Chapter On The Meanings of the Names of Allah and their Derivatives

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ تَفْسِيرِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ- قَالَ الْبَاءُ بَهَاءُ اللَّهِ وَ السِّينُ سَنَاءُ اللَّهِ وَ الْمِيمُ مَجْدُ اللَّهِ وَ رَوَى بَعْضُهُمْ الْمِيمُ مُلْكُ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ إِلَهُ كُلِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ الرَّحْمَنُ بِجَمِيعِ خَلْقِهِ وَ الرَّحِيمُ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ خَاصَّةً[1].

“I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) about the interpretation of ‘In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Especially Merciful.’ (Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim) He (the Imam (as)) replied, “B is Baha ’Ullah (the beauty of Allah); and S is Sana ’Ullah (the radiance of Allah); and M is Majdullah (the grandeur of Allah), or ac

يَا هِشَامُ اللَّهُ مُشْتَقٌّ مِنْ إِلَهٍ وَ إِلَهٌ يَقْتَضِي مَأْلُوهاً وَ الِاسْمُ غَيْرُ الْمُسَمَّى فَمَنْ عَبَدَ الِاسْمَ دُونَ الْمَعْنَى فَقَدْ كَفَرَ وَ لَمْ يَعْبُدْ شَيْئاً وَ مَنْ عَبَدَ الِاسْمَ وَ الْمَعْنَى فَقَدْ أَشْرَكَ وَ عَبَدَ اثْنَيْنِ وَ مَنْ عَبَدَ الْمَعْنَى دُونَ الِاسْمِ فَذَاكَ التَّوْحِيدُ أَ فَهِمْتَ يَا هِشَامُ قَالَ قُلْتُ زِدْنِي قَالَ لِلَّهِ تِسْعَةٌ وَ تِسْعُونَ اسْماً فَلَوْ كَانَ

The Imam replied, “O Hisham, the word Allah is derived from ’ilah, that is, the One Who is worshipped and the One who is worshipped is supposed to be worth worshipping. The name of Allah is different from His Own self. Whoever worships the name not the meaning has disbelieved and has, in fact, worshipped nothing. Whoev

سُئِلَ عَنْ مَعْنَى اللَّهِ فَقَالَ اسْتَوْلَى عَلَى مَا دَقَّ وَ جَلَ‌[1].

The Imam replied, “He (Allah) dominates all things small or big.”

- سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ‌ اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ‌ فَقَالَ هَادٍ لِأَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ وَ هَادٍ لِأَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ الْبَرْقِيِّ هُدَى مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَ هُدَى مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ.

“I asked Imam al-Rida (a.s.), about the words of Allah, ‘Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth’” (24:35). The Imam replied, “Allah is the Guide for all that is in the heavens and the Guide for all that is on the earth.” According to another Hadith narrated by al-Barqi,(the Imam said), “Allah has guided everyo

- سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَ الْآخِرُ وَ قُلْتُ أَمَّا الْأَوَّلُ فَقَدْ عَرَفْنَاهُ وَ أَمَّا الْآخِرُ فَبَيِّنْ لَنَا تَفْسِيرَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ شَيْ‌ءٌ إِلَّا يَبِيدُ أَوْ يَتَغَيَّرُ أَوْ يَدْخُلُهُ التَّغَيُّرُ وَ الزَّوَالُ أَوْ يَنْتَقِلُ مِنْ لَوْنٍ إِلَى لَوْنٍ وَ مِنْ هَيْئَةٍ إِلَى هَيْئَةٍ وَ مِنْ صِفَةٍ إِلَى صِفَةٍ وَ مِنْ زِيَادَةٍ إِل

“I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, The Mighty and Glorious, ‘He (Allah) is the first and the last.’ (57:3) As for him being the first, we have understood that, but explain for us the meaning of Him being the last.” He (the Imam) said, “Nothing exists except that it is subject to annihilation, alte

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ قَدْ سُئِلَ عَنِ الْأَوَّلِ وَ الْآخِرِ فَقَالَ الْأَوَّلُ لَا عَنْ أَوَّلٍ قَبْلَهُ وَ لَا عَنْ بَدْءٍ سَبَقَهُ وَ الْآخِرُ لَا عَنْ نِهَايَةٍ كَمَا يُعْقَلُ مِنْ صِفَةِ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ وَ لَكِنْ قَدِيمٌ أَوَّلٌ آخِرٌ لَمْ يَزَلْ وَ لَا يَزُولُ بِلَا بَدْءٍ وَ لَا نِهَايَةٍ لَا يَقَعُ عَلَيْهِ الْحُدُوثُ وَ لَا يَحُولُ مِنْ حَالٍ إِلَى حَالٍ‌ خالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ[1].

“I heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) saying to a question about Allah being the first and the last.” The Imam replied, “His being the first means there was no first before Him and no beginning preceded Him at all. His being the last means that He has no end because it is an attribute of the created and He is eternal, the firs

كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي ع فَسَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الرَّبِّ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَهُ أَسْمَاءٌ وَ صِفَاتٌ‌[2] فِي كِتَابِهِ وَ أَسْمَاؤُهُ وَ صِفَاتُهُ هِيَ هُوَ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع إِنَّ لِهَذَا الْكَلَامِ وَجْهَيْنِ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَقُولُ هِيَ هُوَ أَيْ إِنَّهُ ذُو عَدَدٍ وَ كَثْرَةٍ فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَقُولُ هَذِهِ الصِّفَاتُ وَ الْأَسْمَاءُ لَمْ تَز

7. Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abdallah in a marfu‘ manner, has narrated from abu Hashim al-Ja‘fari who has said the following. “I was in the company of abu Ja’far al-Thani, the 2nd (a.s.), when a person asked him, “The names and attributes of the Lord, the Most Holy, the Most High, mentioned in His book (the Holy Quran) are the

قَالَ رَجُلٌ عِنْدَهُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَيِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ فَقَالَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع حَدَّدْتَهُ‌[2] فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ كَيْفَ أَقُولُ قَالَ قُلْ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَنْ يُوصَفَ.

“A man said, 'Allahu Akbar' (Allah is the Greatest) in his presence.” He (the Imam) asked, “Allah is Greater than which thing?” The man replied, “Greater than everything.” Abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) said, “You have limited Him.” The man asked, “Then, how should I say it?” He replied, “Say, Allah is Greater than what can be d

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ أَيُّ شَيْ‌ءٍ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ فَقُلْتُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ فَقَالَ وَ كَانَ ثَمَّ شَيْ‌ءٌ فَيَكُونُ أَكْبَرَ مِنْهُ فَقُلْتُ وَ مَا هُوَ قَالَ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَنْ يُوصَفَ.

“Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) asked, ‘What is Allah Greater than?” I replied, “Allah is Greater of all things.” He (the Imam) further asked, “Were there other things so Allah would be considered the greatest of them?” I then asked, “What then is the meaning thereof?”’ He (the Imam) replied, “Allah is far greater than all

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَنَفَةٌ لِلَّهِ‌[1].

“I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the words 'Glorious is Allah.'” He replied, “(It means) Respect of Allah.”

- سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ سُبْحانَ اللَّهِ‌ مَا يُعْنَى بِهِ قَالَ تَنْزِيهُهُ.

“I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: 'Glory be to Allah', what is the meaning of it?’ He said: ‘His Transcendence’.”

- سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِيَ ع مَا مَعْنَى الْوَاحِدِ فَقَالَ إِجْمَاعُ الْأَلْسُنِ عَلَيْهِ بِالْوَحْدَانِيَّةِ كَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى‌ وَ لَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ‌.

“What is the meaning of the One?” He replied, “It means the unanimity of all tongues in speaking of Allah’s Oneness, as can be found in His saying, the Most High: 'If you ask them who created them, they will certainly say, “Allah!”' (43:87)