Document Type : Research Paper
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Abstract
All Divine Attributes, regarding their referent, are the very essence of God and the same as other names, but concerning their meanings, they are different from the essence of God and His other names. Thus, each name has two significations: one signifies the essence; the other signifies a specific attribute which differentiates it from other names. Thus, God, the Unified Truth, has multiple attributes due to His manifold qualities. For instance, because He has created the creatures, He is the “Creator” and for His all-embracing knowledge, He is the “Knowing”; since He manages the universe, He is the “Director” and for His affection and mercy, He is “the Compassionate, the Merciful”. Then, from among the ninety-nine or according to another estimate, a thousand and one attributes ascribed to Him, we want to know which one is the Supreme Name of God and based on what criterion it is considered supreme. Some have deemed “Allah” the Supreme Name, have set out reasons for their choice and have attributed certain functions and characteristics to it. Some others believe that “in the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful” is the Supreme Name and still another group vote for yā hayyu yā qayoum (“the Eternal Live”) and dhul-Jalāl wal ikrām (“the Lord of Majesty and Generosity”). Some refer us to the Holy Qur’an for the indicators of the Supreme Name and mention a few names; prayers of invocation have also been mentioned to contain a number of functions for the Supreme Name.
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