Allâh’s Will: Universal and Legal

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Allâh’s Will: Universal and Legal

Khaled Fahmy

Allâh’s Will: Universal and Legal

We believe that His will is of two kinds:
a] Universal will, through which His intention is carried out. It is not necessary that what is carried out is liked by Him. This type of will means permission, as Allâh said: “Had Allâh willed, they would not have fought one against the other, but Allâh does whatever He desires,” [2:253] and “If Allâh desires to lead you astray, He is your Lord” [11:34], and


b] Legal will, which does not necessarily entail the execution of His desire. His will, in this case, cannot be but what He likes, as He said: “Allâh wants to forgive you” [4:27].


We believe that His universal and legal wills are part of His wisdom. Every thing He performs in the universe or requires legally from His creatures is for a good reason and according to His wisdom, whether we grasp it or not: “Is not Allâh the best of Judges?” [95:8]; “And who is better than Allâh in judgement for a people who have firm faith” [5:50].


We believe that Allâh loves His select servants and that they love Him: “Say if you love Allâh, follow me and Allâh will love you” [3:31]; “Allâh will bring a people whom He will love and who will love Him” [5:54]; “Allâh loves the steadfast” [3:146]; “And act justly, surely, Allâh loves the just” [49:9]; and “Do good; Allâh loves those who do good” [5:93].


We believe that Allâh likes what He prescribed of good deeds and sayings and He dislikes what He prohibited of bad deeds and sayings: “If you disbelieve, surely Allâh does not need you, yet He does not like disbelief for His servants; if you are thankful, this pleases Him” [39:7]; and “But Allâh disliked their marching forth. So He kept them back, and it was said to them: ‘Stay with the weaklings” [9: 46].


We believe that Allâh is pleased with those who believe in Him and do good deeds: “Allâh is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord” [98:8].


We believe that Allâh is angry with those who deserve His anger among the non-believers and others: “And those who think evil thoughts of Allâh, against them shall be the evil turn of fortune. Allâh is angry with them” [48:6]; “But whoever opens his heart to disbelief, on them is Allâh’s wrath and they shall have a severe punishment” [16:106].


More of Allâh’s Attributes: We believe that Allâh has a glorious and dignified face: “There will remain the face of your Lord, majestic and splendid” [55:27].


We believe that Allâh has two generous hands: “No, both His hands are wide open; He spends how He pleases” [5:64]; “They do not esteem Allâh with the esteem that is due to Him. The whole Earth will be His handful on the Day of Resurrection, and the Heavens will be rolled up in His right hand. Glory be to Him and exalted is He above that which they associate with Him” [39:67].


We believe that Allâh possesses two real eyes, because He said: “And build the ark under Our eyes as We reveal” [11:37]. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “His veil is light. Had He removed it, the sublimity of His countenance would have burnt all that His sight reached” [Muslim and Ibn Majah]. The Sunnites unanimously have agreed that He has two eyes. This is supported by the Prophet’s saying about the Dajjal [the anti-Christ] that “he is one-eyed and your Lord is not one-eyed” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


We believe that “vision cannot perceive Him, but He perceives all vision. He is the Incomprehensible, the All-aware” [6:103]. We believe that the believers will see their Lord on the Day of Resurrection: “Upon that day some faces shall be radiant, gazing upon their Lord” [75:22-3].


We believe that Allâh has no equal because His Attributes are perfect: “There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him. He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing” [42:11].


We believe that “no slumber or sleep seizes Him” [2:255], because His life is perfect and eternal. We believe that He does not do injustice to anybody, because His fairness is perfect. We believe that He is not unaware of his servants’ deeds, because He has perfect supervision and comprehensive knowledge.


We believe that He is capable of doing anything in the Heavens or in the Earth, because of His perfect knowledge and power: “Indeed His command, when He desires a thing, is only to say to it ‘Be’ and it is” [36: 82].


We believe that He is free from weariness and weakness, because of His infinite power: “Surely, We created the Heavens and the Earth and all that is between them in six days and no weariness touched Us” [50: 38].