سُلْطَان
Boy Arabic origin Sulṭān
In the Quran“Power, authority”; also “compelling proof”
The word as it is recited in the Quran: Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary, Al-Isra 17:80.
The word occurs thirty-seven times in the Quran, often in the sense of “proof”. Allah teaches the Prophet ﷺ this prayer: “My Lord… grant me from Yourself a supporting authority (sultanan nasiran)” (17:80), and the Quran tells jinn and men that they will not pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth “except with authority (bi-sultan)” (55:33).
Sultan comes from the root s-l-t of dominion (sallata, “to give power over”): power, authority, and in the Quran often compelling, evident proof. From the 11th century the word became the title of Muslim sovereigns. The name is widely borne in the Gulf and Turkey.
Yes: the word Sultan appears in the Quran 37 times, in 26 surahs.
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ وَٱجْعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَٰنًا نَّصِيرًا ٨٠
And say, "My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority."
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَجْعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَٰنًا مُّبِينًا ١٤٤
O you who have believed, do not take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allāh against yourselves a clear case?
يَٰمَعْشَرَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ إِنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا۟ مِنْ أَقْطَارِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنفُذُوا۟ لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَٰنٍ ٣٣
O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allāh].
سَنُلْقِى فِى قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلرُّعْبَ بِمَآ أَشْرَكُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِۦ سُلْطَٰنًا وَمَأْوَىٰهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَبِئْسَ مَثْوَى ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ١٥١
We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve for what they have associated with Allāh of which He had not sent down [any] authority. And their refuge will be the Fire, and wretched is the residence of the wrongdoers.
All the words of the root س ل ط in the Quran (39 occurrences)
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Sultan 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.
