What is the ruling on calling people by the beautiful names of Allah such as al-Baseer, al-‘Azeez and so on?

Praise be to Allaah.

The names of the Lord, may He be exalted, are of two types:

1- Those which it is permitted to call people by and

2- Those which it is not permitted to call people by.

So one cannot be called Khallaaq (Creator) or Razzaaq (Provider) or Rabb al-‘Aalameen (Lord of the Worlds), but there is nothing wrong with names such as ‘Azeez (strong) or Baseer (seeing). Allah called some of His creation by such names, for example (interpretation of themeanings):

“So We made him [man] hearer and seer.” [1]

 “The wife of Al‑‘Azeez said…” [2]

These names may be given to created beings, e.g. ‘azeez qawmihi (leader of his people), baseer bi’l-umoor (having insight into things), baseer (referring to one who can see, as opposed to one who is blind), and hakeem, meaning wise; there is nothing wrong with these names, because they are common between Allah and created beings.

But Allah has the most perfect level of these attributes. But names that can only belong to Allah should not be given to anyone other than Allah, so a human being cannot be called Allah or al-Rahmaan (the Most Merciful) or al-Khallaaq (the Creator) or al-Razzaaq (the Provider) or Khaaliq al-Khalq (the creator of creation) or other similar names that can only be given to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him).[3]

References:

[1] [al-Insan 76:2]

[2] [Yusuf 12:51].

[3] http://islamqa.info/en/133302