Allah

99 Names of Allah


Abu Hurairah reported Allah’s Messenger [Muhammad] (may peace be upon him) as saying: “There are ninety-nine names of Allah; he who commits them to memory would get into Paradise. Verily, Allah is Odd and He loves odd numbers. And in the narration of Ibn ‘Umar [the words are]: “He who enumerated them”.”

— Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, Sahih Muslim

The 99 Names of Allah, known in Arabic as al-Asma ul-Husna, the Most Beautiful Names, are the names by which Allah describes Himself in the Quran and in the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Muslims recite them in supplication, reflect on their meanings, and, following the hadith above, memorize them as an act of devotion.

For a student of Arabic, the names carry a second benefit. Nearly every one is built on a trilateral root, the three-consonant core that generates families of related words, and these roots are among the most common in Arabic. Memorizing the list is devotional practice and vocabulary study at once.

Using the names to build Arabic vocabulary

Arabic vocabulary grows by root. The root r-h-m produces Ar-Rahman (the Most Merciful) and Ar-Raheem (the Bestower of Mercy), the names that open nearly every chapter of the Quran, and also the everyday words rahma (mercy) and rahim (womb). Learn one name and several common words come with it.

The root gh-f-r behind Al-Ghafoor (the All-Forgiving) also gives maghfira (forgiveness) and the phrase astaghfirullah. The root a-l-m behind Al-Aleem (the All-Knowing) gives ilm (knowledge) and mualim (teacher). The root s-l-m behind As-Salam (the Source of Peace) underlies salam (peace), the greeting as-salamu alaykum, and the words Islam and Muslim themselves.

For each name, learn the name itself, its root, and one everyday word from the same root, and say all three aloud. The Anki deck linked below suits this, since spaced repetition shows each card just before you would forget it.

Download the list

Use this list to memorize the 99 names of Allah. The list contains the name of Allah written in Arabic. The meaning of the name is written in English. Imagine, all you have to do is simply memorize one name a day.

You can use the vocabulary list in the following formats:

More Vocabulary

Frequently asked questions

Are there exactly 99 names of Allah?

The hadith of Abu Hurairah states that Allah has ninety-nine names and that whoever commits them to memory will enter Paradise. The familiar list of 99 comes from a narration recorded by at-Tirmidhi, whose enumeration scholars consider weaker than the hadith itself, so compiled lists vary in a few names. Many scholars also hold that Allah's names are not limited to ninety-nine in total.

What does it mean to enumerate or memorize the names?

The Arabic word in the hadith, ahsaha, literally means to count or enumerate. Scholars have read it as memorizing the names, understanding their meanings, or calling upon Allah by them and living by what they imply; many commentators combine these readings. Learning the Arabic of each name supports all of them.

How long does it take to memorize all 99 names?

At one name a day, the full list takes just over three months. Some learners memorize the names in small groups of related meanings, or listen to recordings that recite the list in order. Regular review matters more than speed, and the Anki deck on this page handles it automatically.

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