What does the name Ash-Shahid mean?

Ash-Shahid means Allah who witnesses everything, so that nothing hidden or open remains outside His witnessing.

How does this name affect our behavior?

Knowing that Allah witnesses every deed of ours leads a person toward honesty and away from false testimony and hidden injustice.

Al-Asma al-Husna

The one who witnesses everything, from whom nothing escapes

Arabic

الشَّهِيد

Transliteration: ash-Shahīd
Meaning: Ash-Shahid means the one who witnesses everything, so that nothing hidden or open remains outside His witnessing. He is present and observing everywhere, at all times, in all our deeds. On the Day of Judgment He is the truest witness for everyone.

«...Allah is a witness to it. Allah is sufficient as a witness (Ash-Shahid).»

Explanation

A witness to everything
Allah's witnessing is seeing, knowing, and being present all at once. The Quran says: "In whatever matter you may be, whatever you recite of the Quran, and whatever deed you do, We are witnesses over you" (Yunus, 61). No deed is without a witness.
Encouraging honesty
A person who knows that Allah witnesses everything becomes truthful in both word and deed. This awareness keeps a person away from false testimony, hidden injustice, and hypocrisy.

This page is based on Quran verses and authentic hadith sources.

QuranSurah An-Nisa, 166
Allah's being a witness (Ash-Shahid) is stated in this verse.
QuranSurah Al-Hajj, 17
Allah's being a witness over everything occurs in this verse.
Classical sourceTDV İslam Ansiklopedisi, "Esmâ-i hüsnâ"
Academic source for the explanation of the name Ash-Shahid.

Other Names with closely connected meanings.

Common questions about this Name.

What does the name Ash-Shahid mean?
Ash-Shahid means Allah who witnesses everything, so that nothing hidden or open remains outside His witnessing.
How does this name affect our behavior?
Knowing that Allah witnesses every deed of ours leads a person toward honesty and away from false testimony and hidden injustice.