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Almighty Allah orders in the Qur’an: “The most beautiful names belong to Allah: so call on him by them.” (A’raf, 180)
The Prophet (PBUH) says, “Allah has ninety-nine Names and whoever memorizes them by heart and comprehends them will go to Paradise.” (Tirmidhi)
In other narrations, it is stated that
only Allah knows the number of Hiis Names. So, the number 99 is not meant to be a limitation. Moreover, the Prophet (PBUH) calls on Allah by His one thousand and one names.
Man is a small pattern and sample of the universe. Allah created man as an index and sample for the universe…
By virtue of this secret, all the names of Allah that are manifest on the universe are also manifest on man. That’s to say, man is a comprehensive mirror pointing to Almighty Allah as much as to the universe.
Man is a mirror of Allah in three aspects. First aspect: Through samples. That is, the limited senses such as knowledge, power, vision, hearing, ownership that are given to man act as mirrors for Almighty Allah. For example, man says and points to as a mirror, “Just like I built this house with my knowledge and power, and I see it, own it and manage it; in the same way, Allah is the creator, owner and manager of the universe. He sees and hears everything.”
Second aspect: Through contrasts. That is, just as the darkness at night shows the light; in the same way, man shows with his limitless impotence the infinite power of Allah and points with his limitless poverty to the infinite wealth of Allah, and so on.
Third aspect: With regard to being recipient, some of the names of Allah are manifest on man in the form of embroidery. For example, he shows the name of Creator in his being created the name of Maker in his being created artfully and the name of Generous in his being offered generously. Thus, he becomes a mirror.
Man becomes valuable and precious as much as he comprehends his being a mirror and reads and makes other read the beautiful names of Allah (SWT). With this secret, our Prophet (PBUH) became the most comprehensive and excellent mirror for Almighty Allah, thus becoming most beloved servant of Allah and received the title of Habibullah.
Let us explain the expression “passing from the appearance to reality”. Everything has both an apparent aspect and a true reality. The true reality behind everything is the Names of Allah.
Ustad Bediuzzaman says in Treatise on Ana (ego) (30th Word): “The doors of the universe are seemingly open whereas they are closed in reality.”
At the beginning of the third station of the thirty-second word in the Risale-i Nur, this matter is explained as follows: “The reality of all beings and the universe is based on Divine Names. The reality of every being is based on one Name or many. Each art in every being is also based on a Name.”
Moreover, true science of philosophy is based on the Name of Hakeem (All-Wise), true science of medicine is based on the Name of Shaafi’ (Healer), true science of geometry is based on the Name of Muqaddir (Estimater, Predestinator) and every science is based on and reaches its ultimate degree in a divine name. In the same way, all the sciences and perfections of humanity and the realities of the levels of perfect ones of humanity rely upon divine Names. Furthermore, some of the muhaqqeqeen awliyas (the The Muslim saints who scrutinize matters closely) said, “The true realities of beings are the divine Names of Allah (SWT).”
Similarly, the following is stated in the Treatise on Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): “There are lofty realities of every perfection, every improvement and every science, and each reality is relied upon a Divine Name.”
That is, the real aim is to attain the Names of Allah and understand them, thus reaching the true reality of everything.
Within Asma-ul Husna, there are Names of glory and Names of beauty. Names such as Rahman, Raheem, Lateef, Ghafoor, Haleem, Jameel are examples for the names of beauty; and Qahhar, Jabbar, Muntaqim, Jaleel are some of the Names of glory. Depending on this secret and because of the order included in the verse “Call on him by them!” mentioned earlier, everybody prays by different Names as regards to their needs. For example, the one who is sick prays by the name Shafi’ for recovery; the one who seeks forgiveness prays by names such as Afuww, Ghafoor, Ghaffar, Tawwab; the one who wants difficulties be solved and doors opened prays by Fattah; the one who needs patience prays by Saboor, and the one who is oppressed prays by the names Qahhar al-Dhul-Jalal, Jabbar and Muntaqim.
O our Lord! We implore seeking the intercession of your Asma-ul Husna that you make us of Your slaves who see, reflect, read and make others read Your Names as mirrors.
By virtue of the command “Call on him by them!” everybody calls on Him by different Names as regards to their needs.