الْعَظِيمُ
Al-Azim
The Magnificent
What Al-Azim Means
Al-Azim comes from the root ‘ayn-za-mim: greatness, might, and glory in essence and attributes. The greatest single verse of the Quran, Ayat al-Kursi, closes with this name: ‘and He is Al-Aliyy, Al-Azim’ (2:255) — the living, self-sustaining Lord beside whom everything else is small and dependent. Twice the Quran turns His greatness into a command on our tongues: ‘So glorify the name of your Lord, Al-Azim’ (56:74; 69:52). The Prophet ﷺ told us these words of glorification are light to say yet heavy on the Scale and beloved to Ar-Rahman. For the believer, knowing Al-Azim resizes every problem: the One we ask is magnificent beyond measure, so no need is too large for Him; and it resizes the self, because standing before true greatness leaves no room for pride in our own deeds, wealth, or worship.
Al-Azim, Al-Kabir and Al-Jalil — three names of greatness
Scholars explain these three with different shades. Al-Azim points to the greatness of Allah’s essence and attributes — He is great in Himself. Al-Kabir points to His supremacy over everything else: whatever counts as great besides Him is small beside Him. Al-Jalil adds majestic glory that fills the heart with reverence and awe. The Quran joins Al-Aliyy with Al-Azim (2:255) and with Al-Kabir (22:62), and frames Surah Ar-Rahman with ‘Dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram’ (55:27). Together they teach greatness that is absolute, unrivaled, and awe-inspiring.
Al-Azim in the Quran
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
“Allah: There is no god but He, the Living, the All-Sustaining. Neither dozing overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth. Who can intercede with Him without His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them; while they encompass nothing of His knowledge, except what He wills. His Kursiyy (Chair) extends to the Heavens and to the Earth, and it does not weary Him to look after them. He is the All-High, the Supreme.”
فَسَبِّحْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
“So, proclaim purity of the name of your Lord, the Magnificent.”
فَسَبِّحْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
“So, pronounce the purity of the name of your magnificent Lord.”
What the Prophet ﷺ Taught Us
THE FOUNDATION OF THE 99 NAMES
“Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise.”
“Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “There are two expressions which are very easy for the tongue to say, but they are very heavy in the balance and are very dear to The Beneficent (Allah), and they are, ‘Subhan Allah Al- `Azim and ‘Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi.'””
Calling Upon Allah by This Name
Allah Himself commands us to call upon Him by His beautiful names:
وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ فَٱدْعُوهُ بِهَا ۖ وَذَرُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِىٓ أَسْمَـٰٓئِهِۦ ۚ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
“For Allah there are the most beautiful names. So, call Him by them, and leave those who deviate in (the matter of) His names. They shall be recompensed for what they have been doing.”
Allah commands us to call upon Him by His names (7:180), so you may say, in your own words: ‘Ya Azim — O Magnificent — nothing is great beside You; magnify my trust in You and make my needs small before Your power.’ Then act on the Quran’s own instruction: glorify Him by this name. The Prophet ﷺ promised that ‘Subhan Allahil-Azim’ is light on the tongue and heavy on the Scale — few words a believer says carry more weight.
Quran translations: Mufti Taqi Usmani. Hadith texts and gradings: the DeenHub hadith library. Every reference on this page is from the Quran or from hadith graded Sahih or Hasan.