Are Some of Divine Attributes Greater Than Others?
In a session on discussing Du’a al-Baha, also known as Du’a al-Sahar, seminary teacher Hojat-ol-Islam Mohammad Soroush Mahallati briefly pointed to this issue. Here are excerpts from his speech:
In part of this supplication, we read: “O Allah, I ask You to give me from Your Names the greatest of them, and all Your Names are great.”
This part is about divine names. There are three points that need attention here. First of all, we should consider the meaning of divine names in the Quranic concepts and supplication. Next, we should think about why some names have been described as “greater” than others. And finally, we should deeply think about why we are asking God to give us His names.
“Ism” [name] literally means sign. However, when we talk about a divine name in Islamic knowledge, we know that a special attribute of God Almighty is being discussed. For instance, take into account the living attribute of God then we have one name: “Hai” [Alive]. Or when we consider the power of Allah Almighty, then we say “Al-Qadir”.
Great and greater attributes
We have various attributes for Allah; some of these names are great and some of them are greatest. For instance, we have “As-Sami” [All-Hearer] and “Al-Baseer” [All-Seeing]. Meanwhile, there is another attribute that is more comprehensive and that is “Al-Alim” [All-Knowing].
So if some of these names are great and some others greatest, then why in this part of supplication it is said that all names are greatest?
Divine attributes are not like material things that can be combined. The Divine Essence is a unified collection of attributes. With this view, we note that all divine names are greatest; some of them differ in their manifestation but this does not mean any separation between names.
