Know and Love Allah through His Beautiful Names and Attributes

This book discusses the Names and Attributes of Allah with evidences from the original sources-the Quraan and authentic Hadith based on the understanding of the salaf, the best early generations. It includes the contributions of the world’s top, leading, well-reputed and prominent scholars such as the noble scholar, al-‘Allaamah Saalih Ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan, the noble Shaykh , Dr. ‘Abdur-Razzaq Ibn ‘Abdul-Muhsin al-‘Abbaad, the noble Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez Ibn Baaz, the noble Shaykh Muhammad as-Saleh al-‘Uthaymeen, ‘Allaamah ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir As-Sa’dee, Shaykh-al-Islaam Taqiyy-ud-Deen Ahmad ibn ‘Abdul Haleem ibn ‘Abdus-Salaam ibn Taymiyyah, Imaam ibn Qayyim, Imaam Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shanqeetee and others.‘Know and Love Allah through His Beautiful Names and Attributes” is the book to fall in love with. The more we get to know Allah, the more we love Him. Allaah, Subhanahu wa Ta’aala, said, “And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do” [Al-A’raf: 180].The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said “Allaah has ninety nine names, one hundred minus one; and he who learns them all will enter Al-Jannah (the Garden Of Heaven), and Allah is “witr” (One) and loves the witr (i.e. odd numbers)” [Al-Bukhaari, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasaai, Ibn Majah].Shaykh ( Ibn Bazz)  – hafidhahullâh – said, “From îmân (faith) in Allâh is to have îmân in those of His Asmâul-Husnâ (beautiful Names) and Sifâtul-’Ulyâ (lofty Attributes) that occur in His Great Book and that have been affirmed by His trustworthy Messenger sallallâhu ’alayhi wa sallam – without tahrîf (distorting the wording or the meaning), ta’tîl (divesting or denying the Attributes), takyîf (asking how) or tamthîl (resembling Allâh to any of His creation). Rather, it is obligatory to leave them as they came, without takyîf. Along with this, it is also obligatory to have îmân in the meaning that Allâh – the Mighty and Majestic – has been described with, in a way which befits Him; without resembling Him to His creation in any of His Attributes. Allâh – the Most High – says: “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”Ibn Qayyim said, “A goodly living, a beneficial life and the pleasure of the eye (all) lie in being tranquil and serene with the first (original) beloved (i.e., Allaah) and if the heart were to wander and traverse to all (other) beloved things, it would never be tranquil nor serene. Nor would it find the pleasure of the eye until it was tranquil and serene with its Deity, Lord and Protector, the One besides Whom there is no protector or intercessor. The (heart) does not have any self-sufficiency from Him (even) for the blinking of an eye. As the poet has said, “Take your heart wherever you wish amongst the desires. There is no (real) love except for the first beloved. To how many places in the earth has a youth traversed. (Yet) his everlasting desire is always for the first”. Knowledge of Allah’s Names and Attributes is life to the hearts. The heart is void of any life, comfort, happiness, security and tranquility without knowing its Lord, Deity and Creator, and without Allah being more beloved to it than anything else.