"The All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the All-Aware, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Mighty, the Wise, the Strong, the Severe, the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy, the Originator, the Restorer, the Unique, the Bestower, God, the Compassionate, the Merciful."

These and similar names in the Quran are the names of the Meaning—Exalted and Sublime—with which He honored the Mim, the Supreme Name and the Most Noble and Honored Place. He bestowed them upon him, and they are the names used for the Name in invocation, as our lord and jurist Abu Abd Allah al-Khasibi—may God ennoble his station—informed us:

"If one asks: what is the proof of the Meaning and what is His being...?" until his saying: "He was when there was no 'being' with Him, Ancient, Pre-eternal, Peerless, Besought, the Originator of things when nothing was with Him. When He willed for the Place to be, He brought him into being from the light of His Essence."

This exact discourse with this phrasing appears in his small epistle, and it is clearer than what appeared in his large epistle, though their reality is one. If you invoke the Lord Muhammad—exalted be his glory—by one of these names, knowing it is a name for the Meaning and originated from the light of His Essence, you are correct in your speech and invocation. This is because you affirm that above him is a goal more majestic and higher than him: our Master, the Prince of Bees, the God of the Name, his Goal, his Meaning, his Creator, and his Master, who bestowed His names upon him, honored him, and chose him.

(269) It is related from Malik al-Ashtar al-Nakha'i—peace be upon him—that he used to charge in Siffin saying: "God is the greatest Name for a Meaning whose Namer is exalted." Our Master said to him: "Exalted is the Namer of names."

(270) It is also related from al-Harith al-A'war al-Hamdani—peace be upon him—that he charged before our Master—exalted be his glory—saying: "God is the greatest Name for a Meaning, exalted is He who named him." Our Master Amir Almuminin—exalted be He as a speaker—said to him: "You have affirmed Oneness, O brother of Hamdan."