During his program Grand Imam At-Tayyeb Talk, Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb said that existence is the first of the Divine Self attributes. He added that the two names Al-Malik (the King) and Al-Quddūs (the Holy) are among the most beautiful names of Allah Almighty. They are mentioned in the Holy Qur’an toward the end of Surat Al-Ḩashr (no. 59), and in the Prophetic Sunnah. On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “Allah has ninety-nine names, a hundred but one. He who remembers them will enter Paradise.” In addition, all scholars, old and recent, are agreed about these two names. His Eminence explained that the King, Exalted be He, is the only real King, and His name King is derived from the Arabic word “al-malk,” which means ownership or possession. He is the one who is independent of all others. He does not need any one as He is independent in His attributes and His actions, and He never needs anything else.

During the sixth episode of his Ramadan program Grand Imam At-Tayyeb Talk, broadcast on Al-Hayat channel, His Eminence stated that there are two types of kings: the absolute-ownership King and restricted-ownership kings. His Eminence pointed out that the absolute King is the One who dispenses with others in everything, and the first of His Divine characteristics is the existence of His Self, which is different from our existence. Therefore, they refer to Allah’s existence as inevitable, and they refer to the existence of the rest, humans, animals and plants, only as a possibility. They may exist and they may continue in the state of non-existence. The fact that something may exist or not exist means that it is not self-existent and that it needs a creator to bring it to existence. But Allah, Glory be to Him, is self-sufficient, and His existence is always from Himself, and He does not need anyone to give Him existence.

Al-Azhar Grand Imam also indicated that the true King is the one who is not dependent on anyone or anything else for the existence of His Self, His attributes or His actions. In addition, everyone and everything is in need of Him. Thus, the Absolute King is the one who does not need anyone or anything whereas everyone and everything needs Him. A restricted king, on the other hand, owns some things, but he does not own many others. In this sense, his ownership is not absolute but deficient; and this is what we can call a “king” only metaphorically. His Eminence indicated that there is a type of Allah’s servants who are referred to as kings because they have freed themselves from the authority of people, whims and all material things. They own their hearts as well as their bodies. Bad thoughts never cross their minds. At the same time they are in control of their bodies, so they refrain from using it to commit sins. Such people are supported by infallibility from Allah Almighty, and this is a special characteristic given to Prophets, Messengers and to the pious saints and righteous scholars who inherit them.