Section Three: Allah Most High’s Names Are Established Only by Revelation

The position of the majority of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamā‘ah is that Allah Most High’s names are established only by revelation. Thus, it is not permissible to name Him—glorified be He—with any name not attested in revelation.

This is because Allah Most High’s names belong to the unseen, of which we can know nothing except through the messengers. Allah discloses to them whatever He wills of the unseen, and they then convey it to people. Neither analogy nor independent reasoning is therefore permissible concerning His names, for this subject is not open to independent reasoning.

Abū Ishāq al-Zajjāj said: “No one should invoke Allah by anything with which He has not described Himself”1.

Abū Ishāq al-Qushayrī2 said: “The names are established through authoritative evidence from the Quran, the Sunnah, and consensus. Every name occurring in either of the two must be used to describe Him; any name that does not occur may not be used, even if its meaning is sound.”

Abū Sulaymān al-Khattābī said: “Part of understanding this subject—by which I mean the names and attributes—and the rules and conditions pertaining to it is recognizing that one must not go beyond what revelation authorizes. Nor may analogy be employed to extend an attested designation to another expression resembling it in its apparent linguistic meaning and customary usage. Thus, al-Sakhī (the Generous) may not be inferred by analogy with al-Jawād (the Munificent), even though their meanings are similar in ordinary speech. This is because al-Sakhī has not been authorized by revelation as al-Jawād has. Moreover, sakhāwah (generosity) has a linguistic association with softness and suppleness: land is described as sakhiyya or sakhāwiyya when it is soft and yielding. Likewise, al-Samh (the Openhanded) may not be inferred by analogy with it, because samāhah (openhandedness) includes a sense of softness and ease.