Explanation of the Hadith: “Indeed, Allah has ninety-nine names, whoever enumerates them will enter Paradise”

The Shaykh : The need remains to answer regarding his saying: The parallel to this is if you say, “I have one hundred horses that I have prepared for jihad in the path of Allah,” does that mean you have no more than these one hundred when we know you have a thousand horses? The answer is yes or no? No, so the hadith is parallel to this example I mentioned, that the meaning is: of the names of Allah are ninety-nine names, whoever enumerates them will enter Paradise. And in that case, the names are not limited, but these ninety-nine are known, or is it possible to encompass them in knowledge? The answer is yes, because if it were not possible, the speech of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and may he be far from that, would be vain. So they can be enumerated. What is the way to enumerate them? The way to this came in a hadith that lists these names, but Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said that their listing is interpolated and is not from the speech of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so it is not to be cited as evidence. The point of his statement is that among the names of Allah are some that are not found in these listed names, such as al-Rabb (The Lord). Al-Rabb is among the names of Allah and is not found in the listed names. Al-Rabb is among the names of Allah by his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): , and by his saying: . Likewise, among the names of Allah is al-Shafi (The Healer), and it was not mentioned in the listed names. It was part of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) ruqyah (healing by recitation) for the sick that he would say: . So what is the way to limit them? The way is to say that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has kept them ambiguous for us, just as He kept Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Decree) ambiguous, and just as He kept the hour of response on Friday ambiguous, in order for us to have work in tracking these names and limiting them, so that the one who is eager to limit these names is distinguished from the one who is not eager, so that he may attain its reward. And we say: this Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), track the Qur’an and track the Sunnah, and take from this Qur’an and the Sunnah ninety-nine names and enumerate them, and in that case you will enter Paradise. But the consideration remains: what is the meaning of enumerating them? Is it enumerating them by counting, or is enumeration something beyond that? We say: if you want to know what is intended, know the reward. What is the reward? Entering Paradise. And mere counting does not become a reward for entering Paradise. So the intended meaning of enumeration is knowing them by name and knowing them by meaning, and worshipping Allah in accordance with these names and supplicating to Him with them. How many things are these? Four things. So their enumeration is knowing them by name and meaning, and supplicating to Allah with them, and worshipping Allah in accordance with them. This is their enumeration. For example, if you know that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is al-Ghafur (The Forgiver), it is not sufficient in enumerating this name to know that al-Ghafur is among the names of Allah and that al-Ghafur means the One who covers the sin and pardons it. This is not sufficient until you supplicate to Allah with it, so we say, “O al-Ghafur, forgive me,” and until you worship Allah in accordance with it by exposing yourself to the forgiveness of Allah, by frequent seeking of forgiveness and frequent good deeds that necessitate forgiveness, and the like of that. It is clear. And among what is related to the names of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).