Key Takeaways
- An authentic hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari (2736) and Sahih Muslim (2677) states that Allah has ninety-nine names, and that whoever knows them will enter Paradise.
- The famous itemised list comes from a separate narration in Jami at-Tirmidhi (3507), which hadith scholars grade as weak, and different lists exist.
- Scholars agree the number 99 is not a limit on Allah's names, since He has names known only to Him.
- The Quran instructs: "To Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them" (Quran 7:180).
- A good way to begin is to learn a few names with their meaning and use them in dua.
The authentic hadith says Allah has ninety-nine names and that whoever knows them will enter Paradise. The exact list is not part of that hadith, and scholars have compiled it from the Quran and Sunnah, so it is worth knowing where the number comes from and how to approach the names.
What the Authentic Hadith Says
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, "Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will enter Paradise" (Sahih al-Bukhari 2736, and also Sahih Muslim 2677). This is the source of the number.
The Honest Note on the List
The itemised list that most people learn comes from a separate narration in Jami at-Tirmidhi (3507). Tirmidhi himself called it gharib, meaning unusual, and later hadith scholars grade it weak, with some suggesting a narrator added the names himself after collecting them from the Quran and hadith. Scholars have therefore compiled their own lists, which is why they can differ slightly. This does not make the names less real. Each name in a good list is drawn from the Quran or the Sunnah.
Allah's Names Are Not Limited to 99
Scholars agree that the number in the hadith is not a limit. Allah has names that He has kept in the knowledge of the unseen. The hadith is about a specific group of ninety-nine that are worth learning.
The Quranic Instruction
The Quran says: "And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them" (Quran 7:180, Sahih International). This is why the names are commonly used in dua. You can ask for mercy by Ar-Rahman, forgiveness by Al-Ghafur, and guidance by Al-Hadi.
Ten Names to Start With
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ar-Rahman | The Most Merciful |
| Ar-Rahim | The Especially Merciful |
| Al-Malik | The Sovereign |
| Al-Ghafur | The Ever-Forgiving |
| Al-Alim | The All-Knowing |
| Al-Hakim | The All-Wise |
| As-Sami | The All-Hearing |
| Al-Wadud | The Most Loving |
| Al-Karim | The Most Generous |
| Al-Latif | The Subtle, the Gentle |
How to Learn Them Well
Learn a few at a time, with their meaning, and use them in your own dua. Understanding a name changes how you say it. A Translation course helps you see how these names appear in the verses you recite, and our Islamic Studies course covers them as part of belief. A free trial lesson is a simple way to start.