Part 47

make no distinction between one and the other of His Messengers . . .”” (2:285). In this verse Allah is saying that we do not make any distinction among them as a further indication to their saying: “We believe and we do not make any distinction.” For this reason He [Allah] says: “. .. And they said we heard and obey . . .” (2:285). Thus, they combined their two statements: “We believed and we heard and obeyed.” Allah says in the verse of al-birr, piety: “. .. Those are the righteous ones” (2:177). Thus He [Allah] made al-Abrar, the Pious Ones as the alMutaqiin, the Righteous Ones, and when used in an absolute sense and in isolation from each other, they are considered synonymous. However, when specific and used in association with each other, their meanings are distinguished, as in the verse that reads: “. .. Help one another in piety and righteousness . . .” (5:2). This last verse indicates that when used in an absolute manner, the words Iman, belief; birr, piety; and taqwa, righteousness, all refer to the same reality; hence, the believers are the righteous ones, who in turn are also the pious ones.

For this reason some of the Prophet’s (pbuh) sayings about intercession state that Allah takes out of the Fire whoever has an atom’s weight of Iman; others mention “an atom’s weight of good.” This is compatible with Allah’s saying: “Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it” (99:7-8). An atom’s weight of good is also an atom’s weight of Iman. Those pious, righteous believers enjoyed absolute happiness. They were also the People of Paradise, who were promised that they would enter Paradise without punishment. However, one about whom the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Who cheats us is not one of us and whoever takes up arms against us is not one of us,” he is not considered among the believers but rather one of the sinners who are subject to punishment.

Attributes and Terms With Specific Connotations

This type is after the pattern of the names used to describe the names of Allah, His Books, His Messengers and His religion. Allah says: “Say [Oh, Muhammad]: Call upon Allah, or call upon al-Rahman, the Most Beneficent: By whatever name you call upon Him, [it is the same]: for to Him belongs the Most Beautiful Names” (17:110). He also says: “And [all] the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call Him by them and leave the company of those who deny His names . . .” (7:180); and “He is Allah, than Whom there is no other god, the Knower of the unseen and visible. He is the Beneficent, the Merciful. He is Allah, than Whom there is no other god except Him, the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace and Perfection, the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah! [High is He] above the partners they attribute to Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms [or Colors]. To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him. And He is the All Almighty, the All Wise” (59:22-24). All of Allah’s attributes are consistent with one another in that they all describe His holy essence. At the same time, each name denotes a particular divine attribute that is distinct from that which is denoted by any other name. Hence, the name al-‘Aziz, the Almighty, denotes the divine essence in its capacity as all-powerful; the name al-Khiliq, the Creator, denotes the divine essence as associated with the act of creating; while the name al-Rahim, the Merciful, conveys the notion of the divine Self as demonstrating mercy. The divine Self requires all these attributes, such that each name denotes this Essence, as well as the attribute to which it specifically refers, through direct correspondence; it signifies either one or the other of these two by implication, and connotes other attributes by necessity.

The same applies to the names used to describe Allah’s Book: al-Qur’an, the Recitation; al-Furqan, the Criterion; al-Kitab, the Book; al-Huda, the Guidance; al-Bayan, the Clear Declaration; al-Shifa’, the Healing Balm; al-Nir, the Light; and so forth. These are the revealed names. The following names are used to describe Allah’s Messenger: Muhammad; Ahmad; al-Mahi, the Abrogator; alHashir, the Assembler; al-Mugaffi, the Rhymer; and Nabi al-Malhamah, the Prophet of Mercy, the Prophet of Repentance, and the Epic Prophet. Each name denotes one of his praiseworthy qualities, each of which is distinct from those denoted by any of the other names. Such is also the case with stories that occur more than once in the Qur’4n, such as the story of Moses and others. They are not repeated merely for the purpose of providing material for evening conversation, but rather to teach moral lessons. Allah says: “Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding . . .” (12:111). For the events that took place are the same, yet they may be described in various ways; hence, the same story is conveyed through a variety of expressions, each of which communicates a different aspect of the events from which the hearer may draw a lesson. Therefore, what we have here is in fact not really repetition at all.

The same applies to the names of Allah’s religion. Allah commands His Messenger that these names be: Iman, Belief; Birr, Piety; Taqwa, Righteousness; Khayr, Goodness; Din, Religion; ‘Amal Salih, Good Work; Sirat Mustaqim, Straight Path; and so forth. All these names refer to one and the same thing [i.e., teligion]. But each indicates a distinct and unique attribute that is not indicated by the other attributes. This attribute will be the basic name for the attribute and the test will be associate terms, but with the basic term and always connected with it. They come to denote the same thing simply by association. For example, the word Iman refers to belief that is in the heart, which, by necessity, must have two aspects: belief in the heart, and its confession and knowledge. This is referred to as the saying of the heart. Al-Junayd Ibn Muhammad! said: tawhid, Oneness of Allah, is a saying of the heart; and tawakkul, trust in Allah, is the work of the heart, which first requires the saying and the work of the heart, then, the saying and the work of the body. The work of the heart is essential in this regard. Illustrations include love of Allah and His Messenger, fear of Allah, love for what

' Al-Junayd, Abu al-Qasim Ibn Muhammad (?-298 A.H.), was a celebrated Siifi theologian, a jurist, and a native of Baghdad. He studied under Abu Thawr and was associated with Harith alMuhasibi. [E/ vol. 2, p. 600 and al-Firhist, vol. 2, p. 1025.]

ATTRIBUTES AND TERMS WITH SPECIFIC CONNOTATIONS. 197

Allah and His Messenger love, hatred for what Allah and His Messenger hate, working with devotion for none but Allah, putting trust in none but Allah, and other works of the heart that are required by Allah and His Messenger and that constitute part of Iman.

The heart is the essential part; if it has knowledge and will, all the body will necessarily be influenced. The body cannot function apart from what the heart desires. To clarify, the Prophet (pbuh) said: “There is a [mudghah small piece] in the body. If it is pure, the whole body is as well, and if it is spoiled, the whole body is also; namely, it is the heart.”

Abu Hurayrah said: “The heart is a king and the other members of the body are its soldiers. Hence, if the heart is good, so also will its soldiers be; and if the heart is full of evil and malice, its soldiers will be likewise.” The metaphor provided by Abu Hurayrah is an approximation; however, the description given by the Prophet (pbuh) illustrates the same truth more clearly. He said: “If (the heart) is pure, so will the entire body be; and if [the heart] is corrupt, the entire body will be corrupt as well.” As for Abu Hurayrah’s metaphor, its weakness lies in the fact that if the king is righteous, then the soldiers still have a choice as to whether they will obey their king or not. The soldiers might be righteous even though the king is corrupt, or corrupt while the king is righteous. This situation contrasts with the relationship between the heart and the body; for the body is completely subject to the heart, and may never violate its will.

Thus, if the heart is pure, by its knowledge and works of Iman, then the body is pure by the outward sayings and works of Iman. As the compilers of hadith say concerning Iman: “Saying and work: saying is both inward and outward, and so is work. The outward follows from the inward and is a necessary constituent of it.” Thus, if the inward is pure, the outward is so also; and if the inward is spoiled, so is the outward. For this reason one of the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) said about the man who gestured while praying: “If he had a humble heart, the parts of his body would be humble too.” The belief of the heart requires one to love Allah and His Messenger and hold Allah and His Messenger dearer than anything else. Allah says: “And of some people are those who take others besides Allah as rivals [to Allah]. But those who believe love Allah more .. .” (2:165). In this statement He describes those who have believed as having greater love for Allah than do the polytheists for their andad, partners.

There are two interpretations of this verse. According to the first, the polytheists love their idols as believers love Allah, but the love that believers have for Allah is greater than the love that polytheists have for their idols. According to the second view, the polytheists love their idols as much as they love Allah, but the believers love Allah more than the polytheists do. It is the second view that is held to be the correct one. As for the first interpretation, it is both groundless and contradictory. For polytheists do not love their idols as believers love Allah. Such love requires the will, and a perfect will together with the ability to act leads necessarily to performance of the act itself. Thus it would be impossible for someone to love Allah and His Messenger, to desire that which Allah and His messenger desire with a definitive, unwavering will, and to be able to carry this out, without actually doing so. Hence, if someone does not voice his belief, although he is able to do so, this indicates that he does not have in his heart that belief which Allah requires of him.