The 99 Names of God

An Illustrated Guide for Young and Old

Written and illustrated by Daniel Thomas Dyer, calligraphy by Azim Rehmatdin

BUY NOW UK
BUY NOW USA

Paperback ISBN 9780957138827, 280x220mm, 184 pages, full colour

BUY THE EBOOK VERSION

The Compassionate (ar-Rahman), the Holy (al-Quddus), the Source of Peace (as-Salam), the Supreme (al-Mutakabbir)…these are just a few of the 99 Names of God to be found in Islam. It has been said that knowledge of Allah’s Beautiful Names is the greatest knowledge a human being can possess.

This illustrated guide to the Names is designed to be an engaging educational resource for all the family. For children it is a rich treasury of wonder that will reveal greater depths as they grow and mature, whilst for parents and teachers it will offer much to inspire, inform, and remind. Richly illustrated and accompanied by engaging reflections and activities, this book is offered as a guide to help us witness the Divine Majesty and Beauty.

Highlighting the beauty and diversity at the heart of Islam, and emphasising the shared core teachings at the heart of the Abrahamic faiths, as well as touching on other religions, this guide gives a holistic, contemporary understanding of Islam for our pluralistic society.

The 99 Names of God is printed on paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) using vegetable-based inks. http://webbanki.ru/srochnye-zaimy.

Sample Pages

From the Foreword of The 99 Names of God

Camille Adams Helminski
Co-director of The Threshold Society, author of The Light of Dawn, Daily Readings from the Holy Qur’an

We are so delighted that this absolutely lovely rendering of the 99 Names has arrived in publication. In its presentation it is so accessible, gentle, and opening for the heart for both children and parents, and extended family, who might study these Names together, reflecting on the qualities they evoke. Teachers and students of Islam and comparative religion can greatly benefit from this beautiful guide. It presents a well-balanced view of Islam through the Names of God as expressed through the Holy Quran and opened in meaning through accompanying words of the saints.

About the Author

Daniel Thomas Dyer is an author and artist. A great lover of poetry, he was called to Islam after falling in love with the beautiful poems of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi. He lives with his wife in the Lake District in the UK, where he draws inspiration from the mountains, lakes, rivers, and trees. He hopes that some of their beauty has found its way into this book.

 Testimonials

This project fills such an obvious need, and does it so beautifully, one wonders why it hadn’t happened until now. Probably so that exactly these people would be the ones to do it. It provides an entry point into a spiritual Islam that every parent would like to give to their children, and illuminating their own understanding in the process. Inshallah, it will be recognized as a classic.

Shaikh Kabir Helminski
Co-Director, The Threshold Society & Baraka Institute

The book introduces the reader in a simple yet profound way to the attributes of God. The activities encourage the reader to reflect on many things including: their own being, their surroundings, what these demonstrate to them about the Divine Reality, and what type of behaviour this might inspire in them. How much faith-inspired literature out there for young hearts encourages young people to look to themselves ‘then reflect!’ in the very spirit of the Quran? The book also introduces the reader to a whole host of Muslim spiritual personalities who demonstrate a universal loving wisdom and open up a new world of perspective for the reader. This book invites a recognition of what is shared by all faiths and an openness of heart toward all human beings. Exactly what is needed in our world.

Fatimah Ashrif
Director, Randeree Charitable Trust

This is a wonderful book that has used a very innovative approach to teaching God’s attributes and I would certainly use it as a teaching resource.

Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra
Khazinat al-‘Ilm, Madaris of Arabic and Muslim Life Studies, Leicester

We cannot do enough for our precious children in the direction this wonderful work from Chickpea Press takes them… and us!

Gray Henry
Director, Fons Vitae Publishing & Distribution

Although The 99 Names is intended for Muslim children, it’s really a treasure for all ages and faiths…and would be a fine addition to any religious library. I defy anyone to read this book and not come away with a deeper appreciation of God’s presence in the universe.

Rabbi Yonassan Gershom

This book is a fantastic learning tool for children. It uses plain language, appropriate illustrations, and traditional wisdom.

Dr Musharraf Hussain, OBE, DL
CEO of Karimia Institute, former Chair of Christian Muslim Forum

I was very moved by the resource you are developing on the 99 Names. It is very special – simple yet really profound in its content. Above all, it is saturated in a most beautifully gentle and nurturing quality of love and mercy.

Dr Jeremy Henzell-Thomas
Visiting Fellow, Centre of Islamic Studies, University of Cambridge

Mashallah, this is a perfect work and all of humanity needs works like this.

Esin Çelebi Bayru
Vice President, International Mevlana Foundation

I like that the book has quotes from other religions like the Torah from Judaism…it can relate to all sorts of children…it’s not just Muslim children who can learn from it.

Sandalee Ali-Sehbai
12 years old

I like the book, it’s clear and easy to understand. I really like the illustrations and how it’s designed. I’ve learned more about the Names, my favourite is Al-Khaliq. I will tell my friend to read it because it tells you more about our religion and helps us learn about the Names. I can read it with my parents as well and we can learn together.

Isa Alam
10 years old

I like the feel and print of the book. The colours are soothing, and the book makes one feel peaceful. I feel it is appropriate for Year 3 children to begin reading with their parents. I love the illustrations, and think the activities are great. As someone new to Islam, it is a book I would be interested in too.

Ms. Vijay Raj
Retired Deputy Head Teacher, Marlborough Road Academy

As a father of four and grandfather of six and having been a spiritual wanderer for much of my life, I can attest to the universal need for this beautiful book and the appeal of its beauty and message. There is so much love on every page. I look forward to reading it with my little ones, insh’Allah.

Dr Fred A. Fischer PE, MBA, EDD

What I especially like is the layout – the Arabic, it shows you how to phonetically pronounce it correctly. And this is my favourite bit [reflections and activities] because it’s really good for people who don’t actually teach…for parents who don’t always know what kind of questions to ask and how to ask children. The reflections and activities are really good so anyone can come along and pick it up. The pictures are amazing. And it really does reach all levels…I would read it and find it good for myself to understand the Names, it’s a good starting point. I’m quite impressed, it’s really good.

Samia Ali
Primary Learning Mentor, Marlborough Road Academy, Salford

With the illustrations, text and design, the subtlety and depth of the 99 Names is rendered in beautifully clear terms for children of all ages. Wonder-filled scholarship within visual delight.

Sam Amico
Bookseller & Printer, Middlearth Editions

It’s great for children to share their culture with their peers, it gives them confidence in who they are. This is a beautiful book they could share in school with their friends. As a parent, I have been making books with stories about Islam and reading them in my daughters’ class room and school assemblies, which the children thoroughly enjoy. Also, we celebrate all faiths at our community centre and each year we have a multi faith festival to experience, share and celebrate different cultures and faiths. This book would be wonderful to read to families attending this event.

Sania Sehbai
Counsellor, local community charity trustee

My favourite is the chickpea story in al-Qahhar. I like the talking chickpea! I like the pictures, especially al-Khaliq.

Bilal Ahmed
9 years old

My favourite Name is ash-Shakur because it reminds us about our blessings, what we have to be grateful about, and it reminds us about those who are less fortunate than us. And I think this is a great one for my children – I’d love to see their list of what they have to be grateful for! The book is an easy read, I love the Quran quotations and the sayings from great teachers, which everyone from any sect of Islam can relate to. And I love the reflections and activities. Parents should buy this because it teaches not just about religion but why these Names have been given by Allah, and it’s great for me to learn about them!

Shazia Ahmed
Mum of two

Wouldn’t it be great to discover that God loves you? Sounds like an evangelistic message, well not quite. ‘Jesus loves you’ is a common enough slogan and ‘God is love’ is a famous verse from the Bible. You could be excused for thinking that Christianity has the monopoly on love in religion, but of course it hasn’t.

But what about ‘Allah loves you’? Or rather ‘God loves you’, with a Muslim flavour. The 99 Names of God is a great book for young people, or people of any age. It features loving representations of God as al-Wadud (the Loving) and Compassionate. This is the heart of Islam, though reading the newspapers might persuade you otherwise. Learning about the different Names of God will give you, and your young ones, an insight into the good things of an often misunderstood religion.

Julian Bond
Former Director, Christian Muslim Forum

With the abundance of literature available on Islam and Sufism, whenever anyone asks me where to start, I recommend they begin with reading the 99 Names. Nothing – apart from a study of the character of the Prophet Muhammad, s.a.w.s. – reveals the essence of Islamic spirituality better. Raising children with an understanding of the Divine Attributes immunises them against the confusions and conflicts that so often surround Islam. Even more importantly, to grow up with a sense of the universality of God, of the resonances we share with other spiritual wells, and of our interconnectedness with the universe on the grandest and the most atomic levels, roots a new generation in love and compassion. My applause goes to Chickpea Press for working to make this a reality.

Medina Tenour Whiteman
Writer, Musician, Translator and Cavemum