It may also be said that the reference is to “the most beautiful names” as a category: these must not be denied of Him, as the disbelievers did. He commanded that He be invoked by them and addressed using them, contrary to the polytheists’ practice of forbidding people to invoke Him by His name “the Most Merciful.”

Thus, it may be said that His words, “Call upon Him by them,” command that He be invoked by the most beautiful names and not by others. Similarly, His words, “Call them by their fathers’ names,” prohibit calling them by names attributing them to anyone other than their fathers.

A distinction is drawn between invoking Him and speaking about Him. He is to be invoked only by the most beautiful names. When speaking about Him, however, no bad designation may be used, but a good designation may be used, or one that is not bad even if it is not judged to be good. Examples include “thing,” “essence,” and “existent,” when the last means that which has real existence. If, however, it means “the One who is present in times of hardship,” then it is among the most beautiful names. Likewise, “the One who wills” and “the One who speaks” are not among the most beautiful names, since willing and speaking may be either praiseworthy or blameworthy. This is unlike “the All-Wise,” “the Most Merciful,” “the Truthful,” and similar names, which can only be praiseworthy.

The same distinction applies to the Messenger, concerning whom He said:

“Do not address the Messenger among yourselves as you address one another.”

He thus commanded them to say, “O Messenger of Allah” and “O Prophet of Allah,” just as Allah addressed him by saying, “O Prophet” and “O Messenger.” One should not say, “O Muhammad,” “O Ahmad,” or “O Abū al-Qāsim,” even though, when speaking about him—as in the call to prayer and the like—they would say, “I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” Likewise, Allah Most High said:

“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

He also said:

“And bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.”

And He said:

“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah.”