Knowing Allah

The Messengers called people to worship Allah alone. At the heart of their daʿwah was the call to know Him through His Names, His Attributes and His Actions. This knowledge gives depth to our worship, teaches us how to make duʿā and shapes the choices we make when no one else is watching.

The soul’s greatest need

Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) wrote:

“There is no greater need of the soul than its need to know its Creator and Originator. And there is no way to achieve this except through knowing His Attributes and Names.”

He explains that the more a servant knows Allah’s Names and Attributes, the more earnestly they seek Him and the closer they draw to Him. The standing a servant has with Allah is tied to the place they give Him in their heart.

That place becomes visible in ordinary moments. Where do we turn when we are afraid? What do we do after we have wronged someone? What holds us back when we could do wrong and no one would know?

Call upon Allah by His Names

“To Allah Alone belong the most Beautiful Names, so call on Him by them.”

Qur’an 7:180

When you seek forgiveness, call upon Al-Ghafūr, the All-Forgiving. When you struggle to put what is in your heart into words, call upon As-Samīʿ, the All-Hearing. When you are worried about providing for your family, call upon Ar-Razzāq, the Provider, while taking the practical steps available to you.

What does it mean to preserve Allah’s Names?

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Indeed Allah has 99 Names. Whoever preserves them will enter Paradise.”

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

1. Memorise them so that you can recall them in worship and in daily life.
2. Understand their meanings. Reflect on what each Name teaches you about Allah.
3. Praise Allah and call upon Him by His Names. In your duʿā, choose a Name that relates to what you are asking for.
4. Act on what they require of you. Al-Raqīb means the Ever-Watchful. When you are tempted to do something Allah has forbidden, remembering that He is ever watchful over you can help you turn away from it.

Begin with one Name

Learn its meaning, call upon Allah by it and let it guide one choice you make today. If you are carrying the weight of a mistake, you might begin with this duʿā:

O Allah, You are Al-Ghafūr, the All-Forgiving. Forgive me, help me put right what I can, and guide me to do better.

“Whoever attains the recognition of Allah through His Names, Attributes and Actions, will undoubtedly love Him.”

Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh)