Al-Quddus
Allah is free of any imperfection, he has no shortcomings, and evil are not attributed to Him. For all that is perfect and sublime attributes belong to Him.
From the root q-d-s which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to be pure, clean, spotless to be far removed from impurity or imperfection to be holy, sacred, hallowed.
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. (Holy Quran 59:23)
Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is exalting Allah, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (Holy Quran 62:1)
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Name: |
Al-Quddus |
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Al-Quddus in Arabic: |
الْقُدُّوسُ |
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Al-Quddus Arabic root: |
(ق د س) |
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Al-Quddus meaning in English: |
The Most Sacred |
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Al-Quddus meaning in Urdu: |
نہایت مقدم اور پاک |
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Appearance in the Quran: |
2 times |
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Tasbeeh: |
Recite Al-Quddus as many times as desired after prayers or any time in the day to free your heart from worldly troubles. |
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Asma ul Husna with similar meaning: |
Al-Muqaddim: The One who puts things in the right places. Al-Mutaali: The most Exalted, the One who is free from all the attributes of creation. Al-Muqsit: The One who is Just in His judgments. |
Al Quddus (Arabic: الْقُدُّوسُ ) - “The Most Sacred”
Al-Quddus refers to the characteristic of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) of being pure and exempted from any shortcomings, weakness, or impurity. He (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is pure, sacred, and holy. It is derived from the word 'Quds,' which means purity or sacred. The name Al-Quddus describes Allah as pure, holy, and far away from any evil attributes or imperfections.
In the Quran, Al-Quddus is mentioned in several places where Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is referring to Himself as pure and sacred. It is mentioned in Surah An-Nahl as;
قُلۡ نَزَّلَهُۥ رُوحُ ٱلۡقُدُسِ مِن رَّبِّكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لِيُثَبِّتَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَهُدٗى وَبُشۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ
Translation: “Say, (O Muhammad), The Pure Spirit has brought it down from your Lord in truth to make firm those who believe and as guidance and good tidings to the Muslims.” (Quran 16:102)
The name Al-Quddus is also mentioned in Surah Al-Hashr as;
هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡمَلِكُ ٱلۡقُدُّوسُ ٱلسَّلَٰمُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُ ٱلۡمُهَيۡمِنُ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡجَبَّارُ ٱلۡمُتَكَبِّرُۚ سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ
Translation: “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.” (Quran 59:23)
Another Ayah where Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) describes Himself as Al-Quddus is Surah Al-Jumuah. Allah says:
يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ٱلۡمَلِكِ ٱلۡقُدُّوسِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَكِيمِ
Translation: "Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is exalting Allah, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Exalted in Might, the Wise." (Quran 62:1)
The name Al-Quddus is also mentioned in Hadith on different occasions. In Sunan Abu Dawood's book of Prayer: Detailed Injunctions about Witr, it is Narrated by Ubayy ibn Ka'b (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ): "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offered salutation in the witr prayer, he said: 'Glorify be to the King most Holy.' (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 1430)
In Sahih Muslim, Book 4, Aisha (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا) reported that the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) "used to pronounce while bowing and prostrating himself, 'All Glorious, All Holy, Lord of the Angels and the Spirit.' (Sahih Muslim Book 4, Hadith 253).
The name Al-Quddus is part of Asma-ul-Husna, one of the 99 names of Allah. This name represents the divine attributes of Allah. Allah says in the Quran:
"He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names." (Quran 59:24)
He also mentioned in the divine Book:
"And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them…" (Quran 7:180)
The name Al-Quddus holds great significance in understanding the divine essence and attributes of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). It is translated as 'Pure' or 'Sacred,' emphasizing Allah is all pure, perfect, and holy. His (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) attributes are beyond the understanding power of humans, and He is far above worldly flaws and shortcomings. The name also refers to cleanliness and taharah, which can direct us to understand that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is clean and pure in every sense of the word. He does not have any shortcomings and is even free from death. He (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is not unjust and neither lies nor supports lying.
The name Al-Quddus is important as it tells us how we should perceive Allah, how great He (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is, and that He loves those who try to keep themselves pure and clean. His (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) perfection and greatness are unmatched, so isn't it a blessing for us to have a creator who is pure and sacred? Knowing Allah is Al-Quddus, it is on us to praise, thank, and glorify Him as He (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is above all, and He deserves all the praise and glory.
It was narrated by Ubayy bin Ka'b (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ); "The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray witr with three rak'ahs. In the first, he would recite: 'Glorify the Name of Your Lord, the Most High'; in the second, he would say: 'Say, O you disbelievers!', and in the third, 'Say, He is Allah, (the) One.' And he would say the Qunut before bowing, and when he finished, he would say; Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus' Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy' three times, elongating the last time.'" (Sunan an-Nasa'i 1699 & Sunan an-Nasa'i 1732)
Muslims can recite Al-Quddus after their daily prayers to seek guidance from Allah. By taking His name, we as believers express acknowledgment of Allah's purity and holiness, submitting ourselves to His attribute of being flawless. We can also use Al-Quddus in our supplications (duas) to seek blessings, forgiveness, and guidance from the All-Pure and Most Sacred, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). We should invoke His name during our prayers to ask for forgiveness from the One who is free of any shortcomings for our shortcomings and imperfections.
As Muslims, we all engage in Tasbeeh, which is remembering Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and doing His dhikr. By repeating His name, Al-Quddus, we can build a strong connection with our Creator and a way to purify our hearts and souls. There is no specific count mentioned to read and recite the names of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). You can just make it a part of your daily Dhikr routine with the intention of strengthening your bond with Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and seeking His forgiveness and blessing. Engaging in daily dhikr will make you consistent, and it will become part of your daily routine.
In Sahih Al-Bukhari, it is mentioned that Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: "Allah has ninety-nine Names, i.e., one hundred minus one, and whoever believes in their meanings and acts accordingly, will enter Paradise; and Allah is witr (one) and loves 'the witr' (i.e., odd numbers)." (Sahih Bukhari Vol8, Hadith 419, Book 75)
There is no specified time to take Allah's name, but you can do it in the morning and evening to seek blessings and forgiveness from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) through His name Al-Quddus at the beginning and end of each day. You can also call upon Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) in His name, Al-Quddus, in times of stress, anxiety, or even gratitude. It serves as a reminder that Allah is all pure and is our source of strength.
Al-Quddus is the name of Allah, and we cannot directly use the name for our children. You can use Abdul, which means 'servant to Allah' before adding the name of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). No human on this planet can be Al-Quddus except Allah. So, by adding Abdul to the name of your son, it will become Servant to Al-Quddus. Naming your child Abdul Quddus invites blessings and becomes a way to seek Allah's guidance and protection for the child throughout his life journey.
Names of Allah with the same meaning as Al-Quddus
Just like Al-Quddus, there are few other names of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) from the list of 99 names, which describes the purity of the Lord of the Worlds.
Al-Muqaddim: The One who puts things in the right places.
Al-Mutaali: The most Exalted, the One who is free from all the attributes of creation.
Al-Muqsit: The One who is Just in His judgments.
The name Al-Quddus refers to the attributes of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) of being pure, sacred, and flawless. Practicing kindness with others, asking for forgiveness for our shortcomings or sins, and working hard to become a better Muslim and human will not only enhance you as a person but also help you strengthen your spiritual connection with the Al-Quddus.