Allah ʿazza wa jal says:
وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا
“And to Allah belong the best Names, so call upon Him by them.”
[Qur’an 7:180]
1. Allah
اللَّهُ
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما explained the Name Allah by saying:
اللَّهُ ذُو الْأُلُوهِيَّةِ وَالْعبودِيَّةِ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ
“Allah is the One who possesses divinity and the right to be worshipped over all His creation.”
This means Allah ʿazza wa jal is not just “God” as a general word. He is the only true God, the only One who deserves worship, love, fear, hope, duʿāʾ, reliance, sacrifice, and obedience.
2. Ar-Raḥmān and Ar-Raḥīm
الرَّحْمَٰنُ الرَّحِيمُ
Both Names come from mercy, but the Salaf did not treat them as exactly the same.
Ar-Raḥmān points to the vast mercy of Allah ʿazza wa jal that reaches all creation in this world. Believers and disbelievers both live by His mercy. They receive life, provision, health, rain, food, delay of punishment, and worldly blessings.
Ar-Raḥīm points to the special mercy of Allah ʿazza wa jal for the believers. This includes guidance, īmān, forgiveness, support, firmness, and the mercy prepared for them in the Hereafter.
Allah ʿazza wa jal says:
وَكَانَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَحِيمًا
“And He is ever Merciful to the believers.”
[Qur’an 33:43]
3. Al-Malik
الْمَلِكُ
Al-Malik means the King.
The King above whom there is no king.
This means every kingdom, ruler, authority, law, and command is under Allah ʿazza wa jal. No one owns anything independently. Every king is owned by Al-Malik.
When you know Allah ʿazza wa jal is Al-Malik, you stop fearing people as if they control your destiny.
4. Al-Quddūs
الْقُدُّوسُ
Al-Quddūs means the Most Holy, the One completely pure from every imperfection.
This Name teaches that Allah ʿazza wa jal is free from weakness, injustice, ignorance, need, sleep, death, oppression, and every flaw.
5. As-Salām
السَّلَامُ
As-Salām means the One free from all deficiency and the One from whom safety comes.
He is the One whose creation is safe from His injustice.
This does not mean every person is safe from punishment. It means Allah ʿazza wa jal never wrongs anyone. If He rewards, it is from His mercy. If He punishes, it is with justice.
6. Al-Mu’min
الْمُؤْمِنُ
Al-Mu’min has meanings connected to security, confirmation, and truth.
He the one who witnessed for Himself that no one is God but Him.
This Name teaches that Allah ʿazza wa jal is truthful in His promise, truthful in His warning, and never unjust in His judgment.
7. Al-Muhaymin
الْمُهَيْمِنُ
Al-Muhaymin means Allah ʿazza wa jal watches over everything, witnesses everything, preserves everything, and nothing escapes Him.
This Name should make a believer careful in private, because Allah ʿazza wa jal sees what people do not see.
8. Al-ʿAzīz
الْعَزِيزُ
Al-ʿAzīz means the Mighty, the One who cannot be overcome.
This Name teaches that no one can defeat Allah ʿazza wa jal, resist His decree, escape His judgment, or overpower His command.
9. Al-Jabbār
الْجَبَّارُ
Al-Jabbār is the Great.
Other explanations mention that Al-Jabbār is the One who compels His creation to what He wills, and the One who mends and restores what is broken.
This Name teaches both greatness and complete power. Allah ʿazza wa jal is never weak, never resisted, and never unable.
10. Al-Mutakabbir
الْمُتَكَبِّرُ
He is exalted above every evil.
Pride is blameworthy for creation because we are weak, needy, and created. But greatness belongs perfectly to Allah ʿazza wa jal.
This Name teaches that Allah ʿazza wa jal is above every false claim, every defect, every weakness, and every comparison.
11. Al-Khāliq, Al-Bāri’, and Al-Muṣawwir
الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ
These three Names appear together:
هُوَ اللَّهُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ
“He is Allah, the Creator, the Originator, the Fashioner.”
[Qur’an 59:24]
Al-Khāliq is the One who determines and creates with perfect planning.
Al-Bāri’ is the One who brings created beings from nonexistence into existence.
Al-Muṣawwir is the One who gives every creation its form, shape, features, and distinguishing marks.
So these Names are connected, but not identical.
Al-Khāliq teaches you that Allah ʿazza wa jal creates with knowledge and decree.
Al-Bāri’ teaches you that Allah ʿazza wa jal brings creation into existence by His power.
Al-Muṣawwir teaches you that Allah ʿazza wa jal shaped every creature exactly as He willed.
12. Al-Ḥayy and Al-Qayyūm
الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ
Allah ʿazza wa jal says:
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ
“Allah, there is no god worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer.”
[Qur’an 2:255]
The One who has eternal life with no beginning and no end.
Al-Qayyūm is the One who maintains the provision and preservation of His creation.
The difference is important:
Al-Ḥayy points to Allah’s perfect life.
Al-Qayyūm points to Allah’s perfect sustaining and managing of everything else.
Allah ʿazza wa jal lives without needing anyone.
Everything else lives because Allah ʿazza wa jal sustains it.
13. Al-Awwal, Al-Ākhir, Aẓ-Ẓāhir, and Al-Bāṭin
الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ
Allah ʿazza wa jal says:
هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ
“He is the First and the Last, the Most High and the Most Near.”
[Qur’an 57:3]
Al-Awwal: He is before everything, with no beginning.
Al-Ākhir: He remains after everything, with no end.
Aẓ-Ẓāhir: He is high above everything.
Al-Bāṭin: He knows everything.
The Prophet ﷺ explained these Names in a duʿāʾ:
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْأَوَّلُ فَلَيْسَ قَبْلَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الْآخِرُ فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ فَوْقَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ دُونَكَ شَيْءٌ
“O Allah, You are the First, and there is nothing before You. You are the Last, and there is nothing after You. You are the Most High, and there is nothing above You. You are the Most Near, and there is nothing beyond You.” (Muslim 2713)
These Names teach that Allah ʿazza wa jal surrounds all matters in time, power, knowledge, nearness, and authority.
14. As-Samīʿ and Al-Baṣīr
السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
Allah ʿazza wa jal says:
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”
[Qur’an 42:11]
This āyah gives the balanced belief of Ahl al-Sunnah.
Allah ʿazza wa jal negates resemblance:
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ
“There is nothing like unto Him.”
Then Allah ʿazza wa jal affirms His hearing and seeing:
وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
“And He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”
As-Samīʿ means Allah ʿazza wa jal hears what His creation says, and Al-Baṣīr means He sees their deeds. Nothing is hidden from Him.
So we affirm that Allah ʿazza wa jal hears and sees, but we do not compare His hearing or seeing to creation.
15. Al-Laṭīf and Al-Khabīr
اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ
Allah ʿazza wa jal says:
وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ
“And He is the Subtle, the Fully Aware.”
[Qur’an 6:103]
Al-Laṭīf is subtle in bringing it out, and Al-Khabīr is fully aware of its place.
Al-Laṭīf teaches that Allah ʿazza wa jal reaches matters in the most hidden and subtle ways. He brings about outcomes through paths the servant may not notice.
Al-Khabīr teaches that Allah ʿazza wa jal knows the inner reality of everything. He knows secrets, intentions, hidden causes, unseen consequences, and what is best for His servants.
16. Al-Ghaffār
الْغَفَّارُ
Allah ʿazza wa jal says:
وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىٰ
“And indeed, I am surely Forgiving to whoever repents, believes, does righteousness, and then remains guided.”
[Qur’an 20:82]
This forgiveness is for the one who repents from shirk, returns to īmān, makes worship sincere for Allah ʿazza wa jal, performs the obligations, avoids sins, and remains firm.
So Al-Ghaffār teaches repeated and vast forgiveness, but not as an excuse to continue sin carelessly. It is for the one who repents, believes, acts, and stays firm.
17. At-Tawwāb
التَّوَّابُ
At-Tawwāb means the One who accepts repentance again and again.
Allah ʿazza wa jal says:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ
“Indeed, Allah loves those who constantly repent.”
[Qur’an 2:222]
The tawwābīn are those who turn back from disobedience to Allah ʿazza wa jal and return to obedience.
This Name teaches that repentance is not only for people who sinned once. It is for people who keep returning sincerely every time they fall.
18. Al-ʿAliyy and Al-ʿAẓīm
الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Allah ʿazza wa jal says at the end of Āyat al-Kursī:
وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
“And He is the Most High, the Magnificent.”
[Qur’an 2:255]
Al-ʿAliyy as the One who is high above His creation and exalted above rivals and equals.
Al-ʿAliyy teaches the perfect highness of Allah ʿazza wa jal.
Al-ʿAẓīm teaches His perfect greatness.
When you know Allah ʿazza wa jal is Al-ʿAliyy and Al-ʿAẓīm, people, fears, problems, and worldly power become smaller in your heart.
