Post by Salam on Jul 6, 2005 4:57:55 GMT -5
The 99 names of Allah
Al-Bukhaari (2736) and Muslim (2677) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one. Whoever learns them will enter Paradise."
With regard to the words of the Prophet (SAW),"Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one. Whoever learns them will enter Paradise," this does not mean that He does not have any names apart from these, rather it means that whoever learns these ninety-nine of His names will enter Paradise. This is like when the Arabs say: "I have one hundred horses which I have prepared for jihad for the sake of Allah," which does not mean that the speaker has only these hundred horses, rather these hundred are prepared for this purpose.
He is Allah, the Creator, the Originator, The Fashioner, to Him belong the most beautiful names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, do declare His praises and glory. And He is the Exalted in Might, The Wise. (Quran 59:24)
"The most beautiful names belong to God: so call on Him by them;..." (7:180)
"...There is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things). Qur'an [42:11]
Allah's names are not limited to 99, which is a common misconception. There are a couple of evidences, one is the du`aa where one calls upon Allah by the names He has kept to Himself (obviously not taking these names since Allah has not revealed them to us); another is the fact that in the narrations of the famous ninety nine names hadith that do contain 99 names, the names are not consistent between narrations (for example, imam al-bayhaqi reports two versions of this hadith, with different 99 names in each). It is suggested by one commentator that the names were not explicitly stated by the rasul (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam).
Al-Bukhaari (2736) and Muslim (2677) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one. Whoever learns them will enter Paradise."
With regard to the words of the Prophet (SAW),"Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one. Whoever learns them will enter Paradise," this does not mean that He does not have any names apart from these, rather it means that whoever learns these ninety-nine of His names will enter Paradise. This is like when the Arabs say: "I have one hundred horses which I have prepared for jihad for the sake of Allah," which does not mean that the speaker has only these hundred horses, rather these hundred are prepared for this purpose.
He is Allah, the Creator, the Originator, The Fashioner, to Him belong the most beautiful names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, do declare His praises and glory. And He is the Exalted in Might, The Wise. (Quran 59:24)
"The most beautiful names belong to God: so call on Him by them;..." (7:180)
"...There is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things). Qur'an [42:11]
Allah's names are not limited to 99, which is a common misconception. There are a couple of evidences, one is the du`aa where one calls upon Allah by the names He has kept to Himself (obviously not taking these names since Allah has not revealed them to us); another is the fact that in the narrations of the famous ninety nine names hadith that do contain 99 names, the names are not consistent between narrations (for example, imam al-bayhaqi reports two versions of this hadith, with different 99 names in each). It is suggested by one commentator that the names were not explicitly stated by the rasul (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam).