Names of God in Islam
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Allah Allāh - (الله) |
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Tasbīḥa to say Subḥana ’llāh
Takbīra to say Allāhu akbar Taḥmīda to say Al-ḥamdu lillāh Tahlīla to say Lā ilāha illā 'llah
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The 99 names of God or 99 names of Allah (Arabic: أسماء الله الحسنى ʾasmāʾ allāh al-ḥusnā), are the Names of God by which Muslims regard God (Allah) and which are described in the Qur'an, and Sunnah, amongst other places. 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 99 in the Qur'an and Sunnah. According to a hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud some of the names of God have been hidden from mankind, therefore there are not only 99 names of God but there are more.
Origin
According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad is said to have invoked Allah by a number of Names. According to a Sunni hadith, Sahih Muslim:
Abu Hurairah reported Allah's Messenger (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, Sahih Muslim
Over time it became custom to recite a list of 99 Names, compiled by al-Walid ibn Muslim as an addendum to the hadith.
Mahmoud Abdel-Razek (2005) compiled an alternative list, endorsing only 69 from the list of al-Walid.
The Qur'an refers to the Names of God as God's "most beautiful Names" (Arabic: al-ʾasmāʾ al-ḥusnā) (see the following sura, Al-A'raf 7:180, Al-Isra 17:110, Ta-Ha 20:8, Al-Hashr 59:24). 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.
List of Names and attributes of God as found in the Qur'an
# | Arabic | Transliteration | Translation (can vary based on context) | Qur'anic usage |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | الرحمن | Ar-Raḥmān | The Exceedingly Compassionate, The Exceedingly Beneficent, The Exceedingly Gracious | Beginning of every chapter except one, and in numerous other places. Name frequently used in surah 55, Ar-Rahman [57 times in surah] |
2 | الرحيم | Ar- Raḥīm | The Exceedingly Merciful | Beginning of every chapter except one, and in numerous other places [114 times in surah] |
3 | الملك | Al-Malik | The King, The Owner | 59:23, 20:114, 23:116 |
4 | القدوس | Al-Quddūs | The Holy, The Divine | 59:23, 62:1 |
5 | السلام | As- Salām | The Peace, The Source of Peace and Safety | 59:23 |
6 | المؤمن | Al- Muʾmin | The Guarantor, The Affirming | 59:23 |
7 | المهيمن | Al-Muhaymin | The Guardian | 59:23 |
8 | العزيز | Al- ʿAzīz | The Almighty, The Invulnerable, The Honorable | 3:6, 4:158, 9:40, 48:7, 59:23 |
9 | الجبار | Al-Jabbār | The Irresistible, The Compeller | 59:23 |
10 | المتكبر | Al-Mutakabbir | The Majestic, The Supreme | 59:23 |
11 | الخالق | Al-Khāliq | The Creator | 6:102, 13:16, 39:62, 40:62, 59:24 |
12 | البارئ | Al-Bāriʾ | The Evolver, The Developer | 59:24 |
13 | المصور | Al-Muṣawwir | The Fashioner, The Shaper, The Designer | 59:24 |
14 | الغفار | Al-Ġaffār | The Repeatedly Forgiving | 20:82, 38:66, 39:5, 40:42, 71:10 |
15 | القهار | Al-Qahhār | The Subduer | 12:39, 13:16, 14:48, 38:65, 39:4, 40:16 |
16 | الوهاب | Al-Wahhāb | The Bestower | 3:8, 38:9, 38:35 |
17 | الرزاق | Ar-Razzāq | The Provider | 51:58 |
18 | الفتاح | Al-Fattāḥ | The Opener, The Victory Giver | 34:26 |
19 | العليم | Al-ʿAlīm | The Knowing | 2:158, 3:92, 4:35, 24:41, 33:40 |
20 | القابض | Al-Qābiḍ | The Restrainer, The Straightener | 2:245 |
21 | الباسط | Al-Bāsiṭ | The Extender / Expander | 2:245 |
22 | الخَافِض | Al-Khāfiḍ | The Abaser | 56:3 |
23 | الرافع | Ar-Rāfiʿ | The Exalter | 58:11, 6:83 |
24 | المعز | Al-Muʿizz | The Giver of Honour | 3:26 |
25 | المذل | Al-Muḏill | The Giver of Dishonour | 3:26 |
26 | السميع | As-Samīʿ | The All Hearing | 2:127, 2:256, 8:17, 49:1 |
27 | البصير | Al-Baṣīr | The All Seeing | 4:58, 17:1, 42:11, 42:27 |
28 | الحكم | Al-Ḥakam | The Judge, The Arbitrator | 22:69 |
29 | العدل | Al-ʿAdl | The Utterly Just | 6:115 |
30 | اللطيف | Al-Laṭīf | The Gentle, The Subtly Kind | 6:103, 22:63, 31:16, 33:34 |
31 | الخبير | Al-Khabīr | The All Aware | 6:18, 17:30, 49:13, 59:18 |
32 | الحليم | Al-Ḥalīm | The Forbearing, The Indulgent | 2:235, 17:44, 22:59, 35:41 |
33 | العظيم | Al-ʿAẓīm | The Magnificent | 2:255, 42:4, 56:96 |
34 | الغفور | Al-Ġafūr | The Much-Forgiving | 2:173, 8:69, 16:110, 41:32 |
35 | الشكور | Aš-Šakūr | The Grateful | 35:30, 35:34, 42:23, 64:17 |
36 | العلي | Al-ʿAlī | The Sublime | 4:34, 31:30, 42:4, 42:51 |
37 | الكبير | Al-Kabīr | The Great | 13:9, 22:62, 31:30 |
38 | الحفيظ | Al-Ḥafīẓ | The Preserver | 11:57, 34:21, 42:6 |
39 | المقيت | Al-Muqīt | The Nourisher | 4:85 |
40 | الحسيب | Al-Ḥasīb | The Bringer of Judgment | 4:6, 4:86, 33:39 |
41 | الجليل | Al-Ğalīl | The Majestic | 55:27, 39:14, 7:143 This is a Questionable name. |
42 | الكريم | Al-Karīm | The Bountiful, The Generous | 27:40, 82:6 |
43 | الرقيب | Ar-Raqīb | The Watchful | 4:1, 5:117 |
44 | المجيب | Al-Muğīb | The Responsive, The Answer | 11:61 |
45 | الواسع | Al-Wāsiʿ | The Vast, The All-Embracing, The Omnipresent, The Boundless | 2:268, 3:73, 5:54 |
46 | الحكيم | Al-Ḥakīm | The Wise | 31:27, 46:2, 57:1, 66:2 |
47 | الودود | Al-Wadūd | The Loving | 11:90, 85:14 |
48 | المجيد | Al-Mağīd | All-Glorious, The Majestic | 11:73 |
49 | الباعث | Al-Bāʿiṯ | The Resurrecter | 22:7 This is a Questionable name. |
50 | الشهيد | Aš-Šahīd | The Witness | 4:166, 22:17, 41:53, 48:28 |
51 | الحق | Al- Ḥaqq | The Truth, The Reality | 6:62, 22:6, 23:116, 24:25 |
52 | الوكيل | Al-Wakīl | The Trustee, The Dependable, The Advocate | 3:173, 4:171, 28:28, 73:9 |
53 | القوي | Al-Qawwī | The Strong | 22:40, 22:74, 42:19, 57:25 |
54 | المتين | Al-Matīn | The Firm, The Steadfast | 51:58 |
55 | الولي | Al-Walī | The Friend, Patron and Helper | 4:45, 7:196, 42:28, 45:19 |
56 | الحميد | Al-Ḥamīd | The All Praiseworthy | 14:8, 31:12, 31:26, 41:42 |
57 | المحصي | Al-Muḥṣī | The Accounter, The Numberer of All | 72:28, 78:29, 82:10-12 |
58 | المبدئ | Al-Mubdiʾ | The Originator, The Producer, The Initiator | 10:34, 27:64, 29:19, 85:13 |
59 | المعيد | Al-Muʿīd | The Restorer, The Reinstater Who Brings Back All | 10:34, 27:64, 29:19, 85:13 |
60 | المحيي | Al-Muḥyī | The Giver of Life | 7:158, 15:23, 30:50, 57:2 |
61 | المميت | Al-Mumīt | The Destroyer, The Bringer of Death | 3:156, 7:158, 15:23, 57:2 |
62 | الحي | Al-Ḥayy | The Living | 2:255, 3:2, 25:58, 40:65 |
63 | القيوم | Al-Qayyūm | The Subsisting, The Guardian | 2:255, 3:2, 20:111 |
64 | الواجد | Al-Wāğid | The Perceiver, The Finder, The Unfailing | 38:44 |
65 | الماجد | Al-Māğid | The Illustrious, The Magnificent | 85:15, 11:73, |
66 | الواحد | Al-Wāḥid | The One, The Unique | 2:163, 5:73, 9:31, 18:110 |
67 | الاحد | Al-ʾAḥad | The Unity, The Indivisible | 112:1 |
68 | الصمد | Aṣ-Ṣamad | The Eternal, The Absolute, The Self-Sufficient | 112:2 |
69 | القادر | Al-Qādir | The Able | 6:65, 36:81, 46:33, 75:40 |
70 | المقتدر | Al-Muqtadir | The Determiner, The Dominant | 18:45, 54:42, 54:55 This is a Questionable name. |
71 | المقدم | Al-Muqaddim | The Expediter, He Who Brings Forward | 16:61, 17:34, |
72 | المؤخر | Al-Muʾakhkhir | The Delayer, He Who Puts Far Away | 71:4 |
73 | الأول | Al-ʾAwwal | The First, The Beginning-less | 57:3 |
74 | الأخر | Al-ʾAkḫir | The Last, The Endless | 57:3 |
75 | الظاهر | Aẓ-Ẓāhir | The Manifest, The Evident, The Outer | 57:3 |
76 | الباطن | Al-Bāṭin | The Hidden, The Unmanifest, The Inner | 57:3 |
77 | الوالي | Al-Wālī | The Patron, The Protecting Friend, The Friendly Lord | 13:11, 22:7 |
78 | المتعالي | Al-Mutaʿālī | The Supremely Exalted, The Most High | 13:9 |
79 | البر | Al-Barr | The Good, The Beneficent | 52:28 |
80 | التواب | At-Tawwāb | The Ever Returning, Ever Relenting | 2:128, 4:64, 49:12, 110:3 |
81 | المنتقم | Al-Muntaqim | The Avenger | 32:22, 43:41, 44:16 This is not a name of Allaah: It is an attribute. |
82 | العفو | Al-ʿAfū | The Pardoner, The Effacer, The Forgiver | 4:99, 4:149, 22:60 |
83 | الرؤوف | Ar-Raʾūf | The Kind, The Pitying | 3:30, 9:117, 57:9, 59:10 |
84 | مالك الملك | Mālik-ul-Mulk | The Owner of all Sovereignty | 3:26 |
85 | ذو الجلال والإكرام | Dhū-l-Ğalāli wa-l-ʾikrām |
The Lord of Majesty and Generosity | 55:27, 55:78 |
86 | المقسط | Al-Muqsiṭ | The Equitable, The Requiter | 7:29, 3:18 |
87 | الجامع | Al-Ğāmiʿ | The Gatherer, The Unifier | 3:9 |
88 | الغني | Al-Ġanī | The Rich, The Independent | 3:97, 39:7, 47:38, 57:24 |
89 | المغني | Al-Muġnī | The Enricher, The Emancipator | 9:28 |
90 | المانع | Al-Māniʿ | The Withholder, The Shielder, The Defender | 67:21 |
91 | الضار | Aḍ-Ḍārr | The Distressor, The Harmer, The Afflictor | 6:17 |
92 | النافع | An-Nāfiʿ | The Propitious, The Benefactor, The Source of Good | 30:37 |
93 | النور | An-Nūr | The Light | 24:35 This is an attribute of Allaah. |
94 | الهادي | Al-Hādī | The Guide, The Way | 22:54 |
95 | البديع | Al-Badīʿ | The Incomparable, The Unattainable | 2:117, 6:101 |
96 | الباقي | Al-Bāqī | The Immutable, The Infinite, The Everlasting | 55:27 |
97 | الوارث | Al-Wāriṯ | The Heir, The Inheritor of All | 15:23, 57:10 |
98 | الرشيد | Ar-Rašīd | The Guide to the Right Path | 2:256, 72:10 |
99 | الصبور | Aṣ-Ṣabūr | The Timeless, The Patient | 2:153, 3:200, 103:3 This is a Questionable name. |
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
According to Islamic tradition, a Muslim may not be given any of the 99 names of Allah 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 Allah is almighty, and no human being is the equivalent of Allah, and no human being will ever be the equivalent of Allah. Muslims are allowed to use the 99 names of Allah for themselves but should not put 'Al' at the front of them.
However the names of Allah can be combined with the word " ‘Abd-" which means "servant/Worshiper" (of Allah) 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 Allah"). (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, seperti 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
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".