The 99 names of Allah in order, written out with their meanings

The ninety-nine names appear in order in the table immediately below, each with a short meaning. After the table comes the part most lists leave out: where this exact enumeration comes from, whether the names are limited to this number, and what it means to count them.

The 99 names of Allah in order with their meanings

The table lists ninety-nine names, with entries 85 and 86 kept separate as they appear in the narration. Some printed lists merge those two into one line, which is why you sometimes see ninety-eight.

The verse the whole subject rests on

The foundation is the verse in Surat al-Araf, which makes calling upon these names an act of worship rather than a memorisation exercise:

Calling upon Him "by them" means choosing the name that fits the need: Ar-Razzaq when asking for provision, Al-Ghafur when asking for forgiveness. Matching the name to the request is a courtesy before it is a petition.

Where the enumeration of ninety-nine comes from

The report agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim gives the number only: "Allah has ninety-nine names; whoever counts them enters Paradise." It does not list them. The familiar list comes from a narration in al-Tirmidhi, and many scholars held that the listing itself is an addition by a narrator rather than prophetic wording.

What that means in practice:

• The number ninety-nine is established by an authentic report.
• Which ninety-nine names are intended is a matter of scholarly effort, which is why lists differ.
• Some names in the famous list do not occur in the Quran as single nouns, such as Al-Majid in the second form and Al-Mughni, and some occur as verbs rather than names, such as Ad-Darr and Al-Mani.
• Other scholars compiled a list from the Quran alone, which includes names absent from the famous list, such as Ash-Shafi, Ar-Rabb, Al-Mawla, Al-Qarib and Al-Witr.

This does not diminish the list. It protects you from a common mistake: assuming these exact ninety-nine words are prophetic text.

Verses where many names occur together

The closing verses of Surat al-Hashr gather more than ten names in one passage, which makes them the easiest starting point for memorisation:

Other gathering places you can read in full on our surah pages:

• The Throne verse in Surat al-Baqarah: Al-Hayy, Al-Qayyum, Al-Ali, Al-Azim.
• The opening of Surat al-Hadid: Al-Awwal, Al-Akhir, Az-Zahir, Al-Batin.
• Surat al-Ikhlas: Al-Ahad, As-Samad.
• The light verse in Surat an-Nur.

To trace a single name through the whole Quran, the verse search tool shows every occurrence with the matching word highlighted.

What counting the names actually means

Scholars describe counting as three ascending levels rather than recitation alone:

1. Memorising the wording so the name is pronounced without distortion.
2. Understanding the meaning so each name is understood as befits Allah, without reading blame into Al-Jabbar or Al-Mutakabbir.
3. Living by it: whoever knows He is Ar-Raqib watches himself, whoever knows He is Al-Ghafur never despairs of repentance, whoever knows He is Ar-Razzaq does not seek provision through what is forbidden.

Memorisation is the first of three steps, not the destination.

The supplication of the greatest name

A narration in the Sunan records a man supplicating with this wording, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, said he had called upon Allah by His greatest name:

Reported by Abu Dawud and others. Note that it calls upon Allah by two specific names, Al-Ahad and As-Samad, a working example of what the verse asks for.

A practical two-week memorisation plan

The usual mistake is to start at the first name and recite until fatigue, then start again the next day and never pass twenty. Small meaning-linked groups work better:

In review, concentrate on the pairs people confuse: Al-Ghaffar and Al-Ghafur, Al-Wahid and Al-Ahad, Al-Qadir and Al-Muqtadir, Al-Wajid, Al-Majid and Al-Majid in its second form, Al-Muhyi and Al-Mumit. These are what slip, not the unfamiliar names.

Counting the recitation on the digital tasbih, or adding it to your daily azkar after the morning remembrances, keeps the habit measurable.

Teaching the names to children

A child does not memorise a list, but does remember one short story about one name. What works: one name a day, a one-line meaning, and a moment from the child's own day.

• Ar-Razzaq: who gave the sparrow its seed? Then the child says the name at mealtimes.
• As-Sami: Allah hears you even when you whisper. Then the child supplicates quietly.
• Ar-Rahim: your mother is merciful to you, and Allah is more merciful. Who taught her mercy?
• Al-Hafiz: said before sleep for reassurance.

Five minutes a day gives a child thirty names with their meanings in a month, which is worth more than a recitation without understanding.

A widespread error: names attributed without evidence

Many published lists add names that occur neither in the Quran nor in authentic prophetic reports. This subject is restricted to revealed wording: Allah is named only by what He named Himself or what His Messenger named Him. Recurring errors include:

• Deriving names from verbs that appear only in contexts of response, and then using them as names.
• Using philosophical phrases such as "the first cause" or "the absolute being" as if they were divine names.
• Asserting that one particular name is definitely the greatest name without evidence. Scholars differed, and the strongest reports point to the supplication of Al-Ahad and As-Samad, and to Al-Hayy Al-Qayyum and Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram.
• Treating every attribute as a name; not everything Allah describes Himself with becomes a name to call upon.

Frequently asked questions

How many names does Allah have exactly

The authentic report gives ninety-nine, but that does not limit His names to that number. Another supplication asks by the names "He has kept with Himself in the knowledge of the unseen", so the names are more; the ninety-nine are those to which this particular reward is attached.

Is the detailed list of ninety-nine names authentic

The number is established in al-Bukhari and Muslim. The detailed listing comes from al-Tirmidhi, and many scholars considered the listing itself an addition by a narrator rather than prophetic speech. Memorising from this list is sound and beneficial; asserting that these exact names are the intended ninety-nine is not.

Does counting mean memorising

Scholars describe three levels: memorising the wording, understanding the meaning, and acting upon it. The reward in the report is tied to counting in that full sense, not to reciting a list.

Can a person be named after a divine name

Names exclusive to Allah are not used for anyone, such as Allah, Ar-Rahman and Al-Quddus. Names whose basic meaning is shared may be used without the definite article and without intending the divine sense, such as Karim, Aziz, Rashid and Hakim. Adding "Abd" to a divine name, as in Abd ar-Rahman or Abd al-Aziz, is among the best of names.

Where can I read the verses containing the names

The gathering passages are the closing verses of Surat al-Hashr, the Throne verse, the opening of Surat al-Hadid and Surat al-Ikhlas, all available in Uthmani script with recitation on the Quran pages, and any single name can be traced through the whole Quran with the verse search tool.