99 Names of Allh

[MustafaMc]

In reading A Shi'ite Anthology, I get the impression that Allah's Oneness transcends attributes and names, but the Sunni tradition lists 99 names of Allah. I am sure that many of these names are found in the Qur'an, for example, ar-Rahman and ar-Raheem. Does this concept of 99 names of Allah exist in Shi'ia teachings? I know that Allah is beyond our comprehension, but He has described Himself in terms that we have some semblance of understanding as humans else the words would be meaningless. Do these various names give us some comprehension of the Uncomprehendable and Incomparable One?

[Hassan-]

2 hours ago, MustafaMc said:

Does this concept of 99 names of Allah exist in Shi'ia teachings?

It definitely does brother, we have plenty of hadiths from the Ahlulbayt (as) talking about the importance of knowing the 99 names of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى.

حدثنا أحمد بن زياد بن جعفر الهمداني رضي الله عنه قال حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم عن أبيه عن أبي الصلت عبد السلام بن صالح الهروي عن علي بن موسى الرضا عن أبيه عن آبائه عن علي (ع) قال قال رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) لله عز وجل تسعة وتسعون اسماً، من دعا الله بها استجاب له، ومن أحصاها دخل الجنة

Narrated to us Aḥmad b. Ziyād b. Ja`far al-Hamadānī (رضي الله عنه)[1] said `Alī b. Ibrāhīm b. Hāshim[2] from his father[3]from Abī al-Ṣalt `Abd al-Salām b. Ṣāliḥ al-Harawī[4] from `Alī b. Mūsa al-Riḍā from his father from his fathers from `Alī (عليه السلام) said, the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said:

“For Allāh (عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) has ninety-nine (99) names, whoever does du`ā’ by them, he will be answered. And whoever memorizes them will enter jannah.”

This link here lists all 99 names and describes the meaning of each name: https://www.al-islam.org/Allah-the-concept-of-god-in-islam-a-selection-yasin-al-jibouri/ninety-nine-attributes-Allah#attributes-Allah

2 hours ago, MustafaMc said:

I know that Allah is beyond our comprehension, but He has described Himself in terms that we have some semblance of understanding as humans else the words would be meaningless. Do these various names give us some comprehension of the Uncomprehendable and Incomparable One?

https://www.al-islam.org/Allah-the-concept-of-god-in-islam-a-selection-yasin-al-jibouri/section-1-knowing-Allah#commonly-asked-questions-about-Allah

[MustafaMc]

Thank you, brother. Quoting, "Do not think about Allah," said Imam `Ali, "rather, think about what Allah has created, for thinking about Allah only increases one's bewilderment."

I see evidence for Allah's existence in His creation, particularly life, the processes of life and the species of life. Allah has willed that I am an plant geneticist and breeder and I see convincing evidence that the DNA for each species is like a minutely detailed and unique instruction book for each species of life that was designed and written by our supremely intelligent Creator. Although He is not subject to being known through our senses, we can know that He exists through the use of our minds. Perhaps this is what Allah was referring to in 2:30 in response to the angels questioning the creation of man. We can know with certainty that He exists even though we cannot comprehend His existence which is outside of our confines of space and time.

[Qa'im]

Our belief is that these 99 names are not distinct attributes or parts of God, but rather they are created labels that indicate the one indivisible Essence.

[Aquib Rizvi]

9 hours ago, MustafaMc said:

In reading A Shi'ite Anthology, I get the impression that Allah's Oneness transcends attributes and names, but the Sunni tradition lists 99 names of Allah. I am sure that many of these names are found in the Qur'an, for example, ar-Rahman and ar-Raheem. Does this concept of 99 names of Allah exist in Shi'ia teachings? I know that Allah is beyond our comprehension, but He has described Himself in terms that we have some semblance of understanding as humans else the words would be meaningless. Do these various names give us some comprehension of the Uncomprehendable and Incomparable One?

Assalaamualeykum,

I hope this hadeeth might answer your question, Inshallah

Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn `Isam al-Kulayni and `Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Imran al-Daqqaq ( may Allah have mercy on them both) both said: Muhammad ibn Ya`qub al-Kulayni said, on the authority of `Ali ibn Ibrahim, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Nadr ibn Suwayd, on the authority of Hisham ibn al-Hakam that

 I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) about the names of Allah, the Mighty and High, and their derivations. Hence, he replied, Allah is derived from Ilah (God). The word Ilah requires a server [Ma’luh], The name is other than the named. Therefore, whoever serves the name without the meaning then he disbelieves, and has not served anything. Whoever serves the name, and the meaning, he has associated, and has served both of them. Whoever serves the meaning without he name has embraced Divine Unity. Have you understood, O Hisham? He says, I said: “Elaborate for me.” He (AS) responded, For Allah, the Mighty and High, are Ninety Nine Names. If the name was the named then every name would have been a god. However Allah, the Mighty and High, has a meaning for all of these names which apply to Him, and all of them are other than Him. O Hisham! “Bread” is a name of a food; “water” is a name of a drink; “cloth is a name of a material, and “fire” is a name of ignition. Do you understand, O Hisham? Do you understand in such a way that you can defend us, and defeat our enemies, the apostates of Allah, and the one who associate other with Allah, the Mighty and High? I replied, “Yes.” He (AS) then said: “May Allah benefit you by it and secure you, O Hisham!” Hisham says, “I swear by Allah, no one could defeat me in debate on the subject of Divine Unity after I stood up from that place.”

Source: at-Tawheed by Shaykh Saduq.

[myouvial]

58 minutes ago, Aquib Rizvi said:

Assalaamualeykum,

I hope this hadeeth might answer your question, Inshallah

Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn `Isam al-Kulayni and `Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Imran al-Daqqaq ( may Allah have mercy on them both) both said: Muhammad ibn Ya`qub al-Kulayni said, on the authority of `Ali ibn Ibrahim, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Nadr ibn Suwayd, on the authority of Hisham ibn al-Hakam that

 I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) about the names of Allah, the Mighty and High, and their derivations. Hence, he replied, Allah is derived from Ilah (God). The word Ilah requires a server [Ma’luh], The name is other than the named. Therefore, whoever serves the name without the meaning then he disbelieves, and has not served anything. Whoever serves the name, and the meaning, he has associated, and has served both of them. Whoever serves the meaning without he name has embraced Divine Unity. Have you understood, O Hisham? He says, I said: “Elaborate for me.” He (AS) responded, For Allah, the Mighty and High, are Ninety Nine Names. If the name was the named then every name would have been a god. However Allah, the Mighty and High, has a meaning for all of these names which apply to Him, and all of them are other than Him. O Hisham! “Bread” is a name of a food; “water” is a name of a drink; “cloth is a name of a material, and “fire” is a name of ignition. Do you understand, O Hisham? Do you understand in such a way that you can defend us, and defeat our enemies, the apostates of Allah, and the one who associate other with Allah, the Mighty and High? I replied, “Yes.” He (AS) then said: “May Allah benefit you by it and secure you, O Hisham!” Hisham says, “I swear by Allah, no one could defeat me in debate on the subject of Divine Unity after I stood up from that place.”

Source: at-Tawheed by Shaykh Saduq.

The OP question was also my quest before and after reading this hadist (i think i saw from Al-Kafi 1), it makes me wonder why my question is answerred in hadist of Ahlul Bayt a.s. However, this makes me more eager to pursue study from the teaching of Shia of Ahlul Bayt a.s.

[Aquib Rizvi]

23 hours ago, myouvial said:

The OP question was also my quest before and after reading this hadist (i think i saw from Al-Kafi 1), it makes me wonder why my question is answerred in hadist of Ahlul Bayt a.s. However, this makes me more eager to pursue study from the teaching of Shia of Ahlul Bayt a.s.

Brother, believe me true knowledge is only from the door of Ahlulbayt (as). 

Narrated to me Muhammad bin Masud who said: narrated to us Ali bin al-Hasan bin Fadhal who said: narrated to me al-Abbas bin A’mir AND Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Hukaym from Aban bin Uthman from Abi Basir who said:

"... Aba Ja’far عليه السلام said: al-Hakam can go to the right and to the left, for by Allah he will not find true knowledge except with the Ahl al-Bayt upon whom Jibrail عليه السلام descended.

- Sayyed Al-Khoei said hadeeth is "Mo'tabar" in Mabānī takmilat al-minhāj vol 1, Pg 109.

[myouvial]

35 minutes ago, Aquib Rizvi said:

Brother, believe me true knowledge is only from the door of Ahlulbayt (as). 

Narrated to me Muhammad bin Masud who said: narrated to us Ali bin al-Hasan bin Fadhal who said: narrated to me al-Abbas bin A’mir AND Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Hukaym from Aban bin Uthman from Abi Basir who said:

"... Aba Ja’far عليه السلام said: al-Hakam can go to the right and to the left, for by Allah he will not find true knowledge except with the Ahl al-Bayt upon whom Jibrail عليه السلام descended.

- Sayyed Al-Khoei said hadeeth is "Mo'tabar" in Mabānī takmilat al-minhāj vol 1, Pg 109.

 Do not worry. I have already checked some speech, response, attitude of Ahlul Bayt a.s. in several occasions. Unless full of sin, you can see their al'adhziem and give the takdziem to them. I do not know exactly what proper word and i put my last known arabic from my country (Indonesia), that takdziem.