No Other Name

In Glasgow’s St Mungo’s Museum of Religious Art and Life is Ahmed Moustafa’s The Attributes of Divine Perfection, a cleverly designed depiction of Allah’s 99 appelations. Included among them are such names as Al-Musawwir (The Flawless Shaper), Al-Ghaffaar (The Great Forgiver), Al-Wahhab (The Supreme Bestower). An Islamic hadith states:

“God has ninety-nine names, one hundred minus one. Whoever enumerates them enters Paradise”.

The deity of Islam offers forgiveness and mercy, but in return for ‘enumerating’ his names, going on pilgrimage to his holy shrines and a general submission and obedience to his rules. This is why the majority if Muslims I know are well-meaning, pious folk, while a minority zealously defend their faith’s honour by resorting to violence. 

As a Christian, I’m relieved that my God requires me to do nothing in return for His forgiveness except believe. John 5:24 says “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.’ And regarding God’s names, the apostle Peter proclaims in Acts 4:

Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

That name is Jesus.