THE 99 NAMES OF GOD The list below is one of several ways to arrange the names, with different numbering. 1. Allah The God 2. ar-Rahman The All Beneficent 3. ar-Rahīm The Most Merciful 4. al-Malik The King, The Sovereign 5. al-Quddūs The Most Holy 6. as-Salām Peace and Blessing 7. al-Mu'min The Guarantor 8. al-Muhaymin The Guardian, the Preserver 9. al-'Azīz The Almighty, the Self Sufficient 10. al-Jabbār The Powerful, the Irresistible 11. al-Mutakabbir The Tremendous 12. al-Khāliq The Creator 13. al-Barī' The Maker 14. al-Musawwir The Fashioner of Forms 15. al-Ghaffār The Ever Forgiving 16. al-Qahhār The All Compelling Subduer 17. al-Wahhāb The Bestower 18. al-Razzāq The Ever Providing 19. al-Fattāh The Opener, the Victory Giver 20. al-Alīm The All Knowing, the Omniscient 21. al-Qābid The Restrainer, the Straightener 22. al-Bāsit The Expander, the Munificent 23. al-Khāfid The Abaser 24. ar-Rāfi¢ The Exalter 25. al-Mu¢izz The Giver of Honor 26. al-Mudhill The Giver of Dishonor 27. as-Samī¢ The All Hearing 28. al-Basīr The All Seeing 29. al-Hakam The Judge, the Arbitrator 30. al-¢adl The Utterly Just 31. al-Latīf The Subtly Kind 32. al-Khabīr The All Aware 33. al-Halīm The Forbearing, the Indulgent 34. al-¢azīm The Magnificent, the Infinite 35. al-Ghafūr The All Forgiving 36. ash-Shakūr The Grateful 37. al-¢alī The Sublimely Exalted 38. al-Kabīr The Greatest 39. al-Hafīz The Preserver 40. al-Muqīt The 41. al-Hasīb The Reckoner 42. al-Jalīl The Majestic 43. al-Karīm The Bountiful, the Generous 44. ar-Raqīb The Watchful 45. al-Mujīb The Responsive, the Answerer 46. al-Wāsi¢ The Vast, the All Encompassing 47. al-Hakīm The Wise 48. al-Wadūd The Loving, the Kind One 49. al-Majīd The All Glorious 50. al-Bā¢ith The Raiser of the Dead 51. ash-Shahīd The Witness 52. al-Haqq The Truth, the Real 53. al-Wakil The Trustee, the Dependable 54. al-Qawiyy The Strong 55. al-Matīn The Firm, the Steadfast 56. al-Walī The Protecting Friend, Patron, and Helper 57. al-Hamīd The All Praiseworthy 58. al-Muhsī The Accounter, the Numberer of All 59. al-Mubdi' The Producer, Originator, and Initiator of all 60. al-Mu'id The Reinstater Who Brings Back All 61. al-Muhyi The Giver of Life 62. al-Mumīt The Bringer of Death, the Destroyer 63. al-Hayy The Ever Living 64. al-Qayyūm The Self Subsisting Sustainer of All 65. al-Wājid The Perceiver, the Finder, the Unfailing 66. al-Mājid The Illustrious, the Magnificent 67. al-Wāhid The One, the All Inclusive, the Indivisible 68. as-Samad The Self Sufficient, the Impregnable, the Eternally Besought of All, the Everlasting 69. al-Qādir The All Able 70. al-Muqtadir The All Determiner, the Dominant 71. al-Muqaddim The Expediter, He who brings forward 72. al-Mu'akhkhir The Delayer, He who puts far away 73. al-Awwal The First 74. al-Akhir The Last 75. az-Zāhir The Manifest; the All 76. al-Bātin The Hidden; the All Encompassing 77. al-Wālī The Patron 78. al-Mut¢ālī The Self Exalted 79. al-Barr The Most Kind and Righteous 80. at-Tawwāb The Ever Returning, Ever Relenting 81. al-Muntaqim The Avenger 82. al-¢afuw The Pardoner, the Effacer of Sins 83. ar-Ra'ūf The Compassionate, the All Pitying 84. Mālik al-Mulk The Owner of All Sovereignty 85. Dhu l-Jalāl wa l-Ikrām The Lord of Majesty and Generosity 86. al-Muqsit The Equitable, the Requiter 87. al-Jāmi¢ The Gatherer, the Unifier 88. al-Ghanī The All Rich, the Independent 89. al-Mughnī The Enricher, the Emancipator 90. al-Māni¢ The Withholder, the Shielder, the Defender 91. ad-Dārr The Distressor, the Harmer 92. an-Nāfi¢ The Propitious, the Benefactor 93. an-Nūr The Light 94. al-Hādī' The Guide 95. al-Badī¢ Incomparable, the Originator 96. al-Bāqī¢ The Ever Enduring and Immutable 97. al-Wārith The Heir, the Inheritor of All 98. ar-Rashīd The Guide, Infallible Teacher, and Knower 99. as-Sabūr The Patient, the Timeless

Koran 20
⁷ God, there is no god but He! His are the excellent names.

Koran 7
¹⁷⁹ But God’s are the good names; call on Him then thereby [...]

Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 50
⁸⁹⁴ Narrated Abu Huraira: God's apostle said, "God has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise".

The names may be understood as an attempt to make humans understand the greatness of God, although the comprehension of these names will not measure up to the true and complete nature of God. Also, according to the above mentioned hadith passage, the knowledge or utterance of the 99 names will provide for a place in Paradise.
Note that Koran 7:179 refers to the names as "good names", while some of the names on the 99-list are gruesome like "The Bringer of Death, the Destroyer" (no. 62) and "The Avenger" (no. 81), and perhaps even "The Giver of Dishonor" (no. 26).
One of the names, no. 91, 'ad-Darr, "The Distressor, the Harmer", has the hadiths as its only source, and is also a name used for Satan.
God's 99 names are popular with creating personal names, but then Abd, "servant", is put in front. Naming directly from God's names is not permitted.
For Sufism, the idea of a 100th name has great religious value. By their rituals, Sufis may reach the understanding of the 100th name, thereby full and complete understanding of God, or even to merge the consciousness with God's.
Muslim tradition involves the expectation that Mahdi upon his arrival will reveal the 100th name of God to the world.
Baha'is claim the knowledge of the 100th name, which came with Baha'ullah: al-Baha', "Glory, brilliance". By this claim, they established a new religion, and departed from Islam.

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By: Tore Kjeilen