1. Allah
(1:1) (2:7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28) (3:18)
(5:109) (20:14) (59:18, 19, 22, 23, 24) etc.

ALLAH

The term Allah is the proper name for the Creator and Sustainer Whose Will holds supreme in the universe and who alone is worthy of the highest honor, the greatest respect and admiration and is the only object of worship. The title Allah is complete and any other name will be a poor substitute. It refers to all the attributes of perfection and beauty and represents One and Unique God. The title Allah is the ideal name for God, all other titles including Rabb, are attributes or names of God. "There are ninety-nine names of Allah; he who commits them to memory would get into paradise." (Hadeeth)

Each object in the universe manifests some power of Allah. His joy or His anger, His love or His magnificence flow through these objects. That is why, when we look at this world we see beauty, grandeur, sublimity, strength, the power of joy or destruction manifested in it. Accordingly we are attracted or repelled.

Allah's various powers are described by His Names or His Attributes. The entire creation manifests Allah's Attributes called Al-Asmaa-ul Husnaa, The Beautiful Names. According to a Hadeeth-e-Qudsi, Allah Ta'aalaa says:

"I was a hidden treasure. I wished to be known,
therefore I created the creation."

Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "Allah has ninety-nine names. Whoever learns, understands and recites them constantly, will enter Jannah."

Almighty Allah does not desire anything from His creation except that He is worshipped. But Allah cannot be worshipped unless one learns to know Him and He cannot be known except if He is remembered. This road has been made easy by Allah Himself. Allah says in the Qur'aan:

"And to Allah belongs the Beautiful Names,
so call upon Him by these Names."

Allah's Names are His lofty and sublime Attributes but they are not His Nature, Person or Essence. Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam has prohibited us from reflecting or contemplating on the essence of Allah but allowed us to reflect on His creation. He has encouraged the Muslims to "inspire yourselves with the qualities of Allah."

We should therefore learn, reflect, understand and recite the Beautiful Names and also call upon Allah by means of them….

2.  Ar Rahmaan