Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Majid (in Arabic: ٱلْمَاجِدُ), the most noble, magnificent, and generous. Majid is very close to the meaning of Jalal (majesty and greatness) and Kareem (full of bounty and honor). He is the one who consistently gives, for His wealth is endless. Truly Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is the most glorious and highly esteemed.
Arabic Root:
From the root mim-jim-dal (م ج د), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to be glorious, dignified, noble and honorable to be lauded, exalted, sublime to be liberal, bountiful, exceedingly generous.
Difference between Al-Majid and Al-Majeed:
If you’ve been reading our guide on the 99 Names of Allah in sequential order, you may get to this name and wonder… this seems oddly familiar. And that’s for a good reason. You may recognize the similarity between this name, Al-Majid (ٱلْمَاجِدُ), and the 48th name, Al-Majeed (ٱلْمَجِيدُ). Al-Majeed can be found in the Qur’an. However, Al-Majid as an official name is disputed by some scholars as it is only found in the hadith of Tirmidhi.
The names do share similar meanings but vary in their degree of intensity. The fa’eel pattern signals the same meaning with the addition of superlative intensification – grammatically used to describe a quality only Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ possesses. It is more emphatic and indicates perpetualness or permanence. We see this pattern in several of His names, Rahim and Raheem, majid and Majeed, Alim and Aleem, and Hakim and Hakeem.
The names do share similar meanings but vary in their degree of intensity. The fa’eel pattern signals the same meaning with the addition of superlative intensification – grammatically used to describe a quality only Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ possesses. It is more emphatic and indicates perpetualness or permanence. We see this pattern in several of His names, Rahim and Raheem, majid and Majeed, Alim and Aleem, and Hakim and Hakeem.
Among the disputed names:
The name Al-Majeed is mentioned once in the Qur’an, and the name Al-Majid isn’t used. As we’ve discussed prior, of the 99 names, 81 are explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an. Therefore, there is not one agreed-upon list for the remaining 18 names. Al-Majid is one of those names which has been excluded by some scholars. This includes the likes of Ibn Uthaymeen, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn Hajar, among others. However, others such as Imam al-Ghazali and Ibn Arabi recognize this name in their books on the explanations of Al-Asmaul al-Husna.
Below you will find the ayah, which mentions the name Al-Majeed. Note the pairing with the name Al-Hamed (The Praiseworthy).
Qaalooo ata’jabeena min amril laahi rahmatul laahi wa barakaatuhoo ‘alaikum Ahlal Bayt; innahoo Hameedun Majeed
English Translation:
“They said, ‘Are you amazed at the decree of Allah? May the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, people of the house. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy and Honorable.'”— (Qur’an 11:73)
The only one worthy of praise:
The base of the names Al-Majid and Al-Majeed contain the word majd (مجد), which means glorify, honor, or praise. There are many ways to exalt Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. The easiest may be through these three short-phrases, Subhanallah (glory be to Allah – glorification), Alhamdulilah (all praise is due to Allah – praise), and Allahu-Akbar (Allah is the greatest – praise and glorification). Being conscious whenever we have idle time to recite these three short phrases has extensive rewards.
As mentioned in the name Al-Majeed, to be considered glorious or magnificent is not a standalone attribute. It comes from the idea of having perfected all other qualities. And Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is the superlative of every adjective imaginable. He is not just the merciful, but the most merciful; He is not just wise, but the all-wise. Whatever quality you can think of, knowledge, wealth, power, sight, living, creating – Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is the greatest. He’s perfected perfection. There is no other whose essence is perfection and this is where His majesty, nobility, and superiority over everything comes from.
Sabbihisma Rabbikal A’laa
English Translation:
“Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High,”— (Qur’an 87:1)
It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: “Umm Sulaim came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, teach me some words that I may supplicate with during my prayer.’ He said: ‘Glorify Allah (by saying SubhanAllah) ten times, and praise Him (by saying Alhamdulilah) ten times, and magnify Him (by saying Allahu Akbar) ten times, then ask Him for what you need; He will say: ‘Yes, yes.’ [1]
It was narrated from ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Ghanm that Abu Malik Al-Ash’ari told him that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Isbagh Al-Wudu is half of faith; Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah) fills the balance; the Tasbih and the Takbir fill the heavens and Earth; the Salah is light; the Zakah is a sign (of sincerity); patience is an illuminating torch; and the Qur’an is proof, either for you or against you.” [2]
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