2. [2/388] al-Kafi: Ali b. Ibrahim from his father from al-Nadhr b. Suwayd from Hisham b. al-Hakam - that he asked Aba Abdillah عليه السلام about the Names of Allah and their derivation saying: What is Allah derived from? He (Hisham) said: So he (the Imam) said to me: O Hisham, ‘Allah’ is derived from ‘ilah’ and ‘al-ilah’ connotes the one who is worshipped. The name is other than the named. Whoever worships the name without the meaning then he has disbelieved and has not worshipped anything. Whoever worships the name and the meaning then he has disbelieved and worshipped two (distinct things). Whoever worships the meaning without the name then that is Tawhid. Have you understood O Hisham? He (Hisham) said: I said: increase for me. He said: Allah has ninety nine names, if the name was identical to what is named then every name among these (ninety-nine) would be a god, rather Allah is a meaning to which these names allude to, and each one of them is other than him. O Hisham, ‘bread’ is a name for what is eaten, ‘water’ is a name for what is drunk, ‘clothes’ is a name for what is worn, ‘fire’ is a name for what burns. Have you understood Hisham? an understanding through which you can repel and defeat our enemies and those who betake others apart from Allah Mighty and Majestic (alone). I said: Yes. He said: May Allah benefit you by it and make you firm O Hisham.Hisham said: By Allah no one has defeated me on the subject of Tawhid to this day when I stand in the position I do.
Il a interrogé Abu Abdullah (sur les noms d'Allah et leur dérivation): "Allah est-il dérivé d'une racine?" Il m'a répondu: "Ô Hisham, Allah dérive de Ilah, et Ilah implique le concept de divinité. Le nom est distinct du non nommé. Celui qui adore le nom sans le sens a mécru et n'a rien adoré. Celui qui adore à la fois le nom et le sens a mécru et adoré deux entités. Celui qui adore le sens sans le nom, c'est l'unicité. As-tu compris, ô Hisham?" J'ai dit: "Explique davantage." Il a dit: "Allah a quatre-vingt-dix-neuf noms. Si le nom était l'entité nommée, chaque nom serait une divinité. Mais Allah est le sens indiqué par ces noms, tous distincts de Lui. Ô Hisham, le pain est le nom de ce qui est mangé, l'eau est le nom de ce qui est bu, le vêtement est le nom de ce qui est porté, le feu est le nom de ce qui brûle. As-tu compris, ô Hisham, de quoi repousser et combattre nos ennemis et ceux qui prennent d'autres que Dieu comme associés?" J'ai dit: "Oui." Il a dit: "Que Dieu te rende utile et te raffermisse, ô Hisham." Hisham a dit: "Par Dieu, personne ne m'a vaincu dans l'unicité jusqu'à ce que j'atteigne ce niveau."
