Let us discuss the greatest name while we discuss the most beautiful names. We learn from various traditions about this Greatest Name and it is said whoever invokes this name in his prayers has his wishes granted. Some traditions tell us:

“By Him in whose control is my life whoever invokes God through this greatest name, a name (that pleases God) and he grants the wishes and accepts that which is prayed for.” (1)

Other traditions like that of Asif Barkhia in the court of Hazrat Suleiman tell us that he brought the throne of Bilqis for his master because he knew the Greatest Name.” (2)

There was a man named Balaam Beur who knew this greatest name and his prayers were always granted. (3)

Allama Majlisi has discussed this Greatest Name at length in his book Behar-ol-Anwar through the various traditions in trying to locate the greatest name. A full discussion is not desired at this stage so we will cite only one example from Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s). He is reported to have said, “The greatest name of God is mentioned in Surah Fateha in many fragments.”

Some traditions tell us that the phrase “Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem” is closer to the greatest name than pupil is to the whiteness of the eye.

In other traditions we find that the beautiful names include many divine names mentioned in the Qura’n and each is more meaningful than the other. (For details see Behar-ol-Anwar Volume 93)

The question is whether the greatest name is a word, a sentence or a verse of the Qura’n and that its positive effects are found without exceptions in these words or alphabets?

Or is this effect in the words due to the circumstances and conditions like, purity of the soul, the supplication of the heart and special attention towards God with total severance from all others as far as hope is concerned and total reliance on Him for everything?

Or is it that the greatest name is not embodied in any word. Since we have chanced upon the words let us discuss a bit of reality and meanings. It may be that the meanings of these names are so instilled in a person that he becomes its living replica and he reaches that pinnacle of glory that all that he prays for is granted and that he may use the word for all that exists. The first idea is very far fetched that the attributes may manifest themselves without the utterance of the words and without taking into the consideration the circumstances and situation. But the traditions have often spoken (in both prose and poetry) about it in this manner and one such says that one such Jinni had so much power that he could place himself as Suleman in place of Suleman and does his work accordingly. To come to such conclusions about the greatest name is wrong according to the precepts of Islam. The story of Balaam Beur tells us that the Great name left his memory when he lost his piety and purity. This tells us that the greatest name can only be used by those who are pious and pure. This is why the one from the next two assumptions may be correct. The last one is better or we may merge them both together.

Allama Tabatabai discusses the issue of the Greatest name briefly in his commentary Al Mizan, “ Although the names and especially the Greatest name contains all the conditions for the grace of God but the effect is connected with its reality and not with mere words or what we perceive it to mean” (6)

These words confirm what we have said earlier. The point to be noted is that there are various interpretations and traditions about the Greatest Name and each one speaks of a different name.

Some traditions consider Bismillah to be the closest to the Greatest Name.

 Some traditions say that reciting “Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem, La Hawla wala Quwata Illa Billahi A’li-il Azeem” one hundred times after the Fajr prayers and it is one of the greatest names.

Some traditions consider Surahs Hamd, Tawhid, Ayatol Kursi and Qadr each as one of the greatest names.

In some traditions it is the last six verse of Surah Hashr.

In other traditions they cite the verses 26 and 27of the Surah Al Imran:

“Say: God! Lord of Power You give power to whom You please; You bestow honor on whom You please, and demote whom You please; All goodness is in Your hands. Verily You have power over all things. 27. You cause the night to gain on the day and you cause the day to gain on the night; You bring the living out of the dead; and you give sustenance to whom You please without measure.”

  There are other views also. (7)

This difference may be due to the various interpretations of the Greatest name and the wishes of the people but what is important is the purity of the heart, the sincerity in intention, the total submission to God, the severance of link will all others for desires and the instillation of these attributes in the beseecher that formulates the Greatest name.

1. Behar-ol-Anwar Vol. 93 Page 225

2. Safinatol Behar Vol. 1 page 33, Behar-ol-Anwar Vol.14 page 113

3.  Behar-ol-Anwar Vol. 13. page 377

4. Behar-ol-Anwar Vol.90 page 223 to 232.

5. Behar-ol-Anwar vol. 75 page 371

6. Tafsir Al Mizan Vol.8 page 372.

7. Behar-ol-Anwar Vol. 93 page 223 and Usul Kafi Vol.1 page 107.