Question

Can you please clarify the following about the 99 names of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)

1) Does Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) have 99 names?
2) Is this not bordering on shirk because Allah gave Himself (for lack of a better word) 99 names and this is ‘elevating’ our Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to that level?

Answer

The ‘Ulama have cited many names for Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

Ibnul ‘Arabi (rahimahullah) said there are sixty seven.

Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) mentions that certain ‘Ulama cited ninety nine.

Ibn Dihyah says there are three hundred.

Some said Allah Ta’ala has a thousand names [which are known to man], and so has Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

(Fathul Bari, Hadith: 3533)

I have two books that have over 800 names; one by Shaykh Yusuf Nabhani (rahimahullah) and the other by Hazrat Mawlana Musa Ruhani Bazi (rahimahullah).

Lastly, there is no fear of shirk, as the names of Allah Ta’ala are limitless. The 99 that are famous are only a fraction of Allah Ta’ala’s names.

There are names of Allah Ta’ala that are only known to Allah Ta’ala himself.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,

Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar