Allah's Names

The  names  of  Allah  are  those  proper  nouns  employed  in reference  to Him in the Qur'an and the Sunnah.  

Every one of those names refers to one or more attribute of Allah.  Each name is derived from  its verbal  noun,  such  as the  All-Knowing,   the  Able,  the  All­ Hearing,  the All-Seeing,   and  so on.  

The  name  'the  All-Knowing', for  example,  is derived  from  the  attribute  of  'knowledge',    and  the same is true of the Merciful,  the Beneficial,  etc.

The  name  that  incorporates   the  meanings   of all  the  other nouns  and  attributes   is the  name  'Allah'.

Some scholars, such as Ibnu al-Qayyim,   Sibawayh and at-Tabaree,   contended   that it is derived from the word 'AI-Ilaah',   meaning god.   Others maintained that it is not derived from any other word.[1]

There   is   no   contradiction    between   those   names   being adjectives   or nouns.   The name 'Merciful', for instance, is both a proper noun and an adjective. All of Allah's names are adjectives of praise as well as being references to their proper meanings.[2]

Those   names   were   described    as   beautiful   (Husnaa   in Arabic) because they describe the Most Excellent and Exalted being.

The  Tawheed  of Allah  in His  names  requires  the  belief  in each  and  every  name  He  ascribed   to  Himself,   and  belief  in the qualities  and consequences   incorporated   in them.  For  example,  'the Merciful'  which  was  mentioned   in  the  Qur'an  on  more  than  one occasion:  we must believe  in it as one of the names  of Allah,  believe in  the  fact  that  mercy  is  one  of  the  attributes   of  Allah,  and  also believe  that Allah has mercy  upon  whomever  He wishes.  The same applies to all the other names of Allah mentioned in the Qur'an or in the Sunnah of His Prophet (Peace be upon him).[3]