Would you please provide me with an explanation for the Hadeeth in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that there are 99 Names for Allaah and that a person who counts them will enter Paradise. [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] I heard one of the honorable Shaykhs say that counting them is not the only meaning of the Arabic verb used in this Hadeeth. How valid is this?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

There are differences among scholars regarding the meaning of this Hadeeth (narration) in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that a person who counts the 99 Names of Allaah will enter Paradise.  The reason behind this is the difference regarding the meaning of the Arabic verb used in the Hadeeth: 'Ahsa. According to some, this verb includes both counting and memorization. This view was held as the dominant one by An-Nawawi .

According to another view, the meaning of this verb is to act according to the implications of these Names, not to count or memorize them. Advocators of this view hold that if it only means counting and memorization, then both the Kaafir (disbeliever) and the hypocrite can do this.

According to a third view, the meaning of this verb is to count and act in accordance with the implications of these Names. The meaning of the later is to testify and submit to the Names that only pertain to Allaah the Exalted, such as Al-'Ahad (the One), Al-Muta‘aal (the Exalted), Al-Qadeer (the Omnipotent) and the like. On the other hand, there are certain Names that are recommended for the Muslim to act in accordance with, such as Ar-Raheem (the Ever Merciful), Al-Kareem (the Generous), Al-‘Afuww (the Forgiver) and the like. It is recommended for a servant to have these characteristics to fulfill the obligation of acting according to their implications. In this way, a person can achieve practical counting.

As for the verbal counting, this can be achieved by collecting these Names, memorizing them and supplicating Allaah The Almighty by means of them. If a believer is joined by others in both counting and memorization, he is distinguished because he believes in their meaning and acts according to their implications. This was mentioned by Ibn Hajar quoting, in this regard, the view of a group of scholars. We believe this view is the dominant one, Allaah willing, because it includes both the linguistic and practical meaning of the verb used in the Hadeeth.

Allaah Knows best.