Calling out to God with His Names

It is a fact that a human being is a truth-seeking animal by nature. Very soon, there awakens within him a feeling that some superior being must exist who will grant him the light of guidance. At that time he calls out, ‘‘O God of guidance, grant me guidance by Your special mercy.”

In this present world, man repeatedly faces such situations, in which he feels himself helpless. At that time, under the influence of his latent feelings, he wants to call upon a superior being. Then of the best names he finds a divine name of the superior being such as relates to that particular situation in which he finds himself and with that in mind, he calls out: “O God, You alone are my helper, help me in all ways possible.”

A human being cannot think in an abstract way. Because of his mental make-up a person always requires words, by which he may bring concepts to mind. The same is true of God’s names. These names do not denote the name of God in the absolute sense. They say only those names which we require as human beings. It is as if these divine names are to fulfil human needs, rather than to describe the higher reality that is the divine being.

Asma-e-husna means attributes of God’s names, but these divine names are not in the absolute sense an introduction to God, they introduce God in relation to man. Asma-e-husna, in actual fact, give a person a point of reference for remembrance of God (zikr) and prayer (dua). For instance, if one needs food one may call upon God in these words—“O Razzaq, the Giver of food, provide me with food (rizq).” Similarly, when a person feels helpless, he may express himself by saying: “O Qadir, the All-powerful God! Compensate for my helplessness.”