99 Names of Allah (Asma ul Husna)
Learn the 99 Names of Allah with Arabic text, transliteration, and meanings. Searchable database with explanations. Memorize and understand Asma ul Husna.
وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا
"And to Allah belong the most beautiful names, so call upon Him by them."
— Surah Al-A'raf (7:180)
Showing 99 of 99 names
About Asma ul Husna
Asma ul Husna (أسماء الله الحسنى) means "The Most Beautiful Names" and refers to the 99 names of Allah mentioned in the Quran and Hadith. Each name describes a unique attribute of Allah's perfection.
Hadith on the 99 Names
"Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred minus one. Whoever enumerates them (learns them, understands them, and acts upon them) will enter Paradise."
— Sahih Bukhari & Muslim
📖 Learning the Names
Memorizing and understanding Allah's names deepens one's connection with the Creator. Each name teaches us about Allah's nature and how to worship Him.
🤲 Making Dua with Names
Call upon Allah using His names relevant to your need: As-Shafi (The Healer) for health, Ar-Razzaq (The Provider) for sustenance, Al-Ghaffar (The Forgiver) for forgiveness.
The 99 Names — Asma ul Husna, "the most beautiful names" — are how the Quran and the hadith describe Allah by attribute rather than by image. The browser above lets you read them one by one; the notes below explain what the tradition actually asks of someone who learns them, because the difference between reciting a list and enumerating it is the whole point of the practice.
What the 99 Names are
Each name states a quality of perfection — mercy, knowledge, power, provision — and together they form the vocabulary Muslims use to address Allah. The Quran commands it directly at 7:180 ("to Allah belong the most beautiful names, so call upon Him by them") and again at 17:110. Learning them is treated as a way of drawing closer to Allah — not as an end in itself, and not as a formula that works by recitation alone.
What "enumerating" the names asks of you
The well-known hadith promises Paradise to whoever "enumerates" (ahsaha) the 99 names. Scholars are explicit that the Arabic is broader than memorising: the word carries the sense of grasping something completely and acting on it. In practice it breaks into five steps, and most people who set out to learn the names are only doing the first.
| Step | What it looks like in practice | Where people usually stop |
|---|---|---|
| Learn the names | Memorise the Arabic and the transliteration | Most stop here |
| Understand the meanings | Know what each attribute actually says about Allah | Skipped when learning from a list alone |
| Believe what they imply | Accept the attribute as true of Allah without distortion | Rarely considered |
| Act on them | Let the attribute shape your own conduct and character | The step scholars emphasise most and students skip most |
| Call upon Him with them | Use the names in your own supplication | Often reduced to a fixed recitation |
Why "99" is not a limit
The number 99 comes from a specific hadith, and the tradition does not treat it as the total number of Allah's names. Some scholars count more than a hundred names attested in authentic sources, and the classical position is that Allah's names and attributes are not bounded by the list at all — some are known only to Allah. The widely memorised 99 is therefore a curriculum, not an inventory: it is the set chosen for teaching and worship.
Using the names in dua
The Quran's instruction is to call upon Him by them — which scholars read as matching the name to the request. Ask the attribute that corresponds to what you need, and open the supplication with praise before you ask.
| What you are asking for | Name to call upon | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Forgiveness | Al-Ghaffar | The ever-forgiving |
| Provision and livelihood | Ar-Razzaq | The provider |
| Guidance | Al-Hadi | The guide |
A practical way to build the habit is to keep the names in front of you while you pray — the tasbih counter handles the counting, and the Quran search lets you see each name in the verse it appears in rather than in isolation — and the prayer times page is where the names you have learned get used five times a day.
Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem: same root, different scope
Both derive from rahma, mercy, which is why the pair opens nearly every surah — but scholars distinguish them by reach and by audience.
| Name | Scope of mercy | Who receives it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ar-Rahman | Vast and all-encompassing | All creation — believers and disbelievers alike | In this world |
| Ar-Raheem | Special and particular | The believers | Eternally, in the Hereafter |
Sources: Quran 7:180 and 17:110 (quran.com). Hadith references are discussed in the classical commentaries; the "enumerate" conditions above follow the scholars' explanation of ahsaha rather than a literal reading of the hadith text alone.
Categories of Allah's Names
Names of Mercy & Kindness
Ar-Rahman, Ar-Raheem, Al-Wadud, Ar-Ra'uf, Al-Latif, Al-Barr, At-Tawwab, Al-'Afuww
These names highlight Allah's mercy and love for His creation.
Names of Power & Majesty
Al-'Aziz, Al-Jabbar, Al-Qawiyy, Al-Matin, Al-Qadir, Al-Muqtadir, Al-Malik, Al-Kabir
These names describe Allah's supreme power and greatness.
Names of Knowledge & Wisdom
Al-'Aleem, Al-Hakim, Al-Khabir, As-Sami', Al-Basir, Ash-Shahid, Al-Muhsi
These names relate to Allah's perfect knowledge and wisdom.
Names of Creation & Sustenance
Al-Khaliq, Al-Musawwir, Ar-Razzaq, Al-Wahhab, Al-Fattah, Al-Muhyi, Al-Mumit
These names concern Allah's role as Creator and Sustainer.
Tips for Memorizing the 99 Names
- 1. Start with common names: Begin with names you already know from Quran and prayers.
- 2. Learn in groups: Study 5-10 names at a time, reviewing previous ones daily.
- 3. Understand meanings: Don't just memorize words - learn what each name means.
- 4. Use in dua: Incorporate new names into your daily supplications.
- 5. Listen to nasheeds: Many beautiful recitations of the 99 names exist.