According to Dr Sharib:
"Al-Awwal is the One Who comes before everything in all respects. He is
indeed, the first in everything."
To emulate the name we are advised to compete in trying to be first in in doing
good.
Appropriate recitation helps a traveller reach home safely and soon. It can
result in the blessing of a child for the childless.
see 'The 99 Most Beautiful Names of Allah' by Dr Zahurul Hassan Sharib
Some other references:
He is the First
And the Last,
The Evident
And the Hidden,
And He has full knowledge
Of all things.
Al-Ghazali considers this name along with Al-Akhir (The Last) . He says: "He
(God) is last with regard to wayfaring and first with regard to existence." The
implication being that God precedes all existence which depends upon Him,
and thus is the First , but He is the ultimate conclusion of a search for Him and
thus is the Last
(Al-Ghazali - The Ninety-nine Beautiful Names of God. Trans. Burrel/Daher: ITS: 1992.)
Shah Wali talks about the 'First' in a number of ways in his marvelous
Lamahat*. I have attempted to present some key points from the first three of
these.
Everything is preceded by a cause and can be changed because its cause or
transformer precedes it. Everything which is actualised is preceded by its
species (e.g.. table, or man) and by its individuality (this particular table, this
particular man). Therefore it is necessary that the First and the Origin of all
cannot be a caused effect, nor belong to a species, or be a particularised
individual.
Nor can the First be considered to be subordinate to the concept of Being itself
- in fact it encompasses such a concept from all sides.
Nor should we imagine that the First is merely the start of a sequence or chain
of causes and effects that then rely only on the immediate preceding cause.
Any subsequent effect in the chain, in fact, only stands in need of the First to
make it actual, without any intermediary.
JMZ
see - Sufism and the Islamic Tradition. Translated by G. N. Jalbani. Octagon Press.
"Al-Awwal is the One Who comes before everything in all respects. He is
indeed, the first in everything."
To emulate the name we are advised to compete in trying to be first in in doing
good.
Appropriate recitation helps a traveller reach home safely and soon. It can
result in the blessing of a child for the childless.
see 'The 99 Most Beautiful Names of Allah' by Dr Zahurul Hassan Sharib
Some other references:
He is the First
And the Last,
The Evident
And the Hidden,
And He has full knowledge
Of all things.
Al-Ghazali considers this name along with Al-Akhir (The Last) . He says: "He
(God) is last with regard to wayfaring and first with regard to existence." The
implication being that God precedes all existence which depends upon Him,
and thus is the First , but He is the ultimate conclusion of a search for Him and
thus is the Last
(Al-Ghazali - The Ninety-nine Beautiful Names of God. Trans. Burrel/Daher: ITS: 1992.)
Shah Wali talks about the 'First' in a number of ways in his marvelous
Lamahat*. I have attempted to present some key points from the first three of
these.
Everything is preceded by a cause and can be changed because its cause or
transformer precedes it. Everything which is actualised is preceded by its
species (e.g.. table, or man) and by its individuality (this particular table, this
particular man). Therefore it is necessary that the First and the Origin of all
cannot be a caused effect, nor belong to a species, or be a particularised
individual.
Nor can the First be considered to be subordinate to the concept of Being itself
- in fact it encompasses such a concept from all sides.
Nor should we imagine that the First is merely the start of a sequence or chain
of causes and effects that then rely only on the immediate preceding cause.
Any subsequent effect in the chain, in fact, only stands in need of the First to
make it actual, without any intermediary.
JMZ
see - Sufism and the Islamic Tradition. Translated by G. N. Jalbani. Octagon Press.
| Bismillah ir Rehman ir Rahim |
| The First |
Huwal -'Awwalu wal -
'Aakhiru waz-Zaahiru
wal-Baatin: wa Huwa
bi-kulli-shay-'in 'Aliim.'
(Qur'an 57:3 trans. Y. Ali)
'Aakhiru waz-Zaahiru
wal-Baatin: wa Huwa
bi-kulli-shay-'in 'Aliim.'
(Qur'an 57:3 trans. Y. Ali)
| Al-Awwal Qur'an 57:3 |
