Al Asma ul Husna or Beautiful Names of Allah SWT
Before I talk about all of these beautiful Names, we need to understand and clarify a very important fact, ‘what exactly are these 99 Names that we keep hearing about all the time.
So, what exactly is this concept of the 99 Names of Allah? We have to pause here because many Muslims are not aware of the reality of what this concept of the 99 Names is! In fact, there is a common misconception, Ibn Hajar calls it a very incorrect misconception that Allah SWT has only 99 Names and this is wrong! This is absolutely false!
Allah SWT has an infinite number of Names, they are beyond count, and we cannot count all of the Names of Allah SWT. They are beyond any human comprehension. They are beyond anyone language. So, what is then the 99? The 99 Names of Allah are the best Names out of the infinite Names. The 99 Names of Allah are the best of the best. Therefore, all of the Names of Allah SWT are the best – ‘Al Asmaa ul Husnaa’. All of the Names of Allah are the most magnificent. All of the Names of Allah are the most beautiful and these, numbers are beyond our human understanding – ‘infinite’ of those Names of Allah that are all the best. These are 99 that are extra special.
There is a famous hadith that our Prophet ﷺ mentioned and the hadith is reported in Bukhari and Muslim:
To Allah belong 99 Names”, notice that our Prophet ﷺ didn’t say that Allah SWT has only 99 Names. He is saying to Allah belong a special 99, not there are only 99, such that there is a special category – “Whoever fully comprehends them shall enter Jannah
What is the meaning of ‘Ahsaha’? It is an Arabic word from the hadith mentioned above. Our scholars say that ‘Ahsa’ means firstly, to understand and to know. Secondly, it means invoking those Names when we are making dua. So, we raise our hands, and we use them ‘Ya Rahmaan, Ya Raheem, Ya Ghaffar, Ya Kareem’, likewise we choose the Name that is appropriate for our dua.
If we want forgiveness, we use ‘Ya Ghaffar, Ya Rahmaan’. If we want a child, we use ‘Ya Wahhab’. If we want sustenance we use ‘Ya Razzak, Ya Kareem’. If we want to be cured, we use ‘Ya Shaafi’. There is nothing you can think of and except that there is a Name which can be chosen that is appropriate. Thus, this is the second meaning of ‘Ahsaha’.
The third meaning ‘Ahsa’ means to fully comprehend, which means have to act upon those Names as well i.e., our life should embody those Names. When we know that Allah SWT is ‘As-Sami’, we better be careful what we say! Allah is hearing. When we know Allah is ‘Al-Baseer’, we better be careful of what we do! Because Allah is watching! All of this comes under the meaning of ‘Ahsaha’.
Just having information approximately Allah SWT isn’t always enough. Muslims have to bear the affection for Allah SWT through mastering and understanding the Supreme names of His and their electricity. By mastering more about Allah and about His essence and His blessings, it is easy to recognize His power over all things and may make one honest toward Him and grow in taqwa (piety). Knowing more about Allah can even not only make us extra honest toward Him but will make us fear Him more and as an end result drive us to comply with His commands.
May Allah SWT have mercy on Sheikh Abd al Rahman Ibn Saadi, who said:
Believing in and understanding the maximum stunning names of Allah consist of the 3 forms of Tawheed:
Tawheed al Ruboobiyyah (Unity of the Divine Lordship)
Tawheed al Uloohiyyah (Unity of the Divine Nature)
Tawheed al Asma wal Sifaat (Unity of the Divine Names and Attributes).
These 3 forms of Tawheed shape the essence and pleasure of religion (the phrase translated right here as “pleasure” implies peace and remedy from stress), and this information is the idea and reason of faith. The more someone learns about the Names and Attributes of Allah, the more his faith will increase and the more potent his conviction becomes.” [Narrated in Al Tawdeeh Wa’l Bayaan li Shajarat Al Eemaan through al sa’di, p. 41]
May Allah have mercy on Ibn Al Qayyim, who said:
“Knowledge of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah is the basis of all different varieties of information, for the objects of a majority of these other branches of information have been both created or commanded through Him (the diverse branches of information both cope with items created through Him or with the laws and steerage discovered through Him). The purpose for introduction and steerage is located in His Most Beautiful Names (due to the fact He is the Creator, He is the Guide to the Straight Path, He exhibits steerage, and so on). Knowing the maximum stunning Names is the idea of all items of information, due to the fact all information stems from those Names.” (Narrated in Bada’I’ al Fawaa’id by Ibn Al Qayyim, 1/163).
The actual number of all of Allah’s names aren’t known. This is evidenced through in reality brooding about over the interpretation of one of the dua’s this is frequently recited. The dua is narrated in sahih hadith mentioned through Imaam Ahmad (3582), which says that the Prophet Muhammed ﷺ stated that “there’s no considered one of you who, while he is afflicted with misery and grief, says, however, Allah will dispose of his misery and his grief, and will supply him pleasure instead…”
O Allah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave and son of Your maid servant, my forelock is in Your hand. Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You through each name belonging to You which You named Yourself with, or You taught or You taught to any of Your creation, or discovered in Your Book, or You have preserved within the information of the Unseen with You, that You make the Quran the existence of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety”. (Dua narrated by Imaam Ahmad, 3582; It is a sahih hadeeth)
The number ninety-nine is primarily based totally on the hadith that says, “Allah has ninety-nine names, a hundred less one. Whoever learns them will enter Paradise.” [Narrated & reported by Al Bukhaari (2736) and Muslim (2677)]. However, many students agree that this hadith, in reality, means that mastering the ninety-nine names doesn’t mean that all names total ninety-nine. Here are some of what the students have stated about the issue-
Al Nawawi (may also Allah have mercy on him) said in Sharh Saheeh Muslim
The students are unanimously agreed that this hadeeth does now no longer imply that Allah has best ninety-nine names, or that He does not have any other names other than those ninety-nine will enter Paradise. The factor is that one may also enter Paradise through mastering them, now no longer that the number is restrained to those names.
Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked about that and replied:
The names of Allah aren’t restrained to a certain range. The proof for this is (within the dua noted above]. The hadith that mentions the range ninety-nine does now no longer imply that He does not have any names other than those, alternatively it means that whoever learns those ninety-nine of His names will enter Paradise. This is like while the Arabs say: ‘I have one hundred horses which I have organized for a battle), which does now no longer imply that the speaker has only those hundred horses, rather those hundred are organized for this reason. (Narrated in Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen. 1/122)
Sheikh Al Islaam (Ibn Taymiah) stated regarding this hadeeth in Majmoo’ al Fataawa (6/374): “This shows that Allah has more than ninety-nine names.”
Ibn Al Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) stated: “The stunning names of Allah aren’t restrained and are innumerable.” Based on what’s noted within the dua above, this indicates that His names can be divided into 3 types:
Those through which he called Himself and taught them to whomever He willed of His Angels or others; however, He did not reveal them in His Book.
Those names He revealed in His Book and taught them to His slaves.
Those names He saved to Himself within the information of the unseen, so none of His introduction is aware of them. Hence the dua says: ‘You have preserved’, i.e., only You know them; it does not mean that He is the only one who’s called through them, due to the fact the names which can be verified to be best for Him consist of names that Allah revealed in His Book. [Narrated in Badaa’I al Fawaa’id 1/174-176]
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