Islam > Asma > The Most Gentle
Updated on 13 August 2026 at 4:39 AM
📖 1 min readThe Most Gentle is one of the 99 beautiful names of Allah. Its meaning: The One who knows the subtlest realities and conveys His favors gently.
To pronounce the name The Most Gentle in Arabic, we say: Al-Latif.
It is written in Arabic: اللطيف.
From the Arabic root ل-ط-ف (l-t-f, subtlety and gentleness), on the pattern فَعِيل (fa'il), it denotes subtle kindness and imperceptible care.
The Name “The Most Gentle” means: The One who knows the subtlest realities and conveys His favors gently. It affirms a perfection belonging to Allah without defect, limit, or resemblance to creation. In al-Ghazali’s perspective, the believer never claims to share the divine attribute in its reality; instead, the Name gives an orientation suited to the condition of a servant.
Meditating on this Name calls the believer to show mercy, relieve those in need, and counsel gently rather than with contempt. Knowledge of the Name thereby becomes worship, refinement of character, and trust in Allah alone.