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99 Names of Allah

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99 Names of Allah
Abdullah
12/19/02 at 20:29:35
[slm]

Do they have to be memorized in order from 1 to 99?  Is there a benefit to memorize them in hadith order?  Or do you get the reward for just knowing them?  When they say to repeat one a certain number of times and some reward comes, is this correct?

I have heard a ton of opinions, please answer with back-up, ask somebody learned, or only if you really know cause this one is stumping me!

Jazak Allahu Khair in advance.

P.S:  in Addition, do we have to say certain names with each other, example Al-Hayul Al Qayyum, or can they stand alone?  Others in question are names such as Giver of Life, and Giver of Death, and Avenger and Pardoner.
12/19/02 at 23:24:06
Abdullah
Re: 99 Names of Allah
bhaloo
12/20/02 at 00:57:14
[slm]

This answers part of your questions, and its taken from Islam-Qa.com

The Names of Allaah mentioned in the Qur'aan and Sunnah number over one hundred, as several scholars have agreed (see Al-Qawaa'id al-Muthlaa fi Sifaat Allaahi wa Asmaa'ihi by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih ibn 'Uthaymeen).

Among these are ninety-nine names which, if one learns them and acts in accordance with them, will bring a great reward, as is indicated in the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), in which the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one; whoever learns them will enter Paradise." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 2736)

The learning referred to in the hadeeth includes the following:

Memorizing them.

Understanding their meanings.

Acting upon them: so if a person learns that Allaah is al-Ahad (the One and Only), he will not associate anything else with Him; if he learns that He is al-Razzaaq (the Provider), he will not seek provision from anyone else; if he learns that He is al-Raheem (the Most Merciful), he will not despair of His Mercy, and so on.

Calling upon Allaah by these Names, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): "And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so call on Him by them…" [al-A'raaf 7:180] - so one might say "Yaa Rahmaan arhamni (O Most Merciful, have mercy on me)," "Yaa Ghafoor ighfir li (O All-Forgiving, forgive me)," "Yaa Tawwaab, tubb 'alayya (O Accepter of Repentance, turn towards me in forgiveness)," and so on.

If you pay attention to the endings of many aayaat, you will find many of the names of Allah mentioned there. And Allaah knows best.


Re: 99 Names of Allah
Halima
12/20/02 at 02:36:26
Asalaam Alaikum bhaloo,

How about associating Allah name with other names or calling people by Allah's names only, e.g.

Abdimalik or Abdulmalik; Abdinassir or Abdulnassir; Abdikarim or Abdulkarim; Abdiqalaq or Abdulqalaq; Abdirahim or Abdulrahim; Abdirahman or Abdulrahman; Abdiwahab or Abdulwahb; Abdiaziz or Abdulaziz; Abdirizak or Abdulrizak; Abdiweli or Abdulweli; Abdighafur or Abdulghafur; etc.  

Some people will just leave the Abdi or Abdul and call the person just Malik, Nassir, Karim, Qalaq, Rahim, Rahman, Wahab, Aziz, Rizak, Weli, Ghafur.  Some people say this is wrong while some say it is not wrong at.  Some say it okay to be called Abdi or Abdul.

I have also worked with Afghani colleagues who are called Akbar.  I don't know if this is proper or not.  

What do you think???  

Wasalaam.

Halima

Re: 99 Names of Allah
Abdullah
12/20/02 at 07:45:30
[slm]

To answer the question directed at brother Bhaloo, I have heard from a  sheikh that it is okay to be named Akbhar.

And any of the 99 names of Allah should be prefixed with Abdul in front of them.

My question, however, stresses the need for me to know whether I have to memorize them in order- the famous order.  I believe it is froma  hadith.  I want to know if I can memorize them alphabetically as this is much easier for me and I feel I will learn them better.  

Come to think of it, I know so many people who either go by Abdul, or by a name of Allah SWT, like "Razzak bhai" or something, astag'ferallah.

So, please stress the importance (or lack thereof) of order in the dhikr of the 99 names of Alllah SWT.
Re: 99 Names of Allah
se7en
12/21/02 at 01:39:49
as salaamu alaykum wa rahmatAllah,

The hadeeth that Sh. Uthaymeen quoted also has another riwaya that actually lists 99 names (which is the narration Imam Ghazali uses in his book), but it is considered weak as far as I understand, w'Allahu a'lam.  

So there is no 'official' list that is considered authentic by the majority of scholars that you would need to go by.  However I think it's easier to go by the order from the hadeeth, and learn them according to the way most people do, because there's a rhythm and logic that comes with them.  I recommend you read Imam Ghazali's book for more info on this:
http://store.yahoo.com/islamicbookstore-com/b3303.html

Also check out this thread in the Ramadan Courtyard on Allah's names:
http://www.jannah.org/cgi-bin/madina/YaBB.pl?board=special;action=display;num=1036074197

As far as using Allah's names as names for people, Allah's attributes are always prefixed with "al"  meaning 'the'.. signifying that though others may possess this quality (like the quality of mercy, strength, etc)  the greatest, highest and most complete and perfect possession of the attribute belongs to Allah.  Thus it is okay to call someone 'merciful' but not The Merciful; powerful but not The Powerful; wealthy but not The Wealthy, etc

w'Allahu a'lam.

I hope that helps you some inshaAllah.

wasalaamu alaykum :-)
12/21/02 at 04:23:38
se7en
Re: 99 Names of Allah
Halima
12/23/02 at 12:31:03
Shukran and Jizakallahu Khayr Abdulla and Se7en.  You have both put my mind at rest.

Walaikum Salaam Warahmatullahi Wabaraktu.

Halima


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