Name 73 of 99
الْأَوَّلُ
Al-Awwal – The First
- Transliteration
- Al-Awwal
- Meaning
- The First
- Arabic root
- أ و ل
- Theme
- Oneness and eternity
Meaning of Al-Awwal
Al-Awwal is the One who existed before everything, with nothing before Him. All of creation came after Him and from His command. This name appears with Al-Akhir, Az-Zahir and Al-Batin in a single verse of Surah al-Hadid.
Al-Awwal in the Quran
Al-Awwal appears in the Quran as a name or description of Allah. A verse where it occurs:
هُوَ ٱلْأَوَّلُ وَٱلْءَاخِرُ وَٱلظَّٰهِرُ وَٱلْبَاطِنُ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
He is the First and the Last, and the Outward and the Inward; and He is Knower of all things.
Reflection
Beginning every task with "Bismillah" acknowledges the One who was before all things.
Related names: oneness and eternity
Frequently asked questions
What does Al-Awwal mean?
Al-Awwal (الْأَوَّلُ) means "The First". Al-Awwal is the One who existed before everything, with nothing before Him. All of creation came after Him and from His command. This name appears with Al-Akhir, Az-Zahir and Al-Batin in a single verse of Surah al-Hadid.
Is Al-Awwal mentioned in the Quran?
Yes. Al-Awwal is mentioned as a name or description of Allah in Surah Al-Hadid 57:3.
The list of 99 names follows the order of the narration in Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3507, without the name “Allah”, and adds Al-Ahad from Sunan Ibn Majah 3861. The hadith that Allah has ninety-nine names is in Sahih al-Bukhari 2736 and Sahih Muslim 2677. Quran text: Tanzil (Uthmani); translation: Marmaduke Pickthall (1930, public domain).