Al-Ḥayy - The Ever-Living

Al-Ḥayy is the one who acts and perceives so that that which is devoid of action and perception altogether is (said to be) dead. The lowest grade of perception exists when the perceptive being becomes cognizant of itself. That which is not cognizant of itself is inanimate and dead. The perfect and absolute Ḥayy is the one under whose perception all objects-of-perception are marshalled, and all existing things are under His action so that no object-of-perception strays away from His knowledge and no deed (strays away from) His action. All of that is (descriptive of) God Most High. He is the absolute Al-Ḥayy.

As for every living being except He, its life is commensurate with its perception and action, and all of that is restricted to narrow limits. Moreover, there are gradations of living beings. Their ranks are commensurate with their gradation (in perception and action).