one who is Allah and another who is Raḥmān.”

In response to Abū Jahl’s ignorance and senselessness, Allah revealed verse 180 of Al-AꜤrāf^[1]:

وَ لِلّٰہِ الْاَسْمَآءُ الْحُسْنٰی فَادْعُوْہُ بِہَا ۪ وَ ذَرُوا الَّذِیْنَ یُلْحِدُوْنَ فِیْۤ  اَسْمَآئِہٖ ؕ سَیُجْزَوْنَ مَا کَانُوْا یَعْمَلُوْنَ (۱۸۰)

And the most beautiful names belong to Allah, so call upon Him with them, and abandon those who are far from the truth concerning His names; soon they shall be recompensed for their deeds.^[2]

Quranic commentators state:

One meaning of this verse describes how the divine being called upon is one, i.e. the true deity, the real owner: none other than Allah. Yet, رحمٰن، رَحْیم، کَرِیْم، غَفَّار، سَتّار, etc. are many names of that one divine being.^[3]

Abū Jahl’s claim that the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and his Companions       عَلَیْہِمُ الرِّضْوَان call upon more than one deity was clear ignorance and open foolishness.

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                                     صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Three matters mentioned in the verse

O those who love Allah’s Messenger! Three important matters have been mentioned in the verse we have listened to: