Al-Hamid (The Praiseworthy) is the 56th of the 99 Names. From root ح-م-د (praise, commendation). Appears verbatim in at least seven Quranic verses (e.g., 14:8, 22:24, 35:15). Invoked for gratitude, acceptance of deeds, healing of the heart, and cultivating a praising tongue.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Name in Arabic | الْحَمِيد |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | Al-Hamid (invoked as Ya Hamidu) |
| English Meaning | The Praiseworthy |
| Position | 56th of the 99 Names (Asma-ul-Husna) |
| Arabic Root | ح-م-د |
| Quran Occurrences | The Name Al-Hamid (الْحَمِيدُ) appears verbatim in the Quran in at least seven verses: Surah Al-Baqarah 2:267, Surah An-Nisa 4:131, Surah Ibrahim 14:8, Surah Al-Hajj 22:24 and 22:64, Surah Luqman 31:26, and Surah Fatir 35:15. It also occurs in the construct state as Hamid (without al-) in other verses. |
| Invoked For | gratitude, acceptance of deeds, healing the heart, praising Allah, removal of ingratitude |
| Related Names | Al-Majid · Ash-Shakur · Al-Mahmud |
Meaning & the Arabic Root
The root ح-م-د (ḥ-m-d) signifies praise, commendation, and speaking well of someone for their intrinsic excellence — not merely for a favour received (which is shukr). The pattern فَعِيل (faʿīl) indicates a permanent, intensive quality: Al-Hamid is the One who is eternally, essentially praiseworthy.
Unlike Al-Mahmud (The Praised), which describes the One who receives praise, Al-Hamid describes the One whose very Being necessitates praise. He is praised in His actions, His names, His attributes, and His decree — whether creation recognises it or not. This distinguishes Him from Ash-Shakur (The Appreciative), who rewards the servant’s gratitude; Al-Hamid is the Object of all true praise.
Classically, the Name is defined as: ‘The One who is praised in every instance, whose praise is due from every tongue, and who praises Himself by Himself, for Himself.’ It encompasses both the praise He bestows upon Himself (as in the opening of Surah Al-Fatihah) and the praise He inspires in the hearts of the knowing.
Al-Hamid in the Quran
Quran
The Name Al-Hamid (الْحَمِيدُ) appears verbatim in the Quran in at least seven verses: Surah Al-Baqarah 2:267, Surah An-Nisa 4:131, Surah Ibrahim 14:8, Surah Al-Hajj 22:24 and 22:64, Surah Luqman 31:26, and Surah Fatir 35:15. It also occurs in the construct state as Hamid (without al-) in other verses.
Surah Ibrahim 14:8
Wa qāla Mūsā in takfurū antum wa man fī al-arḍi jamīʿan fa-inna Allāha laghaniyyun ḥamīd
“And Moses said, ‘If you should disbelieve, you and whoever is on the earth entirely — indeed, Allah is Free of need, Praiseworthy.'”
Surah Ibrahim 14:8
Moses couples Ghani (Free of need) with Hamid: Allah’s praiseworthiness is independent of creation’s acknowledgement. The verse frames disbelief as irrelevant to His intrinsic perfection.
Surah Al-Hajj 22:24
Wa hudū ilā al-ṭayyibi mina al-qawli wa hudū ilā ṣirāṭi al-ḥamīd
“And they were guided to good speech, and they were guided to the path of the Praiseworthy.”
Surah Al-Hajj 22:24
The ‘path of Al-Hamid’ is the straight path that leads to the One whose every attribute elicits praise. Guidance culminates in recognising and living by this praise.
Surah Fatir 35:15
Yā ayyuhā al-nāsu antum al-fuqarāʾu ilā Allāhi wa Allāhu huwa al-ghaniyyu al-ḥamīd
“O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.”
Surah Fatir 35:15
The address to all humanity contrasts created poverty (faqr) with Divine self-sufficiency (ghinā) and praiseworthiness (ḥamd). Recognising this contrast is the foundation of true servanthood.
The Hadith Foundation of the 99 Names
Hadith — graded
The umbrella narration enumerating the 99 Names is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 2736 and Sahih Muslim 2677 (from Abu Hurayrah): “Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one; whoever enumerates them enters Paradise.” The itemised list in Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3507 is regarded by hadith scholars as a weaker addition.
“Allah is Ṭayyib (Good) and accepts only what is ṭayyib. Allah is Ḥamīd, He loves praise.”
This Name-specific hadith is recorded in Sahih Muslim (without a specific number in this context). It links the Name directly to the divine love for hamd, making the recitation of Ya Ḥamīdu an alignment with what Allah Himself loves.
Another narration in the Sunan of at-Tirmidhi states: “The most beloved speech to Allah is four: Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar.” While not naming Al-Hamid explicitly, it underscores that hamd is the most beloved form of utterance.
Classical Commentary
Classical Scholarship — Sunni / Sufi tradition
Imam al-Ghazali on Al-Hamid (from al-Maqṣad al-Asnā)
Al-Ghazali explains that Al-Hamid is the One who is praised in every state — praised by His own tongue (as in “Alhamdulillah” opening the Fatiha), praised by the tongues of His prophets and angels, and praised by the very existence of creation which testifies to His wisdom and power. He notes three degrees: (1) Allah’s self-praise, which is the source of all praise; (2) the praise of the elite who witness His acts and attributes; (3) the praise of the common folk for His blessings. The highest realisation is to see that even the capacity to praise is a gift from Al-Hamid.
In the Akbarian tradition (Ibn Arabi and his school), Al-Hamid is associated with the station of ḥamd as the very breath of existence — every existent thing “praises” by manifesting the divine attributes. The perfect human (al-insān al-kāmil) becomes the locus where the praise of Al-Hamid returns to Al-Hamid.
Benefits of Reciting Ya Hamidu
Within the devotional tradition, the following benefits are associated with the sincere and consistent remembrance of Al-Hamid. Each reflects the meaning of the Name itself.
- Cultivating true gratitude (shukr)
Because Al-Hamid is the One whose essence demands praise, invoking Ya Ḥamīdu reorients the heart from complaining to recognising the praiseworthiness in every decree. - Acceptance of deeds
The tradition records that deeds are presented to Allah and He accepts only what is ṭayyib; since He is Ḥamīd and loves praise, works accompanied by sincere hamd are believed to be more readily accepted. - Healing of the heart from ingratitude and resentment
Recitation is used in spiritual healing circles for softening hardness of heart, as the Name’s light is said to dissolve the veil of seeing only lack. - Easing of difficulties and opening of provision
The Quran pairs Al-Hamid with Al-Ghani (Free of need) — invoking both together is a traditional practice for trusting in Divine sufficiency while praising Him. - Refinement of speech
Surah Al-Hajj 22:24 links guidance to ‘good speech’ and the ‘path of Al-Hamid’; regular invocation is believed to purify the tongue from backbiting, lying, and heedless talk. - Drawing near to the Prophet’s character ﷺ
The Prophet ﷺ was described as ‘the one who praised Allah most’; invoking Ya Ḥamīdu with that intention is a means of following his sunnah of constant hamd. - Preparation for the eternal hamd of the Hereafter
The people of Paradise enter saying ‘Alhamdulillah’; practising the Name now is seen as a rehearsal for that final, unending praise.
Traditional Wazifa Practices (with Sources)
Devotional Tradition — South Asian wazifa literature
The following practices are drawn from the South Asian Urdu wazifa manual genre (e.g., Ism-e-Azam by Alam Faqri) and Sufi silsila traditions. They are devotional customs, not prescribed in the Quran or Sunnah with fixed counts. Benefits are believed to arise by Allah’s grace, not as mechanical guarantees. Heavy or fixed-duration practices (chillas, counts above ~500) are traditionally undertaken with a qualified teacher’s guidance. Recitation is for spiritual support alongside medical treatment, never as a replacement.
- Quranic-dua anchor: Recite Surah Fatir 35:15
After each obligatory prayer, recite the verse ‘Yā ayyuhā al-nāsu antum al-fuqarāʾu ilā Allāhi wa Allāhu huwa al-ghaniyyu al-ḥamīd’ three times, then say ‘Ya Ḥamīdu, Ya Ghaniyyu’ 11 times. This roots the practice in the Quranic pairing of the two Names. - Daily 111-fold recitation after Fajr
Sit facing the qibla, perform wudu, and recite ‘Ya Ḥamīdu’ 111 times (or 33 if time is short) with presence of heart. The count 111 corresponds to the numerical value of حَمِيد (8+40+10+4=62? Actually 8+40+10+4=62, but 111 is a common traditional count for this Name). Conclude with Salawat and a personal dua for gratitude. - Hundred-fold for a specific need
For a pressing concern, recite ‘Ya Ḥamīdu’ 100 times after Isha, preceded and followed by 11 Salawat. The tradition records this for easing difficulties, but always with the condition ‘if Allah wills’. - 40-day chilla (retreat) with teacher permission
Under a shaykh’s guidance, recite ‘Ya Ḥamīdu’ 1,000 times daily for 40 consecutive days, maintaining wudu, dietary discipline, and lowered gaze. This intensive practice is for deep transformation of the nafs from complaint to praise; it is not undertaken lightly.
Etiquette (Adab) of Reciting Ya Hamidu
- Begin with istighfar — seeking forgiveness before presenting the request.
- Praise Allah and send salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ before and after the dhikr.
- Be in wudu and face the qiblah where possible — recommended, not obligatory, for dhikr.
- Ask with certainty — the Prophet ﷺ instructed asking Allah with conviction of response (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3479).
- Keep lawful earnings and intentions.
- Consistency over quantity — the most beloved deeds are the most constant, even if small (Sahih al-Bukhari 6464).
- Recite Ya Ḥamīdu with a heart aware of its own poverty (faqr) and Allah’s self-sufficiency (ghinā), letting each repetition be an affirmation that He alone is worthy of all praise.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Al-Hamid mean?
- Al-Hamid means The Praiseworthy — the One whose very essence and every attribute necessitate praise. From the root ح-م-د, it denotes permanent, intrinsic praiseworthiness, distinct from Al-Mahmud (The Praised) which is the passive recipient of praise.
- Does Al-Hamid appear in the Quran?
- Yes, verbatim in at least seven verses: Al-Baqarah 2:267, An-Nisa 4:131, Ibrahim 14:8, Al-Hajj 22:24 and 22:64, Luqman 31:26, and Fatir 35:15. It is often paired with Al-Ghani (Free of need).
- How is Al-Hamid different from Ash-Shakur?
- Al-Hamid is the Object of praise — the One who is intrinsically praiseworthy. Ash-Shakur is the Rewarder of gratitude — the One who appreciates and multiplies the servant’s thanks. Hamd flows from the servant to Allah; Shukr flows from Allah to the servant.
- How many times should I recite Ya Hamidu?
- No fixed count is prescribed in the primary sources. Common traditional counts include 33, 111, 100, or 1,000 times daily. Consistency with presence of heart is emphasised over numbers. For counts above 500 or 40-day retreats, seek a teacher’s guidance.
- Can anyone recite Ya Hamidu?
- Yes, any Muslim — man, woman, child, scholar, or layperson — may invoke this Name. There are no restrictions of gender, status, or ritual purity beyond the general adab of dhikr (cleanliness, facing qibla, reverence). It is a universal remembrance.
Obtain a Spiritually Prepared Ya Hamidu Taweez
At Sarkar Healings we prepare Taweez and Naqash of Al-Hamid following the etiquette and recitations described in this guide.
Explore Coded Duas & Taweez
WhatsApp Us
Or email: help@sarkarhealings.com
Continue the series: Al-Majid · Ash-Shakur · Al-Mahmud · All 99 Names of Allah