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Assabile

الْعَظِيمُ

Al-Azim (العظيم): Meaning of Allah’s Name

Name 34 of 996 verses of the Quran

Al-Azim: The Tremendous One or the Magnificent

Recitation: Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary · 24 voices to choose from

Explanation of the name Al-Azim

He is described with the Attributes of Glory and Grandeur and Greatness and Magnificence. He is the One Who is greater, more exalted and magnificent than anything. He is glorified and magnified in the hearts of His friends and close ones. Their hearts overflow in exalting and magnifying Him, submitting to him and humbling themselves before his Grandeur.

"Owner of the Throne, the Glorious." (85:15)

"All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Great, the Most High." (13:9)

"Then glorify with praises the Name of your Lord, the Most Great." (56:74)

— ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sa‘di · Explanation shared with: Al-Majid, Al-Kabir, Al-Jalil

The exalted, said: “So glorify with praises the Name of your Lord, the Most Great”. (Al-Waqiah: 96)

The Linguistic Meaning:

Al-Aadheem: Opposite of small, and the great of people as their chief.

God, the Exalted, is the Great in everything: Great by His Essence, for nothing is greater or higher that It, Great by His Attributes that are endless, and Great by His Actions which contain wide wisdom and fairness. His Greatness is perfect that nothing is away from His Ability, Who multiples to great extent the rewards to whoever He wills among His slaves. His Greatness means that no one deserves to be glorified by same glorification.

The Grandeur of Al-Aadheem

He is so great that nothing can be big in front of Him, peace be upon him said: “ Whenever anyone of you asks God, let him make his asking big, for whatever God gives, is not considered too big to (in front of) Him”. He is so Great that His Greatness is beyond the ability of the human mind to grasp.”.

— Maher bin Moqaddam

The name in the Quran

This name occurs in 6 verses of 4 surahs.

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ۝٢٥٥

Allāh - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

Allah is the One Who alone deserves to be worshipped. He is the One who lives perfectly without any death or deficiency. He exists by Himself and is not in need of any of His creation. The creation only exists through Him and is always in need of Him. Drowsiness or sleep does not come upon Him due to the perfection of His life and existence. He alone controls the heavens and the earth. No one can intercede before Him without His acceptance and permission. He knows what has happened in the past and what will happen in the future. The creation has no share in His knowledge unless He wills to grant them some of it. His Throne covers the vastness of the heavens and the earth. It is not difficult for Him to preserve the heaven and the earth. He is High in His essence and attributes and Great in His dominion and authority.

Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 255

لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ۝٤

To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

Everything in the heavens and on earth belong to Him alone. He created, owns and controls all of it. He is High in His self and in terms of His status and domination, and Majestic in His self.

Surah Ash-Shuraa, Verse 4

فَسَبِّحْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ۝٧٤

So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

O Messenger! So glorify your great Lord, of everything that in unbefitting of Him.

Surah Al-Waqi’ah, Verse 74

فَسَبِّحْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ۝٩٦

So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.

Explanation: Al-Mukhtasar

So glorify the great name of your Lord, and proclaim His purity from all defects.

Surah Al-Waqi’ah, Verse 96

The 2 other verses

The name in the hadiths

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6406

There are two words that are light on the tongue, heavy on the scale, and dear to the Most Merciful

"There are two words that are light on the tongue, heavy on the scale, and dear to the Most Merciful: subhān Allah al-‘azhīm (glory be to Allah, the Majestic), subhān Allah wa bihamdih (glory and praise be to Allah)."

كَلِمَتَانِ خَفِيفَتَانِ عَلَى اللِّسَانِ، ثَقِيلَتَانِ فِي الْمِيزَانِ، حَبِيبَتَانِ إِلَى الرَّحْمَنِ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 9 other versions Explained

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Riyad as-Salihin 1502

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say when he was in distress: "La ilaha illallahul-Azimul-Halim. La ilaha illallahu Rabbul-'Arshil-'Azim. La ilaha illallahu Rabbus-samawati, wa Rabbul-ardi, wa Rabbul-'Arshil- Karim. (None has the right to be worshipped but Allah the Incomparably Great, the…

"‏لا إله إلا الله العظيم الحليم، لا إله إلا الله رب العرش العظيم، لا إله إلا الله رب السماوات ورب الأرض ورب العرش الكريم‏"

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 21 other versions

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 874

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say between the two prostrations: "Rabbi ighfir li, rabbi ighfir li" (My Lord, forgive me; my Lord, forgive me)

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say between the two prostrations: "Rabbi ighfir li, rabbi ighfir li" (My Lord, forgive me; my Lord, forgive me).

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ - ثَلاَثًا - ذُو الْمَلَكُوتِ وَالْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَةِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ اسْتَفْتَحَ فَقَرَأَ الْبَقَرَةَ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ فَكَانَ رُكُوعُهُ نَحْوًا مِنْ قِيَامِهِ وَكَانَ يَقُولُ فِي…

Narrated by Hudhayfah + 8 other versions Explained

Supplications with this name

Saturday, October 17, 2026 6 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ