And the one who has worshipped the Meaning without the Name...

And the one who has worshipped the Meaning without the Name, so that is the Oneness ( Al-Tawheed ). Do you understand, O Hisham?’ I said, ‘Increase it for me’.

قال: إن لله تسعة وتسعين اسما فلو كان الاسم هو المسمى لكان كل اسم منها إلها ولكن الله معنى يدل عليه بهذه الاسماء وكلها غيره، يا هشام الخبز اسم للمأكول والماء اسم للمشروب والثوب اسم للملبوس والنار اسم للمحرق أفهمت يا هشام فهما تدفع به وتناضل به أعداء نا والمتخذين مع الله عزوجل غيره؟ قلت: نعم، قال: فقال: نفعك الله به وثبتك يا هشام، He -asws said: ‘Allah -azwj has ninety-nine Names.

Had every Name been (the same as) the Named, then every one of them would be a god, but Allah -azwj is Evidenced by these Names, and all of these are other than Him -azwj . O Hisham! The ‘Bread’ is a name of a food and the ‘Water’ is the name of a drink, and the ‘Cloth’ is a name of the garment, and the ‘Fire’ is a name of the incinerators.

Do you understand, O Hisham with an understanding by which you can defend against, and struggle against our -asws enemies, and those that take someone else along with Allah -azwj ?’ I said, ‘Yes’. He -asws said: ‘May Allah -azwj benefit you by it and Keep you to be steadfast, O Hisham’. قال هشام فوالله ما قهرني أحد في التوحيد حتى قمت مقامي هذا. Hisham said, ‘By Allah -azwj !

No one was able to defeat me regarding Oneness ( Al-Tawheed ) until he were to stand in this place of mine (reach to my level of understanding)’.

The Praise is for Allah -azwj , and the Praise is His -azwj right just as He -azwj deserves it, abundant Praise! And I seek Refuge with Him -azwj from evil of my soul The self is an enjoiner with the evil except what my Lord has Mercy on. [12:53] !