Exploring the Beautiful Attributes of Allah: A Series

What’s in a name? Or in this case, what’s in the many Names? As it turns out, plenty. And that which is available beneath the surface of the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah is bountiful—in effect mirroring the Creator Himself. 

OIL has asked Dr Husein Khimjee to lead us in an exploration of Asma al-Husna—the Beautiful Attributes of Allah—via this blog. We endeavour to journey deep into the these well-known names to extract wisdom, inspire you to action and purify the self, Insha’Allah. Our goal is to determine which of these qualities of God can we (both young and old) develop in our personal lives to make us better humans. 

In the Holy Qur’an in Surah 59, al-Hashr (The Exile), there is a glorious passage in which Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala reveals as follows:

Allah is He, than whom there is no other god―Who knows (all things) both secret and open; He Most Gracious, Most Merciful.” (59:22) 

 

Allah is He, than whom there is no other god―the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection). the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him. (59:23)

 

He is Allah the Creator the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms (or Colours). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory: and He is the exalted in Might, the Wise. (59:24)

In this passage you will be able to identify several Beautiful Names—just some of the attributes of Allah. The challenge for us as humans is to not just read these attributes but also delve deep into their meanings and then internalize them. Reflect upon the descriptions of God in the passage above and ask yourself: what conclusions can be derived about Him? Are all these qualities strictly divine? Or are there also attributes that you can strive to emulate? Can you think of people that endeavour to nurture any of the 99 Names of Allah in themselves and in the world around them? What do these attributes teach you about your relationship with God and with other living things?

The exercise we embark on together on this website will encourage you to ponder thoughtfully on the Attributes of Allah and to relate your own experiences in trying to personally adopt them. The beauty of this practice is that many qualities are dynamically interrelated and complementary to developing other qualities. For example, to practice the quality of “mercy,” it becomes natural to develop “forgiveness,” which in turn can lead to “peace.” 

Our goal is to present 20 of the Beautiful Names of Allah. In each instalment, we will explore two attributes and concisely examine their importance, provide real life examples on display in the world, challenge personal doubts we may entertain about our ability to emulate them and highlight further points to ponder. While doing so, we may discuss some of the relationships between Attributes, and occasionally compare and contrast them. Over the coming weeks, as we examine our hand-picked Beautiful Names together and strive to know, reflect and act on each one, you are welcome to share your experiences and challenges, freely without fear or blame, by writing to us. Moreover, we hope you see that careful reflection on these Attributes of God is a key part of the spiritual path we travel as we strive for nearness to the Creator.

While you enjoy this series with us, please understand that this is not an exhaustive exploration of the Beautiful Names and is only meant to be taken as an introductory analysis of this most profound subject. Hence, when we discuss the Attributes, we only scratch the surface of the interconnectedness of the Names. May Allah guide us in this humble project. Allah knows best. 

Read the first instalment in the series: Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim.

This series is inspired by Dr Husein Khimjee’s book entitled The Attributes of God in the Monotheistic Faiths of Judeo-Christian and Islamic Traditions. Together, we have drawn valuable insights from his work. We appreciate Dr Khimjee’s dedication and active engagement with this project.