Key Facts at a Glance

Meaning & the Arabic Root

The Name is a genitive construct: Dhū (possessor of) + al-Jalāl (majesty, grandeur, that which inspires awe) + wal-Ikrām (and generosity, honouring, ennobling). The root ج-ل-ل conveys greatness that overwhelms the senses — used for mountains (52:10), the Quran (56:80), and Allah’s Face (55:27). The root ك-ر-م conveys innate nobility and the act of honouring another — seen in karramnā (17:70) and karīm (82:6).

Morphologically, the Dhū construction (also in Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Kifl) denotes an essential, inseparable possession: Majesty and Generosity are not two separate attributes but a single reality in the Divine Essence. This distinguishes it from Al-Jalīl (Name 58), which presents majesty alone, and Al-Karīm (Name 42), which presents generosity alone. Here the two are conjoined: His Majesty demands reverence; His Generosity invites intimacy.

Classical exegetes note the Quranic context: both occurrences flank descriptions of creation’s transience (55:26 «كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ») and the blessing of the Divine Name (55:78 «تَبَارَكَ اسْمُ رَبِّكَ»). The Name is thus a gateway: whoever grasps that the Majestic One is also the Generous One finds both fear and hope anchored in a single address.

Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram in the Quran

Quran

This Name occurs verbatim twice in the Quran, both in Surah Ar-Rahman: 55:27 (nominative ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ) and 55:78 (genitive ذِي الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ). The roots ج-ل-ل and ك-ر-م appear extensively throughout the Quran as attributes and verbs.

Surah Ar-Rahman 55:27

After stating that all upon the earth perishes, the verse anchors permanence in the Divine Face characterised by this Name — majesty that outlasts creation, generosity that outlives need.

Surah Ar-Rahman 55:78

The surah closes by blessing the Name itself in the genitive case, inviting the reciter to carry this dual attribute into daily invocation — majesty that humbles, generosity that enriches.

The Hadith Foundation of the 99 Names

Hadith — graded

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one; whoever enumerates them enters Paradise.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2736; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2677). Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram is included in the list transmitted in this ḥadīth.

A weaker narration in Sunan al-Tirmidhī (3507) provides an itemised list of the ninety-nine names; its chain has been graded ḍaʿīf by several scholars, so the specific enumeration there is not relied upon for definitive ordering.

A tradition recorded in the Sunan of al-Tirmidhī and elsewhere states that the Prophet ﷺ heard a man saying in his supplication: “O Allah, I ask You by Your Name Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram…” and he ﷺ said: “He has asked Allah by His Greatest Name, which when invoked by, He answers, and when asked by, He gives.” (The exact collection and number vary across editions; the report is widely cited in books of adhkār and the Ism al-Aʿẓam literature.)

Classical Commentary

Classical Scholarship — Sunni / Sufi tradition

Imam al-Ghazali (al-Maqṣad al-Asnā)

Al-Ghazālī explains that Jalāl is the attribute by which Allah is exalted above every defect and likeness, inspiring awe (hayba), while Ikrām is the attribute by which He bestows favours without obligation, inspiring love (<maḥabba). He writes that the servant who knows this Name realises that divine Majesty does not withhold, and divine Generosity does not diminish — the two are unified in the Essence. The practical fruit is a heart that neither despairs of mercy nor feels secure from reckoning, but stands between khawf and rajāʾ.

Ibn ʿArabī (Akbarian tradition)

In his writings on the Divine Names, Ibn ʿArabī describes Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram as the «comprehensive Name» (al-ism al-jāmiʿ) that gathers the two poles of the Divine Self-Disclosure: Jalāl (the unveiling that annihilates) and Jamāl/Ikrām (the unveiling that endows). He associates it with the station of the wālī who witnesses both the trembling of majesty and the expansion of generosity in a single breath.

Benefits of Reciting Ya Dhal-Jalali wal-Ikram

Within the devotional tradition, the following benefits are associated with the sincere and consistent remembrance of Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram. Each reflects the meaning of the Name itself.

• Restoration of honour and dignity
  Because the Name joins Majesty (which none can challenge) with Generosity (which none can exhaust), it is traditionally recited by those seeking to reclaim lost respect, overcome humiliation, or stand firm before oppressors.
• Opening of provision (rizq) and unexpected bounty
  The attribute Ikrām signifies honouring without measure; the tradition records recitation for relief from debt, barakah in livelihood, and needs met from unforeseen sources.
• Balancing fear and hope in the heart
  Al-Ghazālī’s analysis makes this Name a remedy for extremes: it cools excessive fear by reminding of Generosity, and curbs presumption by recalling Majesty. Reciters report a steadier, more anchored spiritual state.
• Acceptance of supplication (duʿāʾ)
  The prophetic report identifying it as the Greatest Name (Ism al-Aʿẓam) underlies the practice of prefacing or closing duʿāʾ with Yā Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram for needs great and small.
• Protection from disgrace in this life and the next
  The Quranic context (Surah Ar-Rahman) contrasts the perishing of creation with the permanence of the Face of Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram; the Name is invoked for a good end (ḥusn al-khātimah) and shielding from public shame.
• Elevation of character and noble conduct
  Reflecting on Ikrām as divine ennobling inspires the servant to honour others — parents, guests, neighbours — making the Name a catalyst for akhlāq transformation.
• Healing of spiritual heaviness and despair
  Recited alongside medical care, the Name’s association with the ‘Blessed Name’ (55:78) makes it a companion for those weighed down by grief, anxiety, or chronic illness, seeking the lightness that comes from divine honouring.

Traditional Wazifa Practices (with Sources)

Devotional Tradition — South Asian wazifa literature

The following practices are drawn from the South Asian Urdu wazifa manual tradition (e.g. Ism-e-Azam compilations by scholars such as ʿĀlam Faqrī) and Sufi silsila teachings. They are devotional customs, not prophetic prescriptions. Counts above a few hundred or fixed-duration retreats (chillas) are traditionally undertaken with a qualified teacher’s guidance. No specific worldly or spiritual outcome is guaranteed; the practitioner entrusts results to Allah’s wisdom while reciting for healing alongside medical treatment.

• Qur'anic anchoring — after every obligatory prayer
  Recite the two Quranic verses (55:27 and 55:78) once each, then say Yā Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram 3 times. This roots the invocation in the very words where Allah revealed the Name, joining recitation of His Speech with calling upon His Name.
• Daily wird of 100–300 repetitions
  Many manuals suggest 100 times after Fajr and/or Maghrib for general barakah, dignity, and provision. Some increase to 300 for specific needs (debt, honour, marriage). Use a tasbih; keep the heart present to the meaning: ‘The Majestic One who honours me.’
• Duʿāʾ al-Istighnāʾ (supplication of independence) — 7 times at tahajjud
  “Allāhumma innī asʾaluka bi-ismika Dhul-Jalāli wal-Ikrām an tughnīyanī bi-faḍlika ʿamman siwāk” (O Allah, I ask You by Your Name Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram to enrich me through Your bounty so I need no one besides You). A concise, meaning-driven duʿāʾ taught in several khānqāh traditions.
• Chilla of 40 days — 1,100 or 3,300 daily (with teacher)
  A more intensive practice found in some silsilas for profound needs: 1,100 or 3,300 repetitions daily for 40 consecutive days, usually with dietary and behavioural adab (silence, lowered gaze, avoidance of sin). Must be authorised and monitored by a shaykh; not for casual undertaking.

Etiquette (Adab) of Reciting Ya Dhal-Jalali wal-Ikram

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram mean literally?

It means ‘The Possessor of Majesty and Generosity’ — Dhū = possessor of, al-Jalāl = majesty/grandeur, wal-Ikrām = and generosity/honouring. It is a single Name joining two attributes in an inseparable bond.

Does this Name appear in the Quran?

Yes, verbatim twice in Surah Ar-Rahman: 55:27 («ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ») and 55:78 («ذِي الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ» in the genitive). The roots ج-ل-ل and ك-ر-م appear many more times as divine attributes and verbs.

How is it different from Al-Jalil and Al-Karim?

Al-Jalil (The Majestic) and Al-Karim (The Generous) are separate Names highlighting one attribute each. Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram unites them in a possessive construction, teaching that divine Majesty never withholds and divine Generosity never diminishes — they are one reality.

How many times should I recite it for my need?

There is no fixed prophetic count. Common devotional customs range from 3 times after prayer to 100–300 daily, or higher counts (1,100+) in a supervised 40-day chilla. Start with a manageable daily wird (e.g., 100 after Fajr) with presence of heart rather than chasing numbers.

Can women recite this Name during menstruation?

Yes. Reciting the Names of Allah, including Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram, as dhikr or duʿāʾ is permitted in all states of ritual purity. The restriction applies only to touching the Arabic mushaf or reciting Quran with the intention of tilāwah; dhikr of the Name itself is unrestricted.

Continue the series: Al-Jalil · Al-Karim · Ar-Razzaq · All 99 Names of Allah