The 99 Names of Allah: Asmaul Husna in full.

Asmaul Husna ("the Most Beautiful Names") are the names by which Allah described Himself in the Quran and through His Messenger ﷺ. Each name is more than a label: it is a window into an attribute of His perfection. Knowing them changes how you pray, how you trust, and how you live. The Prophet ﷺ promised an extraordinary reward for those who memorize, understand, and act on them.

This guide gives you the complete list of 99 names in Arabic, transliteration, and English meaning, together with the hadith of reward, the Quranic basis, and how to call upon Allah using them in your du'a.

What are the 99 Names of Allah?

The 99 Names of Allah, known in Arabic as al-Asma' al-Husna ("the Most Beautiful Names"), are the names by which Allah identifies Himself in the Quran and through the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. The Quran says: "And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them." (Quran 7:180) Three other verses repeat the same affirmation: Quran 17:110, Quran 20:8, and the famous closing verses of Surah Al-Hashr (Quran 59:22-24), which contain a remarkable concentration of names in three consecutive verses.

Each name is not just a description. It is a doorway. When you call Allah Ar-Razzaq ("The Provider"), you are not merely informing yourself of His attribute; you are aligning your heart with the truth that every grain of food, every breath, every paycheck flows from Him. The names are meant to be lived.

The promise: whoever enumerates them enters Jannah

Abu Hurayrah (RA) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

"Allah has ninety-nine names, one less than a hundred. Whoever enumerates them enters Paradise."

Sahih al-Bukhari 2736, Sahih Muslim 2677

The Arabic word for "enumerates" is ahsa. Classical scholars including Imam al-Bukhari himself, Imam Ibn Hajar, and Imam an-Nawawi explain that ahsa is far richer than rote counting. It includes three layers:

• Memorize: commit the names to heart in Arabic.
• Understand: know what each name means. The difference between Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim, between Al-Ghaffar and Al-Ghafur.
• Act: let each name shape behavior. Knowing Ar-Raqib ("The Watchful") changes how you behave when no one is looking.

This three-layer reading is why scholars regard the hadith's reward not as a transactional checkpoint but as a description of a person whose heart has been transformed by knowledge of Allah.

The full list (1–25)

The traditional enumeration below is from the narration in Sunan at-Tirmidhi 3507. The principle of 99 names is established in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. Each individual name is grounded in the Quran or authentic hadith.

The full list (26–50)

The full list (51–75)

The full list (76–99)

How to memorize and use them

Memorizing 99 names sounds intimidating but is achievable for any believer over a few months. Three approaches work well:

• Three names a day. One after Fajr, one after Asr, one before sleep. Three new names daily for 33 days completes the list. Then a month of review locks them in.
• By verse. Memorize Quran 59:22-24, the closing verses of Surah Al-Hashr. This passage alone contains more than a dozen of the names embedded in the most beautiful praise. Many Muslims recite these three verses daily.
• By category. Group names by theme: names of mercy (Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, Al-Wadud, Ar-Ra'uf, Al-Halim), names of provision (Ar-Razzaq, Al-Wahhab, Al-Mughni), names of knowledge (Al-'Alim, Al-Khabir, Al-Basir, As-Sami'), names of power (Al-Qawiyy, Al-Matin, Al-Qahhar, Al-Jabbar, Al-Muqtadir). Themes are easier to remember than alphabetical lists.

Once you know them, the names start appearing everywhere. You hear Ar-Rahman in the opening verse of every Surah. You feel Al-Wadud ("The Most Loving") when reflecting on Allah's care. You whisper Ash-Shafi when a loved one is ill. The list becomes a vocabulary for your relationship with Allah.

The names in du'a: call upon Allah by His names

Quran 7:180 is the operational verse: "And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them." The Prophet ﷺ illustrated this in his own du'a. He would call upon Allah by His most fitting name for the moment:

• In pain: "O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm and cure (ashfi), You are the Healer (Ash-Shafi). There is no cure but Yours." (Sahih al-Bukhari 5743)
• In need of provision: "Ya Razzaq", "O Provider, provide for me from where I do not expect."
• In fear: "Hasbiyallahu la ilaha illa huwa, 'alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa Rabbul 'arshil-'azim", invoking Al-Hayy, Al-Qayyum, Al-Hasib.
• In sin: "Astaghfirullaha-l-Ghafur al-Ghaffar al-Halim ar-Rahim", combining names of forgiveness.

This is how the names move from the page into life. Use the name that matches the moment, the Quran teaches you exactly this.

The virtue of Surah Al-Hashr's closing verses

Reciting the last three verses of Surah Al-Hashr (Quran 59:22-24) has a particular virtue. Ma'qil ibn Yasar (RA) reported the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever says three times when he wakes up in the morning, 'A'udhu billahi as-Sami'il-'Alimi minash-shaytan ir-rajim' and then recites the last three verses of Surah Al-Hashr, Allah appoints seventy thousand angels to send prayers upon him until evening. If he dies that day, he dies a martyr. And whoever says it in the evening has the same standing." (Sunan at-Tirmidhi 2922)

These three verses contain a dense concentration of Allah's names, Hu, Allah, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, Al-Malik, Al-Quddus, As-Salam, Al-Mu'min, Al-Muhaymin, Al-'Aziz, Al-Jabbar, Al-Mutakabbir, Al-Khaliq, Al-Bari', Al-Musawwir. Reciting them is one of the easiest ways to engage with the Asmaul Husna daily.

FAQ

How many names of Allah are there in total?

The Prophet ﷺ specified ninety-nine names that carry the particular reward of Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari 2736). In a separate hadith (Musnad Ahmad 3712), he referenced names Allah kept hidden in the knowledge of the unseen. So 99 is the number with the explicit reward; the total number of His names is not exhaustively known to creation.

Where is the list of 99 names in the Quran?

The Quran does not contain the 99 names in one consolidated list. They are scattered across the entire mushaf, with notable concentrations in Quran 59:22-24, 17:110, 7:180, and 20:8. The traditional unified list is from a narration in Sunan at-Tirmidhi 3507.

What is the reward for memorizing them?

Paradise, "Whoever enumerates them enters Jannah" (Bukhari 2736, Muslim 2677). Scholars explain "enumerates" as memorizing, understanding, and acting upon them, not mere recitation.

Can I use a name of Allah as my own name?

Yes, with the 'Abd ("servant of") prefix. 'Abdullah and 'Abdur-Rahman are the two most beloved names to Allah (Sahih Muslim 2132). It is not permitted to take an attribute of absolute perfection (e.g., simply "Ar-Rahman" without 'Abd) as a personal name.

Are the names of Allah only 99?

No. The 99 is the count of names that carry the specific Paradise reward when enumerated. Allah has additional names known only to Him, as the Prophet ﷺ indicated in the hadith of Musnad Ahmad 3712.

How do I call upon Allah using His names?

Match the name to the need. Call Ar-Razzaq for provision, Al-Ghaffar for forgiveness, Ash-Shafi for healing, Al-Hadi for guidance. This is the meaning of Quran 7:180.