Names of God in the Qur'an

The 99 Names of Allah, also known as The 99 Most Beautiful Names of God ( ), are the names of God (specifically, attributes) by which Muslims regard God and which are traditionally maintained as described in the Qur'an, and Sunnah, amongst other places.^[1] There is, according to hadith, a special group of 99 names but no enumeration of them. Thus the exact list is not agreed upon, and the names of God (as adjectives, word constructs, or otherwise) exceed 99 in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Origin

In one Islamic tradition, the Islamic prophet Muhammad used to call God by all His Names: Muhammad is also reported to have said in a famous hadith: Of note is that this hadith does not say that there are only 99 names, but 99 names that are better than the others. This caused people to search them out in the Qur'an and Sunnah, and a list was compiled. Over time it became custom to recite the list in its entirety. While some Muslims believe that this list is mentioned by Muhammad himself, the specialist Muslim scholars argue strongly that the list was just compiled by a Muslim scholar as an addendum to the actual hadith (al-Waleed ibn Muslim). If it was only an attempt of a scholar, they are not necessarily the names proper, and other attempts may still be made. A recent scholar, Dr. Mahmoud Abdel-Razek, made an attempt of this kind and explained in detail why he differs in opinion with al-Waleed about enlisting some of the names.^[2]

However, reciting the traditional names has developed into a ritual by some Muslims (a bit like a Catholic litany of Saints) as an attempt to enumerate them, while most other Muslims believe that the "enumeration" is not just the act of recitation, but applying the attributes that the names suggest.

List of Names

The Qur'an refers to the attributes of God as God's ?most beautiful names? (Arabic: al-asm?? al-?usn?) (see , , , )). According to Gerhard Böwering,Islamic theology makes a distinction between the attributes of God and the divine essence.^[3]

	Arabic	Transliteration	Translation (can vary based on context)	Qur'anic Usage
1		Ar-Rahman	The All Beneficent, The Most Merciful in Essence, The Compassionate, The Most Gracious	Beginning of every chapter except one, and in numerous other places
2		Ar-Rahim	The Most Merciful, The Most Merciful in Actions	Beginning of every chapter except one, and in numerous other places
3		Al-Malik	The King, The Sovereign, The True and Ultimate King	59:23, 20:114
4		Al-Quddus	The Most Holy, The Most Pure, The Most Perfect	59:23, 62:1
5		As-Salaam	The Peace and Blessing, The Source of Peace and Safety, The Most Perfect	59:23
6		Al-Mu'min	The Guarantor, The Self Affirming, The Granter of Security, The Affirmer of Truth	59:23
7		Al-Muhaymin	The Guardian, The Preserver, The Overseeing Protector	59:23
8		Al-Aziz	The Almighty, The Self Sufficient, The Most Honorable	3:6, 4:158, 9:40, 48:7, 59:23
9		Al-Jabbar	The Powerful, The Irresistible, The Compeller, The Most Lofty, The Restorer/Improver of Affairs	59:23
10		Al-Mutakabbir	The Tremendous	59:23
11		Al-Khaliq	The Creator	6:102, 13:16, 39:62, 40:62, 59:24
12		Al-Bari'	The Rightful	59:24
13		Al-Musawwir	The Fashioner of Forms	59:24
14		Al-Ghaffar	The Ever Forgiving	20:82, 38:66, 39:5, 40:42, 71:10
15		Al-Qahhar	The All Compelling Subduer	13:16, 14:48, 38:65, 39:4, 40:16
16		Al-Wahhab	The Bestower	3:8, 38:9, 38:35
17		Ar-Razzaq	The Ever Providing	51:58
18		Al-Fattah	The Opener, The Victory Giver	34:26
19		Al-Alim	The All Knowing, The Omniscient	2:158, 3:92, 4:35, 24:41, 33:40
20		Al-Qabid	The Restrainer, The Straightener	2:245
21		Al-Basit	The Expander, The Munificent	2:245
22		Al-Khafid	The Abaser	95:5
23		Ar-Rafi?e	The Exalter	58:11, 6:83
24		Al-Mu?ezz	The Giver of Honour	3:26
25		Al-Mudhell	The Giver of Dishonour	3:26
26		As-Sami?e	The All Hearing	2:127, 2:256, 8:17, 49:1
27		Al-Basir	The All Seeing	4:58, 17:1, 42:11, 42:27
28		Al-Hakam	The Judge, The Arbitrator	22:69
29		Al-`Adl	The Utterly Just	6:115
30		Al-Lateef	The Subtly Kind	6:103, 22:63, 31:16, 33:34
31		Al-Khabeer	The All Aware	6:18, 17:30, 49:13, 59:18
32		Al-Haleem	The Forbearing, The Indulgent	2:235, 17:44, 22:59, 35:41
33		Al-Azeem	The Magnificent, The Infinite	2:255, 42:4, 56:96
34		Al-Ghafoor	The All Forgiving	2:173, 8:69, 16:110, 41:32
35		Ash-Shakoor	The Grateful	35:30, 35:34, 42:23, 64:17
36		Al-Aliyy	The Sublimely Exalted	4:34, 31:30, 42:4, 42:51
37		Al-Kabeer	The Great	13:9, 22:62, 31:30
38		Al-Hafeez	The Preserver	11:57, 34:21, 42:6
39		Al-Muqeet	The Nourisher	4:85
40		Al-Hasib	The Reckoner	4:6, 4:86, 33:39
41		Al-Jaleel	The Majestic	55:27, 39:14, 7:143
42		Al-Karim	The Bountiful, The Generous	27:40, 82:6
43		Ar-Raqib	The Watchful	4:1, 5:117
44		Al-Mujib	The Responsive, The Answerer	11:61
45		Al-Wasse?e	The Vast, The All Encompassing	2:268, 3:73, 5:54
46		Al-Hakeem	The Wise	31:27, 46:2, 57:1, 66:2
47		Al-Wadud	The Loving, The Kind One	11:90, 85:14
48		Al-Majeed	The All Glorious	11:73
49		Al-Ba'ith	The Raiser of The Dead	22:7
50		Ash-Shaheed	The Witness	4:166, 22:17, 41:53, 48:28
51		Al-Haqq	The Truth, The Real	6:62, 22:6, 23:116, 24:25
52		Al-Wakeel	The Trustee, The Dependable	3:173, 4:171, 28:28, 73:9
53		Al-Qawee	The Strong	22:40, 22:74, 42:19, 57:25
54		Al-Mateen	The Firm, The Steadfast	51:58
55		Al-Walee	The Protecting Friend, Patron and Helper	4:45, 7:196, 42:28, 45:19
56		Al-Hamid	The All Praiseworthy	14:8, 31:12, 31:26, 41:42
57		Al-Muhsi	The Accounter, The Numberer of All	72:28, 78:29, 82:10-12
58		Al-Mubdi'	The Producer, Originator, and Initiator of All	10:34, 27:64, 29:19, 85:13
59		Al-Mu?id	The Reinstater Who Brings Back All	10:34, 27:64, 29:19, 85:13
60		Al-Muhyi	The Giver of Life	7:158, 15:23, 30:50, 57:2
61		Al-Mumit	The Bringer of Death, The Destroyer	3:156, 7:158, 15:23, 57:2
62		Al-Hayy	The Ever Living	2:255, 3:2, 25:58, 40:65
63		Al-Qayyum	The Self Subsisting Sustainer of All	2:255, 3:2, 20:111
64		Al-Wajid	The Perceiver, The Finder, The Unfailing	38:44
65		Al-Majid	The Illustrious, The Magnificent	85:15, 11:73,
66		Al-Wahid	The One, The Unique, Manifestation of Unity	2:163, 5:73, 9:31, 18:110
67		Al-Ahad	The One, the All Inclusive, The Indivisible	112:1
68		As-Samad	The Self Sufficient, The Impregnable, The Eternally Besought of All, The Everlasting	112:2
69		Al-Qadir	The All Able	6:65, 36:81, 46:33, 75:40
70		Al-Muqtadir	The All Determiner, The Dominant	18:45, 54:42, 54:55
71		Al-Muqaddim	The Expediter, He Who Brings Forward	16:61, 17:34,
72		Al-Mu'akhir	The Delayer, He Who Puts Far Away	71:4
73		Al-Awwal	The First	57:3
74		Al-Akhir	The Last	57:3
75		Az-Zahir	The Manifest, The All Victorious	57:3
76		Al-Batin	The Hidden, The All Encompassing	57:3
77		Al-Waali	The Patron	13:11, 22:7
78		Al-Muta'ali	The Self Exalted	13:9
79		Al-Barr	The Most Kind and Righteous	52:28
80		At-Tawwab	The Ever Returning, Ever Relenting	2:128, 4:64, 49:12, 110:3
81		Al-Muntaqim	The Avenger	32:22, 43:41, 44:16
82		Al-?Afuww	The Pardoner, The Effacer of Sins	4:99, 4:149, 22:60
83		Ar-Ra'uf	The Compassionate, The All Pitying	3:30, 9:117, 57:9, 59:10
84		Malik-al-Mulk	The Owner of All Sovereignty	3:26
85		Dhu-al-Jalali wa-al-Ikram	The Lord of Majesty and Generosity	55:27, 55:78
86		Al-Muqsit	The Equitable, The Requiter	7:29, 3:18
87		Al-Jami?e	The Gatherer, The Unifier	3:9
88		Al-Ghani	The All Rich, The Independent	3:97, 39:7, 47:38, 57:24
89		Al-Mughni	The Enricher, The Emancipator	9:28
90		Al-Mani'e	The Withholder, The Shielder, the Defender	67:21
91		Ad-Darr	The Distressor, The Harmer, The Afflictor This attribute can only be found in hadith	6:17
92		An-Nafi?e	The Propitious, The Benefactor	?
93		An-Nur	The Light	24:35
94		Al-Hadi	The Guide	25:31
95		Al-Badi	The Incomparable, The Originator	2:117, 6:101
96		Al-Baqi	The Ever Enduring and Immutable	??
97		Al-Warith	The Heir, The Inheritor of All	15:23
98		Ar-Rashid	The Guide, Infallible Teacher and Knower	2:256
99		As-Sabur	The Patient, The Timeless.	?

100th name

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. http://www.coloradocollege.edu/Dept/RE/people/weddle/IntroRel01/Islam.htm

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.

Bábi and Bahá'í

The Bahá'í Faith claims that the Báb fulfills the prophecy of the Mahdi, and the 100th name was revealed as "Bahá?" (an Arabic word ???? meaning "glory, splendor" etc.), and is the root word for Bahá'u'lláh and Bahá'í.^[4] The Báb wrote a noted pentagram-shaped tablet with 360 derivatives of the word "Bahá'" used in it.^[4] While the Bahá'í Faith has roots in Islam and the monotheistic traditions, it is considered to be an independent religion, and its followers are not considered Muslims.

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).

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