Many readers will ask the same question, “how many names does the Quran have?” before opening any Tafsir book, as it is not consistent with any one scholar. Some classical works include as few as twelve, but others mention fifty-five, and a few go over the ninety mark. This guide covers the counts that are most reliable, the distinction between a name and an attribute, and the sense of each of the big titles the Quran gives itself.
How Many Names Does the Quran Have?
The number is not known or agreed upon. Classical scholars have given the answer to the question of how many names does the Quran have in between 12 and more than 99, but the two most commonly cited answers are 12 and 55. There are over ninety other titles recorded in various commentaries, since each scholar used a slightly different criterion.
Why Do Scholars Count Different Numbers of Quran Names?
There are different totals because scholars have different definitions of what is considered a name versus a descriptive attribute. A few compilers received only the titles the Quran gives to the book itself, e.g. Al Kitab or Al Furqan. Others added in other attributes like light or mercy, which are attributes of the quran in islam but not its name itself.
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What Are the 5 Main Names of the Quran?
The five most frequently used names in the Quran are Al Quran, Al Kitab, Al Furqan, Adh Dhikr and At Tanzeel.
- The most popular of the Quran names is Al Quran .
- Al Kitab : “The Book,” in reference to its written, stored nature.
- Al-Furqan which means “The Criterion” : the standard by which truth is distinguished from falsehood.
- Adh Dhikr : “The Reminder” to what is already known to the heart.
- At Tanzeel : “The Revelation,” that is, the revelation was sent down in stages.
All five of them together have answered most of what he needs before he starts exploring the full list of names of the Quran in the Quran itself, but they don’t answer completely the question of how many names is the Quran having when descriptive titles are added.
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What Are the 55 Names of the Quran in Arabic and English?
The number of fifty five names of the Quran is derived from a classical book that collects all the self-descriptions that can be taken from the Quran’s verses. The list is quite long and the table below lists a representative sample.
Al Quran Al Kareem Names List (Selected Examples)
| Arabic | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| القرآن | The Recitation |
| الكتاب | The Book |
| الفرقان | The Criterion |
| الذكر | The Reminder |
| التنزيل | The Revelation |
| النور | The Light |
| الهدى | The Guidance |
| الشفاء | The Cure |
| الموعظة | The Admonition |
| المبين | The Clear One |
This al Quran al Kareem names list is only a starting sample. Reaching a full answer to how many names does the Quran have means working through all fifty five entries, not just the ten shown here.
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Names of the Quran Mentioned Directly in the Quran:
There are several names of the Quran in the Quran that are made in the form of self-descriptions and not scholarly names. The common word al Kitab is mentioned in verse 2:2, the opening of surah 25:1, Adh Dhikr is referenced in 15:9, and An Nur,
“The Light” is referenced in 4:174. As these titles are directly attributed to the revealed text, scholars consider them to be the most reliable evidence for any list of Quran names and they arrive at the minimum of a defendable core, before any descriptive titles are added in.
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Quran Names vs. Quran Attributes: What Is the Difference?
The difference between names and attributes of quran is that of identity and description. An attribute is a quality a Quran possesses, e.g., to be a light, a mercy, a cure, etc., whereas a name is what the Quran is, e.g., a book, a criterion, etc. Al Quran and Al Kitab are names because they name the object, the Quran itself.
Noor and Shifa are names in Islam because they describe the effect of the Quran on the reader. How many names does the Quran have? Consistently, it is only possible with sorting the names from the attributes because if both are mixed up, why is there a difference between listing 12 names and 55 names?
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The Meanings and Root Words of the Main Quran Names:
The names of the Quran are based on its main ones, each of which is derived from an Arabic root that gives rise to the meaning. The word Al Quran comes from qara’a (reciting aloud), which means that it is essentially an oral revelation.
The word al Furqan is derived from the word farqa which means separation and indicates its function of distinguishing between right and wrong. Al Kitab is derived from kataba (write or gather) and Adh Dhikr is derived from dhakara (remember).
Nazzala means to send down slowly in Arabic, which is the language of the Quran. These roots were the reason for classical scholars going beyond the label for the names.
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Why Does the Quran Have So Many Names?
This is the logic behind the abundance of names that is found in classical Islamic texts for whatever is being named, including the name of Allah and the name of the Prophet Muhammad (saws). The ‘names’ of the Quran, when applied to the Quran, describe different aspects of its function
Guidance, criterion, cure, and reminder are just a few, and so the number of names indicates the number of aspects that scholars deemed worthy of being named. That’s why the question How many names does the Quran have continues to have various answers from different scholars.
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How Many Times Is the Quran Mentioned by Its Name?
Al Quran is used in the Quran’s own texts some 70 times, a usage that makes it the most frequent self-reference in the Quran. Other names are not repeated as often, with some being mentioned only once, which is one of the reasons for the discrepancies in the number of names found in the Quran among scholars who assign different weights to the frequency of names.
Who Compiled the 55 Names of the Quran?
The fifty five name list is most frequently attributed to Al Qadi Abu al-Ma’ali Azizi ibn Abd al-Malik, the classical scholar, who compiled all the names directly off the Quranic text. Subsequent writers, such as Al Harali, added the names as well. It was originally based on the Quran and not on later commentaries, and is thus the starting point most modern lists of Quran names continue to follow.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is “Al Quran” the only correct name to use?
No. Al Quran is the most widely used name, but Al Kitab, Al Furqan, Adh Dhikr, and At Tanzeel are also used in the Quran and recognized in classical Islamic scholarship as descriptions of the revealed Book.
Do all 55 names appear word for word in the Quran’s text?
Not necessarily. Many names in the traditional lists are taken directly from Quranic wording, while others are derived from descriptive expressions. This distinction is one reason scholars have reached different conclusions about the total number of names.
Which name is used most often in everyday conversation?
Al Quran is by far the most common name in everyday Muslim speech. It is also the primary self-reference used throughout the Quran. Other names, such as Al Kitab and Al Furqan, are familiar but generally appear less often in ordinary conversation.
Does learning the Quran’s names change how someone should recite it?
Learning the Quran’s names does not change the rules of recitation, but it can deepen understanding and reflection. Proper recitation should still be learned through qualified Tajweed instruction, where students can receive direct correction of pronunciation, articulation, and recitation rules.
Why do sources disagree about how many names does the Quran have?
Sources disagree because scholars use different criteria when identifying Quranic names. Some count only titles explicitly used for the Quran, while others include descriptive attributes such as guidance, light, mercy, and healing, producing much higher totals.
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