The Fruits of Knowing and Understanding Allah's Names and Attributes

Another aspect which indicates and emphasises the importance of this category  of Tauwhid is the benefits derived in the believer's heart from knowing the Names and Attributes of Allah. These include an increase in Iman, firmness in certainty and the light and insight it instils (in one's heart), which protect him from areas of doubt and misconceptions that can (otherwise) cause him to stray and which protect him from unlawful desires and lusts.

Thus, if this knowledge is firmly established in the heart it will most definitely produce fear of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala).

Each and every Name of Allah has a particular impact on the heart and character of the servant. If the heart comprehends the meaning of a specific Name, what it embodies, and is conscious of it, it will reply to these meanings and this awareness and understanding will reflect in the person's thinking and mode of behaviour.

Likewise, every Attribute has a specific form of worship attached to it, which is the result of the requisites dictated by this particular Attribute.

The most beautiful Names of Allah and His most exalted Attributes therefore yield worship as their effects.

This covers all forms of worship that appear on the heart and limbs. For example, the knowledge of the servant that Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) Alone is able to Harm  and Benefit, Give and Withhold,  to Create, Sustain,  to give Life and cause Death, will produce the worship of Tawakkul   it its inner form (i.e. in the heart) and the requisites and fruits of Tawakkul in its apparent  form (i.e. upon the limbs).

The servant's knowledge of Allah's (subhanahu wa ta’ala) Hearing, Sight and Knowledge, and of the fact that not a single atom in the heavens and earth escape Him, and that He knows the secret and hidden, what the treacherous eyes behold and what the breasts conceal, will make him preserve his tongue, limbs and the notions of his heart from anything that displeases Allah. He will make these limbs devoted to what Allah loves and is pleased with. So it yields modesty within him as well as manifesting it outwardly by making him steer clear of the prohibited and repulsive matters.

Knowledge of His Richness, Generosity, Kindness, Beneficence and Mercy will grant the servant a wealth of optimism, and it will give birth to many types of hidden and apparent servitude, all in proportion to his understanding and knowledge.

Likewise, the knowledge of the Majesty of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), His Greatness and Might generates for the servant humility, submission and love. These inner conditions in turn produce several apparent forms of servitude.

Similarly, knowledge of His Perfection, Beauty and exalted Attributes will grant him a specific love that becomes represented by many forms of servitude.

So all forms of servitude to Him are related back to the dictates of the Names   and Attributes and are linked to it[1].

In light of the above, it is has become apparent  that the servant's knowledge of the Names and Attributes of Allah in the correct manner, which Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) has informed  about  in His  Book and  in the Sunnah  of His Messenger,  will certainly make the servant establish servitude to Allah in the most perfect manner.

Hence, the more complete the servant's iman in the Attributes is, the stronger will be his love, sincerity and worship. Additionally, the person who has the greatest servitude is the one who worships Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) with all the Names and Attributes He has made known to mankind, as every Name of His has associated to it, a specific form of worship on the basis of 'knowledge and understanding' and on the basis of 'state'.

'Knowledge and understanding', i.e. whoever knows that Allah is named with this particular  Name  and understands  what Attribute  it entails, then believes in it, this in itself is worship.

'State', i.e. every Name  belonging to Allah has a specific meaning  and particular effect on the heart and character, If the heart therefore, comprehends  the meaning  of a specific Name,  what it embodies  and  is conscious of it, it will reply to these meanings and this awareness and understanding will reflect in the person's  thinking  and mode  of behaviour.

This method is extracted from the heart of the Qur'an, Allah says:

"And to Allah belong the most beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them ...” [Surah al-A'raf (7): 180]

Calling upon Him (du'a) incorporates: invoking Him, praising Him and worshipping Him. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) calls His servants to know Him by His Names and Attributes, to praise Him with them and to take their share of servitude from them[2].