What is Ism Al-Azam?

1. Definition

Ism Al-Azam (اسم الاعظم) means the Greatest Name of Allah (سبحانه و تعالى). Among its virtues, it is said that when a person with the proper disposition uses this name to supplicate to Allah then Allah grants whatever the supplicant asks for.

2. Ahadith with Duas

2.1 It was narrated that Al-Qasim and Abu Umamah (رضی اللہ عنهم) that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: 

The Greatest Name of Allah, if He is called by which He will respond, is in three Surah: Al-Baqarah, Aal 'Imran and Ta-Ha.

(Sunan Ibn Majah 3856)

📝 NOTE  Hisham bin `Ammar, the Khatib (orator) of Damascus (one of the narrators in the above narration), said, "As for Al-Baqarah, it is in, ﴾اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ﴿  Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. (2:255) In Al `Imran, it is in, ﴾الم - اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ﴿  Alif-Lam-Mim. Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. (3:1-2) while in Ta-Ha, it is in, ﴾وَعَنَتِ الْوُجُوهُ لِلْحَىِّ الْقَيُّومِ﴿  And (all) faces shall be humbled before (Allah), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists) .'' (20:111) (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Ayat Al-Kursi)

2.2 'Asma bint Yazid ibn Al-Sakan (رضي الله عنها) reported the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) as saying: 

"Allah's Greatest Names is in these two verses:

وَإِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ

"And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah (God), none has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever-Merciful, the Mercy-Giving' (2:163)

and the beginning of Surah Al 'Imran,

الم * اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ ‏

"A.L.M Allah, there is no deity but He, the Living, the Eternal." (3:1-2)

(Sunan Abi Dawud 1496)


2.3 `Abdullah bin Buraidah Al Aslami (رضي الله عنه) narrated from his father, who said: 

“The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) heard a man supplicating, and he was saying:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنِّي أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ الأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

‘O Allah, indeed, 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.” 

“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 asked by it, He gives.’”

(Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3475)


2.4 It was narrated that Anas bin Malik (رضي الله عنه) said: 

"I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and a man was standing and praying. When he bowed, prostrated and recited the tashahhud, he supplicated, and in his supplication he said:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ الْمَنَّانُ بَدِيعُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ يَا ذَا الْجَلاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ يَا حَىُّ يَا قَيُّومُ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ

'O Allah, indeed I ask You since all praise is due to You, there is none worthy of worship but You, the Bestower, the Creator of the heavens and earth, O Possessor of majesty and honor, O Ever-living, O-Eternal, I ask of You.' 

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: 'Do you know what he has supplicated with?' They said: "Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) and His Messenger know best." He said: 'By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, he called upon Allah by His greatest Name, which, if He is called by it, He responds, and if He is asked by it, He gives.'"

(Sunan an-Nasa'i 1300)

2.5 It was narrated that Anas bin Malik (رضي الله عنه) said: 

"The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) heard a man say:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ وَحْدَكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ الْمَنَّانُ بَدِيعُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ ذُو الْجَلاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ

'O Allah! I ask You by virtue of the fact that all praise is due to You; none has the right to be worshiped but You alone, and You have no partner or associate, the Bestower, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, the Possessor of majesty and honor.' 

He (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: 'He has asked Allah by His Greatest Name which, if He is asked thereby He gives and if He is called upon thereby He answers.'"

(Sunan Ibn Majah 3858)

2.6 It was narrated that 'Aishah (رضي الله عنها) said: 

"I heard the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) say:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الطَّاهِرِ الطَّيِّبِ الْمُبَارَكِ الأَحَبِّ إِلَيْكَ الَّذِي إِذَا دُعِيتَ بِهِ أَجَبْتَ وَإِذَا سُئِلْتَ بِهِ أَعْطَيْتَ وَإِذَا اسْتُرْحِمْتَ بِهِ رَحِمْتَ وَإِذَا اسْتُفْرِجْتَ بِهِ فَرَّجْتَ ‏

O Allah! I ask You by Your pure, good and blessed Name which is most beloved by You, which if You are called thereby You answer, and if You as asked thereby You give, if You are asked for mercy thereby You bestow mercy, and if You are asked for relief (from distress) thereby You grant relief.'"

She said: "He said one day: 'O 'Aishah, do you know that Allah has told me the Name which, if He is called thereby, He responds?' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be ransomed for you! Teach it to me.' He said: 'You should not learn it, O 'Aishah.' So I moved aside and sat for a while, then I got up and kissed his head, then I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, teach it to me.' He said: 'You should not learn it, O 'Aishah, and I should not teach it to you, for you should not ask for any worldly things thereby.'" She said: "So I got up and performed ablution, then I prayed two Rak'ah, then I said:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ اللَّهَ وَأَدْعُوكَ الرَّحْمَنَ وَأَدْعُوكَ الْبَرَّ الرَّحِيمَ وَأَدْعُوكَ بِأَسْمَائِكَ الْحُسْنَى كُلِّهَا مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهَا وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي وَتَرْحَمَنِي

 'O Allah, I call upon Allah, and I call upon You, Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), and I call upon You, Al-Barr Ar-Rahim (The Most Kind, the Most Merciful), and I call upon You by all Your beautiful Names, those that I know and those that I do not know, (asking) that You forgive me and have mercy on me.' 

The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) smiled, then he said: 'It is among the names by which you called upon (Allah).'"

(Sunan Ibn Majah 3859)

2.7 Narrated Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه): 

Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said, "Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise."

(Sahih al-Bukhari 2736)

2.8 Ibn ‘Abbas (رضي الله عنه)  narrated: 

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: “The Greatest names of Allah are in the last six verses of Surat al-Hashr.”

ولا تكونوا كالذين نسوا الله فأنساهم أنفسهم أولئك هم الفاسقون

And be not like those who forgot Allah , so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient. (59:19)

لا يستوي أصحاب النار وأصحاب الجنة أصحاب الجنة هم الفائزون

Not equal are the companions of the Fire and the companions of Paradise. The companions of Paradise - they are the attainers [of success]. (59:20)

لو أنزلنا هذا القرآن على جبل لرأيته خاشعا متصدعا من خشية الله وتلك الأمثال نضربها للناس لعلهم يتفكرون

If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of Allah . And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought. (59:21)

هو الله الذي لا إله إلا هو عالم الغيب والشهادة هو الرحمن الرحيم

He is Allah , other than whom there is no deity, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed. He is the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. (59:22)

هو الله الذي لا إله إلا هو الملك القدوس السلام المؤمن المهيمن العزيز الجبار المتكبر سبحان الله عما يشركون

He is Allah , other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him. (59:23)

هو الله الخالق البارئ المصور له الأسماء الحسنى يسبح له ما في السماوات والأرض وهو العزيز الحكيم

He is Allah , the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (59:24)

(Jami’ al-Sagheer 853)

2.9 Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan (رضي الله عنه) narrated

The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said whoever makes dua with these five Kalimat

لا الہ الا اللہ واللہ اکبر

 لا الہ الا اللہ وحدہ لا شریک لہ،لہ الملک ولہ الحمد
 وھو علی کل شیء قدیر

 لا الہ الا اللہ

 ولا حول ولا قوۃ الا باللہ

Allah will give him whatever he has asked for.

(Tabrani, Targheeb and Majma az-Zawaid)

3. Tafsir (Exegesis)

In Surah An-Naml of the Holy Qur'an, there is a verse mentioning a person who brought Queen of Sheba's throne to his king, Prophet Solomon (عليه السلام) in the twinkling of an eye.

قَالَ الَّذِي عِندَهُ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِندَهُ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ

Said one who had knowledge from the Scripture, "I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you." And when [Solomon] saw it placed before him, he said, "This is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful - his gratitude is only for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever is ungrateful - then indeed, my Lord is Free of need and Generous." (27:40)

Mufasirin write that "one who had knowledge from the Scripture" refers to knowing Allah's Greatest Name. Ibn `Abbas (رضي الله عنه) said, "This was Asif, the scribe of Sulayman.'' It was also narrated by Muhammad bin Ishaq from Yazid bin Ruman that he was Asif bin Barkhiya' and he was a truthful believer who knew the Greatest Name of Allah.

(Tafsir Ibn Kathir 27:40)

There is difference on with what words Asif supplicated. Mujahid and Muqatil said:

يا ذا الجلال والإكرام 

O Owner of Majesty and Honor. 

Kalbi said:

 يا حي يا قيوم 

O Ever-Living O All-Sustaining

and this is narrated from Ayesha. Zuhri said that the person with knowledge from the scripture supplicated thus:

يا إلهنا وإله كل شيء إلها واحدا لا إله إلا أنت 

O our God and the God of everything there is, The One God and there is no god except You.

(Tafsir al-Baghawi 27:40)

4. Opinion of Ulama (Scholars)

4.1 Sunni

Abu Haneefah (رحمه الله‎) is reported to have said: The greatest name of Allah is “Allah”. This is also the view of at-Tahhaawi.

Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله‎) said: The name “Allah” is indicative of all the beautiful divine names and sublime attributes.

Imam an-Nawawi and Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen (رحمهم الله) are of the view that the greatest name of Allah is “Al-Hayy Al-Qayyoom” (the Ever-Living, the Sustainer).

Other scholars affirmed that the greatest name of Allah exists and that it is a specific name, but they differed as to which is the greatest name. Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله‎) has listed them in his book Fath al-Baari (11/224-225). They are as follows:

S. No.	Name	Meaning	Reference	Authority
1	الله (يا الله)	Allah	Ibn Abi Hatim, Al-Sha’bi	Jabir bin Abdullah bin Zaid
2	هو	He	Imam Fakhruddin	Ahl al-Kashf
3	الله الرحمن الرحيم	Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful	Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar in Sharh Al-Bukhari, Al-Mustadrak, Musnad al-Firdous of Dailami	Aisha, Ibn Abbas, Uthman
4	الرحمن الرحيم الحي القيوم	The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer	Al-Tirmidhi	Asma Bint Yazid ibn Al-Sakan
5	الحي القيوم	The Ever-Living, the Sustainer	Ibn Majah, Imam Fakhruddin	Abu Umamah
6	الحنان المنان بديع السماوات والأرض ذو الجلال والاكرام الحي القيوم	The Compassionate, the Bestower, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, the Possessor of majesty and honour, Ever-Living, Sustainer	Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Habban	Anas bin Malik
7	بديع السماوات والأرض ذو الجلال والاكرام	The Originator of the heavens and the earth, the Possessor of majesty and honour	Abu Ya’la	As-Sirri bin Yahya
8	ذو الجلال والإكرام	The Possessor of majesty and honour	Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Jarir	Mu’adh ibn Jabal and Mujahid
9	الله لا إله إلا هو الأحد الصمد الذي لم يلد ولم يولد ولم يكن له كفوا أحد	Allah there is no god but He, the One, the Eternal Refuge, who neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent	Abu Dawood, Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah	Buraidah Al Aslami
10	رب رب (يا رب يا رب)	Lord, Lord	Ibn Abi Dunya	Abu al-Dardaa, Ibn Abbas, Aisha
11	لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين	There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers. (Quran  21:87)	Al-Nasa’i, Al-Hakim, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Jarir	Fadalah bin Ubaid, Saad bin Abi Waqqas, Kathir bin Ma'bad
12	هو الله الله الله الذي لا إله إلا هو رب العرش العظيم	He is Allah, Allah, Allah, besides Whom there is no other god, Lord of the mighty Throne	Imam Zain Al-Abidin	Dream
13	هو مخفي في الأسماء الحسنى	It is concealed within the divine names	Imam Suyuti	Aisha
14	لا إله إلا الله	There is no god but Allah	Imam Suyuti	Ibn Iyadh

Further, Imam as-Suyuti (رحمه الله‎) lists

مالك الملك

'The Owner of All Sovereignty'

as the Greatest Name. Suyuti has quoted from Al-Kabeer a narration on the authority of Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه) who reported: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: 'The Greatest name of Allah is in these verses of Surah Aal-e-Imran:

قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ مَالِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَن تَشَاءُ وَتَنزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّن تَشَاءُ وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَاءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَاءُ ۖ بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Say, "O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent. (3:26)

تُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ فِي النَّهَارِ وَتُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيْلِ ۖ وَتُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَتُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ ۖ وَتَرْزُقُ مَن تَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

You cause the night to enter the day, and You cause the day to enter the night; and You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give provision to whom You will without account." (3:27)' (Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir, At-Tabarani)

Abu Nuaym (رحمه الله‎) on the authority of Ibn Ar-Rabeeh (رضي الله عنه) is of the view that the Ism is

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

'In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.'

Al-Zarkashi's (رحمه الله‎) opinion on the authority of Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Al-Nadr bin Shamil and Ibn Muzaffar (رحمهم الله) is that the Ism is

اللهم

'O Allah!'

Ibn Jarir (رحمه الله‎) on the authority of Ibn Masood (رضي الله عنه) and Ibn Abi Hatim (رحمه الله‎) on the authority of Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه) believe that the Greatest Name is

الم

'Alif-Laam-Meem'. 

(Al-Hawi lil Fatwai)

Imam Al-Yafi'e (رحمه الله‎) narrated from Ali (رضي الله عنه) that Ism Al-Azam is present in the Huroof Muqatta'at of the Qur'an. (الدر النظیم)

Abu Ja‘far at-Tabari, Abu’l-Hasan al-Ash‘ari (رحمهم الله) and a number of others after them, such as Abu Haatim ibn Hibbaan and al-Qaadi Abu Bakr al-Baaqillaani (رحمهم الله) said that it is not permissible to regard some of the Divine Names as being superior to others as each of the Names of Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) may be described as the Greatest.

✅ See also     ◉  10 Ism e Azam Duas by Bahauddin Khaki (رحمه الله‎)      ◉  Dua with 40 Ism-e-Azam (چہل اسماۓ عظام)

4.2 Sufi

Some Sufi scholars state that every individual has an Ism-e-Azam based on his/her circumstances. For example: Prophet Ayyub’s (عليه السلام) Ism-e-Azam was "Arham-ur-Rahimeen", based on this verse:

وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

And [mention] Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful." (21:83)

The Ism-e-azam of Prophet Suleiman (عليه السلام) was "Al-Wahaab", when he prayed to Allah:

قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَّا يَنبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِّن بَعْدِي ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ

He said, "My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower." (38:35)

Prophet Zakariya’s (عليه السلام) Ism-e-azam was "Khair-ul-Waritheen", as stated below:

وَزَكَرِيَّا إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ

And [mention] Zechariah, when he called to his Lord, "My Lord, do not leave me alone [with no heir], while you are the best of inheritors." (21:89)

Imam Ghazali (رحمه الله‎) has mentioned six Names on the authority of Hadhrat Ali (رضي الله عنه) that encompassed the Greatest Name for him. Those six Names are Al-Fard (Single), Al-Hayy (Ever-Living), Al-Qayyoom (Self-Subsistent), Al-Hakeem (Sapient), Al-Adl (All-Just), and Al-Quddus (Most Holy).

Leader of saints, Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (رحمه الله‎), is of the view that Ismul Azam is the name ‘Allah’ provided that at the time of reciting the word, Allah, there is nothing but Allah in his mind. Some Sufis say it should be recited in such a state of mind which is comparable to that of a drowning person when there is nobody to help him and he calls Allah for help with extreme sincerity.

4.3 Shia

Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (عليه السلام) stated that Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem is the Ism Al-Akbar or Ism Al-Azam of Allah. (مستدرک الوسائل)

Imam Ali ibn Musa ar-Rida (عليه السلام) stated that the distance between Ism Al-Azam and Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem is the same as the black and white of the eye (عيون أخبار). He also said that Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem is the Greatest Verse (Aayat Al-Azam) in the Quran (تفسیر عیاشی).

The Shia Imam, Muhammad al-Baqir (عليه السلام) mentioned that: "I have said true if I swear to Allah that Ismul Azam is available in Dua Simat (دعاء السمات)". Imam Jafar bin Muhammad Al Sadiq (عليه السلام) said that Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) taught this dua'a to prophet Musa (عليه السلام) to overcome his enemies. This Du'a is recommended to be invoked at sunset on Fridays. It is recited as follows:

اَللّـهُمَّ إِنّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الْعَظيمِ الأَعْظَمِ  الأَعَزّ ِ الأَجَلّ ِ الأَكْرَمِ  الَّذي إِذا دُعيتَ بِهِ عَلىٰ مَغالِقِ أَبْوابِ السَّماءِ لِلْفَتْحِ بِالرَّحْمَةِ انْفَتَحَتْ،  وَإِذا دُعيتَ بِهِ عَلىٰ مَضائِقِ أَبْوابِ الأَرْضِ لِلْفَرَجِ انْفَرَجَتْ،  وَإِذا دُعيتَ بِهِ عَلَىٰ العُسْرِ لِلْيُسْرِ تَيَسَّرَتْ،  وَإِذا دُعيتَ بِهِ عَلَىٰ الأَمْواتِ لِلنُّشُورِ انْتَشَرَتْ،  وَإِذا دُعيتَ بِهِ عَلىٰ كَشْفِ الْبَأساءِ وَالضَّرّاءِ انْكَشَفَتْ،  وَبِجَلالِ وَجْهِكَ الْكَريمِ  أَكْرَمِ الْوُجُوهِ  وَأَعَزّ ِ الْوُجُوهِ  الَّذي عَنَتْ لَهُ الْوُجُوهُ  وَخَضَعَتْ لَهُ الرّ ِقابُ  وَخَشَعَتْ لَهُ الأَصْواتُ  وَوَجِلَتْ لَهُ الْقُلُوبُ مِنْ مَخافَتِكَ،  وَبِقُوَّتِكَ الَّتي بِها تُمْسِكُ السَّماءَ أَنْ تَقَعَ عَلَىٰ الأَرْضِ إلاّ بِإِذْنِكَ،  وَتُمْسِكُ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرْضَ أَنْ تَزُولا،  وَبِمَشِيَّتِكَ الَّتي دانَ لَهَا الْعالَمُونَ،  وَبِكَلِمَتِكَ الَّتي خَلَقْتَ بِهَا السَّماواتِ وَالأَرْضَ،  وَبِحِكْمَتِكَ الَّتي صَنَعْتَ بِهَا الْعَجائِبَ  وَخَلَقْتَ بِهَا الظُّلْمَةَ  وَجَعَلْتَها لَيْلاً  وَجَعَلْتَ اللَّيْلَ سَكَناً  وَخَلَقْتَ بِهَا النُّورَ  وَجَعَلْتَهُ نَهاراً  وَجَعَلْتَ النَّهارَ نُشُوراً مُبْصِراً،  وَخَلَقْتَ بِهَا الشَّمْسَ  وَجَعَلْتَ الشَّمْسَ ضِياءً،  وَخَلَقْتَ بِهَا الْقَمَرَ  وَجَعَلْتَ الْقَمَرَ نُوراً،  وَخَلَقْتَ بِهَا الْكَواكِبَ  وَجَعَلْتَها نُجُوماً وَبُرُوجاً  وَمَصابيحَ وَزينَةً وَرُجُوماً،  وَجَعَلْتَ لَها مَشارِقَ وَمَغارِبَ  وَجَعَلْتَ لَها مَطالِعَ وَمَجارِي،  وَجَعَلْتَ لَها فَلَكاً وَمَسابِـحَ  وَقَدَّرْتَها فِي السَّمآءِ مَنازِلَ  فَأَحْسَنْتَ تَقْديرَها،  وَصَوَّرْتَها فَأَحْسَنْتَ تَصْويرَها  وَأَحْصَيْتَها بِأَسْمائِكَ إِحْصاءً  وَدَبَّرْتَها بِحِكْمَتِكَ تَدْبيراً  فأحْسَنْتَ تَدْبيرَها  وَسَخَّرْتَها بِسُلْطانِ اللَّيْلِ  وَسُلْطانِ النَّهارِ  وَالسّاعاتِ وَعَدَدَ السّـِنينَ وَالْحِسابِ،  وَجَعَلْتَ رُؤْيَتَها لِجَميعِ النّاسِ مَرْئىً واحِداً  وَأَسْأَلُكَ اللّهُمَّ بِمَجْدِكَ الَّذي كَلَّمْتَ بِهِ عَبْدَكَ وَرَسُولَكَ  مُوسَىٰ بْنَ عِمْرانَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ  فِي الْمُقَدَّسينَ  فَوْقَ إِحْساسِ الْكَرُّوبينَ  فَوْقَ غَمائِمِ النُّورِ  فَوْقَ تابُوتِ الشَّهادَةِ  في عَمُودِ النّارِ  وَفي طُورِ سَيْناءَ  وَفي جَبَلِ حُوريثَ  فِي الْوادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ  فِي الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبارَكَةِ  مِنْ جانِبِ الطُّورِ الأَيْمَنِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ  وَفي أَرْضِ مِصْرَ  بِتِسْعِ آياتٍ بَيّـِناتٍ،  وَيَوْمَ فَرَقْتَ لِبَني إِسْرآئيلَ الْبَحْرَ  وَفِي الْمُنْبَجِساتِ الَّتي صَنَعْتَ بِهَا الْعَجائِبَ  في بَحْرِ سُوفٍ،  وَعَقَدْتَ ماءَ الْبَحْرِ في قَلْبِ الْغَمْرِ كَالْحِجارَةِ،  وَجاوَزْتَ بِبَني إِسْرائيلَ الْبَحْرَ  وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُكَ الْحُسْنىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ بِما صَبَرُوا  وَأَوْرَثْتَهُمْ مَشارِقَ الأَرْضِ وَمَغارِبَهَا  الَّتي بارَكْتَ فيها لِلْعالَمينَ،  وَأَغْرَقْتَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَجُنُودَهُ وَمَراكِبَهُ فِي الْيَمّ ِ،  و بِاسْمِكَ الْعَظيمِ الأَعْظَمِ  الأَعَزّ ِ الأَجَلّ ِ الأَكْرَمِ  وَبِمَجْدِكَ الَّذي تَجَلَّيْتَ بِهِ لِمُوسىٰ كَليمِكَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ في طُورِ سَيْناءَ،  وَلإِبْراهيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ خَليلِكَ مِنْ قَبْلُ في مَسْجِدِ الْخَيْفِ،  وَلإِسْحاقَ صَفِيّـِكَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ في بِئْرِ شِيَعٍ  وَلِيَعْقُوبَ نَبِيّـِكَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ في بَيْتِ إِيلٍ،  وَأَوْفَيْتَ لإِبْراهيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِميثاقِكَ  وَلإِسْحاقَ بِحَلْفِكَ  وَلِيَعْقُوبَ بِشَهادَتِكَ  وَلِلْمُؤْمِنينَ بِوَعْدِكَ  وَلِلدّاعينَ بِأَسْمائِكَ فَأَجَبْتَ،  وَبِمَجْدِكَ الَّذي ظَهَرَ لِمُوسَىٰ بْنِ عِمْرانَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ  عَلىٰ قُبَّةِ الرُّمّانِ  وَبِاياتِكَ الَّتي وَقَعَتْ عَلىٰ أَرْضِ مِصْرَ  بِمَجْدِ الْعِزَّةِ وَالْغَلَبَةِ  بِآياتٍ عَزيزَةٍ  وَ بِسُلْطانِ الْقُوَّةِ  وَبِعِزَّةِ الْقُدْرَةِ  وَبِشَأْنِ الْكَلِمَةِ التّامَّةِ،  وَبِكَلِماتِكَ الَّتي تَفَضَّلْتَ بِها عَلىٰ أَهْلِ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرْضِ  وَأَهْلِ الدُّنْيا وَأَهْلِ الآخِرَةِ،  وَبِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتي مَنَنْتَ بِها عَلىٰ جَميعِ خَلْقِكَ،  وَبِاسْتِطاعَتِكَ الَّتي أَقَمْتَ بِها عَلَىٰ الْعالَمينَ،  وَبِنُورِكَ الَّذي قَدْ خَرَّ مِنْ فَزَعِهِ طُورُ سَيْناءَ،  وَبِعِلْمِكَ وَجَلالِكَ وَكِبْرِيائِكَ وَ عِزَّتِكَ وَجَبَرُوتِكَ  الَّتي لَمْ تَسْتَقِلَّهَا الأَرْضُ  وَانْخَفَضَتْ لَهَا السَّماواتُ  وَانْزَجَرَ لَهَا الْعُمْقُ الأَكْبَرُ،  وَرَكَدَتْ لَهَا الْبِحارُ وَالأَنْهارُ،  وَ خَضَعَتْ لَهَا الْجِبالُ  وَسَكَنَتْ لَهَا الأَرْضُ بِمَناكِبِها،  وَاسْتَسْلَمَتْ لَهَا الْخَلائِقُ كُلُّها،  وَخَفَقَتْ لَهَا الرّ ِياحُ في جَرَيانِها،  وَخَمَدَتْ لَهَا النّيرانُ في أَوْطانِها،  وَبِسُلْطانِكَ الَّذي عُرِفَتْ لَكَ بِهِ الْغَلَبَةُ دَهْرَ الدُّهُورِ  وَحُمِدْتَ بِهِ فِي السَّماواتِ وَالأَرَضينَ،  وَبِكَلِمَتِكَ كَلِمَةِ الصّـِدْقِ الَّتي سَبَقَتْ لأَبينا آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَذُرّ ِيَّتِهِ بِالرَّحْمَةِ  وَأَسْأَلُكَ بِكَلِمَتِكَ الَّتي غَلَبَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ،  وَبِنُورِ وَجْهِكَ الَّذي تَجَلَّيْتَ بِهِ لِلْجَبَلِ  فَجَعَلْتَهُ دَكّاً  وَخَرَّ مُوسىٰ صَعِقاً،  وَبِمَجْدِكَ الَّذي ظَهَرَ عَلىٰ طُورِ سَيْناءَ  فَكَلَّمْتَ بِهِ عَبْدَكَ وَرَسُولَكَ مُوسَىٰ بْنَ عِمْرانَ،  وَبِطَلْعَتِكَ في ساعيرَ  وَظُهُورِكَ في جَبَلِ فارانَ  بِرَبَواتِ الْمُقَدَّسينَ  وَجُنُودِ الْمَلائِكَةِ الصّافّينَ  وَخُشُوعِ الْمَلائِكَةِ الْمُسَبّـِحينَ،  وَبِبَرَكاتِكَ الَّتي بارَكْتَ فيها عَلىٰ إِبْراهيمَ خَليلِكَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ  في أَمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّىٰ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ،  وَبارَكْتَ لإِسْحاقَ صَفِيّـِكَ  في أَمَّةِ عيسىٰ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلامُ،  وَبارَكْتَ لِيَعْقُوبَ إِسْرائيلِكَ  في أَمَّةِ مُوسىٰ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلامُ،  وَبارَكْتَ لِحَبيبِكَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّىٰ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ  في عِتْرَتِهِ وَذُرّ ِيَّتِهِ وَأَمَّتِهِ،  اَللّـهُمَّ وَكَما غِبْنا عَنْ ذٰلِكَ وَلَمْ نَشْهَدْهُ  وَآمَنّا بِهِ وَلَمْ نَرَهُ صِدْقاً وَعَدْلاً  أَنْ تُصَلّـِيَ عَلىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ  وَأَنْ تُبارِكَ عَلىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ  وَتَرَحَّمَ عَلىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ  كَأَفْضَلِ ما صَلَّيْتَ وَبارَكْتَ وَتَرَحَّمْتَ  عَلىٰ إِبْراهيمَ وَآلِ إِبْراهيمَ  إِنَّكَ حَميدٌ مَجيدٌ  فَعّالٌ لِما تُريدُ  وَأَنْتَ عَلىٰ كُلّ ِ شَيْءٍ قَديرٌ

O Allah! I beseech Thee through Thy Name, the most great, the most majestic, the most magnificent and the most noble. If Thou art requested therewith to open the closed doors of the sky these will open with Thy mercy. If Thou art requested thereby to remove the narrowness of the doors of the heaven, they will be opened wide. If Thou art requested thereby to make easy the difficulty, it will be easy. If Thou art requested thereby to restore the dead to life, they will wise from their graves. If Thou art requested thereby to remove misery and adversity, they will be removed. I beseech Thee through the Majesty of Thy person, the Most Generous and the Most Honoured One, before Whom everybody bows down in submission and all necks bend down in reverence and through fear of Whom all voices become humbled and all hearts tremble; and I beseech Thee through Thy Might, which prevents the sky from falling on the earth except with Thy permission, and which controls all the heavens and the earth so closely that they cannot move away from their positions; and I beseech Thee through they Will, which the whole world obeys, and through Thy Word. By which Thou hath created the heaven and the earth, and through Thy Wisdom, with which Thou hath created wonderful, and with which Thou created Darkness and made it Night, and made night the time of quiet and rest; and with which Thou created Light and made it Day, and made day the time of movement and observation; and with which Thou hath created the Sun, and made the sun of light. And with which Thou hath created the Moon, and made the moon of light; and with which Thou hath created heavenly bodies, and made them fixed stars and planets, and lamps for guidance at night, and as a means of decoration, and missiles for driving away the devils, and hath created for them east and west, and hath created for them the places of ascendancy and orbits, and created for them a firmament and sphere, and fixed for them stages in the heave - and how beautiful the stages - and shaped the stars - and how beautiful the shapes - and made them stable through Thy Name; and Thy Wisdom Thou designed a system for them - and what a good system, and controlled the heavenly bodies through the king of the night and the king of day, and through hours, making them a means for the reckoning of years and counting, making appearance of heavenly bodies regular and universal. And I beseech Thee, O Allah, through Thy Glory, with which Thou addressed Thy slave and Thy Messenger, Moses son of 'Imran peace be on him, while he was in the company of angels - which address even the favourite cherubin could not ever hear, above the clouds of light, above the box of evidence, with in the pillar of fire on Mount Sinai, and on Mount Hurith in the Holy Vale in the sacred tract of land to the right of Taurus Mountain-through a tree; and again addressed him on the soil of Egypt, after showing nine clear signs and on the day Thou split the sea for the Children of Israel, and caused springs to flow from a stone, thereby displaying wonders of Thy might in a deep sea; and on the day when Thou solidified the water of the sea in the midst of the storm, and caused the Children of Israel to pass by it, and fulfilled Thy excellent promises made to them because of their calmly endurance, and made them the master of the East and the West in the earth, wherein there are blessings for all the worlds; and Thou drowned Pharaoh and his armies and boats in the water. And (I beseech Thee) through Thy name, which is the most great, the most majestic, and the most holy; and through Thy glory, with which Thou revealed light to Moses, Thy addressee, peace be on him, on Mount Sinal; and earlier radiated the light for Abraham, Thy sincere friend peace be on him, in the mosque of al-Khayf; and for Isaac, Thy chosen Prophet, peace be on him, in Bi-ri shiay', and for Thy Prophet Jacob, peace be on him, in Bayt iil and through Thy Glory, with which Thou fulfilled Thy promise to Abraham, peace be on him; and through Thy Oath in favour of Isaac; and through Thy witnessing favouring Jacob; and through the fulfillments of Thy promise to the faithful: and through Thy Names with which Thou accepted the prayers of supplications; and through Thy Glory, which appeared to Moses, son of Imran, in Qubbat al-Rumman; and through Thy Signs, which appeared on the soil of Egypt with great might and victory, with powerful signs and with the display of full command and great power; and with the affair of the perfect word; and with Thy words with which Thou doth a favor for the people of the skies and the earth and the people of here and the hereafter; and through Thy Mercy with which Thou bestowth upon all Thy creatures: and through thy Power with which Thou dominateth the worlds; and (I beseech Thee) through Thy Light, through fear of which Mount Sinai collapsed, through Thy Knowledge, and Thy Greatness and Majesty, and Thy Unique Magnificence and Thy honour, and (through) Thy might, which the earth could not bear, and, for which the heavens and earth bent down, and the great depths restrained themselves, and the seas and rivers became stable, and to which the mountains made submission, and due to which the earth became firm on its shoulders, and to which all creatures submitted, and due to which the winds breathed, and the flaming fires were extinguished in their places. And I beseech Thee through Thy might, through which Thou hath been known to be All-powerful for ever and ever, and for which Thou hath been praised in the heavens and the earth; and I beseech Thee through Thy word, the Word of Truth, which became a blessing for our father Adam and his generation; and I beseech Thee through Thy word, by which Thou overcame everything; and I beseech thee through the light of Thy Face, which when it flased on Mount Sinai crushed it to pieces, whereby Moses fainted and fell down, and through Thy Glory, which appeared on Mount Sinai, and through which Thou addressed Thy slave and Thy Mesenger; Moses, son of 'Imran, and through Thy appearance in Sa'ir and on Mount Faran near Rabawat, which are clean and holy places, when troops of heavenly angels were in rows, and with the sumissiveness of the angels praising Thee, and with Thy blessings with which Thou honoured Abraham, Thy sincere friend, peace be upon him, among the followers of Muhammad, Thy blessings be upon him and his Progeny and Thou honoured Isaac, Thy chosen prophet, among the followers of Jesus, peace be on them both, and honoured Jacob, Thy favoured slave, by including him among the followers of Moses, peace be on them both, and honoured Thy intimate friend Muhammad, may the blessings of Allah be upon him and his Progeny, and peace be upon his offspring and seed, and his people. O Allah! Just as we believe in the turth and justice of these manifestations of Thy glory, without having been present at the time, and without having been eyewitnesses. So we beseech Thee to send Thy blessings upon Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad, and honour Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhamamd, and honour Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad and have mercy on Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad, with the blessings, honour, and mercy Thou sent and bestowed on and meted out to Abraham and the posterity of Abraham. Surely Thou art Praiseworthy, Glorious, the Doer of what Thou willeth. Thou art Powerful over all things.

It is narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (عليه السلام) that the Almighty Allah gave two Isme Azam to Isa (عليه السلام) through which he enlivened the dead and performed miracles. Prophet Musa (عليه السلام) had four Isme Azam. Prophet Ibrahim (عليه السلام) had eight. Prophet Nuh (عليه السلام) had fifteen and Prophet Adam (عليه السلام) had twenty-five and all these, on the contrary more than these were given to the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). There are 73 Isme Azam. One of them is exclusively for the Almighty Allah which has not been given to anyone. And 72 names were taught to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). (Hayat Al-Quloob, Majlisi)

✅ Some more Duas narrated from Ahulul Bayt that are believed to possess Ism-e-Azam     ◉ Dua e Mashlool   ◉ Dua Sâd Subhan   ◉ Dua al-Baha   ◉ Dua Umm Dawood   ◉ Dua e Nasr wal Mahaba   ◉ Dua e Simaat   ◉ Dua e Arsh   To know the background of the above supplications click here.

4.2 Sufi

4.4 Aamil

As per the Aamileen (spiritual practitioners) every individual has a set of Ism-e-Azams that can be calculated as per his/her  name, circumstances or maqasid (needs) using different types of Abjad systems (alphanumeric codes). The scholars of Ilm al-Jafr (science of prediction using Abjad) analyse a name for its unsur (element) or nature (fire, water, air, earth) based on Haroof (letters) weight, Tadaad (quantity), Nuqaat (dots/diacritics), Jamal (addition) of adad (name numbers) via adad sum methods (Kabeer, Sagheer, Bast, Kubra etc.) using a system like Abjad e Qamri (numerological chart based on the timing of moon).

After calculating the person's adad, it is then compared to the adad of  Asma-ul-Husna or their combinations and the corresponding matches are then believed to be the Ism e Azam for that person. They also give instructions on how to read it and the number of times it is to be recited. Many softwares and apps have been developed that compute the Ism-e-Azam using the different types of Abjad.