Name 3 of 99
الْمَلِكُ
Al-Malik – The King, the Sovereign
- Transliteration
- Al-Malik
- Meaning
- The King, the Sovereign
- Arabic root
- م ل ك
- Theme
- Sovereignty and kingship
Meaning of Al-Malik
Al-Malik is the King whose authority is complete and needs no one's approval. Human kings rule for a time over a limited realm and depend on others; Allah's kingship is over everything, without beginning or end. He commands and decrees as He wills, and His rule is always just and wise.
Al-Malik in the Quran
Al-Malik appears in the Quran as a name or description of Allah. Two of the verses where it occurs:
هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْقُدُّوسُ ٱلسَّلَٰمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُ ٱلْمُهَيْمِنُ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْجَبَّارُ ٱلْمُتَكَبِّرُ ۚ سُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
He is Allah, than Whom there is no other Allah, the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One, Peace, the Keeper of Faith, the Guardian, the Majestic, the Compeller, the Superb. Glorified be Allah from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him).
فَتَعَٰلَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۗ وَلَا تَعْجَلْ بِٱلْقُرْءَانِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يُقْضَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُۥ ۖ وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْمًۭا
Then exalted be Allah, the True King! And hasten not (O Muhammad) with the Qur'an ere its revelation hath been perfected unto thee, and say: My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.
Reflection
Knowing that Allah is the true King frees the heart from being overawed by worldly power and status.
Related names: sovereignty and kingship
Frequently asked questions
What does Al-Malik mean?
Al-Malik (الْمَلِكُ) means "The King, the Sovereign". Al-Malik is the King whose authority is complete and needs no one's approval. Human kings rule for a time over a limited realm and depend on others; Allah's kingship is over everything, without beginning or end. He commands and decrees as He wills, and His rule is always just and wise.
Is Al-Malik mentioned in the Quran?
Yes. Al-Malik is mentioned as a name or description of Allah in Surah Al-Hashr 59:23 and Surah Taha 20:114.
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).