Names of God

The Names of God (Arabic: Asma'ul Husna, meaning "the most beautiful names") are names and attributes by which God is described, derived from the Quran and hadith. They include Ar-Rahman (the Merciful), Ar-Rahim (the Compassionate), Al-Malik (the King), Al-Quddus (the Holy), and others. Many Islamic scholars regard the word "God" itself as the specific name (ism al-dhaat), while the other names are considered descriptive attributes.

These names hold a significant role in Islamic worship, supplication, and practice. Muslims invoke the names in prayer, remember them in remembrance (dhikr), and they form a substantial part of Islamic creedal knowledge concerning God's attributes.

The Number 99

The number 99 derives from a hadith stating that God has many names, and whoever counts them will enter Paradise. Most Islamic scholars have established that this number does not limit God's names but refers to a particular set. The lists of 99 names that have been collected are not uniform: those found in different hadith and exegetical texts vary in which names they include.

Categories of the Names

Scholars of Islamic creed have classified the names in various ways. Some reveal mercy and generosity (Ar-Rahman, Al-Ghafur, Al-Karim); others reveal power and dominion (Al-Jabbar, Al-Qahhar, Al-Muntaqim). The names have also been divided into those pertaining to God's essence (relating to God's self, such as Al-Hayy, the Living) and those pertaining to God's acts (relating to what God does, such as Al-Khaliq, the Creator, and Ar-Razzaq, the Provider).

Philosophy and theological disagreement

The question of how the names and attributes are to be understood was a major point of debate in the history of Islamic thought. The Mu'tazilites rejected the view that the attributes are separate entities distinct from God's essence, fearing this would entail division. The Ash'arites and Maturidites accepted the attributes but without likening them to human attributes (tawhid tanzih). Salafi scholars emphasized accepting the names as they came while avoiding elaborate interpretation (bi-la takyif).

Cultural usage

The names are used in naming people, typically with the addition of 'Abd (servant), as in Abdur-Rahman or Abdulkarim. Scholars have stated that God's specific names should not be used in personal names without the addition of the term for servitude. The names have also been inscribed in Arabic calligraphy and are counted on prayer beads.