What are the beautiful names of Allah? What is the asma al husna in islam? 99 names of Allah (Asma al Ḥusna)
The phrase Asmā al-Ḥusnā (the most beautiful names) is a term used for all the names of Allah. These are also called “Asmā al-Ilahiyyah.” The following is stated in the Qur’an: “The most beautiful names belong to Allah. So pray to Him with these names…”[1], and “…To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory: and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”[2] The fact that Allah has many names does not necessitate that the owner of these names be more than one. “Say: “Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well)…”[3]
In one of his hadiths, the Prophet (saw) stated that there are 99 names of Allah, and a person who believes in these names and lives in accordance with his belief will enter Paradise.[4] Therefore, it is believed that sincerely addressing Allah Almighty with these names causes the prayer to be accepted. However, the divine names are not limited to ninety-nine. These are the most famous names of Allah Almighty.
In a hadith narrated by al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maja, these 99 names are listed one by one.[5] These names are:
| 1. Allah | 51. al-Bāith (The Resurrector, The Raiser of the Dead) |
| 2. al-Rabb | 52. al-Shahīd (The All- and Ever Witness |
| 3. al-Raḥmān (The Most or Entirely Merciful), | 53. al-Ḥaqq (The Absolute Truth) |
| 4. Raḥīm (The Bestower of Mercy) | 54. al-Wakīl (The Trustee, The Disposer of Affairs) |
| 5. al-Malik (The King and Owner of Dominion) | 55. al-Qawī (The All-Strong) |
| 6. al-Quddūs (The Absolutely Pure) | 56. al-Matīn (The Firm, The Steadfast) |
| 7. al-Salām (The Perfection and Giver of Peace) | 57. al-Walī (The Protecting Associate) |
| 8. al-Mu’min (The One Who gives confidence and Security) | 58. al-Ḥamīd (The Praiseworthy) |
| 9. al-Muhaymin (The Guardian, The Witness, The Overseer) | 59. al-Muḥṣī (The All-Enumerating, The Counter) |
| 10. al-Azīz (The All-Mighty) | 60. al-Mubdī (The Originator, The Initiator) |
| 11. al-Jabbār (The Compeller, The Restorer) | 61. al-Muʿid (The Restorer, The Reinstater) |
| 12. al-Mutakabbir (The Supreme, The Majestic) | 62. al-Muḥyī (The Giver of Life) |
| 13. al-Khāliq (The Creator, The Maker) | 63. al-Mumīt (The Bringer of Death, the Destroyer) |
| 14. al-Bārī (The Originator) | 64. al-Ḥayy (The Ever-Living) |
| 15. al-Muṣawwir (The Fashioner) | 65. al-Qayyūm (The Sustainer, The Self-Subsisting) |
| 16. al-Ghaffār (The All- and Oft-Forgiving) | 66. al-Wājid (The Perceiver) |
| 17. al-Qahhār (The Subduer, The Ever-Dominating) | 67. al-Wāḥid (The One) |
| 18. al-Wahhāb (The Giver of Gifts) | 68. al-Ṣamad (The Unique, The Only One) |
| 19. al-Razzāq (The Provider) | 69. al-Qādir (The Capable, The Powerful) |
| 20. al-Fattāḥ (The Opener, The Judge) | 70. al-Muqtadir (The Omnipotent) |
| 21. al-ʿAlim (The All-Knowing, The Omniscient) | 71. al-Muqaddim (The Expediter, The Promoter) |
| 22. al-Qābiḍ (The Withholder) | 72. al-Mu’akhkhīr (The Delayer, the Retarder) |
| 23. al-Bāsiṭ (The Extender) | 73. al-Awwal (The First) |
| 24. al-Khāfiḍ (The Reducer, The Abaser) | 74. al-Ākhir (The Last) |
| 25. al-Rāfi’ (The Exalter, The Elevator) | 75. al-Ẓāhir (The Manifest) |
| 26. al-Mu‘iz (The Honorer, The Bestower) | 76. al-Bāṭin (The Hidden One, Knower of the Hidden) |
| 27. al-Mudhill (The Dishonorer, The Humiliator) | 77. al-Wālī (The Governor, The Patron) |
| 28. al-Samī’ (The All-Hearing) | 78. al-Mutaʿālī (The Self Exalted) |
| 29. al-Baṣīr (The All-Seeing | 79. al-Barr (The Source of Goodness, the Kind Benefactor) |
| 30. al-Ḥakam (The Judge, The Giver of Justice) | 80. al-Tawwāb (The Ever-Pardoning, The Relenting) |
| 31. al-ʿAdl (The Utterly Just) | 81. al-Muntaqim (The Avenger) |
| 32. al-Laṭīf (The Subtle One, The Most Gentle) | 82. al- ʿAfuw (The Pardoner)
|
| 33. al-Khabīr (The Acquainted, the All-Aware) | 83. al-Raūf (The Most Kind) |
| 34. al-Ḥalīm (The Most Forbearing), | 84. Mālik al-mulk (Master of the Kingdom, Owner of the Dominion) |
| 35. al-ʿAẓīm (The Magnificent, The Supreme) | 85. Dhu al-Jalāl wa al-Ikrām (Possessor of Glory and Honour, Lord of Majesty and Generosity) |
| 36. al-Ghafūr (The Forgiving, The Exceedingly Forgiving) | 86. al-Muqṣiṭ (The Equitable, the Requiter) |
| 37. al-Shakūr (The Most Appreciative) | 87. al-Jamiʿ (The Gatherer, the Uniter) |
| 38. al- ʿĀlī (The Most High, The Exalted) | 88. al-Ghanī (The Self-Sufficient, The Wealthy) |
| 39. al-Kabīr (The Greatest, The Most Grand) | 89. al-Mughnī, (The Enricher) |
| 40. al-Ḥafīẓ (The Preserver, The All-Heedful and All-Protecting) | 90. al-Majīd (The Glorious, The Most Honorable) |
| 41. al-Muqīṭ (The Sustainer) | 91. al-Māni’ (The Withholder) |
| 42. al-Ḥasīb (The Reckoner, The Sufficient) | 92. al-Ḍārr (The Distresser) |
| 43. al-Jalīl (The Majestic) | 93. al-Hādī (The Guide) |
| 44. al-Karīm (The Most Generous, The Most Esteemed) | 94. al-Badī’ (The Incomparable Originator) |
| 45. al-Raqīb (The Watchful) | 95. al-Bāqī (The Ever-Surviving, The Everlasting) |
| 46. al-Mujīb (The Responsive One) | 96. al-Wārith (The Inheritor, The Heir) |
| 47. al-Wāsi’ (The All-Encompassing, the Boundless) | 97. al-Rashīd (The Guide, Infallible Teacher) |
| 48. al-Ḥakīm (The All-Wise) | 98. al-Ṣabūr (The Forbearing, The Patient) |
| 49. al-Wadūd (The Most Loving) | 99. al-Nāfi’ (The Propitious, the Benefactor)[6] |
| 50. al-Majīd (The Glorious, The Most Honorable) |
The idea of God and the tendency to be attached to a divine being are natural and innate in the human being. As a matter of fact, the fact that Adam (as) was equipped with certain names and knowledge and sent as a vicegerent of Allah on earth, that is, as a representative who would act on his behalf on earth, illustrates this point.[7]
A mind, which is free of preconceived notions and has acquired the ability to think objectively, has no difficulty in comprehending the existence of Allah. This feeling found in the depths of the soul manifests itself, especially in moments of loneliness and disaster.
The Qur’an describes the way a person who encounters great distress, disaster, and distress turns to Allah, “When trouble touches a man, He cries unto Us (in all postures) lying down on his side, or sitting, or standing. But when We have solved his trouble, he passes on his way as if he had never cried to Us for a trouble that touched him!…”[8]
Plights encountered during sea voyages also remind travelers of the existence of Allah. This situation is expressed in the Qur’anic verse as follows, “He it is Who enables you to traverse through land and sea; so that you even board ships; they sail with them with a favorable wind, and they rejoice thereat; then comes a stormy wind and the waves come to them from all sides, and they think they are being overwhelmed: they cry unto Allah, sincerely offering (their) duty unto Him saying, ‘If you do deliver us from this, we shall truly show our gratitude!’ But when he delivers them, behold! They transgress insolently through the earth in defiance of right!…”[9]
Moreover, pondering and contemplating the creation of the heavens and the earth is sufficient to realize that they could not have come into existence by chance. The astoundingly well-adjusted movement of the celestial bodies in space, the incredible scope of the galaxies, and their refined calculations to the minute detail are proofs of the existence of the Almighty Allah. The fact that the sun, which is 1.3 million times larger than our world, emits energy of 167,400 horsepower per square meter in space, that only one-two millionth of these energies reaches our world, that this giant energy source does not even enter the ranks of big stars, inform us of the incredible size of the universe and the greatness of its Creator. Furthermore, ponder the fact that the light travels at a speed of three hundred thousand kilometers per second, 150 million kilometers from our world, while the light of the sun, which is at a distance of 7.5-8 minutes, reaches our world in 7.5-8 minutes. The fact that the light of the pole star, which is considered to be the closest, has taken 40 years, and that the light of the stars at a distance has not yet reached our world since the creation of the world is some of the remarkable data of positive science that strengthens the belief in Allah.
The human being is encouraged to reflect on the creation of the heavens and earth. The following is stated in the Qur’anic verses: “If you ask them, who it is that created the heavens and the earth. They will certainly say, ‘Allah’. Say: ‘Praise be to Allah!’ But most of them understand not.”.[10], “Say: ‘Who is the Lord and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth?’ Say: ‘(It is) Allah.’…”[11], and “Do they not look at the sky above them? How We have made it and adorned it, and there are no flaws in it? And the earth. We have spread it out, and set thereon mountains standing firm, and produced therein every kind of beautiful growth (in pairs) To be observed and commemorated by every devotee turning (to Allah).”[12]
All evidence and the chain of creation are tied to Allah Almighty. Any skeptical thoughts such as, “God created all beings, but who created God?”, should be disregarded as nonsensical for such an inquiry is by its nature fallacious. This is due to the fact that Allah is eternal, has no beginning, was not born, nor created. Reason itself has acknowledged and verified that anything that comes into existence requires a maker and in the case of creation, this chain must end with Allah. It is reported that the Messenger of Allah (saw) responded to a Companion who told him that Satan gave him just such misgivings with the following recommendation, know it is sufficient to say, “I believe in Allah.”[13]
[1] Al-Aʿraf, 7: 180.[2] Al-Hashr, 59: 24.[3] Al-’Isrā, 17: 110.[4] Al-Bukhari, Daʿāwāt, 68, Tawḥīd, 12; Muslim, Dhikr, 2; al-Tirmidhī, Daʿāwāt, 82.[5] Al-Tirmidhī, Daʿāwāt, 82; Ibn Maja, Du‘a, 10.[6] About 16 of these names are found in surah al-Hashr (59) verses 23-24. For the others see Muhammad Fuad ʿAbd al-Baqi, Muʿjam al-Mufahras li Alfāẓ al-Qur’an al-Karīm, related headings.[7] Al-Baqara, 2: 30-33[8] Yunus, 10: 12[9] Yunus, 10: 22, 23.[10] Luqmān, 31: 25.[11] Al-Raʿd, 13: 16.[12] Qāf, 50: 6-8.[13] Sahih-i Muslim, Trans. A. Davudoğlu, Istanbul 1973, I, 483; Şerafettin Gölcük, İslam Akaidi, Konya 1983, p. 81.
Source: Basic Islamic Principles (ʿilmi ḥāl) According to the Four Sunni Schools With Evidence From The Sources of Islamic Law, Prof. Hamdi Döndüren, Erkam Publications