Allah is nearest to every being from the point of realisation and the furthest one from the point of conception.
Let us see what it means. The word 'Allah' is a compound word with the definite article 'Al' with 'Ilah' meaning That God. If we refrain from using the term God, we need to explore the meaning of Ilah. The word Ilah has been taken from 'Waleha' or 'Aleha' meaning puzzling, referred to.
The word 'Alaha' means astonishment or wonder. If we add Al, the definite article of arabic language, Allah is coined which means the one which is ever beyond the approach of any conception, or even imagination, out of the range of knowledge or intellect. But that Allah is realisable by all creatures, of whose Supreme Authority everyone recognises.
A free-thinker argued with Imam Al-Sadiq (as) concerning the existence of Allah the Almighty. The Imam said to him, “Did you sail across the sea before?”
He replied, “Yes”.
The Imam said, “Did you see its horrors?”
He replied, “Once the wind blew and it was very strong and terrible. Thereupon, the ships were broken and the sailors were drowned. I hanged myself to some boards, but I lost them afterwards. So, the waves pushed me to the coast.“
Imam Ja’far said, "Before that you depended on the ships, sailors and the boards to rescue. When you lost all of these tools, you surrendered yourself to the destruction, although you hoped the safety afterwards”.
The free-thinker replied, "I did surely hope it”.
Imam Ja’far said, “Allah is the One Whom you entreated and hoped in this time. Your heart admitted His existence in the time of adversity, although your tongue denied Him in time of salvation. It is He Who rescued you from drowning."
Of the objects of human worship or devotion there is one which is known to everyone, and common to all, and all are conscious of it, which is the ultimate object of reliance and dependence, which, beyond the limits of conception or the reach of human knowledge or intelligence of any degree, is known to all yet undefinable in any language, and which is realised by everyone but could not be conceived by anyone.
One always recognises the Supreme Authority of Allah, but can never conceive it, for Allah is far from any possible conceptions. Conception means creation, and Allah is the Creator, not the created. If somebody conceives Allah, he creates a concept of Allah in his mind, and that becomes his creation. Certainly, whatever is the concept, it can't be Allah.
That is why when we say "Allahu Akbar", meaning Allah is great, what we mean is that He is great, greater than what we have conceived so far. That reflects in Dua-e-Mashlool edited by Ali (as), son of Abu Talib, as
"O' He! O' the one He! O' the one, none knoweth what is He! and how is He, and where is He and in what state is He, save knoweth Himself He!"
The more one attempts to understand that Absolute Being, the greater one gets to the bewilderment! The quest that begins for knowledge about Allah, ends in increased astonishment and wonder and the seeker has to surrender more and more each time. This sense is expressed in the word Allah, meaning "That Astonishment, That Bewilderment, That Wonder" which you always recognise, which all of you know, but none can conceive. Allah refers to That Realisation of the Absolute Being, The Supreme, the All Knowing and Almighty, whose knowledge leads to greater and greater bewilderment!
The word Allah is pointing towards of something which is already in the mind of realisation of everyone beyond any concept or definition, and not limited or arrested by the concept of any. That realisation, which leads you to astonishment, the more and more you realise His Authority.
That is why the word Allah is known as Isme-Zaat, or the name of the Absolute Self.
And Allah needs no praise, for a person likes to be praised for something extraordinary, novel or very important which he has acquired by great endeavour which might not be possible for others. There is nothing of good in God which He had not in Him, and which He has now acquired. He is goodness itself in its fullness and perfection. The praise in a prayer to Him is only to condition the praying individual with the love of the great attributes which are praised, for whatever a man prays, naturally covets to have it for himself.
Secondly, God needs no petition expressing the needs of any one, for He is the All Knowing Lord-Nourisher and the Sustainer. He knows the need of each and everyone of His creatures more than the creature themselves. But the prayer is to discipline, educate and train mankind in their remaining attached to their All Merciful Creator so that they may avail of the Divine Bounties conscious of the universe being ruled by the One, the only All Merciful Creator.
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