The Twenty Fourth Word

Details: Published: Monday, 30 November -0001 00:00

The Twenty-fourth Word

Manifestations of Divine Names
Ways of attainment to Truth
Some criteria to understand certain hadiths
How beings worship God
Love, worship, and thanksgiving

(NOTE: This Word has five branches. Study the fourth one carefully. Hold on to the fifth one; climb it and gather its fruits.)

In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.

God, there is no deity but He; His are the All-Beautiful Names. (20:8)

I will point out five branches of one of the numerous truths contained in the illustrious “tree” of this majestic verse.

Five branches

FIRST BRANCH: A king has different titles by which he is known and mentioned in his government’s various departments, different designations and attributes among his subjects’ classes, and different names and signs for his rule’s levels. For example, he is the supreme judge in the justice department, chief administrator in the civil service, commander-in-chief in the military, and supreme teacher in the education department. If you know the rest of his names and titles, you will understand that he may have as many names and titles related to his government’s departments and levels of his rule.

It is as if, due to his public person and system of communication, he is present in every department. Through his laws, regulations, and representatives, he superintends all officials, watches all subjects, and is seen by them. Behind the veil at every level, he administers, executes his orders, and is watchful through his decree, knowledge, and power.

Similarly, the Lord of the worlds, the Sovereign of eternity, has at the levels of His Lordship’s manifestations qualities and designations which are all different but correspond to each other. In the spheres of His Divinity, He has Names and marks which are all different but whose manifestations are concentric with each other. In His majestic execution of His rule, He has representations and appellations which are all different but resemble each other. In the operations of His Power, He has titles which are all different but imply each other. In the manifestations of His Attributes, He has sacred ways of revealing Himself that differ but point to each other. In His modes of acting, He has wise operations which are of numerous sorts but perfect each other. In His colorful artistry and varied works of Art, He has magnificent aspects of Lordship which differ but correspond to each other.

In every world and division of beings, each of His All-Beautiful Names is manifested individually. A particular Name is dominant in a particular sphere, with other Names being subordinate. In every level and division of beings, regardless of size, God has a particular display of Himself, a particular manifestation of Lordship, and a particular manifestation of a Name. Although the Name in question has a universal manifestation, It concentrates on something particular in such a way that you think It is exclusive to that thing.116

In addition, although the All-Majestic Creator is nearer to everything than itself, He has seventy thousand veils of light that veil Him from creation. For example, consider how many veils are between the Name of Creator’s particular degree of creativity manifested in you and Its universal and greatest manifestation as the Creator of the Universe. This suggests that if you can go beyond the whole universe, you may reach, through the door of being created, to the highest limit of the manifestations of the Name of Creator and draw close to the Sphere of the Attribute of Creativity.

Since the veils have windows opening onto each other, the Names appear to be concentric with each other, the Essential Qualities correspond to each other, the Representations are like each other, the Titles imply each other, ways of Self-Revelation resemble and point to each other, the Operations cooperate with and perfect each other, and Lordship’s various dispositions assist each other, then it is surely necessary for one who recognizes Almighty God by one of His Names, Titles, or aspects of His Lordship not to deny His other Titles, acts, and aspects of Lordship. If we do not move from the manifestation of one Name to the other Names, we are in loss.

For example, if we do not see the All-Knowing where we see the works of the All-Powerful and the Creator, we may fall into heedlessness and misguidance by regarding nature as self-originated. Thus we always should recite “He” and “He is God,” and listen and hear from everything: “He is God, the One.” In unison with all creation, we should proclaim: “There is no deity but He.” The Qur’an clear in itself and clearly showing the truth, through the declaration: God, there is no deity but He. His are the All Beautiful Names, points to these truths.

If you want to observe those elevated truths closer, ask a stormy sea or the quaking earth: “What are you saying?” You will hear them repeat: “O the All-Majestic! O the All-Majestic! O the All-Glorious and Mighty! O the All-Compelling!” Ask small creatures and their young who are maintained on the land and the sea with care and compassion: “What are you saying?” They will hymn: “O the All-Gracious! O the All-Gracious! O the All Compassionate!”117 Then listen to how the heavens sing: “O the All Majestic One of Grace!” Listen to the earth, which says: “O the All-Gracious One of Majesty!” Pay attention to animals and hear them invoke: “O the

All-Merciful! O the All-Providing!” When you ask the spring, you will hear it reciting such Names as: “O the All-Kind and Caring! O the All Merciful! O the All-Compassionate! O the All-Munificent! O the All-Subtle and Benevolent! O the All-Affectionate! O the All-Fashioning! O the All Illuminating! O the All-Favoring! O the All-Adorning!”

Ask those who are truly human. See how they recite and manifest all of God’s All-Beautiful Names, and how they are inscribed on their fore head. If you look carefully, you may discern them one by one. It is as if the universe were a huge orchestra singing the Divine Names. With the songs sung in the least notes and tones mixed with the highest, the universe produces a magnificent harmony.

All of the Names are manifested on humanity. However, the variety of the Names and their manifestation in different ways and degrees have caused variety among human beings, as they have in the universe and in the angels’ worshipping. It also has caused differences among the laws of Prophets, the ways of saints, and the paths of purified scholars. For example, the All-Powerful was more predominant in Jesus, upon him be peace, than the other Names manifested in him. The All-Loving prevails in those who follow the path of love to God, and the All-Wise in those who follow the path of contemplation and reflection.

Thus, if someone is simultaneously a teacher, officer, lawyer, and civil service inspector, in each office, that person has relations, duties, salaries, responsibilities, promotions, enemies, and rivals. He meets with the king under any or all of these titles, and having recourse to him through many of the king’s titles, seeks his help in many ways. Similarly, humanity, upon whom numerous Divine Names are manifested, who has many duties and is the target of many kinds of enmity, seeks refuge in God by invoking many of His Names. In fact, Prophet Muhammad, the pride of humanity and the most perfect human being, upon him be peace and blessings, prayed to God through one thousand and one of His Names in his al-Jawshanu’l-Kabir supplication, and sought refuge in Him from Hellfire. This is why God commands us in Suratu’n-Nas (114) to seek refuge in Him through three of His Titles, and via In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate, He teaches us to seek help from Him through three of His Names.

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi

116 For example, God manifests almost all of His Names (e.g., the All-Merciful, the Creator, the All-Fashioning, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing, etc.) on every individual. However, a particular Name’s manifestation may be more apparent on one person than the others. If the Name the All-Wise is so manifested, that person may be a wise one. Thus people have different characters and everyone has a capacity and tendency toward a particular profession. (Tr.)

117 Once I watched some cats—they only ate, played, and slept. I thought: Why are cats, who have no duties, considered blessed? When I went to bed, a cat approached and, leaning against my pillow, put its mouth to my ear and clearly purred: “O the All-Compassionate! O the All-Compassionate!” It seemed that it was refuting, for its species, my objection about cats’ lovability and blessedness. I asked myself if that recitation were unique to that cat or general for all cats, and whether only I could hear it. The next morning I listened to other cats. All repeated this invocation, but not so clearly. At first I heard: “O the All-Compassionate!” among their purring in an indistinct manner. Gradually, their purring and meowing became the same: “O the All-Compassionate!” as a touching, well-articulated recitation. I related this to some visitors. They listened carefully as well, and said that they heard it to a degree. Later, I wondered why they were reciting that Name and why they were reciting it in the way of people and not in an animal tongue. It occurred to me that since they are very delicate, petted like children, and live amicably with people, they need great care and compassion. When they receive it, they proclaim the All-Compassionate Creator’s Mercy in their own world as thanks for that grace. Cats regard this as a special favor of God, whereas dogs regard this as a favor of people. Cats warn people in the sleep of heedlessness, and through their cry of, “O the All-Compassionate!” remind those who attribute everything to apparent “material” causes who actually sends the help and who is the source of mercy.