Names of Allaah
Allaah says in the Qur'aan:
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing.
[7:180 - Translation by Sahih International]
Say, "Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever [name] you call - to Him belong the best names." And do not recite [too] loudly in your prayer or [too] quietly but seek between that an [intermediate] way.
[17:110 - Translation by Sahih International]
Allah! There is no Allah save Him. His are the most beautiful names.
[20:8 - Translation by Sahih International]
He is Allah, the Creator, the Shaper out of naught, the Fashioner. His are the most beautiful names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifieth Him, and He is the Mighty, the Wise.
[59:24 - Translation by Sahih International]
The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Allah has ninety-nine Names, one-hundred less one; and he who memorized them all by heart will enter Paradise."
[Sahih Al-Bukhaari - The Book of Tawheed - Chapter: Allaah has one hundred Names less One - Hadith No. 7392]
Books on the Beautiful Names of Allaah
Some good books explaining the Beautiful Names of Allaah, in Arabic, include:
ولله الأسماء الحسنى: عبد العزيز بن ناصر الجليل
This page will also, in shaa' Allaah, be updated with the Beautiful Names of Allaah and their explanations.
Call upon Allaah with the appropriate Name
One is to call upon Allaah using His Beautiful Names and make duaa' as mentioned in the first Qur'aanic Verse above. The Name one calls upon should be relevant to the duaa' being made. For example, if one is looking for the Mercy of Allaah, he would use the name Al-Rahmaan [pronounced Ar-Rahmaan] and not Al-Qawii [which means The Strong] or Al-Razzaaq [pronounced Ar-Razzaaq which means the One who gives provision].
الوهاب
al-Wahhaab [The Bestower]
Allaah says in the Qur'aan:
(They say): "Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower."
[Qur'aan 3:8]
It means that You are the One who gives His slaves the success in remaining steadfast on Your Religion and affirming the truth of Your Book and Your Messenger.
Allaah is the Bestower who bestows upon whom He Wills, from His creation, what He Wills of power, ownership, and Prophethood.
The Name al-Wahhaab has come in the Qur'aan three times. In addition to the above mentioned Verse it is mentioned in the following Noble Verses of the Qur'aan:
Or do they have the depositories of the mercy of your Lord, the Exalted in Might, the Bestower?
[Qur'aan 38:9]
He said, "My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower."
[Qur'aan 38:35]
Allaah bestows upon His slaves although they have no right over Him and He is not required to do so. When the righteous among those who have passed ask Allaah to bestow upon them, they did not just say Give me a wife or Give me a child. Rather, they would ask Allaah to bestow upon them a pious wife who would help in matters of this world and the next world. Similarly, when they asked for a child, they would ask for a pious child who was good for them in this world and the next. They would not just ask Allaah for a child but would ask for a pious child who would be a blessing for them and not a trial.
الرزاق
al-razzaaQ
The Provider
This beautiful Name of Allaah has only been used once in the Qur'aan. The beautiful Name has been used in the following Verse of the Qur'aan:
Indeed, it is Allah who is the [continual] Provider, the firm possessor of strength.
[Qur'aan 51:58]
The Suurah in which this beautiful Name has been used is Suurah al-Dhaariyaat. Allaah is the One who gives al-rizQ. al-rizQ includes all that which one benefits from. al-rizQ is of two types:
- The rizQ of the body such as food, drink, etc.
- The rizQ of the ruuh [soul] such as knowledge
The second, al-rizQ of the soul, is the most virtuous.
al-rizQ can be general or specific. General al-rizQ is that which reaches all of the creation whether they be Muslims, kaafirs, good people, or wicked people or if they are humans or jinn. Then there is specific al-rizQ which benefits both in this world and the next world. This al-rizQ is specific only to the believers and includes knowledge and 'Imaan in Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).
That is why when a believer asks Allaah for al-rizQ he needs to have the intention of asking for both types of al-rizq, the general and the specific so he benefits both in this world and the next.