What Are the 99 Names of Allah? A Beginner's Guide

If you’ve ever seen a beautifully framed grid of Arabic calligraphy in a Muslim home, there’s a good chance you were looking at the Asma ul Husna — the 99 Names of Allah. This guide covers what they are, where the tradition comes from, and how to actually begin learning them.

The names in one paragraph

The 99 Names of Allah (in Arabic, Asma ul Husna, “the most beautiful names”) are names and attributes by which Allah describes Himself in the Quran and in the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Ar-Rahman, the Most Merciful. Al-Malik, the King. Al-Ghaffar, the Ever-Forgiving. Each name is a window onto who Allah is — and together they form the richest possible answer to the question every seeker asks: who is the One I am worshipping?

The Quran itself points to them directly:

“And to Allah belong the most beautiful names, so call upon Him by them.” — Surah Al-A’raf 7:180

Where does the number 99 come from?

From a hadith recorded in both Bukhari and Muslim — the two most rigorously authenticated hadith collections:

“Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one. Whoever ahsaha will enter Paradise.”

Two honest notes a beginner deserves to know:

First, the word ahsaha. It’s often translated “memorizes them,” but the Arabic means something closer to takes full account of them — learns them, understands their meanings, and lives in response to them. Scholars across the centuries have been clear that reciting 99 words from a poster is not the point. Knowing the One they name is.

Second, the lists vary. The famous hadith does not include an itemized list in its most authentic form. The commonly circulated list comes from a later narration, and scholars have compiled slightly different versions from the Quran and Sunnah. This isn’t a scandal — it’s a well-known scholarly discussion, and the differences are at the edges, not the core. The names you’ll find on every list (Ar-Rahman, Al-Malik, Al-Quddus…) are established directly in the Quran.

Nor are the names a cap. Allah’s names are not limited to 99; the hadith highlights 99 with a specific promise attached, and the Prophet ﷺ referred in dua to names Allah “kept with Himself in the knowledge of the unseen.”

Why learn them?

Because you cannot love, trust, or draw near to someone you don’t know. The names transform worship from ritual into relationship:

• Dua becomes precise. Seeking forgiveness? Call on Al-Ghaffar. Feeling unsafe? Al-Mu’min, the Granter of Security. The Quran explicitly tells us to call on Him by name (7:180).
• Hardship becomes readable. Knowing that Al-Jabbar mends what is broken, or that Al-Malik owns every outcome, changes what fear and loss feel like from the inside.
• Character gains a compass. The believer is invited to reflect the names humanly: to be merciful because He is Ar-Rahman, forgiving because He is Al-Ghaffar.

The complete list of the 99 names

Here is the full list in the traditional order. Linked names have a full deep-dive page — new names are published every week, so check back or join the email list to follow along.

#	Arabic	Name	Meaning
1	الرَّحْمَٰن	Ar-Rahman	The Most Merciful
2	الرَّحِيم	Ar-Rahim	The Bestower of Mercy
3	الْمَلِك	Al-Malik	The King
4	الْقُدُّوس	Al-Quddus	The Most Pure
5	السَّلَام	As-Salam	The Source of Peace
6	الْمُؤْمِن	Al-Mu’min	The Granter of Security
7	الْمُهَيْمِن	Al-Muhaymin	The Guardian
8	الْعَزِيز	Al-Aziz	The Almighty
9	الْجَبَّار	Al-Jabbar	The Restorer, The Compeller
10	الْمُتَكَبِّر	Al-Mutakabbir	The Supremely Great
11	الْخَالِق	Al-Khaliq	The Creator
12	الْبَارِئ	Al-Bari	The Originator
13	الْمُصَوِّر	Al-Musawwir	The Fashioner
14	الْغَفَّار	Al-Ghaffar	The Ever-Forgiving
15	الْقَهَّار	Al-Qahhar	The Subduer
16	الْوَهَّاب	Al-Wahhab	The Bestower
17	الرَّزَّاق	Ar-Razzaq	The Provider
18	الْفَتَّاح	Al-Fattah	The Opener
19	الْعَلِيم	Al-‘Alim	The All-Knowing
20	الْقَابِض	Al-Qabid	The Withholder
21	الْبَاسِط	Al-Basit	The Extender
22	الْخَافِض	Al-Khafid	The Abaser
23	الرَّافِع	Ar-Rafi’	The Exalter
24	الْمُعِزّ	Al-Mu’izz	The Honorer
25	الْمُذِلّ	Al-Mudhill	The Humbler
26	السَّمِيع	As-Sami’	The All-Hearing
27	الْبَصِير	Al-Basir	The All-Seeing
28	الْحَكَم	Al-Hakam	The Judge
29	الْعَدْل	Al-‘Adl	The Utterly Just
30	اللَّطِيف	Al-Latif	The Subtle, The Gentle
31	الْخَبِير	Al-Khabir	The All-Aware
32	الْحَلِيم	Al-Halim	The Forbearing
33	الْعَظِيم	Al-‘Azim	The Magnificent
34	الْغَفُور	Al-Ghafur	The All-Forgiving
35	الشَّكُور	Ash-Shakur	The Most Appreciative
36	الْعَلِيّ	Al-‘Ali	The Most High
37	الْكَبِير	Al-Kabir	The Most Great
38	الْحَفِيظ	Al-Hafiz	The Preserver
39	الْمُقِيت	Al-Muqit	The Sustainer
40	الْحَسِيب	Al-Hasib	The Reckoner
41	الْجَلِيل	Al-Jalil	The Majestic
42	الْكَرِيم	Al-Karim	The Most Generous
43	الرَّقِيب	Ar-Raqib	The Watchful
44	الْمُجِيب	Al-Mujib	The Responsive
45	الْوَاسِع	Al-Wasi’	The All-Encompassing
46	الْحَكِيم	Al-Hakim	The All-Wise
47	الْوَدُود	Al-Wadud	The Most Loving
48	الْمَجِيد	Al-Majid	The Most Glorious
49	الْبَاعِث	Al-Ba’ith	The Resurrector
50	الشَّهِيد	Ash-Shahid	The Witness
51	الْحَقّ	Al-Haqq	The Absolute Truth
52	الْوَكِيل	Al-Wakil	The Trustee
53	الْقَوِيّ	Al-Qawiyy	The All-Strong
54	الْمَتِين	Al-Matin	The Firm
55	الْوَلِيّ	Al-Waliyy	The Protecting Friend
56	الْحَمِيد	Al-Hamid	The Praiseworthy
57	الْمُحْصِي	Al-Muhsi	The All-Enumerating
58	الْمُبْدِئ	Al-Mubdi	The Initiator
59	الْمُعِيد	Al-Mu’id	The Restorer to Life
60	الْمُحْيِي	Al-Muhyi	The Giver of Life
61	الْمُمِيت	Al-Mumit	The Bringer of Death
62	الْحَيّ	Al-Hayy	The Ever-Living
63	الْقَيُّوم	Al-Qayyum	The Sustainer of All
64	الْوَاجِد	Al-Wajid	The Perceiver
65	الْمَاجِد	Al-Majid	The Noble
66	الْوَاحِد	Al-Wahid	The One
67	الْأَحَد	Al-Ahad	The Indivisible
68	الصَّمَد	As-Samad	The Eternal Refuge
69	الْقَادِر	Al-Qadir	The All-Capable
70	الْمُقْتَدِر	Al-Muqtadir	The All-Powerful
71	الْمُقَدِّم	Al-Muqaddim	The Expediter
72	الْمُؤَخِّر	Al-Mu’akhkhir	The Delayer
73	الْأَوَّل	Al-Awwal	The First
74	الْآخِر	Al-Akhir	The Last
75	الظَّاهِر	Az-Zahir	The Manifest
76	الْبَاطِن	Al-Batin	The Hidden
77	الْوَالِي	Al-Wali	The Governor
78	الْمُتَعَالِي	Al-Muta’ali	The Most Exalted
79	الْبَرّ	Al-Barr	The Source of Goodness
80	التَّوَّاب	At-Tawwab	The Accepter of Repentance
81	الْمُنْتَقِم	Al-Muntaqim	The Just Requiter
82	الْعَفُوّ	Al-‘Afuww	The Pardoner
83	الرَّءُوف	Ar-Ra’uf	The Most Kind
84	مَالِكُ الْمُلْك	Malik-ul-Mulk	Owner of All Sovereignty
85	ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَام	Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram	Possessor of Majesty and Honor
86	الْمُقْسِط	Al-Muqsit	The Equitable
87	الْجَامِع	Al-Jami’	The Gatherer
88	الْغَنِيّ	Al-Ghaniyy	The Self-Sufficient
89	الْمُغْنِي	Al-Mughni	The Enricher
90	الْمَانِع	Al-Mani’	The Preventer
91	الضَّارّ	Ad-Darr	The Bringer of Adversity
92	النَّافِع	An-Nafi’	The Benefactor
93	النُّور	An-Nur	The Light
94	الْهَادِي	Al-Hadi	The Guide
95	الْبَدِيع	Al-Badi’	The Incomparable Originator
96	الْبَاقِي	Al-Baqi	The Everlasting
97	الْوَارِث	Al-Warith	The Inheritor
98	الرَّشِيد	Ar-Rashid	The Guide to the Right Path
99	الصَّبُور	As-Sabur	The Most Patient

How to begin (without burning out)

1. Go slowly. One name a week beats 99 names in a weekend. Depth compounds; lists evaporate.
2. Follow the traditional order. It begins with mercy — Ar-Rahman, then Ar-Rahim — and that’s a curriculum, not a coincidence. Start with Ar-Rahman.
3. Do something with each name. Use it in dua that same day. Each name page on this site ends with a dua and three practical applications for exactly this reason.

This site walks through the names one at a time — root meanings, Quranic references, an original reflection, and ways to live each name. New deep dives are published every week. Begin with name 1 →