This
article briefly discusses the importance of knowing Allah’s names,
calling upon Allah by those names, and includes the discussion of the
number of Allah’s names.
Knowledge of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah
Every
Muslim who seeks knowledge about Allah and to increase his love about
Allah can do so by learning more about His names and attributes. By
learning more about Allah and about His essence, one can appreciate His
power over all things, and can make one sincere toward Him and increase
in taqwa (piety). Knowing more about Allah will also not only make us
more sincere toward Him but will make us fear Him more and as a result
drive us to follow His commands.
Shaykh Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Saadi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Believing in and knowing the Most Beautiful Names of Allah includes the three types of Tawheed:
- Tawheed al-Ruboobiyyah (Unity of Divine Lordship),
- Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (Unity of the Divine Nature) and
- Tawheed al-Asma’ wa’l-Sifaat (Unity of the Divine Names and Attributes).
These three types of Tawheed form the essence and joy of faith (the word translated here as “joy” implies peace and relief from stress), and this knowledge is the basis and purpose of faith. The more a person learns about the Names and Attributes of Allah, the more his faith increases and the stronger his conviction becomes.” (Al-Tawdeeh wa’l-Bayaan li Shajarat al-Eemaan by al-Sa’di, p. 41).
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Knowledge of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah is the basis of all other kinds of knowledge, for the objects of all these other branches of knowledge were either created or commanded by Him (the various branches of knowledge either deal with objects created by Him or with the laws and guidance revealed by Him). The reason for creation and guidance is found in His Most Beautiful Names (because He is the Creator, He creates things; because He is the Guide to the Straight Path, He reveals guidance, and so on)… Knowing the Most Beautiful Names is the basis of all objects of knowledge, because all knowledge stems from these Names…” (Bada’i’ al-Fawaa’id by Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/163).
About the Number of Allah’s Names
All the number of Allah’s names are not known. This is evidenced by simply pondering over the translation of one of the dua’s that is often recited. The dua is mentioned in a sahih hadith reported by Imaam Ahmad (3582), which says that the prophet said that “there is no one among you who, when he is stricken with distress and grief, says [the dua is mentioned below] but Allah will remove his distress and his grief, and will give him joy instead…”
Here is that dua:
“O Allah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave and son of Your maid servant, my forelock is in Your hand. Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You which You named Yourself with, or You taught to any of Your creation, or revealed in Your Book, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the Unseen with You, that You make the Quran the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety]” (Dua reported by Imaam Ahmad, 3582; it is a saheeh hadeeth).
The
number ninety nine is based on the hadith that says, “Allah has
ninety-nine names, one hundred less one. Whoever learns them will enter
Paradise.” (Reported by Al-Bukhaari (2736) and Muslim (2677)). However,
many scholars agree that this hadith simply means that learning the 99
names doesn’t mean that all names total to ninety nine. Here are some of
what the scholars have said about the issue:
- Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in Sharh Saheeh Muslim: “The scholars are unanimously agreed that this hadeeth does not mean that Allah has only ninety-nine names, or that He does not have any other names apart from these ninety-nine. Rather what the hadeeth means is that whoever learns these ninety-nine will enter Paradise. The point is that one may enter Paradise by learning them, not that the number is limited to these names.”
- Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked about that and replied: “The names of Allah are not limited to a certain number. The evidence for that is [in the dua mentioned above]. [The hadith that mentions the number ninety nine] does not mean that He does not have any names apart from these, rather it means that whoever learns these ninety-nine of His names will enter Paradise. This is like when the Arabs say: ‘I have one hundred horses which I have prepared for a [battle],” which does not mean that the speaker has only these hundred horses, rather these hundred are prepared for this purpose. (Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 1/122.)
- Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] said concerning this hadeeth in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (6/374): “This (the dua in the hadith above) indicates that Allah has more than ninety-nine names.”
- Ibn
al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The beautiful names of
Allah are not limited and are innumerable… [Based on what’s mentioned in
the dua above, this means that] His names may be divided into three
types:(i) Those by which he called Himself and taught them to whomever He willed of His Angels or others, but He did not reveal them in His Book.(ii) Those that He revealed in His Book and taught them to His slaves.(iii) Those that He kept to Himself in the knowledge of the unseen, so none of His creation knows them. Hence the du‘aa’ says: “You have preserved” i.e., only You know them; it does not mean that He is the only one who is called by them, because the names that are proven to be only for Him include names that Allah revealed in His Book. (Source: Badaa’i‘ al-Fawaa’id, 1/174-176)Calling upon Allah (Making Dua) using His names
Allah commands the believers in the Quran to call upon Him using His names (that we know). The verse states:
“And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them…” [Surah al-Aaraaf 7:180]
Allah’s Names
Here are Allah’s names from the Quran.
Ad-Dayyan – The Supreme Judge
Adh-Dhaahir, Al-Baatin – The Outward, the Inward
Al-‘Adheem – The Tremendous, the Supreme in Glory
Al-‘Afuww – The Ever-Pardoning
Al-‘Aleem, Al-‘Aalim, ‘Allaam-ul-Ghuyoob – The All-Knowing, the Omniscient, the Knower of the Unseen
Al-‘Aliyy, Al-A’laa, Al-Muta’aal – The High, the Most High, the Exalted
Al-Awwal, Al-Aakhir – The First, the Last
Al-‘Azeez – The All-Mighty
Al-Baari’ – The Originator
Al-Barr – The Source of All Goodness
Al-Baseer – The All-Seeing
Al-Fattaah – The Superb Arbiter, the Opener
Al-Ghafoor, Al-Ghaffaar, Ghaafir-udh-Dhanb – The Ever Forgiving, the Most Forgiving, the Forgiver of Sins
Al-Ghaniyy – The Self-Sufficient
Al-Haadee – The Guide
Al-Haafidh, Al-Hafeedh – The Protector, the Guardian
Al-Hakam, Khayr-ul-Haakimeen – The Judge, the Best of Judges
Al-Hakeem – The All-Wise
Al-Haleem – The All-Forbearing
Al-Hameed – The Praiseworthy
Al-Haqq – The Truth
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