Abu Huraira reported Allah’s messenger as saying, ”Allah had ninety-nine names, one short of a hundred. He who retains them in his memory will enter paradise.” Ibn Al-Qayyim said; ” The levels of enumerating the Names of Allah are three:
1. To enumerate their words and what they indicate.
2. To understand their meanings and implications.
3. To call upon Him by them, as Allah says:
”And to Allah belong the Most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them.” (وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا) [Al-Araf: 180]” Allah has promised Jannah as a reward for those who truly encompass His Names. This goes far beyond mere memorization; it requires understanding their meanings, acting upon their guidance, and worshipping Allah through them. So the more knowledgeable the servant is of them, the more he knows Allah, the more he seeks Him, and the closer he becomes to Him. Among the Names of Allah that instill profound peace and strength in the heart are The Most High and The Most Great (الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِير). But what are the manifestations of these two sublime Names in our lives? And how can a believer truly glorify Allah through them?
الْعَلِي
The Most High
He is the Exalted, the All-High; the One who is Supreme in every respect. This Name is mentioned throughout the Holy Quran and confirmed in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). In every prostration (Sujood), we glorify Him by saying: ‘Subhana Rabbiya Al-A’la’ — Glory be to my Lord, the Most High. The Name of Allah, الْعَلِي (The Most High), reflects His absolute perfection and transcendence above every imperfection. He is exalted in His Oneness—free from any partner, equal, supporter, ally, or helper. Glorified is He above all of that; none shares with Him in any way. He is the One to whom belongs absolute highness in every sense: the highness of His Essence, the highness of His rank and attributes, and the highness of His dominion and subjugation. The attributes of Allah are Most High—none are like them, and none but Him is worthy of them. On the Day of Judgment, every voice shall be hushed, and no movement shall occur except by the permission of Allah.
‘‘And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits. [And those wait] until, when terror is removed from their hearts, they will say [to one another], “What has your Lord said?” They will say, “The truth.” And He is the Most High, the Grand.
(وَلَا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ۚ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا الْحَقَّ ۖ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ)
[Surah Saba: 23]
الْكَبِير
The Most Great
The Name Al-Kabīr (The Most Great) is one of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah. It means the One who is greater than everything—everything is beneath Him, and nothing is greater than Him. Ibn Al-Qayyim said: ”Allah, Glorified be He, is greater than everything— in His Essence, in His rank, in might, and in majesty. He is greater than all things: in His Essence, His attributes, and His actions. Just as He is above all things, exalted over all things, greater than all things, and more magnificent than all things.” The Name of Allah, Al-Kabir (The Most Great), is mentioned in the Noble Qur’an in six places, for example; ”That is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.” (ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ هُوَ الْبَاطِلُ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ) [Surah Al-Hajj: 62]. To Him belongs absolute greatness; we glorify Him through At-Takbeer, proclaiming: ‘Allahu Akbar’ (Allah is the Greatest). This is our testimony that Allah transcends everything in His Majesty, and that He alone possesses all attributes of absolute perfection. It is a declaration that our tongues utter, and our hearts firmly embrace.
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) urged us to frequently repeat At-Takbeer. Samura ibn Jundub (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Glory be to God; Praise be to God; there is no god but God; and God is most great.” A version has, “The words dearest to God are four: Glory be to God; Praise be to God; there is no god but God; and God is most great. It does not matter which you say first.”(سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ). These two sublime Names—Al-Aliyy and Al-Kabir—instill unwavering faith and profound trust in the hearts of believers. When we truly know Him as the Most High and the Most Great, our reliance upon Him becomes absolute. Moreover, we express our complete submission to Him. He, Glorified is He, is the Most High— in Whose Hand are all affairs, and everything is under His control, His dominion, and His authority.
