ISLAMNA

Al-Waahid (The One)

Al-Ahad (The Singular)

He is the One Who is singled out in all aspects of Perfection such that nothing else shares with Him in them. It is obligatory upon the servants to single Him out alone in belief, saying and action by acknowledging His unrestricted perfection, His uniqueness and singling Him out Alone for all types of worship.

“‘O two companions of the prison! Are many different lords better or Allah, the One, the Irresistible?’” (12:39)

“Say: I am only a warner and there is no god except Allah the One, the Irresistible.” (38:65)

This name has been repeatedly mentioned in many verses. Ar-Rabb is the One Who nurtures and sustains all of His servants through regulating the affairs and granting all types of favors and blessings. More specifically He is the One Who nurtures and sustains those close to Him (awliyaa) by correcting and purifying their hearts, souls and manners. This is why their supplications are frequently made with this Noble Name because they seek this specific nurturing.

“And your Lord is Most Forgiving, Owner of Mercy. Were He to call them to account for what they had earned then surely He would have hastened on their punishment. But they have their appointed time beyond which they will find no escape.” (18:58)

This is comprehensive and inclusive of all the perfect attributes and sublime characteristics. Every one of the beautiful names are included as well. Correct is the statement that the word ilaah is the root of the name Allah and that Allah is the name inclusive of all the beautiful names and high characteristics and attributes and Allah is the All-Knowing.

“Allah the High and Sublime states: Verily Allah is the One and Only Deity (Ilaahun Waahid). Far Exalted is He from having a son and to Him belong everything in the heavens and the earth and Sufficient is Allah as a Caretaker. [Soorah An-Nisaa, Aayah 171]

Allah

He is the One and Only Deity, the One Who is Worshipped and the One Who deserves to be worshipped by the whole of His creation due to the Perfect Godly Attributes that He is described with.

“Allah! There is none worthy of worship but He, the Living, the Sustaining. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He Knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world and in the Hereafter. They will not encompass anything of His Knowledge except that which He Wills. His Footstool extends over the heavens and the earth and he feels no fatigue in guarding them. He is the Most High, the Most Great.” (2:255)

Asking How (Takyeef)

Attempting to ascertain the manner in which Allah’s attributes take form, and also determining their essence. Taking the names and attributes mentioned in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah at face value, without any comparison, alteration, negation, nor takyeef is the method of the companions of the Prophet (May Allah be pleased with them), their followers and those who followed their followers.

One may ask:

Suppose that the Qur’aan and the Sunnah do not give a clear description of one or more of Allah’s qualities, may we not seek more enlightenment by applying our reason or by asking people of higher standing in science, philosophy or logic to explain to us ‘how’ a certain quality can be understood, ‘why’ it is so, or other similar questions?

The answer is: Absolutely, no!

Such an answer is not given out of narrow-mindedness and rigidity. Rather, it derives from a true understanding of our capacity and ability as humans. There is a consensus about this among the Muslim scholars, as demonstrated in the following authentic narration.

A man came to Malik bin Anas (May Allah have mercy upon him), one of the four famous imaams to whom the four famous schools of thought are attributed, and one of the most prominent scholars of all time, and asked him, “O Malik! The Qur’aan says that Ar-Rahman (the Bestower of Mercy) ascended the Throne; how did He do that?” Malik was extremely disturbed by this question, and replied:

The istiwaa, (ascendance) is known [in meaning]; but ‘how’ it took place is not known to people. Believing in its occurrence is compulsory; and questioning its mode of occurrence is a bid’ah (a rejected innovation in the Faith). And I believe indeed that you are committing a bid’ah [by asking this question].” Judging that the man was one of the first people to try to contaminate the purity of the faith with their deformed understanding, Malik then banished that man from his presence. [Ad-Daarimi & Al-Bayhaqi]

In this reaction of this great scholar was made in a time when true belief was known and widespread and he therefore harshly admonished the questioner as a lesson for all and to prevent further evil or deviation.

The great scholar, Ash-Shawkaani (May Allah have mercy upon him) said:

The method adopted by the companions (May Allah be pleased with them), their followers and those who followed them is to take the proofs of Allah’s attributes at face value, without any false interpretation, comparison nor negation. Whenever they were asked about any of Allah’s attributes, they would recite the evidence concerning it from the Qur’aan and the Sunnah and avoid any other references. They said: “Allah said so, and this is the only thing that concerns us. We do not talk about that which we know not, nor were we permitted to do so by Allah.” If the inquirer attempted to obtain any more out of them, they would chastise him for delving into what does not concern him. They forbade him from seeking what could never be attained without falling into heresy, which is not their path, nor is it what they had learned from the Prophet (peace be upon him), and from the companions and their followers. In that noble era, there was consensus about Allah’s attributes, and the path was one. Their only concern was with what Allah had commanded them to do, and the obligations He had instructed them to fulfill. Those included: belief in Allah, establishing regular prayers, paying Zakat, fasting, pilgrimage, jihad, charity, seeking beneficial knowledge, guiding the people to all types of good, seeking the reward of Paradise and avoiding the punishment of the Hell-Fire, enjoining good and forbidding evil, and rectifying transgressors as much as possible. They never occupied themselves with any other matter that Allah had not instructed them to engage in, nor had they tarnished their worship with the innovation of inquiring after His nature and essence. In those days religion was pure and devoid of all heresy. (At-Tuhaf Fee Madhaahib As-Salaf, pg. 7)

Negation (Ta’teel)

Negating divine attributes, and denying their existence in Allah. One example of this is negating the perfection of Allah by denying His names and attributes, or negating the proper conduct towards Allah by abandoning His worship, or preventing people from knowing or worshipping their Creator. This would be like those who deny the fact that Allah created the universe and claim that it developed and evolved of its own accord.

A grave mistake that many people make when trying to understand Allah’s attributes is to say that He cannot have sight because this implies eyes and eyes are created by Him; that He cannot have a throne because this implies that He needs some of His creation (i.e. a throne to rest on); that He cannot be above the heavens and cannot ascend or descend because He created heavens, places and distances. They conjecture that His sight is His knowledge, His hands are His capability, His ascending the Throne symbolizes conquering it, and so on.

This type of thinking is what we usually refer to as suspending or neutralizing Allah’s attributes. It involves altering the meanings of those attributes that one cannot fully comprehend. This is a danger that should be carefully avoided in order to keep our knowledge of the faith clear and uncontaminated, following the examples set to us by the sahaabah (companions of the Prophet, May Allah be pleased with them) and their true followers

Distortion (Tahreef)

Namely, to distort the intended or apparent meaning through false interpretation, change or alteration. An example is the alteration of the wordings of the names and attributes, by adding to them, subtracting from them or changing the grammatical constructions. For example, the verse:

“And Allah spoke directly to Moses” [Soorah An-Nisaa (4): Aayah 163].

The Arabic word Allah was changed to the accusative case making Allah the object in the sentence according to the deviants to indicate that Moses spoke to Allah, thereby negating Allah’s attribute of talking.

The safest method to use in order to avoid distortion is the method of the early generations of Muslims (as-salaf). They confirmed the attributes which Allah had confirmed for Himself and which His Prophet (peace be upon him) had confirmed for Him, without distorting interpretation nor making comparisons that are unbefitting of the Majesty and Oneness of Allah. We affirm the attributes mentioned in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, such as the face, the two hands, the occupation of the Throne, the descent to the lower heaven, anger, pleasure, and so on, without comparing them to human attributes or interpreting them in a way that leads to their being negated. We reiterate what Imam Ash-Shaafi’i (May Allah have mercy upon him) said:

“I believe in Allah and in what revelation tells about Him, in the manner He intended, and I believe in the Messenger of Allah, and in what was related about the Messenger of Allah, in the manner that He intended.” (Ar-Rawdah An-Niddiyyah, pg. 25)

Comparison or Likening (Tashbeeh and Tamtheel)

Comparing or likening the attributes of the creator to the attributes of the created such as the Christians who believe Christ the son of Mary to be Allah the Exalted and possess His abilities, the Jews who compared Uzair to Allah, the polytheists who likened their idols to Allah. Some sects compared the face of Allah with the human face, Allah’s hand to the human hand, His hearing to human hearing, and so on.

When we say that Allah has life, it must be understood that:

1. There is no metaphor here, i.e., that His life is real
2. That this is an attribute of perfection as opposed to
3. That His life is not in any way like our living

Likewise, we believe that He has two hands because He mentioned this in the Qur’aan. But we believe that there is absolutely no resemblance between His hands and His creatures’ hands.

The Messenger (peace be upon him) said:

Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven and He calls: “Is there anyone asking for forgiveness? I will forgive him. Is there anyone asking for anything? I will give him. Is there anyone repenting? I will accept his repentance.” And He continues to say this until dawn. (Muslim)

We therefore believe that He descends every night to the lowest heaven, but that His descending is unlike that of His creatures and that it does not involve moving from one place to another. Even as He descends, He continues to be above heavens and above the throne (al-‘arsh). To believe otherwise would be implying that Allah could in some way be contained within the creation which He has stated is not possible and it would be likening it to the descent of His creation. Allah has many other attributes mentioned in the Qur’aan or the hadeeth such as highness, that He is above the heavens, that He laughs, that He becomes wrathful, etc.

Tawheed of names and attributes is damaged by various mistakes which should be avoided by Muslims especially and all other people in general. They are as follows:

• Comparison or Likening (Tashbeeh and Tamtheel)
• Distortion (Tahreef)
• Negation (Ta’teel)
• Asking How (Takyeef)

Two Major Classifications Of Deviated Groups On This Issue

1. The Muattillah (The Negators)

   They deny Allah’s names and attributes, or some of them claiming that to affirm them necessitates making a resemblance between Allah, the Most High, and His creation. This is a false and futile claim and its futility is shown in a number of ways

   1. It would necessitate conclusions that are futile, such as that there is a contradiction in the Speech of Allah, the One free of all imperfections. This is because Allah, the Most high, affirmed the names and attributes for Himself, and also denied that anything is like Him. So if affirming them necessitated resemblance between Allah and His creation, this would mean there is a contradiction in Allah’s speech, and that some of it negates the rest
   2. If two things have a name or a description that is common to them both, it does not necessitate that they are just alike. Two people share the fact that they are humans, and possess hearing, and sight and speech, but that does not mean they are just alike in their human qualities, and in their hearing, their sight, or in their speech. Furthermore, animals have hands and feet and eyes, but the fact that this is something in common between them does not mean that their hands, feet and eyes are just alike. So when it is clear to you that there is a great difference between created beings in the names or attributes common to them, the difference between the Creator and the creation will be far clearer and greater

2. The Mushabbihah (The Resemblers)

   They affirm the names and attributes and also declare Allah, the Most High, to be like his creation. They claim that this is what is required by and in accordance with the texts of the Quraan and the hadeeth since Allah, the Most High, addressed the people with that which is understandable to them. This claim of theirs is false and futile and its futility is shown in a number of ways, for example:

   1. That resemblance between Allah, the Most High, and His creation is something futile and false is disproved by the intellect and the Revelation. It is, further, not possible that the texts of the Quraan and the Sunnah require and necessitate something that is false and futile
   2. Allah, the Most High, addressed the people with that which is in essence understandable to them. People can understand attributes that are familiar to them. However, as for the essential reality of these attributes and how that which is spoken of about them is, this is knowledge which Allah, the Most High, has kept to Himself. This is the case with regard to Allah’s self and His attributes
   3. Allah has affirmed for Himself that He hears, and hearing is something understandable to us, as is the ability to perceive sounds. However the reality of how Allah’s hearing is so, is not and cannot be known to us. Hearing differs even amongst created beings, so the difference in that regard between the Creator and the creation will be far greater
   4. Also Allah, the Most High, has informed us that He ascended (al-istiwaa) above His throne (al-arsh). Ascension is something that is in essence understandable to us. However, as for the reality of how Allah ascended is something that is not known to us and is indeed beyond our ability to comprehend. A persons ascending or mounting a chair is not the same as mounting a difficult and wild camel. If the created beings amongst themselves differ in this, then the difference between the Creator and the created will indeed be far greater