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Background
Background
Muhammad’s (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) Revelations about the fact that there was only one God greatly upset many of the Quraysh tribe.
Muhammad’s (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) teachings were gaining support amongst some of the tribe. Many people found the beauty of the words of the Quran too fascinating and appealing to ignore. Thus Muhammad (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) developed a large following.
This caused a huge split within the Quraysh tribe.
Prior to Muhammad’s(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) revelations, three main goddesses, Al-Lat, Al-Uzza and Manat were worshipped at the Kaaba. Many of the more traditional members of the Quraysh felt that these new Muslims were being disrespectful and disloyal to the religion of their forefathers. This split became even more venomous when the supporters of the goddesses began to mistreat Muhammad(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) and his supporters, eventually forcing them out of the city of Mecca.
The statement of faith
The statement of faith
One of the most important ideas of Islam is the fact that there is only one God. Part of being a Muslim is saying out loud: ‘I bear witness that there is no deity but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.’
This statement is called the Shahada, it is one of the most important phrases a Muslim can say and hear.
According to most traditional schools, a single honest recitation of the Shahadah is all that is needed for someone to become a Muslim.
It is whispered into the ear of a newborn child, and into the ear of someone on their deathbed.
It forms part of each of the five prayers that Muslims perform each day.
The Shahada is written on the Saudi-Arabian flag (shown below). This is because Mecca, the home of the Kaaba and the birthplace of Muhammad (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) can be found in Saudi-Arabia.
The Beautiful Names of Allah
The Beautiful Names of Allah
One of the central themes in the Quran is the description of God (or rather the description of what God is not). The name of God in Arabic is ‘Allah’, but there are many other names that can be used. According to the Quran, Muslims can use the Most Beautiful Names of God to call upon Allah when they pray:
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Compassionate—whichever you call, He has the Most Beautiful Names.” Do not recite your prayers too loudly or silently, but seek a way between.
—Quran, 17:110In Sura 59, there is a long description of Allah:
He is Allah—there is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him: Knower of the seen and unseen. He is the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
He is Allah—there is no god except Him: the King, the Most Holy, the All-Perfect, the Source of Serenity, the Watcher ˹of all˺, the Almighty, the Supreme in Might,1 the Majestic. Glorified is Allah far above what they associate with Him ˹in worship˺!
He is Allah: the Creator, the Inventor, the Shaper. He ˹alone˺ has the Most Beautiful Names. Whatever is in the heavens and the earth ˹constantly˺ glorifies Him. And He is the Almighty, All-Wise.
—The Quran, 59:22-24But according to Islamic tradition, there are 99 ‘beautiful names’ of Allah.
Most are directly from the Quran, but others are from the Hadiths, which are the sayings and commentary upon the Quran:
The Beneficent/ All-Compassionate/ Most Gracious/
The Most Merciful/ Ever-Merciful/ Merciful/ Most Clement
The King/ Lord/ Sovereign/ Dominion/ Master
The Holy/ All-Holy/ All-Pure/ Sacred/ All-Sacred
The Giver of Peace/ Peace/ All-Calm/ Ever-Tranquil
The Granter of Security/ the Giver/ Faith/ Supreme Believer (of Belief)/ Giver of Belief/ All-Assurer
The Controller/ Absolute Authority Over All/ Guardian Over All/ Absolute Master/ Eternal Dominating
The Exalted in Might and Power/ Exalted/ Powerful/ Almighty/ Mighty
The Omnipotent/ Supreme Power/ Possessor of Having All Power/ Strong
The Possessor of Greatness/ Supreme/ Justly Proud
The Creator/ Creator of the Universe/ Maker/ True Originator/ Absolute Author
The Initiator/ Evolver/ Eternal Spirit Worshipped By All, Have Absolute Power Over All Matters, Nature and Events
The Fashioner/ Shaper/ Designer/ Artist
The Repeatedly Forgiving/ Absolute Forgiver/ Pardoner/ Condoner
The Subduer/ Overcomer/ Conqueror/ Absolute Vanquisher
The Absolute Bestower/ Giver/ Grantor/ Great Donor
The Provider/ Sustainer/ Bestower of Sustenance/ All-Provider
The Opener/ Opener of the Gates of Profits/ Reliever/ The Victory Giver
The Knowing/ All-Knower/ Omniscient/ All-Knowledgeable/ Possessor of Knowing Much of Ever Thing/ All-Knowing
The Restrainer/ Withholder/ Straightener/ Absolute Seizer
The Extender/ Expander/ Generous Provider
The Abaser/ Humiliator/ Downgrader [Possessor of Giving Comfort, Free from Pain Anxiety or Troubles]
The Exalter/ Upgrader [of Ranks]
The Giver of Honor/ Bestower of Honor/ Empowerer
The Giver of Dishonor/ the Giver of Disgrace
The Hearing/ All-Hearing/ Hearer of Invocation
The All-Seeing/ All-Seer/ Ever-Clairvoyant/ Clear-Sighted/ Clear-Seeing
The Judge/ Arbitrator/ Arbiter/ All-Decree/ Possessor of Authority of Decisions and Judgment
The Just/ Authorised and Straightforward Judge of Dealing Justly
The Gentle/ Benignant/ Subtly Kind/ All-Subtle
The All-Aware/ Well-Acquainted/ Ever-Adept
The Forbearing/ Indulgent/ Oft Forbearing/ All-Enduring
The Most Great/ Ever-Magnificent/ Most Supreme/ Exalted/ Absolute Dignified
The Ever-Forgiving/ Oft-Forgiving
The Grateful/ Appreciative/ Multiplier of Rewards
The Sublime/ Ever-Exalted/ Supreme/ Most High/ Most Lofty
The Great/ Ever-Great/ Grand/ Most Great/ Greatly Abundant of Extent, Capacity and Importance
The Preserver/ Ever-Preserving/ All-Watching/ Protector/ Guardian/ Oft-Conservator
The Nourisher/ Feeder
The Bringer of Judgment/ Ever-Reckoner [the One Who Takes Account of All Matters]
The Majestic/ Exalted/ Oft-Important/ Splendid
The Noble/ Bountiful/ Generous/ Precious/ Honored/ Benefactor
The Watchful/ Observer/ Ever-Watchful/ Watcher
The Responsive/ Answerer/ Supreme Answerer/ Accepter of Invocation
The Vast/ All-Embracing/ Omnipresent/ Boundless/ All-Encompassing
The Wise/ Ever-Wise/ Endowed with Sound Judgment
The Affectionate/ Ever-Affectionate/ Loving One/ Loving/ the Lover/ the One Who Tenders and Warm Hearts
The All-Glorious/ Majestic/ Ever-Illustrious
The Resurrector/ Awakener/ Arouser/ Dispatcher
The Witness/ Testifier/ Ever-Witnessing
The Truth/ Reality/ the Only One Certainly Sound and Genuine in Truth
The Trustee, The Dependable, The Advocate
The Strong
The Firm, The Steadfast
The Friend, Helper
The All Praiseworthy
The Accounter, The Numberer of All
The Originator, The Producer, The Initiator
The Restorer, The Reinstater Who Brings Back All
The Giver of Life
The Bringer of Death
The Living
The Subsisting, The Independent
The Perceiver, The Finder, The Unfailing
The Illustrious, The Magnificent, The Glorious
The Unique, The Single
The One, The Indivisible
The Eternal, The Absolute, The Self-Sufficient
The All-Powerful, He Who is able to do Everything
The Determiner, The Dominant
The Expediter, He Who Brings Forward
The Delayer, He Who Puts Far Away
The First, The Beginning-less
The Last, The Endless
The Manifest, The Evident, The Outer
The Hidden, The Unmanifest, The Inner
The Patron, The Protecting Friend, The Friendly Lord
The Supremely Exalted, The Most High
The Good, The Beneficent
The Ever-Returning, Ever-Relenting
The Avenger
The Pardoner, The Effacer, The Forgiver
The Kind, The Pitying
The Owner of all Sovereignty
The Owner, Lord of Majesty and Honour
The Equitable, The Requiter
The Gatherer, The Unifier
The Rich, The Independent
The Enricher, The Emancipator
The Preventer, The Withholder, The Shielder, The Defender
The Distressor, The Harmer, The Afflictor
The Propitious, The Benefactor, The Source of Good
The Light
The Guide, The Way
The Originator, The Incomparable, The Unattainable, The Beautiful
The Immutable, The Infinite, The Everlasting
The Heir, The Inheritor of All
The Guide to the Right Path
The Timeless, The Patient
Discussion - What’s in a name?
Discussion - What’s in a name?
In some of the more mystical communities of thought, the names of God take on a deeper meaning.
In Sufism, for example, there is a tradition that the 99 names of God point to a mystical ‘Most Supreme and Superior Name’, The ‘Greatest Name of God’, that is known only to the prophets.
It’s a similar tradition to that of the Tetragrammaton of Moses in Judaism. The Tetragrammaton was the special name given to Moses and which could only be spoken out loud in the Temple on the feast of Yom Kippur.
For others, the 99 names of God act as a kind of guide to life. The Sunni Mystic Ibn Arabi (1165-1240, (who was born in Murcia) described the 99 names as ‘outward signs of the universe’s inner mysteries’.
Ibn Arabi describes the idea of oneness with God through the metaphor of a mirror. He compares an object being reflected in countless mirrors to God being reflected in us. Thus, there is no real distinction between God and us, and we can choose to be reunited with God by pursuing this similarity, this oneness.
Somewhat controversially, Muhammad(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was an example of someone who had achieved this oneness - he was, what is known as, a perfect man.
Thus the 99 names are thus a guide to our true reality, and self-improvement.
Tasks
Tasks
Factual questions:
What is the Shahadah?
Why was it controversial for the Quraysh?
How is its importance shown in the life of a Muslim?
Explain why Ibn Arabi thought that the names of God were valuable.
Do you think that it is possible to know God? To know what God is like or not like? What do you think of Ibn Arabi’s ideas?
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