Are God's names restricted? Is it permissible to call upon God using names that He has not named Himself? What is the source of the 99 beautiful names?
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1 Answer
Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.
The beautiful names of God are indeed restricted, but not exclusively. This means that counting any invocation or term as part of them is not possible, as they have been mentioned in the verses and by the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) as specific names, perhaps due to certain qualities that make them so. However, this does not mean that we cannot ask God and call upon Him using other names that indicate attributes of perfection for any existing being, while keeping in mind that these attributes are only applicable to the divine essence, which possesses absolute meaning in its perfection and vastness. In the supplications transmitted from the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), there are other names, descriptions, and invocations beyond the beautiful names, and they have taught us to ask God with them, as is the case in the supplication of al-Jawshan al-Kabir, for example, which contains nearly a thousand names and invocations to God Almighty.
May you be successful in all good.