Say: He Is the One God: God the Eternal, the Uncaused Cause of all being

B. Why Should The Divine Revelation

Build The Perception Of Allâh (Swt)?

First the following questions must be considered: How does a restricted and limited human being speak about ALLÂH (SWT),Who Is the Absolute One and the Whose Greatness is Infinite? How does he dare to do that great thing? Let’s assume that he did that, well then how many appropriate statements does he make? If speaking wrong even about the smallest of the beings’ universe makes a person dubious, then how do the wrong statements about ALLÂH (SWT), the One Who Created the existence have the destructive effect on the speaking person?

The Noble Qur’ân openly forbids to speak about ALLÂH (SWT) unless knowing that what one says is true: “Say: “Verily, my Sustainer has forbidden…the attributing unto God of aught of which you have no knowledge.” (7:33) Again the Divine Revelation depicts the speaking about ALLÂH (SWT) without proper knowledge as the going astray which is prompted by shaitân (2:169). It reminds what great boldness and impudence it is to dispute concerning ALLÂH (SWT): “And yet, among men there is many a one who argues about God without having any knowledge [of Him], and follows every rebellious satanic force” (22:3)

But how long, how far can a human being speak? The creature speaks about the Creator (SWT). The dependent one speaks the Absolute One (SWT). The restricted one speak about the One (SWT), for Whom there are no restrictions. The insufficient one speaks about the Perfect One (SWT)…

This is a problem. The most reliable solution of this problem is to get to know ALLÂH (SWT) again from His Own Language. The Divine Revelation is the most reliable address, where we can get to know ALLÂH (SWT). Because the Divine Revelation is the Statement of ALLÂH (SWT). As a matter of fact, the Sûrah containing the Verse in which it is condemned to speak and argue about ALLÂH (SWT) without knowledge, has another Verse coming with a similar expression, which offers the solution of this problem:

“And yet, among men there is many a one that argues about God without having any knowledge [of Him], without any guidance, and without any light-giving revelation” (22:8)

A person must take as basis the “guidance and light-giving book” so that to speak about ALLÂH (SWT). Because it is impossible for there to be any speculation concerning ALLÂH (SWT) and everything concerning ALLÂH (SWT). This type of attitude does harm to the true perception of ALLÂH (SWT). This is disrespect towards ALLÂH (SWT). Whichever type of dispute it is, it overshadows the human being’s seriousness to ALLÂH (SWT). For, no reasoning, no dispute and argument concerning ALLÂH (SWT) can bring true and indisputable knowledge for the person involved in them. At the very most, it is a supposition and it is the worst supposition to pursue suppositions, while the clear knowledge about ALLÂH (SWT) is remaining unused. The Noble Qur’ân describes this case as “entertaining evil thoughts about God” and says “people devoid of all good” for them (48:6,12).

As in the Verse 8 of Sûrah Al-Hajj, the “guidance” is from ALLÂH’s Messenger (SAWS), and the “light-giving revelation” is the Noble Qur’ân. ALLÂH (SWT) Has Bestowed knowledge about Himself to mankind by means of the Divine Revelation. So, in that case, human being has to know ALLÂH (SWT) as He Makes Himself Known:

“And God’s [Alone] are the Attributes of Perfection; invoke Him, then, by these…” (7:180)

“…Bear God in mind - since it Is He Who Taught you what you did not previously know.” (2:239)

“…And remember Him as the One Who Guided you…” (2:198)

He (SWT) Has Taught us how we should know Him. Because He (SWT) Has Given man the faculty of expression just as He (SWT) Has Created mankind (96:5). The phrase ta’lim-i bayân is “thinking about something and the power to express it.” Here belong all that we express from that which we perceive, believe, understand about ALLÂH (SWT), about ourselves and about other beings.

Who has built our perception of ALLÂH (SWT)? How big is the share of the Noble Qur’ân therein? Isn’t learning a perception about ALLÂH (SWT) that is not taught by the Divine Revelation equal to learning other things besides the truth, while the truth itself is waiting to be learnt? Is it equitable not to refer to His (Kalâm) Word, not take no notice of the Divine Statement so as to recognise Him (SWT), while we as human beings want to be recognised by others on the basis of the knowledge coming from us?

Our responsibility is to recognise ALLÂH (SWT) first of all from His (Kalâm) Word. Leaving aside His Word and resorting to other sources is not recognising ALLÂH (SWT), but attempting a description, which is great insolence. It is not merely insolence, at the same time, it is a great crime. Instead of submitting oneself absolutely and unconditionally to ALLÂH (SWT) trying - ALLÂH (SWT) Forbid! – daring to receive ALLÂH (SWT) lies in the basis of all deviations in Faith. Attempting to recognise ALLÂH (SWT) without referring to the Divine Revelation is equivalent to mistrust of the Divine Revelation. It is lack of trust directly in ALLÂH (SWT). Such a recognition process as this is already lost from the beginning. This results in adding a new one to the speculations made about ALLÂH (SWT). The difference between recognition and description is as much as the difference between truth and lie. Because, to recognise is to know him who is being recognised as subject, but to describe is treating as an object. One must seek refuge with ALLÂH (SWT) from it.

Recognising precedes understanding, describing, giving a role and carving an image. They all amount to overstepping the bounds of the permissible in regard to ALLÂH (SWT). In this case, the most reliable way is to refer to the guidance of the Divine Revelation. The Divine Revelation together with Al-Asmâ’u’l-Husnâ will best benefit us as the guidance in this respect.

C. Allâh (Swt) Speaks About His Personal-Self

The Noble Qur’ân is generally thought to discuss not ALLÂH (SWT), but mankind. Nevertheless, ALLÂH (SWT) takes the central part in the perception of the existence built by the Divine Revelation of the Noble Qur’ân. He (SWT) Is the Lord of the ‘Âlamin (worlds). All beings are mortal; Alone He (SWT) Is the Everlasting. Everything needs Him (SWT); He (SWT) Needs nothing. When He (SWT) Wills a thing to be, it suffices that He Says “Be!”, and that thing enters the process of being. Everything is surrounded by His Mercy and His Might. All creatures having will became so on account of His Will and Permission.

As stated above, the Noble Qur’ân is the Divine Revelation that deals with mankind. But, it is impossible to find even one passage in the Noble Qur’ân that does not contain a reference to ALLÂH (SWT). However, wherever the Noble Qur’ân mentions ALLÂH (SWT), it also relates to mankind one way or another. The context of every statement relating to ALLÂH (SWT) is connected with mankind. It is understandable. Because the Divine Revelation belongs to ALLÂH (SWT). ALLÂH (SWT) Is the One Who Addresses, human being is the one addressed. ALLÂH (SWT) Speaks About His Personal-Self. But even when ALLÂH (SWT) Speaks About His Personal-Self, He Wants to say something to the addressed person, too. The Divine Revelation of the Noble Qur’ân, that serves as advice and reminder to mankind, does not fail to pursue that aim even when speaking about ALLÂH (SWT). Also when ALLÂH (SWT) Speaks About His Personal-Self, the “advice” and “warning” to mankind are kept in the foreground. As a matter of, it is for that reason that the statement about ALLÂH (SWT) is the Revelation in the Revelation, the Grace in the Grace. It draws the human being’s attention to the manifestations of the Sublime and Absolute Truth and to the manifestation of the human being that are valid for “now and here”.

In this regard it is completely functional of the Divine Revelation to speak about ALLÂH (SWT). By doing so, the Divine Revelation aims not only to make the human mind perceive the truth that is beyond time and space, but, simultaneously, to show the mankind that ALLÂH (SWT) Intervenes in their present life. Because the statements concerning ALLÂH (SWT) are to arouse moral associations in a human being and to direct the human being to a definite aim. Therefore, man and his behaviour are the focus of attention in the Noble Qur’ân, though the Name ALLÂH Is Mentioned thousands of times, apart from the Attributes of ALLÂH (SWT). Discussions about the Divine Might and man’s will are also functional. The aim of the Noble Qur’ân is, rather than giving moral decrees to man who may fall into extreme hopelessness after seeing his complete powerlessness before ALLÂH (SWT), to keep man’s mind and behaviour intense within the moral boundaries set by the parables about the consequences of supposing oneself independent, following one’s subjective desires and showing rebellious attitude, and, thus, to prevent man from going after nihilistic ends and to bring him the highest level of creativity.

D. The Way The Divine Revelation

Introduces Allâh (Swt)

The Noble Qur’ân uses the method of negation and affirmation in introducing ALLÂH (SWT). Tawhid, which is the most obvious expression of the method of negation and affirmation, at the same time, demonstrates the direction of thinking and speaking about ALLÂH (SWT), too. This direction from the inherent towards the transcendental, from physics towards metaphysics, from the dependent towards the absolute. Tawhid necessitates the human mind’s faculty of abstraction, the ascension of the thinking heart. This direction is clearly seen in the expression explaining Tawhid: “…There is nothing like unto Him…” (42:11). First, it is negated that everything resembles it, after its uniqueness is affirmed. This affirmation appears as an existential and requisite result rather than a logical affirmation.

Some Sûrahs and Verses concentrate on discussing Who ALLÂH (SWT) Is. They give answer to the question “Who Is ALLÂH (SWT)?”. Sûrah Al-Ikhlâs is the best example of that (112:1-4). Again the Verse called Ayat-ul Kursî (2:255) is another example thereof.

Sometimes an enormous Sûrah contains only one Attribute of ALLÂH (SWT). The most interesting example thereof is the Sûrah Ar-Rahmân, in which the Attribute Ar-Rahmân (the Most Gracious) is opened. The Sûrah explains the real reason lying behind the unwillingness of the addressed polytheists to accept that ALLÂH (SWT) Is Ar-Rahmân. The reason is that ALLÂH (SWT) Intervenes in all the areas of human life. By conceiving that there are partners to ALLÂH (SWT), the polytheists had found for themselves an unlawful excuse: belief in the “Remoteness” of ALLÂH (SWT). This conception gave them an excuse to ascribe partners. Since they thought that ALLÂH (SWT) Was “Remote”, intercessors were needed. The Attribute Ar-Rahmân (the Most Gracious) expressed the Intervention of ALLÂH (SWT) in all the areas of life. Actually, the very fact of sending a human being as a Prophet was one of the manifestations of this Name. By objecting to the Name Ar-Rahmân, they turned out to have objected to the Active Intervention of ALLÂH (SWT) in the life. Their objections to the fact that a man from among them had been chosen to be a Prophet and to the Divine Revelation that came through him are similarly based on the same reason.

The Noble Qur’ân firmly refuses the “remote god” perception belonging to the polytheistic thought. In order to refuse this thought’s slander against ALLÂH (SWT) Al-Asmâ’u’l-Husnâ were made known to the ones addressed. It often repeats that ALLÂH (SWT) Is the All-Knowing (Al-‘Âlim), Who Knows everything, the All-Seeing (Al-Basîr), Who Sees everything, the Provider (Ar-Razzâq), Who Provides everyone with all things beneficial to them, the All-Hearing (As-Sami’), Who Hears everything, the Most Gracious (Ar-Rahmân) and the Most Merciful (Ar-Rahîm), Who Is the Source of Infinite Mercy and Grace. Not feeling contented with that, it stated that ALLÂH (SWT) Is Closer to His servants than their neck-veins. By doing so it aimed to develop a perception of ALLÂH (SWT) Who Intervenes in the life at all times.

E. Perceiving Him (Swt)

Is Knowing One’s Own Weakness

The aim Al-Asmâ’u’l-Husnâ is not to prove the Existence of ALLÂH (SWT), but to affirm that ALLÂH (SWT) Intervenes in the life. As a poet says, His Existence needs no proof, since every atom in fact cries out His Existence: “Why need one search the globe to prove His Existence / Suffice as proof one single atom from His creation”.

Attempting to prove the Existence of ALLÂH (SWT) following the rules of logic is not an action within the mind’s scope. Any reflection made to prove His Existence, whether it wants or not, will butt into the walls of the logic and language. A human being, who perceives the Existence of ALLÂH (SWT) in every existing atom, regards even saying “ALLÂH (SWT) Exists” as disrespect towards Him (SWT).

ALLÂH (SWT) Is the One Whose Absolute Action by which the existence exists. The person who perceives that action doesn’t feel any need for logical substantiation. That person reacts with a smile on his face any endeavour to prove His Existence by reason and logic. Because, as it was stated by Ziya Pasha, “This small mind does not need to comprehend the Book’s meaning fully / Because these scales cannot bear so much weight.”

The logic which discusses the Existence of ALLÂH (SWT) is still unaware of the fact that the existence of “the non-existent” cannot be discussed. There is no equivalent for the nonexistent either in the language, or in the mind, or in the conscience, which would allow it to be discussed. A thing does not come into language unless it has an equivalent in the language; a thing cannot not be thought about unless it has an equivalent in the mind. It is not possible to discuss the nonexistence of a thing which does not come into language and cannot not be thought about. The non-existent does neither belong to what exists, nor it has existence, nor it is reflected in the conscience. Saying that a thing does not exist, which does not come into the language, mind and conscience is saying nothing. Moreover, it is the same as being deprived of such nonsense as saying that “the non-existent does not exist”. A western theologist, who is an expert in this field, says the following: “There aren’t any reasons for counting ridiculous the use of colours in language by the physically blind; the critics, who are blind to God, have no more reasons for criticising their experience of what they haven’t been able to understand than those mentioned above”. *8

In that sense, the True Witness of ALLÂH (SWT) Is Only ALLÂH (SWT). Only ALLÂH (SWT) Knows truly ALLÂH (SWT) just as Only ALLÂH (SWT) Is truly the Witness of ALLÂH (SWT).

This Divine Testimony is only echoed in a human being whose faith is alive. He (SWT) Makes mankind attain His Existence from their faith through His Names’ manifestations. That is to say making a human being reach a viewpoint is just like the sending down of the Divine Revelation unto mankind. Showing loyalty to that which has been sent down is the duty of humankind. Facing those manifestations, those who have faith are at “the position of astonishment”. The following saying of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar is appropriate for the owner of that position:

Al-‘Ajzu ‘an darki’l-idrâki idrâkum

Wa’l-bahsu ‘an sirr-i Dhâtillâhi ishrakum

(“To know one’s weakness due to perceiving Him (SWT) means to perceive Him (SWT)

To search for the secrets of His Personal-Self is falling into a kind of polytheism.”)

Our knowledge cannot embrace anything of the Knowledge of ALLÂH (SWT), so high is the object (cf. 20:110). That is the very reason why it is not transformed into object of knowledge. By saying so, it is meant that it is not the question of being known but that of being embraced by the human knowledge as regards ALLÂH (SWT). But He (SWT) Is Known by His Most Beautiful Names and by the manifestations of those Names in the existence. He (SWT) Is Al-Bâtin (the Hidden) because of His Being beyond comprehension and Az-Zâhir (the Manifest) because His Attributes are right in front of the eyes. Saying that it is possible to know and understand Him (SWT) in every way is equivalent to saying that it is impossible to know Him (SWT) in any way whatsoever.

The rigid dynamic of language does not allow one to speak about the Sublime and the Eternal One (SWT). As a result, a human being is restricted by possibilities of the language in saying what he can say about ALLÂH (SWT). Here is the point at which the limited possibilities of the language are surpassed by an uppermost possibility: Deep thought (Tafakkur). Thinking deeply about ALLÂH (SWT) provides the possibilities which are more diverse and so great that they cannot be compared with the language’s limited possibilities. That is the secret why one hour’s deep thought is equal in value to performing lifelong non-compulsory prayer. The activity of the mind is much more intensive than the physical action. The language can never reach the speed of the consciousness. Even the human being’s energy is not enough to stop the circulation of the thinking heart although it belongs to him. Only ALLÂH (SWT) Rules over hearts and Makes them tranquil.

A scientist can only become âlim of the Names and Attributes of ALLÂH (SWT). And the Âlîm of the Personal-Self of ALLÂH (SWT) Is Only ALLÂH (SWT). The most mellow mind is that which knows its weakness as a result of knowing ALLÂH (SWT). We know ALLÂH (SWT) as far as He (SWT) Makes us know Him (SWT): the Prophets could not know the Attributes of ALLÂH (SWT) from what they liked or disliked to say or from their characters and deeds. If they knew, they would know the Truth of ALLÂH (SWT). And he who did it would be Ilâh (God). ALLÂH (SWT) Forbid!, they kept away from such a claim. They used to know ALLÂH (SWT) the way He (SWT) Made them know. “…that he who would perish might perish in clear evidence of the truth, and that he who would remain alive might live in clear evidence of the truth…” (8:42). It is for this very reason that ALLÂH’s Messenger (SAWS) said the following: “I can never succeed in offering sufficient praises for You; You Are as You Praise Yourself”. *9

CHAPTER FIVE

THE NAMES AND THE ATTRIBUTES OF ALLÂH (SWT)

A. Types Of Existence

There are three types of existence:

1. Exterior existence: The exterior existence of objects is beyond all sorts of naming, it is the physically present selfsame existence. Even if things don’t take any names or attributes or even if we don’t name and qualify them so that they be known, the object exists by itself, has being. In this respect, it is a “reality” that is really beyond, i.e. a truth (Haqq). As to its name, the owner of a name is equivalent to “that which is named” (“Musammâ”). The exterior existence of object is the original and true existence.

2. Existence in minds: The exterior and true existence of object is the existence which is reflected in the comprehension of those capable of comprehending. When we say water, water itself does not come to our mind, but the picture that we have in our imagination comes to mind. If the existence in minds is in agreement with the exterior existence, then this is true knowledge. We shall not mean fire when we say “water”. What this amounts to is that we do not deceive ourselves. Consequently, once we want water, the deceitful will not be able to give us fire saying “Here is water”. That is to say we will not be deceived. In that case, the existence of object in our minds proves to be “real” (the opposite is “false”, “untrue”). Our knowledge of it also comes to be authentic and correct. The mental existence of object is the scientific existence. In other words, this is our science about it. It resembles an image in the mirror. It is for that reason that knowledge (‘ilm) is what appears in the mind of the knowing person (âlim) and bears resemblance to the known thing (ma’lûm). If the original existence of object disappears after a while, our knowledge of it goes on existing as long as we live. But the mental existence of a thing cannot substitute for its original existence. The existence of water that we have in our minds cannot serve as water itself. It neither puts out the fire nor quenches the thirst. The mental existence forms “the conscience” in just the same way as the exterior existence forms “body”.

3. Existence in languages: Object also has existence in our languages. The fact that we want to express, show and convey our knowledge of object, i.e. the original existence, which has transformed into knowledge in the minds of those having comprehension, has made object acquire existence also in our language. The object’s existence in languages is expressed by the tongue which we in speaking. The object’s existence in language is the lexical/oral existence. It is like saying “water”.

The first two types of existence do not change. The original and mental existence of water is the same in whichever part of the world, in whichever period of time you are. But the lexical existence, which is the third grade of existence, changes. A person who speaks Turkish calls it “su”, a person speaking Arabic calls it “mâ”, a speaker of Farsi calls it “âb”, an English speaker calls it “water”. However, the fact that the lexical existence of water is different in every language does not make its original and mental existence different. Because it is not the word composed of letters ‘w’, ‘a’, ‘t’, ‘e’, ‘r’ that comes into the mind of the person saying “water”. Directly the mental existence of water presents itself. The mental existence is a form of the original existence that is reflected in the mind. Consequently, what comes into the mind of a person saying “water” is a freely flowing liquid which the person has already seen, tasted, touched, smelled and identified its peculiar smell, heard and listened to its sound.

Well, what comes to one’s mind when one says ALLÂH (SWT)? Taking into account that the restricted and limited existence of water cannot ever compare with the Absolute and Sublime Existence of ALLÂH (SWT), what should come to one’s mind when one says ALLÂH (SWT)?