Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan now concludes his reflections on the effects of names. The previous post is here.

Names have a psychic effect upon their owners and even upon surroundings. The names of elementals and jinns, the sacred names of God, and the holy names of the prophets and saints, written according to the law of their numerical value, act as a magical charm for the accomplishment of different objects in life; and by the combination of such names written or repeated in their numerical form wonders are performed.

Every letter either singly or when grouped in a word produces a picture which tells its secret to the seer. For instance X makes a cross and O zero, both of which have a meaning. The alphabet used in modern times is a corruption of the original ones, though the old Arabic and Persian writings which are found on arches, walls, hems of garments, on brass vessels and carpets, are of most perfect and beautiful design. A great symbolic significance may be seen in the Chinese, Japanese, Sanskrit and other ancient scripts. Every line, dot and curve has a meaning. The ancients used to write every name not with different letters but as a picture signifying what they wished to express; the picture was divided into different parts and each part was used to represent a certain sound, and in this way the alphabets were made. By this break the true picture was lost, but a certain likeness may still be traced. Even in the present day, although we have a most corrupted form of writing, still from the appearance of a certain name, a person’s life, fate or character maybe be read in whatever language it may be written. For instance a name beginning with I shows a steadfast and righteous ego, uniqueness and love of God and the pursuit of truth. E shows a shy and backward nature and an interest in three directions.

As one letter makes a picture, in the same way a whole word makes a picture. The idea of Allah has come from man and one can read in the form of the hand the word ‘Allah’.

The Christian name has a greater influence than the surname. Sometimes a nickname has a still greater effect. The effect of the name is according to its use; the more it is used the greater the effect. Shortened names such as May for Mary, or Bill or Willie for William lessen the effect of the name. The names given by the Holy Ones have a double effect, that of the name itself and that of the will of the one who gave it. Maulabakhsh, the greatest musician in India of his day, was given this name by a faqir who was charmed on hearing his music; it means ‘God bless’. After taking this name he had success were he went and was blessed with merit and reward, both of which are the rare gifts of God.

There are many instances to be found where a change of name has brought an entire change in a man’s life. We read in the Bible that the blessing of Jacob was the name Israel given to him by the angel.

In the Quran, Muhammad is constantly addressed by a special name, each name having its effect not only on the life of the Prophet, but on his followers who adopted and worked mystically with any of these names. Sufis have for ages experienced the mystical value of these names. Among Sufis the Murshid gives to his pupils the name ‘Talib’ or ‘Mureed’, which is to give him in time the identity of the name.

To be continued…