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The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is authentically reported to have said: “If you judge, judge justly, and if you kill, kill benevolently; indeed, Allah is Benevolent and He loves benevolence.” [Narrated by Al-Tabarāni in Al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat; Hasan (sound)]
In another Hadīth, Shaddād ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed, Allah Almighty is Benevolent and He loves benevolence.” [Al-Jāmi‘ al-Saghīr; Sahīh (authentic)]
Our Lord, Exalted be He, is Perfect in His essence, attributes, and actions. {Allah has the Most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them...} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 180] No one is more excellent or perfect than He is!
It is our Lord: {Who perfected everything He created...} [Surat as-Sajdah: 7]
Benevolence is an inseparable attribute of Him. Nothing in existence is spared of His benevolence for a while. Indeed, He encompasses all creatures in His benevolence and bounty, including the pious and the wicked, the believers and the disbelievers. They cannot exist or continue to live without His bounty and favors.
Allah’s benevolence towards His servants first manifests as He brought them out of nothing into existence. {Was there not a period of time when man was not a thing [even] mentioned?} [Surat al-Insān: 1] {...And initiated the creation of man from clay.} [Surat as-Sajdah: 7]
Then, He fashioned them in the best form: {...He shaped you and perfected your form...} [Surat Ghāfir: 64] Then, He gave them minds that distinguish between the truth and falsehood: {And shown him the two ways [of right and wrong]?} [Surat al-Balad: 10]
And He subjected to them the heavens and the earth and what is between them: {Do you not see that Allah has made subservient to you all that is in the heavens and on earth, and has abundantly bestowed upon you His favors, both apparent and hidden?...} [Surat Luqmān: 20]
And He bestowed His countless favors upon them: {...If you try to count the blessings of Allah, you cannot count them. Indeed, mankind is highly unjust and ungrateful.} [Surat Ibrāhim: 34]
The greatest benevolence Allah bestows upon His servants is guiding them to this religion and making them inclined and steadfast on it till death. {Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who do good.} [Surat an-Nahl: 128]
Leading His close servants to a good and safe life: {Whoever does righteous deeds, male or female, while being a believer, We will surely grant him a good life, and We will surely reward them according to the best of their deeds.} [Surat an-Nahl: 97]
Removing the distress of His close servants and saving them from adversities. Yūsuf (Joseph) (peace be upon him) is quoted in the Qur’an as saying: {...My Lord is gracious to whom He wills...} [Surat Yūsuf: 100]
Then, His perfect benevolence towards His close servants will be displayed in the Hereafter. That is the highest benevolence, and even more. Allah Almighty says: {For those who do good there will be the best reward and more...} [Surat Yūnus: 26]
The best reward for them is Paradise.
And what is more: is looking at the Face of their Exalted Lord. Indeed, there is nothing better, more beautiful, more perfect, or more sublime than His noble Face.
Moreover, He combines for them the two kinds of reward, of this world and of the Hereafter. He says: {So Allah gave them the reward of this world and the best reward of the Hereafter, for Allah loves those who do good.} [Surat Ᾱl ‘Imrān: 148]
Our Lord, Exalted be He, is the Owner of great benevolence and perfection. Hence, He perfected His Shariah and included in it the good outcomes and lofty objectives, which are beneficial for all humanity. {...Who could be better than Allah in judgment for people who are certain in faith?} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 50]
1. Ihsān in worshiping Allah Almighty:
This is the highest and most sublime position as mentioned in the well-known long Hadīth involving Jibrīl (Gabriel), where the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) interpreted Ihsān as follows: “It is to worship Allah as if you could see Him; if you do not see Him, He sees you.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
2. Ihsān towards the servants of Allah Almighty:
This is to bring to them all kinds of goodness and refrain from harming them. Allah Almighty says: {...Allah does not allow the reward of those who do good to go to waste.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 120]
Our Lord, Exalted be He, loves His names and loves that His servants draw close to Him by actions entailed by the meanings of His names. He is Merciful and loves those who are merciful, Generous and loves those who are generous, and Benevolent and loves those who act benevolently. In the Qur’an, He says: {...For Allah loves those who do good.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 195]
The most entitled to one’s benevolence and kindness are his parents, as Allah Almighty says: {We have enjoined upon man kindness to his parents...} [Surat al-Ahqāf: 15] He also says: {...And do good as Allah has done good to you...} [Surat al-Qasas: 77]
To You, Lord of the Throne, I complain.
And I supplicate You during hardships.
My Lord, fulfill our wishes
and be Merciful to us and answer our supplications.
O You Who always show benevolence,
O You Who always show forgiveness,
we seek refuge in You, our Lord, from our evil actions.
We hope for Your forgiveness and pardon.
Help us, help us, and remove our hardships
and save us from trouble and harm.
Bestow Your bounty, benevolence, forgiveness, and pardon.
Indeed, You are worthy of doing that.
O Allah, make us among the benevolent and show benevolence to us and accept from us, from our parents, and from all Muslims.
1. The believer should make his best effort to know Allah Almighty and His names, attributes, and actions, without negating, likening, distorting, or asking about their nature or manner.
His knowledge should be derived from the Qur’an and Sunnah and the authentic reports from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and those who followed them with righteousness.
2. The names of Allah Almighty should be taken as they are reported, and not to be subject to our personal reasoning. Hence, we should take them as they are mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah, without addition or omission.
3. The beautiful names of Allah Almighty should not be regarded as limited or numbered, for there are other names and attributes which He, Exalted be He, keeps to Himself as part of the unseen, and they are not known to anyone, including angels and prophets. A Hadīth reads in part of it: “... I ask You by every name that belongs to You, which You have named Yourself with, revealed in Your Book, taught any one of Your creation, or kept to Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen with You...” [Narrated by Al-Tabarāni in Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabīr; Sahīh (authentic)]
With regard to the Prophet’s Hadīth: “Allah has ninety nine names, one hundred minus one, and whoever memorizes them will enter Paradise,” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim] this is a one complete statement, which
indicates that whoever memorizes the ninety nine names will enter Paradise. Yet, this does not necessarily mean that they are only ninety nine and not more.
For example, we may say “so-and-so has a hundred slaves that he has prepared for Jihad.” This does not mean that he does not possess other slaves prepared for other purposes than Jihad. There is no disagreement among scholars on this point.
Moreover, the Prophet’s statement “and whoever memorizes them will enter Paradise” means: Whoever memorizes and understands them and praises Allah Almighty thereby. These are three degrees. Whoever does any of them, along with sincere intention, and acts accordingly has indeed memorized them, as stated by Al-Qurtubi, Al-Khattābi, and Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy upon them).
4. All the names of Allah Almighty are beautiful, and they fall under four categories:
They inspire within people’s souls a sense of intimacy, love for Allah and meeting Him, and feelings of comfort and tranquility. They open the door of hope for people so they do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Examples of these names include: Ar-Rahmān (the Most Compassionate), Ar-Rahīm (the Most Merciful), Al-Karīm (the Generous), Al-‘Afuww (the Pardoner), Al-Halīm (the Forbearing), Al-Ghafūr (the All-Forgiving), At-Tawwāb (the Accepting of repentance), etc.
They inspire within people’s souls a sense of awe and fear from their Lord, as well as glorification and extolment of Him.
They carry the meanings of vanquishing, power, might, and greatness, such as: Al-‘Azīz (the All-Mighty), Al-Jabbār (the Compeller), Al-Qahhār (the Superb Vanquisher), Al-Qawiyy (the All-Powerful), Al-Kabīr (the Great), and Al-Mutakabbir (the Supreme).
These are the names which prompt the believer to feel humbled before his Lord and that he is weak and a created being by Allah Almighty.
They point to the lordship of Allah Almighty, such as: Ar-Rabb (the Lord), As-Sayyid (the Master), Al-Malik (the King), Al-Mālik (the Owner), Al-Khāliq (the Creator), Al-Bāri’ (the Initiator), and Ar-Rāziq (the Provider).
These are the names which prompt the believer to feel that he is a slave of Allah Almighty and that Allah is the One worthy of being worshiped alone.
They contain the meanings of divinity, such as: Al-Ilāh (the God) and As-Samad (the Eternal Refuge).
This classification is done on the basis of the meanings of these names. Yet all the names of Allah Almighty combine beauty, majesty, perfection, and greatness. They point to the Best and Most Sublime One to be described.
5. Each of these names establishes the attribute of perfection for Allah Almighty. Hence, His names are all beautiful, and His attributes point to His perfection, magnificence, and majesty, and His actions comprise wisdom, mercy, benefits, and justice.
6. None among the names of Allah Almighty signifies evil or deficiency.
Indeed, evil does not come from Him and is not part of His attributes or ascribed to His essence, and it does not exist in any of His actions. So, evil may not be attributed to His actions or attributes.
7. Allah Almighty commands His servants to supplicate Him by His names. He says: {Allah has the Most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them...} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 180] This includes the supplications of worship and the supplications of requests.
This is indeed one of the best and greatest acts of obedience and piety.
8. The beautiful names of Allah Almighty are not collectively listed in any Prophetic Hadīth.
We should stick to the rule that “the names of Allah Almighty should be derived from the Qur’an and Sunnah.”
9. The second edition comprises commentary on ninety nine names among the beautiful names of Allah Almighty, as agreed between Shaykh Muhammad ibn Sālih ibn ‘Uthaymīn, Dr. ‘Umar Sulaymān al-Ashqar, and Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azīz ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Bāz (may Alah have mercy upon them all) - or as agreed by two of the three.
In conclusion..
It has been accomplished with the help of Allah Almighty. I have collected what I could in this book, and I implore Allah to accept it from me and make it beneficial for everyone.
And may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad and his family and Companions.
And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
* It has been edited and proofread by Mr. Muhammad ‘Abdul-‘Azhīm and Mr. Muhammad ‘Abdul-Latīf; typed by Mr. Mu‘awwad Rizq; and formatted by Mr. Ahmad Kashouqah. May Allah reward them all and grant them success.
* Brief information about the author:
Born in 1378 AH (1967 AD), in Rahīmah, Saudi Arabia, ‘Abdullah ibn Mushabbib ibn Musfir al-Qahtāni obtained a doctoral degree in Islamic Fiqh. He is a retired educational supervisor and the Imam and preacher of Abu Bakr al-Siddīq Mosque in Dammām, Saudi Arabia.