The 99 Names of Allah, known in Arabic as Al-Asma ul Husna (الأسماء الحسنى, “the Most Beautiful Names”), are the names by which Allah has made Himself known in the Quran and the Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah has ninety-nine names and that whoever “enumerates” them will enter Paradise. This guide explains where that promise comes from, what scholars say it really means, why Allah’s names are not limited to 99, and gives the complete, commonly used list with Arabic and English meanings.
Quick facts
| Arabic name | الأسماء الحسنى (Al-Asma ul Husna) |
| Main Quran verse | Surah Al-A’raf 7:180 |
| Main hadith | Sahih al-Bukhari 2736, 6410, 7392; Sahih Muslim 2677 |
| Source of the famous list | Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3507 |
| Are there only 99? | No. The majority of scholars say Allah’s names are more than 99 |
| The greatest, personal name | Allah (الله) |
What does the Quran say about Allah’s names?
The Quran mentions “the Most Beautiful Names” four times. The best known is Surah Al-A’raf 7:180:
وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا
“And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them.” (Surah Al-A’raf 7:180)
The same phrase appears in Surah Al-Isra 17:110, Surah Ta-Ha 20:8 and Surah Al-Hashr 59:24. The last three verses of Surah Al-Hashr (59:22–24) are a treasure in themselves: in three verses Allah names Himself with about fifteen of the 99 names, including Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, Al-Malik, Al-Quddus, As-Salam, Al-Aziz, Al-Jabbar, Al-Khaliq, Al-Bari’ and Al-Musawwir.
The hadith: “Whoever enumerates them will enter Paradise”
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one. Whoever enumerates them will enter Paradise.” This is reported in Sahih al-Bukhari 2736 and 7392, and in Sahih Muslim 2677. In another narration (Sahih al-Bukhari 6410) he added: “And Allah is Witr (One) and loves what is odd.”
What does “enumerate” (ahsaha) mean?
The Arabic word in the hadith is ahsaha (أحصاها). Imam al-Bukhari explained it as knowing them by heart. Later scholars, including Ibn al-Qayyim, said that full “enumeration” has several levels:
- Memorising the names and their wording correctly.
- Understanding their meanings and believing in them.
- Calling on Allah by them in dua, as the Quran commands in 7:180.
- Living by them: someone who truly knows Allah is Ar-Razzaq stops fearing for his provision; someone who knows He is As-Sami’ guards his tongue.
So the promise of Paradise is not for reciting a list mechanically. It is for knowing Allah through His names and letting that knowledge shape one’s faith and life.
Does Allah have only 99 names?
No. The majority of scholars, including al-Khattabi, an-Nawawi, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Hajar and Ibn Uthaymeen, say that Allah’s names are not limited to 99. The hadith means that there are 99 names whose enumeration brings Paradise, not that Allah has no other names. Ibn Hazm was one of the few scholars who held the opposite view.
Their main evidence is the famous dua for distress taught by the Prophet ﷺ, reported by Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (RA) in Musnad Ahmad (3712) and graded sahih by al-Albani. In it the believer asks Allah “by every name that belongs to You, which You named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or taught to any of Your creation, or kept with Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen.” Names kept in the knowledge of the unseen are, by definition, unknown to us, so the total cannot be counted. (See IslamQA 41003 for a fuller discussion.)
Where does the famous list of 99 come from?
The hadith in Bukhari and Muslim gives the number but does not list the names. The list most Muslims know, the one printed on posters and recited in nasheeds, comes from Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3507, narrated through al-Walid ibn Muslim. Imam at-Tirmidhi himself called this version gharib (unusual). Many hadith experts, including Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Hajar, concluded that the list itself was most likely compiled by narrators from the Quran and Sunnah, rather than being the words of the Prophet ﷺ. Other lists exist, such as the one in Sunan Ibn Majah, and they differ by several names.
This does not make the Tirmidhi list wrong to learn. Almost every name in it is well established in the Quran or authentic hadith, and it has been used by Muslims for over a thousand years. Some scholars, such as Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen, did point out that a few names in it are not found in this exact form in the texts, and that names like Ad-Darr (the One who brings harm) and Al-Mudhill (the One who abases) should be mentioned together with their pairs, An-Nafi’ and Al-Mu’izz.
The 99 Names of Allah with meanings (full list)
The list below follows the order of Jami’ at-Tirmidhi. English meanings are short and cannot capture the full depth of the Arabic.
| # | Arabic | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | الرَّحْمَٰنُ | Ar-Rahman | The Most Merciful |
| 2 | الرَّحِيمُ | Ar-Rahim | The Especially Merciful |
| 3 | الْمَلِكُ | Al-Malik | The King, the Sovereign |
| 4 | الْقُدُّوسُ | Al-Quddus | The Most Holy, the Pure |
| 5 | السَّلَامُ | As-Salam | The Source of Peace |
| 6 | الْمُؤْمِنُ | Al-Mu’min | The Giver of Security and Faith |
| 7 | الْمُهَيْمِنُ | Al-Muhaymin | The Guardian, the Overseer |
| 8 | الْعَزِيزُ | Al-Aziz | The Almighty |
| 9 | الْجَبَّارُ | Al-Jabbar | The Compeller, the Restorer |
| 10 | الْمُتَكَبِّرُ | Al-Mutakabbir | The Supreme in Greatness |
| 11 | الْخَالِقُ | Al-Khaliq | The Creator |
| 12 | الْبَارِئُ | Al-Bari’ | The Originator, the Maker |
| 13 | الْمُصَوِّرُ | Al-Musawwir | The Fashioner of Forms |
| 14 | الْغَفَّارُ | Al-Ghaffar | The Ever-Forgiving |
| 15 | الْقَهَّارُ | Al-Qahhar | The Subduer, the Irresistible |
| 16 | الْوَهَّابُ | Al-Wahhab | The Bestower of Gifts |
| 17 | الرَّزَّاقُ | Ar-Razzaq | The Provider |
| 18 | الْفَتَّاحُ | Al-Fattah | The Opener, the Judge |
| 19 | الْعَلِيمُ | Al-Alim | The All-Knowing |
| 20 | الْقَابِضُ | Al-Qabid | The Withholder |
| 21 | الْبَاسِطُ | Al-Basit | The Extender, the Giver of Plenty |
| 22 | الْخَافِضُ | Al-Khafid | The Abaser |
| 23 | الرَّافِعُ | Ar-Rafi’ | The Exalter |
| 24 | الْمُعِزُّ | Al-Mu’izz | The Giver of Honour |
| 25 | الْمُذِلُّ | Al-Mudhill | The Giver of Humiliation |
| 26 | السَّمِيعُ | As-Sami’ | The All-Hearing |
| 27 | الْبَصِيرُ | Al-Basir | The All-Seeing |
| 28 | الْحَكَمُ | Al-Hakam | The Judge |
| 29 | الْعَدْلُ | Al-Adl | The Utterly Just |
| 30 | اللَّطِيفُ | Al-Latif | The Subtle, the Most Gentle |
| 31 | الْخَبِيرُ | Al-Khabir | The All-Aware |
| 32 | الْحَلِيمُ | Al-Halim | The Forbearing |
| 33 | الْعَظِيمُ | Al-Azim | The Magnificent |
| 34 | الْغَفُورُ | Al-Ghafur | The All-Forgiving |
| 35 | الشَّكُورُ | Ash-Shakur | The Most Appreciative |
| 36 | الْعَلِيُّ | Al-Aliyy | The Most High |
| 37 | الْكَبِيرُ | Al-Kabir | The Most Great |
| 38 | الْحَفِيظُ | Al-Hafiz | The Preserver, the Protector |
| 39 | الْمُقِيتُ | Al-Muqit | The Nourisher, the Sustainer |
| 40 | الْحَسِيبُ | Al-Hasib | The Reckoner, the Sufficient |
| 41 | الْجَلِيلُ | Al-Jalil | The Majestic |
| 42 | الْكَرِيمُ | Al-Karim | The Most Generous |
| 43 | الرَّقِيبُ | Ar-Raqib | The Ever-Watchful |
| 44 | الْمُجِيبُ | Al-Mujib | The Responder to Prayer |
| 45 | الْوَاسِعُ | Al-Wasi’ | The All-Encompassing |
| 46 | الْحَكِيمُ | Al-Hakim | The All-Wise |
| 47 | الْوَدُودُ | Al-Wadud | The Most Loving |
| 48 | الْمَجِيدُ | Al-Majid | The All-Glorious |
| 49 | الْبَاعِثُ | Al-Ba’ith | The Resurrector |
| 50 | الشَّهِيدُ | Ash-Shahid | The Witness |
| 51 | الْحَقُّ | Al-Haqq | The Truth |
| 52 | الْوَكِيلُ | Al-Wakil | The Trustee, the Disposer of Affairs |
| 53 | الْقَوِيُّ | Al-Qawiyy | The All-Strong |
| 54 | الْمَتِينُ | Al-Matin | The Firm |
| 55 | الْوَلِيُّ | Al-Waliyy | The Protecting Friend |
| 56 | الْحَمِيدُ | Al-Hamid | The Praiseworthy |
| 57 | الْمُحْصِي | Al-Muhsi | The One who counts all things |
| 58 | الْمُبْدِئُ | Al-Mubdi’ | The Originator of creation |
| 59 | الْمُعِيدُ | Al-Mu’id | The Restorer |
| 60 | الْمُحْيِي | Al-Muhyi | The Giver of Life |
| 61 | الْمُمِيتُ | Al-Mumit | The Bringer of Death |
| 62 | الْحَيُّ | Al-Hayy | The Ever-Living |
| 63 | الْقَيُّومُ | Al-Qayyum | The Self-Sustaining Sustainer of all |
| 64 | الْوَاجِدُ | Al-Wajid | The Finder, who lacks nothing |
| 65 | الْمَاجِدُ | Al-Majid | The Noble |
| 66 | الْوَاحِدُ | Al-Wahid | The One |
| 67 | الْأَحَدُ | Al-Ahad | The Unique, the Only One |
| 68 | الصَّمَدُ | As-Samad | The Eternal Refuge, the Self-Sufficient |
| 69 | الْقَادِرُ | Al-Qadir | The Able |
| 70 | الْمُقْتَدِرُ | Al-Muqtadir | The All-Powerful |
| 71 | الْمُقَدِّمُ | Al-Muqaddim | The One who brings forward |
| 72 | الْمُؤَخِّرُ | Al-Mu’akhkhir | The One who delays |
| 73 | الْأَوَّلُ | Al-Awwal | The First |
| 74 | الْآخِرُ | Al-Akhir | The Last |
| 75 | الظَّاهِرُ | Az-Zahir | The Manifest, the Most High |
| 76 | الْبَاطِنُ | Al-Batin | The Hidden, the Most Near |
| 77 | الْوَالِي | Al-Wali | The Governor |
| 78 | الْمُتَعَالِي | Al-Muta’ali | The Most Exalted |
| 79 | الْبَرُّ | Al-Barr | The Source of All Goodness |
| 80 | التَّوَّابُ | At-Tawwab | The Ever-Accepting of Repentance |
| 81 | الْمُنْتَقِمُ | Al-Muntaqim | The Avenger (of wrongdoing) |
| 82 | الْعَفُوُّ | Al-Afuww | The Pardoner, who erases sins |
| 83 | الرَّءُوفُ | Ar-Ra’uf | The Most Kind |
| 84 | مَالِكُ الْمُلْكِ | Malik-ul-Mulk | Owner of All Sovereignty |
| 85 | ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ | Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram | Lord of Majesty and Honour |
| 86 | الْمُقْسِطُ | Al-Muqsit | The Equitable |
| 87 | الْجَامِعُ | Al-Jami’ | The Gatherer |
| 88 | الْغَنِيُّ | Al-Ghaniyy | The Free of All Need |
| 89 | الْمُغْنِي | Al-Mughni | The Enricher |
| 90 | الْمَانِعُ | Al-Mani’ | The Preventer, the Protector |
| 91 | الضَّارُّ | Ad-Darr | The One who allows harm (by His wisdom) |
| 92 | النَّافِعُ | An-Nafi’ | The Giver of Benefit |
| 93 | النُّورُ | An-Nur | The Light |
| 94 | الْهَادِي | Al-Hadi | The Guide |
| 95 | الْبَدِيعُ | Al-Badi’ | The Incomparable Originator |
| 96 | الْبَاقِي | Al-Baqi | The Everlasting |
| 97 | الْوَارِثُ | Al-Warith | The Inheritor of All |
| 98 | الرَّشِيدُ | Ar-Rashid | The Guide to the Right Path |
| 99 | الصَّبُورُ | As-Sabur | The Most Patient |
“Allah”: the name above all names
The name Allah (الله) is not counted as one of the 99 in the Tirmidhi list, but scholars call it the Ism al-Dhat, the personal name of the Divine Being. Imam an-Nawawi noted that all the other names are attributed back to it: we say “Ar-Rahman is one of the names of Allah”, never the other way round. The Quran says: “Say, call upon Allah or call upon Ar-Rahman. Whichever you call, to Him belong the best names” (Surah Al-Isra 17:110).
A little-known fact: the letters of the 99 Names
If you remove the article “Al-” and look at the first letter of each name in the Tirmidhi list, an interesting pattern appears.
- In Arabic, no name begins with five letters of the alphabet: ث (tha), د (dal), ز (zay), ط (ta) and ي (ya). Every other letter begins at least one name. Even rare letters are covered: ض begins Ad-Darr, ظ begins Az-Zahir, and ذ begins Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram.
- In common English spelling, no name begins with C, E, I, O, P, U, V, X or Y. This depends on transliteration, though: some books write Az-Zahir as “Adh-Dhahir”, which changes the result.
This is simply an observation about the list, not a religious teaching, but it is a useful memory aid for children and students learning the names.
How to call on Allah by His names in dua
The Quran’s command “so invoke Him by them” is practical. Choose the name that matches what you are asking for:
- Seeking forgiveness: Ya Ghafur, Ya Ghaffar, Ya Tawwab. Prophet Nuh (AS) told his people that Allah is Ghaffar and promised rain and provision for those who seek forgiveness (Surah Nuh 71:10–12). Read the full story of Prophet Nuh (AS).
- Asking for provision: Ya Razzaq, Ya Wahhab, Ya Fattah.
- In illness or hardship: Ya Latif, Ya Rahman, Ya Rahim.
- Facing injustice: Ya Adl, Ya Hakam, Ya Qawiyy.
- The Prophet ﷺ himself often said: Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum, bi rahmatika astaghith (“O Ever-Living, O Sustainer, by Your mercy I seek help”), reported in Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3524.
Lessons for us today
- Learn a few names deeply rather than racing through all 99. One name a day, with its meaning and a Quran verse, finishes the list in about three months.
- Let the names change behaviour. Knowing Allah is Ar-Raqib (the Ever-Watchful) is the best guard against sin in private.
- Balance hope and fear. The names of mercy (Ar-Rahman, Al-Ghafur) stand beside the names of justice (Al-Adl, Al-Muntaqim). A believer keeps both in view.
- Do not invent names. Scholars agree that Allah is named only with what He named Himself in the Quran or what the Prophet ﷺ named Him with.
Frequently asked questions
Is the list of 99 names of Allah in the Quran?
The Quran mentions “the Most Beautiful Names” and contains most of the individual names, but it does not give a numbered list. The number 99 comes from the hadith in Bukhari and Muslim, and the famous list from Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3507.
Will memorising the 99 names guarantee Jannah?
The hadith promises Paradise to whoever “enumerates” them. Scholars explain this as memorising, understanding, believing in and acting on the names, not only reciting them. It is a great virtue, but it works together with the rest of a Muslim’s faith and deeds.
How many names does Allah have?
Only Allah knows. According to the majority of scholars, the 99 are a special group of His names, and He has others that He has kept in the knowledge of the unseen, as the authentic dua in Musnad Ahmad shows.
Can I name my child with one of the 99 names?
Names exclusive to Allah, such as Ar-Rahman, Al-Khaliq or Ar-Razzaq, should be used with “Abd” (servant), for example Abdur-Rahman or Abdur-Razzaq. Some names, such as Karim, Rashid or Ali, are also ordinary Arabic words and may be used for people without “Al-“. See our guide to Muslim baby boy names.
This article is general Islamic educational content. Scholars differ on some details of the list; for specific questions, consult a qualified scholar.
Read more: Surah An-Najm: Revelation, Me’raj Signs and the Sajdah · Prophet Nuh (AS) and the Ark
Sources: The Quran, Surah Al-A’raf 7:180, Al-Isra 17:110, Ta-Ha 20:8, Al-Hashr 59:22–24, Nuh 71:10–12; Sahih al-Bukhari 2736, 6410, 7392; Sahih Muslim 2677; Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3507, 3524; Musnad Ahmad 3712; IslamQA answer 41003.
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