الْمَاجِدُ
Al-Majid
The Illustrious
What Al-Majid Means
Al-Majid is from the root ma-ja-da, glory, nobility and abundant honour. The list writes the name Al-Majid (al-majid); the Quran’s own form is its close twin, Majid (majid), and it is under that form that the name appears. The angels told the household of Ibrahim: ‘Do you wonder at the command of Allah? The mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, people of the house. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy, Glorious’ (11:73), and Allah describes Himself as ‘the Possessor of the Throne, the Glorious’ (85:15). Scholars explain that the name joins two perfections: Allah’s glory is intrinsic — honour belongs to His very being — and it is abundant, flowing out as gifts to His creation. He is not made glorious by our praise; praise is His by right, and every honour in the world is a borrowed ray of His.
Al-Majid in the Quran
قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ رَحْمَتُ ٱللَّهِ وَبَرَكَـٰتُهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ ٱلْبَيْتِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ
“They said, “Do you marvel at Allah’s command? Allah’s mercy and His blessings have always been upon you, O people of the house. Surely, He is Praiseworthy, Glorious.””
ذُو ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْمَجِيدُ
“the Master of the Throne, the Glorious.”
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 `Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Laila: Ka`b bin Ujrah met me and said, “Shall I not give you a present I got from the Prophet?” `Abdur- Rahman said, “Yes, give it to me.”
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.”
Muslims already call Allah by this name every day: the Durood Ibrahim, taught by the Prophet (saw), ends ‘Indeed, You are the Most Praiseworthy, the Most Glorious (Hamidun Majid)’ (Al-Bukhari 3370). Following that pattern, in your own words you may say: ‘Ya Majid — O Most Glorious — honour me with nearness to You, and let my share of glory be obedience to You.’
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.