In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

O seeker of the Real, your question touches upon a secret that has captivated the hearts of the lovers of God throughout the ages: “Is there a Supreme, Honored, Concealed Name of Allah (al-Ism al-Aʿẓam al-Maknūn) which, if He is called upon by it, He responds instantly?”

Know, may Allah illuminate your heart, that the key to this profound mystery lies within the very words used to describe this Name. It is called al-Maknūn, which in the Arabic tongue means that which is stored away, treasured, hidden, and inward (bāṭin). It is not manifest (ẓāhir) in the way of the other Beautiful Names of Allah (al-Asmāʾ al-Ḥusnā). The Ninety-Nine Names are manifest; we speak them with our tongues and we witness their effects in creation. Our limited intellect (ʿaql), bound as it is by the world of forms, can grasp their meanings, even if only on a surface level.

The Supreme Name, however, is of a different order. It is maknūn—concealed. But where is it concealed? It is hidden within the very fabric of the manifest Names and Attributes. It is veiled within the verses of the Qurʾān and the sacred sayings of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Its concealment is a sign of its supreme potency and all-encompassing nature. The proof of this is found in the very traditions that speak of it. Why is it that in one ḥadīth, our mother ʿĀʾishah, may Allah be pleased with her, is guided to a certain supplication, and in another, a Companion invokes a different set of Names, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, confirms that both have called upon Allah by His Greatest Name? This seeming variation is not a contradiction but a resounding proof. It demonstrates that the Name is not a static formula but a reality that was unlocked or made present within that specific prayer, that specific Name, or that specific verse, for that specific individual in their unique state of sincerity and presence.

If this Name were to be made fully manifest to you, you would perceive it in everything. In its ultimate sense, the Supreme Name is a hidden subtle reality pervading all the Names and Attributes. It is nothing less than the inner reality (bāṭin) of the all-encompassing Name, Allāh—the Name that refers to the Divine Essence (al-Dhāt) itself. Indeed, the Supreme Concealed Name is most intimately connected to, and finds its most potent expression in, the Name Allāh. It is for this reason that in our Shādhilī path, we say that the Supreme Honored Name is the Name Allāh itself, due to the intensity of the former radiance within the latter. This is why we take this blessed Name as our primary means of recitation (dhikr) and our vehicle for attaining direct, heart-witnessed knowledge (maʿrifah).

To approach this secret, consider how Allah has made Himself known through the Name Allāh. It is built upon three foundational letters: Alif (ا), Lām (ل), and Hāʾ (ه). These are the keys to unlocking the Word. When the servant, through sincere remembrance, begins to “swim” in the ocean of light that is the Name of Majesty, Allāh, they begin to discover its inner realities (ḥaqāʾiq) and taste its sublime gnosis (maʿārif). It is then that the nature of the Supreme Concealed Name unveils itself gradually, and its secrets begin to shine within the heart.

Imagine one who dives deep into the "niche of light" (mishkāt) which points to the letter Hāʾ and its profound secrets of Divine Identity (huwiyyah). For such a person, the Hāʾ ceases to be a mere grapheme on a page; it becomes a spiritual ladder of ascent (miʿrāj) into the Divine Presence and a means of journeying within a facet of the reality of the Concealed Name. How different is this from the veiled one, for whom the Hāʾ remains a written symbol, devoid of any witnessed reality!

Ultimately, the Supreme Concealed Name is not constrained by a letter, a word, or an attribute. It points to the singular reality of Being Itself. It is the One who alone exists, and all Names and Attributes are but manifestations subject to Its reality. And in a divine paradox, it is because of the sheer intensity of Its manifestation that It is veiled from the unprepared eye and heart.

So, how does one call upon this Name? The answer is not in the intellect but in the heart. When a person, in their dhikr or their supplication (duʿāʾ), achieves a state of true presence (ḥuḍūr), it is considered that they have called upon Allah by His Supreme Concealed Name. This state of presence cannot be manufactured by the senses or the mind; it is a grace bestowed upon a sincere heart turned wholly towards its Lord. It is for this reason that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would affirm the supplications of his Companions even if they differed. When they reached this profound state of presence while invoking a particular Name, they would exclaim that this was the Supreme Name! Indeed, the Prophet’s confirmation was an affirmation of their state (ḥāl), guiding them to return to that moment, to ponder the sincerity and presence that allowed for such a connection.

The one who travels the path (sālik) by polishing the heart with the Name Allāh and comes to understand its levels of reality eventually learns to see the secret of this Name in every other Name and in every created thing. At this station, the knower (ʿārif) treasures this secret. They do not brandish it or "sell" it for worldly gain. They do not invoke it for fleeting, ephemeral matters. Instead, it becomes a secret (sirr) between them and their Lord. They use its power only for the highest purposes: to pray for a disciple’s (murīd) spiritual opening (fatḥ) or during spiritual retreat (khalwa).

Recall the moment in the cave, when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to his companion Abū Bakr, "Do not grieve, for surely Allah is with us" (Qurʾān 9:40). In that state of "with-ness" (maʿiyyah), the secret of the Supreme Name was unveiled to Abū Bakr by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. It was not a formula spoken, but a reality lived. The presence of Allah was so palpable that it vanquished all fear. This is the language of realities. It is simple yet filled with weight and meanings. It is a language sometimes echoed by those who do not fully grasp its depths, as when Moroccans say to an honored guest, "Nashummu fīka rīḥat Rabbī" (We smell the scent of our Lord in you). This is the language of truth, but it is spoken without the deep, experiential understanding of the `ārif.

Therefore, we return to the beginning. The Supreme Concealed Name of Allah is not a magical phrase to be discovered, but a sacred state of presence to be attained. The Prophet’s wisdom in confirming his Companions was to teach them, and us, to cherish and reflect upon the state of the heart when it is purely and wholly turned to its Creator. For it is in that presence that the door opens, the veil lifts, and the servant calls upon their Lord with a Name that is none other than the secret of His own inescapable presence.