Is the name Zaahir one of the names of Allah?
Question

                Is it possible for the name Zaahir to be one of the beautiful names of Allah? We know that the names of Allah are mentioned in the Holy Qur’aan and that there are some that have not been mentioned. What is the reason why not, if the answer is no?.
Praise be to Allah.
    It is well established that the names and attributes of Allah 
    are a matter that is limited to what is mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, 
    i.e., they can only be known from the Islamic texts that mentioned them, and 
    there is no room in this matter for ijtihaad  or qiyaas (analogy) or 
    istihsaan (personal view). 

    Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Allah cannot 
    be described except in the terms in which He described Himself or His 
    Messenger described Him, and that cannot go beyond what is mentioned in the 
    Qur’aan and hadeeth. 

    End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 5/26 

    Al-Khaazin said in his Tafseer (3/136): 

    The words of Allah (interpretation of the meaning): “so 
    call on Him by them” [Ghaafir 40:65] means: call upon Allah
    by His names by which He 
    called Himself or His Messenger called him. This indicates that the names of 
    Allah, may He be exalted, are are matter to be based solely on the texts of 
    the Qur’aan and saheeh hadeeths with no room for human opinion. What 
    indicates that this opinion is correct and supports it is the fact that it 
    is permissible to say Ya Jawaad but it is not permissible to say Ya Sakhi 
    (even though both mean the same, i.e. Generous); and it is permissible to 
    say Ya ‘Aalim but it is not permissible to say Ya ‘Aaqil (even though both 
    mean knowing). End quote. 

    Any names or attributes of Allah 
    that are not mentioned in the Qur’aan or Sunnah cannot be known by any 
    means, because knowledge of the names and attributes of Allah is restricted 
    to what is mentioned in them (the Qur’aan and Sunnah), and whatever we have 
    no knowledge of, we leave the knowledge thereof to the One Who knows it, as 
    in the du‘aa’ for relief from distress: “… 
    as’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw anzaltahu fi 
    kitaabika aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw ista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm 
    il-ghaybi ‘andaka … (… I ask You by every Name 
    belonging to You which You named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or 
    You taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge 
    of the unseen with You…).” 
    Narrated by Ahmad, 3704; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Saheehah, 
    199 

    Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have 
    mercy on him) said: 

    This indicates that Allah, may He 
    be glorified and exalted, has names and attributes that He has preserved in 
    the knowledge of the unseen with Him to the exclusion of His creation; they 
    are not known to any angel who is close to Him or any Prophet who was sent. 
    It is sufficient for us to admit our helplessness and stop at the limit of 
    what has been permitted to us concerning that. So we should neither go to 
    extremes concerning it nor ignore the issue altogether. End quote. 

    Badaa’i‘ al-Fawaa’id, 
    2/413 

    Thus it becomes clear that 
    ascribing to Allah the name mentioned, Zaahir, or any other name that is not 
    mentioned in an Islamic text, is overstepping the permitted limit and 
    speaking about Allah, may He be exalted, without knowledge. 

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah 
    have mercy on him) said: 

    It is not permissible to ascribe 
    any name or attribute to Allah, may He be exalted, that is not mentioned in 
    the Qur’aan or Sunnah, because that is speaking about Allah, may He be 
    exalted, without knowledge, and Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “Say (O Muhammad SAW): (But) 
    the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al-Fawâhish (great evil 
    sins, every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse,) whether committed openly 
    or secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners 
    (in worship) with Allâh for which He has given no authority, and saying 
    things about Allâh of which you have no knowledge”

    [al-A ‘raaf 7:33]

    “And follow not (O man i.e., 
    say not, or do not or witness not) that of which you have no knowledge. 
    Verily! The hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those one will 
    be questioned (by Allah)”

    [al-Isra’ 17:36]. 

    End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa 
    wa Rasaa’il Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 4/230 

    And Allah knows best 

    For more information please see 
    the answer to question no. 48964.