How Many Types Of The Most Perfect Names Are There, With Regard To Their Attribution To Allaah?

[Shehzad Sattar]

Question:
How many types of the Most Perfect Names are there, with regard to their attribution to Allaah, the Might and Majestic?

Answer:
Amongst them are those which are attributed to Allaah by themselves or along with other Names, And they include and imply the Attribute of perfection in every sense and in all cases. Such as ‘al-Hay al-Qayyoom’ (the Ever-Living, the One who Sustains), ‘al-Ahad as-Samad’ (the One, the Self Sufficient) and other than that.

And amongst them are those which are not attributed to Allaah unless they are accompanied by their opposite, and which may, when mentioned alone give the impression of deficiency for Allaah, such as ‘ad-Daar an-Naafi’ (the One who brings about harm, the One who brings about benefit), ‘al-Khaafidh ar-Raafi’ (the One who lowers, the One who raises), ‘al-Mu’tee al-Maani’ (the One who gives, the One who withholds), ‘al-Mu‘izz al-Mudhill’ (the One who honours, the One who humiliates) and the likes of that. So it is not permissible to attribute to Allaah ‘ad-Daar’ nor ‘al-Khaafidh’ nor ‘al-Maani’ nor ‘al-Mudhill’, by themselves without their opposite. And they are never attributed to Allaah in the Revelation, the Book nor the Sunnah.

And from that is His, the Most High’s, Name ‘al-Muntaqim’ (the One who exacts retribution) which is not attributed to Him in the Quraan unless it is attached or related to something, such as His, the Most High’s, saying, “Verily, We shall exact retribution from the mujrimun (criminals).” (as-Sajdah: 22) or by attaching the word ‘Dhu’ (able) to the attribute which is derived from it, such as His, the Most High’s, saying, “ ..and Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Able of Retribution.” (aal-Imraan: 4)

al-Haafidh al-Hakamee

A’laam as-Sunnah al-Manshoorah li I’tiqaad at-Taaifah an-Naajiyah al-Mansoorah

Translated by Abul-Irbaad Abid Zargar

Source: http://www.fatwaislam.com/fis/index.cfm?scn=fd&ID=518