99 names of Allah

The Quran talks about "beautiful names of Allah" and the hadiths further specify that there is exactly 99 names. Muslims are supposed to learn these names of Allah, but Muhammad didn't offer the full list of these names. Islamic scholars had to rely on ijtihad (independent judgement) to find these names in the Quran and sunnah and different scholars came up with different lists. Out of the supposed 99 names of Allah, they altogether found at least 276 names.

The phrase "beautiful names of Allah" mentioned in the Qur'an

The Quran says that Allah has beautiful names (الأسماء الحسنى, al-asmaa' ul-husnaa), but doesn't specify what these names are and how many.

And to Allah belong the best names (الأسماء الحسنى), so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing.

Quran 7:180

Say, "Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever [name] you call - to Him belong the best names (الأسماء الحسنى)." And do not recite [too] loudly in your prayer or [too] quietly but seek between that an [intermediate] way.

Quran 17:110

Allah - there is no deity except Him. To Him belong the best names (الأسماء الحسنى).

Quran 20:8

He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names (الأسماء الحسنى). Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

Quran 59:24

Hadith

There are many hadith claiming Allah has 99 names, this is one of them from Sahih Bukhari:

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah has ninety-nine Names, one-hundred less one; and he who memorized them all by heart will enter Paradise." To count something means to know it by heart.

Sahih Bukhari 9:93:489

Some apologetic sources (including Wikipedia) claim that according to the hadith, there are at least 99 names. But the hadith doesn't say "at least". It says simply ninety-nine (تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ) and adds that it's one hundred minus one, which seems to emphasize, that it is exactly 99 and not 100 or more. And the hadith also says that who memorizes all these names would go to paradise - though it is not know which these 99 are.

The popular list

Source

The most popular list of 99 names of Allah among Muslims (which is also used on the English Wikipedia) seems to be a list from a weak (da'if) hadith from the collection of Tirmidhi.

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Indeed, Allah has ninety-nine Names, one hundred less one, whoever counts them shall enter Paradise. He is Allah, the one whom there is none worthy of worship except for Him (Allāhu Lā Ilāha Illā Huwa), the Most Merciful (to the creation) (Ar-Raḥmān), the Most Beneficent (to the believers) (Ar-Raḥīm), the King (Al-Malik), the Free of Deficiencies (Al-Quddūs), the Granter of Safety (As-Salām), the Granter of Security (Al-Mu’min), the Watcher (Al-Muhaimin), the Mighty (Al-`Azīz), the Compeller (Al-Jabbār), the Supreme (Al-Mutakabbir), the Creator (Al-Khāliq), the Originator (Al-Bāri’), the Fashioner (Al-Muṣawwir), the Pardoner (Al-Ghaffār), the Overwhelming (Al-Qahhār), the Giving (Al-Wahhāb), the Provider (Ar-Razzāq), the Opener (Al-Fattāḥ), the Knowing (Al-`Alīm), the Taker (Al-Qābiḍ), the Giver (Al-Bāsiṭ), the Abaser (Al-Khāfiḍ), the Exalter (Ar-Rāfi`), the One who grants honor (Al-Mu`izz), the One who humiliates (Al-Mudhil), the Hearing (As-Samī`), the Seeing (Al-Baṣīr), the Judge (Al-Ḥakam), the Just (Al-`Adl), the Kind (Al-Laṭīf), the Aware (Al-Khabīr), the Forbearing (Al-Ḥalīm), the Magnificent (Al-`Aẓīm), the Oft-Forgiving (Al-Ghafūr), the Grateful (Ash-Shakūr), the Most High (Al-`Aliyy), the Great (Al-Kabīr), the Guardian (Al-Ḥafīẓ), the Powerful (Al-Muqīt), the Reckoner (Al-Ḥasīb), the Glorious (Al-Jalīl), the Generous (Al-Karīm), the Watcher (Ar-Raqīb), the Responder (Al-Mujīb), the Liberal Giver (Al-Wāsi`), the Wise (Al-Ḥakīm), the Loving (Al-Wadūd), the Majestic (Al-Majīd), the Reviver (Al-Bā`ith), the Witness (Ash-Shahīd), the Truth (Al-Ḥaqq), the Guarantor (Al-Wakīl), the Strong (Al-Qawiyy), the Firm (Al-Matīn), the One Who Aids (Al-Waliyy), the Praiseworthy (Al-Ḥamīd), the Encompasser (Al-Muḥṣi), the One Who Begins things (Al-Mubdi’), the One Who brings things back (Al-Mu`īd), the One Who gives life (Al-Muḥyi), the One Who causes death (Al-Mumīt), the Living (Al-Ḥayyu), the Self-Sufficient (Al-Qayyūm), the One Who brings into existence (Al-Wājid), the Illustrious (Al-Mājid), the One (Al-Wāḥid), the Master (Aṣ-Ṣamad), the Able (Al-Qādir), the Powerful (Al-Muqtadir), the One who hastens (Al-Muqaddim), the One who delays (Al-Mu’akhkhir), the First (Al-Awwal), the Last (Al-Ākhir), the Apparent (Aẓ-Ẓāhir), the Inner (Al-Bāṭin), the Owner (Al-Wāli), the Exalted (Al-Muta`āli), the Doer of Good (Al-Barr), the Acceptor of repentance (At-Tawwāb), the Avenger (Al-Muntaqim), the Pardoning (Al-`Afuww), the Kind (Ar-Ra’ūf), the Owner of Dominion (Mālikul-Mulk), the Possessor of Glory and Generosity (Dhul Jalāli wal Ikrām), the One who does justice (Al-Muqsiṭ), the Gatherer (Al-Jāmi`), the Rich (Al-Ghaniyy), the Enricher (Al-Mughni), the Preventer (Al-Māni`), the Harmer (Aḍ-Ḍār), the One who benefits (An-Nāfi`), the Light (An-Nūr), the Guide (Al-Hādi), the Originator (Al-Badī`), the Lasting (Al-Bāqi), the Inheritor (Al-Wārith), the Guide (Ar-Rashīd), the Tolerant (Aṣ-Ṣabūr).”

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 6:45:3507 (weak)

This hadith is weak. Tirmidhi wrote about it:

"This (version of the) hadith is gharib [unusual, scarce]; it has been narrated from various routes on the authority of Abu Hurairah, but we do not know of the mention of the Names in the numerous narrations, except this one."

Tirmidhi comment on the list

Ibn Taimiyya said:

"Al-Walid (one of the narrators of the hadith) related the Names from (the saying of) one of his Syrian teachers ... specific mention of the Names is not from the words of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), by the agreement of those familiar with Hadith."

Ibn Taimyya

The list

The list (which is based on a weak hadith) is attractive at first blush, because it contains references to the Quran, but the list loses it charm when one discovers that in some of these references the word is not actually present in the Arabic Quran. When there is more verses containing the name, only one exemplary verse is mentioned. But if there is more verses and none of them actually mentions the name, all of them are mentioned in the list with the addition "(it's not there)".

Num.	In Arabic	Transliteration	Offical translation	Actual translation	Reference	Notes
1	الرحمان	ar-rahmaan	The Most Gracious	The Gracious	Quran 1:1
2	الرحيم	ar-raheem	The Most Merciful	The Merciful	Quran 1:1
3	المالك	al-maalik	The King	The Posessor ^[1]	Quran 59:23	Some translations say "sovereign" ^[2]
4	القدوس	al-quddoos	The Holy	The Holy	Quran 59:23
5	السلام	as-salaam	The Peace	Free from defect	Quran 59:23	Ibn Kathir understands it as "free from defect" ^[3]
6	المؤمن	al-mu'min	The Granter of Security	The Believer ^[4]	Quran 59:23	Mu'min in all other verses means "believer" ^[5]
7	المهيمن	al-muhaymin	The Controller	The Controller	Quran 59:23
8	العزيز	al-'azeez	The Powerful	The Honorable ^[6]	Quran 3:6
9	الجبار	al-jabbar	The Strong	The Forceful ^[7]	Quran 59:23
10	المتكبر	al-mutakabbir	The Supreme	The Arrogant/The Boaster ^[8]	Quran 59:23
11	الخالق	al-khaaliq	The Creator	The Creator	Quran 6:102
12	البارئ	al-baari	The Maker	The Maker	Quran 59:24
13	المصور	al-musawwir	The Fashioner	The Fashioner	Quran 59:24
14	الغفار	al-ghaffaar	The Repeatedly Forgiving	The Forgiving	Quran 20:82
15	القهار	al-qahhaar	The Subduer	The Despot / The Conqueror	Quran 12:39
16	الوهاب	al-wahhaab	The Bestower	The Provider ^[9]	Quran 38:9	Also a name of the founder of Wahhabism.
17	الرزاق	ar-razaaq	The Provider	The Provider	Quran 51:58
18	الفتاح	al-fattaah	The Opener	The Opener	Quran 34:26	"fath" (opening) is a euphemism for Islamic conquests (futuhaat islamiyya, literally "islamic openings").
19	العليم	al-'aleem	The Knowing	The Knowing	Quran 2:158
20	القابض	al-qaabid	The Restrainer	The Grabbing ^[10]	Quran 2:245 (it's not there)	قبضة qabda is fist
21	الباسط	al-baasit	The Extender	The Extender	Quran 2:245 (it's not there)	It should be actually باصط.
22	الخافض	al-khaafid	The Humiliator	The Lessener/Lowerer	Quran 56:3 (it's not there)
23	الرافع	ar-raafee	The Exalter	The Raiser	Quran 56:3 (it's not there)
24	المعز	al-muiz	The Giver of Honor	The Honored	Quran 3:26 (it's not there)
25	المذل	al-mudhil	The Giver of Dishonor	The Humiliating ^[11]	Quran 3:26 (it's not there)
26	السميع	as-samii	The Hearing	The Hearing	Quran 2:127
27	البصير	al-baseer	The All-Seeing	The Seeing	Quran 4:58
28	الحكم	al-hakam	The Judge	The Judge	Quran 22:69 (it's not there)
29	العدل	al-adl	The Just	The Justice	Quran 6:115 (it's not there)
30	اللطيف	al-lateef	The Subtly Kind	The Kind	Quran 22:63
31	الخبير	al-khabeer	The All-aware	The Informed ^[12]	Quran 6:18
32	الحليم	al-haleem	The Forbearing	The Forbearing	Quran 2:235
33	العظيم	al-'azeem	The Great	The Great	Quran 2:255
34	الغفور	al-ghafoor	The Much Forgiving	The Forgiving	Quran 2:173	The list already contains Ghaffar, which means the same.
35	الشكور	ash-shakoor	The Grateful	The Thankful	Quran 35:30
36	العلى	al-aliyy	The Sublime	The Exalted	Quran 4:34
37	الكبير	al-kabeer	The Great	The Great	Quran 13:9	Not akbar (اكبر) - the Greatest??
38	الحفيظ	al-hafeez	The Preserver	The Preserver	Quran 11:57
39	المقيت	al-muqeet	The Nourisher	The Nourisher	Quran 4:85
40	الحسيب	al-haseeb	The Bringer of Judgment	The Accountant	Quran 4:6	حساب hisaab means account
41	الجليل	al-jaleel	The Majestic	The Majestic	Quran 55:27 (it's not there), Quran 7:143 (it's not there)
42	الكريم	al-kareem	The Bountiful	The Bountiful	Quran 27:40
43	الرقيب	ar-raqeeb	The Watchful	The Watchman	Quran 4:1
44	المجيب	al-mujeeb	The Responsive	The Responsive	Quran 11:61
45	الواسع	al-waasie	The Vast	The Vast	Quran 2:268
46	الحكيم	al-hakeem	The Wise	The Wise	Quran 31:27
47	الودود	al-wadood	The Affectionate	The Affectionate	Quran 11:90
48	المجيد	al-majeed	The Glorious	The Glorious	Quran 11:73
49	الباعث	al-baaith	The Resurrector	The Resurrector	Quran 22:7 (it's not there)
50	الشهيد	ash-shaheed	The Witness	The Witness	Quran 4:166
51	الحق	al-haqq	The Truth	The Truth	Quran 22:6	Allah in the Quran claims that the Earth is flat.
52	الوكيل	al-wakeel	The Trustee	The Trustee	Quran 3:173
53	القوي	al-qawee	The Strong	The Strong	Quran 22:40
54	المتين	al-mateen	The Firm	The Firm	Quran 51:58
55	الولي	al-walee	The Friend	The Friend	Quran 4:45
56	الحميد	al-hameed	The All Praiseworthy	The Praiseworthy	Quran 14:8	Muhammad (محمد) is derived from the same root.
57	المحصى	al-muhsee	The Accounter	The Accounter	Quran 72:28 (it's not there), Quran 78:29 (it's not there)	إحصىء means "statistics"
58	المبدئ	al-mubdi	The Initiator	The Initiator	Quran 10:34 (it's not there), Quran 27:64 (it's not there), Quran 29:19 (it's not there), Quran 85:13 (it's not there)
59	المعيد	al-mueed	The Restorer	The Lecturer ^[13]	Quran 10:34 (it's not there), Quran 27:64 (it's not there), Quran 29:19 (it's not there), Quran 85:13 (it's not there)
60	المحي	al-muhee	The Giver of Life	The Giver of Life	Quran 30:50
61	المميت	al-mumeet	The Bringer of Death	The Deadly ^[14]	Quran 3:156 (it's not there), Quran 7:158 (it's not there), Quran 15:23 (it's not there), Quran 57:2 (it's not there)
61	الحى	al-hayy	The Living	The Living	Quran 2:255
63	القيوم	al-qayyum	The Subsisting	The Subsisting	Quran 2:255
64	الواجد	al-waajid	The Perceiver	The Angry ^[15]	Quran 38:44 (it's not there)
65	الماجد	al-maajid	The Illustrious	The Illustrious	Quran 11:73
66	الواحد	al-waahid	The Single	The Single	Quran 13:16
67	الأحد	al-ahad	The One	The One	Quran 112:1
68	الصمد	as-samad	The Eternal	The Eternal	Quran 112:2
69	القادر	al-qaadir	The All-Powerful	The Able	Quran 6:65
70	المقتدر	al-muqtadir	The Determiner	The Able	Quran 18:45
71	المقدم	al-muqaddim	He Who Brings Forward	The Donor	Quran 16:61 (it's not there)
72	المؤخر	al-muakhir	The Delayer	The Delayer	Quran 71:4 (it's not there)
73	الأول	al-awwal	The First	The First	Quran 57:3	The first what?
74	الآخر	al-aakhir	The Last	The Last	Quran 57:3	The last what?
75	الظاهر	az-zaahir	The Apparent	The Apparent	Quran 57:3
76	الباطن	al-baatin	The Inner	The Inner	Quran 57:3
77	الوالي	al-waali	The Patron	The Patron	Quran 13:11	"And there is not for them besides Him any patron." - is it really a name?
78	المتعالي	al-mutaali	The Most High	The Arrogant ^[16]	Quran 13:9
79	البر	al-barr	The Good	The Good	Quran 52:28
80	التواب	at-tawwaab	The Ever-Returning	The Merciful	Quran 4:64
81	المنتقم	al-muntaqim	The Avenger	The Revenger	Quran 32:22	It's in plural form.
82	العفو	al-'afuu	The Pardoner	The Pardoner	Quran 4:43
83	الرؤف	ar-rauf	The Kind	The Kind	Quran 9:117
84	مالك الملك	maalik ul-mulk	The Owner of all Sovereignty	The Owner of all Dominion	Quran 3:26
85	ذو الجلال والإكرام	dhul jalaal wal ikraam	The Owner, Lord of Majesty and Honour	The Owner, Lord of Majesty and Honour	Quran 55:27
86	المقسط	al-muqsit	The Equitable	The Equitable	Quran 3:18 (it's not there)
87	الجامع	al-jaami	The Gatherer	The Gatherer	Quran 3:9
88	الغني	al-ghaani	The Rich	The Rich	Quran 57:24
89	المغني	al-mughni	The Enricher	The Enricher	Quran 9:28 (it's not there)
90	المانع	al-maani	The Preventer	The Preventer	Quran 67:21 (it's not there)	It's not there at all.
91	الضار	ad-daar	The Harmer	The Harmer	Quran 6:17 (it's not there)
92	النافع	an-naafi	The Propitious	The Propitious	Quran 30:37 (it's not there)	It's not there at all.
93	النور	an-noor	The Light	The Light	Quran 24:35
94	الهادي	al-haadi	The Guide	The Guide	Quran 22:54
95	البديع	al-badee	The Originator	The Originator	Quran 2:117
96	الباقي	al-baaqi	The Immutable	The Remaining	Quran 55:27 (it's not there)	"And there will remain the Face of your Lord..." - not a name.
97	الوارث	al-waarith	The Heir	The Heir	Quran 15:23	It's in plural
98	الرشيد	ar-rasheed	The Guide to the Right Path	The ِRightly Guided	Quran 72:10 (it's not there)	"And we do not know [therefore] whether evil is intended for those on earth or whether their Lord intends for them a right course (رشدا)."
99	الصبور	as-saboor	The Patient	The Patient	Quran 2:153 (it's not there), Quran 3:200 (it's not there), Quran 103:3 (it's not there)

Problems

It is based on a weak hadith

Some names are not actually beautiful

Some of the names, like "The Harmer", even with apologetic translation by Muslims, doesn't seem to be beautiful.

Some names are strange

Why is one of his names "The Believer" (المؤمن)?

Duplicates

The verse 55:27 is considered as an instance of both "ذو الجلال والإكرام" and "الجليل". It is not clear what the difference could be between الغفور and الغفار or between "مالك" and "مالك الملك"

Are they all really names?

Arabic doesn't use capital letters for names. So a noun could be understood both as a proper noun or as a regular noun. For example the Arabic name Abdullah (عبد الله) could be understood as the name "Abdullah", but it could also be understood literally "slave of god". In the same way some of the "names of Allah" could be simply his characteristics, not names. In the same way we can understand "الله الرحيم" as both "Allah, The Merciful" and "merciful Allah". That is also a reason why finding the names in the Quran by ijtihad cannot result in a conclusive answer.

Some names are not actually mentioned in the Quran

Many of the names in the column "In Arabic" are not actually in the Arabic Quran. These names are marked with "(it's not there)" in the table.

Looking at, for example, the last name of Allah, الصبور (The Patient).

First, it's supposed to be in the verse 2:153:

O you who have believed, seek help through patience (بالصبر) and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.

Quran 2:153

The word الصبور doesn't exist in the verse. The word الصبر exists there, but it means "patience", not "the patient one". And if based on this verse "Patience" is a name of Allah, then why not "The Prayer"? The verse talks about patience and prayer in the same context.

The next verse that supposedly includes the word الصبور is this one:

O you who have believed, persevere and endure (اصبروا وصابروا) and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.

Quran 3:200

This was a verb and it was a command for the believers, not a name of Allah.

Next verse:

Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience (بالصبر).

Quran 103:3

Again it's the word الصبر (the patience), not الصبور (the patient one) and it's not a name of Allah. It's just a command for believers to advise each other to be patient.

Nowhere in the Quran is الصبور mentioned as being the name of Allah, that means the 99th name in this list is wrong and therefore the whole list is unreliable. We could analyze many more of these supposed "names" how they are not actually in the Quran. They are easier ones to debunk, for example The Preventer (المانع) doesn't exist in the verse 67:21, and is not a verb derived from the same root منع. Although the word "Preventer" exists in the Quran (50:25 and 68:12), but it is written as مناع, not مانع and it says "preventer of good" about disbelievers.

Other names not mentioned in the list

Analyzing the list, we see that some of the "names of Allah" don't seem to be proper names, but just simply nouns like "patience". And also sometimes the "name of Allah" is derived from a verb occurring in the Quran. Using the same tactics, we could find many more names of Allah in the Quran. For example, the verse 8:17 says Allah killed people, so why not take this verb and say that Allah's name is القاتل (al-qaatil, The Killer)?

And you did not kill them, but it was Allah who killed them. And you threw not, [O Muhammad], when you threw, but it was Allah who threw that He might test the believers with a good test. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

Quran 8:17

The Qur'an also terms Allah as The Best of Deceivers (khayru al-makireena). For obvious reasons, this name is not there in the above list.

Arabic: ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين

Transliteration: Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena

Literal: And they cheated/deceived and Allah cheated/deceived, and Allah (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.^[17]

Qur'an Text/Transliteration 3:54

We could find many other names of Allah in the Quran. The list doesn't contain the word "Allah" (الله).

Contradictions

God is just and forgiving at the same time. But absolute justice means punishment of all crimes no matter how small, while absolute forgiveness means to forgive everything and not to punish at all.

Contingency upon creation

Allah supposedly existed before he created the world. So his attributes must be indipendent on his creation. But many of the names are relational. God can't effectively be for example "merciful" if there is no creation to be merciful upon. How was he "hearing" when nothing existed except him?

Other lists

The Arabic Wikipedia article contains more than 10 different lists by various Islamic scholars. Some of those lists contain the name "Best of deceivers" (خير الماكرين). The lists together contain 276 names of Allah and one can comfortably assume that there are other lists with more names.

Beautiful names of Muhammad

Beautiful names are not limited for Allah. Muhammad also has his portion:

Jubair b. Mut'im reported on the authority of his father that he heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

I am Muhammad and I am Ahmad, and I am al-Mahi (the obliterator) by whom unbelief would be obliterated, and I am Hashir (the gatherer) at whose feet mankind will be gathered, and I am 'Aqib (the last to come) after whom there will be no Prophet.

Sahih Muslim 30:5810

There are many more such names:

Wikipedia: Names and titles of Muhammad

References

[1] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83/

[2] ttp://quranx.com/59.23

[3] ttp://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1602&Itemid=115

[4] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%A4%D9%85%D9%86/

[5] ttp://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=Amn

[6] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%B9%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%B2/

[7] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%AC%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/

[8] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%83%D8%A8%D8%B1/

[9] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%88%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%A8/

[10] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B6/

[11] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%B0%D9%84/

[12] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%AE%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1/

[13] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%AF/

[14] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%AA/

[15] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%AF/

[16] ttps://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A/

[17] 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal) - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]