Asma Sifat: Commentary on Awarif wal Muarif of Shaikh Shihabuddin Suhrwardy (d 1191 CE) Part-1

 Asma Sifat: Commentary on Awarif wal Muarif of Shaikh Shihabuddin Suhrwardy (d 1191 CE)

By Mawlana Syed Moeenuddin Shah Qadri; Hyderabad, Deccan, India

Translated from Urdu and summarized by

Prof. Dr. Nazeer Ahmed

Part 1

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Vocabulary:

Asma’: Plural of Ism; the Names; the Names of Allah

Asma’ ul Husna: The Most Beautiful Names of Allah of which there are 99 in the Qur’an

A’rifeen: Plural of Arif; People of inner knowledge; Awliyah

Ayan e Thabita (Ilm e Ilahi, the knowledge of Allah)

Ayan e Mumkinat (the world of contingencies)

Baqa: Restoration; Recreation (antonym of fana)

Dhat (or Zat): Reality; Self

Fana: Destruction; annihilation (antonym of baqa)

Hayat: Life as opposed to Maut or death

Hasti: Being

Hijab: Curtain; Veil; a Partition; that which hides the Reality of Allah swt from human perception

Ijtemal: the dependency of one Sifet on another

Ishara: A Signal; A Sign; An allusion

Ijtemal: Conditionality; dependency

Ism(pronounced issm): Name; a Noun; a Name of Allah swt such as Al Wadud (the loving), al Rahman (the Compassionate), al Rahim (the Merciful), al Ghafoor (the Forgiving) and so on.

Jame’: Sum total

Jism e Anseri: Body made up of elements

Kashaf: Lifting of veil (that separate Asma e Husna from the human)

Saba’ Masani: The seven Ayahs of Surah al Fateha

Shamil: Included; contained

Shuhood: Witness; to be present; to see

Sifat: Plural of Sifet; attributes; an adjective

Sifat e Saba’ Dhatiya: The seven foundational Sifaat. These are Hayat (life), Ilm (knowledge), Qudrat (power), Irada (Intent), Sama (hearing), Basar(seeing) and Kalam (speech).

Tajaddud e Amthal: Renovation of appearances; The atomistic cycle of fana (destruction) and baqa (restoration); the unfolding of of Allah’s will from moment to moment

Ummahat e Asma (the root or basis of the Names). They are: Hayat (life), Ilm (knowledge), Qudrat (power), Iradah (intent), Sama (hearing), Basar (Seeing) and Kalam (speech).

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Summary

Asma ul Husna are the most beautiful Names of Allah. The 99 Asma ul Husna in the Qur’an capture the essence of all the names (Asma) in the universe..  

Ism (pronounced i-ss-m) is a word or description used to allude (ishara) towards Allah. The allusion (ishara) is towardsHis dhat (Reality) without reference to any attribute. Ism defines His Being while Sifaat describe His condition. Asma is the plural of Ism.

The Reality of Ism is the dhat.  Sifaat are attributes that point to the one who has the Sifaat (the Ism). Safaat define an Ism.

The Reality of Sifaat is Ilahiyet (attributes of the One who is worthy of worship). The Reality of Asma is Rububiyet (an attribute of Allah, the Sustainer).

The Dhat (Reality or Essence) of Asma wa Sifat is only Allah. Asma wa Sifat are pointers, signs, ishara. Whenever they are mentioned, they refer to Allah swt.

Asma wa Sifat are endless. They are condensed into 99 Asma ul Husna in the Qur’an. The Jame’ (compendium) of all the Asma wal Husna is the Name “Allah”.

Ummahat e Asma: There are seven Ummhat e Asma, namely, Hayat, Ilm, Irada, Qudrat, Sama, Basar and Kalam.

Ummahat e Sifat: They are called the Saba’ Masani. These are the seven Ayahs of Surah al Fateha. Every Ayah in Surah al Fateha is a deep ocean which has no shores. It is the Reality of the Qur’an. The Sifat are also Saba Sifat.

Ijtemal e Asma: The conditionality of Asma (Names). For instance, when there is Hayat, there is Ilm. When a man has no Hyat (when he is dead), where is the knowledge?

The Sifat of Allah are also given to the human except that our Ujub is not Dhati (our existence is not real). We are dependent on Allah for our existence.

The difference in the attributes of Allah and those of the human is that He is Khaliq, we are Makhluq. We are dependent on our senses for physical perception. We need our eyes to see, ears to hear and tongue to speak. Allah is beyond any need whatsoever.

Asma wa Sifat are hidden. They are the hijab (curtain) that hide the Reality of the Ism. When a human being progresses beyond the Asma wa Sifat, he catches a glimpse of the Light of Reality.

Continued

The noblest pursuit. Acquiring knowledge of Allah ﷻ is the noblest pursuit.

 The Noblest Pursuit.  Acquiring Knowledge of Allah ﷻ is the noblest of all pursuit. 

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Knowledge of Allah and His Names and Attributes is the noblest and best of all knowledge, because the level of honour of any kind of knowledge has to do with the object of knowledge, and the object of knowledge in this case is Allah, may He ﷻ be glorified and exalted, through His ﷻ Names, Attributes and Deeds. Occupying oneself with seeking this knowledge and studying it properly is the pursuit of the highest objective, and acquiring this knowledge is one of the best gifts a person may be given. Because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) explained it very clearly and was very keen to do so, the Sahaabah never disputed in this matter as they did over some of the rulings (ahkaam).

Please remember us in your duas. 

List of 99 Names of Allah ﷻ

List of 99 names of Allah ﷻ

You may memorize 6 names at a time..

ﺑِﺴْـــــــــــــﻢِﷲِالرَّحْمٰنِﺍلرَّﺣِﻴﻢ

اللّٰہُ الرَّحْمٰنُ الرَّحِیْمُ الْمَلِکُ الْقُدُّوْسُ السَّلَامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُھَیْمِنُ الْعَزِیْزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَکَبِّرُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِیُٔ الْمُصَوِّرُ الْغَفَّارُ الْقَھَّارُ 

الْوَھَّابُ الرَّزَّاقُ الْفَتَّاحُ الْعَلِیْمُ الْقَابِضُ الْبَاسِطُ 

الْخَافِضُ الرَّافِعُ الْمُعِزُّ الْمُذِلُّ السَّمِیْعُ الْبَصِیْر

ُ الْحَکَمُ الْعَدْلُ اللَّطِیْفُ الْخَبِیْرُ الْحَلِیْمُ الْعَظِیْمُ 

1الْغَفُوْرُ الشَّکُوْرُ الْعَلِیُّ الْکَبِیْرُ الْحَفِیْظُ الْمُقِیْتُ 

الْحَسِیْبُ الْجَلِیْلُ

الْکَرِیْمُ الرَّقِیْبُ الْمُجِیْبُ الْوَاسِعُ 

الْحَکِیْمُ الْوَدُوْدُ الْمَجِیْدُ الْبَاعِثُ الشَّھِیْدُ الْحَقُّ 

الْوَکِیْلُ الْقَوِیُّ الْمَتِیْنُ الْوَلِیُّ الْحَمِیْدُ الْمُحْصِی 

الْمُبْدِیُٔ الْمُعِیْدُ الْمُحْییِ الْمُمِیْتُ الْحَیُّ الْقَیُّوْمُ 

الْوَاجِدُ الْمَاجِدُ الْوَاحِد احدُ الصَّمَدُ الْقَادِرُ

الْمُقْتَدِرُ الْمُقَدِّمُ الْمُؤَخِّرُ الْاَوَّلُ الْاٰخِرُ الظَّاھِرُ 

 الْبَاطِنُ الْوَالِیُ الْمُتَعَالُ الْبَرُّ التَّوَّابُ الْمُنْتَقِمُ

الْعَفُوُّ الرَّئُوْفُ مَالِکُ الْمُلْکِ ذُوالْجَلَالِوَالْاِکْرَامِ الْمُقْسِطُ الْجَامِعُ 

الْغَنِیُّ الْمُغْنِی الْمَانِعُ   الضَّآرُّ النَّافِعُ النُّوْرُ 

الْھَادِیُ الْبَدِیْعُ الْبَاقِی۔  الْوَارِثُ الرَّشِیْدُ الصَّبُوْرُ

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وَﻣَﺎ ﺗَﻮْﻓِﻴﻘِﻲ ﺇِﻻَّ ﺑِﺎﻟﻠّﻪ

لا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إِلا باللَّهِ

Please remember us  in your duas...

Source of happiness.

Knowledge of 99 names of Allah ﷻ is source of happiness 

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Knowledge of Allāh is the origin of all knowledge, and it is the basis of the servant’s knowledge towards his happiness, perfection and betterment in this life and the next.

No way of knowing Allah ﷻ except his 99 Names.

 No way of knowing Allah ﷻ except his 99 Names.

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There is no way to know Allah except by knowing His Most Beautiful Names and seeking a proper understanding of their meanings.

Foundation of the Message. 99 Names of Allah ﷻis the foundation of Revelation

 Foundation of the Message. 99 Names of Allah ﷻis the foundation of Revelation.

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The key to the call of the Messengers, the essence of their Message, is knowing Allah through His Names and Attributes and Deeds, because this is the foundation on which the rest of the Message, from beginning to end, is built.

(Al-Sawaaiq al-Mursalah ala al-Jahamiyyah wal-Muattilah by Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/150-151).

Increase in faith. Knowledge of 99 names of Allah ﷻ increases faith in him

Increase in faith. Knowledge of  99 names of Allah ﷻ increases faith in Him.

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When a person occupies himself with learning about Allah, he is doing what he was created for, but if he ignores the matter, he is neglecting what he was created for.

The meaning of faith is not merely to utter words without knowing Allah, because true faith in Allah means that the slave knows the Lord in Whom he believes, and he makes the effort to learn about Allah through His Names and Attributes. 

 

The more he learns about his Lord, the more he increases in faith.

Knowledge of 99 names of Allah is source of all knowledge.

Knowledge of the Names of Allah is the basis for all other knowledge, as Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Knowledge of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah is the basis of all other kinds of knowledge, for the objects of all these other branches of knowledge were either created or commanded by Allah ﷻ

Explanation:  (the various branches of knowledge either deal with objects created by Allah ﷻ or with the laws and guidance revealed by Him). 

The reason for creation and guidance is found in His Most Beautiful Names (because Allah ﷻ is the Creator, He creates things; because He is the Guide to the Straight Path, He reveals guidance, and so on) 

Knowing the Most Beautiful Names is the basis of all objects of knowledge, because all knowledge stems from these Names

(Badai' al-Fawaaid by Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/163).

Why who memorises 99 names of Allah ﷻ would enter Jannah

Why one who memorizes 99 names of Allah would enter Jannah? Part... 1

Praise be to Allah.

ﺑِﺴْـــــــــــــﻢِﷲِالرَّحْمٰنِﺍلرَّﺣِﻴﻢ

Al-Bukhaari (2736) and Muslim (2677) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one. Whoever learns them by heart will enter Paradise.” 

“Learning by heart”, which is mentioned in the hadeeth, implies the following: 

1.Memorising them

2.Understanding their meaning

3.Acting in accordance with the meanings. So if a person knows that He is One, he does not associate anything else with Him. If he knows that He is the Provider (ar-Razzaaq), he does not seek provision from anyone other than Him. If he knows that He is Most Merciful (ar-Raheem), then he does acts of obedience and worship that are the means of attaining this mercy… and so on.

4.Calling upon Him by these names, as He, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them’ [al-A‘raaf 7:180]. So he might say: O Most Merciful (Ya Rahmaan), have mercy on me; O Oft-forgiving (Ya Ghafoor), forgive me; O Accepter of repentance (Ya Tawwaab), accept my repentance, and so on.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen said: Learning them by heart does not mean writing them down on a piece of paper then repeating them until one has memorised them. Rather what it means is:

Firstly: learning how to pronounce the names

Secondly: understanding their meanings.

Thirdly: worshipping Allah in accordance with what they signify, which involves two things:

(i)Calling upon Allah by them, because He, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “… so call on Him by them” [al-A‘raaf 7:180], to that they may become a means of attaining what you seek, so choose a name that is appropriate to what you seek. When asking for forgiveness, say: O Oft-forgiving (Ya Ghafoor), forgive me. It is not appropriate to say: O You Who are stern in punishment (Ya Shadeed al-‘Iqaab), forgive me; rather that is more akin to mockery. What you should say (if you call upon Allah by this name) is: Save me from Your punishment.

(ii)In your acts of worship you should do is what is implied by these names. What is implied by the name ar-Raheem (Most Merciful) is mercy, so do righteous deeds that will bring the mercy of Allah. This is what is meant by learning them by heart; if it is done like this, then it deserves to be the price of admission to Paradise. End quote. 

Majmoo‘ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 1/74 

And Allah Knows Best..

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