Sahih al-Bukhari, 2736
sahihNarrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise." (Please see Hadith No. 419 Vol. 8)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ
إِنَّ لِلَّهِ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ اسْمَا مِائَةً إِلاَّ وَاحِدًا مَنْ أَحْصَاهَا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ
.
Isnad
5 transmittersReferences2 variants
- In-Book Reference
- Book 54, Hadith 23
- USC-MSA web (English) reference
- Vol. 3, Book 50, Hadith 894 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {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.} [Quran 7:180]. The Prophet ﷺ taught Muslims these Divine Names and ensured that they should clearly understand their meanings (and implications). In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺstated that Allah, Exalted is He, has ninety-nine Names, and whoever knows them will enter Paradise. The Arabic verb used in the hadeeth is Ahsaa (lit., to enumerate), meaning to memorize these Names and comprehend their meanings or invoke Allah, Exalted is He, by them; He Says (what means): {… so invoke Him by them.} [Quran 7:180]. This means that we are enjoined to implore Allah, Exalted is He, by these Divine Names, saying, for example, ‘Yaa Dhaa Al-Jalaali Wal-Ikraam (i.e., O Possessor of majesty and honor)’ or ‘Yaa Hayyu yaa Qayyoom (i.e., O Ever-Living and Sustainer of [all] existence),’ and the like. It was also said that it means acting upon their meanings and worshiping Allah, Exalted is He, in light of their implications. This means that when a servant of Allah learns the Divine Name Al-Raheem (i.e., The Especially Merciful), such knowledge should urge him to seek His Mercy and work towards earning such a bestowal. Similarly, when one learns the Divine Name Al-Ghafoor (i.e., All-Forgiving), such knowledge should urge him to seek His forgiveness and work towards earning such a bestowal. In the same vein, when one learns the Divine Name Al-Samee‘ (i.e., All-Hearing), such knowledge should urge him to be mindful of what may incur His wrath. Also, when a servant of Allah learns the Divine Name ‘Al-Baseer (i.e., All-Seeing)’, such knowledge should urge him to avoid whatever displeases Him. .