Blessings from Allah

Knowing Him

Who Is Allah?

The One, the Eternal, the Most Merciful — closer to us than we can imagine.

The name

The meaning of “Allah”

“Allah” is simply the Arabic word for God — the one, unique, eternal Creator and Sustainer of everything. It is not the name of a tribal or ethnic deity; Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians use the same word for God. Muslims understand Allah to be the same one God worshipped by all the prophets, from Adam and Abraham to Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.

The word itself has no plural and no gender, quietly underlining a central truth: Allah is One, beyond every human category, and there is nothing else like Him.

Calligraphy and geometric ornament in a mosque

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ۝ اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ ۝ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ۝ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

“Say, He is Allah, One; Allah, the Eternal Refuge; He neither begets nor is begotten; and there is none comparable to Him.”

— Surah Al-Ikhlas (112)

Tawhid

The Oneness of Allah

Tawhid — the absolute oneness of Allah — is the single most important idea in Islam. Everything else flows from it.

One Creator

Allah alone created and sustains all that exists. Every atom, every breath, and every moment depends entirely on Him.

One worthy of worship

Because Allah alone is the source of all, He alone deserves our worship, love, hope, and reliance — directly, with no intermediary needed.

One in His names

Allah’s names and attributes are uniquely His. Nothing shares in His perfection: “There is nothing like unto Him.” (42:11)

His nature

The Attributes of Allah

The Qur’an describes Allah so that our hearts may know Him — above all, by a mercy that comes before everything else.

Merciful

His mercy encompasses all things and precedes His justice.

All-Knowing

Nothing is hidden from Him — the seen, the unseen, and the secrets of hearts.

All-Powerful

He is able to do all things; His will brings everything into being.

Perfectly Just

He wrongs no one, and no good or evil is ever overlooked.

Eternal

He has no beginning and no end, depending on nothing and no one.

The Provider

He sustains every creature, seen and unseen, without measure.

Ever-Near

“I am near — I respond to the call of the caller when he calls.” (2:186)

The Peace

In turning to Him, restless hearts find stillness and rest.

Al-Asmā’ al-Ḥusnā

The 99 Beautiful Names of Allah

“To Allah belong the most beautiful names, so call upon Him by them.” (7:180). Here is a selection of His names — each one a window into who He is.

الرَّحْمٰن
Ar-Rahman
The Most Compassionate
الرَّحِيْم
Ar-Rahim
The Most Merciful
المَلِك
Al-Malik
The King, the Sovereign
القُدُّوْس
Al-Quddus
The Most Holy
السَّلاَم
As-Salam
The Source of Peace
المُؤْمِن
Al-Mu’min
The Granter of Security
العَزِيْز
Al-Aziz
The Almighty
الخَالِق
Al-Khaliq
The Creator
الغَفَّار
Al-Ghaffar
The Ever-Forgiving
الوَهَّاب
Al-Wahhab
The Bestower
الرَّزَّاق
Ar-Razzaq
The Provider
العَلِيْم
Al-Alim
The All-Knowing
السَّمِيْع
As-Sami’
The All-Hearing
البَصِيْر
Al-Basir
The All-Seeing
الحَكِيْم
Al-Hakim
The Most Wise
الوَدُوْد
Al-Wadud
The Most Loving
الغَفُوْر
Al-Ghafur
The All-Forgiving
الشَّكُوْر
Ash-Shakur
The Most Appreciative
الحَلِيْم
Al-Halim
The Most Forbearing
الحَفِيْظ
Al-Hafiz
The Preserver
المُجِيْب
Al-Mujib
The Responsive
الوَكِيْل
Al-Wakil
The Trustee
الوَلِيّ
Al-Wali
The Protecting Friend
الهَادِي
Al-Hadi
The Guide

Open the 99 Names explorer

A representative selection of the ninety-nine names. Verify Arabic and meanings against a reputable source (e.g. Quran.com) before publishing additions.

His door is always open

Knowing Allah is the beginning. Learn how to draw near through His teachings and daily worship.

The Teachings Worship & Du‘a