—could give the impression of sharing lordship with Allah, and the Prophet ﷺ closed this door completely as a safeguard against idolatry. Instead, he instructed the owner to say, “my young man” or “my young woman,” and the servant to say, “my master, my patron.”

Part of honoring Allah’s Names, exalted is He, is never to turn away the one who asks by Allah.

ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever seeks refuge with Allah, grant him refuge; and whoever asks you by Allah, give to him.”

Refusing such a request shows a lack of reverence for Allah, whereas granting it displays veneration for Him and a desire to draw near to Him, exalted be He.

Another aspect of respect for Allah is that one should ask by Allah’s Countenance only for Paradise, out of awe, honor, and exaltation for Him.

Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Do not ask by Allah’s Countenance for anything except Paradise.” Related by Abū Dāwūd. Hence, one must not invoke Allah’s Countenance for trivial worldly needs; it should be reserved for the greatest of goals—Paradise—or for whatever words and deeds lead to it.

Among the signs of respecting Allah’s Names is to avoid frequent swearing by them. Allah the Almighty says, “and guard your oaths.”⦗1⦘

Ibn ʿAbbās said, “He intends, ‘Do not swear,’ for excessive oaths reveal irreverence toward Allah and a failure to glorify Him, which conflicts with the perfection of obligatory monotheism.”

Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Three people Allah will neither speak to nor purify, and for them is a painful punishment: an elderly adulterer, a poor man who is arrogant, and a man who has made Allah his merchandise—he never buys except by swearing by Him, and he never sells except by swearing by Him.” Narrated by al-Ṭabarānī with a sound chain.