of all worlds also indicates His exaltedness above His creation and His being above everything, as will be explained, Allah willing.

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Mentioning these names after praise, and directing that praise to what they signify and entail, indicates that He is praiseworthy in His divinity, His lordship, His all-encompassing mercy, and His kingship. He is a praiseworthy God, a praiseworthy Lord, the praiseworthy All-Merciful, and a praiseworthy King. Thus, He possesses every kind of perfection: the perfection signified by each name individually, and the perfection signified by pairing one name with another.

Examples include His words, Most High:

“And Allah is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.”

“And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

“And Allah is All-Powerful.”

“And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Self-sufficiency is an attribute of perfection, as is praiseworthiness; the conjunction of His self-sufficiency and His praiseworthiness is also a perfection. His knowledge is a perfection, as is His wisdom; the conjunction of knowledge and wisdom is also a perfection. His power is a perfection, as is His forgiveness; the conjunction of power and forgiveness is a perfection. The same applies to pardon when one has power:

4:14 “For Allah is ever Pardoning, All-Powerful.”

And to the conjunction of knowledge and forbearance:

4:11 “And Allah is All-Knowing, Forbearing.”

The bearers of the Throne are four. Two say, “Glory and praise be to You, O Allah. To You belongs all praise for Your forbearance with full knowledge.” The other two say, “Glory and praise be to You, O Allah. To You belongs all praise for Your pardon when You have power.” Not everyone who has power pardons, nor does everyone who pardons do so from a position of power. Not everyone who knows is forbearing, nor is everyone who is forbearing knowledgeable. No pairing is more beautiful than forbearance joined to knowledge, pardon joined to power, kingship joined to praiseworthiness, or might joined to mercy:

26:9 “And indeed, your Lord is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.”

Hence, the words of the Messiah, peace be upon him:

5:121 “If You punish them, they are Your servants; and if You forgive them, You alone are the Almighty, the All-Wise,”

are more fitting than saying, “And if You forgive them, You alone are the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” That is, if You forgive them, Your forgiveness would proceed from