Name 36 of the 99 Names of Allah. See its root and meaning, the verse where it appears, and how to use it in your dua.
Name 36 of 99
الْعَلِيُّ
Al-ʿAliyy
The Most High
Meaning
Al-Aliyy (الْعَلِيُّ) means The Most High. It is name 36 in the well-known list of the 99 Names of Allah. Al-ʿAliyy is the Most High: above His creation, above every flaw, and above every rival. That is why we say "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High" in sujūd, the lowest position.
Al-Aliyy comes from the Arabic root ع ل و (ʿ-l-w), which carries the sense of height and elevation.
Al-ʿAliyy closes Ayat al-Kursi with Al-ʿAẓīm. Surah 87 is named Al-Aʿlā, from the same root.
لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Lahoo maa fis samaa waati wa maa fil ardi wa Huwal 'Aliyul 'Azeem
To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Quran 42:4. Arabic: Uthmani text (Tanzil). English: Sahih International.
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ هُوَ ٱلْبَٰطِلُ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْكَبِيرُ
Zaalika bi annal laaha Huwal haqqu wa anna maa yad'oona min doonihee huwal baatilu wa annal laaha Huwal 'Aliyyul kabeer
That is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.
Quran 22:62. Arabic: Uthmani text (Tanzil). English: Sahih International.
Allah says: "And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them" (7:180). Begin your dua with يَا عَلِيُّ (Yā ʿAliyy) and ask for what fits its meaning. For example: "Yā ʿAliyy, raise me by lowering myself before You."
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
Subḥāna rabbiyal-aʿlā
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High. (Said in sujūd.)
Sahih Muslim 772
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Questions
Al-Aliyy (الْعَلِيُّ) means The Most High. Al-ʿAliyy is the Most High: above His creation, above every flaw, and above every rival.
Al-ʿAliyy closes Ayat al-Kursi with Al-ʿAẓīm. Surah 87 is named Al-Aʿlā, from the same root.
Say Yā ʿAliyy (يَا عَلِيُّ) at the start of your dua, then ask for what suits the Name, for example: "Yā ʿAliyy, raise me by lowering myself before You."
Yes, as Abdul-Aliyy, "servant of Al-Aliyy", which is a beautiful choice. Aliyy on its own, without "al", is also used for people as a description, because people can have this quality in a small, limited way.