The Reality of the Hadith of the Ninety-Nine Names of Allah and Their Enumeration
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
May Allah reward you with good and bless you. This questioner, 'Abd al-Majid, says: It was reported thatJami` at-Tirmidhi 3508Sahih (Darussalam). What is the reality of this hadith? Is it necessary to memorize these well-known names? Or are there other known names besides these? And are some of them hidden from the people?
Answer:
The hadith is authenticJami` at-Tirmidhi 3508Sahih (Darussalam), and enumerating them means knowing them, knowing their meanings, calling upon Allah by them, and seeking nearness to Him through them, as Allah the Exalted said [Al-A'raf 7:180]. They are taken from the Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah, so they are widespread in the Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah. The names of Allah are many, and none knows them except He. They are not limited to these ninety-nine, but these ninety-nine are specific to the one who knows them, acts upon them, and calls upon Allah by them. So the meaning of enumerating them is knowing them, knowing their meanings, acting upon them, and seeking nearness to Allah through them. Yes.
May Allah reward you with good and bless you. This questioner, 'Abd al-Majid, says: It was reported that
Allah has ninety-nine Names, whoever counts them shall enter Paradise
لله تسعة وتسعين اسما من أحصاها دخل الجنةAnswer:
The hadith is authentic
Indeed, Allah has ninety-nine Names, whoever counts them shall enter Paradise.
أن لله تسعة وتسعين اسما من أحصاها دخل الجنةAnd 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.
وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا وَذَرُوا الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
Source
نور على الدرب - الفوزان - 03/141 — archive.org (9:12)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.