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To what extent is the statement true that "Al-Khafid" (The Abaser) and "Al-Mun'im" (The Bestower of Favors) are not among the Beautiful Names of Allah, and that it is impermissible to derive a Greatest Name for Allah from His attributes mentioned in the Hadiths and Qur'anic verses, which renders some names circulated among people incorrect?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The names of Allah are definitive (Tawqifiyyah); therefore, it is impermissible to affirm a name for Allah without a proof, and there is no room for analogy (Qiyas) in this matter. Scholars have differed on the permissibility of deriving names from what has been mentioned in the form of a verb or an annexed noun, even though the majority of them have stipulated the definitive nature of the names and listed names that were only mentioned as annexed or in the form of a verb, such as the names "Al-Khafid" (The Abaser) and "Al-Mun'im" (The Bestower). Their disagreement regarding the inclusion of "Al-Khafid" more than "Al-Mun'im" stems from its mention in the famous narration of the names recorded by Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, despite the fact that this enumeration cannot be authentically attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Some scholars, like Ibn Al-Arabi, have supported the view of derivation. In summary, there is a significant disagreement among scholars regarding the inclusion of "Al-Khafid" and "Al-Mun'im" as names, and it is more appropriate to adhere to the form in which the sacred texts have presented them.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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