AL-ALIY AL-AZEEM - (THE HIGH, THE GREAT)

My father - may Allah be pleased with him - narrated with this chain: From Muhammad b. Sinan, from Abil Hasan ar-Rida [a], who said:

I (Muhammad b. Sinan) asked him [a]: Was Allah, Mighty and Exalted, aware of His nafs (Self) before He created creation?

He [a] replied: Yes.

I asked: Did He see it and hear it? (i.e., see and hear His nafs)

He replied: He had no need for such, since neither did he ask His nafs (any questions) nor did he demand (anything) from it. And He is His nafs and His nafs is Him. His Power is dominant. And He had no need to name Himself, but He chose to do so for others so they could call to Him by them (the names). Since, if you don't call one by means of his name, he is not recognized. And the first name that He chose for Himself is Al-`Aliy Al-`Azeem (the High, the Great) since He is above all things. So the meaning of the name (i.e., what it points to) is

Allah, though the name is Al-`Aliy Al-`Azeem. And this was the first name of His since He is High above all other things.