The Forbidden Names of God
Ancient Words, Hidden Power, Eternal Mystery By Asa Bowers
Across every culture and faith, the divine has been approached through names - sacred syllables whispered in prayer, guarded in secrecy, and feared for their power. From the ineffable Tetragrammaton of the Hebrew scriptures to the ninety nine names of Allah, from the universal syllable Om to the hidden invocations of angels and demons, humanity has always believed that to name the divine is to touch eternity itself.
The Forbidden Names of God is a sweeping journey through this profound tradition. Drawing from Jewish mysticism, Christian theology, Islamic devotion, Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, ancient Near Eastern religion, and modern thought, Asa Bowers explores how names of the divine have been revered, concealed, and sometimes condemned. Each chapter illuminates the tension between reverence and danger, silence and speech, presence and mystery.
Inside these pages you will discover:
The ineffable four-letter name revealed to Moses at the burning bush The seventy two names of God in Kabbalistic tradition The Beautiful Names of Allah and their Sufi meditations The primal sound Om and its role as the vibration of creation The hidden names of angels and demons, feared and invoked in ritual The philosophers who wrestled with the paradox of naming the infinite The silence that mystics proclaimed as the truest name of all
More than a study of history, this book is an invitation to awe. It reveals how sacred names shaped scripture, worship, art, and philosophy, and how they continue to inspire seekers today. The forbidden names are not curiosities of the past but eternal witnesses to the power of language itself - words that conceal and reveal, names that open the soul to mystery.
For readers of mysticism, theology, comparative religion, or spirituality, The Forbidden Names of God offers a rare work of depth, beauty, and intensity. It is a book that will leave you with a renewed reverence for language, a deeper sense of the eternal, and an unshakable awe before the God whose true name is beyond all names.
