All praise is due to Allah, and may blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
The name “Al-Fard” appears in some narrations that list Allah’s Most Beautiful Names, and a number of scholars have included it among His names. However, the narration attributed to the Prophet in which this name appears has not been established with sufficient authenticity to be relied upon. Therefore, whether “Al-Fard” is established as a name of Allah is a matter of scholarly disagreement. The stronger position is to restrict His names to those established by authentic evidence.
Some chains of transmission of Abu Hurayrah’s narration—may Allah be pleased with him—concerning Allah’s ninety-nine names include a list of names, among them:
“Al-Fard.”
However, hadith scholars have explained that the lists in these narrations are not established as the words of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Rather, they were inserted by some narrators or compiled by certain scholars.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah—may Allah have mercy on him—said regarding the narrations that list the names:
“Those knowledgeable in hadith have agreed that these two narrations are not the words of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him; rather, each consists of the words of some of the early generations.”
The underlying hadith:
“Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one; whoever enumerates them will enter Paradise”
is authentic. However, specifying all these names in a single list attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is not established by these narrations.
Yes. Some scholars included “Al-Fard” among Allah’s names, and this has been reported from some who compiled lists of His Most Beautiful Names.
There is also a narration containing the wording:
“I bear witness that You are Fard, Ahad, Samad—the Unique, the One, the Eternal Refuge.”
However, Imam al-Bayhaqi—may Allah have mercy on him—said of its chain of transmission:
“It is not strong.”
Therefore, this narration does not constitute strong, independent evidence establishing “Al-Fard” as a name of Allah.
Not necessarily.
Allah’s names are determined by revelation. This means that, in principle, they must be established by a text from the Quran or the authentic Sunnah.
Some scholars compiled Allah’s names through their own scholarly interpretation of texts from the Quran and Sunnah, which explains why their lists differed.
Ibn Kathir—may Allah have mercy on him—said regarding the list of names found in some narrations that a number of hadith authorities considered it an insertion into the hadith, compiled by certain scholars from the texts of revelation.
Thus, a particular name’s presence in one of these lists indicates that some scholars considered it valid to apply it to Allah. It does not necessarily mean that the name is established by an authentic text attributed to the Prophet.
In Arabic, “Al-Fard” conveys uniqueness and the absence of any equal or partner.
This meaning is true of Allah: He is One, without partner or equal.
Allah Most High says:
“Say: He is Allah, the One.”
[Al-Ikhlas: 1]
He also says:
“Your God is One God. There is no deity except Him, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.”
[Al-Baqarah: 163]
Allah’s uniqueness and oneness are established by abundant evidence. However, there remains a distinction between establishing a meaning and establishing a particular word as one of His Most Beautiful Names.
Because the evidence establishing “Al-Fard” as a name of Allah is not strong, the more cautious approach is to call upon Him by established names that convey the same meaning, such as:
Al-Wahid and Al-Ahad.
Both names are established in the revealed texts and clearly express Allah’s uniqueness and oneness.
Some scholars included “Al-Fard” among Allah’s Most Beautiful Names, and it appears in certain narrations. However, the hadiths that specifically mention this name are not free from weakness, and the lists of the ninety-nine names found in some narrations are not established as the words of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
Therefore, whether “Al-Fard” is established as a name of Allah is disputed, whereas Allah’s uniqueness and oneness are established with certainty.
It is preferable, when supplicating to Allah and identifying His names, to restrict oneself to names established by authentic texts, such as “Al-Wahid” and “Al-Ahad.”
And Allah knows best.