِ مُخْتَلِفَيْنِ وَ الدَّلِيلُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ قَوْلُ النَّاسِ الْجَائِزُ عِنْدَهُمُ السَّائِغُ وَ هُوَ الَّذِي خَاطَبَ اللَّه‏ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِ الْخَلْقَ فَكَلَّمَهُمْ بِمَا يَعْقِلُونَ لِيَكُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ حُجَّةً فِي تَضْيِيعِ مَا ضَيَّعُوا

(Imam^-asws says): It would be said to them, ‘Allah^-azwj the Blessed and Exalted, Necessitated the servants with having names from His^-azwj upon different meanings, and that is just as one gathers the one name having different meanings, and the evidence upon that are the common words of the people allowed with them, and it is which Allah^-azwj Addressed the creatures with. So, He^-azwj Spoke to them with what they are speaking with in order for it to become an argument upon them regarding the wastage of what they are wasting.

وَ قَدْ يُقَالُ لِلرَّجُلِ كَلْبٌ وَ حِمَارٌ وَ ثَوْرٌ وَ سُكَّرَةٌ وَ عَلْقَمَةٌ وَ أَسَدٌ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى خِلَافِهِ لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ تَقَعِ الْأَسْمَاءُ عَلَى مَعَانِيهَا الَّتِي كَانَتْ بُنِيَتْ عَلَيْهَا لِأَنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَيْسَ بِأَسَدٍ وَ لَا كَلْبٍ فَافْهَمْ ذَلِكَ رَحِمَكَ اللَّه‏ ُ وَ إِنَّمَا تَسَمَّى اللَّهُ بِالْعَالِمِ لِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ حَادِثٍ عَلِمَ بِهِ الْأَشْيَاءَ وَ اسْتَعَانَ بِهِ عَلَى حِفْظِ مَا يُسْتَقْبَلُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ وَ الرَّوِيَّةِ فِيمَا يَخْلُقُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَ يُفْنِيهِ مِمَّا مَضَى مِمَّا أَفْنَى مِنْ خَلْقِهِ مِمَّا لَوْ لَمْ يَحْضُرْهُ ذَلِكَ الْعِلْمُ وَ يَغِيبُهُ كَانَ جَاهِلًا ضَعِيفاً كَمَا أَنَّا رَأَيْنَا عُلَمَاءَ الْخَلْقِ

So, it is said for the man, (he is) a dog, and a donkey, and a bull, and sweet, and bitter, and a lion. All of that is upon different to him and his state. The Name does not fall upon its meaning which it had been built upon, because the human being is neither a lion, nor a dog. Therefore understand that, may Allah^-azwj have Mercy on you, and rather Allah^-azwj the Exalted has been Named with the knowledge without any new knowledge He^-azwj learns being assisted by the things upon the preservation of what is to be in the future from His^-azwj Commands and the process regarding what He^-azwj Creates from His^-azwj creatures, and Spoils from what is past from what perishes from His^-azwj creatures, from what if that knowledge was not present and was absent, He^-azwj would have been ignorant, weak, just as us, when we see the knowledgeable ones of the people.

إِنَّمَا سُمُّوا بِالْعِلْمِ لِعِلْمٍ حَادِثٍ إِذْ كَانُوا قَبْلَهُ جَهَلَةً وَ رُبَّمَا فَارَقَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بِالْأَشْيَاءِ فَصَارُوا إِلَى الْجَهْلِ وَ إِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ اللَّهُ عَالِماً لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَجْهَلُ شَيْئاً فَقَدْ جَمَعَ الْخَالِقَ وَ الْمَخْلُوقَ اسْمُ الْعِلْمِ وَ اخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى عَلَى مَا رَأَيْتَ

But rather, they have been named with the knowledge due to the newly occurring knowledge, when they used to be ignorant beforehand. Sometimes the knowledge separates from them and they return back to be ignorance. But rather, Allah^-azwj is Named as a Knower because He^-azwj is not ignorant of anything. So, the Creator and the Created are gathered upon the name ‘العلم’ ‘Knower’, but the meaning is difference upon what you can see. (An extract, see the complete Hadith in Appendix I).^[8]

Ghulat, is discussed in detail elsewhere,  Ghulu-Ghali (Fabrication) and Taqseer-Muqassir (Ignorance) | Hubeali.com

The meanings of the Names of Allah^-azwj Stay the Same:

شي، تفسير العياشي عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ خُرَّزَادَ قَالَ: كَتَبْتُ إِلَى الصَّادِقِ ع أَسْأَلُ عَنْ مَعْنَى اللَّهِ فَقَالَ اسْتَوْلَى عَلَى مَا دَقَّ وَ جَلَ‏.

Tafseer Al Ayyashi – from Al-Hassan Bin Khurrazad who said,

‘I wrote to Al-Sadiq^-asws asking about meaning of ‘Allah’. He^-asws said: ‘In Charge of what is intricate (infinitesimal) and majestic (large)’’.[9]

ابن إدريس، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن عبد الجبار، عن صفوان بن يحيى، عن فضيل بن عثمان، عن ابن أبي يعفور قال: سألت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام عن قول الله عزوجل ” هو الاول والآخر ” وقلت: أما الاول فقد عرفناه، وأما الآخر فبين لنا تفسيره،

Ibn Idrees, from his father, from Muhammad Bin Abdul Jabbar, from Safwan Bin Yahya, from Fazeyl Bin Usman, from Ibn Abu Yafour who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: ‘هو الاول والآخر’ He is the First, and the Last[10], and I said, ‘As for ‘the First’, so we recognise it, and as for ‘the Last’, so, clarify its interpretation for us’.

فقال: إنه ليس شئ إلا يبيد أو يتغير، أو يدخله التغير والزوال، أو ينتقل من لون إلى لون، ومن هيئة إلى هيئة، ومن صفة إلى صفة، ومن زيادة إلى نقصان، ومن نقصان إلى زيادة إلا رب العالمين فإنه لم يزل ولا يزال واحدا، هو الاول قبل كل شئ، وهو الآخر على ما لم يزل

So, he^-asws said: ‘There is nothing except that it perishes, or changes, or there enters into it the change and the decline, or transfers from a colour to a colour, and from a form to a form, and from an attribute to an attribute, and from an increase to a decrease, and from a decrease to an increase, except for the Lord^-azwj of the worlds. So, He^-azwj has never ceased to be or will cease to be in one state. He^-azwj was first before everything and He^-azwj would be Last for as long as eternity.

لا تختلف عليه الصفات والاسماء كما تختلف على غيره مثل الانسان الذي يكون ترابا مرة، ومرة لحما، ومرة دما، ومرة رفاتا ورميما، وكالتمر الذي يكون مرة بلحا، ومرة بسرا، ومرة رطبا، ومرة تمرا فيتبدل عليه الاسماء والصفات والله عزوجل بخلاف ذلك

The attributes and the Names are not different upon Him^-azwj just as they would be upon others (His^-azwj Creation), like the human being who happened to be dust one time, and flesh and blood at one time, and one time would be decaying and bones, and like the date which happens to be raw, and one time ripe, and one time mature, and one time dried up. Thus, the names and the attributes change upon it but Allah^-azwj Majestic and Mighty is opposite to that’’.^[11]

Someone being called merciful (Rahim) is not the same when Allah^-azwj is Called Rahim:

‏ قَالَ الْإِمَامُ ع الرَّحْمَنُ الْعَاطِفُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ بِالرِّزْقِ لَا يَقْطَعُ عَنْهُمْ مَوَادَّ رِزْقِهِ وَ إِنِ انْقَطَعُوا عَنْ إِطَاعَتِهِ الرَّحِيمُ بِعِبَادِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَخْفِيفِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ طَاعَاتِهِ وَ بِعِبَادِهِ الْكَافِرِينَ فِي الرِّزْقِ لَهُمْ وَ فِي دُعَائِهِمْ إِلَى مُوَافَقَتِهِ وَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع رَحِيمٌ بِعِبَادِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ أَنَّهُ خَلَقَ مِائَةَ رَحْمَةٍ جَعَلَ مِنْهَا رَحْمَةً وَاحِدَةً فِي الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمْ فَبِهَا يَتَرَاحَمُ النَّاسَ وَ تَرْحَمُ الْوَالِدَةُ وَلَدَهَا وَ تَحْنُو الْأُمَّهَاتِ مِنَ الْحَيَوَانَاتِ عَلَى أَوْلَادِهَا

The Imam^-asws said: ‘And as for the Words of Allah^-azwj The Merciful [1:3] – Amir-Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘He^-azwj is Merciful to His^-azwj Momin servants. And from His^-azwj Mercy He^-azwj Created a hundred Mercies and He^-azwj Allocated one of it to all of the creatures, and from that people are merciful towards each other, and the mother is merciful to her child, and the mothers of the animals are merciful to their young ones.’

فَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ أَضَافَ هَذِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ الْوَاحِدَةَ إِلَى تِسْعٍ وَ تِسْعِينَ رَحْمَةً فَيَرْحَمُ بِهَا أُمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ ص ثُمَ‏ يُشَفِّعُهُمْ‏ فِيمَنْ‏ يُحِبُّونَ‏ لَهُ‏ الشَّفَاعَةَ مِنْ‏ أَهْلِ‏ الْمِلَّةِ تَمَامَ‏ الْخَبَرِ.

So, when it will be the Day of Judgement, He^-azwj will Increase this One Mercy to the other ninety-nine parts and be Merciful by it upon the community of Muhammad^-saww and will Accept the intercession for those that they love to intercede with to the extent that one will come to a Momin from the Shias and will be saying, ‘Intercede for me’’.^[12]

Self (Essence) of Allah^-azwj:

Thinking, describing or talking about the Essence (Self) of Allah^-azwj is strictly forbidden, to the extent that one may lose his faith by doing so.

‏ وَ مَنْ فَكَّرَ فِي ذَاتِ‏ اللَّهِ‏ تَزَنْدَقَ

Amir ul-Momineen^-asws says in the Sermon of Oneness of Allah^-azwj: And whoever thinks about ‘ذَاتِ‏ اللَّهِ’ the Essence of Allah^-azwj becomes faithless.[13]

In a Hadith on Touheed, Imam^-asws says:

فَإِنْ قَالُوا أَ وَ لَيْسَ قَدْ نَصِفُهُ فَنَقُولُ هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ الْجَوَادُ الْكَرِيمُ قِيلَ لَهُمْ كُلُّ هَذِهِ صِفَاتُ إِقْرَارٍ وَ لَيْسَتْ صِفَاتِ إِحَاطَةٍ فَإِنَّا نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ حَكِيمٌ وَ لَا نَعْلَمُ بِكُنْهِ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ‏ وَ كَذَلِكَ قَدِيرٌ وَ جَوَادٌ وَ سَائِرُ صِفَاتِهِ كَمَا قَدْ نَرَى السَّمَاءَ وَ لَا نَدْرِي مَا جَوْهَرُهَا وَ نَرَى الْبَحْرَ وَ لَا نَدْرِي أَيْنَ مُنْتَهَاهُ ،

If they say, ‘Or haven’t we described Him^-azwj, and we are saying, ‘He^-azwj is the Mighty, the Wise, the Generous, the Honourable?’ It would be said to them: ‘All these are the descriptions of acceptance, and they aren’t description of encompassing, for we know that He^-azwj is Wise, but we do not know with that essence of His^-azwj from it. And like that is, Able, and Generous, and the rest of His^-azwj Attributes, just as we see the sky and we do not see its essence, and we see the ocean but do not know where its end is. (An extract).[14]

In another Hadith;

 فَإِذَا نَظَرَ إِلَى الْكِتَابَةِ ظَهَرَ لَهُ مَا خَفِيَ وَ لَطُفَ فَمَتَى تَفَكَّرَ الْعَبْدُ فِي مائية [مَاهِيَّةِ] الْبَارِئِ وَ كَيْفِيَّتِهِ أَلِهَ فِيهِ وَ تَحَيَّرَ وَ لَمْ تُحِطْ فِكْرَتُهُ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ يَتَصَوَّرُ لَهُ لِأَنَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ خَالِقُ الصُّوَرِ فَإِذَا نَظَرَ إِلَى خَلْقِهِ ثَبَتَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ خَالِقُهُمْ وَ مُرَكِّبُ أَرْوَاحِهِمْ فِي أَجْسَادِهِمْ ،

But, when he looks as the writing, it appears to him what was hidden and subtle. So, when the servant ponders regarding the essence of the Creator and His^-azwj Qualitative state, he would be stupefied and confused, and his thinking would not encompass anything he images for Him^-azwj, because the Mighty and the Majestic is the Creator of the images. Therefore, when he looks into his own creation, it would be proved to him that He^-azwj, Mighty and Majestic is their Creator, and their souls have been Installed into their bodies. (Extract).[15]

In a Hadith;

قَالَ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ فَكَتَبَ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى ع يَحْكِي لَهُ مُخَاطَبَتَهُمْ وَ كَلَامَهُمْ وَ يَسْأَلُهُ أَنْ يُعَلِّمَهُمْ مَا الْقَوْلُ الَّذِي يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَدِينَ اللَّهَ بِهِ مِنْ صِفَةِ الْجَبَّارِ

Ja’far Bin Muhammad Bin Hakeem said, ‘So, I wrote to Abu Al Hassan Musa^-asws relating it to him^-asws, their addressing and their speech, and asked him^-asws to teach them what the word is which is befitting that one can make a Religion of Allah^-azwj with it, from the Attributes of the Compeller.

فَأَجَابَهُ فِي عَرْضِ كِتَابِهِ فَهِمْتُ رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ وَ اعْلَمْ رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَجَلُّ وَ أَعْلَى وَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ أَنْ يُبْلَغَ كُنْهُ صِفَتِهِ فَصِفُوهُ بِمَا وَصَفَ بِهِ نَفْسَهُ وَ كُفُّوا عَمَّا سِوَى ذَلِكَ..

He^-asws answered in the presentation of his^-asws letter: ‘I^-asws understood, may Allah^-azwj have Mercy on you, and know, may Allah^-azwj have Mercy on you, that Allah^-azwj is more Majestic, and Loftier, and more Magnificent than for one to reach His^-azwj Essence. Therefore, describe Him^‑azwj with what He^-azwj has Described Himself^-azwj with, and stop from what is besides that’’.^[16]

رجال الكشي طَاهِرُ بْنُ عِيسَى‏ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنِ الشُّجَاعِيِ‏ عَنِ ابْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ بَشَّارٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ بَهْمَنَ قَالَ قَالَ يُونُسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ‏ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ آدَمَ هَلْ كَانَ فِيهِ مِنْ جَوْهَرِيَّةِ الرَّبِّ شَيْ‏ءٌ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيَّ جَوَابَ كِتَابِي لَيْسَ صَاحِبُ هَذِهِ الْمَسْأَلَةِ عَلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ زِنْدِيقٌ.

Tahir Bin Isa, from Ja’far Bin Ahmad, from Al Shujaie, from Ibn Yazeed, from Al Husayn Bin Bashar, from Al Washa, from Yunus Bin Bahman who said, ‘Yunus Bin Abdul Rahman said,

‘I wrote to Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza^-asws asking him^-asws about Adam^-as, ‘Was there anything in him^-as from the essence of the Lord^-azwj?’ He^-asws wrote to answer my letter: ‘The owner of this question isn’t upon anything from the Sunnah, (he is) an atheist’’.^[17]

التوحيد مَاجِيلَوَيْهِ عَنْ عَمِّهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَا يُقْدَرُ قُدْرَتُهُ وَ لَا يَقْدِرُ الْعِبَادُ عَلَى صِفَتِهِ وَ لَا يَبْلُغُونَ كُنْهَ عِلْمِهِ وَ لَا مَبْلَغَ عَظَمَتِهِ وَ لَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ غَيْرَهُ وَ هُوَ نُورٌ لَيْسَ فِيهِ ظُلْمَةٌ وَ صِدْقٌ لَيْسَ فِيهِ كَذِبٌ وَ عَدْلٌ لَيْسَ فِيهِ جَوْرٌ وَ حَقٌّ لَيْسَ فِيهِ بَاطِلٌ ،

Majaylawiya, from his uncle, from Muhammad Bin Ali Al Sayrafi, from Ali Bin Hamad, from Al Mufazzal,

‘From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted did not Determine His^-azwj Determination, nor Determined the servants upon His^-azwj description, nor can they reach the essence of His^-azwj Knowledge, nor can His^-azwj Magnificence be reached, and there isn’t anything apart from Him^-azwj, and He^-azwj is ‘Noor’ (Invisible Light) wherein isn’t any darkness, and a Truth wherein isn’t any lie, and a Justice wherein there isn’t any tyranny, and a Truth wherein there isn’t any falsehood.

كَذَلِكَ لَمْ يَزَلْ وَ لَا يَزَالُ أَبَدَ الْآبِدِينَ وَ كَذَلِكَ كَانَ إِذْ لَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضٌ وَ لَا سَمَاءٌ وَ لَا لَيْلٌ وَ لَا نَهَارٌ وَ لَا شَمْسٌ وَ لَا قَمَرٌ وَ لَا نُجُومٌ وَ لَا سَحَابٌ وَ لَا مَطَرٌ وَ لَا رِيَاحٌ ،

Similar to that, He^-azwj did not decline nor will He^-azwj be declining forever and ever. And, similar to that, He^-azwj existed when there didn’t exist an earth, nor a sky, nor night, nor day, nor a sun, nor a moon, nor stars, nor clouds, nor rain, nor wind.

ثُمَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ خَلْقاً يُعَظِّمُونَ عَظَمَتَهُ وَ يُكَبِّرُونَ كِبْرِيَاءَهُ وَ يُجِلُّونَ جَلَالَهُ فَقَالَ كُونَا ظِلَّيْنِ فَكَانَا كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى.

Then Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted Loved that He^-azwj Created creatures revering His^-azwj Magnificence, and extolling His^-azwj Greatness, and extolling His^-azwj Majesty, so He^-azwj Said: “Be shadows!” So, they came into being just as Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted Said’’.^[18]

Also, Al-Husayn^-asws Bin Ali^-asws says:

يَا ابْنَ الْأَزْرَقِ‏ أَصِفُ‏ إِلَهِي‏ بِمَا وَصَفَ‏ بِهِ‏ نَفْسَهُ‏ وَ أُعَرِّفُهُ بِمَا عَرَّفَ بِهِ نَفْسَهُ لَا يُدْرَكُ بِالْحَوَاسِّ وَ لَا يُقَاسُ بِالنَّاسِ

O Ibn Al-Azraq! I^-asws describe my^-asws God with whatever He^-azwj Described Himself^-azwj with, and I^-asws recognise Him^-azwj with whatever He^-azwj Introduced Himself^-azwj with. He^-azwj can neither be realised by the senses, nor compared with the people (an extract).^[19]

ثُمَّ قَالَ أُعَرِّفُهُ‏ بِمَا عَرَّفَ‏ بِهِ‏ نَفْسَهُ‏ أُعَرِّفُهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ رُؤْيَةٍ وَ أَصِفُهُ بِمَا وَصَفَ بِهِ نَفْسَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ صُورَةٍ لَا يُدْرَكُ بِالْحَوَاسِّ وَ لَا يُقَاسُ بِالنَّاسِ مَعْرُوفٌ بِالْآيَاتِ بَعِيدٌ بِغَيْرِ تَشْبِيهٍ وَ مُتَدَانٍ فِي بُعْدِهِ لَا بِنَظِيرٍ

Then he^-asws (Imam Al-Reza^-asws) said: ‘Recognise Him^-azwj with what He^-azwj has Introduced Himself^-azwj as. Recognise Him^-azwj from other than sighting, and describe Him^-azwj with what He^-azwj Described Himself^-azwj with, (but) from without an image. He^-azwj cannot be grasped by the sensory perception, and cannot be compared with the people. He^-azwj is known by the remote signs without resembling Him^-azwj, and He^-azwj is close by in His^-azwj remoteness without an equal (an extract).^[20]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع تَكَلَّمُوا فِي خَلْقِ اللَّهِ وَ لَا تَتَكَلَّمُوا فِي اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ الْكَلَامَ فِي اللَّهِ لَا يَزْدَادُ صَاحِبَهُ إِلَّا تَحَيُّراً وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ تَكَلَّمُوا فِي كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَ لَا تَتَكَلَّمُوا فِي ذَاتِ اللَّهِ

Mohammed ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad, who from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub, who from Ali ibn Riab, who from Abu Basir, who has narrated from:

Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq^-asws who said: ‘Speak about the creation of Allah^-azwj but do not speak about Allah^-azwj Himself.  Speaking about Allah^-azwj’s Self does not add anything to one’s knowledge but instead further confusion.’  In another Hadith from Hariz it reads, speak about everything but do not speak about Allah’s Self.[21]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ التَّفَكُّرَ فِي اللَّهِ وَ لَكِنْ إِذَا أَرَدْتُمْ أَنْ تَنْظُرُوا إِلَى عَظَمَتِهِ فَانْظُرُوا إِلَى عَظِيمِ خَلْقِهِ

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Mohammed ibn Khalid, who from Mohammed ibn Abd al-Hamid, who from al-Ala’ ibn Razin, who from Mohammed ibn Muslim, who from:

Imam Abu Jafar^-asws, who said the following: ‘Beware of thinking about Allah^-azwj’s Self.  If you like to think about the greatness of Allah^-azwj, think about His^-azwj great wonderful creations.’[22]

Ones having integral Parts are other than Allah^-azwj:

يد، التوحيد ن، عيون أخبار الرضا عليه السلام مَاجِيلَوَيْهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنِ الْمُخْتَارِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ عَنِ الْفَتْحِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ الْجُرْجَانِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع قَالَ: سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ فِي اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‏ هُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ الْوَاحِدُ الْأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ مُنْشِئُ الْأَشْيَاءِ وَ مُجَسِّمُ الْأَجْسَامِ وَ مُصَوِّرُ الصُّوَرِ

Majaylawiya, from Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Al Mukhtar Bin Muhammad Bin Al Mukhtar Al Hamdany, from Al Fat’h Bin Yazeed Al Jarjany,

‘From Abu Al-Hassan^-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘I heard him^-asws saying regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic (that) He^-azwj is the Subtle, the Informed, the Hearing, the Seeing, the One, the First, the Samat, He^-azwj does not beget and is not begotten, and there does not happen to be anyone a match for Him^-azwj, Originator of the things, and Embodier of the bodies, and Formulator of the images.

لَوْ كَانَ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ لَمْ يُعْرَفِ الْخَالِقُ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِ وَ لَا الْمُنْشِئُ مِنَ الْمُنْشَإِ فَرْقٌ بَيْنَ مَنْ جَسَّمَهُ وَ صَوَّرَهُ وَ أَنْشَأَهُ إِذْ كَانَ لَا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَ لَا يُشْبِهُ هُوَ شَيْئاً

If it was just as they are saying, the Creator would not be recognised from the created beings, nor the Originations from the originated. There is a difference between the One^-azwj (Allah^-azwj) Who Embodied him (people), and Imaged him (gave people figure), and Originated him, when there is nothing which resembles Him^-azwj, nor does He^-azwj resemble anything’.

قُلْتُ أَجَلْ جَعَلَنِيَ اللَّهُ فِدَاكَ لَكِنَّكَ قُلْتَ الْأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ وَ قُلْتَ لَا يُشْبِهُ شَيْئاً وَ اللَّهُ وَاحِدٌ وَ الْإِنْسَانُ وَاحِدٌ أَ لَيْسَ قَدْ تَشَابَهَتِ الْوَحْدَانِيَّةُ

I said, ‘Yes, may Allah^-azwj Make me to be sacrificed for you^-asws! But, you^-asws said: ‘The First, the Samad’, and you^-asws said: ‘Nothing resembles Him^-azwj’; and Allah^-azwj is One and the human being is one. Isn’t there the resemblance of the oneness?’

قَالَ يَا فَتْحُ‏ أَحَلْتَ‏ ثَبَّتَكَ‏ اللَّهُ‏ إِنَّمَا التَّشْبِيهُ فِي الْمَعَانِي فَأَمَّا فِي الْأَسْمَاءِ فَهِيَ وَاحِدَةٌ وَ هِيَ دَلَالَةٌ عَلَى الْمُسَمَّى وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ وَ إِنْ قِيلَ وَاحِدٌ فَإِنَّمَا يُخْبَرُ أَنَّهُ جُثَّةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ وَ لَيْسَ بِاثْنَيْنِ فَالْإِنْسَانُ نَفْسُهُ لَيْسَ بِوَاحِدٍ لِأَنَّ أَعْضَاءَهُ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ وَ أَلْوَانَهُ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ غَيْرُ وَاحِدَةٍ وَ هُوَ أَجْزَاءٌ مُجَزَّأٌ لَيْسَتْ بِسَوَاءٍ دَمُهُ غَيْرُ لَحْمِهِ وَ لَحْمُهُ غَيْرُ دَمِهِ وَ عَصَبُهُ غَيْرُ عُرُوقِهِ وَ شَعْرُهُ غَيْرُ بَشَرِهِ وَ سَوَادُهُ غَيْرُ بَيَاضِهِ وَ كَذَلِكَ سَائِرُ الْخَلْقِ

He^-asws said: ‘O Fat’h! You are lawful (in asking), may Allah^-azwj Affirm you!  But rather (what I^‑asws meant was), the resemblance is in the meaning. As for in the names, so these are one, and it is evidence upon the Named, and that is because the human being, and even if he is said to be one, rather it is known that he is of one body, and he isn’t with two (bodies), but the human being (body) isn’t one (entity), since his body parts are different, and his colours are different, a lot, not one, and he is of parts brought together not with equalness. His blood is other than his flesh, and his flesh is other than his blood, and his nerves are other than his veins, and his hair is other than his skin, and his blackness is other than his whiteness, and like that is the rest of the creation. (An extract, see the complete Hadith in Appendix II).^[23]

The Name of Allah^-azwj is upon many Letters:

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي ضُرَيْسٌ الْوَابِشِيُّ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ اسْمَ اللَّهِ الْأَعْظَمَ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةٍ وَ سَبْعِينَ حَرْفاً وَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ عِنْدَ آصَفَ مِنْهَا حَرْفٌ وَاحِدٌ فَتَكَلَّمَ بِهِ فَخُسِفَ بِالْأَرْضِ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ سَرِيرِ بِلْقِيسَ ثُمَ‏ تَنَاوَلَ‏ السَّرِيرَ بِيَدِهِ‏ ثُمَ‏ عَادَتِ‏ الْأَرْضُ‏ كَمَا كَانَتْ أَسْرَعَ مِنْ طَرْفَةِ عَيْنٍ وَ عِنْدَنَا نَحْنُ مِنْ الِاسْمِ اثْنَانِ وَ سَبْعُونَ حَرْفاً وَ حَرْفٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ اسْتَأْثَرَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَهُ وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ.

Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ali Bin Al Hakam, from Muhammad Bin Al Fazeyl, from Zareys Al Wabishy, from Jabir,

‘From Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘اسم الله الاعظم’ ‘The Magnificent Name of Allah^-azwj is upon seventy-three (73) letters, and rather, with Aasif (Bin Barkhiya) there was one letter from these, so he spoke with it and there was a contraction with the earth in what is between him and the throne of Bilquis. Then he grabbed the throne by his hand, then the ground returned to just as it had been before, quicker than the blink of an eye, and with us^-asws, from the Name, there are seventy-two (72) letters, and a letter is with Allah^-azwj, He^-asws Captures with it the Knowledge of the unseen with Him^-azwj, and there is neither any might nor strength except with Allah^-azwj, the Exalted, the Magnificent’’.^[24]

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْبَرْقِيِّ يَرْفَعُهُ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ جَعَلَ اسْمَهُ الْأَعْظَمَ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةٍ وَ سَبْعِينَ حَرْفاً فَأَعْطَى‏ آدَمَ‏ مِنْهَا خَمْسَةً وَ عِشْرِينَ‏ حَرْفاً وَ أَعْطَى‏ نُوحاً مِنْهَا خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ حَرْفاً وَ أَعْطَى مِنْهَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَحْرُفٍ وَ أَعْطَى مُوسَى مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةَ أَحْرُفٍ وَ أَعْطَى عِيسَى مِنْهَا حَرْفَيْنِ وَ كَانَ يُحْيِي بِهِمَا الْمَوْتَى وَ يُبْرِئُ بِهِمَا الْأَكْمَهَ‏ وَ الْأَبْرَصَ

Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Abu Abdullah Al Barqy,

‘Raising it to Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Made His^-azwj Magnificent Name to be upon seventy-three letters, and Gave to Adam^-as twenty-five letters from these, and Gave to Noah^-as twenty-five letters from these, and Gave to Ibrahim^-as eighty letters from these, and Gave to Musa^-as forty letters from these, and Gave to Isa^-as two letters from these, and he^-as used to revive the dead with these two and cure the blindness and the leprosy with these two.

وَ أَعْطَى مُحَمَّداً اثْنَيْنِ وَ سَبْعِينَ‏^[25] حَرْفاً وَ احْتَجَبَ حَرْفاً لِئَلَّا يُعْلَمَ مَا فِي نَفْسِهِ وَ يَعْلَمَ مَا [فِي‏] نَفْسِ الْعِبَادِ.

 And He^-azwj Gave to Muhammad^-saww seventy-two letters, and Veiled one letter, lest he^-saww would know what is within His^-azwj Self and know what is within the self of the servants’’.^[26]

Also, in another Hadith:

رُوِيَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ص أَنَّهُ قَالَ: إِنَ‏ لِلَّهِ‏ أَرْبَعَةَ آلَافِ‏ اسْمٍ‏ أَلْفٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَلْفٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ أَلْفٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ النَّبِيُّونَ

 It is reported from the Prophet^-saww having said: ‘For Allah^-azwj there are four thousand Names. A thousand, none knows these except Allah^-azwj, and a thousand, none knows these except Allah^-azwj and the Angels, and a thousand, none knows these except Allah^-azwj, and the Angels, and the Prophets^-as.

أَمَّا الْأَلْفُ الرَّابِعُ فَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ يَعْلَمُونَهُ ثَلَاثُمِائَةٍ مِنْهَا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَ ثَلَاثُمِائَةٍ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ ثَلَاثُمِائَةٍ فِي الزَّبُورِ وَ مِائَةٌ فِي الْقُرْآنِ تِسْعَةٌ وَ تِسْعُونَ ظَاهِرَةٌ وَ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهَا مَكْتُومٌ مَنْ أَحْصَاهَا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ.

And as for the fourth thousand, the Momineen know it – three hundred of these are in the Torah, and three hundred are in the Evangel, and three hundred are in the Psalms, and a hundred are in the Quran, ninety-nine are apparent, and one of these is Hidden. One who counts (learns) these would enter the Paradise’’.^[27]

His^-azwj Name Allah^-azwj is other than His Essence:

ابن الوليد، عن الصفار، عن اليقطيني، عن ابن محبوب، عن ابن رئاب عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: مَنْ عَبَدَ اللَّهَ بِالتَّوَهُّمِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ وَ مَنْ عَبَدَ الِاسْمَ وَ لَمْ يَعْبُدِ الْمَعْنَى فَقَدْ كَفَرَ وَ مَنْ عَبَدَ الِاسْمَ وَ الْمَعْنَى فَقَدْ أَشْرَكَ وَ مَنْ عَبَدَ الْمَعْنَى بِإِيقَاعِ‏ الْأَسْمَاءِ عَلَيْهِ‏ بِصِفَاتِهِ‏ الَّتِي يَصِفُ بِهَا نَفْسَهُ‏^[28] فَعَقَدَ عَلَيْهِ قَلْبَهُ وَ نَطَقَ بِهِ لِسَانُهُ فِي سِرِّ أَمْرِهِ وَ عَلَانِيَتِهِ فَأُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع

Ibn Al Waleed, from Al Saffar, from Al Yaqteeny, from Ibn Mahboub, from Ibn Raib, from someone else,

‘From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘One who worships Allah^-azwj by the imagination (trying to capture Allah, i.e., through a figure), so he has committed Kufr, and one who worships the Name but does not worship the meaning, so he has committed Kufr, and one who worships the Name as well as the meaning, so he has committed Shirk (associated), and one who worships the meaning with the harmony of the Names upon Him^-azwj with His^-azwj Attributes which He^-azwj Described Himself^-azwj with, and pacts his heart upon it, and his tongues speaks with it in the private of his affairs and his public (speech), so they are the companions of Amir Al-Momineen^-asws’’.

وَ فِي حَدِيثٍ آخَرَ أُولئِكَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا.

And in another Hadeeth: ‘Those, they are the Momineen, truly’’.^[29]

The Basis of the Ism (Name):

يد، التوحيد مع، معاني الأخبار ن، عيون أخبار الرضا عليه السلام أَبِي عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِدْرِيسَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ مُوسَى بْنِ عَمْرٍو وَ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا ع عَنِ الِاسْمِ مَا هُوَ قَالَ صِفَةٌ لِمَوْصُوفٍ‏.

My father, from Ahmad Bin Idrees, from Al Husayn Bin Ubeydullah, from Muhammad Bin Abdullah, and Musa Bin Amro, and Al Hassan Bin Ali Bin Abu Usman, from Muhammad Bin Sinan who said,

‘I asked Al-Reza^-asws about the Name, what is it?’ He^-asws said: ‘An Attribute (virtue) of the Attributed (described one)’’.^[30]

The Name and the Recognition of Allah^-azwj:

ابن المتوكل، عن محمد العطار، عن ابن أبان، عن ابن اورمة، عن علي بن الحسين بن محمد، عن خالد بن يزيد  عن عبد الاعلى، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: اسم الله غير الله وكل شئ وقع عليه اسم شئ فهو مخلوق ما خلا الله، فأما ما عبرت الالسن عنه أو عملت الايدي فيه فهو مخلوق، والله غاية من غاياه، والمغيى غير الغاية، والغاية موصوفة وكل موصوف مصنوع، وصانع الاشياء غير موصوف بحد مسمى،

Ibn Al Mutawakkal, from Muhammad Al Attar, from Ibn Aban, from Ibn Awrama, from Ali Bin Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Khalid Bin Yazeed, from Abdul A’ala,

‘From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The Name of Allah^-azwj is other than Allah^-azwj, and everything a name falls upon so it is a creation, apart from Allah^-azwj. As for what the tongue expresses a phrase about Him^-azwj, or the hands work regarding Him^-azwj, it is a creation, and Allah^-azwj is a Peak from His^-azwj (created) peaks, and the meaning is without a peak, and the peak is a description, and every description is made (creation), and the Maker of the things is without a description with a limit of a named one.

لم يتكون فتعرف كينونته بصنع غيره، ولم يتناه إلى غاية إلا كانت غيره، لا يزل من فهم هذا الحكم أبدا وهو التوحيد الخالص فاعتقدوه وصدقوه وتفهموه بإذن الله عزوجل،

He^-azwj did not come into existence by the Making of someone else, so His^-azwj Existence can be understood, and He^-azwj did not end up to a peak except it would have been someone else. Do not err from the understanding of this ruling ever, and it is the pure Tawheed, therefore believe in it, and ratify it, and understand it by the Permission of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic.

ومن زعم أنه يعرف الله بحجاب أو بصورة أو بمثال فهو مشرك لان الحجاب والمثال والصورة غيره، وإنما هو واحد موحد فكيف يوحد من زعم أنه عرفه بغيره، إنما عرف الله من عرفه بالله فمن لم يعرفه به فليس يعرفه، إنما يعرف غيره،

And one who claim that he recognises Allah^-azwj with veils, or with an image, or with an example, so he is a Polytheist, because the veils, and the examples, and the image is other than Him^-azwj, and rather He^-azwj is One Being, so how can he consider Him^-azwj as One, the one who claims that he is recognised by someone else. But rather, he recognises Allah^-azwj, one who recognises Him^-azwj as Allah^-azwj, so the one who does not recognise Him^-azwj with it, doesn’t recognise Him^-azwj. But rather, he has recognised someone else.

ليس بين الخالق والمخلوق شئ، والله خالق الاشياء لا من شئ، يسمي بأسمائه فهو غير أسمائه والاسماء غيره، والموصوف غير الواصف،

There isn’t anything between the Creator and the created, and Allah^-azwj is the Creator of the things, (but) not from a thing. He^-azwj is Named by His^-azwj Names, therefore He^-azwj is other than His^-azwj Names, and His^-azwj Names are other than Him^-azwj, and the described one is other than the describer.

فمن زعم أنه يؤمن بما لا يعرف فهو ضال عن المعرفة، لا يدرك مخلوق شيئا إلا بالله، ولا تدرك معرفة الله إلا بالله، والله خلو من خلقه وخلقه خلو منه،

So, the one who claims that he believes in what he does not recognise, so he has strayed from the recognition. The created being cannot realise anything except through Allah^-azwj, nor can you realise the recognition of Allah^-azwj except through Allah^-azwj, and Allah^-azwj is vacant from His^-azwj creation, and His^-azwj creation is vacant from Him^-azwj.

وإذا أراد شيئا كان كما أراد بأمره من غير نطق، لاملجأ لعباده مما قضى، ولا حجة لهم فيما ارتضي، لم يقدروا على عمل ولا معالجة مما احدث في أبدانهم المخلوقة إلا بربهم، فمن زعم أنه يقوى على عمل لم يرده الله عزوجل فقد زعم أن إرادته تغلب إرادة الله، تبارك الله رب العالمين.

And whenever He^-azwj Wants something, it comes into being just as He^-azwj Wanted from without having Spoken, being a shelter from His^-azwj servants from what He^-azwj has Ordained, and there is no argument for them regarding what He^-azwj Chooses. They are not able upon working, nor treating from what creature comes into being in their bodies. So, the one who claims that he is strong upon a work which Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic does not Want, so he has claimed that his intention has overcome the Intention (Will) of Allah^-azwj. Blessed is Allah^-azwj, Lord^-azwj of the worlds’’.^[31]

علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن النضر بن سويد، عن هشام بن الحكم أنه سأل أبا عبدالله عليه السلام عن أسماء الله واشتقاقها: الله مما هو مشتق؟ قال: فقال لي: يا هشام الله مشتق من إله والاله يقتضي مألوها والاسم غير المسمى، فمن عبد الاسم دون المعنى فقد كفر ولم يعبد شيئا، ومن عبد الاسم والمعنى فقد كفر وعبد اثنين، ومن عبد المعنى دون الاسم فذاك التوحيد أفهمت يا هشام؟ قال: فقلت: زدني

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al-Nazar Bin Suweyd, from Hisham Bin Al-Hakam, who says:

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^asws about the Names of Allah^azwj and their Derivatives, ‘From what has ‘Allah’ been derived from?’ He^asws said to me: ‘O Hisham! ‘Allah’ has been derived from ‘Ilah’ and ‘Alaah’ which necessitates a worshipper and the Name is not the same as the Named. So, the one who worships the Name without the Meaning, so he has blasphemed and has not worshipped anything. And the one who worships the Name and the Meaning, so he has blasphemed as he has worshipped two. And the one who has worshipped the Meaning without the Name, so that is the Oneness (Al-Tawheed). Do you understand, O Hisham?’ I said, ‘Increase it for me’.

قال: إن لله تسعة وتسعين اسما فلو كان الاسم هو المسمى لكان كل اسم منها إلها ولكن الله معنى يدل عليه بهذه الاسماء وكلها غيره، يا هشام الخبز اسم للمأكول والماء اسم للمشروب والثوب اسم للملبوس والنار اسم للمحرق أفهمت يا هشام فهما تدفع به وتناضل به أعداء نا والمتخذين مع الله عزوجل غيره؟ قلت: نعم، قال: فقال: نفعك الله به وثبتك يا هشام،

He^asws said: ‘Allah^azwj has ninety nine Names. Had every Name been (the same as) the Named, then every one of them would be a god, but Allah^azwj is Evidenced by these Names, and all of these are other than Him^azwj. O Hisham! The ‘Bread’ is a name of a food and the ‘Water’ is the name of a drink, and the ‘Cloth’ is a name of the garment, and the ‘Fire’ is a name of the incinerators. Do you understand, O Hisham with an understanding by which you can defend against, and struggle against our^asws enemies, and those that take someone else along with Allah^azwj?’ I said, ‘Yes’. He^asws said: ‘May Allah^azwj benefit you by it and Keep you to be steadfast, O Hisham’.

قال هشام فوالله ما قهرني أحد في التوحيد حتى قمت مقامي هذا.

Hisham said, ‘By Allah^azwj! No one was able to defeat me regarding Oneness (Al-Tawheed) until he were to stand in this place of mine (reach to my level of understanding)’.^[32]

وباسناده إلى امير المؤمنين عليه السلام انه قال وقد سئل ما الفائدة في حروف الهجاء فقال على عليه السلام ما من حرف الا وهو اسم من اسماء الله عزوجل.

By its chain up to Amir-ul-Momineen^asws who^asws when asked: ‘What is the benefit of the letters of the Alphabet?’ So Ali^asws said: ‘There is no letter from the letters (of the Arabic Alphabet) but it is a Name from the Names of Allah^azwj the Mighty the Majestic’.^[33]

 

The Self and Attributes of Allah^-azwj:

عن أبي هاشم الجعفري قال: كنت عند أبي جعفر الثاني عليه السلام فسأله رجل فقال: أخبرني عن الرب تبارك وتعالى أله أسماء وصفات في كتابه ؟ وهل أسماؤه وصفاته هي هو ؟

Abu Hashim Al Ja’fary who said,

‘I was in the presence of Abu Ja’far^-asws the 2^nd and a man asked him^-asws saying, ‘Inform me about the Lord^-azwj Blessed and Exalted, are there Names and attributes for Him^-azwj in the Book? And are His^-azwj Names and His^-azwj Attributes, Him^-azwj?’

فقال أبو جعفر عليه السلام: إن لهذا الكلام وجهين: إن كنت تقول هي هو أنه ذو عدد وكثرة فتعالى الله عن ذلك، وإن كنت تقول هذه الاسماء والصفات لم تزل فإنما لم تزل محتمل معنيين فإن قلت: لم تزل عنده في علمه وهو يستحقها فنعم وإن كنت تقول: لم يزل صورها وهجاؤها وتقطيع حروفها فمعاذ الله أن يكون معه شئ غيره

Abu Ja’far^-asws said: ‘For this speech, there are two aspects. If you are saying, these (Names) are Him^-azwj, i.e., He^-azwj is with a number and multiplicity, so Exalted is Allah^-azwj (away) from that; and if you are saying these are Attributes, and the Names would never cease to be, so ‘never cease to be’ carries two meaning. So, if you say, ‘They will not cease to be in His^-azwj Presence in His^-azwj Knowledge and He^-azwj is Rightful, so yes; but if you are saying these will not cease to be, their images, and their spellings, and their syllables, and their letters, then we^-asws seek Refuge with Allah^-azwj that there happens to be with Him^-azwj, something other than Him^-azwj.

بل كان الله تعالى ذكره ولا خلق ثم خلقها وسيلة بينه وبين خلقه يتضرعون بها إليه ويعبدونه وهي ذكره، وكان الله سبحانه ولا ذكر، والمذكور بالذكر هو الله القديم الذي لم يزل، والاسماء والصفات مخلوقات والمعني بها هو الله الذي لا يليق به الاختلاف ولا الايتلاف، وإنما يختلف ويأتلف المتجزي،

But, Allah^-azwj was and had not Created (anything from His^-azwj Creations). Then He^-azwj Created these as a means between Him^-azwj and His^-azwj creatures – being desperately (dependant) upon Him^-azwj, and they are worshipping Him^-azwj, and these are His^-azwj Mention. And Allah^-azwj was and there was no Mention, and the Mentioned One^-azwj is with the Mention. He^-azwj is Allah^-azwj, the eternal Who does not cease to be; and the Names and the Attributes are creations, and the Meaning Meant by these, He^-azwj is Allah^-azwj with Whom neither befits the variances nor the combinations, and rather (that) variates and combines, (which is) fragmented.

ولا يقال له: قليل ولا كثير، ولكنه القديم في ذاته لان ما سوى الواحد متجزئ، والله واحد لا متجزئ ولا متوهم بالقلة والكثرة، وكل متجزئ أو متوهم بالقلة والكثرة فهو مخلوق دال على خالق له

So, Allah^-azwj will not be said to be combined, nor Allah^-azwj as little nor more, but the eternality is regarding His^-azwj Self, because whatever is besides the One^-azwj, is a fragment, and Allah^-azwj is the One^-azwj, not fragmented, nor can He^-azwj be imagined with the less and the more, and everything which is fragmented or imagined with the less and the more, so it is a creation evidencing upon its Creator. (Hadith continues)

How Allah^-azwj is Powerful and Knower?

فقولك: إن الله قدير خبرت أنه لا يعجزه شئ فنفيت بالكلمة العجز وجعلت العجزسواه، وكذلك قولك: عالم إنما نفيت بالكلمة الجهل وجعلت الجهل سواه، فإذا أفنى الله الاشياء أفني الصورة والهجاء والتقطيع فلا يزال من لم يزل عالما.

So, your words that ‘Allah^-azwj is Powerful’, informs you that He^-azwj is not frustrated by anything. Thus you, negate the frustration by the speech and make the frustration to be other than Him^-azwj. And similar to that are your words, ‘Knower’. But rather the ignorance is negated by the speech, and the ignorance is made to be besides Him^-azwj. And when Allah^‑azwj Annihilates the things, the image, and the spelling, and the syllables get annihilated, and He^-azwj does not cease to be, the One^-azwj who will not cease to be a Knower’. (Hadith continues)

How Allah^-azwj is All Hearing and All Seeing?

فقال الرجل: فكيف سمينا ربنا سميعا ؟ فقال: لانه لا يخفى عليه ما يدرك بالاسماع، ولم نصفه بالسمع المعقول في الراس. وكذلك سميناه بصيرا لانه لا يخفى عليه ما يدرك بالابصار من لون أو شخص أو غير ذلك، ولم نصفه ببصر طرفة العين.

So, the man said, ‘So how come we are Naming our Lord^-azwj as ‘All-Hearing’?’ So he^-asws said: ‘Because it is not Hidden upon Him^-azwj whatever is being comprehended by the ears, and we^-asws do not describe Him^-azwj with the Hearing situated in the head. Like that, we^-asws Name Him^-azwj as ‘All-Seeing’, because it is not Hidden upon Him^-azwj whatever is comprehended by the visions, from the colour or persons or other than that; and we^-asws do not describe Him^-azwj with the vision of the blink of the eye. (Hadith continues)

How Allah^-azwj is Aware of subtleties?

وكذلك سميناه لطيفا لعلمه بالشئ اللطيف مثل البعوضة وما هو أخفى من ذلك،

And similar to that we^-asws Name Him^-azwj as the ‘Aware of subtleties’ due to His^-azwj Knowledge of the subtle things, like the mosquito, and (things) more concealed than that.

و موضع المشي منها، والعقل والشهوة للسفاد والحدب على أولادها، وإقامة بعضها على بعض، ونقلها الطعام والشراب إلى أولادها في الجبال والمفاوز والاودية والقفار فعلمنا بذلك أن خالقها لطيف بلا كيف إذا لكيفية للمخلوق المكيف.

And the subject of the growth is from these, and the intelligence, and the desires for the marital relations, and the leniency upon their offspring, and their watching out for each other, and their transference of the food and the drink to their children in the mountains, and wilderness, and the valleys, and the wastelands. Thus, we know that their Creator is Aware of the subtleties without a ‘how’, and rather the ‘how’ is for the creations, the ones subject to ‘how’. (Hadith continues)

How Allah^-azwj is Strong and Eternal?

وكذلك سمينا ربنا قويا بلا قوة البطش المعروف من الخلق، ولو كان قوته قوة البطش المعروف من الخلق لوقع التشبيه واحتمل الزيادة، وما احتمل الزيادة احتمل النقصان، وما كان ناقصا كان غير قديم وما كان غير قديم كان عاجزا،

And similar to that, we Name our Lord^-azwj as Strong, not due to the strength of the violence well-known from the creatures. And if it was so that His^-azwj Strength was the strength of the well-known violence from the creatures, a resemblance would not occur for Him^-azwj and an increase would not be tolerated. And whatever tolerates the increase, would tolerate the decrease; and whatever was deficient would be without eternity; and whatever was without eternity would be frustrated.

فربنا تبارك وتعالى لاشبه له ولاضد ولاند، ولا كيفية ولا نهاية ولا تصاريف محرم على القلوب أن تحتمله، وعلى الاوهام أن تحده، وعلى الضمائر أن تصوره، عزوجل عن أداة خلقه وسمات بريته، وتعالى عن ذلك علوا كبيرا.

So, our Lord^-azwj, Blessed and Exalted, there is neither a resemblance for Him^-azwj, nor an opposite, nor a match, nor a ‘how’, nor an end-point, nor can He^-azwj be envisaged by visions. And it is Prohibited unto the hearts to create His^-azwj resemblance, and upon the imaginations that these limit Him^-azwj, and for consciences to imagine Him^-azwj. Majestic and Mighty is He^-azwj from the instruments of His^-azwj creatures, and features of His^-azwj Created beings; and Exalted is He^-azwj from that, Loftier, Greater’’.^[34]

Rab and Rabuwiya

ما قاله الامام علي عليه السلام: ” أن العقل لاقامة رسم العبودية لا لادراك الربوبية

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws says: ‘(The One who) is blessed with ‘Aql’[35] has to submit himself but not try to unfold the mysteries of ‘Rabuwiyat’.[36]

The above Hadith introduces concepts of Rab and Rabuwiya, the earlier has been used for Allah-azwj as well as for others but the latter (Rabuwiya) is, like ‘Allah’ is specifically and exclusively reserved for Allah^-azwj, see Appendix III

Appendix I: Participation in Allah^-azwj’s Beautiful Names:

الدقاق، عن الكليني، عن علان، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن الحسين ابن خالد، عن أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام أنه قال: اعلم علمك الله الخير أن الله تبارك و تعالى قديم، والقدم صفة دلت العاقل على أنه لا شئ قبله ولا شئ معه في ديموميته

From Al Daqaq, from Al Kulayni, from Alaan, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al Husayn Ibn Khalid,

‘From Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza^-asws having said: ‘Know that Allah^-azwj, the Informed, Knows you. Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted is Ancient, and the ancientness is an attribute evidencing the intellectual upon that He^-azwj, there is nothing before Him^-azwj, and there is nothing with Him^‑azwj in his continuity.

فقد بان لنا بإقرار العامة معجزة الصفة أنه لا شئ قبل الله، ولا شئ مع الله في بقائه، وبطل قول من زعم أنه كان قبله شئ، أو كان معه شئ في بقائه، لم يجز أن يكون خالقا له لانه لم يزل معه فكيف يكون خالقا لمن لم يزل معه ؟

Thus, it is clear for us, by the acceptance of the general marvels of the attributes that there is nothing before Allah^-azwj, and there is nothing with Allah^-azwj during His^-azwj remaining, and it invalidates the word of the one who claims that there was something before Him^-azwj, or there was something with Him^-azwj during His^-azwj remaining. It is not allowed that there would happen to be a creator for Him^-azwj, because he was not eternally with Him, so how can there be a creator for one was not with him eternally?

ولو كان قبله شئ كان الاول ذلك الشئ لا هذا، وكان الاول أولى بأن يكون خالقا للاول الثاني.

If there was something before Him^-azwj, that would be the first thing, not this one, and the first one would be foremost that it happens to be a creator of the second one.

ثم وصف نفسه تبارك وتعالى بأسماء دعا الخلق إذ خلقهم وتعبدهم وابتلاهم إلى أن يدعوه بها فسمى نفسه سميعا، بصيرا، قادرا، قاهرا، حيا، قيوما، ظاهرا، باطنا، لطيفا، خبيرا، قويا، عزيزا، حكيما، عليما، وما أشبه هذه الاسماء

Then He^-azwj Described Himself^-azwj Blessed and Exalted, the Name the creatures can call with then He^-azwj does Created them, and Try them to them calling Him^-azwj with these. So, He^-azwj Named Himself^-azwj as Hearing, Seeing, Able, Subduer, Living, Eternal, Apparent, Hidden, Subtle, Informed, Strong, Mighty, Wise, Knower, and what resembles these Names.

فلما رأى ذلك من أسمائه الغالون المكذبون وقد سمعونا نحدث عن الله أنه لا شئ مثله، ولا شئ من الخلق في حاله قالوا: أخبرونا إذ زعمتم أنه لا مثل لله ولا شبه له كيف شاركتموه في أسمائه الحسنى فتسميتم بجميعها ؟ فإن في ذلك دليلا على أنكم مثله في حالاته كلها أو في بعضها دون بعض إذ قد جمعتكم الاسماء الطيبة.

So, when the exaggerators and the beliers saw that from His^-azwj Names, and they had heard us narrating about Allah^-azwj that there is nothing like Him^-azwj, and there is nothing from the creation in His^-azwj State, they said, ‘Inform us, when you claim that there is no example for Allah^-azwj, nor is there any resemblance for Him, how come you participate Him^-azwj in His^-azwj Beautiful Names, and you names yourselves with the entirety of them? Surely, in that there is evidence upon that you are like Him^-azwj in His^-azwj States, all of them, or in some of them besides some, when you have gathered the good names’.

قيل لهم: إن الله تبارك وتعالى ألزم العباد أسماءا من أسمائه على اختلاف المعاني، وذلك كما يجمع الاسم الواحد معنيين مختلفين، والدليل على ذلك قول الناس الجائز عندهم السائغ  وهو الذي خاطب الله عزوجل به الخلق فكلمهم بما يعقلون ليكون عليهم حجة في تضييع ما ضيعوا،

It would be said to them, ‘Allah^-azwj the Blessed and Exalted, Necessitated the servants with having names from His^-azwj upon different meanings, and that is just as one gathers the one name having different meanings, and the evidence upon that are the common words of the people allowed with them, and it is which Allah^-azwj Addressed the creatures with. So He^-azwj Spoke to them with what they are speaking with in order for it to become an argument upon them regarding the wastage of what they are wasting.

وقد يقال للرجل: كلب وحمار وثور وسكرة وعلقمة وأسد كل ذلك على خلافه لانه لم تقع الاسماء على معانيها التي كانت بنيت عليها لان الانسان ليس بأسد ولا كلب فافهم ذلك رحمك الله. وإنما تسمى الله بالعالم لغير علم حادث علم به الاشياء واستعان به على حفظ ما يستقبل من أمره، والروية فيما يخلق من خلقه ويفنيه مما مضى مما أفنى من خلقه مما لو لم يحضره ذلك العلم ويغيبه كان جاهلا ضعيفا كما أنا رأينا علماء الخلق

So, it is said for the man, (he is) a dog, and a donkey, and a bull, and sweet, and bitter, and a lion. All of that is upon different to him and his state. The Name does not fall upon its meaning which it had been built upon, because the human being is neither a lion, nor a dog. Therefore understand that, may Allah^-azwj have Mercy on you, and rather Allah^-azwj the Exalted has been Named with the knowledge without any new knowledge He^-azwj learns being assisted by the things upon the preservation of what is to be in the future from His^-azwj Commands and the process regarding what He^-azwj Creates from His^-azwj creatures, and Spoils from what is past from what perishes from His^-azwj creatures, from what if that knowledge was not present and was absent, He^-azwj would have been ignorant, weak, just as us, when we see the knowledgeable ones of the people.

إنما سموا بالعلم لعلم حادث، إذ كانوا قبله جهلة، وربما فارقهم العلم بالاشياء فصاروا إلى الجهل. وإنما سمي الله عالما لانه لا يجهل شيئا فقد جمع الخالق والمخلوق اسم العلم واختلف المعنى على ما رأيت.

But rather, they have been named with the knowledge due to the newly occurring knowledge, when they used to be ignorant beforehand. Sometimes the knowledge separates from them and they return back to be ignorance. But rather, Allah^-azwj is Named as a Knower because He^-azwj is not ignorant of anything. So, the Creator and the Created are gathered upon the name ‘Knower’, and the meaning is difference upon what you can see.

وسمي ربنا سميعا لا بجزء فيه يسمع به الصوت لا يبصر به كما أن جزءنا الذي نسمع به لانقوي على النظر به، ولكنه عزوجل أخبر أنه لا تخفى عليه الاصوات ليس على حد ما سمينا به نحن فقد جمعنا الاسم بالسميع واختلف المعنى،

And our Lord^-azwj is Hearing, not by a perforation in Him^-azwj Hearing the sounds with it, nor does He^-azwj See by it, just as we have perforations by which we hear not being strong upon seeing with it. But, He^-azwj is All-Informed, there being nothing hidden from Him^-azwj from the sound. He^-azwj is not bound by a limit of what we can hear. So, we are gathered in name with the name, and the meaning is different.

 وهكذا البصير لا بجزء به أبصر كما أنا نبصر بجزء منا لاننتفع به في غيره، ولكن الله بصير لا يجهل شخصا منظورا إليه فقد جمعنا الاسم واختلف المعنى

And similar to this is the sight. He^-azwj does not see by a perforation from Him^-azwj just as we tend to see by a perforation from us, not benefitting by it with something else. But Allah^-azwj is Seeing, not by looking towards a person. So, we are gathered in the name but the meaning is different.

و هو قائم ليس على معنى انتصاب وقيام على ساق في كبد كما قامت الاشياء ولكنه أخبر أنه قائم يخبر أنه حافظ كقول الرجل: القائم بأمرنا فلان، وهو عزوجل القائم على كل نفس بما كسبت، والقائم أيضا في كلام الناس الباقي، والقائم أيضا يخبر عن الكفاية كقولك للرجل: قم بأمر فلان أي اكفه، والقائم منا قائم على ساق فقد جمعنا الاسم ولم يجمعنا المعنى،

And He^-azwj is Standing, not being upon the meaning of an uprightness and standing upon a leg in the middle just as the things stand. But He^-azwj Stands Informed, being a Preserver, unlike the words of the man, ‘Standing with our matters over so and so’. And Allah^-azwj, He^-azwj is the Stander upon every soul with what it has earned. And the standing as well in the speech of the people is the remaining. And the standing as well, informs about the responsibility, like your words to a man, ‘Stand with the matter of the Clan of so and so’, i.e., suffice them. And the standing one from us stands upon a leg. So we are gathered in the name, and we are not gathered in the meaning.

وأما اللطيف فليس على قلة وقضافة وصغر، ولكن ذلك على النفاذ في الاشياء والامتناع من أن يدرك كقولك: لطف عني هذا الامر، ولطف فلان في مذهبه، وقوله يخبرك أنه غمض فبهر العقل وفات الطلب وعاد متعمقا متلطفا لا يدركه الوهم فهكذا لطف الله تبارك وتعالى عن أن يدرك بحد أو يحد بوصف، واللطافة منا الصغر والقلة فقد جمعنا الاسم واختلف المعنى.

And as for the (Name) Subtle, so is not upon scarceness, and delicateness, and smallness, but that is upon the implementation regarding the things which are hard to perceive, like your words to the man, ‘This matter is delicate upon me, and so and so is subtle in his approach’. And his words inform you that intellect is shut with regards to it and the subtleness is lost, as it is so profound, so subtle, that the imagination cannot realise it. So, similar to that is the Subtleness of Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted from being comprehended by a limit, or limited by an attribute. And the subtleness from us is the smallness, and scarcity. Thus, we are gathered in the name but different in the meaning.

وأما الخبير فالذي لا يعزب عنه شئ ولا يفوته ليس للتجربة ولا للاعتبار بالاشياء فتفيده التجربة والاعتبار علما لولاهما ما علم لان من كان كذلك كان جاهلا والله لم يزل خبيرا بما يخلق، والخبير من الناس المستخبر عن جهل المتعلم وقد جمعنا الاسم واختلف المعنى.

And as for the Informed (All-Aware), so it is which the thing is recognised from, and nothing is missed out from Him^-azwj. It is not due to the experimentation, nor by learning of lessons with the things, for during the experimentation and the learning of lessons, are the two pieces of knowledge, and had it not been for the two, it would not be known, because the one who was like that, would have been ignorant, and Allah^-azwj has not ceased to be Informed with what He^-azwj Created, and the ‘informed’ from the people is the choice (chosen) by the ignorant to learn. So, we are gathered in the name and the meaning is different.

وأما الظاهر فليس من أجل أنه علا الاشياء بركوب فوقها وقعود عليها وتسنم لذراها، ولكن ذلك لقهره ولغلبته الاشياء وقدرته عليها كقول الرجل: ظهرت على أعدائي، وأظهرني الله على خصمي يخبر عن الفلج والغلبة فهكذا ظهور الله على الاشياء.

And as for the Overcomer, so it is not from a reason that He^-azwj is upon the things by riding above them, and seated upon these, ascending to their peaks. But, that is due to His^-azwj Subduing and His^-azwj Overcoming the things and His^-azwj Power upon these, like the words of the man, ‘I overcame upon my enemy and Allah^-azwj Made me overcome upon my adversary’, inform about the cleaving and the overcoming. So, this is how Allah^-azwj Overcomes upon the things.

ووجه آخر أنه الظاهر لمن أراده لا يخفي عليه شئ، وأنه مدبر لكل ما يرى فأي ظاهر أظهر وأوضح أمرا من الله تبارك و تعالى فإنك لاتعدم صنعته حيثما توجهت وفيك من آثاره ما يغنيك، والظاهر منا البارز بنفسه والمعلوم بحده فقد جمعنا الاسم واختلف المعنى.

And another aspect is that He^-azwj is the Manifest to the one who wants Him^-azwj and nothing is Hidden from Him^-azwj, and He^-azwj is the Designer of everything what He^-azwj Designed. So, which manifestation is more apparent and clearer than Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted, because you cannot execute His^-azwj Making wherever you may divert your face to, and inside you are its effects what makes you independent. And the Manifestation is more than ours, transcendental by Himself^-azwj, and the known by His^-azwj Sharpness. So, we have gathered in the name and we are not gathered in the meaning.

وأما الباطن فليس على معنى الاستبطان للاشياء بأن يغور فيها، ولكن ذلك منه على استبطانه للاشياء علما وحفظا وتدبيرا كقول القائل: أبطنته يعني خبرته وعلمت مكتوم سره، والباطن منا بمعنى الغائر في الشئ المستتر، فقد جمعنا الاسم واختلف المعنى

And as for the Hidden (Esoteric), so it is not upon the meaning of the hidden-ness of the things, with being immersed into them, but that from Him^-azwj is upon the Knowledge of the hidden things, and Preserving these, and their regulation, like the words of the man, ‘I know his inside, meaning I am informed of him and know the concealed secrets of his’. And the hidden from us is the absent regarding the things, the veiled, and we are gathered in the name and differ in the meaning.

وأما القاهر فإنه ليس على علاج ونصب واحتيال ومداراة ومكر كما يقهر العباد بعضهم بعضا فالمقهور منهم يعود قاهرا والقاهر يعود مقهورا، ولكن ذلك من الله تبارك وتعالى على أن جميع ما خلق متلبس به الذل لفاعله وقلة الامتناع لما أراد به لم يخرج منه طرفة عين غير أنه يقول له: كن فيكون، فالقاهر منا على ما ذكرت ووصفت فقد جمعنا الاسم واختلف المعني.

And as for the Subduer, so it is not upon the meaning of a process, and establishing hostility, and fraud, and deceit, and plotting, just as the servants would do to subdue each other, and the subdued from them reverts to be the subdue, and the subduer reverts to be a subdued. But that, from Allah^-azwj Blessed and High is upon the entirety of what He^-azwj Created are clothed by the humility to its Performer, and scarcity of the obstacles to whatever He^-azwj intends with. It does not emerge in even the blink of an eye if He^-azwj is Saying to it: “Be”, so it comes into being, while the subdue from us is upon what we^-asws mentioned and described. So, we are gathered in the name, and differ in the meaning’.

وهكذا جميع الاسماء وإن كنا لم نسمها كلها فقد تكتفي للاعتبار بما ألقينا إليك والله عوننا وعونك في إرشادنا وتوفيقنا

And like that are the entirety of the Names, and if even though we^-asws have not gathered all of these, so these would suffice as the lesson with what we^-asws have cast to you, and Allah^-azwj would Assist you, and Assist us^-asws in Guiding us and Harmonising us’’.^[37]

Appendix II: Ones having integral Parts cannot be resembled with Allah^‑azwj:

يد، ن: ما جيلويه، عن علي بن إبراهيم، عن المختار بن محمد بن المختار الهمداني، عن الفتح بن يزيد الجرجاني، عن أبي الحسن عليه السلام قال: سمعته يقول في الله عزوجل: هو اللطيف الخبير السميع البصير الواحد الاحد الصمد، لم يلد ولم يولد ولم يكن له كفوا أحد، منشئ الاشياء، ومجسم الاجسام، ومصور الصور،

Majaylawiya, from Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Al Mukhtar Bin Muhammad Bin Al Mukhtar Al Hamdany, from Al Fat’h Bin Yazeed Al Jarjany,

‘From Abu Al-Hassan^-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘I heard him^-asws saying regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic (that) He^-azwj is the Subtle, the Informed, the Hearing, the Seeing, the One, the First, the Samat, He^-azwj does not beget and is not begotten, and there does not happen to be anyone a match for Him^-azwj, Originator of the things, and Embodier of the bodies, and Formulator of the images.

لو كان كما يقولون لم يعرف الخالق من المخلوق، ولا المنشئ من المنشأ، فرق بين من جسمه وصوره وأنشأه إذ كان لا يشبهه شئ، ولا يشبه هو شيئا.

If it was just as they are saying, the Creator would not be recognised from the created beings, nor the Originations from the originated. There is a difference between the One^-azwj (Allah^-azwj) Who Embodied him (people), and Imaged him (gave people figure), and Originated him, when there is nothing which resembles Him^-azwj, nor does He^-azwj resemble anything’.

قلت: أجل جعلني الله فداك لكنك قلت: الاحد الصمد وقلت: لا يشبه شيئا، والله واحد والانسان واحد، أليس قد تشابهت الوحدانية ؟

I said, ‘Yes, may Allah^-azwj Make me to be sacrificed for you^-asws! But, you^-asws said: ‘The First, the Samad’, and you^-asws said: ‘Nothing resembles Him^-azwj’; and Allah^-azwj is One and the human being is one. Isn’t there the resemblance of the oneness?’

قال: يا فتح أحلت ثبتك الله، إنما التشبيه في المعاني، فأما في الاسماء فهي واحدة، وهي دلالة على المسمى، وذلك أن الانسان وإن قيل واحد فإنما يخبر أنه جثة واحدة، وليس بإثنين فالانسان نفسه ليس بواحد لان أعضاءه مختلفة وألوانه مختلفة كثيرة غير واحدة، وهو أجزاء مجزا ليست بسواء، دمه غير لحمه، ولحمه غير دمه، وعصبه غير عروقه، وشعره غير بشره، وسواده غير بياضه، وكذلك سائر الخلق

He^-asws said: ‘O Fat’h! You are lawful (in asking), may Allah^-azwj Affirm you!  But rather, the resemblance is in the meaning. As for in the names, so these are one, and it is evidence upon the Named, and that is because the human being, and even if he is said to be one, rather it is known that he is of one body, and he isn’t with two (bodies), but the human being (body) isn’t one (entity), since his body parts are different, and his colours are different, a lot, not one, and he is of parts brought together not with equalness. His blood is other than his flesh, and his flesh is other than his blood, and his nerves are other than his veins, and his hair is other than his skin, and his blackness is other than his whiteness, and like that is the rest of the creation.

فالانسان واحد في الاسم لا واحد في المعنى، والله جل جلاله واحد لا واحد غيره، لا اختلاف فيه ولا تفاوت ولا زيادة ونقصان فأما الانسان المخلوق المصنوع المؤلف من أجزاء مختلفة وجواهر شتي غير أنه بالاجتماع شئ واحد

So, the human being is one in the name, not one in the meaning, and Allah^-azwj, Majestic is His^-azwj Majesty is One, there is no one other than Him^-azwj. There is no differing in Him^-azwj, nor any difference, nor any increase and reduction. As for the human being is the created being, the made, the composed from different parts and various limbs, apart from that he, by the collection, is one thing’.

قلت: جعلت فداك فرجت عني فرج الله عنك فقولك: اللطيف الخبير فسره لي كما فسرت الواحد فإني أعلم أن لطفه على خلاف لطف خلقه للفصل غير أني احب أن تشرح ذلك لي.

I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! You^-asws have relived from me, may Allah^-azwj Relieve you^-asws. Your^-asws word: The Subtle, the Informed, interpret it for me, just as you^-asws interpreted the One, for I know that His^-azwj Subtleness is different from the subtlety of His^‑azwj creatures of the detail, apart from that, I would love it if you could expound that for me’.

فقال: يا فتح إنما قلنا: اللطيف للخلق اللطيف، ولعلمه بالشى اللطيف وغير اللطيف، وفي الخلق اللطيف من الحيوان الصغار من البعوض والجرجس وما هو أصغر منهما ما لا يكاد تستبينه العيون بل لا يكاد يستبان لصغره الذكر من الانثى، و الحدث المولود من القديم

He^-asws said: ‘O Fat’h! But rather, we^-asws say He^-azwj is Subtle due to the subtle creation, and for His^-azwj Knowledge with the subtle things, and non-subtle, and regarding the subtle creation from the animals, the small ones from the mosquito, and the Jarjis, and what is smaller than these two, what almost does not appear to the eyes, but it almost does not appear due to its smallness, whether is it a male or a female, and occurrence of the new-born from the old.

فلما رأينا صغر ذلك في لطفه واهتدائه للسفاد والهرب من الموت والجمع لما يصلحه مما في لجج البحار وما في لحاء الاشجار والمفاوز والقفار و فهم بعضها عن بعض منطقها وما يفهم به أولادها عنها ونقلها الغذاء إليها ثم تأليف ألوانها حمرة مع صفرة وبياضا مع خضرة وما لاتكاد عيوننا تستبينه بتمام خلقها

So when we see the smallness of that in its subtleness, and its guidance to the spoiling, and the fleeing from the death, and the gathering for what is correct for it from what is in the depths of the oceans, and what is in the barks of the trees, and the deserts and the wastelands, and their understanding each other in speech, and what their children understand with from them, and its transporting the provision to it, then composing their types, red with the yellow, and white with the green, and what our eyes almost cannot see the integration of its body.

ولا تراه عيوننا ولا تلمسه أيدينا علمنا أن خالق هذا الخلق لطيف لطف في خلق ما سميناه بلا علاج ولا أداة ولا آلة، وأن كل صانع شئ فمن شئ صنع، والله الخالق اللطيف الجليل خلق وصنع لامن شئ.

And our eyes cannot see it nor can our hands touch it, we know that the Creator of this subtle creation is Subtle in Creation what we name it, without any treatment, nor any instruments nor tools, and that every maker of a thing, makes it from a thing, and Allah^-azwj is the Creator of the subtle, the majestic, Creates and Makes, not from a thing’’.^[38]

Appendix III: The Word Rab and ‘Rabuwiya’:

The noun of the word ‘Rab’, when used as an adjective, is ‘Rabuwiya’ which refers to an ‘Entity’, which cannot be anyone but Allah^-azwj, this is the reason we have been asked in several traditions of Masomeen^-asws to refrain from ascribing the word ‘Rabuwiya’ to them^‑asws.  In a long tradition, Imam Ali Reza^-asws has explained the meanings of the word ‘Rabuwiya’:

لَهُ مَعْنَى الرُّبُوبِيَّةِ إِذْ لَا مَرْبُوبٌ

The meaning of the ‘Rabuwiya’ is: The ‘One’ who has no other sustainer(s)’ In one of the sermons, Amir Al-Momineen^-asws says:

وعنهم عليهم السلام أنهم قالوا : نزهونا عن الربوبية وارفعوا عنا حظوظ البشرية   يعني الخطوط التي تجوز عليكم – فلا يقاس بنا أحد من الناس، فإنا نحسن الأسرار الإلهية لمودعة في الهياكل البشرية ، والكلمة الربانية الناطقة في الأجساد الترابية ، وقولوا بعد ذاك ما استطعتم فإن البحر لا ينزف ، وعظمة الله لا توصف

And about them^-asws, they^-asws said: Keep us clear of the title of ‘Rabuwiya’ but keep us above those qualities which could be attained by the human beings, meaning the sins that are imposed on you – so let no one compare to us^-asws, for we improve the divine secrets that are deposited in human temples, and the divine word spoken in earthly bodies, and say after that what you are able, for the sea does not bleed (can be emptied – so you never be able to reach our^-asws attributes), and the greatness of God is indescribable‘.[39]

Rab as ‘Ism’ (Noun) in Holy Quran Refers to ‘Allah^-azwj:

In the Holy Quran, the word ‘Rab’, as an ‘Ism’ (noun) has been mentioned at several places; see for example in the following references:

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلَاءِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَمُرُّ بِالرَّكِيَّةِ وَ لَيْسَ مَعَهُ دَلْوٌ قَالَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ الرَّكِيَّةَ إِنَّ رَبَّ الْمَاءِ هُوَ رَبُّ الْأَرْضِ فَلْيَتَيَمَّمْ

Ahmed ibn Mohammed has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hakam, who from al-Hussain ibn abu al-Ala’ who has said the following:

‘I once asked Abu Abd Allah^-asws, about a man who passes by a well but does not have a bucket (to draw water). Imam^-asws replied: It is not necessary for him to climb down the well; The ‘Rab’ of the water is ‘Howa’ that who is also the ‘Rab’ of the earth; he must perform Tayammum.[40]’[41]

Here ‘Howa’ clearly indicates that the word ‘Rab’ is referred to Allah^-azwj in the form of a noun.

وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْمَصْلُوبِ يُصِيبُهُ عَذَابُ الْقَبْرِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَبَّ الْأَرْضِ هُوَ رَبُّ الْهَوَاءِ فَيُوحِي اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَى الْهَوَاءِ فَيَضْغَطُهُ ضَغْطَةً أَشَدَّ مِنْ ضَغْطَةِ الْقَبْرِ

Someone asked Abu Abd Allah^-asws, ‘Does a person who dies because of being hanged to death, suffer the severe pressure of the grave?  The Imam^-asws replied: The Rab of the earth is also ‘Howa’ that is also the Rab of the air and it (air) applies a pressure on the deceased, which is greater than the pressure of the grave.[42]

Similarly, in Holy Quran there are several Verses where Allah^-azwj has been called with the ‘Ism’ ‘Rab’, for example see the Verses below:

: قال آدم: (ربنا ظلمنا أنفسنا7:23 ) *، وقال نوح: (رب إن ابني من أهلي11:45 ) *، * (رب إني مغلوب فانتصر54:10 ) * وقال هود: * (رب انصرني بما كذبون23:26 ) *، وقال إبراهيم: * (رب هب لي حكما26:21 ) * وقال لوط: * (رب نجني وأهلي مما يعملون26:169 ) *، ودعاء أيوب: * (وأيوب إذ نادى ربه أني مسني الضر وأنت أرحم الراحمين21:83 ) * ونحوه غيره، وقال شعيب: (ربنا افتح بيننا وبين قومنا بالحق7:89 ) * وغير ذلك، وقال موسى: * (رب إني ظلمت نفسي28:16 ) * إلى غير ذلك، وقال سليمان: * (رب اغفر لي وهب لي ملكا38:35 ) * وغير ذلك، وقال زكريا: * (رب هب لي من لدنك ذرية طيبة3:38 ) *، * (رب لا تذرني فردا21:89 ) *، وقالت مريم: * (رب أنى يكون لي ولد 3:47 ) * وغير ذلك، وقال عيسى بن مريم: * (اللهم ربنا أنزل علينا مائدة5:114 ) *، وقال الحواريون: * (ربنا آمنا بما أنزلت3:53 )

‘Rab’ in the Meanings of Owner/Master

In both Quran and traditions of Masomeen^-asws, the word ‘Rab’ has been mentioned on several occasions in the in the meanings of owner/master – as an adjective:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لَمَّا أَنْ وَجَّهَ صَاحِبُ الْحَبَشَةِ بِالْخَيْلِ وَ مَعَهُمُ الْفِيلُ لِيَهْدِمَ الْبَيْتَ مَرُّوا بِإِبِلٍ لِعَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَسَاقُوهَا فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ عَبْدَ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَأَتَى صَاحِبَ الْحَبَشَةِ فَدَخَلَ الْآذِنُ فَقَالَ هَذَا عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنُ هَاشِمٍ قَالَ وَ مَا يَشَاءُ قَالَ التَّرْجُمَانُ جَاءَ فِي إِبِلٍ لَهُ سَاقُوهَا يَسْأَلُكَ رَدَّهَا فَقَالَ مَلِكُ الْحَبَشَةِ لِأَصْحَابِهِ هَذَا رَئِيسُ قَوْمٍ وَ زَعِيمُهُمْ جِئْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ الَّذِي يَعْبُدُهُ لِأَهْدِمَهُ وَ هُوَ يَسْأَلُنِي إِطْلَاقَ إِبِلِهِ أَمَا لَوْ سَأَلَنِيَ الْإِمْسَاكَ عَنْ هَدْمِهِ لَفَعَلْتُ رُدُّوا عَلَيْهِ إِبِلَهُ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ لِتَرْجُمَانِهِ مَا قَالَ لَكَ الْمَلِكُ فَأَخْبَرَهُ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ

Some of our companions have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ibn Abu ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn Humran from Aban ibn Taghlib who has said the following. “Abu ‘Abdallah^-asws has said, ‘When the fellow from Ethiopia marched with horse and elephants to destroy the Ka‘ba.  They passed by the camels of ‘Abd al-Muttalib^-asws and herded them together.  When ‘Abd al-Muttalib learned about this he went to the man from Ethiopia and asked permission for a meeting. His man told him that ‘Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim asks permission for a meeting. He said, “What does he want?” The translator said, “He has come asking that his camels be released.” The king of Ethiopia said to his people, “This is the leader and the chief of the people here. I have come to destroy his house of worship but he asks me to order the release of his camels. Had he asked me not to destroy the house I would have done so. Release his cameels.” ‘Abd al-Muttalib asked the translator. “What did the king say?” When the words of the king were explained to him that he^-asws said,

أَنَا رَبُّ الْإِبِلِ وَ لِهَذَا الْبَيْتِ رَبٌّ يَمْنَعُهُ فَرُدَّتْ إِلَيْهِ إِبِلُهُ وَ انْصَرَفَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ نَحْوَ مَنْزِلِهِ فَمَرَّ بِالْفِيلِ فِي مُنْصَرَفِهِ فَقَالَ لِلْفِيلِ يَا مَحْمُودُ فَحَرَّكَ الْفِيلُ رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَ تَدْرِي لِمَ جَاءُوا بِكَ فَقَالَ الْفِيلُ بِرَأْسِهِ لَا فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ جَاءُوا بِكَ لِتَهْدِمَ بَيْتَ رَبِّكَ أَ فَتُرَاكَ فَاعِلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ بِرَأْسِهِ لَا فَانْصَرَفَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحُوا غَدَوْا بِهِ لِدُخُولِ الْحَرَمِ فَأَبَى وَ امْتَنَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ لِبَعْضِ مَوَالِيهِ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ اعْلُ الْجَبَلَ فَانْظُرْ تَرَى شَيْئاً فَقَالَ أَرَى سَوَاداً مِنْ قِبَلِ الْبَحْرِ فَقَالَ لَهُ يُصِيبُهُ بَصَرُكَ أَجْمَعَ فَقَالَ لَهُ لَا وَ لَأَوْشَكَ أَنْ يُصِيبَ فَلَمَّا أَنْ قَرُبَ قَالَ هُوَ طَيْرٌ كَثِيرٌ وَ لَا أَعْرِفُهُ يَحْمِلُ كُلُّ طَيْرٍ فِي مِنْقَارِهِ حَصَاةً مِثْلَ حَصَاةِ الْخَذْفِ أَوْ دُونَ حَصَاةِ الْخَذْفِ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَ رَبِّ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ مَا تُرِيدُ إِلَّا الْقَوْمَ حَتَّى لَمَّا صَارُوا فَوْقَ رُءُوسِهِمْ أَجْمَعَ أَلْقَتِ الْحَصَاةَ فَوَقَعَتْ كُلُّ حَصَاةٍ عَلَى هَامَةِ رَجُلٍ فَخَرَجَتْ مِنْ دُبُرِهِ فَقَتَلَتْهُ فَمَا انْفَلَتَ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ وَاحِدٌ يُخْبِرُ النَّاسَ فَلَمَّا أَنْ أَخْبَرَهُمْ أَلْقَتْ عَلَيْهِ حَصَاةً فَقَتَلَتْهُ

“I am the ‘Rab’ (owner) of the camels. The house has the Owner Who is to protect it. His^-asws camels were release and ‘Abd al-Muttalib returned home. He^-asws passed by the elephant on his way home. He said to the elephant, “O Muhmud. The elephant shook his head. Then he said, “Do you know why they have brought you here?” The elephant said by shaking his head, “No, I do not know.” ‘Abd al-Muttalib^-asws said, “They have brought you to destroy the house of your Lord^-azwj. Will you do so?” The elephant replied by shaking his head said, “I will not do so.” ‘Abd al-Muttalib^-asws returned home. Next morning they tried to force the elephant to enter the Holy precinct to destroy it but the elephant refused. ‘Abd al-Muttalib at that time said to some of his servants, “Climb up the hill and see if you observe anything.” He said, “I can see black spots in the direction of the sea. He^-asws asked, “Do you see all of it” He said, “Not all of it but almost. When the black spots came closer he said, “They are great many birds. I can see that every bird has a pebble in his beak of the size thrown with a finger.” ‘Abd al-Muttalib said, “By Allah, the Lord of ‘Abd al-Muttalib that the birds aim only those people.” When the birds arrived over their heads they threw the pebble on their heads and every pebble fell on top of their scales and pierced its way down to their bottom end and left them dead. Only one man was left alive who went with the news to the others. When he gave them the new a pebble fell on his head and killed him too.”[43]

In Uyun Akhbar Al-Reza, Imam Ali Raza^-asws replied to Mamoon Rashid when he put blame on the Virtues of Prophets^-as.

كما قاله الرضا (عليه السلام) في جواب المأمون حين سأله عن عصمة الأنبياء. وهو حديث شريف مفصل (2). الروايات والكلمات حول هذه الآية (3). كلمات الرازي حول سؤال فرعون: * (وما رب العالمين26:23 ) * وجواب موسى عنه (4). قد يجئ الرب بمعنى الملك ومنه قول يوسف كما حكاه الله تعالى في القرآن الكريم: * (اذكرني عند ربك فأنساه الشيطان ذكر ربه فلبث في السجن بضع سنين12:42 ) * فلفظ الرب في الاولى بمعنى الملك: أن يكون بمعنى الرب تعالى يعني نسي يوسف عن ذكر ربه حين راجع إلى غيره فيكون

الضمير في قوله: * (فأنساه12:42 ) * إلى يوسف، أو يكون بمعنى الصاحب

كما في قوله تعالى: * (إتخذوا أحبارهم ورهبانهم أربابا من دون الله9:31 ) *، كما يستفاد من كلمات الباقر (عليه السلام) في هذه الآية (4). ويجئ بمعنى السائس والمدبر والمصلح والسيد، كما في المنجد وغيره. وعلى ما تقدم يظهر معنى كلام مولانا أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) حين سئل عن دابة الأرض فقال: هو رب الأرض الذي تسكن الأرض به.

Iman Ali Reza^-asws gave a detailed reply to Mamoon Rashid^-la when he^-la question the infallibility of the Prophets^-as, complete hadith could be found elsewhere[44] but briefly, when Firon asked (from Musa^-as) Who is the ‘Rab ul Alameen’? Musa^-asws replied: You! But this was in the meanings of ‘Malik’ (owner).  Similarly, the words of Prophet Yousif^-as are quoted by Allah^-azwj in the Quran: ‘…..Remember me with your ‘Rab’; but the Shaitan caused him to forget mentioning (it) to his ‘Rab’ (lord), so he remained in the prison a few years.  Here, again the meanings of the word Rab is the ‘owner’, so addressed to other than Allah^-azwj.

In Holy Quran (9:31) Allah^-azwj Says: They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of Allah, (upon being asked) Imam Baqir^-asws has said: Yet do they worship, besides Allah, things that can neither profit them nor harm them: and the disbeliever is a helper (of Evil), against his own Lord (25:55), the meanings of the Rab here implies to Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! At another place, Amir Al-Momineen^-asws was asked about the ‘Daba tul Arz’, Amir Al-Momineen^-asws replied, that is the Rab-ul-Arz’ which gives comfort to the inhabitants of the earth.[45]

Rab in the qualitative form is used for Infallible Imam^-asws

There are several traditions of Masomeen^-asws, which state that ‘an Imam of the earth is the ‘Rab’ of the earth’.  For example:

رب الأرض بعدي

In a long tradition, reported by Sulam bin Qais Hilali, Prophet Mohammed^-saww said: (Ya Ali^-asws) you^-asws are ‘Rab-ul-Arz’ after me^-saww.[46]

الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ عَنْ صَبَّاحٍ الْمُزَنِيِّ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ وَ أَشْرَقَتِ الْأَرْضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّها  (39:69)قَالَ رَبُّ الْأَرْضِ إِمَامُ الْأَرْضِ قُلْتُ فَإِذَا خَرَجَ يَكُونُ مَا ذَا قَالَ إِذاً يَسْتَغْنِي النَّاسُ عَنْ ضَوْءِ الشَّمْسِ وَ نُورِ الْقَمَرِ وَ يَجْتَزِءُونَ بِنُورِ الْإِمَامِ

Qasim ibn Arbehy heard it from Sabah al-Muzini, who from al-Mufassal bin Ummer who says:

I heard it from Imam Abu Abdullah^-asws that Imam^-asws said: ‘In the Words of Allah^-azwj And the Earth will shine with the Glory of its Lord: (39:69) means that the Imam^-asws of the Earth is the ‘Rab’ of the Earth.  And when our last ‘Hujjat^-ajfj’ will appear, the Earth will become so bright that people of the Earth will neither need the Sunshine and nor the Moonlight.[47]

 حدثنا محمد بن أبي عبد الله ع قال حدثنا جعفر بن محمد قال حدثني القاسم بن الربيع قال حدثني صباح المدائني قال حدثنا المفضل بن عمر أنه سمع أبا عبد الله ع يقول في قوله « وَ أَشْرَقَتِ الْأَرْضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّها (39:69)» ، فقلت فإذا خرج يكون ما ذا قال إذا يستغني الناس عن ضوء الشمس و نور القمر و يجتزون بنور الإمام

The narrator says: I heard it from Imam Abu Abdullah^-asws: ‘In the Words of Allah^-azwj And the Earth will shine with the Glory of its Lord: (39:69) means when our last ‘Hujjat^-ajfj’ will appear, the Earth will become so bright that people will neither require the light of the Sun nor the light of the Moon.[48]

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws Punished those who Called him^-asws ‘Howa’

We present here some traditions, where those who called Amir Al-Momineen^-asws ‘Rab’ in the form of ‘noun’ or ‘Howa’ were punished to death when they refused to repent and insisted that their Lord is Amir Al-Momineen^-asws.

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ أَتَى قَوْمٌ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَقَالُوا السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَبَّنَا فَاسْتَتَابَهُمْ فَلَمْ يَتُوبُوا فَحَفَرَ لَهُمْ حَفِيرَةً وَ أَوْقَدَ فِيهَا نَاراً وَ حَفَرَ حَفِيرَةً أُخْرَى إِلَى جَانِبِهَا وَ أَفْضَى بَيْنَهُمَا فَلَمَّا لَمْ يَتُوبُوا أَلْقَاهُمْ فِي الْحَفِيرَةِ وَ أَوْقَدَ فِي الْحَفِيرَةِ الْأُخْرَى حَتَّى مَاتُوا

Mohammed ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Mohammad, who from ibn abu Umayr, who from Hisham ibn Salim, who has narrated the following:

Abu Jafar^-asws has said that once a group of people were brought before Amir Al-Momineen^‑asws, who said:  Peace be with you O our ‘Rabana’ Lord.’  Imam^-asws asked them to repent but they refused.  Imam Ali^-asws commanded to dig a ditch in which fire was lit up and another ditch was dug next to it and holes were made from one to the other ditch.[49]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ‏ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ أَتَى قَوْمٌ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَقَالُوا السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَبَّنَا فَاسْتَتَابَهُمْ فَلَمْ يَتُوبُوا فَحَفَرَ لَهُمْ حَفِيرَةً وَ أَوْقَدَ فِيهَا نَاراً وَ حَفَرَ حَفِيرَةً أُخْرَى إِلَى جَانِبِهَا وَ أَفْضَى مَا بَيْنَهُمَا فَلَمَّا لَمْ يَتُوبُوا أَلْقَاهُمْ فِي الْحَفِيرَةِ وَ أَوْقَدَ فِي الْحَفِيرَةِ الْأُخْرَى [نَاراً] حَتَّى مَاتُوا

Ali ibnIbrahim has narrated from his father, who from ibn abu ‘Umayr, who from Hisham ibn Salim who has narrated the following:

Abu Abd Allah^-asws has said that once a people were brought before Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, who said:  Peace be with you O our ‘Rabana’ Lord.’  Imam^-asws asked them to repent but they refused.  Imam Ali^-asws commanded to dig a ditch in which fire was lit up, another ditch was dug next to it and holes were made from one to the other ditch.’[50]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ عَنْ كِرْدِينٍ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع لَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ أَتَاهُ سَبْعُونَ رَجُلًا مِنَ الزُّطِّ فَسَلَّمُوا عَلَيْهِ وَ كَلَّمُوهُ بِلِسَانِهِمْ فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِلِسَانِهِمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ إِنِّي لَسْتُ كَمَا قُلْتُمْ أَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ مَخْلُوقٌ فَأَبَوْا عَلَيْهِ وَ قَالُوا أَنْتَ هُوَ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ لَئِنْ لَمْ تَنْتَهُوا وَ تَرْجِعُوا عَمَّا قُلْتُمْ فِيَّ وَ تَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‏ لَأَقْتُلَنَّكُمْ فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يَرْجِعُوا وَ يَتُوبُوا فَأَمَرَ أَنْ تُحْفَرَ لَهُمْ آبَارٌ فَحُفِرَتْ ثُمَّ خَرَقَ بَعْضَهَا إِلَى بَعْضٍ ثُمَّ قَذَفَهُمْ فِيهَا ثُمَّ خَمَّرَ رُءُوسَهَا ثُمَّ أُلْهِبَتِ النَّارُ فِي بِئْرٍ مِنْهَا لَيْسَ فِيهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ فَدَخَلَ الدُّخَانُ عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَا فَمَاتُوا

Mohammed ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Mohammed ibn Isa, from Ibn Mahbub, who from Salih ibn Sahl from Kirdin, who from a man who has narrated the following:

Abu Jafar and Abu Abd Allah^-asws have said that once a people were brought before Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, when he had dealt with the people of al-Basrah.  They were seventy people from al-Zut who offered Imam^-asws Salm and spoke to him in their own language.  Imam^-asws responded to them in their language and told that was not what they had said, he is but he is a Devotee of Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Creature.  But they refused and said: You are ‘Howa’ (Him^-azwj). The Imam^-asws told them that if they did not retract and repent before Allah^-azwj, he would put them to death.  They refused to retract and repent.  Imam^-asws commanded to dig wells for them that were connect by holes to each other.  They were then thrown in and their heads were masked, then fire was lit in one of the wells where there was no one, the smoke entered on them and they all died.[51]

Allah Ho Akbar:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ رَجُلٌ عِنْدَهُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَيِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَالَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) حَدَّدْتَهُ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ كَيْفَ أَقُولُ قَالَ قُلْ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَنْ يُوصَفَ .

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ibn Mahboub, from the one who mentioned it,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws, said, ‘A man in his^-asws presence said, ‘Allah^-azwj is the Greatest!’. He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj is Greater than which thing?’ He asked, ‘From everything’. So, Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘You have limited Him^-azwj’. The man then asked, ‘How should I be saying it?’ He^-asws said: ‘Say, ‘Allah^-azwj is Greatest, beyond description’’.^[52]

Therefore, Allah^-azwj is beyond description.[53]

Acts Carried out on Allah^-azwj’s Behalf are Referred to ‘His Acts’

This is an important topic as some questions are raised what Allah^-azwj Does and what is carried out by His^-azwj Divine representatives/angels; i.e., who takes away life, the angle of death or Allah^-azwj Himself, similarly who created earth, heavens, skies, Allah^-azwj or His representatives^-asws.  Amir Al-Momineen^-asws has replied to these questions in more detail, see for example[54] but briefly,

Non-believer asks from Amir ul-Momineen^-asws: I find Allah^-azwj Says:

قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ (32:11)

Say angel of death will remove your soul from your body (32:11) and at another place Allah^-azwj Says:

 اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الْأُخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآَيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ (39:42)

Allah takes back souls when their time has come to an end.

الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ يَقُولُونَ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمُ ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (16:32)

Those whom the angels gather in death while they are in a state of inner purity, greeting them thus: “Peace be upon you! Enter paradise by virtue of what you were doing [in life]!”

Which is true out of these statements?  As sometime a task is attributed to Himself^-azwj, then to ‘Angel of Death’ and later to other angels.

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws replied: I^-asws would like to give an explanation to your questions.  One cannot do any good except after getting inspiration from Allah^-azwj.  I fully rely (Tuwakkil) on Him^-azwj, seek His^-azwj blessings and all those who seek nobility turn towards Him^-azwj.

Allah^-azwj Says:  Allah Takes back life at the time of their death. [55]

And (Allah^-azwj) Says: The angel of Death takes life away from you,[56] and our Prophets^-as take life away.  And those are the righteous who meet their death by the hands of our angels.  And also, those who are killed by the angels are those who have indulged themselves in inappropriate matters.

Thus, Allah^-azwj is so Elevated and Great that it is inappropriate that He^-azwj would Himself^-azwj perform such tasks, therefore He^-azwj refers those tasks to Himself^-azwj which are conducted by His angels and His Prophets^-as, on His^-azwj behalf as they act purely on His^-azwj instructions.  Thus, Allah^-azwj has decided to create, among His^-azwj creations some angels^-as and messengers^-as, and for whom Allah^-azwj Says:

Thus, a devotee’s soul will be taken away by the kind angels whereas a sinner’s soul is removed by the angels of wrath.[57]  Both angels of Blessings and Wrath are helpers of ‘Malakul Maut’ (The angel of death).  They just carry out Allah^-azwj’s Commands, thus their actions are referred to His^-azwj actions.  As other angels’ actions are the actions of Angel of death, similarly, the work of Angel of death is the work of Allah^-azwj because it is Him^-azwj who chooses the means to bring death onto someone, or to stop it or to extend life or/and gives the rewards or the punishment.  Indeed, the tasks of His^-azwj trustees are His^-azwj tasks.  As Allah^-azwj Says:

You would never desire for until and unless Allah wants it,[58] And Says: Who carried out ‘Amal-ul-Salay’[59] is a Momin[60].  Thus, do not be disobedient in the striving of the good deeds.  And also Says: ‘He who repented, accepted ‘Eman’, carried out ‘Amal-e-Salay’ and thus found ‘Guidance’, will be forgiven’.

All these cannot be of any benefit until one adheres to the ‘Guidance’[61].  As it is not true that anyone who claims to be among the believers will get refuge, even if he meets his death in sins.  If this were true, then the Jews, by having faith in God and His Oneness, would be successful in the Hereafter, along with Iblis^-la and other non-believers.  That is why Allah^-azwj Says:  Those who embraced ‘Eman’ (belief) and then did not pollute it with ‘Zulm’ (disobedience) will be in peace and these are the guided one.[62]

[1] ( 3).« اسم» البرهان.

[2] TAFSEER IMAM HASSAN AL ASKARI (A.S.) – S 9

[3] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 90 – The Book of Quran – Ch 129 H 2

[4] TAFSEER IMAM HASSAN AL ASKARI (A.S.) – S 6

[5] التّوحيد: 264/ 5.

[6] عيون أخبار الرضا (عليه السّلام) 1: 116/ 4.

[7] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 18/ 2.

[8] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 2 H 5

[9] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 89 – The Book of Quran – Ch 29 H 39

[10] 57:3

[11] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 2 H 9

[12] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 2 H 10

[13] تحف العقول، النص، ص: 96

[14] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 3, The book of Tawheed, Ch 4 H 1

[15] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 3, The book of Tawheed, Ch 6 H 15

[16] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 3, The book of Tawheed, Ch 9 H 31

[17] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 3, The book of Tawheed, Ch 13 H 12

[18] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 3, The book of Tawheed, Ch 13 H 44

[19] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 4 H 24

[20] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 4 H 31

[21] الكافي ج : 1 ص : 92 بَابُ النَّهْيِ عَنِ الْكَلَامِ فِي الْكَيْفِيَّةِ

[22]   H.7  الكافي (ط – الإسلامية)، ج‏1، ص: 93

[23] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 2 H 2

[24] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 3 H 4

[25] ( 1)- و في نسخة بدله، اثنان و سبعون.

[26] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 3 H 5

[27] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 3 H 6

[28] ( 1) و في نسخة: بصفاته التي وصف بها نفسه.

[29] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 1 H 7

[30] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 1 H 3

[31] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 1 H 6

[32] Al Kafi – H 230

[33] Tafseer Noor Al Saqalayn  CH 1 – H 43

[34] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 1 H 1

[35] A quality through which, Allah^azwj and His Divine Representatives^-asws and their commands are recognised, e.g., see Al-Kafi, vol. 1, pg. 10.

[36] Bahrul Moarif, Nahjul Israr, vol.2, pg. 380.

[37] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 2 H 5

[38] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 4, The book of Tawheed, S 3, Ch 2 H 2

[39] Nahjul Asrar, vol.1, pg. 47, Bahrul Moarif, pg. 455, Kalamat-e-Maknuna, pg. 169,

[40] Al-Kafi, H 4089, Ch. 41, h. 7, volume 3

[41] Tradition no. 9 of this chapter also has the same meanings of the word ‘Rab’ referred to Allah^azwj.

[42] Al-Kafi, H 4687, Ch. 86, h. 17., also Manlah Yahzar-ul-Faqhi, hadith, no. 584

[43] الكافي  1    باب مولد النبي ص و وفاته  ص447

[44] Uyun Akhbar Al-Reza by Sheikh Sadooq, vol. 1, pp. 354.

[45]    بحار الأنوار (ط – بيروت)، ج‏53، ص: 69

[46] كتاب‏سليم‏بن‏قيس ص : 685

[47] بحارالأنوار     7     326    باب 17- الوسيلة و ما يظهر من منزلة

[48] تفسيرالقمي     2     253    تشرق الأرض بنور الإمام …..  ص : 3

[49] Al-Kafi, H. 8,  الكافي ج : 7 ص : 259

[50] الكافي ج : 7 ص : 259

[51] Al-Kafi, vol. 7, h, 23 (H 13693), الكافي ج : 7 ص : 260

[52] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah^azwj) CH 16 H 8

[53] Al-Kafi., vol. 1, Ch. 16, H. 9.

[54] http://hubeali.com/articles/Questions-of-Zanadiqa-on-Quran.pdf; http://hubeali.com/khutbat/khutaba_tul_Bian_English.pdf

[55] (39:42) اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الْأُخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآَيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

[56] (32:11) قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ

[57] (22:75) اللَّهُ يَصْطَفِي مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا وَمِنَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ

[58] (76:30) وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

[59] Belief in Wilayat (mastership) of Masomeen^asws.

[60] (21:94)فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِنَ الصَّالِحَاتِ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَا كُفْرَانَ لِسَعْيِهِ وَإِنَّا لَهُ كَاتِبُونَ

[61] Wilayat.

[62] (6:82)الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ