Wisdom of Naming (Tasmiyah) and The Names of Ahl al-Bayt

Tags: Tasmiyah, Ahl al-bayt, Names of Imams, Agha Khan, shab-i qadr

In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

In this article, this most humble servant, the slave of the slaves of the Imam of the time and dust under the feet of friends, is trying to comply with a written request of some of my esteemed, knowledge-nurturing and learned friends, in which for the sake of disseminating knowledge they have asked me to explain the meaning of the blessed names of the holy Ahl al-bayt and the wisdom of naming. In this connection, first of all it is necessary to explain certain fundamental points concerning the wisdom of naming, which are as follows:

Sometimes according to tradition or custom or religious belief, people give their children the names of a religious or ancestral dignitary or a well-known personality. The aim and object of doing so is that, God willing, their children will possess the attributes implicit in their names.
They fondly give the name of a great personality in view of his virtues, even if literally his name has an insignificant meaning, such as the blessed name of Hadhrat Musa, which in the Coptic language has apparently a very insignificant meaning: Mu means water and sa means tree, thus Musa means the one who was taken from water under the tree. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that his name is given [to children] with the intention of acquiring blessing. For, the characteristics and virtues of the personality dominate the literal meaning of the name in this example.
In this connection, it is also a custom to coin a new name or to select an old one for the new-born child in which a good characteristic is attributed to the child, such as Shayr-dil (lit. lion-hearted=brave), Aftab-bano (lit. sun-lady=beautiful).
Sometimes the name is given with respect to time, place and other events, such as Nawruz `Ali, Gulshan, Hajj Bibi, etc. Nonetheless, the best tradition is that mu'mins should give their children the blessed names of the Ahl al-bayt. However, in the case of girls' names it is permitted to select a name from among the beautiful and attractive things, such as stars, jewels, flowers, etc.

Although apparently this principle has also been used in the venerable names of the Prophets and Imams, their names contain great secrets of knowledge and recognition (ma`rifat), as they are the closest friends of God. So it is not a wonder if God has kept a special heavenly ta'wil in the name of Hadhrat Musa, for the science of ta'wil (`ilm-i ta'wil) in its subtlety and power of adjustment is like water and the words are like vessels of varying sizes. Thus, the water of ta'wil in the vessel of every word adjusts in accordance with its shape and form. After this introduction, let us return to the main subject.

Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny):
Root: ha, mim, dal. Muhammad means highly praised, extolled and commended. In the holy Qur'an, it is mentioned four times and Ahmad once. Although the entire Qur'an is full of the praise of the Prophet, as it is said: “Qur'an tamam wasf-i kamal-i Muhammad ast”, namely, the entire Qur'an is the praise of the perfection of Muhammad, but here we are mainly concerned with the meaning of the name “Muhammad”. In this respect, it is appropriate to say that this word is directly linked to maqam-i mahmud (i.e. praised place), as God says: “Maybe your Lord will raise you to a praised place (maqaman mahmuda)”, (17:79). That is, your resurrection (inbi`ath) will be at “maqami mahmud or the Praised Place”, which is the Divine Word (kalimah-i bari) and the fountainhead of Intellect, and is praised, extolled and commended.

According to hisab-i jumal (use of the letters of the alphabet according to their numerical value) the numerical ta'wil of Muhammad is `Ali, as follows:

Muhammad = mim (40) + ha' (8) + mim (40) + dal (4) = 92 => 9 + 2 = 11 => 1 + 1 = 2
`Ali = `ayn (70) + lam (30) + ya' (10) = 110 => 1 + 1 + 0 = 2

You can see that the minor jumal of Muhammad is two, by which is meant `Ali for `Ali's minor jumal is also two. This means that Muhammad and `Ali, peace be upon them both and their progeny, are one light, for light is always one; the same one light is ever-reaching, ever-pervading and self-sufficient and the concept of two lights negates the perfection of light.

Mustafa:
Root: sad, fa', waw. It means selected, chosen, admired and esteemed. This is the blessed appellation of the holy Prophet.

`Ali (peace be upon him):
Root: `ayn, lam, waw. It means lofty, noble, high, exalted. This blessed name of `Ali is among the attributive names of God. The reason for this is that God creates His chosen servants, the Prophets and Imams in His own image (surat-i Rahman). He gives them one of His names and considers them His living Supreme Name (ism-i a`zam), He breathes His Holy Spirit into them and confers upon them His vicegerency (khilafat). Thus, it is a fact that the holy names of Muhammad and `Ali are given by God. For this was His unchangeable decision that the light of knowledge and guidance will remain forever linked with the progeny of Ibrahim, peace be upon him (4:54).

Murtadha:
Root: ra', dhad, ya'. It means admired, esteemed, selected, chosen. This is the appellation of Mawla `Ali, which is according to the intention of God and His Prophet.

Fatimah (peace be upon her):
Root: fa', ta', mim. Fatimah literally means a woman who has weaned a child at the fixed time. The holy name of Fatimah, however, is given after the esteemed name of Fatimah bint Asad, the wife of Hadhrat Abu Talib, whose personal characteristics and virtues are taken into consideration, instead of its literal meaning. She was the daughter of Asad, granddaughter of Hadhrat Hashim and paternal aunt of the Prophet. What her virtues were, and with what love and compassion she took care of the Prophet can be assessed from the respective history.

Zahra':
Root: Za', ha', ra'. Zahra' whose masculine form is azhar, means bright, brilliant, splendid, radiant. It stems from zahara, which means glittering and brightening of a lamp, moon or face. Zuhrah is another word from the same root zahara, which is used in the sense of beauty. This same zuhrah is the name of a star, which was considered to be the goddess of beauty. In short, all those virtues and perfections, which should be in the Chief of the ladies of paradise were present in the pure and holy personality of Fatimah-yi Zahra'. She was pure intellectually, spiritually and physically in the fullest sense of purity, for God in the verse of Tathir (purification) has given the guarantee of the perfect and complete purity of the Ahl al-bayt of the Prophet (33:33). In this world material things are purified in many ways, but the best purification takes place by the sun's rays and then by water. When water in reaching the ocean becomes turbid, the sun elevates it by rarifying and purifying it and causes it to rain in the form of pure water (25:48). This example reveals the reality that the purification of the Ahl al-bayt is from the rain of light, which is purification par excellence.

Hasan (peace be upon him):
Root: ha', sin, nun. It means every agreeable and desirable thing, beautiful, handsome. The holy Prophet says: “Hasan and Husayn both are true Imams, whether they stand or sit down, and their father is better than both of them”. That is, Hasan and Husayn whether they carry on the da`wat or not are Imams: mustawda` (entrusted) and mustaqarr (permanent), respectively. And their father is better than both of them, because he is the asas (foundation).

Where the name of the true Imam is `Ali (i.e. lofty, high) it is an indication to the sublimity of the light of God, and when this light is in the form of Hasan, then the attention is drawn to its inner beauty. Hadhrat Yusuf was Imam-i mustawda`, whom God, the Omniscient, the Wise, has presented as the example of the spiritual beauty and majesty of the light of Imamat, so that the true love (for the Imam) may prevail over the people of faith.

Husayn (peace be upon him):
The root and meaning are the same as those of Hasan, except that as a mark of love, it is its diminutive form. In this wisdom-filled name there is an indication that some people will despise the progeny of Muhammad, the children of `Ali, and some will love them. For, a diminutive noun has both these aspects.

Zaynu'l-`Abidin (peace be upon him):
Root: za', ya', nun and `ayn, ba', dal. His proper name was `Ali and Zaynu'l-`Abidin was his appellation. It means the adornment of the worshippers. This blessed appellation of the Imam reveals the importance of worship (`ibadat) of God, the One. It also reveals that the spirit of `ibadat is the concept of Imamat, for it is the Imam who is the door of ma`rifat (recognition of God) and ma`rifat is the spirit of `ibadat. In the holy Qur'an, the word zayn is used for the light of faith (nur-i iman), as God says: “But Allah has endeared the faith to you and has beautified (illumined) it in your hearts” (49:7).

Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him):
Root: ba', qaf, ra'. Baqara means to split open, cut something open. Tabaqqara’l-rajulu fi’l-`ilm aw fi’l-mal, that is, the man became abundant in knowledge or in wealth, or he enhanced himself in knowledge or wealth. In accordance with its radical meaning baqir means the opener or revealer of the hidden sciences and inner secrets, and for this reason, the Imam was called Baqiru’l-`ulum. In short, from the example of the name and the work of the Imam it is evident that the light of Imamat always reveals the esoteric and `irfani wisdoms.

Ja`far as-Sadiq (peace be upon him):
Root: jim, `ayn, fa', ra' and sad, dal, qaf. Ja`far means river, stream and sadiq means truthful. This blessed name reveals the fact that the pure and holy Imam is the flowing river of true knowledge. Every Imam is as-sadiq (the truthful) of his own time and all Imams are called as-sadiqun (the truthful ones). Thus, the people of all times are addressed as: “O you who believe! Fear God and be with the truthful ones (as-sadiqin)” (9:119). That is, adhere to the Imam of the time, so that you will be enriched with the treasures of realities and recognition (haqa'iq-u ma`arif). It should be properly reflected here that, on the one side there are the people of faith who have to be with the sadiqun (the truthful ones) by attaining the true faith and practising taqwa (fear of God) and on the other, there are the sadiqun who are on the highest degree of perfection of faith, taqwa and truthfulness.

Isma`il (peace be upon him):
This word in Hebrew is shima`il. Shima` means to listen and il means God. Thus the literal meaning of this word is “listening by God”. This blessed name of the true Imam is after the worthy and beloved son of Hadhrat Ibrahim, namely Hadhrat Isma`il. This wisdom-filled name alludes that the chain of Imamat is the progeny of Ibrahim and of Muhammad. Further, in this name attention is drawn towards external and internal sacrifices.

Muhammad bin Isma`il (peace be upon him):
This blessed name of the holy Imam is after the glorious name of the Prophet of Islam, so that people may know the spiritual and ancestral relation of the Imams from the progeny of Muhammad. God has given His beloved Prophet al-Kawthar (108:1), namely the one who has abundant children. He is undoubtedly Mawla `Ali, so that the system of guidance, the cherished religion (Islam) of the Prophet, may continue forever. Thus all the meanings of Kawthar were hidden in the exalted personality of the Commander of the faithful, `Ali. Another meaning of Kawthar is wisdom, in which there is abundant good (khayr-i kathir) (2:269). The third meaning of Kawthar is the pond of the same name (hawdh-i Kawthar). All these realities are hidden in the light of Imamat. The ta'wil of the pond of Kawthar is the rank of qiyamat, whose lord is every seventh Imam. Imam Muhammad bin Isma`il was the first lord of qiyamat in the chain of the minor cycles consisting of seven Imams. This is why the light of Imamat was transferred to him extraordinarily.

Wafiyy Ahmad (peace be upon him):
Root: waw, fa', ya' and ha', mim, dal. Wafiyy means complete, perfect, true to one's word, faithful, truthful, trustworthy, the one who gives and takes what is due to the people. Ahmad means highly praised and extolled. Here Ahmad is after the name of the Prophet. Thus Wafiyy Ahmad means the one who gives and takes the right on behalf of the Prophet and fulfils his word. This blessed name reveals the reality that the true Imam is from God and His Prophet. It should be remembered that the attribute of Wafiyy, namely, wafa' (fulfilment) is an extremely great attribute, for God has praised the external and internal deeds, knowledge and recognition (`ilm-u ma`rifat) of a great Prophet like Ibrahim by this one word wafa', as He says: “Wa-Ibrahima'lladhi waffa (And Ibrahim who fulfilled” (53:37)).

Taqiyy Muhammad (peace be upon him):
Root: waw, qaf, ya'. Taqiyy means God-fearing, godly, pious. Here it should be remembered that the light of Imamat is always the same, only its manifestations are different with respect to name and person. Therefore, the meanings that are implied in the name of one Imam are in reality common to all Imams. For instance, Taqiyy Muhammad (the pious of Muhammad), although it is the blessed name of one Imam, its meanings are common to all of them. It should also be remembered that taqwa, which has great importance in the Qur'an and Islam, is related to the blessed personality of the Imam.

Radhiyy `Abdu'llah (peace be upon him):
Root: ra', dhad, ya' and `ayn, ba', dal. Radhiyy `Abd Allah means the servant of God who is satisfied and content. The subject of this pure name of the Imam is ridha' and ridhwan Allah, that is the contentment and pleasure of God, for the contentment and pleasure of God is supreme in the religion of Islam. This means that those who are chosen by God worship and obey Him, not because of the fear of hell nor for greed of paradise, but [purely] for the sake of the contentment and pleasure of God. Further, they are always content and pleased with the contentment and pleasure of God, as the wise Qur'an says: “And of humankind is he who sells himself, seeking the pleasure of Allah; and Allah has compassion on (His) servants” (2:207). This verse has two aspects, special and common. In its special aspect it is about the Commander of the faithful, `Ali; in its common aspect it contains guidance for all, that it should be understood that one has to offer the greatest sacrifice for the sake of God's pleasure.

Muhammad al-Mahdi (peace be upon him):
Root: ha', dal, ya'. Mahdi means the guided one, the one whom God guides towards truth (haqq). The subject of this blessed name of the Imam is guidance (hidayat). This means that every Imam, is first mahdi (guided) and then he is hadi (the one who guides). Although all the pure Imams with respect to the inner light are alike, according to the Divine programme great events take place in the time of some Imams, such as in the time of Hadhrat Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi.

Qa'im bi-amri'llah (peace be upon him):
Root: qaf, waw, mim and alif, mim, ra'. Qa'im bi-amri'llah means the one who, by the command of God, has stood for the work of religion, the one invested with the Divine command (waliyy-i amr) and possessor of authority (sahib-i ikhtiyar), who is the Imam of the time, as God says: “Allah (Himself) is witness that there is no God save Him, and the angels and the possessors of knowledge (ulu'l-`ilm) who execute justice” (3:18). In this holy verse in witnessing tawhid (unity of God) the possessors of knowledge, who are mentioned after God and the angels, are the Prophets and Imams who possess knowledge and justice in their respective times. Thus Hadhrat Imam Qa'im bi-amri'llah too, by the command of God, was dispensing spiritual knowledge and justice. And this is the position of every Imam.

The lamp of Divine light is lit forever. It never extinguishes. This means that this lamp of knowledge and guidance continues in a holy chain, which consists of the Prophets in the cycle of Prophethood and the holy Imams in the cycle of Imamat. And it is they who are the possessors of knowledge and who execute justice. Contrary to this if there is a time in which several means of knowledge are available, and in another no means were available, God's knowledge would have failed to pervade all times and His justice would have been defective. This, however, is impossible.

Mansur bi'llah (peace be upon him):
Root: nun, sad, ra'. Mansur bi'llah means the one who has received help (madad) from God. The true Imam through the allusion of the meaning of this name indicates that the Imam of every time receives help from God. Here the word help or madad needs some explanation, for it is minimum as well as maximum. Thus, it should be known that the help that the Imam receives from God is extremely immense, that is, the Divine light dwells in him, and there is everything in the light.

Mu`izz li-Dini'llah (peace be upon him):
Root: `ayn, za', za' and dal, ya', nun. Mu`izz li-Dini'llah means the one who gives strength and honour (`izzat) to the religion of God. This glorious name of the Imam has become the subject of `izzat (might, honour). There cannot be any doubt for a mu'min that the entire `izzat belongs to God, the Prophet and the pure Imams, as God says: “The `izzat belongs to God and His Messenger and the believers (mu'minin = the Imams); but the hypocrites know not” (63:8). Among the principles of Qur'anic wisdom, when mu'mins are mentioned in the Qur'an in a praiseworthy way, it mainly means the Imams, for it is only the Imams who are at the pinnacle of the perfection of faith. In short, religion has an esoteric aspect (batin) and an exoteric aspect (zahir). God has linked the esoteric or hidden aspect with the Imam and He has left the exoteric or open one for the people, so that on the Day of Judgement they will be questioned [about it].

Aziz bi'llah (peace be upon him):
Root: `ayn, za', za'. `Aziz bi'llah means the one whom God has given izzat (honour, might) and predominance. The Imam with this royal name also had a darwish-like name, Nizar, which means weak, slim, powerless. This name at first appears to be related to Mawlana Imam Qa'im bi-amri'llah. The wisdom of two such opposing names of the true Imam is that his blessed personality always has two aspects: luminosity (nuraniyyat) and corporeality (jismaniyyat). Light is always mighty and all-encompassing whereas the body without light is weak and powerless. Thus, the law of corporeality does not harm those who know the light of Imamat as it ought to be known. But those who confine themselves to the corporeality and humanity of the Imam are drowned in the deluge of doubts and suspicion.

Such a name of the Imam contains the wisdom that although a mu'min always has to remain humble, he needs to be more so on the occasion of success so that there will be no trace of pride in his heart and he will be duly grateful.

Hakim bi-amri'llah (peace be upon him):
Root: ha', kaf, mim. Hakim bi-amri'llah means the one who judges and decides according to the command of God; the one who rules according to the command of God. Here it is worth pondering that as far as saying is concerned, many people say that they are judging or deciding according to the command of God, but it is only the Imam on this planet earth who really judges and decides according to the command and will of God. As God says: “Lo! We have revealed unto you the Book with the truth, and that you may judge between humankind by that which Allah has shown you (in spirituality)” (4:105). In “by that which Allah has shown you” is alluded the spirit and spirituality of the Qur'an, which is specifically for the Prophet and Imam. Thus according to the command of God, the Teacher of the Qur'an and the Judge is the Imam only.

Zahir (peace be upon him):
Root: za', ha', ra'. Zahir means apparent, helper, overpowering. This wisdom-filled name of the Imam with all these meanings was for the might, honour and strength of the religion of God. It is known to the people of knowledge that az-Zahir is among the attributive names of God. Thus if someone believes that the Imam is that light which is appointed in this world for the sake of guidance, then this means that the Imam is that name of God which is called an-Nur (the Light). If this is true, then it is also true that the Imam is the attributive name az-Zahir (the Manifest) of God, for the words 'light' and 'manifest' have the same meaning.

Mustansir bi'llah (peace be upon him):
Root: nun, sad, ra'. Mustansir bi'llah means the one who seeks help from God by His command. This name of the holy Imam, which is full of all kinds of blessings, is the subject of help (ta'yid). There are varying degrees, both common and special, of seeking help from God until a place is reached where ta'yid already exists and it works automatically. Such an exalted place is the light and luminosity of the holy Imam.

Nizar (peace be upon him):
Root: nun, za', ra'. Nizar means powerless, weak, humble. From this blessed and wisdom-filled name of Imam Nizar, we receive the light of guidance that a mu'min should choose the way of humility, because all the wisdoms of well-being and success are hidden in it. For instance:

Where prayer (du`a) is the essence of `ibadat, the expression of humility [during it] is an important element of it (prayer).
Pride is the greatest moral and spiritual disease and it can be prevented only through humility.
Repentance is spiritual purification, but its spirit is humility.
Nafs or the carnal soul is the greatest enemy and it can be defeated only through humility.
If a thing can bring a mu'min close to luminous annihilation (fana'-i nuraniyyat), it is only humility.

Hadi (peace be upon him):
Root: ha', dal, ya'. Hadi means guide, leader, the one who shows the path. The blessed name of Imam Hadi is among the extremely important names of the light of Imamat. For hidayat or guidance, which is the attribute of the true guide, is the most extensive subject of the Qur'an and Islam. This is because of the fact that guidance is knowledge as well as light; it is speech as well as action; it is in the external world as well as in the internal world; it is at the minimum ranks as well as at the maximum ranks; in this there is the representation of God as well as that of the Prophet.

Muhtadi (peace be upon him):
Root: ha', dal, ya'. Muhtadi means the one who finds the right way, rightly guided, one who has attained guidance. The esteemed name of Imam Muhtadi is also related to guidance. It should be remembered that as every act has an ultimate purpose, guidance also has an ultimate goal and that is the ultimate station of the straight path, namely, the desired destination, where the mu'min merges with the Universal Command (amr-i kull).

Qahir (peace be upon him):
Root: qaf, ha', ra'. Qahir means overpowering, almighty. It is among the attributive names of God, as it is said in the Qur'an: “Whose is the sovereignty this day? It is Allah's, the One/Unifier (wahid), the Subduer (qahhar)” (40:16). In this name there is an allusion of unifying all people by force at the final destination. That is to say, His force will unify all the people on the day the spiritual kingdom of God will be established.

The full name of the Imam here is al-Qahir bi-quwwati'llah. That is, the one who becomes overpowering by the force of God; the one who is made mighty by God. This means that the true Imam is the living name of God therefore, he is the locus of manifestation (mazhar) and the luminous mirror of all His attributes.

Hasan `Ala dhikrihi's-salam (peace be upon him):
Hasan is the name, and `ala dhikrihi's-salam is the appellation. Hasan means, as has already been said, extremely handsome intellectually, spiritually and physically. `Ala dhikrihi's-salam means peace upon his remembrance, as “salawatu'llahi `alayhi wa salamuh (blessing and peace of God be upon him)” is said on mentioning every Imam's name. The ta'wil of salam is higher help (ta'yid-i a`la), namely, the full support of Divine light.

A'la Muhammad (peace be upon him):
Root: `ayn, lam, waw. A la means the highest, the most exalted. Thus A`la Muhammad means the one who is [made] by God and Muhammad, the Messenger of God, the most exalted and distinguished among the people of the world. That is, the holy and pure Imam, who as the bearer of the light is the most exalted and most excellent, as the Imam from the progeny of Muhammad and the children of `Ali has to be.

Jalalu'd-Din Hasan (peace be upon him):
Root: jim, lam, lam. Jalalu'd-Din means the greatness and grandeur of religion. The name of the Imam was Hasan and Jalalu'd-Din was his appellation. Jalalu'd-Din Hasan means the one who has all the external and internal virtues of religion, which are the grandeur of religion. In other words, Hasan is the grandeur of religion. Everybody accepts that Islam is the religion of nature, but they do not think about its meaning. It means that the holy Prophet was like the seed of the tree of Islam, therefore, from his exalted personality the tree of Islam came into being, grew and expanded. Thus, the virtues of the holy personality of the Prophet expanded into the tree of Islam. Then the Imam was the fruit of this tree, therefore, all the virtues of the religion of Islam gathered in his personality.

`Ala'u'd-Din (peace be upon him):
Root: `ayn, lam, waw. `Ala' means loftiness, sublimity, nobility. `Ala'u'd-Din means exaltedness and nobility of religion. There are two kinds of exaltedness: material and spiritual. The exaltedness or the sublimity that is mentioned here is the spiritual sublimity or exaltedness, which is the exaltedness of intellect, knowledge and recognition. The full name of the holy Imam is `Ala'u'd-Din Muhammad, which means that the exaltedness and nobility of religion is Muhammad, peace be on him and his progeny. It also means the one who is the exaltedness of religion on behalf of God and Muhammad, the Messenger of God, namely, the exalted Imam.

Ruknu'd-Din Khurshah (peace be upon him):
Root: ra', kaf, nun. Rukn means support, pillar, the fountainhead of strength. Ruknu'd-Din means the one on whom religion depends, namely, the fountainhead of strength, pillar of religion; Khur (sun) Shah means the king who is like the sun, namely the exalted Imam who is the fountainhead of strength and the king like the sun. The sun, which is an example of the light of guidance, works in two ways: on the one hand, it radiates the light directly and on the other, it spreads light through the moon. Thus in the time of Prophethood, the Prophet is the sun and the asas is the moon. In the time of the asas, he is the sun and the Imam is the moon, and in the time of Imamat, the Imam is the sun and the bab (heir to the Imamat) is the moon. In this sense, the Qur'an calls the sun dhiya' (splendour) and siraj (lamp) and the moon, light (nur) (10:5; 71:16). Here dhiya' and siraj are the original light, and by nur is meant the reflected light.

Shamsu'd-Din Muhammad (peace be upon him):
Root: shin, mim, sin. Shams means sun and Shamsu'd-Din means the sun of religion. Shamsu'd-Din Muhammad means Muhammad is the sun of religion on behalf of God and Muhammad, the Messenger of God. This blessed name of the exalted Imam, the true guide, accords with those Qur'anic verses in which the light of guidance is compared with the sun. Such verses are linked not only with the sun, but also with the east, the west, the heaven and the light, etc.

Qasim Shah (peace be upon him):
Root: qaf, sin, mim. Qasim means divider. Qasim Shah means the king who divides, namely, the true Imam who divides all the things of the Divine treasures, by God's command, as it is said in the Qur'an: “Or do they own the treasures of your Lord? Or have they been given charge (thereof)?” (52:37). This means that the Imams are the treasurers of God and in this sense, every Imam is qasim, the divider.

Islam Shah (peace be upon him):
Root: sin, lam, mim. Islam Shah means the king of Islam, the king of kings of religion. The example of king for the holy Imam is a brilliant fact. The Qur'anic term for king is malik. Other terms in this connection are mulk, malakut (kingdom), etc. In the religion of God, if it is the time of Prophethood, the king is the Prophet and the Imam is his wazir; if it is the time of Imamat, the Imam is the king and his heir is the wazir.

Muhammad bin Islam Shah (peace be upon him):
This esteemed name of the Imam is after the blessed name of the Prophet. For the Imam is the light of God and of the Prophet. This holy light has many relations, such as the light of the Qur'an, the light of Islam, the light of guidance, the light of knowledge, the light of ma`rifat, the light of unity, the light of faith, etc. Why should there be doubt about the many names of the one light, while God and the Prophet too, have many names?

Mustansir bi'llah (peace be upon him):
This blessed name of the Imam has already been explained above. Here we will say only this much, that the help of God can be attained only through the mediation of the Prophet and the Imam and God's aid and help are needed in the work of religion and the next world. Thus God's living and speaking help is the Imam of the time.

`Abdu's-Salam (peace be upon him):
Root: `ayn, ba', dal. `Abd means servant, slave; Salam means peace, security, a name of God. `Abdu's-Salam means slave of God, the slave of the one who possesses peace. If it is the name of someone other than the Imam, then it will be `Abdu's-Salam (servant of Salam) in a literal sense only, but contrary to this, the Imam is `Abdu's-Salam in the true sense. That is, the Imam is the chosen servant of God, therefore he brings God's peace to the people and leads them to His peace. Further, the exalted Imam in his own personality is the `arif in its ultimate sense therefore, his `ibadat is perfect and full of luminosity.

Gharib Mirza (peace be upon him):
Root: ghayn, ra', ba'. Gharib means foreign, alien, strange, unusual, extraordinary. Mirza means prince. Gharib Mirza means extraordinary prince, strange prince. Undoubtedly, the Imam is strange to the people of the world and alien to them as well, for they do not recognize him. As it is said in a Tradition about Islam that it began like a stranger and will return as a stranger. Thus Islam and the Imam are wondrous and strange. That is, their inner side (batin) is full of the marvels and wonders of the light of knowledge and wisdom. The Imam is alien in this world in the sense that his main abode is the higher world. He is foreign also, because the people do not recognize him as he ought to be recognized. Therefore, it is said: Salman gharibam qalb-i tu … .

Abu Dharr `Ali (peace be upon him):
Root: alif, ba', waw and dhhal, ra', ra'. Abu means father, Dharr means dharrah (particle), the plural of which is dharrat (particles). Abu Dharr `Ali means `Ali who is the father of particles, that is the holy Imam who is the father of particles of the souls and whose personality is the world of particles (`alam-i dharr) in which all souls are gathered in the form of subtle particles, so that it should be an example of the unity and multiplicity of souls. It should be remembered that there are three basic examples in humankind: intellect, which is the example of unity which is at the top; body is the example of multiplicity which is at the bottom and soul which contains the examples of both unity and multiplicity, for it is between the two, therefore, it is one as well as many.

Murad Mirza (peace be upon him):
Root: ra', waw, dal. Murad means intended, desired, sought, object. Murad Mirza means the prince who is sought after. That is, the holy, noble and generous Imam, who is sought by all. There is no doubt that a mu'min is murid (one who desires) and the pure Imam is murad (the desired). That is, he is desired by the soul (maqsud-i jan). Although there are many religious and worldly desires of a mu'min and they also have an order [of priority], his desire of desires or the ultimate and supreme desire is the Imam of the time, for it is he alone who is the most comprehensive treasure of Divine secrets.

Dhu'l-Faqar `Ali (peace be upon him):
Root: dhal, waw and fa', qaf, ra'. Dhu means possessor, owner; Faqar means vertebra, backbone. Dhu'l-Faqar means the sword whose back is like the backbone, as is said: sayfun mufaqqar, a sword notched on the back. Dhu'l-Faqar `Ali, that is, the Dhu'l-Faqar of `Ali, this holy name of the Imam is a symbol of the jihad (struggle) of tanzil and ta'wil. The jihad of tanzil (external) is known to everyone, but to understand the jihad of ta'wil with its different aspects is not possible for the common people, since it is external as well as internal, in the form of intellect and in the form of knowledge, in the form of soul as well as in the form of wealth; it is with the help of the heavenly army as well as that of the earthly army.

Nuru'd-Din `Ali (peace be upon him):
Root: nun, waw, ra'. Nur means light and Nuru'd-Din means the light of religion. Nuru'd-Din `Ali means `Ali is the light of religion, the one who is the light of religion on behalf of `Ali, namely the Imam from the progeny of Muhammad and the children of `Ali. This wisdom-filled name of the Imam is extremely important, for “light” in the Qur'an is the most outstanding subject, in which the one and the same light is mentioned as a whole. Nonetheless, with respect to the different aspects of the reality of light the concept of God is in the verse of misbah (24:35), the concept of the Prophet is in the verse of siraj (33:46) and the concept of the Imams is in the verse of masabih (41:12; 67:5).

Khalilu'llah `Ali (peace be upon him):
Root: kha’, lam, lam. Khalil means needy, poor, indigent; a sincere and intimate friend. Khalilu'llah means needy (faqir) of God, that is someone whom God has made needy for His special favours, the sincere and intimate friend of God, the appellation of Hadhrat Ibrahim.

Khalilu'llah `Ali: `Ali who was needy of God and his sincere friend. Every Imam is needy of the luminous gifts of God and His sincere friend, as it is said about Hadhrat Ibrahim: “Allah chose Ibrahim for a needy (or a friend)” (4:125). And it is said about Hadhrat Musa: “(And Musa prayed:) My Lord! I am needy of whatever good You send down for me” (28:24). Thus the meanings of the needy (faqir) of God are in accordance with this level.

Nizar (peace be upon him):
It has already been explained that this blessed name of the true Imam, Nizar, teaches mu'mins humility. For the entire wisdom is in humility. The defeat of nafs (carnal soul) and the victory of the intellect lies in that mu'mins must choose modesty and humility, as it is said: “And give good tidings (O Muhammad) to the humble” (22:34).

Sayyid `Ali (peace be upon him):
Root: sin, waw, dal. Sayyid means chief, leader, the progeny of Hadhrat Fatimah, the progeny of the Prophet. Sayyid `Ali: `Ali is chief, the one who is chief, namely, the Imam on behalf of Mawla `Ali. These meanings of the word Sayyid, in addition to religious literature, are also found in authentic dictionaries. Authentic dictionaries are very logical. Thus when it is accepted that terms like sayyid or al-i Muhammad or al-i rasul, namely the progeny of the Prophet are applicable only to those who are the children of Hadhrat Fatimah-i Zahra', cannot they be included in the verse Istifa' (selection): “Lo! God has selected Adam and Nuh and progeny of Ibrahim and the progeny of `Imran …” (3:33)? Definitely, they can be! For the term “progeny of Muhammad” or al-i Muhammad is an elaboration and an explanation of the term “progeny of Ibrahim” and “progeny of `Imran”.

Hasan `Ali (peace be upon him):
Hasan means beautiful, handsome. Hasan `Ali means `Ali is this Hasan who is extremely handsome with the virtues of the light of God, and he is on behalf of `Ali, and with respect to light, is himself `Ali. The fountainhead of Divine beauty is the light, followed by the soul, whereas the body is just a shadow.

Qasim `Ali (peace be upon him):
Qasim means divider. Qasim `Ali means the divider is `Ali. That is, by the command of God, `Ali is the divider of the descending steps (darakat) of hell and the ascending grades (darajat) of paradise. Also at present in this world it is `Ali, who as the Divine Light, divides the sustenance of intellect and knowledge. Thus the blessed name of Imam Qasim `Ali revivifies this concept.

Abu'l-Hasan `Ali (peace be upon him):
`Ali is Abu'l-Hasan, the appointment of this Imam Abu'l-Hasan is from `Ali and he is from the descendants of `Ali. The kunyat (agnomen) of Abu'l-Hasan is also Mawla `Ali's. Since `Ali is the centre of Imamat, therefore it is necessary that the blessed names of the Imams from the children of `Ali should return to their origin and centre, and an aspect of light be mentioned in every name.

Khalilu'llah `Ali (peace be upon him):
God is mentioned first in this holy name, the purpose of which is the concept of unity, then there is the praise of God, that He made Ibrahim His friend (needy) and enriched him with the wealth of light; then in mentioning `Ali, it is alluded that the chain of light will continue till the resurrection in the progeny of Ibrahim, and that is the progeny of Muhammad and the children of `Ali. Hadhrat Ibrahim in his own time had prayed in the following way: “My Lord! Vouchsafe me wisdom and unite me to the righteous (as-salihin). And make for me a truthful tongue (lisan sidq) among the people of the future” (26:83-84). The law of reality (qanun-i haqiqat) says that God has united Ibrahim with the chain of the light of guidance of his progeny by granting him wisdom and he is alive in this light and God has made the true Imam his tongue. And the purpose of the truthful tongue is to explain knowledge and wisdom.

Hasan `Ali Shah (peace be upon him):
The favourite and lovely title of Shah has been used for almost all Imams. For, in reality, the Imam is the king and love for the king of the throne of spirituality is extremely pleasant. The Qur'anic term for Shah is malik, the plural of which is muluk. True mu'mins derive immense happiness from the concept of the Imam being king, for in this concept there is a great secret and that is hidden in the following verse: “And (remember) when Musa said unto his people: O my people! Remember Allah's favour unto you, how He made among you prophets and He made you kings” (5:20). This is in the sense that the true mu'mins of the community of Musa were kings in the light of their respective Imam of the time. For Imam of the time is the name of the supreme soul of mu'mins, which is embodied as the Perfect Man and this great bounty is the same for all times.

The title “Agha Khan” began to be used from this blessed attire (jamah-i mubarak) of the holy light. Another form of this title is “Aqa Khan”. Aqa means a great lord, nobleman, head; Khan means chief, prince; both words are Turkish. The technical meaning of “Aqa Khan” is very exalted and unique and it is obvious why the Imam has accepted it as a title.

`Ali Shah Datar (peace be upon him):
The meaning of this holy name is that Hadhrat `Ali, the Commander of the faithful, is extremely generous. This exalted Imam whose glorious name is `Ali Shah Datar is, in reality, Murtadha `Ali, the king who was very generous. Datar means very generous, benevolent, granter, munificent. Since the Imam and the Prophet are the hands of God, hence He gives His favours to the people through His hands. Thus whatever the Imam, as the hand of God, grants is the most precious of all things and is everlasting. This is the meaning of a Qur'anic verse (2:248), which says that the proof of the Imam being the spiritual king is that the Ark of spirituality comes to the people, in which there will be things of the peace of heart from their Lord. Further, the knowledge and wisdom of the progeny of Musa and that of Harun (Prophethood and Imamat) is in it. The Ark will be carried and brought by angels, that is, it is something spiritual and not material. This is a bright proof of the spiritual kingdom of the true Imam, which accords with verse (4:54) concerning the progeny of Ibrahim.

Sultan Muhammad Shah (peace be upon him):
Root: sin, lam, ta'. Sultan means proof, argument, force, overpowering, king. In this glorious and blessed name there are the meanings of the Muhammadan kingdom. And certainly the unprecedented personality of Hadhrat Mawlana Sultan, peace and salutation of God be upon him, possessed the spiritual kingdom. Although every Imam in his time is the spiritual king, but according to the great programme of God, all times are not alike. Thus the time of Hadhrat Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah was extremely important and very special, in fact, it was the greatest of all. For, in the language of the ta'wil of the Qur'an, his exalted personality was shab-i qadr (the night of qadr), in which the angels, the supreme soul and other souls of the world of command descend [to the physical world]. The purpose of the descent of the angels and souls is two fold: to take the account of the past from the people and to make a great programme for the future. Thus, in the time of this living shab-i qadr that promise of God, which is mentioned in (97:1-5), has been fulfilled.

It should be remembered that whether it is 'angel or soul', it is found on several levels. That is, at the place of ma`rifat angels and souls are in their real [spiritual] form, which only an `arif can see and recognise. But on the lower levels, the angels and souls who come to the people of this world are in a solidified (munjamid) form. That is, everything of knowledge, art and science of this world, in its origin and fountainhead, is a solidified angel or soul. Just as the water everywhere in its universal circle is not only water, but is also steam, vapour, cloud, snow, rain, ice, etc. Thus today, scientists have found the solidified soul in the form of electrons by splitting the atom.

Similarly, flying saucers are also a kind of solidified angels. All this is according to that great programme of God, which is mentioned in the Qur'an time and again, which is related to the shab-i qadr and Hadhrat Qa'imu'l-qiyamat, the most excellent greeting and peace be upon him.

Shah Karim (peace be upon him):
Root: kaf, ra', mim. Karim means generous, forgiver, honourable, great, esteemed, a name of God, and a related hidden Supreme Name is al-akram al-akram al-akram … . Nur Mawlana Shah Karim al-Husayni Hadhir Imam: Nur means the intellectual, spiritual and moral light; Mawlana means our lord;

Shah Karim al-Husayni means the generous king from the progeny of Husayn; Hadhir Imam means the Imam whose recognition and obedience is incumbent upon the people of the time and without this the walayat of the previous Imams does not avail anything. This most noble and the greatest Imam who, in the holy chain of Imamat is the seventh seven, is the Imam of the atomic age. A great resurrection has taken place in the background of his Imamat, which the people of the world saw only in the world of particles. They did not see it in the external world. The reason for this is the wall that is erected between the external and the internal worlds (57:13).

Wa's-salam.

The humble servant,
Nasir al-Din Nasir Hunzai
24th September, 1983.

Chapter Index

Previous Chapter