Allāh

From the book “Allāh: An Explanation of the Divine Names and Attributes” by Ahmad ibn ‘Ajiba al-Hasani, translated by Abdul Aziz Suraqah.

Note: My appreciation of this book is based on the sophistication and the demonstrative knowledge that the descriptions can give you. By demonstrative knowledge, I mean experiential knowledge that occurs within the Mind when one engages in the contemplative and concentration practices of meditation. It is as if there is a bridge between the transcendent and the immanent made out of the descriptions. The quality of the bridge is determined by the quality of the descriptions, where a bridge that is of high quality enables safe passage to the other side where experience occurs, where access to the meaning behind the concept occurs. The soundest position is that the Name ٱلل‍َّٰه‎ (Allāh) is not derived [from a root word]. Khalil [b. Ishāq] was seen in a dream after his death and he was asked, “What did ٱلل‍َّٰه‎ (Allāh) do to you?” He replied, “He forgave me on account of saying that that Majestic Name [ٱلل‍َّٰه‎] is not derived.” Sibawayhi was seen in a dream after his death and he too said, “He forgave me,” and he mentioned a tremendous honor bestowed on him. When asked what caused him to earn such an honor, he replied, “Because I said that He is the Most Definite of Those That are Known [A’raf al-Ma’ārif]!”

The Proof of Islam, al-Ghazāli (may ٱلل‍َّٰه‎ have mercy upon him!) said:

ٱلل‍َّٰه‎ (Allāh) is the Name for the true existent, the one who unites the attributes of divinity, is subject of the attributes of lordship, and unique in true existence. For no existent thing other than Him may claim to exist of itself, but rather it gains existence from Him: it is perishing insofar as it exists of itself, and exists insofar as it faces Him….It is most likely that in indicating this meaning [ٱلل‍َّٰه‎] is analogous to a proper name, so everything which has been said about its derivation and definition is arbitrary and artificial. This name is the greatest of the Ninety-nine Names, for it points to the Entity that gathers all of the Divine Attributes, unlike the other Names. It is the most specific of the Divine Names, hence it cannot be applied to others besides Him, Most High, neither literally nor figuratively. 

Al-‘Adud al-Iji said in Sharh al-Mawāqif:

[ٱلل‍َّٰه‎] is a Name specific for His Entity. No others can be described with it – that is to say, it cannot be applied to anyone besides Him in the first place. It is said that the Name ٱلل‍َّٰه‎ (Allāh) is a definite and non-derivative [‘alam jāmid] noun that is not taken from a root word. This is one of the two views of Khalil and Sibawayhi, and also related from Abu Hanifa, al-Shafi’i, al-Khattābi, and al-Ghazāli – may Allah be pleased with them. It is also said to be derivative, coming from the word ilāh, with the hamza omitted due to its heaviness, and with a merging of the [double enunciaton] of the letter lām. The correct position is that the expression “ٱلل‍َّٰه‎ (Allāh)” – assuming that it was originally an attribute [sifa] has become a proper noun that signifies the Divine Attributes of perfection. 

Shaykh Ahmad Zarruq رَحْمَةُ الله عليه said: 

It is possible to cultivate within one’s self the character of all of the Divine Names except for this name, for it is only for attachment [ta’alluq]. All of the Divine Names go back to this Name, so to know it is to know them all. This Name, in its written form [sigha], indicates the tremendousness of the One Named with it [al-Musammā bihi] in Entity, Attributes, and acts.

For the gnostics [‘Ārifin], knowing this Name brings about annihilation; for the spiritual aspirants [muridin] it evokes reverence, exaltation, awe, and intimacy, and drawing near through forgoing base desires and loving the Master [al-Mawlā]. This cannot be soundly aspired to save with a heart that is singularly dedicated to Him, with pure and unmitigated oneness that is divested of all else, which includes divestment from all states, stations, and miracles. That is why Junayd رَحْمَةُ الله عليه, when asked about the path that must be taken for one to dedicate his all to ٱلل‍َّٰه‎ (Allāh) Most High, replied “With a repentance that eliminates persistence [in sin], a fear that eliminates procrastination, a hope that drives one to the paths of righteous works, and a scorn for the ego by reminding it of the nearness of its demise and the lengthiness of its hopes.” And when asked “With what does the servant attain unto this?”, he replied, “With a heart that is singularly dedicated to Him, with pure and unmitigated oneness that is divested of all else.”

I say: Shaykh Ahmad Zarruq’s رَحْمَةُ الله عليه statement that this Name is only for connection [ta’alluq] and not for cultivation in one’s character is only according to the way of those of the outward [Ahl al-Zāhir]. As for the way of those of realization from the people of the inward [Ahl al-Bātin], this Name is for both connection and cultivation as a character. Cultivation of it as a character means to become annihilated in it, to become completely absorbed in the Ultimate Reality where “that which is naught” is annihilated and “He who is Ever-Abiding” remains.

Alternatively, you can say: Cultivating it in one’s character means to plunge the attributes of servitude into the immensity of Lordship, whereby ٱلل‍َّٰه‎ (Allāh) covers your quality with His, and your attribute with His, enfolding your being in His, and your witnessing into His witnessing…

Shaykh Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi رَحْمَةُ الله عليه said, “To ٱلل‍َّٰه‎ (Allāh) belongs servants who have effaced their actions with His actions, and their attributes with His attributes, and their essences with His – and He has conferred upon them such secrets that the saints are utterly incapable of carrying.”

Once when speaking about love, the Qutb and Shaykh of our Shaykh and the succor of our path, our master ‘Abd al-Salām Ibn Mashish (may ٱلل‍َّٰه‎ be pleased with him and allow us to benefit from him!), said, “Love entails the mixing of traits into traits, character into character, lights into lights, names into names, qualities into qualities, and acts into acts.” This is the annihilation that refers to replacing the qualities of servitude with the lights of Lordship and the qualities of contingency with the qualities of pre-eternality. Abu Sa’id al-A’rābi was asked about annihilation and he said, “It is when Divine Magnitude and Majesty manifest upon the servant, causing him to forget this world and the Hereafter, and to forget spiritual states and levels, and stations and invocations, annihilating him utterly from all things: from his intellect, from his ego, from ‘things,’ and even from his own sense of annihilation, since he has plunged into reverence.”

So the upshot is that “cultivating the character” of the Majestic Name [ٱلل‍َّٰه‎] means to become annihilated in it and absent from all else besides Him. Al-Ghazāli  رَحْمَةُ الله عليه said:

Man’s share in the Name should be for him to become god-like [ta’alluh], by which I mean that his heart and his aspiration be taken up with ٱلل‍َّٰه‎ (Allāh) Most High, that he not look toward anything other than Him nor pay attention to what is not He, that he neither implore nor fear anyone but Him. How can it be otherwise? For it has already been understood from His Name that He is the truly actual Existent, and that everything other than Him is ephemeral, perishing, and worthless except in relation to Him. [The servant] sees himself first of all as the first of the perishing and worthless, as did the Messenger of ٱلل‍َّٰه‎ (Allāh) ﷺ when he said, “The truest statement uttered by the Arabs was Labid’s saying:” 

“Lo, everything other than Allah is naught,
And every happiness is doubtless ephemeral!“

Some of those who explained the meanings of the Divine Names have said that “cultivating this Name in one’s character means to adopt every trait of perfection; as much as is within the [common] servant’s capacity, and in proportion to the readiness of the elect such as the Prophets and the enraptured [majdhubin] and lovers among the saints. This could come through arduous spiritual struggles, grueling discipline, refinement of character, and replacement of qualities – or it could come as a result of  Divine self-disclosures [tajalliyāt] and as the fruits of divine witnessing…As for actualizing within one’s self the realities of this Name, it is for its sun to dawn on the servant’s heart and illuminate him completely, internally and externally, annihilating him from his name and very identity, from his heart and spirit, and even his own body, whereby contingency is replaced by pre-eternity and shadows of darkness are replaced by radiant lights, and the night of the veil is exchanged for the brilliance of the day. He is annihilated and then made subsistent with the existence of the True Being. The servant becomes hidden, and then he remains with a noble and lordly attribute: the Real then becomes his hearing, his sight, his hand; by Him he hears, sees, and grasps, and indeed he is entirely annihilated in Him such that he cannot be described by those gifted at describing and cannot be encompassed by the gnostics!”