Muhammad said: 'Allah the Most High, has ninety-nine names. He who retains them in his memory or recites them, will enter the Paradise'. He also said: 'No-one will be afflicted by distress or anxiety if he invokes Allah with these names, but Allah will take away his distress and grant him happiness instead'.
"The most beautiful names belong to God: so call on Him by them;..." (7:180) Say: "Invoke God, or invoke the Most Gracious: by whichever name you invoke Him, He is always the One -- for His are all the attributes of perfection." Al Isra 17:110, tr. Asad Laysa Kamithlihi Shayun Wa Huwa As-Sami' ul-Basir "...There is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things). Qur'an [42:11] And God alone posseses the attributes of perfection; invoke Him, then, by these, and stand aloof from all who distort the meaning of His attributes. Al A'Raf 7:180, tr. Asad
The 99 Most Beautiful Names of God, mentioned in the Quran, describe the Lords special attributes and characteristics, which prove, that Allah has a personal form.
The Holy Qur'an describes Allahs attributes as follows: Allah is swift (10.21); rightful (10.32); fazlin, or bountiful (10.60); latif, or tender, hakim, or wise (12.100); gafur, or forgiving, rahim, or merciful (12.98); aziz, or mighty, zuntiqam, or able to requite (14.47); rahman, or beneficent (20.5); qawiy, or strong, (22.40); afuw, or mild (22.60); halim, or clement (2.263); shakir, or responsive (4.147); shadid, or stern (40.3) ali, or sublime and kabir, or majestic (40.12). It is obvious that the owner of all these qualities must be a person. Otherwise how can an abstract power be rightful or bountiful or forgiving or clement or responsive? To be responsive Allah must be a Person. Response is possible only between individualities. To say that an impersonal truth has all these qualities is meaningless. There must be a person, Who is Allah.
If we study the Holy Qur'an carefully we will see that Allah has relationships with His creation. He guides, punishes and awards, gives life and death, becomes angry, summons, leads, loves and does not love, protects, teaches, beguiles, takes care, remembers etc. Such relationships between Allah and living beings display His personal nature, for only a person can have such relationships. Impersonal light or power cannot love, teach, remember, become angry etc. One must be a person to have such relationships.
For instance, in the above mentioned ayat (24.35) it is further explained that, Yahdillahu li - nurihi many - yasha / wa yazribullahul - 'amsala linas / wallahu bi - kulli shay-'in 'Alim: "Allah guides unto His light whom He will and Allah does set forth allegories for mankind, for Allah is the Knower of all things." (24.35)
In the Holy Qur'an we find numerous verses which describe the bodily features of Allah. For example, Allah's ability to see and the nature of His eyes are described in the following way: Wallaahu bimaa ta'-maluuna Basiir: "Allah sees well whatever you do." (2.265)
There are a number of verses in the Holy Qur'an which explains that Allah hears everything. The fact that Allah can hear automatically suggests that He possesses the sense of hearing; but His hearing and the sense of hearing alike are transcendental. His sense of hearing is neither limited nor conditioned like ours. Allah can simultaneously hear every murmur and sigh in the whole creation. For instance, in the 50th ayat of the 34th sura ("Saba", or "The City of Saba") it is written that Allah "hears all things": Innahuu Samii-'un-Qarib: "It is He Who hears all things, and is (ever) near." Wallaahu Samii-'un 'Alim: "Allah is Hearer, Knower." (2.224) Thus, Allah is the owner of spiritual senses of hearing. Allah's spiritual Ears are eternal, perfect and have unlimited potency. He can hear everything that is hearable and unhearable.
Ustad Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments: "The attributes of Allah are different from anything we know in our present world. He lives, but His life is self-subsisting and eternal. It does not depend upon other beings and is not limited to time and space. The attribute of Qayyum includes not only the idea of "Self-subsisting" but also the idea of "Keeping up and maintaining all life"." (9, p. 114)
A thorough, scrutinizing study of the Holy Qur'an affords one compelling evidence of the existence of Allah's form. It is explained that Allah has a Sublime Image. How can one, who has an image, be formless? The very mention of the word 'image' signifies the existence of a form. So, it is illogical to say that while Allah has an image, He is formless. Although Allah is beyond mundane logic, by using spiritual logic (which is based on the revealed scriptures) we can easily understand that if Allah has a Sublime Image then He must also have a Sublime Form which is transcendental to material time and space.
Since Allah is eternal, unlimited, has neither beginning nor end, was never born and is deathless, how can He have a material form? Therefore Allah has a spiritual form which is perfect, unmanifest, unseen and inconceivable.The understanding that Allah has a spiritual form is a better understanding.Considering Allah formless is, to say the least, an inferior thought. Since the statement that Allah has no form deprives Him of something which even the lower creatures have, such a statement is offensive. Therefore the most perfect understanding is that Allah has a form which is absolutely spiritual and has little to do with any material form whatsoever.
The Most Beautiful Names of Allah
These 99 names or attributes are classified under six categories:
1. First category has seven names, which describe
the absolute being and unity of Allah;
2. Five names present Him as the Creator of all;
3. Four names present His special moral attributes;
4. Eighteen names refer to His general attributes;
5. Twenty four names, known as isma-e-jamaliya (beautiful names)
represent Him as merciful and gracious;
6. Forty one names, known as isma-e-jalaliya (glorious and awe-inspiring
names) represent Him as all powerful and absolute Sovereign
God.
Allah is al-Qadir (the Powerful), al-Jabbar (the Strong), al-Hassib (the Reckoner), al-Kabir (the Great), al-Adil (the Just), al-Rabb (the Lord) and al-Qabiz (the Controller). All these names of Allah are of the category of isma-e-jalaliya (glorious names) also translated as terrible names. (22, pp. 35-39)
Abuhurairah witnessed that the Apostle of God
said: Verily there are 99 names for God; and whoever counts
them shall enter into the Garden (Paradise).
He is:
1) Allah - that which there is no other;
2) Al-Rahman - the compassionate;
3) Al-Rahim - the merciful;
4) Al-Malik - the king;
5) Al-Kudus - the pure;
6) Al-Salam - His nature is secure from defect;
7) Al-Momin - the shelter;
8) Al-Muhaimin - the witness;
9) Al-Aziz - the powerful and incomparable;
10) Al-Jabbar - the benefactor;
11) Al-Mutacabbir - the mighty doer;
12) Al-Khalid - the creator;
13) Al-Bari - the fixer of quantity before creating;
14) Al-Musawwir - the giver of likeness;
15) Al-Ghaffar - the pardoner;
16) Al-Kahhar - the breaker of the backs of tyrants;
17) Al-Wahhab - the perpetual bestower;
18) Al-Razzak - the sender of daily bread to the creation;
19) Al-Fattah - the opener of the doors of mercy on His servants;
20) Al-Alim - the omniscient;
21) Al-Kabid - the taker of souls;
22) Al-Basit - the opener of daily bread on whom He wills;
23) Al-Khafid - the sinker of the infidels to the lowest earth;
24) Al-Rafi - the raiser up;
25) Al-Muizz - the giver of greatness in the world to whom He
wills;
26) Al-Mudhill - the ruiner;
27) Al-Sami - the hearer;
28) Al-Basir - the seer;
29) Al-Hacam - the orderer, amongst the creation in the expulsion
of oppression;
30) Al-Adil - the just;
31) Al-Latif - the doer of good to the creation;
32) Al-Khabir - the knower;
33) Al-Halim - the clement;
34) Al-Adhim - the great;
35) Al-Ghafur - the great pardoner;
36) Al-Shacur - the giver of rewards to the grateful;
37) Al-Ali - the most high;
38) Al-Kabir - the Lord of greatness;
39) Al-Hafidh - the guardian;
40) Al-Mukit - the giver of strength;
41) Al-Hasib - the taker of accounts;
42) Al-Jalil - the glorious;
43) Al-Carim - the munificent;
44) Al-Rakib - the keeper of watch;
45) Al-Mujib - the approver of supplications;
46) Al-Wasi - the expander;
47) Al-Hacim - the knower of the realities of things;
48) Al-Wadud - the friend;
49) Al-Majid - the lord of glory;
50) Al-Baith - the awakener;
51) Al-Shahid - the giver of witness;
52) Al-Haqq - the truth;
53) Al-Wacil - the taker on himself the affairs of servants;
54) Al-Kawiy - the strong;
55) Al-Matin - the firm;
56) Al-Waliy - the assister of true believers;
57) Al-Hamid - the praiser of His own nature;
58) Al-Muhsi - the counter;
59) Al-Mubdi - the creator of new;
60) Al-Muid - the causer of return;
61) Al-Muhiy - the causer of life;
62) Al-Mumit - the causer of death;
63) Al-Haiy - the living one, who never dies nor declines;
64) Al-Kaiyum - the maker alive of the creation;
65) Al-Wajid - the finder of all perfections;
66) Al-Majid - the grand;
67) Al-Wahid - the one;
68) Al-Samad - from the court of whom all desires are supplicated,
and he in need of no one;
69) Al-Kadir - the Lord of power;
70) Al-Maktadir - the Lord of might;
71) Al-Mukaddim, al-Mawakhkhir - the bringer before and after;
72) Al-Awwal - the first;
73) Al-Akhir - the last;
74) Al-Dhahir - whose existence is clear;
75) Al-Batin - whose realities hidden;
76) Al-Wali - the master of all;
77) Al-Mutaali - the sublime of degree;
78) Al-Barr - doer of good;
79) Al-Tawwab - the accepter of repentance;
80) Al-Muntakim - the taker of revenge;
81) Al-Afuw - the eraser of sins;
82) Al-Rawuf - the benefiter;
83) Malik-ul-Mulci - the ruler of countries;
84) Dhul-Jalal-wal Icram - the Lord of glory and greatness;
85) Al-Muksit - the giver of justice;
86) Al-Jami - the assembler of the creation;
87) Al-Ghani - the independent;
88) Al-Mughni - the maker of independence;
89) Al-Muati - the giver to whom He wills;
90) Al-Mani - the withholder from whom He wills;
91) Al-Darr - the creator of profit;
92) Al-Nafi - the creator of loss;
93) Al-Nur - the maker of light and giver of light;
94) Al-Hadi - the director;
95) Al-Badi - the incomparable;
96) Al-Baki - the eternal;
97) Al-Warith - the heir;
98) Al-Rashid - the shower of the straight road;
99) Al-Sabr - the most patient. (101, p.545)
and
100) The hidden name.
The Holy Quran recommends:
Qulid-’ullaha ‘awid-’ur-Rahman / ‘ayama tad-’u fala-hul ‘asma-’ul-husna: “Say: Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman (Beneficent), by whatever name you call upon Him (it is well). For to Him belong the most beautiful names.” (17.110)
The Arabic word Rahman, Most Gracious is a intensive form of referring to Allahs attribute of Mercy. Mercy may imply pity, patience and forgiveness, all of which the sinner needs and Allah Most Merciful bestows in abundant measure. But there is a Mercy that goes before even the need arises, the Grace which is ever watchful, and flows from Allah Most Gracious to all His creatures, protecting them, preserving them, guiding them and leading them to clear light and higher life. Rahman describes one of the attributes of Allah, - His grace and Mercy which comes to the sinner even before he feels consciously in need of it, - the preventive Grace which saves Allahs servants from sin. Allah can be invoked, either by His simple name, which includes all attributes, or by one of the names implying the attributes by which we try to explain His nature to our limited understanding. In Al-Quran the holy name Rahman is especially stressed.
1. | Ar Rahman - The Compassionate, The Beneficent, The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers and the blasphemers in this world and especially for the believers in the hereafter. | 2. | Ar Raheem - The Merciful, The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers. | 3. | Al Malik - The King, The Sovereign Lord, The One with the complete Dominion, the One Whose Dominion is clear from imperfection. |
4. | Al Quddus - The Holy, The One who is pure from any imperfection and clear from children and adversaries. | 5. | As Salam - The Source of Peace, The One who is free from every imperfection. | 6. | Al Mu'min - Guardian of Faith, The One who witnessed for Himself that no one is God but Him. And He witnessed for His believers that they are truthful in their belief that no one is God but Him. |
7. | Al Muhaymin - The Protector, The One who witnesses the saying and deeds of His creatures. | 8. | Al Aziz - The Mighty, The Strong, The Defeater who is not defeated. . | 9. | Al Jabbar - The Compeller, The One that nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He willed. |
10. | Al Mutakabbir - The Majestic, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures and from resembling them. | 11. | Al Khaliq - The Creator, The One who brings everything from non-existence to existence. | 12. | Al Bari' - The Evolver, The Maker, The Creator who has the Power to turn the entities. . |
13. | Al Musawwir - The Fashioner, The One who forms His creatures in different pictures. | 14. | Al Ghaffar - The Great Forgiver, The Forgiver, The One who forgives the sins of His slaves time and time again. | 15. | Al Qahhar - The Subduer, The Dominant, The One who has the perfect Power and is not unable over anything. |
16. | Al Wahhab - The Bestower, The One who is Generous in giving plenty without any return. He is everything that benefits whether Halāl or Harām.. | 17. | Al Razzaq - The Sustainer, The Provider. | 18. | Al Fattah - The Opener, The Reliever, The Judge, The One who opens for His slaves the closed worldly and religious matters. |
19. | Al 'Alim - The All-knowing, The Knowledgeable; The One nothing is absent from His knowledge. | 20. | Al Qabid - The Constructer, The Retainer, The Withholder, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdom and expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy. | 21. | Al Basit - The Expander, The Enlarger, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdom and expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy. |
22. | Al Khafid -The Abaser, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment. | 23. | Ar Rafi' - The Exalter, The Elevator, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment. | 24. | Al Mu'izz - The Honourer, He gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degrades whoever He willed, hence there is no one to give Him esteem. |
25. | Al Mudhill - The Dishonourer, The Humiliator, He gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degrades whoever He willed, hence there is no one to give Him esteem. | 26. | As Sami' - The All-Hearing, The Hearer, The One who Hears all things that are heard by His Eternal Hearing without an ear, instrument or organ. | 27. | Al Basir - The All-Seeing, The One who Sees all things that are seen by His Eternal Seeing without a pupil or any other instrument. |
28. | Al Hakam - The Judge, He is the Ruler and His judgment is His Word. | 29. | Al 'Adl - The Just, The One who is entitled to do what He does. | 30. | Al Latif - The Subtle One, The Gracious, The One who is kind to His slaves and endows upon them. |
31. | Al Khabir - The Aware, The One who knows the truth of things. | 32. | Al Halim - The Forbearing, The Clement, The One who delays the punishment for those who deserve it and then He might forgive them. | 33. | Al 'Azim - The Great One, The Mighty, The One deserving the attributes of Exaltment, Glory, Extolment and Purity from all imperfection. |
34. | Al Ghafur - The All-Forgiving, The Forgiving, The One who forgives a lot. | 35. | Ash Shakur - The Grateful, The Appreciative, The One who gives a lot of reward for a little obedience. | 36. | Al 'Ali - The Most High, The Sublime, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures. |
37. | Al Kabir - The Most Great, The Great, The One who is greater than everything in status. | 38. | Al Hafiz - The Preserver, The Protector, The One who protects whatever and whoever He willed to protect. | 39. | Al Muqit - The Maintainer, The Guardian, The Feeder, The Sustainers, The One who has the Power. |
40. | Al Hasib - The Reckoner, The One who gives the satisfaction. | 41. | Al Jalil - The Sublime One, The Beneficent, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status. | 42. | Al Karim - The Generous One, The Bountiful, The Gracious, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status. |
43. | Ar Raqib - The Watcher, The Watchful, The One that nothing is absent from Him. Hence it's meaning is related to the attribute of Knowledge. | 44. | Al Mujib - The Responsive, The Hearkener, The One who answers the one in need if he asks Him and rescues the yearned if he calls upon Him. | 45. | Al Wasi' - The Vast, The All-Embracing, The Knowledgeable. |
46. | Al Hakim - The Wise, The Judge of Judges, The One who is correct in His doings | 47. | Al Wadud - The Loving, The One who loves His believing slaves and His believing slaves love Him. His love to His slaves is His Will to be merciful to them and praise them: Hence it's meaning is related to the attributes of the Will and Kalam (His attribute with which He orders and forbids and spoke to Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam and Prophet Mūsa Alahi Wa Salam . It is not a sound nor a language nor a letter.). | 48. | Al Majid - The Most Glorious One, The Glorious, The One who is with perfect Power, High Status, Compassion, Generosity and Kindness. |
49. | Al Ba'ith - The Reserrector, The Raiser (from death), The One who resurrects His slaves after death for reward and/or punishment. | 50. | Ash Shahid - The Witness, The One who nothing is absent from Him. | 51. | Al Haqq - The Truth, The True, The One who truly exists. |
52. | Al Wakil - The Trustee, The One who gives the satisfaction and is relied upon. | 53. | Al Qawi - The Most Strong, The Strong, The One with the complete Power. | 54. | Al Matin - The Firm One, The One with extreme Power which is un-interrupted and He does not get tired. |
55. | Al Wali - The Protecting Friend, The Supporter. | 56. | Al Hamid - The Praiseworthy, The praised One who deserves to be praised. | 57. | Al Mushi - The Counter, The Reckoner, The One who the count of things are known to him. |
58. | Al Mubdi' - The Originator, The One who started the human being. That is, He created him. | 59. | Al Mu'id - The Reproducer, The One who brings back the creatures after death. | 60. | Al Muhyi - The Restorer, The Giver of Life, The One who took out a living human from semen that does not have a soul. He gives life by giving the souls back to the worn out bodies on the resurrection day and He makes the hearts alive by the light of knowledge. |
61. | Al Mumit - The Creator of Death, The Destroyer, The One who renders the living dead. | 62. | Al Hayy - The Alive, The One attributed with a life that is unlike our life and is not that of a combination of soul, flesh or blood. | 63. | Al Qayyum - The Self-Subsisting, The One who remains and does not end. |
64. | Al Wajid - The Perceiver, The Finder, The Rich who is never poor. Al-Wajd is Richness. | 65. | Al Majid - The Noble, The One who is Majid | 66. | Al Wahid - The Unique, The One, The One without a partner. |
67. | Al Ahad - The One. | 68. | As Samad - The Eternal, The Independent, The Master who is relied upon in matters and reverted to in ones needs. | 69. | Al Qadir - The Able, The Capable, The One attributed with Power. |
70. | Al Muqtadir - The Powerful, The Dominant, The One with the perfect Power that nothing is withheld from Him. | 71. | Al Muqaddim - The Expediter, The Promoter, The One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills. | 73. | Al Mu'akh-khir - The Delayer, the Retarder, The One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills. |
74. | Al Akhir - The Last, The One whose Existence is without an end. | 75. | Az Zahir - The Manifest, The One that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath Him, hence He exists without a place. He, The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributes of bodies. | 76. | Al Batin - The Hidden, The One that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath Him, hence He exists without a place. He, The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributes of bodies. |
77. | Al Wali - The Governor, The One who owns things and manages them. | 78. | Al Muta'ali - The Most Exalted, The High Exalted, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creation. | 79. | Al Barr - The Source of All Goodness, The Righteous, The One who is kind to His creatures, who covered them with His sustenance and specified whoever He willed among them by His support, protection, and special mercy. |
80. | At Tawwab - The Acceptor of Repentance, The Relenting, The One who grants repentance to whoever He willed among His creatures and accepts his repentance. | 81. | Al Muntaqim - The Avenger, The One who victoriously prevails over His enemies and punishes them for their sins. It may mean the One who destroys them. | 82. | Al 'Afuww - The Pardoner, The Forgiver, The One with wide forgiveness. |
83. | Ar Ra'uf - The Compassionate, The One with extreme Mercy. The Mercy of Allah is His will to endow upon whoever He willed among His creatures. | 84. | Al Malik Al Mulk - The Eternal Owner of Sovereignty, The One who controls the Dominion and gives dominion to whoever He willed. | 85. | Dhul Jalali Wa'l Ikram - The Lord of Majesty and Bounty, The One who deserves to be Exalted and not denied. |
86. | Al Muqsit - The Equitable, The One who is Just in His judgment. | 87. | Al Jami' - The Gatherer, The One who gathers the creatures on a day that there is no doubt about, that is the Day of Judgment. | 88. | Al Ghani - The Self-Sufficient, The One who does not need the creation. |
89. | Al Mughni - The Enricher, The One who satisfies the necessities of the creatures. | 90. | Al Mani' - The Preventer, The Withholder. | 91. | Ad Darr - The Distresser, The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed. |
92. | An Nafi' - The Propitious, The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed. | 93. | An Noor - The Light, The One who guides. | 94. | Al Hadi - The Guide, The One whom with His Guidance His believers were guided, and with His Guidance the living beings have been guided to what is beneficial for them and protected from what is harmful to them. |
95. | Al Badi - The Incomparable, The One who created the creation and formed it without any preceding example. | 96. | Al Baqi - The Everlasting, The One that the state of non-existence is impossible for Him. | 97. | Al Warith - The Supreme Inheritor, The Heir, The One whose Existence remains. |
100. the hidden Name |
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98. | Ar Rashid - The Guide to the Right Path, The One who guides. | 99. | As Sabur - The Patient, The One who does not quickly punish the sinners. | Whoever knows the hidden name, he will conquer the world |
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