99 names of Allah
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The Quran references the "beautiful names of Allah." Hadith elaborate on this further, specifying that Allah has exactly 99 names. Muslims are expected to learn these names, though not all are listed in the Quran or hadith. This required Islamic scholars to use ijtihad (independent judgement) to locate these names in the Quran and Sunnah, with different scholars proposing different lists. As many as 276 names have been proposed.
The phrase "beautiful names of Allah" mentioned in the Qur'an
The Quran states that Allah has "beautiful names" (الأسماء الحسنى, al-asmaa' ul-husnaa). It does not specify the names or their number.
Hadith
Numerous hadith, such as the following from Sahih Bukhari, indicate that Allah has 99 names:
Some Islamic scholars and public figures argue that the above hadith indicates that Allah has at least 99 names. However, this specification does not appear in the original Arabic, which simply indicates that Allah has "ninety-nine" or "one-hundred less one" names.
The popular list
Source
A popular list of Allah's 99 names originates from a weak (da'if) hadith from the collection of Tirmidhi.
Tirmidhi elaborates on the quality of the hadith:
From Ibn Tamiyya:
The list
Some of the words given as names of Allah in this list are not present in the Quran. The following list links to Quranic verses cited as sources of each name and notes instances where the name does not actually appear.
| 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) |
Issues
"The Compassionate"
Reynolds (2020) discusses one of the most commonly used names for Allah, Al-Rahman or The Compassionate:
First, the name al-rahman is used for God in a number of verses in which God is not merciful.14 This is the case with Q 19:45, in which Abraham tells his (pagan) father, “I am indeed afraid that a punishment from al-rahman will befall you, and you will become Satan’s accomplice.” This paradoxical use of al-rahman appears again in Q 21:42, where God commands the Prophet: “Say, ‘Who can guard you, day and night, against [the punishment of] al-rahman.”15Second, in the Qur’an the term al-rahman always appears with the definite article (al) and never as a simple adjective. And third, whereas rahim is used to refer to things other than God (e.g., in Q 9:128 Muhammad is rahim), al-rahman is used only to refer to God.
Together these things suggest that the Qur’an’s author meant to use al-rahman principally as a proper noun for God. This possibility seems more likely in light of what we know from the evidence left behind on rocks by monotheists who lived in Arabia before Islam. Pre-Islamic Arabian rock inscriptions often refer to God, or God the Father in the Christian Trinity, with a version of the name al-rahman. In South Arabian the name appears as rahmanan.16In North Arabia, too, God, or a god, was referred to as “the merciful.” A North Arabian inscription (in a variety of Ancient North Arabian known as Safaitic) includes an appeal to a god who is referred to with a term related to Arabic rahim and rahman.17 Thus, al-rahman (or other versions of it) seems simply to have been a typical way to refer to God in Arabia.18
"Rahmanan" above is synonymous with al-rahman, with the definite article being expressed through the 'an' suffix,as in some Southern Arabian languages, rather than the 'al' prefix as in contemporary Arabic.[17]
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".
Names not mentioned in the Quran
Some of the purported names of Allah do not appear in the Quran, for example the last on the list, الصبور (The Patient). It is often cited as appearing in verse 2:153:
O you who have believed, seek help through patience (بالصبر) and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.
In this case, the relevant word means "patience" and not "The Patient One."
Another verse from which the claim is derived uses the term as a verb and command for believers:
Another verse similarly translates to "patience," not "The Patient One":
A similar phenomenon occurs with another purported name, The Preventer (المانع), which is cited as occuring in verse 67:21: the verb in this verse is not derived from the same root, منع.
Other names not mentioned in the list
The Qur'an refers to Allah as The Best of Deceivers (khayru al-makireena).
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.[18]The list also doesn't mention the word "Allah" itself (الله).
See also
External:
References
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83/
- ↑ http://quranx.com/59.23
- ↑ http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1602&Itemid=115
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%A4%D9%85%D9%86/
- ↑ http://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=Amn
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%B9%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%B2/
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%AC%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%83%D8%A8%D8%B1/
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%88%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%A8/
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B6/
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%B0%D9%84/
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%AE%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1/
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%AF/
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%AA/
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%AF/
- ↑ https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A/
- ↑ Reynolds, Gabriel Said. Allah: God in the Qur'an (p. 254). Yale University Press. Kindle Edition. Footnote 16: This is not the only name that Arabian monotheists used for God. The French archaeologist Christian Robin has carefully catalogued names for God used by Jews in the South Arabian kingdom of Himyar in the fifth and sixth centuries. In addition to rahmanan (“the Compassionate”; the an at the end of the word is the definite article used in certain South Arabian languages), they used a name close to Arabic allah (ʾlahan) along with rabb (“lord”)—a term closely related to a name used for God in the Qurʾan..
- ↑ 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal) - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011