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Getting to Know Allah

99 Names of Allah

The Quran mentions that Allah has “beautiful names” in four revelations (7:180, 17:110, 20:8, 59:24) but does no't specify what these names are and how many exist. “The most popular list of 99 names of Allah among Muslims seems to be a list from a weak (da'if) hadith from the collection of Tirmidhi.”

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “Indeed, Allah has ninety-nine Names, one hundred less one, whoever counts them shall enter Paradise. He is Allah, the one whom there is none worthy of worship except for Him, the Most Merciful (to the creation), the Most Beneficent (to the believers), the King, the Free of Deficiencies, the Granter of Safety, the Granter of Security, the Watcher, the Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme, the Creator, the Originator, the Fashioner, the Pardoner, the Overwhelming, the Giving, the Provider, the Opener, the Knowing, the Taker, the Giver, the Abaser, the Exalter, the One who grants honor, the One who humiliates, the Hearing, the Seeing, the Judge, the Just, the Kind, the Aware, the Forbearing, the Magnificent, the Oft-Forgiving, the Grateful, the Most High, the Great, the Guardian, the Powerful, the Reckoner, the Glorious, the Generous, the Watcher, the Responder, the Liberal Giver, the Wise, the Loving, the Majestic, the Reviver, the Witness, the Truth, the Guarantor), the Strong, the Firm, the One Who Aids, the Praiseworthy, the Encompasser, the One Who Begins things, the One Who brings things back, the One Who gives life, the One Who causes death, the Living, the Self-Sufficient, the One Who brings into existence, the Illustrious, the One, the Master, the Able, the Powerful, the One who hastens, the One who delays, the First, the Last, the Apparent, the Inner, the Owner, the Exalted, the Doer of Good, the Acceptor of repentance, the Avenger, the Pardoning, the Kind, the Owner of Dominion, the Possessor of Glory and Generosity, the One who does justice, the Gatherer, the Rich, the Enricher, the Preventer, the Harmer, the One who benefits, the Light, the Guide, the Originator, the Lasting, the Inheritor, the Guide, the Tolerant.”

 Jami` at-Tirmidhi 6:45:3507

This hadith, Tirmidhi himself questioned.

This (version of the) hadith is gharib [unusual, scarce]; it has been narrated from various routes on the authority of Abu Hurairah, but we do not know of the mention of the Names in the numerous narrations, except this one.

Ibn Taimiyya, another illustrious scholar, dismissed Abu Hurairah’s recollection as not being from the Prophet.

Al-Walid (one of the narrators of the hadith) related the Names from (the saying of) one of his Syrian teachers ... specific mention of the Names is not from the words of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), by the agreement of those familiar with Hadith.

 These misgivings has meant that “Islamic scholars had to rely on ijtihad (independent judgement) to find these names in the Quran and Sunnah and different scholars came up with different lists. Out of the supposed 99 names of Allah, they altogether found at least 276 names”[56] and developed their own list of the Beautiful Names of Allah, Nonetheless, as WikiIslam reminds us, the at-Tirmidhi list remains the most popular in spite of lacking one the most mentioned attribute of Allah in the Koran, that of Compassion.

The importance of memorising Allah’s nine-nine beautiful names cannot be overestimated. Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said: “"Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise."

Bukhari 50:894

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[56] 99 Names of Allah, WikiIslam, April 22.