We pray to Allah every day and want that our supplications got acceptance. But for acceptance, we have to pray properly because we are in front of the Lord of the universe. Standing in front Allah needs respectful body language, praiseful words and purity of heart. One of method Almighty Allah taught us in the Holy Quran is through His glorious names, Asma ul-Husna(utmost in beauty). Allah says in the Quran:
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be repaid for what they have been doing.
7:180
Importance of Asma ul Husna
Allah created the whole universe so that to know Him and worship Him. This is what is expected and required to do from human beings. Foundation of our religion is knowing Allah the Almighty. Its essence is knowing Allah through His beautiful Names, Attributes and Deeds. When we invoke Allah with His beautiful names it increases our faith, love and fear of Him. Allah accepts dua if asked with his names.
Abdullah bin Buraidah narrated from his father, who said:
The Prophet heard a person supplicating, and was saying: ‘O Allah, surely, I ask you by my testifying that You are Allah, there is none worthy of worship except You, the One, As-Samad, the one who does not beget, nor was begotten, and there is none who is like Him. Prophet(PBUH) said: “So he said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, he has asked Allah by His Greatest Name, the one which if He is called upon by it, He responds, and when He is requested by it, He gives.’”.
Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 3475
Abu Huraira narrated The Messenger of Allah(PBUH) said:
Allah has ninety-nine(99) names and whoever preserves them will enter Paradise.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6597, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2677
Way to use Asma ul Husna in supplications
Allah the Greatest is worthy of worship and the best treatment from us. One has to ask Him with respect and perfect submission. Follow below rules when asking Him with His names:
- Ask Allah with His Greatest and beautiful Names.
- Relevant Names can be called upon for specific requests. For example, ‘Yā-Tawwāb (Acceptor of repentance), accept my repentance.
- Remove the ‘al’ when invoking Allah with His Names; so that ‘Yā Razzāq’ not ‘Yā al-Razzāq.
- Affirm the Name and the Attribute it implies.
- Understand by heart and believe in the meaning of His names while asking with It.
- Acting upon what these names necessitate.
Greatest Names with which He responds
The Lord الرب Ar ‘rab
The Master Who manages the affairs of His creations.
Ar Rehman الرَّحْمَنُ The Beneficent
He who wills wellbeing and mercy for all His creatures.
Ar Rahim الرَّحِيمُ The Merciful
He who acts with extreme kindness and special mercy.
Al Ahad اَلاَحَدُ The sole One
The only one and unique.
As-Samad الصَّمَدُ The Supreme Provider
The Eternal, The Independent, absolute. The Master who is relied upon in matters and reply to in one’s needs.
Al-Awwal الأوَّلُ The Very First
The First one, The only One whose Existence is without a beginning.
Al-Akhir الآخِرُ The Infinite Last One
The Last one, The only One whose Existence is without an end.
Adh-Dhahir الظَّاهِرُ The Perceptible
The Manifest, The One and only that nothing is underneath Him and nothing is above Him, hence He exists without a place. His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributes of bodies, The Exalted one.
Al Batin الْبَاطِنُ The Imperceptible
The Hidden, The One and only that nothing is above or underneath Him, hence He exists without a place.
Al-Hayy الْحَيُّ The Eternally Living One
The living one, The One attributed with a life that is not like our life and is not that of a combination of soul, blood or flesh.
Al-Qayyum الْقَيُّومُ The Self-Subsisting One
The One who remains forever and does not end.
Al Mannan ٱلمَنَّان The most Gracious
The most Exalted and Glorious.
Dhul-Jalali Wal-Ikram ذُوالْجَلاَلِ وَ الإكْرَامِ The Possessor of Majesty and Honour
The Lord of Bounty and Majesty, The One who deserves to be Exalted and not denied.
