The Divine Names
The Divine
Names Related to Existence
Al-Mawjûd:The
Existing
Allah possesses real
existence without beginning or end. The existence of everything else
is derived from His existence.
"But the actions of those who reject are like
a mirage in the desert. A thirsty man thinks it is water,
but when he reaches it, he finds it to be nothing at all, but he finds (wajada) Allah there.
He will pay him his account in full." (24:39)
Al- Kâ'in:
The One Who Is
Allah is Existing,
firm, realized. He is Being. Ka'in is derived from the verb 'kâna
' (to be), usually connected with other attributes, as:
"Allah has knowledge of everything. (lit.
Allah is Knowing of everything)"
(33:40)
Ath-Thâbit: The
One Whose Existence is Firm
Allah is the One whose
existence is confirmed, enduring, lasting, substantial, and definite
whereas our existence is ephemeral and transitory.
Al-Haqq:
The Truly Real
The Truth, the Real,
the Really-existing, He whose existence and divinity are true, the
One who creates according to the requirements of wisdom, justice,
right, rightness, the Necessarily-existing by His own Essence, He
whose existence is undeniable. Every reality exists from His essence
and nothing has any intrinsic reality except Him.
Al-Haqq
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"That is because Allah - He is the Truth, and what you call upon
besides Him is falsehood Allah is the All-High, the Most Great."
(31:29)
"On that Day Allah will pay them in full what
is due to them, and they will know that Allah is the Clear Truth."
(24:25)
"That is because Allah is the Real and gives life to the dead
and has power over all things and
the Hour is coming without any doubt and Allah will raise up all
those in the graves." (22:6)
The Divine Names Related to Eternity
Al-Qadîm:
The Timelessly Eternal
The Timelessly or
Beginninglessly Eternal, the opposite of muhdath or hâdith
(that which came into existence after not having been). Al-Qadîm has
no beginning or is before the beginning. He is outside linear time.
Al-Azalî:
The Pre-Eternal
Relating to
pre-eternity, existing without any prior non-existence and without
any beginning.
Al-Awwal,
Al-Akhir: The First and the Last
Al-Akhir
is He who remains after all His creatures
have perished.
Al-Awwal
is the First, preceding all others.
Al-Awwal
and Al-Akhir are two
of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"He is the First and
the Last and the Outward and the Inward."
(57:3)
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
said, "...Allah, You are the First,
for there was nothing before You, and You are the Last, for there is nothing after You,
and you are the Outward, for there is nothing above You, and You are
the Inward, for there is nothing beyond You. Remove our debt, and
relieve us from poverty."
Al-Bâqî:
The Abiding
The second dimension
of divine eternity along with Al-Qadîm. He will not cease to
be. He is the One whose existence has no end. He is Lasting,
Perpetual, Endless.
Al-Baqi is
one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Allah is better and
longer lasting." (20:72)
"Everyone who is on it will pass away. And the
Face of your Lord will remain, Master
of Majesty and Generosity." (55:24-25)
Ad-Dâ'im:
The Everlasting
The Everlasting,
enduring endlessly, the One who does not perish.
Al-Abadî:
The Post-Eternal
The Always enduring,
He who has no end and will never cease to be, the Everlasting.
As-Sarmadî:
The Constant
The Continuous,
constant; the One who continues endlessly, without any interruption,
having neither beginning nor end, and the One who can bring a
constant state about.
Say: "What do you really think? If Allah made it permanent night for you till
the Day of Rising, what god is there other than Allah to bring you
light? Do you not then hear?"
Say: "What do you really think? If Allah made it permanent day for you till
the Day of Rising, what god is there other than Allah to bring you
night to rest in? Do you not then see?"(28:71-72)
Al-Wârith:
The Inheritor
The One who inherits
and continues after all others have ceased to be; thus all returns
to Him. He is the true owner of all.
Al-Warith is
one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"It is We who will
inherit the earth and all those on it and. They will be
returned to Us." (19:39)
"We will inherit
from him the things he is talking about and he will come to Us all
alone." (19:81)
"It is We who give life and cause to die and We
are the Inheritor."
(15:23)
Ad-Dahr:
Time
Infinity of time, undifferentiated time from
the beginning of the world to its end, extended indivisible space of
time.
"The son of Adam vexes me when he curses Time,
for I am Time. In My hand is the
command. I cause the night and day to follow one upon the other."
(al-Bukhari, Muslim, etc.)
Al-Qayyûm:
The Self-Sustaining
The Self-Sustaining,
Self-Subsisting, Self-Existing, the One who is in charge of things
and preserves them and manages them. Also the One whose power over
His creatures is unchangeable and will never end. He requires
nothing to exist.
Al-Qayyum
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Allah. There is no god but Him, the Living, the Self-Sustaining."
(2:255)
"Faces will be humbled to the Living, the All-Sustaining."
(20:108)
The Divine Names Related to Uniqueness
Al-Wâhid:
The One
One, the Sole, the One
who attribute is unity; the One in Essence who is without like, the
One in attributes besides whom there is no other, or the One who is
not susceptible of division into parts nor of duplication, the One
who has ever been alone without companion.
Al-Wahid
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"My fellow-prisoners, are many lords better,
or Allah, the only One, the
Conqueror?" (12:39)
"Allah says, 'Do not take two gods. He is only One God. So dread Me alone.'"
(16:51)
"Your God is One."
(37:4)
"Say: "I am only a human being like yourselves. It
is revealed to me that your god is One God.
So let him who hopes to meet his Lord act rightly and not associate
anyone with the worship of his Lord."
(18:110)
Al-Wahîd:
The Unique
"Leave the person to I created on his own to Me alone. "
(74:11)
Al-Ahad:
Absolute Oneness
The Unique, One with
No Other, the Sole. He who has ever been one and alone; the
Indivisible, He who has no second. It is the closest to the Essence.
Al-Ahad
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Say: He is Allah,
Absolute Oneness." (112:1)
ÔAbdullah ibn Burayda related from his father that
the Messenger of Allah heard a man say, "O Allah, I ask You by the
fact that I testify that You are Allah and there is no god but You the One, the Everlasting Support who
did not beget and was not begotten and there is no one like Him." He
said, "You have asked Allah by the Name by which He gives when
asked, and by which He answers when He is called on by it ."
Al-Fard:
The Unequalled
The Single, the Sole,
He who has no equal or like, the Unequalled.
Al-Witr:
The Single
Not one of a pair, He
who has no like or equal, without parallel.
"Allah is single (witr) and loves odd numbers, so do the witr, people of the Qur'an."
(hadith)
The Divine Names Related to Perfection
As-Subbûh,
Al-Quddûs: The All-Perfect, Utterly Pure
Subbuh
is from Subhan, which is glorification and tanzih,
disconnecting and elevating Him above any others. He is All-Perfect,
All-Pure, All Glorious, far removed from everything evil and
imperfect.
Quddus
means pure (tahir, munazzah), pure and free of any
imperfection .He is far removed from every imperfection or impurity
or from anything that would detract from His glory, and disconnected
from every description perceived by the senses and thought,All-Holy,
All-Pure, All-Perfect.
Some say Subbuh
denies imperfection and Quddus affirms perfection.
Al-Quddus
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"He is Allah. There is no god but Him. He is
the King, the Most Pure."
(59:23)
"Everything in the heavens and everything in the
earth glorifies Allah, the King, the Most Pure, the Mighty, the Wise."
(62:1)
As-Salâm:
Perfect Peace
The Flawless, sound of
every imperfection or deficiency, peace for His creatures. He is the
Author of Safety, because He has rendered all His creatures safe
from unsoundness and from injustice from Him, the Giver of peace.
As-Salam
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
.
"He is Allah. There is no god but Him. He is
the King, the Most Pure, the Perfect Peace."
(59:23)
At-Tâhir :
The Pure
Pure of every bad
action and any imperfection or any corporal distinction.
Al-
Muta'âlî: The High Exalted
He Who is free of
imperfection and none has power like His, He who is great or
supremely great, above the lies of the liars, or the Most High, who
is higher than every other high one, or He who has ascendancy over
everything by His power or He who is exalted above the attributes of
created things.
Al-Muta'ali
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Allah knows what every female bears and every
shrinking of the womb and every swelling. Everything has its measure
with Him, the Knower of the Unseen and the Visible, the Most Great, the High Exalted."
(13:9-10)
"May Allah be exalted
above what they associate with Him!"
(27:63)
Al-'Alî,
Al-'Âlî, Al-'A'lâ: The Most High
Above and beyond, the
High above whom there is nothing higher.
Al-'Ali
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Judgement belongs to Allah,
the All-High, the All-Great."
(40:11)
"Everything in the heavens and everything in the
earth belongs to Him. He is the Most High,
the Magnificent." (42:4)
"Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High."
(87:1)
"Only desiring the Face of their Lord Most High."
(92:20)
"That is because Allah is the Real and what you
call on apart from Him is false. Allah is
the All-High, the All-Great."
(22:60)
Ar-Râfi':
The Exalter
Active sense of
'Ali. Great in attributes, Exalter of the degrees of dignity;
the Lofty. He exalts by drawing people near to Him and by granting
them good fortune.
Ar-Rafi'
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Therefore call upon Allah, making your
deen sincerely His, though the rejecters dislike it. He is the Raiser of ranks, the Possessor of
the Throne. " (40:13-14)
Al-'Adhîm:
The Magnificent
Immense in the sense
of size and volume - the greatest dimensions which encompass all,
referring to His Essence and attributes; the Incomparably Great,
Enormous who cannot be perceived by the intellect.
Al-'Adhim
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Everything in the heavens and everything in the
earth belongs to Him. He is the Most High, the Magnificent."
(42:4)
"Glorify then the name of your Lord, the Magnificent!"
(56:77)
"He used to not believe in Allah the Magnificent."
(69:33)
Al-Kabîr:
The Incomparably Great
Like Al-'Adhîm,
but carries more of a sense of power. It refers to Essence;
Incomparably Great, Most Great, Great beyond measure, the Majestic.
It expresses the perfection of His Essence.
Al-Kabir
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
That is because Allah, He is the Truth, and
what you call upon besides Him is falsehood. Allah is the All-High, the Most Great."
(31:30)
"Intercession with Him will be of no benefit
except from someone who has His permission. So that when the terror
has left their hearts they will say, 'What did your Lord say?' They
will say, 'The Truth. He is the All-High,
the Most Great.'" (34:23)
Al-Mutakabbir:
The Supremely Great
Everything which is
not Him is insignificant; He is the Great in Majesty or Most
Excellent of beings, who has rights which no other possesses, the
Possessor of power and excellence the like of which no other has; He
who acts are good, exceeding the good acts of any other; the
Majestic; He who disdains having the attributes of created beings;
He who magnifies Himself against the proud among His creatures.
Al-Mutakabbir
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"He is the King, the Most Pure, the Perfect
Peace, the Trustworthy, the Safeguarder, the Almighty, the
Compeller, the Supremely Great."
(59:23)
Al-Jalîl:
The Majestic
The Majestic, Great in
respect of rank or dignity. His order must be obeyed and carried
out. This refers to His attributes. He is great in dignity because
of His creating the great things which are indicative of Him, or
because He is too great to be comprehended within limits or
perceived by the senses.
Al-Jalil
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
Dhû'l-Jalâl
wa'l-Ikrâm: The Lord of Majesty and Generosity
Tthe One who should be
revered and honoured. Ibn 'Abbas said that "Dhu'l-Jalal" means "Full
of Majesty."
Dhu'l-Jalal wa'l-Ikram
is one of the
Ninety-Nine Names.
"Blessed be the name of your Lord, Master of Majesty and Generosity."
(55:77)
Al-Jamîl:
The Beautiful
Comely or goodly in
deeds, or an Abundant bestower of good things.
"Allah is Beautiful
and loves beauty" (Muslim)
Al-Mâjid,
Al-Majîd: The Noble, The Glorious
He who possesses
superiority or abundance of good (the root of majd is a field
full of pasturage), richness, and superabundance; the Glorious,
Great, Great in Dignity, He who gives liberally or bountifully. He
who is glorified for His deeds and nobleness and is vast in nobility
and generosity. Al-Majîd indicates honour in respect of the
Essence, and Al-Mâjid points to honour in respect of the
attributes.
Al-Mâjid
and Al-Majîd are two
of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"He is Praiseworthy,
All-Glorious." (11:72)
Al-Karîm,
Al-Akram: The Generous, The Most Generous
Worthy of praise,
glorious; Generous (in the sense of abundant), Munificent, noble,
precious, possessing generosity lacking in any lowness or baseness.
Al-Karim
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"This is part of my Lord's favour to test me
to see if I will give thanks or show ingratitude. Whoever gives
thanks only does so to his own gain. Whoever is ungrateful, my Lord
is Rich Beyond Need, Generous."
(27:41)
"Recite, and your Lord is
the Most Generous." (96:3)
Al-Hamîd:
The Praiseworthy
Praised and
praiseworthy.
Al-Hamid
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Everything in the heavens and everything in
the earth belongs to Him. Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy."
(22:62)
Al-Ghanî:
The Rich Beyond Need
The Self-Sufficient,
Without need of anything, He who possesses all things.
Al-Ghani
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Everything in the heavens and the earth
belongs to Allah. Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy."
(31:25)
"Mankind! You are the poor in need of Allah
whereas Allah is the Rich Beyond Need,
the Praiseworthy." (35:14)
Al-Wâjid:
The Rich
Rich, Resourceful or
Knowing, He who has no wants and lacks nothing.
Al-Wajid
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"A thirsty man thinks it water but when he
reaches it, he finds it nothing at all. But he finds Allah there and He will pay him
his account in full." (24:38)
Az-Zâhir:
The Outward
the Ascendant and
Predominant over things, or He who is known by inference of the mind
from what appears to mankind of the effects of his actions and
attributes.
Az-Zahir
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"He is the First and the Last, the Outward and the Inward."
(57:3)
Al-Bâtin:
The Inward
He who knows the
inward or intrinsic states or circumstances of thing, He who is
veiled from eyes and imaginations of creatures.
Al-Batin
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"He is the First and the Last,
the Outward and the Inward."
(57:3)
The Divine Names Related to Life
Al-Hayy:
The Living
Ever-Living, i.e.
Deathless.
Al-Hayy
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Allah, there is no god but Him, the Living, the Self-Sustaining."
(2:253)
"Put your trust in the
Living who does not die and glorify Him with praise."
(25:58)
The Divine Names Related to Power
Al-Qâdir;
Al-Qadîr, Al-Muqtadir: The All-Powerful
Powerful, meaning
capable of action. The last two names are more intensive. It entails
decreeing and ordaining. It is He who does what He will, according
to what wisdom requires, not more or less.
Al-Qadir
and Al-Muqtadir are
two of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Say: "He possesses
the power (qâdir) to send you
punishment from above your heads or from underneath your feet, or to
confuse you in sects and make you taste each other's violence."
(6:66)
"He adds to creation in any way He wills. Allah
has power (qadîr)
over all things." (35:1)
"Allah cannot be withstood in any way, either in
the heavens or in the earth. He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful
(qadîr)." (35:44)
"They denied every one of Our Signs. So We seized
them with the seizing of One who is Almighty,
All-Powerful (muqtadir)."
(54:42)
Al-Qawi,
Dhu'l-Quwwa: The All-Strong, The Possessor of Strength
Strong. It is either
an equivalent of qadir, or qawî has a stronger
meaning. He possesses the plenitude and perfection of power.
Al-Qawi
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Allah will certainly help those who help Him.
Allah is All-Strong, Almighty."
(22:38)
"He is the Most Strong,
the Mighty." (42:18)
"Truly Allah, He is the Provider, the Possessor of Strength, the Sure."
(51:58)
Al-Matîn:
The Sure
The Firm, Strong in
power, firm in His possession of strength and able to enforce His
Will. His power is perfect and unrestricted.
Al-Matin
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Truly Allah, He is the Provider,
the Possessor of Strength, the Sure."
(51:58)
Ash-Shadîd:
The Severe
Harsh, severe,
inexorable.
"Your Lord has forgiveness for people for
their wrongdoing; but your Lord is also
severe in retribution."
(13:7)
"Yet still they argue about Allah when He is inexorable in His power!"
(13:13)
Al-Qâhir;
Al-Qahhâr: The Absolute Master, All-Conquering
The Victorious, the
Subduer, He who vanquishes, dominates, and governs all, He who
conquers the powerful in this world (the tyrants); the Subduer of
His creatures by His sovereign authority and power, and the Disposer
of them as He pleases with and against their will; the Overcomer or
Subduer of all beings.
Al-Qahhar
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"He is the Absolute
Master over His slaves. He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware."
(6:18)
"Say: 'Allah is the Creator of everything. He is
the One, the All-Conquering."
(13:18)
"On the day the earth is changed to other than the
earth, and the heavens likewise, and they parade before Allah, the
One, the All-Conquering."
(14:50)
Al-Jâlib,
Al-Jallâb: The Compeller
Same as Qâhir.
The One who makes something happen.
Al-'Azîz:
The Almighty
The All-Powerful, the
Incomparable. No one can resist or oppose Allah. Often the
all-Powerful applied to punishment; impossible, difficult, free of
being menaced; unique and nothing is like Him. The One who overcomes
everything, He who resists or withstands so that nothing overcomes
Him; the Incomparable, the Unparalleled. Nothing is beyond His
power.
Al-'Aziz
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"He grants victory to whoever He wills. He is the Almighty, the Most Merciful."
(30:4)
"Say: 'Show me those you have joined to Him as
associates. No indeed! He is Allah, the
Almighty, the All-Wise."
(34:27)
Al-Jabbâr:
The Compeller
He compels His
creatures to what He wills of His commands and prohibitions, and
none can oppose Him and none is free of His grasp; the One who
repairs and mends; the One who is inaccessible, the Unattainable,
the Supreme. Also the Restorer of the poor to wealth or sufficiency,
the Establisher of hearts according to their natural constitutions
which He gave them in their mothers' wombs, disposing them to know
Him and bear witness to Him, both the wretched and the happy among
them.
Al-Jabbar
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"He is Allah – there is no god but Him. He is the
King, the Most Pure, the Perfect Peace, the Trustworthy, the
Safeguarder, the Almighty, the Compeller,
the Supremely Great. Glory be to Allah above all they associate with
Him." (59:23).
Al-Muqît:
The Maintainer
He maintains creatures
by letting them continue to existence through knowledge and power,
also the Nourisher. The Possessor of power, He who gives to every
man his food; the Preserver or Protector who gives everything its
protection as is needful. He who is well-furnished with power over
all things
Al-Muqit
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Allah gives all
things what they deserve."
(4:84).
The Divine Names Related to Omniscience
Al-'Âlim,
Al-'Alîm, Al-'Allâm: The All-Knowing
The Knower. He who
knows what has been and what will be, who ever has known and ever
will know what has been and what will be, from whom nothing is
concealed in the earth nor in the heaven, whose knowledge
comprehends all things in the most complete manner. His knowledge is
timeless and essential.
Al-'Alim
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Truly Allah has knowledge of the Hour and sends
down abundant rain and knows what is in the womb. And no self knows
what it will earn tomorrow and no self knows in what land it will
die. Allah is All-Knowing ('alîm),
All-Aware." (31:33)
"That is the Knower
of the Unseen and the Visible, the Almighty, the Most Merciful."
(32:5)
"Allah knows the
Unseen of the heavens and the earth. Allah
knows ('âlam) everything the breasts contain."
(35:38)
"If I did say it, then You would have known it.
You know what is in my self but I do not know what is in Your Self.
You are the Knower ('allâm) of all
unseen things." (5:118)
Al-Khabîr:
The All-Aware
He who has perfect
knowledge, not touched by doubt or error, who knows even the most
hidden. He knows what has been and what is or will be, He knows the
internal qualities of things.
Al-Khabir
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Do you not see that Allah makes night merge into
day and day merge into night, and that He has has made the sun and
moon subservient, each one running for a specified time, and that
Allah is aware of everything you do?
(31:29)
Al-Muhît:
The Encompassing
Surrounding and
encompassing in knowledge and power. Knowing the thing altogether,
in all its modes and circumstances; intrinsically and extrinsically,
having a comprehensive and complete knowledge to the furthest extent
possible. Everything is in His power and subject to His force. He
has total power over them and complete knowledge of them.
"Allah encompasses
what they do." (3:120)
Al-Muhsî:
The Appraiser
The knowledge of Allah
of quantities. He comprehends everything by His knowledge, nothing
escaping Him, small or great.
Al-Muhsi
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"He has counted
them and numbered them precisely."
(19:94)
"Allah has recorded
it while they have forgotten it."
(58:6)
Al-Hasîb:
The Reckoner
He who takes account
of the actions of man and reckons them, the One who gives what is
sufficient for His slaves.
Al-Hasib
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"But he finds Allah there. He will pay him his
account in full. Allah is swift at reckoning."
(24:38)
"Allah suffices as a
Reckoner."
(4:6)
As-Samî':
The All-Hearing
The one who hears all,
no matter how faint the sound, without any organ of hearing.
As-Sami'
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Anyone who rejects the false gods and
believes in Allah has grasped the Firmest Handhold, which will
never give way. Allah is All-Hearing,
All-Knowing." (2:255)
"You are the All-Hearing,
All-Knowing." (3:35)
Al-Basîr:
The All-Seeing
The One who sees all
things, both the apparent and the hidden without any organ of
vision.
Al-Basir
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"What We have revealed to you of the Book is
the truth, confirming what came before it. Allah is aware of and sees His slaves."
(35:31)
"Allah sees what
you do." (2:264)
Ash-Shahîd:
The Witness
Witness, possessing
much knowledge with respect to external things, the One from whom
nothing is Hidden; the Faithful in His testimony.
Ash-Shahid
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Show fear of Allah. Allah is witness of all things."
(33:55)
"Say: 'Allah is a sufficient witness between me and you. He knows
everything in the heavens and the earth."
(29:52)
Al-Hâfiz,
Al-Hafîz: The Preserver
The opposite of
forgetfulness; to preserve, conserve, the opposite of to let perish.
The Preserver of all things; He from whose preservation nothing is
excluded, not even an atom in the heavens or the earth: He who
preserves His creatures from oblivion and preserves the heavens and
earth.
Al-Hafiz
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"The Best of Guardians
(hâfiz) is Allah." (12:64)
"Your Lord is the
Preserver (hafîz) of all things."
(34:21)
Ar-Raqîb:
The Watchful
He observes men so
that nothing escapes him or is Hidden from Him. The Guardian,
Keeper, Watcher, Vigilant Observer.
Ar-Raqib
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Allah is watchful
over all things." (33:52)
Al-Hakîm:
The All-Wise
Wise, the One who
knows and acts well. Whatever He does is free defect and
imperfection. It is one of the attributes of action. Allah is free
of any unsoundness. From the root of the verb comes the noun
hakama, a curb bridle used for a horse to prevent it from
running without direction. Wisdom is called hikma because it
prevents the person who has it from being rash and ignorant.
Al-Hakim
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"If all the trees on earth were pens and all
the sea, with seven more seas besides, was ink Allah's words still
would not run dry. Allah is Almighty,
All-Wise." (31:26)
At-Tabîb: The True Physician
Doctor or judge.
A man said, "I am a physician," and the Prophet,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah is the True Physician. Rather you are a
compassionate man. Her physician is the one who created her." (Abu
Dawud)
Al-Qarîb:
The Near
Near.
"If My slaves ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the caller
when he calls on Me. (2:185)
"So ask His forgiveness and then turn in
repentance to Him. My Lord is Close
and Quick to Respond."
(11:60)
The Divine Names Related to Creation
Al-Khâliq,
Al-Khallâq: The Creator
He who has the power
to give existence to creatures; He who brings into existence
according to the proper measure or proportion; the Originator, not
after any pre-existing likeness; or He who brought things into
existence after they had not been in existence.
Khallâq
is the Master Creator, or the Creator of many creatures.
Al-Khaliq
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Allah is He who
created the heavens and the earth and everything between them
in six days then established Himself firmly upon the Throne."
(32:3)
"Does He who created
the heavens and earth not have the power to create the same again?
Yes indeed! He is the Creator, the
All-Knowing." (36:80)
"Your Lord creates
and chooses whatever He wills. The choice is not theirs."
(28:68)
"Your Lord, He is the
Creator (Khallâq), the All-Knowing."
(15:86)
Al-Bâri':
The Maker
He makes creatures
distinct from one another; enabling creatures leave non-existence He
is the One who transforms sources, the One creates things not based
on any model of likeness. He created these things fear of any
faultiness, and distinguished from from one another by various forms
and outward appearances. The crucial aspect of Khaliq is the One who
has the power and changes things from one state to another whereas
Bari' brings them into time and originates them.
Al-Bari'
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"He is Allah - the
Creator, the Maker,
the Giver of Form."
(59:24)
Al-Musawwir:
The Giver of Form
He gives each being
its proper form, determines its composition, dimensions and
appearance. The Former or Fashioner of all existing things who has
established them and given to every one of them a special form and
particular manner of being whereby it is distinguished.
Al-Musawwir
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Then He formed
him and breathed His Ruh into him."
(32:8)
"It is He who forms
you in the womb however He wills."
(3:6)
"He is Allah - the Creator,
the Maker, the Giver of
Form."
(59:24)
Al-Badî':
The Originator
The Contriver, the
Originator who first makes something new and original, the One who
brings something into existence for the first time, and not after
the similitude of anything existing before it.
Al-Badi'
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"The Originator
of the heavens and the earth. When He decides on something, He
simply says to it, 'Be!' and it is."
(2:116)
Al-Fâtir:
The Bringer-into-Being
To be the first to do
something; the One who separates the heavens and the earth, their
Originator. The root also means to knead dough and make it into
bread.
"The Bringer-into-being
of the heavens and earth."
(42:9)
"Praise be to Allah, the
Bringer-into-being of the heavens and the earth."
(35:1)
Al-Fâliq:The One Who Splits and Brings into Being
He opens the apertures
for things to come into existence; the Cleaver of the dry grain to
make it germinate; He causes the dawn to break
"Allah is He Who
splits the seed and kernel. He brings forth the living from
the dead, and produces of dead out of the living."
(6:96)
"It is He Who splits
the sky at dawn, and appoints the night as a time of stillness and
the sun and moon as a means of reckoning."
(6:97)
Adh-Dhâri':
The Creator
It contains an idea of
succession of generations, multiplication, dispersal, spreading,
making thing grow and develop.
"They assign to Allah a share of the crops and
livestock He has created."
(6:136)
Al-Munshî':
The Producer of Existence
Drives from the idea
of beginning, something without nothing before it, e.g. He raised
the clouds, originated, began to build, compose, cause to come into
being
"Travel about the earth and see how Allah
brings creation out of nothing.
Then later Allah will bring about the
next existence." (29:19)
"It is He who first
produced you from a single self, then from a resting-place
and a repository." (6:99)
"It is He who produces
gardens, both cultivated and wild, and palm-trees and crops of
diverse kinds, and olives and pomegranates, the same yet not the
same." (6:142)
Al-Jâ'il:
The One Who Puts in Place
To place, put,
institute, to make be, assign. The verb ja'ala is similar to
fa'ala and sana'a, to make a thing from a thing, e.g.
16:81, "He has made shaded places for
you." So to create or bring into existence from something else, but
also simply create, as 6:1, "He Who
appointed darkness and light," and 21:31, "We made from water every living thing."
To make or prepare (65:3; 65:4). To appoint (19:31); to make
something be in a certain condition (2:21), also to make a change,
to pronounce a legal judgement, to call or name; to make known, to
exalt, etc.
"Then He produced
his seed from an extract of base fluid."
(32:7)
"He who made the
angels messengers, with wings - two, three and four."
(35:1)
"He has given you
mates from among yourselves, and given
mates to the livestock, in that way multiplying you."
(42:11)
Al-Mubdi':
The Originator
Like al-Badi', the One
who originates something without prior model, begins the first time.
Al-Mubdi'
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"He who has created all things in the best
possible way. He commenced the
creation of man from clay." (32:7)
"Have they not seen how Allah brings creation out of nothing, then
reproduces it? That is easy for Allah."
(29:18)
Al-Mu'îd:
The Restorer
The one who restores
what He has already created before and brings it to live again.
Al-Mu'id
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Allah originates creation, then will regenerate it, then you will be
returned to Him." (30:11)
Al-Bâ'ith:
The Raiser
The Raiser,
Resurrector. To re-create, like Mu'id; revive; also to send.
The One who Quickens mankind after death. To cause something to be.
Al-Ba'ith
is one of the Ninety-Nine Names.
"Allah will raise up all those in the graves."
(22:7)
Al-Jâmi':
The Gatherer
He gathers together
the creatures; the One who collects created beings for the Day of
Reckoning, or the Combiner of things of similar natures and things
of contrary natures in existence.
Al-Jami'
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Our Lord, You are the
Gatherer of mankind to a Day of which there is no doubt."
(3:9)
As-Sâni':
The Maker
Maker, someone who
makes something with his own hands with great skill. (Only the verb
is used in reference to Allah)
"You will see the mountains you reckoned to be
solid going past like clouds - the handiwork
of Allah who gives to everything its solidity."
(27:90)
Al-Muhdith:
The One Who Brings into Temporal Existence
He who brings into
existence or caused it to happen for the first time, not having been
before. This is really bringing something into temporality.
"It may well be that after that Allah will cause a new situation to
develop." (65:1)
Al-Mûjid:
The One Who Brings into Existence
Bringer into existence
from non-existence. Also the One who enriches so that the person is
in no need, also to strengthen after weakness.
Al-Mukawwin:
The One Who Brings into Being
The One who makes
something come into existence by saying "Be! (kun).
"His command when He desires a thing is just
to say to it,'Be!"'and it is." (36:81)
The Divine Names Related to Lordship
Al-Malik;
Al-Mâlik: The King, the Master
Al-Mali is the King,
the Sovereign; Al-Mâlik is the Master, Owner, Malik is the governor
of beings who have the consciousness of being governed, not the case
with Mâlik, who owns everything.
Al-Malik
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"He to Whom the
kingdom of the heavens and the earth belongs."
(2:106).
"Exalted be Allah, the
King, the Real. There is no god but Him, Lord of the Noble
Throne." (23:117)
"High exalted be Allah,
the King, the Real!" (20:111)
Mâlik al-Mulk:
The Master of the Kingdom
Owner or Possessor of
the Kingdom, who grants sovereignty to whomever He will.
Malik al-Mulk
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"O Allah! Master of
the Kingdom! You give sovereignty to whoever You will. You
take sovereignty from whoever You will."
(3:26)
Ar-Rabb:
The Lord
Lord: master, owner;
chief; the Cherisher, the one who takes care of a thing. Ar-Rabb is
the one who puts right, manages, compels and guards. He is the One
worshipped. Some scholars say that the name is the greatest name of
Allah because of the great number of those who make supplication
using it. It reflects the true relationship of a person with his
Lord, containing both mastery and kindness, concern, and nurture.
"Lord of the
heavens and the earth and everything between them. Lord of the Easts."
(37:5)
"Allah is my Lord
and your Lord, so worship Him. This
is a straight path." (3:50)
As-Sayyid:
The Master
Lord, but only of
animate creatures.
A delegation said to the Messenger of Allah, "You
are our master." He replied, "The Master
is Allah, blessed and exalted is He."
As-Samad:
The Everlasting Sustainer of All
The Eternal Lord,
Radically transcendent, the One to whom things aim, and direct
themselves, the One to whom one has recourse; that which has nothing
hollow - an indivisible Essence; being that continues forever, the
Creator of everything, of whom nothing is independent, and whose
unity everything indicates, or who takes no nourishment.
As-Samad
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Say: He is Allah, Absolute Oneness. Allah the Everlasting Sustainer of all."
(112:1-2)
Ô Abdullah ibn Burayda related from his father that
the Messenger of Allah heard a man say, "O Allah, I ask You by the
fact that I testify that You are Allah and there is no god but You
the One, the Everlasting Support who did not beget and was not
begotten and there is no one like Him." He said, "You have asked
Allah by the Name by which He gives when asked, and by which He
answers when He is called on by it ."
Al-Mawlâ, Al-Walî, Al-Wâlî: The Protector, The Friend
patron, protector,
master
Al-Walî
is one of the Ninety-Nine
Names.
"Hold fast to Allah. He is your
Protector (mawlâ) - the best Protector, the best Helper."
(22:78)
"They have no protector (wâli)
apart from Him." (13:12)
"Have they then taken others besides Him as
protectors? But Allah is the Protector (walî)
He brings the dead to life. He has power over all things."
(42:7)
"Allah is the Protector (wali
) of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness
into the light." (2:257)
Al-Mudabbir:
The Manager
To manage, administer,
govern with forethought about the issues and results of things.
"He made the sun and moon subservient, each
running for a specified term. He directs
the whole affair." (13:2)
