Divine Unity (Tawheed)
Chapter 2
Names and Attributes of
Allaah
45559: The Divine names as
remedy
Question:
Is it permissible to use the Beautiful Names
of Allaah as a remedy, such as saying "Ya Baseer
(O All-Seeing)" over the patient's eye and so
on?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. Using the names of
Allaah as a remedy is a practice that is
widespread among people. Flyers are widely
distributed on which the names are written and
beside them the diseases which may supposedly be
treated by that name.
The one who claims to have discovered this
kind of remedy is Dr Ibraaheem Kareem, the
inventor of the science of "biogeometry". He
claimed that the beautiful names of Allaah have
the power to heal a huge number of diseases,
based on his research in which he measured
energy levels in the human body. He claimed to
have discovered that each of the names of Allaah
produces an energy that prompts the immune
system to work efficiently in a particular part
of the human body. He claimed that by applying
the "law of resonance" he could, simply by
mentioning one of the names of Allaah, bring
about improvements in the vital energy in the
human body. After researching for three years,
he presented his discovery to people in a
schedule in which he described diseases and
stated which name of Allaah could be beneficial
in treating it.
For example: al-Samee' (the All Hearing) can
restore the balance of energy; al-Razzaaq (the
Provider) can treat the stomach; al-Jabbaar (the
Compeller) can treat the spine; al-Ra'oof (the
Most Kind) can treat the colon; al-Naafi' (the
Bringer of benefits) can treat the bones;
al-Hayy (the Ever-Living) can treat the kidneys;
al-Badee' (the Originator) can treat the hair;
Jalla Jalaalahu (Glorified be His Majesty) can
treat dandruff; al-Noor (the Light), al-Baseer
(the All-Seeing) and al-Wahhaab (the Bestower)
can treat the eyes. …
The way in which the remedy is administered
is to repeat the name or a number of names over
the affected part of the body, for ten minutes.
He claims to have discovered that healing
energy is multiplied when reciting the verses of
healing after reciting tasbeeh of the beautiful
names of Allaah. These verses are
(interpretation of the meaning):
"and heal the hearts of a believing
people"
[al-Tawbah 9:14]
"and a healing for that which is in your
hearts"
[Yoonus 10:57]
"wherein is healing for men"
[al-Nahl 16:69]
"And We send down of the Qur'aan that which
is a healing and a mercy"
[al-Isra' 17:82]
"And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me"
[al-Shu'ara' 26:80]
"Say: It is for those who believe, a guide
and a healing"
[Fussilat 41:44]
Our response to these claims is:
1 _ Remedies may be administered either by
scientific means or by religious means (as
described in the Qur'aan and Sunnah). With
regard to scientific, physical means, treatment
should be based on experience and expertise.
With regard to religious means, reference is to
be made to the texts of sharee'ah in order to
find out what remedies are to be used and how
they are to be administered. Mentioning Allaah
by His beautiful names (dhikr) is something that
is prescribed in sharee'ah, but this researcher
does not quote any shar'i source of evidence for
using specific names of Allaah in this manner to
treat disease, so it cannot be a legitimate
shar'i means of treating disease. Religious
matters cannot be subjected to experimentation
or disrespected in this manner.
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen said:
Note that medical treatment is a means of
healing but the One Who causes it to be
effective is Allaah, may He be exalted. There is
no cause except that which Allaah makes a cause.
The things that Allaah makes causes are of two
types:
(i) Means that are prescribed in sharee'ah,
such as the Holy Qur'aan and du'aa'
(supplication), as the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning
Soorat al-Faatihah: "How did you know that it is
a ruqyah (prayer or incantation for healing)?"
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) recited ruqyah for the sick by
making du'aa' for them, and Allaah healed those
whom He wanted to heal by virtue of his du'aa'.
(ii) Physical means, such as medicines that
are known from sharee'ah, like honey, or from
experimentation and experience, like many kinds
of medicine. The effect of this kind of means
must be direct, not by way of imagination and
wishful thinking. If its effect is known in a
direct and measurable manner, then it may
rightfully be used as a remedy by means of which
a cure may be effected, by Allaah's leave. But
if it is simply the matter of wishful thinking
on the part of the patient, which brings him
some kind of psychological relief, then it is
not permissible to rely on it or affirm that it
is a remedy, lest a person come to depend on
wishful thinking. Hence it is forbidden to wear
rings, strings etc to heal disease or ward it
off, because that is not a means that is
prescribed in sharee'ah or known from
experience. So long as it is not proven to be a
means that is prescribed in sharee'ah or known
from experience, it is not permissible to regard
it as a means of healing. Regarding it as a
means is a kind of trying to compete with Allaah
in His dominion and associating others with Him,
in the sense that one is trying to play a role
that belongs only to Allaah, namely deciding the
means and the ends. Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Abd
al-Wahhaab explained this matter in Kitaab
al-Tawheed by saying: "CHAPTER: It is shirk
to wear rings and strings etc to ward off evil
or relieve it."
Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn
`Uthaymeen, 1, question no. 49.
2 _ This involves mentioning names of Allaah
and claiming that He has called Himself by these
names, when that is not the case, such as Jalla
Jalaaluhu (Glorified be His Majesty), al-Rasheed
(the Guide), al-Badee' (the Originator),
al-Naafi' (the Bringer of Benefit), etc. This is
indicative of the ignorance of the one who made
this claim, and that this so-called energy does
not exist, because it is derived _ according to
his own claims _ from names that are not names
of Allaah as proven in the saheeh evidence.
3 _ He describes a specific method of
treatment and stipulates a name for each
disease.
Even when a name mentioned is proven in
saheeh evidence to be one of the names of
Allaah, this still comes under the heading of
speaking about Allaah without knowledge. Allaah
has forbidden us to speak of Him without
knowledge, as He says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad): (But) the things that my
Lord has indeed forbidden are AlFawaahish (great
evil sins and every kind of unlawful sexual
intercourse) whether committed openly or
secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous
oppression, joining partners (in worship) with
Allaah for which He has given no authority, and
saying things about Allaah of which you have no
knowledge"
[al-A'raaf 7:33]
Shaykh `Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa'di (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said in his commentary on
this verse:
"and saying things about Allaah of which
you have no knowledge" means, with regard to
His names, attributes, actions and laws.
Tafseer al-Sa'di, p. 250.
4 _ The scholars of the Standing Committee
refuted the claims of this man when they were
asked about this matter. They said:
After studying the matter, the Standing
Committee for Academic Research and Issuing
Fatwas replied as follows:
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong
to Allaah, so call on Him by them, and leave the
company of those who belie or deny (or utter
impious speech against) His Names. They will be
requited for what they used to do"
[al-A'raaf 7:180]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah has
ninety-nine names; whoever learns them will
enter Paradise." Among them is the greatest name
of Allaah which, if He is called upon by it, He
will respond, and if He is asked by it, He will
give.
No one knows how many names Allaah has except
Allaah Himself, and all of them are beautiful.
We must believe in them and in the perfection,
majesty and might of Allaah to which they point.
It is haraam to disbelieve in them by rejecting
all of them or any of them, or to deny the
perfection of Allaah or any of the attributes of
Allaah indicated by these names.
An example of denying the names of Allaah is
the claim made by this "Kareem Sayyid" and his
student and son in a flyer which they
distributed among people, that the beautiful
names of Allaah have the power to heal a huge
number of diseases, based on his research in
which he measured energy levels in the human
body. He claimed to have discovered that each of
the names of Allaah produces an energy that
prompts the immune system to work efficiently in
a particular part of the human body. He claimed
that by applying the "law of resonance" he
could, simply by mentioning one of the names of
Allaah, bring about improvements in the vital
energy in the human body. He said: it is well
known that the Pharaohs were the first ones to
study and measure the life force in the human
body by means of [?] the Pharaonic pendulum.
Then he mentioned a number of the names of
Allaah in a schedule and claimed that each of
these names could benefit the body in some way
or treat specific physical diseases. He
explained that by drawing a diagram of the human
body and writing one of the names of Allaah on
each part thereof.
This action is false because it is a kind of
disbelief concerning the names of Allaah and it
subjects them to degrading treatment. What is
prescribed in Islam with regard to the names of
Allaah is to call upon Him by them, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"… so call on Him by them …"
[al-A'raaf 7:180]
Similarly we must affirm the attributes of
Allaah implied by these names, because each of
these names describes an attribute of Allaah and
it is not permissible to use them for any other
purpose than to call Him by them, unless there
is shar'i evidence to that effect.
Whoever claims that they may be used in such
and such a manner, or may be used to treat such
and such a disease with no evidence to that
effect from sharee'ah, is speaking about Allaah
without knowledge, and Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad): (But) the things that my
Lord has indeed forbidden are AlFawaahish (great
evil sins and every kind of unlawful sexual
intercourse) whether committed openly or
secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous
oppression, joining partners (in worship) with
Allaah for which He has given no authority, and
saying things about Allaah of which you have no
knowledge"
[al-A'raaf 7:33]
This flyer must be destroyed, and the people
mentioned here and others have to repent to
Allaah from this action and not do any such
thing again that has to do with `aqeedah and
rulings of sharee'ah.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
48964: What are the
guidelines concerning names which may correctly
be attributed to Allaah, may He be exalted?
Question:
Is it correct to call Allaah al-Mutakallim
(the One Who speaks) or al-Baatish (the One Who
seizes) because it is narrated that He does
those actions?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Praise be to Allaah, and blessings and peace
be upon the Messenger of Allaah (S) and his
family and companions.
All the names of Allaah are tawqeefi, i.e.,
we should accept what is narrated in the Qur'aan
and Sunnah and not add or subtract anything.
Based on this, it is not correct to call Allaah
by any name other than those by which He has
called Himself in His Book or those that His
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) called Him by in the saheeh ahaadeeth,
because the human mind cannot work out the names
that Allaah deserves, so we must stop at what is
mentioned in the texts, because Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"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 ones will be
questioned (by Allaah)" [al-Isra' 17:36]
Calling Allaah by a name that He has not
called Himself, or denying a name by which he
has called Himself is a transgression against
the rights of Allaah. So we should observe the
proper etiquette and adhere to that which is
narrated in the texts.
With regard to words which are mentioned in
the Qur'aan and Sunnah only by way of
description or information, and it is not
narrated that Allaah is called by these names,
it is not correct to call Him by them, because
some of the attributes of Allaah have to do with
His actions, and the actions of Allaah have no
end, just as His words have no end.
For example, some of the attributes of Allaah
that refer to His actions describe Him as
coming, bringing, taking, withholding and
seizing etc., as Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"And your Lord comes with the angels in
rows"
[al-Fajr 89:22]
"He withholds the heaven from falling on the
earth except by His Leave"
[al-Hajj 22:65]
"Verily, (O Muhammad) the Seizure
(punishment) of your Lord is severe and painful"
[al-Burooj 85:12]
So we attribute these characteristics to
Allaah as they are mentioned, but we do not call
Him by them (i.e., we do not make names out of
them), so we do not say that among His names are
al-Jaa'i (the Comer), al-Aati (the Comer),
al-Mumsik (the Withholder) or al-Baatish (the
Seizer), etc. Rather we say that this is what He
does and attribute those actions to Him.
And Allaah knows best.
See al-Qawaa'id al-Mathla fi
Sifaat-Illaahi wa Asmaa'ihi al-Husna, 13,
21, by Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have
mercy on him).
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
34854: Can Allaah be
described as forgetting?
Question:
Can Allaah be described as forgetting?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Forgetting can mean two things:
1 _ Overlooking something that is known, as
in the verses (interpretation of the meaning):
"Punish us not if we forget or fall into
error"
[al-Baqarah 2:286]
"And indeed We made a covenant with Adam
before, but he forgot, and We found on his part
no firm will power"
[Ta-Ha 20:115]
- according to one of the two scholarly
opinions.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "I am only human, I
forget as you forget, so if I forget then remind
me."
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Whoever sleeps and misses a prayer
or forgets it, let him pray it when he remembers
it."
This kind of forgetfulness cannot be
attributed to Allaah, on the basis of two kinds
of evidence, textual and rational.
The textual evidence is the verse in which He
says of Moosa (interpretation of the meaning):
"[Moosa (Moses)] said: `The knowledge
thereof is with my Lord, in a Record. My Lord
neither errs nor He forgets'"
[Ta-Ha 20:52]
The rational evidence is the fact that
forgetting is a fault or shortcoming, and Allaah
is far above having any shortcomings. He is
described as perfect, as He says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"and for Allaah is the highest
description. And He is the AllMighty, the
AllWise"
[al-Nahl 16:60]
Based on this it is not permissible to
describe Allaah as forgetting in this sense,
under any circumstances.
The second meaning of forgetting is
deliberately and knowingly neglecting something,
as in the verses (interpretation of the
meaning):
"So, when they forgot (the warning) with
which they had been reminded, We opened for them
the gates of every (pleasant) thing"
[al-An'am 6:44]
"And indeed We made a covenant with Adam
before, but he forgot, and We found on his part
no firm will power" [Ta-Ha 20:115]
- this is according to the other scholarly
opinion concerning the meaning of this verse.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said concerning the
categories of those who own horses:
"… and a man who keeps them [horses] for
earning his living so as not to ask of others,
but he does not forget Allaah's rights (i.e.,
zakaah on the wealth he earns through using them
in trading etc) and does not overburden them"
This kind of "forgetting" is ascribed to
Allaah as He says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Then taste you (the torment of the Fire)
because of your forgetting the Meeting of this
Day of yours. Surely, We too will forget
you" [al-Sajdah 32:14]
And Allaah says concerning the hypocrites:
"They have forgotten Allaah, so He has
forgotten them. Verily, the hypocrites are the
Faasiqoon (rebellious, disobedient to
Allaah)" [al-Tawbah 9:67]
And in Saheeh Muslim, in Kitaab
al-Zuhd wa'l-Raqaa'iq it is narrated that
Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: They said: "O Messenger of Allaah, will we
see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?" … and
in this hadeeth its says: "Allaah will meet His
[disbelieving] slave and will say: `Did you
think that you would meet Me?' He will say,
`No.' He will say: `I will forget you as you
forgot Me.'"
Allaah's leaving or forgetting something is
one of His actions that happen by His will and
in accordance with His wisdom. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"and left them in darkness. (So) they
could not see" [al-Baqarah 2:17]
"We shall leave them to surge like waves on
one another"
[al-Kahf 18:99]
"And indeed We have left thereof an evident
Ayah (a lesson and a warning and a sign)"
[al-`Ankaboot 29:35]
There are many well-known texts which confirm
that Allaah leaves or forsakes things and also
confirm His other actions that have to do with
His will. This is indicative of the perfection
of His power and might, and the way in which He
does these actions is not like the way in which
His creation does things, even though they share
the same basic meaning, as is well known among
Ahl al-Sunnah.
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen 1/172-174
(www.islam-qa.com)
26977: Al-Dahr is not one of
the names of Allaah
Question:
I read a hadeeth which says that Allaah says
"I am al-Dahr (time)." Does this mean that
al-Dahr is one of the beautiful names of
Allaah?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The hadeeth referred to in the question was
narrated by al-Bukhaari (4826) and Muslim (2246)
from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with
him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, says:
`The son of Adam inveighs against Me, he
inveighs against [the vicissitudes of] Time
(al-Dahr), and I am Time, in My hand are all
affairs, I alternate the night and the day."
This hadeeth does not indicate that al-Dahr
is one of the names of Allaah, rather what the
hadeeth means is that Allaah is the One who
controls time.
Al-Khattaabi said:
What this means is: I am the Owner of Time,
the Controller of all affairs that they
attribute to time, so whoever inveighs against
time because it does these things, is in effect
inveighing against his Lord Who is the One who
does them.
Al-Nawawi said:
What is meant by saying "Allaah is al-Dahr
(Time)" is that He is the One Who causes things
to happen, the Creator of all things that exist.
And Allaah knows best.
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy
on him) said:
Al-Dahr is not one of the names of Allaah,
and whoever claims that is erring for two
reasons:
1 _ His Names are the most perfect and
beautiful, they should refer to the most
eloquent and beautiful meanings. Hence we do not
find any name among the names of Allaah that
does not refer to any attribute. Al-Dahr is such
a word, and it cannot mean anything other than
time.
2 _ The context of the hadeeth renders that
impossible, because He says, "I alternate the
night and the day"; night and day are time, so
how can the thing that is controlled be the one
that controls them?? Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn
`Uthaymeen, 1/163. Islam Q&A
(www.islam-qa.com)
39803: Can Allaah be
described as plotting etc
Question:
Can Allaah be described as plotting,
deceiving and betraying as in the verses
(interpretation of the meaning):
"they were
plotting and Allaah too was plotting"
[al-Anfaal 8:30]
"Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive
Allaah, but it is He Who deceives them"
[al-Nisa' 4:142]?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The attributes of Allaah are all attributes
of perfection, pointing to the best and most
perfect of meanings. Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"and for Allaah is the highest
description. And He is the AllMighty, the
AllWise"
[al-Nahl 16:60]
"His is the highest description (i.e. none
has the right to be worshipped but He, and there
is nothing comparable unto Him) in the heavens
and in the earth. And He is the AllMighty, the
AllWise"
[al-Room 30:27]
Al-Sa'di said in his Tafseer
(commentary) _ p. 718, 1065:
The highest description means the most
perfect attributes.
Attributes are of three types:
1 _ Attributes of perfection _ in which there
is no shortcoming whatsoever. These attributes
apply to Allaah in absolute terms and are not
limited or restricted in any way. Examples of
that include His knowledge, power, hearing,
seeing, mercy, etc.
2 _ Attributes which imply imperfection and
shortcomings. These can never be ascribed to
Allaah, such as sleeping, being unable, doing
wrong or oppressing, betraying, etc.
3 _ Attributes which may be perfect or
imperfect, depending on the context. These
cannot be ascribed to Allaah in absolute terms,
and they cannot be denied in the case of Allaah
in absolute terms. If the context implies
perfection then they can be ascribed to Allaah;
if it implies imperfection then they cannot be
ascribed to Allaah. Examples include: plotting,
deceiving and mocking.
Plotting against, betraying and mocking the
enemy are attributes of perfection, because that
is indicative of complete knowledge, power and
might, and so on.
But plotting against the sincere believers is
an attribute of imperfection.
Hence these characteristics are not ascribed
to Allaah in absolute terms, rather they are
mentioned in such a context as to indicate that
these are attributes of perfection.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive
Allaah, but it is He Who deceives them"
[al-Nisa' 4:142]
This is deceiving the hypocrites.
And He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And (remember) when the disbelievers
plotted against you (O Muhammad) to imprison
you, or to kill you, or to get you out (from
your home, i.e. Makkah); they were plotting and
Allaah too was plotting; and Allaah is the Best
of those who plot"
[al-Anfaal 8:30]
This is a plot against the enemies of Allaah
who were plotting against the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him).
Allaah says of the hypocrites (interpretation
of the meaning):
"And when they meet those who believe, they
say: `We believe,' but when they are alone with
their Shayaateen (devils — polytheists,
hypocrites), they say: `Truly, we are with you;
verily, we were but mocking.'
Allaah mocks at them and gives them increase
in their wrong-doing to wander blindly"
[al-Baqarah 2:14-15]
This is mocking the hypocrites.
These attributes are to be regarded as
indicating perfection in this context. Hence we
say that Allaah mocks the hypocrites and
deceives them, and that He plots against His
enemies, and so on. But it is not permissible to
describe Allaah as mocking or deceiving in
absolute terms, because that does not indicate
perfection.
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy
on him) was asked: Can Allaah be described as
plotting and named as such?
He replied:
Allaah cannot be described as plotting except
in a limited sense; He cannot be described as
such in absolute terms. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Did they then feel secure against the Plan
of Allaah? None feels secure from the Plan of
Allaah except the people who are the losers"
[al-A'raaf 7:99]
This verse indicate that Allaah has a plan or
plot, which was to confound them without them
realizing it. This is akin to the hadeeth
narrated by al-Bukhaari: "War is deceit."
If it is asked: How can Allaah be described
as plotting when this seems to be something
blameworthy?
The answer is that plotting in the right
circumstances may be something praiseworthy that
points to the strength of the plotter, and that
he is superior to his enemy. Hence Allaah cannot
be described as plotting in absolute terms, and
we cannot say "Allaah is a Plotter." Rather this
attribute is mentioned in a context where it is
positive, such as the verses (interpretation of
the meaning):
"they were plotting and Allaah too was
plotting"
[al-Anfaal 8:30]
"So they plotted a plot, and We planned a
plan, while they perceived not"
[al-Naml 27:50]
And we cannot say in absolute terms that this
cannot be ascribed to Allaah, rather in contexts
where it is something positive it may be
ascribed to Him, and in contexts where it is not
something positive, it should not be ascribed to
Him. So Allaah should not be called by a name
which refers to this, so we cannot say that one
of the names of Allaah is "the Plotter".
Plotting is one of His actions, because it has
to do with the Will of Allaah.
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen,
1/170.
He was also asked: Can Allaah be described as
betraying, or as deceiving, as in the verse
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive
Allaah, but it is He Who deceives them"
[al-Nisa' 4:142]?
He replied:
With regard to betrayal, this is something
that can never be ascribed to Allaah, because it
is something shameful in all circumstances, and
it is plotting at a time of trust, which is
blameworthy. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"But if they intend to betray you (O
Muhammad), they indeed betrayed Allaah before.
So He gave (you) power over them. And Allaah is
All-Knower, All-Wise"
[al-Anfaal 8:71]
And He did not say: So He betrayed them.
With regard to deceiving, it is like
plotting. It may be ascribed to Allaah when it
is something positive, but it cannot be ascribed
to Him in absolute terms. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive
Allaah, but it is He Who deceives them"
[al-Nisa' 4:142]
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen,
1/171
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
40865: Allaah is above His
creation and He is in front of the one who prays
Question:
I read a hadeeth which says that Allaah is in
front of the worshipper. What does that mean?
Does it contradict the fact that Allaah is above
the heavens?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
We have already mentioned in questions no.
992 and 11035 the evidence that
Allaah has risen above His Throne and is exalted
above His creation.
According to the hadeeth narrated by
al-Bukhaari (406) and Muslim (547) from
`Abd-Allaah ibn `Umar, the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw
some spittle on the wall of the mosque in the
direction of the qiblah, so he scratched it off
then turned to the people and said: "If any one
of you is praying, let him not spit in front of
him, for Allaah is in front of him when he
prays."
There is no contradiction between this is the
fact that Allaah is high above His creation.
Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] said in
Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 5/101:
The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him), "When any one of you
stands to pray, Allaah is in front of him so let
him not spit in front of him," mean what they
appear to mean. Allaah is above the Throne and
He is in front of the worshipper. This
description may even apply to created things:
when a man looks at the sky and the sun and the
moon, the sky, sun and moon are above him and
they are also in front of him.
He also said (5/672):
It is well known that whoever turns to face
the moon and addresses it _ if he were able to
address it _ is turning to face it even though
it is above him … Similarly when a person stands
to pray he is turning to face his Lord even
though He is above him, and he addresses Him on
the basis of Him being in front of him not to
his right or left, and he calls upon Him on the
basis that He is above not below.
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen said:
The evidence that Allaah is in front of the
worshipper is:
The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him): "When any one of you
stands to pray, Allaah is in front of him so let
him not spit in front of him."
This being in front is ascribed to Allaah in
a manner that befits Him and does not contradict
His exalted state. The two may be reconciled in
two ways:
1 _ It is possible to reconcile between them
with regard to created things, such as when the
sun is rising, it is in front of the one who
faces the east, even though it is in the sky. So
if they may be reconciled with regard to a
created thing then it is more apt that they be
reconciled with regard to the Creator.
2 _ Even if it were not possible to reconcile
them with regard to created things, that does
not mean that they cannot be reconciled with
regard to the Creator, because there is nothing
like unto Allaah. Fataawa Ibn `Uthaymeen,
4/287. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
41003: The Names of Allaah
are not limited to ninety-nine
Question:
Are there only ninety-nine names of Allaah,
or are there more than that?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Bukhaari (2736) and Muslim (2677) narrated
from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah
has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one.
Whoever learns them will enter Paradise."
Some of the scholars (such as Ibn Hazm _ may
Allaah have mercy on him) understood this
hadeeth as meaning that the names of Allaah are
limited to this number. See al-Muhalla,
1/51
But what Ibn Hazm said is not supported by
the majority of scholars. Rather some of them
(such as al-Nawawi) narrated that the scholars
are agreed that the names of Allaah are not
limited to this number. It seems that they
regarded the view of Ibn Hazm as odd and as
something that should not be paid any attention.
In support of the view that the beautiful
names of Allaah are not limited to this number,
they quoted the report narrated by Ahmad (3704)
from `Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood who said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "There is no-one who
is afflicted by distress and grief, and says:
`Allaahumma inni `abduka ibn `abdika ibn
amatija naasyati bi yadika, maada fiyya hukmuka,
`adlun fiyya qadaa'uka. 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-ghayb `indaka an
taj'al al-Qur'aana rabee' qalbi wa noor sadri wa
jalaa' huzni wa dhihaab hammi (O Allaah, I
am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your
maidservant; my forelock is in Your hand, Your
command over me is forever executed and Your
decree over me is just. I ask You by every name
belonging to You which You have 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, that You
make the Qur'aan the life of my heart and the
light of my breast, and a departure for my
sorrow and a release for my anxiety),' but
Allaah will take away his distress and grief,
and replace it with joy." He was asked: "O
Messenger of Allaah, should we learn this?" He
said: "Of course; everyone who hears it should
learn it."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 199.
The phrase "or You have preserved in the
knowledge of the Unseen with You" indicates that
there are beautiful names of Allaah that He has
kept with Him in the knowledge of the Unseen,
and which none of His creation has come to know.
This indicates that there are more than
ninety-nine Names.
Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] said
concerning this hadeeth in Majmoo'
al-Fataawa (6/374):
This indicates that Allaah has more than
ninety-nine names.
And he said (22/482):
Al-Khattaabi said: This indicates that He has
names that He has preserved with Him, and that
indicates that the words "Allaah has ninety-nine
names, whoever learns them will enter Paradise"
mean that there are ninety-nine of His names
which whoever learns them will enter Paradise.
This is like saying, "I have one thousand
dirhams which I have prepared to give in
charity," even if his wealth is greater than
that. In the Qur'aan Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong
to Allaah, so call on Him by them"
[al-A'raaf 7:180]
Allaah has commanded us to call upon Him by
His names in general terms, He did not say that
He has only ninety-nine names.
Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him)
stated in Sharh Saheeh Muslim that the
scholars were unanimously agreed on that, and he
said:
The scholars are unanimously agreed that this
hadeeth does not mean that Allaah has only
ninety-nine names, or that He does not have any
other names apart from these ninety-nine. Rather
what the hadeeth means is that whoever learns
these ninety-nine will enter Paradise. The point
is that one may enter Paradise by learning them,
not that the number is limited to these names.
And Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen was asked about
that and replied:
The names of Allaah are not limited to a
certain number. The evidence for that is the
words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) in the saheeh hadeeth: "O
Allaah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave… I
ask You by every name belonging to You which You
have 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."
What Allaah has preserved in the knowledge of
the unseen with Him cannot be known and what is
not known is unlimited.
With regard to the words of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
"Allaah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less
one. Whoever learns them will enter Paradise,"
this does not mean that He does not have any
names apart from these, rather it means that
whoever learns these ninety-nine of His names
will enter Paradise. This is like when the Arabs
say: "I have one hundred horses which I have
prepared for jihad for the sake of Allaah,"
which does not mean that the speaker has only
these hundred horses, rather these hundred are
prepared for this purpose.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn `Uthaymeen, 1/122.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
45470: Refutation of the
Church's quoting the Qur'aan to prove that `Eesa
is the "son of God"
Question:
I read that the Church quotes some verses of
the Qur'aan to prove that `Eesa (peace be upon
him) is the "son of God." Their evidence is that
when Allaah was alone He said, "Verily, I am
Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Ana (none has the right
to be worshipped but I)" [Ta-Ha 20:14 _
interpretation of the meaning], in the singular;
but when He created `Eesa the style used in some
verses changed to the plural, as in the verses
(interpretation of the meaning): "Verily, We, it
is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the
Qur'aan)" [al-Hijr 15:9] and "And certainly We!
We it is Who give life, and cause death"
[al-Hijr 15:23]. And they say, God is speaking
in the plural, i.e., in the sense of "God, Jesus
and the Holy Spirit".
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The variation in style in the Qur'aan, and
the fact that Allaah sometimes speaks of Himself
in the singular and sometimes in a plural form
used by way of respect, does not prove that
`Eesa (peace be upon him) is the son of God, or
that he is divine. This is for a number of
reasons:
-1-
The variation in styles used in the Qur'aan,
both singular and plural, occurs with reference
to events that took place thousands of years
before the creation of `Eesa (peace be upon him)
and his mother Maryam (Mary), and when they were
created and after that. Their existence has no
effect on the variation in styles, rather that
is due to another reason which may be explained
as follows:
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And indeed, We created man from dried
(sounding) clay of altered mud.
And the jinn, We created aforetime from the
smokeless flame of fire"
[al-Hijr 15:26]
"And (remember) when We said to the
angels: `Prostrate yourselves unto Adam.' So
they prostrated themselves except Iblees
(Satan). He was one of the jinn; he disobeyed
the Command of his Lord. Will you then take him
(Iblees) and his offspring as protectors and
helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to
you?" [al-Kahf 18:50]
The style used (singular vs. plural) varied
before `Eesa and his mother (peace be upon them
both) existed. Allaah said:
"Verily, We did send down the Tawraat
(Torah) [to Moosa (Moses)], therein was guidance
and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted
themselves to Allaah's Will, judged for the
Jews. And the rabbis and the priests [too judged
for the Jews by the Tawraat (Torah) after those
Prophets], for to them was entrusted the
protection of Allaah's Book, and they were
witnesses thereto. Therefore fear not men but
fear Me (O Jews) and sell not My Verses for a
miserable price. And whosoever does not judge by
what Allaah has revealed, such are the Kaafiroon
(i.e. disbelievers — of a lesser degree as they
do not act on Allaah's Laws).
And We ordained therein for them: Life for
life…
And in their footsteps, We sent `Eesa
(Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), confirming the
Tawraat (Torah) that had come before him, and We
gave him the Injeel (Gospel)…
And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the
Book (this Qur'aan) in truth, confirming the
Scripture that came before it and Muhaymin
(trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it
(old Scriptures)"
[al-Maa'idah 5:44-48]
"Verily, We sent Nooh (Noah) to his
people"
[Nooh 71:1]
And Allaah said concerning His Khaleel (Close
Friend) Ibraaheem (peace be upon him)
(interpretation of the meaning):
"So when he had turned away from them and
from those whom they worshipped besides Allaah,
We gave him Ishaaq (Isaac) and Ya'qoob (Jacob),
and each one of them We made a Prophet.
And We gave them of Our Mercy (a good
provision in plenty), and We granted them honour
on the tongues (of all the nations, i.e.
everybody remembers them with a good praise)"
[Maryam 19:49-50]
And He said concerning Moosa (peace be upon
him) (interpretation of the meaning):
"and made him draw near to Us for a talk
with him [Moosa (Moses)].
And We granted him his brother Haaroon
(Aaron), (also) a Prophet, out of Our Mercy"
[Maryam 19:52-53]
And He said (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, We have sent the Revelation to
you (O Muhammad) as We sent the Revelation to
Nooh (Noah) and the Prophets after him…"
[al-Nisa' 4:163]
"And she who guarded her chastity [Virgin
Maryam (Mary)], We breathed into (the sleeves
of) her (shirt or garment) [through Our Rooh —
Jibreel (Gabriel)], and We made her and her son
[`Eesa (Jesus)] a sign for Al-`Aalameen (the
mankind and jinn)"
[al-Anbiya' 21:91]
"(Remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day
of Resurrection). O `Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam
(Mary)! Remember My Favour to you and to your
mother"
[al-Maa'idah 5:110]
And there are many other verses in which the
style varies between singular and plural, where
the verses speak of the creation of `Eesa, or
Allaah's words to him, and before he was
created. From this it is clear that the style
did not change after the creation of `Eesa
(peace be upon him) as a sign that he is the
"son of God" or that he is "divine", rather it
is for another reason as we shall see below.
-2-
Everyone who knows the Arabic language and
its styles will know that the pronoun Ana (I)
and the first person is used in the singular
when speaking of oneself. The first person
plural Nahnu (we) is used to refer to two or
more. But it may be used by an individual of
high standing as a sign of his greatness, and
the context and circumstances help the reader or
listener to understand what is meant. Whoever
disagrees with that is either ignorant and does
not know what he is talking about or he is
stubborn and wants to twist the meaning of the
words, following his whims and desires. But
Allaah will establish and make apparent the
truth by His Words, however much the sinners
hate that [cf. Yoonus 10:82]. This will be
explained further below.
-3-
The Qur'aan is a Book the Verses whereof are
perfected (in every sphere of knowledge), and
then explained in detail from One (Allaah), Who
is All-Wise Well-Acquainted (with all things)
[cf. Hood 11:1] and Falsehood cannot come to it
from before it or behind it, (it is) sent down
by the AllWise, Worthy of all praise (Allaah)
[cf. Fussilat 41:42]. Parts of it explain and
confirm other parts. Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"And they say: `The Most Gracious (Allaah)
has begotten a son (or offspring or children)
[as the Jews say: `Uzayr (Ezra) is the son of
Allaah, and the Christians say that He has
begotten a son [`Eesa (Jesus)], and the pagan
Arabs say that He has begotten daughters (angels
and others)].'
Indeed you have brought forth (said) a
terrible evil thing.
Whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the
earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall
in ruins,
That they ascribe a son (or offspring or
children) to the Most Gracious (Allaah).
But it is not suitable for (the Majesty of)
the Most Gracious (Allaah) that He should beget
a son (or offspring or children).
There is none in the heavens and the earth
but comes unto the Most Gracious (Allaah) as a
slave"
[Maryam 19:88-93]
"Say (O Muhammad): He is Allaah, (the)
One.
AllaahusSamad [Allaah — the SelfSufficient
Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither
eats nor drinks)].
He begets not, nor was He begotten.
And there is none coequal or comparable unto
Him"
[al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4]
"Verily, the likeness of `Eesa (Jesus) before
Allaah is the likeness of Adam. He created him
from dust, then (He) said to him: `Be!' — and he
was"
[Aal `Imraan 3:59]
So whoever believes in Him must study the
verses of the Qur'aan in the light of one
another, not in isolation, the one who quotes
from Qur'aan should be fair in his quotation. He
should not quote verses and turn away from
others, and he should not confuse truth with
falsehood or use some verses against others in
order to promote falsehood, as our predecessors
the Jews did with the Torah, for which Allaah
denounced them when He said (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Then do you believe in a part of the
Scripture and reject the rest? Then what is the
recompense of those who do so among you, except
disgrace in the life of this world, and on the
Day of Resurrection they shall be consigned to
the most grievous torment. And Allaah is not
unaware of what you do"
[al-Baqarah 2:85]
Based on this, those who quote the Qur'aan as
evidence should accept its evidence that `Eesa
(peace be upon him) is not the "son of God" and
that he is not divine along with God, and they
should affirm the Oneness of God, because of
what is mentioned in its verses, and because
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Surely, they have disbelieved who say:
`Allaah is the Messiah [`Eesa (Jesus)], son of
Maryam (Mary).' But the Messiah [`Eesa (Jesus)]
said: `O Children of Israel! Worship Allaah, my
Lord and your Lord.' Verily, whosoever sets up
partners (in worship) with Allaah, then Allaah
has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will
be his abode. And for the Zaalimoon (polytheists
and wrongdoers) there are no helpers.
Surely, disbelievers are those who said:
`Allaah is the third of the three (in a
Trinity)'"
[al-Maa'idah 5:17]
And there are many similar verses in the
Qur'aan.
Otherwise they should stop playing with the
words, because that will only lead them to shame
and will make the wise laugh at them in
derision. From Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah,
3/216-218. (www.islam-qa.com)
10243: Commentary on the
verse "so wherever you turn (yourselves or your
faces) there is the Face of Allaah"
Question:
Could you explain the following ayaah? If
Allah is above the heavens, why is Allah face
there wherever you face?
I am only asking
this because I was explaining that Allah was
above the heavens to somebody, and he qouted
this ayah; I could not respond to him after
that.
Al-Baqarah - 2:115
And to Allâh belong the east and the west, so
wherever you turn yourselves or your faces there
is the Face of Allâh (and He is High above, over
His Throne). Surely! Allâh
is All-Sufficient
for His creatures' needs, All-Knowing.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We are obliged to believe that Allaah has
risen above His throne in a manner that befits
His majesty, not in a manner that resembles
human movement, and to believe that Allaah has a
Face that is not like the faces of His creation.
So we should not go astray when interpreting
verses and we must not distort their meanings;
we should follow the views of the righteous
salaf concerning that.
With regard to the tafseer (commentary) on
this verse, Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen said:
If you ask whether every mention of the
wajh (face) with reference to Allaah
means the Face of Allaah which is one of His
attributes, the answer is that this is the basic
principle. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And turn not away those who invoke their
Lord, morning and afternoon seeking His
Face" [al-An'aam 6:52].
"And who has (in mind) no favour from
anyone to be paid back,
Except to seek the Countenance of his Lord,
the Most High.
He surely, will be pleased (when he will
enter Paradise)"
[al-Layl 92:19-21]
And there are other similar verses.
The basic principle is that what is meant by
wajh is the Face of Allaah which is one
of His attributes. But there is a verse
concerning which the mufassireen differed, which
is this verse (interpretation of the meaning):
"And to Allaah belong the east and the
west, so wherever you turn (yourselves or your
faces) there is the Face of Allaah"
[al-Baqarah 2:115]
Some of them said that what is meant by
wajh here is direction, because Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"For every nation there is a direction to
which they face (in their prayers)"
[al-Baqarah 2:148]
So what is meant by wajh here is
direction, so "there is the wajh of
Allaah" means there is the direction of prayer
which Allaah accepts.
They said: because when travelling, if a
person offers naafil prayers he can pray in
whatever direction he is facing.
But the correct view is that what is meant by
wajh here is the Face of Allaah. So
wherever you turn there is the Face of Allaah,
because Allaah encompasses all things, and
because it was proven from the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that when
the worshipper stands to pray, Allaah in front
of him. Hence it is forbidden for the worshipper
to spit in front of him, because Allaah is in
front of him. So if you pray in a place where
you do not know where the qiblah is, but you do
your best to figure it out and pray, and the
qiblah is in fact behind you, then Allaah is in
front of you even in this situation.
This is the correct meaning which is in
accordance with the apparent meaning of the
verse, and the first meaning does not in fact
contradict it.
So the two meanings do not contradict one
another.
It should be noted that this mighty Face
which is described in terms of majesty and
honour cannot be fully encompassed by human
descriptions and imagination. Rather everything
that you can think of, Allaah is above that and
is greater.
"but they will never compass anything of
His Knowledge"
[Ta-Ha 20:110 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
With regard to the verse (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Everything will perish save His Face"
[al-Qasas 28:88]
What this means is that everything will
perish except His Essence of which s His Face is
one of the attributes.
Sharh al-`Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah by
Ibn `Uthaymeen, 1/243-245.
We should not compare the Creator to His
creation and imagine Him in terms of His
creation, for Allaah is as He has said of
Himself (interpretation of the meaning):
"There is nothing like Him"
[al-Shoora 42:11]
So Allaah has risen above His Throne, and He
faces the worshipper when he prays, and there is
no contradiction between them with regard to
Allaah.
Some people were similarly confused about the
issue of Allaah descending during the last third
of the night to the lowest heaven. They said
that the night is not the same throughout the
earth, so how can Allaah descend during the
night and day at the same time?
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen said:
Later generations who knew that the earth is
round and that the sun revolves around the earth
said: how can He descend during the last third
of the night, when the last third of the night
moves from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and goes
to Europe and areas nearby? We say: now you are
comparing the attributes of Allaah to the
attributes of created beings. If you believe it
you do not have to do anything beyond that, so
do not ask how.
Rather say: When it is the last third of the
night in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, then
Allaah descends, and when it is the last third
of the night in America, Allaah descends then as
well.
So our attitude is that we believe what has
reached us via Muhammad (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), and that Allaah descends to
the lowest heaven when there is one third of the
night left, and says, "Who will call upon Me,
that I may answer him? Who will ask of Me, that
I may give him? Who will ask My forgiveness that
I may forgive him?"
Sharh al-Waasitiyyah, 2/437.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
20652: Commentary on the
hadeeth, "Allaah created Adam in His image"
Question:
When Prophet says "Allah created Adam in his
image" what does "his image" refer to and how
should we understand it?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Bukhaari (6227) and Muslim (2841) narrated
from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah
created Adam in His image, and he was sixty
cubits tall. When he created him he said, `Go
and greet that group of angels who are sitting
and listen to how they greet you, for that will
be your greeting and the greeting of your
descendents.' So he said, `Al-salaamu
`alaykum (peace be upon you),' and they
said, `Al-salaamu `alayka wa
rahmat-Allaah (Peace be upon you and the
mercy of Allaah.' So they added (the words)
`wa rahmat-Allaah.' Everyone who enters
Paradise will be in the form of Adam, but
mankind continued to grow shorter until now."
Muslim (2612) narrated that Abu Hurayrah
said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When any
one of fights his brother, let him avoid the
face, for Allaah created Adam in His image."
Ibn Abi `Aasim narrated in al-Sunnah
(517) that Ibn `Umar said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Do not say `May Allaah deform your
face' [a form of cursing in Arabic], for the son
of Adam was created in the image of the Most
Merciful." Shaykh `Abd-Allaah ibn al-Ghunaymaan
(may Allaah preserve him) said: "This hadeeth is
saheeh and was classed as such by the imams and
by Imam Ahmad and Ishaaq ibn Raahawayh. Those
who classed it as da'eef have no evidence,
except for the view of Ibn Khuzaymah, but those
who classed it as saheeh are more knowledgeable
than him.
Ibn Abi `Aasim also narrated (516) that Abu
Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When
any one of you fights let him avoid the face,
for Allaah created Adam in the image of His
Face." Shaykh al-Albaani said: its isnaad is
saheeh.
These two hadeeth indicate that the pronoun
in the phrase "in His image" refers to Allaah,
may He be glorified.
Al-Tirmidhi (3234) narrated from Ibn `Abbaas
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: "My Lord came to me in the
most beautiful image and said, `O Muhammad.' I
said, `Here I am at Your service, my Lord.' He
said, `What are the chiefs (angels) on high
disputing about…'" Classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
According to the lengthy hadeeth about
intercession, it says, "… then the Compeller
(al-Jabbaar) will come to then in an image
different than the image in which they saw Him
the first time…" Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 7440;
Muslim, 182.
From these ahaadeeth we learn that it is
proven that Allaah has an image (soorah in
Arabic), in a manner that befits Him, may He be
glorified and exalted. His image is one of His
attributes which cannot be likened to the
attributes of created beings, just as His
essence cannot be likened to their essence.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: "The word
soorah (image) in this hadeeth is like all the
other names and attributes narrated (in the
texts) where the words used may also be applied
to created beings, in a limited manner. When
these words are applied to Allaah, they carry a
unique meaning, such as al-`Aleem (All Knowing),
al-Qadeer (All-Powerful), al-Raheem (Most
Merciful), al-Samee' (All Hearing), al-Baseer
(All-Seeing), and such as His creating with His
hands, rising above the Throne, etc." Naqd
al-Ta'sees, 3/396
Everything that exists must inevitably have a
form or image. Shaykh al-Islam said: "Just as
everything that exists must have attributes
that, so too everything that exists by itself
must have a form or image. It is impossible for
something that exists by itself not to have a
form or image."
And he said: "There was no dispute among the
salaf of the first three generations that the
pronoun in the hadeeth refers to Allaah, and it
is narrated through many isnaads from many of
the Sahaabah. The contexts of the ahaadeeth all
indicate that… but when al-Jahamiyyah became
widespread in the third century AH, a group
began to say that the pronoun refers to
something other than Allaah, and this was
transmitted from a group of scholars who are
known to have knowledge and to follow the Sunnah
in most of their affairs, such as Abu Thawr, Ibn
Khuzaymah, Abu'l-Shaykh al-Asfahaani and others.
Hence they were denounced by the imams of Islam
and other Sunni scholars."
Naqd al-Ta'sees, 3/202
Ibn Qutaybah (may Allaah have mercy on him)
said: "That Allaah should have an image is no
stranger than His having two hands, fingers or
eyes. Rather those are readily accepted because
they are mentioned in the Qur'aan, but this idea
(image or form) is regarded as strange because
it is not mentioned in the Qur'aan. But we
believe in them all, but we do not discuss how
any of them are."
Ta'weel Mukhtalif al-Hadeeth, p. 221
Shaykh al-Ghunaymaan said: "Thus it is clear
that the form or image is like all the other
divine attributes. Any attribute which Allaah
has affirmed in the Revelation, we must affirm
it and believe in it."
Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed min Saheeh
al-Bukhaari, 2/41
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on
him) was asked: There is a hadeeth narrated from
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) in which he forbids saying "May Allaah
deform your face", and says that Allaah created
Adam in His image. What is the correct belief
with regard to this hadeeth?
He replied:
This hadeeth is proven from the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), in
which he said: "If any one of you strikes
(another), let him avoid the face, for Allaah
created Adam in His image." According to another
version: "In the image of the Most Merciful."
This does not imply resemblance or likeness.
What is meant, according to the scholars, is
that Allaah created Adam with the ability to
hear and see, and to speak when he wants. These
are also attributes of Allaah, for He is
All-Hearing, All-Seeing, and He speaks when He
wants, and He has a Face, may He be glorified
and exalted.
But it does not mean that there is any
resemblance or likeness. Rather the image of
Allaah is different from that of created beings.
What is meant is that He is All-Hearing,
All-Seeing, and He speaks when He wants, and He
created Adam also able to hear and see, with a
face and hands and feet. But man's hearing is
not like Allaah's hearing, his seeing is not
like Allaah's seeing, his speaking is not like
Allaah's speaking. Rather Allaah has attributes
that befit His majesty and might, and man has
attributes that befit him, attributes that are
finite and imperfect, whereas the attributes of
Allaah are perfect, with no shortcomings,
infinite and without end. Hence Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"There is nothing like Him, and He is the
AllHearer, the AllSeer"
[al-Shoora 42:11]
"And there is none coequal or comparable unto
Him"
[al-Ikhlaas 112:4]
So it is not permissible to strike the face
or say "May Allaah deform your face".
End quote. Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh,
4/226
Another thing that will help to explain the
meaning of this hadeeth is the words of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him): "The first group to enter Paradise will be
in the image of the moon" (Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 3245; Muslim, 2834." What the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) meant here is that the first group will be
in human form, but because of their purity,
beauty and brightness of face they will look
like the moon, so they are likened to the moon,
but without resembling it. So just because a
thing is said to be in the image of a thing it
does not mean that it is like it in all aspects.
The Prophet's words, "Adam was created in His
image" means that Allaah created Adam in His
image, for He has a face, an eye, a hand, and a
foot, and Adam had a face, an eye, a hand, and a
foot… but that does not mean that these things
are exactly the same. There is some similarity,
but it is not exactly the same. Similarly the
first group to enter Paradise are likened to the
moon, but they are not exactly the same. This
confirms the view of Ahl al-Sunnah
wa'l-Jamaa'ah, who say that none of the
attributes of Allaah can be likened to the
attributes of created beings, without distorting
or misinterpreting, or discussing how or
likening Him to His creation.
See Sharh al-`Aqeedah al-Waasitah by
Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Uthaymeen, 1/107, 293.
For more information, see: Sharh Kitaab
al-Tawheed min Saheeh al-Bukhaari by Shaykh
al-Ghunaymaan, 2/33-98, in which he quotes at
length from Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may
Allaah have mercy on him), refuting the
misinterpretation of this hadeeth by ahl
al-kalaam and those who agreed with them. And
Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
(www.islam-qa.com)
21949: Meaning of the
hadeeth which says that Allaah created Adam in
His Image
Question:
I am asking about the correct understanding
of the hadeeth, "Adam was created in the Image
of the Most Merciful"?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Allaah created Adam in His Image…"
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6227; Muslim, 2841.
With regard to the hadeeth, "Do not (insult
one another) and say `May Allaah make your face
ugly', because Adam was created in the Image of
the Most Merciful," this was classed as da'eef
(weak) by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah
al-Da'eefah, no. 1176.
Perhaps the questioner is confused by this
hadeeth because of the verse in which Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"There is nothing like Him"
[al-Shoora 42:11]
The scholars answered this problem in two
ways: a brief answer and a detailed answer.
The brief answer is that it is impossible for
this hadeeth to contradict the words of Allaah
(interpretation of the meaning):
"There is nothing like Him"
[al-Shoora 42:11]
If we find a way to reconcile between them,
all well and good, otherwise we should say,
" `We believe in it; the whole of it
(clear and unclear Verses) are from our Lord.'
And none receive admonition except men of
understanding" [Aal `Imraan 3:7 _ interpretation
of the meaning]
We believe that there is nothing like unto
Allaah and thus we will be on the safe side
before Allaah. These are the words of Allaah,
and these are the words of His Messenger; both
are true and it is impossible for one of them to
belie the other. So we say that the verse shows
that His creation cannot resemble Allaah, and
the hadeeth affirms that Allaah has an Image.
Both are true and we believe in them; we say
that both are from our Lord, and remain silent
thereafter. This is all that we can do.
See Sharh al-Waasitiyyah by Ibn
`Uthaymeen.
With regard to the detailed answer:
This hadeeth proves that Allaah has an Image,
and that Allaah created Adam in His Image.
But there is nothing in this hadeeth to
indicate that the image of Adam (peace be upon
him) resembles the Image of Allaah, rather this
meaning is absolutely false and was not meant by
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), because Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"There is nothing like Him"
[al-Shoora 42:11]
The fact that one thing is likened to another
does not mean that it is identical to it in all
aspects, rather they are likened to one another
because they share some attributes, but that
does not means that every attribute is
identical.
This is indicated by the words of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):
"The first group to be admitted to Paradise will
be in the image of the moon on the night when it
is full." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3327; Muslim,
2834.
This hadeeth does not mean that they will
enter Paradise in a form that is exactly like
the moon in all regards, otherwise that would
mean that they will enter Paradise with no eyes
or mouths, or as rocks.
Rather what the hadeeth means is that they
will be like the moon in beauty and brightness,
with shining faces, and so on.
So if you say: what is the Image that belongs
to Allaah and in which Adam was created? We say
that Allaah has a Face and Eyes and Hands and
Feet, but that does not mean that because of
these things He resembles man. There may be some
similarity but that does not mean that these
things are identical, just as the first group of
the people of Paradise to enter Paradise are
likened to the moon, but that does not mean that
they resemble the moon. This confirms the belief
of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah, that none of the
attributes of Allaah can be likened to the
attributes of created beings, and they do not
misinterpret the Divine attributes or deny them,
and they do not liken them to the attributes of
human beings.
See Sharh al-`Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah
by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-`Uthaymeen,
part 1, p. 107-110.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
22200: The difference
between al-Rahmaan and al-Raheem
Question:
What is the difference between al-Rahmaan and
al-Raheem?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Rahmaan and al-Raheem are two of the names
of Allaah which refer to Allaah's attribute of
Mercy.
Al-Rahmaan refers to the vastness of Allaah's
mercy, and al-Raheem refers to its effect on His
creation. So al-Rahmaan is the Owner of vast
Mercy, and al-Raheem is the Owner of Mercy that
encompasses His creation.
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy
on him) said: "Al-Rahmaan is the Owner of vast
mercy, because the fa'laan form in Arabic
indicates vastness and abundance, as it is said
rajal ghadbaan (a very angry man) when he
is filled with anger.
Al-Raheem is a name which refers to the
action, as the fa'eel form refers to the
doer of an action. So the phrase al-Rahmaan
al-Raheem indicates that the mercy of Allaah is
vast, as is understood from the name al-Rahmaan,
and that it encompasses His creation, as is
understood from the name al-Raheem. This is what
some of them meant when they said that
al-Rahmaan refers to mercy in a general sense
and al-Raheem refers to mercy that is
specifically for the believers. But what we have
mentioned is more accurate."
From Sharh al-`Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah,
1/22
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
34810: How can we understand
the divine descent during the night in different
countries?
Question:
It is narrated in the hadeeth that "Allaah
descends every night to the lowest heaven during
the last third of the night…" When does the last
third of the night begin, and when does it end?
And how does Allaah descend in different
countries?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
There are mutawaatir ahaadeeth from the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) which prove that Allaah
descends. The Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Our Lord descends to
the lowest heaven every night when the last
third of the night remains, and He says, `Who
will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who
will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will
ask Me for forgiveness, that I may forgive
him?'"
Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah are unanimously
agreed that Allaah descends in a manner that
befits Him, and that He is not like His creation
at all in any of His attributes, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad): He is Allaah, (the)
One.
AllaahusSamad [Allaah — the SelfSufficient
Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither
eats nor drinks)].
He begets not, nor was He begotten.
And there is none coequal or comparable unto
Him"
[al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4]
"There is nothing like Him, and He is the
AllHearer, the AllSeer"
[al-Shoora 42:11]
According to Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah, we
must accept the verses and ahaadeeth that speak
of the attributes of Allaah as they are, without
distorting them, denying any of His attributes,
trying to imagine how they are or trying to
liken Him to any of His creation; at the same
time we must believe in them and believe that
what is said in these texts is true, without
likening Allaah to His creation or discussing
the nature of His attributes. Rather their view
concerning His attributes is like their view
concerning His essence: Ahl al-Sunnah
wa'l-Jamaa'ah affirm the Essence of Allaah
without discussing how it is, or likening Him to
any of His creation, and thus we must also
affirm His attributes without discussing how
they are, or likening these attributes to the
attributes of any of His creation. The descent
of Allaah happens in every country in a manner
that befits Allaah, because the descent of
Allaah cannot be likened to the descent of any
of His creation. He is described as descending
in the last part of the night in all parts of
the world in a manner that befits His Majesty,
may He be exalted. No one can know how He
descends just as no one can know how His Essence
is, except Him.
"There is nothing like Him, and He is the
AllHearer, the AllSeer" [al-Shoora 42:11
_ interpretation of the meaning]
"So put not forward similitudes for Allaah
(as there is nothing similar to Him, nor He
resembles anything). Truly, Allaah knows and you
know not" [al-Nahl 16:74 _ interpretation
of the meaning]
The first and last third of the night differ
according to the season. If the night is nine
hours long then the time of descent begins at
the onset of the seventh hour, until dawn comes.
If the night is twelve hours long then the last
third begins at the beginning of the ninth hour
until dawn comes, and so on, depending on how
long or short the night is in each place. And
Allaah is the Source of strength.
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah by
Shaykh `Abd al-`Azeez ibn `Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz
(may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 4, p. 420
(www.islam-qa.com)
6543: Is there a verse in
the Qur'aan which says that Allaah's process of
creation is still taking place?
Question:
Is it true that according to certain Qur'anic
verses, Allah's process of creation is still
taking place?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Among the names of Allaah are the names
al-Khaaliq and al-Khallaaq. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"He is Allaah, the Creator [al-Khaaliq], the
Inventor of all things, the Bestower of forms.
To Him belong the Best Names. All that is in the
heavens and the earth glorify Him. And He is the
AllMighty, the AllWise"
[al-Hashr 59:34]
"Verily, your Lord is the AllKnowing Creator
[al-Khallaaq]"
[al-Hijr 15:86]
"Allaah is the Creator of all things, and He
is the Wakeel (Trustee, Disposer of affairs,
Guardian) over all things"
[al-Zumar 39:62]
One of His attributes is that of creation.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Surely, His is the creation and
commandment. Blessed is Allaah, the Lord of the
`Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)!"
[al-A'raaf 7:54]
One of His actions is that He creates. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And of everything We have created pairs,
that you may remember (the Grace of Allaah)"
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:49]
"Verily, We have created man from Nutfah
(drops) of mixed semen (sexual discharge of man
and woman), in order to try him, so We made him
hearer and seer"
[al-Insaan 76:2]
"And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills
and chooses" [al-Qasas 28:68]
One thing concerning which there can be no
doubt is that at every moment Allaah creates
whatsoever He will of people and animals and
inanimate objects; that includes newborn
children and the young of animals. Every verse
in the Qur'aan that mentions Allaah's creation
of mankind points towards that which is
mentioned in the question.
Ibn Hazm said:
Allaah did not cease to create after the six
days, rather He says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"He creates you in the wombs of your
mothers, creation after creation"
[al-Zumar 39:6]
"And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an
extract of clay (water and earth).
Thereafter We made him (the offspring of
Adam) as a Nutfah (mixed drops of the male and
female sexual discharge and lodged it) in a safe
lodging (womb of the woman).
Then We made the Nutfah into a clot (a piece
of thick coagulated blood), then We made the
clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made
out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We
clothed the bones with flesh, and then We
brought it forth as another creation. So Blessed
is Allaah, the Best of creators"
[al-Mu'minoon 23:12-14]
All of this is something other than those six
days. It states clearly that Allaah created
after those six days and that He continued to
create after the creation of this world, and He
will continue to create the blessings of the
people of Paradise and the torment of the people
of Hell forever, without end.
Al-Fasl fi'l-Milal wa'l-Nihal, 3/34
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
information is quoted in its entirety, the
source is mentioned, and without changing the
contents.
22210: The meaning of
Allaah's name al-Haleem
Question:
Can you give me an explanation of the
beautiful names of Allah: Al Halim?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The name of Allaah al-Haleem is mentioned in
a number of places in the Qur'aan, for example
the verses in which Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"And know that Allaah is Oft-Forgiving,
Most Forbearing [Haleem]"
[al-Baqarah 2:235]
"Kind words and forgiving of faults are
better than Sadaqah (charity) followed by
injury. And Allaah is Rich (Free of all needs)
and He is Most-Forbearing"
[al-Baqarah 2:263]
Ibn Jareer said in his Tafseer
(4/144): "This means that He gives respite and
does not hasten to punish the one who disobeys
Him or goes against His command."
Al-Khattaabi said in Sha'n al-Du'a'
(63): "He is forgiving and grants respite, the
One Whose anger does not overwhelm Him and Who
is not provoked by the ignorance of the ignorant
or the disobedience of the disobedient. One who
forgives when he is not able to punish does not
deserve to be called Haleem (forbearing); rather
the one who is al-Haleem is the One Who forgives
when He is able to punish and Who gives respite
and does not hasten the punishment."
Qiwaam al-Sunnah al-Asbahaani said in
al-Hujjah fi Bayaan al-Mahajjah (1/144):
"Forbearing towards the one who disobeys Him,
because if He wanted to punish him at the time
of the sin, He could do so, but He grants him
respite until the appointed time. Even though
this is a name that may be applied to a person,
the forbearance of a person is not a quality
with which a person is born and which then
develops when he grows older; it may change at
times of sickness or anger, or because of events
that happen. His attribute dies when he dies,
but the forbearance of Allaah abides and never
disappears. A person may forgive one thing but
not another; he may forgive those against whom
he is powerless to exact revenge, but Allaah
forgives even though He is able to punish."
Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Nooniyyah
(3278):
"He is the Forbearing and does not hasten the
punishment for His slave, (granting him respite)
so that he may repent from his sin."
Al-Sa'di said in his Tafseer (19):
"Al-Haleem is the One Who keeps bestowing
blessings, both visible and hidden, on His
creation, even though they disobey Him and make
many mistakes. So He forgives and does not give
the sinners the punishment they deserve; He
encourages them to repent and gives them time to
turn to Him.".
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
20476: Al-Khaafid
Question:
Can you give me an explanation of the
beautiful name of Allah Al Khafid ?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Before discussing the meaning of this name,
we should understand some important issues that
have to do with the names of Allaah.
Firstly: The names and attributes of Allaah
should be based on evidence from the Book of
Allaah (the Qur'aan) and the Sunnah of His
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him); there is no other source for knowing the
names and attributes of Allaah apart from these
two sources.
Based on this, whatever names of Allaah are
affirmed in the Qur'aan and Sunnah are what we
must accept and affirm.
Whatever is denied in the Qur'aan and Sunnah,
we must also deny, whilst affirming its
opposite.
What is neither affirmed nor denied in the
Qur'aan and Sunnah, we must refrain from
uttering it and neither affirm it nor deny it,
because it has not been narrated in the sense of
either affirming or denying.
With regard to the meaning of the name
al-Khaafid, it should be noted that if what is
meant by it is something that is befitting to
Allaah, then it is acceptable, and if what is
meant is something that is not befitting to
Allaah, then we must reject it.
From al-Qawaa'id al-Mathla fi Sifaat
Allaah wa Asmaa'ihi il-Husna by Ibn
`Uthaymeen.
Secondly: An action is broader in meaning
than a name. Hence Allaah has attributed to
Himself actions for which He is not called by
the active participle of the verb in question,
such as wanting (araada), willing
(shaa'a) and causing to happen
(ahdatha); He is not called
al-mureed (the wanter or seeker) or
al-shaa'i (the willer) or
al-muhdith (the causer). Similarly He did
not call Himself al-saani' (the maker),
al-faa'il (the doer), or al-mutqin
(the one who does things perfectly), or other
names derived from actions that He attributes to
Himself. The scope of actions is broader than
the scope of words.
Those who derive a name for Allaah from every
action made a serious mistake and made the
number of His names reach more than one
thousand. They called Him al-maakir (the
plotter), al-mukhaadi' (the deceiver),
al-faatin (the causer of tribulation), al-kaa'id
(the schemer), etc.
Similarly He has told us about Himself in
words that are broader in scope and are not
names by which He has called Himself. We may
refer to Him as shay' (a thing),
mawjood (one who exists), madhkoor
(one who is mentioned or remembered),
ma'loom (one who is known), muraad
(one who is sought), and so on, but He is not to
be named in these terms.
The word al-Waajid (the one who is
independent of means) is not mentioned as a name
of Allaah except in the hadeeth which lists the
beautiful names (of Allaah). But the correct
view is that this is not the Prophet's words,
although the meaning is sound. For Allaah is
indeed the One Who has the means
(dhu'l-wajd) and is independent of all
others, so it would be more apt to call Him
al-Waajid than al-Mawjood (the one
who exists) or al-Moojid (the initiator).
The word al-mawjood (one who exists) may
refer to something that is perfect or imperfect,
good or evil (so the thing referred to by this
name may be perfect or imperfect). If a name may
refer to either of these, then it cannot be a
name of Allaah, so we cannot call Him
al-Shay' (the thing) or al-Ma'loom
(the one who is known). Hence Allaah is not
called al-Mureed (the seeker) or
al-Mutakallim (the speaker) or
al-Moojid (the initiator). He has called
Himself by names that carry the most perfect
meanings in that regard viz. al-Khaaliq
(the Creator), al-Baari' (the Creator),
and al-Musawwir (the Shaper).
Al-Moojid (the initiator) is like
al-Muhdith (the one who causes things to
happen), al-Faa'il (the doer) and
al-Saani' (the maker). This is a very
subtle and deep understanding of the beautiful
names of Allaah, so give some thought to it. And
Allaah is the Source of strength, From
Madaarij al-Saalikeen by Ibn al-Qayyim,
3/383-385
Thirdly: The names that are given to Allaah
must be taken from the sound texts; this is not
a matter that is subject to ijtihaad or
individual reasoning. But what is said in the
context of speaking about Him is not subject to
the same restrictions, so for example it may be
said that He is al-qadeem (the Ancient),
al-shay' (the thing [i.e., as opposed to
nothing]), al-mawjood (the one who
exists), al-qaa'im bi nafsihi (the self
sufficient). This is the bottom line with regard
to the issue of whether His names are tawqeefi
(i.e., not subject to ijtihaad) or it is
permissible to call Him by some names that are
not reported in the texts. From Badaa'i'
al-Fawaa'id by Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/162
Fourthly: Among the names of Allaah there are
some which cannot be used in isolation unless
their opposite is also mentioned; if such a name
is used on its own, it may give an impression of
imperfection _ exalted be Allaah far above that.
These names include al-Mu'ti, al-Maani'
(the Giver, the Withholder); al-Daarr,
al-Naafi' (the One who harms, the One Who
benefits); al-Qaabid, al-Baasit (the
Constrictor, the Expander); al-Mu'izz,
al-Mudhill (the Honourer, the Humiliator);
al-Khaafid al-Raafi' (the Abaser, the
Exalter). Allaah cannot be called
al-Maani' (the Withholder),
al-Daarr (the One who harms),
al-Qaabid (the Constrictor),
al-Mudhill (the Humiliator) and
al-Khaafid (the Abaser) using these names
on their own; rather they must be accompanied by
their opposites, because they only appear as
such (in pairs) in the Revelation. From
Ma'aarij al-Qubool by al-Hakami, 1/64.
Once the following is understood, the name
al-Khaafid is only narrated in the hadeeth which
lists the beautiful names of Allaah. The correct
view is that this is not the words of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), as stated above in the words of Ibn
al-Qayyim. This is what has been confirmed by
more than one scholar such as Imam Ibn Taymiyah
(as stated in al-Fataawa, 6/379-380,
8/96, 22/482); al-Haafiz ibn Katheer in his
Tafseer (3/515); al-Haafiz ibn Hajar in
al-Fath (11/221) and al-Buloogh
(1395), and others.
But the meaning of this name is correct, so
long as it is accompanied by the name al-Raafi'
(the Exalter). It was proven in Saheeh
Muslim (179) from the hadeeth of Abu Moosa
al-Ash'ari that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah does not
sleep and it is not befitting that He should
sleep. He lowers justice and raises it. The
deeds of the night are taken up to Him before
the deeds of the day, and the deeds of the day
before the night…" There are also some reports
from the salaf concerning that, and the
mu'allaq report which al-Bukhaari
narrated in his Saheeh (al-Fath,
8/487) from Abu'l-Darda', which says that he
said concerning the verse "Every day He is
(engaged) in some affair (such as giving honour
or disgrace to some, life or death to some)"
[al-Rahmaan 55:29 _ interpretation of the
meaning]: "He forgives sins, relieves
distress, raises some people in status and
humiliates others." This was also narrated in a
marfoo' report (i.e., attributed to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)).
Once this is understood, the scholars have
also discussed the meaning of the name
al-Khaafid, such as the following:
1 _ al-Khattaabi said in Sha'n
al-Du'a'(58):
Al-Khaafid, al-Raafi' (the Abaser, the
Exalter): similarly when it comes to these two
names, it is better to mention them together.
Al-Khaafid is the one who brings down tyrants
and humiliates the arrogant Pharaohs, and
al-Raafi' is the one who raises His close
friends (awliya') in status through their acts
of obedience; He raises them in status, supports
them against their enemies and grants them the
ultimate victory. No one can prevail except the
one whom Allaah raises and no one can be lowered
except the one whom He humiliates.
2 _ al-Haleemi said, according to al-Asma'
wa'l-Sifaat by al-Bayhaqi (1/193):
The name al-Khaafid should not be used on its
own in du'aa' without the name al-Raafi'.
Al-Khaafid is the one who puts people in a lower
position, and al-Raafi' is the one who puts them
in a higher position.
3 _ Qiwaam al-Sunnah al-Asbahaani said in
al-Hujjah fi Bayaan al-Mahajjah (1/140):
Among His names are al-Khaafid, al-Raafi'
(the Abaser, the Exalter). It was said that
al-Khaafid is the one who brings down tyrants
and humiliates the arrogant Pharaohs, and
al-Raafi' is the one who raises His close
friends (awliya') in status and supports them
against their enemies. He humiliates whomsoever
He will among His slaves, lowering him in status
and making him unknown and insignificant. And He
elevates whomsoever He will among His slaves,
raising him in status and position. No one can
rise except those whom He raises in status and
no one can be humiliated except those whom He
lowers in status. And it was said that He raises
justice and lowers it.
Then he narrated the hadeeth of Abu Moosa
that was narrated by Muslim (293): "Allaah does
not sleep and it is not befitting that He should
sleep. He lowers justice and raises it. The
deeds of the night are taken up to Him before
the deeds of the day, and the deeds of the day
before the night…"
Then he said: The scholars said: what is
meant by "He lowers justice and raises it" is:
He lowers justice by causing oppressors to
prevail, and He raises justice by causing
justice to prevail. He lowers justice by means
of the unjust and he raises justice by means of
just leaders. By alternately lowering and
raising the level of justice He tests His slaves
to see how they will be patient in the face of
adversity and thankful for times of ease.
4 _ Shaykh Ibn Sa'di said in al-Haqq
al-Waadih al-Mubeen (258):
He is al-Raafi' for people who are righteous
and knowledgeable and have faith, and He is
al-Khaafid for His enemies.
It says in Tawdeeh al-Kaafiyah al-Shaafiyah
(390): Know that the divine attributes that have
to do with deeds are all connected to or based
on these three attributes: absolute power,
ever-executed will and perfect wisdom. All of
these are attributes of Allaah. The effects of
these attributes prevail everywhere in the
universe, giving precedence to some and putting
others behind, benefiting some and harming
others, giving to some and withholding from
others, abasing some and exalting others. There
is no difference in this between physical and
moral, religious or worldly.
Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Harraas said in
Sharh al-Qaseedah al-Nooniyyah, 2/114:
Allaah is al-Khaafid, al-Raafi' (the Abaser
the Exalter). He abases the kuffaar by making
their lives miserable and keeping them away from
Him, and He raises His close friends by drawing
them close to Him and making them happy. He
alternates things amongst His slaves, so He
humiliates some people and makes them
insignificant and takes away their pride, and He
raises others by causing them to inherit the
authority and land of the former.
All of these words are true, and they are
included in the meaning of al-Khaafid, al-Raafi'
(the Abaser, the Exalter).
And Allaah knows best.
Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
22192: The meaning of
Allaah's name al-Haafiz
Question:
Can you give me an explanation of the
beautiful names of Allah : Al Hafiz ?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The name al-Haafiz is mentioned in the verse
in which Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"He said: `Can I entrust him to you except
as I entrusted his brother [Yoosuf (Joseph)] to
you aforetime? But Allaah is the Best to guard
(Haafiz), and He is the Most Merciful of those
who show mercy'"
[Yoosuf 12:64]
Allaah also calls Himself al-Hafeez in
several places in the Qur'aan. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Surely, my Lord is Guardian over all
things (Hafeez)"
[Hood 11:57]
al-Khattaabi said in Sha'n al-Du'aa'
(67-68): "Al-Hafeez means al-Haafiz. Both are
active participles but the form Hafeez carries a
more intensive meaning, as in the words
al-Qadeer (All-powerful) and al-`Aleem
(All-knowing). He guards or keeps the heavens
and the earth and everything therein, so that
they will remain for as long as they are to
remain, and will not disappear. This is like the
verses (interpretation of the meaning):
`and He feels no fatigue in guarding and
preserving them'
[al-Baqarah 2:255]
`And to guard against every rebellious devil'
[al-Saffaat 37:7]
He is the One Who protects His slaves from
destruction and calamity and disaster, as He
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"For him (each person), there are angels
in succession, before and behind him. They guard
him by the Command of Allaah"
[al-Ra'd 13:11]
He keeps the records of His slaves' deeds,
and he keeps a record of what they say; He knows
their intentions and what is in their hearts.
Nothing is hidden from Him.
He protects His close friends
(awliya') from falling into sin, and he
guards them against the plots of the Shaytaan so
that they will be safe from his evil and his
temptation."
Al-Sa'di said in his Tafseer (18):
"Al-Hafeez is the One who protects that which He
has created, and Whose knowledge encompasses
that which He has brought into existence. He
protects His slaves from falling into sin and
disaster, and He takes care of them in all
situations. He records the deeds of His slaves
and the reward or punishment for that.".
Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
21371: Meaning of Allaah's
words in the hadeeth qudsi, "I am his hearing
with which he hears…"
Question:
Can you please explain a hadith for me ...
Allah Most High says: "He who is hostile to
a friend of Mine I declare war against. My slave
approaches Me with nothing more beloved to Me
than what I have made obligatory upon him, and
My slave keeps drawing nearer to Me with
voluntary works until I love him. And when I
love him, I am his hearing with which he hears,
his sight with which he sees, his hand with
which he seizes, and his foot with which he
walks. If he asks me, I will surely give to him,
and if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely
protect him" (Fath al-Bari, 11.34041, hadith
6502); This hadith was related by Imam Bukhari,
Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Bayhaqi, and others with
multiple contiguous chains of transmission, and
is sahih. The part that I need explaining in, or
rather getting confused in is, "I am his hearing
with which he hears, his sight with which he
sees, his hand with which he seizes, and his
foot with which he walks."
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. The meaning of this part
of the hadeeth is that when the believing slave
strives to draw closer to Allaah by doing
obligatory acts of worship, then naafil acts,
Allaah will bring him closer to Him, and will
raise him from the level of eemaan (faith,
belief) to the level of ihsaan, so he will start
to worship Allaah as if he can see Him, and his
heart will be filled with knowledge of his Lord,
love and awe for Him, fear of Him, and
glorification and veneration of Him. When his
heart is filled in this manner, any attachment
to anything other than Allaah will disappear,
and the person will not longer be attached to
any of his whims or desires, and he will have no
wish for anything except that which his Lord and
Master wants. At that point the person will not
speak except to remember Allaah, he will not
move except to obey His command. So when he
speaks, he speaks for the sake of Allaah; when
he hears he hears for the sake of Allaah; when
he looks, he looks for the sake of Allaah; i.e.,
he acts with the help and guidance of Allaah and
for the sake of Allaah in these matters. So he
only listens to that which Allaah loves; he only
looks at that with which Allaah is pleased; he
only strikes with his hands and walks with his
feet for purposes with which his Lord and Master
is pleased. It does not mean that Allaah is his
hearing and his sight, and Allaah is his hand
and his foot. Exalted be Allaah above that, for
Allaah is above the Throne and He is Exalted
above all His creation. Rather what is meant is
that He guides him with regard to his hearing,
seeing, walking and striking. Hence it was
narrated in another version that Allaah says:
"In Me he hears, in Me he sees, in Me he strikes
and in Me he walks," meaning that Allaah guides
him in his actions, words, hearing and seeing.
This is what it means according to Ahl al-Sunnah
wa'l-Jamaa'ah. At the same time Allaah answers
his prayers, so if he asks Him, He will give; if
he seeks His help, He will help him; if he seeks
refuge with Him, He will grant him refuge.
Adapted from Jaami' al-`Uloom wa'l-Hukam,
2/347; Fataawa Noor `ala'l-Darb, tape 10,
by Shaykh Ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy on
him.
Whoever suggests a meaning other than this is
wrong and is transgressing the limits and
showing disrespect towards Allaah, and he is
going against the Arabs' own understanding of
their language and what they understand by such
words. Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen said in Majmoo'
al-Fataawa, 1/145 9: You see that Allaah has
mentioned one who worships and One Who is
worshipped, one who draws close and the One to
Whom he draws close, one who loves and the One
Who is loved, one who asks and One Who is asked,
One Who gives and one to whom it is given, one
who seeks refuge and One Whose refuge is sought.
The hadeeth refers to two who are distinct from
one another, one of whom is not the other. If
that is the case, than the apparent meaning of
the words "I am his hearing, his sight, his hand
and his foot" cannot be that the Creator is a
part or an attribute of the created being.
Exalted be Allaah far above that. Rather the
apparent and true meaning is that Allaah guides
this slave with regard to his hearing, sight and
striking, so he hears purely for the sake of
Allaah, by the help of Allaah, following the
commands of Allaah. The same applies to his
seeing, his striking and his walking.
Islam Q&A
(www.islam-qa.com)
12290: There is no
contradiction between the fact that Allaah
descends to the lowest heaven and His having
risen above the Throne (istiwaa')
Question:
When asked "Where is Allah ?" I reply "Above
the seven Heavens and the Arsh" But taking the
Hadith regarding that Allah descends to the
lowest heaven in the latter part of the night.
If someone asks where is Allah and they state it
is the latter 3rd of the night now. What reply
should you give. Another point is that some
people say it is the latter part of the night
all the time (somewhere on the earth at a
paticular point in time) From this they conclude
that Allah is not above His Arsh.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly, we have to know the `aqeedah
(belief) of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah
concerning the names and attributes of Allaah.
The belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah is to
affirm the names and attributes which Allaah has
affirmed for Himself, without distorting or
denying them, discussing how they are or
likening them to anything else. They believe
that which Allaah has commanded them to believe,
for Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"There is nothing like Him, and He is the
All Hearer, the All Seer"
[al-Shooraa 42:11]
Allaah has told us about Himself. He says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Indeed, your Lord is Allaah, Who created
the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then
He rose over (Istawaa) the Throne (really in a
manner that suits His Majesty).
[al-A'raaf 7:54]
"The Most Gracious (Allaah) rose over
(Istawaa) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that
suits His Majesty).
[Ta-Ha 20:5]
and there are other aayahs which mention that
Allaah rose over His Throne.
The rising of Allaah over His Throne, which
means that He Himself is High and above the
Throne, is of a special nature which befits His
Majesty and Might. No one knows how it is except
Him.
This was proven in the saheeh Sunnah, where
it is narrated from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) that Allaah
descends during the last third of the night. It
was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Our Lord descends every night to the
lowest heaven when the last third of the night
remains, and He says, `Who will call Me that I
might answer him, who will ask of Me that I
might give him, who will ask My forgiveness,
that I might forgive him?'" (narrated by
al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Tawheed, 6940;
Muslim, Salaat al-Musaafireen,
1262)
According to Ahl al-Sunnah, the meaning
of this descent is that Allaah Himself comes
down to the lowest heaven in a real sense, as
befits His Majesty, and no one knows how that is
except Him.
But does the fact that Allaah comes down mean
that He vacates the Throne or not? Shaykh Ibn
`Uthaymeen said concerning a similar question:
we say that this question is based on
unnecessary and excessive questioning, and that
the one who asked this is not to be thanked for
his question. We ask, are you more keen than the
Sahaabah to understand the attributes of Allaah?
If he says yes, we tell him, you are lying. And
if he says no, we tell him, then be content with
what they were content with. They did not ask
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), `O Messenger of Allaah,
when He comes down, does He vacate the Throne?'
Why do you need to ask this question? Just say,
He comes down. Whether or not the Throne is
vacated is not your business. You are commanded
to believe the reports, especially concerning
the essence of Allaah and His attributes, for
this matter is above rational thought.
Majmoo' Fataawa Shaykh Muhammad
al-`Uthaymeen, 1/204-205
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said concerning this matter:
"The correct view is that He descends and
that He does not vacate the Throne. A person's
soul remains attached to his body night and day
until he dies, but when he is asleep it ascends…
It was said, night varies, and the last third of
the night comes sooner in the east than in the
west, so the descent of Allaah to the lowest
heaven, of which His Messenger spoke, happens in
the east first and then in the west..."
See Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn Taymiyah,
5/132
Rising over (istiwaa') and descending
are two of the practical attributes which have
to do with the will of Allaah. Ahl al-Sunnah
wa'l-Jamaa'ah believe in that, but in this
belief they avoid likening Allaah to any of His
creation or discussing how He is. It cannot
occur to them that Allaah's descending is like
the descending of any of His creatures or that
His rising over the Throne is like the rising
over of any of His creatures, because they
believe that there is nothing like unto Allaah
and He is the All-Hearer, All-Seer. They know on
rational grounds that there is a great
difference between the Creator and His
creatures, in their essence, attributes and
actions. It cannot occur to them to ask how He
descends, or how He rose over His Throne. The
point is that they do not ask how His attributes
are; they believe that there is a `how', but it
is unknown, so we can never imagine how it is.
We know for certain that what is narrated in
the Book of Allaah or the Sunnah of His Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is
true and is not self-contradictory, because
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Do they not then consider the Qur'aan
carefully? Had it been from other than Allaah,
they would surely, have found therein many a
contradiction"
[al-Nisaa' 4:82]
because contradictions in the reports would
mean that some of them were showing others to be
false, and this is impossible in the case of
that which Allaah and His Messenger tell us.
Whoever imagines that there are any
contradictions in the Book of Allaah or the
Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), or between the two, it is
either because of his lack of knowledge or
because he has failed to understand properly or
to ponder the matter correctly, so let him seek
further knowledge and strive to think harder
until the truth becomes clear to him. Then if
the matter is still not clear to him, let him
leave it to the One Who is All-Knowing and let
him put a stop to his illusions and say, as
those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say,
"We believe in it; the whole of it (clear and
unclear Verses) are from our Lord" [Aal `Imraan
3:7 _ interpretation of the meaning]. Let
him know that there is no contradiction in the
Qur'aan and Sunnah and no conflict between them.
And Allaah knows best.
See Fataawa Ibn `Uthaymeen, 3/237-238
Imagining that there is a conflict between
Allaah's descending to the lowest heaven and His
having risen over the Throne and His being high
above the heavens stems from making a comparison
between the Creator and the created being. For
man cannot imagine the unseen things of His
creation, such as the delights of Paradise, so
how can he imagine the Creator, may He be
glorified and exalted, the Knower of the Unseen.
So we believe in what has been narrated of His
rising over (the Throne), His descending and His
being High and Exalted. We affirm that (and
state that it is) in a manner that befits His
Majesty and Might.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
26348: Moulding one's
character in the way that Allaah loves based on
the meanings of His names and attributes
Question:
I heard one of the khateebs giving a Friday
khutbah and urging the people to adopt the
attributes of Allaah and to mould their
character after His. Is there a correct way to
understand this? Is there a scholarly precedent
for this statement?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The expression to which you refer is not
appropriate, but there is a correct
interpretation for it, which is encouraging
people to mould their character based on the
meanings implied by some of the attributes and
names of Allaah. That means looking at the
attributes of which it is appropriate for the
created being (man) to adopt the meanings
implied, in contrast to the attributes which
belong exclusively to Allaah, such as His being
the Creator, Provider, God, etc., for these are
attributes to which the created being can never
aspire and it is not permissible to claim such
attributes. Rather what is meant by the
attributes which Allaah loves for His slaves is
that they should develop the attitudes implied
by those attributes, such as knowledge, strength
in adhering to the truth, mercy, forbearance,
kindness, generosity, tolerance, etc. For Allaah
is All-knowing and loves those who are
knowledgeable; He is Strong and loves the strong
believer more than He loves the weak believer;
He is Generous and loves those who are generous;
He is Merciful and loves those who show mercy;
He is Forgiving and loves those who forgive,
etc. But the attributes of Allaah are more
perfect and greater than the attributes of the
created being (man), so there is no comparison
between them, because there is nothing like unto
Him in His attributes and actions, just as there
is nothing that can compare to Him in His
Essence. Rather it is sufficient for the created
being to have a share in these attributes in the
manner that befits him, within the limits set by
sharee'ah. If he oversteps the limits with
regard to generosity then he will become a
spendthrift; if he oversteps the limit with
regard to mercy then he will fail to carry out
the punishments decreed by sharee'ah; if he
oversteps the limits with regard to forgiveness
then he will forgive in an inappropriate manner.
These are just a few examples, from which others
may be deduced. The great scholar Ibn al-Qayyim
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said words to
this effect in his books `Uddat
al-Saabireen and al-Waabil al-Sayyib,
the texts of which follow. In `Uddat
al-Saabireen (p. 310) he said: "Because He
is al-Shakoor (the Appreciative) in the truest
sense, the most beloved of His creation to Him
are those who are characterized by the attribute
of thankfulness, and the most hated of His
creation to Him are those in whom this attribute
is lacking, or who are characterized by the
opposite. This applies to His Most Beautiful
Names: the most beloved of His creation to Him
are those who have the characteristic implied by
that meaning, and the most hated of them to Him
are those who have the opposite characteristic.
For this reason He hates the kaafir, the
wrongdoer, the hard-hearted, the miser, the
coward, the despicable and the depraved. He is
Beautiful and loves beauty; He is All-Knowing
and loves those who have knowledge; He is
Merciful and loves those who show mercy; He is
Beneficent and loves those who do good; He is
the Concealer and loves those who conceal (sins
or faults); He is All-Powerful and condemns
incapacity _ the stronger believer is more
beloved to Him than the weak believer. He is
Forgiving and loves forgiveness; He is One and
loves odd-numbered things. Everything that He
loves is implied by His Names and Attributes,
everything that He hates is the opposite of
that."
And he said in al-Waabil al-Sayyib (p.
43): "Generosity is one of the attributes of the
Lord, for He gives and does not take, He feeds
but He is not fed. He is the most generous of
those who are generous, the kindest of those who
are kind. The most beloved of His creation to
Him are those who bear the characteristics
implied by His attributes. For He is Kind and
loves those among His slaves who are kind; He is
All-Knowing and loves those who have knowledge;
He is All-Powerful and loves those who are
brave; He is Beautiful and loves beauty."
I hope that what we have mentioned here will
be sufficient. I ask Allaah to enable us all to
understand His religion and to adhere to it
properly, for He is All-Hearing,
Ever-Responsive. Praise be to Allaah the Lord of
the Worlds.
See: Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat
Mutanawwi'ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may
Allaah have mercy on him), 1/133.
(www.islam-qa.com)
22642: The difference
between the names and attributes of Allaah
Question:
What is the difference between the names and
attributes of Allaah?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The names of Allaah are all those names that
refer to Allaah Himself and also refer to one of
His perfect attributes that exist in Him, such
as al-Qaadir (the All-Powerful), al-`Aleem (the
All-Knowing), al-Hakeem (the Most Wise),
al-Samee' (the All-Hearing), al-Baseer (the
All-Seeing). These names refer to Allaah Himself
and to His qualities of knowledge, wisdom,
hearing, sight. So the names refer to two
things, while attributes refer to one thing. And
it was said that the name includes the attribute
and the attribute implies the name. We must
believe in all the attributes that have been
narrated from Allaah or from the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in a manner
that befits Allaah, whilst also believing that
He does not resemble any of His creation in any
of His attributes, just as He does not resemble
them in His Essence. Allaah says:
"Say (O Muhammad): He is Allaah, (the)
One.
AllaahusSamad [Allaah — the SelfSufficient
Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither
eats nor drinks)].
He begets not, nor was He begotten.
And there is none coequal or comparable unto
Him.""[al-Ikhlaas]
"There is nothing like Him, and He is the
AllHearer, the AllSeer"
[al-Shoora 42:11]
And Allaah is the Source of strength. May
Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family
and companions, and grant them peace.
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz.
(www.islam-qa.com)
21136: Ruling on saying "Ya
Wajh Allaah (O Face of Allaah)"
Question:
What is the ruling on what some people say,
"Ya Wajh Allaah (O Face of Allaah)"?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
This is not appropriate; although it may be
that they are referring to Allaah Himself.
From Fataawa Samaahat al-Shakh Muhammad ibn
Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) 1/117
(www.islam-qa.com)
21200: The highest
description
Question:
This is a question which is often asked, "Who
has the highest description?" Answers vary as
much as people do. There are some who say,
"Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him)" and others who say, "My father,"
and so on. What is your view of this question?
How does it relate to the aayah from Soorat
al-Nahl (interpretation of the meaning):
"For those who believe not in the Hereafter
is an evil description, and for Allaah is the
highest description. And He is the All Mighty,
the All Wise"
[al-Nahl 16:60]
and the aayah from Soorat al-Room
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And He it is Who originates the creation,
then He will repeat it (after it has been
perished); and this is easier for Him. His is
the highest description (i.e. none has the right
to be worshipped but He, and there is nothing
comparable unto Him) in the heavens and in the
earth. And He is the All Mighty, the All Wise"
[al-Room 30:27]??
Please advise us, may Allaah reward you.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The meaning that you have referred to varies.
If you mean who is most deserving of being
described as the highest, then the answer is
that this is Allaah alone, because He is the One
Who has the highest description in every sense;
He is Perfect in His essence, His Attributes and
His Deeds, with no peer, equal or rival. This is
what is meant in the two aayahs you quoted in
your question. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Say: `I seek refuge with (Allaah) the
Lord of mankind,
The King of mankind —
The Ilaah (God) of mankind,
From the evil of the whisperer (devil who
whispers evil in the hearts of men) who
withdraws (from his whispering in one's heart
after one remembers Allaah'"
[al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4]
"There is nothing like Him, and He is the All
Hearer, the All Seer" [al-Shoora 42:11]
But if you mean, who is the highest example
in character and attitude, then the answer is,
the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), because he is the most perfect of
mankind in guidance, living, word and deed, and
he is the highest example for the believers in
their life, actions, jihaad, patience and other
virtuous characteristics, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah
(Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for
him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allaah and
the Last Day, and remembers Allaah much"
[al-Ahzaab 33:21]
And Allaah says describing His Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And verily, you (O Muhammad) are on an
exalted (standard of) character"
[al-Qalam 68:4]
`Aa'ishah said: "His (standard of) character
was the Qur'aan." What this means is that he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used
to act in accordance with the commands of the
Qur'aan and heed its prohibitions, and that he
had the characteristics for which people are
praised in the Qur'aan and he avoided the
characteristics for which people are condemned
in the Qur'aan. And Allaah is the Source of
strength
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah li
Samaahat al-Shaykh al-`Allaamah `Abd al-`Azeez
ibn `Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy
on him), vol. 4, p. 425 (www.islam-qa.com)
10244: Allaah is All-Aware
of everything?
Question:
What is the meaning of the aayah "And Allaah
is All-Aware of everything" (al-Baqarah 2:231 _
interpretation of the meaning)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah knows and is aware of all things.
Nothing on earth or in heaven is hidden from
Him, be it words or deeds, movements or
cessation of movement, acts of obedience or acts
of disobedience.
"Know you not that Allaah knows all that
is in the heaven and on the earth? Verily, it is
(all) in the Book (AlLawh AlMahfooz). Verily,
that is easy for Allaah" [al-Hajj 22:70 _
interpretation of the meaning]
Allaah has encompassed all things with His
knowledge, and has written it in al-Lawh
al-Mahfooz, as He says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Neither you (O Muhammad) do any deed nor
recite any portion of the Qur'aan, nor you (O
mankind) do any deed (good or evil), but We are
Witness thereof, when you are doing it. And
nothing is hidden from your Lord (so much as)
the weight of an atom (or small ant) on the
earth or in the heaven. Not what is less than
that or what is greater than that but is
(written) in a Clear Record"[Yoonus 10:61]
Allaah Alone knows the unseen. He knows what
is in the heavens and what is on earth, as
Allaah says of Himself (interpretation of the
meaning):
"…I know the Ghayb (Unseen) in the heavens
and the earth, and I know what you reveal and
what you have been concealing" [al-Baqarah 2:33]
Allaah knows all things. The keys of the
unseen are known to no one but Him, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all
that is hidden), none knows them but He. And He
knows whatever there is in the land and in the
sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is
not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor
anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear
Record" [al-An'aam 6:59]
Allaah alone is the One Who knows when the
Hour will begin, when rain will fall, what is in
the wombs, what each person will do, and when
and where each person will die. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, Allaah, with Him (Alone) is the
knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain,
and knows that which is in the wombs. No person
knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person
knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allaah
is AllKnower, AllAware (of things)"
[Luqmaan 31:34]
Allaah is with us and nothing we do is
concealed from Him…
"And He is with you (by His Knowledge)
wheresoever you may be. And Allaah is the
AllSeer of what you do" [al-Hadeed 57:4 _
interpretation of the meaning]
Allaah is always watching us. He knows what
we do, whether it is good or bad. Then He will
tell us of that and will reward or punish us
accordingly on the Day of Resurrection, as He
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Have you not seen that Allaah knows
whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is
on the earth? There is no Najwa (secret counsel)
of three but He is their fourth (with His
Knowledge, while He Himself is over the Throne,
over the seventh heaven), — nor of five but He
is their sixth (with His Knowledge), — nor of
less than that or more but He is with them (with
His Knowledge) wheresoever they may be. And
afterwards on the Day of Resurrection He will
inform them of what they did. Verily, Allaah is
the AllKnower of everything" [al-Mujaadilah
58:7]
Allaah Alone knows the unseen and the seen,
what is secret and what is open, as He says of
Himself (interpretation of the meaning):
"AllKnower of the unseen and the seen, the
Most Great, the Most High"
[al-Ra'd 13:9]
And Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And if you (O Muhammad) speak (the
invocation) aloud, then verily, He knows the
secret and that which is yet more hidden"
[Ta-Ha 20:7]
From Usool al-Deen al-Islami, by Shaykh
Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri
(www.islam-qa.com)
9564: Allaah is above
Paradise
Question:
Is Allah above the heaven or in the heaven
physically ? Also, is it part of belief that
Allah is physically bigger than the universe ?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
We put this question to Shaykh `Abd
al-Rahmaan al-Barraak (may Allaah preserve him),
who answered as follows:
Praise be to Allaah, the Most High
(al-`Aliy), the Almighty
(al-`Azeem), the Most Great
(al-Kabeer), the Most High
(al-Muta'aal). Glory be to Allaah, the
Almighty (al-`Azeem). There is no god but
Allaah, and Allaah is Most Great. And peace and
blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his
family and companions…
One of the things which it is obligatory to
believe in is that Allaah is the Most High
(al-`Aliy, al-A'laa) and that He rose
over the Throne, as He has told us about Himself
in His Book. He, may He be glorified and
exalted, is above all things. The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in his
du'aa': "You are the Most High
(al-Zaahir) and there is nothing above
You."
We are also obliged to believe that He is the
Most Great (al-Kabeer), and that He is
greater than all things, and that He is the
Almighty (al-Azeem), and there is nothing
mightier than Him. Part of the perfection of His
might and power is that He will grasp the
heavens and the earth in His two Hands on the
Day of Resurrection, as He says (interpretation
of the meaning): "They made not a just
estimate of Allâh such as is due to Him. And on
the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth
will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will
be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified be He,
and High be He above all that they associate as
partners with Him!" [al-Zumar 39:62]
It must be noted that because Allaah is
perfect in His Highness and Power, He cannot
reside in anything that He has created. So it
cannot be said that He is in Paradise. On the
contrary, He is above the Throne which is the
roof of al-Firdaws, and al-Firdaws is the
highest part of Paradise. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When you
ask Allaah for Paradise, ask Him for al-Firdaws,
for it is the highest part of Paradise and it is
in the middle of Paradise, and its roof is the
Throne of the Most Merciful."
It is not permissible for the Muslim to think
about the essence of Allaah, or to try to
imagine His might, for the human mind is
incapable ot comprehending the real essence and
attributes of the Lord, and how they are. As
Imaam Maalik said, when he was asked about how
Allaah rose over the Throne: "We know that He
rose over it, but we do not know how. Believing
in it is obligatory and asking about it is
bid'ah." Shaykh `Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak
(www.islam-qa.com)
9347: Translation of the
Names of Allaah into languages other than Arabic
Question:
Is it a kind of distortion to translate the
names of Allaah into any other language?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permissible to translate the names of
Allaah for those who do not know Arabic, if the
translator has a good knowledge of both
languages, just as it is permissible to
translate for them the meanings of the verses of
the Qur'aan and the hadeeth of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so
that they may learn about Islam.
And Allaah is the source of strength. May
Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family
and companions, and grant them peace.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 3/122
(www.islam-qa.com)
11278: The meaning of
Allaah's name al-Haseeb
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name
al-Haseeb (the Reckoner, the Bringer to
Account)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Haseeb is the One who is Sufficient. He is
Sufficient for those who put their trust in Him,
and He is Sufficient and does not need
witnesses.
"Certainly, Allaah is Ever a Careful
Account Taker of all things"
[al-Nisaa' 4:86 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
It may also be interpreted as al-Hafeez (the
Preserver), i.e., He keeps records of all
actions, then He will requite them. Allaah is
the Bringer to Account of His slaves, i.e., He
will bring them to account for their deeds and
will requite them for them according to His
Wisdom and knowledge of the smallest and
greatest of their actions. So they will be
brought to account for good and evil, down the
minutest detail.
He is the One Whose blessings and gifts are
known. He knows about fractions and
measurements, such as people may come to know
through calculations, but He knows them without
calculating. For the one who is counting knows
things step-by-step, and he knows the total
after he has finished calculating, but the
knowledge of Allaah is not dependent upon
procedures.
He is the Sufficient, in both a general and a
specific sense.
In the general sense, He takes care of all
His slaves with regard to the things that
concern them, both spiritual and worldly, such
as attaining benefits and warding off harm.
In the specific sense, He takes care of His
pious slaves who put their trust in Him in such
a way as to reform their worldly and spiritual
affairs. For example, Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): "O Prophet
(Muhammad)! Allaah is Sufficient for you and for
the believers who follow you" [al-Anfaal 8:64]
i.e., He is Sufficient for you and Sufficient
for your followers. As much as a person follows
the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), both outwardly and inwardly, and as
much as he worships Allaah, Allaah will take
care of him and give him support and victory.
For only Allaah can take care of His slaves, so
He is the only One in Whom they should put their
trust, Whom they should fear and worship, as
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Is not Allaah Sufficient for His slave?"
[al-Zumar 39:36]
Allaah is the Swiftest in bringing to
account. When His slaves come before Him He will
bring them to account and that will not present
any difficulty to Him. He knows their numbers,
their deeds, their lifespans and all their
affairs. He has taken accounted them and He
knows their amounts; He does not reckon it by
counting on His fingers, but He knows it and
nothing is hidden from Him. Not even the weight
of an atom or a smaller or greater amount than
that is hidden from Him, but it is written in a
clear Record.
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
"He is the Sufficient, He fulfils [His
slaves'] needs and protects [them], and He takes
care of His slaves at every moment."
From Sharh Asmaa' Allaahu ta'aala al-Husna,
by Dr. Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 93
(www.islam-qa.com)
11277: Meaning of al-Baatin
and al-Zaahir
Question:
Could you please explain to us the meaning of
Allaah's names al-Baatin (the Most Near or the
Hidden) and al-Zaahir (the Most High or the
Manifest)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The meaning of these two names is explained
in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him), according to which the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "You are al-Zaahir, and there is
nothing above You, and You are al-Baatin and
there is nothing beneath You." (Narrated by
Muslim).
Al-Zaahir is interpreted as referring to
highness, for Allaah is High and Exalted above
all things. Some scholars interpreted it as
meaning being manifest: He is the One Who is
manifest to people by means of their reason
through the proof of His existence and the
evidence for His Oneness. So He is manifest by
the evidence which points to Him and His actions
which lead to knowledge of Him. So He is
manifest and is known by means of reason and
evidence, and He is Hidden because He is not
seen, unlike all the things that are visible in
this world _ glorified and exalted be He far
above such a thing.
Allaah is al-Zaahir by virtue of His Wisdom,
power of creation, actions and all the blessings
which He bestows. No one is to be seen in that
regard except Him. Al-Baatin is the One Whose
essential nature and attributes are veiled from
men of understanding.
It was reported that some scholars
interpreted al-Baatin as meaning Close, so they
said that al-Baatin is closer than anything by
His Knowledge and Power, but He is above His
Throne.
Al-Baatin was also interpreted as meaning the
one who knows the innermost matters (bawaatin
al-umoor), just as He knows the outward
appearance of all things.
Al-Bukhaari said: Yahyaa _ i.e., al-Farraa' _
said: "He is al-Zaahir over all things by His
knowledge and He is al-Baatin over all things by
His knowledge."
Some scholars interpreted it as meaning that
He cannot be known through the physical
faculties or senses, unlike the created things
that can be known in this manner.
And it was said that He is veiled from His
creatures' sight and imagination, so they cannot
see Him or encompass Him with their minds.
Although all of these meanings are correct,
it is best to adhere to the Prophet's
interpretation, which is the best because the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) knows Allaah better than anyone else in
creation. Ibn Jareer said: "Al-Zaahir (is) above
everything else, He is the Most High, above all
things, and there is nothing higher than Him.
And He is close (al-Baatin) to all things, and
there is nothing closer to anything than Him."
Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned that whoever denies
that Allaah is above all things rejects the
implications of His name al-Zaahir. It is not
correct to say that al-Zaahir refers only to
highness of status, as gold is described as
being higher (of a higher status) than silver,
because the one which is described as being
lower may be placed in a higher location. It is
not correct to think of it only in terms of
power and dominion, even though Allaah is higher
in power and dominion, for He is high in every
sense, in His Essence, His status and His
dominion.
His name al-Baatin does imply being low, for
being low is a shortcoming, and He is far above
any such imperfection. He is the Most High and
cannot be anything but High.
The names al-Zaahir and al-Baatin are
connected. Al-Zaahir is connected to the idea of
highness, because the higher a thing is, the
more manifest it is. The idea of being high
implies being manifest, and vice versa. Hence
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "There is nothing above You" _
he did not say "There is nothing more manifest
than You", because being manifest implies being
high.
(These names also indicate) that Allaah
encompasses all things by His knowledge and
greatness, and that all things are as nothing
before His greatness. And He is al-Baatin which
indicates that He knows what is secret and
hidden, down to the smallest detail.
From Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husna by
Dr. Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 61 (www.islam-qa.com)
11220: What is the meaning
of Allaah's name al-Muqeet?
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name
al-Muqeet (The Ever All-Able, All-Witness)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. Ibn Jareer mentioned a
number of opinions concerning the meaning of
this name: al-Muqeet means al-Hafeez (the
Protector), al-Shaheed (the Witness), al-Hasab
(the Sufficient), the One Who is in control of
all things. He thought that the last
interpretation is the correct one. Allaah is
al-Muqeet, i.e., the Protector, the Witness, the
One Who is Able to do all things. Al-Muqeet is
the Preserver, the Omnipotent, the Witness; He
is the One Who sends down provision to His
creatures and shares it out among them.
Al-Muqeet is the Sustainer; He is taking care of
all living beings, for when He causes parts of
them to die over time, He compensates for that.
At every moment He gives them what they need to
survive, until He wills to put an end to their
life _ then He withholds what keeps them alive,
and so they die. Some reports give the name
al-Mugheeth instead of al-Muqeet. Al-Mugheeth is
interpreted as meaning the Helper, for He helps
His slaves at times of difficulty when they call
upon Him; He answers them and saves them. It
also has the meaning of the One Who responds and
the One Who is called upon. Ighaathah [help]
refers to actions and istijaabah [responding]
refers to words, but they may be used
interchangeably. Ibn al-Qayyim said: "He is the
Helper of all His creatures, and He responds to
those who are desperate."
Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husna by Dr.
Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 246 (www.islam-qa.com)
11157: What is the meaning
of Allaah's name al-Quddoos?
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name
al-Quddoos (the Holy)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Quddoos (the Holy) is the One Who is
Blessed and Pure, who is exalted above all
impurity. It was said that the angels sanctify
Him and He, may He be exalted, is the One Who is
praised for His virtues and goodness.
Allaah is al-Quddoos because He is far above
having any opposites, rivals, partner or son. He
is described as being perfect, and is far above
having any faults or shortcomings at all. He is
far above anything being near Him or like Him in
any aspect of His perfection. Ibn Jareer said:
"Taqdees (sanctification) is
purification and veneration… Quddoos… purity and
veneration are for Him, hence land may be
described as ard muqaddasah or holy land,
meaning that it is pure. When the angels say
`Nuqaddisu laka (we sanctify You)' it
means we attribute to You Your attributes of
being pure and free of all impurities and of all
that the people of kufr attribute to You. It was
said that the angels' sanctification of their
Lord is their prayer (salaah). Then he mentioned
some of the comments of the mufassireen, who
said that taqdees (sanctification) may
mean prayer, veneration, glorification,
magnification or obedience. Salaah and
veneration come back to purification because
they declare Him to be pure and free from all
that the people of kufr attribute to Him.
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
One of His attributes is the Holy, declaring
Him to be above all imperfection and glorifying
the Most Merciful
Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husnaa by Dr.
Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 198 (www.islam-qa.com)
11186: The meaning of
Allaah's name al-Waasi'
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name
al-Waasi' (the All-Sufficient for His creatures'
needs; the All-Embracing)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah encompasses all of His creation with
His care, blessings, generosity and kindness.
Allaah is the Self-Sufficient Whose provision is
sufficient for all of His creatures. There is no
one who does not eat from His provision; no one
is able to eat from anything other than His
provision. His Mercy encompasses all things and
He fulfils every need. He is the One Who gives
much; He has sufficient means to respond to the
requests of all, and He encompasses all things
as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"all things He comprehends in His
knowledge"
[Ta-Ha 20:98 _ Yusuf `Ali's translation of
the meaning]
Al-Waasi' may include meanings that are not
implied by the name al-Ghaniy. It is said (in
Arabic), Waasi' al-Fadl and Waasi' al-Rahmah,
meaning that His mercy encompasses all things
and His knowledge encompasses all things. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
" `Our Lord! You comprehend all things in
mercy and knowledge'"
[Ghaafir 40:7]
This name implies that nothing is beyond Him,
nothing is hidden from Him, His knowledge and
power are vast, may He be glorified.
Allaah is the One Whose attributes are
immense, as is all that is connected to them. No
one can praise Him sufficiently; He is as He has
praised Himself. His might, power and dominion
are vast, and He is Great in bounty and
goodness, and Most Generous.
Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husnaa by Dr.
Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 268 (www.islam-qa.com)
11184: The meaning of
Allaah's name al-Wakeel
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name
al-Wakeel (the Disposer of Affairs)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Wakeel is al-Hafeez (the Preserver),
al-Muheet (the One who encompasses all things).
And it was said that it means al-Shaheed (the
Witness).
He is the Sustainer Who guarantees provision
for His slaves and Who protects their interests.
The reality is that He controls all affairs
independently. The powers of creation and
command belong entirely to Him and no one else
possesses anything of them. And it was said that
it means al-Haafiz, Who guarantees to sustain
all that He has created.
It was said that it means al-Kafeel (the
Guarantor), and He is the best Guarantor to
provide for us.
It was said that it means al-Kaafi (the
Sufficient), and He is the most Sufficient.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"and they said: `Allaah (Alone) is
Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer
of affairs (for us)." [Aal `Imraan 3:173]
— meaning, He is sufficient for us. Al-Wakeel
in Arabic means the one who is entrusted to run
the affairs of the one who entrusted them to
him. The believers referred to in this aayah had
entrusted their affairs to Allaah and put their
trust in Him, so He described Himself as
fulfilling that trust and them as having put
their trust in Him, so He said, the Best
Disposer of affairs for them. When a person puts
his trust in his Lord, he submits to His
Lordship and becomes a true slave of Him. Allaah
has complete authority, meaning that al-Wakeel
has full knowledge of that which has been
entrusted to Him and He encompasses all its
details; He has full power to deal with it and
protect that which has been entrusted to Him, by
His wisdom and His knowledge of how to deal with
it in the most suitable manner.
Allaah is the One Who is above all
shortcomings in any of His attributes; He is the
Disposer of all affairs. This indicates that His
knowledge encompasses all things and that He has
perfect power to control all affairs with
perfect wisdom, for He is the Best Disposer of
Affairs.
Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husnaa by Dr.
Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 276 (www.islam-qa.com)
10282: Is al-Ahad one of the
names of Allaah?
Question:
is alahad one of allah names .can I call my
son abdalahad?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, al-Ahad is one of the names of Allaah
which are mentioned in the Qur'aan. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad): He is Allaah, (the)
One.
AllaahusSamad [Allaah — the SelfSufficient
Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither
eats nor drinks)]."
[al-Ikhlaas 112:1-2]
Therefore it is permissible to call your son
`Abd al-Ahad or `Abd al-Samad.
Shaykh `Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak.
The meaning of al-Ahad is the Unique, who is
forever One and has never and will never have
another alongside Him. (al-Nihaayah,
1/35).
Allaah is Unique in His Oneness, in being One
in His essence and attributes. Some (scholars)
differentiated between al-Waahid and al-Ahad by
saying that al-Waahid refers to His being one in
His essence only, whilst al-Ahad means that He
is one in both His essence and His attributes.
(Tafseer Asmaa' Allaah by al-Zajjaaj, p.
58).
And it was said that al-Waahid means He is
unique in His essence and does not have any peer
or rival, and al-Ahad is Unique in His
attributes. So al-Waahid is one in and of
Himself, and al-Ahad means being one in His
attributes. Al-Ahad is one of the attributes of
Allaah which belong uniquely to Him, and in
which nothing else has a share. (Lisaan
al-`Arab _Ahad _ 1/35; wahida
8/4779 _ 4783). Allaah is al-Waahid al-Ahad, and
has no second, no partner, no peer and no rival.
He is al-Waahid upon Whom His slaves depend and
Whom they seek. They do not put their trust in
anyone except Him. (Ishtiqaaq Asmaa'
Allaah, 90-93). He is al-Waahid and there is
none like unto Him. Everything other than Him
that is called one in some aspect will not be
one in many other aspects. (Sha'n
al-Du'aa', 82-83)
Ibn Jareer believed that the Oneness of
Allaah ruled out there being anything else that
could be like Him. Allaah has no peer and no
rival. He is the One God, the One Lord, and no
one other than Him deserves to be obeyed; no one
other than Him should beworshipped. (Tafseer
Ibn Jareer, 3/265-266)
And Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah (God —
Allaah)" [al-Baqarah 2:163]
Allaah is One and is Perfect in all ways; He
has no partner or associate. His slaves must
affirm His Oneness in their hearts and in their
words and deeds, by acknowledging His absolute
perfection and directing all acts of worship
solely to Him. (Tayseer al-Kareem
al-Rahmaan, 5/485)
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
11194: What is the meaning
of Allaah's name al-Shaheed?
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name
al-Shaheed (the Witness)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Shaheed is the One Who is honest and
trustworthy in His testimony. It was said He is
the One from Whose knowledge nothing is missing.
Al-Shaheed is the One Who is present and
witnessing. He is also the One who will testify
against His creation on the Day of Resurrection.
He points to His Oneness (Tawheed) in all that
He has created.
Al-Shaheed is al-Khabeer (the All-Aware),
al-`Aleem (All-Knowing). It all comes back to
His knowledge; the first name refers to that
which is apparent, the second refers to that
which is hidden, and the third refers to both.
Because nothing is hidden from Allaah, He is
both Shaahid and Shaheed (Witness), i.e., He
knows their reality like one who sees and
witnesses them, because nothing at all is hidden
from Him.
And He will be the Witness for the oppressed
who have no other witness or supporter against
the aggressors and oppressors who have no one to
stop them in this world from abusing the rights
of the oppressed. So He will restore their
rights and avenge them.
Allaah is the One Who is watching over all
things. He hears all voices, loud and silent
alike. He sees all that exists, great and small
alike. His knowledge encompasses all things, and
He is the One Who will bear witness for and
against His slaves with regard to what they do.
Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husnaa by Dr.
Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 156 (www.islam-qa.com)
11364: What is the meaning
of Allaah's name al-Rafeeq?
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name
al-Rafeeq (the Most Kind)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah is Kind to His slaves. He is Kind in
His actions _ He creates all created beings in
stages according to His wisdom and kindness,
although He is Able to create them all at once,
in a single moment. Whoever studies His laws and
sees how they came step by step, will see that
this bears testimony to His kindness, may He be
glorified.
Allaah is Kind and He does not hasten,
because the one who hastens is the one who is
afraid that he will miss something. But all
things are under His control and dominion, so he
does not hasten.
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
He is Kind and loves people who are kind; by
His kindness He gives them more than they can
wish for.
Sharh Asmaa ; Allaah taaala al-Husna by Dr.
Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 134 (www.islam-qa.com)
11388: What is the meaning
of Allaah's name al-Sayyid?
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name
al-Sayyid (the Master)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah is al-Sayyid (the Master), i.e., the
Sovereign of the universe; all of creation is
enslaved to Him.
Allaah is the One Who is needed in an
absolute sense. No created being is independent
of Him. If He did not create them, they would
not exist, and if He did not sustain them after
creating them, they would not remain. If He did
not help them with all that they are faced with,
they would have no help besides Him. So it is
His right that His created beings should call
Him, and none other, al-Sayyid. Sharh Asmaa'
Allaah ta'aala al-Husna by Dr. Hissah al-Sagheer
(www.islam-qa.com)
11302: What is the meaning
of Allaah's name al-Subooh?
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name
al-Subooh (the Glorified One)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Subooh is the One Who is above all that is
not befitting to Him and He is above all the
shortcomings and (imperfect) qualities which are
inherent in His creation.
Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husna by Dr.
Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 138 (www.islam-qa.com)
11391: The meaning of
Allaah's name al-Mateen
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name
al-Mateen (the Most Strong) ?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. Allaah is the Owner of
Power, the Most Strong, i.e., He has immense
Power. He is All-Strong and All-Powerful; His
Power never fails, and whatever He does, it
never results in difficulty, discomfort or
tiredness for Him. His Power is perfect and
complete, it never wanes or decreases _ exalted
be Allaah far above such a thing.
Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husnaa by Dr.
Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 229 (www.islam-qa.com)
11317: The meaning of
Allaah's name al-Musawwir
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name
al-Musawwir (the Fashioner, the Bestower of
forms)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah is the Bestower of forms. His creation
is as is He wills, and He is the One Who formed
and gave shape to all that exists. He has given
everything its own form and distinct shape, even
though His creation is so great and so varied.
He has bestowed forms, not by way of copying _
glorified and exalted be He far above such a
thing.
When He wills a thing, He merely says to it
"Be!" and it is, with the attributes that He
wills and the form that He has chosen for it. He
does what He wills and creates what He wills in
the form that He wills.
Some scholars differentiated between
al-Khaaliq (the Creator), al-Baari' (the Maker)
and al-Musawwir (the Bestower of forms) as
follows:
Al-Khaaliq (the Creator) is the One Who
created from nothing all creatures that exist,
according to their decreed qualities.
Al-Baari' is the One Who made man from
al-baraa, i.e., clay.
Al-Musawwir is the One Who creates various
forms and shapes.
So al-Khaaliq is a general word, al-Baari' is
more specific and al-Musawwir is even more
specific.
Kitaab Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husnaa,
by Dr. Hissah al-Sagheer, 240 (www.islam-qa.com)
11301: What is the meaning
of Allaahs name al-Hayiy?
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name al-Hayiy
(the Modest)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) described his Lord as being modest.
The modesty of Allaah cannot be comprehended by
human understanding, and no mind can understand
its nature. It is modesty that is based on
kindness, goodness, generosity and majesty. By
His mercy, generosity, perfection and
forbearance, Allaah is too modest to expose His
slaves, show them up or carry out His punishment
on them. He is too modest to reject anyone who
stretches forth his hand to Him, and He loves
people who are modest.
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
"He is the Modest who does not expose His
slave even though he audaciously commits sin.
But He covers him, for He is the Concealer,
the One Who forgives."
Sharh Asmaa Allaah taaala al-Husnaa, by Dr.
Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 114 (www.islam-qa.com)
11366: What are the meanings
of Allaah's names al-Muqaddim and Mu'akhkhir?
Question:
What are the meanings of Allaah's names
al-Muqaddim (the Expediter, the One Who brings
forward) and al-Mu'akhkhir (the Delayer, the One
Who puts back)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah is the One Who gives precedence to
whatever has to be given precedence with regard
to rulings and the order of things, as and how
He likes. Whatever He gives precedence to should
be given precedence, and whatever He gives less
priority to should be given less priority. He is
the One Who puts back what has to be put back,
and there is wisdom and goodness in whatever He
does, even though the purpose of that wisdom and
goodness may be hidden from us.
Allaah is the One Who sends down events,
expediting or delaying them as He wills, in
accordance with His decree which came before He
created all things. He gives preference to those
among His close friends (awliya') whom He
loves over others among His slaves; He raises
some of His created beings above others in
status; He brings forward those whom He wills to
higher ranks and He keeps down those whom He
wills; He postpones things from their expected
times because in His wisdom He knows the
consequences of the delay. None can bring
forward what He puts back and none can put back
what He brings forward.
Taqdeem (expediting, bringing forward)
includes:
Al-taqdeem al-kawni (universal
bringing forward): such as creating some created
beings over others, making cause precede effect,
conditions precede results, etc.
Al-taqdeem al-shar'i (preference in
status): such as giving a higher status to some
Prophets over others, and giving all Prophets a
higher status than other people, and giving a
higher status to some people than others, all in
accordance with His Wisdom.
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
He is the Expediter and the Delayer, and
these are two qualities of His deeds
As well as being attributes of His Essence.
Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husnaa by Dr.
Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 218 (www.islam-qa.com)
11347: The meaning of
Allaah's name al-Mu'min
Question:
What is the meaning of Allaah's name
al-Mu'min (the Giver of Security)?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah is al-Mu'min, the One Who will
fulfil the promise to the sincere. He calls His
slaves to believe in Him and He has control over
the security of His creation in this world and
in the Hereafter. And He declares Himself to be
One, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah bears witness that Laa ilaaha illa
Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but
He)" [Aal `Imraan 3:18]
Al-Mu'min is the one Who accepts His
believing slaves, i.e., He accepts their faith
and sincerity and makes them steadfast. And He
fulfils His promise to His slave of reward.
He gives security to His close friends
(awliya') by keeping them safe from His
punishment and torment. So they are safe, and no
one is safe except those to whom He grants
safety. He fulfils what His slaves think of Him
and never allows their hopes to be dashed.
He is the one Who declared Himself to be One,
as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah (God —
Allaah)" [al-Baqarah 2:163]
He is the One Who guarantees not to treat His
creation unjustly, and the one who does not
deserve His punishment is safe from it.
He is the One Who will accept the testimony
of His Muslim slaves on the Day of Resurrection,
when the nations will be asked whether the
Messengers conveyed the Message. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
" [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him)] has faith in the believers"
[al-Tawbah 9:61]
All of these attributes belong to Allaah
because He spoke the truth of Tawheed to which
He calls His slaves. He guarantees that His
slaves will not be treated unjustly [in the
Hereafter] and promises Paradise to those who
believe in Him and Hell to those who disbelieve
in Him. And He is the One Who keeps His promise.
Sharh Asmaa' Allaah ta'aala al-Husna by Dr.
Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 220 (www.islam-qa.com)
5468: How should we imagine
Allaah to be?
Question:
I do hope I am not asking a stupid question.
I would like to know how a believe in Islam
should imagine Allah to be. I know He is
invisible but should I visualize him in a human
form or a light. Please help me. Thank you very
much beforehand. May Allah's Blessings be always
upon you. Wassalaam.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"There is nothing like unto Him, and He is
the All-Hearer, All-Seer." [al-Shoora 42:11].
There is nothing like unto Him, nothing that
is equal or comparable to Him or that can rival
Him. He is far above any resemblance to any
created being. Whatever crosses the mind of the
son of Adam with regard to his Lord, He is
greater than that. No creature can encompass
Him, may He be glorified and exalted, or imagine
what He looks like. Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"… and they will never encompass anything
of His
Knowledge." [Ta-Ha 20:110]
The Muslim is not supposed to try to imagine
or picture Allaah; rather, he has to believe in
the sublime attributes which befit His Might and
Majesty in which there is none like unto Him.
Part of the `aqeedah (basic beliefs, creed) of
the Muslims is that Allaah cannot be seen in
this world, as He says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"No vision can grasp Him" [al-An'aam 6:103]
But the believers will see Him in the
Hereafter, in the gathering-place where
judgement will be passed, and in Paradise. The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) was asked _ as it was reported in
Saheeh Muslim _ "Did you see your
Lord?" He said, "I saw Light." According to
another report: "Light, how could I see Him?"
This is in accordance with what Allaah said to
Moosa in Soorat al-A'raaf (interpretation
of the meaning):
" `You cannot see Me'" i.e., in this
world.
Neither the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) nor anybody else has seen
Allaah with his own two eyes. In the Hereafter,
when the people see Him in the place of
gathering, they will fall down in prostration
before His Might and Majesty. Seeing Him in
Paradise will be the greatest of all the joys
that the people of Paradise will experience.
You have to recognize Allaah by the Names and
Attributes which He has told us about in His
Book, and which His Messenger (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us about.
Do not occupy yourself with something that is
beyond you; devote yourself instead to doing
what your Lord has commanded you to do. Put
aside these whispers from the Shaytaan, and may
Allaah help you to do that which pleases Him.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih
Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
5457: Is Al-Rasheed one of
the Names of Allaah?
Question:
I have come across information conncerning
the authenticity of Ar-Rasheed as one of the
names of Allaah. However, I am unsure if this is
more correct than information I have been given
from Ash-Shawkaani's book "tuhfatu-dh
dhaakireen". Could you please clarify this for
me.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Rasheed is not one of the Names of Allaah,
because it was not narrated either in the
Qur'aan or in the Saheeh Sunnah. The Names of
Allaah are as they were narrated (with no room
for ijtihaad). It is not permissible to call
Allaah by any names other than those by which He
called Himself or He was called by His Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
2594: Some of the Names of
Allaah and their meanings
Question:
can you give all the meanings of attributes
of allah, including its literal and technical
meaning and where it is mentioned in the quran
or sunnah
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
This is a question which needs a very long
answer, but we will summarize it as follows:
Firstly, the names of Allaah are not limited
to any specific number. We know some of them and
do not know others, as is indicated by the
hadeeth of `Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah
be pleased with him), who said: "The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: `There is no one among you who, when
he is stricken with distress and grief, says,
"Allaahumma inni `abduka wabnu `abdika wabnu
amatika naasiyati bi yadika maadin fiyya
hukmuka, `adlun fiyya qadaa'uka. As'aluka bi
kull ismin huwa laka sammayti bihi nafsaka aw
allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw anzaltahu fi
kitaabika aw asta'tharta bihi fi `ilm il-ghayb
`indaka an taj'al al-Qur'aana rabee'a qalbi wa
noora sadri wa jilaa'a huzni wa dhahaaba
hammi [O Allaah, I am Your slave, sone of
Your slave and son of Your maidservant, my
forelock is in Your hand. Your command over me
is forever executed and Your decree over me is
just. I ask You by every name belonging to You
which You named Yourself with, or You taught to
any of Your creation, or revealed in Your Book,
or You have preserved in the knowledge of the
Unseen with You, that You nmake the Qur'aan the
life of my heart and the light of my breast, and
a departure for my sorrow and a release for my
anxiety]" _ but Allaah will remove his distress
and his grief, and will give him joy instead…"
(Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 3582; it is a saheeh
hadeeth).
Secondly, The names of Allaah are all
husnaa [Most Beautiful], as He says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to
Allaah, so call on Him by them, and leave the
company of those who belie or deny (or utter
impious speech against) His Names. They will be
requited for what they used to do."
[al-A'raaf 7:180]
The meaning of al-husnaa implies the
utmost beauty, and that each name includes the
quality of perfection.
Al-`Allaamah `Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Naasir ibn
Sa'di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Many
of the names of Allaah have been mentioned in
the Qur'aan, according to the context, but we
also need to point out their broader meanings,
so we say:
The name Rabb (Lord, Cherisher)
is repeated in many aayaat. The Rabb is the One
Who guides and cares for all of His slaves by
managing their affairs and bestowing different
kinds of blessings. In a more specific sense, He
cares for and guides His friends (devoted
slaves) by reforming and setting straight their
hearts and souls and attitudes. For this reason,
many of their du'aa's or prayers to Him address
Him by this glorious Name, because they are
asking Him for this specific kind of care.
The name Allaah refers to the
One Who is adored and worshipped, the One Who
possesses the attributes of divinity and to whom
all His creation is enslaved. The attributes of
divinity with which He describes Himself are the
attributes of perfection.
Al-Malik (the Sovereign),
al-Maalik (the Possessor),
Alladhi lahu'l-Mulk (the One to
Whom Dominion belongs). Allaah is the One Who is
described with the attributes of sovereignty and
dominion, which are the qualities of might and
pride, subjugation and control. He is the One
Who is in absolute control of creation, Who
issues commands and Who rewards or punishes. The
entire Universe, high and low, belongs to Him.
All of them are His servants and slaves, and are
utterly dependent on Him.
Al-Waahid (the One),
al-Ahad (the Unique). He is the
One Who is uniquely and utterly and perfectly
One, with no partners in His Uniqueness. His
slaves are obliged to believe in His Oneness, in
belief and word and deed, by recognizing that He
is absolutely perfect and is unique in His
oneness, and by directing all kinds of worship
to Him Alone.
Al-Samad (The Self-Sufficient
Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats
nor drinks). He is the One to Whom all of
creation turns for all of their needs, for He is
in and of Himself absolutely perfect, in His
Names and Attributes and Deeds.
Al-`Aleem (the All-Knowing),
al-Khabeer (the Aware). He is the
One Whose Knowledge encompasses all things, seen
and unseen, secret and open, everything that is
inevitable or impossible or possible, in heaven
and on earth, the past, the present and the
future. Nothing whatsoever is hidden from Him.
Al-Hakeem (the Wise). He is the
One Who has ultimate wisdom, in His creation and
in His commands. He is the One Who created
everything well.
"… And who is better in judgement than
Allaah for a people who have firm Faith."
[al-Maa'idah 5:50 _ interpretation of the
meaning].
He does not create anything in vain, or
legislate anything in jest. He is the One Who
has Dominion in this world and the next. His
ruling applies in three major spheres, in which
none else has any share with Him: He judges
between His slaves by means of His Law, His
decree and His reward/punishment.
Wisdom: He puts things in their rightful
places and gives them their rightful status.
Al-Rahman (the Most Gracious),
al-Raheem (the Most Merciful),
al-Barr (the Source of Goodness),
al-Kareem (the Most Generous),
al-Jawaad (the Generous),
al-Ra'oof (the Compassionate),
al-Wahhaab (the Bestower). These
names are all close in meaning, and they all
indicate that the Rabb is characterized by
mercy, goodness, and generosity. They testify to
the vastness of His mercy and other attributes,
with which He encompasses all of His creation to
the extent that His wisdom decrees, although the
greater share is bestowed upon the believers in
particular. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"… My Mercy encompasses all things. That
(Mercy) I shall ordain for those who are the
Muttaqoon (pious)…"
[al-A'raaf 7:156]
Blessings and goodness are all traces of His
Mercy and Generosity. The good things of this
world and the next are all traces of His Mercy.
Al-Samee' (the All-Hearing). He
hears all voices, in all the different
languages, no matter how many and how varied,
when they call on Him for their needs.
Al-Baseer (the All-Seeing) Who
has insight into all things, not matter how
small. He can see a black ant walking across the
face of a rock on the darkest night. He can see
what is below the seven levels of the earth and
what is above the seven heavens. He is the
All-Hearing and All-Seeing, Who knows who is
deserving of reward or punishment according to
His Wisdom.
Al-Hameed (the Praiseworthy),
Who is inherently deserving of praise, by His
Names, Attributes and deeds. He has the Most
Beautiful Names, the most perfect attributes and
the most perfect and beautiful deeds. His
actions always revolve around munificence and
justice.
Al-Majeed (the Most Glorious),
al-Kabeer (the Most Great),
al-`Azeem (the Most Great),
al-Jaleel (the Sublime One). These
Names describe Allaah with attributes of glory,
pride, greatness and majesty. He is greater than
everything, more mighty, more majestic and more
exalted. To Him belong glorification and
exaltation in the hearts of His close friends
and devoted slaves, whose hearts are filled with
veneration of His might and humble submission to
His glory.
Al-`Afuw (the Pardoner),
al-`Ghafoor (the Forgiver),
al-Ghaffaar (the All-Forgiving),
Who has always been and will always be known for
His pardon and forgiveness towards His slaves.
Everyone is in need of His pardon and
forgiveness, as they are in need of His mercy
and generosity. He has promised to forgive and
pardon whoever follows the appropriate means.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who
repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates
none in worship with Me) and does righteous good
deeds, and then remains constant in doing them
(till his death)."
[Ta-Ha 20:82]
Al-Tawwaab (the Acceptor of
Repentance). He always accepts the repentance of
those who repent and forgives the sins of those
who commit sin. Allaah accepts the repentance of
everyone who repents to Him sincerely. He is the
One Who forgives those who repent, firstly by
helping them to repent and causing their hearts
to turn towards Him. After they repent, He turns
to them and accepts their repentance, pardoning
their sins.
Al-Quddoos (the Holy) and
al-Salaam (the One Free from all
defects). Allaah is far above any attribute of
imperfection, and He is above being likened to
any of His creation.
"… There is nothing like unto Him…"
[al-Shoora 42:11]
"And there is none co-equal or comparable
unto Him."
[al-Ikhlaas 112:4]
"… Do you know of any who is similar to
Him?…"
[Maryam 19:65]
"… Then do not set up rivals unto Allaah (in
worship)…"
[al-Baqarah 2:22]
The names al-Quddoos and al-Salaam reject the
idea that He could be lacking in any way, and
they imply that He is absolutely perfect in all
aspects, because once the idea of imperfection
is rejected, this is proof of total perfection.
Al-`Aliyy (the Exalted),
al-A'laa (the Most High). He is
the One Who is completely exalted in all
aspects, in His essence, in His status, in His
attributes and in His dominion. He is the One
Who rose over the Throne and Who dominates all
things. In all the attributes of might, pride,
glory and beauty that are ascribed to Him, He
reaches the ultimate level.
Al-`Azeez (the Almighty), to
whom belong all might and power, the power of
strength, the power of dominion, the power of
invincibility. None of His creatures can harm
Him. He has subjugated all that exists, and the
whole of creation is under His control and is
subject to His might.
Al-Qawiy (the Most Strong),
al-Mateen (the Firm One). The
meanings of these Names are similar to the
meaning of al-`Azeez.
Al-Jabbaar (the Compeller).
This Names includes the meanings of al-`Aliyy,
al-A'laa and al-Qahhaar.
Al-Ra'oof (the Compassionate)
means the One Who consoles broken hearts and
supports the weak and those who seek His help
and turn to Him.
Al-Mutakabbir (the Majestic) is
the One Who is above all bad qualities,
shortcomings and faults, because of His might
and pride.
Al-Khaaliq (the Creator),
al-Baari' (the Inventor of all
things), al-Musawwir (the Bestower
of forms). He is the One Who has created from
nothing all that exists, and formed it by His
wisdom, praise be to Him. He has always been and
will always be known by this mighty attribute.
Al-Mu'min (the Guardian of
Faith), Who is praised for His own sake by His
perfect attributes, and by the perfection of His
majesty and beauty. He sent His Messengers and
revealed His Books with signs and proofs, and
confirmed His Messengers with signs and proofs,
to confirm the truth of the message they
brought.
Al-Muhaymin (the Watcher over
His creatures) Who is aware of everything that
is hidden and concealed, and Whose knowledge
encompasses all things.
Al-Qadeer (the Powerful), Whose
power is perfect. By His power He created all
things that exist, by His power He is
controlling all things and by His power He
formed them and perfected them. By His power He
gives life and death, and will resurrect His
slaves to receive their reward or punishment, so
that those who have done well will be rewarded
with good, and those who have done evil will be
punished. When Allaah wills a thing, He merely
says "Be!" and it is. By His power He controls
people's hearts, and He directs them as He
wills.
Al-Lateef (the Most Subtle and
Courteous), Whose knowledge encompasses
everything that is hidden and concealed. He
knows everything that is secret and understands
the most subtle things. He is Kind to His
believing slaves and takes care of their
interests by His benevolence and grace, in many
ways that they are not even aware of. This Name
also shares the meanings of al-Khabeer and
al-Ra'oof.
Al-Haseeb (the One Who takes
account). He is the One Who is All-Knowing about
His slaves. He is Sufficient for those who put
their trust in Him, and He rewards or punishes
His slaves for good and evil, according to His
wisdom. He knows about all their deeds, major
and minor.
Al-Raqeeb (the Watchful). He is
the One Who watches what is hidden in people's
hearts. "… He Who takes charge of every
person and knows all that he has earned"
[al-Ra'd 13:33 _ interpretation of the
meaning]. He protected His creation and set
it in motion, running according to the most
perfect system and controls.
Al-Hafeez (the Preserver). He
is the One Who protects what He has created and
encompasses it with His knowledge. He protects
His close friends from falling into sin and
destruction, and gently protects them when they
are active and when they are at rest. He counts
the deeds of His slaves and rewards or punishes
them accordingly.
Al-Muheet (the Encompasser). He
is the One Who encompasses all things with His
knowledge, power, mercy and dominion.
Al-Qahhaar (the Subduer). He is
the Subduer of all things, to Whom all of
creation submits because of His power and
strength and the perfection of His Might.
Al-Muqeet (the Provider of
sustenance). He gives provision to everything
that exists and directs the affairs of all as He
wills.
Al-Wakeel (the Trustee). He is
the One Who is in a position to run the affairs
of His creation, by His knowledge and the
perfection of His power and His encompassing
wisdom. He is the One Who is taking care of His
close friends, making the right way easy for
them and causing them to steer clear of the
wrong way. He is taking care of all their
affairs, and whoever puts his trust in Him will
find that He is Sufficient for him.
"Allaah is the Walee (Protector or Guardian)
of those who believe. He brings them out from
darkness into light…" [al-Baqarah 2:257 _
interpretation of the meaning].
Dhoo'l-Jalaali wa'l-Ikraam
(Possessor of Majesty and Honour), i.e., the
Possessor of Might and Pride, the Possessor of
Mercy and Generosity, Who is kind to everyone
and to specific individuals. He honours His
close friends and devoted worshippers who
glorify Him, extol His greatness and love Him.
Al-Wudood (the Loving). He
loves His Prophets and Messengers and their
followers, and they love Him. He is dearer to
them than everything else. He has filled their
hearts with love for Him and their tongues utter
words of praise to Him. Their hearts are drawn
to Him in love and sincerity and they turn in
repentance to Him at all times.
Al-Fattaah (the Opener). He
judges between His slaves according to His laws,
His decrees and His decisions concerning reward
and punishment. By His Grace He opens the eyes
of those who are sincere, and opens their hearts
to know Him, love Him and turn to Him in
repentance. He opens the door to all kinds of
mercy and provision for His slaves, and
generates the causes by means of which they can
earn good things in this world and the next.
"Whatever of mercy (i.e., good) Allaah may
grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and
whatever He may withhold, none can grant it
thereafter…" Faatir 35:2 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
Al-Razzaaq (the Provider), Who
provides for all His slaves. There is no living
creature on earth, but Allaah provides for it.
His provision for His slaves is of two types:
General provision, which include the
righteous and immoral, the first and the last.
This is the provision of physical needs.
Specific provision, which is provision for
the heart which is nourished with knowledge and
faith, and the halaal provision which helps a
person to adhere to religion. This provision is
specifically for the believers, and is given to
varying degrees according to His wisdom and
mercy.
Al-Hakam (the Judge),
al-`Adl (the Just). He judges
between His slaves in this world and the next,
with His justice and fairness. He does not
oppress anyone in the slightest, and no one is
made to bear the burden of another person's sin.
He does not punish a person more than he
deserves for his sin, he restores to people
their rights and does not leave anyone without
restoring what is his right. He is just in His
running of the universe and in His decision
making.
"… Verily, My Lord is on a Straight Path (the
truth)…"
[Hood 11:56 _ interpretation of the
meaning].
Jaami' al-Naas (Gatherer of the
People). He will gather all of mankind on the
Day concerning which there is no doubt. He has
comprehensive knowledge of their deeds and their
provision, and there is nothing, major or minor,
that He is not aware of. He will gather every
particle of their bodies that has disappeared or
been changed into something else, of all the
people who have died from the earliest times
until the latest times, by the perfection of His
power and the vastness of His knowledge.
Al-Hayy (the Ever-Living),
al-Qayyoom (the Self-Sustaining).
He is completely alive and sustains Himself, and
He sustains and cares for the people of heaven
and earth. He controls their affairs and
provides for them. The name al-Hayy encompasses
all the qualities of His essence and the name
al-Qayyoom encompasses all the qualities of His
deeds.
Al-Noor (the Light). He is the
Light of the heavens and of the earth, who
enlightens the hearts of the `aarifeen (those
who have proper knowledge of Him) with knowledge
of Him and fills their hearts with the light of
His guidance. He is the One Who illuminates the
heavens and the earth with the lights that He
has placed therein. His veil is Light and if it
were to be removed, everything of His creation
as far as He can see would be burnt, may He be
glorified.
Badee' al-Samawaati wa'l-Ard
(Originator of the heavens and the earth). He is
the One Who created them and formed them with
the utmost beauty and with the most magnificent
system of organization.
Al-Qaabid (the Constrictor),
al-Baasit (the Expander). He is
the One Who takes people's souls, and Who
provides them with ample provision and expands
their hearts. All of this is in accordance with
His Wisdom and Mercy.
Al-Mu'ti (the Giver),
al-Maani' (the Withholder). No-one
can withhold what He gives, and no one can give
what He withholds. All interests and benefits
are sought from Him, and the needs of all are
addressed to Him. He is the One Who gives them
to whomever He wills and withholds them from
whomever He wills, by His Wisdom and Mercy.
Al-Shaheed (the Witness). He is
the One Who watches over all things and hears
all voices, loud and soft. He sees all that
exists, great and small alike. His knowledge
encompasses all things, and He is the Witness
Who sees all the deeds of His slaves, good and
bad alike.
Al-Mubdi' (the Originator),
al-Mu'eed (the Restorer). Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And it is He Who originates the creation,
then will repeat (after it has perished)…"
[al-Room 30:27]
He initiated their creation, in order to test
them as to which of them would be best in deeds,
then He will re-create them in order to reward
with good those who did well, and punish those
who did evil.
He is the One Who initiated His creation in
stages, and Who is constantly renewing it.
Al-Fa"aal lima yureed (the One
Who does whatever He wants). This has to do with
the perfection of His power and the strength of
His will and ability. Everything He wants, He
does, with nothing to stop Him and no one to
oppose Him, and with no support or help, no
matter what it is. If He wants something, all he
has to do is say "Be!" and it is. Although He
can do whatever He wants, His will operates in
conjunction with His Wisdom, may He be praised,
so He is described as being completely Able and
being Strong of will, but also as being
completely Wise in all that He has done and will
do.
Al-Ghaniy (the
Self-Sufficient), al-Mughni (the
Enricher). He is independent in and of Himself,
and is completely Independent in all aspects,
because of His perfection and the perfection of
His attributes. Nothing can undermine His
perfection and make Him imperfect in any way
whatsoever. He cannot be anything but
Self-Sufficient, because this self-sufficiency
is one of His essential qualities, just as He
cannot be anything but the Creator, the Able,
the Provider, the Kind, Who does not need anyone
else at all.
He is the Self-Sufficient in Whose hands are
the treasures of the heavens and the earth, the
treasures of this world and of the Hereafter. He
gives His creation enough in general terms so
that they do not have to seek help of anyone
else, and He gives to specific people of the
divine knowledge and realities of faith with
which He has filled their hearts.
Al-Haleem (the Forbearing One).
He is the One Who showers His creation with
blessings both apparent and hidden, in spite of
their sins and many mistakes. He is Forbearing
and does not punish sinners straight away for
their sins. He rebukes them so that they will
repent, and gives them time to turn to Him in
repentance.
Al-Shaakir (the Grateful),
al-Shakoor (the Appreciative). He
is the One Who appreciates the smallest deed,
and forgives the greatest mistakes. He
multiplies beyond measure the deeds of those who
are sincere; He appreciates those who give
thanks to Him, and He remembers those who
remember Him. Whoever draws near to Him with
something of righteous deeds, He draws near to
him by more than that.
Al-Qareeb (the Ever-Near),
al-Mujeeb (the Responsive).
Allaah, may He be glorified, is near to
everyone, and His nearness is of two types:
His nearness to everyone in a general sense,
through His knowledge, watching, awareness and
witnessing, which encompass all things.
His nearness in a specific sense, to His
slaves, those who ask help of Him and those who
love Him. The true nature of this closeness
cannot be understood, but its effects may be
seen in His kindness towards His slave, and His
care, support and help of him. Another of its
effects is His response to those who call on Him
and His acceptance of the repentance of those
who worship Him. He is also the One Who responds
in a specific way to those who respond to Him
and follow His religion. He also responds to
those who are in need and to those who no longer
have any hope in any of His creation, and who
put their trust in Him, hoping for His pleasure
and fearing His wrath.
Al-Kaafi (the Sufficient). He
is the One Who gives His slaves all that they
need. More specifically, He is Sufficient for
the one who believes in Him and puts his trust
in Him and asks Him for all that he needs in
worldly and spiritual terms.
Al-Awwal (the First),
al-Aakhir (the Last);
al-Zaahir (the Manifest),
al-Baatin (the Hidden). The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) explained this in a clear and comprehensive
fashion when he said, addressing his Lord: "You
are the First, and there is nothing before You;
You are the Last, and there is nothing after
You. You are the Manifest and there is nothing
above You; You are the Hidden and there is
nothing beneath You."
Al-Waasi' (the
All-Encompassing). His attributes and qualities,
and everything that has to do with Him, are
all-encompassing in such a way that no one can
praise Him as He deserves, but He is as He
praised Himself, vast in power, might and
dominion, and vast in grace and kindness, and
vast in generosity and munificence.
Al-Haadi (the Guide),
al-Rasheed (the Guide to the Right
Path). He is the One Who guides His slaves and
shows them the way to all that will benefit
them, and protects them from all that will harm
them. He teaches them what they do not know, and
guides them to the true guidance which will help
them and set them straight. He fills them with
taqwa (piety) and causes their hearts to turn to
Him, in response to His command.
The name al-Rasheed has a meaning akin to
that of al-Hakeem: He is Wise in word and deed,
and all His laws are good and wise. His creation
testifies to His wisdom.
Al-Haqq (the Truth). He is true
in and of Himself and in His attributes. His
existence is undeniable, and His attributes are
perfect. His existence is one of His essential
qualities (He cannot but exist), and nothing
else can exist except through Him. He is the One
Who has always been and will always be described
with attributes of majesty, beauty and
perfection. He has always been and will always
be known for His Kindness. His words are truth;
the meeting with Him is truth; His Messengers
are truth; His Books are truth; His religion is
the Truth; the worship of Him Alone, with no
partners or associates, is the Truth; everything
that has to do with Him is truth. Allaah is the
Truth and whatever else they claim to be divine
besides Him is false. Allaah is the Most High,
the Most Great, as He says (interpretation of
the meanings):
"And say: `The Truth is from your Lord.' Then
whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever
wills, let him disbelieve…"
[al-Isra' 18:29].
"… So, after the truth, what else can there
be, save error?…"
[Yoonus 10:32]
"And say: `Truth has come and falsehood has
vanished. Surely, falsehood is ever bound to
vanish.'"[al-Isra' 17:81]
From Tayseer al-Kareem al-Rahmaan fi Tafseer
Kalaam al-Mannaan by Shaykh `Abd al-Rahmaan
al-Sa'di (5/620). (www.islam-qa.com)
4043: Importance of knowing
the Beautiful Names of Allaah
Question:
What is the importance of knowing the
Beautiful Names of Allaah?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Knowing the Beautiful Names of Allaah is very
important indeed, for the following reasons:
Knowledge of Allaah and His Names and
Attributes is the noblest and best of all
knowledge, because the level of honour of any
kind of knowledge has to do with the object of
knowledge, and the object of knowledge in this
case is Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted,
through His Names, Attributes and Deeds.
Occupying oneself with seeking this knowledge
and studying it properly is the pursuit of the
highest objective, and acquiring this knowledge
is one of the best gifts a person may be given.
Because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) explained it very clearly
and was very keen to do so, the Sahaabah never
disputed in this matter as they did over some of
the rulings (ahkaam).
Knowing Allaah makes a person love and fear
Him, and put his hope in Him, and be sincere
towards Him in his actions. This is the essence
of human happiness. There is no way to know
Allaah except by knowing His Most Beautiful
Names and seeking a proper understanding of
their meanings.
Knowing Allaah by His Most Beautiful Names
increases one's faith, as Shaykh `Abd al-Rahmaan
ibn Sa'di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
"Believing in and knowing the Most Beautiful
Names of Allaah includes the three types of
Tawheed: Tawheed al-Ruboobiyyah (Unity of Divine
Lordship), Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (Unity of the
Divine Nature) and Tawheed al-Asma' wa'l-Sifaat
(Unity of the Divine Names and Attributes).
These three types of Tawheed form the essence
and joy of faith (the word translated here as
"joy" implies peace and relief from stress), and
this knowledge is the basis and purpose of
faith. The more a person learns about the Names
and Attributes of Allaah, the more his faith
increases and the stronger his conviction
becomes." (Al-Tawdeeh wa'l-Bayaan li Shajarat
al-Eemaan by al-Sa'di, p. 41).
Allaah created His creatures to know Him and
worship Him. This is what is expected from them
and what they are required to do, because as Ibn
al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
"The key to the call of the Messengers, the
essence of their Message, is knowing Allaah
through His Names and Attributes and Deeds,
because this is the foundation on which the rest
of the Message, from beginning to end, is
built." (Al-Sawaa'iq al-Mursalah `ala
al-Jahamiyyah wa'l-Mu'attilah by Ibn
al-Qayyim, 1/150-151). So when a person occupies
himself with learning about Allaah, he is doing
what he was created for, but if he ignores the
matter, he is neglecting what he was created
for. The meaning of faith is not merely to utter
words without knowing Allaah, because true faith
in Allaah means that the slave knows the Lord in
Whom he believes, and he makes the effort to
learn about Allaah through His Names and
Attributes. The more he learns about his Lord,
the more he increases in faith.
Knowledge of the Names of Allaah is the basis
for all other knowledge, as Ibn al-Qayyim (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said: "Knowledge of
the Most Beautiful Names of Allaah is the basis
of all other kinds of knowledge, for the objects
of all these other branches of knowledge were
either created or commanded by Him (the various
branches of knowledge either deal with objects
created by Him or with the laws and guidance
revealed by Him). The reason for creation and
guidance is found in His Most Beautiful Names
(because He is the Creator, He creates things;
because He is the Guide to the Straight Path, He
reveals guidance, and so on)… Knowing the Most
Beautiful Names is the basis of all objects of
knowledge, because all knowledge stems from
these Names…" (Bada'i' al-Fawaa'id by Ibn
al-Qayyim, 1/163).
From the book Asma' Allaah al-Husnaa, pp.
6-8. (www.islam-qa.com)
3927: Ruling on Reciting the
Names of Allaah in certain combinations
Question:
Number of people tell me if you say so-and-so
X amount of times then you will get such and
such reward e.g. reciting the 99 names of Allah
in certain combnations and quantities will do
certain things .
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
This question was answered for us by Shaykh
`Abd-Allaah ibn Munayyi', who said:
"This is not permissible, and if he believes
in it, it is bid'ah."
Every dhikr that involves reciting a certain
number of times, or in a certain place, or at a
certain time, or in a certain manner, that is
not prescribed in sharee'ah, is bid'ah. With
regard to the Most Beautiful Names of Allaah,
the way to use these in worship is to call upon
Allaah by these Names, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning), "And (all)
the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so
call on Him by them…" [al-A'raaf 7:180].
Merely reciting them in certain combinations is
not a prescribed form of worship. And Allaah
knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
606: The meaning of the
pronoun "We" as used in the Qur'an
Question:
Why does the Quran use the term "we" in its
ayats?
Many non-believers believe that this
may be in reference to Jesus?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is a feature of literary style in Arabic
that a person may refer to himself by the
pronoun nahnu (we) for respect or
glorification. He may also use the word
ana (I), indicating one person, or the
third person huwa (he). All three styles
are used in the Qur'an, where Allaah addresses
the Arabs in their own tongue. (Fataawa
al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 4/143).
"Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted,
sometimes refers to Himself in the singular, by
name or by use of a pronoun, and sometimes by
use of the plural, as in the phrase
(interpretation of the meaning): `Verily, We
have given you a manifest victory" [al-Fath
48:1], and other similar phrases. But Allaah
never refers to Himself by use of the dual,
because the plural refers to the respect that He
deserves, and may refer to His names and
attributes, whereas the dual refers to a
specific number (and nothing else), and He is
far above that." (Al-`Aqeedah
al-Tadmuriyyah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah, p. 75).
These words, innaa ("Verily We") and
nahnu ("We"), and other forms of the
plural, may be used by one person speaking on
behalf of a group, or they may be used by one
person for purposes of respect or glorification,
as is done by some monarchs when they issue
statements or decrees in which they say "We have
decided…" etc. [This is known in English as "The
Royal We" _ Translator]. In such cases, only one
person is speaking but the plural is used for
respect. The One Who is more deserving of
respect than any other is Allaah, may He be
glorified and exalted, so when He says in the
Qur'an innaa ("Verily We") and
nahnu ("We"), it is for respect and
glorification, not to indicate plurality of
numbers. If an aayah of this type is causing
confusion, it is essential to refer to the
clear, unambiguous aayaat for clarification, and
if a Christian, for example, insists on taking
ayaat such as "Verily, We: it is We Who have
sent down the Dhikr (i.e., the Qur'an)" [al-Hijr
15:9 _ interpretation of the meaning] as
proof of divine plurality, we may refute this
claim by quoting such clear and unambiguous
aayaat as (interpretation of the meanings):
"And your god is One God, there is none who
has the right to be worshipped but He, the Most
Beneficent, the Most Merciful" [al-Baqarah
2:163] and "Say: He is Allaah, the One"
[al-Ikhlaas 112:1] _ and other aayaat which
can only be interpreted in one way. Thus
confusion will be dispelled for the one who is
seeking the truth. Every time Allaah uses the
plural to refer to Himself, it is based on the
respect and honour that He deserves, and on the
great number of His names and attributes, and on
the great number of His troops and angels."
(Reference: Al-`Aqeedah al-Tadmuriyyah by
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, p. 109). And
Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
1392: Many of the Names of
Allaah may be found at the end of numerous
aayaat of the Qur'aan
Question:
So far I have learned 33 of the 99 Arabic
names for Allah (SWT), I don't have a list of
the rest. Where can I find it on the internet,
or perhaps you know them?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah has many names, all of which are
indicative of His Greatness, Perfection and
Majesty, may He be glorified and exalted. He has
told us some of these Names in His Book and
through the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him); He also has
other Names which are known only to Him, as is
indicated in the hadeeth of `Abdullah ibn
Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), who
said:
"The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: `There is nobody
who is afflicted with distress or grief and who
says: "Allaahumma inni `abduka wa ibn `abdika wa
ibn amatika, naasiyati bi yadika maadin fiyya
hukmuka `adlun fiyya qadaa'uka, as'aluka bi
kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw
`allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw anzaltahu fi
kitaabika aw asta'tharta bihi fi `ilmi al-ghaybi
`indaka an taj'al al-Qur'aana rabee'a qalbi wa
noor sadri wa jilaa'a huzni wa dhihaaba hammi (O
Allaah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son
of Your maidservant, my forelock is in Your
hand, Your command over me is ever executed and
Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every
name belonging to You which You have 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, that You make the Qur'aan the life of my
heart and the light of my breast, and a
departure for my sorrow and a release for my
anxiety," - but Allaah will take away his
distress and grief, and replace it with ease.'
He was asked, `O Messenger of Allaah, should we
not learn it?' He said, `Of course, whoever
hears it should learn it.'" (Reported by Imaam
Ahmad; this is a saheeh hadeeth).
The Names of Allaah mentioned in the Qur'aan
and Sunnah number over one hundred, as several
scholars have agreed (see Al-Qawaa'id al-Muthlaa
fi Sifaat Allaahi wa Asmaa'ihi by Shaykh
Muhammad ibn Saalih ibn `Uthaymeen).
Among these are ninety-nine names which, if
one learns them and acts in accordance with
them, will bring a great reward, as is indicated
in the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him), in which the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah has
ninety-nine names, one hundred less one; whoever
learns them will enter Paradise."
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no.
2736)
The learning referred to in the
hadeeth includes the following:
Memorizing them.
Understanding their meanings.
Acting upon them: so if a person learns that
Allaah is al-Ahad (the One and Only), he will
not associate anything else with Him; if he
learns that He is al-Razzaaq (the Provider), he
will not seek provision from anyone else; if he
learns that He is al-Raheem (the Most Merciful),
he will not despair of His Mercy, and so on.
Calling upon Allaah by these Names, as He
says (interpretation of the meaning): "And
(all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah,
so call on Him by them…" [al-A'raaf 7:180] -
so one might say "Yaa Rahmaan arhamni (O Most
Merciful, have mercy on me)," "Yaa Ghafoor
ighfir li (O All-Forgiving, forgive me)," "Yaa
Tawwaab, tubb `alayya (O Accepter of Repentance,
turn towards me in forgiveness)," and so on.
If you pay attention to the endings of many
aayaat, you will find many of the names of Allah
mentioned there. And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
ISBN 1861792883 $15.95 eBook. ISBN 1861792867 $28.50 Paperback Pages: 260  or search for any item, word or phrase in this Search Box:
FEEDS
 RSS 2.0
 Comments
| 
Introduction