Al-Muhyi (الْمُحْيِيْ) means The Giver of Life. It is name 60 in the well-known list of the 99 Names of Allah. Al-Muḥyī gives life: to the dead earth with rain, to the embryo in the womb, to the heart with faith, and to the dead on the Last Day.
The root and its meaning
Al-Muhyi comes from the Arabic root ح ي ي (ḥ-y-y), which carries the sense of life.
Where it is in the Quran
The form Muḥyī is in 30:50 and 41:39: "He who gave it life is the Giver of Life to the dead."
Surah Ar-Room 30:50
فَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِ رَحْمَتِ ٱللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْىِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَآ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ
Fanzur ilaaa aasaari rahmatil laahi kaifa yuhyil arda ba'da mawtihaa; inna zaalika lamuhyil mawtaa wa Huwa 'alaa kulli shai'in Qadeer
So observe the effects of the mercy of Allah - how He gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed, that [same one] will give life to the dead, and He is over all things competent.
Quran 30:50. Arabic: Uthmani text (Tanzil). English: Sahih International.
Surah Fussilat 41:39
وَمِنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنَّكَ تَرَى ٱلْأَرْضَ خَٰشِعَةًۭ فَإِذَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا ٱلْمَآءَ ٱهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحْيَاهَا لَمُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ
Wa min Aayaatiheee annaka taral arda khaashi'atan fa izaaa anzalna 'alaihal maaa'ah tazzat wa rabat; innal lazeee ahyaahaa lamuhiyil mawtaa; innahoo 'alaa kulli shai-in Qadeer
And of His signs is that you see the earth stilled, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and grows. Indeed, He who has given it life is the Giver of Life to the dead. Indeed, He is over all things competent.
Quran 41:39. Arabic: Uthmani text (Tanzil). English: Sahih International.
Calling on Allah by this Name
Allah says: "And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them" (7:180). Begin your dua with يَا مُحْيِيْ (Yā Muḥyī) and ask for what fits its meaning. For example: "Yā Muḥyī, bring my heart to life."
From the Sunnah
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
Al-ḥamdu lillāhil-ladhī aḥyānā baʿda mā amātanā wa ilayhin-nushūr
All praise is for Allah, who gave us life after He caused us to die, and to Him is the return. (On waking.)
Sahih al-Bukhari 6324
- Quran 30:50, translation by Sahih International.
- Quran 41:39, translation by Sahih International.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 6324.
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