Al-Bukhaari (2736) and Muslim (2677) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one. Whoever learns them by heart will enter Paradise.”
“Leaning by heart”, which is mentioned in the hadeeth, implies the following:
1. Memorising them
2. Understanding their meaning
3. Acting in accordance with the meanings. So if a person knows that He is One, he does not associate anything else with Him. If he knows that He is the Provider (ar-Razzaaq), he does not seek provision from anyone other than Him. If he knows that He is Most Merciful (ar-Raheem), then he does acts of obedience and worship that are the means of attaining this mercy… and so on.
4. Calling upon Him by these names, as He, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them’ [al-A‘raaf 7:180]. So he might say: O Most Merciful (Ya Rahmaan), have mercy on me; O Oft-forgiving (Ya Ghafoor), forgive me; O Accepter of repentance (Ya Tawwaab), accept my repentance, and so on.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen said: Learning them by heart does not mean writing them down on a piece of paper then repeating them until one has memorised them. Rather what it means is:
Firstly: learning how to pronounce the names
Secondly: understanding their meanings.
Thirdly: worshipping Allah in accordance with what they signify, which involves two things:
(i) Calling upon Allah by them, because He, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “… so call on Him by them” [al-A‘raaf 7:180], to that they may become a means of attaining what you seek, so choose a name that is appropriate to what you seek. When asking for forgiveness, say: O Oft-forgiving (Ya Ghafoor), forgive me. It is not appropriate to say: O You Who are stern in punishment (Ya Shadeed al-‘Iqaab), forgive me; rather that is more akin to mockery. What you should say (if you call upon Allah by this name) is: Save me from Your punishment.
(ii) In your acts of worship you should do is what is implied by these names. What is implied by the name ar-Raheem (Most Merciful) is mercy, so do righteous deeds that will bring the mercy of Allah. This is what is meant by learning them by heart; if it is done like this, then it deserves to be the price of admission to Paradise. End quote.
Majmoo‘ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 1/74
| 1 | Ar-Rahmān | The All Beneficent |
| 2 | Ar-Rahīm | The Most Merciful |
| 3 | Al-Malik | The Ultimate King |
| 4 | Al-Quddūs | The Most Holy, The Most Pure |
| 5 | As-Salām | The Peace and Blessing |
| 6 | Al-Mu'min | The Granter of Security |
| 7 | Al-Muhaymin | The Guardian |
| 8 | Al-Azīz | The Almighty |
| 9 | Al-Jabbār | The Compeller |
| 10 | Al-Mutakabbir | The Tremendous |
| 11 | Al-Khāliq | The Creator |
| 12 | Al-Bāri' | The Rightful |
| 13 | Al-Musawwir | The Fashioner of Forms |
| 14 | Al-Ghaffār | The Ever Forgiving |
| 15 | Al-Qahhār | The All Compelling Subduer |
| 16 | Al-Wahhāb | The Bestower |
| 17 | Ar-Razzāq | The Ever Providing |
| 18 | Al-Fattāh | The Opener |
| 19 | Al-'Alīm | The All Knowing |
| 20 | Al-Qābid | The Restrainer |
| 21 | Al-Bāsit | The Expander |
| 22 | Al-Khāfid | The Abaser |
| 23 | Ar-Rāfi' | The Exalter |
| 24 | Al-Mu'izz | The Giver of Honour |
| 25 | Al-Mu'dhell | The Giver of Dishonour |
| 26 | As-Samī | The All Hearing |
| 27 | Al-Basīr | The All Seeing |
| 28 | Al-Hakam | The Judge |
| 29 | Al-`Adl | The Utterly Just |
| 30 | Al-Latīf | The Gentle |
| 31 | Al-Khabīr | The All Aware |
| 32 | Al-Halīm | The Forbearing |
| 33 | Al-'Azīm | The Magnificent |
| 34 | Al-Ghafūr | The All Forgiving |
| 35 | Ash-Shakūr | The Grateful |
| 36 | Al-'Aliyy | The Sublimely Exalted |
| 37 | Al-Kabīr | The Great |
| 38 | Al-Hafīz | The Preserver |
| 39 | Al-Muqīt | The Nourisher |
| 40 | Al-Hasīb | The Bringer of Judgment |
| 41 | Al-Jalīl | The Majestic |
| 42 | Al-Karīm | The Bountiful |
| 43 | Ar-Raqīb | The Watchful |
| 44 | Al-Mujīb | The Answerer |
| 45 | Al-Wāsi' | The Vast |
| 46 | Al-Hakīm | The Wise |
| 47 | Al-Wadūd | The One who Loves |
| 48 | Al-Majīd | The All Glorious |
| 49 | Al-Bā'ith | The Raiser of The Dead |
| 50 | Ash-Shahīd | The Witness |
| 51 | Al-Haqq | The Truth |
| 52 | Al-Wakīl | The Trustee |
| 53 | Al-Qawwiyy | The Strong |
| 54 | Al-Matīn | The Firm |
| 55 | Al-Waliyy | The Protecting Friend |
| 56 | Al-Hamid | The All Praiseworthy |
| 57 | Al-Muhsi | The Accounter |
| 58 | Al-Mubdi' | The Producer |
| 59 | Al-Mu'īd | The Restorer |
| 60 | Al-Muhyi | The Giver of Life |
| 61 | Al-Mumīt | The Bringer of Death |
| 62 | Al-Hayy | The Ever Living |
| 63 | Al-Qayyūm | The Self Subsisting Provider |
| 64 | Al-Wājid | The Perceiver |
| 65 | Al-Mājid | The Illustrious |
| 66 | Al-Wāhid | The Unique |
| 67 | Al-'Ahad | The One |
| 68 | As-Samad | The Self Sufficient |
| 69 | Al-Qādir | The All Able |
| 70 | Al-Muqtadir | The Dominant |
| 71 | Al-Muqaddim | The Expediter |
| 72 | Al-Mu'akhkhir | The Delayer |
| 73 | Al-'Awwal | The First (Alpha) |
| 74 | Al-'Akhir | The Last (Omega) |
| 75 | Az-Zāhir | The All Victorious |
| 76 | Al-Bātin | The Hidden |
| 77 | Al-Wāli | The Patron |
| 78 | Al-Mutā'ali | The Self Exalted |
| 79 | Al-Barr | The Most Kind and Righteous |
| 80 | At-Tawwāb | The Ever Returning |
| 81 | Al-Muntaqim | The Avenger |
| 82 | Al-Afuww | The Pardoner |
| 83 | Ar-Ra'ūf | The Compassionate |
| 84 | Mālik-ul-Mulk | The Owner of All Sovereignty |
| 85 | Dhū-l-Jalāli-wa-l-'ikrām | The Lord of Majesty and Generosity |
| 86 | Al-Muqsiţ | The Equitable |
| 87 | Al-Jāmi | The Gatherer |
| 88 | Al-Ghaniyy | The All Rich |
| 89 | Al-Mughni | The Enricher |
| 90 | Al-Māni' | The Defender |
| 91 | Ad-Dārr | The Afflictor |
| 92 | An-Nāfi | The Benefactor |
| 93 | An-Nūr | The One Who Creates the Light |
| 94 | Al-Hādi | The Guide |
| 95 | Al-Badī | The Incomparable |
| 96 | Al-Bāqi | The Ever Enduring |
| 97 | Al-Wārith | The Heir |
| 98 | Ar-Rashīd | The Guide |
| 99 | As-Sabur | The Patient |
With Best Wishes
