The Most Beautiful Names of Allah: A Study of His Mercy and Compassion

Allah has described Himself in the Quran through His Names and Attributes. Muslims believe that studying these Names and Attributes is one of the most effective ways of strengthening one’s relationship with God. Each Name and Attribute nourishes a kind of consciousness and humility in man and their study leads one to constantly better their actions.

“The most beautiful names belong to Allah: so call on Him by them.” (Quran, 7:180)

How to Choose the Right Name of Allah to Call Upon

Muslims are asked to call upon God during their supplications by the most appropriate names that relate to what they are asking for. For example, if one is seeking forgiveness from God for a sin they have committed, they would call upon Him by His name “Al-Ghaffar,” meaning “The Ever Forgiving.” If one is asking for peace and tranquility in their life while experiencing a period of tension, they would call on God by His name “As-Salaam,” meaning “The Ultimate Source of Peace.”

The table below captures an approximate translation of Allah’s names. We have chosen to provide some commentary on His names relating to Mercy. However, each of the names listed could be the subject of its own article.

God’s Names Relating to Mercy

The primary Names of Allah specifically dealing with Mercy are Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim. These two names frequently occur together in the Qur’an. They are both derived from the same root word rahmah which means mercy and also has elements of sympathy, kindness, gentleness, compassion and love intertwined with it. As with all the Names of Allah, these are Names of majesty and perfection. Allah therefore manifests these qualities to the most perfect level with His Creation. Ar-Rahman signifies a flood of mercy that covers us and is endless.

The mercy we see in this world which Allah has put among His Creation is just a hundredth of all His Mercy. Examples of mercy that we see in His creation includes the love a mother has for her child (human and otherwise), the eyes with which we are able to see, the food which we are provided to consume, the generosity and kindness we show to others.

Can we image what life would be like if these things, that we often take for granted, did not exist? When we realize that this is only a small portion of His Mercy, we learn to better appreciate (although we cannot comprehend) the extent of His Mercy. The other 99 parts are for the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter, when God provides shade for the believers, makes their accounting easy, and admits them to Paradise.

There is No Sin That God Cannot Forgive

God’s Mercy comes before and prevails over His Anger. We take refuge in His Mercy from His Wrath.

877-Why-Islam presents a question that many people ask – Why can’t all good people go to heaven? This question makes several assumptions. Watch this video for an answer by Nouman Ali Khan.

“Say: O my servants who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving the Merciful” (Quran, 39:53).

Allah’s name “Al-Ghaffar,” meaning “The Ever Forgiving,” is related to His Mercy. If one is sincere in asking for forgiveness from Allah, there is no sin that it too great for Him to forgive. When asking for forgiveness, a person would ask directly of God and there is no intermediary or religious cleric that would intervene. Islam has the principle that one has a direct relationship with God and one should learn to have dependence, faith and trust in Him for all their affairs. (Learn more: Concept of God in Islam)

People Will Enter Paradise By the Mercy of God

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is reported to have said that no man’s good deeds are alone enough to get him admitted into Paradise, but it is only by the Mercy of God that people will enter Paradise. Our deeds are a tool to get close to God to a place where we can be hopeful of His Mercy. (Read more: Life After Death)

Some other Names of Allah that are related to His Mercy (with rough translations) are Al-Karim (the Generous), Al-Halim (the Forbearing), Al-Barr (the Generous), Al-Jawwad (the Bestower of Good), Ar-Rauf (the Kind) and Al-Wahhab (the Bestower).

# Arabic Transliteration Translation (can vary based on context) Quranic Usage
1 Ar-Rahman The All Beneficent, The Most Merciful in Essence, The Compassionate, The Most Gracious Beginning of every chapter except one, and in numerous other places
2 Ar-Rahim The Most Merciful, The Most Merciful in Actions Beginning of every chapter except one, and in numerous other places
3 Al-Malik The King, The Sovereign, The True and Ultimate King 59:23, 20:114
4 Al-Quddus The Most Holy, The Most Pure, The Most Perfect 59:23, 62:1
5 As-Salaam The Peace and Blessing, The Source of Peace and Safety, The Most Perfect 59:23
6 Al-Mu’min The Guarantor, The Self Affirming, The Granter of Security, The Affirmer of Truth 59:23
7 Al-Muhaymin The Guardian, The Preserver, The Overseeing Protector 59:23
8 Al-Aziz The Almighty, The Self Sufficient, The Most Honorable 3:6, 4:158, 9:40, 48:7, 59:23
9 Al-Jabbar The Powerful, The Irresistible, The Compeller, The Most Lofty, The Restorer/Improver of Affairs 59:23
10 Al-Mutakabbir The Tremendous 59:23
11 Al-Khaliq The Creator 6:102, 13:16, 39:62, 40:62, 59:24
12 Al-Bari’ The Rightful 59:24
13 Al-Musawwir The Fashioner of Forms 59:24
14 Al-Ghaffar The Ever Forgiving 20:82, 38:66, 39:5, 40:42, 71:10
15 Al-Qahhar The All Compelling Subduer 13:16, 14:48, 38:65, 39:4, 40:16
16 Al-Wahhab The Bestower 3:8, 38:9, 38:35
17 Ar-Razzaq The Ever Providing 51:58
18 Al-Fattah The Opener, The Victory Giver 34:26
19 Al-Alim The All Knowing, The Omniscient 2:158, 3:92, 4:35, 24:41, 33:40
20 Al-Qabid The Restrainer, The Straightener 2:245
21 Al-Basit The Expander, The Munificent 2:245
22 Al-Khafid The Abaser 95:5
23 Ar-Rafi‘e The Exalter 58:11, 6:83
24 Al-Mu‘ezz The Giver of Honour 3:26
25 Al-Mudhell The Giver of Dishonour 3:26
26 As-Sami‘e The All Hearing 2:127, 2:256, 8:17, 49:1
27 Al-Basir The All Seeing 4:58, 17:1, 42:11, 42:27
28 Al-Hakam The Judge, The Arbitrator 22:69
29 Al-`Adl The Utterly Just 6:115
30 Al-Lateef The Subtly Kind 6:103, 22:63, 31:16, 33:34
31 Al-Khabeer The All Aware 6:18, 17:30, 49:13, 59:18
32 Al-Haleem The Forbearing, The Indulgent 2:235, 17:44, 22:59, 35:41
33 Al-Azeem The Magnificent, The Infinite 2:255, 42:4, 56:96
34 Al-Ghafoor The All Forgiving 2:173, 8:69, 16:110, 41:32
35 Ash-Shakoor The Grateful 35:30, 35:34, 42:23, 64:17
36 Al-Aliyy The Sublimely Exalted 4:34, 31:30, 42:4, 42:51
37 Al-Kabeer The Great 13:9, 22:62, 31:30
38 Al-Hafeez The Preserver 11:57, 34:21, 42:6
39 Al-Muqeet The Nourisher 4:85
40 Al-Hasib The Reckoner 4:6, 4:86, 33:39
41 Al-Jaleel The Majestic 55:27, 39:14, 7:143
42 Al-Karim The Bountiful, The Generous 27:40, 82:6
43 Ar-Raqib The Watchful 4:1, 5:117
44 Al-Mujib The Responsive, The Answerer 11:61
45 Al-Wasse‘e The Vast, The All Encompassing 2:268, 3:73, 5:54
46 Al-Hakeem The Wise 31:27, 46:2, 57:1, 66:2
47 Al-Wadud The Loving, The Kind One 11:90, 85:14
48 Al-Majeed The All Glorious 11:73
49 Al-Ba’ith The Raiser of The Dead 22:7
50 Ash-Shaheed The Witness 4:166, 22:17, 41:53, 48:28
51 Al-Haqq The Truth, The Real 6:62, 22:6, 23:116, 24:25
52 Al-Wakeel The Trustee, The Dependable 3:173, 4:171, 28:28, 73:9
53 Al-Qawee The Strong 22:40, 22:74, 42:19, 57:25
54 Al-Mateen The Firm, The Steadfast 51:58
55 Al-Walee The Protecting Friend, Patron and Helper 4:45, 7:196, 42:28, 45:19
56 Al-Hamid The All Praiseworthy 14:8, 31:12, 31:26, 41:42
57 Al-Muhsi The Accounter, The Numberer of All 72:28, 78:29, 82:10-12
58 Al-Mubdi’ The Producer, Originator, and Initiator of All 10:34, 27:64, 29:19, 85:13
59 Al-Mu‘id The Reinstater Who Brings Back All 10:34, 27:64, 29:19, 85:13
60 Al-Muhyi The Giver of Life 7:158, 15:23, 30:50, 57:2
61 Al-Mumit The Bringer of Death, The Destroyer 3:156, 7:158, 15:23, 57:2
62 Al-Hayy The Ever Living 2:255, 3:2, 25:58, 40:65
63 Al-Qayyum The Self Subsisting Sustainer of All 2:255, 3:2, 20:111
64 Al-Wajid The Perceiver, The Finder, The Unfailing 38:44
65 Al-Majid The Illustrious, The Magnificent 85:15, 11:73,
66 Al-Wahid The One, The Unique, Manifestation of Unity 2:163, 5:73, 9:31, 18:110
67 Al-Ahad The One, the All Inclusive, The Indivisible 112:1
68 As-Samad The Self Sufficient, The Impregnable,
The Eternally Besought of All, The Everlasting
112:2
69 Al-Qadir The All Able 6:65, 36:81, 46:33, 75:40
70 Al-Muqtadir The All Determiner, The Dominant 18:45, 54:42, 54:55
71 Al-Muqaddim The Expediter, He Who Brings Forward 16:61, 17:34,
72 Al-Mu’akhir The Delayer, He Who Puts Far Away 71:4
73 Al-Awwal The First 57:3
74 Al-Akhir The Last 57:3
75 Az-Zahir The Manifest, The All Victorious 57:3
76 Al-Batin The Hidden, The All Encompassing 57:3
77 Al-Waali The Patron 13:11, 22:7
78 Al-Muta’ali The Self Exalted 13:9
79 Al-Barr The Most Kind and Righteous 52:28
80 At-Tawwab The Ever Returning, Ever Relenting 2:128, 4:64, 49:12, 110:3
81 Al-Muntaqim The Avenger 32:22, 43:41, 44:16
82 Al-‘Afuww The Pardoner, The Effacer of Sins 4:99, 4:149, 22:60
83 Ar-Ra’uf The Compassionate, The All Pitying 3:30, 9:117, 57:9, 59:10
84 Malik-al-Mulk The Owner of All Sovereignty 3:26
85 Dhu-al-Jalaliwa-al-Ikram The Lord of Majesty and Generosity 55:27, 55:78
86 Al-Muqsit The Equitable, The Requiter 7:29, 3:18
87 Al-Jami‘e The Gatherer, The Unifier 3:9
88 Al-Ghani The All Rich, The Independent 3:97, 39:7, 47:38, 57:24
89 Al-Mughni The Enricher, The Emancipator 9:28
90 Al-Mani’e The Withholder, The Shielder, the Defender 67:21
91 Ad-Darr The Distressor, The Harmer, The AfflictorThis attribute can only be found in hadith 6:17
92 An-Nafi‘e The Propitious, The Benefactor
93 An-Nur The Light 24:35
94 Al-Hadi The Guide 25:31
95 Al-Badi The Incomparable, The Originator 2:117, 6:101
96 Al-Baqi The Ever Enduring and Immutable 20:73
97 Al-Warith The Heir, The Inheritor of All 15:23
98 Ar-Rashid The Guide, Infallible Teacher and Knower 2:256
99 As-Sabur The Patient, The Timeless.

 

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