Allāh ...

Allāh , whereas other words such as Al-‘ālim (the All-learned), Al-qādir (the All-powerful), Al-ḥayy (the Ever-living), Al-rāziq (the Sustainer), Al-bāqī (the Everlasting), and the like are used both as Names and Attributes of God. For instance, in well-known traditions ( aḥādīth ), it is said that God has Ninety-nine Names. With the exception of His Name of Glory, all are derivatives and attributes.

Classifications of the Divine Attributes The Attributes ( ṣifāt ) of Allah are classified in various ways: 1.

The Attributes of Beauty and the Attributes of Glory The Attributes of Beauty ( ṣifāt al-jamāliyyah ) or the Positive Attributes ( ṣifāt al-thubūtiyyah ) are attributes which indicate the Perfect Being of God; examples are ‘ilm (knowledge) and Al-‘ālim (the All-knowing), qudrah (power) and Al-qādir (the All-powerful), khalq (creation) and Al-khāliq (the Creator), rizq (sustenance) and Al-rāziq (the Sustainer), and the like.

The Attributes of Glory ( ṣifāt al-jalāliyyah ) or the Negative Attributes ( ṣifāt al-salabiyyah ) are attributes which indicate deficiency and lack of perfection and are thus negated from God. Examples are compositeness ( tarkīb ), corporeality ( jasmāniyyah ), space ( makān ), direction ( jahat ), oppression ( ẓulm ), absurdity ( ‘abath ), and the like.

In this regard, Ṣadr al-Muta’allihīn comments: “These two terms (the Attributes of Beauty and Glory) are consistent with the expression dhū ’l-jalāli wa ’l-ikrām (the Majestic and the Munificent) in the holy verse, “Blessed is the Name of your Lord, the Majestic and the Munificent!” [^4] for the Attributes of Glory ( ṣifāt al-jalāl ) are those attributes which make the Essence of God immune from similarities with others.

And the Attributes of Munificence ( ṣifāt al-akrām ) are those with which the Essence of God is adorned. Thus, God is described with the Attributes of Perfection, and immune from deficiency with the Attributes of Glory.”[^5] The Negative Attributes have another function, and that is, they are attributes which indicate God’s negation of deficiency; for example, Al-ghanī (the Self-sufficient), Al-wāḥid (the One), Al-quddūs (the All-holy), Al-ḥamīd (the Praiseworthy), and the like.[^6] 2.