have you given in marriage?” and the answer is “Zayd” or “ʿAmr,” the person is intended. How, then, can what is intended in the two cases be regarded as the same?

Thus, when Allah Most High says:

“And to Allah belong the most beautiful names,”

the meaning is that He Himself possesses the most beautiful names. Among them is His name “Allah,” as He says:

“Say, ‘Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Compassionate. Whichever you call upon, to Him belong the most beautiful names.’”

The One who possesses the most beautiful names is the One named by them. Thus, in Imam Ahmad’s statements, he says that this name is among His most beautiful names; at other times, he says that the most beautiful names belong to Him—that is, to the One named, who is not one of the names. Accordingly, in His statement, “And to Allah belong the most beautiful names,” He did not mean that this name possesses the most beautiful names. Rather, He meant that the One named possesses the most beautiful names.

In the authentic hadith of Anas, it is reported:

“The inscription on the ring of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was ‘Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah’: ‘Muhammad’ on one line, ‘Messenger’ on one line, and ‘Allah’ on one line.”

What is intended is the written script in which these words were inscribed: the writing of “Muhammad” occupied one line, the writing of “Messenger” occupied one line, and the writing of “Allah” occupied one line.

Likewise, when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Allah Most High says: ‘I am with My servant as long as he remembers Me and his lips move in remembrance of Me,’”

it is clear that what is meant is that his lips move as he mentions Allah’s name, which is an utterance. It does not mean that his lips move with Allah Himself, exalted is He.

As for their argument based on His saying:

“Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High,”

and their claim that it means, “Glorify your Lord, the Most High,” and likewise His saying:

“Blessed is the name of your Lord, Possessor of Majesty and Honour,”

and similar passages, there are two well-known views on this matter, both of which constitute evidence against them.