The Holy Names of Allah [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

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

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

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

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.