The 99 Names of Allah and Their Meanings

Asma-ul-Husna, "the most beautiful names," refers to the 99 names and attributes of Allah found throughout the Qur'an and Hadith. Each name describes a different aspect of who Allah is — His mercy, His power, His knowledge, His justice.

Where does the number 99 come from?

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred minus one; whoever memorises them will enter Paradise." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). This Hadith is the basis for the well-known list of 99 — though compiled lists sometimes vary slightly in exactly which names are included, since the Hadith establishes the number without listing all of them by name in one place.

20 of the most-recited names

This is a starting selection — Islamic World Pro's app includes all 99 names with meaning and transliteration for each.

How Muslims use the names in daily life

• In dua: calling on the name most relevant to what's being asked — Ar-Razzaq (The Provider) when asking for sustenance, Ash-Shafi (The Healer) when asking for health.
• In dhikr: repeating names as remembrance, often with a Tasbih counter, as a form of worship in itself.
• In reflection: many scholars encourage thinking about what each name means for daily life — reflecting on Ar-Rahman when showing mercy to others, for instance.

A note on translation

English translations of the names are approximations — Arabic words like Ar-Rahman carry layers of meaning that don't map onto a single English word perfectly. Reading the Arabic alongside a translation, even without full fluency, helps preserve more of the original meaning than translation alone.

Name meanings above reflect commonly accepted English renderings used across mainstream Islamic scholarship; precise nuance can vary between scholars and schools of thought.