Name 38 of 99
الْحَفِيظُ
Al-Hafiz – The Preserver, the Protector
- Transliteration
- Al-Hafiz
- Meaning
- The Preserver, the Protector
- Arabic root
- ح ف ظ
- Theme
- Protection and care
Meaning of Al-Hafiz
Al-Hafiz is the One who preserves and protects all things: He keeps the heavens and earth in order, protects His servants from harm, and records every deed so that nothing is lost. He also preserved His final revelation.
Al-Hafiz in the Quran
Al-Hafiz appears in the Quran as a name or description of Allah. Two of the verses where it occurs:
فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُم مَّآ أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِۦٓ إِلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَيَسْتَخْلِفُ رَبِّى قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّونَهُۥ شَيْـًٔا ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَفِيظٌۭ
And if ye turn away, still I have conveyed unto you that wherewith I was sent unto you, and my Lord will set in place of you a folk other than you. Ye cannot injure Him at all. Lo! my Lord is Guardian over all things.
وَمَا كَانَ لَهُۥ عَلَيْهِم مِّن سُلْطَٰنٍ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ مِمَّنْ هُوَ مِنْهَا فِى شَكٍّۢ ۗ وَرَبُّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَفِيظٌۭ
And he had no warrant whatsoever against them, save that We would know him who believeth in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt thereof; and thy Lord (O Muhammad) taketh note of all things.
Reflection
Asking Allah for protection for ourselves and our families is an expression of trust in Al-Hafiz.
Related names: protection and care
Frequently asked questions
What does Al-Hafiz mean?
Al-Hafiz (الْحَفِيظُ) means "The Preserver, the Protector". Al-Hafiz is the One who preserves and protects all things: He keeps the heavens and earth in order, protects His servants from harm, and records every deed so that nothing is lost. He also preserved His final revelation.
Is Al-Hafiz mentioned in the Quran?
Yes. Al-Hafiz is mentioned as a name or description of Allah in Surah Hud 11:57 and Surah Saba 34:21.
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).