Names of Allah

     Allah says in His Holy Quran,

”And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing”

”وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا ۖ وَذَرُوا الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ ۚ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ”

Al-A’raf:180

    As Muslims, we believe in Allah; this is the first pillar of Islam. We are not allowed to attribute any names or characteristics to Allah unless they are mentioned by Allah in the Holy Quran or through the words of Prophet Muhammad. His Names are mentioned repeatedly in the Quran to guide us to His attributes and help us understand them. Through His Names, we can worship Him, understand His decrees in this life, fear Him, and learn how to supplicate to Him. Simply put, as human beings, we cannot worship a God whose attributes we do not know. How many Names of Allah do we know? Let us explore some of His Names and understand their meanings.

    Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, ”Allah has ninety-nine names, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari). When we say that we should enlighten our souls and minds by learning the Names of Allah, it does not mean we should only memorize them; rather, we must understand them and worship Allah in the light of that understanding. Hundreds of questions that cross your mind about your own existence and the creation of this world can be answered when you study Allah’s Names. By doing so, you can achieve the true core of servitude to Him. As the Hadith states, learning the Names of Allah leads to Jannah. If you love Allah, cherish His Names, and worship Him in the way He has prescribed, you will enter Jannah, Insha’Allah.

الرَّحْمَنُ (Ar-Rahman)
The All-Compassionate
The Most or Entirely Merciful

    This Name is derived from the word “mercy,” which means compassion, sympathy, and kindness. Allah blesses His creation with His all-encompassing mercy, even the disbelievers. Are we not blessed with the sun, the stars, the moon, the trees, and countless other gifts that Allah has bestowed upon us? It is unimaginable that we could survive on this planet if Allah’s creation were not made with such perfection. Allah says: “كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ” (Your Lord has decreed upon Himself mercy) (Surah Al-An’am 6:54). His mercy and kindness encompass all of creation. Pray to Allah by His Name, Al-Rahman (The All-Compassionate). Supplicate to Him and express your need for His mercy, compassion, and tenderness. Learn to show mercy to yourself, to those around you, and to animals. And remember, this is only a tiny portion of the mercy of Allah.

We ask Allah, by His Most Beautiful Names and Sublime Attributes, to guide our hearts, accept our worship, and gather us all in the highest levels of Jannah. Ameen.