Name 88 of 99
الْغَنِيُّ
Al-Ghaniyy – The Self-Sufficient, the Rich
- Transliteration
- Al-Ghaniyy
- Meaning
- The Self-Sufficient, the Rich
- Arabic root
- غ ن ي
- Theme
- Provision and generosity
Meaning of Al-Ghaniyy
Al-Ghaniyy is the One who is completely free of need, while all creation is in need of Him. Our worship does not benefit Him and our disobedience does not harm Him. Surah Fatir says: O mankind, you are the ones in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
Al-Ghaniyy in the Quran
Al-Ghaniyy appears in the Quran as a name or description of Allah. Two of the verses where it occurs:
۞ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ أَنتُمُ ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ
O mankind! Ye are the poor in your relation to Allah. And Allah! He is the Absolute, the Owner of Praise.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَنفِقُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَٰتِ مَا كَسَبْتُمْ وَمِمَّآ أَخْرَجْنَا لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَلَا تَيَمَّمُوا۟ ٱلْخَبِيثَ مِنْهُ تُنفِقُونَ وَلَسْتُم بِـَٔاخِذِيهِ إِلَّآ أَن تُغْمِضُوا۟ فِيهِ ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ
O ye who believe! Spend of the good things which ye have earned, and of that which We bring forth from the earth for you, and seek not the bad (with intent) to spend thereof (in charity) when ye would not take it for yourselves save with disdain; and know that Allah is Absolute, Owner of Praise.
Reflection
Recognising our total need for Allah is the beginning of true humility.
Related names: provision and generosity
Frequently asked questions
What does Al-Ghaniyy mean?
Al-Ghaniyy (الْغَنِيُّ) means "The Self-Sufficient, the Rich". Al-Ghaniyy is the One who is completely free of need, while all creation is in need of Him. Our worship does not benefit Him and our disobedience does not harm Him. Surah Fatir says: O mankind, you are the ones in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
Is Al-Ghaniyy mentioned in the Quran?
Yes. Al-Ghaniyy is mentioned as a name or description of Allah in Surah Fatir 35:15 and Surah Al-Baqarah 2:267.
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).