Name 92 of 99
النَّافِعُ
An-Nafi' – The Benefactor, the Giver of benefit
- Transliteration
- An-Nafi'
- Meaning
- The Benefactor, the Giver of benefit
- Arabic root
- ن ف ع
- Theme
- Provision and generosity
Meaning of An-Nafi'
An-Nafi' is the One who grants benefit to whom He wills. Whatever good reaches anyone ultimately comes from Him, and people, medicines and means only benefit by His permission. Surah al-Fath asks who could prevent Allah if He intended harm or benefit for you.
This name does not appear in this form in the Quran. Many scholars point out that this name is best mentioned together with its complementary name, so that the meaning is understood as part of Allah's perfect wisdom rather than in isolation.
Paired name: An-Nafi' is often mentioned together with Ad-Darr (The Distresser).
An-Nafi' in the Quran
The exact form An-Nafi' is not used in the Quran, but its meaning is affirmed through a related word from the same root:
Related verse
سَيَقُولُ لَكَ ٱلْمُخَلَّفُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ شَغَلَتْنَآ أَمْوَٰلُنَا وَأَهْلُونَا فَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ۚ يَقُولُونَ بِأَلْسِنَتِهِم مَّا لَيْسَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ ۚ قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًٔا إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ ضَرًّا أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ نَفْعًۢا ۚ بَلْ كَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًۢا
Those of the wandering Arabs who were left behind will tell thee: Our possessions and our households occupied us, so ask forgiveness for us! They speak with their tongues that which is not in their hearts. Say: Who can avail you aught against Allah, if He intend you hurt or intend you profit? Nay, but Allah is ever Aware of what ye do.
Reflection
Take the means, but look to Allah as the true source of benefit.
Related names: provision and generosity
Frequently asked questions
What does An-Nafi' mean?
An-Nafi' (النَّافِعُ) means "The Benefactor, the Giver of benefit". An-Nafi' is the One who grants benefit to whom He wills. Whatever good reaches anyone ultimately comes from Him, and people, medicines and means only benefit by His permission. Surah al-Fath asks who could prevent Allah if He intended harm or benefit for you.
Is An-Nafi' mentioned in the Quran?
An-Nafi' does not appear in exactly this form, but its meaning is affirmed in the Quran through a related word from the same root, for example in Surah Al-Fath 48:11.
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).