Ninety - Nine Names of Allah
The proper name which Islam uses for God is "ALLAH". ALLAH means "One
who deserves to be loved" and "into whom everyone seeks refuge."
This word, grammatically speaking, is unique. It has no plural and no
feminine. So this name itself reflects light upon the fact that Allah is One and
Only One; he has neither any partner nor any equal, The name cannot properly be
translated by the word "God" because God can be transformed into
"Gods" and "Goddesses."
Two more frequently used names are Rahman and Rahim.
Rahman signifies that Allah is Merciful and that his Mercy encompasses each and
everything in the universe without any distinction on account of faith or belief. He
makes, creates and sustains everything and every man whether he be a Muslim or Kafir.
Rahim signifies that the Mercy of Allah on the Day of Judgment will surround the
true believers only, and that unbelievers and hypocrites will be left out.
It is apparent that both of these names signify a distinct aspect of God's Mercy.
His Mercy in this world, as signified by "Rahman" is general; and the
life-hereafter, as signified by "Rahim" is special.
It will be of interest to note that the word "Rahman" cannot be used
except for Allah, while "Rahim" can be used for others also.
That is why it has been told by Imams that "Rahman is a reserved name which
denotes unreserved Mercy" and "Rahim is an unreserved name which denotes
Reserved Mercy."
AL-ASMA-UL-HUSNA
No. NAMES OF ALLAH MEANING
1. Allah God Proper Name of the One and
Only
2. ar-Rahman The
Merciful
3. ar-Rahim The
Compassionate
4.
al-Malik The Ruler
5. al-Quddus
The Holy
6.
as-Salam The Safety
7. al-Mu'min The
Trusted
8. al-Muhaymin The
Protector
9. al- 'Aziz
The Powerful
10.
al-Jabbar The Most Powerful
No. NAME OF ALLAH MEANING
11.
al-Mutakabbir The Magnificent
12. al-Khalik The
Creator
13.
al-Bari The Creator (from
nothing)
14.
al-Musawwir The Designer
15. al-Ghaffar The
Forgiver
16.
al-Qahhar The Almighty, The Subduer
17.
al-Wahhab The Giver
18.
ar-Razzaq The Provider; The Sustainer
19.
al-Fattah
The Opener
20.
al-Alim The Omniscient; The All-Knowing
21.
al-Qabid The
Gatherer
22.
al-Basit The
Expander
23.
al-Khafid
The Humbler
24.
ar-Rafi The Raiser
25.
al-Mudhill
The Subduer
26.
al-Mu'izz
The Exalter
27.
as-Sami
The All-Hearing
28.
al-Basir
The All-Seeing
29.
al-Hakam
The Arbitrator
30. al-
'Adl The Justice; The Just
31.
al-Latif The Kind
32.
al-Khabir The
All-Knowing
33.
al-Halim The Clement
34. al-
'Azzim
The Great
35.
al-Ghafur The Forgiver
36.
ash-Shakur The Thankful
37. al-
'Ali The High
38.
al-Kabir The Great
39. al-Hafiz
The Protector
40.
al-Muqit The
Nourisher
41.
al-Hasib
The Reckoner
42.
al-Jalil
The Honorable
43.
al-Karim The Generous
44.
ar-Raqib The Guard
45.
al-Mujib The One Who answers (the prayers)
46.
al-Wasi The Enricher
47.
al-Hakim The Wise
No. NAME OF ALLAH MEANING
48.
al-Wadud The Affectionate
49.
al-Majeed
The Glorious
50.
al-Majid The Honorable
51.
al-Ba'ith The Resurrect or
52. ash-Shahid The
Witness
53.
al-Haqq The Truth
54.
al-Wakil The Trustee
55.
al-Qawi The Powerful
56.
al-Matin The Strong
57.
al-Wali The Guardian
58.
al-Hamid The
Praiseworthy
59.
al-Muhsi The Reckoner
60. al-Mubdi The
Beginner; The Creator
61. al-Mu
'id The Returner; The Resurrector
62.
al-Muhyi The Bestower of Life
63.
al-Mumit The Bringer of Death
64.
al-Hayy The Living
65.
al-Qayyum The
Self-existing
66.
al-Wahid
The One
67.
al-Ahad The Only; The Unique
68.
as-Samad The Perfect; The Eternal
69. al-
Qadir The Omnipotent
70.
al-Muqtadir The
All-Powerful
71.
al-Muqaddim
The Advancer
72. al-Mu
'akhir The Keeper Behind
73.
al-Awwal
The First
74.
al-Akhir The Last
75.
az-Zahir The Apparent
76.
al-Batin
The Hidden
77.
al-Mawla
The Master
78. al-Muta
'ali The
Most High
79.
al-Barr The Beneficent
80.
al-Tawwab
The Forgiver
81.
al-Muntaqim
The Avenger
82. al-
'Afuww
The Forgiver
83.
ar-Ra'uf The Compassionate
84. Malik’ul
Mulk The Sovereign of the Kingdom
(Universe)
85.
Dhu'l-Jalal
The Owner of Glory
wa'l-Ikram
and Honor
86.
al-Muqsit
The Just
No. NAME OF ALLAH MEANING
87. al-Jami
The One Who brings together;
The Comprehensive
88.
al-Ghaniyy The Rich; The
Self-Sufficient
89.
al-Mughni The Bestower of
Richness
90.
al-Mani The Prohibitor
91. ad-Darr
The Bringer of Adversity
92.
an-Nafi' The
Beneficial
93.
an-Nur
The Light
94.
al-Hadi
The Guide
95. al-Badi The
Maker(with previous example)
96.
al-Baqi The Everlasting
97.
al-Warith The Inheritor
98.
ar-Rashid
The Guide
99.
as-Sabur
The Patient
SIFAT-E-THUBUTIYYAH
The positive attributes which are befitting Allah are called Sifat-e-Thubutiyyah.
They are many in number, but only eight of them are usually mentioned. They are:
1.QADEEM: It means that Allah is Eternal, i.e., He has neither beginning nor
end. Nothing except Allah is eternal.
2.QAADIR: It means that Allah is Omnipotent, i.e., He has power over
everything and every affair.
3. AALIM: It means that Allah is Omniscient, i.e., He knows everything.
Even our unspoken intentions and desires are not hidden from Him.
4. HAI: It means that Allah was always alive and will remain alive forever.
5. MUREED: It means that Allah has His own Will and discretion in all
affairs. He does not do anything under compulsion.
6. MUDRIK: It means that He is All-Perceiving, as "Sami"
(All-Hearing), 'Baseer' (All-Seeing), 'Hadhir' (Omnipresent). Allah sees and hears
everything without any need of eyes or ears.
7. MUTAKALLIM: It means that Allah is the Master of the World, i.e., He
can create speech in anything as He did in a tree for Hadhret Musa (A.S.), and in the
'Curtain of Light' for our Holy Prophet (S.A.W.).
8. SADIQ: It means that Allah is true in His words and promises.
It is impossible to fix any limit to His attributes. This list is not exhaustive but
essential to understand the Glory of Allah.
The attributes are not acquired but are inherent in the conception of Divinity.
SIFAT-E-SALBIYYAH
The Negative Attributes which cannot be found in Allah because they are below His dignity,
are called Sifat-e-Salbiyyah. They are many, but like Sifat-e-Thubutiyyah, only
eight are listed here. They are:
1. SHAREEK: The word "Shareek" means a colleague or partner.
Allah has neither a colleague nor a partner in His Divinity.
2. MURRAKKAB: This word means "compound" or
"mixed". Allah is neither made, nor composed of any material. He
cannot be divided even in the imagination.
3. MAKAAN: It means "place". Allah is not in a place
because He has no JISM (body), and He is everywhere because His power and Knowledge is
magnificently apparent everywhere.
4. HULOOL: It means "eternity". Nothing enters into Allah nor
does He enter into anything or anybody. Therefore, the belief of Incarnation in any
form is abhorrent to the conception of Divinity.
5. MAHALLE HAWADITH: This means "Subject to changes" or
incarnation. Allah cannot change.
6. MAR-I: It means "visible". Allah is not
visible. He has not been seen, is not seen, and will never be seen.
7. IHTIYAJ: It means "dependable" or "need".
Allah is not deficient in any virtue, so He does not need anything. He is
All-Perfect.
8. SIFAT-E-ZA-ID: This means "added qualifications".
The attributes of Allah are not separate from His Being. When we say that God is
Omnipotent and Merciful, we do not mean that His Power and Mercy are something different
from His Person. We see that a child is born without any power, and then he acquires
strength day by day. It is so because power is not his person. But God is not
like this. He is Power Himself; Knowledge Himself; Justice Himself; Virtue Himself;
Truth Himself, and etc.
It will thus be seen that according to Islam, ALLAH is the name of God perceived in
the light of the above Positive and Negative Attributes. In other words, ALLAH is
the Creator of the Universe, Self-Existent, the Source of all Perfection, and free from
all defects.
This information was extracted from:
1. Sayed S. Akhtar Rizvi. God of Islam. Published by Tahrike
Tarsile Qur’an, Inc. New York, 1994.