Az-Zahir (الظَّاهِر)
The Manifest
Linguistic Origins & Arabic Root
Root: ظ - ه - ر (Z-H-R)
Etymology: The Manifest, clearly evident through His signs.
Spelling & Pronunciation
Written: الظاهر — alif · lam · za · alif · ha · ra.
The article: Arabic za (ظ) is a sun letter, so the lam of the definite article ال assimilates into it. That is why the Name is pronounced Az-Zahir rather than Al-Zahir. Fourteen of the twenty-eight Arabic letters behave this way.
Also written: Az Zahir, Al-Zahir, Al Zahir — all romanisations of الظاهر, which has no single official spelling in the Latin alphabet.
Mention in the Holy Quran
“He is the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden...”
— Surah Al-Hadid (57:3)
Spiritual Significance & Contemplation
Az-Zahir is clearly visible through the magnificence of creation: the rhythm of day and night, the majesty of oceans, and the order of life.
Translations in Multiple Languages
The Manifest
ظاہر، جس کی نشانیاں عیاں ہیں
Yang Maha Nyata Bukti Keberadaan-Nya
Varlığı Delillerle Apaçık Olan