Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
There is no sound Islamic basis for reciting the 99 names of Allah in specific numbers. This practice is not supported by the Qur’an or Sunnah and is considered a form of innovation (Bid`ah). Dhikr should follow the authentic guidance of the Prophet, who never instructed counting Allah’s names in fixed amounts for rewards or protection.
Answering your question, Sheikh Muhammad Saleh Al-Munnajid, a prominent Saudi Muslim scholar and lecturer, states:
No Basis for Repeating Names of Allah in Fixed Numbers
There is no sound basis for reciting these adhkar (plural of dhikr—remembering Allah) or the names of Allah in certain numbers. These numbers are usually stated by some of the innovators, most of whom are Sufis, who describe adhkar and the number of times they are to be repeated, making that up themselves; they say whoever recites such-and-such will get such-and-such benefits and protection, and whoever recites such-and-such a wird (daily quota of supplication) will get such-and-such a reward.
Categories of Supplications and Their Rulings
Of course, these are matters which can only be known through revelation. So the basic principle in this case is that dhikr and supplication are of two types:
- Adhkar that were narrated in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, to be recited at a certain time, in a certain place, or in certain circumstances. This type should be recited as prescribed, at the appropriate time, or in the appropriate circumstances or place, with the correct words or posture, without adding anything or taking anything away.
- All adhkar or supplications in general that are not connected to certain times or places. These fall into two categories:
- Those that were narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so they should be recited in the wording that he used. They should not be connected to any particular time or place, and they should not be connected to a specific number of times to be recited.
- Those that were not narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), rather the person makes them up himself, or they were narrated from the Salaf (the righteous early Muslims). It is permissible to say such words so long as five conditions are met:
- One should choose the best and clearest words, for one is conversing with one’s Lord and God.
- The words should be of an appropriate style.
- The supplication should be free of anything that is forbidden in Islam, e.g., it should not involve any element of seeking help from anyone or anything other than Allah, and so on.
- It should be of the general kind of dhikr and supplication, not connected to a particular time, place, or circumstance.
- It should not be taken as a regular practice.” (Adopted from Tashih Ad-Du`a’ by Sheikh Bakr Abu Zayd )
Why Making Up Numbers in Dhikr Is Bid`ah (Innovation)
Based on the above, the names of Allah are narrated in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, but saying that they must be repeated a certain number of times is an innovation (bid`ah) that should not be followed. Rather we should mention the names of Allah in our supplications and address Allah by all His beautiful names, without singling out some names or stating that they should be recited a certain number of times or at certain times, making that up ourselves. We should adhere to what was narrated in Shari`ah concerning certain times, places, or situations connected to a particular supplication. If no such details were narrated in Shari`ah, then we should not make them up ourselves because that is encroaching upon the rights of Prophethood.
Almighty Allah knows best.
Excerpted with minor modifications from: www.islamqa.info