Selected Exegesis

Knowing and internalizing the Beautiful Names of God (Divinity, Lordship, All-Mercifulness, All-Compassionateness, Mastership) brings the human being who is absent from God into His presence, making him worthy of addressing Him directly. Therefore, the worshipping servant, after gaining knowledge of God and believing in His Beautiful Names, finds himself in God’s presence. Turning from the third person to the second person, he speaks to God: “O God, You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help” (even for worship), and none other than You is worthy of submission.

God, the Glorified, is the only One worthy of worship and the only One whose aid is sought in the created universe, for He is the only Origin who possesses all perfections (Allāh), nourishes every existent being (_Rabb al-_ʿālamīn), has boundless mercy for all and special mercy for the believers (al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm), and He is the only Authority whose masterly dominion will become manifest to all on the Day of Resurrection, when He will reward and punish based on justice and wisdom (Māliki yawmi l-dīn).