—just as people have said of the sword when they call it the ṣārim (keen cutter) and the muhandad (well-tempered blade). Exactly the same holds true for the Most Beautiful Names of Allah, the names of His Messenger ﷺ, and the names of the Qur’an: every one of Allah’s Names points to a single Named One.

Explanation

The Names of Allah, exalted be He, are exceedingly numerous, yet the reality they designate is one. In that sense the Names are synonymous, for they all indicate the divine Essence; but they are divergent in that each Name carries its own particular meaning. The names of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) are likewise many: with respect to their indication of his person they are synonymous, while with respect to the distinct nuance conveyed by each word they are divergent. The Qur’an too is called the Qur’an, the Furqān, the Tanzīl, and other titles. Considered as labels for the Book itself, these terms are synonymous; considered for the special meaning of each, they are divergent.

Therefore, calling upon Him by one of His Beautiful Names is not at odds with calling upon Him by another. The matter is exactly as He, the Exalted, has said: “Say: ‘Invoke Allah or invoke the Compassionate; whichever of the two you invoke, His are the Most Beautiful Names’” [Q 17:110]. Every one of His Names denotes both the Named Essence and the attribute contained in that Name: al-‘Alīm (the All-Knowing) signifies the Essence and knowledge, al-Qadīr (the All-Powerful) the Essence and power, and al-Rahīm (the Most Merciful) the Essence and mercy.

Explanation

Thus these three Names, insofar as they denote the Essence, are synonymous,