Explanation of the Beautiful Names of God in Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah

Dr. Saeed Al-Qahtani

Knowing the three beautiful names of God is one of the greatest strengthening factors of faith. Indeed, knowing God through His names and attributes is the foundation of faith, and faith goes back to this great foundation.

For this reason and others, I have collected what Allah has made easy for me of the Most Beautiful Names, and I have mentioned for each name evidence from the Sunnah, the Qur’an, or the Qur’an. Then I presented all of these names to His Eminence, our Sheikh, the Imam, the scholar, Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz, the General President of the Departments of Scientific Research, Ifta’, Call, and Guidance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, may Allah reward him with good and have mercy on him. Whatever he approved, I confirmed, and whatever he hesitated about or denied, I omitted, until I had gathered more than ninety-nine of the Most Beautiful Names with their clear evidence (1). Then I chose nine of these names and explained them briefly, except for some names, which I have extended in explaining because the situation required it. I have taken the explanation of these names from reliable sources, especially from the people of investigation among the people of the Sunnah, such as Ibn Taymiyyah and his student Ibn al-Qayyim and the Sheikh, the scholar, Abdul-Rahman ibn Nasir al-Sa’di, may Allah have mercy on him with an abundant mercy. He is undoubtedly one of the scholars whose knowledge Allah has benefited from. I have divided this research into fifteen topics as follows: The first topic: The names of Allah the Most High are revealed by divine revelation.

The second section: The pillars of belief in the beautiful names.

The third section: The categories of what God Almighty is described with.

Fourth topic: The meaning of the beautiful names is of three types.

Fifth Section: The reality of atheism in the names of God Almighty

Section Six: Enumeration of the Most Beautiful Names is the basis of knowledge.

Chapter Seven: All the names of God Almighty are beautiful.

Eighth Section: The names of God Almighty: some of them are called by themselves and in conjunction with others, and some of them are not called by themselves but are in conjunction with their opposite.

On several attributes.

Chapter Nine: Among the Most Beautiful Names of God are those that indicate. Chapter Ten: The Most Beautiful Names to which all names and attributes refer. Chapter Eleven: The names and attributes of God are specific to Him, and the agreement of names does not necessitate the similarity of the named.

Chapter Twelve: Things that should be known.

Chapter Thirteen: The levels of enumeration of the beautiful names of God. The beautiful names are not limited.

Chapter Fourteen:

The fifteenth section: Explaining the beautiful names of God without disabling, distorting, specifying, or representing.

I concluded this with fatwas on the beautiful names of God, issued by the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Iftaa in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

I named it: Explanation of the Beautiful Names of God in Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.

This is what Allah has facilitated for me to compile. Whatever is correct is from the One, the Generous, and whatever is not is from me and Satan, and Allah and His Messenger are innocent of it. I ask Allah to make this small work sincerely for His Noble Face, bringing its compiler and reader closer, and to make it a proof for us and not against us, and to benefit its compiler and whoever comes to it, for He is the best to be asked and the most generous to be hoped for, and He is sufficient for us and the best Disposer of affairs. There is no power nor strength save with Allah, the Most High, the Almighty. May Allah’s prayers and peace be upon His servant and His trustee of His revelation, our Prophet and Imam Muhammad ibn Abdullah, and upon his family and companions and those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment. There is no power nor strength save with Allah, the Most High, the Almighty.

Written by the servant of God Almighty, Dr. Saeed bin Ali bin Wahf Al-Qahtani

Saturday night 12/7/1409 AH