Name 76 of 99
الْبَاطِنُ
Al-Batin – The Hidden, the Inward
- Transliteration
- Al-Batin
- Meaning
- The Hidden, the Inward
- Arabic root
- ب ط ن
- Theme
- Oneness and eternity
Meaning of Al-Batin
Al-Batin is the One who is hidden from the eyes and beyond the grasp of the imagination, yet nearer to us than anything and aware of every hidden matter. Being unseen does not mean being absent. The verse in Surah al-Hadid ends by saying He has full knowledge of all things.
Al-Batin in the Quran
Al-Batin 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
Allah knows what is hidden in hearts, so inner sincerity matters as much as outward deeds.
Related names: oneness and eternity
Frequently asked questions
What does Al-Batin mean?
Al-Batin (الْبَاطِنُ) means "The Hidden, the Inward". Al-Batin is the One who is hidden from the eyes and beyond the grasp of the imagination, yet nearer to us than anything and aware of every hidden matter. Being unseen does not mean being absent. The verse in Surah al-Hadid ends by saying He has full knowledge of all things.
Is Al-Batin mentioned in the Quran?
Yes. Al-Batin 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).