AN EXPLANATION OF THE
PERFECT NAMES AND ATTRIBUTES OF ALLAH
"He is
Allah, the Creator, the Originator, The Fashioner, to Him
belong the most beautiful names: whatever is in the
heavens and on earth, do declare His praises and glory.
And He is the Exalted in Might, The Wise. (Quran 59:24)
"The most beautiful
names belong to God: so call on Him by them;..." (7:180)
It is not possible to
perfectly translate the names and attributes of Allah from
their original Arabic into English. However, here are some
fairly close explanations.
^= letter ain of arabic
'= letter hamza of arabic
Allah
| Allah, He who has
the Godhood which is the power to create the entities.
|
Ar-Rahmaan
| The Compassionate,
The Beneficient, The One who has plenty of mercy for
the believers and the blasphemers in this world and
especially for the believers in the hereafter.
|
Ar-Raheem
| The Merciful, The
One who has plenty of mercy for the believers.
|
Al-Malik
| The King, The
Sovereign Lord, The One with the complete Dominion,
the One Whose Dominion is clear from imperfection.
|
Al-Quddoos
| The Holy, The One
who is pure from any imperfection and clear from
children and adversaries. |
As-Salaam
| The Source of
Peace, The One who is free from every imperfection.
|
Al-Mu'min
| Guardian of Faith,
The One who witnessed for Himself that no one is God
but Him. And He witnessed for His believers that they
are truthful in their belief that no one is God but
Him. |
Al-Muhaimin
| The Protector, The
One who witnesses the saying and deeds of His
creatures. |
Al-^Azeez
| The Mighty, The
Strong, The Defeater who is not defeated. |
Al-Jabbaar
| The Compeller, The
One that nothing happens in His Dominion except that
which He willed. |
Al-Mutakabbir
| The Majestic, The
One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures
and from resembling them. |
Al-Khaaliq
| The Creator, The
One who brings everything from non-existence to
existence. |
Al-Bari'
| The Evolver, The
Maker, The Creator who has the Power to turn the
entities. |
Al-Musawwir
| The Fashioner, The
One who forms His creatures in different pictures.
|
Al-Ghaffaar
| The Great Forgiver,
The Forgiver, The One who forgives the sins of His
slaves time and time again. |
Al-Qahhaar
| The Subduer, The
Dominant, The One who has the perfect Power and is not
unable over anything. |
Al-Wahhaab
| The Bestower, The
One who is Generous in giving plenty without any
return. He is everything that benefits whether Halal
or Haram. |
Al-Razzaaq
| The Sustainer, The
Provider. |
Al-Fattaah
| The Opener, The
Reliever, The Judge, The One who opens for His slaves
the closed worldy and religious matters. |
Al-^Aleem
| The All-knowing,
The Knowledgeable; The One nothing is absent from His
knowledge. |
Al-Qaabid
| The Constricter,
The Retainer, The Withholder, The One who constricts
the sustenance by His wisdomand expands and widens it
with His Generosity and Mercy. |
Al-Baasit
| The Expander, The
Englarger, The One who constricts the sustenance by
His wisdomand expands and widens it with His
Generosity and Mercy. |
Al-Khaafid
| The Abaser, The One
who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and
raises whoever He willed by His Endowment.
|
Ar-Raafi^
| The Exalter, The
Elevator, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His
Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His
Endowment. |
Al-Mu^iz
| The Honorer, He
gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no
one to degrade Him; And He degrades whoever He willed,
hence there is no one to give Him esteem. |
Al-Muthil
| The Dishonorer, The
Humiliator, He gives esteem to whoever He willed,
hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degrades
whoever He willed, hence there is no one to give Him
esteem. |
As-Samee^
| The All-Hearing,
The Hearer, The One who Hears all things that are
heard by His Eternal Hearing without an ear,
instrument or organ. |
Al-Baseer
| The All-Seeing, The
One who Sees all things that are seen by His Eternal
Seeing without a pupil or any other instrument.
|
Al-Hakam
| The Judge, He is
the Ruler and His judgment is His Word. |
Al-^Adl
| The Just, The One
who is entitled to do what He does. |
Al-Lateef
| The Subtle One, The
Gracious, The One who is kind to His slaves and endows
upon them. |
Al-Khabeer
| The Aware, The One
who knows the truth of things. |
Al-Haleem
| The Forebearing,
The Clement, The One who delays the punishment for
those who deserve it and then He might forgive them.
|
Al-^Azeem
| The Great One, The
Mighty, The One deserving the attributes of Exaltment,
Glory, Extolement,and Purity from all imperfection.
|
Al-Ghafoor
| The All-Forgiving,
The Forgiving, The One who forgives a lot.
|
Ash-Shakoor
| The Grateful, The
Appreciative, The One who gives a lot of reward for a
little obedience. |
Al-^Aliyy
| The Most High, The
Sublime, The One who is clear from the attributes of
the creatures. |
Al-Kabeer
| The Most Great, The
Great, The One who is greater than everything in
status. |
Al-Hafeez
| The Preserver, The
Protector, The One who protects whatever and whoever
He willed to protect. |
Al-Muqeet
| The Maintainer, The
Guardian, The Feeder, The Sustainer, The One who has
the Power. |
Al-Haseeb
| The Reckoner, The
One who gives the satisfaction. |
Aj-Jaleel
| The Sublime One,
The Beneficent, The One who is attributed with
greatness of Power and Glory of status. |
Al-Kareem
| The Generous One,
The Bountiful, The Gracious, The One who is attributed
with greatness of Power and Glory of status.
|
Ar-Raqeeb
| The Watcher, The
Watchful, The One that nothing is absent from Him.
Hence it's meaning is related to the attribute of
Knowledge. |
Al-Mujeeb
| The Responsive, The
Hearkener, The One who answers the one in need if he
asks Him and rescues the yearner if he calls upon Him.
|
Al-Wasi^
| The Vast, The
All-Embracing, The Knowledgeable. |
Al-Hakeem
| The Wise, The Judge
of Judges, The One who is correct in His doings.
|
Al-Wadood
| The Loving, The One
who loves His believing slaves and His believing
slaves love Him. His love to His slaves is His Will to
be merciful to them and praise them:Hence it's meaning
is related to the attributes of the Will and Kalam
(His attribute with which He orders and forbids and
spoke to Muhammad and Musa -peace be upon them- . It
is not a sound nor a language nor a letter.).
|
Al-Majeed
| The Most Glorious
One, The Glorious, The One who is with perfect Power,
High Status, Compassion, Generosity and Kindness.
|
Al-Ba^ith
| The Reserrector,
The Raiser (from death), The One who resurrects His
slaves after death for reward and/or punishment.
|
Ash-Shaheed
| The Witness, The
One who nothing is absent from Him. |
Al-Haqq
| The Truth, The
True, The One who truly exists. |
Al-Wakeel
| The Trustee, The
One who gives the satisfaction and is relied upon.
|
Al-Qawiyy
| The Most Strong,
The Strong, The One with the complete Power.
|
Al-Mateen
| The Firm One, The
One with extreme Power which is un-interrupted and He
does not get tired. |
Al-Waliyy
| The Protecting
Friend, The Supporter. |
Al-Hameed
| The Praiseworthy,
The praised One who deserves to be praised.
|
Al-Muhsee
| The Counter, The
Reckoner, The One who the count of things are known to
him. |
Al-Mubdi'
| The Originator, The
One who started the human being. That is, He created
him. |
Al-Mu^eed
| The Reproducer, The
One who brings back the creatures after death.
|
Al-Muhyi
| The Restorer, The
Giver of Life, The One who took out a living human
from semen that does not have a soul. He gives life by
giving the souls back to the worn out bodies on the
resurrection day and He makes the hearts alive by the
light of knowledge. |
Al-Mumeet
| The Creator of
Death, The Destroyer, The One who renders the living
dead. |
Al-Hayy
| The Alive, The One
attributed with a life that is unlike our life and is
not that of a combination of soul, flesh or blood.
|
Al-Qayyoom
| The
Self-Subsisting, The One who remains and does not end.
|
Al-Waajid
| The Perceiver, The
Finder, The Rich who is never poor. Al-Wajd is
Richness. |
Al-Waahid
| The Unique, The
One, The One without a partner. |
Al-Ahad
| The One.
|
As-Samad
| The Eternal, The
Independent, The Master who is relied upon in matters
and reverted to in ones needs. |
Al-Qaadir
| The Able, The
Capable, The One attributed with Power. |
Al-Muqtadir
| The Powerful, The
Dominant, The One with the perfect Power that nothing
is withheld from Him. |
Al-Muqaddim
| The Expediter, The
Promoter, The One who puts things in their right
places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what
He wills. |
Al-Mu'akh-khir
| The Delayer, the
Retarder, The One who puts things in their right
places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what
He wills. |
Al-'Awwal
| The First, The One
whose Existence is without a beginning. |
Al-'Akhir
| The Last, The One
whose Existence is without an end. |
Az-Zaahir
| The Manifest, The
One that nothing is above Him and nothing is
underneath Him, hence He exists without a place. He,
The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He
is clear from the delusions of attributes of bodies.
|
Al-Baatin
| The Hidden, The One
that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath
Him, hence He exists without a place. He, The Exalted,
His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear
from the delusions of attributes of bodies.
|
Al-Walee
| The Governor, The
One who owns things and manages them. |
Al-Muta^ali
| The Most Exalted,
The High Exalted, The One who is clear from the
attributes of the creation. |
Al-Barr
| The Source of All
Goodness, The Righteous, The One who is kind to His
creatures, who covered them with His sustenance and
specified whoever He willed among them by His support,
protection, and special mercy. |
At-Tawwaab
| The Acceptor of
Repentance, The Relenting, The One who grants
repentance to whoever He willed among His creatures
and accepts his repentance. |
Al-Muntaqim
| The Avenger, The
One who victoriously prevails over His enemies and
punishes them for their sins. It may mean the One who
destroys them. |
Al-^Afuww
| The Pardoner, The
Forgiver, The One with wide forgiveness. |
Ar-Ra'uf
| The Compassionate,
The One with extreme Mercy. The Mercy of Allah is His
will to endow upon whoever He willed among His
creatures. |
Malik Al-Mulk
| The Eternal Owner
of Sovereignty, The One who controls the Dominion and
gives dominion to whoever He willed. |
Thul-Jalali wal-Ikram
| The Lord of Majesty
and Bounty, The One who deserves to be Exalted and not
denied. |
Al-Muqsit
| The Equitable, The
One who is Just in His judgment. |
Aj-Jaami^
| The Gatherer, The
One who gathers the creatures on a day that there is
no doubt about, that is the Day of Judgment.
|
Al-Ghaniyy
| The
Self-Sufficient, The One who does not need the
creation. |
Al-Mughni
| The Enricher, The
One who satisfies the necessities of the creatures.
|
Al-Maani^
| The Preventer, The
Withholder. |
Ad-Daarr
| The Distresser, The
One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and
benefit to whoever He willed. |
An-Nafi^
| The Propitious, The
One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and
benefit to whoever He willed. |
An-Noor
| The Light, The One
who guides. |
Al-Haadi
| The Guide, The One
whom with His Guidance His belivers were guided, and
with His Guidance the living beings have been guided
to what is beneficial for them and protected from what
is harmful to them. |
Al-Badi^
| The Incomparable,
The One who created the creation and formed it without
any preceding example. |
Al-Baaqi
| The Everlasting,
The One that the state of non-existence is impossible
for Him. |
Al-Waarith
| The Supreme
Inheritor, The Heir, The One whose Existence remains.
|
Ar-Rasheed
| The Guide to the
Right Path, The One who guides. |
As-Saboor
| The Patient, The
One who does not quickly punish the sinners.
"...There is nothing
whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears
and sees (all things). Qur'an [42:11]
(Arabic transliteration: Laysa Kamithlihi Shayun Wa
Huwa As-Sami' ul-Basir) |
NOTE:
I found many different versions of the 99 names. The above
99 are on a poster I have. Another list includes Al-Mu'tiy
- The Bestower, The Giver and does not have Al-Ahad - The
One. Another list did not have Al-Razzaaq -The Sustainer,
The Provider but did have Al-Maajid The Noble, The One who
is Majid.
Allah (subhanahu wa
ta`ala)'s names are not limited to 99, which is a common
misconception. There are a couple of evidences, one is the
du`aa where one calls upon Allah by the names He (subhanahu
wa ta`ala) has kept to Himself (obviously not taking these
names since Allah has not revealed them to us); another is
the fact that in the narrations of the famous ninety nine
names hadith that do contain 99 names, the names are not
consistent between narrations (for example, imam al-bayhaqi
reports two versions of this hadith, with different 99
names in each). It is suggested by one commentator that
the names were not explicitly stated by the rasul (sallallahu
`alayhi wa sallam).
Acknowledgement:
This article is taken from
www.jannah.org |