you can swear by them

It is ironic that the region which gave the world the concept of monotheism, remains today the world's last bastion of absolute, overarching authoritarianim. (Some argue it might be because of it, but that's another debate). Muslims attribute 99 good names to God, but their ruler - who obviously enjoy 99% popular support, significantly above what God would claim- have done even better.

The ruler has long become the exalted one, the everlasting, the all seeing, the all hearing, the giver, the withholder, the raiser, the abaser, the giver of life, the bringer of death, the visible, the hidden, the vast, the rich, the judge, the guide, the light.

If he dropped few ( the merciful, the compassionate, the friend), it's only to make space for more:

The detainer, the releaser, the exiler, the reuniter, the reformer, the first court, the last resort, the newsmaker, the rainmaker, the smiler, the frowner, the doctor, the teacher, the opener, the closer, the all builder, the shareholder, the buyer, the seller, the market.