99 Names of God

The 99 Names of God, also known as The 99 attributes of Allah ( ), according to Islamic tradition, are the names of God revealed to man in The Qur'an; even though His names (as adjectives, word constructs, or otherwise) exceed ninety-nine in The Quran.

Origin

In one Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad used to call God by all his names:

"Allahumma inni ad`uka bi asma'ika al-husna kulliha"

"اللهم اني ادعوك باسمائك الحسنى كلها"

"O God, I invoke you with all of your beautiful names."

(Narrated by Ibn Maja, book of Du`a; and by Imam Malik in his Muwatta', Kitab al-Shi`r)

The Prophet is also reported to have said in a famous Hadith:

"Verily, there are ninety-nine names of God, one hundred minus one. He who enumerates them would get into Paradise."

(Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, p. 1410)

This caused people to search them out in the Qur'an, and a list was compiled. Over time it became custom to recite the list in its entirety. To some this developed into a ritual (a bit like a Catholic litany of Saints), while to others the "enumeration" was not just the act of recitation, but applying the attributes that the names suggest.

As one Muslim puts it:

"...by reciting and contemplating the names, and by embodying them as far as possible in his actions, the devout Muslim strives to remember God and draws near to Him, and with God's grace makes them part of his own being." ^*

Palm of the Hand

What could be interpreted as the number 99 written in Arabic is imprinted on human hands. If one looks at his or her palms, thumbs facing upward, the lines in the hands appear as "١٨ ٨١", which are the arabic numerals of 81 and 18, which sum to 99.

For Muslims this is a reference to the names of God. It should be noted that this has no Islamic or Qu'ranic basis supporting it, and is more likely a novelty that has developed in Muslim culture.

List of Names

The 99 Names of God according to the tradition of Islam are:

Allah (الله) God
Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) The All Beneficent
Ar-Rahim (الرحيم) The Most Merciful
Al-Malik (الملك) The King, The Sovereign
Al-Quddus (القدوس) The Most Holy
As-Salam (السلام) Peace and Blessing
Al-Mu'min (المؤمن) The Guarantor
Al-Muhaymin (المهيمن) The Guardian, the Preserver
Al-Aziz (العزيز) The Almighty, the Self Sufficient
Al-Jabbar (الجبار) The Powerful, the Irresistible
Al-Mutakabbir (المتكبر) The Tremendous
Al-Khaliq (الخالق) The Creator
Al-Bari' (البارئ) The Maker
Al-Musawwir (المصور) The Fashioner of Forms
Al-Ghaffar (الغفار) The Ever Forgiving
Al-Qahhar (القهار) The All Compelling Subduer
Al-Wahhab (الوهاب) The Bestower
Ar-Razzaq (الرزاق) The Ever Providing
Al-Fattah (الفتاح) The Opener, the Victory Giver
Al-Alim (العليم) The All Knowing, the Omniscient
Al-Qabid (القابض) The Restrainer, the Straightener
Al-Basit (الباسط) The Expander, the Munificent
Al-Khafid (الخافض) The Abaser
Ar-Rafi (الرافع) The Exalter
Al-Mu'izz (المعز) The Giver of Honor
Al-Mudhill (المذل) The Giver of Dishonor
As-Sami (السميع) The All Hearing
Al-Basir (البصير) The All Seeing
Al-Hakam (الحكم) The Judge, the Arbitrator
Al-Adl (العدل) The Utterly Just
Al-Latif (اللطيف) The Subtly Kind
Al-Khabir (الخبير) The All Aware
Al-Halim (الحليم) The Forbearing, the Indulgent
Al-Azim (العظيم) The Magnificent, the Infinite
Al-Ghafur (الغفور) The All Forgiving
Ash-Shakur (الشكور) The Grateful
Al-Ali (العلى) The Sublimely Exalted
Al-Kabir (الكبير) The Great
Al-Hafiz (الحفيظ) The Preserver
Al-Muqit (المقيت) The Nourisher
Al-Hasib (الحسيب) The Reckoner
Al-Jalil (الجليل) The Majestic
Al-Karim (الكريم) The Bountiful, the Generous
Ar-Raqib (الرقيب) The Watchful
Al-Mujib (المجيب) The Responsive, the Answerer
Al-Wasi (الواسع) The Vast, the All Encompassing
Al-Hakim (الحكيم) The Wise
Al-Wadud (الودود) The Loving, the Kind One
Al-Majid (المجيد) The All Glorious
Al-Ba'ith (الباعث) The Raiser of the Dead
Ash-Shahid (الشهيد) The Witness
Al-Haqq (الحق) The Truth, the Real
Al-Wakil (الوكيل) The Trustee, the Dependable
Al-Qawiyy (القوى) The Strong
Al-Matin (المتين) The Firm, the Steadfast
Al-Waliyy (الولى) The Protecting Friend, Patron, and Helper
Al-Hamid (الحميد) The All Praiseworthy
Al-Muhsi (المحصى) The Accounter, the Numberer of All
Al-Mubdi' (المبدئ) The Producer, Originator, and Initiator of all
Al-Mu'id (المعيد) The Reinstater Who Brings Back All
Al-Muhyi (المحيى) The Giver of Life
Al-Mumit (المميت) The Bringer of Death, the Destroyer
Al-Hayy (الحي) The Ever Living
Al-Qayyum (القيوم) The Self Subsisting Sustainer of All
Al-Wajid (الواجد) The Perceiver, the Finder, the Unfailing
Al-Majid (الماجد) The Illustrious, the Magnificent
Al-Wahid (الواحد) The One, the All Inclusive, the Indivisible
As-Samad (الصمد) The Self Sufficient, the Impregnable, the Eternally Besought of All, the Everlasting
Al-Qadir (القادر) The All Able
Al-Muqtadir (المقتدر) The All Determiner, the Dominant
Al-Muqaddim (المقدم) The Expediter, He who brings forward
Al-Mu'akhkhir (المؤخر) The Delayer, He who puts far away
Al-Awwal (الأول) The First
Al-Akhir (الأخر) The Last
Az-Zahir (الظاهر) The Manifest; the All Victorious
Al-Batin (الباطن) The Hidden; the All Encompassing
Al-Wali (الوالي) The Patron
Al-Muta'al (المتعالي) The Self Exalted
Al-Barr (البر) The Most Kind and Righteous
At-Tawwab (التواب) The Ever Returning, Ever Relenting
Al-Muntaqim (المنتقم) The Avenger
Al-'Afuww (العفو) The Pardoner, the Effacer of Sins
Al-Ra'uf (الرؤوف) The Compassionate, the All Pitying
Malik al Mulk (مالك الملك) The Owner of All Sovereignty
Dhu al Jalal wa al Ikram (ذو الجلال و الإكرام) The Lord of Majesty and Generosity
Al-Muqsit (المقسط) The Equitable, the Requiter
Al-Jami' (الجامع) The Gatherer, the Unifier
Al-Ghani (الغنى) The All Rich, the Independent
Al-Mughni (المغنى) The Enricher, the Emancipator
Al-Mani'(المانع) The Withholder, the Shielder, the Defender
Ad-Darr (الضار) The Distressor, the Harmer (This attribute can only be found in hadith)
An-Nafi' (النافع) The Propitious, the Benefactor
An-Nur (النور) The Light
Al-Hadi (الهادئ) The Guide
Al-Badi (البديع) Incomparable, the Originator
Al-Baqi (الباقي) The Ever Enduring and Immutable
Al-Warith (الوارث) The Heir, the Inheritor of All
Ar-Rashid (الرشيد) The Guide, Infallible Teacher, and Knower
As-Sabur (الصبور) The Patient, the Timeless

Dhul Fazl al Azim (ذو الفضل العظيم) The Lord of Infinite Grace (Q 2.105, 3.74, 8.29, 57.21, 57.29, 62.4) Note: This name, although found in the Qur'an, is not and never was part of the traditional list of the 99 names of Allah.

The English translation of names may have a slightly different meaning than the original Arabic word due to the words available in each language.

100th Name of God

Muslims teach that there are 99 names for God and that the 100th name is hidden. The idea has become a kind of mystery with little references to what it means. (Mellis)

Once again, the Hadith about the names of God says:

"Verily, there are ninety-nine names of God, one hundred minus one. He who enumerates them would get into Paradise."

(Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, p. 1410)

Sufism

In Sufism, the idea of the 100th name is most prominent. It has become the elusive object of mystic devotion, the symbol of God's transcendent being.

Sufis often describe their discipline as the quest to know the one-hundredth name of God and thus to merge their consciousness with the divine reality. ^*

Mahdi

Other such Hadiths, which vary according to different Shi'a sects of Islam, suggest that the 100th Name will be revealed by the Mahdi on the day of resurrection, known as the day of Qiyamah.

Bahá'í

The Bahá'í Faith has claimed to fulfill the prophecy of the Mahdi, and the 100th name was revealed as "Bahá’" (an Arabic word بهاء meaning "glory, splendor" etc.), which is the root word for Bahá'í and Bahá'u'lláh. The Báb wrote a famous pentagram tablet with 360 derivatives of the word "Bahá'" used in it. Followers of the Bahá'í Faith are not Muslims.

Other Traditions

Arab folklore says that the camel knows the 100th name of God but will tell no one. That is why he solemnly holds his head high and plods defiantly across the desert, holding the secret to himself.

Some people claim that the 99 names are adjectives of God and do not tell us the true entity of God. The 100th name may be the one that really is the name of God. ^*

Personal Names

According to Islamic tradition, a Muslim may not be given any of the 99 names of God in the exact same form- for example, nobody may be named Al Malik (The King), but may be named Malik 'King'. An exception may be made in some cases — for example, the son of Khattab ibn Nufayl is named "Umar ibn Khattab", but since his father was famous, he is called Umar ibn al-Khattab. This implies "Umar, the son of the Khattab" and not "Umar, the son of the [one and only Khattab". In the same maner, there are people named "x ibn al-y".

However the names/attributes of Allah (God) can be combined with the word "'Abd -" which means servant (i.e. - of God) and are commonly used as personal names among Muslims. For example Abd ar-Rahman ("servant of the Most Compassionate ^*").

Some notable people having names resembling those 99 (but without the article "The" which is only used to denote God) are:

Muhammad (Blessed) resembles Al Hamid (The Blesser).
Ali (High) resembles Al Ali (The High).
Khadija al-Salami resembles Al Salam (The God of Peace and blessing).

References

Mellis, J.K., Abu Sharif: Mystery of the 100th Name

External links

99 Names of ALLAH With meanings and benefits of recitation.
99 Excellent Names of ALLAH with references to verses where the name appears in the Holy Qur'an.
Ninety-nine Names of God with references to verses where the name appears in the Qur'an.
The 99 Names and Attributes of Allah, numbered list of names and meanings.
The beautiful names of Allah 99 names written clearly in Arabic
99 Names of God, oil paintings of all the 99 names.
Chanting the names in Arabic Version One with music, Version two,Version three, a video.

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