عَبْد الْغَفُور
Boy Arabic origin ʿAbd al-Ghafūr
Name of Allah“Servant of the All-Forgiving”
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The most beloved of your names to Allah are ʿAbd Allah and ʿAbd al-Rahman” (Muslim 2132), and scholars add to them all names formed on a name of Allah. The name al-Ghafur occurs 91 times in the Quran; its page in the 99 Names section gives its meaning and verses.
ʿAbd al-Ghafur joins ʿabd with al-Ghafur, from the root gh-f-r of forgiveness: the One who forgives sins, however many, and erases them. In the Quran al-Ghafur is almost always followed by al-Rahim: “Allah is Forgiving and Merciful”, one of the most repeated formulas of the Book.
This name is built on a name of Allah found in the Quran; its verses are on the page of that name.
إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةَ وَٱلدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ بِهِۦ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ١٧٣
He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allāh. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
فَمَنْ خَافَ مِن مُّوصٍ جَنَفًا أَوْ إِثْمًا فَأَصْلَحَ بَيْنَهُمْ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ١٨٢
But if one fears from the bequeather [some] error or sin and corrects that which is between them [i.e., the concerned parties], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
All the words of the root غ ف ر in the Quran (234 occurrences)
"Indeed, the dearest of your names to Allah is ‘Abdullah and ‘Abdur-Rahmān."
إِنَّ أَحَبَّ أَسْمَائِكُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ "
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Abdul Ghafur in particular: the general rules of Islam apply.
Read the rules for choosing a name
This page is an aid to reflection, not a fatwa. For a personal case, ask a person of knowledge.
