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Allah ﷻ in Islam: Piece 1

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  As I mentioned in the Preface , I started this journey with many questions. The first one was simple: Does God have a name? In the Islamic tradition, every Muslim knows that God has “ 99 beautiful names ,” and there are hundreds of books written about them. So what, exactly, was I looking for? To be honest, I’ve always struggled with the idea. It felt easier to think of God as having one name —and the rest were attributes or descriptions . That made sense to me as a child… and, to my surprise, it still does. * * * * * So I went back to the Qur’ān . And as expected, the answer is there. The Qur’ān begins with: ( (بسم الله “In the name of Allāh .” It is right there. Simple. Clear. The name: Allāh — as He introduced Himself. * * * * * Now, you might be thinking of the verse: ﴿اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ لَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى﴾ “ Allāh - there is no deity except Him. To Him belong the best names.” ( Sūrat Ṭā-Hā, 20:08) Or: ﴿وَلِلَّ...
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Allah ﷻ in Islam: Preface

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  I still remember the day my mother took my hand after helping me put on a new white jalabiya and a small turban. I was really proud—felt like everyone was looking at me—as we walked to Bilal Ibn Rabaḥ Mosque , a small neighborhood mosque just a few blocks from our home. I was five years old and, as you might expect, had no idea what was waiting for me there. I sat with a group of children and started reciting the Qur’ān . I enjoyed it. I really did. It was never something I did just to please my mother or because I had to. I felt comfortable there. I was… happy. That feeling never really left me— wa al-ḥamdu lillāh . Until today, every time I enter a mosque, I feel a sense of familiarity. And whenever I travel to a new city, the first thing I look for is a mosque. I still remember the look on my friend’s face after we spent three days camping in the Tunisian desert. When he asked what I liked most, I said: praying in the Mosque of ʿUqbah ibn Nāfiʿ . When I think a...
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