The Most Beautiful Names of Allah The first part of the Muslim confession of faith (the shahada) is the basis for the concept of God in Islam. The Muslim bears witness that: “There is no god but God”, or “no divinity but the (one) Divinity”. The revealed Scripture of Islam, the Qur’an, is like a vast commentary on this simple statement, drawing from it all its implications for human life and thought. This conception of the Deity is strictly monotheistic and unitarian. God alone has absolute being, totally independent and totally self-sufficient. Whatever exists or ever could exist does so by His will. He has no “partner” either in creating the universe or in maintaining it in existence. The Qur’an tells us: “Say: He is Allah, The One, Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, nor is He begotten, and there is none like unto Him”. (Quran 112: 1-4) It tells us also that: “Verily, when He intends a thing to be, He but says into it -Be!; and it is.” (Quran 36:82) He is Al-Ahad, The One, absolute unity. This is in sharp contrast to the Christian conception of the Trinity, The One cannot be divided, nor can it be diminished or “humanized” by incarnation in any created form. God does not become His own creature, in fact He does not “become” anything; He is. To sum up: the God of Islam is transcendent, the All-Powerful and All-knowing Creator and Lawgiver; though at the same time infinitely merciful, generous and forgiving. Man, His creature and His servant, stands before Him without intermediary or intercessor, meeting Him through prayer during this brief life on earth and meeting Him face-to-face when life is over. In Islam, God does not embody Himself in any human being or make Himself accessible through idols and images. But he does make Himself accessible through His revealed Names. We, in our small way, can exemplify these qualities and attributes in our daily lives. Inspired and aided by the Most Merciful we can showmercy. Inspired and aided by the One who creates Guidance we can guide our fellowmen and women. Through His Light our lives may be illuminated. What we cannot hope to exemplify fully is His Perfection, but we can love it wholeheartedly. We love those who are kind to us, and God is Kindness itself. We love generosity when it is directed towards us, and He is The Generous. We are irresistibly drawn towards beauty, and He is the source of all Beauty. Above all, we love Perfection, and we seek it in vain in this imperfect world. We find it in God, who is alone perfect, and the Quran tells us that “the believers are strong in their love of God”. At the end of the road, sign-posted by the divine Names, the Muslim rejoices in an overwhelming love for the One who awaits us at journey’s end. An explanation of the meanings of the 99 divine attributes of God which the Prophet (SAW) said, “Allah has 99 names, one 100 minus one. The one who enumerates them enters Paradise.” 1. Allah God, The One other than whom There is no God 2. Ar-Rahman The Most Merciful 3. Ar-Rahim The Most Compassionate 4. Al-Malik The Sovereign Supreme 5. Al-Quddus The Most Holy One 6. As-Salam The Sound One with whom all salvation rests 7. Al-Mu’min The Giver of Faith, Safety, and Security 8. Al-Muhaymin The Protector and Guardian 9. Al-Aziz The Incomparable and Unparalleled One 10. Al-Jabbar The Compeller 11. Al-Mutakabbir The One Supreme in Pride and Greatness 12. Al-Khaliq The Creator 13. Al-Bari The Executive and The Maker 14. Al-Musawwir The Fashioner 15. Al-Ghaffar The Very Forgiving One 16. Al-Qahhar The Dominating One 17. Al-Wahhab The Giver of All 18. Ar-Razzaq The One Who Provides All Sustenance 19. Al-Fattah The Opener 20. Al-Alim The Omniscient One 21. Al-Qabid The One Who Takes Away 22. Al-Basit The One Who Gives Abundantly 23. Al-Khafid The Abaser 24. Ar-Rafi’ The Exalter 25. Al-Mu’izz The One Who Raises to Honor 26. Al-Mudhill The One Who Humiliates 27. As-Sami The Hearing of All 28. Al-Basir The Seer of All 29. Al-Hakam The Arbiter Supreme (Judge) 30. Al-Adl The Just One 31. Al-Latif The Subtle 32. Al-Khabir The All-Aware 33. Al-Halim The Forbearing 34. Al-Adim The Magnificent 35. Al-Ghafur The Forgiver and Hider of Faults 36. Ash-Shakur The Rewarder of Thankfulness 37. Al-’Aliyy The Highest 38. Al-Kabir The Truly Grand One 39. Al-Hafid The Preserver 40. Al-Muqit The Nourisher and The Watcher 41. Al-Hasib The Accounter 42. Al-Jalil The Mighty 43. Al-Karim The Generous 44. Ar-Raqib The Ever Watchful over everything 45. Al-Mujib The Responder 46. Al-Wasi The All- Comprehending 47. Al-Hakim The Perfect Wise 48. Al-Wadud The Loving One 49. Al-Majid The Majestic One 50. Al-Ba’ith The Resurrector 51. Ash-Shahid The Witness 52. Al-Haqq The Ultimate Truth 53. Al-Wakil The Ultimate Trustee 54. Al-Qawiyy The Possessor of All Strength 55. Al-Matin The Firm One 56. Al-’Waliyy The Governor 57. Al-Hamid The Ultimately Praiseworthy One 58. Al-Muhsi The Absolute Reckoner 59. Al-Muhyi The Giver of Life 60. Al-Mubdi The Originator 61. Al-Muid The Restorer 62. Al-Mumit The Taker of Life 63. Al-Hayy The Ever-Living 64. Al-Qayyum The Self-Existing One 65. Al-Waahid He Who is Uniquely One 66. Al-Maajid The Glorified One 67. Al-Wajid The Founder Who Has No Needs 68. As-Samad The Satisfier of All needs 69. Al-Qadir The All-Powerful 70. Al-Muqtadir The Bestower of Power upon Things 71. Al-Muqaddim The One Who Causes Advancement 72. Al-Mu’akhkhir The One Who Causes Retardation 73. Al-Awwal The First 74. Al-Akhir The Last 75. Ad-Dahir The Manifest One 76. Al-Batin The Hidden One 77. Al-Wali He Who has Charge Over All 78. Al-Muta’ali The Highly Exalted One 79. Al-Barr The Beneficent One 80. At-Tawwab He Who Accepts Repentance 81. Al-Muntaqim The Avenger 82. Al-’Afuww The Forgiver 83. Ar-Ra’uf The Most Compassionate 84. Malik Al-Mulk The Owner of All 85. Dhul-Jalal Wal-ikram Lord of Majesty and Bounty 86. Al-Muqsit The Upholder of Equity 87. Al-Jami The Gatherer 88. Al-Ghani The Independently Rich 89. Al-Mughni The Enriching One 90. Al-Mani The Preventer of Harm 91. Ad-Darr The Creator of The Harmful 92. An-Nafi The Creator of Good 93. An-Nur The Light 94. Al-Hadi The One who creates Guidance 95. Al-Badi’a The Originator of Creation 96. Al-Baqi The Everlasting One 97. Al-Warith The Ultimate Inheritor 98. Ar-Rashid The Righteous Teacher 99. As-Sabur The Patient One
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