It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah Almighty has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one; whoever preserves them (by learning them) will enter Paradise. Allah is Witr (One) and loves what is odd (witr). He is Allah, besides whom there is no god: the Most Gracious (al-Rahman), the Most Merciful (al-Rahim), the King (al-Malik), the One free of every flaw (al-Quddus), the Giver of peace (al-Salam), the Giver of security (al-Mu'min), the Guardian (al-Muhaymin), the Almighty (al-Aziz), the Compeller (al-Jabbar), the Supreme in greatness (al-Mutakabbir), the Creator (al-Khaliq), the Maker who shapes rightly (al-Bari'), the Fashioner of forms (al-Musawwir), the Oft-Forgiving (al-Ghaffar), the Subduer (al-Qahhar), the Bestower (al-Wahhab), the Provider (al-Razzaq), the Opener (al-Fattah), the All-Knowing (al-Alim), the Withholder (al-Qabid), the Expander (al-Basit), the Abaser (al-Khafid), the Exalter (al-Rafi'), the Giver of honour (al-Mu'izz), the Giver of humiliation (al-Mudhill), the All-Hearing (al-Sami'), the All-Seeing (al-Basir), the Judge (al-Hakam), Justice itself (al-Adl), the Subtle and Kind (al-Latif), the All-Aware (al-Khabir), the Forbearing (al-Halim), the Magnificent (al-Azim), the Forgiving (al-Ghafur), the Appreciative (al-Shakur), the Most High (al-Ali), the Most Great (al-Kabir), the Preserver (al-Hafiz), the Helper of those who call for aid (al-Mughith) (and Safwan said in his hadith: al-Muqit (the Sustainer), and this is what Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Ishaq chose in 'Mukhtasar al-Sahih'), the Reckoner (al-Hasib), the Majestic (al-Jalil), the Generous (al-Karim), the Watchful (al-Raqib), the Responsive (al-Mujib), the All-Encompassing (al-Wasi'), the All-Wise (al-Hakim), the Loving (al-Wadud), the Glorious (al-Majid), the Resurrector and the Witness (al-Ba'ith al-Shahid), the Truth (al-Haqq), the Trustee (al-Wakil), the Strong (al-Qawiyy), the Firm (al-Matin), the Protecting Friend and Helper (al-Waliyy), the Praiseworthy (al-Hamid), the Reckoner of all things (al-Muhsi), the Originator (al-Mubdi'), the Restorer (al-Mu'id), the Giver of life (al-Muhyi), the Giver of death (al-Mumit), the Ever-Living (al-Hayy), the Sustainer of all (al-Qayyum), the Finder (al-Wajid), the Noble (al-Majid), the One (al-Wahid), the Self-Sufficient (al-Samad), the Able (al-Qadir), the All-Powerful (al-Muqtadir), the Expediter (al-Muqaddim), the Delayer (al-Mu'akhkhir), the First (al-Awwal), the Last (al-Akhir), the Manifest (al-Zahir), the Hidden (al-Batin), the Governor (al-Wali), the Most Exalted (al-Muta'ali), the Benevolent (al-Barr), the Accepter of repentance (al-Tawwab), the Avenger (al-Muntaqim), the Pardoner (al-Afuww), the Most Compassionate (al-Ra'uf), the Owner of dominion (Malik al-Mulk), the Possessor of majesty and honour (Dhu al-Jalal wa al-Ikram), the Equitable (al-Muqsit), the Gatherer (al-Jami'), the Rich (al-Ghaniyy), the Enricher (al-Mughni), the Preventer (al-Mani'), the One who causes harm (al-Darr), the One who brings benefit (al-Nafi'), the Light (al-Nur), the Guide (al-Hadi), the Incomparable Originator (al-Badi'), the Everlasting (al-Baqi), the Inheritor (al-Warith), the Guide to the right path (al-Rashid), and the Most Patient (al-Sabur)." This is a hadith which the two Shaykhs recorded in the "Two Sahihs" with sahih chains, but without mentioning the names in it. The defect ('illah) in it, in their view, is that al-Walid bin Muslim is alone in narrating it in full detail with the mention of the names, and no one else mentioned these names. Yet this is not a defect, for I know of no disagreement among the Imams of hadith that al-Walid bin Muslim is more trustworthy, more retentive, more knowledgeable and of higher standing than Abu al-Yaman, Bishr bin Shu'ayb, Ali bin Ayyash and the other contemporaries among the students of Shu'ayb. Then we looked into it and found that this hadith was narrated in full detail by Abd al-Aziz bin al-Husayn from Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani and Hisham bin Hassan, from Muhammad bin Sirin, from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):