Tawhid (Islamic Monotheism) - Names of God in Islam

Names of God in Islam

In order to explain the complexity of the unity of God and of the divine nature, the Qur'an uses 99 terms referred to as "Excellent Names of God" (Sura 7:180). Aside from the supreme name "Allah" and the neologism al-Rahman(referring to the divine beneficence that creates and maintains the universe) and a few other specific names like al-Maalik al-Mulook ('King of Kings' in an authentic narration of the Prophet), other names may be shared by both God and human beings. According to the Islamic teachings, the latter is meant to serve as a reminder of God's immanence rather than being a sign of one's divinity or alternatively imposing a limitation on God's transcendent nature. Attribution of divinity to a created entity, shirk, is considered a denial of the truth of God and thus a major sin.


Correction In Arabic language, the names or the titles of people come from the epithet, not opposite. For example: the title "king" - "malik" come from an epithet: "authority"

"Al-maalik al-mulook" does not means "king of kings" Reasons: - first: because "maalik" means "the possessor of absolute authority", and does not means "king" - second: because "mulook" means "dominions" - third: "malik" means "he who had the dominion, the power to rule over all the people", and by extension, this concept are translated with the English term "king" - fourth: the plural of "malik" is "amlaak", and not "mulook" source: "Lane Lexicon"

So: "Al-maalik al-mulook" in fact means: "he who have the supreme authority over all the dominions", in other wording: "He Who had the Supreme authority over all His creations " which is God, and no human can share this attribute with Him.

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