—this is not analogous to what he alleged (1), namely, that the phrases may be numerous while the meaning expressed is one.
As for the variation of the names in Arabic and in other tongues, this falls into two categories: at times those non-Arabic names (2) denote attributes other than the attribute denoted by the Arabic name, and in that case they stand on the same footing as the Most Beautiful Names in Arabic; at other times their meaning matches that of the Arabic name, in which case they function like synonymous names. Were it not for the diversity of the meanings of the names (3), none of them would enjoy any advantage over the others (4), there would be no virtue in certain people being distinguished by knowledge of some of them, and invoking Allah by means of some of them would not be more emphatic than invoking Him by means of others.
The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said in the famous hadith reported by Ahmad in his Musnad from Ibn Masʿūd:
“No servant is ever afflicted by anxiety, grief, or sorrow and then says: ‘O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your hand; Your command concerning me is always carried out, and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name that is Yours (5) which You have named Yourself with, revealed in Your Book, taught to any of Your creation, or kept hidden in the knowledge of the unseen with You, to make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the banisher of my sorrow, and the remover of my anxiety and grief,’—but that Allah removes his anxiety and grief and substitutes relief in their place.”
They said, “O Messenger of Allah, should we not learn them?” He replied, “Indeed; it behooves anyone who hears them to learn them.” (6)