His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders (MCE), Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb confirmed that the name “Al-Jaleel” (The Glorified), one of the beautiful names of Allah, does not appear in the Holy Quran in this direct form, but rather in the form “Dhul-Jalal” (Possessor of Glory). He explained that the two names carry the same meaning in terms of linguistic and juristic significance.

His Eminence explained - during his talk today in the thirteenth episode of the program “Imam Al-Tayyeb” - that “Dhu Al-Jalal” means: the possessor of glory and honor, pointing out that the derivation of the two names from the same root (Jalal) makes their meanings identical; by analogy with derived names in the Arabic language, such as: “Dhul-Ilm” which is equivalent to “the scholar”, and “Dhul-Karm” which is equivalent to “the generous”. He said: “since majesty is proven for Almighty Allah, then He is majestic, and Dhul-Jalal here is not an added attribute, but rather it is an emphasis on the proof of His majesty, Exalted be He.”

In response to a question about the linguistic meaning of the word “Al-Jaleel,” His Eminence pointed out that the word's origin goes back to the verb "jalla," which has three meanings in Arabic: “to give,” “to grow old,” and “to be highly valued.” However, he pointed out that the second meaning (old age) is not befitting of Allah Almighty because it is an attribute of imperfection, while the other two meanings are suitable for describing Allah.

His Eminence cited the Prophetic Hadith that recounts the meeting of the infidels of Quraysh in Dar al-Nadwa, where Satan appeared in the form of a “jaleel (venerable) old man” to suggest the idea of assassinating the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at the hands of the young men of the tribes. He explained that “jaleel” here means an elderly person, a meaning that is not attributed to Allah, but is rather replaced by attributes such as “eternity” and “permanence,” which mean that Allah Almighty's existence has no beginning or end.

The Grand Imam warned against confusing linguistic meanings that may carry human connotations that are inconsistent with the perfection of the Divine Essence, emphasizing that Allah's attributes are understood in light of His complete transcendence from all imperfections. The Grand Imam says: "Allah Almighty exists without beginning or end, and His existence is necessary for His essence; it cannot be compared to the attributes of created beings.”