11. THE 99 NAMES OF ALLAH ﷻ

Al-Asmāʾ al-Ḥusnā — Arabic, Transliteration and Meaning, with Sources

Scriptural Foundation and Virtue

The Qurʾān commands believers to call upon Allah by His Most Beautiful Names:

وَلِلّٰهِ الۡاَسۡمَآءُ الۡحُسۡنٰى فَادۡعُوۡهُ بِهَا

“Allah has the Most Beautiful Names. So call upon Him by them…” (Surah Al-Aʿrāf, 7:180)

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasized the great reward of learning and enumerating them:

“Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them [enumerates them / acts upon them] will go to Paradise.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 2736) (and Sahih Muslim 2677b)

The 99 Names (Tirmidhi’s Listing)

The standard and most famous list, used widely across Islamic manuscripts, books and digital apps, is narrated in Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhi (3507). In this listing the Name Allah is counted first, followed by Ar-Raḥmān through Aṣ-Ṣabūr, making ninety-nine. That Allah has ninety-nine Names is authentic (Bukhari and Muslim); the chain of this particular list is graded weak, although scholars cite it widely.

1
اَللّٰهُ
Allāh
The Proper Name of God; the One alone worthy of worship
2
الرَّحۡمَنُ
Ar-Raḥmān
The Most Gracious / All-Compassionate
3
الرَّحِيۡمُ
Ar-Raḥīm
The Most Merciful
4
الۡمَلِكُ
Al-Malik
The King / Sovereign
5
الۡقُدُّوسُ
Al-Quddūs
The Most Holy / Free of Deficiencies
6
السَّلَامُ
As-Salām
The Granter of Safety / Perfection
7
الۡمُؤۡمِنُ
Al-Mu’min
The Granter of Security / Faith
8
الۡمُهَيۡمِنُ
Al-Muhaymin
The Guardian / Overseer
9
الۡعَزِيۡزُ
Al-ʿAzīz
The Almighty / All-Mighty
10
الۡجَبَّارُ
Al-Jabbār
The Compeller / Restorer
11
الۡمُتَكَبِّرُ
Al-Mutakabbir
The Supreme / Majestic
12
الۡخَالِقُ
Al-Khāliq
The Creator
13
الۡبَارِئُ
Al-Bāri’
The Maker of Order / Originator
14
الۡمُصَوِّرُ
Al-Muṣawwir
The Fashioner / Shaper
15
الۡغَفَّارُ
Al-Ghaffār
The Continual Forgiver
16
الۡقَهَّارُ
Al-Qahhār
The Subduer / Overwhelming
17
الۡوَهَّابُ
Al-Wahhāb
The Bestower / Liberal Giver
18
الرَّزَّاقُ
Ar-Razzāq
The Provider
19
الۡفَتَّاحُ
Al-Fattāḥ
The Opener / Supreme Judge
20
الۡعَلِيۡمُ
Al-ʿAlīm
The All-Knowing
21
الۡقَابِضُ
Al-Qābiḍ
The Restrainer / Withholder
22
الۡبَاسِطُ
Al-Bāsiṭ
The Expander / Enlarger
23
الۡخَافِضُ
Al-Khāfiḍ
The Abaser / Humbler
24
الرَّافِعُ
Ar-Rāfiʿ
The Exalter
25
الۡمُعِزُّ
Al-Muʿizz
The Giver of Honor
26
الۡمُذِلُّ
Al-Mudhill
The Dishonorer / Humiliator
27
السَّمِيۡعُ
As-Samīʿ
The All-Hearing
28
الۡبَصِيۡرُ
Al-Baṣīr
The All-Seeing
29
الۡحَكَمُ
Al-Ḥakam
The Judge / Arbitrator
30
الۡعَدۡلُ
Al-ʿAdl
The Utterly Just
31
اللَّطِيۡفُ
Al-Laṭīf
The Subtle One / Most Kind
32
الۡخَبِيۡرُ
Al-Khabīr
The All-Aware
33
الۡحَلِيۡمُ
Al-Ḥalīm
The Forbearing
34
الۡعَظِيۡمُ
Al-ʿAẓīm
The Magnificent / Infinite
35
الۡغَفُوۡرُ
Al-Ghafūr
The All-Forgiving
36
الشَّكُوۡرُ
Ash-Shakūr
The Most Appreciative
37
الۡعَلِيُّ
Al-ʿAliyy
The Most High
38
الۡكَبِيۡرُ
Al-Kabīr
The Greatest
39
الۡحَفِيۡظُ
Al-Ḥafīẓ
The Preserver / Guardian
40
الۡمُقِيۡتُ
Al-Muqīt
The Sustainer / Nourisher
41
الۡحَسِيۡبُ
Al-Ḥasīb
The Reckoner
42
الۡجَلِيۡلُ
Al-Jalīl
The Sublime One
43
الۡكَرِيۡمُ
Al-Karīm
The Most Generous
44
الرَّقِيۡبُ
Ar-Raqīb
The Watchful
45
الۡمُجِيۡبُ
Al-Mujīb
The Responsive
46
الۡوَاسِعُ
Al-Wāsiʿ
The Vast / All-Encompassing
47
الۡحَكِيۡمُ
Al-Ḥakīm
The All-Wise
48
الۡوَدُوۡدُ
Al-Wadūd
The Loving One
49
الۡمَجِيۡدُ
Al-Majīd
The Most Glorious
50
الۡبَاعِثُ
Al-Bāʿith
The Resurrector / Raiser
51
الشَّهِيۡدُ
Ash-Shahīd
The Witness
52
الۡحَقُّ
Al-Ḥaqq
The Truth / Reality
53
الۡوَكِيۡلُ
Al-Wakīl
The Trustee / Dependable
54
الۡقَوِيُّ
Al-Qawiyy
The Strong
55
الۡمَتِيۡنُ
Al-Matīn
The Firm / Steadfast
56
الۡوَلِيُّ
Al-Waliyy
The Protecting Friend
57
الۡحَمِيۡدُ
Al-Ḥamīd
The Praiseworthy
58
الۡمُحۡصِيۡ
Al-Muḥṣī
The Counter / Accounter of all
59
الۡمُبۡدِئُ
Al-Mubdi’
The Originator / Initiator
60
الۡمُعِيۡدُ
Al-Muʿīd
The Restorer
61
الۡمُحۡيِيۡ
Al-Muḥyī
The Giver of Life
62
الۡمُمِيۡتُ
Al-Mumīt
The Bringer of Death
63
الۡحَيُّ
Al-Ḥayy
The Ever-Living
64
الۡقَيُّومُ
Al-Qayyūm
The Self-Sustaining
65
الۡوَاجِدُ
Al-Wājid
The Finder / Perceiver
66
الۡمَاجِدُ
Al-Mājid
The Illustrious
67
الۡوَاحِدُ
Al-Wāḥid
The Unique / One
68
الصَّمَدُ
Aṣ-Ṣamad
The Self-Sufficient / Eternal Master
69
الۡقَادِرُ
Al-Qādir
The Capable / Omnipotent
70
الۡمُقۡتَدِرُ
Al-Muqtadir
The Dominant / Determiner
71
الۡمُقَدِّمُ
Al-Muqaddim
The Expediter
72
الۡمُؤَخِّرُ
Al-Mu’akhkhir
The Delayer
73
الۡاَوَّلُ
Al-Awwal
The First (without beginning)
74
الۡآخِرُ
Al-Ākhir
The Last (without end)
75
الظَّاهِرُ
Aẓ-Ẓāhir
The Manifest
76
الۡبَاطِنُ
Al-Bāṭin
The Hidden
77
الۡوَالِيۡ
Al-Wālī
The Sole Governor
78
الۡمُتَعَالِيۡ
Al-Mutaʿālī
The Supreme / Self-Exalted
79
الۡبَرُّ
Al-Barr
The Source of All Goodness
80
التَّوَّابُ
At-Tawwāb
The Acceptor of Repentance
81
الۡمُنۡتَقِمُ
Al-Muntaqim
The Retaliator / Just Avenger
82
الۡعَفُوُّ
Al-ʿAfuww
The Supreme Pardoner
83
الرَّءُوۡفُ
Ar-Ra’ūf
The Most Kind / Compassionate
84
مَالِكُ الۡمُلۡكِ
Mālik-ul-Mulk
Master of the Kingdom
85
ذُو الۡجَلَالِ وَالۡاِكۡرَامِ
Dhul-Jalāli wal-Ikrām
Lord of Majesty and Generosity
86
الۡمُقۡسِطُ
Al-Muqsiṭ
The Equitable
87
الۡجَامِعُ
Al-Jāmiʿ
The Gatherer
88
الۡغَنِيُّ
Al-Ghaniyy
The Self-Sufficient / Rich
89
الۡمُغۡنِيۡ
Al-Mughnī
The Enricher
90
الۡمَانِعُ
Al-Māniʿ
The Withholder / Shielder
91
الضَّارُّ
Aḍ-Ḍārr
The Distressor / Bringer of Harm
92
النَّافِعُ
An-Nāfiʿ
The Benefactor / Giver of Good
93
النُّورُ
An-Nūr
The Light
94
الۡهَادِيۡ
Al-Hādī
The Guide
95
الۡبَدِيۡعُ
Al-Badīʿ
The Incomparable Originator
96
الۡبَاقِيۡ
Al-Bāqī
The Everlasting
97
الۡوَارِثُ
Al-Wārith
The Ultimate Inheritor
98
الرَّشِيۡدُ
Ar-Rashīd
The Guide to the Right Path
99
الصَّبُوۡرُ
Aṣ-Ṣabūr
The Patient / Forbearing

Meaning of “Enumerating” (Iḥṣāʾ)

Classical scholars (such as Imam al-Nawawi and Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani) explained that enumerating the names (iḥṣāʾ) includes:

Memorizing and learning them.
Understanding their meanings and belief in what they signify.
Calling upon Allah by them in supplication (Duʿāʾ) and reflecting their noble qualities (e.g., mercy, generosity) in one’s character.