The 99 Names of Allah: Meanings, Virtues and How to Call upon Him by Them

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How do we speak to the One we cannot see? How do we address the One whose essence is beyond anything the human mind can conceive? Allah Himself has answered this question — by naming Himself. Not with a single name, but with dozens, each revealing an aspect of His perfection: His mercy, power, justice, forgiveness and closeness. These names are not merely theological labels to memorise — they are gateways to knowing Allah and, above all, keys to addressing Him appropriately according to what your heart is experiencing at that moment. This guide explains the Quranic and prophetic origins of these names, exactly what the authentic Sunnah says about them — including important qualifications — and how to call upon Allah through them in your own circumstances. To deepen your connection with the Quran, also see our article on Surah Al-Fatiha, which opens the Book by mentioning two of these names.

1. What the Quran says about the names of Allah

The Quran repeatedly affirms that Allah possesses the most beautiful names — Al-Asma’ Al-Husna (الأسماء الحسنى). This is not a minor theological detail: it is an explicit command to call upon Allah specifically by these names.

This verse establishes a fundamental principle: whichever particular name you use to call upon Allah — provided it is one of His beautiful names — it is indeed Him, the One, whom you are invoking. The diversity of names does not imply multiple deities.

Surah Al-Hashr concludes with a striking succession of divine names, one of the Quran’s richest passages on this subject:

2. The hadith of the 99 names: what is authentic and what needs qualification

The best-known hadith on this subject establishes a precise number and an immense promise:

“Indeed, Allah has ninety-nine names — one hundred minus one. Whoever enumerates them will enter Paradise.”

— Narrated by Al-Bukhari (no. 2736) and Muslim (no. 2677), from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه

This hadith is fully authentic — narrated in the two most reliable collections of the Sunnah. It establishes two things with certainty: Allah has 99 names, and whoever properly enumerates them enters Paradise.

An essential clarification that this hadith does not rule out: Imam An-Nawawi explains in his commentary on Sahih Muslim that this hadith does not state that Allah has only 99 names. Scholars unanimously agree on this point: the names of Allah mentioned in the Quran and authentic Sunnah exceed this number. It has even been reported that Allah possesses names which He has not revealed to any of His creatures — known only to Him in His knowledge of the unseen.

The enumerated list: an important qualification

This is where accuracy requires a clarification that few articles online mention. The authentic hadith from Al-Bukhari and Muslim quoted above gives only the number — it does not list the 99 names individually. The precise, ordered list that is so widely circulated comes from a version narrated by At-Tirmidhi (hadith no. 3507), through the chain of Al-Walid ibn Muslim.

This is why contemporary scholars such as Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaymin reconstructed a list of the 99 names directly from reliable sources — 81 names from the Quran and 18 from the authentic Sunnah — in his book Al-Qawa’id Al-Muthla. This list differs slightly from At-Tirmidhi’s in some names, although the vast majority are identical. The table in this article follows At-Tirmidhi’s list as the most commonly taught and recognised reference across the Muslim world, while making you aware of this scholarly qualification.

3. What does ‘enumerating them’ (Ahsaha) mean?

The Arabic word ahsaha (أحصاها) is often translated as ‘enumerating them’ or ‘memorising them’, but its meaning is much deeper than simply reciting them from memory. Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaymin explains that the term involves three levels:

4. Why and how to call upon Allah by a name suited to your situation

The verse in Surah Al-Isra (17:110) does not simply say that Allah has several names — it commands us to call upon Him by these names. Scholars, notably Ibn Al-Qayyim in Madarij As-Salikin and Imam Al-Ghazali in Al-Maqsad Al-Asna, observed a striking feature of the Quran: very often, a verse ends with precisely the name or names of Allah that best correspond to its content. A verse about forgiveness concludes with ‘Allah is Forgiving, Merciful’. A verse about knowledge ends with ‘He is All-Knowing, Wise’. This Quranic structure itself teaches believers to match their supplications to their needs.

The Prophet ﷺ himself demonstrated this practice in his personal supplications, choosing particular names according to the circumstances he was experiencing.

5. Practical examples of supplications for different situations

In distress and anxiety — Al-Hayy, Al-Qayyum

“Whenever a matter distressed him, the Prophet ﷺ would say: ‘O Ever-Living, O Sustainer of the universe, through Your mercy I seek help (Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum, bi-rahmatika astaghith).’”

— Narrated by At-Tirmidhi (no. 3524), from Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه — Chain graded hasan by Al-Albani and Al-Mundhiri

Why these particular names: Al-Hayy (the Ever-Living) and Al-Qayyum (the One who sustains Himself and all things) are the two names most closely associated with stability and unwavering support in the Quran — they appear together in the Throne Verse (Ayat Al-Kursi, 2:255). When a trial creates instability, calling upon the One who knows neither weakness nor an end anchors the heart in a reality more solid than the turmoil of the moment.

When facing injustice or harm — Al-‘Adl, Al-Hakam

When you face an injustice you cannot put right yourself, calling upon Al-‘Adl (the Absolutely Just) and Al-Hakam (the Supreme Judge) reminds you that no injustice ultimately escapes divine justice — whether in this world or on the Day of Judgement.

In repentance and the shame of sin — Al-Ghafur, At-Tawwab

The names Al-Ghafur (the Great Forgiver) and At-Tawwab (the One who continually accepts repentance) are particularly suited to accompanying a repentant heart. Allah says in the Quran:

In material need — Ar-Razzaq, Al-Fattah

Ar-Razzaq (the Constant Provider) and Al-Fattah (the One who opens ways forward) are names traditionally invoked in financial difficulty or when facing a blocked situation, as in this authentic supplication:

“O Allah, grant me enough lawful provision to make me independent of what is unlawful, and enough of Your favour to make me independent of anyone other than You.”

— Narrated by At-Tirmidhi — Hasan according to Al-Albani

In an overwhelming trial, with no apparent way out — the supplication of Yunus عليه السلام

When Yunus (Jonah) عليه السلام was in the belly of the whale, he called upon Allah with words combining divine oneness with acknowledgement of his own weakness:

“The supplication of my brother Dhun-Nun [Yunus] — ‘There is no deity except You; glory be to You! Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers’ — no Muslim has uttered it concerning any matter without Allah answering them.”

— Narrated by Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi, authenticated by Al-Hakim, Adh-Dhahabi and Al-Albani, from Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas رضي الله عنه

6. Complete table of the 99 names of Allah

Here is the complete list of the 99 names according to the most widespread version (At-Tirmidhi), with their transliterations and brief meanings.

Note on variations in the list: names no. 65 (Al-Majid) and no. 76 (Al-Wali) appear a second time in this list — a feature known in published versions of At-Tirmidhi’s hadith, where two closely related forms with similar meanings (for example, Al-Majid/Al-Majid, or a name repeated with two nuances) are counted separately. Furthermore, some published versions of this same list insert an additional name, Al-Ahad (الأحد — the Absolutely One, from Surah Al-Ikhlas), between Al-Wahid and As-Samad — shifting all subsequent names by one position until the end of the table, depending on the version consulted. This table follows a widespread version that does not include it separately. If you consult another reference source and notice a slight shift from this part of the table onwards, this is the reason: it once again confirms the qualification discussed in section 2 concerning the absence of direct prophetic attribution for this precise list.

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