Names of God in Islam

Template:Allah

The names of God in Islam (or the 99 names of Allah; Arabic: Template:Large‎ ʾasmāʾ allāh al-ḥusnā) are the names by which Muslims regard God. Among other places, they are described in the Quran and Sunnah. There is, according to hadith, a special group of 99 names, but no enumeration of them. Thus the exact list is not agreed upon, and the names of God (as adjectives, word constructs, or otherwise) exceed a total of 99 in the Quran and Sunnah. According to a hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, some of the names of God have also been hidden from mankind.

Origin

The 99 Names of God on the ceiling of the Grand Mosque in Kuwait.

According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad is said to have invoked God by a number of names. The most common hadith used to cite the 99 names is considered weak, though there are less commonly cited hadith which are considered authentic and also support the same point. A widely accepted hadith in Sahih Muslim states:

"Abu Hurairah reported Allah's Messenger [Muhammad] (may peace be upon him) as saying: "There are ninety-nine names of Allah; he who commits them to memory would get into Paradise. Verily, Allah is Odd (He is one and it is an odd number) and He loves odd numbers. And in the narration of Ibn 'Umar [the words are]: "He who enumerated them"." "

―Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj Nishapuri

Over time, it became custom to recite a list of 99 names, compiled by al-Walid ibn Muslim, as an addendum to the hadith. In 2005, Mahmoud Abdel-Razek compiled an alternative list, endorsing only 69 from the al-Walid list.

The Quran refers to the names of God as God's "most beautiful Names" (al-ʾasmāʾ al-ḥusnā). According to Gerhard Böwering:

"They are traditionally enumerated as 99 in number to which is added as the highest Name (al-ism al-ʾaʿẓam), the Supreme Name of God: Allāh. The locus classicus for listing the Divine Names in the literature of Qurʾānic commentary is 17:110, “Call upon God, or call upon The Merciful; whichsoever you call upon, to Him belong the most beautiful Names,” and also 59:22-24, which includes a cluster of more than a dozen Divine epithets."

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Mystic philosopher Ibn Arabi surmised that the 99 names are outward signs of the universe's inner mysteries.

Most, though not all, of the 99 names appear in the Quran with a smaller number appearing exclusively in the hadith. The total number of all names in both the Quran and the hadith actually add up to more than 99, though only 99 are supposedly those which are referred to in the hadith as the exclusion of others.

Lists of names

There isn't universal agreement among Muslims as to what exactly counts as a name and what does not. Additionally, while some names are only in the Quran, and others are only in the hadith, there are some names which appear in both. Different sources give different lists of the 99 names.

This section includes inline links to audio files. If you have trouble playing the files, see Wikipedia Media help.

	Arabic	Transliteration	Translationa	Usage	Type of referenceb
1	Template:Large	Ar-Raḥmān	The Exceedingly Compassionate, The Exceedingly Beneficent, The Exceedingly Gracious (to all of humanity and all creatures)	Ar-Raḥmān Beginning of every Surah (chapter) except one, and numerous other places. The first verse ('ayat) of Surah ar-Rahman (Surah 55) consists only of this Name.	D
2	Template:Large	Ar-Raḥīm	The Exceedingly Merciful	Ar-Raḥīm Beginning of every Surah (chapter) except one, and numerous other places (there are a total of 114 Surahs in the Quran.)	D
3	Template:Large	Al-Malik	The King, The Sovereign	Al-Malik, 59:23, 20:114, 23:116	D
4	Template:Large	Al-Quddūs	The Holy, The Divine, The Pure, The Purifier	Al-Quddūs, 59:23, 62:1	D
5	Template:Large	As-Salām	The Peace, The Source of Peace and Safety	As-Salām, 59:23	D
6	Template:Large	Al-Muʾmin	The granter of security	Al-Muʾmin, 59:23	D
7	Template:Large	Al-Muhaymin	The Controller	Al-Muhaymin, 59:23	D
8	Template:Large	Al-ʿAzīz	The Almighty, The Invulnerable, The Honorable	Al-ʿAzīz, 3:6, 4:158, 9:40, 48:7, 59:23	D
9	Template:Large	Al-Jabbār	The Irresistible, The Compeller	Al-Jabbār, 59:23	D
10	Template:Large	Al-Mutakabbir	The Majestic, The Supreme	Al-Mutakabbir, 59:23	D
11	Template:Large	Al-Khāliq	The Creator	Al-Khāliq, 6:102, 13:16, 36:81, 39:62, 40:62, 59:24	D
12	Template:Large	Al-Bāriʾ	The Evolver, The Maker	Al-Bāriʾ, 59:24	D
13	Template:Large	Al-Muṣawwir	The Fashioner, The Shaper, The Designer	Al-Muṣawwir, 59:24	D
14	Template:Large	Al-Ghaffār	The Repeatedly Forgiving	Al-Ghaffār, 20:82, 38:66, 39:5, 40:42, 71:10	D
15	Template:Large	Al-Qahhār	The Subduer	Al-Qahhār, 12:39, 13:16, 14:48, 38:65, 39:4, 40:16	D
16	Template:Large	Al-Wahhāb	The Bestower	Al-Wahhāb, 3:18, 38:9, 38:35	D
17	Template:Large	Ar-Razzāq	The Provider	Ar-Razzāq, 51:58	D
18	Template:Large	Al-Fattāḥ	The Opener, The Victory Giver	Al-Fattāḥ, 34:26	D
19	Template:Large	Al-ʿAlīm	The All-Knowing, Omniscient	Al-ʿAlīm, 2:158, 3:92, 4:35, 24:41, 33:40	D
20	Template:Large	Al-Qābiḍ	The Restrainer, The Straightener	Al-Qābiḍ, 2:245	V
21	Template:Large	Al-Bāsiṭ	The Extender / Expander	Al-Bāsiṭ, 2:245	V
22	Template:Large	Al-Khāfiḍ	The Abaser, The Humiliator, The Downgrader	Al-Khāfiḍ, 56:3, see al-Kafʿamī	O
23	Template:Large	Ar-Rāfiʿ	The Exalter, The Upgrader	Ar-Rāfiʿ, 58:11, 6:83	V
24	Template:Large	Al-Muʿizz	The Giver of Honor	Al-Muʿizz, 3:26	V
25	Template:Large	Al-Muzill	The Giver of Dishonor	Al-Muzill, 3:26	V
26	Template:Large	As-Samīʿ	The All-Hearing	As-Samīʿ, 2:127, 2:256, 8:17, 49:1	D
27	Template:Large	Al-Baṣīr	The All-Seeing	Al-Baṣīr, 4:58, 17:1, 42:11, 42:27	D
28	Template:Large	Al-Ḥakam	The Judge, The Arbitrator	Al-Ḥakam, 22:69	V
29	Template:Large	Al-ʿAdl	The Utterly Just	Al-ʿAdl, 6:115, See al-Kafʿamī
30	Template:Large	Al-Laṭīf	The Gentle, The Subtly Kind	Al-Laṭīf, 6:103, 22:63, 31:16, 33:34	D
31	Template:Large	Al-Khabīr	The All-Aware	Al-Khabīr, 6:18, 17:30, 49:13, 59:18	D
32	Template:Large	Al-Ḥalīm	The Forbearing, The Indulgent	Al-Ḥalīm, 2:235, 17:44, 22:59, 35:41	A
33	Template:Large	Al-ʿAẓīm	The Magnificent	Al-ʿAẓīm, 2:255, 42:4, 56:96	D
34	Template:Large	Al-Ghafūr	The Much-Forgiving	Al-Ghafūr, 2:173, 8:69, 16:110, 41:32	D
35	Template:Large	Ash-Shakūr	The Grateful	Ash-Shakūr, 35:30, 35:34, 42:23, 64:17	A
36	Template:Large	Al-ʿAlī	The Sublime	Al-ʿAlī, 4:34, 31:30, 42:4, 42:51 34:23	D
37	Template:Large	Al-Kabīr	The Great	Al-Kabīr, 13:9, 22:62, 13:30, 34:23	D
38	Template:Large	Al-Ḥafīẓ	The Preserver	Al-Ḥafīẓ, 11:57, 34:21, 42:6	A
39	Template:Large	Al-Muqīt	The Nourisher	Al-Muqīt, 4:85	I
40	Template:Large	Al-Ḥasīb	The Bringer of Judgment	Al-Ḥasīb, 4:6, 4:86, 33:39	I
41	Template:Large	Al-Jalīl	The Majestic	Al-Jalīl, 55:27, 7:143	A, V
42	Template:Large	Al-Karīm	The Bountiful, The Generous	Al-Karīm, 27:40, 82:6	D
43	Template:Large	Ar-Raqīb	The Watchful	Ar-Raqīb, 4:1, 5:117	D
44	Template:Large	Al-Mujīb	The Responsive, The Answerer	Al-Mujīb, 11:61	A
45	Template:Large	Al-Wāsiʿ	The Vast, The All-Embracing, The Omnipresent, The Boundless	Al-Wāsiʿ, 2:268, 3:73, 5:54	A
46	Template:Large	Al-Ḥakīm	The All-Wise	Al-Ḥakīm, 31:27, 46:2, 57:1, 66:2	D
47	Template:Large	Al-Wadūd	The Loving	Al-Wadūd, 11:90, 85:14	D
48	Template:Large	Al-Majīd	The All-Glorious, The Majestic	Al-Majīd, 11:73	A
49	Template:Large	Al-Bāʿith	The Resurrector	Al-Bāʿith, 22:7	V
50	Template:Large	Ash-Shahīd	The Witness	Ash-Shahīd, 4:166, 22:17, 41:53, 48:28	A
51	Template:Large	Al-Ḥaqq	The Truth, The Reality	Al-Ḥaqq, 6:62, 22:6, 23:116, 24:25	D
52	Template:Large	Al-Wakīl	The Trustee, The Dependable, The Advocate	Al-Wakīl, 3:173, 4:171, 28:28, 73:9	A
53	Template:Large	Al-Qawiy	The Strong	Al-Qawiy, 22:40, 22:74, 42:19, 57:25	D
54	Template:Large	Al-Matīn	The Firm, The Steadfast	Al-Matīn, 51:58	D
55	Template:Large	Al-Walī	The Friend, Patron and Helper	Al-Walī, 4:45, 7:196, 42:28, 45:19	D
56	Template:Large	Al-Ḥamīd	The All Praiseworthy	Al-Ḥamīd, 14:8, 31:12, 31:26, 41:42	D
57	Template:Large	Al-Muḥsee	The Accounter, The Numberer of All	Al-Muḥṣī, 72:28, 78:29	V
58	Template:Large	Al-Mubdiʾ	The Originator, The Producer, The Initiator	Al-Mubdiʾ, 10:34, 27:64, 29:19, 85:13	V
59	Template:Large	Al-Muʿīd	The Restorer, The Reinstater Who Brings Back All	Al-Muʿīd, 10:34, 27:64, 29:19, 85:13	V
60	Template:Large	Al-Muḥyī	The Giver of Life	Al-Muḥyī, 7:158, 15:23, 30:50, 57:2	V
61	Template:Large	Al-Mumīt	The Bringer of Death	Al-Mumīt, 3:156, 7:158, 15:23, 57:2	V
62	Template:Large	Al-Ḥayy	The Living	Al-Ḥayy, 2:255, 3:2, 20:111, 25:58, 40:65	D
63	Template:Large	Al-Qayyūm	The Subsisting, The Independent	Al-Qayyūm, 2:255, 3:2, 20:111	D
64	Template:Large	Al-Wājid	The Perceiver, The Finder, The Unfailing	Al-Wājid, 38:44	V
65	Template:Large	Al-Mājid	The Illustrious, The Magnificent	Al-Mājid, 85:15, 11:73, see al-Kafʿamī	A
66	Template:Large	Al-Wāḥid	The Unique, The Single	Al-Wāḥid, 13:16, 14:48, 38:65, 39:4	D
68	Template:Large	Aṣ-Ṣamad	The Eternal, The Absolute, The Self-Sufficient	Aṣ-Ṣamad, 112:2	D
69	Template:Large	Al-Qādir	The All-Powerful, He Who is able to do Everything	Al-Qādir, 6:65, 46:33, 75:40	D
70	Template:Large	Al-Muqtadir	The Determiner, The Dominant	Al-Muqtadir, 18:45, 54:42, 6:65	A
71	Template:Large	Al-Muqaddim	The Expediter, He Who Brings Forward	Al-Muqaddim, 16:61	V
72	Template:Large	Al-Muʾakhkhir	The Delayer, He Who Puts Far Away	Al-Muʾakhkhir, 71:4	V
73	Template:Large	Al-ʾAwwal	The First, The Beginning-less	Al-ʾAwwal, 57:3	D
74	Template:Large	Al-ʾAkhir	The Last, The Endless	Al-ʾAkhir, 57:3	D
75	Template:Large	Aẓ-Ẓāhir	The Manifest, The Evident, The Outer	Aẓ-Ẓāhir, 57:3	D
76	Template:Large	Al-Bāṭin	The Hidden, The Unmanifest, The Inner	Al-Bāṭin, 57:3	D
77	Template:Large	Al-Wālī	The Patron, The Protecting Friend, The Friendly Lord	Al-Wālī, 13:11	I
78	Template:Large	Al-Mutaʿālī	The Supremely Exalted, The Most High	Al-Mutaʿālī, 13:9	D
79	Template:Large	Al-Barr	The Good, The Beneficent	Al-Barr, 52:28	D
80	Template:Large	At-Tawwāb	The Ever-Returning, Ever-Relenting	At-Tawwāb, 2:128, 4:64, 49:12, 110:3	D
81	Template:Large	Al-Muntaqim	The Avenger	Al-Muntaqim, 32:22, 43:41, 44:16	P
82	Template:Large	Al-ʿAfū	The Pardoner, The Effacer, The Forgiver	Al-ʿAfū, 4:43, 4:99, 4:149, 22:60, 58:2	V, I
83	Template:Large	Ar-Raʾūf	The Kind, The Pitying	Ar-Raʾūf,3:30, 9:117, 57:9, 59:10	I
84	Template:Large	Mālik-ul-Mulk	Owner of all Sovereignty	Mālik-ul-Mulk, 3:26	D
85	Template:Longitem	Template:Longitem	Lord of Majesty and Generosity	Dhū-l-Jalāli-wa-l-ʾikrām, 55:27, 55:78	D
86	Template:Large	Al-Muqsiṭ	The Equitable, The Requiter	Al-Muqsiṭ,7:29, 3:18, See al-Kafʿamī	O
87	Template:Large	Al-Jāmiʿ	The Gatherer, The Unifier	Al-Jāmiʿ, 3:9	I
88	Template:Large	Al-Ghanī	The Rich, The Independent	Al-Ghanī,3:97, 39:7, 47:38, 57:24	I, A, D
89	Template:Large	Al-Mughnī	The Enricher, The Emancipator	Al-Mughnī, 9:28	V
90	Template:Large	Al-Māniʿ	The Withholder, The Shielder, The Defender	Al-Māniʿ, See al-Kafʿamī
91	Template:Large	Aḍ-Ḍārr	The Distressor, The Harmer, The Afflictor	Aḍ-Ḍārr, 6:17, see al-Kafʿamī
92	Template:Large	An-Nāfiʿ	The Propitious, The Benefactor, The Source of Good	An-Nāfiʿ, 30:37, see al-Kafʿamī
93	Template:Large	An-Nūr	The Light	An-Nūr, 24:35	I
94	Template:Large	Al-Hādī	The Guide, The Way	Al-Hādī, 22:54	I
95	Template:Large	Al-Badīʿ	The Incomparable, The Unattainable, The Beautiful	Al-Badīʿ, 2:117, 6:101	I
96	Template:Large	Al-Bāqī	The Immutable, The Infinite, The Everlasting	Al-Bāqī, 55:27, see al-Kafʿamī	V
97	Template:Large	Al-Wārith	The Heir, The Inheritor of All	Al-Wārith, 15:23, 57:10	P
98	Template:Large	Ar-Rashīd	The Guide to the Right Path	Ar-Rashīd, 2:256, 72:10, see al-Kafʿamī
99	Template:Large	Aṣ-Ṣabūr	The Timeless, The Patient	Aṣ-Ṣabūr, 2:153, 3:200, 103:3	I
a Can vary based on context.      b D = Direct; V = from Verb; A = from Adjective or Adjectival Phrase; I = from Indefinite noun; P = from Plural noun; O = Other

The Greatest Name

The 99 names point to the inherent unity of the all-embracing Greatest Name (Ismi Azam). In Islamic traditions, it is stated "The Greatest Name of Allah is the one which if He [Allah] is called (prayed to) by it, He will Answer."

Personal names

See also: List of Arabic theophoric names

According to Islamic tradition, a Muslim may not be given any of the 99 names of God in exactly the same form. For example, nobody may be named al-Malik (The King), but may be named Malik (King). This is because of the belief that God is almighty, and no human being is the equivalent of God, and no human being will ever be the equivalent of God. Muslims are allowed to use the 99 names of God for themselves but should not put 'Al' at the front of them.

However the names of God can be combined with the word "‘Abd-" which means "servant/Worshiper" (of God) and are commonly used as personal names among Muslims. For example, ‘Abd ar-Raḥmān ("Servant of the Most Compassionate/the Beneficent"). The two parts of the name may be written separately (as above) or combined as one transliterated name; in such a case, the vowel transcribed after ‘Abd is often written as u when the two words are transcribed as one: e.g., Abdurrahman, Abdul'aziz, "Abdul Jabbar", or even Abdullah ("Servant of God"). (This has to do with Arabic case vowels, the final u vowel showing the normal "quote" nominative/vocative case form: ‘abd-u.)

Some Muslim people have names resembling those 99. Examples include:

• Rahmaan, such as Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais.
• Salaam, such as Salam Fayyad.
• Jabbaar, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
• Hakeem, such as Sherman "Abdul Hakim" Jackson.
• Ra'oof, such as Ra'ouf Mus'ad.
• Malik, such as Nuri al-Maliki.
• Abdul Muqtedar as in M. A. Muqtedar Khan.

Views of other religions

Bábí and Bahá'í view

Bahá'í sources state that the 100th name was revealed as "Bahá’" (an Arabic word بهاء meaning "glory, splendor" etc.), which is the root word for Bahá'u'lláh and Bahá'í. They also believe that it is the 'Greatest Name'. The Báb wrote a noted pentagram-shaped tablet with 360 derivatives of the word "Bahá'" used in it.

According to Bahá'í scholar ‘Abdu’l-Hamíd Ishráq-Khávari, Baha' ad-Din al-`Amili adopted the pen name (takhallus) 'Baha' after being inspired by words of Shi'a Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (the fifth Imam) and Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (the sixth Imam), who had stated that the Greatest Name of God was included in either Du'ay-i-Sahar or A`amaal Ummi Dawud. In the first verse of the Du'ay-i-Sahar, a dawn prayer for Ramadan, the name "Bahá" appears four times: "Allahumma inni as 'aluka min Bahá' ika bi Abháh va kulla Bahá' ika Bahí".

See also

• Names of God
  • Names of God in Judaism
• Basmala
• List of Arabic theophoric names
• Sahasranama, the Hindu lists of 1000 names of various divinities.
• The 99, a comic book based on the 99 names of God in Islam.
• The Nine Billion Names of God, a short story by Arthur C. Clarke.

External links

• 99namesallah.org, containing 99 names of God with complete reference to the Holy Quran (also pdf, powerpoint format).
• Al-Rahman al-Rahim. Problems of Interpretation and Translation
• The Beautiful Names of Allah, containing the derivation and meanings of the 99 names. Also has audio of someone saying each one.
• 99 Names of Allah, a more concise account of the attributes of God.
• The Most Beautiful Names of Allah. Lists the names in English as well as Arabic and the verses in which they are found in the Quran.
• Oil paintings of all the 99 names of Allah.
• (French) Exegesis of Names Of Allah
• (Arabic) al-Maqām al-asnā fī tafsīr al-asmāʼ al-ḥusnā