THE BEAUTIFUL NAMES OF ALLAH

All creation consists of Allah’s own substance. The basic matter of all things iscontained within His singular reality. Sufis call this spiritual/material substance theNinety-Nine Names or the Beautiful Names of Allah. These names are Allah’s diverseattributes, all of which comprise His entire being. Allah’s essence holds all of thesequalities as potential energy. In the act of creation, His potential energy becomeskinetic.

Most of Allah’s names are found in the Holy Qur’an, interspersed in its many suras[chapters]. Sufis see them as Allah’s way of describing Himself in the Qur’an, the Wordof God revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). For Sufis, Allah’s namesare the very stuff of creation, as well as the means by which Allah sustains it. TheBeautiful Names, as compiled below, are understood by Sufis as a chart of universalelements, which supersedes the periodic table of chemical elements devised byscientists.

The 99 Names of Allah

In a sacred tradition Allah told Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), “I was a secret treasureand I wished to be known, so I created creation.” Allah fashioned the universe oruniverses from His pure light. His energy existed in a formless state, and He willed theenergy to take shape over time. In the act of creation Allah activated some of Hisinherent attributes, such as Al Khaliq, Al Bari, Al Musawwir. Allah began the creationwith one word, “Be.” At that moment, the creation of the universe started.

The Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe corroborates the Sufi viewpoint.According to this theory, the universe came into being through a series of explosions.With each explosion a new chemical element was created. In Sufi terms, Allah’s lightthus began taking shape in material form, and the interaction of Allah’s attributesproduced variety and complexity. Waves, subatomic and atomic particles, molecules,cells, organisms, the development of all that exists began as energy and continues toexist as energy in various states of formation, from wave particles to the human being.For the Sufi, the universe has long been understood as a multilayered totality, lightwrapped in sheaths of increasingly more dense matter.

Allah’s names are manifest in various combinations at each point of creation. The formula Allah used for each thing determines itsunique character. This uniqueness itself is an expression of Allah’s name Al Ahad, The Unique. Because Allah’s intention was to beknown, He created a being who could know Him intimately, as a living, conscious synthesis of all of His Beautiful Names. Allahdesigned only one creature to manifest all of His divine attributes. This fruit of the universe, the end product of the creation of theworlds, is the human being.

The Ninety-Nine Names of Allah Delineated

The Beautiful Names, which are Allah's attributes, fallwithin His Mercy and/or Power sides, as depicted in thisillustrated chart. The center line symbolizes the BalanceNames of Allah. The inner circle represents the ZatNames of Allah. The Power Names of Allah are on theleft and the Mercy Names of Allah are on the right.

Allah: GodAl Rahman: The One Who Acts with MercyAl Rahim: The Source of MercyAl Malik: The Ruler; The King; The Owner of the DominionAl Quddus: The Holy OneAl Salaam: The Peaceful OneAl Mu’min: The Accepter of the Truth; The One Who ActsWith the TruthAl Muhaymin: The Protector; The Guardian; The Giver ofSecurityAl Aziz: The Mighty with Benevolence; The Revered OneAl Jabbar: The CompellerAl Mutakabbir: The Possessor of GreatnessAl Khaliq: The CreatorAl Bari: The ShaperAl Musawwir: The DetailerAl Ghaffar: The Oft-Forgiving OneAl Qahhar: The Overpowering OneAl Wahhab: The BestowerAl Razzaq: The ProviderAl Fattah: The Opener; The PresiderAl Alim: The All-Knowing OneAl Qabid: The ConstrictorAl Basit: The Reliever; The ExpanderAl Khafid: the AbaserAl Rafi: The ExalterAl Mu’izz: The Bestower of HonorsAl Mudhill: The HumiliatorAl Sami: The HearerAl Basir: The SeerAl Hakam: The JudgeAl Adl: The Just OneAl Tawwab: The Accepter of RepentanceAl Latif: The Subtle and Kind OneAl Khabir: The All-Aware OneAl Halim: The Soft and Gentle One Who Gives EaseAl Azim: The Magnificent OneAl Ghafur: The Purifying and Tolerant One Who OverlooksSinsAl Shakur: The Source of GratitudeAl Ali: The Exalted OneAl Kabir: The Incomparably Great OneAl Hafiz: The Preserver and ProtectorAl Muqit: The CaretakerAl Hasib: The One Who Keeps Accounts and Measures of AllThingsAl Jalil: The Mighty OneAl Karim: The Generous OneAl Raqib: The Vigilant SupervisorAl Mujib: The Responsive OneAl Wasi: The All-Encompassing OneAl Hakim: The Wise OneAl Wadud: The Loving One

Al Majid: The Glorious OneAl Ba'ith: The ResurrectorAl Shahid: The WitnessAl Haqq: The TruthAl Wakil: The Trustee; The Representative; The GuardianAl Qawi: The Strong OneAl Matin: The Enduring OneAl Wali: The Protecting FriendAl Hamid: The One Who Deserves All Praise; The One Whois GlorifiedAl Muhsi: The Doer of GoodAl Mubdi: The OriginatorAl Mu’id: The RestorerAl Muhyi: The One Who Is Able to ReviveAl Mumit: The Giver of DeathAl Hayy: The Alive, Continuously Existing OneAl Qayyum: The CaretakerAl Wajid: The One Who FormsAl Majid: The Glorious OneAl Wahid: The One and OnlyAl Ahad: The UniqueAl Samad: the Receiver of RequestsAl Qadir: The One Who Is Able to Do All ThingsAl Muqtadir: The Creator of All PowerAl Muqaddim: The One Who Puts His Creatures AheadAl Mu’akhkhir: The One Who Puts His Creatures BehindAl Awwal: The FormerAl Akhir: The LatterAl Zahir: The OuterAl Batin: The InnerAl Waali: The GovernorAl Muta’ali: The Highly Exalted OneAl Barr: The Pure OneAl Muntaqim: The AvengerAl Afu: The ForgiverAl Ra’uf: The Clement One; The One Full of KindnessMalik al Mulk: Owner of AllDhul-Jalali Wal-Ikram: The Lord of Majesty and BountyAl Muqsit: The Equitable OneAl Jami: The GathererAl Ghani: The Self-Sufficient OneAl Mughni: The EnricherAl Mani: The PreventerAl Darr: The Creator of the HarmfulAl Nafi: The Creator of GoodAl Nur: The LightAl Hadi: The GuideAl Badi: The OriginatorAl Baqi: The One Who RemainsAl Warith: The InheritorAl Rashid: The One Capable of Right JudgmentAl Sabur: The Patient One

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