Al-Mulakhkhas fi Sharh Kitab al-Tawhid - Salih Al-Fawzan - (363)

Chapter: Allah’s words, “To Allah belong the Most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them, and leave those who deviate concerning His Names” (1).

Ibn Abī Ḥātim related from Ibn ʿAbbās on the phrase, “those who deviate concerning His Names,” that he said, “They commit shirk.” He also narrated from him: “They derived al-Lāt from al-ilāh (God) and al-ʿUzzā from al-ʿAzīz (the Almighty).” Al-Aʿmash commented, “They introduce into them what does not belong to them.”

The remainder of the verse states: “They will be recompensed for what they used to do” (al-Aʿrāf 180).

Relevance of this chapter to the Book of Monotheism: The author—may Allah have mercy on him—brought this chapter to rebut those who seek nearness to Allah by means of the dead. The prescribed approach is to seek nearness to Him through His Most Beautiful Names and His sublime Attributes.

Biographical note: Al-Aʿmash is Sulaymān ibn Mihrān al-Kūfī, a jurist, reliable ḥāfiẓ, and devout worshipper who died in 147 AH—may Allah have mercy on him.

The Most Beautiful Names: Names that have reached the pinnacle of beauty; no other names are more perfect, nor can anything else serve in their stead.

“So call upon Him by them”: meaning, implore Him and seek nearness to Him through them.

(1) Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “Allah has ninety-nine names; whoever enumerates them will enter Paradise. He is One and loves what is one.” Narrated by al-Bukhari, no. 6410, and Muslim, no. 2677.

باب قول الله تعالى: ﴿وَلِلّهِ الأَسْمَاء الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا وَذَرُواْ الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ﴾ (١) الآية. ذكر ابن أبي حاتم عن ابن عباس: ﴿يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ﴾ : "يشركون". وعنه: سمَّوا اللات من الإله والعزَّى من العزيز" وعن الأعمش: "يُدخِلون فيها ما ليس منها". ــ تمام الآية: ﴿سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ﴾ [الأعراف: ١٨٠] . مناسبة هذا الباب لكتاب التوحيد: أراد المصنف ﵀ بهذا الباب الرد على من يتوسل إلى الله بالأموات، وأن المشروع التوسل إلى الله بأسمائه الحسنى وصفاته العليا. التراجم: الأعمش هو: سليمان بن مهران الكوفي الفقيه ثقةٌ حافظٌ ورِعٌ مات سنة ١٤٧هـ ﵀. الأسماء الحُسنى: التي بلغت الغاية في الحُسن فليس في الأسماء أحسن منها وأكمل ولا يقوم غيرُها مقامَها. فادعوه بها: أي: اسألوه وتوسَّلوا إليه بها.

(١) فعن أبي هريرة ﵁ أن رسول الله ﷺ قال: "إن لله تسعة وتسعين اسماً من أحصاها دخل الجنة، وهو وتر يحب الوتر" أخرجه البخاري برقم "٦٤١٠" ومسلم برقم "٢٦٧٧".