Striving to Mirror the Divine Attributes: al-Takhalluq bi Akhlāqillāh
Authored by Ustadha Juwairia Ansari
Allah the Exalted describes Himself with the Asmāʾ al-Ḥusnā (the most beautiful names) in the Noble Qurˀān. They are explicitly mentioned four times:
In Sūrat al-Aʿrāf, Allah the Exalted states:
«وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ فَٱدْعُوهُ بِهَا»
To Allah belongs the most beautiful names. So, call Him by them (al-Aʿraf: 180).
He states again in Sūrat al-Isrāʾ:
«قُلِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ أَوِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنَ أيًّۭا مَّا تَدْعُوا۟ فَلَهُ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَى»
Say, “Call (Him by the name of) Allah or al-Raḥmān (the Merciful). In whichever way you call, to Him belong the most beautiful names (al-Isrāʾ: 110).”
Then, in Sūrat Ṭāhā:
«ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ لَهُ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ»
Allah is the one with whom there is no other god. To Him belong the most beautiful names (Ṭaha: 8).
And lastly, in Sūrat al-Ḥashr:
«هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْخَـٰلِقُ ٱلْبَارِئُ ٱلْمُصَوِّرُ لَهُ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ»
He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Shaper. To Him belong the most beautiful names (al-Ḥashr: 24).
Each of these names denotes a good meaning, as ḥusn in the Arabic language is designated for goodness. When ḥusn is attributed to Allah, it conveys the meaning of perfection. Thus, each of these names denotes an attribute of perfection belonging to Allah the Exalted. Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī articulates this idea in his exegesis of the word asmāʾ. He states that “asmā’ are words indicating meanings, so they are only considered good through the goodness/beauty of their meanings. The meaning of goodness with respect to Allah is nothing but the mention of the attributes of perfection and majesty.”[1]
