Genuine Knowledge of Allah’s Names, Greatest Knowledge One Can Have
Daniel Dyer, the author and illustrator of ‘The 99 Names of Allah’ that creatively introduces younger readers to names that describe God, made the remark in an interview with IQNA about his works and efforts to promote the message of Islam.
Here is the interview in full:
IQNA: Will you please introduce yourself?
I am Daniel Dyer and I live just outside Manchester in England. I became a Muslim after falling in love with the beautiful poetry of Mevlana Rumi. I am married to Saimma and together we are Chickpea Press, publishers of interfaith children’s books. I am currently writing and illustrating a book called ‘The 99 Names of Allah’ which aims to introduce children to the Divine Names. I am still in the process of writing it, but you can see sample pages and help us publish the book here: www.chickpeapress.co.uk
IQNA: Did the process of thinking and writing ‘The 99 Names of Allah’ have any influence on you?
Absolutely. Writing this book is the best education for me that I could ever hope for. As I write it, I am building my own relationship with the Names and, inshallah, orientating my life around them. I sincerely believe that through the Names of Allah we discover the truth and beauty that permeates reality. A genuine knowledge of the Names is the greatest knowledge one can have.
IQNA: What is about this book that you like the most?
The book presents the compassion and tolerance at the heart of Islam, and encourages children to appreciate other religions, honour women and men equally, and be responsible custodians of the natural world. It also encourages a heart-based approach to education and aims to nurture the imagination and creativity of children. These are important principles to us at Chickpea Press, so we particularly like the fact that this book, inshallah, may help them to become important to children too.
IQNA: Have you had other religious education activities?
Each Name comes with reflections and activities that help children (and adults!) reflect on how the Name is important and impacts their life. We plan to do workshops using ‘The 99 Names of Allah’ in schools and other centres. And we also hope to create an ebook and an educational app in the future.
IQNA: Do you have other plans for sharing the love and wisdom of Islam?
Yes, we hope to publish many more books on Islam after this one. Our next may be a book of Mullah Nasruddin stories. Our company is an interfaith publisher so we hope to publish books that highlight the beauty of all the spiritual traditions, from Islam to Buddhism, from Hinduism to Native American spirituality. We believe there are many paths to God, and even whilst making a whole-hearted devotion to one, we can benefit from a sharing of hearts and stories by all. Today, we all live in multi-cultural societies and it is very important that children grow up respecting other faiths.
IQNA: Given the rise of Islamophobia and misconceptions about Islam due to the violent acts of small minorities of extremists, do you think this book will play a positive role in introducing the true Islam to the world?
We hope so, inshallah. We want this book to play a part in showing that real Islam is centered on peace and unity. It is not a threat to Western secular democracy, but, on the contrary, has much to contribute towards it. It is interesting to note that some of the founding fathers of America, for instance, had great admiration for Islam and Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him), as did the father of American literature, Ralph Waldo Emerson.
IQNA: What can Muslims - in both Muslim and non-Muslim countries - do to replace these negative feelings with love, which is the essence of all religions?
I think the essential thing is not to lose heart when we encounter prejudice and misconceptions. We must return negativity with positivity, and whilst recognizing injustice we must not dwell on it. It is very important we do not come from a place of fear or react from the ego. We must respond from our higher selves and from love. Building a genuine relationship with the Names of Allah is one of the ways we can develop the capacity to do this. But is no good simply being able to list the Names and pronounce them correctly; we must reflect them in our hearts and embody them.
IQNA: Is there anything else you want to share with us?
Despite the fear and chaos that we seem to be presented with on a daily basis, I believe there is much hope. A critical mass of people (including Muslims and non-Muslims) is becoming more conscious, more perceptive and more compassionate. We have much to be thankful for, Alhamdulillah. May Allah look kindly on our endeavours and guide us.
