Key Facts at a Glance

Meaning & the Arabic Root

The root م-ج-د (m-j-d) conveys glory, honour, nobility, magnanimity, and generous greatness. In classical Arabic, majd is the praise-worthy quality that combines ancestral honour with personal excellence — glory that is both inherited and earned.

Morphologically, Al-Majid (الْمَاجِد) is the active participle (ism fāʿil) on the pattern fāʿil with the definite article al-, indicating the One in whom this attribute is essential, permanent, and maximal. Unlike majd as a human quality (which is acquired and relative), Divine Majd is uncreated, infinite, and inseparable from the Essence.

Distinction from related Names: Al-Karim (The Generous) highlights the overflow of bounty; Al-Majid highlights the glory that makes that bounty honourable. Al-Aziz (The Mighty) emphasises invincible power; Al-Majid emphasises the splendour and praiseworthiness of that power. Al-Wahhab is the Act of bestowal; Al-Majid is the Attribute of the Bestower that renders every gift glorious.

Al-Maajid in the Quran

Quran

The form الْمَجِيدُ (al-Majid) with the definite article appears verbatim once in the Quran: Surah Al-Buruj 85:15 (ذُو الْعَرْشِ الْمَجِيدُ). The root م-ج-د occurs in several other verses as an adjective (e.g. حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ in 11:73) and in the noun مَجْد (e.g. 50:1, 85:15). Classical lists of the 99 Names include Al-Majid based on the Quranic occurrence in 85:15 and the hadith of the 99 Names.

Surah Al-Buruj 85:15

The only verse where the Name appears with the definite article al- as a standalone Divine epithet. The Throne (ʿArsh) symbolises supreme sovereignty; describing its Lord as al-Majid declares that the highest authority is inseparable from the highest glory.

Surah Hud 11:73

Here Majid appears as an indefinite adjective coupled with Hamid. The angels announce to Sarah the birth of Ishaq and Yaʿqub, sealing the glad tidings with two Names that together mean: every praise belongs to Him because His every act radiates glory.

Surah Qaf 50:1

The Quran is described as Majid — glorious in wording, meaning, effect, and source. This reflects the Name back onto Revelation: the Speech partakes of the Speaker’s Glory.

The Hadith Foundation of the 99 Names

Hadith — graded

The primary proof for the 99 Names as a set is the umbrella hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah:

“Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one; whoever enumerates them (aḥṣāhā) enters Paradise.”

Recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 2736 and Sahih Muslim 2677. The version in Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhi 3507 includes an itemised list (which contains Al-Majid), but scholars such as al-Tirmidhi himself and later hadith masters grade that specific list as ḍaʿīf (weak) due to its isnad, even though the principle of the 99 Names is sound.

No additional authentic, Name-specific hadith for Al-Majid with a verified collection-and-number reference is established in the canonical six books. General encouragements to call upon Allah by His Beautiful Names (Quran 7:180, 17:110, 20:8, 59:24) apply fully.

Classical Commentary

Classical Scholarship — Sunni / Sufi tradition

Imam al-Ghazali (al-Maqsad al-Asna)

Al-Ghazali explains that Al-Majid is the One whose Essence is described by the perfection of glory (majd). Majd combines two meanings: beauty (jamāl) and majesty (jalāl) in their utmost degrees. He is Majid because His attributes are perfect — His knowledge, power, life, speech, hearing, sight — each at the summit of completeness. Therefore He is Hamid (Praiseworthy) in Himself and Majid in His acts; every decree, creation, and command bears the stamp of glory. The servant’s share is to recognise that true honour comes only from proximity to Him, and to seek majd through obedience, not through worldly rank.

Ibn ʿArabi and the Akbarian Tradition

In his writings on the Divine Names, Ibn ʿArabi treats Al-Majid as the Name that gathers the manifestations of Jamal (Beauty) and Jalal (Majesty) into a single, radiant theophany. He associates it with the Throne (ʿArsh) — the locus of encompassment — because glory (majd) is the outward radiance of the Essence’s inner perfection. The spiritual realisation of this Name yields a heart that sees only Divine Glory in every event, transforming disgrace into honour by re-orienting the gaze to the Majid.

Benefits of Reciting Ya Maajid

Within the devotional tradition, the following benefits are associated with the sincere and consistent remembrance of Al-Maajid. Each reflects the meaning of the Name itself.

• Restoration of personal dignity
  Because Al-Majid is the Source of all true honour, invoking Him is traditionally believed to restore dignity to one who has suffered humiliation, slander, or loss of reputation.
• Success in righteous undertakings
  The Name’s connection to glorious, praiseworthy action makes it a traditional support for seeking success in lawful studies, livelihood, and daʿwah efforts.
• Removal of disgrace and abasement
  The tradition records recitation of Ya Majid to lift the spiritual state of abasement (dhull) and replace it with the honour (ʿizz) that comes from Allah alone (cf. Quran 3:26).
• Elevation of spiritual rank
  Sufi manuals associate the Name with the station of karāmah (Divine honour bestowed on the awliyāʾ); regular invocation is believed to attract nearness and spiritual nobility.
• Magnification of Allah in the heart
  Reciting the Name while reflecting on Quran 85:15 (Dhu al-ʿArsh al-Majid) nurtures taʿẓīm (reverence), the root of all spiritual benefit.
• Blessing in provision and offspring
  Classical wazifa texts link Ya Majid to the angels’ glad tidings in 11:73 (Hamidan Majidan), and thus prescribe it for barakah in rizq and righteous children.
• Healing from illnesses of the soul
  Recited for healing alongside medical treatment, the Name is traditionally used for ailments rooted in low self-worth, despair, or spiritual heaviness, by replacing them with the light of Divine Glory.

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 represent devotional customs, not prophetic prescriptions. No specific count or duration is authenticated by hadith. Heavy fixed-duration practices (chillas, counts above ~500) are traditionally undertaken with a qualified teacher’s guidance. Outcomes are never guaranteed; the believer trusts only in Allah’s wisdom and mercy.

• Quranic anchor — after every fard salah
  Recite Surah Al-Buruj 85:15 once: Dhū al-ʿArshi al-Majīd, then say Ya Majid 3 times. This ties the invocation directly to the only verse where the Name appears verbatim with al-.
• Daily wird for dignity (traditional count)
  After Fajr and Maghrib, recite Ya Majid 100 times with presence of heart (hudur), visualising the Throne of Glory. Many manuals cite 100 as a standard daily portion for the 99 Names individually.
• Hajat (need) — 1000 times with salawat
  For a pressing lawful need, the tradition records: pray 2 rakʿat nafl, send salawat 11 times, recite Ya Majid 1000 times, close with salawat 11 times and duʿa. This is a heavy count; seek a teacher’s oversight if sustained beyond a day or two.
• Chilla for removal of disgrace (40 days)
  A 40-day commitment: after Isha, recite Ya Majid 444 times (or 1111 in some silsilas) with wudu, facing qibla, in a state of istighfar. The 40-day frame (chilla) is a traditional spiritual retreat structure, not a Quranic or hadith mandate. Undertake only with a guide.

Etiquette (Adab) of Reciting Ya Maajid

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the exact meaning of Al-Maajid?

Al-Maajid (The Noble, The Illustrious) means the One whose Essence possesses absolute, intrinsic glory (majd) — a perfection that combines supreme beauty, majesty, generosity, and praiseworthiness. It is an active participle indicating this glory is essential and eternal, not acquired.

Does Al-Maajid appear in the Quran?

Yes, the form al-Majid with the definite article appears once verbatim in Surah Al-Buruj 85:15: Dhū al-ʿArshi al-Majīd (Possessor of the Throne, the Glorious). The root also appears as an adjective in 11:73 (Hamīdun Majīd) and as a noun describing the Quran in 50:1 (al-Qurʾāni al-Majīd).

How is Al-Maajid different from Al-Karim (The Generous)?

Al-Karim emphasises the act of generous giving and forbearance. Al-Majid emphasises the inherent glory and honour of the Giver — the magnificence that makes every gift honourable. Al-Karim = liberality of the hand; Al-Majid = splendour of the Essence.

How many times should I recite Ya Maajid for my need?

No count is prescribed in Quran or authentic hadith. Traditional manuals mention 100 (daily wird), 444, 1000, or 1111 for specific purposes, often within a 40-day chilla. These are devotional customs; start with a manageable daily portion (e.g. 100 after Fajr/Maghrib) with consistency and sincerity.

Can anyone recite Ya Maajid, or is a teacher required?

Anyone may recite the Name as dhikr or in duʿa — it is among Allah’s Beautiful Names and calling upon Him by them is encouraged (Quran 7:180). A teacher is traditionally recommended only for heavy fixed counts (e.g. 1000+ daily) or multi-day chillas, to ensure correct adab, safety, and spiritual balance.

Continue the series: Al-Karim · Al-Wahhab · Dhu al-Jalal wa al-Ikram · All 99 Names of Allah