AN EXPLANATION OF THE PERFECT NAMES AND ATTRIBUTES OF ALLAH
ASMAA-UL-HUSNA
It is not possible to perfectly translate the 99 names of Allah from their original Arabic into English. However, here are some fairly close explanations.
“He is Allah (God), 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 Allah (God): so call on Him by them;…” (Quran 7:180)
?= letter ain of arabic ‘= letter hamza of Arabic
1. Allah
Allah, He who has the Godhood which is the power to create the entities.
2. Ar-Rahmaan
The Compassionate, The Beneficent, The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers and the blasphemers in this world and especially for the believers in the hereafter.
3. Ar-Raheem
The Merciful, The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers.
4. Al-Malik
The King, The Sovereign Lord, The One with the complete Dominion, the One Whose Dominion is clear from imperfection.
5. Al-Quddoos
The Holy, The One who is pure from any imperfection and clear from children and adversaries.
6. As-Salaam
The Source of Peace, The One who is free from every imperfection.
7. 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.
8. Al-Muhaimin
The Protector, The One who witnesses the saying and deeds of His creatures.
9. Al-?Azeez
The Mighty, The Strong, The Defeater who is not defeated.
10. Al-Jabbaar
The Compeller, The One that nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He willed.
11. Al-Mutakabbir
The Majestic, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures and from resembling them.
12. Al-Khaaliq
The Creator, The One who brings everything from non-existence to existence.
13. Al-Bari’
The Evolver, The Maker, The Creator who has the Power to turn the entities.
14. Al-Musawwir
The Fashioner, The One who forms His creatures in different pictures.
15. Al-Ghaffaar
The Great Forgiver, The Forgiver, The One who forgives the sins of His slaves time and time again.
16. Al-Qahhaar
The Subduer, The Dominant, The One who has the perfect Power and is not unable over anything.
17. Al-Wahhaab
The Bestower, The One who is Generous in giving plenty without any return. He is everything that benefits whether Halal or Haram.
18. Ar-Razzaaq
The Sustainer, The Provider.
19. Al-Fattaah
The Opener, The Reliever, The Judge, The One who opens for His slaves the closed worldly and religious matters.
20. Al-?Aleem
The All-knowing, The Knowledgeable; The One nothing is absent from His knowledge.
21. Al-Qaabid
The Constricter, The Retainer, The Withholder, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdom and expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy.
22. Al-Baasit
The Expander, The Enlarger, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdom and expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy.
23. Al-Khaafid
The Abaser, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment.
24. Ar-Raafi?
The Exalter, The Elevator, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment.
25. Al-Mu?iz
The Honorary, 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.
26. 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.
27. 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.
28. 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.
29. Al-Hakam
The Judge, He is the Ruler and His judgment is His Word.
30. Al-?Adl
The Just, The One who is entitled to do what He does.
31. Al-Lateef
The Subtle One, The Gracious, The One who is kind to His slaves and endows upon them.
32. Al-Khabeer
The Aware, The One who knows the truth of things.
33. Al-Haleem
The Forebearing, The Clement, The One who delays the punishment for those who deserve it and then He might forgive them.
34. Al-?Azeem
The Great One, The Mighty, The One deserving the attributes of Exaltment, Glory, Extolement, and Purity from all imperfection.
35. Al-Ghafoor
The All-Forgiving, The Forgiving, The One who forgives a lot.
36. Ash-Shakoor
The Grateful, The Appreciative, The One who gives a lot of reward for a little obedience.
37. Al-?Aliyy
The Most High, The Sublime, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures.
38. Al-Kabeer
The Most Great, The Great, The One who is greater than everything in status.
39. Al-Hafeez
The Preserver, The Protector, The One who protects whatever and whoever He willed to protect.
40. Al-Muqeet
The Maintainer, The Guardian, The Feeder, The Sustainer, The One who has the Power.
41. Al-Haseeb
The Reckoner, The One who gives the satisfaction.
42. Al-Jaleel
The Sublime One, The Beneficent, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status.
43. Al-Kareem
The Generous One, The Bountiful, The Gracious, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status.
44. 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.
45. 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.
46. Al-Wasi?
The Vast, The All-Embracing, The Knowledgeable.
47. Al-Hakeem
The Wise, The Judge of Judges, The One who is correct in His doings.
48. 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.).
49. Al-Majeed
The Most Glorious One, The Glorious, The One who is with perfect Power, High Status, Compassion, Generosity and Kindness.
50. Al-Ba?ith
The Resurrecter, The Raiser (from death), The One who resurrects His slaves after death for reward and/or punishment.
51. Ash-Shaheed
The Witness, The One who nothing is absent from Him.
52. Al-Haqq
The Truth, The True, The One who truly exists.
53. Al-Wakeel
The Trustee, The One who gives the satisfaction and is relied upon.
54. Al-Qawiyy
The Most Strong, The Strong, The One with the complete Power.
55. Al-Mateen
The Firm One, The One with extreme Power which is un-interrupted and He does not get tired.
56. Al-Waliyy
The Protecting Friend, The Supporter.
57. Al-Hameed
The Praiseworthy, The praised One who deserves to be praised.
58. Al-Muhsee
The Counter, The Reckoner, The One who the count of things are known to him.
59. Al-Mubdi’
The Originator, The One who started the human being. That is, He created him.
60. Al-Mu?eed
The Reproducer, The One who brings back the creatures after death.
61. 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.
62. Al-Mumeet
The Creator of Death, The Destroyer, The One who renders the living dead.
63. 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.
64. Al-Qayyoom
The Self-Subsisting, The One who remains and does not end.
65. Al-Waajid
The Perceiver, The Finder, The Rich who is never poor. Al-Wajd is Richness.
66. Al-Waahid
The Unique, The One, The One without a partner.
67. Al-Ahad
The One.
68. As-Samad
The Eternal, The Independent, The Master who is relied upon in matters and reverted to in ones needs.
69. Al-Qaadir
The Able, The Capable, The One attributed with Power.
70. Al-Muqtadir
The Powerful, The Dominant, The One with the perfect Power that nothing is withheld from Him.
71. 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.
72. 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.
73. Al-‘Awwal
The First, The One whose Existence is without a beginning.
74. Al-‘Akhir
The Last, The One whose Existence is without an end.
75. 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.
76. 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.
77. Al-Walee
The Governor, The One who owns things and manages them.
78. Al-Muta?ali
The Most Exalted, The High Exalted, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creation.
79. 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.
80. At-Tawwaab
The Acceptor of Repentance, The Relenting, The One who grants repentance to whoever He willed among His creatures and accepts his repentance.
81. 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.
82. Al-?Afuww
The Pardoner, The Forgiver, The One with wide forgiveness.
83. 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.
84. Malik Al-Mulk
The Eternal Owner of Sovereignty, The One who controls the Dominion and gives dominion to whoever He willed.
85. Thul-Jalali wal-Ikram
The Lord of Majesty and Bounty, The One who deserves to be Exalted and not denied.
86. Al-Muqsit
The Equitable, The One who is Just in His judgment.
87. Al-Jaami?
The Gatherer, The One who gathers the creatures on a day that there is no doubt about, that is the Day of Judgment.
88. Al-Ghaniyy
The Self-Sufficient, The One who does not need the creation.
89. Al-Mughni
The Enricher, The One who satisfies the necessities of the creatures.
90. Al-Maani?
The Preventer, The Withholder.
91. Ad-Daarr
The Distresser, The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed.
92. An-Nafi?
The Propitious, The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed.
93. An-Noor
The Light, The One who guides.
94. Al-Haadi
The Guide, The One whom with His Guidance His believers 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.
95. Al-Badi?
The Incomparable, The One who created the creation and formed it without any preceding example.
96. Al-Baaqi
The Everlasting, The One that the state of non-existence is impossible for Him.
97. Al-Waarith
The Supreme Inheritor, The Heir, The One whose Existence remains.
98. Ar-Rasheed
The Guide to the Right Path, The One who guides.
99. 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)
Courtesy: www.everymuslim.co.za ?
