الحي
AL-HAYY
The Ever-Living, eternal without beginning or end
Meaning and Explanation
Al-Hayy comes from the root for life; it expresses that God's life has no beginning or end, depends on no cause, and is never touched by death or deficiency. It is best known from Ayat al-Kursi (Al-Baqarah 2:255) — appearing there together with Al-Qayyum, immediately before "neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him"; commentators emphasize that these two names complement each other, one expressing God's existence (Al-Hayy) and the other His sustaining of all existence (Al-Qayyum).
The pair Al-Hayy and Al-Qayyum is among the most frequently cited pairs in narrations about the "Greatest Name" (Ism al-A'zam) of God — supporting the commentators' view that the two names should be read as complementary rather than independent.
Traditional Note — Abjad Value
This name's abjad (letter numerical value) calculation is 18.
Letter-by-letter abjad calculation (root "حي", excluding the definite article — the doubled consonant marked by shadda in the Quranic script is counted as a single ي): ح (8) + ي (10) = 18.
Quranic Usage and Related Verses
Dhikr Counter
Dhikr Counter
Historical abjad value: 18.
0 / 33
Specific counts, days, or times are not religious obligations or guarantees of outcomes. Dhikr and abjad methodology
Remembrance and Reflection
Some sources describe reciting Al-Hayy together with Al-Qayyum, with the intention of strength and endurance, as a traditional practice; no specific count (including 18) carries a religious obligation in this context.
Understanding This Name
Life that is neither received nor lost
Al-Hayy in Ayat al-Kursi is joined with Al-Qayyum. Divine life has no beginning, decline, sleep, dependence, or death. Created life is given, sustained, and ended; it cannot be used as a scale for imagining God's life. The name places every living being inside dependence while affirming that God remains eternally complete.
Valuing life without pretending to control it
Reflection on Al-Hayy can deepen care for health, animals, and vulnerable life. It does not make medicine unnecessary or promise that death can be avoided by a formula. Treatment is a responsible means, and end-of-life questions need qualified medical, ethical, and religious guidance. Hope in the Ever-Living supports the person without denying the reality of loss.
Other Names
Frequently Asked Questions
Is God's life comparable to biological life?
No. Biological life is created and dependent. Al-Hayy affirms eternal, perfect divine life without creaturely processes or needs.
Sources
- Turkey's Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), Kur'an Yolu Tafsir (Bakara 2:255) (in Turkish)
- TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, entry "Hay" (in Turkish)
- Jami' at-Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications; assessments of the reports on the Greatest Name
- English Translation — Noor International Center (v1.1.2)
- TDV Encyclopedia of Islam — Esmâ-i Hüsnâ — in Turkish
- Diyanet High Council of Religious Affairs — The 99 Names of God — in Turkish
Prepared by: Kadir Özbek · Updated: