The first pillar of imaan (faith) in Islam is Belief in Allah. As Muslims, we believe in Allah in accordance with His beautiful names and attributes. Allah has revealed His names repeatedly in the Holy Quran primarily for us to understand who He is. Learning and memorizing the names of Allah will help us to identify the correct way to believe in Him. There is nothing more sacred and blessed than understanding the names of Allah and living by them. How do we expect to worship, love, fear and trust our Lord, The Almighty Allah, if we don’t know who He is?

Allah says in the Quran:

And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them.. (Quran 7:180)

Allah – there is no deity except Him. To Him belong the best names. (Quran 20:8)

He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. (Quran 59:24) 

Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, “Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise.”
(Sahih Bukhari 50:894)

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: There are ninety-nine names of Allah; he who commits them to memory would get into Paradise. Verily, Allah is Odd (He is one, and it is an odd number) and He loves odd number..”
(Sahih Muslim Book-48 Hadith-5)

99 names of Allah – Meaning and Explanation

1	الرَّحْمَنُ	AR-RAHMAAN	The Most or Entirely Merciful	Allah, Ar-Rahmaan, bestows His Mercy (Rahmah) upon all the creatures in this universe.
2	الرَّحِيمُ	AR-RAHEEM	The Bestower of Mercy	The Owner of Mercy that encompasses His creation. Ar-Rahmaan points to the vastness of Allah’s Mercy and Ar-Raheem points out to the effect of this Mercy on His Creation.
3	الْمَلِكُ	AL-MALIK	The King and Owner of Dominion	The One who possesses the attribute of Mulk (kingdom), dominion, power, authority. Allah is Al Malikul Haqq. He is the One who possesses the disposal of all affairs. He commands, makes and does whatever He wants. And Allah gives Mulk to whoever He wants, as Mulk belongs to Him.
4	الْقُدُّوسُ	AL-QUDDUS	The Absolutely Pure	The One who is Very Pure, Absolutely Pure. He is far and above any imperfection, error, fault and shortcoming. He is High above what does not befit Him. He is the one who is Taahir (Pure) and Uluww (High).
5	السَّلاَمُ	AS-SALAM	The Perfection and Giver of Peace	The One who is Free from all imperfections and deficiencies because of the Perfection of His Being, of His Attributes and His Actions (Ibn Kathir). He keeps His creations safe from any injustice on His part.
6	الْمُؤْمِنُ	AL-MU’MIN	The One Who gives Emaan and Security	The One who Affirms and Believes (Eeman) His Oneness and the One who gives Emaan. It is also The One who gives Security (Aman) and Peace. Al-Mu’min is also the One who removes the fear and the One who is Faithful. His promises are always true.
7	الْمُهَيْمِنُ	AL-MUHAYMIN	The Guardian, The Witness, The Overseer	The One who observes His creation with regards to their actions. It is also The One Who offers peace and security and The Trustworthy One who proclaims the Truth. He is the One who always watches us and looks after us.
8	الْعَزِيزُ	AL-AZEEZ	The All Mighty	The One who overpowers everything and Who cannot be overcome. It also refers to the One who is extremely precious, none is like Him. He is unbeatable and nothing can prevent Him from fulfilling what He wills.
9	الْجَبَّارُ	AL-JABBAR	The Compeller, The Restorer	Al-Jabbaar is the Compeller, whatever He will is what happens. He is the One who is Exalted, High above His creation and He is the One who Reforms, the One who fixes the situation for His creation.
10	الْمُتَكَبِّرُ	AL-MUTAKABBIR	The Supreme, The Majestic	Al-Mutakabbir is the Supreme, He reveals His Greatness and Power at every moment and in every incident. Al-Mutakabbir use His rights, privileges and attributes that are above and beyond the rights of everyone else.
11	الْخَالِقُ	AL-KHAALIQ	The Creator, The Maker	The One Who brings things into existence after their non-existence. Who invents and innovates without a prior model. And then bestows upon them their characteristics of movement and other qualities. He is the One Who invents whatever the eyes can see and perfects their creation.
12	الْبَارِئُ	AL-BAARI’	The Originator	The One who is the Originator of everything. He is the Creator and The One who gives distinguished characteristics to all of His Creation. Al-Bari’ knows His creation best.
13	الْمُصَوِّرُ	AL-MUSAWWIR	The Fashioner	The One who is the Fashioner and Former of each and every thing in all of creation. It is the One who has given everything in creation a special inclination of desire and a special form and a special manner whereby it is.
14	الْغَفَّارُ	AL-GHAFFAR	The All- and Oft-Forgiving	The One who is forgiving and looking over our faults over and over again. He also protects us from the effects of our mistakes, in this life and the next so we may go on without shame or guilt. He is the One who can change our wrong deeds into good deeds.
15	الْقَهَّارُ	AL-QAHHAR	The Subduer, The Ever-Dominating	The One Who dominates everything in His kingdom. He is the One before whom the whole creation has humbled itself, and submitted before His Grandeur, power and perfect strength. He is the Vanquisher without ever being unfair.
16	الْوَهَّابُ	AL-WAHHAAB	The Giver of Gifts	The One who continually bestows gifts, favors and blessings upon all of creation. It means He not only gives gifts once or twice, but He constantly does so. He is the One who gives freely and endlessly, without expectation of any return.
17	الرَّزَّاق	AR-RAZZAAQ	The Provider	The One who creates all means of nourishment and sustenance. He is The One who provides everything that is needed (rizq). It means that He bestows all means of support and growth, for the body, the mind and the spiritual life.
18	الْفَتَّاحُ	AL-FATTAAH	The Opener, The Judge	The One who opens all the doors of mercy, profit and sustenance to His slaves. The gate of the solution of every difficut can be easily opened by Him. He makes clear what is unclear. Al-Fattaah is the One who judges between His slaves with perfect justice.
19	اَلْعَلِيْمُ	AL-‘ALEEM	The All-Knowing, The Omniscient	The One whose knowledge (ilm) is neither acquired through learning nor preceded by ignorance, nor followed by forgetfulness. He is aware of all things, even before they happen!
20	الْقَابِضُ	AL-QAABID	The Withholder	Al-Qaabid, Al-Baasit is the One who withholds and extends. He contracts when it is good and He expands when it is good. At time He withholds and at other times He gives. This goes for provisions (rizq), life and death.
21	الْبَاسِطُ	AL-BAASIT	The Extender	Al-Qaabid, Al-Baasit is the One who withholds and extends. He contracts when it is good and He expands when it is good. At time He withholds and at other times He gives. This goes for provisions (rizq), life and death.
22	الْخَافِضُ	AL-KHAAFIDH	The Reducer, The Abaser	Al-Khaafidh, Ar-Raafi’ is the One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment.
23	الرَّافِعُ	AR-RAAFI’	The Exalter, The Elevator	Al-Khaafidh, Ar-Raafi’ is the One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment.
24	الْمُعِزُّ	AL-MU’IZZ	The Honourer, The Bestower	Al-Mu’izz, Al-Muzil is the One who 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.
25	المُذِلُّ	AL-MUZIL	The Dishonourer, The Humiliator	Al-Mu’izz, Al-Muzil is the One who 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	السَّمِيعُ	AS-SAMEE’	The All-Hearing	The One Who hears all sounds and voices, in all of their different languages and all their many and various needs. He is the All-Hearing, the The Ever-Listening.
27	الْبَصِيرُ	AL-BASEER	The All-Seeing	The One Whose insight sees all things clearly, even the smallest act and both the apparent and the hidden. He is the One who sees and understands all that has been, and all that will be.
28	الْحَكَمُ	AL-HAKAM	The Judge, The Giver of Justice	The One and Only true Judge and always delivers justice in every situation. He is the One whose judgments and decrees are never over-turned and He Who makes the final decision of the nature of all matters. He is the One who arbitrates all disputes.
29	الْعَدْلُ	AL-‘ADL	The Utterly Just	The One who is entitled to do what He does.
30	اللَّطِيفُ	AL-LATEEF	The Subtle One, The Most Gentle	The One who is Most knowledgeable of the most subtle details. His actions are so fine and subtle that they may be beyond our comprehension. He bestows gifts that are finely suited to the needs of His creation. He is extraordinarily gracious and understanding. He guides us and treats us with a kindness without us perceiving it.
31	الْخَبِيرُ	AL-KHABEER	The Acquainted, the All-Aware	The One who is acquainted with everything, inner and outer. He is the One who has perfect knowledge and understanding of the real condition, internal qualities and meanings of all that is created.
32	الْحَلِيمُ	AL-HALEEM	The Most Forbearing	The One Who keeps bestowing blessings, both visible and hidden, on His creation, even though they disobey Him and make many mistakes. So He forgives and does not give the sinners the punishment they deserve; He encourages them to repent and gives them time to turn to Him.
33	الْعَظِيمُ	AL-‘ATHEEM	The Magnificent, The Supreme	The One Who is greatest, mightiest, grandest and above all He has absolute greatness in both his attributes and self. All His actions are Perfect. He is the one deserving the attributes of exaltment, glory and purity from all imperfection. His Might and Grandeur is surely beyond our grasp.
34	الْغَفُورُ	AL-GHAFOOR	The Forgiving, The Exceedingly Forgiving	The One Who forgives beyond expectation, accepts repentance and pardons our faults. He is the One who veils our sins end protects us from their effects, so we may go on without shame or guilt. No matter, how many or how huge the sin, Al-Ghafoor can cover it up.
35	الشَّكُورُ	ASH-SHAKOOR	The Most Appreciative	The One Who gives abundantly in return for what was little. He is the One Who is the Most Appreciative because He appreciates even the smallest of deeds, all the time. And His appreciation is unlimited; for there is no end to the happiness of Paradise.
36	الْعَلِيُّ	AL-‘ALEE	The Most High, The Exalted	The One Who is above and exceeds all others, there is nothing and no-one above Him. His Loftiness is absolutely perfect. He is the Highest. AI-‘Alee is above and surpasses all that has ever been, all that there now is, and all that shall ever be.
37	الْكَبِيرُ	AL-KABEER	The Greatest, The Most Grand	The One Who is incomparably great. His Essence is unimaginably great Perfection, in might, power, wisdom and mercy in all His Attributes. He is the Most Great. He is far too great to be compared to any of His creatures; His creatures can never be like Him.
38	الْحَفِيظُ	AL-HAFEEDH	The Preserver, The All-Heedful and All-Protecting	The One Whose power preserves the heavens and the earth. He is the Guardian and Preserver of all the worlds. Al-Hafeedh is heedful of all the actions that we perform by His Knowledge and He protects His slaves from all kinds of hardship and evil.
39	المُقيِت	AL-MUQEET	The Sustainer	Al-Muqeet overwhelms everything with His power and is responsible for all things with His comprehensive and all-inclusive knowledge. He is the Powerful Maintainer and oversees all that exists, sending down provision to His creatures and sharing it out among them, taking care of all living beings.
40	الْحسِيبُ	AL-HASEEB	The Reckoner, The Sufficient	Al-Haseeb is the Bringer to account of His slaves; He knows their deeds, their lifespans and all their affairs. He is the One Who is sufficient; He takes care of all His slaves. Al-Haseeb keeps record of all actions and then He will requite them according to His wisdom.
41	الْجَلِيلُ	AL-JALEEL	The Majestic	The One who is attributed with Greatness of Power and Glory of Status.
42	الْكَرِيمُ	AL-KAREEM	The Most Generous, The Most Esteemed	The One Who is the Most Generous, continually giving forth the most precious bounties to His creation. He is Al-Kareem in His essence, He is the most esteemed and honored because of His Perfection and Oneness. He is Al-Kareem in His dealings with His creation. He forgives, He follows through and His giving exceeds all expectations.
43	الرَّقِيبُ	AR-RAQEEB	The Watchful	The One Who is closely watching over His creation, hearing, seeing and knowing everything. He is the Observer and Witness who is never absent from the scene. Ar-Raqeeb watches you wherever you are, whatever you do, and whenever you do it and He even knows your unspoken intentions.
44	الْمُجِيبُ	AL-MUJEEB	The Responsive One	The One Who answers prayers end responds to requests of those who ask and to the call of those who call upon Him by helping them according to His Wisdom in dealing with their affairs. Al-Mujeeb will often give you more than what you ask for, because He will respond to you with what you need and what is best for you.
45	الْوَاسِعُ	AL-WAASI’	The All-Encompassing, the Boundless	The One Whose expansive essence encompasses the whole creation. His capacities and the meanings of His Attributes are without limit and in abundance. The power, mercy, generosity and knowledge of Al-Waasi’ are boundless. His authority never ends and His domain is endless.
46	الْحَكِيمُ	AL-HAKEEM	The All-Wise	The One Whose wisdom is perfect, free from any error or misunderstanding. His divine will is executed with His divine wisdom, which means He does everything in the most appropriate way in the best place and time.
47	الْوَدُودُ	AL-WADOOD	The Most Loving	The One Who is the source of all love and affection. His Love is intense, constant and lasting. Al-Wadood is the One Who is deserving of all love and affection! Al-Wadood loves the believers and the believers love Him more than anything.
48	الْمَجِيدُ	AL-MAJEED	The Glorious, The Most Honorable	The One Whose essence is the perfection of majesty and glory. He is dignified, glorious end exceedingly generous. Al-Majeed is the only One Who deserves all praise and honor due to His excellence in both His Being and Actions.
49	الْبَاعِثُ	AL-BA’ITH	The Resurrector, The Raiser of the Dead	The One who resurrects His slaves after death for reward and/or punishment.
50	الشَّهِيد	ASH-SHAHEED	The All- and Ever Witnessing	The One Who is ever observing everything and everyone He created. The One Who witnesses the seen and the unseen, all actions and even thoughts and intentions and He is the ultimate Witness on the Day of Judgement.
51	الْحَقُّ	AL-HAQQ	The Absolute Truth	The One Who is the the and truly-existing. His essence is the only reality and He is the One through whom the truth, all righteousness and justice are revealed. His Word, Actions, Reward, Punishment and Promise are the truth.
52	الْوَكِيلُ	AL-WAKEEL	The Trustee, The Disposer of Affairs	The One who can be entrusted with all affairs. He is the ultimate Trustee, guardian and administrator of all things and we can trust in the fact that Al-Wakeel will provide the perfect resolution for every matter.
53	الْقَوِيُّ	AL-QAWIYY	The All-Strong	The One Who is beyond all weakness. His strength is supreme. unlimited and inexhaustible. Before Him the strength of anything or any one is insignificant and so does the greatness of any one held as great.
54	الْمَتِينُ	AL-MATEEN	The Firm, The Steadfast	The One with great firmness. He is the owner of all strength and His nature is the utmost firmness and steadfastness. He is the One who can easily overcome anything through supreme firmness and strength of determination.
55	الْوَلِيُّ	AL-WALIYY	The Protecting Associate	The Protecting Friend, Patron, and Supporter.
56	الْحَمِيدُ	AL-HAMEED	The Praiseworthy	The One who is praised and is praiseworthy. He is the only One who deserves each manner of praise, honour and thanks for His inherent qualities and not only for specific favours.
57	الْمُحْصِي	AL-MUHSEE	The All-Enumerating, The Counter	The One who the count of things are known to Him.
58	الْمُبْدِئُ	AL-MUBDI	The Originator, The Initiator	The One who started the human being.
59	الْمُعِيدُ	AL-MU’ID	The Restorer, The Reinstater	The One who brings back the creatures after death.
60	الْمُحْيِي	AL-MUHYEE	The Giver of Life	Al-Muhyee is the only One who can bring something to life. He creates from nothing and surrounds all with the right conditions to survive until He decrees life to end. Then He resurrects life on the Day of Judgement and all of this is easy for Him.
61	اَلْمُمِيتُ	AL-MUMEET	The Bringer of Death, the Destroyer	The One who renders the living dead.
62	الْحَيُّ	AL-HAYY	The Ever-Living	The One who has a continuous life with no beginning or end. His Life with all His Attributes are perfect end there is no end to His existence. He was before all else, so shall He remain throughout endless time.
63	الْقَيُّومُ	AL-QAYYOOM	The Sustainer, The Self-Subsisting	The One who is established on His Own and by Whom all things subsist. He sustains, protects and oversees. He provides, preserves, watches and manages all that exists. He needs no food nor drink, for He is the One who feeds but is not fed. He is absolutely free of any need from all of the creation.
64	الْوَاجِدُ	AL-WAAJID	The Perceiver	The Finder, the Unfailing
65	الْمَاجِدُ	AL-MAAJID	The Illustrious, the Magnificent	The Glorious, He who is Most Glorious.
66	الْواحِدُ	AL-WAAHID	The One	The One who is unique in His essence and He has no second, no partner, peer or rival. He is the one source from which all of the creation springs forth.
67	اَلاَحَدُ	AL-AHAD	The Unique, The Only One	The One who is unique in both His essence and attributes. There is no one or nothing like Him and He was, is and will forever be the unequaled amid indivisible Only One.
68	الصَّمَدُ	AS-SAMAD	The Eternal, Satisfier of Needs	The One who is eternal, unaffected and unchanged. He is the One who can satisfy each need in a way He knows is best, while He is without any needs. He is the One upon who all of the creation depends, while He depends on no one.
69	الْقَادِرُ	AL-QADEER	The Capable, The Powerful	The One who has perfect, complete Power and Ability. By the Power of Al-Qadeer the creation is brought into being, life and death is given and by His power the resurrection and recompense will be established.
70	الْمُقْتَدِرُ	AL-MUQTADIR	The Omnipotent	The One whose Might is Great and through His overwhelming Power Al-Muqtadir controls all His creatures. He subdues everyone and everything in His domain. His decree prevails in every situation.
71	الْمُقَدِّمُ	AL-MUQADDIM	The Expediter, The Promoter	Al-Muqaddim, Al-Mu’akhkhir is the One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills.
72	الْمُؤَخِّرُ	AL-MU’AKHKHIR	The Delayer, the Retarder	Al-Muqaddim, Al-Mu’akhkhir is the One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills.
73	الأوَّلُ	AL-AWWAL	The First	The One who is the first and foremost. He was before all of the creation and the cause of everything in existence.
74	الآخِرُ	AL-AAKHIR	The Last	The One who is the last and the ultimate. He is the One who remains after the creation perishes and the One beyond whom there is nothing.
75	الظَّاهِرُ	AZ-DHAAHIR	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	الْبَاطِنُ	AL-BAATIN	The Hidden One, Knower of the Hidden	The One who cannot be seen in the way the creation can be seen. He is the One from whom nothing is hidden and who surrounds all things. He knows even the inner states, yet He is veiled from the creation’s perception.
77	الْوَالِي	AL-WAALI	The Governor, The Patron	The One who owns things and manages them.
78	الْمُتَعَالِي	AL-MUTA’ALI	The Self Exalted	The One who is clear from the attributes of the creation.
79	الْبَرُّ	AL-BARR	The Source of Goodness, the Kind Benefactor	The One whose kind and gracious goodness is bestowed on the creation. He is the doer of all good and all good deeds come from Him.
80	التَّوَابُ	AT-TAWWAB	The Ever-Pardoning, The Relenting	The One who grants repentance to whoever He willed among His creatures and accepts their repentance.
81	الْمُنْتَقِمُ	AL-MUNTAQIM	The Avenger	The One who victoriously prevails over His enemies and punishes them for their sins. The One who destroys them.
82	العَفُوُّ	AL-‘AFUWW	The Pardoner	The One who eliminates sins and faults. He is the One who not only forgives sins, but can completely blot out and make any mistake, error or sin disappear whenever He wishes.
83	الرَّؤُوفُ	AR-RA’OOF	The Most Kind	The One who bestows utmost tender mercy on the creation. He is the One whose compassion, affection, kindness and tenderness are beyond understanding.
84	مَالِكُ الْمُلْكِ	MAALIK-UL-MULK	Master of the Kingdom, Owner of the Dominion	The One who owns and rules all of the creation. He is the One who has the authority and power to rule, command and decide for the worlds and everything they contain.
85	ذُوالْجَلاَلِ وَالإكْرَامِ	DHUL-JALAALI WAL-IKRAAM	Possessor of Glory and Honour, Lord of Majesty and Generosity	The One who is the majestic Possessor and Lord of all generosity. He is the One who is the owner of every attribute of glory, honour and bounty.
86	الْمُقْسِطُ	AL-MUQSIT	The Equitable, the Requiter	The One who is Just in His Judgement.
87	الْجَامِعُ	AL-JAAMI’	The Gatherer, the Uniter	The One who unites and gathers together. He is the One who assembles together which had been dispersed, composes and connects similar things and opposites and gathers together mankind on the Day of Judgement.
88	الْغَنِيُّ	AL-GHANIYY	The Self-Sufficient, The Wealthy	The One who is without need of anything. He is the One who is completely independent and the whole creation depends on His wealth. He is in no need of any help or aid of anything or anyone, yet all are in need of Him.
89	الْمُغْنِي	AL-MUGHNI	The Enricher	The One who satisfies the necessities of the creatures.
90	اَلْمَانِعُ	AL-MANI’	The Withholder	The Shielder, the Defender.
91	الضَّارَّ	AD-DHARR	The Distresser	Ad-Dharr, An-Nafi’ is the One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed.
92	النَّافِعُ	AN-NAFI’	The Propitious, the Benefactor	Ad-Dharr, An-Nafi’ is the One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed.
93	النُّورُ	AN-NUR	The Light, The Illuminator	The One who is Light and has created light He placed in the heavens and earth to lighten them. An-Nur is also the One who illuminates the hearts of the believers with knowledge, faith and guidance.
94	الْهَادِي	AL-HAADI	The Guide	The One who is the source of guidance. He is the One who sent prophets and messengers to guide mankind, guides the senses and hearts and directs His servants to the Straight Path.
95	الْبَدِيعُ	AL-BADEE’	The Incomparable Originator	Al-Badee’ is the unique Originator. He is the One whose incomparable power originates, invents and brings into existence all of the unique creation without following any prior model or unlike any similarity to anything that ever existed.
96	اَلْبَاقِي	AL-BAAQI	The Ever-Surviving, The Everlasting	The One that the state of non-existence is impossible for Him.
97	الْوَارِثُ	AL-WAARITH	The Inheritor, The Heir	Al-Waarith is the supreme Heir. He is the One to whom all creatures return. All possessions return to Him when their possessor is gone and it is He who remains after the whole creation has perished.
98	الرَّشِيدُ	AR-RASHEED	The Guide, Infallible Teacher	The Guide to the Right Path, The One who guides.
99	الصَّبُورُ	AS-SABOOR	The Forbearing, The Patient	The One who does not quickly punish the sinners.